SA Vaal

ZSNT

The S.A. Vaal (30,212 grt, 760 ft. long) was originally the Transvaal Castle, sailing on her maiden voyage from Southampton to South Africa for Union-Castle Line in January 1962.

Four years later she was taken over by South African Marine Corporation (Safmarine) though remaining on the same route and still managed by Union-Castle.

In February 1966 registry was transferred to Cape Town. She made her last voyage for Union-Castle-Safmarine on 2nd September 1977 and was withdrawn from service on her return and sold to Festivale Maritime Inc. a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise Lines of Miami.

Rebuilt at Kawasaki with extra decks and renamed Festivale she joined the Mardi Gras (ex Empress of Canada) on their 'Fun Ship Cruises'.

In 1978 she cruised in the Caribbean based in San Juan, Puerto Rica and in 1982 was based in in Miami operating 7 day cruises to Nassau - San Juan - St Thomas.

She was acquired by Premier Cruises of Port Canaveral in 1996 and renamed Island Breeze operating for her owners in the Caribbean during the northern winter and on charter to Thomson Holidays in the Mediterranean during the summer.

At the beginning of 2000 she was renamed Big Red Boat III as part of Premier's corporate identity. However, in September 2000 Premier Cruises ceased trading and the ship was seized by creditors for non payment of debts.

Celebrity Passenger - 1974

The SA Vaal Flappers

New Propellors to Cut Vibration - 1966

Reminds me of the story of the lady passenger who approached an officer and asked why the ship vibrated so much. He replied “Madam, if you have two shafts revolving 110 times per minutes stuck up your bottom, believe me, you too would vibrate!”

Master	From	To
N M Lloyd	12/1962	6/1970
AA Freer	3/1967	4/1967
R M Wright	5/1969	6/1969
A A Freer	8/1970	10/1970
D Sowden	10/1970	3/1975
H Dryden	7/1971	8/1971
P St Q Beadon	3/1972	4/1972
P St Q Beadon	12/1972	1/1973
R J Miller	4/1974	6/1974
R Kelso	7/1975	8/1975
R Thomson Safmarine	8/1975	10/1977

Permanent Masters shown in bold

Transvaal Castle Left Southampton 31 December For South Africa
Master	N M Lloyd
Staff Commander	R Lofts
Chief Officer	M Turner
Second Officer	P Jordan
Extra Second Officer	C Brown
Third Officer	S Watson
Fourth Officer	J King
Carpenter	J Wilson
Bosun	L Walker
Master-at-Arms	L Langley C Cordall
First Radio Officer	R Brew
Second Radio Officer	J Walker
Third Radio Officer	I McKinnon
Fourth Radio Officer	R Wilson
Surgeon	M MacNamara
Nursing Sister	Miss A Dunne
Chief Engineer	A Mailer
First Engineer	W Patrick
Second Engineer	A Martin
Int Second Engineer	A McCarroll
Jnr Second Engineer	C Meek J Hill S Morrison
Snr Third Engineer	B Liebenberg
Int Third Engineer	D Keen
Jnr Third Engineer	J Inkersole
Snr Fourth Engineer	C Mears
Jnr Fourth Engineer	D Garland
Junior Engineer	J Smith J Carruthers G Baker G Liesching G Du Toit T Brown
Chief Frig Engineer	G McGregor
Second Frig Engineer	R Bintcliffe
First Electrician	D Thorpe
Second Electrician	F Thomas
Third Electrician	C Rayner
ER Storekeeper	C Pyne
ER Leading Hand	H Spicer
Chief Purser	M Bain
Purser	A Hodge
Purser Catering	D Wickenden
Second Purser	M Morley
Second Purser Catering	G Green
Third Purser Catering	A Quarrie
Asst Pursers	J Ingram
Purser’s Clerks	G Musgrave-Brown M Irwin Miss M Telford Miss B Green
Jnr Purser Catering	N Brown N Clarke
Hostess	Miss A Oelofse
Children’s Hostess	Miss A Ackrill
Chief Barman	F Hubbard
Storekeeper	M Gunner
Linen Steward	A Lydford
First Tourist Steward	W Jackson
Head Waiter (Tourist Class)	R Furness
Band Leader	J D Gray
Laundryman	A Burroughs
Chef	V Moakes
Baker	A Brohamer
Butcher	H Cooke
Shopkeeper	S Lewin

Rescue of Man Overboard - 1970

A Passenger’s Recollections

I was on board the ship and watched with my parents as the lifeboat went to his aid. He had removed his shirt to wave as a signal. The photograph confirms my Father's assertion that Honeywill was still wearing his shoes. I remember my Father also stating, that when Honeywill was spotted, a lifebelt with smoke marker was dropped from the ship. The Vaal then continued past for a considerable distance, before turning round.

