Caronia's theatre has some quite special memories for me! Of course, being the Caronia, all the very latest
movies were brought aboard and on cruises there were two showings each day for passengers. Around once a week
there would be very late showings for the crew too. Certainly as a Commis on the 1964 North Cape cruise a
showing of James Bond “Dr. No” was quite a highlight!
However, the room wasn't called a theatre for nothing. Though mostly used as a cinema and as a lecture hall
for briefing passengers on their future ports of call, there was in fact a fully functional stage with proper
theatre curtains and lighting rigs.
The month of April on most Great World Cruises would bring one of the longest times spent at sea at one go
of any cruise, the crossing S.E. from Yokohama to Honolulu. On this 1966 Great World Cruise there had been four
of these long sea periods. The first was the trip from Rio de Janeiro unbroken with a call at Tristan da Cunha
on the way to Cape Town. Next came the long Southern Ocean trip from Durban to Fremantle.
Later there was all 9 days N.W. up to Yokohama, and last, the regular Pacific transit away from Yokohama.
At least there had been a 5 day sojourn in Japan. April 1966 also saw one lost day and two gained as the
International Date Line was encountered.
Caronia leaving Yokohama April 1966
Adding all these factors together, it's no surprise that they were known as “Hate Weeks”, as
long days blended with warm climates, forward clock changes and often languid seas (or the complete opposite)
would produce a few tensions between various groups aboard, and not just among the crew!
Of course, no-one would put up with that, so, imaginations were put into overdrive. The result being a
variety show by mostly crew members staged for both passengers and crew. In the previous weeks at sea,
after a long and hard day's work, there we all were, rehearsing in the theatre from around 11pm until well
into the early hours.
We were preparing for 2 shows over 2 nights for the passengers and then 2 further shows on the 3rd night,
including a late one for the crew. Like the preparations for the parade in Bergen, there was always great
mystery surrounding what might happen in the show, with much excitement and anticipation from everyone.
My 4 Minutes of Fame
Occasionally, even some passengers got involved - some with making costumes and others appearing, usually
as singers. My small claim to fame was a part in a 4 minute re-enactment of a “Julian & Sandy”
sketch from the Round the Horne radio show called “Bona Waiters”.
I'd been the hapless straight-man customer in an hilarious café skit ordering up fish'n'chips
and a brown ale. Most of the Polari dialogue probably went straight over the passengers’ heads, but its bold
innuendo got raucous laughter from the crew.
Several famous 1950s musicians started their careers by entertaining crew on board Caronia, playing in the crew pub, the
“Pig and Whistle”. Russ Conway was a popular pianist who went on to have several instrumental hits,
including two number ones, after leaving the Merchant Navy. Another famous musician on board was Tommy Steele of
“Half a Sixpence” fame. He'd learned the guitar from fellow crewman and band-member, Dick Campion.
Probably the highlight of all the crew shows that were put on was to suddenly see people you worked with
displaying their hidden and often quite amazing talents!
This page shows the Actual Itinerary followed by Caronia after the original was replaced in
June 1965 to take account of security issues in the Indian sub-continent. This link will take you to
the Originally Planned Itinerary
for April 1966.
At 10.30pm was the first performance to passengers of the crew show called: “Caronia Capers ’66”.
This was put on by members of the ‘Caronia Social & Athletic Club’ for those holding tickets for
this performance.
At 10.30pm another performance of the “Caronia Capers ‘66” show for passengers holding
tickets. It would have been a long night because the show for the crew would have started right afterwards.
Steaming East Trans-Pacific
Honolulu to Los Angeles 2,249 miles
Log Abstract… At: 12 Noon 20:00 (GMT) Position: 32.21N | 124.10W Travelled: 476 miles
Light N.N.Easterly breeze, slight to mod. sea, cloudy, fine & clear
313 nmi to Los Angeles
Log Abstract… At: 06:48 (LT) 14:48 (GMT) Los Angeles arrival Passage: 4 days, 22 hours, 18 mins Voyage Distance: 2,249 miles Average Speed: 19.01 knots
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