5,002 tons; length 379 ft., width 56 ft., draft 20 ft., 18 knots; 186 cabins; 365 passengers; steam turbines, twin screw; built 1927, scrapped 1979
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Yarmouth and sister-ship Evangeline began occasional winter cruises from Miami as early as the 1930s, running line voyages between New England and Canadian ports in the summer except for service as army transports in World War II. In 1954 they were finally sold as cruise ships under the Panamanian flag to F. Leslie Fraser's Eastern Shipping Corporation. Miami became their permanent base. Yarmouth was renamed Yarmouth Castle because it was "fitted like a castle", although mainly it was the name that changed.
The government of the Bahamas agreed to make Yarmouth Castle their "official contract ship" and so it was renamed Queen of Nassau, sailing three and four day Miami-Nassau cruises. The contract was not renewed, and so in 1956 Eastern renamed it Yarmouth Castle, had it upgraded with an aft swimming pool, air-conditioning in public areas and a general refurbishment.
It was again given its original name of Yarmouth for some cruises from Boston to Yarmouth and in 1958, air-conditoning was extended throughout the ship and capacity reduced to 365. There were 186 cabins including 68 with a private or shared bathroom. Public rooms included a dining room, lounge, cocktail bar and small ballroom.
Eastern added two more ships to the fleet, Bahama Star in 1959 and Ariadne in 1961, so Yarmouth was sold to the new "Yarmouth Cruise Lines" under general manager, Edwin Stephen. He was later the founding president of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
Yarmouth sailed a series of cruises from San Francisco to Victoria, BC and the 1962 Seattle World's Fair under charter to Stanley McDonald (who went on to establish Princess Cruises), then returned to Miami to compete directly with Eastern on three and four day cruises from Miami to Nassau and Freeport.
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