CHANDRIS LINES

Chandris is has been an household name in terms of Greek shipping over the years, mainly through so called London Greeks between the two world wars.

In 1959 Chandris purchased the passenger liner PATRIS from Union-Castle Line starting a regular service from Europe to Australia. Their first liner was soon suplemented by BRETAGNE chartered from Freench owners in Marseilles and then purchased and renamed BRITANY all but to be lost by fire while being refited. 

However the nineteen sixties resulted into steady growth for Chandris Lines with the purchase of second hand passenger liners in the United States, including the AMERICA and LURLINE, renamed AUSTRALIS and ELLINIS for round the world service.

The Chandris Lines fleet grow in number of ships as depicted in the cover of a small calendar printed in 1972 and sent by the company's London office back then when I used to write to the main shipping companies requesting post cards and shipping memorabilia.

Chandris produced beautiful painting post cards of their ships and of all the ships mentioned in the calendar, only PATRIS and ATLANTIS never visited Lisbon. However the last named was chartered in 1998 to operate as hotel ship for the EXPO 98 as OCEAN EXPLORER II.

In 1977 liner services were discontinued with AUSTRALIS final voyage and Chandris Lines later merged with sister company Chandris Cruises. Later on new brands Chandris Fantasy Cruises and Celebrity Cruises were established and the later company ended sold to the Royal Caribbean group.See other post and images related to Chandris here...

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright L.M.Correia. Favor não piratear. Respeite o meu trabalho / No piracy, please. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia