FAIRSTAR

We migrated to Australia in January 1964 on the Fairstar stopping first at Fremantle then Port Melbourne - we didn't stop in Adelaide as I recall. I was 7 at the time and was a freebie with my older sister and brother and two parents ten pounds each. Remember a stop in Aden then crossing the Equator with a special party and singing in a Christmas Carol concert. The children ate separately from the adults which I found strange. I lived in Victoria for rest of my childhood and young adult hood then moved to Adelaide for work in 1998. I have English relatives here in Adelaide who came here in 1966 and also on the Fairstar.

First in Jan feb 1988 was the great cruise on the fair star cruise book

I did my National Service in the Far East at the British Military Hospital in Singapore. I was flown out but was lucky enough to return to the UK by sea on the SS Fairstar. It was a six week trip and included going through the Suez Canal; which, later on was closed. It was a very exciting journey back but without any air conditioning it was unbearably hot. To get over this we slept out on deck which was cooler but very hard on the poor back. The ports we called at included Suez and Port Said. At Suez the Gulley Gulley man came aboard to mystify us with his magic tricks. The poor chap did get some ribbing by the soldiers. Also the passengers would throw coins over the side and local kids would dive in and collect them. Sailing through the Suez Canal was made even more strange by us being able to see ships sailing the other way but just a few hundred meters across the sand. The sight really was a ship of the desert; no water, no trees, just a silent hulk going the opposite way. The Bay of Biscay was very rough but I like it rough. I was in the bow area with dozens of other soldiers in bunks which all creaked to the motion of the heaving waves. At times the bow of the ship would drop into a trough only to meet another wave coming up to meet it. The impact was colossal and the ship would shudder from stem to stern. On occasions the propeller would be lifted clear of the water and the ship would vibrate even more. What a huge strain the whole ship must have been under but it survived and we sailed into the calm of Southampton Docks. There we were met by a full military band because we were the last troop ship to go through the canal..........and there were my mum, dad and girl friend; bless them.

On the 25th of September 1967 I sailed from Southhampton UK We sailed via capetown arriving in Hobart Tasmania on the 26 th on October. We were the first migrant ship to come to Hobart for seventy years direct from the UK we were 3generations in the family.

14th June 1965. Family of four immigrated to Australia. Southampton to Sydney on the Fairsky. There were stops in Aden and Port Said where children dove for coins tossed from the decks if the ship. I remember the Crossing the line ceremony and the ships doctor was Italian who gave antibiotics via very traumatic means, especially for a nine year old girl with a sore thumb. We survived a monsoon while crossing the Indian Ocean. Everyone was vomiting and looked green and the dining rooms were empty at mealtimes. Fortunately me and my dad actually liked the movement of the ship and I still do. We called in Freemantle and Melbourne where passengers went ashore to take a look or to start their new lives in Australia. We arrived in Sydney and went through emigration via he old wooden docks at Circular Key. We settled in Wollongong and not once regretted the choice to come and become Australians.

I was a shoppi on board the fairstar in 1985 I worked in tve duty free shop then in 1986 I worked as a youth activities coordinator for sitmar cruises. My most vivid memories are from the bar next door to the duty free store .. does anyone know what it was called ? It was so disgusting

My family & I sailed on the Fairstar in May 1977 to the pacific islands & New Zealand it was a wonderful holiday our first cruise can anyone give me the dates of sailing in May 1977

My family & I sailed on the Fairstar in May 1977 to the pacific islands & New Zealand it was a wonderful holiday our first cruise can anyone give me the dates of sailing in May 1977

I sailed on the fair star December 1970 with my mum dad and 2 young brothers from Sydney to southhampton I was only 10 and I have great memories of my time on the ship

