The T.S.S. Mardi Gras was an ocean liner launched in 1960 as the RMS Empress of Canada and completed in 1961 by Vickers-Armstrongs of Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne, England for Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd.
In January 1972 she was sold to the newly formed Carnival Cruise Line and renamed Mardi Gras on 14 February 1972 when she underwent a few internal changes and an update of her colour scheme. Her registration was transferred from the United Kingdom to Panama.
As the newly established company was in a very weak financial position the ship soon after departed Miami on 11 March 1972 with 530 passengers and 200 crew on board, on her first cruise without any major refurbishments in order to bring in some income. At that time she was the largest passenger ship using the port of Miami and fully laden her draft caused her to run aground as she departed. After twenty-four hours of attempting to free her, the passengers were disembarked. After being re-floated and being found to be watertight the passengers re-joined the ship and the cruise continued. This mishap caused some competitors calling the vessel “Mardi Gras On The Rocks”.
Commemorative Covers
16 March 1980
Commemorating the 8th year anniversary of the first visit of the Panamanian T.S.S. Mardi Gras to the Bahamas on March 16, 1972.
22 December 1985
Commemorating the inaugural cruise of the T.S.S. Mardi Gras to Nassau and Freeport, Bahamas.
