Classic Liners of Yesteryear
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With Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian, Cruise‘n’Ship
Reviewer, Author & Maritime Lecturer
In the Passenger Shipping Industry since 1961 -
From office boy to CEO of a Cruise Co.
Please Note: All ssMaritime is 100% non-commercial and
privately owned sites and NOT associated with any cruise or shipping companies
or travel/cruise agencies or any other organisations! The author has been in
the passenger shipping industry since May 1961 and is now retired, but
occasionally will add ex passenger photographs of classic liners and cruise
ships.
The Author’s Thoughts
Introduction:
As I look at the many huge boxlike modern cruise ships of today somehow an overwhelming sadness seems to come over me, for I am of an age (80 years old May 2025) where I remember so many of the great classic liners and ships that were genuine “Superliners.” Sadly these days cruise Companies, in their sheer ignorance tend to send out media releases and even state in their brochures that their ships are either; “Superliners” or “Megaliner” when in fact they are not. Indeed, they may well be a Super or Mega Cruise Ship, but they are certainly not “liners.” For liners used to sail from their home port to a destination and return the same way! That was called a “line voyage”, thus the name liner. Any ship which does a range of destinations, as well on various services, is not a liner, but a cruise ship!
Over the years I have personally encountered a host of fine classic liners and enjoyed my voyages on them and below are just some of the ships I have sailed on;
MS Achille Lauro - SS Arcadia (2) - MV Athena (ex Stockholm) - MS Aurelia – MV Aurora - SS Australis (America) - RHMS Britanis - SS Canberra - “Onassis” wonderful yacht Christina O - Diamond Princess - QSMV Dominion Monarch - MV Dawn Princess - RHMS Ellinis - SS Fairsky - TSS Fair Princess (ex Carinthia) - MS Fairsea (1) – Fairstar 5 cruises - TSS Fedor Shalyapin 3 cruises - (Franconia) – Flavia (Media) - SS Franca C (Medina & Roma 1914) - SS Funchal - SS Galileo - SS Gothic (2) - SS Himalaya (3) - SS Iberia (3) - MS Johan van Oldenbarnevelt 2 voyages - MS Karelia - SS Mariposa (3) MS - Matua - MS Mikhail Sholokhov -SS Monterey (3) - SS Nieuw Amsterdam (2) - MS Oranje - SS Orcades (3) - SS Oriana (1 & 2) – MV Oriana - SS Orsova (2) - MV Oosterdam - RMS Queen Mary - RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 - MS Rangitoto – MV Pacific Aria, 8 Cruises – Pacific Dawn - Pacific Princess – Pacific Star - SS Rotterdam (5) - MS Sibajak - SS Southern Cross and the MS Russ - MV Volendam, and there were certainly some other ships, which to be honest I have forgotten in my old age! I have done a total of 247 voyages - cruises!
Thus as you can see the above as well as many what I consider some of the earlier newer ships such us P&O’s new MV Oriana and then the MV Aurora were wonderful and I did three world voyages on them. But all the ships mentioned, they all had their charm, even the budges SS Fairsky or the TSS Fairstar, all gave great memories! I remember with great fondness I sailed on budget ships to luxury liners and cruise ships, as there were those that were 5 plus Stars, whist some others were far more basic, such us the MS Russ and the MS Mikhail Sholokhov, yet they offered an enjoyable ocean going experience, be it a more budget style one! But, each and every one offered that older more classic style of ship and were built either in that wonderful old traditional style with three, two or a single funnel, a ship with the ultimate classic look or those built towards the end of the period and had a somewhat more modern style, like the superb Lloyd Triestino Liner SS Galileo or the wonderful and much loved SS Canberra! All these ships are part of this page of memories as well as other ships I have not sailed on, but know so well, thus let us explore the wonders of the Classic Liners of yesteryear first!
The Liners of Yesteryear:
There were many classic ships that enjoyed long and profitable careers, whilst some for various reasons, sadly would end their days all too briefly, but regardless of their time served they are remembered because of their remarkable design and sheer beauty and style!
One of these ships that sadly had such a short life was the magnificent twin funnelled 48,502 GRT (Gross Registered Ton) Liner, the SS Conte di Savoia, which departed Genoa Italy on her maiden voyage on November 30, 1932. However, during the war, having had less than ten years of service, she was laid up in one location and she was then moved near Venice. Tragically on September 11, 1943 British aircraft spotted her and this superbly beautiful Italian liner was bombed and being without any means of defence, she was hit and caught fire and sank in the shallow lagoon. Although this great ship had such a short life as a passenger ship, she will be remembered as one of the great classical designs of the times! In addition, her interiors were beauty to be seen, and see the Main Index at the bottom of the page for her page that covers all her interiors and her full history!
The luxurious Italian liner SS Conte di Savoia seen
departing Genoa on her maiden voyage
The huge First Class glamorous Conte di Savoia Dining Room
Pre and post War shipbuilding was all about building great and luxurious passenger liners and in many cases where First Class would be simply sublime and super glamorous, however Tourist Class would not be far behind for many ships, especially the Dutch were famed for providing the some the finest luxury facilities in all classes!