I travelled from Southampton to Sydney on the Fairstar in November 1964, as a couple with my first husband, (Tommy and Bobbie Grant) the journey was exciting, sad though as there was a strike at the docks when we were due to sail and a lots of confusion re our exact sailing time, which, as it happened was the following morning at6am. The Officers on board were all Italian and the crew appeared to be Chines the ship itself was spotless. We were billeted with three other young marrieds and shared two 4 bunked cabins,,,,for 28 days, ! interesting to say the least. There was an burial at sea the first day out at 5am...a leading officer of some kind never knew who. The ship had just had her refit and was very smart interior, public rooms were quite something, and the food tolerable....except an ocean of beef tomatoes which I hated ! Bay of Biscay was quiet and the Suez Canal busy with dredgers and Arabs on bikes...…...after the Bitter lakes we crossed the Indian Ocean and saw flying fish and the bridge announced that there was a submerged island to see, well after 14 days without land everyone wanted to look at what turned out to be lots of breaking water ! the Indian ocean its self was very bumpy and the make-do swimming pool had to be pumped out as the lining was leaving the bottom and sides. so that was the end of the swimming. We stopped at Port Freemantle to collect people to help us newbies find possibly jobs and medical insurance in our chosen country. We arrived to late for the pilot to come out from Sydney harbour to bring us to moor up so after a terrible scary night anchored up outside of the Heads we were tired and elated to moor up in Woollamalloo, the Sitmar Line was my link to UK and home.

Family migrated to Aust stopping at Freo and Melbourne in April 67. Caught the train to adelaide and as a lot of other migrants of english background, settled in Elizabeth SA. Sailed again on her for a cruise in 87 to Noumea. Living in darwin a few years later came to meet a bloke who migrated on the same voyage. Wow!!!! "Small world after all"......

Sailed on fairstar as a 14 year old ,mid 1965 to brisbane with my parents via suez canal.returned to england 1968 via panama canal again on fairstar.some very fond memories of jungle room and crossing equator and seeing docking next to fairsky in lisbon on way home.

I was 19 and went on this ship in 1983 , loved every minute . Beer , romance , great food , new friends , dancing with the rocking of the ship , wonderful staff . It really was the holiday of a lifetime. The South Pacific was so beautiful . I left a bit of my heart with that ship . Nothing else has been like it since

As a 7 year old, I came out on the May 67 trip to Australia with my parents and older brother. I remember watching him swimming underwater in the pool through a window inside the lounge, and my dad saying the pops we could hear from the shore going through the suez was gunfire

Sailed from Sydney on 8th August 1969, bound for Southampton, via Panama Canal..Anyone else on that trip?

Worked on "Fairstar" as one of the Photographers, from late 79, to 1980, enjoyed my time on board, was a great ship to work on.. If anyone remembers me, then get in touch, would be great to hear from any old shipmates, or passenger..

Arrived at Fremantle with my familyJuly 1970 as British (Assisted Passage) immigrants aboard the Fairstar. I was surprised to find during the journey that the ship was previously a P&O Troopship name Oxfordshire. During my N.S. with the Army 1956-1958 I was stationed 3-5 Gt Scotland Yard, Whitehall, London & I often had inquiries as to the arrival times of the Oxfordshire & Dunera at Southhampton. We have lived in Perth WA for over 48 years. Great place.

I was one of 15 young lads (!) emigrating to Aust under the auspices of the Big Brother Movement on the TV Fairstar arriving in Sydney in June 1995. For most, if not all of us boys, this was the first 'holiday' we had ever had. Still have very fond memories of the voyage - we got into our own little parcels of mischief !! I well recollect the Indian Ocean rough weather - only a few of us stalwarts for meals. Upon arrival in Sydney, those under 18 had to go and have a TB X-ray (?) at the 'clinic' at the beginning of George Street. The few of us just over 18 years old spent the next 2-3 hours in one of the infamous pubs just down the road. Lived in Sydney for the next 47 years before upping stumps and relocating to Canberra - another one of the best moves we ever made. Oz gave me personal and work opportunities that I'd never have realised in UK.

Small typo above - should have read 1965 of course !! With the ship doing it's 23 knots, the whole upper deck vibrated - sunbathers beware !

