The Chandris Line was the precursor of Celebrity Cruises.
One of the ships operated by Chandris was the beautiful Liner America previously owned by the United States Line and initially captained by Demitrios Challioris who had been in charge of a crude oil tanker in Southampton.
Chandris bought the largest passenger liner ever in Greece called the Australis. The Australis had served extensively as a troop ship during the second world war so underwent a major refit and became a one-class configuration geared to carry 2300 passengers.
The aft promenade decks were extended, a swimming pool was added, and air conditioning was installed.
She made 3 month voyages around the world from Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Southampton, Casablanca, Las Palmas, Cape Town,(or through the Mediterranean via Gibraltar, Naples, Malta, Piraeus, Port Said and Aden), Freemantle, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Suva, Tahiti, Acapulco, Balboa, Cristobal, Port Everglades and return to Southampton.
Chandris Lines also had the Australian Government’s prized immigrant contract bringing tens of thousands of new immigrants out to major ports in Australia The ships were always...