On 11th September 1993 we boarded Canberra in Southampton for a 16 night “Venetian Romance” cruise to Lisbon, Malta, Zakinthos, Loutraki, Trieste, and Palma. But Lisbon had to be missed after we hit a memorable storm in the Bay of Biscay.

I have very vivid memories of that cruise despite it being 18 years ago. The children were only little aged 4, 6 & 8, but seasoned cruisers non the less. For some reason we had strayed from our usual D deck cabin location to a cabin up on B deck aft. Mum and Dad were next door. As we entered the Bay of Biscay it was obvious from early morning that we were going to have a bumpy ride. Despite the Captain advising against going outside, I can remember standing on the aft of A deck and literally being pushed back by the strong winds. Stupid thing to do now I think about it! Moving around the ship became increasingly difficult and the Captain eventually advised that we all should stay in our cabins for our own safety. But being cooped up in a small bunk bedded cabin, with 3 young children, at the aft end of the ship was not my idea of fun. The children started to feel seasick, something that had never bothered them before, so it was time for a walk round. Mum was next door curled up in bed, convinced we were all doomed!

It was like a ghost ship. Nobody was around. Walking around was difficult. Tables and chairs were sliding across the tiled Alice Springs floor, so we retreated to the Playroom. Only the Childrens Officer was in there doing some paperwork, so we settled on the beanbags and put some videos on to keep the kids entertained. The ship was banging and creaking like only Canberra could. Looking out onto the Games Deck the spray from the sea was battering the ships rails. As one of the big waves hit us the ship lurched and the big metal chest that was secured to the wall broke free and went hurlting across the floor towards the Childrens Officer as she sat at her desk. I dont know how, must have been instinct I guess, but the kids Dad could see what was about to happen and jumped over the railing from TV area and pushed the big chest out of the way before it hit the Officers desk. The filing cabinet came off rather worse for wear though!!

We stayed in the playroom for quite a while as it seemed the safest place at the time. When we did venture out it looked like a tornado had swept through some areas of the ship. Alice Springs was a mess. Slot machines had fallen over, tables and chairs all over the place. The Crows Nest had a window blown out. Nanny was not amused when my eldest went and told her how exciting it had all been while she had been laid in her bed. She had missed everything! Funnily enough she just wanted her big orange lifejacket lol. We took the Kids to Childrens afternoon tea in the main restaurant and were asked to just step over and around all the plates and cutlery that was strewn across the floor. Im sure I didnt make do with sandwiches for my Gala Dinner either!

Somewhere, I do have a video tape of the days events that we filmed at the time, so if and when I find it I will get it converted to a viewable format.

Captain Rory Smith was our Captain and from memory I’m pretty sure that Hamish Read was Deputy Captain. I note for the ships log that the Navigators were Roger Bilton, Paul Martin, Dave Bancroft, Chris Bourne, Giles Helmann and Sarah Brenton.

Sarah, of course went on to become P&O’s first female Captain.

The Bridge team produced the following entitled “A Day to Remember” and I note at the end that the general consensus was that we would have to wait another 25 years to experience such weather again. Mmm, they got that wrong, I only had to wait 14 years for my next ‘storm at sea’! I look forward to my 2018 cruise with interest!!

S.S. CANBERRA A DAY TO REMEMBER

The 12th  September 1993. It is not a day that you will forget easily, and no doubt you will be able to dine out for weeks on the events of that tempestuous twenty four hours. Like the fishermans tales, the story may get better with each passing day, so I felt that you should have the basic facts before you start. They do not need enlarging!!

0600 hrs  Canberra enters the Bay of Biscay to a rising force 6 wind. The ship is steady but the barograph is falling. We have 375 miles to go to clear the Bay of Biscay. By 10.00pm we should be clear of the Bay and on our way to Lisbon.

0800 hrs  The wind continues to rise and the barograph to fall but the ship remains steady. Captain makes sure all of the passengers are awake by broadcasting a warning of “A depression approaching”

1015 hrs  Church service held. Congregation sang the seamans hymn “For Those in Peril on the Sea”

1100 hrs  Seasickness and depressions arrive by the score and people take to the beds. The ship begins to pitch and spray flies across the deck. Speed is being reduced to make the pitching and ship movement less severe.

1200 hrs  Captain considers having lunch but decides against it.

