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This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation - There are no postcards for sale on this website
Commodore Cruise Line
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the Commodore Cruise Line.
Commodore Cruise Line started services in 1968, just two years after the start on Norwegian Caribbean Line. The founders were Florida hotelier Sandy Chobol and Edwin Stephan (later of Royal Caribbean). Six years earlier Chobol had also operated the
Princess Leopoldina
for a season out of Florida. The ship chartered in 1968 was the
Bohème
, one of a series of four car ferries then under construction in Finland. The others became the car ferries
Finnpartner
,
Finnhansa
and
Prins Hamlet
.
Bohème
was redesigned as a cruise ship, and operated 7-night trips out of Miami until 1981. Commodore never became a large company, but between 1973-1976,
Bohème
was joined by car ferry
Bolero
, which also ran a service from Portland, Maine, USA and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia during the summer. Between 1976-1981,
Bolero
was replaced by
Caribe (1)
, which also operated as a ferry between the US and Canada in the peak summer months. She was used on 7-night, 4-island trips to Montego Bay, Port Antonio, Puerto Plata and Port-au-Prince, sailing every Saturday.
In 1981, the Greek Line's turbine liner
Olympia
was bought by Sally Shipping and refitted, with diesels replacing the steam turbines. She returned to cruising as the
Caribe I
in 1983, in the
Commodore Cruise Line
fleet. In the 1990s, Commodore Cruise Line was bought by the Scandinavian company Effjohn International, which had been formed by the
Finland SS Co (EFFOA)
and the Swedish Johnson Line. Effjohn were the owners of
Silja Line
and
Sally Line
amongst other interests. Effjohn had bought the Bermuda Star Line the year before, and merged its two ships into Commodore under the names
Enchanted Isle
and
Enchanted Seas
. These had originally been built in 1958 as the
Argentina
and
Brasil
of Moore-McCormack, and were the last US-built luxury ocean liners. Unlike the
Caribe I
, these sisters retained their steam turbines to the end. The three ship fleet survived only until 1992, when
Caribe I
was sold to Regal Cruise Line as
Regal Empress
. In 1995, Effjohn sold Commodore to New York company JeMJ Financial Services. They added the ex-Soviet vessel
Enchanted Capri
to the fleet, sailing out of New Orleans like the
Enchanted Isle
. She was joined by the
Enchanted Sun
, built as
Hellenic Mediterranean Line's
Castalia
. Realising that the future of cruising lay with newer ships, Commodore resurrected the brand
Crown Cruise Line
in 1999 - this had previously been owned by Effjohn and operated from 1987-1997. The
Crown Dynasty
was (re)acquired for cruises to Bermuda, but was sold to
Fred Olsen Cruises
in 2001.
Ships on this Page:-
Princess Leopoldina
Bohème
Bolero
Caribe (1)
Caribe (2)
Enchanted Isle
Enchanted Seas
Enchanted Capri
Enchanted Sun
Associated Pages:-
Crown Cruise Line
Dolphin Cruise Line
Fred Olsen Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
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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Princess Leopoldina
Florida hotelier Sandy Chobol chartered
Princesa Leopoldina
in the early 1960s for a season cruising from Florida. Sandy Chobol later co-founded Commodore Cruises.
Princesa Leopoldina
was built in 1961 by Soc. Espanola de Construccion Naval, Bilbao, who constructed two coastal passenger ships for the Brazilian shipping Company, Cia. Nacional de Nav. Costeira. These two ships were named
Princesa Leopoldina
and
Princesa Isabel
. The 9766 GRT
Princesa Leopoldina
was delivered to her owners in August 1962. During speed trials, she attained 17.5 knots. Her accommodation consisted of:- First Class: 200 passengers (29 double and 46 three-berth cabins), Tourist Class: 250 passengers (mostly four berth cabins). Her owners were amalgamated with Lloyd Brasileiro in 1967 following financial problems, and they soon withdrew the two Spanish-built sisters.
Princesa Leopoldina
was sold to the China Navigation Company, Hong Kong, and re-entered service as a cruise ship in 1970 named
Coral Princess
. She ran short gambling cruises in the far east until 2000, when she was laid up in Malaysia. She had subsequent name changes to
Cora Princess
(in 1990) and
Millennium Queen
in 1999, final owners being listed as Universal Summit. She was scrapped in Alang in 2001.
