SS "LURLINE" of 1933, a very handsome liner

 S.S. "LURLINE" was built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in Massachusetts in 1933 for Matson Navigation Company for their San Francisco to Honolulu service, this handsome liner set off on her maiden voyage on the 27.1.1933, she was a very similar ship to the pioneer on this route the S.S. "MALOLO", "LURLINE" was the last of a series of three sisters to be built for the company in the early 30's, the others being "MARIPOSA" later to become HOMERIC and the "MONTEREY" later the BRITANIS. "LURLINE" was steadily in service until 1941, on the day of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, 7.12.1941 she was on her back to San Francisco, when she reached home safely she was taken over for wartime duties. During her wartime duties until 1946 she sailed over 380.000 miles and carried nearly 200.000 troops and other personnel, she resumed commercial service in 1948 after a two year refit, the ship continued on the San Francisco to Honolulu route for another 15 years. In 1963 she was sold to Chandris and renamed "ELLINIS". In December of 1963 after another major refit in the UK she departed Greece for her new role as a migrant liner employed on the Australian route where there was no lack of passengers at the time, her sailing pattern was Southampton/Piraeus/Suez Canal/Australia and Auckland, she normally returned home via the Panama Canal, a round the world voyage in fact. In 1973 the Australian service came to an end and she was then used on full time cruising, in 1974 she developed major turbine problems, a replacement from the HOMERIC, at the time being scrapped, was fitted in Rotterdam which kept her going until 1980, she was withdrawn from service and left neglected in Greece, she finally went to Taiwan to the breakers in April of 1987. When built "LURLINE" was 18.021 GRT and cruised at 20 knots, she had capacity for 800 passengers, after the 1963 refit her capacity was increased to 1660. "LURLINE" was a remarkable beauty.