RMS Carinthia

RMS Carinthia was a British ocean liner built for Cunard Line's passenger and cargo service between Britain and Canada. Although associated with the 1955 order and commonly identified as a 1956-built ship, she was one of four Saxonia-class liners commissioned to modernize Cunard's Liverpool–Montreal–Halifax route. The class was designed for a demanding seasonal service: in summer, the ships could travel up the St. Lawrence River to Montreal, while in winter, when the river was affected by ice, they served Halifax and other North Atlantic ports. Their design combined relatively high speed, passenger comfort and cargo capacity, making them important postwar additions to the Canadian service. Carinthia made her maiden voyage to Montreal on 27 June 1956, carrying 890 passengers and crew. Together with her sister ship RMS Saxonia, she helped demonstrate the commercial viability of Cunard's new Canadian liners. The four Saxonia-class ships subsequently became the principal liners on the Montreal route after competing vessels serving the service were withdrawn or scrapped. Carinthia remained a Cunard liner through the 1960s, although her career included operational disruptions. A cabin fire occurred in 1960, she collided with SS Tadoussac in 1961, and she experienced propeller failure during a 1962 voyage. Crew disputes also affected the ship: a 1960 dispute followed disciplinary action against deck hands who had formed a skiffle group, and another crew strike occurred in 1964. As passenger shipping economics changed, Cunard increasingly used Carinthia for cruising. She operated winter cruises from New York to Bermuda while continuing portions of her Canadian and transatlantic employment. In 1968, Cunard sold her to Sitmar Line along with sister ship Sylvania. Initially renamed Fairland and laid up at Southampton, she underwent an extensive Italian refit. The rebuilt vessel emerged as Fairsea and entered Sitmar's cruise operation in 1972, sailing from the United States West Coast. The ship changed hands again when P&O acquired Sitmar in 1988. Transferred to Princess Cruises, she became Fair Princess and operated Pacific cruises. In 1995 she moved to P&O Holidays, the predecessor of the modern P&O Cruises Australia operation. A proposed charter to Regency Cruises under the name Regent Isle did not result in service because Regency filed for bankruptcy before the planned 1996 season. Fair Princess instead entered P&O Holidays service in 1997, replacing the retired TSS Fairstar, and continued into the end of the decade. In 2000, the vessel was sold to China Sea Cruises and renamed China Sea Discovery. The company operated her as a casino cruise ship, including service in Taiwan in 2001, but the venture was unsuccessful. She was eventually sent to Alang, India, for demolition. A fire in the engine room during the scrapping process killed five workers and injured fifteen others. Sources place the completion of her demolition in either 2005 or 2006. Carinthia's significance lies in her long transition from a postwar liner built for scheduled Canadian service to a multi-market cruise ship that passed through Cunard, Sitmar, Princess, P&O and China Sea Cruises operations.

Cunard Line developed the Saxonia class near the end of 1951 for its Canadian route linking Liverpool with Montreal and Halifax. The company initially planned two ships but expanded the order to four: Saxonia, Ivernia, Carinthia and Sylvania. Built at Clydebank, the vessels were intended to combine speed, luxury and useful cargo capacity. Their route planning reflected seasonal geography. During warmer months they could proceed up the St. Lawrence to Montreal; during winter conditions they relied on Halifax when the river became difficult to navigate. Carinthia entered service on 27 June 1956, making her maiden voyage to Montreal with 890 passengers and crew. The ship and RMS Saxonia quickly proved effective on the new service. Other liners on the route were subsequently withdrawn, leaving the four new Cunard ships as the principal operators. Carinthia remained in Cunard service through a period when scheduled liner travel was increasingly challenged by air transport and changing passenger preferences. Her Cunard career included several incidents and labor disputes. A cabin fire occurred in 1960. In the same year, deck hands who had formed a skiffle group on a public deck were fined after passenger complaints about noise; the disciplinary action contributed to a crew strike that spread beyond the vessel and affected other liners in Liverpool. Carinthia collided with SS Tadoussac in 1961 and suffered propeller failure during a 1962 voyage. The crew struck again in 1964. She continued Liverpool–Montreal service until the end of 1966 and later operated from Southampton to Montreal and New York into 1967. Cunard began using the ship for winter cruising, including ten-day voyages from New York to Bermuda. In 1968, Carinthia and Sylvania were sold to Sitmar Line. The ship was first renamed Fairland and laid up at Southampton, then underwent a year-long refurbishment in Italy. Renamed Fairsea, she entered Sitmar Cruises service in 1972, operating from the United States West Coast as a purpose-oriented cruise ship rather than a conventional liner. P&O's acquisition of Sitmar in 1988 brought another change. The vessel moved to Princess Cruises and was renamed Fair Princess for Pacific cruising. In 1995 she was transferred to P&O Holidays, although she was immediately intended for a Regency Cruises charter as Regent Isle. That plan failed when Regency entered bankruptcy before the 1996 season. In 1997, Fair Princess began P&O Holidays service, replacing TSS Fairstar, and remained with the operation through the remainder of the decade. China Sea Cruises purchased the vessel in 2000 and renamed her China Sea Discovery. The new operator attempted to use the ship for casino cruises, including operations in Taiwan during 2001, but the business was unsuccessful. The ship was eventually sent to Alang, India, for scrapping. A fire in the engine room during demolition caused five worker deaths and fifteen injuries. The precise year of completion is reported as either 2005 or 2006, bringing to an end a career that had spanned scheduled liner service, international cruising and casino cruising.

