Empress of Britain
RMS Empress of Britain was a Canadian Pacific ocean liner launched in 1955, later operated under several names as a Greek liner, cruise ship, and Peace Boat vessel.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
RMS Empress of Britain was a postwar ocean liner built for Canadian Pacific Steamships and was the third Canadian Pacific vessel to carry the Empress of Britain name. Constructed by Fairfield Shipbuilding at Govan near Glasgow, the ship was christened by Queen Elizabeth II on 22 June 1955 and entered service in 1956. Her design reflected the late transition from traditional liner travel to the emerging cruise market: she was a substantial twin-propeller steamship intended for scheduled North Atlantic service, but also had passenger accommodation and public spaces adaptable to changing patterns of leisure travel. The vessel measured approximately 25,516 tons, was 640 feet long, and had an 85.2-foot beam. Her machinery gave her an average service speed of about 20 knots. The original configuration accommodated 160 first-class passengers and 984 tourist-class passengers. She made her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Montreal on 20 April 1956 and subsequently operated regular services between Britain and Canada. Under the Canadian Pacific flag, she completed 123 transatlantic voyages before the company sold her in November 1964 as scheduled liner economics deteriorated and air travel increasingly displaced ocean crossings. After leaving Canadian Pacific service, the ship entered a long second career under successive owners and names. The Greek Line renamed her Queen Anna Maria and rebuilt portions of the vessel, including a new stern lido area. She operated Mediterranean and North Atlantic routes linking Piraeus, Italian ports, Lisbon, Halifax, New York, and at times Boston, with later services also calling at Haifa and Limassol. The ship eventually shifted from conventional multi-class transportation toward one-class cruising and was temporarily laid up at Piraeus in 1975. Carnival Cruise Lines acquired the vessel in 1976 and renamed her Carnivale. As Carnival developed newer ships, the vessel was moved into subsidiary and affiliated operations. In 1993 she became Fiesta Marina under Fiesta Marina Cruises, an expansion venture that did not ultimately succeed. Epirotiki acquired her in 1994 and renamed her Olympic; in 1996 she was transferred to Royal Olympic Cruises while retaining that name. Thomson Holidays purchased her in 1997 and gave her the name The Topaz. From 2003, the ship was chartered and later sold to Topaz International for operation by Peace Boat. In that role she sailed as Peace Boat and received a white livery with a blue funnel and large hull lettering. A 2005 inspection reportedly found the vessel in very good condition, with her steam-turbine machinery still operating effectively. Nevertheless, the economics of maintaining a roughly fifty-year-old steamship became increasingly difficult. Fuel costs and the inefficiency of the original machinery made it impossible to secure a viable long-term buyer, and the ship was retired from Peace Boat service in April 2008. Following retirement, the laid-up vessel was struck at anchor by the tanker Champion Brali on 15 June 2008, damaging and severing part of her bow. She was subsequently sold for demolition, beached at Alang, India, in mid-2008, and dismantled over the following period. By December 2022, the former Empress of Britain had been completely scrapped. Her significance lies in the unusually long operational life of a postwar liner that moved through scheduled transatlantic service, Greek-line operations, mainstream cruising, subsidiary cruise experiments, and humanitarian or activist-oriented Peace Boat voyages.
