Empress of Britain (1956)

History
Name:	1955–1964: Empress of Britain 1964–1975: Queen Anna Maria 1975–1993: Carnivale 1993–1994: Fiestamarina 1995–1997: Olympic 1997–2008: The Topaz 2008: Topaz
Owner:	1956–1963: Canadian Pacific Steamships 1964–1975: Greek Line 1975–1994: Carnival Corporation & plc 1995–1997: Epirotiki Line 1997–2003: TUI Travel PLC 2003–2008: Topaz International
Operator:	1956–1965: Canadian Pacific Steamships 1965–1975: Greek Line 1975–1993: Carnival Cruise Lines 1993–1994: Fiesta Marina Cruises 1995–1996: Epirotiki Line 1996–1997: Royal Olympic Cruises 1998–2003: Thomson Cruises 2003–2008: Peace Boat
Port of registry:	1956–1965: London,  UK Panama City, Panama 1993–1998: Piraeus, Greece 1998–2008: Panama City, Panama 2008: Basseterre,  Saint Kitts and Nevis
Route:	Liverpool-Greenock-Quebec-Montreal (1965, Haifa-Piraeus-New York City, Cruising)
Builder:	Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering, Govan, Scotland
Yard number:	731
Launched:	22 June 1955 by Queen Elizabeth II
Christened:	22 June 1955
Completed:	1956
Maiden voyage:	20 April 1956
In service:	1955-2008
Out of service:	April 2008
Identification:	Call sign: V4XW IMO number: 5103924
Fate:	Sold for scrap in 2008.
Status:	Scrapped at Alang, India
General characteristics
Class and type:	Ocean liner
Tonnage:	25,516 GRT (1965, 21,716 GRT)
Length:	640 ft.
Beam:	85.2 ft.
Draught:	29 ft.
Installed power:	30,000shp
Propulsion:	Geared turbines, Twin screw
Speed:	20 knots
Capacity:	As built, 160 1st-class & 894 tourist-class passengers (1965, 168 1st class, 1,145 tourist. 741 one class when cruising)
Crew:	464

RMS Empress of Britain was a transatlantic ocean liner built by Fairfield Shipbuilding at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland in 1955-1956 for Canadian Pacific Steamships (CP). This ship — the third of three CP vessels to be named Empress of Britain — regularly traversed the trans-Atlantic route between Canada and Europe until 1964, completing 123 voyages under the Canadian Pacific flag.

Empress of Britain was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding in Govan near Glasgow, Scotland. She was launched on 22 June 1955 by HM Queen Elizabeth II. This was nearly fifty years after the first CP Empress of Britain was launched from Govan in November 1905. Eleven months later, she set out on a maiden voyage from Liverpool to Montreal, leaving Liverpool on 20 April 1956.

The 25,516 ton vessel had a length of 640 feet, and her beam was 85.2 feet. The ship had one funnel, one mast, twin propellers and an average speed of 20 knots. The ocean liner provided accommodation for 160 first class passengers and for 984 tourist class passengers.

In November 1964, the former CP Empress was sold to the Greek Line; and the ship was renamed SS Queen Anna Maria. This Queen was rebuilt with a new lido area at the stern and remeasured under Greek rules to 21,716 gross tons, implying a significant reduction in size. In fact her genuine tonnage had been increased by superstucture extension at the stern and the measurement was an attempt to reduce dock dues. With accommodation for 168 first-class passengers and for 1,145 tourist-class passengers, she sailed on the Piraeus to Naples to New York City route. Later, she provided service on the Haifa to New York route. In due course, these liner services were replaced by full time, one class, cruising. In 1975, she was laid up at Piraeus for a time.

In 1976, the former Greek Queen was sold to Carnival Cruise Lines; and the ship was renamed — this time as the SS Carnivale. As Carnival's market expanded and the company was able to afford buying new ships, the ship transferred into a Latin market subsidiary cruise line.

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Wikipedia