We are now on day 3 of our crossing to Barbados - the sea is calm, like a lake and all is well. I was the Commodore's Command Pianist this morning for the Church Service and we had a collection for the Haiti Disaster Appeal. The singing was uplifting and the Commodore always does a good service.
On the 10th January 1940 Strathavner and four Orient Line ships loaded with troops left Sydney for the Near East.
70 years later Arcadia left Southampton on our Inaugural Round World Cruise , a journey that will take us to Sydney and Near East as well , this time to discover and enjoy these magnificent places.
In 1881 Mahatma Gandhi sailed from Bombay (now Mumbai) to Marseilles on P&O's Clyde. 50 Years later he repeated the journey onboard Rajputana from where is this picture with Captain H.M. Jack. Rajputana was torpedoed in 1941 .
What a history P&O Cruises have. When I joined P&O Cruises in 1983 the UK had only two ships! The Canberra and the Sea Princess. Canberra was affectionately known as the White Whale! Now we have 6 modern ships in service and another new one on the way - AZURA. It just goes to prove that old fashioned service does not have to be old fashioned. Our ships are very up to date for the modern traveller.
Visit the P&O Cruises fleet at -
The Canberra was built as a liner voyaging between UK and Australia. She survived the Jet Plane era and after her tour of duty in the Falklands War she finished her day as an iconic cruise ship!
On board we have as a Guest Lecturer Mr Ken Vard. Ken will be writing an article about the history of Arcadia which I will post soon. Ken is an expert Marine Historian. For many of you Ken is known as the author of 'Liners in Art'.
Thanks for all your messages - keep them coming - I love reading them and I will keep the blogs coming! So looking forward to our visit to Australia once again and you will love this photograph which is now my desktop background. It was on my blog last February!
I hope all the snow has melted in the UK and that things are getting back to normal.Bye for now,
James.
It is much easier to avoid disagreement than to remove discontent!
George Washington - 1st President of the USA.
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11 comments:
I haven't written here before, although a well seasoned P & O traveller, the next being on Artemis next month to the Panama Canal and Caribbean.
My question is about "Terry Brown" (Police expert) you refer to in your blog on the Gala Reception Day. I believe we saw this gentleman 2 years ago on board our trip to Iceland. If it is the same person, he was a finger-print and crime scene expert in his work and gives a background history to murders and mysteries committed over the years. Passengers will be very well entertained with his lectures if it is the same gentleman and he certainly drew a lot of interest to all his experiences when we saw him.
I wonder whether anyone else has come across this gentleman on their travels and I have got the correct person in my mind.
Hi James,
Just finished our fabulous Welsh Sunday lunches and checked your blog.Mentioning Canberra always brings a tear to my eyes. We stuck with her to the end.We stayed in Southampton on the 29th September(our cruising friend Susan Gore's birthday, and mine on the 30th September) to see Canberra arrive in Southampton for the final time. It was a foggy morning as we stood in Mayflower Park, and then all of a sudden, the hooters sounded, and Canberra came to sight and the fog lifted. I will never forget that moment.
Another interesting fact regarding the good old Canberra. As she was doing her sea trials up the Cardiganshie coast, my parents took my sister(Anne Pash) and myself to Llangrannog to see her sail past. It was at this time that it was found that she(Canberra) was too high in the water at her bow, and had to have balast put in( Hence the georgous spiral staircase)to rectify the problem.Happy days!!!
Look forward to more tit bits!!
Hope everyone is having a great time.
Norma & Peris
Interesting to hear about the guest speakers - do you happen to know who'll be on from HK?
The rain and snow have all gone here and today has been spring-like. I know it won't last but oh how welcome it was even if just for a day.
Gill
Hello James,
My Late Mother, travelled from Bombay to UK in l944 aboard the Stratheden with me in her tummy! One of the accompanying PandO ships was torpedoed, I am not sure of her name. Mum was an Army Nurse and wanted her baby born in the UK - nearly didn't make it. Keep up the great blog, hope to join Arcadia in Dubai.
Regards Peter
James, it is so good that you are keeping the blog going - I was fortunate enough to sail on Canberra for 1 and a half World cruises - as a JAP - what a wonderful time. I am keeping up with all that you and your team do to make everyone happy on this World cruise - take care - Sara xox
Another great blog James, I love the history lesson, keep them coming.
Cheers
Mary G.K.
Hi James,
I am really enjoying your blog postings and love hearing about the Arcadia journey ... I live in San Francisco and you have very special 'cargo' on it's way to me ... my parents, Rob & Betty Gregson, are on the first 3wk leg of the world cruise from Southampton to San Francisco. It's their very first cruise and I do hope they are enjoying themselves - it sounds like such a wonderful trip.
I look forward to your next posting ... you are such a great writer!!
Until then ...
Wendy Gregson
Hi James,
Great article, the Canberra was the first ship me and my twin got assigned to in September 1974, under the command of commodore Fred Woolley.
I started as Bell Boy, they were the good old days.
Just checked the web cam and the sea looks OK today a few clouds around.
It was another scorcher today in Perth with the temp hitting 42.7c.
some parts of our South west Hwy were melting, the trains had to run slow because the rails were searing hot.I now have 3 days off so may have a cold beer to assist with my cooling down.
Looking forward to the article about the history of the Arcadia, she was a ship with lots of great memories for those that served aboard her,especially Arcadia that went to scrap in 1979.
Regards to all on Arcadia.
Geoff Witts Perth
Mel,
This is the same Terry Brown.
James.
Gill,
We don't have the information for the Hong Kong leg as yet! Looking forward to seeing you again.
Best wishes,
James.
Norma and Peris,
I bet that was a good lunch!
Best wishes to all the 'gang'.
James.
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