• 2005

  Sent for demolition

  [1]RMS Carinthia (1955)en.wikipedia.org

  The vessel reached Alang, India, for scrapping; sources variously date completion to 2005 or 2006.

• 2000

  Sold to China Sea Cruises

  [1]RMS Carinthia (1955)en.wikipedia.org

  The ship became China Sea Discovery and was deployed as a casino cruise ship.

• 1997

  Begins P&O Holidays service

  [1]RMS Carinthia (1955)en.wikipedia.org

  Fair Princess entered P&O Holidays operations after the collapse of the planned Regency Cruises charter.

• 1988

  Transferred to Princess Cruises

  [1]RMS Carinthia (1955)en.wikipedia.org

  P&O's acquisition of Sitmar led to the ship's transfer and renaming as Fair Princess.

• 1972

  Fairsea enters Sitmar cruise service

  [1]RMS Carinthia (1955)en.wikipedia.org

  Following an extensive Italian refit, the ship commenced United States West Coast cruises as Fairsea.

• 1968

  Sold to Sitmar Line

  [1]RMS Carinthia (1955)en.wikipedia.org

  The vessel left Cunard ownership and began conversion toward full-time cruise service.

• 1956

  Maiden voyage

  [1]RMS Carinthia (1955)en.wikipedia.org

  Carinthia began her first voyage to Montreal on 27 June.

• 1951

  Saxonia-class concept developed

  [1]RMS Carinthia (1955)en.wikipedia.org

  Cunard designed a new class of ships for its Canadian passenger-and-cargo route and later expanded the plan to four vessels.

Originally positioned as a fast, comfortable postwar liner for Cunard's Canadian passenger-and-cargo route, the ship was later repositioned as a full-time cruise vessel and ultimately as a casino cruise ship.

• Scheduled ocean liner · 1956

  Canadian liner service

  Carinthia's original role was passenger and cargo service between Britain and Canada. The route connected Liverpool with Montreal and Halifax, using Montreal in suitable seasons and Halifax when winter conditions affected navigation on the St. Lawrence.

• Leisure cruise

  New York–Bermuda cruises

  During the late Cunard period, the ship was used for ten-day winter cruises from New York to Bermuda, reflecting the company's effort to adapt a traditional liner to changing travel demand.

• Leisure cruise · 1972

  Fairsea cruises

  After refurbishment and conversion, Fairsea operated as a full-time cruise ship for Sitmar Cruises from the United States West Coast beginning in 1972.

• Leisure cruise · 1988

  Fair Princess cruises

  As Fair Princess, the ship sailed Pacific routes first for Princess Cruises and later for P&O Holidays, replacing TSS Fairstar in the latter fleet in 1997.

• Casino cruise · 2000

  China Sea Discovery casino cruises

  China Sea Cruises attempted to operate the former liner as a casino cruise ship, including service in Taiwan. The operation did not achieve lasting commercial success.

• 2000

  Casino-cruise repositioningStrategy

  Background

  China Sea Cruises acquired the aging vessel for a new leisure and gaming concept.

  Action taken

  The ship was renamed China Sea Discovery and operated as a casino cruise ship.

  Aftermath

  The venture was unsuccessful, and the vessel was later sent to Alang for demolition.

  Source

• 1995

  Planned Regency Cruises charterStrategy

  Background

  After transfer to P&O Holidays, the ship was promoted for a charter under the name Regent Isle.

  Action taken

  The planned charter was abandoned after Regency Cruises entered bankruptcy before the advertised 1996 season.

  Aftermath

  The ship instead entered P&O Holidays service in 1997 as Fair Princess.

  Source

• 1968

  Conversion from scheduled liner to cruise shipStrategy

  Background

  Changing economics in passenger transportation reduced the attractiveness of traditional liner service.

  Action taken

  Cunard sold Carinthia to Sitmar Line, which refitted her and redeployed her as a full-time cruise ship.

  Aftermath

  The ship continued operating for decades under new names and in several cruise markets.

  Source

1. 1RMS Carinthia (1955)en.wikipedia.org