<strong>Around-the-world cruise:</strong> On November 21, 1922, the world's first continuous world passenger cruise set sail from New York City, beginning a 130-day voyage that concluded on March 30, 1923.
Around-the-world cruise: On November 21, 1922, the world's first continuous world passenger cruise set sail from New York City, beginning a 130-day voyage that concluded on March 30, 1923.
Cunard
<strong>Documenting the journey: </strong>Among the passengers on board were two twentysomething sisters, Eleanor and Claudia Phelps, who documented the voyage via photographs and travel logs. Eleanor took this photograph on board the ship, Claudia is in the center.
Documenting the journey: Among the passengers on board were two twentysomething sisters, Eleanor and Claudia Phelps, who documented the voyage via photographs and travel logs. Eleanor took this photograph on board the ship, Claudia is in the center.
University of South Carolina MIRC
<strong>On board the Laconia: </strong>This six-month voyage included stop overs in Japan, Singapore, Egypt and India and traversed the Suez and Panama Canals. Here's a glimpse inside the ship, at the lounge.
On board the Laconia: This six-month voyage included stop overs in Japan, Singapore, Egypt and India and traversed the Suez and Panama Canals. Here's a glimpse inside the ship, at the lounge.
Cunard
<strong>Global odyssey</strong>: Eleanor and Claudia both kept journals documenting their travels. Here's the first page of Eleanor's travel diary.
Global odyssey: Eleanor and Claudia both kept journals documenting their travels. Here's the first page of Eleanor's travel diary.
University of South Carolina MIRC
<strong>Travel diary: </strong>Today, the Phelps sisters' Laconia collection, which includes their travel diaries, photographs, slides and film footage, is owned by the <a href="https://digital.library.sc.edu/collections/eleanor-phelps-cruise-around-the-world/" target="_blank" target="_blank">University of South Carolina's Moving Image Research Collections.</a>
Travel diary: Today, the Phelps sisters' Laconia collection, which includes their travel diaries, photographs, slides and film footage, is owned by the University of South Carolina's Moving Image Research Collections.
University of South Carolina MIRC
<strong>Photographing the world:</strong> Eleanor and Claudia were keen photographers, and pasted their photos into their scrapbooks. Here's a page from Eleanor's journal featuring photographs from Japan.
Photographing the world: Eleanor and Claudia were keen photographers, and pasted their photos into their scrapbooks. Here's a page from Eleanor's journal featuring photographs from Japan.
University of South Carolina MIRC
<strong>Life at sea: </strong>The voyage took place aboard the SS Laconia, a Cunard passenger liner chartered by the American Express Company for the occasion. In her journal, Eleanor writes of on-board leisure activities including lectures on the history and language of the Laconia's destinations, a "camera club," costume ball and classical music concerts.
Life at sea: The voyage took place aboard the SS Laconia, a Cunard passenger liner chartered by the American Express Company for the occasion. In her journal, Eleanor writes of on-board leisure activities including lectures on the history and language of the Laconia's destinations, a "camera club," costume ball and classical music concerts.
Cunard
<strong>Travel photos:</strong> Eleanor and Claudia were both keen photographers, and documented their experiences on film. Here's a page from Eleanor's diary featuring a photograph of Darjeeling, India.
Travel photos: Eleanor and Claudia were both keen photographers, and documented their experiences on film. Here's a page from Eleanor's diary featuring a photograph of Darjeeling, India.
University of South Carolina MIRC
<strong>Incredible experience: </strong>Eleanor also collected souvenirs from the trip and pasted them into the diary. In the last page of her travelog, Eleanor tried to sum up the experience, but felt she could only come up short, "How can one come to a conclusion or express an opinion on the world as I saw it in 130 days?" she wrote.
Incredible experience: Eleanor also collected souvenirs from the trip and pasted them into the diary. In the last page of her travelog, Eleanor tried to sum up the experience, but felt she could only come up short, "How can one come to a conclusion or express an opinion on the world as I saw it in 130 days?" she wrote.
University of South Carolina MIRC