Radio Guest List – MV Astoria – February 1, 2020

Patrick Smith, Airline Pilot, Author Founder of AskThePilot.com, discusses the Astoria’s extensive and impressive 72-year-old history. Then, he speaks about the tragic helicopter crash in Los Angeles that took the life of former Lakers star Kobe Bryant and eights others, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, this week. The pilot, Ara Zobayan, regularly flew Peter and his crew in Los Angeles. Smith and Greenberg discuss the factors that could have contributed to the terrible crash and speculate more on the issue.

Don Lynch, Titanic Historian, “Majordomo” of the Titanic Historical Society, Author of Titanic: An Illustrated History, and Historian for many Hollywood films including Titanic (1997), talks about the myths surrounding the sinking of the Titanic as well as its relation to the MV Astoria, which is the oldest operational cruise liner in the world. Lynch speaks about the differences of architecture and precision that separate classic cruise liners from modern day ships like extravagant artwork and architecture. Due to its remodel in the 1990s, the MV Astoria no longer represents very much of its history on the inside. Fascinated with the Titanic in particular, he mentions some of the eeriest artifacts found in the ship. The most surprising is a locket reading “This Be Your Lucky Star.” He also gives a brief synopsis about the safety initiatives that were enacted following the sinking of the Titanic, such as muster drills.

Peter Knego, Maritime Journalist and Historian, gives a history lesson of the MV Astoria and its unfathomably long life in operation. The ship is currently 72 years old and was originally built in Sweden after World War II. Despite the fact that most ships only sail for 20 to 25 years, the Astoria has pushed through periods of extravagance and destitution. Knego illustrates the full history of the ship including the infamous collision of the Stockholm (now named the MV Astoria) and the SS Andrea Doria in 1956. On the latter of the ships, there was a teenager named Linda Morgan who is now known as the “miracle survivor” in the collision. Along with many stories of East German communists, Iranian refugees, and an Italian influence, the MV Astoria has lived at least 11 lives — far more than any other ship to date. It currently houses great amenities for a ship that is small by today’s standards. It has a movie theater, pool, promenade, atrium and so much more.

Captain Antonio Morias, of the MV Astoria for the last 16 years, talks about his mission to save the now 72-year-old vessel from Havana, Cuba after its prior owner, Festival Cruise Lines, went bankrupt in 2004 leaving the ship to be destroyed by unhappy crew members. When he arrived in Cuba, he found the ship in great structural condition but the cabins were victims of unhappy employees. With the ship’s perfect engines, he made his first voyage with an empty ship and almost no crew members to Lisbon. He then tells the stories of the ship’s ghost and the effect that she has had on members of the crew.

Mitch Roader, Cruise Director on the MV Astoria, speaks about his crew of 16 and the intimate gatherings that the small ship allows with only 420 passengers. He is able to orchestrate events like country deck nights and bingo on sea days. He also shares some of the most ridiculous questions that passengers have asked.