The ocean liner SS Oriana (1960-2004). This detailed miniature, built by the CSC workshop to a scale of 1:1250, is part of our exhibition on deck 9 of the museum.
The SS „Oriana“ has earned a place in the hall of fame of legendary ocean liners. In a way, she was born too late. By the time she was completed, international flights had already begun to replace the classic ocean liners as a means of intercontinental passenger transport. Moreover, she was a new steamship at a time when motor ships were already ubiquitous. Her demise is a testament to the obstacles to preserving a historic ship of this magnitude.
The ocean liner SS „Oriana“ was built in 1960 at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyards in Barrow-in-Furness, England. She was originally designed as an ocean steamer for the Oriental Steam Navigation Company. Her main task was to connect the United Kingdom with Australia and New Zealand. At that time she could carry a total of 2134 passengers. She was the last ship owned by Oriental Line until the company was taken over by the P&O Group in 1966. As the 1960s was the decade when commercial air travel with jet aircraft slowly made ocean liners obsolete, the shipping company converted the ship into a full-time cruise ship in 1973. She served as such until the shipping company decided to downsize its fleet in 1986. Between 1960 and 1986, the „Oriana“ held the Golden Cock. With this trophy, the P&O company awarded the fastest ship it operated. The „Oriana“ had reached a speed of 30.65 knots during her sea trials. In 1986, the ship was sold to Japanese owners who turned it into a floating museum in Beppu. Unfortunately, this venture was not a commercial success and in 1995 the ship was sold again, this time to Chinese owners. It was used as a floating hotel off Shanghai until 2002, when it was moved to the Chinese port of Dalian. In 2004, a storm there caused severe damage to the „Oriana“. After an inspection, the necessary repairs were deemed too costly, and the ship was sold for scrapping.