Kenya Castle

 

Kenya Castle - Amerikanis

 

 

Kenya Castle was completed in 1952 for the Union-Castle Line round Africa service by Harland & Wolff, Belfast. The second of three sisters built 1951-52, the others being Rhodesia Castle and Braemar Castle. In 1967 Kenya Castle was sold to Chandris and renamed Amerikanis. She was intended for summer Atlantic service, but the market had been effectively ended by air competition by the time she was ready for service in 1968. Amerikanis was used initially on cruises from New York, later sailing in Europe and the Caribbean. Between 1980-84, Amerikanis was chartered to Costa Line, reverting to Chandris service from 1984. She was laid up in 1996.

 

 

Ship Names on this Page:-

Kenya Castle - Union-Castle Line 1952-67

Amerikanis - Chandris Line 1967-

Amerikanis - Costa Line charter 1980-84

 

Associated Pages:-

Chandris Lines Page

Union-Castle Line Page

Cruise Ship Postcards

Ocean Liner Postcards

Simplon Postcards Home Page

 

References:-

UNION-CASTLE LINE - A Fleet History by Peter Newall: Published by Carmania Press in 1999

This is the definitive history of the Union-Castle Line - Available from Mainmast Books

 

 

 

 

Kenya Castle

(Union-Castle: 1952-67)

 

Kenya Castle was completed in 1952 for the Union-Castle Line round Africa service by Harland & Wolff, Belfast. The second of three sisters built 1951-52, the others being Rhodesia Castle and Braemar Castle. In 1967 Kenya Castle was sold to Chandris and renamed Amerikanis.

 

 

Union-Castle Line official card with original funnel.

 

Union-Castle Line official card with modified funnel.

 

Revd.Father M.N.W.Edwards modern card serial BrS27.

Photographed at Zanzibar, June 1955, by J.B.Boulton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amerikanis

(Chandris Line: 1980-84)

 

In 1967 Kenya Castle was sold to Chandris and renamed Amerikanis. She was intended for summer Atlantic service, but the market had been effectively ended by air competition by the time she was ready for service in 1968. Amerikanis was used initially on cruises from New York, later sailing in Europe and the Caribbean. Between 1980-84, Amerikanis was chartered to Costa Line, reverting to Chandris service from 1984. She was laid up in 1996.

 

 

A Chandris America Lines card of "The American Lady".

This card was reissued later just with the Chandris name. Both cards were printed in England.

 

A Chandris card, printed in England.

 

A Fantasy Cruises card, when under Panamanian registry. Note the revised foremast and blue hull riband by this time.

 

A Chandris Fantasy Cruises card, when under Panamanian registry. She has received the hull riband, but not the new foremast.

 

The same photo used on an oversized Chandris card with two itinerary maps.

 

Another over-sized card.

 

An over-sized card with Caribbean itinerary.

 

An enlargement of the image from the previous card.

 

Simplon Postcards sc2061, released March 1995.

Photo: © W.H.Moojen, 16th May 1993, leaving Ijmuiden, Netherlands.

 

Photograph of Amerikanis, 11th June 1994, entering North Lock, Ijmuiden, Netherlands

Photo: © W.H.Moojen.

 

Chantry Classics postcard CC/S71.

Photo: © A.O.Wilhelmi 3rd, New York.

 

 

A Wil Moojen postcard (printed by BOS-RIDDERKERK) of Amerikanis (no serial number).

The photograph, by the publisher, was taken at Ijmuiden, 11/06/1994.

 

A Pieter Oost postcard of Amerikanis (no serial number).

Copies of this card are available direct from the publishers at:- http://www.p-oostcards.nl/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amerikanis

(Costa Line charter: 1980-84)

 

Amerikanis operated in Costa colours under charter from 1980-84. She was owned by Chandris Lines.

A scan of an official Costa postcard is shown below. Scan supplied by Dimas Almada.

 

 

 

 

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