SS Canberra 1961 First & Tourist Class Deck Illustrations & Photographs

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With Reuben Goossens

Maritime Historian, Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer, Author & Lecturer

Please Note: All ssMaritime and other related maritime sites are 100% non-commercial and privately owned, thus ssmaritime is NOT associated with any shipping company or any other organisation! Although the author has worked and been involved in the passenger shipping industry for well over 60 years, but due to his old age and poor health, he was forced to retire. Yet, he has completed well over 1,550 Classic Liners, Passenger-Cargo Liners as well as humble converted C3 converted Migrant Liners, which has transported countless thousands of folk to the new world, as well on vacations’. Amazingly, ssmaritime.com has received 573.4 million visitors to date I trust the features online will continue to provide Classic Liner and Ship enthusiasts both the information they are seeking, but more so provide a great deal of pleasure and relive many happy memories!

SS Canberra

Photo Page One

 

The Early Days!

Please Note: If you have arrived at this page directly during your search, you may wish to read our Canberra page first.

It is located at … SS Canberra Main Page.

This is a very special page containing illustrations and some photographs of the much-loved SS Canberra in her early times. It features a good deal of her fine public facilities as well as some of her accommodations as she was built in 1961.

However, there is one photograph of myself seen standing in front of the famed spiral staircase forward of the Meridian Lounge that heads up from Promenade Deck up to Games Decks to Crow’s Nest. But it should be noted, that this photograph was taken towards the end of SS Canberra’s long and great career in 1996, whilst I was enjoying my time on Canberra’s 1996 “World Voyage” to Sydney.

This is an early release of a P&O-Orient Lines released postcard of the magnificent SS Canberra

Just for interest, the Illustrations shown below were created pre completion of SS Canberra and they are relatively rare. The interior photographs I have online I sourced from P&O’s early brochures that were released in the 1961.

I am sure that you will enjoy walking down memory lane as we visit the wonderful Canberra in her very early days when she was still a two-class liner, that is very much pre her One Class Cruise Ship days!

First Class

 

Promenade Deck

 

 

Above & below: The Meridian Lounge

 

 

The author is seen at the famed staircase that leads from the Meridian Lounge up to the Crow’s Nest

Photograph owned Reuben Goossens & © ssmaritime.com

 

Another view of the Spiral Stairwell

 

The Crystal Room a special event dining venue located starboard just aft of the lobby

 

A Deck

 

The Cinema used by both classes

 

Games Deck

 

The Crow’s Nest far forward on Games Deck

 

 

Above & below: The Bonito Club has a special “Sprung” Dance Floor that reduces sound for cabins below

The aft wall is made up of sliding windows and it looks out to the layered Bonito Swimming Pool

 

 

The First Class Bonito Pool, looking forward towards the Club

 

E Deck

 

 

Above & below: First Class - Pacific Dining Room

Note the Pacific Canoe on the forward wall

 

 

Accommodations

 

A Deluxe Suite

 

 

Above & below: All cabins have a view towards the sea, twin, three and single bedded cabins

The Court layout can be seen below

 

 

Tourist Class

 

Promenade Deck

 

Amidships is the spacious lounge the William Fawcett Room, being the largest Tourist Class Lounge

 

Portside just aft is the most popular Cricketers Club and Bar

 

Whilst directly opposite on the starboard side was the “PopIn” a popular spot for the younger set!

There was a Juke Box and non-alcoholic bar the perfect place for a drink and to dance to the latest Hits!

 

Please note: Located far aft was the Peacock Room and the Card Rooms

 

B Deck

 

Far aft was the Alice Springs Lounge and one of the two Tourist Class Swimming Pools

 

A Deck

 

The Lido Pool the upper of the Tourist Class Pools

The Movie Theatre was also located on this deck and was shared with First Class

 

Games Deck

 

The Island Room was another dance venue and also a popular night spot on board

 

Sun Deck

 

The spacious place to pay games beside Canberra’s famed smoke stacks

 

E Deck

 

The Tourist Dining Room was spacious, yet comfortable and served fine cuisine, just not as large a choice as in First Class

 

Accommodations

 

A typical inside two-berth cabin

 

Here we see an outside cabin that can be sold as a twin bedded, a three or a four berth cabin, as required

 

Items of Memorabilia

 

Above is one of my first souvenirs obtained aboard the SS Canberra

Purchased onboard Canberra back in the 1960s

 

I was given this ashtray during a later voyage, however the Canberra pin is extremely early and very rare and a gift

Form the author’s personal collection

 

A P&O-Orient Line postcard issued in 1961

 

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Please Note: The SS Canberra INDEX below is still incomplete as there are many further pages to come, such as Canberra’s early interiors and her first 1961 First and Tourist Class Deck Plans. Then there are her One Class 1973 Deck Plans. In addition I have a review of my cruise on the Canberra in 1996 which is combined with an extensive photo album of the Canberra at the time, which is combined with her 1996 Deck Plan. For interest, each deck plan can be clicked and a full size plane will be revealed for better details to be seen! I expect there be at least 6 or seven pages when completed!

SS Canberra INDEX:

Page One:     Canberra in building and history 1961 to 1963.

Page One A: Canberra’s Illustrations and Photo Page of 1961.

Page One B: Canberra 1961 Provisional Deck Plans - First & Tourist Class.

Page Two:    Canberra the Cruise ship & her Falklands days, to her end in 1997.

Page Two B: Canberra 1973 & 1996 Deck Plans - One Class.

Page A:         Four Page interiors of Canberra’s Final Cruise Log.

Page B:         The Bill of Sale of the Canberra to Pakistani breakers.

 

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Also Visit our Features on the following Orient Lines/P&O Ships

Orient Lines: RMS OrcadesSS Oronsay - SS Oriana - RMS Orion

P&O: RMS Strathaird SS Iberia - SS Canberra - RMS Kaisar-i-Hind

There May be more since this page was created See our MAIN INDEX

 

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ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net

Where the ships of the past make history & the 1914 built M.S. Doulos Story.

The Author has been in Passenger Shipping & the Cruise Industry for well over 60 years

In addition he was the founder of “Save the Classic Liners Campaign” in 1990.

 

Please Note: ssmaritime and associated sites are 100% non-commercial and the author seeks no funding or favours of any shape or form, never have and never will!

Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are by; the author or from the author’s private collection. In addition there are some images that have been provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are some photographs provided to me without details regarding the photographer/owner concerned.

This notice covers all pages; although, and I have done my best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page, that is, when a page is updated!

 

ssMaritime is owned & © Copyright by Reuben Goossens - All Rights Reserved