Celebrity Cruises’ first brand new ship, the 47,427grt Horizon, joined the fleet in 1990.
She is seen her leaving New York on her weekly schedule to Bermuda. In 2005, she was transferred to Island Cruises,
a joint venture between Royal Caribbean and First Choice Holidays, to become the Island Star
for the British Market cruising in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.
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Regal Cruise Line’s 21,909grt Regal Empress is seen pulling out of her West Side berth bow first,
with her bow being carried upstream by the incoming tide. The ship was built as Greek Line’s Olympia in 1953,
laid up in 1974, then in 1982 began sailing for Commodore Cruise Line as the Caribe I.
In 1993 she took her present name, and ten years later was sold to Imperial Majesty Cruise Line
where she still trades from Port Everglades as the Regal Empress, now 55 years old.
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The Regal Empress is now sailing down the North River
with the Sea Breeze still berthed and Song of America on the move in the background.
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Royal Caribbean’s 37,773grt Song of America was built in 1982 and sailed for them until 1999
when she was sold to Airtours for their Sun Cruises as the Sunbird. In 2004, Louis Cruise Lines bought the ship
and in 2005 she began operating for Thomson Cruises in the Mediterranean as the Thomson Destiny.
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The Song of America is sailing past the Empire State Building, and the two smaller spires,
over the bow and ahead of the bow, are the New York Life Insurance Building
and Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, both located at Madison Square.
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Premier Cruises’ Sea Breeze I is still berthed on the West Side. She began life in 1958 as the 20,416grt Federico C,
Costa Line’s first newbuild. In 1983 she was sold to Premier Cruise Line, first renamed Royale, then Starship Royale.
After an interim period with Dolphin Cruise Line as the Sea Breeze I, the line and ship were absorbed by Premier.
Following Premier’s bankruptcy, the ship sank in a storm under tow on December 17, 2000 some 200 miles off the Virginia coast.
The 34 crew aboard were rescued.
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