Creepy tale of the world's first cruise ship struck by a series of horror tragedies as the sea 'claimed its finest prize'
THE world's first cruise ship was hit by a series of horror tragedies with the sea 'claiming its finest prize' and the captain meeting a gruesome end.
Modern time cruise ships owe much of their existence to the SS Prinzessin Victoria Luise, a German ship of the Hamburg-America Line that sailed in 1900.
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Creepy photos reveal the glamorous interior with opulent artwork, furniture and elegant accessories.
Designed with luxury in mind, it features 120 first-class cabins, a library, a gym, a stateroom, a ballroom, an art gallery and even a darkroom for photography enthusiasts on board.
A string quartet was set up to play on the dining room balcony during dinner and local musicians were welcomed on board as they went ashore.
The sea had claimed one of its finest prizes”
John Malcolm Brinnin
The stunning ship was named after the creator's daughter, Victoria Luise, and created to emulate “the finest European hotels”, according to design historian Bruce Peter.
The SS Prinzessin Victoria Luise was slower than other large ships that plied the waves, but was revolutionary in its purpose – derived from the vision of German shipping magnate Albert Ballin.
His idea, which shaped the future cruise ships as we know them, was born in 1888.
REVOLUTIONARY SHIP
Ballin found success after turning his father's immigration agency into a shipping company.
The industry magnate rose to fame after turning cargo ships into passenger ships.
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There was already a ship called the SS Augusta Victoria that would carry passengers across the North Atlantic, but it would not leave port for much of the winter.
As reported by Smithsonian MagazineDaniel Finamore, deputy director of exhibitions at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, explained that the shipping giant realized it needed to “maximize the use of their large ships” by “organizing pleasure cruises to Caribbean ports and warmer climates in the winter .”
Ballin vowed to improve his business and created a 58-day trip with stops in beautiful Mediterranean locations all the way to the Orient.
It was called the “floating hotel” and enjoyed great popularity, leading to the birth of the SS Prinzessin.
In 1899, Ballin hired shipbuilder Blohm & Voss to build the 120-meter-long, 4,419-ton cruise ship.
It could reach a speed of up to 16 knots, while the Titanic reached a speed of 23 knots – about 20 miles per hour.
Modern cruise ships owe a debt of gratitude to pioneers like Albert Ballin”
Peter McCracken,
But the Prinzessin was described as: 'Designed for a class of services hitherto performed by the regular ships of this company, the first ship of her kind built purely for hunting. [leisure cruising] purposes,” in February 1901, by Scientific American.
Author and historian John Malcolm Brinnin wrote in his book The Sway of the Grand: 'The real breakthrough in recreational boating, at least as the 20th century would come to know it, was Albert Ballin's one-handed gesture.' Saloon: a social history of the North Atlantic,
Six of the deadliest shipwrecks in the world
SS Eastland – July 24, 1915
One of the worst maritime disasters in US history occurred when the SS Eastland capsized on the Chicago River; of the estimated 2,500 people on board at the time, more than 800 were killed.
SS Kiangya – December 4, 1948
The SS Kiangya was officially carrying 2,150 refugees – almost double its official capacity – when it exploded at the mouth of the Huangpu River, killing up to 4,000 people.
SS Sultana – April 27, 1865
The deadliest maritime disaster in US history occurred when the sidewheel steamship SS Sultana exploded on the Mississippi River.
Cost cutting led to a leaking boiler and more than six times the recommended number of passengers on board.
The boiler ruptured and hundreds of people were killed in the initial explosion, and even more people were trapped when the overloaded decks collapsed, killing 1,800 people.
RMS Lusitania – May 7, 1915
The RMS Lusitania was attacked by a German U-boat and sank in just 18 minutes, killing 1,198 passengers.
MV Doña Paz – December 20, 1987
The passenger ferry MV Doña Paz struck an oil tanker, the MT Vector, about 180 kilometers south of Manila. The collision set the Vector's 8,800 barrels of oil and gasoline on fire, and only 26 of the more than 4,400 passengers and crew on both ships were rescued.
MV Wilhelm Gustloff – January 30, 1945
The MV Wilhelm Gustloff was the pride of the Nazi program Kraft durch Freude (“Strength through Joy”).
It was built with a capacity of 1,900 people, but carried an estimated 10,000 people.
Three torpedoes fired from a Soviet submarine hit the ship and it sank in just over an hour in the Baltic Sea.
It is estimated that 9,000 lives were lost, making this the deadliest shipwreck in history.
The cruise ship was praised by passengers who enjoyed its stylish cabins, equipped with baths and spacious living areas.
It was a welcome improvement over the SS Augusta Victoria, which lacked facilities and was too large for ports in more popular tourist destinations.
Overall, the Augusta Victoria did not offer the same level of luxury and refinement as its successor.
FIRST JOURNEY
The Prinzessin first left Hamburg on June 29, 1900 for a 35-day journey.
It traveled to the West Indies and Venezuela while on subsequent voyages he also ventures to the Mediterranean, Norway and the Baltic Sea.
I cannot explain his act, except on the theory that his pride was crushed by misfortune, and that he believed that death alone would erase what he considered his shame.
HAPAG executor
In the winter months, passengers could enjoy adventures along the Caribbean coast for some much-needed sunshine.
Other hotspot tourist destinations during his lifetime included New YorkFrance, England, Ireland, Scotland, the North Cape and Saint Petersburg.
TRAGIC END
Unfortunately, the SS Prinzessin fell victim to the sea in Kingston on December 16, 1906. Jamaica after only six years of service.
Captain H. Brunswig veered toward the wrong lighthouse while trying to navigate a tricky harbor and crashed into shallow rocks around 9:30 p.m.
The captain's maps were also incorrect, as a recent volcanic eruption had changed the seabed.
Traveling at 14 knots, the ship's bow suffered significant damage and despite their efforts, rescue teams were unable to free the liner.
Passengers had to remain on board until the next day, but no one was injured.
Tragically, Captain H. Brunswig fatally shot himself in his cabin.
A HAPAG manager said at the time: 'I cannot explain his act except on the theory that his pride was crushed by the accident and that he believed that only death would erase what he considered his shame.'
The once glorious SS Prince Victoria Luise soon disintegrated into a shipwreck.
A Jamaican news channel reported at the time that waves “relentlessly broke over her” and that the liner was “abandoned and left to fend for itself.”
Brinnin wrote in Grand Saloon: “The sea had claimed one of her finest prizes.”
Ballin would later build another cruise ship called The Meteor, but the Titanic tragedy eight years later saw the industry dwindle.
Nevertheless, “modern cruise ships owe a huge debt of gratitude to pioneers like Albert Ballin,” says Peter McCracken, a librarian at Cornell University.
“His contribution to maritime history – especially as the father of modern leisure cruising – is invaluable,” he added.
![It was described as 'the first ship of her kind built purely for hunting [leisure cruising] purposes' from Scientific American](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/left-fate-eerie-tale-worlds-877844840.jpg)
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