Sitmar Line - Castel Felice (2024)

Sitmar Line - SS Castel Felice History -Page 1

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WithReuben Goossens

MaritimeHistorian, Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer, Author & Lecturer

PleaseNote: All ssmaritime and my other relatedssmaritime sites are 100% non-commercial and privately owned sites. Be assuredthat I am NOT associated with any cruise or shipping companies or travel/cruiseagencies or any other organisations! The author has been in the passengershipping industry since May 1960 and is now semi-retired, but continues towrite article on classic liners and cruise ships in order to better to informcruise and ship enthusiasts for their pleasure!

TheSitmar Ships

PartTwo

Notethe crew cleaning the ships funnel

Please Note: Unless marked otherwise, photographs and images onthis page are from the authors’ private collection

Introductionto “The Sitmar Ships”:

Over the yearsI have received unbelievable numbers of requests to add a feature on all theSitmar Liners and Cruise Ships. Well, it has taken a considerable time, but inthis work, I will present a short history on each ship, together with a numberof photographs. Therefore, I hope and pray that the following pages will haveyou reliving your Sitmar experience or possibly experiences, be it sailing toor from Europe/UK to NewZealand or Australiaor the America’son a line voyage or later as a passenger on one of their many cruises!

I certainly have enjoyed writing and compilingthis very special feature on a company that I greatly love and have sailed withmany times!

Thus now go and read all about … The Sitmar Ships.

ReubenGoossens

TNCastel Felice, ex KenyaBuilt in 1930

It is obvious that although at12,150 GRT (Gross Registered Tons) Sitmar’s Castel Felice was arelatively small liner, nut she had excellent facilities and certainly a mostpleasant, if not a somewhat classic profile, which was a pleasing one!

However, she was originally built in1930 for the British India Company as the Kenyaby “A. Stephen & Sons, Glasgow and was she launched on August 27,1930. This ship was designed to operate on the company’s Indian Oceanservice from Bombay to EastAfrica and Durban.As she was completed just four months later, the SS Kenya commenced her maidenvoyage on December 18, 1931 and she headed for Bombay.

She offered sixty-six berths in FirstClass and Hundred and twenty in Second Class both having pleasant publicfacilities and ample deck spaces. In addition to this, there was also space forup to 1,700 Third Class, come deck passengers. This area offered the most basicof accommodations indoors as well a deck spaces, and was only sold only toIndian as well as African passengers many who would sail on short voyages.

Seenas the British India Company - SS Kenya

In1940 she was seconded and she was refitted as the troopship HMS Kenya, butlater she was again refitted as an infantry-landing vessel, and was renamed HMSHydra in 1941. Then she was commissioned into the Royal Navy on July 23, 1942to became an Infantry landing ship and she was renamed HMS Keren due to a navalship, a cruiser that was already in operation in the navy with her previousname. She was fitted with 22 anti-aircraft guns and was one six-inch and onethree-inch guns, and she was able to carry 1,296 soldiers, and she would have acrew of 297. Located on each side of the ship were five landing craft that hungalong the side of the HMS Keren.

HMS Keren is seen as an armed “Infantry LandingShip”

After the war BritishIndia decided to sell the ship and she was sold inApril 1946 to the Ministry of Transport however, in August 1948 she was laid upin Holy Loch.

A New Life for the British Ship:

Early in 1949 the Vlasov Groupcommenced negotiations to purchase the SS Keren, ex Kenya.But sadly during the negotiations, on February 19, Keren broke loose from hermoorings during a storm and she was badly damaged. Having been refloated shewas taken to Glasgow to berepaired and was renamed Kenyaagain. But she remained laid up at RothesayBay,and she was renamed Keren once again, yet later that very same year heroriginal name Kenyawas restored to her, why all the name changes nobody knows?

In 1950 she was sold and registeredin Panama forthe Alva Steamship Co and was she was renamed “Fairstone,” at leastthis was a Sitmar style name, but it would be changed in due course, But inJune 1950 and registered in Italyby Sitmar Line in October 1950 and named once more the SS Kenya. Then in March1951 she once again became the “Keren,” but this time for the verylast time.

On October 15 she was towed to Falmouthwhere initial rebuilding commenced. She departed undertow on March 10, 1951,heading for Antwerp,where further work was undertaken. Finally, in August that year she headed for Genoaagain undertow, where she received her final special Italian touch from herowners where she became a good looking ship with many new and modern comfortson board.

