Menus from the Pacific Cruise of S. S. Orsova

London: Orient Line, 1960. Very good. Nine (9) original dinner menus from a Pacific Cruise on board the S. S. Orsova. Four have a pin-hole at the top where it may have once been displayed, three with light foxing or dinner residue. 6.5" x 10", folded with decorative covers of plants native to the docking ports, one menu is has a photo of the ship mounted on the front cover and another has a map of the world showing the ports visited by the round-the-world trip. Menus have been prepared by Chef de Cuisine, J. Cornwell. The regal menus are replete with 8 or more courses. A typical meal suggestion includes: Consommé Royale, Fillet of Mahimahi Grenobloise, Roast Suffolk Capon, Glace Revillon.<br /> <br /> SS Orsova, a 1,503-passenger ocean liner, was built by Vickers Armstrong Shipbuilders Ltd. of Barrow-in-Furness, England, was launched on 14 May 1953 and entered service in 1954 for the Orient Steam Navigation Company for Great Britain-to-Australia services via the Suez Canal, the voyage taking four weeks. After 1955, the return trip was eastward via Auckland, Suva, Honolulu, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Panama, Trinidad and Cherbourg. In 1965-66, Orsova was transferred to the Orient Line's sister company, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O), and operated as a P&O ship until retirement in 1974. "Orsova takes her name from a small Danube town on the Rumanian side of the frontier with Yugoslavia. Below Orsova is a series of rapids which for centuries mad that part of the river almost un-navigable and thereby earned the name of "Eisen Thor" or "Iron Gate". (August 22, 1960 menu).