E-Mail: Raoul Fiebig Last updated: 07-23-2001
Ship Review

T/S "Albatros", Phoenix Reisen
May 27th, 2001 - Columbuskaje, Bremerhaven, Germany

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On May 27th, 2001 I was given the opportunity to tour Phoenix Reisen's T/S "Albatros", one of the oldest oceangoing cruise ships still in active service, during its port call at Bremerhaven, Germany. Before serving as your "personal guide" during an illustrated tour of the vintage liner, please allow me to introduce the vessel's curriculum vitae to you.

In 1951, Cunard Line announced a new series of four ships for its trans-Atlantic service. At approx. 22,000 grt and with a maximum speed of 20 knots much slower than the two 80,000+ grt "Queens", those vessels were to be used on the less prestigious Liverpool - Montreal route. Internationally renowned John Brown & Co. shipyard at Clydebank was commissioned with the construction of the sister ships.

In September, 1954 the "Saxonia" entered service as the first ship in the series, followed by the "Ivernia" in July, 1955 and the "Carinthia" in June, 1956. The fourth and final ship was launched on November 22nd, 1956 by the wife of the Canadian High Commissioner in London, who named the vessel the "Sylvania". Following an inaugural crossing from Greenock to Montreal, the 21,989 grt ocean liner departed Liverpool for her first regular westbound crossing June 26th, 1957. In April, 1961 the ship was transferred to the Liverpool - New York route in order to relieve the Southampton-based express liners.

In 1965 the "Sylvania's" gross registered tonnage was recalculated as being 20,017 grt, and in November, 1966 she switched back to the Canada service again. That employment did only last until February, 1967 when Cunard announced that the "Sylvania" was to be used in an experiment to investigate the possibility of equipping cruise liners with hovercrafts, that had recently become popular in the UK. The vessel's originally black hull was painted white and the "Sylvania" was based in Gibraltar for Mediterranean cruises.

In October, 1967 however, Cunard announced that both the "Sylvania" and her slightly older sister "Carinthia" would be laid up because the were not suited for leisure cruising. Purchased by Italian Sitmar Line in February, 1968, the ships were renamed "Fairland" (ex-"Carinthia") and "Fairwind" (ex-"Sylvania") but they stayed in Southampton until 1970 when they were brought to Trieste (Italy) where they were to be completely rebuilt as cruise liners. In July, 1972 both vessels entered service for their new owners who had renamed the "Fairland" the "Fairsea" in 1971 while still at the shipyard. The two-year reconstruction had dramatically changed the ships' exterior appearance and hardly any similarity to their former incarnations was visible any longer. The superstructure had been enlarged and a completely new funnel had been added.

The first two ships in the "Saxonia"-class that had been renamed "Carmania" (ex-"Saxonia") and "Franconia" (ex-"Ivernia") by Cunard Line in 1963 were laid up in 1971 and acquired by the Soviet Union in 1973. The new owners renamed the vessels the "Leonid Sobinov" (ex-"Carmania") and "Fyodor Shalyapin" (ex-"Franconia"), respectively. For a regularly updated article about "Cunard's Saxonia Class Liners" by internationally renowned Maritime Historian Reuben Goossens, please do also visit ssMaritime.

Sitmar's "Fairwind" and "Fairsea" were based in Ft. Lauderdale for Caribbean Cruises and in San Francisco for Alaskan and Mexican Riviera Cruises throughout the year until 1988, when Sitmar announced a new coloring for its fleet. But only the "Fairwind" was repainted as Sitmar was taken over by the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, better known as P&O, in September, 1988. The company's ships were transferred to P&O's U.S. subsidiary Princess Cruises and the "Fairwind" was renamed the "Dawn Princess". In 1990, the ship's tonnage was recalculated as being 24,803 gt using the IMO's new calculation system. Retired by Princess Cruises in 1993, the "Dawn Princess" was acquired by Happy Days Shipping (The Bahamas), which is a wholly-owned affiliate of Monaco-based V-Ships. That company immediately arranged a long-term charter with Phoenix Reisen of Bonn (Germany). That company gave the vintage liner its present name, "Albatros", and has chartered the vessel since August, 1993 when it departed Bremerhaven for its first cruise to the Norwegian Fjords.

