Re: Lives of the Liners - The Sunny Southern Route

[j.sabourn]

The fares on these floating" Life of Reilly vessels" is very interesting. In 1968 on the SunPrincess, and there have been many vessels since called the same should not get confused with. As she was an ex Liberty ship adjusted to take up to if remember correctly 15 passengers. Was 100 Dollars U.S. a day, this at least paid the crews wages, as Chief Officer I was on about 700 Dollars US a month which was well above UK rates. It was a 6 week round trip Montreal to Montreal via the West Indies. That would equate to 4200 dollars per head or the same 600 dollars for a 6 day passage. As this was 30 odd years after the Liner described I suppose was still good value for money, as even in those days it was cheaper to go by liner. Today believe also the prices on these purpose built vessels is even lower again, however I know a lot of my friends swear by such holidays they do not appeal to me and would only use if had to as a means from getting from A to B if there was no other alternative transport. Have used going over to Norway and up to Shetland in the past, however the wife is always seasick and that is a good enough excuse for me to find alternative means of travel. Before people start and say 12 was the maximum number of passengers, this was under the Liberian Flag and whatever ones impressions of the law they may have it only applies to those that are like minded. Regards JS