Oriana
The Oriana was the last passenger liner specifically built for the Orient Line, launched on November 3, 1959, by Princess Alexandra of Kent via radio-telephone from Australia. The vessel's name carried historical significance, derived from a 16th-century honorary title for Queen Elizabeth I, chosen to create a symbolic link between the Elizabethan eras as the ship was built during Queen Elizabeth II's reign.
Built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd. at Barrow-in-Furness, England, Oriana represented the pinnacle of British shipbuilding technology of her era. A special escutcheon featuring a double "E" symbolizing the two Elizabethan eras was placed on her prow.
Early Service Years
The vessel's maiden voyage, beginning December 3, 1960, was the longest ever undertaken by a passenger liner at that time, routing from Southampton through Suez, Colombo, Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Sydney, Suva, Honolulu, Vancouver, and San Francisco, before returning via the same route. Upon her arrival in San Francisco, the city proclaimed an official "Oriana Day."
Design and Technical Innovation
Oriana featured numerous innovative design elements, including a bulbous bow and sideways propulsion units for improved berthing. Her upper works were constructed from prefabricated aluminum to reduce top-heaviness. The vessel maintained Orient Line's traditional promenading rear decks and featured contemporary art throughout her interior spaces.
Notable Events
- 1962: Collision with USS Kearsage while departing Los Angeles
- Damaged propeller during Panama Canal transit
- Post-Six Day War: Adopted new routing via Panama to Sydney, returning via Cape Town, Las Palmas, and Lisbon
- 1973: Converted to one-class configuration for Mediterranean and Pacific cruise markets
Key Facts
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Length | 804 ft (245 m) |
| Beam | 100 ft (30.5 m) |
| Draught | 32 ft (9.7 m) |
| Gross Tonnage | 41,915 |
| Engine Power | 80,000 SHP |
| Service Speed | 27.5 knots |
| Initial Passenger Capacity | 646 first class, 1,496 tourist class |
| Later Passenger Capacity | 1,770/2,184 tourist class |
| Crew | 899 |
The vessel initially sported Orient Line's traditional "corn" colored hull with white superstructure and green boot-topping, later changed to an all-white scheme with yellow funnels and red boot-topping after P&O acquisition.
During speed trials, Oriana exceeded 30 knots over the measured mile and still holds the speed record for the UK-Australia-New Zealand-USA-Canada route. She operated alongside Orient Line's Orsova, Oronsay, and Orcades, as well as P&O's Arcadia, Iberia, Himalaya, and Chusan. Her step-sister ship was the Canberra.