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SS
Southern Cross
Calypso,
Azure Seas, OceanBreeze

An
early Shaw Savill postcard
This 21-page feature on the
Southern Cross/OceanBreeze, came about due to the Australian
campaign to save her in 2003/2004. However, most readers will now
be aware that this great passenger liner and cruise ship, has
been lost to a sad Chittagong beach in Bangladesh and has now
been broken up. However, I trust that these pages will provide
you with many happy memories!
In order to assist you locating the
required topic or photo album in this work, below is another
index. Each page has a link at the bottom of the page to return
to this index as well as one to the next page.
Reuben
Goossens
Maritime
Historian
Founder
of Save the Classic Liner campaign.
INDEX
Part One - History
Part 1
Southern Cross (on this page)
Part 2
Calypso (on this page)
Part 3
Azure Seas (on this page)
Part 4
OceanBreeze (on another page, as are
all others below)
Part Two - Photo Pages
Page 1
Southern Cross page 1
Page 2
Southern Cross page 2
Page 3
Calypso / Azure Seas
Page 4
OceanBreeze page 1
Page 5
OceanBreeze page 2
Page 6
OceanBreeze Page 3
Part Three - Various
1
OceanBreeze Deck Plan
2
Specifications
3
Photographs
- OceanBreeze being scrapped
4
Southern Cross a
Fallen Star
Part
One - Shaw Savills Southern Cross
After World War II ended, thousands in the
United Kingdom were seeking to build a new life, and many decided
to emigrate to New Zealand and Australia. At the time, to reach Australia
and New Zealand, one would have to undertake sea journey.
Shaw Savill was one of the leading British
shipping lines at the time, and it was decided to build a new
passenger ship. Shaw Savills chairman Mr. Basil Sanderson
envisaged that this liner would be an all passenger ship, with
holds for general cargo, and he implored ship designers to create
a ship having her engines aft, providing passengers with
additional deck space. The company had great doubts of the design,
and eventually on June 16, 1952, it was decided to build this
innovative liner. Not having been named yet, she would be
referred to as Ship Number 1498. Her Estimated cost
would be 3,546,000 pounds, and the contract to build her was
given to Harland and Wolff of Belfast. 
As she was purpose built to operate on the
Australian, New Zealand service, a name was chosen befitting her
destination, Southern Cross, being the constellation used by Australia
and New Zealand on their National flags.
HRH Queen Elizabeth II launched the
Southern Cross on 17 August 1954, being an historic event, as the
Southern Cross was the first merchant ship to be launched by a
reigning Monarch. After her trials, the Southern Cross proudly
departed on her Maiden Voyage on March 29, 1955.
HRH
Queen Elizabeth II
launching the Southern Cross
At the time, she had a number of new
design features, beside her engines being located aft. Upon first
appearance, her superbly curved round bow stood out, giving her
long sleek lines. She had been given a traditional cruiser stern.
Her bridge was located amidships in a tower like design, adding
to her streamlined appearance.

Bedecked
with flags, Southern Cross looks festive
The Southern Cross featured air-conditioning
to all passenger accommodation and public spaces. Her eight passengers
decks were, Sports, Sun, Lounge, Promenade, Main, Restaurant, A
and B decks. Accommodations were located on six decks, with
cabins ranging from single caning to six berth cabins.
Sun deck was the venue for the children's
recreation room and play area including an infant play room and
deck. Down on Lounge deck, from forward to aft, was the Forward
Lounge, the Smoke Room, Cinema lounge, the Tavern, Writing Room,
and the Library. Her two Restaurants, had seating for 390 in the
forward Restaurant, and 192 aft. Her Galleys were located
between the Restaurants.

Forward
Lounge
Southern Cross also had two swimming pools,
both having dressing rooms. One being Sun deck, the other being
the larger of the two was indoors, being very popular whilst the
ship was still in the cooler northern hemisphere. She also had
something that is missing on many ships today, open decks along
both sides of the ship. These were on Sun (Boat Deck), Lounge,
and Promenade decks.

