ssMaritime.com &
ssMaritime.net
With
Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian
The most loved Postcard ever, issued by
Sitmar prior Fairstar’s completion
Author’s private collection
T.S.S Fairstar
Built
as the Bibby Lines TSS
Oxfordshire in 1956
Introduction
ssMaritime is delighted to present a page on a
ship that has become an icon to countless thousands of ship and cruise
enthusiasts in the UK, Europe, but more so in Australia and New Zealand,
especially for those who left their homeland and ventured far across the sea,
settling “DownUnder”.
Due to the Jet Age travel by shipping sadly
declined and migrants then came on Jumbo Jets and they missed out on the
wonderful experience of an adventure by sea before arriving in their new
homeland. However, the Fairstar undertook a completely a new role and she
became a full time cruise ship. Sitmar Line based her in Sydney and she
commenced cruising year-round to the South Pacific, as well as New
Zealand and occasional cruises to South
East Asia. She became Australia’s
most famous and much loved cruise ship, and she was lovingly known as the
“FunShip.”
Those who sailed on this ship will always
remember her as the fabulous Fairstar for the name Fairstar conjures up joyful
memories for up to a million people, those who migrated from the UK
and Europe and those Aussies and Kiwis, who
ventured on one of the many cruises between 1965 and 1997.
Fairstar certainly had a varied and an
interesting career … from the proud British Troop Ship, the Bibby Line T.S.S.
Oxfordshire to a full fledged passenger liner sailing the world and
a full time cruise ship.
I trust that you this feature will bring back
many enjoyable memories of this fine old girl, a ship that not only transported
troops but in her second incarnation brought so many to a new homeland and
finally became the ship that gave so much enjoyment to so many cruising the
South Pacific and other areas!
Please
note: At the
bottom of each page is an Index that will take you to all pages related to the
T.S.S. Oxfordshire / Fairstar.
Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian
Part One - Fairstar the Liner
The Troop Ship that became a Passenger
Liner
Postcard of
the Fairstar in her early days
Author’s private collection
In 1963, the T.S.S. Oxfordshire
was chartered to the Fairline Shipping Corp - Sitmar Line, for six years. She
soon crossed the North Sea to Schiedam in the Netherlands
where she would be totally rebuilt by Wilton-Fijenoord, at a cost of 2.3
million UK
pounds, for the Australian passenger & migrant service. Then in March 1964,
whilst being rebuilt, the “Fairstar Shipping Corp, Monrovia”
- Sitmar Line bought the ship outright, and gave her the new name of Fairstar.
Sadly there was a dispute between
Wilton-Fijenoord and Sitmar, and recently I have had some communication with an
engineer who worked at the yards who has filled me in on some of the details …
This is the Fairstar being laid up at the yard
during the period that the owners did not want to accept her. As far as I can
remember the ship was ready but there was a financial dispute with the ship
repairs a price that is always worked out according the specifications. (At
least it was in my days). When the job is done parties sit together to discuss
the account. The yard was attempting to get paid for extra-work that had to be
undertaken but the owner’s tried to convince the yard that it was part of
the original contract. In other words the clearer the specifications about the
work that was to be undertaken, the less problems in the future. In case of the
Fairstar a great deal of ballast had to be placed in double-bottom tanks,
because originally she had large dormitories for up to soldiers down there.
With the rebuilding and additions of cabins, a cinema and many lounges, as well
as her decks raised and moved forward, the ship had become much heavier on top
which meant she required additional ballast.
As far as I can remember this was the main
reason for the dispute which was finally settled by an international court of
arbitration for such cases in Paris,
I believe more then two years later. But, Sitmar moved the ship to the UK
for her final refurnishing.
TSS
Fairstar seen idle during the dispute between Wilton Fijenoord & Sitmar
Photograph by © Hans Kleijwegt
After the dispute Fairstar was relocated to
Harland & Wolff for completion at Southampton.
She emerged soon after in May 1964, as a 21,619 GRT,
one class passenger liner with a maximum capacity of 1,870 passengers.
On 19 May 1964, Fairstar departed Southampton
for her maiden voyage to Australia,
with a full complement of passengers. Being fitted with powerful twin steam
turbines, her service speed of 17 knots was a breeze. Fairstar proved the
perfect ship for long distance voyages.
Sitmar Line had been operating voyages to Australia
and New Zealand,
with three relatively older ships. However, whenever, a Sitmar ship arrived in
port, the ship had a special appeal to those that saw them. Their gleaming
white hulls and tall superstructure and that modern yellow funnel featuring a
large blue V were a popular sight everywhere. Many wondered why Sitmar had a V
as their distinguishing logo. Well the V stood for the company’s founder,
the famous shipping magnate’s name, being the Vlasof family. Their story
is a book in itself!
