This picture taken from the 1972 School Magazine is the opening paragraph in an article about the first school trip on a cruise ship. The students went during the Christmas holidays, led by Miss Swain who had joined the staff in September 1970. The itinerary was Southampton – Madeira (Funchal) – Christmas Day at sea cruising past the island of Parma – Tenerife – Las Palmas – Lisbon – Southampton.
The ship was called ‘The Nevasa’ originally built as a troopship in 1956 and converted for educational cruises in Falmouth in 1965. It carried 900-1000 British schoolchildren on about 20 cruises annually until Christmas 1974 when it was sent to Taiwan to be broken up.
There is even a Facebook group for those that sailed on it.
And a fabulous YouTube video as well.