T/S "Albatros" operates under two different mottos: during the winter months and for the annual round-the-world cruise, she operates as a "classic" ship with the shipboard life being in the traditional cruise ship style. Carrying a maximum of 750 passengers, all guests dine in one seating. During the summer months, T/S "Albatros" operates as a "modern" club ship. Up to 950 passengers enjoy open-seating meals (the Captain's Dinner is in two seatings) and club-style sports and fun programs are featured by club-style hosts. Phoenix Reisen rates the "Albatros" a "good middle class" ship.

On a warm and humid May 27th, I arrived at Bremerhaven on a morning train, with me my bike that was to take me to the Columbuskaje, Bremerhaven's passenger ship terminal, about four miles from the station. Although very early in the season, this was a busy day with three cruise ships docking at the same time: Phoenix Reisen's "Albatros" and "Maxim Gorkiy" and Neckermann's "Palmira". At noon I boarded the T/S "Albatros" and was welcomed by a Filipino crew member who took care of my passport while I was visiting the ship.

For a tour of T/S "Albatros", let's start in the bilge - sorry, on the lowest deck and then climb up deck by deck.

On Uranus-Deck, a small sauna / massage area is located all the way forward. This is, however, not a full spa, as it lacks an indoor swimming pool. Further aft a good-sized theater is found. Offering 300 moderately comfortable seats, this is an excellent room for a ship of this size. Sadly few newer ships feature a dedicated cinema with theater-style seating. The stage is rather small and not suited for large production shows, but the mostly German passengers do not consider those that important, anyway. It is a pity that the cinema cannot be reached by elevator but by a single stairwell only. T/S "Albatros" does not cater well to handicapped passengers, but Phoenix Reisen is very aware of this fact and clearly points out the vessel's lack of facilities for the handicapped in its brochures. Passengers who permanently need a wheelchair are not accepted at all, which is - as far as I could judge - actually justified as the extremely narrow doors throughout the vessel and numerous steel sills would significantly restrict a wheelchair user's freedom of movement.

One deck up, on Mars-Deck, the cinema's balcony (including the projectionist's room) is located, while further towards the bow of the ship, a number of cabins (numbers 801 and above) are found. One has to be aware of the fact that although there are "outside" cabins on this deck, they actually do not have a window or porthole as they are too close to the water line. Of course those cabins are sold as inside cabins, but Phoenix Reisen's deck plans are rather bad showing only cabin numbers but not the different cabin categories (as far as I know this is "unique" - which is not meant in a positive way), so one might book a specific cabin from looking at the deck plans only without knowing that it's an inside. While there is no self-service launderette, a small "ironing room" is located on this deck.

The next-higher deck, Venus-Deck, features another set of cabins (701 - 734), including a number of outside cabins with a porthole. Cabins 701, 702, 704, 706, 708, 710, 712, 714 and 716 - the most-forward rooms on this deck, have no elevator access, however. There are only three lifts onboard the "Albatros", which are old, tiny and slow - claustrophobic people should avoid them wherever possible.

T/S "Albatros" has two equally good dining rooms, which are located on Neptun-Deck. All the way forward, the Restaurant Pelikan is found, the galley is next aft and the Restaurant Möwe follows further aft. While the arrangement of the two dining rooms is slightly different they are - with the exception of the color combinations featured - indeed very similar. Of course they do not feature big picture windows as onboard more modern cruise ships, but they do have portholes. The tables come in many different sizes (accommodating up to 12 people) and are often very close together making it difficult for the waiters to serve the passengers properly. There are buffet lines for those casual breakfasts many German passengers prefer - probably because they are used to them from their land-based vacations around the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, no public restrooms are located adjacent to the dining rooms, making it necessary for passengers to go up or down one deck to find a public restroom. Both dining rooms are in a good shape and both china and cutlery are of a decent quality.

