Great mediterranean passenger ship -- caribia

[Doc Vernon]

Cunard's Caronia was probably the most luxurious liner afloat in the Fifties. She also ​appears, of course, in our new book Maritime Royalty. The 34,000-ton, all-green liner is well remembered by scores of former Cunard staff with great reverence. As one crew member said, "To work the Caronia, on her long and luxurious cruises to ports all the over the world, was a plum assignment at Cunard."
Attachment 22022


But her final years were troubled, sad, even tragic.

During Cunard's massive fleet reduction in the late 1960s, the Caronia was decommissioned in October 1967. She was later sold to Greek buyers, renamed Caribia and was intended to run New York-Caribbean cruises. She resumed service slightly, but had a fire in the Caribbean and later returned to New York only to slip into a bankrupt, idle, very neglected state (including being berthed stern-first between Piers 84 & 86 for a time and as seen here). Laid-up for her remaining years, she was sold finally to Taiwanese scrappers in 1974, but then wrecked while en route and under tow in a ferocious storm near Guam that August. She broke in three after crashing into a local breakwater; her remains were later removed or demolished.

[j.sabourn]

#19 John. There was one seaman came back who got about the same as me in redundancy, he wasn't exactly enamoured by their benevolence. I also said on coming to Oz after getting past the unions was on about 3 times the salary as uk, after 3 years was made redundant as Swires took management of their own ships back and received about 17000 dollars in Redundancy and re-employed the next day so to speak on the same ships. I retired from Australian ships about 1998 and took out my superannuation and bought a plot of land to build my retirement home on. Went up to Singapore and worked for a Malaysian Company for 3 months. Came back to Australia and rejoined the Guild and worked for another few years on Australian ships. Retired officially at 65 had built a retirement home a year before retirement, all paid off done and dusted bought a new car for the wife and settled down to a quite life fishing drinking and playing around in a small cabin cruiser had bought. Was offered a series of jobs still at sea, one which I was very close to considering in the Pacific Islands group running when required with heavy work industrial equipment for building houses towns or whatever, the bloke who came off the ship was in his eighties and I was only 70 so I was considered young enough for the job, a shore establishment was provided and could take your family, as our family at the time was two dogs, I was told I could take them as well, but wouldn't of liked 2 dogs scampering around the ship whenever had to make traumatic sea passages around the islands. Some of the jobs I have had also in Australia a lot of people wouldn't believe either, I wouldn't if someone told me them. Things and life style that one would never have gained in the UK, so as I often say God Bless Australia, this is where I should have been years before I was. Wages as regards even the Malaysian ship was about twice British ship standards, these companies pay salarys in excess of whatever nationality one belongs to and even offered to increase when I came to leaving time. This International Union awards I have never seen, and all the crews I sailed with were happy with what they got, if they weren't they were quite at liberty to leave. Thinking back to the Federation days is like going back to the Charles Dickens era of Oliver Twist and can I have some more. It worked good for the shipowner who took his ill gotten gains and probably went to what he thought were greener pastures. Wouldn't have said all this but better I had before I get back into the second half of the Bacardi bottle, only two bottles of whiskey after that, so any visitors I hope they bring their own. Have a good New Year and the same to all. Cheers JS Forgot to answer your question, the seaman who put a post on here and got about the same as me was over 30 years, so reckon for 14 years you would have got about 600 pounds, not worth hanging around for, as also said at the time the miners were getting 30,000 pounds for over 22 years service. I never heard a murmur from any of the seafarers unions or associations. You did the right thing by going to Saudi. Another good payer years ago was Zim Lines an Israeli company, they used to be on the lookout for the right people. I always seemed to miss out with that one, maybe they thought my nose was the wrong shape. Incidentally the wife has had 2 more new cars since I retired, I can only afford second hand ones for self. Cheers JWS