RMS Empress of Britain (1955)

SS The Topaz at Kobe, Japan in 2006
History
Name
  • 1955–1964: Empress of Britain
  • 1964–1975: Queen Anna Maria
  • 1975–1993: Carnivale
  • 1993–1994: Fiestamarina
  • 1995–1997: Olympic
  • 1997–2008: The Topaz
  • 2008: Topaz
Owner
Operator
Port of registry
RouteLiverpool-Greenock-Quebec-Montreal (1965, Haifa-Piraeus-New York City, Cruising)
BuilderFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering, Govan, Scotland
Yard number731
Launched22 June 1955 by Queen Elizabeth II
Christened22 June 1955
Completed1956
Maiden voyage20 April 1956
In service1955-2008
Out of serviceApril 2008
Identification
FateSold for scrap in 2008.
General characteristics
TypeOcean liner
Tonnage25,516 GRT (1965, 21,716 GRT)
Length640 ft.
Beam85.2 ft.
Draught29 ft.
Installed power30,000 shp
PropulsionGeared turbines, Twin screw
Speed20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
CapacityAs built, 160 1st-class & 894 tourist-class passengers (1965, 168 1st class, 1,145 tourist. 741 one class when cruising)
Crew464

RMS Empress of Britain was a transatlantic ocean liner built by Fairfield Shipbuilding at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland in 1955-1956[1] for Canadian Pacific Steamships (CP). This ship — the third of three CP vessels to be named Empress of Britain[2]—regularly traversed the trans-Atlantic route between Canada and Europe until 1964, completing 123 voyages under the Canadian Pacific flag.

  1. ^ The disambiguation date used in this article's title is the year in which the hull is launched, not the year of the vessel's sea trial or maiden voyage.
  2. ^ The second of three ships named SS Empress of Britain (1931) was built for CP; and the first SS Empress of Britain (1906) was also built for CP some years earlier.