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RMS Carinthia (1956)
Encyclopedia
RMS Carinthia was an ocean liner
built in 1956 as one of the four Saxonia class ships. She sailed for Cunard Line
from her completion until 1968 when she was sold to for Sitmar Line, rebuilt into a full-time cruise ship
and renamed SS Fairsea. She sailed with Sitmar until 1988, when Sitmar was sold to P&O
. She was renamed SS Fair Princess and sailed for Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises
until 2000. She was then sold to China Sea Cruises and renamed SS China Sea Discovery. In 2005 or 2006 she was scrapped in Alang, India
.
designed new ships for the Liverpool
-Montreal
route. Cunard originally decided to build just two ships but later on two more were ordered. These ships were largest ships to be operated to Canada
at the time. The ships were be built in Clydebank
and they were designed for luxury and speed including carrying passengers and cargo up the St Lawrence River.
Cunard Line decided start operating the Carinthia as a cruise ship during the winter months. She was used on 10 day cruises from New York
to Bermuda
. During 1968 she was sold to Sitmar Line and renamed SS Fairsea and used for cruises on the United States West Coast. Following the sale of Sitmar Line to P&O
in 1988 she was transferred to Princess Cruises
used her for cruising on the Pacific Ocean
as the Fair Princess.
In 1996 she was transferred to the fleet of P&O Cruises
for cruising out of Sydney
, Australia
, retaining the name Fair Princess.
In 2000 she was sold to China Sea Cruises and renamed China Sea Discovery. She operated as a casino cruise ship but was unsuccessful. During 2001 she operated in Taiwan. Finally after many unsuccessful voyages she was decided to be scrapped in Alang, India. While under scrapping, a fire broke out in the engine room, injuring nine people. In the end, the ship was scrapped in either 2005 or 2006.
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
built in 1956 as one of the four Saxonia class ships. She sailed for Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
from her completion until 1968 when she was sold to for Sitmar Line, rebuilt into a full-time cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
and renamed SS Fairsea. She sailed with Sitmar until 1988, when Sitmar was sold to P&O
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which is usually known as P&O, is a British shipping and logistics company which dated from the early 19th century. Following its sale in March 2006 to Dubai Ports World for £3.9 billion, it became a subsidiary of DP World; however, the P&O...
. She was renamed SS Fair Princess and sailed for Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, and operated by Carnival UK. Originally a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, P&O Cruises is the oldest cruise line in the world, having operated the world's first...
until 2000. She was then sold to China Sea Cruises and renamed SS China Sea Discovery. In 2005 or 2006 she was scrapped in Alang, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Concept and construction
Near the end of 1951 Cunard LineCunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
designed new ships for the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
-Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
route. Cunard originally decided to build just two ships but later on two more were ordered. These ships were largest ships to be operated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at the time. The ships were be built in Clydebank
Clydebank
Clydebank is a town in West Dunbartonshire, in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, Clydebank borders Dumbarton, the town with which it was combined to form West Dunbartonshire, as well as the town of Milngavie in East Dunbartonshire, and the Yoker and...
and they were designed for luxury and speed including carrying passengers and cargo up the St Lawrence River.
Service history
RMS Carinthia started on her maiden voyage on 27 June 1956 with 890 passengers and crew onboard. She arrived in Montreal for the first time on 27 June 1956. After that she made four more voyages she was so successful with that other ships that operate on that route were all scrapped leaving the four ships the only ships that go to Montreal. During 1960 the Carinthia suffered a fire in one of her cabins. In 1961 the ship workers went on strike and the ship did not operate for two weeks. Also during 1961 she collided with the . In 1962 her propellers failed during a voyage. During 1964 another strike happened. Carinthia was still operated from Liverpool to Montreal well into 1965.Cunard Line decided start operating the Carinthia as a cruise ship during the winter months. She was used on 10 day cruises from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. During 1968 she was sold to Sitmar Line and renamed SS Fairsea and used for cruises on the United States West Coast. Following the sale of Sitmar Line to P&O
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which is usually known as P&O, is a British shipping and logistics company which dated from the early 19th century. Following its sale in March 2006 to Dubai Ports World for £3.9 billion, it became a subsidiary of DP World; however, the P&O...
in 1988 she was transferred to Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Santa Clarita, California in the United States. Previously a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises PLC, the company is now one of ten cruise ship brands operated by Carnival Corporation & PLC and accounts for approximately 19% share...
used her for cruising on the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
as the Fair Princess.
In 1996 she was transferred to the fleet of P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, and operated by Carnival UK. Originally a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, P&O Cruises is the oldest cruise line in the world, having operated the world's first...
for cruising out of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, retaining the name Fair Princess.
In 2000 she was sold to China Sea Cruises and renamed China Sea Discovery. She operated as a casino cruise ship but was unsuccessful. During 2001 she operated in Taiwan. Finally after many unsuccessful voyages she was decided to be scrapped in Alang, India. While under scrapping, a fire broke out in the engine room, injuring nine people. In the end, the ship was scrapped in either 2005 or 2006.