My family and I travelled on the fairstar ship in November 1967 from Southampton to Fremantle . I was 4 , my brother 5 and my sister 18 months . I remember the song angelina playing at the port as we sailed out of Southampton . We then travelled by bus from Fremantle to a migrant camp called Bonegilla . My father worked in a factory making golf balls and my mother was a child minder . I recently found our incoming boarding passes in the Australia government archive’s . Brought tears to my eyes . Went to school (Matraville 1969 1D ) . Feels like a privilege to off been part of this history . X

Hey Steve (Photographer), I was on the Fairstar cruise to South Pacific dep. Brisbane Fri. 30th Nov 1979 (exactly 39 years ago to the day!!). Cabin A88. It was 14nts return to Sydney. It was also my first cruise at age 15. I was in Grade 11 and had just finished my last exam - Mum came and picked me up from school, went back home to grab my bag and then we headed for the Hamilton docs in Brisbane. My classmates were so jealous I was going on a cruise! I remember we sailed to Noumea, Vila, Lautoka, Suva, Nukualofa and Auckland. Maybe another port or two in there... You would have been our photographer Steve - still have your shots on the mantle at home haha. I remember the Cruise Director was a big man - very funny too. Still have all the "Morning Star" daily activities from that cruise. The live shows back then in the "Theatre at Sea" on "D" Deck were fantastic - "Girl in my Soup" was one show we saw. The Animal Bar was called "The Tavern" back in those days. Boy some great memories of my teenage years. Exactly 39 years and 52 cruises later, I am still travelling on ships :-) Mainly Royal Caribbean these days. But the Fairstar won my heart :-) Cheers, Mark

We travelled out to Australia on the Fairstar in February 1965. I was a six year old travelling with my mum and dad. I remember we arrived at the ship on the Boat Train from Waterloo Station in the early evening. The crossing of the Bay of Biscay was rough but for the rest of the journey the sea was really calm. I remember stops at Port Said and Aden before crossing the Indian Ocean to Fremantle. We disembarked at Melbourne and then took the Overlander train to Adelaide. I too remember the crossing the line ceremony and as a child loved the Disney cartoons shown in the cinema. We returned to England from Port Adelaide in August 1966 and again travelled on the Fairstar. This time we stopped at Melbourne, Sydney, Melbourne, Colombo, Singapore, Aden, Suez, Port Said and Naples before reaching Southampton. As a child I loved the Fairstar and it gave me a great love of the sea,

I think it was around 1976 that my wife and I, along with 4 other couples that all lived in our street in Sydney, went on a 28 day cruise on this great ship [in those days]. It was a long cruise in those days that covered the Solomon Islands, The New Hebrides, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand. After saving around $10 pp per month for 3 years we had enough for the $300pp fare and some spending money. It was cheaper for us all to book 2 x 6 berth [3 double deck beds] cabins than 2 x4 berth and 1 x2 berth. We had a tiny porthole to look out of which we thought was so cool. So all the boys in one cabin, all the girls in the other. The amenities were at the end of the hallway. The spare bunk bed in each cabin gave us more room for luggage and souvenirs. Being young at the time marital activities were allocated daily by the group issuer of the room keys or upon request. It was our first out of Australia holiday and we were all so excited as we bid farewell from the terminal at Sydney. All the rellies came to throw streamers and some even had tied pantyhose together with a tennis ball at one end to ensure the throw covered the distance. We left Sydney and when the ship was the legal distance off the coast the bars were opened and all drinks were at then duty free prices. I think Tooheys beer cans were about 60c and fancy drinks $1.20. The fun began. Our initials were embedded in those wooden tables in the Tavern where they had the a lively honky tonk piano player; we sang; we drank; we danced into the night; we ran the deck with the fitness instructor to 'get fit'; we played the daily games held in the pool and on the upper decks; we dressed up in bits and pieces borrowed from the crew to make up costumes for the passengers entertainment night [I was the arse end of a horse]; we enjoyed the back deck morning teas, the set dining times, as it was then, as we got with a good bunch for the entire cruise and I think at the only dining option; and so after yet another hard day cruising we enjoyed the midnight buffet as we knew we would not make breakfast. All 'land discoveries' were mostly self made in those days and most of the island trips were in the back of local Utes, crappy taxis or scary buses along rough dirt roads. One organised ship tour though that stood out was an island feast BBQ in a huge cave, at one of the ports, along with the hair raising trip back to the ship on the windowless buses whose drivers took it upon themselves to be the first back to the ship. This included the drivers turning off their bus head lights so the other buses could not see where the 'opposition' was as they sped back to the ship. When approaching Auckland the Captain announced that the trip from Auckland to Sydney was going to be extremely rough and anyone that did not want to do that sector could fly home for an extra payment of $75. Quite a few decided on that course but us rough and tough and senseless decided to ride it out. The Fedor Shalyapin [another cruise ship cruising out of Australia at the time] was ahead of us for a lot of the cruise and had left Auckland about a 1/2 day before us. It was not until we had sailed into the Tasman Sea crossing when we saw the Fedor Shalyapin returning to Auckland as the crossing was too rough for that ship. It was then that our bravado started to run out. It was a tumultuous 3 days with the outer deck doors locked and the Captain [dressed in a huge black marine coat and with a life jacket on] addressing us in the lounge as to the weather ahead. It was very easy for us to get a table in the restaurant. As tough as it was compared to the luxurious palaces floating around on the oceans today it was the best $300 we have ever spent. We have been on 12 cruises since [2000 -2017] but the Fairstar is the pioneering one that we still love to talk about.

