Cruising on the P&O Arcadia - in 1959

[SeaCBear]

I really enjoyed these videos of cruise life on board the P&O Arcadia, in 1959. The links are below. The cruise footage includes visits to Naples, Dubrovnik and Lisbon.

 

Holiday With Everything Reel 1

 

Holiday With Everything Reel 2

 

Enjoy!

[tom_uk]

Thank you so much for those links! Excellent little film. I'm not sure how effective it was at the time, but it's a glimpse into an interesting past. Dubrovnik *with no visitors*!

 

The on-board scenes were interesting. I'm sure that was a first-class cabin. My wife did a Med cruise with her grandmother(!) on the first Oriana (a later ship than that Arcadia) in the late 60s, and she tells me that they had a cabin with bunk beds. And I can't help feeling glad that they've given up the fancy-dress party.

 

I've only ever seen images of that post-war generation of P&O ships - Himalaya, Chusan, Arcadia and Iberia - but they all looked very elegant. In the end they had comparatively short lives - I think they were all gone by the end of the 70s or so.

Edited April 22, 2014 by tom_uk

[Valentine1925]

Thanks for posting - I really enjoyed watching these. I'm sure more people can afford cruising now as opposed to 1959? Loved seeing Sorrento as we spent two weeks there a few years ago and have visited Dubrovnik in the past too.

[asda]

Fantastic. How did you find these?

All that space to sunbathe .ladies with Head scarfs on. . Posh accents. The boy with camera must be one of the photographers .

[AchileLauro]

Very good indeed. It reminded me of the Achile Lauro in 1968 and not too different to the Canberra in 1986.

 

I loved Dad's bow tie and cardigan when he went to the ship's shop. I bet he doesn't get frowned upon for letting down the dress code in the buffet. LOL.

Edited April 22, 2014 by AchileLauro

[SeaCBear]

So glad you all enjoyed them! British Pathe just recently made all of their 85,000 historical videos available online (free).

 

I searched for cruises/cruise ship/ cruising and came across these. There are others that are also worth a watch.

 

Just try a search with the work cruise on the British Pathe site.

[asda]

So glad you all enjoyed them! British Pathe just recently made all of their 85,000 historical videos available online (free).

 

I searched for cruises/cruise ship/ cruising and came across these. There are others that are also worth a watch.

 

Just try a search with the work cruise on the British Pathe site.

 

Thanks for posting this link. It's a must to go on. I have just typed in butlins (always went there till I was 10) the chair lift video at Skegness is brill . It's was filmed 5 years before I went but its just the same as I remembered it.

( there's tears in my eyes)

[sagaris]

Thanks for the links, it was lovely looking at the films, but I don't think we would have been able to afford cruising in 1959:), a week in Skegness if we were lucky:D

 

Molly

[asda]

Thanks for the links, it was lovely looking at the films, but I don't think we would have been able to afford cruising in 1959:), a week in Skegness if we were lucky:D

 

Molly

 

Molly have you watched the films on butlins Skegness . It brings it all back

[sagaris]

No I haven't yet, but I must admit that although I live in Nottinghamshire I have only been to Butlins once, for a day.

 

Molly