- #1
- 15,963
- 6,243
Today, the CBS Sunday Morning news magazine had a story about the Aurora, a cruise ship built in 1955 that is now being restored as one of the last of its type.
When I heard its original name, the Wappen von Hamburg, and its original service, carrying tourists between Hamburg and the island of Helgoland in the North Sea, my ears perked up. Could this be the ship that I rode on a day-trip to Helgoland with a group of students from my college in 1972, while we were in a study-abroad program in Hamburg?
It turned out, it wasn't. The ship that we rode was actually the third of that name, built in 1965. It served the route to Helgoland 1966-2006. Afterwards it was renamed the Mercator II and was supposed to be converted to a luxury cruiser for Mediterranean and Caribbean service. But that project failed, and the ship was scrapped in Denmark in the winter of 2010-11.
But it brought back memories of that trip to Helgoland, 50 years ago next September.
I think the Wappen von Hamburg is at the far left of the lineup above, in the harbor. Passengers from all ships had to transfer to shore in smaller boats.
When I heard its original name, the Wappen von Hamburg, and its original service, carrying tourists between Hamburg and the island of Helgoland in the North Sea, my ears perked up. Could this be the ship that I rode on a day-trip to Helgoland with a group of students from my college in 1972, while we were in a study-abroad program in Hamburg?
It turned out, it wasn't. The ship that we rode was actually the third of that name, built in 1965. It served the route to Helgoland 1966-2006. Afterwards it was renamed the Mercator II and was supposed to be converted to a luxury cruiser for Mediterranean and Caribbean service. But that project failed, and the ship was scrapped in Denmark in the winter of 2010-11.
But it brought back memories of that trip to Helgoland, 50 years ago next September.
I think the Wappen von Hamburg is at the far left of the lineup above, in the harbor. Passengers from all ships had to transfer to shore in smaller boats.