“Fairland Shipping Corp,” Monrovia,
is part of the well known as - SITMAR Line, a
name derived from Societa Italiana Transporti MARritimi.
At the time, Sitmar operated three other ships
on the Australian/New Zealand migrant service, the Castel Felice, Fairsea and
the very popular Fairsky.
1 - Castel Felice (built in Glasgow 1930
as the Kenya
- 12,478 GRT).
2 - Fairsea (built in the USA
1941 as the Rio de la Plata – 13,317 GRT).
3 - Fairsky (built in the USA
in 1941 as a C3 class ship, named Steel Artisan– 12,464 GRT).
Visit my Sitmar pages for features on each of these and other Sitmar ships.
When completed, Fairstar was an exciting
modern ship for her day, featuring many fine public rooms. On promenade deck
forward, was the large Zodiac Lounge, which reached high up to the deck above (Boat
Deck). Just aft of the Zodiac Lounge (Promenade Deck) port side was the
attractive Library and Writing Room. Alongside starboard was the Shop, and
amidships the famed Bavarian Beer Hall, with its huge timber top bar. The bar
also had an opening into the port side Rainbow Lounge just aft, which was a
colourful but a peaceful small room. The aft lounge on Promenade Deck was the
popular Aquarius Lounge and nightclub. This room was so named, due to the large
portholes in her mid-aft wall, providing a spectacular view into the swimming
pool, located above on Boat Deck. Overlooking the Swimming Pool on Boat Deck
was the most popular day spot on the ship, the Surf Club with its vast wall of
floor to ceiling windows, featuring a unique Island Bar, with stainless steel
cladding. The Children’s Play Centre with a pool was located far forward
on Promenade Deck. Above the play centre on Boat deck forward, was the Jungle
Room, which was a teenager’s delight. On the port side there was the Milk
bar, a jukebox with a dance floor. On starboard side, where a number of poles
with two seats attached and a shelf for drinks, leaves sprouting from the top
of the poles, made this a unique room perfect for those so full of “puppy
love.” The author knows all this very well, as he was one of the young
set on Fairstar’s 2nd voyage from Australia in 1964, listening
to Eric Burton’s and the Animal’s great hit “The House of the
Rising Sun,” as he sailed from Melbourne, via Sydney Brisbane, Singapore
etc, to Naples.
The author seen in Cairo
during his voyage on Fairstar in 1964
© Reuben Goossens
In 1965, Sitmar Line broadened its operations
and commenced a series of successful South Pacific cruises from Sydney
utilising the Fairstar, Fairsky and Castel Felice. In fact, this could have
been considered as a prophetic move, for when Sitmar Line lost its migrant
contract to the Greek Chandris Line in 1970, Sitmar decided that her future was
in South Pacific and Asian cruising. Fairstar, from then Sitmar mixed
Fairstar’s line voyages with cruising, and she did this till 1974. Then
on 13 November 1974, Fairstar departed Southampton for the very last time,
travelling via Cape Town to Sydney,
Auckland, returning to Sydney
to become the first cruise ship ever to call Australia
home.
Fairstar, the cruise ship, departed Sydney
23 December 1974 fully laden with 1,280 passengers on her first official cruise
as a Sydney
based cruise ship! Thus began the exciting and colourful era that would last
for more than 20 years. There
is no doubt that the T.S.S. Fairstar spearheaded
Australia's 200 million dollar-a-year cruise industry, even though there had
been other cruise ships before her, but she was the first ship to be permanently
based in Australia year round, whereas all other ships, were only stationed
here for a few months at a time during the Australian summer, being the low
season in Europe and with little work available for ships there.
Part
Two - Fairstar the Cruise Ship
Sitmar Line becomes Sitmar
Cruises
Fairstar, still in her Sitmar colours,
arrives home from a cruise to Sydney’s
Circular Quay.
She sailed past the Opera House over eleven hundred times.
Author’s private collection
Sitmar Cruises operated the popular Fairstar
for fourteen years, during which time she received a number of refits and
improvements to keep up with the times. During this time she did have
occasional mechanical problems, as do many ships, but generally Sitmar looked
after her very well. Australian’s and New Zealanders enjoyed the mostly
Italian officers and crew and their generous hospitality!
Fairstar the cruise ship still with her
yellow funnel with the big blue V
Photo © Luca Ferrerio
Fairstar mostly cruised around the South
Pacific Islands,
but she also undertook one or two longer cruises to the Far East and Japan.
In 1982 ended cruising to Asia and
consecrated on the South Pacific. Then in 1986, she made one Asian cruise each
year in order that she could be dry-docked in Singapore
for her regular overhauls and refurbishments. In July 1988, whilst in
Singapore, she received the new Sitmar Cruises colour scheme which included a
new funnel colour and logo, which had a stylised (1) White Swan, on a dark blue
background. This scheme did not prove very popular for Australians had came to love that great big blue V on a yellow background.
