Sunday, August 10, 2014

Cruising

As I continue to work through the scads (that was my grandmother’s word) of photos I have, I’m reminded of the many times my grandparents, Sig and Loraine Levy, cruised here and there.  I particularly remember their voyages on the S.S. Lurline between San Francisco and Hawaii.  I believe they would travel from Fresno to San Francisco, with a stop in San Jose either before or after their cruise, and from San Francisco would sail to/from Hawaii.  And now I’ve found photos as evidence of their journeys!

Sig_Loraine SS Mariposa Monterey 1959
Sig and Loraine Levy
8 Aug 1959

I can just imagine sailing in the 50’s and 60’s – what a different time.  My grandfather looks so dapper in his tuxedo!  And thanks, Grandpa, for putting the date on the back of this photo! 

No date on this photo but based on the clothing, I’m guessing it was the same voyage.

Loraine_Unknown_Unknown_Sig_Unknown Lurline

Once they arrived in Honolulu, I remember that they always stayed at the Royal Hawaiian, the beautiful pink hotel on Waikiki Beach.  I’m sure back in the day it was about the only game in town – now it’s dwarfed by the other more “hip” hotels. 

Royal Hawaiian
Royal Hawaiian Hotel
photo by cryptic_star

I have found records showing they sailed on the Lurline from San Francisco to Honolulu in April, 1949, August 1951, and August 1956 but I haven’t found any photos that look to be from these trips.  Yet.

1966 seems to have been a big year for cruising.  In June, they sailed on the SS President Wilson but I don’t know where they went.  The photos I have are in ‘jackets’ that show the name of the ship and Hawaii-Japan-Philippines-Hong Kong so I’m guessing they went to one or all of those countries.  There is a little nugget in my brain saying they visited Japan but I can’t be sure.  No matter where they went, they seemed to have had a good time!

My grandmother loved her mink and took it everywhere with her!  I remember when we cleaned out my parents’ house last year finding the mink in the bedroom closet – I’m sure my parents never knew what to do with it.  I don’t want to think about what happened to it in the estate sale.

Loraine_Sig arrive SS President Wilson 1966
Loraine and Sig Levy
May, 1966

I wish I knew who these unidentified people are.  If I could find passenger lists for this voyage, I might recognize some names.  But here’s Grandma with her mink!

Sig_Unknown_Unknown_Loraine SS President Wilson

And some quiet dinners together.

Sig_Loraine SS President Wilson


Loraine_Sig SS President Wilson

But the quiet dinners didn’t last – looks like there was a costume party aboard the ship.

Sig June 1966 SS Pres Wilson

And guess who won the prize for the most original costume?  Thank you, Grandpa, for writing that on the back of this photo!

Sig Beefeater Best Costume June 1966
June, 1966
On board Pres Wilson
Sig won the prize for most original costume
THE BEEF EATER

Later that year they were cruising again as they were on board the Lurline on the Hawaii Holiday Cruise December 20, 1966 – December 30, 1966.  This cruise went from San Francisco to Honolulu via Nawiliwili (Kauai), Lahaina, and Hilo.  Look at that – Grandma has on a different mink!

Loraine_Unknown_Unknown_Sig Lurline 1966

Who are these lovely ladies with them?  I thought they might be the Stubblefield sisters, their next door neighbors for years, but I was able to find a passenger list on line and there was no indication that the Stubblefields were on board.  Oh look at that – if you look in the top right hand corner you can see the top of the ship!  Here’s the ship from the back of the photo ‘jacket’.

Lurline

While I’ve never been on a cruise, I have heard that eating is one of the main events.  Looks like it was a great opportunity for some photos, too!

Unknown_Sig_Loraine_Unknown 1966

I have to laugh that they are sitting in the exact same seats!

Sig_Loraine c 25 Dec 1966 SS Lurline

I don’t know if this was from the same cruise but I do know it was on board the SS Lurline.  Grandpa always did like the ladies!

Sig Lurline

I just love looking at these photos and imagining what their voyages were like.  Thanks for sharing them with me, Grandma and Grandpa!


2 comments:

  1. Debi, looks like they were the life of the party. Wonderful that you have such a treasure trove of photos & stories to go with them.

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  2. Are you old enough to remember "The Gale Storm Show" (also known as "Oh Susanna" in reruns)? It was about a cruise director. These photos remind me of that show.

    I guess your grandparents knew from experience to plan for that costume party.

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