RMS Empress of Canada

RMS Empress of Canada was an ocean liner built for Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd. to replace the earlier Empress of Scotland and strengthen the company's postwar passenger services between Britain and Canada. Although associated with Canadian Pacific Railways, the vessel was owned and operated by the company's British-registered steamship subsidiary, sailed under the British flag, and was crewed by British personnel. It therefore was not the flagship of the Canadian Merchant Marine. The ship was ordered in the context of a postwar revival in migration and passenger travel across the North Atlantic. Canadian Pacific had restored its transatlantic service after the Second World War with converted cargo liners and older Empress vessels, then commissioned the Empress of Britain and Empress of England in the mid-1950s. The new Empress of Canada was intended to complete and modernize this fleet. Vickers-Armstrongs built her at Walker on the River Tyne in northeastern England under a contract announced in January 1958. Her keel was laid in January 1959, she was launched in May 1960, and she entered Canadian Pacific service in March 1961. At approximately 27,284 gross register tons and 650 feet long, the ship was a substantial postwar liner, though smaller than the largest transatlantic vessels of the period. Her machinery consisted of Foster Wheeler boilers and Pametrada geared steam turbines driving two propellers. An ice-strengthened hull, stabilizers, air conditioning, an indoor swimming pool, cinema, and the two-deck Canada Room reflected the expectations of long-distance passenger travel in the early 1960s. She accommodated 192 first-class passengers and 856 tourist-class passengers. During cruises, the ship operated as a single-class vessel. The Empress of Canada made her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Montreal in April 1961 and became the largest passenger ship to sail up the St. Lawrence River at that time. Her Canadian Pacific career combined scheduled Atlantic crossings with seasonal cruises. The principal liner route ran between Liverpool and Montreal, with Saint John, New Brunswick, used during the months when the St. Lawrence was normally closed by ice. The ship also undertook Caribbean, Mediterranean, West Indies, Scandinavian, North Cape, and other cruise itineraries from North American and British ports. In 1967, several sailings were associated with Expo 67 in Montreal, including a voyage carrying Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco and their children. The vessel's service was affected by mechanical problems, labor disputes, weather, and changing passenger patterns. It experienced a voyage-ending mechanical problem in 1963, was diverted by a St. Lawrence longshoremen's strike later that year, ran aground briefly at San Juan in 1968 without reported damage, and struck a whale in the same year. A boiler-room fire in August 1971 was brought under control quickly after passengers were mustered near the lifeboats. More fundamentally, the growth of commercial aviation sharply reduced demand for long-distance ocean travel. Immigration by sea to Canada also declined, while labor problems and unfavorable currency conditions weakened the economics of the cruise program. Canadian Pacific withdrew the ship from service in November 1971, cancelling its remaining scheduled cruises. Her final North Atlantic crossing carried 274 passengers and ended at Liverpool on 23 November 1971. The vessel had completed 121 transatlantic voyages and 82 cruises for Canadian Pacific. She was subsequently sold to the newly established Carnival Cruise Lines, renamed Mardi Gras in February 1972, transferred to Panamanian registration, and adapted for cruising from Miami. The conversion marked a transition from the traditional liner model to the modern mass-market cruise business and made the former Empress of Canada a foundational vessel in Carnival's early fleet. The ship is no longer in service.

After the Second World War, Canadian Pacific Steamships rebuilt its passenger network with converted cargo liners and refitted Empress ships. A rise in immigration to Canada supported renewed demand for transatlantic travel, leading to the construction of the Empress of Britain and Empress of England in the 1950s. In July 1957, Canadian Pacific began planning a further replacement for the Empress of Scotland. The new ship was intended to operate with the other Empress liners between Liverpool and Montreal, using Saint John during the winter closure of the St. Lawrence River. It was also designed to become the company's principal winter cruise ship. The construction contract, valued at £7.5 million, was awarded to Vickers-Armstrongs at Walker in January 1958. The keel was laid in January 1959. The ship's name was announced in January 1960, and she was launched on 10 May that year by Olive Diefenbaker, wife of Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. After fitting out and trials in the Firth of Clyde, the ship reached Liverpool in March 1961 and was formally commissioned into Canadian Pacific service on 29 March. Her maiden voyage left Liverpool on 24 April 1961 and reached Montreal on 2 May. During the first years of operation, the Empress of Canada alternated between regular Atlantic crossings and cruises. The ship made Caribbean and West Indies voyages, Mediterranean itineraries, and cruises from Britain to destinations including Madeira, the Canary Islands, North Africa, Scandinavia, and the North Cape. She was also used for Expo 67 traffic to Montreal. Her passenger accommodation was divided into first and tourist classes on liner voyages, while cruises were operated on a single-class basis. Operational disruptions were a recurring feature of the ship's career. Mechanical trouble ended one 1963 voyage at Quebec, while a longshoremen's strike later that year forced passengers and cargo to be discharged at Halifax. The vessel briefly grounded at San Juan in February 1968 and was freed without reported damage. In May of that year she collided with a whale, which became lodged on the bow and was removed by maneuvering astern. In August 1971, a boiler blowback caused a fire in the boiler room; the incident was contained within minutes, although passengers were assembled near the lifeboats as a precaution. The larger challenge was the collapse of the traditional liner market. Improvements in commercial aviation made air travel faster and increasingly competitive, while Canadian immigration no longer generated enough sea passengers to sustain the route. Canadian Pacific also faced labor unrest and adverse currency conditions affecting cruise profitability. The company announced the ship's withdrawal on 9 November 1971. Her last Canadian Pacific crossing departed Montreal on 17 November with 274 passengers and 360 crew and arrived at Liverpool on 23 November. In total, she completed 121 transatlantic voyages and 82 cruises for the company. The vessel was laid up at Tilbury after leaving Liverpool with a skeleton crew. A proposed sale to Shaw Savill did not occur. In January 1972 she was instead purchased by Carnival Cruise Lines, then a new and financially weak operator. Renamed Mardi Gras on 14 February, she received limited interior work and a new color scheme before departing Tilbury for Miami on 26 February. A labor protest over flags of convenience delayed the departure. Carnival used the ship to establish its cruise operation, initially sending her from Miami on a cruise in March 1972. Her transfer from a scheduled ocean liner to a leisure cruise ship illustrated the industry's movement away from traditional point-to-point passenger services and toward dedicated cruise itineraries.