Cia. Nacional de Nav. Costeira official card of
Princesa Leopoldina
.
Scan:
Rogerio Gouveia
Bohème (1976-1981)
Bohème
was one of a series of four car ferries built in Finland. The others became the car ferries
Finnpartner
,
Finnhansa
and
Prins Hamlet
.
Bohème
was originally intended to partner
Lion Ferries
'
Prins Hamlet
on its UK-Germany
Prins Ferries
routes, but the service grew more slowly than expected and the second ship was not required. She was sold before completion to Wallenius Bremen, and chartered to Commodore Cruise Line. The hull was redesigned as a cruise ship, with cabins added to the planned car decks. She never had bow or stern doors fitted. Wallenius named their ships after operas, and so was named
Bohème
. She was delivered in Wallenius colours, these being changed when she started operating 7-night trips out of Miami from December 1968.
In March 1981 Commodore Cruise Line, as well as the
Bohème
, were sold to the Finland-based Rederi Ab Sally. The new owners re-registered the
Bohème
to Panama, which resulted in most of the German officers resigning due to worsened working conditions. The resigned officers were replaced with Scandinavians. The following year the German deck and engine crews were replaced by Filipinos. Originally the new crew members were meant for
Navarino
, a former ocean liner (ex
Gripsholm
1957) Sally had purchased for conversion into service with Commodore Cruise Line. However, after the
Navarino
was severely damaged due to capsising of the drydock, the conversion plans were abandoned. The crew already hired for the
Navarino
was transferred to the Bohème.
In 1984, the Church of Scientology's parent body, the Church of Scientology International (CSI), decided to obtain a ship on which to deliver high-level Scientology courses. An entity called the Flag Ship Trust (FST) was formed in December 1985 with the aid of a $5 million donation from the International Association of Scientologists. In September 1986, the Flag Ship Trust purchased
Bohème
, renamed her
Freewinds
and refitted her to enable its use for Scientology purposes. The vessel was put into service in June 1988.
The
Freewinds
is the fifth ship to be owned by the Church of Scientology. The other four have been the
Royal Scotsman
(later the
Apollo
), the Enchanter (later the
Diana
), the Avon River (later the Athena), and the Nekambi, all of which have been scrapped, apparently. However, the nameplate of the Diana has been preserved and is on display aboard the
Freewinds
. The church also operated two World War II surplus ships during the late 1960s through the early 1970s. These were the
Bolivar
, a subchaser, and the
T.S.M.Y. Excalibur
. Both of these vessels were docked at San Pedro, California, and they were used for training new Sea Org members.
The
Freewinds
is the exclusive training centre for OT VIII (Operating Thetan Level 8), the highest level of Scientology and the last of the published OT levels. Members of the Church of Scientology who have reached the highest levels must receive their training on the Freewinds, as the Church does not deliver this service anywhere else. Besides the OT VIII training, the
Freewinds
is used for delivering lower-level classes and auditing services. She is also used as a recreational vessel for Scientologists. The ship hosts a "
Freewinds
Maiden Voyage" each July as an "OT Summit" for high-ranking Scientologists at which Scientology accomplishments and plans for the future are publicly celebrated. A significant portion of the ship is given over to its use as a religious retreat for Scientologists. As well as various course rooms and a library of L. Ron Hubbard books, the Freewinds has areas given over to the Religious Technology Center, Sea Org and International Association of Scientologists. As is common practice in other Scientology organizations, the ship also has an "LRH Office" symbolically set aside for L. Ron Hubbard's use.
Freewinds
is one ship that I am not keen to travel on (bizarrely I was once invited after providing some historical information some years back).
Commodore Cruise Line postcard of
Bohème
.
Commodore Cruise Line postcard of
Bohème
.
Commodore Cruise Line postcard of
Bohème
.
Commodore Cruise Line postcard of
Bohème
.
Commodore Cruise Line postcard of
Bohème
.
Freewinds
at Barbados
Photo ©Mike Tedstone 7th January 2012
Bolero (1973-1976)
Bolero
was built in 1973 for a consortium including Lion Ferry by Dubigeon-Normandie S.A. Prairie au doc, Nantes. She is a near sister ship of
Southern Ferries'
Eagle
and the
Massalia
of
Paquet
. She operated for Lion Ferry as
Prince of Fundy II
in the summers of 1973-76 between Portland, Maine, USA and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. During the winters she cruised for Commodore Cruise Lines, in which Lion Ferry also had interests. From 1976-78 she was chartered to Bergen Line on the route Bergen/Stavanger/Kristiansand-Newcastle. From 1978-78 She was chartered to
Stena Line
as
Scandinavica
. From 1981-91 operated as
Bolero
for Fred Olsen on North Sea services. In 1991
Bolero
passed to
Color Line
as the
Jupiter
, operating between Kristiansand-Hirtshals and Oslo-Hirtshals until 1994. She has since served as the
Crucero Express, Seminole Express
and
Magic I.
Complete history of Bolero
Official Fred Olsen postcard of
Bolero.
Caribe (1) (1976-81)
Caribe (1)
was built in 1968 by Orenstein-Koppel und Lübecker Machinenbau, Lübeck, as the
Freeport I
for the Miami Terminal Transport Co (Freeport Cruise Line), running between Miami-Freeport. She was renamed
Freeport I
soon after delivery. In 1973, she was sold to
Oy Birka Line Ab
, Mariehamn, and renamed
Freeport
for cruises between Stockholm-Helsinki. Later in the same year 1973,
Freeport
was sold again to
Stockholms Rederi AB Svea
, for the
Trave-Line
service Helsingborg-Tuborg (Copenhagen)-Travemünde as
Svea Star
. In 1976 she was sold to Bremer Schiffahrts for a summer car ferry service between Portland (USA) and Yarmouth (Canada). In winter she was chartered to Commodore Cruise Line for Caribbean cruises. She was used on 7-night, 4-island trips to Montego Bay, Port Antonio, Puerto Plata and Port-au-Prince, sailing every Saturday. In 1981 she was renamed
Caribe Bremen
, before being sold to
Scandinavian World Cruises
as the
Scandinavian Sun
for a Miami-Freeport service. She was chartered to
SeaEscape Cruises
in 1985, followed by purchase in 1988. In 1992,
Scandinavian Sun
was sold to Belle Meade Shipping, and renamed
Balanga Queen
for the Corona Line between Karlskrona-Gdynia. In 1994
Balanga Queen
was chartered to Hansatee, Tallinn, Estonia, and used on a
Tallink
route Tallinn-Helsinki-Tallinn-Travemünde. The same year, she returned to the Caribbean as
Discovery Sun
for
Discovery Cruises
.
Complete history of Caribe (1)
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Caribe.
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Caribe.
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Caribe.
Guidelines, Puerto Rico, postcard (serial PR 00628-4587) of
Caribe
(left) plus
Sagafjord
and a HAL vessel.
Photo by Maritza Carrero.
Caribe I - Caribe (2)
(Commodore Cruise Line: 1983-93)
Caribe I
was completed as the
Olympia
by Alexander Stephen & Sons on the River Clyde, in 1953, for the Greek Line. She was initially measured at 22979 GRT, and carried 138 First Class, and 1169 Tourist Class passengers.
Olympia
was registered in Liberia. Parsons turbines of 25000shp drove her at a service speed of 21 knots (23 knots maximum). The maiden voyage left Glasgow for Liverpool and New York on April 16th 1953. Her first voyage on the intended route from Piraeus to New York did not take place until March 1955. In 1961, the route was extended to Haifa. In 1968,
Olympia
was registered in Greece, and spent more time cruising, this becoming her exclusive occupation in 1970. By this time she had been re-measured at 17400 GRT. She was laid up at Piraeus in 1974, and the Greek Line suffered financial collapse the following year.
In 1981, the
Olympia
was bought by Sally Shipping and refitted, with diesels replacing the steam turbines. She returned to cruising as the
Caribe I
in 1983, in the
Commodore Cruise Line
fleet. The elegant funnel had been replaced by exhaust pipes and a ludicrous framework design. Happily, this was later replaced by a more traditional funnel, though lacking the style of the original. In 1993 she was sold to Regal Cruises and renamed
Regal Empress
. She is now described as being only 14500 GRT. In 2004, she replaced the
OceanBreeze
(ex-
Southern Cross
) in Imperial Majesty service.
