History
 



RETURN TO THE HOMEPAGE                                                                                                                                                                                                                         S/S ARCADIA 1954
 

P&O's intention in the postwar years to upgrade the Australian service with three liners of the "Himalaya" type had been rather delayed. But it was finally fulfilled in 1954 with the introduction of the Arcadia and her sister Iberia.

These ships were contemporaries of Orient Line's Oronsay and Orsova respectively. Thus the Himalaya, Arcadia and Iberia of P&O had been paralleled by Orient Line's Orcades, Oronsay and Orsova. These ships marked a coming together of new liners of the two companies. Indeed the six ships worked closely together on their Australian service with their sailing schedules organised so that sailings alternated between P&O and Orient. Thus they formed a Southern Dominions "Big Six" fleet.

Design & Construction (1954):

She was built by John Brown & Co. (Clydebank) Ltd, Clydebank, Glasgow. She was launched on the 14th May 1953 by Mrs D.F. Anderson, wife of the Deputy Chairman of P&O (later known as Sir Donald Anderson). She was the second P&O ship named Arcadia and was named after the mythological region of rural happiness in southern Greece. She was completed in January 1954 and underwent dry docking on the River Mersey before undertaking her sea trials on the Clyde. She was delivered to P&O on the 30th January 1954.

P&O Years (1954 - 1970):

She sailed on her maiden voyage on the 22nd February 1954 from London (Tilbury) to Sydney, Australia via Suez.  On the 4th June 1954 she undertook her first cruises from Southampton.  On the 30th December 1957 several passengers and crew were injured during gales in the Bay of Biscay.

On the 1st April 1959 she arrived at Harland & Wolff, Belfast for refitting including full air conditioning. On the 7th April there was a brief fire in one of her aft holds. The refit was completed on the 11th June 1959 and she returned to service.

In November 1959 she undertook her first Pacific cruises and became the first cruise ship to call at Picton on South Island, New Zealand.

In January 1958 P&O and Orient services to Australia were extended across the Pacific in a joint service marketed as Orient & Pacific Line. The Arcadia thus started operation in March 1960 on her first trans-pacific services and sailings continued from Sydney to Auckland, Suva, Honolulu, Vancouver and San Francisco.

In May 1960 her management and operation was transferred to P&O-Orient Lines.

In January 1961 she ran aground for two hours off Okahu Island, Hawaii. In February 1963 she had engine trouble which resulted in a two day delay in Bombay.

In 1966 her managment and operation was transferred to P&O Lines. In December 1968 clearance was obtained from the US Authorities to allow P&O to make scheduled cruises from the USA to the Caribbean.

The Final Years (1970 - 1979):

Gradually in their later years the Arcadia and her sister Iberia moved increasingly to cruising. Indeed the Arcadia was instrumental in developing cruising to Alaska and Mexico and paved the way for P&O's acquisition of Princess Cruises in 1974.

In April 1970 she was refitted by J.I. Thornycroft Ltd, Southampton and this included removal of the mainmast and shortening of the foremast by 5.5 metres to allow clearance under low cables in Alaskan harbours. She became the first large ship to cruise the Alaskan coast.

In October 1971 her management and operation was transferred to the P&O Passenger Division.

In June 1973 she was converted to 1,350 berth open class operation. On the 17th May 1975 she sailed to Australia to replace the Himalaya on the Australian station. In 1977 her management and operation was transferred to P&O Cruises Ltd.

On the 29th January 1979 she sailed from Sydney on her final cruise via Brisbane, Rabaul, and Hong Kong to Singapore. She arrived in Singapore on the 17th February 1979 and her passengers were transferred to the Sea Princess. She then sailed bound for Kaoshiung, Taiwan and scrapping after a sale to Lee Chang Iron & Steel Works Ltd. She arrived at Kaoshiung, Taiwan on the 28th February 1979 and demolition commenced in April 1979. A sad end to a fine ship. Indeed the Arcadia was the ship that helped P&O transition from line voyages into full time cruising. So she has a well deserved place in history.

 



 

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