1215 hrs  Having missed his lunch the Captain decides to cheer passengers up by broadcasting the weather situation and forecast. Fails dismally except for a hearty few who venture out on deck against best advise. Wind is now severe storm force 11 with a rapidly rising sea and swell. Open decks declared out of bounds. Entrances roped off.

1400 hrs  Wind is now at its strongest at storm force 12 with winds constantly in excess of 65 knots. Ship is proceeding very slowly, just maintaining steerage way, to ride out the storm. All passengers requested to stay in public rooms or their cabins. Canberra pitching to very high seas and 45ft swells.

1500 hrs  Spray and occasional green seas break over the bow. Ship riding conditions very well. Many passengers do not think so! Doctor very busy! Other ships hove to all round the Bay of Biscay. Seeing the gyrations of the other ships, bridge team very happy to be on Canberra.

1615 hrs  four life rafts washed overboard. Fifth liferaft inflates, flies over the starboard bridge wing (much to the surprise of all on the bridge!) and lands on the Observation Deck. Whilst doing so the lines become tangled in the rigging and it bends the top mast. Not to worry, Canberra can now fit under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Chief Officer battles with liferaft which wants to join the other four overside. Chief Officer wins. Liferaft retrieved.

1700 hrs  At last the wind is decreasing to a mere force 10. Being hove to for hours has delayed the ship to such an extent that the Lisbon call not possible and Canberra will, when conditions allow, proceed directly to Malta. Galley staff are cooking Gala Dinner and opening two sandwich bars for those who will not make the restaurants. Demand expected to be high!

2100 hrs  Ship is clear of the Bay of Biscay, eight and a half hours behind schedule, somewhat battered and salt stained, but safe.

It was generally agreed by a number of “old Salts and Jack Tars” that it was at least 25 years since they had seen the seas like those experienced on 12th September 1993. The general consensus was that with one every quarter century we shall be retired when the next one comes and someone else can have the pleasure of delaing with it.

Bad as it was, and having through fate, been forced to experience the storm, you could not have been in a better ship to do so…. The White Whale …….CANBERRA

Signed – Sarah Brenton, Navigator

Its time to go back to the 1960′s again to delve into my memories from cruising in the 1960′s. Here I am, entrant No. 74, taking part in the Fancy Dress in 1969 onboard P&O Orcades. Rather cute, even when wearing a paperbag wouldnt you agree?! Taking part in the childrens fancy dress was almost compulsory, but why did the outfits always have to be made out of paper, card and crepe paper? I cant tell you how uncomfortable these outfits were. Stiff white paper card with black crepe paper fringing stook to them to make them look like 1920′s flapper girls outfits. I couldnt sit down for two hours once they were on and there were staples and sticky tape pinching and stabbing at every opportunity. Fancy dress was always a big occassion. On the morning of the fancy dress you would go to the playroom and select your materials to create your costume, and it was an all day occassion to sit and craft your masterpiece. But getting them on and keeping them on was something else!

The adults always had a Fancy Dress night on every cruise, and that really was a big event. If I was really lucky (and reallly, really good during the day) I would be allowed to stay up for evening dinner in the main restaurant and be allowed to go and watch the parade. It wasnt just the odd one or two adults that took part in the fancy dress. A large number of passengers would enter into the spirit of things and go down to dinner in their costumes. There was always a good party atmosphere on Fancy Dress nights, then after dinner the main ballroom or show lounge would be used to parade the participants through and be presented for judging. I can even recall my Dad entering once, which was very out of character for him!

Fancy dress parades were still as big during the 1970′s and 1980′s onboard the Canberra, in either the William Fawcett Room (later the Ocean Lounge) or the Stadium Theatre. I wonder what it was that made them become less popular.  The Stadium Theatre…. what a strange room that was! The floor sloped for one thing and I dont think it was in the direction of the stage either. Of course, it wasnt a purpose built theatre and was originally the outside sports deck, but was later converted to form an improvised show lounge. Either side of the stage there were glass doors, that were really difficult to open when you are only a ‘little person’, that lead to the Crows Nest Bar. They were made even more difficult to open because the doors were situated on a rather narrow step, and I guess the doors were heavier than normal because they used to open onto the outside deck before the theatre was converted. To either side of the Crows Nest doors, there were wooden steps leading to another heavy door, which took you out onto the Observation deck. It was always very very quiet up here, and I always used to think I was so high up, but it is of course nowhere near as high as deck 19 on Azura!  I dont really recall much of the shows, but I guess that would be because I was always in bed. The shows that I can recall were made up of the entertainment team. There was no such thing as a big show cast in those days. They were ‘Social Hosts & Hostesses’ in those days, and in the evenings they had to sing and dance as well.

