Union Castle Ship Still in Existance ~ solved by Vic McClymont

[Chris Isaac]

Believe it or not but one old Union Castle ship remains in service today.
What ship is it ?

[Colin Hawken]

I don't know. However I do know the Company still exists. Only as a paper Company,but it still exists.
(Union Castle Man 1949 -1950.)

[robpage]

I thought the Duttoner Castle was the last survivor and she was scrapped in 2004

[cappy]

I think the dunnatar castle regards cappy

[Doc Vernon]

The old Dunnottar Castle was my very first Ship,and also the last Voyage of her under UCL Colours! 1958
She was sold and sailed as passenger Ship for many Years after but sold and broken up in 2004!
So its not that one??


Princesa Victoria was built in 1936 by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, for Union-Castle Line as the Dunnottar Castle. She was used on the London (Tilbury) - round Africa service until the outbreak of WW2, when she was converted to an armed merchant cruiser, and then later used a troop transport. In 1949 she resumed her London - round Africa service. In 1958, Dunnottar Castle was sold to Incres SS Co, who renamed her as Victoria and substantially rebuilt her in Rotterdam. Victoria entered service in 1960 on New York-West Indies cruises. In 1964, Victoria was sold to Victoria SS Co, a subsidiary of the Swedish company Clipper A/B, but retained her name, service and Incres Line as her agents. Victoria was bought by Chandris in 1975, resuming sailings as The Victoria in June 1976. She cruised in Europe and the Caribbean until 1993, when she was sold to Louis Cruise Lines who used her on cruises from Cyprus as Princesa Victoria. She was then the oldest large cruise ship (over 10000grt) then still in passenger service. She was sold for breaking up in 2004.

Just a guess though could it be the old Dane! Mail Steamer!

[vic mcclymont]

I don't know. However I do know the Company still exists. Only as a paper Company,but it still exists.
(Union Castle Man 1949 -1950.)

That's not the original UC company, the original was transferred with all its assets etc to Bridgeworth Ltd.

[happy daze john in oz]

The only one I can think of is maybe the Vaal transfered to Safmarine then on sold to a cruise company I believe.

[robpage]

SA Vaal Entered service Union-Castle Line in January 1962.Four years later she was taken over by South African Marine Corporation (Safmarine) though remaining on the same route and still managed by Union-Castle.
She was sold in 1977 to Carnival Cruise Lines, rebuilt and renamed Festivale for Caribbean cruising from 1978.From the late 1990s she sailed for other cruise lines, being renamed IslandBreeze and later Big Red Boat III and finally sold to scrappers in 2003.


RMS Windsor Castle Maiden voyage: 18 August 1960 Fate: Scrapped from 18 August 2005

RMS Pendennis Castle was sold to the Ocean Queen Navigation Company and was renamed Ocean Queen.[4] Now wearing a white hull and golden brown funnel she sailed for what was to be a new service life as a cruise ship in Hong Kong. She should never return to active service. In 1978 the ship was sold again to Kinvarra Bay Shipping of Liberia and renamed Sinbad I but remained laid up. Finally in April 1980 the ex-Pendennis Castle departed Hong Kong for the final time, bound for scrapping in Kaoshiung, Taiwan.

RMS Edinburgh Castle 1976 she was retired by Union-Castle Line. She was sold for scrap and sailed to Kaoshiung in Taiwan for dismantling

RMS Pretoria Castle renamed SA Oranje, she served with Safmarine until 1975 when she was sent for breaking up in Taiwan.

RMS Southampton Castle sold to Costa Armatori of Genoa and renamed Franca C. 1984 - sold and renamed Franca before being scrapped at Dalian.

RMS Good Hope Castle was built in 1965-66 by Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson at Wallsend for the Union Castle Line. 1978 - sold to Costa Armatori of Genoa and renamed Paola C. She was scrapped in 1984

SS Kenya Castle In 1996 Amerikanis was withdrawn to Greece, which is where she lay while decisions were made about her future. Nothing materialized and she was sold for scrap in either 2000 or 2001. SS Amerikanis, a pioneering cruise ship and one of the most popular and successful Chandris liners, made her own way for dismantling at Alang, India after a notable career of over 44 years.

SS Rhodesia Castle Sept. 1967 to Taiwanese breakers. Arrived Kaohsiung October 29th.

SS Dunnottar Castle The ship's final incarnation was as the Princesa Victoria making 2 and 3-day cruises from Cyprus under the ownership of Louis Cruise Lines. During the winter seasons, Princesa Victoria was laid up in Perama. She was used as a shore-side hotel-ship for Expo '98 and for the G8 summit in Genoa in 2001.Finally, the ship was laid up in 2002 and broken up in 2004 at the Kumar Steel Breakers Yard in India. At the time, she was the oldest large liner still operating anywhere in the world.

So my only thought is it must be a really old one , or one of teh cargo boats survives today , but you have me foxed Chris

[Chris Isaac]

Not even warm yet.
But Rob is right it is a really old one

[Glenn Baker]

Is it the Patris ?