The newspaper claim that after nearly 12 hours, he had drifted only 80 yards from the ship's course, is hardly credible. It is more likely that captain Freer and his crew steered a course, based on knowledge of tides and current, to predict where he might have drifted to.

How he came to fall off the ship seems never to have been explained.

John P Bushby

S.A. Vaal Left Southampton 24 July For South Africa
Master	A Freer
Staff Commander	K Barry
Chief Officer	A Melia
Second Officer	A Stewart
Extra Second Officer	B Preece
Third Officer	D Clarke
Fourth Officer	H James
Cadets	C Smith
Carpenter	R Ross
Bosun	E Wheeler
Snr Master-at-Arms	H Clarke
Jnr Master-at-Arms	W Peckham
First Radio Officer	J Eager
Second Radio Officer	F Sharp
Third Radio Officer	M Eskins
Fourth Radio Officer	D Allen
Surgeon	I Williams
Nursing Sister	S Black
Chief Engineer	W Maitland
First Engineer	P Lovell
Second Engineer	J Mair
Extra Second Engineer	G Knox
Jnr Second Engineer	F Balshaw
Int Third Engineer	H Armstrong
Jnr Third Engineer	J Jarvis
Snr Fourth Engineer	M Davies
Int Fourth Engineer	M Brown
Jnr Fourth Engineer	R Brisland
Junior Engineer	M Rowen D Stevenson M Mills I Bruce C Compton M Walker
Second Frig Engineer	S Tyrie
Third Frig Engineer	D Dale
First Electrician	D Thorpe
Second Electrician	R Roebuck
Third Electrician	V McClymont
Fourth Electrician	J Semple J Greer
Plumber	J Flux
Senior Mechanic	P Japp
ER Storekeeper	K Pearson
ER Leading Hand	R Cutler
Chief Purser	A Hodge
Purser	B James
Purser Catering	D Gilbert
Second Purser	B Reynolds
Second Purser Catering	W Fleetwood
Third Pursers	P Fealey
Third Purser Catering	W Fleetwood
Junior Pursers	C Peel P Ryder V Parker B Taylor G Parker
Junior Purser Catering	C Phillips
Children’s Hostess	A Ackrill
Chief Barman	F Hubbard
Storekeeper	J Glintenkamp
Linen Steward	R Ross
Head Waiter (1st Class)	S Sullivan
First Tourist Steward	R Chandler
Band Leader	J Gray
Laundryman	J Beavis
Chef	L Creed
Baker	A Brohamer
Butcher	A Painter
Shopkeeper	S Loveland

Captain Alan Freer with William Honeywill safely back on board

From Clansman - April1974

Rescue of Woman Overboard - 1973

S.A. Vaal Left Southampton 9 February For South Africa
Master	D Sowden
Staff Commander	K Bennett
Chief Officer	R Flint
Second Officer	R Clarke-Halifax
Extra Second Officer	R Gebbie
Third Officer	R Lord
Cadets	R Pawley P Le Sueur
Carpenter	P Bell
Bosun	W Arnold
Snr Master-at-Arms	M Gleeson
Jnr Master-at-Arms	J Kitcher
First Radio Officer	R McCormick
Second Radio Officer	F Sharp
Third Radio Officer	R Diamond
Fourth Radio Officer	I Scott
Surgeon	A Duff
Nursing Sister	R Raban-Williams
Chief Engineer	R Crook
First Engineer	R Brown
Second Engineer	W Chirnside
Extra Second Engineer	J Cruttwell
Jnr Second Engineer	A Heygate S Back
Snr Third Engineer	D Cox
Int Third Engineer	T Norris
Jnr Third Engineer	D Milsom
Snr Fourth Engineer	R Skee
Int Fourth Engineer	J Fisher
Jnr Fourth Engineer	I Hutton
Junior Engineer	G Collins W Caitens A Skinner K Hislop N Carrington
Chief Frig Engineer	G McGregor
Second Frig Engineer	A Shaw
First Electrician	D Thorpe
Second Electrician	G Young
Third Electrician	J Barnes
Jnr Electrician	J Carder
Senior Mechanic	E McCall
ER Storekeeper	W O’Bree
ER Leading Hand	R Cutler
Chief Purser	O Parry-Williams
Purser	M Mears
Purser Catering	G Waugh
Second Purser	M Warner
Second Purser Catering	P Stubbs
Third Pursers	D Stanyer C Peel
Third Purser Catering	J Ross
Junior Pursers	D Chilver A Donald P Gourley S MacDonald
Junior Purser Catering	R Cleal
Children’s Hostess	A Ackrill
Chief Barman	F Hubbard
Storekeeper	J Hunt
Linen Steward	B Ross
Head Waiter (1st Class)	S Sullivan
First Tourist Steward	R Smith
Band Leader	H Taylor
Laundryman	D Dennis
Chef	L Creed
Baker	A Brohamer
Butcher	A Painter
Shopkeeper	J Burton

