Freewinds

MV "Freewinds" is a cruise ship operated by International Shipping - Miami and owned by San Donato Properties which is a company connected to the Church of Scientology. She was built in 1968 by Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard in Turku, Finland for Wallenius Lines as MS "Bohème" for service with Commodore Cruise Line. She was the first cruise ship built in Finland. Her ownership passed to a Church of Scientology-controlled company in 1985. As of April 2008, the Freewinds has been sealed, and work stopped on refurbishments, due to "extensive contamination" with blue asbestos.

Concept and construction

The vessel that eventually became known as the "Freewinds" was originally ordered by the Sweden-based Lion Ferry as the second in a pair of two car/passenger ferries for use on their new Bremerhaven (West Germany)—Harwich (United Kingdom) service, with provisions made for cruise service during the northern hemisphere winter season. The ships shared the same design as ] An agreement was reached where the build contract of the half-complete ship was sold to the Sweden-based Wallenius Lines, who would have the ship completed as a cruise ship, and following completion she would be chartered to Commodore Cruise Lines. Following their tradition of naming ships after operas, Wallenius decided to name the ship "Bohème", after La bohème. Cabins were added in place of the car decks on the ship (although bow or stern doors were never fitted on her), and her superstructure was redesigned to better accommodate the need for sundeck space in the warmer climates. The "Bohème" was delivered to Wallenius Bremen, Wallenius Lines' West Germany-based subsidiary, on 12 November 1968. She was registered in West Germany, with Bremerhaven as her home port.

ervice history

1968—1981: Wallenius Lines ownership

Following delivery the "Bohème" sailed to Stockholm, the location of Wallenius Lines' headquarters, for a presentation to invited guests. On departing Stockholm for Miami she carried her first paying passengers onboard. Her maiden voyage was cut short however, as she hit an underwater cliff outside Dalarö in the Stockholm Archipelago. The cliff breached the ship's hull and fuel tanks. Lifeboats were used to evacuate all passengers from the listing ship, and three days later she was refloated and towed to the Finnboda shipyard in Nacka for week-long repairs. After the repairs she again left for Miami, this time without passengers.

On 7 December 1968 the "Bohème" left on her first cruise from Miami to Saint Thomas. During her first year in service the ship had notable problems with her air conditioning due to the shipyard's inexperience with building ships for the warm Caribbean climate. As a result she returned to Europe in 1980, sailing to the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, West Germany where the air conditioning system was rebuilt, an additional screw compressor as well as two freshwater generators were installed. Following the rebuild the "Bohème" re-entered service with an itenary of Miami—Puerto Plata—Saint Thomas—San Juan—Cap-Haïtien—Miami. She followed the same itenary around the year, becoming the first ship to offer around-the-year seven-night cruises from Miami. She was also the first cruise ship to call at Puerto Plata and the first to offer regular sailings to Cap Haitien.

1981—1986: Rederi Ab Sally ownership

In March 1981 Commodore Cruise Line, as well as the "Bohème", were sold to the Finland-based Rederi Ab Sally. The new owners re-registered the "Bohème" to Panama, which resulted in most of the German officers resigning due to worsened working conditions. The resigned officers were replaced with Scandinavians. The following year the German deck and engine crews were replaced by Filipinos. Originally the new crew members were meant for ] The crew already hired for the "Navarino" was transferred to the "Bohème".

Between November 1982 and August 1983 the "Bohème" was chartered to the Brazilia-based Saitecin Cruises for cruises around South America. She also made one cruise from Miami under this charter. Following this charter the ship again returned to West Germany to be rebuilt, this time in Bremerhaven, where two new diesel generators were installed and much of the interior decorations replaced. While in Bremerhaven she also received a new external livery. On returning to service in 1984 the "Bohème" was placed on a new Miami—Port-au-Prince—Port Antonio—Grand Cayman—Coromuel—Miami itenary. The schedule proved to be too tight to maintain, especially in poor weather conditions. With engine problems causing further problems, this itenary only lasted until November 1984, when the ship was chartered to SeaEscape for their Miami—Freeport ferry service.

In February 1985 the "Bohème" returned to Commodore Cruise Line service. Her port of departure was changed to Saint Petersburg, Florida to better cater to the needs of Commodore's main cliente, the retired people living on Florida's west coast. The ship's new seven-day itenary was Saint Petersburg—Key West—Port Antonio—Cozumel—Saint Petersburg. The new route proved to be short-lived, as the "Bohème" was sold to San Donato Properties Corporation in September 1986 for $10 million, to be converted for use with the Church of Scientology.

