THE CHANDRIS LINERS and Celebrity Cruises - Maritime Books

244 pages, 290 x 210 mm, 208 colour plates, 100 black & white

9781877058479, $39.95, Paperback

Peter Plowman

Available: Now

The story of the passenger liners operated by the Chandris Group is unique among the major shipping companies through the years. The company grew steadily from within, rather than merging with or buying out other companies. From very small beginnings in the Greek coastal trades, the Chandris family company developed into a renowned concern, at one time operating some of the most famous liners in the world. During the period covered by this book, the company fortunes were guided by brothers Dimitri and Anthony Chandris.

The growth of the Chandris Group passenger services from a single ship to a fleet operating everything from one-day cruises to three month round-the-world voyages took place in a remarkably short period of time.

Chandris Line was formed by Anthony Chandris to operate a regular liner service between Greece and Australia. A suitable vessel was purchased, and after minor alterations, entered the Australian trade at the end of 1960 under the name Patris. The success of this single ship operation was immediate, and a second vessel was added to the service in 1961, the chartered Bretagne. This vessel also enabled Chandris to enter the lucrative North American cruise trade, and was purchased outright by Chandris in 1962, only to meet a sudden tragic fate within months, being destroyed by fire.

As a replacement, Anthony Chandris was able to purchase the first of several American liners that would grace his company. Ellinis soon became extremely popular and successful, so much so that in 1964 Chandris was able to purchase another, even larger American liner, which would become the most famous Chandris liner of all, Australis.

The next addition to the fleet was quite a veteran, as Queen Frederica had been built as long ago as 1927, but it became a regular and popular visitor to Australia over several years. The purchase of Queen Frederica also enabled Chandris Line to return to the North American cruise trade after a break of several years, and in 1968 they placed Amerikanis in this market on a permanent basis.

Two ships purchased in 1970 enjoyed very different careers under Chandris colours. Atlantis was converted for the North American cruise market, but served only for one year before being sold. In contrast, Britanis had three years on the Australian trade, but then became a cruise ship in Europe and the Caribbean, proving so successful it survived for almost thirty years in Chandris service.

During 1960s an entirely separate company, Chandris Cruises, had been building up a fleet of small, second hand vessels to operate cruises, primarily in the Mediterranean. For some time this company enjoyed great success, but when the cost of fuel began to soar, and the number of international passengers began to decline, Chandris Cruises began a period of decline.

At the end of 1974, the Chandris Line operation was amalgamated with Chandris Cruises, and the new entity was given the rather cumbersome title of Chandris Line Chandris Cruises.

It seems amazing now that the Chandris Line service from Europe to Australia lasted a mere eighteen years, yet in that brief period the company established themselves very firmly in Australian maritime history. One ship alone, Australis, made 62 voyages from Europe to Australia bringing over 150,000 new settlers to this country. It was Australis that made the final Chandris voyage from Britain to Australia, which terminated in Sydney in December 1977.

During the 1980s the Chandris Group continued to operate a fleet of cruise vessels in the Mediterranean and from North American ports. In 1990 the Chandris Group expanded into a new field of upmarket cruising with the establishment of Celebrity Cruises.

This book will bring back many happy memories for those people who voyaged on ships operated by Chandris Line, and also give a brief overview of the entire passenger operations of the Chandris companies from their inception to the sale of Celebrity Cruises, which effectively ended the Chandris family connection with the passenger trades.

Peter Plowman lives in Sydney. His other recently published books are: Across the Sea to War, The Sitmar Liners, Ferry to Tasmania, Murray Darling Paddleboats and Australian Migrant Ships 1946-1977.