The Delights of New York
This month would see me making my third visit to New York, and with the prospect of nearly three days in port, there was plenty of excitement. By now I had got to know of the places to head for when we arrived.
The nearby Market Diner was always a favourite haunt for many crew members. It made a welcome change from eating often snatched meals on board ship. Nearby there was a little gold-mine for any record collector. I certainly managed to update my collection of Roy Orbison Long Players there, including finding albums that were only ever released Stateside.
[Photos: Peter Stevens]
Probably the greatest excitement though, was in being able to go shopping at 1am, and seeing Times Square lit up in all its night-time glory. Perhaps not a big-deal if you are a New-Yorker, and with 24hr shopping becoming a regular thing of today, it probably makes you think - so what?
However, in the mid-1960s, being able to go to the movies at Midnight to see the Beatles film - Hard Day's Night - coming out at 2am to buy an automatic umbrella (a fashion statement of the day!) on the walk back to the ship, was something to write home about! After all, here was I, a teenager let loose in Manhattan's streets at dead of night(?)!
The Beatles Film had been released in August of 1964. True to form, it was shown aboard Caronia on 06 October 1964 during the Autumn Mediterranean Cruise. This being the first available cruise after its release!
