SS Oriana (1959)

SS Oriana in Vava'u, Tonga
History
Name:	SS Oriana: 1960–2005
Owner:	Orient Steam Navigation Company: 1960–1966 Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company: 1966–1986
Operator:	1960-1966, P&O-Orient Lines. 1966-1973, P&O Line, 1973-1986 P&O Cruises
Port of registry:	London  United Kingdom
Route:	Southampton-Sydney via Suez, transpacific to US West Coast, occasional return via Panama Canal (1973 Cruising)
Builder:	Vickers-Armstrong
Cost:	£12,500,000
Yard number:	1061
Laid down:	18 September 1956
Launched:	3 November 1959
Completed:	1960
Maiden voyage:	3 December 1960
In service:	1960–1986
Out of service:	27 March 1986
Fate:	Preserved as a hotel ship in 1986. Her service as a hotel ship ended after she partially sank at her berth after a storm in 2004.
Status:	Scrapped
General characteristics
Tonnage:	41,910 gross tons
Length:	804ft (245.1m)
Beam:	(moulded) 97.1ft (30.5m)
Draught:	32ft
Installed power:	80,000 horsepower
Propulsion:	Two sets of Pametrada steam turbines each consisting of a high pressure, intermediate pressure and low pressure turbine; double reduction gearing; twin propellers Auxiliary Power: Four auxiliary steam turbines, each driving a 1,750 kW, 220 V DC Generator
Speed:	Trials: 30.64 knots Service: 27.5 knots
Capacity:	As built, 638 1st class, 1,496 tourist class (1973, 1,750 one class)
Crew:	As built, 980. (1973, 780)

SS Oriana was the last of the Orient Steam Navigation Company's ocean liners. She was built at Vickers-Armstrongs, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England and launched on 3 November 1959 by Princess Alexandra. Originally resplendent with her owners' traditional corn coloured hull, Oriana appeared as an Orient Line ship until 1966, when that company was fully absorbed into the P&O group. Faced with unprofitable around the world passenger routes, the P&O white hulled Oriana was operated as a full-time cruise ship from 1973. Between 1981 and her retirement from service five years later, Oriana was based at Sydney, Australia, operating to Pacific Ocean and South-East Asian ports. Deemed surplus to P&O's requirements in early 1986, the vessel was sold to become a floating hotel and tourist attraction, first in Japan and later in China. As a result of damage sustained from a severe storm whilst in the port of Dalian in 2004, SS Oriana was finally sold to local breakers in 2005.

In May 1954 the Orient Steam Navigation Company began considering replacing SS Orontes and RMS Orion on the United Kingdom to Australia route. One ship was called for, named Orbustus in the early stages of planning, before Oriana was settled on - a reference to both the former Elizabeth I of England (who was nicknamed Oriana) and the recently crowned Queen Elizabeth II.