Messages

1

Shipping News and information / Re: mv Funchal

« on: January 18, 2006, 06:23:10 PM »

Many thanks for the news on mv Funchal.

It looks as if she has made it OK to Australia for her cruising season.
Lets hope her trip back to the UK is without any problems.

Does anyone know if she will continue in service after 2010 when the new solas regulations apply.

Bob

2

Shipping News and information / Re: Norway,the end

« on: December 16, 2005, 01:18:22 AM »

Having worked on Oriana and knowing that she contained a lot of asbestos some of which could be seen round the fire doors at the entrance to the aft Drake Restaurant from the foyer aft of the restaurant it would seem that there is no control in China on this type of demolition now that Oriana is being demolished behind closed doors.

3

Shipping News and information / mv Funchal

« on: December 05, 2005, 10:21:17 AM »

Hi all

Has anyone any news on if the Classic International Cruises passenger ship mv Funchal has left Safaga after her engine breakdown there about the 23rd November and continued on her voyage to Fremantle, Australia.

Bob

4

Shipping News and information / Re: ss ORIANA

« on: November 22, 2005, 04:32:33 PM »

Hi Phil

The original plans of the athorities in Dalain were to restore Oriana and open her free to the public but after over eight months with her port side in the water it appears too much damage was caused.

Details of their plans can be found on the Chinese Dalain Runsky news website which has a lot of information and pictures about Oriana taken from other websites and also while she was in Dalian.

Regards,

Bob

5

Shipping News and information / Re: ss ORIANA

« on: November 22, 2005, 04:26:25 PM »

Hi Valeri

A lot of the pictures on the website you mention are provided by myself.

Regards,

Bob

6

Shipping News and information / Re: ss ORIANA

« on: November 22, 2005, 11:18:28 AM »

Hi Glen

Many thanks for your reply.

I have a friend from UK teaching in Dalian and he said much the same.

He supplied me with many of the pictures I have on the Australian Maritime Matters website about Oriana at Dalian.
There is also a large selection of other pictures about Oriana on this website.

Having worked with the P&O Hong Kong chinese crews on Chitral and Cathay when the ships were on the UK / Far East service I know how the Chinese react to certain difficult decisions.

It seems this is a case of loosing face !

Oriana will be sadly missed even though she had been changed a lot inside since her days on Australian cruising.

I have my house in UK named after her, having spent over 14 years working on her at various times which included the last ten years before her withdrawl from the Australian cruises in March 1986.

I  also worked on most of the other old P&O passenger ships from 1951 to 1986.

Regards

Bob

7

Shipping News and information / ss ORIANA

« on: November 21, 2005, 11:12:56 PM »

Hi

Has anyone any recent pictures of the demolition of the ss Oriana in China.

Most pictures on the other websites are now over two months old and only show the start of the work.

Having worked on Oriana for over ten years until her withdrawl from service on the P&O Australian cruises and then being sold to the Japanese I am interested is seeing any recent pictures of her demolition.

Regards,
Bob Whitmore
Ex Maitre D'hotel,
ss Oriana.