ssMaritime.com
& ssMaritime.net
With
Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian
The
Sitmar Ships
Part Two
TN Castel Felice
A
Sitmar Postcard of the Castel Felice
Please
Note: Unless marked otherwise,
images on this page are from the authors’ private collection
Introduction
Over the years I have received hundreds of
requests to do a feature on the Sitmar Ships. In this work, I will present a
short history on each ship, together with a number of photographs. I hope that
these pages will have you reliving your Sitmar experience. All Sitmar ships,
except the Fairsky (2) were old tonnage that were given extensive rebuilds to
become from austere migrant liners to quality cruise ships. Ships in this
feature include; Castel Bianco, Castel Verde, Castel
Felice, Fairsea (1), Fairsky (1), Fairwind, Fairsea
(2). In 1984 Sitmar’s only new ship, named,
Fairsky (2) was completed. Late in the eighties Sitmar ordered a 63,500 GRT
cruise ship to be named Sitmar Fair Majesty, however, whilst being built,
Sitmar was taken over by P&O Princess Cruises and she was completed as the
Star Princess. I trust you will enjoy this feature on the Sitmar Ships.
TN Castel Felice, ex Kenya
built in 1930
Although
Sitmar’s Castel Felice was a small liner, she
had a pleasant profile. She was built in 1930 for the British India Company as
the Kenya
and was launched on August 27, 1930. She commenced her
maiden voyage on 18 December 1931, heading for Bombay.
A
black hulled SS Kenya has just been launched on August
27, 1930
In 1940 she became the troopship and was later
refitted as an infantry landing vessel. Renamed Hydra in 1941, and renamed once
again later that same year as the Keren. After the
war, in April 1946 she was sold to the Ministry of Transport but in August 1948
she was laid up in Holy Loch.
Seen
as the British India Company - SS Kenya
Early in 1949 the Vlasov
Group commenced negotiations to purchase her. However, during these
negotiations, on February 19, Keren broke loose from
her moorings during a storm and she was badly damaged. Having been refloated
she was taken to Glasgow
to be repaired and was renamed Kenya
again. She was sold to Alva Steamship Co of London a subsidiary of Vlasov/Sitmar Line, but remained laid up at Rothesay Bay having been renamed Keren
once again and then back again to Kenya later that year.
In 1950 she was registered in Panama
for the Alva Steamship Co and was renamed Fairstone.
But once again renamed Kenya in June 1950 and
registered in Italy
by Sitmar Line in October1950. In March 1951 she once again became the Keren, but this time for the very last time. On October 15
she was towed to Falmouth where initial
rebuilding commenced. She departed under tow on March
10, 1951, heading for Antwerp,
where further work was undertaken. Finally, August that year she headed for Genoa
under tow, where she received her final Italian touch from her owners. Both her
profile and interiors saw many changes. Her funnel was shortened, a new shapely
raked bow was fitted and her promenade deck was extended fully aft. Her main
masts were removed whilst a new mast atop the bridge and King posts with
derricks added. Her interiors were completely remodelled, with many new cabins
added to her old hold spaces. When complete she could now accommodate 1,400
single class passengers.
With a bright new look
the gleaning white Castel Felice departed Genoa on October
6, 1952, for her maiden voyage to Australia, arriving in
Fremantle (Perth) on November 1. Then arriving in Melbourne
on the 5th.and Sydney
on the 7th. Upon her return to Genoa
she was placed on the Italy South American route commencing in January 1953. In
1954 she made several voyages to Canada and the United States.
Later that year she made her second voyage to Australia.
An early photograph of the Castle Felice
From the author’s private collection
Promenade
Deck
From the author’s private collection
Forward Dinning
Room
From
the author’s private collection
Early
1955 air-conditioning was installed and accommodations were changed to
accommodate 28 First Class, and 1173 Tourist class passengers. Upon completion
the new look Sitmar Line flagship departed Genoa
on February 26 for her third Australian voyage, after which she retuned to the
South American route
New
1957 schedules - Australia
to UK
and back
A
gleaming white Castel Felice berthed in Southampton in 1957
just prior the refit
Late
in 1957 Sitmar obtained the lucrative contract to transport assisted migrants
from Britain
to Australia.
She was given another refit, including having her forward promenade deck being
partially enclosed making her ready for her new role and commenced duties on
the Australian service.
A Luncheon Menu from Thursday November
21, 1957
Provided by Mr. Robert Kenneth Williams
Mini Photo Album
The Main Social Hall
Enjoying the ships ban
in the Social Hall
The Tavern
Lido Bar
Forward Dinning Room
Swimming Pool
Children’s’ play room also functioned as the
Cinema
The author’s item of memorabilia a
cigarette
lighter from the Castle Felice
From the author’s private museum
A tragic event takes
place in Naples in 1965!
The then eleven year old Chris Hemmings sailed on Sitmar Line's Castel Felice with his
family early 1965 from Australia to the UK departing from Melbourne, sailing via Auckland, Wellington then back to Australia via Brisbane to Singapore, Colombo, Aden,
Port Said, Naples, and Gibraltar to Southampton. Chris tells us that there was
tragic incident that took place during the voyage for her captain, Captain Avolio Matarese sadly passed away
of a severe heart attack as the ship was departing the port of Naples and thus
the Castel Felice had to return to to her berth to
offload the Captain's body and the company had to find a another Captain. The
voyage from Melbourne
to Southampton
took about seven weeks.
