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Ten Pound Poms?


Neilius
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Are there any cruise junkies here who had their first cruising experience on an immigrant ship as a child?

 

I think the Fairstar was use to transport immigrants from the UK, wasn't she?

 

My family migrated to Oz from the UK in 1965 on board MS Ellinis, which was owned by Chandris. If anyone is interested, there are a couple of links to her here:

http://www.yalumba.co.uk/Framesets/Chandris%20Lines%20-%20The%20Ellinis%20%20Page.htm

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ChandrisEllinis.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Ellinis

 

(That last link has some interesting history)

 

I was only 3 years old when I sailed on her (had my third birthday while she was in Adelaide), so my memories are pretty shady, but I'm sure it's part of the reason I'm interested in cruising now.

 

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

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Hi Neil, we too migrated to Oz as "10 pound poms" in 1970 when I was 10 but we flew out here. However, In July 1975 we went back to UK for a few months and sailed on a Chandris ship, SS Australis. The poor old girl's just about gone now. And yes, that is also why I'm so interested in ships. I bought a book about the Fairstar the other week & really enjoying it. There's one you can get about the Australis and I really want that one too. Have been putting it off coz it's about US$40 plus postage:eek: . But I think I'm gonna have to give in.

 

Karen

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No charge for me.....I cruised for free.....however my parents and nana paid the 10pounds each. We arrived in Melbourne October 1964, from Scotland on one of the Sitmar ships Fairsea or Fairsky, info packed away so i can't confirm at moment, I vaguely remember any details of the cruise however mum and dad said they had a fantastic time and have no regrets leaving Scotland....must have been an okay experience for me coz i am such a cruise junkie. Wonder if i suffered seasickness back then....lol. cheers shiona

ps: My husband also a 10 pound EastEnder pom arrived on the Ellinis i think it was 1969 will have a look at your links thanks

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We cruised as 10 pound poms onboard the Elinis in 1972. I don't remember much I was 9 months old. My mum and dad however had a blast and there are photos of me onboard the ship and with crew that my mum has.

 

Mum and dad have not cruised since and neither of them have any inclination to. I on the other hand can't wait till Christmas to cruise with the kids - just over 7 months to go!!

 

Rach

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Karen

 

Here's some info abou Australis if you're interested.

 

Neil

 

http://www.yalumba.co.uk/Framesets/Chandris%20Lines%20-%20The%20S.S.Australis%20Page.html

 

Thanks Neil. ANother site to add to my collection. Have a coupke in my favourites about her. This is what she looks like now:(

 

http://www.ss-australis.com/enter.htm

 

You have to click on "Australis Today"

 

 

Karen

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my birth father and his wife sailed here on the archeo lauro(sp)as ten pound poms.

 

I came in 79 but cost a lot more than ten pounds. I was knocked back the first time which was a suprise as my dad was here and offering accommodation and i was a state registered nurse. second time (a month later) i was accepted. They didnt know what they nearly missed out on.!!

 

I came by qantas though and while i have been back many times could never live in the UK again.

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my birth father and his wife sailed here on the archeo lauro(sp)as ten pound poms.

 

I came in 79 but cost a lot more than ten pounds. I was knocked back the first time which was a suprise as my dad was here and offering accommodation and i was a state registered nurse. second time (a month later) i was accepted. They didnt know what they nearly missed out on.!!

 

I came by qantas though and while i have been back many times could never live in the UK again.

 

Kasey

 

I'm glad they accepted you after all :)

 

I think the ship you're referring to was the Achille Lauro:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achille_Lauro

 

Named after the Mayor of Naples.

 

She was hijacked by the PLF in 1985. It's a good thing you weren't on her then!

 

Neil

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My company sent me out here from UK on the Northern Star - great ship but had one of the shortest lives of all ships - about 13 years before being scrapped.

 

In 1970 sailed back with my Australian wife on the Fairsky on our honeymoon - real luxury - second best cabin on the ship - we had a handbasin in the cabin!!

 

Later we flew out as 10 Pound Poms.

 

Didn't cruise again till 1994 but since then have been on the Crown Monarch, Marco Polo, Fairstar, Fair Princess (but didn't leave harbour - that's another story!), Norwegian Star, Aurora, Sky Princess (became Pacific Sky), Pacific Princess, Norwegian Wind and Galaxy.

 

Those early voyages do give you craze for cruising and we are off on the Sun in July.

 

So it is great to see the developments in cruising and that so many young people enjoy it.

 

Don

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Yes me, (holding hand up) :p

 

We came to Australia in 1964/1965, we had Christmas and New Year on board, on P&O Oriana. We sailed through the Suez Canal and were on board for 3 weeks.

 

I have a framed certificate above my computer desk, signed by the captain C Edgecome, proclaiming my crossing of the equator.

 

All my life I wanted to go back to sea, and now I do. :D

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My dad was a 10 pounder, but was from Northern Ireland (he always classified himself as Irish). He flew out here to OZ though.

He was the oldest of 10 kids I think (I can never seem to remember :o ), and it was a huge step to make.

Thankfully he made it back to Northern Ireland before his mother died, and thankfully he made it back again before he died.

