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Princess Louise II cabins |
Princess Marguerite |
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This history of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) is
tied to Canadian history since it was the promise and
completion of a transcontinental railway that brought
British Columbia into the Federation of Canada in 1871.
Once the railway was completed, the next challenge was
to make the line self-sustaining. The CPR began
promoting trade on the Pacific to increase business and
by 1891 had secured international mail contracts that
resulted in the purchase of a fleet of famous “Empress”
liners—Empress of India, Empress of Japan and Empress of
China. The company also began construction of landmark
railway hotels in Vancouver, Quebec and Montreal. In
1914-15, the company expanded to transatlantic service,
forming the Canadian Pacific Steamship Services.
In 1901, the CPR had already built a local fleet on the
BC coast by purchasing the 14 ships of the Canadian
Pacific Navigational Company (CPNC), itself created in
1883 from the merger of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s fur
trading fleet and the Pioneer Line that ran north to
Alaska. The CPR formed the British Columbia Coast
Steamship Service (BCCSS), which would provide passenger
service to various coastal communities for the next 80
years. Many of its special breeds of coastal ships bore
the name “Princess”.
The CPR’s coastal steamers, while serving the canneries
and logging camps of the northwest coast, also promoted
summer excursions to Alaska on the “Totem Pole Route.”
The CPR celebrated 100 years of service in 1981, the
same year in which its last remaining cruise ship was
tied up, ending that phase of transportation service in
the Pacific Northwest.
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Princess Kathleen-1925-1952. Length-369 ft,
beam-60ft, 153 staterooms |
The early CPNC ship Islander set the precedent for the
Princess ships that would become the backbone of the
eventual CPR fleet servicing the BC coast and Alaska.
When built, she was the most luxurious vessel on the
west coast. She began cruising to Alaska in 1889, when
the arrival of a steamer as elegant as Islander was a
big event. Her career ended suddenly when carrying gold
and passengers south from Skagway on July 13, 1892. The
ship sank after hitting a submerged rock or drifting
iceberg; 42 perished.
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The “Princess” title came to be
used for CPR ships because of the aging CPNC
vessel Princess Louise. The
popular “Empress” ships were already established in the
Pacific, so the decision was made to carry out a royal
theme, with smaller coastal ships bearing the prefix
“Princess”. Princess Victoria was the first
purpose-built ship for the BCCSS, and immediately set
the standards for luxury liners on the coast. Both the
appearance of her hull and superstructure as well as
interior arrangement would be copied for many subsequent
Princess ships. |
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| The smaller Princess Beatrice was the first CPR Princess
built in British Columbia. By 1907, Princess May and the
new Princess Royal began regular 6-day sailings to
Skagway. A year later, the CPR inaugurated its famous
Triangle Route, with service between Seattle, Vancouver
and Victoria. Princess Charlotte joined the fleet,
handling the Triangle Route as well as occasional
excursions to Alaska. From 1910-1911, four more
Princesses (Princess Mary, Princess Adelaide, Princess
Alice and Princess Sophia) were built and a newly
purchased ship was renamed Princess Patricia. In 1913,
Princess Maquinna joined the fleet.
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World War I expropriated two new Princess ships for the
war effort; neither ship ever joined the CPR fleet.
After the war, shipyard space in Europe was fully booked
so the CPR had Princess Louise built in British
Columbia. She was very well appointed, and could boast
that all 133 first class staterooms had both hot and
cold running water. In 1922, she began a 40-year career
running to Alaska, earning her nickname “Queen of the
Northern Seas”. As the years passed, the CRP continued
to add to its fleet and its routes, replacing old ships
with new.
During the 1920s, cruising to Alaska was very
profitable, with three Princess ships making the voyage
in the summer months. Occupancy was regularly 97 percent
and during one season the three ships handled 10,000
passengers on 22 voyages. Revenues dwindled during the
Great Depression, and the BCCSS disposed of old or
redundant vessels. World War II saw several Princess
ships requisitioned for use as troop transports and
supply ships. |
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After the war, Princess Kathleen was rebuilt for the
Alaska Service. Two new sister ships were built for the
Triangle Run, Princess Marguerite and Princess Patricia,
named for earlier CPR ships. In 1952, Princess Kathleen
ran onto rocks in Lynn Canal. Fortunately, there was no
loss of life but the ship sank. For the next 10 years,
Princess Louise handled CPR’s Alaska cruises alone. The
arrival of car ferries spelled the end of coastal
service and the CPR ended its regular Triangle Run.
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Princess Marguerite stayed on a daily summer route to
Seattle, while a refurbished Princess Patricia took over
the Vancouver-Skagway-Juneau run in 1963.
For two seasons Princess Patricia was chartered to Stan
McDonald, a Canadian-born businessman now in Seattle,
for cruising between Los Angeles and Acapulco during the
winter. McDonald became excited about cruising during
the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. He eventually branched
out to other vessels but chose to name his new company
Princess Cruises after the venerable Princess Patricia. |
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The ship became the last remaining passenger ship in the
CPR fleet, continuing to sail to Alaska each summer
until that era ended on October 12, 1981. |
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