Southampton Maritime City: OceanLiners to Cruise Ships
From ‘Shipping-Today & Yesterday’ Shipping Magazine
This book traces the history of the ocean liner through the 1920s and 30s, the ‘Golden Years’ of sea travel when Hollywood film stars, jazz groups and big bands made the ocean liners of the time so famous, through World War Two when many of these ocean liners were requisitioned for war service. It chronicles the post-war years when the European shipping lines transported war refugees to America and Canadaand returned to Europewith tourists and business travellers, and the competition in the 1950s from the arrival of the jet airliner which spelled disaster for transatlantic liner passenger traffic, but gave some the opportunity to develop a cruise industry. More recently the book explores the arrival of the mega-cruise ships in the 1990s and the increase in the different kinds of cruise available.
Illustrated with over 250 photographs, the book details the stories and anecdotes of the crews and passengers who sailed in the 1950- 60s and the experiences of the new ‘cruisers’ from the 1970s onwards. In addition, the book studies the design and development of the cruise ships being built today, especially the Queen Mary 2, the only purpose-built ocean liner in the world today.
Finally, the book looks at the 2010 cruising season in thePortofSouthamptonwith the naming ceremonies of the Azura and Celebrity Eclipse in April and the Queen Elizabeth in October.
This is a comprehensive history of the passenger ships that have ever used the port and is backed up by some good photographs. I would very highly recommend this book.
From ‘Ships Monthly’ Shipping Magazine
Much has been written about the historic port of Southampton and this hardback, 190- page publication follows up another title on the subject by the same author. A variety of images, over 250 in all, illustrate the 12 chapters, which cover the evolution of the ports liner business into the glitzy cruise industry of modern times.
The developments at the port up to 2010 are among the topics discussed in a clear and well presented text. This offering can be recommended to all with a keen interest in local and national maritime history. The one drawback is the lack of any colour images of the vessels in the port.