- 1947: Made its maiden voyage in July, operating between Southampton and St. Malo. It was initially used on routes to the Channel Islands.
- 1950s: Later switched to the Southampton to Le Havre route.
- 1963: Moved to the Newhaven-Dieppe route.
- 1964: Converted to a stern-loading car ferry.
- 1973: Returned to the Channel Islands, sailing out of Weymouth.
- 1974: Faced frequent mechanical problems and was ultimately deemed too expensive to repair. The vessel was sold for scrapping.
- 1975: Broken up at Bilbao, Spain.
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FALAISE - Passenger Ferry Sealink on the side of hull and Black and Red Funnel 3710 grt / 18947 blt / BR / 5111969 Arriving at Weymouth - 6.6.1974 Don Smith Collection Notes:- The TSS (Twin-Screw Steamer) Falaise was a cross-channel passenger ferry built in 1947 by William Denny & Brothers in Dumbarton, Scotland. Ordered by Southern Railway, it was one of the first post-war ships delivered to the company in Southampton. Service history -
SS BRITANIS / BRITANIS - ex Matsonia/Monterey - Passenger Cruise Ship - Chandris Line 24346/1932/Greece/5229223 Leaving Tilbury - 18.6.1976 Don Smith Collection Notes:- The S.S. Britanis was a passenger cruise ship with a long history under several names, beginning as the Matson Lines' S.S. Monterey in 1931. The ship was later purchased by the Chandris Line, who renamed it Britanis and operated it as a cruise ship for decades Ship history and timeline Early career as S.S. Monterey (1931–1970) 1931: Launched as a luxury ocean liner by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation. 1932: Entered service for Matson Lines, offering voyages from the U.S. to Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia.World War II: Requisitioned by the U.S. government for use as a troop transport, carrying thousands of soldiers. 1946–1956: After the war, she was laid up until Matson Lines repurchased her. She was then renamed S.S. Matsonia in 1957, operating on the San Francisco–Honolulu route. 1963: Matson changed her name to S.S. Lurline. Service with Chandris Lines as S.S. Britanis (1970–1998) 1970: Purchased by Chandris Lines and renamed S.S. Britanis. 1971–1974: Operated as a liner on the Southampton-to-Australia route.1974 onwards and Converted to a full-time cruise ship, sailing itineraries in the Caribbean and Europe. 1980's–1990's: Sailed under the Chandris Fantasy Cruises brand. She continued service well into the 1990s and became known as one of the oldest liners still in operation. 1994: Ended her cruise career. She was chartered by the U.S. government as a floating barracks for military personnel at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Final years and sinking (1998–2000) 1998: After being laid up, she was sold to AG Belofin Investments and renamed Belofin-1. October 2000: While being towed to a scrapyard in India, the ship began taking on water. The crew of the tugboat cut the ship loose, and it eventually capsized and sank off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. -
EDINBURGH CASTLE - Pass Cruise 28705 grt /1948 blt / UK / 5097022 Arriving at Southampton -11th August 1975 Don Smith Collection -
ROYAL VIKING SKY - Passenger Cruise Ship 21847/1973/Norway/7218395 In Southampton Water - 27.5.1977 Don Smith Collection History of the Royal Viking Sky- 1973: Launched and delivered by the Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard to the Royal Viking Line as the Royal Viking Sky, the second of three sister ships.
- 1981–1983: The ship was "stretched" by being lengthened by over 20 meters to increase its passenger capacity.
- 1991: Sold to Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) and renamed Sunward.
- 1992–1993: Sold to Birka Line and briefly renamed Birka Queen before being chartered back to NCL as Sunward later that year.
- 1993–1996: Chartered by Princess Cruises and operated as the Golden Princess.
- 1996–2004: Sold to Star Cruises and renamed Superstar Capricorn. During this time, it was chartered from 1998 to 2001 to Hyundai Merchant Marine and sailed as Hyundai Keumgang.
- 2004–2005: Sailed briefly for Iberocruceros as the Grand Latino.
- 2005–2020: Acquired by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and operated as the Boudicca.
- 2020: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the vessel being laid up. Later that year, Fred. Olsen announced the ship had been sold.
- 2021: The vessel was sold for breaking up, renamed Edi, and dismantled in Aliaga, Turkey.