I don't know what date we sailed from Southampton but it was Christmas Day 1966 when we arrived in Fremantle on the then "TV Fairstar", I was 5 years old. We sailed around to Port Melbourne then caught the train to Adelaide where we had family already living as they came out earlier that same year. Adelaide had been the place I call home ever since. Being young I don't recall too many details but I do remember stopping in Pt. Said and Aden where small boats would pull along side the ship and sell their wares. I can also remember days when the weather was too rough to even contemplate breakfast, everything in the dining room was either on the floor or up against the wall. I have a reminder of the ship in the form of a fingernail that to this day has never grown properly since slamming it in the door on one of those rough days, I don't remember but I must have lost the nail at the time. Probably bawled my eyes out !!

We migrated from Ireland arriving in Fremantle December 28th 1967. I was 7 and my brothers 4 & 3. We stopped at Las Palmas and Cape Town. I remember a big party when we crossed the equator with King Neptune coming on board. Christmas on board was wonderful, we all got gifts. It was. Great family adventure, I have just framed a jigsaw puzzle my dad bought in 1967 of the 4 Sitmar Ships. Of course my favourite is the Fair Star

I sailed on the Fairstar in April 1967 with my parents and brother, I was 10 years old. To this day, I still have an aversion to steamed spinach... Italian crew and it was served in bulk to the children’s menu. What an exciting adventure... Port Said, Aden, my first experience of sightseeing and other cultures... it sure has expanded since then. Also the Suez Canal. We were the last ship through the canal and were told to stay below deck at certain times. I remember seeing armoured tanks on the edge of the the canal and submarines out to sea, which as children imagined them as whales. Travelling through rough seas and they almost emptied the swimming pool. Didn’t stop us going in and having a roller coaster ride in the meter of water at the bottom. The jungle room... milk shakes and music. I so wanted to be a few years older. Crossing the equator, fancy dress... only picture I have of the trip as we lost our camera, so sad. Fremantle, Melbourne, Cattle train to Adelaide. I remember Mum crying at what we had come to, going through the industrial yards on the train. It wasn’t pretty and such an old train. We met a family on the train to Southhampton, 5 children, who we still have contact with today. So nice. Settled in Para Hills, Adelaide. Now living in in Brisbane. Best thing my parents ever did for our family. If anyone has some photos of this journey and would like to share, I would be eternally grateful.

In 1988 I went on a cruise on the Fairstar From Sydney to 4 places in the South Pacific Noumea, Port Vila, Isle of Pine & Mystery Island. Is there any way of finding out the dates that the Fairstar would have done these cruises. I need this so that Princess cruises will add it to my cruise details

Need to know what date FAIRSTAR left Sydney for Fiji, December, 1982. Desperately need the date. Hope someone can help.