SS Nieuw Amsterdam the Personification of
Graciousness!
It is said by the
vast majority of maritime historians, experts including ship designers have made
it clear that the most beautiful Trans-Atlantic Liner ever built was Holland
America Liner, the 36,287 GRT SS S.S. Nieuw
Amsterdam, which departed Rotterdam Holland for new York on May 10, 1938 and
she was successful right through until she was sold by HAL to be broken up in
1974, having had a wonderful 36 year service, as well as an remarkable wartime
service under British Command, but with an all Dutch Crew!
The Nieuw Amsterdam is seen here with her original black hull and the
traditional HAL ribbon surrounding it
A Mini Photo Gallery of the S.S.
Nieuw Amsterdam
a ship that is “The Personification of Graciousness”
The Main Foyer was dramatic and certainly inspired by Art deco, the ship
featured many murals
Fine carpets and extraordinary furnishings throughout the ship in both
classes
The Grand Hall featuring huge murals, beaten copper ceilings and glass glow
glass panels, this venue
was simply staggering. Up high on the second level on
the wall behind was the band stand
Grand Golden two deck high First Class Dinning Room
SS Nieuw Amsterdam seen during her later days as a cruise ship with a new
coloured hull,
all HAL ships had received the same livery.
Ships that were Ships:
I have been asked, “But Reuben, what is the difference between all those great classic liners you rave about and these luxurious cruise ships? You have to admit that the ships to day are by far more comfortable with superior cabins and facilities than on those ships you are speaking about.”
I some cases that may be true, but the truth is that a modern cruise ship is in reality built to be more like a hotel, for it is more like a resort that is fitted on top of a very basic hull with all the machinery to make it a ship. Sadly of these modern giant monsters tend to have far too many decks above a rather shallow hull! Also, should anything happen (God forbid), lifts cannot be used, and only the stairs can be used. However on all stairwells’, the staff will regulate you, for only a certain (small) number of passengers at a time are allowed to go down at various times. The truth is on all these ships there is a danger that a much larger percentage of those onboard will die, should a disaster occur!
The Royal Caribbean's Hideous ‘Icon of
the Seas’:
Today
in 2025 the above named vessel received the worst reviews ever; currently she
is the largest cruise floating hotel afloat, being an amazing 248,663 GRT (tons) and carries up to 9,950 people. It has finally
become close to a 10,000 souls onboard! Ask yourself, if something terrible
happens, will you get a change to actually get off this flouting hotel ... Alive?
The
‘Icon of the Seas’ she is all yours; I will certainly not be seen
on her!
A
relaxing Holliday ... what with up to 10,000 people on her? No way.
The Days of real Cruise Ships:
I
remember well, the very second I stepped on board a ship of days gone for they
felt like a liner, I remember the grand entrance halls, and a wide inviting Promenade
decks, but it was the smell and the atmosphere that simply touched you! As I
remember it all started even before you boarded the ship, for upon arrival at
the berth you would look at the ship you were about to join and it would be
bedecked with flags. Of course atop the foremost mast the ‘Blue
Pieter’ would be flying, letting everyone know that she was due to depart
port that day! The ship always looked so inviting and her bow would be proud
and making a statement! There was no doubt about it, everything about ships of
yesteryear was so different and they certainly did offer some of the most
glamorous luxury which sadly is no longer found these days in the new giant
floating hotels, many companies call their ships cruise-liners, yet just look
at them they are nothing more that a modern monstrosity.
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“Blue Water
Liners sailing to the distant shores.
I watched them come, I watched them go and I watched them die.”
Or ENTER THE SITE's INDEX
HERE
Amazingly: ssmaritime.com has received
The last update was
on: Sunday November 24, 2024.
Remember many readers
have read different pages & ships hundreds of times
Also certain features have
up to 20 or more pages and that is a great deal of reading!
Email: rg@ssmaritime.com
Possibly due to Dr.
Goossens’ severe illness and old age,
ot is possible that he will not be able to reply, However
he will try when possible!
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Where the
ships of the past and the Luxury Cruise Ships of today make history.
The author has been in
Passenger Shipping & the Cruise Industry since 1960.
Having been a
“Managing Director”, and has “Operated a Cruise
Company”
In addition he was
founder of “Save the Classic Liners Campaign” in 1990.
Please Note: ssmaritime and associated sites are 100%
non-commercial and the author seeks no
funding of any shape or form, never have and never will!
Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are by; the
author or from the author’s private collection. In addition there are
some images that have been provided by Shipping Companies and private
photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However,
there are some photographs provided to me without details regarding the
photographer/owner concerned, so sorry if this is the case.
This notice covers all pages; although, and I have done my
best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is
displaced on each page, that is, when a page is updated!
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Copyright by Dr. Reuben Goossens - All Rights Reserved.