Clansman - April 1973

As Festivale

As Island Breeze

Life after Safmarine

As The Big Red Boat III

Almost gone - At the breakers in Alang in 2000

Calling at Gibraltar for bunkers on her way to the breakers as The Big Boat

Clansman - June 1976

The Opening of Richards Bay - April 1976

S.A. Vaal Left Southampton 12 March For South Africa
Master	R McA Thomson
Staff Commander	K Bennett
Chief Officer	H Jones
Second Officer	W Brown
Extra Second Officer	B Richmond
Third Officer	R Whitehead
Fourth Officer	J Ross
Cadet	G Spires
Carpenter	C Breward
Bosun	A Weaver
Snr Master-at-Arms	E Jaffray
Jnr Master-at-Arms	M Caley
First Radio Officer	R McCormick
Second Radio Officer	W MacIntosh
Third Radio Officer	I Shaw
Fourth Radio Officer	A Horsburgh
Surgeon	R Evans
Nursing Sister	A King
Chief Engineer	R Crook
First Engineer	W Maitland
Second Engineer	J Field
Extra Second Engineer	D Wilkins
Jnr Second Engineer	D Smithson C Meek
Extra Third Engineer	F Cundy
Int Third Engineer	D Hayes
Jnr Third Engineer	D Dawson
Jnr Fourth Engineer	A Carmichael
Junior Engineer	J Halligan G Putnin C Garth G Pace A Coleman
Chief Frig Engineer	G McGregor
First Electrician	S McLean
Second Electrician	A Reid
Third Electrician	A Sneddon
Extra Third Electrician	D Tomlinson
Fourth Electricians	M Coupe
Plumber	M McArthur
ER Storekeeper	J Broadwell
Chief Purser	D Wickenden
Purser	C Deller
Purser Catering	W McGrady
Second Purser	J McFadyen
Second Purser Catering	N Nussey
Third Pursers	A Donald D Tooze
Third Purser Catering	C Cumine
Extra Third Purser Catering	A Atherton
Junior Pursers	J Platt F White J Clark G Fraser
Hostess	A MacIntosh
Children’s Hostess	J Nelson
Chief Barman	F Hubbard
Storekeeper	J Hunt
Head Waiter (1st Class)	S Sullivan
Head Waiter (Tourist)	D Cross
Band Leader	H Taylor
Laundryman	R Allen
Chef	P King
Baker	A Brohamer
Butcher	A Painter
Shopkeeper	J Burton

She was sold in 1977 to Carnival Cruise Lines, rebuilt and renamed Festivale for Caribbean cruising from 1978.

S.A.Vaal was withdrawn in Southampton on October 10th, 1977 and sold to Carnival Cruise Line, who rebuilt her in Japan with extra decks, almost doubling the passenger capacity.

The external appearance was not spoilt, however, and she has remained the handsome ship of Union-Castle days. Internally, the public rooms were much changed from the traditional liner.

She returned to service in 1978 as Festivale, on Caribbean cruises in partnership with ex-Canadian Pacific liners Mardi Gras and Carnivale, revolutionising the cruise industry.

Leaving Southampton on her way to Japan and her new life

Cape Town Marriage - 1975

Clansman - February 1976

Renaming Ceremony - 12 January 1966

Vessel

Built

Service

Tonnage

SA Vaal

1961

Ex Transvaal Castle

1966 Transferred from Union-Castle

1977 Sold to Carnival Cruise Line

32697

Official Number

Ship Builder

Engine Builder

Engine Type

Screws

302850

John Brown

Clydebank

John Brown

Clydebank

4 x Steam turbines

44000 SHP

Mail Service	S.A. Vaal Left Southampton 2 September For South Africa
Master	R Thomson
Staff Commander	E Talbot
Chief Officer	H Jones
Second Officer	A Neville
Extra Second Officer	G Koch
Radio Officer	R Hough
Surgeon	R Evans
Chief Engineer	R Crook
First Engineer	E Sartori
Second Engineer	J Field
Extra Second Engineer	J Austermuhle
Jnr Second Engineer	D Smithson
Chief Frig Engineer	S Tyrie
First Electrician	E Wilson
Chief Purser	O Parry-Wiliams
Cruise Purser	J McFadyen
Purser	C Deller
Second Purser	C Brown
Chief Purser Catering	A Jenner
Second Purser Catering	W Fleetwood
Extra Second Purser Catering	K Hanson

Sold to Carnival Cruise Lines - 1977

Farewell to The Mail Service - 1977