Colin Russell says his four years aboard Caribia was the best time of his career. "The Cunard was considered the ultimate in a waiter's career at sea," said Colin Russell. He had worked his way through the ranks of other lesser liners before getting this coveted position as a steward on the "Caronia." 

He remembers life aboard being very luxurious, even for the crew. "We had great welcomes in all ports on the World Cruise," says Russell. "In Pago Pago, Samoa, the locals came out in their outriggers to welcome us and we entertained all the bigwigs on board, and often had dances on deck at various ports. Russell served Judy Garland, and so charmed the Ice Vogues on 1951 that they invited him to their rehearsal in New York. Russell says he never dropped the carrots or drinks on a passenger. 

Crew behavior was carefully monitored, and they could not mix socially with passengers. And this was not even waived when the West Indies Cruise turned out to be 90 percent American women. "The Cunard were very hot on this sort of  thing," says Russell. And on punctuality...he remembers some crew members, out carousing in New Caledonia for the night, frantically rowing toward the ship in the early morning hours as it pulled anchor and sailed away, leaving them behind. 

"We also challenged every cricket team we could to play at each port of call. I played in New York, Cape Town, Singapore, Bombay..." They got a chance to see the sights, too, including a hike to the top of the North Cape of Norway.

Russell prided himself in his own little piece of the Green Goddess, the part he swabbed and polished. "Life aboard the "Caronia" was really happy for me and an experience I will never forget."