RMS Caronia Timeline

Ship's Course & Activities
July 1950

The Cunard White Star Line's ‘Green Goddess’

Luxurious ocean travel aboard a world-famous British cruise liner

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Inventory
Another Breakfast Speciality

Staying with the breakfast theme, the following story may amuse…

Onion Soup Gratinée:
will be found as a choice on all of Caronia Cruise and First Class breakfast menus! Why is this? Well, Cunard's General Manager Frank Dawson happened to be accosted by an American passenger on the RMS Britannic, complaining bitterly that none was available for breakfast. When he enquired why, he was informed that it was the best hangover cure ever!

Mr. Dawson later issued a company-wide directive that Onion Soup Gratinée must be made available on all first class breakfast menus. I guess that he'd tried it and found that it worked. I don't recall that it was ever a popular choice, though it's a bit of a shame that Cabin Class passengers still had to suffer sore heads!

[Story source: Bob Milligan, Cunard 1st Class & Cruise Reservation Manager]

Kosher Meal Service

On 04 July 1950 Cunard celebrated its 110th Anniversary. For this occasion special menu covers were printed. Below is a rare example; its contents reveal the Strictly Kosher Dinner menu for that day with probably no more than 10 cards being printed.

As far as I'm aware, there was no class demarcation. Before they were abolished in 1965, it was the Private Dining Rooms on the starboard side of the Balmoral Restaurant where these meals were served and where all Kosher linen and tableware was stored.

Despite the very strict restrictions regarding service of meat, fish, poultry and dairy dishes, there was only a single Kosher kitchen and pantry. There was rarely more than a single Kosher Cook and Pantryman on the crew roster.

Although the ship was very popular with Jewish passengers, there was no great demand for Orthodox cooking or service, other than perhaps on special occasions like these.

If you can contribute any information, do please get in touch…

01 July 1950

At Sea
Steaming New York to Le Havre 3,185 miles

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon 4pm (GMT) Position: 40.31N | 65.36W
Travelled: 378 miles
Strong S.S.E. breeze, rough sea, moderate swell

Clocks advanced 1 hour at Midnight

02 July 1950

Sunday At Sea

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon 3pm (GMT) Position: 41.36N | 54.40W
Travelled: 499 miles
Light Southerly breeze, slight sea & swell, fine & clear

Clocks advanced 1 hour at Midnight

03 July 1950

At Sea

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon 2pm (GMT) Position: 44.18N | 44.01W
Travelled: 506 miles
Slight sea & swell, wind light & variable, misty

03 July Kosher Dinner Full Menu

Clocks advanced 1 hour at Midnight

30 June - 06 July 1950 Transatlantic Voyage Trace
Eastbound Transatlantic Voyage Trace from 30 June to 06 July 1950
X marks approximate positions at Noon on date shown
04 July 1950
NavBar

American Independence Day
110th Anniversary of Cunard Line

04 July Kosher Luncheon Full Menu

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon 1pm (GMT) Position: 47.23N | 32.42W
Travelled: 507 miles
Fresh Northerly breeze, moderate sea & swell, overcast

04 July Kosher Dinner Full Menu


Race Meeting

04 July Cabin Dinner Full Menu

Clocks advanced 1 hour at Midnight

05 July 1950

At Sea
Steaming New York to Le Havre 3,185 miles

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon Noon (GMT) Position: 49.15N | 20.46W
Travelled: 488 miles
Strong N.Westerly breeze, rough sea & swell, cloudy

06 July 1950

At Sea

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon Noon (GMT) Position: 49.46N | 20.46W
Travelled: 494 miles
Moderate N.Westerly breeze, moderate sea & swell, cloudy
313 nmi to Le Havre

06 July 1st Farewell Dinner Full Menu

07 July 1950


30 June 1950 Voyage Log

Arrive Le Havre 5.15am - Depart 10am

Log Abstract…
At: 4.54am (FST) Le Havre Light Vessel abeam, arrival
Passage: 6 days, 5 hours, 42 mins.
Average Speed: 21.27 knots

At Sea
Crossing English Channel 75 miles

Arrive Southampton 4pm

So'ton Arrival Summary
07 July 1950
First Class Passengers
 256
Cabin Class Passengers
 219
So'ton Passenger Total
 475
Crew Total
 589
Total souls on board
1,064 (including Master)
08 July 1950
09 July 1950
10 July 1950


