LUXURY ON BOARD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23010, 11 April 1938, Page 15

LUXURY ON BOARD

MANY PUBLIC ROOMS OLYMPIAN SWIMMING POOL UNIQUE DECORATIVE SCHEME Beauty and comfort are combined in the well considered design of the Empress of Britain. Apart from the spacious charm of the hundreds of cabins, the salons, lounges, dining . rooms, bars and other public rooms are the work of leading British artists, her interior having been described as a gallery of contemporary British art. Sir Charles Allom, Sir John La very, Edmund Dulac, P. A. Staynes and A. H. Jones are among the artists whose talents have created rooms of lasting beauty on tlie ship. The scopo of the work runs from the "Park Lane of a century ago" atmosphere of the .Mayfair lounge, the ship's central saloon, to a completely Oriental smoking room, and descends to rollicking humour in Heath Robinson's Knickerbocker Bar. In fact, the Empress of Britain has been described as a highly efficient and pleasantly modern ocean-traversing hotel. Pull-size Tennis Court There are 11 lounges and dining rooms, while an entire deck is set apart for palatial public rooms. On the sports deck there is a full-size tennis court, a squash racquets court and the Olympian swimming pool, which is bordered by a terraced cafe and spectators' galleries. On a fine day it basks in sunshine admitted through a translucent ceiling, and fresh sea water, exactly tempered, circulates continually. lor the children there is a nursery with every form of juvenile entertainment to offer and a complete gymnasium is available lor the use of those with surplus energy. In the Empress room designed by Sir •John La very a lofty ballroom equipped with a complete stage and cinema equipment extends the full breadth of the ship and a bright and large shop furnishes passengers' needs in the main square of the lounge deck. For the service of passengers, five fast electric lifts ply between decks. Magnificent De Luxe Suites For those who may desire the best possible accommodation, three types of do luxe suites are available. Placed in the best outside positions in the design of the ship, each consists of a bright verandah, a roomy lounge, a double bedroom, ample bathroom and baggage room and, it' required, a servant's room. Oflering an atmosphere of almost regal luxury, they furnish complete privacy and exclusiveness. Nor have the smaller factors in comfort and convenience been neglected. To operate the ship and to attend to the needs of passengers, the liner carries a crew of 7-">0 on her present voyage, while the? shipboard illuminations are regarded as being among the best in the world. Some indication of the extent to which electric lighting is used is indicated by the fact that some 17,000 lamps are fitted on what is virtually a floating town.

SIGHTSEEING TOURS PARTIES OF PASSENGERS EXCURSIONS TO ROTORUA ROAD TRIP FROM WELLINGTON With three and a-half days to be spent by the Empress of Britain at Auckland, arrangements have been made for city and inland trips for the passengers. The intense demand for accommodation, partly due to the arrival of the German cruise liner Reliance this morning, has resulted in the parties to tourist resorts being limited, but those who do not avail themselves of the opportunity to travel overland from Wellington will be catered for by excursions from Auckland.

Upon the arrival of the ship at Wellington one party of 40 commenced a leisurely trip to Auckland. They will reach Wanganui on the first day, Rotorua, via Taupo and Wairakei, on Uie second day, and Auckland, via Waitomo, on the third day. Upon arrival in the city on Friday they will spend the morning sightseeing and the afternoon will be free for independent action. This trip involves the payment of an extra faro of 110 dollars by each person taking part.

Another party of 50 is proceeding to Auckland by way of National Park, Taupo, Eotorua and Waitomo, the extra cost in this case being 100 dollars.

As the vessel was cleared at Wellington, neither customs nor medical inspections will be necessary at Auckland, and there will be no necessity to delay passengers who travel with the ship from Wellington. Immediately after the liner is berthed 50 or 60 people will leave" by special train for Rotorua, while a further 100 will spend the day in Auckland and its environs. , On the following day the latter party will travel by another special train to the thermal regions, and the full complement will reassemble in Auckland prior to the Empress of Britain's departure on Friday. She is scheduled to sail for Suva at 5 p.m.