To the aft of the Stadium was the Bonito club, the first class ballroom, with its glass wall that folded back to open the entire space up to the deck area. Even into the 70′s & 80′s I can  recall the Officers that would line the entrance to the Bonito Club and make them selves available for a quickstep or foxtrot. I can only think of a couple of P&O Officers that I see these days ballroom dancing. Maybe P&O should make it compulsory that they master at least one ballroom dance and mingle with the passengers a little more like they used to!

Outside the Bonito Club, on both port and starboard side, there was the covered area of deck which led through to the Stadium. I always used to think that part of the deck was very posh, and so First class!

I will see what other memories and photos I can produce for you next time, so dont forget to keep checking back.

Following on from the nostalgia of Traditional Cruising that has surrounded the brand new Azura, I thought it was time to look at some of my old film footage again. This one shows my Mum cruising back in  1958, on the old old Arcadia (second one of four) Mum recalls having a suite for 23 Guinea’s. I think that translates to £23 and 23 shillings?!! I too went onto cruise onboard this Arcadia in the 1960′s and 1970′s. My last time onboard was in May 1975 on a short cruise to Amsterdam where we visited the Dutch Bulb fields.

I wasnt around in 1958 so can comment, but I do remeber the ship quite well. As you will see from the film footage, she wasnt the prettiest of ships and there is quite a bit of footage of her outside decks and superstructure. Dont ever state that Ventura and Azura are ugly again! But you cant argue that ships such as Arcadia were indeed real ships!

Arcadia was built by John Brown Shipyards in 1954 and had a refurb by Harland & Wolfe in Belfast in 1959. she was srapped in Taiwan in 1979.

Arcadia was 29,734 GRT with 670 First Class passengers, 735 Tourist Class passengers and 716 crew. So, she is roughly the size of the new P&O Adonia that will be launched next year, but she had 695 more passengers than Adonia will have!

Some good footage of the old original Ocean Terminal at Southamptom about half way into the film

Following on from the success of last weeks film footage of life as a child onboard a Mediterranean cruise on on Orcades in 1968, I bring to you part two…..

Looks like most of my time onboard was spent either in the playroom or around the pool area, which I dont suppose would be to different from a child of today, apart from the fact that a wooden playhouse and a orange see saw seemed to be the main toys of the day! You might recall me telling you that we didnt have shallow pools for children to swim and play in, so at around 3.00pm the depth of the main pool would be lowered and we were allowed in for ‘childrens swim’. I remember that it always seemed a very long way down that vertical ladder inside the pool until you got to the icy, freezing cold salt water! I look pretty pleased to have made the descent down to the water though. Those P&O issue ‘rubber rings’ really did have a rubber smell to them. The pool water would be lowered for about an hour before it was refilled back upto its normal level, which would bring us nicely upto childrens tea time. But before that it was upto the changing rooms to run the swimsuits through the mangle!! I used to love putting my swimsuit through the big iron mangle, but that bit of fun soon stopped when they introduced electric spinning machines in there.

I would guess that this was also my first visit to see the famous apes on the Rock of Gibraltar, and I see that one of the cheeky apes has taken a ladys pink chiffon scarf, which Im sure would have caused me to have one of my cheeky little giggles.

I would love to hear your comments, and thoughts about this amazing cine film that has recently come to light. Keep checking back because I have a few more to share with you, and plenty of memories.

