ssMaritime

With Reuben Goossens

Maritime Historian

Cunard postcard of RMS Carinthia sold to become – 1. Sitmar’s Fairland, Fairsea.

2. P&O Princess cruises Fair Princess. 3. Currently she is the China Sea Discovery

Index

This page is the result of a lecture given aboard TSS Fair Princess, on Tuesday 08 February 2000, cruising from Wellington to Auckland along the east coast, whilst Fair Princess was on her final voyage to New Zealand. I trust that you, like the many who has visited this page, will thoroughly enjoy reminiscing about these four fine passenger liners, which were ships that felt like ships. With the passing of these magnificent ships, we will never see the like again, as today ships are designed as luxury floating resorts, however, they tend to look like condominiums (apartment blocks).

You will find that this feature - “Saxonia Class Liners” is spread over a number of web-pages each page having many photographs.

Please Note - each page has a link to the next chapter

Foreword by the Author (On this page)

Cunard builds four revolutionary sisters (On this page)

R.M.S. Carinthia (On this page)

Two younger sisters sold to Sitmar Line

The older twins go Russian

Sitmar goes cruising

P&O obtains Sitmar Cruises

The Sitmar / P&O “FunShip” - Fairstar

T.S.S. Fair Princess’ becomes a true Australian

The Albatros – the last genuine passenger / cruise ship

China Sea Discover – from a Princess to a Casino

Conclusion

Fair Princess Photo Gallery

Photographic Credits (On this page)

Foreword

In history, great dramas have unfolded on both land and sea. Vessels of all shapes and sizes have been built over the ages as men desired to reach the far corners of the earth. This developed into the building of many great ocean liners, a proud maritime history, which continues to this day as we witness the launching of 150,000 GRT Super Cruise Ships. However, in spite of all the new super ships of the 21^st century, there is a number of fine liners of the past that continue sail the globe to this day, two of these being Cunard’ Queen Elizabeth 2 and the ss France, currently owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines and cruises under the name Norway. (Norway is currently laid up and waiting for repairs).

Amongst the aforementioned liners, there were many other notable ships. A quartet of these is the subject of this work, and I am sure, as we venture into the maritime history of these four ships, many joyful memories will fill the hearts of those who remember their time onboard or having seen them in port.

Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian

Four New Cunard Ships for the Canadian Service

In the early fifties Cunard Line, with great ships such as the magnificent Queen Mary and the fabulous Queen Elizabeth, were in need to upgrade their passenger services on the Liverpool - Canada service. This was accomplished by the building four notable liners, known as the “Saxonia Class Liners.” These were built by John Brown of Clydebank Scotland, in the following order.

Artist Impression of the Saxonia

Ship Gross Tons Launched Renamed

1. Saxonia 21,637 GT 17 Feb’54 Carmania / Leonid Sobinov (scrapped 1999)

2. Ivernia 21,717 GT 14 Dec’54 Franconia / Fedor Shalyapin (scrapped 2003)

3. Carinthia 21,947 GT 14 Dec’55 Fairland / Fairsea / Fair Princess / China Sea Discovery (sold to be broken up)

4. Sylvania 21,989 GT 22 Nov’56 Fairwind / Dawn Princess / Albatros (scrapped 2004)

The fourth of the series, Sylvania, became the last Cunard Liner designed exclusively for North Atlantic trade. These ships were typical of the many new passenger liners built in their day, having excellent passenger facilities, as well as having a large cargo capacity. Each vessel had three holds forward, and three holds aft. The Saxonia Class Liners were revolutionary for their day, as they were the first liners ever built, with tourist class occupying the majority of the ship, offering greatly improved comforts. As example, the Royal Mail Ship Carinthia carried 154 to 174 First Class, and 682 to 714 Tourist Class passengers. They were placed on the Liverpool, St Lawrence route to Quebec City, and Montreal, Canada. Then, during the winter months, they were rerouted to the Liverpool, Cobh, Halifax to New York service.

R.M.S. Carinthia

The Carinthia was launched by HRH Princess Margaret on December 15, 1955. The Carinthia made her maiden voyage from Liverpool on June 27, 1956.