The aft fourth of Neptun-Deck is occupied by passenger cabins 601 - 644. The picture shows cabin #605, a twin outside cabin with a porthole. Reasonably spacious and featuring functional and robust furniture, the cabins onboard the "Albatros" can best be described as being cozy. No design contest could be won here, but there's everything one really needs, including an individual air conditioning, a small but adequate bathroom (in contrast to many other older vessels very few cabins have bath tubs), a tiny TV set, telephone, radio etc. There are even a hairdryer and a safe, and bathrobes are provided in all cabin grades. There is ample drawer and closet space, which might become tight for passengers taking the whole world cruise, but all others should be fine as long as they don't excessively overpack.

The next-higher deck, Saturn-Deck, accommodates the foyer, complete with the front desk, the shore excursion desk, the cruise director's office and a nice - and comfortable - group of seats. It is either here or further aft on this deck where passengers embark and disembark the "Albatros". A new passenger's first impression of the lobby is characteristic for this vintage vessel. If ships were like buildings, the "Albatros" could neither be characterized as a splendid ancient castle nor as the latest stroke of genius of today's highest-acclaimed architect. Instead she's a bit of "grandma's house" - probably everything but new, but warm, cozy and familiar. This is not a ship for the party crowd, nor is it a ship for the high society.

Inside and outside cabins 401 through 537 are also situated on Saturn-Deck. T/S "Albatros" offers as many as 28 different cabin categories - an awful lot for a small ship. But then the term "pre-fabricated cabin module" is unknown aboard this ship. Even within one category, the cabins come in a number of different sizes. People considering a cruise aboard the "Albatros" should therefore check with their travel agent to get the best-possible cabin within a certain category. The earlier one books, the higher the chances to get the desired room.

One deck up on Orion-Deck, cabins 201 through 346 as well as the barbershop are found: the accommodations on this deck include for forward-facing "comfort" cabins which are named after German islands. A look down the long continuous hallways reveals the ship's very traditional hull design. Like other vintage liners - the "Queen Mary" comes to mind - her hull has the shape of a banana. The result is that one cannot see the opposite end of the long hallways due to the fact that the middle section of each deck is located lower than the forward and aft sections. This kind of hull design, originally invented when the liners' hulls were still riveted and not welded, was discontinued around 1960, and the "Sylvania" was one of the last liners to feature it.

Most public rooms onboard the "Albatros" are situated on Promenaden-Deck. All the way aft a heated outdoor pool is found. While that pool is rather small, there are all in all three pools on this ship (but only the one on Promenaden-Deck is heated), which a lot for a small ship. The green sludge in the pool didn't look inviting at all, but I assume that the pool hadn't been in use because of the rather cool temperatures in this part of the world in May.

Adjacent to the pool the Deck-Buffet / Lido Lunch is located, offering the popular buffet breakfasts and luncheons. There are three buffet lines and (rather limited) seating is offered around the pool. There is no dedicated indoor seating for this casual eatery, but this should not be a major problem as the two main dining rooms also offer some buffet meals. Additional seating is found three decks up near the Lido-Deck pool, but climbing up three flights of stairs with a well-filled tray really cannot be recommended.

Harry's Club, a cozy and intimate music club and bar, is located next forward. A major drawback about this otherwise pleasant room is the fact that the sickening smell of stale cigarette smoke is not only evident but simply penetrating in this room. Sadly, this problem (which is - from my point of view - a big problem, others might disagree) affects the majority of public spaces aboard the "Albatros". Featuring a bar, bandstand and comfortable seating, Harry's Club is a popular late-night spot.

