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Salty Seadog
Jan 15, 20213 min read
Alaskan Cruising 1975
When P&O acquired Princess Cruise in 1974 Island Princess’s first cruise season was basically Mexican Cruising. Pacific Princess joined...
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Salty Seadog
Jan 7, 20214 min read
All Ashore for the Tour Bus
My first 21 months at sea whizzed past, they were exciting and thrilling, with many new experiences and challenges. The first twelve...
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Salty Seadog
Dec 23, 20203 min read
The Dancing Purser Oriana
Joining Oriana back in I973 as a junior assistant purser I did not realise the extent that I would be involved with entertaining the...
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Salty Seadog
Dec 17, 20201 min read
Show Time Island Princess 1976
How times have changed. Back in the day it was the Cruise Director and his staff along with willing members of the ship's company that...
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Salty Seadog
Dec 12, 20201 min read
Spirit of London Becomes Sun Princess
Spirit of London with P & 0 Funnel in 1972 Spirit of London was to have been a sistership to Norwegian Caribbean Line's Southward, to be...
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Salty Seadog
Dec 8, 20202 min read
Pacific Princess is Born
In 1974 P & O which by 1960 had become the world's largest shipping company, with 320 oceangoing vessels, acquired Princess Cruise Lines....
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Salty Seadog
Nov 29, 20203 min read
My Maiden Voyage
Having set sail on my maiden voyage as Junior Assistant Purser on Oriana in November 1973 we headed out of Southampton, after a brief...
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Salty Seadog
Nov 25, 20201 min read
Oriana Leave Pago Pago
What a treat to leave Pago Pago in America Samoa early in 1974. Flower petals are sprinkled over Oriana from the cable car as she departs...
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Salty Seadog
Nov 22, 20204 min read
Duty Calls for a Junior Assistant Purser
Coming from a middle-class working background l was a little surprised when I joined P&O to find that rank and class still had a large...
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Salty Seadog
Nov 19, 20201 min read
Canberra Passes By
There was always great excitement when two P&O liners passed by each other. Here we are Mediterranean cruising in the summer of 1974. Fun...
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Salty Seadog
Nov 16, 20201 min read
Island Princess Christmas Party 1974
Here you have the original team on Island Pricess when the ship was taken over by P & O in 1974 with Captain Biddick at the helm. We are...
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Salty Seadog
Nov 14, 20205 min read
Anchors Aweigh
Before we finished our induction training at Beaufort House, we had of course to get our Merchant navy discharge book and Seaman ID. I am...
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Salty Seadog
Nov 10, 20201 min read
Farewell San Fransisco
Having left Australia in spring 1974 we voyage back to the UK on Oriana. San Fransisco is always a great place to visit. Back in 1974 ...
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Salty Seadog
Nov 4, 20201 min read
Oriana Leaves Sydney 1974
At the end of my first voyage with P&O we left Sydney to return to the UK in the Spring of 1974. The atmosphere was fantastic, the...
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Salty Seadog
Oct 28, 20203 min read
Beaufort House P&O Passenger Divison.
Recently I was in the Aldgate area of London and thought I would retrace my youth trying to find Beaufort House, St Botolph Street where...
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Salty Seadog
Oct 20, 20204 min read
Crows Nest Cabin
Joining your first ship I remember how excited I was to join SS Oriana for a training cruise as a Purser Cadet. It was a seven-day cruise...
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The Duchess
Oct 4, 20202 min read
Gosh The Duchess is a Man
Shock horror the Duchess is a man. HOW DID IT ALL START We have been visiting the quirky bohemian island of Key West, Florida for more...
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