(1)The White Swan Sitmar Cruises Logo on a dark blue funnel proved unpopular
Sitmar Photo
Part
Three - Fairstar the FunShip
P&O
takes over Sitmar Cruises
In 1988, due to Sitmar’s incredible
success with the cruising public from the United
States and Australia,
P&O Princess Cruises, took control of the Sitmar Cruises, including our
very own Fairstar. P&O gave her a refit in April 1989 and charged her
funnel now with a (2) Blue Swan on a white funnel, extending her Boat Deck and
upgrading her lounges and accommodations. Yet her funnel still did not prove to
be popular.
(2)The Blue Swan Sitmar Cruises Logo on a white funnel suited the ship better
Author’s private collection
During her P&O years, she was
regularly refitted to meet changing Australian tastes, standards and demands.
As she cruised on, she became lovingly known as the P&O
“FunShip” under the wonderful P&O Holidays team, which was
headed by the author’s maritime friend “Mr Fairstar,” Phil Young (P&O Holidays Managing
Director – who was *followed by the equally fine Phil Riley).
The new dolphin logo on
Fairstar's funnel
Photo © Reuben Goossens
With P&O Holidays now operating the
much-loved Fairstar they finally gave her a brand new logo on her funnel, two
blue overlapping discs, with a white jumping dolphin. This, together with the
ships many
onboard improvements made her the most popular incarnation of the cruise ship
ever and product Fairstar grew in popularity!
On the author’s last cruise on Fairstar,
a series of photographs were taken of her lounges and her decks. These and
others images are available via the link below … HOWEVER the story
continues below!
Fairstar ready and awaiting her
guests for another “Fun Packed” cruise!
Note the Alfresco Café aft on Officers deck
Photograph © Reuben Goossens
Part Four - Fairstar’s final days
Sadly, most good things tend to
end. By 1996, the beloved Fairstar, started to show her age and she suffered
frequent breakdowns and other problems. On the authors last cruise, several a
years prior to her eventual departure, toilets were known to overflow on the
lower decks, air-conditioning was poor, especially on the lower decks. Her
mechanical problems increased so much, that her average speed was greatly
reduced to avoid to total collapse of her old machinery. In April 1996, one of
her cruises had to be cancelled, due to a sudden fall of her boiler brickwork.
It became apparent that Fairstar needed massive, and costly repairs, as well as
the costs to bring her up standard for new 1997 SOLAS requirements. P&O
Holidays therefore decided to retire and replace Australia’s
favourite cruise ship early in 1997. In the meantime, she limped around the
South Pacific, without the passenger being aware of her sad state. Already,
onboard, and mainland rumours started that Fair Princess would coming Down
Under, but P&O Holidays released a statement, that “this not the
case”, and that we were “not to listen to rumours”! In
hindsight, we now know that we should not trust everything executives say, for
soon enough Fair Princess would take over Fairstar’s cruising duties.
A gleaming Fairstar in Lautoka Fiji,
with typical Fijian storm approaching
Ships
Photographer. Used
with permission
Part Five - Interesting Facts
Almost one million passengers
cruised on Fairstar since her first official Australian based cruise from Sydney
December 1974. Fairstar became a household name and she reigned unchallenged in
Australia,
steaming more than two million nautical miles, which is the equivalent of 251
times around the world, or four times to the moon and back.
The Pool & Lido
© Reuben Goossens
She is credited for pioneering the cruise
industry in Australia.
Fairstar based in Sydney
maintained an average market share of just over 65 per cent. During her reign,
Fairstar survived no less than eleven different challenges to her throne.
Occupancy rates were as high as 100 per cent, having a repeat passenger rate of
around 20 per cent. Onboard surveys show that 95 per cent of passengers
consistently rate a Fairstar cruise as excellent or good, with a good few
returned for a cruise on her up to 50 times.
Much of Fairstar’s success is credited
to the fact that she was managed by Australian’s for Australian’s
and Kiwis, offering a quality product suited to the market. Fairstar was such a
familiar sight in Sydney
Harbour, as she sailed
past the Sydney Opera House more than eleven hundred times during her
“DownUnder” cruise career.
P&O Holidays Fairstar at Circular Quay
International Passenger Terminal
© Reuben Goossens
As Fairstar sailed out of Sydney
Harbour on January
21, 1997 for her final cruise, the media was on hand reporting on
this special event. Upon her return to Sydney
on the 31st of January 1997, she had the traditional long white
pennant flying from her mainmast.
