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»	Cruise Talk » Ocean Liners and Classic Cruise Ships » Canberra and QE2

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Topic: Canberra and QE2

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 10-13-1999 03:33 PM

Here’s an interesting and true story:

During the‘Falkland Island’ crisis of 1982, Cunard's QE2 delivered troops to South Georgia, a safe port. The troops were then transported by P&O's 'Canberra' to Port Stanley - the war zone. The British Government dare not subject a ship that bore the name of the current Sovereign, to enemy fire – the risk of losing the ship was just too much to bear.

Although the ‘Canberra’ WAS exposed to enemy fire, Admiral Lord Lewin said in a very British voice “the fact that the Canberra was exposed did not really matter, after all she was only the capital of Australia”.

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 11-01-1999 04:21 PM

...well I think that it's a funny story!

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

blf49
First Class Passenger
Member # 502

posted 12-25-1999 11:18 PM

I do as well. Another good reason to have kept her sailing.

Posts: 56 | From: Seattle, WA, US | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Barryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 33

posted 12-28-1999 11:56 PM

Sad that Canberra was scrapped. Too bad they didn't find something else to do with her. I tried sneaking on the Canberra in Southampton, but only made it mid-way up the gangway. I would have loved to have seen her.

Posts: 1851 | From: Bloomington, Minnesota (Home to the Mall of America) | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged

Terry
First Class Passenger
Member # 448

posted 12-30-1999 06:56 AM

I travelled to Australia on CANBERRA on her last world cruise[1997]. I was told confidentially that the main reason that CANBERRA would be scrapped was to avoid her being put back into service by a cut-price rival company. But in fact there were no serious bids to keep her in service and the best offer came from the scrappers. Who incidentally lost a lot of money on the deal.

Terry

Posts: 391 | From: Brandon, Norfolk, UK | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

Aussie1
First Class Passenger
Member # 25

posted 01-05-2000 08:27 PM

Having spent 10 weeks of my life travelling on her I can indeed agree the Canberra was a special ship. As to her demise I have heard from reliable sources that Premier put in a bid for the ship at a higher price than the scrappers. Premier agreed to all sorts of limiting conditions P&O wanted to place on them, such as Canberra not trading in certain markets, and at the 11th hour P&O shut up shop and sold the ship to the ship breakers anyway. Talking to Engineers on her last world voyage they agreed Canberra was an old lady but had a few more years left in her. Mechanically the only things needing serious work were her boilers. Would have been great to see her running alongside Rembrant, but as for her becoming Big Red Boat 6 ......

Posts: 493 | From: Sydney,NSW, Australia | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-07-2000 09:18 AM

The Canberra was a very popular ship in the UK..yet no one ever seems to mention her anymore. Not even in this forum!

Has anyone here cruised on her?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 05-07-2000 10:23 AM

For you Canberra fans....have a look at www.sscanberra.com/gallgad.htm
...peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 05-07-2000 02:00 PM

I was fortunate in that I twice sailed the Trans Pacific sector of her world cruises from North America to Australia. With each trip she seemed to have a much nicer interior. The best I saw her was during her port call in Vancouver on her last world cruise, a port she visited on her maiden voyage as well. She never looked better, inside or out. Indeed, very sad for all ship lovers to see such a classic disappear from the seas forever.

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Guest
First Class Passenger
Member # 1157

posted 05-09-2000 05:20 AM

She was a beauty!

Posts: 1888 | From: Earth | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

Gerry
First Class Passenger
Member # 168

posted 05-09-2000 12:06 PM

I started my career with P&O and was a cadet with them in the late 70's. I have a soft spot for Canberra as I was attached to her for a while. She had a very strong character, as well as having some strong characters sail on her. The Captain was Dennis John Scott-Massen when I was there. When I first joined the ship and first went to the bridge he yelled at me to shave off my moustache as he refused to allow a deck officer of his to wear one.(Full set or cleanshaven - Royal Navy style)
I was really lucky with my time at sea as I ended up later on with Cunard on QE2 and others. I still have fond memories of Canberra though.