Although the Carinthia had to be built within the maximum dimensions that would allow her to reach Montreal, which is nearly a thousand miles up the St Lawrence waterway, she offered, like her three sisters, all the traditional Cunard standards of luxury and elegance. This was particularly noticeable in her public rooms, in which period styles of décor were recreated. The large tourist class restaurant was bright with Pompeian decorative colourings of black, terra cotta, and green. The first class smoking room, had oak-panelled walls, and her windows were mullioned in blue hide, recalled the stout comfort of Tudor England! The first class lounge reflected the elegance of 18^th century France, while the main lounge was decorated in Regency style. Like her sisters, she featured a fine balconied cinema, and had a soda fountain for the younger travellers onboard. Full air-conditioning, together with stabilisers ensured a comfortable Atlantic crossing.

During the fifties and early sixties, they plied the Atlantic, carrying significant numbers of passengers. One of these being Mr. Phillip Wood, then aged 25, boarded the RMS Saxonia on a the 2^nd of May 1956, for a voyage from Liverpool to Montreal via Greenock and Quebec. Now at 71 residing in the UK, he has kindly sent us several pages of the “Passenger List,” and a drawing, which was enclosed.

These four fine liners plied the Atlantic until 1962, when it was felt they needed to be substantially upgraded. Three ships received their refits from 1962 to 1965 providing additional features, including the installation of private facilities for 60% of her cabins. After their refits, Saxonia was renamed Carmania, and the Ivernia, Franconia. Although Sylvania also having received a refit, she retained her original name. Carinthia neither received a refit, or name change.

A superb Postcard depicting the RMS Carinthia on the St Lawrence River, Canada

All four ships were withdrawn from the Atlantic service in 1967. Like her sisters, Carinthia and Sylvania’s transatlantic career was all too quickly overtaken by jet air travel, which led to their sale to Sitmar Lines in 1968. Their useful lives were far from over, as this book will reveal.

However, Carmania, now at 21,370 GRT and Franconia at 21,406 GRT, had received a new lido decks, with a kidney shaped swimming, and wading pool, as well window enclosures on both sides, and were duly placed on cruising duties. Both ships looked smart in their new white livery, however, sadly, this venture did not prove successful for Cunard, unlike the larger superior Caronia. Both ships were withdrawn from service and laid up late in 1971, and placed both ships on the market, as they had done earlier with the Carinthia and Sylvania.

Index

Page 1 – Foreword – Construction

Page 2 – Sitmar buys Carinthia and Ivernia – Sisters go Russian

Page 3 - Fairwind / Fairsea – Sitmar sold to P&O Princess Cruises

Page 4 – The Fairstar the Australian connection

Page 5 – Fair Princess becomes an Aussie

Page 6 – Passenger list images

Page 7 – Albatros ex Dawn Princess / Fairwind / Sylvania / Ivernia /

Saxonia – Passenger list images

Fair Princess Photo Album – Exteriors

Fair Princess Photo Album - Interiors

Fedor Shalyapin - ex Franconia / Ivernia

China Sea Discovery – ex Fair Princess / Fairsea / Fairland / Carinthia

China Sea Discovery Photo Album

China Sea Discovery Saga

Photographic Sources

All photographs are by the author, or from the author's private collection, unless mentioned otherwise ~ Fairsea in Juneau Alaska - Luca Ferrerio ~ Fair Princess (Princess Cruises) - Marvin Jensen ~ Pacific Sky – Marion Carter ~ China Sea Discovery - Kiwi Marine Consultants Ltd, Hong Kong ~ Photographer of Fedor Shalyapin laid up, and other ‘*unknown’ photographers, please make yourself known, in order that full credit may be given.

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PLEASE NOTE: I receive hundreds of requests for Passenger/Crew Lists and Sailing Schedules. I hereby wish to advise that I am unable to assist due to time restrains and as most shipping companies have long gone these lists/schedules are no longer available. I regret to advise that any request for these will no longer be answered regardless of the circumstances presented!

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Please Note:

Photographs on ssMaritime –Cruise-Australia and all associate pages are: 1. By the author. 2. From the author’s private collection (including those photos the author has purchased outright and own copyright to). 3. As provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are some photographs sent to us without details of the photographer/owners concerned. We would therefore appreciate if owners of these photographs would make themselves known to me, that due credit may be given.

This notice covers all pages, although, we have done our best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page as each page is updated!

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