Southern
Cross seen departing from Sydney Australia
She proudly continued on the Australian / New
Zealand service bringing multitudes of immigrants to their new
home, to start a new life Downunder. Then came the arrival
of the Jumbo Jet 747, which changed the history of
sea travel forever, as passenger loads rapidly declined, Shaw
Savill decided that the Southern Cross would undertake short
cruise programs between her world voyages. In May 1970, she was
extensively overhauled and refurbished making her suitable for
cruise duties. She first cruised out of Southampton for several
months, after which she sailed for Sydney, and commenced cruising
the South Pacific. After returning to Southampton, in May 1971,
she cruised for another two and a half months. However,
most cruises suffered from low loadings and proved to be
unprofitable. She departed Southampton in August 1971 for her
last voyage around the world, returning to Southampton in
November, where she was laid up. April 1972 she was relocated to
the River Fal where she was berthed astern of Cunards
Carmania, ex Saxonia, and Franconia, ex Ivernia. Southern Cross
remained on the market until January 1973, when a buyer was found.

With
her striking silhouette she could not be mistaken
for any other ship, until the Northern Star came along

Three
fine Liners in Gibraltar
Right:
Southern Cross Left Front: Ellinis Left Back:
Orcades

A
fine stern view of the Southern Cross at Southampton around 1965
Part Two Calypso

Calypso
(Photographed
by Mr. Arthur Duncan)
January 1973, Southern Cross was sold for
half a million UK pounds to, Cia de Vap Cerulea SA, Ithaka for
Ulysses Cruise Line. She departed the UK in March with her bow
revealing her new name, Calypso. She headed for Piraeus where she
received a lengthy refit being converted for her new role as a
full time cruise ship. Ulysses Cruises spent US$10 million to
complete the comprehensive refit. With the SOLAS (Safety Of Life
At Sea) regulations being in affect, all her fine wood panelling
had to be stripped for fire safety reasons, which was replaced
with fireproof plastics and chrome. This proved to be a massive
task that took almost two years to complete. When Calypsos
refit was finally complete, her décor had become somewhat bland,
even though, a minimalist colour scheme was used in public areas.
All cabins and suites were redecorated, and fitted with private
facilities throughout. The layout of the public rooms remained as
built, only the magnificent indoor pool, was removed and replaced
by a Disco. Upon completion, she was classified as being 16,500 GRT,
accommodating 950 passengers.
Calypso commenced her full-time cruise
duties April 1975, cruising mostly throughout the Mediterranean.
During 1978, she headed for South America where she operated a
short cruise season, returning to Piraeus February 1979. Then on
16 December that year, she departed Greece for Miami, from where
she operated seven night cruises around the Caribbean. Then one
year later, having been renamed Calypso I, she transited the
Panama Canal and commenced cruising from Los Angeles and San
Francisco, including a season of seven-night cruises to Alaska,
concluded in September. On September 29, 1980, Calypso was sold
to the Western Cruise Line, a subsidiary of Eastern Steamship
Lines Inc of Panama.
Part 3 - Azure
Seas

Official
postcard of the Azure Seas
Western Cruise Line / Eastern
Steamship Lines Inc, part of the Gotaas-Larsen Group of Shipping
companies, renamed the ship Azure Seas. She departed on her first
cruise for the new company in November, commencing cruises from Los
Angeles to Ensenada Mexico. SO successful did she prove to be,
she continued cruising to Mexico for until 1986, when Sundance
Cruises, and Eastern and Western Cruise Lines amalgamated,
forming a new company, Admiral Cruises. Thereafter, the Azure Seas
continued her short Mexico circuits, which saw her popularity
grow, and she became known as the Party Ship. Later
she returned to Ft Lauderdale and commenced cruise duties to the Bahamas
for the five years.
Return to Southern Cross/OceanBreeze INDEX
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Photographs
on ssMaritime are 1. By the author. 2. From the authors
private collection. 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 photos would make
themselves known to me, that due credit may be given.
©
Copyright 2006 Reuben Goossens - All
Rights Reserved

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