Souvenir farewell
P&O Fairstar Zippo brass lighter sold in the gift shop during her final
months
Image © and lighter from the Jim
Stanoff collection - USA
Whilst at Garden
Island her successor awaited her
commencement of cruise duties. Fairstar completed her illustrious career
spanning almost a quarter century. She was laid up at Garden
Island (Sydney)
with her replacement Fair Princess lying right at her stern. She looked a
lonely sight when the author took photographs of her and her successor, the
afternoon of the 10th of February 1997.
On February
10, 1997 - Fairstar still looked great, just if she was ready to
sail the Pacific one gain. However, in reality she was a sad lonely sight with
her successor berthed just astern. Just two days later the ex Sitmar liner and
P&O “FunShip” left Sydney for her final departure, heading for
the breakers in India having been crudely renamed “Ripa.. © Reuben Goossens
Ït had been without any warning and it was early in the morning just
two days after I took the above photograph that she departed, with her dolphin
logo painted out in white, and the name Ripa so poorly painted high on her
bow and upper name board. I was told by someone who just happened to be there
that she quietly slipped her berth and soon passed Sydney Heads for very last
time. She then set a course for a long slow voyage for India,
were she arrived
at Alang on April
10, 1997 where she was beached and broken up.
Australian’s and New Zealander’s had felt that Fairstar had been a “Ripa” of a ship indeed!
(“Ripa” is Australian slang for something great or fantastic).
A sad sight … the ex FunShip is seen
here departing Sydney for India
on February 12,
1997
(Gerald Laver)
The Fairstar Index is located at bottom of page
Part Six - Fair Princess comes Downunder
Fairstar’s Replacement
Most, who know the industry well, including
the author, believed that Sky Princess, originally Sitmar’s Fairsky would
be the perfect ship for Australia
at the time. Even though, myself and other cruise
experts were eventually proved to be right, P&O Princess decided to send the aging Fair Princess to Australia.
A ship, which Princess Cruises desperately tried to sell, but the purchaser,
Regency Cruises suddenly went bankrupt, thus the ship was returned to P&O
Princess and she was laid idle for several years deteriorating. Fair Princess
was originally a Cunard Liner, deployed between Britain
and Canada, and the USA.
Sitmar purchased her and rebuilt her into a fine, successful cruise ship.
It needs to be noted that prior to her
relocation to Australia,
she was officially deemed to be too old for Princess. But that obviously means, good enough for the Australians! She arrived in Australia
and had another, but relatively minor refit. As soon as she commenced her cruise
programme, the Fair Princess set the Australian cruise industry back years,
with her never ending breakdowns, which made the Fairstar look like a reliable
ship. Highlights of her maiden cruise were; breakdowns, a fire, and flooding of
a number of cabins. She had such a poor start, that cruise lovers were
uncertain of the reliability of Fair Princess. The fact was, Fair Princess was
a poor replacement for the Fairstar, even though, she offered a range of
facilities and itineraries, which were supposed to be superior to her
predecessor, but she was without doubt the wrong ship, and P&O Cruises made
a grave error.
Eventually technicians were brought over from
the United States
who both knew and worked on her and she did finally improve and served her
passengers reasonably well. In spite her many problems, Fair Princess did
become the last of the traditional passenger ships based in Australia.
She featured a sheer (no longer seen on modern ships), polished timbers, and
had that delightful traditional maritime feel. It must be said due to the
excellent service, combined with top entertainment, and volumes of basic, but
good food, the wonderful old Fair Princess (ex Carinthia, Fairland), became
loved by those who cruised on her, In spite of this, we still believe, if
P&O Cruises respected the Australian cruising public, they would have
deployed Sky Princess immediately, which they eventually did, renaming her
Pacific Sky. Sadly she did not end up having the success of the Fairstar or
Fair Princess due to the evils of young men and their wild behaviour, which
sadly almost wrecked the industry! However as a footnote, the Australian cruise
industry has now in 2009 skyrocketed and instead of just one ship based here
there are/will be 6 ships based in Australia full time. Four P&O ships 3
already in 2009, 1 to come in 2010, and there are 2 Princess Cruises ships
based here full time. Ships are based year round in Brisbane and Sydney and
seasonally in Newcastle, Melbourne,
Fremantle and Auckland.
Fairstar Main INDEX
Part 1 … Oxfordshire – history
Part 2 … Oxfordshire the
final voyage
Part 3 … Fairstar History & Page One
Part 4 … Fairstar Photo Album
Part 5 … Fairstar Deck Plan
Also … Read the Fair Princess Story
**************************************
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Who is the Author of ssMaritime?
Commenced
in the passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960
ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
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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!
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!
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owned and © Copyright 2010/12 - by Reuben Goossens - All Rights Reserved