Norway Farewell Transatlantic 2001
Day 7
Sea day - enroute to St. John's - September 8, 2001

Finally I overcome an odd intimidation regarding Club Internationale and begin spending more time here.

The former First Class Smoking Room had been transformed to a fine Main Lounge, given a suitable air of exclusivity by being dubbed by its regulars "Club I."

The room is a classic ocean liner space.

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 Crystal clusters gird a god

Painting crew at work
If Norway were headed to a scrapyard, at least one optimist declared, we wouldn't have ever seen the level of effort we did on the ship. Instead, the crew would have been sequestered in their own areas on board, emailing brokers for a new berth to move to. The ongoing work was heartening to see.
As we progressed over the seas, rumors were being bandied about: the ship would not go to the Asian market at all, but rather straight to the scrapyard. Fortunately this dire prediction had counterevidence in the presence of crew all over the ship, sprucing, painting, cleaning.
Wet paint sign
The crewman above was painting right next to a remarkable vessel which Norway herself spawned. The first specialized tender to be used on a cruise ship, separate from the ranks of conventional lifeboats, was this Norway II and her sister Bahama Mama.
 Tender Norway II
Upper decks added on

The ship's life was probably prolonged by the aberration pictured to the left: a double-deck prefabrication which rose up around the funnels, capping the ship with a bank of cabins containing amenities which were not in her North Atlantic layout as the France.

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And the "camper van" decking added reduces the light coming across the Boat Deck.
 Camper van shadow
Carpet color change amidships
 Midships. On Norway the carpets change color to orient the passenger to whether s/he treads fore or aft.

Fabulous clocks, built into the walls, linked to a central timepiece on the bridge ...

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 Close up of clock
Cleaning crew
Cleaning crews, unobtrusive, omnipresent, doing the work of keeping a thousand-foot ship free of dust.
The sight of Norway's majestic funnels was a thrill at any time of day, but especially at sunset, the open sea before her, preparations for evening festivities going on below.
 Night funnel
Lisa and I too

Just a pair of passengers, dressed for dinner.

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next:
September 9 - St. John's, Newfoundland