Does anyone know the date and number of days for the 2nd to last cruise to South Pacific on Fairstar in January 1997?

I sailed on the FAIRSTAR january 1970 from southampton to melbourn arriving march to be picked up on the quayside by a representitive from melbourn tramways and taken to ST KILDA ,I ONLY STAYED WITH THE TRAMWAYS HALF A DAY i then got a job with stewart and lloyd stayed with them for short while then moved on to KRAFT cheeses,then hitch hiked 700 miles to newcastle to work in the steel works,then onto QANTAS airways and mcphersons engineering. i then returned to the uk on the M V ELLENNIS srriving back at SOUTHAMPTON on 22 DEC 1972,DAVID BOWIE joined the ship in new york.

Sailed SouthHampton march 14th 1967 to Sydney arriving 13 April via Suez canal, Port Said and Aden. Weren't allowed off I Suez as an offsocial had been shot the night before. Used to spend time exploring all the decks, the jungle bar and cinema, best holiday ever! Inadvertantly became engaged to an italian crew member while onboard, luckily I was not quite 15 yrs old and even though we met again the next time the ship was in port, the romance was short lived. Travelled with my parents,Ellen & Charles, my younger siblings Michael, Freddy & Georgina and my beautiful Nan, Ellen Harris. We settled in Cronulla where mum is still. My uncle and his family arrived here 12mths before us and sponsored us under the Big Brother Scheme.

I went to uk to visit relatives in 1967. Left Sydney June 1967 on the Fairstar to Southampton via Tahiti. Ship half full. Great time. Good food. Good crew and fellow passengers. Came back to Sydney Sept 67, also on thE Fairstar. Ship packed with immigrants but still good time. My favorite place was the Jungle room. Met many friends and still have a few remaining even now. One of the best ships I have ever been on.

My husband and I had our honeymoon on the Fairstar (December 1986) and became hooked on cruising from that day on.

I sailed on the Sitmar Line Fairstar at Christmas for the Pacific Islands. I may be a little out on the year but I believe it was 1977. A Catholic priest celebrated the Christmas Day Mass. The service on board was exemplary and the food first class The passage across from Auckland test seafaring legs. When the ship berthed at Tonga two little girls came up to me and said you are rich,obviously I gave them a donation. In Fiji I purchased a Pentax Camera which I still possess , the Indian Shopkeeper not only was interested in selling me the camera but also would I marry his daughter. I also went to a watchmakers to get the leather watch band replaced for a young lady on board,Anne ‘O Malley who had completed her Medical Degree and with whom I had very enjoyable conversations. Coming back from the Pacific there was a warning about a Tsunami which not eventuate. There was something very special about that cruise . A trip down memory lane,I often take of distant memories that are still Clare in my mind

I rode the fairstar in February, 1989. We were on a trip with a great band! Always knew I had to be there. I met my second husband that fortnight... and a friend ‘til this day. We were in the eyes of cyclone and had to disband in Brisbane! I still have our Morningstar newspapers. It was a dream that I can say in 2019 was a dream come true!!!! Sweet sweet fairstar!!! Served in many ways!!!!

I travelled home from Australia leaving Melbourne in October 1970 and arrived Southampton November 1970 ...was this the FAIRSTAR or FAIRSKY

Sailed out of Southampton April 1970 as a newly wed. Yes we had seperate cabins. I enjoyed the ship & could have continued onwards back to England! Never having travelled before it was certainly enlightening. Hot Hot sand in Las Palmas, apartheid in Cape Town & fresh milk in Fremantle. Haven’t come across anyone else from the Fairstar on the April date.... & the husband long gone. Seasick going through the Bay of Biscay but no problems sailing the Bight. Certainly not the entertainment that is on cruise ships today....& the passengers were not all £10 poms. 50years in Australia in 2020

only a few of my memories at fairstar. In the 1980s, I had been on this boat when I visited Fairstar Bali - Indonesia. my father as A / B on board this ship. we my mother and younger brother boarded this ship to meet my father. my father worked on this ship until the last fairstar cruise in 1997. my father's name was Johanis Pangkey

I travelled from Melbourne to Southampton, with my mother, in October 1970 on the Fairstar. It was 6 weeks of fun and no school for me but there were tragedies on board, as I recall. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who was on board with us!