Posts: 315 | From: Miami, Florida, (originally from UK) | Registered: Jun 99 | IP: Logged

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 01-07-2001 06:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Aussie1:
Having spent 10 weeks of my life travelling on her I can indeed agree the Canberra was a special ship. As to her demise I have heard from reliable sources that Premier put in a bid for the ship at a higher price than the scrappers. Premier agreed to all sorts of limiting conditions P&O wanted to place on them, such as Canberra not trading in certain markets, and at the 11th hour P&O shut up shop and sold the ship to the ship breakers anyway. Talking to Engineers on her last world voyage they agreed Canberra was an old lady but had a few more years left in her. Mechanically the only things needing serious work were her boilers. Would have been great to see her running alongside Rembrant, but as for her becoming Big Red Boat 6 I was told confidentially that the main reason that CANBERRA would be scrapped was to avoid her being put back into service by a cut-price rival company. But in fact there were no serious bids to keep her in service and the best offer came from the scrappers. Who incidentally lost a lot of money on the deal.
......

Scrappers got what they deserved. Canberra'a demise was as almost as bad as tearing down NYC's McKim, Mead, and White Penn Station,

I believe Premier could not get the financing.

Few of the Rotterdam V loyalists resailed her as the Rembrandt. I believe due to lower service levels Premier offers.

I recall Canberra had too few elevators for her size. The lowest grade cabins w/o private bath need be converted.

If Premier had its way, now she would be layed up along side the Rembrandt.

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

bmajor
First Class Passenger
Member # 1754

posted 01-24-2001 09:33 PM

We fondly remember Canberra as our initiation into cruising, leaving Southampton in November 1984 for the voyage to New Zealand. Two days into the Atlantic we were faced with three separate storms,two of hurricane strength up to 74 knot winds. P & O issued all on board with certificates confirming they had "survived" two hurricanes within the space of four days. A nice touch. A consequence of all this was that the ship did not stop in either Bermuda orLos Angeles to make up for lost time, which did not go down well with many passengers.The next year we were written to by P & O offering substantial discounts on the new years fares, commonplace now, but almost unheard of in those days. So, Canberra was, in my opinion, very much a ship which most ex cruisers on her would say was just right up there.....The final cruise was booked out several times over.....that surely says it all

Posts: 1371 | From: Orewa.New Zealand. | Registered: Jan 2001 | IP: Logged

Southampton
First Class Passenger
Member # 1616

posted 01-26-2001 12:39 PM

I only saw Canberra close up once at Palma, Mallorca but have felt the affection of her passengers on recent cruises on Oriana and Aurora. I am sorry that I will never be able to determine for myself what it was that made her so special

Posts: 34 | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

SailMom
First Class Passenger
Member # 1807

posted 02-13-2001 04:57 PM

I was lucky enough to sail on the Canberra twice..once as a child in 1973 and again to the Med in 1983. We were onboard on the 1st anniversary of her return from the Falklands. Was such an exciting time to be there. Had a great time...among only a few fellow Americans. Have been wondering whatever happened to our long lost British friends - Engineers Steve Stroud, Hugh McNicol and Paul Lightfoot. Any ideas??

Posts: 33 | Registered: Feb 2001 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 07-15-2001 05:32 PM

Any other Canberra fans here?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

