At Sea
Steaming North through Bay of Biscay
Lisbon to Cherbourg 818 miles
Universally, the day before arrival at Southampton on any British ship, was always slightly incongruously
known as “Channel Night”! Entry into the English Channel would usually not occur until early
the next morning.
For the crew of the Caronia, it meant the anticipation of paying-off and a trip home to see loved ones
after 4 months away. For many of them, coming from Liverpool, it would also mean a long journey by steam
train from Southampton via Didcot, Oxford, Birmingham and Crewe.
Even so, they would barely have a week at home before making the return trip if they were going to sail
on Caronia for her next voyage. Ahead was two months of regular transatlantic crossings followed by her
very first North Cape Cruise, in July.
For passengers, dinner on Channel night was always an informal and quite cheery affair, even though it was
also tinged with some sadness as often good-byes would be said in the restaurant. The time after dinner
would mostly be spent packing and labelling trunks. There was a buzz about the ship as all the usual evening
routines would be abandoned for baggage to be readied quietly and efficiently in the lobby of Main Deck,
ready for the early morning arrival in Cherbourg.
For the, mostly American, passengers, it meant a bitter-sweet parting from a vessel that they had made
their home for the past 110 days. If they were to disembark at Cherbourg, the break would have been
slightly traumatic because there they were almost abandoned over 3,000 miles from home, landing in a
country where even the language was foreign!
Clearly, the Tour Operators would have been very busy arranging accommodation and private tours for
passengers. Strictly speaking this “Round the World Cruise” on the Caronia wasn't complete.
It would be another 10 days before she would be returning to Le Havre on her way back to New York. However,
as with all cruises out of New York that ended at Southampton, the cruise fare included the return
transatlantic crossing in 1st Class accommodation aboard any other Cunard ship, including either the Queen
Elizabeth or the Queen Mary.
19 April 1951
Arrive Cherbourg 7am - Depart 9am
At Sea
Cross English Channel 82 miles
Some of the passengers disembarking at Cherbourg would have probably returned to the USA on the
next call at Cherbourg of the RMS Queen Mary on 24 April 1951. The RMS Queen Mary was sharing
the port of Cherbourg with Caronia, having just arrived there from New York. She would also
probably sail just after Caronia only to catch her up on her northbound channel crossing, and
then be given priority of arrival ahead into Southampton.
Those in a hurry to get back to the USA would have stayed on board to Southampton. They would
then transfer to the RMS Mauretania, departing from there only hours after Caronia's arrival and
sailing to New York via Le Havre.
Passengers insisting on return travel in the Caronia, would need to arrange shore accommodation
in France and/or the UK in order to rejoin the ship at Southampton or Le Havre for her next
transatlantic crossing on 28 April 1951.
Landing arrangement cards would have been issued on the morning of arrival. Although this transcript
is based on one for a Cabin
Class transatlantic crossing in 1949, it will give you a basic idea of what was issued.
The End of a Dream Vacation
So, with this page, we bid you farewell as the Caronia sails up the Solent to her berth. As you
approach you will see many other ships including the RMS Mauretania, and the Queen Mary being
docked at the Ocean Terminal. The sights and sounds of this busy port herald the tinges of
sadness, as you prepare to leave your luxurious home from home and contemplate perhaps another
voyage on this fabulous ship.
As the Caronia approaches the New Docks she will be turned by the tugs and dock at her usual Berth 101
port-side to shore. Britain at this time is still in recovery from WWII, rationing is still in force though
nearing its end, and around the town of Southampton there is still much evidence of the ferocity of the
German bombings.
Southampton Docks would have been recently nationalised under the auspices of the British Transport Commission.
Nevertheless the whole port area would be bustling with recently acquired USA built tank engines moving
seemingly endless trains of covered vans and wagons around.
If you were travelling to London, a Boat Train, possibly an all-Pullman, would be laid on specially
for Caronia's arrival. On departing from the quayside, the line of carriages would slowly snake
its way out of the port area before the train engine, probably a Lord Nelson class 4-6-0, would
be attached for the non-stop high-speed run to Waterloo.
From July 1952, the special Boat Trains laid on for the Cunard Queens were called “The
Cunarder” with a headboard on the engine and nameboards on the carriages. Whether
these were also used for the Caronia isn't known, but it's quite probable that they were.
The ‘Baby Minder’
At Shakespeare's birthplace Images: H & J Busst Postcards
Shore Excursions
Of course, having arrived in England with nearly 10 days before Caronia's next sailing to New
York, probably one of the most popular shore tours offered to the passengers was a visit to
Shakespeare's birthplace. Most tours would head off to London first, then follow an itinerary that
would include Oxford as another popular destination.
For the crew, after wipe-down from Luncheon, there would be much work to do in helping with
disembarkation of passengers and their luggage, ensuring those heading for the RMS Mauretania
were given top priority! Once the passengers were ashore, then there was time to deal with the
port formalities of Immigration and Customs and then head to the Raleigh Room, where paying-off
would commence for the Catering Dept at about 4.00pm.
Having reached Southampton at 2pm, you'd be lucky to get ashore by about 5.30pm. Even so, in
that short time the whole atmosphere aboard the ship would totally change. It would become almost
an alien place as people from ashore would come aboard; strangers now invading what was once
your home, and seeming to have little regard for it! There would of course be all the good-byes
and enquiries as to whether you would be signing-on again for the next trip.
After a trip to all those exotic ports it would be quite a struggle getting all your goods and
chattels off the ship. Trolleys would be commandeered to carry it all down the working alleyway
to the companionway up to the galley, then across the galley to the port side and a final
Customs check before the final clamberings up and down the gangway and into a taxi. On the way
home at last!
