Moore-McCormack Liner Brasil 1958


Moore-McCormack Lines


This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the Moore-McCormack liner Brasil which had a long subsequent career as a cruise liner with many name changes.

Brasil, and her sister Argentina, were the last luxury liners to be built in the USA. They replaced two earlier ships of the same names (plus a third, the Uruguay), on Moore-McCormack's services from New York to South American ports, terminating at Buenos Aires. They were built in the deep south of the USA, by Ingall's at Pascagoula, Mississippi. Brasil was commissioned first, in September 1958, Argentina following three months later. The Portuguese spelling of Brasil was used. They cost an expensive $25 million dollars each. As built, the sisters were 14984 gross tons, 570 ft long (614 ft OA) and carried 553 First Class passengers. 120 new berths were added on a new upper deck addition in 1963, which increased tonnage to 15257gt. The dummy funnel was originally a glass-covered solarium, but these were removed in the 1963 refits. Their exhaust was released through twin uptakes aft. The accommodation was of a very high standard, and the sisters typically ran a 31 day schedule that called at Barbados, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, and Montevideo on the way to Buenos Aires. Trinidad was substituted for Barbados in the return direction.

The sisters were not economic, due to the high cost of US flagged operation and competition from cheaper foreign flags. They were also plagued by industrial action. In the late 1960s, operations were coordinated with those of Grace Line. There were plans for new cruise itineraries being prepared when Brasil, and her sister Argentina were laid up in 1969 for three years, before sale to Holland America Lines as Volendam and Veendam. Holland America had been looking for second hand tonnage suitable for use on long distance, luxury cruises. They were bought for $10 million each, and were refitted for just 500 passengers in Bremerhaven. The sisters were very heavy on fuel, and 1973 oil crisis made them uneconomic on their planned long cruises, so they were laid up briefly in early 1974.

Volendam was chartered to Monarch Cruise Lines 1975-78 as Monarch Sun and her sister became Monarch Star in 1976. Returned to Holland America Lines in 1978, Volendam was sold to the C.Y.Tung group in 1884. After briefly being named Island Sun she was passed to American Hawaii for use as the Liberté. This was not a success, and after briefly being the Canada Star, she passed to Bermuda Star Line in 1988 as the Queen of Bermuda, rejoining sister Bermuda Star. In 1990, she passed to Commodore Cruise Line as the Enchanted Seas. Brasil's final charter was with World Explorer Cruises as Universe Explorer in 1996. This lasted until 2004 when she was scrapped in Alang. being beached there on 7th December 2004.
Ship Names on this Page:-
Brasil - Moore-McCormack Lines: 1958-1969
Volendam - Holland America Line: 1972-75, 1978-84
Monarch Sun - Monarch Cruise Lines: 1975-1978
Island Sun - 1984
Liberté - American Hawaii: 1985-1986
Canada Star - 1988
Queen of Bermuda - 1988-1990
Enchanted Seas - Commodore Cruise Lines: 1990-1996
Universe Explorer - World Explorer Lines: 1996-2004

Associated Pages:-
American Hawaii
Commodore Cruise Line
Holland America Lines
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page

References:-
The Cruise Ship Phenomenon in North America: Brian J.Cudahy - Cornell Maritime Press 2001

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Early official art card of Argentina and Brasil.



Later official card of Argentina and Brasil, with additional cabins above the bridge deck.







Volendam
(Holland America Line: 1972-76, 1978-84) 1973 deck plans for sisters Volendam & Veendam Click to open 5MB PDF of complete plans - similar items available at www.nautiques.net Holland America Cruises official postcard of Volendam and Veendam.


Holland America Cruises official postcard of Volendam and Veendam.
(Ship is Volendam).



Holland America Cruises official postcard of Volendam.



CT Publishing postcard of Volendam



Veendam or Volendam cruising in Norway
Scan: Audun Indseth
Click to open larger image in new window







Monarch Sun
(Monarch Cruise Lines: 1976-1978)


Monarch Cruise Lines official card of the Monarch Sun and Monarch Star.






Island Sun (1984)

To be added






Liberté
(American Hawaii: 1985-86)

In 1984, American Hawaii entered the Polynesian market with another C.Y.Tung ship, the Liberté, originally the Moore-McCormack Brasil, and later Holland-America Line's Volendam.


This image of Liberté is from an official American Hawaii brochure.
Scan: João Francisco Metello



American Hawaii postcard of Liberté.



American Hawaii postcard of Liberté.



American Hawaii postcard of Liberté.



Photograph of Liberté.
Scan: Ken Murayama



American Hawaii postcard of Liberté.
Scan: David Hammon







Canada Star
(1988)

Postcard of Canada Star.
Postcard issued by Bermuda Star Line as Queen of Bermuda.







Queen of Bermuda
(1988-1990)

Bermuda Star Line postcard of Queen of Bermuda.
Ship is actually wearing name Canada Star.








Enchanted Seas
(Commodore Cruise Lines: 1990-1996)

Commodore Cruise Line card of the Enchanted Seas.



Commodore Cruise Line card of the Enchanted Seas.



Commodore Cruise Line card of the Enchanted Seas.



Commodore Cruise Line card of the Enchanted Seas.







Universe Explorer
(World Explorer Lines: 1996-2004)

Official postcard of World Explorer.



Photograph of World Explorer.
Photo: © Marvin Jensen.



Photograph of World Explorer.
Photo: © Marvin Jensen.



Photograph of World Explorer.
Photo: © Marvin Jensen.



Photograph of World Explorer.
Photo: © Marvin Jensen.





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