Public Relations and
Advertising Department
Windsor Station Montreal Que. H3C
3E4
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Volume 11
Number 12
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Sept. 16,
1981
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A Grand Tradition Comes to an
End
By Charles Gordon
Princess Patricia passes beneath the
Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver, BC.
An 80-year-old tradition will
come to an end next month when Canadian Pacific bids farewell to Alaska and retires
its famous cruise vessel, Princess Patricia.
Following completion of her last scheduled sailing from Vancouver
5 Oct 1981, the most familiar of all Alaska cruise vessels will be
withdrawn from service and offered for sale.
The company announced the decision 12 Aug 1981, citing adverse market
projections and financial losses due to high interest rates, steadily increasing
operating costs, and an industry-wide market softening. There are no
plans to replace the popular 33-year-old vessel.
The vessel was built in Govan, Scotland, in 1948 and went into service
16 Jun 1949, as a day ship on the triangular route between Vancouver,
Victoria, and Seattle. The 6,000-ton turbo-electric vessel
was converted to overnight cruising in 1962 and can accommodate 320 passengers in
152 cabins. Her introduction to Alaska came 31 May 1963.
While Alaska has been her steady home ever since, the Patricia has also spent two
winter seasons (1965-66, 66-67) under charter to Princess
Cruises, sailing between Los Angeles and Acapulco.
Through the years the Princess Patricia has tastefully carried over vestiges of the
past into the present. From Vancouver to Skagway, she has retraced the steps of
thousands who responded to the call of the Klondike and the fever of the gold
nugget, while still boasting the facilities and conveniences of any
modern-day ship.
But unlike some of her larger, flashier competitors, the Princess Patricia is of
particular appeal to travellers opting for scenery and relaxation in a
low-key, informal shipboard atmosphere.
After 18 seasons, 325 voyages, and more than 90,000 tourists, the Princess
Patricia's departure brings to an end an era which began in 1901 when the Canadian
Pacific Railway acquired the Canadian Pacific Navigation Company.
The historic lifeline to northern British Columbia and Alaska first became a tourist
attraction in 1890 when Canadian Pacific navigation ran a 12-day
September cruise with its vessel, the Islander - part of the fleet which later came
under the CPR house-flag.
For more than 80 years, Canadian Pacific has operated its Alaska service. Those
years were marked by the appearance of vessels such as the Princess Charlotte,
Princess Adelaide, Princess Kathleen, Princess Alice, and perhaps the most famous
of all - the Princess Louise which served Alaska for an unprecedented 42
consecutive years until her retirement in 1962.
Today, the Princess Patricia remains the lone survivor of that famed and cherished
fleet.
"There is a certain charm, a certain closeness on board that is very hard to
describe", says Bob Reid, assistant manager, customer service. "It's as
if the ship, the crew, and the passengers become one unit, drawing people back time
and time again".
There are countless examples of passengers for whom the Pat is an annual, sometimes
twice annual retreat. Like the Oregon judge who logged 37 voyages. When he died,
the crew complied with instructions in his will to have his ashes brought on board
and scattered in the Alaska waters he had come to love.
"When the last cruise sails 5 Oct 1981, it will be a terribly
nostalgic time for all of us", said Mr. Reid.
With the dignity befitting a princess, the Patricia will depart with grace, quietly
and respectfully saluting Ketchikan, Wrangell, Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm, Prince
Rupert, and of course, Vancouver - the places she has served so well.
This CP Rail News article is copyright 1981 by
Canadian Pacific Railway and is reprinted here with their permission. All
photographs, logos, and trademarks are the property of the Canadian
Pacific Railway Company.
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