Alan MacKenzie - ss Oriana

Alan’s Memories of 26 Years at Sea

Alan MacKenzie has made a huge contributed to this site with over 200 photos and a 6378 word essay about his amazing 26 year career. Brilliant stuff, thanks Alan. To reduce the loading time I’ve split it all up into 9 separate pages listed under the ships that Alan sailed on.

All the narration with each photo is from Alan.

ss Oronsay (1973-1975)

tev Canberra (1976-1985)

tev Canberra (1985-1996)

ss Oriana (1977-1982)

Sea Princess (1979-1983)

ss Uganda (1980)

Sun Princess (1980)

Island Princess (1980)

Royal Princess (1984-1985)

mv Oriana (1995)

Victoria (1997-2002 )

mv Arcadia (2001-2002)

Sea Story

Iberia (Pre Sea Daze 1967)

ss Oriana (1977-1982)

09.01.81

Boat trip, Nuku'alofa. Chap with umbrella is Jag Lewis, 4/E/O, the WAP is Hilary (can't remember her maiden name but she later married Dave Wheeler, 3/O, so we'll call her Hilary Wheeler!) Not sure who the swimmer is.

09.01.81

Returning to Oriana. Jag Lewis is sitting on the bulwark, back to camera, Peter Crump 2/O (I think) in centre and the chap behind him with a fag hanging out of his mouth is Dougie Beveridge, 3/E/O. To his right is WAP Hilary. Can't remember the rest.

09.01.81

Oriana alongside, Nuku'alofa

28.01.81

Self, 2/R/O on watch, W/T Bay

28.01.81

Ditto, R/T Bay

19.02.81

My 25th birthday pourout! The guy ripping off my right shoulder-board is Jon Fitter 3/O, Chris Lund, 2/R/O is to his right and Hilary is behind my left shoulder. Chap just in front of Chris is an SAP though can't recall his name. I'm open to suggestions as to the identities of everyone else!

19.02.81

The long-suffering girls in this one are: standing, a croupier, Jeanette Ashley (fleet's first female T/R/O), Hilary WAP, someone else and Fiona Fitzpatrick WAP

27.02.81

Jeanette Ashley and I, doing our "cruise brochure advert bit" on a beach in Lautoka, Fiji.

27.02.81

Me in the swimming pool at the Regent of Fiji Hotel, Lautoka

02.04.81

Sailing from Sydney on the line voyage to Southampton

11.04.81

A sticky ending to Crossing the Line - me, as Safety Officer, having just stopped a custard pie!

13.04.81

In action again, working on the removal of one rather large loudspeaker, overlooking the (former) Tourist Class Arena.

16.04.81

The chap on the left, is former school-mate of mine, Mike Burton. Totally coincidentally and unknown to me, he had booked the voyage Auckland-Southampton. This particular day he thought it would be a good wheeze to wander round for a bit, dressed up in one of my uniforms! We thought it was hilarious, but the prank was not viewed very favourably higher up!!!