Canadian  Pacific  Railway  Employee  Magazine  Article
Public Relations and Advertising Department
Windsor Station Montreal Que. H3C 3E4
 

Volume 11   Number 12

Sept. 16, 1981


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of her last scheduled sailing from Vancouver 5 Oct 1981, the most familiar of all Alaska cruise vessels will be withdrawn from service and offered for sale.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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