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FEDERICO `C` - Passenger Liner / Cruise Ship 20416/1958/Italy/5113230 At Tilbury Landing Stage,River Thames - 19.8.1971 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Name History 1958/1983 Federico "C" 1983/1983 Royale 1983/1988 Starship Royale 1988/2000 SeaBreeze Built at Ansaldo Sestri Ponente Shipyard,Italy Launched 31.3.1957 Maiden Voyage 1958 Out of Service September 2000 Sank off Cape Henry - North Carolina,Virginia on 17.12.2000 -
ORSOVA (1954) - Ocean Liner / Passenger Cruise Ship 28790/1954/UK/5265772 29091 grt in 1969 Docked at Southampton - 30.5.1972 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Operators 1954/1960 Orient Line 1960/1966 P & O Orient Lines 1966/1974 P & O Line Built by Vickers Armstrong - Barrow in Furness Launched 1953 Maiden Voyage 17.3.1954 Out of Service 1973 Scrapped 1974 -
SPIRIT OF LONDON - Passenger Cruise Ship - P and O Lines Ltd 17042/1972/UK/7211517 Docked at Southampton ready for its Maiden Voyage - 11.11.1972 Don Smith Collection Notes:-Type Passenger ship
P&O Group service 1972-1989
Built at Cantieri del Tirreno e Riuniti Yard Riva Trigoso,Italy
Registry London, UK
Names History Originally ordered as SEAWARD by Norwegian Caribbean Line Then became Spirit of London the followed by Sun Princess until Feb 1989 Starship Majestic until Mach 1995 Southern Cross until Oct 1997 Flamenco until Feb 2004 Elysian Flamenco until Mar 2004 New Flamenco until June 2008 Flamenco I until August 2011 then Ocean Dream and then was scrapped as it sank of the coast of Laem Shebang Port,Thailand on 27.2.2016 and was scrapped in situ -
Ceramic - Passenger Cargo Liner (Refrigerated) Shaw Savill and Albion Line.Co.Ltd 15896 grt / 1948 blt / BR / 5067340 Docked at Southampton - 30.5.1972 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Built by Cammell Laird,Birkenhead Ceramic served the New Zealand service as a passenger cargo liner until 1969 when she stopped carrying passengers and was withdrawn from service in 1971 and broken up in Belgium in 1972. -
HIMALAYA - Passenger Cruise Ship Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company - P&O 28000 grt approx / 1949 blt / BR / 5150800 Docked at Southampton - 3.4.1971 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Owners : Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company - P&O Built by Vickers Armstrong,Barrow in Furness Ordered : March 1945 Laid Down26.2.1946 Launched 5.10.1948 Completed August 1949 Maiden Voyage 6.10.1949 Out of Service 31.10.1974 Scrapped in 1975 -
SS FRANCE - Passenger Liner / Cruise Ship Compagnie Generale Transatlantique (French Line - CGT) 66348 grt /1960 blt / France / 5119143 Leaving Southampton - 17.8.1971 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Her maiden voyage was on 3.2.1962 as SS FRANCE 1974: The ship is first decommissioned by the French Line as the SS France. 1979: The vessel is purchased by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), renamed SS Norway, and converted for cruising. 2003: A boiler explosion forces the ship out of service for the final time. It is laid up in Germany. 2006: Sold for scrap, the vessel is renamed SS Blue Lady for its final journey to India. 2007: Following legal battles, Indian authorities permit the ship's dismantling. Late 2008: Scrapping is completed in Alang, India. Other names SS Norway and Blue Lady Her maiden voyage was on 3.2.1962 -
Northern Star - Passenger Liner/Cruise Ship Shaw Savill and Albion Co.Ltd 24731/1961/BR/5257543 Arriving at Southampton - 24.5.1974 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Built By Vickers-Armstrongs (Shipbuilders) Ltd High Walker - Yard No 175 Broken up December 1975 by Li Chong Steel & Iron Works Co,Kaohsiung -
MIKHAIL LERMONTOV - Passenger Cruise Ship Ivan Franko Class Passenger Ship 19872 grt/1972 blt / Russia/7042318 Leaving Tilbury - 28.8.1982 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Hit rocks and Sank 16.2.1986 Nr Marlborough Sounds,New Zealand whilst on a 2 week cruise from Australia -
AMERIKANIS ex Kenya Castle - Passenger Cruise Ship 19904 grt / 1951 blt / Greece/ 5185398 Arriving at Dover - 21.9.1980 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Kenya Castle - Union Castle Line from 1952 to 1967 Built at Harland and Wolff,Belfast tonnage when built 17040 grt Launched 21.6.1951 and Maiden Voyage was March 1952 then Sold to Chandris Lines and became Amerikanis Tonnage was increased to 19904 grt to which she was the first Passenger Cruise Ship to have a TV in every cabin Chandris 1967 - 1980 Costa Line 1980-1984 Chandris 1984-2000 and finally scrapped at Alang,India in 2001 -
Aurora - Passenger Cruise Ship P&O 76152 grt /2000 blt / UK /9169524 Docked at Southampton - 27.7.2002 Don Smith Collection -
Notes:- Refrigerated Passenger Cargo Ship Launched 27.7.1938 Completed January 1939 Built at Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd Yard:Wallsend Yard Number:1547 Reg Number:166828 Don Smith Collection -
BALMORAL - Passenger Ship 735 grt / 1949 blt / UK / 5034927 Off Ilfracombe - June 1977 Don Smith Collection Notes:- Balmoral was built as a ferry by John I Thorneycroft & Co at Woolston in 1949, for the Southampton, Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co.Limited, more normally known as the Red Funnel Line. As built, Balmoral could carry up to 10 cars on her aft car deck, and she normally operated on her owner's ferry service from Southampton on the English mainland to Cowes on the Isle of Wight . From her introduction she also occasionally performed excursion duties, but as dedicated car ferries were introduced to her main route, her role became more focussed on offering coastal cruises around the South Coast. Red Funnel ceased operating excursions in 1968, after which Balmoral was acquired by P & A Campbell. She moved to the Bristol Channel, where she became part of P&A Campbell's White Funnel Fleet until 1980, by which time she was the last working member of the fleet. Balmoral moved to Dundee to become a floating restraunt. This was unsuccessful and the ship was placed for sale again.