Greek Passenger Liners

In the early 1950s, it seemed as if Greek shipping companies were springing up everywhere. For a country almost unknown as a passenger ship-owning state, the like of the Greek Line, Chandris and Epirotiki burst onto the scene, often using second hand tonnage and ships acquired from Western European fleets that were being updated. The lines soon took advantage of the mass emigration from Europe to Australia and New Zealand as well as cruising, which was then in its infancy. Although many of the Greek lines like Royal Olympic Cruises are now gone, like so many shipping companies, the likes of Chandris still survives as Celebrity Cruises. Bill Miller, the noted maritime historian, brings together a collection of images of his favourite Greek liners and tells of the history of the Greek fleets that made the world of cruising so exciting in the last half century.