The Pizzeria Italia is next on portside. Furnished and designed to resemble a typical Pizzeria as it is found and loved all around Europe, this eatery offers a good selection of made-to-order pizza. The section of the ship's teakwood promenade adjacent to the Pizzeria is used for outdoor seating. Even here, the traditional Pizzeria décor is evident.

The main traffic flow leaves the Pizzeria on portside and continues on starboard side through a passage between the Photo-Shop (not to be confused with the picture gallery which is located elsewhere) and the Boutique. The next major public room is the Karibik Piano-Lounge. Rather big for a piano lounge but still comfortable and warm, this room offers something for the fans of peaceful and relaxing entertainment. At this point already it is rather obvious that the ship's interior designer had his "red and pink" phase while creating the interiors of the "Albatros". The two colors - in many different shades - are evident in almost all public rooms. I'm really not a fan of wild color combinations, but some change in the overall décor might not be a bad idea. There are other ships that are excellent examples for the possibility of using several complementary styles of décor and still featuring some distinctive common elements.

The Casablanca Bar is next on portside. Serving its own guests as well as the thirsty piano enthusiasts in the Karibik Lounge, this is the most intimate bar aboard the "Albatros". The seating is both on bar stools and at a couple of cocktail tables. While the bar stools feature red leather covers, the lounge-style chairs are identical to those in the Karibik Lounge.

On starboard side the Ladengalerie with two shops is situated and adjacent to the Casablanca Bar the Salon Columbus is located. Serving as the ship's card & writing room as well as for casual or business get-togethers (there is no dedicated business center and the Salon Columbus is not suited for seminars etc. that need modern high-tech equipment), this room features both nooks with comfortable and cozy easy-chair seating, as well as full-sized writing tables. Dark wood panels make this a rather comfortable room, even though the carpet is in need of replacement.

Further forward on starboard side there is a small casino, unusual for a cruise ship serving the German travel market, and most definitely a leftover from her days as a Sitmar / Princess ship. German passengers hardly gamble, and the place should rather be used to accommodate the vessel's library!

Next forward is the Promenaden-Lounge which - in a unique way - serves as a small lounge and as the ship's library and picture gallery. A ridiculous combination if you ask me! Just imagine people shoving through the room in search of their formal night pictures, while others would like to read a book and others want to enjoy their pre-dinner cocktails. Don't get me wrong, this is a nice room, but it simply serves for too many purposes. As in so many public rooms aboard the "Albatros", red is the predominant color.

The ship's main show lounge, the Atlantik Musiksalon, is located next forward. Featuring lounge-style seating (yes, red again) this is where the revue-style shows take place. Quite a big room, the Atlantik Musiksalon nevertheless is a bit on the small side given this is (at least during parts of the year) a single-seating cruise ship where there is only one show performance per evening. The stage is not huge, but nonetheless well-sized. Watch for big fellows taking the seat in front of you, which will ruin your sight lines. There are also a few - fortunately not that many - pillars that do the same. The Atlantik Musiksalon has its own bar on the starboard side.

All the way forward on this deck, an open deck is found, which can be accessed from the most-forward stairway on Orion-Deck.

The Promenaden-Deck features an excellent covered promenade deck. Unfortunately it is not completely wrap-around, but this is only a minor drawback, as this is probably one of the most beautiful covered promenades afloat. And unlike aboard many newer ships, the "cover" is not made of lifeboats and tenders! The teakwood is in excellent shape which indicates that it is not original but rather a replacement. All the way forward on the portside promenade two ping-pong tables are situated. This is the only place where the promenade is also enclosed on the side (otherwise lots of ping-pong balls would have to learn how to swim). There are lots of plastic loungers (but they have good cushioned pads) and a couple of wonderful wooden benches. As a true ocean liner buff, I simply cannot stress the beauty of the promenade sufficiently - it is almost dreamlike and reminiscent of a time gone by!

One deck up, on Jupiter-Deck, the Pazifik Lounge is situated all the way forward. This room serves as the ship's observation lounge (for which it is not that well suited) and as a night club / disco. Featuring a reasonably-sized dance floor, a bandstand and comfortable seating, this room is expected to be heavily frequented during the ship's "club-style" summer sailings, probably less during the "traditional" winter months.

