Big Red Boat?

[ears4all!]

Hey all!

I know you all will answer my question. Recently, we had some people over. We said that we were going on DCL. She said, "Oh, the big red boat" and when I started to say differently, my mom said, "Yeah, that's what they call the ships." I was asking.....does anyone call the Wonder and Magic the big red boats, or is that from the other thing that Disney did on ships.

Thanks!

ears

 

[disneygirl1972]

Back in the early 90's we were going to sail on the Big Red Boat. It was a cruise line that had Disney associated w/ it. I don't think thats been around for a long time. Someone else will surely have more info.

 

[Zandy595]

No, the Magic and the Wonder are not called "The Big Red Boats". That was a totally separate cruise line - Premier Cruise Line. It was at one time licensed as the official cruise line of Walt Disney World and used the trademark "The Big Red Boat" based on the color scheme of some of its ships.

 

[karibritt01]

The Big Red Boat was Disney's initial experience with cruising. They stopped using them when they brought in their own ships. The Big Red Boats no longer exist from the last I had heard.

 

[Mr. Disney 652]

You got it, they're gone. I've got some great memories from them as a kid...then after Disney left them Warner Brothers took them over. They were huge and red. Got some old camera "disk" photos and negatives around here somewhere...

 

[outahere]

The Big Red Boat was Premier Cruise Lines and they went bankrupt several years ago. Sometimes when I talk to people about Disney cruises, some people still think of those ships and I have to practically argue with them that they are not the same ships that DCL uses now. Maybe I should keep a picture of the Magic or Wonder handy when I'm talking to those folks. At least that way they would see that the DCL ships don't look anything like what they remember from all the TV commercials.

Interesting side note.... last week my DW was going through some of our travel literature and found a brochure from WDW when we went there for our honeymoon in 1990. It had a small advertisement for "The Big Red Boat". How times have changed.......

 

[CamColt]

We sailed on the BRB for our honeymoon in 95. Looking at the Disney ships now, "big" is quite funny. DCL dwarfs them.

After a Disney cruise a few years ago were in the airport and a woman started talking to us. After saying where we had been she yelled across the waiting area to her DH "Hey Joe....they just got off the Big Red Boat!". DH had to hold me back.

 

[Deb in IA]

Here's what I found about the Big Red Boat:

http://www.cruisecanaveral.com/big-red-boat.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Cruise_Line

The Big Red Boat

The Big Red Boat was the original Disney cruise package. It was known for offering value cruises to the Bahamas, which could be combined with a Walt Disney World vacation. But the parent company got into financial trouble and went out of business in 2000.

The Big Red Boat catered to young, moderate-income couples and families. The goal was to offer a fun vacation at affordable costs. There were three- and four-day cruises from Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida. The comfortable ship had all the amenities.

Disney Cruise Line has taken the place of the Big Red Boat and offers Disney cruise packages. The Disney-owned line offers family cruises like the Big Red Boat, but with even more style and amenities.

 

[SILLYANDI]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25484359/wid/11915773/

 

[RRBB]

This is the Big Red Boat. I never sailed it but have friends that did.

Now this is the Disney ship we all love sailing. Can't wait to board it, less than 5 weeks from now!

 

[ears4all!]

Thanks everyone for the info!

 

[nobodycares]

Great Pictures Robin.

I sailed on the Oceanic - It sure doesn't look anything like I remember it.

Much prefer the Wonder!!! (And this fall I'll be adding the Magic to that endorsement.)

Thanks for the memories.

 

[kcashner]

The Big Red Boat was owned by the now bankrupt Premier Cruise Lines. Prior to 1992, it had a contract with Disney to have Disney characters on the ships and the deal that combined a cruise with a WDW vacation. After the contract with Disney expired, they got Looney Tunes characters on the ship (I sailed it in 1993 with Looney Tunes).

Frankly, it was horrible. It was NEVER owned or operated by Disney. It only had a short term contract to use the characters.

 

[Deb in IA]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25484359/wid/11915773/

Puff-free tobacco raises cancer risk 80 percent

 

[beachblanket]

Some of the stories in this thread are exhibit "A" of just how slowly brand equity changes - and that in the real world most people are not fixated on Disney details!

 

[Tarabra]

Awhile back someone posted a pic of the 2 side by side. I had it on my old comp. but must not have transferred it over. I was going to post it.

 

[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 Premier Royale (built 1958), the Premier Oceanic (built 1965), the Premier Atlantic (built 1981), and the Premier Majestic (built 1972). 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 involved with the Disney Magic or the Disney Wonder.

Premier Cruise Line paid Disney to be "the Official Cruise Line of Walt Disney World," in the same way that Eastern Airlines (and later Delta Air Lines) paid to be "the Official Airline of Walt Disney World." Premier had a licensing agreement to have Disney characters onboard, and even offered nighttime tuck-ins of children by Disney characters.

Unlike the official airline, offical rental car, or official film of Walt Disney World, the public somehow saw the Premier Cruise Line cruises as being part of Disney. I remember people telling me, "We're cruising with Disney!"

There's an interesting article, Remembering Premier Cruise Line, by Lisa Plotnick.

The Oceanic is now operated by Pullmantur Cruises, a Spanish company. See http://www.pullmanturcruises.com/EN/MediterraneanSea/Oceanic/sp1211198013386.html.

Premier's original "Big Red Boat," the Royale, sank in 2000. At that time, it was named the SeaBreeze. See http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCP/is_5_22/ai_71821966

 

[inkkognito]

Ah, memories! When we first started sailing Disney, we used to see the Big Red Boat all the time in Nassau. I remember they had a big banner that said "Party Animals on Board," presumably referring to the Looney Tunes characters, but maybe the clientele?!

For a year or so after they went bankrupt, you could see their old, abandoned building as you sailed out of Port Canaveral.

Interesting link:

http://www.jakedenton.com/resources/SeaBreezeGreatestRescue$5B1$5D.pdf

 

[Zippercat]

Our first cruise was a Sea/Land on the Oceanic in June, 1994; 3 day cruise to Nassau and, I think, 3 days at WDW. The hotel included was a small brand new off-property...not a national chain but very nice. We also rec'd park hopper tickets, but they may have been called something else?

The Oceanic was just starting their Big Red Boat branding, the ship was old and had few of the amenities we expect today. Somehow we and our friends were seated at the Chief Engineer's table. He was a wine lover and the wine steward kept a private cellar for the Chief which he generously shared with us each evening.

On the evening we were docked in Nassau the Chief was sitting alone on deck listening to the steel drum band play. We had our waiter send over a drink to him to thank him for the wine. He stopped by our table and started buying rounds for us. To our surprise, he offered to give us a tour of the engine room the next morning while the ship was docking! We, of couse, got so drunk that night that the next morning we were not sure if we really had heard him correctly. But, at the appointed time he had one of his crew members meet us and escort us down to see the engines and mechanical areas! We were amazed that the engine room seemed cleaner than some of the public areas of the ship!

 

[gingerfeathers]

I remember seeing the Oceanic in Nassau back when I cruised on the Magic in 1998. It was night and day.. it looked like a rusting heap of metal compared to the other cruise ships, particularly the Magic!