mv Nili - Some Notable Early Cruise Ships from Miami

mv Nili brochure effective March, 1966 — Click cover for full brochure

Somerfin Lines completed Nili in 1965 as a companion for Bilu, though with disappointing Mediterranean bookings it was decided to place it in ferry service between Southampton and Spain. However, the political dispute over Gibraltar put an end to that, and instead it was chartered as a ferry in the Baltic Sea. Two of the late shipowner F. Leslie Fraser's sons, Lewis and Stephen, set up Pan American Cruise Line and secured a contract to charter the Nili. In the fall of 1965, it was sent to Miami for short cruises to the Bahamas.

mv Nili Spanish Dining Room

Nili had five passenger decks with public areas including the main lounge, entrance foyer, shop, reading/writing room and dining room on Main Deck. Above on Promenade Deck were the Lido Lounge, a small theater and the swimming pool.

mv Nili

The only outside staterooms were on Promenade Deck including eight deluxe and six standard cabins plus the Owner's and Governor's Suites. The small inside staterooms on A and B Decks each accommodated two passengers in upper and lower berths. 117 had private facilities and 136 adjoining cabins shared shower and toilet. Nili's garage deck for 120 cars was between A and B decks and a night club was below.

mv Nili

The Fraser brothers' operation caught the attention of Ted Arison, who was intrigued by the idea of cruises from Miami. When the brothers encountered financial difficulties in 1966, Somerfin cancelled the charter and Arison stepped in to take over. Within a few months of Arison Shipping Company taking over the Nili charter, Somerfin entered bankruptcy and the ship was arrested by the Israeli government.

It was sold to new owners, who chartered it to Continental Cruise Lines in 1967 and renamed it Jamaica Queen. It was placed in 4 and 5-day cruise service from Miami to Jamaica and the Bahamas carrying passengers and cars. It was sold again as Nili in 1969 and returned to Europe for several owners and deployments before being severely damaged by a terrorist bomb in Haifa in 1981.

Top