Cruise history: The GOLDEN BEAR II – California Maritime Academy’s third training ship started as a cargo-passenger vessel. The Delta Line’s DELORLEANS served briefly on the “banana” South American run just before World War 2.  But her destiny was great. Training 1000s of American student cadets.

The DELORLEANS leaving New Orleans for South America in 1941.

The California Maritime Academy’s GOLDEN BEAR II – and later the ARTSHIP.

The DELORLEANS, later to become the California Maritime Academy’s GOLDEN BEAR II, was originally built as a combination first class passenger-cargo ship just prior to World War II. [Read more...]