Sunday
At Southampton

11 July 1950

Depart Southampton 4pm

Crew Complement
11 July 1950
Deck Dept
117
Engineers Dept
 90
Catering Dept
385
Total
592 (including Master)

At Sea
Crossing English Channel 75 miles

Arrive Le Havre 9pm - Depart 11pm

12 July 1950
13 July 1950
14 July 1950
15 July 1950
16 July 1950
17 July 1950


At Sea
Westbound Transatlantic
Steaming Le Havre to New York 3,170 miles with 697 passengers
Sunday

18 July 1950

Arrive New York 8am

Arrival Summary
18 July 1950
First Class Passengers
356
Cabin Class Passengers
341
Total Passengers
697
Crew Total
592
Total souls on board
1,289 (including Master)

Among the 1st Class passengers on this voyage was Minna Wallis, a Hollywood impresario instrumental in furthering the career of Clark Gable in 1931. The New York Times reported that Caronia arrived with 732 passengers.

19 July 1950

At New York
Depart New York 4.05pm
for Southampton via Le Havre with 832 passengers

Departure Summary
19 July 1950
First Class Passengers
452
Cabin Class Passengers
380
Total Passengers
832
Crew Total
592
Total souls on board
1,424 (including Master)

The Caronia was filled almost to capacity on this voyage from New York. 159 of the 832 passengers had been transferred from the RMS Franconia that had run aground in the St Lawrence River on 12 July 1950.

See New York Times Report for 20 July 1950

20 July 1950

At Sea
Eastbound transatlantic
Steaming New York to Le Havre 3,170 miles

21 July 1950
22 July 1950

At Sea

22 July 1st Dinner Full Menu

23 July 1950
NavBar

Sunday At Sea

23 July 1st Luncheon Full Menu

23 July 1st Dinner Full Menu

24 July 1950
25 July 1950

At Sea
Eastbound transatlantic
Steaming New York to Le Havre 3,170 miles

25 July 1st Farewell Dinner Full Menu

26 July 1950

Arrive Le Havre AM - Depart AM
At Sea
Crossing English Channel 75 miles

26 July 1st Luncheon Full Menu

Arrive Southampton PM

So'ton Arrivals Summary
26 July 1950
First Class Passengers
270
Cabin Class Passengers
281
So'ton Passenger Total
 551
Crew Total
 592
Total souls on board
1,143 (including Master)
27 July 1950

At Southampton

28 July 1950

At Southampton
Depart Southampton 4pm


Train Ticket Envelope

The ticket envelope shows the seat reservation details for a single passenger who travelled in Cabin Class aboard the Caronia. In 1950, other than when Pullman Cars were attached, British Railways carriages had only 1st or 3rd class accommodation.

We learn from the envelope that Immigration Controls and Passage Ticket collection was done on the journey from London to Southampton. As the train terminated at the Ocean Dock, it meant passengers could transfer direct from the train to the ship with no delay.

Crew Complement
28 July 1950
Deck Dept
117
Engineers Dept
 92
Catering Dept
385
Total
594 (including Master)

At Sea
Crossing English Channel 75 miles

Arrive Le Havre 9pm - Depart 11pm

28 July Cabin Luncheon Full Menu

28 July Cabin Dinner Full Menu

29 July 1950


29 July
Cabin Breakfast

At Sea

Westbound Transatlantic
Steaming Le Havre to New York 3,170 miles

29 July Cabin Dinner Full Menu

Clocks retarded 1 hour at Midnight

30 July 1950


30 July
Cabin Breakfast

Sunday At Sea

Cabin Class programme Cover

A WOMAN OF DISTINCTION Ray Milland | Rosalind Russell at 2.30pm
for Cabin Class

30 July Cabin Luncheon Full Menu

30 July Cabin Dinner Full Menu

Clocks retarded 1 hour at Midnight

31 July 1950


31 July
Cabin Breakfast

At Sea

Westbound Transatlantic
Steaming Le Havre to New York 3,170 miles with 818 passengers

31 July Cabin Luncheon Full Menu

31 July Cabin Dinner Full Menu

Clocks retarded 1 hour at Midnight

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Page last updated on Sat, 15 Nov 2025

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