1986 onwards: Scientology acquisition and ownership

In 1984, the Church of Scientology's parent body, the Church of Scientology International (CSI), decided to obtain a ship on which to deliver high-level Scientology courses. According to a statement by the Church,

CSI believed that an ocean-going vessel would be the most appropriate facility for ministering New OT VIII because this advanced level of religious service requires a completely safe, aesthetic and distraction-free environment and because L. Ron Hubbard, the religion's founder, had researched and ministered the first OT levels aboard a ship in the late 1960s. A ship therefore would have particular religious significance to Scientologists. [http://www.xenufrance.net/fst-to-irs-1023.pdf Flag Ship Trust "Application for Recognition of Exemption"] , IRS Form 1023, August 18, 1993]

An entity called the Flag Ship Trust (FST) was formed in December 1985 with the aid of a $5 million donation from the International Association of Scientologists. In September 1986, the Flag Ship Trust purchased "Bohème", renamed her "Freewinds" and refitted her to enable its use for Scientology purposes. The vessel was put into service in June 1988.

The ownership and management of the vessel was organized through a complicated web of Scientology-run corporations and entities, most of which are owned by the Flag Ship Trust. It is owned by San Donate Properties, a Panamanian corporation of which FST is the sole shareholder. Another FST-owned Panamanian corporation, Transcorp Services, owns the mortgage on the "Freewinds". FSS Organization was a Netherlands Antilles corporation responsible for paying certain taxes on the vessel to the Netherlands Antilles authorities. Scientology courses are delivered aboard the vessel by the Flag Ship Service Organization (FSSO), in effect a floating branch of the Church of Scientology. Majestic Cruise Lines is a Panamanian corporation which operates the "Freewinds", receiving payment from FSSO for the use of the ship. MCL Services is a Netherlands Antilles corporation which provides shore support and liaison services for Majestic Cruise Lines and FSSO from the "Freewinds"' home port, Curaçao.

Following the Church of Scientology's controversial tax exemption agreement with the United States Internal Revenue Service in 1993, these arrangements were simplified. Majestic Cruise Lines' responsibilities were to be transferred to FSSO, with Majestic itself being dissolved, and FSS Organization was dissolved as it was no longer required for Netherlands Antilles tax reporting purposes. However, Majestic remains in existence and is still actively billing visitors to the "Freewinds". [Caroline Letkeman, [http://www.carolineletkeman.org/refund/docs/inv-1999-03-11-majestic-cruise-lines.html Flag Ship Service Organization invoice] ]

The "Freewinds" is the fifth ship to have been owned by the Church of Scientology; the other four were the "Royal Scotman" (later "Apollo"), the "Enchanter" (later "Diana"), the "Avon River" (later "Athena") and the "Nekambi", all of which have apparently now been scrapped. However, the nameplate of the "Diana" has been preserved and is on display aboard the "Freewinds". The Church also operated two WWII surplus ships during the late 1960s-early 1970s. These where the "Bolivar", a sub chaser (similar to the one commanded by L. Ron Hubbard briefly during the war), and an 843 ton mine-layer "TSMY Excalibur" (built May 1945). Both vessels were docked at San Pedro, California and used for training new "Sea Org" members.

cientology use

The "Freewinds" is the exclusive training center for OT VIII (Operating Thetan Level 8), the highest level of Scientology and the last of the published OT levels. Initiates who have reached the highest levels must receive their training on the "Freewinds", as the Church does not allow it to take place in any other location.] The Church of Scientology denied that there is an asbestos problem, commenting in May 2008 that "there is not now and never has been a situation of asbestos exposure on the Freewinds." [cite news|author=Staff writer|title=Cruise and Holmes in asbestos warning|work=Metro|date=2008-05-15] Karin Pouw, spokesperson for the Church of Scientology, told Radar Magazine that the air quality on the ship was regularly tested and "always meets or exceeds US standards." [ [http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/05/freewinds-asbestos-scientology-tom-cruise.php Cancer on the Lido Deck? Scientology Responds] , Radar, By Tyler Gray 05/01/08 10:40 AM]

