A New British Luxury Liner Welcomed in Port
Harbour Welcomes New Liner Caronia
34,183-Ton Cunarder, Costing $20,000,000,
Carries 690 on Her First Crossing
New York Times Report by George Horne
12 January 1949
The green-hulled Atlantic cruise liner Caronia, introducing a new colour note where black and white are traditional, steamed into New York Harbour at midday yesterday on her maiden voyage.
berth at Pier 90, New York on her maiden arrival
[Photo: Courtesy of Richard I. Weiss]
On this page I'm thrilled to present two pictures of Caronia's maiden arrival at New York in colour! In 1949 colour printing was both rare and hugely expensive, hence my pleasure in displaying these photos.
Warm & Noisy Welcome
Billows of smoke rose from her huge single funnel and she was at full dress with the international code flags stretched like a string of coloured gems from stem to stern. The 34,183-ton Cunard liner, the largest built since the war, specially designed for cruising out of this port, passed slowly through Quarantine waters at 10am and moved majestically up the bay to the accompaniment of the port's usual warm and noisy welcome.
Caronia almost at her NYC berthCaptain Sorrell declared “The Caronia looks like a yacht and handles like one. In fairly rough seas she never rolled more than 7 to 8°. She is a perfect sea vessel!”
[Click on picture for enlargement in new window]
[Photo: The Sphere]
Company officials and others among her 690 passengers felt that they had enjoyed a new experience, for the vessel, built at the John Brown yard on the Clyde for approximately $20,000,000, boasts many “firsts” and innovations. She is said to be the first ship of her size with a dual purpose - regular Atlantic runs and cruises to southern waters.
Her stack is called the largest in the World, bigger than those of either of the larger Queens of the Cunard fleet. She has a single tripod mast, unfamiliar in merchant vessels. Every cabin has bath facilities and every public room is air-conditioned.
Her three shades of hull green had acquired on the crossing a few variations, from the buffeting of the stormy seas, but she made a striking picture as city fire boats sent waving plumes of water high into the air and harbour craft sounded three whistle blasts in welcome.
An official welcoming committee, headed by G. Joseph Minetti, Commissioner of Marine and Aviation, met the liner at Quarantine Station and extended to Captain Donald W. Sorrell, master, the city's official greeting.
Average Speed 21.53 Knots
Captain Sorrell, like the members of his crew, was enthusiastic about the new vessel. She crossed in a leisurely 6 days, 14 hours, 33 minutes from Southampton and Cherbourg, going the long way westward via Azores waters, although not calling there. Her average speed was 21.53 knots.
The captain, hurrying back and forth across the long bridge, posing for pictures and describing the vessel between jumps, said: “She handles better than a yacht. We had some fairly rough seas and she took them beautifully”.
Captain Sorrell, who is 55 years old, was formerly staff captain of the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, and has commanded other ships in the Cunard White Star fleet. Today is the captain's 40th anniversary at sea.
[Left:]
Time Magazine extract of 24 January 1949,
featuring Caronia's arrival
Words of Praise
As he described his ship's design, with emphasis on her unusually sharp clipper bow, a passenger put in a word of praise. He was Arthur C. Stair, an art dealer of 59 East Fifty-seventh Street, whose experience as an inveterate Atlantic traveller bridges the gap between the first Caronia, on which he made the maiden voyage in 1904, and the present voyage.
Another passenger whose interest in the performance of the Caronia transcended that of anyone else aboard was George McLeod Paterson, naval architect. He designed the liner and expressed his full satisfaction. “I think we can say that she behaved even better than we dared hope”, he said.
The liner has accommodations for 581 passengers in first class and 351 in cabin class. Her crew numbered 587. Because of her assignment, she will carry virtually no cargo, being limited to 37,800 cubic feet for mail and a small quantity of express shipments.
The liner has 10 decks, from sports deck to “E”. Her long promenade terminates aft in garden lounges, and ahead it is closed off in a spacious observation lounge and cocktail bar, with a wide sea view on three sides. The play decks atop the vessel are commodious, with full use made of the space that would have been taken by additional funnels. Company officials said deep consideration was given to the question of funnels, which in most big ships are unnecessarily duplicated for the sake of appearance.
It was finally decided to do away with dummy stacks and use the space for sports. Because of the size of the stack - it is 53 feet fore and aft, and 26½ feet wide, and weighs 125 tons - the ship's appearance in a beam view looks symmetrical and well balanced.
The Caronia's geared turbines generate 40,000 horsepower for the twin screws. According to the designer, her “normal” speed is 22 knots, with a reserve, the extent of which was not disclosed. Company officials said the liner was extremely economical in fuel oil consumption.
A rear ¾ view of Caronia's starboard side in colour.
The steam around the funnel reveals that her Tyfon horns
were loudly proclaiming her arrival to the whole city!
An Unwelcome Passenger
The liner brought one passenger who was unexpected and unwelcome. He was a stowaway, identified by ship's officers as Norman A. Crute, 26 years old, a seaman of Bradford, Yorkshire. He was not detected on the ship until the last night out.
Paying Respects
Captain Sorrell is scheduled to call at City Hall today to pay his respects to Mayor O'Dwyer. The liner is to remain at her West Fiftieth Street dock until Saturday, when she will sail for Southampton. On her next westward crossing she will make a special call at Bermuda. Officials of the line said that this voyage was already booked to capacity. While the ship is here this week the company has arranged a series of showings to travel and other groups.