I wish to thank Chris Hemmings
for providing this above short story of his voyage to the UK, although be it a
rather sad story, yet it is part of this fine ship's long history!
-------------------------------------------
I sailed on the TV Castle Felice from Auckland
to Southampton November/December of 1965 for 6 weeks for just NZŁ125. It was an
eventful voyage starting with a storm across the Tasman. I was one of
only a handful of passengers able to get up on day two and I have some
wonderful memories of huge seas, empty decks but the band named Atanasio and his Happy Boys, were still playing, but mostly
to an empty Belvedere Lounge for the afternoon tea dance and I recall a little
lady one morning at the refreshment urn and then she had to balance her cups as
the ship levelled between rolls, and then having to dash along the promenaded
deck until the ship lurched the other way, it was some sight, but she got there!
The Castel Felice was a wonderfully relaxed
and such a happy ship with a most imposing tall and elegant looking captain. We
particularly liked 'little things' that made it different. For example at midnight
in the middle of a frantic dance if you put your hand out you might likely end
up with a slice of hot pizza helpfully placed in it by a passing waiter.
Passengers were allowed to erect washing lines
on the ship's prow so at times it looked more like a Chinese junk. Then there
would be a heavy Italian voice over the loudspeaker warning all the “Laydees” that there was a rain shower approaching and
to get the washing in. This was just absolutely priceless and that sort of
thing would never happen these days!
On the negative side whilst we were in Aden,
a hand grenade, which fortunately turned out to be a dud, was thrown on board
and there was some panic amongst the passengers, soon a heavy British army and
police contingent came on board to collect the evidence. But thankfully it
all turned out to be a hoax.
Our call to Egypt and sailing through
the Suez Canal raised
a smile as well. Although the ship was full of British, New Zealand and
Australians, the Egyptians obviously felt that the Italian ownership was far
more important and that ideology continued right into Cairo.
At the Continental hotel where we were to have lunch, believe it or not the
meal started with pasta, but it in an Egyptian-style! But pasta?
On board there is a lot of pasta and it is superb, but we were looking forward
to a change!
In my teens I started to use an 8mm camera and
I filmed the entire six week voyage on 8mm film, this includes lots of on-board
footage which I watch with great fondness now and then.
On a final point I still have a number of
menus from this wonderful and most memorable voyage, some of these are shown
below.
Steve Mercer - France
Castle Felice
remained on the Australian (including some visits to New Zealand)
service until 1970 when sadly Sitmar Line lost their migrant contract to the
Greek Chandris Lines. It was then decided that Castel Felice would be retired
by the end of the year. On August 15 of that year whilst she was berthed in Southampton, a fire broke out in part of her
accommodations. Sitmar decided not to repair the damage and kept her damaged
cabins under lock and key. With a reduced number of passengers, Castel Felice
departed for her final voyage for Australia, arriving in Sydney
on September
26, 1970. She remained berthed in Sydney
for eleven days. During which time most of her stores were removed. Finally she
departed Sydney on October 7,
arriving on October
21, 1070 at the Taiwanese ship breakers’ yard and was duly
broken up.
The last postcard published
by Sitmar Lines of Castle Felice
Castel Felice will
be fondly remembered, like many Italian ships of her day, as a ship that had
great style and typical Italian finesse!
Specifications:
Built: 1930 A. Stephen & Sons., Glasgow, Scotland
Launched: August
27, 1930
Tonnage: 12,150 GRT
Length: 493ft - 150,3m
Beam: 64.3ft - 19,6m
Machinery: Geared Turbines
Screws: Twin
Speed: 16 knots
Passengers: 1,400 one class passengers
- (based on her final configuration)
Previous
names: Kenya (1930), Hydra
(1941), Keren
(1941), Kenya
(1949), Fairstone
(1950), Kenya (1950), Keren (1951-52).
Castel
Felice seen towards the end of her long career
The
Sitmar Liners - INDEX:
The Early Sitmar
Liners …
Part
One … Castel Bianco & Castel Verde - Built as a Victory VC2-S-AP2 class of freighters.
Castle Bianco - The Karlsson
family’s voyage.
Part
Two … Castel Felice
- ex SS Kenya.
Castel
Felice - Cabin Plan & the Robert Brinkhuis story 1965.
Castel Felice - My
1957 voyage to Canada
by W. D. Hempel.
Castel
Felice - The Williams family sail to Australia
in 1957.
Castel Felice - Three articles about a family’s voyage on the
Castel Felice
and arrival in Australia.
Part
Three … Fairsea (1)
- Built as a C3 class freighter.
Fairsea – Photo Page.
Fairsea - Deck Plan.
Fairsea
– The Strachan family migrates from the UK to Melbourne
in December 1957.
Part
Four … Fairsky
(1) - Built as a C3 class freighter.
Fairsky –
Deck Plan.
Fairsky –
Piet Mulder sails on SS Fairsky.
Fairsky – Fairsky hits a wreck out of Djakarta – The Pamela Joyce Hansen story.
The last Sitmar Liner and Cruise Ships …
Fairstar - ex Oxfordshire.
Oxfordshire – Built as a Bibby
Line troop ship.
Fair
Princess - ex P&O & Princess, also Sitmar Fairsea (2), Fairland, Cunard Line Carinthia.
China
Sea Discovery - ex Fair
Princess - broken up.
**************************************************
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