• 1972

  Becomes Mardi Gras

  [1]RMS Empress of Canada (1960)en.wikipedia.org

  Carnival Cruise Lines acquired the vessel and renamed it Mardi Gras, making it the company's first ship.

• 1971

  Canadian Pacific service ends

  [1]RMS Empress of Canada (1960)en.wikipedia.org

  Canadian Pacific withdrew the ship after 121 transatlantic voyages and 82 cruises.

• 1967

  Expo 67 sailings

  [1]RMS Empress of Canada (1960)en.wikipedia.org

  The ship completed five special sailings connected with Montreal's Expo 67 celebrations.

• 1963

  Service disrupted by mechanical trouble and labor action

  [1]RMS Empress of Canada (1960)en.wikipedia.org

  Mechanical trouble ended one voyage at Quebec, while a St. Lawrence longshoremen's strike forced another voyage to discharge at Halifax.

• 1961

  Commissioned and begins maiden voyage

  [1]RMS Empress of Canada (1960)en.wikipedia.org

  The ship entered Canadian Pacific service at Liverpool in March and made its maiden Liverpool–Montreal voyage in April.

• 1960

  Launched at Walker

  [1]RMS Empress of Canada (1960)en.wikipedia.org

  The vessel was launched on 10 May 1960.

• 1959

  Keel laid

  [1]RMS Empress of Canada (1960)en.wikipedia.org

  The ship's keel was laid at Vickers-Armstrongs' Walker yard on the River Tyne.

• 1958

  Construction contract awarded

  [1]RMS Empress of Canada (1960)en.wikipedia.org

  Canadian Pacific awarded Vickers-Armstrongs a £7.5 million contract to build a replacement passenger liner.

A premium postwar Canadian Pacific ocean liner for transatlantic travel that also served as a seasonal cruise ship, later repositioned as an accessible, entertainment-focused cruise vessel for the emerging Carnival Cruise Lines.

• Ocean liner · 1960

  RMS Empress of Canada

  A 27,284-gross-register-ton passenger liner built for Canadian Pacific. It offered first- and tourist-class accommodation on scheduled voyages and converted to single-class operation for cruises. Facilities included air conditioning, an indoor pool, cinema, and the two-level Canada Room. The ship was ice-strengthened and designed for a service speed of 20 knots, reaching 23 knots during trials.

• Cruise ship · 1972

  Mardi Gras

  The name used by Carnival Cruise Lines after purchasing the former Empress of Canada in 1972. Carnival made limited internal modifications, revised the color scheme, transferred the ship to Panamanian registration, and marketed it for cruises from Miami as the company's inaugural vessel.

• 1967Expo 67 sailings

  United Kingdom · Canada

  Canadian Pacific scheduled five special voyages to support passenger travel to Expo 67 in Montreal. The sailings linked the ship's traditional transatlantic role with a major international cultural and tourism event.

  Outcome. The ship carried Expo-related travelers, including Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco and their children on one arrival.

  Source

• 1972

  Sell the vessel to Carnival Cruise LinesM&A

  Background

  After the ship's Canadian Pacific withdrawal and an unsuccessful proposed sale to Shaw Savill, the vessel became available to a newly established cruise operator.

  Action taken

  Carnival Cruise Lines purchased the ship, renamed it Mardi Gras, made limited changes, and transferred it to Panamanian registration.

  Aftermath

  Mardi Gras became Carnival's first ship and helped launch the company's cruise business from Miami.

  Source

• 1971

  Withdraw the ship from Canadian Pacific serviceStrategy

  Background

  Air travel had reduced transatlantic passenger demand, sea-based immigration to Canada had fallen, and labor and currency pressures weakened profitability.

  Action taken

  Canadian Pacific cancelled the remaining program and removed the ship from service in November 1971.

  Aftermath

  The vessel was laid up at Tilbury and later sold to Carnival Cruise Lines.

  Source

• 1958

  Commission a new Empress linerProduct launch

  Background

  Canadian Pacific needed a modern replacement for the Empress of Scotland while continuing to serve the postwar transatlantic and seasonal cruise markets.

  Action taken

  The company commissioned Vickers-Armstrongs to build a new liner for the Liverpool–Canada route and winter cruise program.

  Aftermath

  The resulting vessel entered service in 1961 and became Canadian Pacific's last passenger liner.

  Construction contract value. £7.5 million (1958)

  Source

1. 1RMS Empress of Canada (1960)en.wikipedia.org