History
The third Canadian Pacific ship named Empress of Britain was built at Fairfield Shipbuilding's yard in Govan, Scotland, during 1955–1956. Queen Elizabeth II christened the vessel on 22 June 1955, linking the ship to the long-standing Canadian Pacific tradition of naming major liners after imperial titles. She entered service with a maiden voyage from Liverpool to Montreal on 20 April 1956. The 25,516-ton liner was approximately 640 feet long and 85.2 feet wide. Twin propellers and steam machinery gave her an average speed of around 20 knots. Her original accommodation was divided between 160 first-class passengers and 984 tourist-class passengers, matching the class-based structure still common in postwar ocean travel. She operated regular North Atlantic crossings between Britain and Canada and completed 123 voyages for Canadian Pacific before being sold in November 1964. The ship's second career began with the Greek Line, which renamed her Queen Anna Maria and modified her for the company's services. The refit included a new stern lido area, while the ship was remeasured under Greek rules. She served routes connecting Piraeus and Mediterranean ports with Lisbon, Halifax, and New York, with variations that included Haifa, Limassol, and Boston. Over time, the business model shifted from traditional multi-class liner service to full-time, single-class cruising. She spent part of 1975 laid up at Piraeus. In 1976, Carnival Cruise Lines bought the ship and renamed her Carnivale. Her service continued as Carnival expanded and introduced newer ships. In 1993, Carnival transferred the vessel to the subsidiary Fiesta Marina Cruises, where she was renamed Fiesta Marina. That expansion project did not prove successful. Epirotiki bought her in 1994 and renamed her Olympic; in 1996 she moved to Royal Olympic Cruises, retaining the Olympic name. Thomson Holidays acquired the vessel in 1997 and renamed her The Topaz. From 2003, she was chartered and later sold to Topaz International for Peace Boat operations. As Peace Boat, she was repainted white with a blue funnel and prominently marked lettering. A 2005 inspection found the ship in unusually good physical condition for her age, including steam turbines reported to be functioning well. Her continued operation was nevertheless undermined by high fuel prices and the limited efficiency of machinery designed for a much earlier era. Peace Boat retired the ship in April 2008. While laid up, she was hit by the tanker Champion Brali on 15 June, resulting in severe bow damage. The former liner was sold to breakers, beached at Alang in India in mid-2008, and dismantled. Later accounts indicate that demolition was complete by December 2022. The ship's long sequence of names and owners illustrates the changing economics of passenger shipping: from scheduled transatlantic liner, to Greek international service, to cruise ship, affiliated venture, and finally Peace Boat charter vessel.
- 2008
Retirement and disposal
[1]After leaving Peace Boat service and suffering collision damage while laid up, the ship was sent to Alang for scrapping.
- 1997
Renamed The Topaz
[1]Thomson Holidays purchased the former Olympic and gave her the name The Topaz.
- 1976
Carnivale period begins
[1]Carnival Cruise Lines acquired the ship and renamed her Carnivale.
- 1964
Sale to Greek Line
[1]Canadian Pacific sold the vessel after 123 transatlantic voyages; she became Queen Anna Maria.
- 1956
Maiden voyage
[1]She sailed from Liverpool to Montreal on 20 April, beginning her Canadian Pacific service.
- 1955
Christened by Queen Elizabeth II
[1]The new Canadian Pacific liner was christened at Fairfield Shipbuilding in Govan on 22 June.
Products and positioning
A postwar Canadian Pacific passenger liner that evolved from premium transatlantic transportation into a versatile international cruise and charter vessel.
Ocean liner · 1955
RMS Empress of Britain
A 1955–1956 Fairfield-built Canadian Pacific passenger liner designed for regular North Atlantic service. The vessel offered first-class and tourist-class accommodation, operated at an average speed of about 20 knots, and linked Britain with Canada. Under later owners it was rebuilt and adapted for Mediterranean service, cruising, and charter operations.
Cruise and charter operation · 2003
Peace Boat
The ship's final operating identity was Peace Boat, under which it was chartered and later sold to Topaz International for use by the Peace Boat organization. It received a white-and-blue livery and continued international voyages until retirement in April 2008.
Brand decisions
2008
Retirement from Peace Boat operationsStrategyBackground
The ship's approximately fifty-year-old steam machinery was increasingly costly to operate, particularly as oil prices rose.
Action taken
Peace Boat ended use of the vessel in April, after which the ship was laid up and later sold to breakers.
Aftermath
A collision while laid up damaged the bow, and the former liner was beached at Alang and dismantled.
1976
Carnival acquisition and repositioningM&ABackground
The aging liner remained commercially useful as the cruise industry developed.
Action taken
Carnival Cruise Lines acquired the ship and renamed her Carnivale for cruise operations.
Aftermath
As Carnival expanded and purchased newer ships, the vessel was later moved to an affiliated Latin-market venture.
1964
Sale and conversion to Greek-line serviceStrategyBackground
The economics of traditional liner service were weakening as air travel expanded and passenger shipping patterns changed.
Action taken
Canadian Pacific sold the ship to the Greek Line, which renamed her Queen Anna Maria and modified her for Mediterranean and North Atlantic routes.
Aftermath
The vessel continued operating for decades but progressively moved from scheduled, class-based liner service toward cruising.
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