nzmike
First Class Passenger
Member # 1308

posted 07-15-2001 08:30 PM

I sailed on Canberra a number of times during the 1990's and would rate her as one of the most significant passenger ships of the post war era. Her very advanced design (particularly the layout of the passenger spaces and open decks) meant that she adapted easily to cruising and was still a very easy ship to travel on even in her later years. She was incredibly well built and a wonderful seagoing ship. I seem to recall one of the officers telling me that she could be a little difficult to handle due to her weight and engines-aft layout, but interestingly he commented that the engines were so powerful that they could get the ship out of most tricky situations! She was beginning to show her age, both in condition and lack of facilities (especially compared to Oriana II) but despite all of this she was a wonderful ship. Those incredible lines still amaze today; the gentle streamlining of the superstructure, the curve of the bridge and forward superstructure, the wonderful sheer, the trim funnels and that beautiful stern combined to make her a real original. In some ways I am glad that she was scrapped as it avoids her suffering a slow deterioration (like Oriana I) but the photos of her being pulled apart are heartbreaking. I would imagine that running her onto the beach at Gadani and leaving her there must have been a very difficult time for the 72 crew who accompanied her.

Posts: 186 | From: Auckland, New Zealand | Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

Frank X. Prudent
First Class Passenger
Member # 1723

posted 07-16-2001 01:34 AM

I too would have loved to have sailed aboard the CANBERRA. She was light years ahead of her time design wise. I had the opportunity to look down upon "The Great White Whale", from the heights of St. Thomas, together with the NORWAY as they rested at anchor in the outer harbor of Charlotte Amalie one beautiful January 1988 day. Ahhhh...memories!

[ 07-16-2001: Message edited by: Frank X. Prudent ]

Posts: 577 | From: Covington, Kentucky, U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 2000 | IP: Logged

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 07-16-2001 11:29 AM

I sailed this nautical masterpiece as a young teen in 1973 to the Carribean. I previously posted many wonderful things about her. I am really sorry I could not resail her as an adult.

If I ran Premier, I would have had Canberra and Rembrandt only; the 2 greatest ocean liners EVER built.

quote:
Originally posted by Malcolm:
Any other Canberra fans here?

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

PeterUK
First Class Passenger
Member # 1898

posted 07-17-2001 01:59 AM

I first saw Canberra when she was homeward bound on her maiden voyage in 1961. I was on P&O's Iberia in the Bay of Biscay and we went to the aid of an injured crewman on a BP tanker instead of Canberra and she sailed by us. I sailed on her on cruises in 1978 1980 and 1984 and she was a great ship and well designed for one class cruising when one remembers that she was built as a two class ship. Mechanically she was always regarded as less satisfactory than Oriana and we shouldn't forget that in 1971 or 1972 she was laid up for sale after a poor cruising season out of New York and because her draft was regarded as too much for full time cruising. In the end she was recommissioned and replaced the Orsova that had been the cruising running mate of Oriana. It is interesting to speculate to what extent the Falkland's war extented her life because of the publicity it gave her and the affection she was held in by the Public.

Posts: 217 | From: North of England | Registered: Apr 2001 | IP: Logged

Barryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 33

posted 07-17-2001 03:48 PM

I had read somewhere a long time ago that the Canberra was originally built with a pretty bad flaw...she was too top heavy, especially in the bow area. So the ship was sent back to the shipbuilder to remedy the situation, but all they could do was fill the bow area with cement to compensate.

Anyone out there know the details of this story?

Posts: 1851 | From: Bloomington, Minnesota (Home to the Mall of America) | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged

PeterUK
First Class Passenger
Member # 1898

posted 07-17-2001 04:06 PM

As I understand it she was stern heavy and the bow tended to rise out of the water at speed and hence the need for concrete in the bow to pull it down.

Posts: 217 | From: North of England | Registered: Apr 2001 | IP: Logged

nzmike
First Class Passenger
Member # 1308

posted 07-17-2001 08:26 PM

Canberra was originally built on the assumption that she would carry 1000 tonnes of cargo on each voyage in the forward hold - an assumption that proved wrong! On builders trials the bow lifted significantly and resulted in pig iron ballast being placed in the bow. The problem was later reduced significantly by relocating some of the bunkers up to the bow, allowing the fuel load to be redistributed. However she retained her "interesting" handling right to the end! Commodore Ian Gibb once said that "coming into Southampton each time was an adventure... because she never did the same thing twice!"

Posts: 186 | From: Auckland, New Zealand | Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

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