Remember the Canberra?

I don't remember the year, but for one year the Canberra (P&O) sailed the Caribbean from NY. The ship mainly sailed Australia/New Zealand. It was used as a troop carrier during the Falkland Island War.

We were on that ship and, believe it or not, booked a room with NO TOILET or SHOWER. There was a sink, but no other facilities. It truely was an old "2 class" ship.

The Bathroom on the ship was where you bathed/showered. The Lavatory was the rest room. Both were long walks down the hall. No slippers or bathrobes were supplied.

We were young, poor, and loved to cruise. It was a "big ship" for It's time. It was so "big" that the ship was too "deep" for the Caribbean Islands and ran aground more than once. It never sailed the Caribbean again after that year, but was converted to a troop carrier and then back to a "cruise" ship.

It is probably scrap now, but the memories of no toilet/shower will last with me forever.:p

Yes, she was scrapped. Maritime Matters, or perhaps SS Maritime, had some very sad pictures of her being cut apart on the beach at Alang.

The Great White Whale, as she was nicknamed by British Troops during the Falklands War, was a true beauty.

I regret not having sailed on her. I wanted to take her from the Left Coast of the US to Australia, but my wife was afraid that I would book a cabin without facilities, and was very reluctant to sail on her.

I did sail twice on her running mate, the late great Oriana, once in a 1st class "court" cabin, and once down in "steerage" in a cabin without facilities. She also has been scrapped.

I still have, in its original box, a Revell plastic model of the Canberra, purchased in the early 60s. Never have put it together.

I don't remember it, but I thought you might enjoy this website. :)

http://www.sscanberra.com/

I built an Airfix model of the France when I was a child. I also have an unbuilt Revell model, but of the Queen Mary, which I bought onboard in Longbeach.Hopefully one day I will build it. I suppose I should look for one of the QE2 now!

Yes I remember the Canberra. I never saw her, but growing up in Britain, I knew her name very well. She was as famous as the QE2. I had a friend who sailed on her several times & really enjoyed the experience. It was a huge event when Canberra, QE2 & the Uganda went off to war in the Falklands.

The Uganda was a small ship used to take teenagers, sea cadets & school parties from Britain on educational cruises. She was my wife's first experience of life at sea.Never mind shared washrooms, they were in large communal dormitaries. This made her suitable for use as a hospital ship in the Falklands.

I am sorry I never saw her in real life. A classic shape .

My first cruise was on the Canberra in July 1974 when I was 13. It was suppose to be a 10 day sailing from New York to the Southern Carribbean. On our first stop in Grenada the ship ran aground on a coral reef and was stuck for a few days. They had to take the fuel off to get her afloat again. They were flying people home or you had the option of staying until she got going again. Dad said we'll stay with the ship. The trip turned out to be about 14 days and we only missed one port Martinique because of the delay.

I sailed the Oriana in 1970.... I shared a cabin with my brother. The coolest thing I remember about the ship was the indoor swimming pool ! It was awsome. I wonder why there is not website about her?

I sailed in a "court" cabin on the Canberra in October 1981. It was a 14 day cruise from Southhampton visiting Spain, Rock of Gibralter, Palma de Majorca, Tenerife (shortly after the two 747s crashed on the runway), Madiera and a few other places. She was a grand ship. It was my first trip to Europe and I loved it.

We also experienced the worst storm the Captain had seen while going past the Bay of Biscay. Ropes where up for the crew and the passengers where confined to their cabins. Boy, did we rock and roll. I thought I was going to die! I still remember the noise the closet doors made as they creaked open then banged closed with the movement of the ship. The doctor gave me a shot for seasickness and I did not wake up for 18 hours...just as we docked at the Rock of Gibralter!

What a ship ! I sailed on her on the way back from Europe in January 1968 from Las Palmas to Melbourne. Those were the days when flying to/from Australia was very expensive and only the wealthy could afford it. The rest of us travelled on the many ships that travelled between Europe and the Far East. I remember she was so sparkling and new in comparison to the Arcadia and the Himalaya , which I had travelled on previously. Normally she would have travelled through the Mediterranean and Red seas but due to the Suez crisis the year before, the canal was blocked and she had to travel via Capetown which took longer. On the run to Perth to make up some time the captain took her further south to pick up the Roaring 40's which was fine apart from the fog we struck a day out of Capetown and didn't lift until 2 days out from Perth which made for some pretty desperate passengers. As I recall the passengers were mainly British migrants travelling on assisted passage fares of 10 pounds to start a new life in Australia. I wonder if any of them ever read these pages.

I remember how huge she looked from the Quay, this long and tall wall of white. I had an inside 4-berth cabin with no facilities, bathroom down the hall and round the corner. She had many lounges and areas where you could tuck yourself away - such as the library near midships. And the whole ship had that wonderful mixed smell of cigars and sea salt! I especially liked her Promenade Deck which wrapped right around, and the gracefull way her decks sloped up at the Bow and Stern. We got into Force 8 winds crossing the Tasman Sea and to this day she's still the only liner I've been seasick on! She had some Aft-facing decks tucked in behind the bridge superstructure and I settled into a deck chair with a blanket one afternoon and just watched the smoke coming out of her funnels with the clouds "rocking" in the back ground (caused by the ship pitching). Good memories...

:) As British and over 50 I have wonderful memories of the Canberra-especially a round trip from Southampton to Rio De Janeiro in Novemner 1980.

Yes, many cabins had only a wash basin BUT full size baths just down the corridor.

It did mean you could travel a long way for a small fare.

Also in those days there were always plenty of sea days.

She had a fantastic atmosphere and many people returned year after year.

The years P&O ran the Canberra and Oriana and later the Sea Princess were just fantastic.

I have done over 30 cruises (lost count) -tried other lines but for us Brits ,who like afternoon tea and a genuine Goan curry, P&O is hard to beat.

Happy Cruising to all!

:) duplicted

:) duplicated

:) As British and over 50 I have wonderful memories of the Canberra-especially a round trip from Southampton to Rio De Janeiro in Novemner 1980.

Yes, many cabins had only a wash basin BUT full size baths just down the corridor.

It did mean you could travel a long way for a small fare.

Also in those days there were always plenty of sea days.

She had a fantastic atmosphere and many people returned year after year.

The years P&O ran the Canberra and Oriana and later the Sea Princess were just fantastic.

I have done over 30 cruises (lost count) -tried other lines but for us Brits ,who like afternoon tea and a genuine Goan curry, P&O is hard to beat.

 

 

We cruised from San Francisco to Lehavre in 1967 on the first leg of what was to be an Around the World trip with P&O. Canberra, Arcadia and the Chusan were our transport for the various legs. I will never forget the inside cabin for four that my wife and I shared with my parents:( . Yes the facilities were down the hall and "Dad" had a habit of getting up in the middle of the night to use them.

Sailed again in 1982 on Back to back cruises on Canberra and Oriana. Both sets of parents joined us on this one BUT each couple had their own cabin. Probably explains the daughter born nine months after our return:D