The "Freewinds" has been noted in Bonaire for the amount of waste water it dumps into the island's inland waste pit. According to one 2007 report, the ship sometimes sends four loads of waste per hour, contributing to a growing environmental problem on the island. [cite news |first=George |last=DeSalvo |title=Flotsam and Jetsam |work=The Bonaire Reporter |date=2007-10-12 |page=5 |url=http://bonairereporter.com/news/007PDFs/10-12-07.pdf |accessdate=2008-05-12|format=PDF] [cite news |first=George |last=DeSalvo |coauthors=Laura DeSalvo; David Radomisli |title=Flotsam and Jetsam |work=The Bonaire Reporter |date=2007-05-18 |page=3 |url=http://bonairereporter.com/news/007PDFs/05-18-07.pdf |accessdate=2008-05-12|format=PDF]

Design

Exterior design

The exterior design of the "Bohème"/"Freewinds" is very similar to the "Finnhansa" class ships built as ferries. She has a moderately raked and slightly rounded bow, rounded forward superstructure, terraced rear superstructure and two slim side-by-side funnels. She differs from her sisters with the superstructure expanding further on promenade deck (on the other ships it only extends as far as the bridge), swimming pool added to the rear of promade deck, and the observation lounge missing from the topmost deck; this was replaced by an open sunbathing area.

As built the "Bohème" was painted in Wallenius Lines livery, with an all-white hull and superstructure, yellow radar mast and yellow funnels with a wide horizontal green stripe painted on them and the letters OW (for Olof Wallenius) painted on the stripe. The ship only kept this livery until her first visit to Miami, where she was repainted in the Commodore Cruise Line livery, with white funnels and radar mast. A dark blue decorative stripe was later painted on the hull. During the 1983 refit the livery of the "Bohème" was more radically altered, when blue stripes were painted along the windows on main and promenade decks, as wel las the bridge windows. The funnels were re-painted with a spray-shaped design in blue, red and yellow.

Following acquision by the Church of Scientology the ship's external appearance was changed slightly from the final Commodore livery; the "Freewinds" received dark blue funnels with the Majestic Cruise Lines logo on them, while an intricate combination of Scientology-related symbols was painted on both sides of the hull (pictured on the right). Additionally three decorative ribands were painted on the side of the hull towards the rear.

Interior design

Members of Wallenius family were heavily involved in the interior design of the "Bohème". Margareta Wallenius in particular dedicated her interest to the interiors of the ship, having her say in the materials used and works of art brought in from promising artists in Paris. Reflecting the company tradition of naming ships after operas, all public rooms onboard were originally named after themes related to Puccini's La bohème, the opera that had given it's name to the ship itself.

Compared to her sisters built for ferry service, cabins were built on the planned car-deck on the B- and C-decks on the "Bohème". The car decks had in fact been originally planned to accommodate temporary cabin modules during the winter when Lion Ferry, the company that had originally ordered the "Bohème", planned to use her for cruising to the Canary Isles. Additionally a small gymnasium and cinema were added in place of cargo hold on D-deck. All stairways and public rooms were panelled in light nordic woods, while the deluxe cabins received dark oak panelings. During the 1983 refit much of the original panelling was replaced either by colourfuls paintings or mirrors to give an increased sense of space. Similarly much of the upholstery and carpets were changed into cheerier colours.

Following acquisition by the Church of Scientology, almost all of the ship's public spaces were rebuilt.

Decks and facilities

As "Bohème"

Only including spaces accessible to passengers.

*D deck - Gymnasium, cinema
*C deck ("Caribbean deck") - Outside and inside cabins
*B deck ("Bahamas deck") - Hospital, inside and outside cabins
*A deck ("Antilles deck")- Purser's office, inside and outside cabins
*Main deck - Puccini and Paris dining rooms, casino, shops, Le Club Mimi bar, beauty shop, Rodolfo lounge, card room, reading room
*Promanade deck - Marcello lounge/discothèque, game room, deluxe cabins, Café des Artistes, lido deck, swimming pool
*Bridge deck - Bridge, unknown
*Sun deck - sundeck

As "Freewinds"

ee also

*List of cruise ships

References

External links

* [http://freewinds.org/ Church of Scientology Flag Ship Service Organization (FSSO)]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/_gid/sets/72057594088269490/ Scientologists, Ahoy! Pictures of the "Freewinds" in Antigua]
* [http://theedge.podango.com/podcast_episode/3805/92347/The_Edge_with_Tom_Smith/Lawrence_Woodcraft_Interview_1 Interview with architect Lawrence Woodcraft about asbestos on the Freewinds]