MEDITERRANEAN MELODY

I'm a member of the Ferries of Southern Europe group at eGroups. One of the members of the group, Mr.Jim McFaul has posted a very interesting report on his trip round the Western Med. His report is as follows. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Melody - A Cruise around the Western Med in August 2001, Part 1 Genoa to Palermo.

by Jim McFaul

It has taken me several weeks to sort out my slides from a fairly intensive trip round the Western Med in August. Despite having travelled into Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo airport several times for business I have never had the chance to look around the busy port apart from the air so this year we booked a cruise on MSC's Melody that started and finished there.  Where any of the ships seen has had several former names I have usually only given the original one.

Melody (Mediterranean Shipping Cruises)

19/8/01: -  Having flown into Malpensa, Milan we joined the Melody at the Cruise Terminal in the Porto Vecchio, Genoa late afternoon. Melody is MSC's flagship and was built as the Atlantic in 1982. She caters mainly for the Italian tourist trade picking up and disembarking passengers at all the ports we visited. Around us at the passenger terminal were the cruise ships Costa Victoria, The Azur ex Southampton ferry Eagle (1971) and the new European Vision (2001) which was just too close and too big to photograph wihout chopping the bow or stern. More interesting were the various ferries, Clodia (1980), Liberte (1980), Fantastic (1996), the new Bithia (2001), Toscana (1994), Admiral ex Warnemunde (1963 at Rostock). As we left the port in the early evening other vessels came into view in the ship building/repair area, combined passenger ferry/vehicle carrier Repubblica di Venezia (1987), small passenger vessel Daunia (1965), Moby King ex Swedish train ferry Skane (1966), roro Strada Corsara ex Linne (1979) which since 1999 has been the Kattegat Syd, Dana Hafnia and Tor Hafnia, roro Linda (1995), roro Golfi del Fiori (1980), Arborea (1980) built as roro Staffetta Jonica and converted to a passenger vessel. At the entrance we pass the inward bound Majestic (1993).
 

Azur (Festival Cruises)

20/8/01, up just in time to see a sight that made my day, the Ischia ex Royal Sovereign was crossing our bows on her way to Ischia. Crossing to the mainland was the Antonio Amabile (1968). Further off were various other small passenger vessels including the Adeoni, Surriento, Achemar and Acapulco Jet.  At the narrow entrance to the port of Naples we had a splendid view of the Agostino Lauro squeezing past us on her way out. She was built as the Isefjord at Aalborg in 1935.  On the mole, two products of British shipyards were laid up, the Carlo R built as the Rangatira at Newcastle in 1972 and alongside her the Odessa I launched as the Copenhagen at Barrow in 1974 but completed as the Russian Odessa. In port were the Vincenzo Florio (1999), Heidi ex Stena Baltica (1966), for eighteen years Caledonian SP's Caledonia,  Peloritano ex Fehmarn (Rendsburg 1927), Piero Della Francesca (1980) and cruise ship Sunbird ex Song of America (1982). The Guglielmo Mazzolo ex Vittore Carpaccio (1963) was in one of the floating docks being prepared for service after lay up.  The Anna Maria Lauro ex Hayabusa No 1 (1971) and Gallura (1968) seemed to be laid up.
 
Following us in to berth astern were the Costa Victoria and an old friend, the Lauro Express ex Antrim Princess (1967) on which I have travelled many times between Larne and Stranraer. Having berthed at the Marine Terminal and waiting to disembark we had an excellent grandstand view of a parade of smaller passenger vessels. These included the Fauno (1981), sister Driade (1980), SNAV Antares ex Irbis (1990), Salina (1990), Superjet (Marinteknik, Singapore,1999), Capri Jet (Fairey Marintek, Cowes, 1988), near sister built on the other side of the world, Celestina (Fairey Marinetek, Singapore, 1988), Amalfi Jet ex Diamant Express (also Marineteknik, Oregrund, 1991). As we left to join the excursion coach we had a good view of the Santa Lucia L (1956) arriving. She was the subject of recent discussion in the group.
 
Returning from Herculeum in the late afternoon there was time for a quick visit to the Lauro Express and see one panic stricken passenger watching the glass walled stern of the Millennium (2000) depart down the harbour until a harbour launch took pity and rescued him.  Back on board to see that the Sicilia Jet (1997) had arrived.  The Angelina Lauro (1981) and the Surriento ex Falerno (1965) departed empty presumably to tie up for the night. In the evening gloom we passed the Lauro Express again still berthed. A couple of hours later we were traversing the coast of Sorrento and Capri under the light of the moon and seemingly just feet off  the cliffs, very spectacular, quite romantic in fact.
 

21/8/01 Early morning finds us following the Regal Star (St. Petersburg 1999) into Palermo.The Vincenzio Florio has overtaken us during the night and is already berthed as had the Sicilia Jet.The Freccia Blu (1970) is also in port. After spending the day at the classical Greek site at Selinunte, we delay departure in the evening while the Majestic berths. We had seen her arrive at Genoa.  Leaving port on our way to La Palma, the Raffaele Rubatinno (2000) passes us inward bound silouetted against the evening sun.