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Me too. I came out from England in 1958 as a three month old baby. My Mum would have been a 10 Pound Pom, but my Dad is an Aussie so he would have had to pay his passage. I'm not sure what ship though (I was too young to remember :) ). Interestingly my Dad was a Ships Surgeon before he married Mum - on the Orient and Chandris lines. After our Feb 2007 experience on the Pacific Star he told me a few stories about how they used to deal with inebriated and misbehaving passengers back then - it had a lot to do with straight jackets and tranquilizers......

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We were 10 pounders too but my parents decided to fly instead(1973 on one of the first jumbo,s) With 5 kids and only 200 pound to their name my dad decided the flight would be cheaper than the ship,but he must of regretted it a bit because we went to Fremantle a few times to watch the Oriana come in from the U.K even though we knew no one on her.

Our flight from London had a family called "Doohan" on board they were the first Australian family ever to emigrate to Russia and when we arrived at Perth airport all the news cameras and media were there to interview them , we stayed next to them for 4 weeks in an emigration housing center ,really nice family but a bit strange,never heard of them since,but it must have been a big story in the 70,s to emigrate to Russia only to come back seemingly with your tail between your legs.

Den.

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I came out with my family in 1967 on the Sitmar Fairsea (not the Fairsea that some write about - she was scrapped in 1969). It took us a day less than 5 weeks and we were in the last convoy through the Suez Canal that some ships behind us got stuck in the Canal because of the 7-day war. We had armed soldiers on board as we travelled through the canal and couldn't stop at Aden as planned but had to stop at Djbouti late at night instead. I was 10 years old and was very sick on the ship. My sister (frog) actually got a job in the clinic on board while sailing over as she was a trainee nurse.

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:o Yes me too, a free pom, Mum and Dad were 10 pound poms, kids free, came in 1969 on SS Himalaya, although she was over 20 years old by the time we came we had a fantastic time and were told to make the most of it as that way of life was a thing of the past, was 16 so great memories of shipboard life, only 4 ports from UK to Fremantle, came round South Africa as suez was closed. Didn't cruise again until 1984 on the old Oriana round the South Pacific, really brought back the memories, even smelt the same!!!! Big trill in 2004 to sail back to the UK the way we came, plus more ports of course, round South Africa on Adonia. Cruise bug well and truly biting, Did short sector on Oriana last year and are booked from Singapore to OZ on Oriana for next year. Anyone else out there remember Himalaya? Unfortunately have no photos of the ship and she was scrapped in the early 70s I believe.

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yep, me too. In 1969 with my mum and dad and brother (9yrs). I was only 4yrs so don't remember a lot. One event really sticks in my mind. We were in an inside cabin (it was always dark and that scared me) and we only had a hand basin, no toilet in the cabin. My mum and dad must have wanted to go to a show or something and put us to bed with strict instructions we weren't to leave the cabin. Unfortunately, my brother decided he needed to go to the toilet (number 2's) and sticking to mum and dads instructions didn't leave the cabin but did it in the hand basin !!:eek: YUCK !! I still have the certificate for crossing the equator and have a vague memory of stopping at Los palmas (?sp).

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My mother was also a 10 pounder - she came out on the Orient Line's Otranto with her first husband in 1955.

 

I came out on the Otranto in November 1956 with my parents.

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I came out on the Otranto in November 1956 with my parents.

`

Nigel, we discovered at the weekend that the Maritime Museum here in Brisbane has a wonderful model of the Otranto on display. We'll be taking Mum to have a look at it next time she comes to Brisbane. Apparantley the model's here in Brisbane, as her maiden voyage in 1926 was from London to Brisbane.

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slightly off topic but has anyone regisitered for the welcome wall at the maritime museum in sydney.

We did it for MIL just before easter as it was 55 years since they came to australia (from italy) and would have been FIL 80th birthday.

They inscribe your name on a board and have your story on a data base.

 

Great present for those hard to please parents.

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I came out with my parents as a 7yo on the Maiden Voyage of the Fairstar in '64,have great memories of those 6 weeks. Went back on her as an Adult before she was scrapped.I too have the cert. of Crossing. Have an album of photos. I even found my old cabin and asked the steward if i could take a pic to match the one from '64.

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My family came to Oz from Northern Ireland in 1966 and we all had a great time aboard. I was twelve and was allowed to have dinner each night with mum and dad in the dining room. We sailed through the Suez and spent Xmas and New Year on the ship. I still have ships badges and postcards etc.

My next sea voyage was in 2004 on the Star Princess and then 2006 on the Diamond Princess when we sailed from Sydney to San Francisco. We are booked again in Sept on the Sapphire Princess sailing from Vancouver to Thailand.

There's nothing like a sea voyage for me. I love it! It has just taken my husband a wee while to catch on to the marvellous time to be had aboard!

Looking forward to the round world trip when we retire!

Aussie Aussie Aussie! :p

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Guys, irrespective of where you came from, you are all Proud Aussies now, living in Gods Country. Welcome. Great to hear your stories.

 

Glory to Australia

 

I have been here 40 odd years and only recently became an Australian citizen, sometimes it takes living back in your home country to finally realize just who you are and where you belong cheers shiona:D

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