ssMaritime.com &
ssMaritime.net
With
Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian
The Saxonia
Class Liners
Page 4
The Australian
Fairstar Connection
P&O's
“Funship” Fairstar
Sitmar
and later P&O Australia operated the much-loved Fairstar
as a popular cruise ship throughout the South Pacific and Asia. She commenced in her new
role in December 1974. Fairstar started life as a
troop ship, the Oxfordshire.
She was launched on 15 December 1955 – See her full story at …
Sitmar Line at first chartered her in 1963 commencing a major rebuilding
programme for the migrant service to Australia.
During her alterations in March 1964, Sitmar purchased her outright.
Original
Sitmar Line Post Card of the Fairstar
After
nine years sailing the globe as a migrant ship, and on an occasional cruise,
she was refitted for the role as a full time cruise ship, based in Australia.
Two further photo’s of Fairstar as a Sitmar Liner
However, after
severe mechanical problems in April 1996 P&O Holidays decided that the
much-loved “Funship,” Fairstar had to be replaced. It was agreed that
the ex popular Fair
Princess would be a suitable vessel for Australian waters, offering
improved comforts to the Fairstar.
Fair Princess received substantial upgrading and refurbishment at
both Southwest Marino in San Diego
and at Garden
Island
in Sydney.
Fairstar departed on her final cruise on 21 January 1997,
fully booked and filled with those who dearly loved this fine old ship. Within
two weeks of her return, she quietly departed Sydney for the last time, early
in the morning on Wednesday 12 February with the name Ripa painted
on her bow, as she passed Sydney Heads for her very last time, she headed for
Alang India were she was beached and broken up.
Australians and New Zealanders
felt that the Fairstar had been a “Ripa”
of a ship indeed! (“Ripa” is an
Australian slang for great, or fantastic).
Fairstar and Fair Princess together
at Garden Island Sydney 3.55 p.m. 10/02/1997
A
sad Ripa departs Sydney on 12 February 1997 for
the breakers
Index
Page 1 – Foreword – Construction
Page 2
– Sitmar buys Carinthia and Ivernia –
Sisters go Russian
Page 3
- Fairwind / Fairsea –
Sitmar sold to P&O Princess Cruises
Page 4 – The Fairstar the Australian connection
Page 5 – Fair Princess becomes an Aussie
Page
6 – Passenger list images
Page 7 – Albatros ex Dawn Princess / Fairwind / Sylvania
/ Ivernia /
Saxonia –
Passenger list images
Fair Princess Photo Album
– Exteriors
Fair Princess Photo Album
- Interiors
Fedor
Shalyapin
- ex Franconia / Ivernia
China Sea Discovery
– ex Fair Princess / Fairsea / Fairland / Carinthia
China Sea Discovery Photo
Album
China Sea Discovery Saga
All photographs are by the
author, or from the author's private collection, unless mentioned otherwise ~
Fairsea in Juneau Alaska - Luca Ferrerio ~ Fair
Princess (Princess Cruises) - Marvin Jensen ~ Pacific Sky – Marion Carter
~ China Sea Discovery - Kiwi Marine Consultants Ltd, Hong Kong ~ Photographer
of Fedor Shalyapin laid up, and other ‘*unknown’ photographers,
please see photo notes below.
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***********************************
Who is the Author of ssMaritime?
Commenced
in the passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960
ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
Where
the ships of the past make history & the 1914 built MV Doulos Story
Also
visit my …
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Campaign” & “Classic Ocean Voyages” pages
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. I hereby invite if owners of these images
would be so kind to make them-selves known to me (my email address may be found
on www.ssmaritime.com
only), in order that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have
seen a multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet these individuals
either refuse to provide credit or remove them when asked, knowing full well
that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show
these charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit where
credit is due!
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!
ssMaritime is
owned and © Copyright 2010/12 - by Reuben Goossens - All Rights Reserved