Almost all of the most spacious cabins and suites (#101 - #157) aboard the "Albatros" are located on this deck. The 26 suites are named after German towns, while the four deluxe suites are named after the world-famous composers Bach, Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart. I had a look at the Beethoven suite, and thought it was rather small for something called "deluxe suite". A good feature: the windows of the cabins on this deck have a reflective coating so that it not possible to look inside as long as it isn't dark and the lighting inside the cabin is activated.

Also on Jupiter-Deck, a second teakwood promenade is situated. Again, not completely wrap-around, it also features a number of loungers. Partially covered by a corrugated iron-like plastic cover, this promenade is not as nice as the one on Promenaden-Deck, but still very good.

Another set of cabins (the numbers 1 through 49) is located one deck up on Apollo-Deck, including the vessel's single Owner's Suite (bearing the imaginative name "cabin number 2"), located all the way forward and reached through a private corridor ("no trespassing" - unfortunately I had to observe that rule).

All the way aft on Apollo-Deck, the ship's children facilities are situated. The indoor facilities (including the Junior-Club and the Teenie-Club) can only be described as very poor. There's hardly anything besides a table football set and the penetrating smell of stale smoke indicates that the two rooms are not only used as children's playrooms but for other purposes as well. The furniture is old and worn and in urgent need of replacement. This is definitely the least-appealing area onboard the "Albatros". The adjacent outdoor swimming pool on the other hand is a good idea, as it keeps children away from the two other pools, so that both kids and adults can have fun in the water without being a pain in the neck for each other.

The ship's third outdoor pool is located one deck up on Lido-Deck. A lot of seating at camping-style tables is offered, inviting passengers to bring their food or drinks here. I don't know if this is actually done, but the area aft of the Lido Pool seems to be ideal for outdoor barbecues. The major part of the Lido-Deck is "crew only".

The uppermost deck, aptly named the Sonnen-Deck (Sun Deck), offers plenty of sunbathing space, as well as several shuffleboard playing fields. The ship's characteristic green funnel rises from this deck. In its base, the vessel's fitness center is situated. Small but surprisingly-well equipped, this room features all the instruments of torture a sports buff needs.

T/S "Albatros" is truly a vintage liner. I can fully confirm Phoenix Reisen's "good middle class" rating - it fits pretty well. This is neither a budget vessel nor a luxury ship. Maintenance is generally good, with a few minor exceptions (the children's facilities come to mind). This is not a ship for handicapped passengers. The public rooms are rather tastefully decorated - although less red and pink might have been better. The constant smell of stale cigarette smoke is a huge problem and would probably keep me from taking a cruise aboard this ship. I have been on several cruise ships where Berlitz author Douglas Ward complained about smoke, but I had never thought it was such a big deal at all - until my visit to the "Albatros".

A big no-no - and a very serious safety issue - I noticed was that in some areas of the Promenaden-Deck, wooden wedges were used to arrest fire doors. Especially given that this ship features much more inflammable materials than newer cruise vessels, arresting fire doors in this way is to be condemned!

Many "Albatros" regulars have been very skeptical about the company's efforts to attract a younger clientele by offering the "club-style" cruises. I share the regular's doubts about the new concept. This is not a ship for party people or children, but for well-traveled passengers who appreciate the facilities of a vintage ocean liner. It remains to be seen if the club-style concept will be a success, especially given the fact that club ship market leader Seetours will launch two brand-new, purpose-built AIDA-class club ships in 2002 and 2003, respectively.

Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions, suggestions, criticism etc. For an extensive coverage of "Cunard's Saxonia Class Liners", do not miss to visit e-CruiseWorld / Maritime World Online, an excellent web site by my Australian friend Reuben Goossens.

Raoul Fiebig

Copyright 2001 © Raoul Fiebig