The
still wonderful ORIANA at Shanghai in December of 2000. Photo and copyright
Peter Knego 2000.
The truly legendary 41,915 gross ton SS ORIANA, shown at Shanghai
following her failure as a static attraction, was built in 1960 for Orient
Line's UK to Australia service. She was the last ship commissioned for the famed
company before its merger with rival P&O Lines and ultimate dissolution in
1965.
Like all Orient Liners, ORIANA boasted a large bow crest, hers
being a special "double E" monogram to commemorate both Elizabethan eras, the
Tudor one she was named for and the Windsor one in which she was built.
Her looks were controversial to some, but there was no mistaking the
knuckled bulbous bow, terraced back superstructure, obtusely placed funnels of
different dimensions (the aft was a dummy), and piled up stern decks. ORIANA
carried 638 first and 1,496 tourist class passengers and was powered by
Pametrada turbines that drove twin screws at a service speed of 27.5 knots,
making her the fastest liner ever on the Australia run. With her modern
appointments and open decks, she was a very successful Sydney-based cruise ship
in her latter years, but was withdrawn from service in 1986. Her new owners,
Daiwa House, gutted and rebuilt her interiors into large museum spaces and
restaurants to serve as a museum and hotel at Beppu, Japan.
The venture
was not a success and ORIANA was sold to Chinese interests for a similar role at
Qinhuangdao in 1995. She next went to Shanghai in 1998, but was only open for a
year. In 2000, ORIANA was sold to Dalain-based owners and refurbished for a
static role in that Chinese resort area.
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