Sitmar Line - Castel Felice

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.

castfelice-kenya-launch

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

Author’s private collection

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

Promenade Deck

Forward Dinning Room

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. She departed Southampton on Thursday March 6, 1958 for Australia and arrived in arrived in Fremantle on 2 April 1958 and then in Melbourne on Monday 7 April 1958, with Jill Davies parents onboard.

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

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!

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I sailed on the TV Castle Felice from Auckland to Southampton November/December of 1965 for 6 weeks for just NZ£125. 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

Menus to come online soon!

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

INDEX - The Early Sitmar Ships

Part One - Castel Bianco & Castel Verde

Part Two - Castel Felice

Part Three - Fairsky (1)

Part Four - Fairsea (1)

Fairsea Photo Page

Castle Bianco - The Karlsson family’s voyage

Castel Felice – Cabin Plan & the Robert Brinkhuis story 1965

Castel Felice – The Williams family sail to Australia in 1957

Castel Felice – My 1957 voyage to Canada by W. D. Hempel

Fairsky – Deck Plan

Fairsky – Piet Mulder sails on SS Fairsky

Fairsky – Fairsky hits a wreck out of Djakarta – The Pamela Joyce Hansen story

Other Sitmar Ships

Fairstar ex Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire

Fair Princess - ex (P&O & Princess Cruise ship), Sitmar Fairland, Fairsea, Cunard Line Carinthia

China Sea Discovery ex Fair Princess - broken up

Pacific Sky ex Princess Cruises Sky Princess, Sitmar Fairsky (2) – currently Pullmantur Cruises Sky Wonder (online soon)

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