Something wrong with the dates somewhere. I migrated to Australia in 1970 on the Fairstar. Left Southampton in October and arrived in Sydney 18th December. we were the last ship to arrive in Australia before Christmas, and so were full of young Aussies, going home after their 2 years in Europe, mainly London. From Freemantle we started to pick up Cruise passengers, for a cruise starting in Sydney. It had become 'our boat' by then and we objected to these party animals. That cruise, as far as I know was the first of a long line of cruises, and the end of The Fairstar as a migrant ship. I remember the jazzband on board, it was called the Red Onion Jazz band. There was also an old chap from Darwin, we called him Darwin, and whenever he got a chance he would hold forth on the rules of VFL as it was then.

sailed on Fairstars maiden voy 19th May 1964,and although she had stabilisers they were never used subsquently a rough crossing in some parts. Happy memories but a bit hard for a boy from a Northern town to read, interpitate those very fancy names on the dinner menus.

Our hill family consisting of mum dad and four children I was the eldest we left Southampton I April 1968 arrived in Sydney on 28 th may I loved my time on board being an eighteen year old I helped the girls in the hairdressing salon and in return got my hair done I wanted to stay and work with them but we had emigrated so I had no option but to get off which was the best thing as I married soon after to a marvellous Italian 50th anniversary coming up in March .

Went to Fiji on the fair star as a 6 yo with my sister 12yo & mum and dad I think around 1966 from Sydney. ( can anyone confirm). I remember the pool with the windows at the end, the swell in the pool from the ships movement. Lost my swimmers due to that! Great fun. Caught the end of a cyclone on the way back to Sydney.

Does anyone know if Fabio Franciscino ( 1st officer) on Fairstar in 1964 is still alive?

FAIRSTAR in Ceylon, July 1964. This Sitmar Line ship is on its return maiden voyage from Australia when we were given the choice to join it within a few days as it had already left port and was to make a brief stopover in Colombo. We were due to join the FAIRSKY as we were emigrating to the UK , but we were quite excited to join a ship on its maiden voyage. We left Colombo on the 8th.July1964 , ie with my wife Marjorie and our two sons (aged 3 yrs.1yr . ) and within an hour was in very rough waters in the Indian ocean. Most passengers,including myself were seasick ,the stabilisers were not operating and we did see flying fish on the deck ! ! Arrived in Aden and we did some shopping in the night. Next stop Port Said with the passage via the Suez canal absolutely fascinating. Several small boats arrived with merchants trying to sell their wares and many passengers did their bargaining leaning over the rails on deck. Next stop Naples where I was able to accompany several passengers to visit Pompeii and then go sightseeing Naples,with my family. The rest of the voyage was very calm although we expected choppy waters on the Bay of Biscay. Arrived in Southampton on 26th.July 1964 , to a beautiful Indian summer day. Of special mention were the Italian cabin staff who were very kind and even volunteered to mind the boys when we did go dancing on an evening. Secured a job within a week of arrival and five years later had an addition to the family , with triplets. On retirement have been visiting Sri Lanka, on holiday, to visit friends and relatives. Nearly 87 yrs of age , look forward now to " Brexit " .

I arrived in Perth in 1967 at 11yrs old with my mother and father and brother and sister as $10 poms as we were called. I remember the kids club and the seeing the tanks and soldiers along the Suez Canal not quiet realising the danger. The Pitcarn Islanders came aboard and sold their wares. We had a great time and my parents fondly spoke on dinner at the captains table and dances in the evenings . It was a great decision made this is a great country . After living in Perth for 18 yrs have finally settled in rural NSW . It was an incredible journey and one that I will not forget