Big Red Boat

[Andrew DEREK UK]

So sad.

 

[Easty]

So sad.

Yes very sad, But that ship in the foreground is not the Big Red Boat, aka the Transvaal Castle/SA Vaal/Sea Breeze. It is the hulk of a tanker or Container ship, Just look at the shape of the hull on the super structure

I worked on the SA Vaal from 1976, and did the last trip in 1977 on her to Cape Town. She was a very happy ship, and I have fond memories of her.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Premier Cruise Line, founded in 1983, was the "official cruise line of Walt Disney World" before there was a Disney Cruise Line. Premier deserves credit for pioneering the WDW-land-and-sea packages, which are now offered on the Disney Wonder. Premier also deserves credit for establishing Port Canaveral as a significant cruise ship port.

Premier acquired or leased used ships such as the Royale (built 1958), the Oceanic (built 1965), and the Atlantic (built 1981). With their hulls painted red, they earned the nickname, "The Big Red Boat." (Later, Premier actually named their ships The Big Red Boat I, The Big Red Boat II, and The Big Red Boat III and the "Big Red Boat" logo gave the line its identity.

When Disney saw how the WDW-land-and-sea packages caught on with the public, they allowed the marketing agreement with Premier to expire and announced their own cruise line.

Premier continued for a number of years. When the Disney tie-in ended, Premier turned to Warner Bros' Looney Tunes characters. Through a merger, Premier's fleet of older ships grew. But, although Premier tried to market their "classic" ships as a virtue, the line could not successfully compete with the new generation of 70 thousand GRT and larger ships operated by the major cruise lines. Premier folded in 2000.

Premier never ran the Disney Cruise Line, nor was Premier ever involvd with the Disney Magic or the Disney Wonder.

I just found an interesting article, Remembering Premier Cruise Line, by Lisa Plotnick.

 

[Gator Dad]

The BRB was my first cruise too. I went on it for spring break my Sr. in college ('96). Not a good ship for college kids!!! At that point it was Loony toons not Disney.

 

[Butterx3]

I went on the Big Red Boat in the early 90's and the ship seemed so elegant and huge. What great memories. Anyways the Island was called Salt Cay and it was the Island that the Movie "The Blue Lagoon" was filmed on and it was the Island the opening and ending sequence of the "Gilligans Island" series was filmed at too. It was a beautiful Island.

 

[CraftyMouse]

I still remember sailing on the Magic for the first time in Feb. '99. We went up to Topsiders for the Embarkation Buffet and sat on the back deck. We looked down over the side and saw The Big Red Boat. It seemed so small next to the Magic.

 

[CraftyMouse]

Anyone know if it was the same island? The original (legal) name of CC was Gorda Cay.

They are not the same island. Castaway Cay's name, as you mentioned, was Gorda Cay. It was completely undeveloped, aside from the runway, when DCL purchased it.

 

[deleckidesign]

I just found an interesting article, Remembering Premier Cruise Line, by Lisa Plotnick.

Very interesting article. Worth a read!

 

[autodoc]

Forgive my ignorance, but isn't Oceanic the name of the airline and cruise line that always sinks or crashes in the movies?

Sorry - just had to lighten the mood a little.

 

[beachblanket]

Very interesting article. Worth a read!

It was a nice piece, although the status of the vessels section was outdated. Several mentioned as "still being for sale" have sadly been scrapped.

 

[disneytraceyl]

We saw the big red boat in Freeport a couple of years back. It was kind of earrey.