South Benfleet Junior School: SS Nevasa

1971 School Cruise to Norway & Denmark

This is the log book from the school cruise, May 1971.  The badge from the SS Nevasa cruise told us where to muster for a lifeboat and also dictated our meal times.

Does anyone else remember this cruise or perhaps have some photos?

Read Stephen’s memories of the cruise.

Log Book
Stephen Jones
Muster Station Badge
Stephen Jones

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  • Hi, I was on this cruise from over County Primary school. We were supposed to have reached the age of 10 to be allowed to go but I was still only 9. A bit too young, especially as I don’t remember receiving much in the way of supervision. I was in Peel dormitory and if you didn’t make it to the cafeteria at your allotted time they didn’t let you in. I practically starved. Tivoli park was a highlight for me and I do remember seeing the Little Mermaid. My partner in crime was Melanie, and we used to sneak off to the disco after lights out. I came home absolutely filthy and quite ill from lack of food and a bad cold.

    By Vanessa Butcher (Flower) (04/01/2024)
  • I was on this cruise May 71 the Viking cruise, I was the only pupil from Canvey island to go, parents dropped me at Tilbury, was apprehensive about leaving my parents for a whole week, they then came to Cornwall for a week and picked me up on the way back.

    By Denise (03/02/2023)
  • I was on this cruise. Vian was our dorm and L was our muster station. I remember making friends with Das, one of the Indian kitchen staff. He used to make us jam sandwiches after hours. Do you remember singing Amazing Grace on deck? I believe all us kids were up there.

    By Gail Heiden née Smith (12/09/2021)
  • We boarded the SS Nevasa at Tilbury, although I don’t remember how we got there. Once on board we were shown our dormitories and told to put our things away. Then we were brought on deck for a lifeboat / evacuation practice, just as we were sailing down the Thames and past Canvey. We could see lots of figures on the seawall waving at us, and my parents had told me they would be there too, by the Lobster Smack. We weren’t allowed to pay much attention, because we were practicing the mustering and the teachers / crew weren’t letting anyone slip away and look! Or get homesick (I imagine). I remember Steven Woods, Raymond Tipper and David Schooling, both in my class at South Benfleet School. I’ll write more later after I’ve had a think on what we did over the 10 days we were away. I remember Oslo, the Eid Fjord, the Kontiki museum, Edmundson’s north pole ship, the Viking living museum, Fredriksborg Castle, the Little Mermaid (and boy is she small!) and of course Tivoli Gardens.

    By stephen seymour jones (25/11/2020)
  • My sister went on this trip, Ann Heale. I remember going to Canvey Island to see it going down the Thames on its way out, great memories.

    By Brian Heale (23/11/2020)
  • Hi, I was on this cruise. I was the only child on this school cruise from Canvey Island, hence I got bullied for it. Finally found it, the Viking cruise.

    By denise stiles (21/11/2020)

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