Here I am in the playroom onboard Orcades in 1968. Just incase you were wondering, Im the one with long blonde hair! Nice bright orange suit hey? I obviously had an eye for fashion even at that young age. I seem to recall that ‘Library Time’ was at around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, and it would be my guess that I was selecting a ‘Milly, molly, Mandy’ book from what looks like a vast selection. i never read the books, I just liked the pictures and made up my own stories. you can also see a chalboard and some chalk so that must have been another daily activity. We always did sewing as well, nothing fancy just different coloured rows of cross stitch. the playrooms of the 60′s and 70′s onboard P&O were nothing like the facilities that they have today. There were no banks of computers, or games consoles. No video screen walls or choices of what we wanted to do when we wanted to do it. Things were very much more regimented back then, much more like being at school – and I hated it! I would screem my head off every time I was left in the playroom. To me it was like prison because you couldnt get out. The door was the heaviest door in the world and the door handle was way out of reach, so once you were in you were in until meal time, or until Mum or Dad came to collect you. There would be a ‘painting time’ usually in the mornings and on the stroke of 11 we all had to sit cross legged on the floor and drink a glass of milk, horrible tasting long life milk at that, and a morning tea or arrowroot biscuit. you werent allowed up again until you had drank all the milk. I can recall outside deck areas on some of the ships and I pretty sure that Orcades was one of them. They had some see-saw type rocking things that you could get in and the more you see-sawed the more it would slide around the deck. The playroom closed at about 12.30 for lunch and after being collected by our parents we had to go to lunch in the main dining room. There were no self serve buffet areas or pizzareas back then. Once a cruise we might be treated to a deck buffet and it was always the highlight of the cruise.

At 3.00pm every afternoon the water level in the swimming pool would be lowered, and if you were brave enough to climb down the steep ladder steps inside the pool, you could get in for a swim. they also supplied rubber rings that really were rubber, I can recall the smell! I learnt to swim on one of the ships and recieved a certificate for it. I guess they didnt notice that I actually had one foot on the floor the whole time! If i timed it right I didnt have to go into the palyroom after swim time. I used to love to go into the changing rooms and put my swimming costume through the mangle. And there were big drying rooms, with racks to hang your clothes on to dry.

We werent posh enough to have ensuite facilities so would have to go down the corridor from the cabin to have a shower. Time it too late and you would end up queing for one of the showers as everyone prepared for the evening.

Childrens tea was served at 5.30pm in the main restaurant and it was a proper sit down doo, with menu. There was always jelly, and cottage pie that tasted of vinegar for some reason. then it would be quiet time in the playroom before it closed, and nine times out of ten I would be in bed well before Mum and Dad went out for the evening. I would get tucked up in bed  with a can of lemonade, a packet of salt’n'shake crisps and of course my ‘Milly Molly Mandy’ book. Then I could lay there and listen to the cabin doors rattling, and watch the wardrobe doors swinging open and shut. Next thing I would hear would be the jingle of the cabin stewards keys on his belt, as he knocked on all the doors along the alley with tea, fruit juice and a biscuit the next morning. That was the closest thing you could get to room service!

So, what else can I recall about cruising as a child? I can remember being in the ships hospital onboard Canberra, my first ever cruise, with a fever. My Dads friend would bring me a Turkish Delight and a packet of fruit gums every day. His name was Jim. I always think of Canberra tuck shop when I see Rowntrees fruit gums and Frys turkish Delight because it was about all the stocked for years, along with Kit Kat, Smarties and Mars Bars. The tuck shop was on A deck Aft, on the opposite side of the deck to the A deck shop, and that only opened for an hour or so in the morning and afternoon. I can remember the gates across the prom deck that prevented you from going into first class. Sometimes when there werent enough children onboard for a party or fancy dress party, we would go with the playroom to ‘the other side’!

Bridge visits were always the best fun. remeber that this is back in the day when hi-tech walkie talkies and the like hadnt been invented, and on the lookout deck above the bridge there would be one of those brass connecting funnel type hose things that the man up top on watch would should down instructions to the bridge below. They made great dispensing devices for smarties and we would all stand underneath the communication device trying to catch the smarties as the officer up top pored them down to us.

I think thats enough of a tip down cruise memory lane for now, but I though I would leave you with this picture of my lovely daughter Lizy.  Here she is onboard her 3rd cruise in September 1991 shaking hands with Captain Rory Smith, onboard Canberra at the ‘Coketail Party’. Isnt she adorable? Lizy always referred to Rory Smith as Captain BirdsEye

Lizy is all grown up now, aged 20, and has recently been managing childrens activity centres across the UK and is just about to depart for he next career move working at a ski resort in Megeve, France. Some of you might have spoken to her at some point, as she has been known to offer a helping hand at GoCruisewithJane towers on busy booking days.

Maybe next time I will tell you about the childrens facilities that were available when I cruised with my own yound family in the 90′s. Plus Im Sure I still have lots to tell you about cruiseing in the 60′s & 70′s

Some 150+ cruises later I have collected many bits of memorabilia along the way. With the launch of Azura asking for the loan of P&O memorabilia it has sent me looking back at some of the items I have collected along the way, and I thought the following might be of interest to some.

