Spacious and well appointed public rooms aboard Cunard White Star's new 34,183-ton luxury liner Caronia,
largest passenger vessel built anywhere since the end of the war, are situated principally on the Promenade Deck.
The general conception of the theme is restrained modern in treatment, combining light veneered surfaces
with pleasing colour to wide surfaces, relieved with glass, metal and leather covered panels and having
focal points in decorative murals and statuary.
All the public rooms are air-conditioned with the most modern type of plant and supply and exhaust grilles
have been worked into the panelling in an unobtrusive way. Lighting plays a major part in each scheme.
Low-tension fluorescent tubing in semi-direct or concealed troughing is used throughout for general
illumination, while tungsten lamp fittings give direct spot lighting to special features and to the table
lay-out of the restaurant.
The public rooms present many notable variations in the planning for a vessel of the Caronia's size and
can best be described by progression aft from the bridge front.
[Left:]
The aft staircase on Promenade Deck
The wide elliptical sweep under the bridge encloses the Observation Lounge, which forms the outer perimeter
of the forward Cocktail Bar and has its main entry from the imposing entrance at the head of the grand staircase.
The Main Lounge, immediately aft of this entrance, gives access to the gallery Writing Room and to the
Smoking Room, which occupies a central position on the Promenade Deck. Beyond the Library, the amidships
entrance becomes the general foyer to the Theatre, whose proportions are equal to any afloat.
The Theatre is flanked by Garden Lounges extending to the ship's sides. The amidships entrance also gives
access to the Verandah Café on the Sports Deck, with its view looking aft over the terraced open
air lido and outdoor swimming pool.
Caronia's Gym on “D” Deck
The Gymnasium and Curative baths are on 'D' Deck, and the Restaurant is on Restaurant Deck. Three staircases
with appropriate entrance halls to all decks are serviced by passenger elevators.
The Verandah Café
The Verandah Café
The amidships staircase rises through the Sun Deck and terminates forward of the Verandah Café,
whose central entrance is screened by cast silver bronze double doors. These are flanked on each side by
curved and gilded partitions leading to service lobbies.
Opposite, wide metal screen doors overlook the outer deck seating space for warm weather use. These Screens
extend the width of the ship and offer full opportunity to open one entire wall, broken only by a central
orchestra platform, for dancing both inside and on deck.
At each side, window groups are set within pillared recesses, with pillars of fluted gilt metal capped with
a beaded cornice. Wall panelling is in eucalyptus contrasted with mozelle birch and olive ash.
The wall space by the windows is covered with light yellow textured material which forms the background
of two murals by Miss Margaret Blundell. These panels are accented by long curtains of green and vivid pattern
of red, cream and black. Furniture is laid out for restaurant service with arm chairs in sycamore covered
in red and green hide at tables for two, four and six persons.
A close fitted carpet in deep pile green, with a grape vine pattern in red and black, is arranged with a
portable centre under which is a hardwood parquetry dance floor. The ceiling. is divided into three panels,
all arranged with concealed lighting. A large centre fitting forms the axis of a golden sunburst.
The Main Lounge
The doors forming the forward entrance to the Main Lounge are cast in silver-bronze, with gold metal grille
of scroll pattern design in panels flanking the double doors The architrave, cresting and pediment are also
cast in silver bronze.
[Right:]
The Main Lounge with the temporary picture of HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
KG, RN
The room is 72 feet long with a high central roof, the sides of which are divided into bays by the vertical
sides of pillar casings.
These return to form a frame for the panelling of the clerestory, veneered in pale golden mottled Canadian maple. This
veneer is repeated to the full height wall at the aft end and is divided into squares with a sunken 'V' joint.
A feature of this wall is a framed portrait of H.R.H. The Princess Elizabeth, who performed the launching ceremony,
and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The main lounge with the gold curtains and
the green bronze casting on its golden sphere Image: Braun Bros. Collection
Opposite this and over the main door the panelling is repeated, and on this a feature in lacquer and gesso
has been carried out by F. H.Coventry depicting forest trees in broad foliage with wild horses in the
foreground finished in silver and gold with green overlay.
To the sides of the lounge, a wide expanse of window screening in silver bronze glazed frame are flanked
with curtains of rich gold velvet and enclosed in shallow recesses which carry narrow illumination panels.
Centred between the groups of windows on each side, a mirrored recess is formed between narrow pilasters
of silver bronze. Within this setting, green bronze castings are erected on golden spheres before a canopied
laylight panel internally lighted.
At the aft end, double doors form part of a mirror composition set within a shallow bay to which a jardiniere
forms a pedestal base. The general panelling throughout is in prima vera with landings in zebrano, while
a light apple green is used as a foil to the golden velvet curtains.
Furniture is set in groups of comfortable tub and arm chairs at low circular tables with deep easy chairs
and settees arranged at vantage points. A full orchestra is provided for, and a specially designed concert
grand piano carried out in rich veneer is at the aft end.
Barbara Quin at Caronia's main lounge grand piano Photo: Courtesy of Ave Quin
The Writing Room
The corridor Writing Room is panelled in silver betula with surbase and writing desks in rich elm burr and
feature panels of diagonally quilted leather in pleasant grey green. Built-in and island type writing desks
are arranged with comfortable club chairs.
Screens are set up on the inboard side, cast in aluminium of matt silver colour and obscured glass. Modified
versions of these screens are used as lighting and mirror features between the three groups of screened
windows and between the leather covered panels on the liner wall.
Caronia's Writing Room
At the forward end of the Writing Room, an enclosed vestibule gives direct access to the Promenade Deck
and at the aft end, double doors lead into the Smoking Room.
The furnishings of the Writing Room consist of the chairs and desks already mentioned, and the colour note
is based on the leather of the special panels, contrasted with silver and deep brown in the curtains and
carpets, in which the same modern simple scroll motif is used.
The corresponding position to starboard between Main Lounge and Smoking Room is taken up with various service
spaces and a wide corridor panelled full height in fiddle-back chestnut contrasted with Nigerian cherry.
The lighting is a combination of fluorescent and spot light fittings.
