Welcome Back Splendid Veteran

by Brad Hatry

On August 8th, a ship which once called frequently at New York returns for her first visit in over 28 years. THE TOPAZ now sails for the Japan-based PeaceBoat, an organization committed to peace, human rights, sustainable development and the environment. She has had a storied career that includes service as a transatlantic liner, part-time cruise ship, full-time cruise ship, missionary ship and, even briefly, fugitive ship.

Empress

EMPRESS OF BRITAIN sailing from New York, January 1960.
(Photograph Ted Scull)

THE TOPAZ began her career as EMPRESS OF BRITAIN, the first newbuild for Canadian Pacific Co. after the Second World War. She was one of two liners ordered to counter arch rival Cunard Line’s quartet of ships, the SAXONIA class, designed for the St. Lawrence River-Liverpool trade. EMPRESS OF BRITAIN was constructed at Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. of Glasgow, while nearly identical and slightly younger sister, EMPRESS OF ENGLAND, was ordered from Vickers Armstrong at Newcastle. On June 22, 1955, Her Majesty the Queen christened EMPRESS OF BRITAIN and, in April 1956, she began her service of North Atlantic sailings between Liverpool, Greenock, Quebec City and Montreal. A two-class vessel of 25,500 tons and 640’ in length, she carried 160 in first class and 894 in tourist. She would also be used for winter cruises to the Caribbean from New York. EMPRESS OF BRITAIN was Britain’s first fully air conditioned liner and her streamlined, graceful, low silhouette gave her a look that was quite advanced for her time.

Empress

EMPRESS OF BRITAIN in the North River, January 1960.
(Photograph Ted Scull)

The success of EMPRESS OF BRITAIN and her sister led to Canadian Pacific ordering a slightly larger, more advanced fleetmate, EMPRESS OF CANADA, commissioned in 1961. Once the latter was in service, winter sailings aboard the two older ships were usually charters to Britain’s Travel Savings Association with cruises from Liverpool, Southampton, and even Capetown. Once these winter charters ended, one of the older sisters was destined for sale and, in February 1964, still less than eight years old, EMPRESS OF BRITAIN was sold to the Greek Line for service between the Mediterranean and New York and occasional cruises. Sent to Genoa for a yearlong refit, she emerged with additional capacity, and a superb lido deck featuring several swimming pools, built atop a newly added large showroom. In March 1965, she hoisted the colors of Greece and was renamed QUEEN ANNA MARIA by Her Majesty of the same name. To date, she remains the only passenger ship to be named by two reigning queens.

QUEEN ANNA MARIA

QUEEN ANNA MARIA at Lisbon, April 1967.
(Photograph Ted Scull)

She settled into her new career, teamed with fleetmate OLYMPIA, and was a frequent caller at New York. By 1970 both ships were used exclusively for cruises, most of which were from New York to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda and, increasingly, weekends to "nowhere". One of my early sailings was a three-night Nowhere Cruise aboard QUEEN ANNA MARIA in July 1972. She was well run but rundown, deferred maintenance a sign of brewing troubles for Greek Line. Sure enough, in January 1975 the company succumbed, and on the 11th, QUEEN ANNA MARIA fled both New York and her creditors, arriving for layup in Piraeus on January 22nd, where she joined OLYMPIA which had been there since the spring of 1974. Now, fledgling Carnival Cruise Line awaited.

CARNIVALE

Carnival Cruise Lines CARNIVALE.
(Postcard from the author's collection.)

Carnival’s only cruise ship at the time was MARDI GRAS, the former EMPRESS OF CANADA. Looking to double their fleet with minimal expense, Carnival bought QUEEN ANNA MARIA at auction in December 1975. Given a cursory refit, she entered service in February 1976 as CARNIVALE, beginning the lengthiest and most successful period of her career. She joined MARDI GRAS for weekly Caribbean cruises from Miami and remained in this service for many years. When Carnival embarked on very serious expansion in the 1980’s, CARNIVALE and MARDI GRAS were relegated to alternating three and four night cruises to the Bahamas. Unfortunately, in the late 80’s much of what remained of the former EMPRESS OF BRITAIN’s original wood paneled, etched glass, and brass décor was removed or covered over with "glitz".

topaz

THE TOPAZ about to sail on her world tour.
(Photograph PeaceBoat)

By 1994 CARNIVALE no longer really fit within the Carnival fleet. In a rare instance of corporate misstep, the company formed a new subsidiary dedicated to the Spanish speaking market, Fiesta Marina Cruises. CARNIVALE, renamed FIESTA MARINA, became its first and only cruise ship. For a number of reasons, the venture was a flop and in late 1994 she was sold to Epirotiki, renamed OLYMPIC and, after nearly twenty years, once again became a Greek ship. She alternated her time between Greek Island and Eastern Mediterranean cruises and layup. Finally, in 1998 she was chartered to Britain’s Thomson Holidays for whom she cruised as THE TOPAZ until this spring in both the Mediterranean and Caribbean. Replaced by the THOMSON SPIRIT, formerly Holland America’s NIEUW AMSTERDAM of 1983, the once flagship of Canadian Pacific is now chartered to PeaceBoat, carrying missionaries on world voyages. It will be exhilarating to see her at New York for three days, August 8-10.