Here is an original brochure from 1966 listing all of the cruises for 1967 with prices. At the time P&O Orient Lines offices were at 26 Cockspur Street, SW1 and the telephone number was listed as Whithall 4444. Its my bet that they didnt have that repetative ‘on hold’ music back in the day or the list of 7 differnt options to press before being put on hold to speak to the person that you wanted to get through to.

I have found an idylic sounding cruise that I wouldnt mind booking.

Caneberra 11th August 1967

16nights Mediterranean. Southampton, Athens, Istanbul, Alexandria, Palma, southampton – Perfect with just four ports of call and the rest sea days!

And the Price? First class from £195 and tourist Class from £109 (I wonder if passengers asked for discount back in the day?)

The cheapest 2 week cruise I can find was on the Himalaya 1st July 1967 with fares from only £84 (I have shoes costing more than that!)

Or how do you fancy 22 days Caribbean cruise on Chusan 28th October 1967? Fares from £209 for first Class and from £149 for Tourist class

Deposit - Just £2 per adult at time of booking with a 10% depsoit becoming payable by 31st October 1966. For bookings after 31st October a 10% deposit is required.

Southampton Port Charges – An embarkation and disembarkation charge of £1 13s 0d, levied by the Port Authorities is payable by all passengers.

Cancellations -  In the event of a cancellationof booking made before 1st October the reservation fee of £2 per adult will not be refunded. in the event of a cancellation of bookings made on or after 1st October, where a deposit or passage ticket has been issued a service charge of £2 per adult will be made. (I like the next bit) There will be no service charge on any change of cruise or accomodation within the 1967 programme.

Insurance cover is offered at 10/- per person irrespective of the fare.

The great thing is that P&O also seemed to guarantee sunshine!! “No holiday is more certain of sunshine than a P&O Orient Cruise. Because the ships go where the sun is; and out there at sea there’s nothing but you, blue sky and blue water. Deck space to sprawl on, deck chairs, and sea breazes or swimming pool to cool off in.”

Oh those were the days!!!!

I have just found this old menu from an Arcadia cruise in 1975. This was the second in the line of four Arcadia ships and I sailed on her a few times as a child. I would have been 12 at the time, so maybe a little past the age for childrens tea. I used to love Canberra’s childrens tea so will have to see if i can find you a menu.

I wonder what you would have chosen from the following choices….

LANDFALL DINNER – Tuesday 13^th May 1975

Appetizers

Tomato Juice

Pickled Herring

Tunny Fish Ravigotte

Soups

Consomme Nemours

Creme Camelia

Fried King prawns with tartare sauce

Main Courses

Lambs sweetbread Jardiniere – cooked in red wine with vegetables

Fried Chicken Hawaiian – coated in coconut, with pineapple, bacon, & tomato

Vegetables

Butterd sliced beans

Braised onions

Potatoes

Sautees

Boiled

Creamed

Cold Buffet

Gammon Ham

Roast Beef

Roast Lamb

Roast Pork

Corned silverside of beef

Dressings

Mayonnaise

French

Sweets

Cassata Napolitaine

Saxon Pudding

Ice cream

Selection of sweets from the Trolley

Sauces

Strawberry

Chocolate

Butterscotch

Cheese

New Zealand Cheddar

Derby

Danish Blue

Lancashire

St Ivel

Biscuits

Cream Crackers

Hotel

Jatz Crackers

Ryvita

Water

Vita-wheat

Fresh Fruit

In season

Beverages

Coffee

Indian, Ceylon or China Tea

Instant Coffee

After dinner mints

CHEF – Michael Mitchell

And if you fancied some wine to accompany that gastronomical delight……

A carafe (yes a whole one) of Red, white or Rose….. £1 !!!!!!!!

And if you just wanted a glass a mere 25p

Im not sure what I would have selected from that choice, but the appetizers were not to my liking. Would also have had to give the Lambs sweetbreads a miss!! There wasnt a lot on offer for main course was there. The sweet trolley was always the highlight of sitting through dinner for me, not that it ever changed much.

It usually consisted of

Chocolate gateaux

Orange or Lemon gateaux

Fresh Fruit salad

And a pie & cream of some description

S.S. Arcadia was built in 1954 by John Brown & Co, Clydebank

Gross tonnage 29,871

Length 721 ft

Breadth 93ft 1″

Shaft horse power 42,500

Service speed 22 knots

950 passengers

581 crew