Acquisition of a landing
arrangements card for Southampton during this month reveals the fact that there were occasions when
passengers could stay aboard the “Green Goddess” overnight upon arrival at Southampton. This
makes this event not quite as unique as I have claimed within the Coronation Cruise pages.
I have yet to establish what the cut-off time would have been, so I'm guessing that if arrival was later
than 5pm, then overnight accommodation was provided on board. For the arrival at 6.30pm on 18 September
1958, there had been an early dinner served from 5.30pm for those disembarking that evening.
Disembarkation would not commence until 7pm, with Immigration Controls being done on board in the main lounge
and Customs checks being done verbally ashore. With the special train to London Waterloo booked to leave
at 7.53pm from Southampton Docks, arriving in London at 9.36pm, priority would obviously be given to those
boarding the train. The arrangements card also confirms that Pullman facilities were provided.
For those staying on board, there was cocktail hour from 6.15pm in the Smoke Room and there was a BBC News
broadcast at 9pm. Disembarkation would then recommence from 7.45am the following morning.
Both Caronia and Queen Mary had delayed arrivals into New York because of Hurricane Helene and her younger sister Ilsa.
Helene was the most intense tropical cyclone of the 1958 Atlantic hurricane season.
