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ARCADIA (1954)
Service dates: 1954-1979
Official number: 185996
Shipping lines: P&O STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY; P&O-ORIENT LINE; P&O LINES; P&O PASSENGER DIVISION; P&O CRUISES
Ship type:
Passenger Liner.
Career
- 14.05.1953
- Launched by Mrs D F Anderson, wife of the Deputy Chairman of P&O (later Sir Donald Anderson).
- 20.01.1954
- Completed and sailed for the Mersey for dry-docking.
- 26.01.1954
- Ran trials on the Clyde.
- 30.01.1954
- Delivered as Arcadia for The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
- 22.02.1954
- Maiden voyage Tilbury/Australia via Suez Canal.
- 04.06.1954
- First cruises from Southampton.
- 25.10.1954
- The tug Cervia capsized while Arcadia was moving from Tilbury Docks to the landing stage, with the loss of the tug’s master and four of her crew.
- 30.12.1957
- Several passengers and crew injured in gales in the Bay of Biscay.
- 01.04.1959
- Arrived at Harland & Wolff, Belfast, for £500,000 refit including full air-conditioning.
- 07.04.1959
- Suffered a brief fire in one of the aft holds during the refit.
- 11.06.1959
- Refit completed.
- 11.1959
- First Pacific cruises.
- 05.1960
- Management and operation transferred to P&O-Orient Lines.
- 01.1961
- Ran aground for two hours off Okahu Island, Hawaii.
- 02.1963
- Suffered engine trouble which lead to a two-day delay in Bombay.
- 1966
- Managers and operators restyled P&O Lines.
- 12.1968
- Clearance obtained from US authorities to make scheduled cruises from the USA to the Caribbean.
- 04.1970
- Refitted by Thornycroft, Southampton. Mainmast removed and foremast shortened by 5.5m (18 feet) to clear low cables in Alaskan harbours.
- 01.10.1971
- Management and operation transferred to P&O Passenger Division.
- 06.1973
- Converted to 1,350-berth open-class configuration.
- 17.05.1975
- Sailed to Australia to replace Himalaya on the Australian service.
- 1977
- Management and operation transferred to P&O Cruises Ltd.
- 29.01.1979
- Sailed from Sydney on her last cruise via Brisbane, Rabaul and Hong Kong to Singapore. Passengers transferred to Sea Princess at Singapore on 17th February.
- 27.02.1979
- Sold for breaking up through Nissho-Iwai Company, Tokyo, to Lee Chang Steel & Iron Works, Taiwan.
- 28.02.1979
- Arrived at Kaohsiung.
- 30.04.1979
- Demolition commenced.