Here wesee Sitmar Line’s first artist impression postcard of their new SS CastelFelice in 1952

Both her profile and interiors sawcountless changes. Her funnel was shortened, a new shapely raked bow was fittedand her promenade deck was extended far aft. Her main masts were removed whilsta new mast atop the bridge and King posts with derricks were added. Herinteriors were completely remodelled, with many new cabins added in hercompletely remodelled hold spaces. When the ship was complete, she was ableaccommodate up to 1,540 passengers, with 596 in Cabin Class and 944 in ThirdClass (mostly for immigrants).

With her bright new look, thisgleaning white liner with her yellow funnel and the famous Sitmar blue“V” logo was finally officially renamed the SS “CastelFelice” in September 1952 and she was made ready for her maiden voyage.

SS Castle Felice departed Genoaon October 6, 1952, for her maiden voyage to Australia,arriving in Fremantle (Perth)on November 1, she then arriving in Melbourne on November5, and Sydney on the 7th. Uponher return to Genoa she wasplaced on the Italy South American service commencing in January 1953, then in1954 she made several voyages to Canadaand the UnitedStates. Laterin 1954 she made her second voyage to Australia.

Here wesee the Castel Felice as she was first rebuilt and refitted in 1952 in Genoa

PromenadeDeck

ForwardDinning Room

Early1955 air-conditioning was installed and accommodations were altered toaccommodate 28 First Class, and 1,173 Tourist Class passengers. Upon completionthe new look Sitmar Line flagship departed Genoaon February 26, for her third Australian voyage, after which she retuned to herprevious South American service.

Agleaming white Castel Felice is seen berthed in Southampton

TheCastel Felice is seen arriving in the portof Adelaide, SouthAustralia

Note thather far forward lifeboats had been removed as she was due for a refit

Photographby & © Mark Churchman

1957 Refit:

Late in 1957 Sitmarobtained the lucrative contract to transport assisted migrants from Britainto Australia.She was given another refit, including having her forward promenade deck beingpartially enclosed making her ready for her new role and commenced duties onthe Australian service.

Apostcard of the Castle Felice after her1957 refit

ALuncheon Menu from Thursday November 21, 1957

Providedby Mr. Robert Kenneth Williams

New 1957schedules - Australiato UKand back

Mini Photo Album

TheMain Social Hall

Enjoyingthe ships ban in the Social Hall

TheTavern

LidoBar

ForwardDinning Room

SwimmingPool

Children’s’play room could also be used as the Cinema

…

Theauthor’s item of memorabilia a cigarette lighter from the CastleFelice

Fromthe author’s private collection

A tragicevent takes place in Naplesin 1965!

The then eleven-year-old ChrisHemmings sailed on Sitmar Line's Castel Felice with his family early 1965 from Australiato the UKdeparting from Melbourne,sailing via Auckland, Wellingtonthen back to Australiavia Brisbane to Singapore,Colombo, Aden,Port Said, Naples,and Gibraltar to Southampton.Chris tells us that there was tragic incident that took place during the voyagefor her Captain, Captain Avolio Matarese sadly passed away of a severe heartattack as the ship was departing the port of Naples and thus the Castel Felicehad to return to her berth to offload the Captain's body and the company had tofind a another Captain. The voyage from Melbourneto Southampton tookabout seven weeks.

I wish to thank Chris Hemmings forproviding this above short story of his voyage to the UK, although be it arather sad story, yet it is part of this fine ship's long history!

Awonderful Photo of the SS Castel Felice at sea

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TheSteve Mercer Story:

“I sailed on the TV CastleFelice from Auckland to Southampton November/December of 1965 for 6 weeks forjust NZ£125. It was an eventful voyage starting with astorm across theTasman. I was one of onlya handful of passengers able to get up on daytwo and I have some wonderful memories of huge seas, empty decks but the bandnamed Atanasio and his Happy Boys, were still playing, but mostly to an emptyBelvedere Lounge for the afternoon tea dance and I recall a little lady onemorning at the refreshment urn and then she had to balance her cups as the shiplevelled between rolls, and then having to dash along the promenaded deck untilthe ship lurched the other way, it was some sight, but she got there!

The Castel Felice was a wonderfullyrelaxed and such a happy ship with a most imposing tall and elegant lookingcaptain. We particularly liked 'little things' that made it different. Forexample at midnight in the middle of a frantic dance if you put your hand outyou might likely end up with a slice of hot pizza helpfully placed in it by apassing waiter.

