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Matson memories

The article on the Matson sistership Mariposa, Monterey and Lurline (SM, June) brought back memories of the 1970s. Having had my cruise on Shaw Savill’s Northern Star in 1974 cancelled at short notice, due to major engineering problems with the ship, I found myself looking for a new cruise. Fortunately, I was able to book, at short notice, a two-week cruise on Britanis. The cruise from Southampton was in an inside sixberth cabin and cost just £99.

Subsequently, in 1978, I booked a fly Mediterranean cruise sailing from Genoa on Ellinis for £330, for an inside two-berth cabin, near the waterline. I remember visiting a Greek island, which was the captain’s homeport. We steamed into the bay at full speed, turning hard to port, causing the ship to heel over, while the ship’s whistle sounded. It must have looked