School cruises provided an overseas experience for pupils before the advent of cheap package holidays.
In 1960 the government retired troop ships and the British India Steam Navigation Company converted one of them, the SS Dunera into a permanent educational cruise ship. It was joined by the Devonia (1962), Nevasa (1965) and SS Uganda (1968). Dunera was fitted with accommodation for pupils (834), teachers and independent cabin passengers (187), as well as classrooms, a lecture theatre and cinema, a library, and deck space for sports.
The Dunera sailed on her first cruise from Greenock on 12th April 1961, and completed a further 14 cruises that year. Summer cruises were mainly to Scandinavia, the Atlantic Islands and the Western Mediterranean, while winter cruises were often in the Mediterranean.
The Dunera ceased educational cruises in 1967, Devonia 1968, Nevasa in 1975 and the Uganda became a hospital ship during the Falkland war in 1982, call sign Mother Hen.
The following Galleries contain 164 photographs and are a selection of destinations recorded by Mrs Anderson. I have tried to group the photographs in their appropriate section. Please contact us if you have any recollections, corrections or names I could add to this section. Every photograph can be expanded and its title will become visible for identification purposes.