Grace
Lines - SS Santa Rosa & Santa Paula of 1958
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Maritime
Historian, Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author
Commenced
in the Passenger Shipping Industry in 1960
SS
By
Marcia Kennedy
A
popular standard Grace Lines postcard of the SS Santa Paula /
--My name is Marcia Kennedy and I was the
hostess on board the
--Marcia Kennedy
seen whilst cruising just off the
--Taken on board
the Celebrity Equinox – Provided by Marcia Kennedy.
--I was such a wreck on my first sailing for believe it or not I actually lost weight! I would see passengers disembark from the ship ---two weeks later sporting an additional few pounds, due to such wonderful food served on board, which was there in abundance!
--To this day, I cannot eat filet mignon since that is just about all I ate when on board as it was not flambéed, drenched in cream, ----wine or any kinds of sauces! Hmmm, is that another story!
I also remember that on the first morning of my very first sailing, my schedule had me leading a small group of passengers on a “Fire Drill.” However, it did not tell me where to take them, thus I just found the nearest staircase and started climbing. It all worked out in the end!
Thankfully I have retained some photographs
from my days on the
Photo
provided by Marcia Kennedy
PS: If anyone recognizes these two African-American gentlemen could you please let the author, Mr. Reuben Goossens of ssMaritime know at: info@ssmaritime.com?
Also shown below is a group photo of passengers
and several of
Photo
provided by Marcia Kennedy
The Staff
Purser was a Vincent Sabino and frequently a popular guest
vocalist Lillian Holland would be on board. She was a delight to
be with. To this day I am still in touch with one of the
guest priests, Rev James Mackey who sailed with us. He certainly
was a hoot then, and believe me he still is today. Although now
in retirement he still sails as a guest priest several times a
year on various cruise ships.
Father
James M Mackey
Photo
provided by Marcia Kennedy
The
cover from one of
Image
provided by Marcia Kennedy
Over the years I
sold most of the passenger lists that I had, except for two that
I kept for memories sake. Those that I retained are from voyages
71 (April 11 to 24 1969) and 76 (June 20 to July 2 1969), I have
included the cover of one of these as well as the inside front
pages covering the ports of call their crew lists.
Title
page of voyage 71 – April 1969
Provided
by Marcia Kennedy
Crew
list of voyage 71
Provided
by Marcia Kennedy
Title
page of voyage 76 – June 20 – July 20, 1969
Provided
by Marcia Kennedy
Senior
crew list of voyage 76
Provided
by Marcia Kennedy
Above
and below: The full passenger list of Voyage 76
I have many other photographs of my days while on
the delightful
A
note from Sara Matchett
Provided
by Marcia Kennedy
I remember one evening with great fondness:
Normally the lounge would close around 1 am. However, on
this particular voyage, Larry Lopez the Chief Purser and all
of us, including some passengers who were still in the
lounge at 1 am were having such a great time, we did not want to
leave, neither did Larry. Thus for this one night he tossed all
the rules overboard and the band continued and the party lasted
until somewhere around 4 am. Nearby sleeping (or trying to
sleep) passengers were not too happy, but everyone who
stayed up had a ball! If I recall, that might be the very night
Father Mackey tossed firecrackers off the side of the
ship in the
Another fond memory was of skeet shooting. I
had never done this before and thus tried it for the first time
aboard the Paula. I actually managed to hit two in a row and much
to my surprise, the entire group of around thirty passengers just
below by the pool, all clapped and shouted! I was floored but did
manage to curtsey without falling overboard. Such wonderful
days on the
A
photograph of Marcia taken aboard Celebrity Equinox mid 2012
Provided
by Marcia
I recall the costume (fancy dress) ball very
well, and Father Jim arrived dressed as Moses holding the Ten
Commandments, he looked a hoot, and he won the first prize that
night. The other passengers who joined in the fun all had a a
superb time. I recall that on another voyage one man tied a
faucet to his head and came with the title - “a
drip.” If I remember right he won the first prize on that
sailing!
Father
“Moses” Jim Mackey
Photo
provided by Fr. Jim Mackey & Marcia Kennedy
A
group photograph of all the participants of the “Costume
Ball”
Photo
provided by Fr. Jim Mackey & Marcia Kennedy
The priests onboard Santa Paula were always a
great deal of fun and talking to Father Jim just the other day,
he even remembered tossing some firecrackers overboard at 3 am,
and he said that on many nights he never even got to bed! He
simply was a character!
In the near future he will again be a guest
priest on another cruise line and I believe I may have mentioned
that I may join one of his cruises for old times sake. Such
wonderful memories! It’s amazing that we have kept in touch
for the last 41 years, but I have not seen or actually talked to
him since 1987, but we did have such a fine conversation last
week. All thanks to your pages on the
A
photograph of three Priests on board and a Mr Bill Conroy
Although
Fr. Jim Mackey was the officiating Priest on
Photo
provided by Fr. Jim Mackey & Marcia Kennedy
As I close, I dearly wish to send my
best regards to any of my wonderful passengers who may be reading
this, for I certainly loved sailing with you all!
Also, if anyone would like to contact me, please feel free to do so by emailing me. My email address is: casablanchie194@q.com. I sure hope to hear from some of my passengers as it will be wonderful to reconnect with some of you!
Kind regards
Marcia Kennedy
1969 SS
Please Note: Marcia Kennedy’s story
has been slightly edited from its original and this was done for
readability purposes only. However, it retains the original story
and contents! Reuben Goossens.
Sadly
the ex SS Santa Paula, of late the SS Emerald
was
beached at Alang
She
served an excellent 55 years providing great joy to many who
sailed on this superbly built all American liner and cruise ship!
The
beautifully proportioned luxury liner SS Santa Paula seen around
1969/70
Photograph
by Vic Scrivens
We
will remember this wonderful ex Grace Liner, which has given us a
remarkable 55 years of joy and great service
Grace Line INDEX:
Page
One … SS Santa Paula & Santa Rosa – History
Page
Page
Two … The Marcia Kennedy Story – An interesting
story from a
Page
Three … The
Emerald - ex
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ENTER
OUR … ssMaritime Main INDEX
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. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so
kind to make them-selves known to me (my email address may be
found on www.ssmaritime.com
only), in order that due credit may be given. I know what it is
like, I have seen a multitude of my own photographs on other
sites, yet these individuals either refuse to provide credit or
remove them when asked, knowing full well that there is no legal
comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show these
charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit
where credit is due!