First Voyage, Ten Pound Poms & Queen Elizabeth 2

First Voyage

64 years ago (Nov 1961) and my first voyage – onboard the German liner Hanseatic. It was a graduation gift from my grandmother. Lucky me! I was thrilled – sailing in and out of New York harbor itself was magic. The City skyline seen from the top deck, other liners in port, passing ships. Yes, I was hooked! My next voyages were six years later – on the Homeric and the Queen Frederica.

The Hanseatic underway on the North Atlantic. From the William H. Miller collection — The *Hanseatic* underway on the North Atlantic. From the William H. Miller collection

The Hanseatic had been the Empress of Japan and then Empress of Scotland in its previous life, dating from 1930.

I bought a model of the ship in the gift shop. It cost $10. And yes, I still have it and near my desk!

The shopping arcade aboard Hanseatic. William H. Miller Collection
Poolside aboard Hanseatic. William H. Miller Collection
The lounge aboard Hanseatic, with picture windows, abstract art, and mid-century furnishings. William H. Miller Collection
A quiet corridor aboard Hanseatic, with passengers relaxing amid warm wood paneling and mid-century furnishings. William H. Miller Collection
Promotional artwork for the Hanseatic, depicting the liner towering above embarking passengers beneath bold, modernist lettering. From the William H. Miller collection

Sadly, the Hanseatic caught fire at Pier 84, New York in Sept. 1966, but by then was too old to repair and so its next voyage was to the scrapyard. Months later, I was seated in a wooden deck chair onboard the Homeric – but still marked Hanseatic. They had been shifted over before the ship’s final voyage.

Fire aboard Hanseatic at Pier 84 in New York, September 1966. William H. Miller Collection — Fire aboard *Hanseatic* at Pier 84 in New York, September 1966. William H. Miller Collection

Low Fares Down Under

After World War II, Australia decided to replenish, in fact vigorously enlarge its population. A huge campaign followed – especially in the UK – offering 10 pound fares ($40) to emigrate Down Under. By the 1950s, as many as 100,000 a year were sailing off on four- to six-week long voyages to the likes of Fremantle, Melbourne and Sydney. British shipping firms such as P&O, the Orient Line, and the Shaw Savill Line greatly profited. Soon there were even all one-class migrant ships sailing off from London and Southampton.

Crowds gather dockside to bid farewell as Strathmore sails for Australia in the post-war migrant era. William H. Miller Collection — Crowds gather dockside to bid farewell as *Strathmore* sails for Australia in the post-war migrant era. William H. Miller Collection

Australia was seen as a “palm tree-lined paradise” and a place with great economic as well as social opportunities. I recall meeting a man from London who sailed out on P&O’s Arcadia as a 10-pounder but then had great success in Australia and returned to England ten years later on a family reunion visit but in the Arcadia’s finest first class suite. A whole generation became known as “Ten Pound Poms”. Well, pure nostalgia (and history) – it has become a TV series.

In the Mailbox

“The piece about the Vulcania/Caribia reminded me that I did a Mediterranean cruise in the then Caribia in the late 60’s,” wrote longtime friend and longtime member of the cruise industry John Ferguson. “It was Genoa/Genoa, but I can’t recall the specific ports except for Barcelona where I attended a then allowed bullfight. On the last night of the cruise we went through a not-too-serious storm but the ship took on a slight list that was still there when we docked the next morning!”

The all-white Caribia, formerly the Italian Line’s Vulcania at Southampton. William H Miller Collection — The all-white *Caribia*, formerly the Italian Line’s *Vulcania* at Southampton. William H Miller Collection

John added, “I had one of the rooms with a private veranda/balcony only then beginning to appear on contemporary cruise ships. The public rooms were unique, especially the main dining room and lounge. Much of the original Vulcania remained in those rooms; ‘high Italian’ decoration!”

The main reception foyer aboard the Caribia. Credit: John Ferguson
A private veranda stateroom aboard the Caribia. Credit John Ferguson
A sunlit café-style lounge aboard the Caribia. Credit: John Ferguson

“I bought a ceramic funnel with the Siosa Line markings in the gift shop and it is now one of the prized pieces in my collection.”

John concluded, “It was a great cruise and now a greater memory!”

Vulcania arriving off Jersey City in her Italian Line days. William H. Miller Collection

Viking Recollection

A long-ago friend had Norwegian heritage and he crossed roundtrip (in 1962) on the veteran Stavangerfjord. Dating from back in 1918, the ship was then the oldest in trans-Atlantic service. It was to have been retired earlier, in late 1956, but passenger bookings were still strong and healthy and enough to fill 3 ships – the others being the Bergensfjord and Oslofjord. “The Stavangerfjord was very old and very slow,” he remembered. “But it had pleasant all-Norwegian service and good cuisine. However, altogether it was not too comfortable – I think it rolled across the North Atlantic.”

On deck aboard the Norwegian America Line liner Stavangerfjord in 1962. William H. Miller Collection

Sixty Years Ago

In December 1965, the Queen Elizabeth – the world’s largest liner at some 83,600 tons – began a $4 million refit at the Firth of Forth Graving in Scotland. Full air-conditioning was installed in the Cunard superliner as well as a lido deck with an outdoor pool. Improvements to passenger and crew accommodations were made to ensure expected operation until 1975.

The 83,600-ton Queen Elizabeth in dry dock at the Firth of Forth Graving Dock, Scotland, December 1965, during her $4 million refit. William H. Miller Collection — The 83,600-ton *Queen Elizabeth* in dry dock at the Firth of Forth Graving Dock, Scotland, December 1965, during her $4 million refit. William H. Miller Collection

The then 25-yr-old liner was, but in misguided Cunard planning, expected to be paired with the new Cunarder, due in late 1968, and which would become the QE2. Cunard was still thinking of a two-ship Atlantic express service even as the airlines had secured as much as 98% of all trans-ocean travelers. In fact, the 2,233-passenger ship endured only for a further three years, until retired by Cunard in Oct 1968.

Open House

On a spring, Sunday afternoon some sixty years ago, the late Vincent Messina and I wandered up to Pier 97 at West 57^th Street. Our purpose: To visit the brand new Kungsholm. The 26,000-tonner was gleaming, shining and dressed in flags while at the Swedish American Line terminal. The ship would prove to be the last twin-stacker for trans-Atlantic service. Thoroughly handsome in exterior design, the interiors were just as beautiful: lavish, warm, inviting, totally comfortable. Indeed the “new” Kungsholm was one of the finest ships of the 1960s.

The Kungsholm of the Swedish American Line, gleaming and dressed overall in flags at Manhattan's Pier 97. William H. Miller Collection — The *Kungsholm* of the Swedish American Line, gleaming and dressed overall in flags at Manhattan’s Pier 97. William H. Miller Collection

More Memory Lane

A friend recently mentioned the long-gone Clyde Line, an American firm that had smallish coastal passenger ships, “mini liners” as Frank Braynard dubbed them, until the start of World War II. Myself, I recall that we had a member at World Ship Society and his father worked for Clyde. His father took some furniture (for the family home in Montclair, New Jersey) when the Company’s biggest ships, the Iroqouis and Shawnee, were stripped out for war duties in 1941. He kept the furnishings until his death in the 1980s and then, according to a family member, it was later given to the local Salvation Army and Goodwill Shop.