Mediterranean Melody - A Cruise around the Western Med in August 2001, Part 2 Tunis to Genoa

22/8/01 Another morning, another port, - not to mention another continent. Dawn finds us entering La Goulette in Tunisia. Already berthed are the top heavy Al Salam Boccaccio ex Boccaccio (1970) and The Azur.The roro Vikingland (1979) follows us in and berths further up the waterway which leading to the city of Tunis. Costa Victoria also arrives shortly after. Back on board after visiting ancient Carthage a large porpoise near the ship causes some excitement until it time to sail again following out the Al Salam Boccaccio and Costa Victoria. Anchored off are the Croatian roro Iva (1978) and Cotunav's Ulysse (1997). Inward bound, splendidly lit up by the late afternoon sunshine, were the Bolero ex Starward (1968) and, a bit of a surprise, the King of Scandinavia ex Prinsessan Birgitta (1974) on charter to Cotunav. 
 

Bolero (Festival Cruises)

23/8/01 A longer haul than usual finds us entering La Palma early afternoon through a fleet of sailing craft, old and new, participating in the local Admiral's Cup. The Costa Riviera ex Gugliemo Marconi (1963) clears the berth for us. Already berthed are the Costa Victoria (again) and The Topaz ex Empress of Britain (1956). The Benirredera (1979) was at the roro terminal. Nearby was a passenger vessel/yacht Salem which I think was formerly the much rebuilt Dutch weather ship Cumulus (1963).  Berthed on the mole seemingly very much out of the way was the Alcantara (1995). A lengthy stroll into town from the cruise terminal takes us into the city centre where there was time to visit the cathedral, see the sailing vessels now berthed and open to the public and listen to the shanty singers before reparing on board where the Samoan crew gave a midnight display of their dancing and fire-breathing skills. Depart just after midnight.
 

24/8/01 Back to the early morning arrivals, today it's Barcelona. We pass the laid up cruise ship Seawind Crown ex Infante Dom Enrique (1961) near the entrance, the roro's Ciudad de Cadiz ex Roll-Al (1980), Gala del Mar (1982) and the Egyptian registered Stjerneborg ex Dana America (1979) all loading. Approaching the passenger terminal we pass the cruise ships R Two (1998) of the recently bankrupt Renaissance Cruises and who else but the Costa Victoria to berth just behind another old favourite the Isla de Botafoc ex St Anselm (1980). The cruise ship Carousel ex Nordic Prince (1971) arrives behind us. If some of this sounds familiar you may be thinking of Alistair Deayton's earlier report on board the Millennium. Paying the mandatory visit to Guidi's Sagrada Familia cathedral, visit two Greek LSTs on a courtesy call. Some of this class of five apparently took twelve years to build because of financial problems with the Elefsis builders. We also see the replica of Spain's claim to the first submarine, the wooden Ictineo, and watch the high speed Milenium built by Incat, Hobart (2000) depart and another cat,the Universal Mk 1, arrive. A small excursion vessel Constancia was seen in the inner harbour but cannot find out anything about her.  As we prepare to depart the Ciudad de Sevilla (1980) arrives, later we pass the new Sorolla (2001) as we leave the harbour entrance. The Ciudad de Alicante ex Rollman (1979) has replaced the Ciudad de Cadiz on the berth.

25/8/01 Sailing up the coast overnight, another early morning arrival at Marseille.  On the mole, possibly laid up, is the Moroccan roro Azilal ex Mercandian Ambassador (1983). Taking breakfast in the pleasant forward restaurant which just under the bridge with very good views forward I realise the cruise ship approaching in full splendour of the morning sunshine is not the Mistral which I've seen before but the new European Vision. Perhaps this time I'll get a decent photograph. One disadvantage however of the forward restaurant, pleasant as it is, is there does not seem any quick way of getting top side without going all the way to the stern, going up a deck and come forward again by which time the European Vision is past and against the sun. However I do manage to photograph the stern this time! The day is spent at Avignon where the river excursion vessel La Saone is sighted. On return, there is time to view the large Greek roro Pelamber ex Fenecia Express (1979). Some of the dock buildings are clearly signed Cammell Laird and low down in their drydock is another large roro, the Southern Trader (previous discussed in the group).
 

26/08/01 Our final morning finds us following the Excellent (1998) into Genoa. Many of the vessels we saw the week before are still there, presumably having been in and out a few times since. Some that were new were the roro's Jolly Blu ex Debica (1988) and Altinia (1992). The Excellent berths close to her sister Excelsior (1999).  Of particular interest is the Gioventu ex Prins Hendrik (1974), a long way from the Baltic, alongside the very modern looking high speed Capricorn (1999). The new Moby Freedom (Daewoo 2001) is on display. I had hoped we would be able to spend some time during the morning either viewing arrivals from the Melody or even take a harbour cruise but being the only passengers on board returning to the UK we had to join up with a small German party going for an earlier flight from Linate. So I still have not seen as much of Genoa as I would like and this trip has only confirmed that there is plenty to see. I'm just going to have to force myself and family to take another cruise in the next year or so even if it is the same itiniary. You could not do much better from a ship enthusiast's point of view with a different major port each day. At well as the passenger  vessels mentioned I also managed to photograph quite a few older coasters and tugs which I am also interested in.  As we depart the dock gates for Linate our final view is of the Commodore ex Prinsessan Christina (1969) berthing.

Posted with permission from Jim McFaul

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02/05/23