Complete history of Caribe I
Commodore Cruise Line cards of the
Olympia
as rebuilt as
Caribe I
(although usually referred to as plain
Caribe
in Commodore material), showing the sad apology for a funnel.
Editions FISA (Barcelona) card of the
Caribe I.
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Caribe I,
now with a funnel again.
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Caribe I
.
Enchanted Isle
Argentina
,
and her sister
Brasil
, 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 Ingalls at Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Brasil
was commissioned first, in September 1958,
Argentina
following three months later. 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 15257 gt. 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
Argentina
,
and her sister
Brasil
were laid up in 1969, remaining idle 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.
Veendam
was used in place of
Rotterdam (5)
on their 1974 world cruise. However, the sisters were very heavy on fuel, and 1973 oil crisis made them uneconomic on the planned long cruises, and they were laid up briefly in early 1974 because of this. However,
Veendam
was chartered to Brazilian operator Intermares in 1974-75, and confusingly renamed
Brasil
(she had been the
Argentina
). She was used on cruises from Rio de Janeiro to Miami, the Azores and Dakar. Briefly renamed
Veendam
at the end of the charter, she joined her sister
Monarch Sun
in 1976 as the
Monarch Star
. Returned to Holland America in 1978,
Veendam
was sold to Bermuda Star Line in 1984 as the
Bermuda Star
. In 1990, she passed to Commodore Cruise Line as the
Enchanted Isle
.
Complete history of Enchanted Isle
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Enchanted Isle
and
Enchanted Seas (
ship is
Enchanted Seas).
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Enchanted Isle
and
Enchanted Seas (
ship is
Enchanted Seas).
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Enchanted Isle
and
Enchanted Seas (
ship is
Enchanted Seas).
CT publishing card of the
Enchanted Isle.
Simplon Postcards card of the
Enchanted Isle.
Enchanted Seas
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 Ingalls 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 15257 gt. 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. However, the sisters were very heavy on fuel, and 1973 oil crisis made them uneconomic on the planned long cruises, and they were laid up briefly in early 1974 because of this.
Volendam
was chartered to Monarch Cruise Lines 1975-78 as
Monarch Sun
and her sister became
Monarch Star
in 1976. Returned to Holland America 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
.
Complete history of Enchanted Seas
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Enchanted Isle
and
Enchanted Seas (
ship is
Enchanted Seas).
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Enchanted Isle
and
Enchanted Seas (
ship is
Enchanted Seas).
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Enchanted Isle
and
Enchanted Seas (
ship is
Enchanted Seas).
Commodore Cruise Line card of the
Enchanted Isle
and
Enchanted Seas (
ship is
Enchanted Seas).
Enchanted Capri
Enchanted Sun (1999-2001)
Enchanted Sun
was built as
Castalia
in 1974 by Kynossoura Dock Yard Ltd, Kynossoura, Salamis. She was another stunning looking ship built for
Hellenic Mediterranean Lines
, even more so than the 1972
Aquarius
. She worked on their main ferry route Brindisi-Patras until sold to Stena Gulf Line in 1988 and renamed
Scandinavian Saga
. She was chartered to
SeaEscape
for short cruises out of Florida until 1991. She has remained in similar use ever since, for a variety of owners, under the names
Pride of San Diego, Tropic Star II, Stena Arcadia, Emerald Empress, Sofia, Enchanted Sun, Talisman
and
Manistal.
She was bought by Commodore in 1999, but was laid up and sold in 2001. Since 2003 she has sailed out of Ft Lauderdale as the casino ship
St Tropez.
Enchanted Sun
at Seattle, June 2000.
Photo: © Adolfo Litmanovich (Chief Engineer).
Click to open larger image in new window
Advertising Postcard
This card was issued by Commodore in 1991, when the fleet consisted of
Caribe I
,
Enchanted Isle
and
Enchanted Seas
.
Two further new ships were promised for 1992/93.
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