Passengers were allowed to erectwashing lines on the ship's prow so at times it looked more like a Chinesejunk. Then there would be a heavy Italian voice over the loudspeaker warningall the “Laydees” that there was a rain shower approaching and toget the washing in. This was just absolutely priceless and that sort of thingwould never happen these days!

On the negative side whilst we werein Aden,a hand grenade, which fortunately turned out to be a dud, was thrown on boardand there was some panic amongst the passengers, soon a heavy British army andpolice contingent came on board to collect the evidence.But thankfully itall turned out to be a hoax.

Our callto Egyptand sailing through the Suez Canalraiseda smile as well. Although the ship was full of British, NewZealand and Australians, theEgyptians obviously felt that the Italian ownership was far more important andthat ideology continued right into Cairo.At the Continental hotel where we were to have lunch, believe it or not themeal started with pasta, but it was in an Egyptian-style! But pasta? On boardthere is a lot of pasta and it is superb, but we were looking forward to achange!

In my teens I started to use an 8mmcamera and I filmed the entire six-week voyage on 8mm film, this includes lotsof on-board footage which I watch with great fondness now and then.

On a final point I still have anumber of menus from this wonderful and most memorable voyage.”

Steve Mercer - France.

Castel Felice remained on the Australian (including some visitsto New Zealand)service until 1970 when sadly Sitmar Line lost their migrant contract to theGreek Chandris Lines. It was then decided that Castel Felice would be retiredby the end of the year.

On August 15 of thatyear whilst the Castel Felice was berthed in Southampton,a fire broke out in part of her accommodations, and Sitmar decided not torepair the damage and kept the section where the fire damaged cabins were underlock and key.

CastelFelice is seen here during this final visit to Southamptonin August 1970

Photographby & © J.K. Byass

With a slightly reducednumber of passengers, SS Castel Felice departed on her final voyage to Australia,arriving in Sydneyon Saturday September 26, 1970. She remained in Sydneyfor eleven days. Whilst there, her furniture, many fittings and her stores wereremoved from the ship, making her ready to sail to her Asian breakers with aminimum crew.

The wonderful, andmuch loved Sitmar liner, SS Castel Felice departed Sydneyon Wednesday October 7, 1970 and she headed north for Kaohsiung in Taiwan, where she arrived at the ship breakers’ yardon Wednesday October 21, and soon breaking up of this 40 year old “Ladyof the Sea” commenced. In those days 40 years was being a very old shipindeed, as in general most ships were being disposed of between 20 and maximum30 years of age!

Memoriesof a Greatly Loved Sitmar Liner!

Thisis the very last postcard published by Sitmar Lines of the SS Castle Felice

Thereis no doubt that the SS CastelFelice will be fondly remembered, like many Italian ships of her day, for shehad wonderful style and typical Italian finesse, which is remembered bythousands of her past passengers!

Specifications:

Kenya as built:

Built: 1930 Alexander Stephen & SonsLtd., Govan,Scotland

Yard: 529.

OfficialNr: 162509 - Kenya.

Launched: August 27, 1930.

Tonnage: 9.890 GRT.

Length: 471.3ft - 143,65m.

Beam: 64.3ft – 19.6m.

Draught: 21.11ft - 6.7m.

Machinery: 2 X SR Steam Turbines,9,610 SHP.

Screws: Twin.

Speed: 16 knots,17 knots service speed, maximum

Other names: Kenya(1930), Hydra (1941), Keren (1941), Kenya(1949), Fairstone (1950), Kenya(1950), Keren (1951-52).

CastelFelice:

Tonnage: 12,150 GRT.

Length: 493ft–150.3m.

Passengers: 596 Cabin Class & 944 Third Class.

. 1955- 28 First Class & 1,173 Tourist Class.

1957 - 1,400 One-Class.

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TheCastel Felice INDEX:

Castel Felice-1 - History Page - This page.

Castel Felice-2 - Cabin Plan &the Robert Brinkhuis story 1965.

CastelFelice-3 - My 1957 voyage to Canadaby W. D.Hempel.

Castel Felice-4 - The Williams family sail to Australiain 1957.

Castel Felice-4 - A family’s voyage to Australia- on another site!

Or Return to:…….The SitmarShips - INDEX - For the Other Sitmar Ships!

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I watched them come, I watched them go, and I watched them die.”

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