A ticket for Canada Steamship Lines
© Musée de Charlevoix.
Travellers couldn’t wait until the last minute to reserve their tickets since cruises were very popular! In Away to Quebec, a novel that reads like a travel guide, the American author Gordon Brinley mentions the long lines of car traffic in the 1930s to board Canada Steamship Lines. Tickets had to be bought in advance, at least if one wished to maintain good relations with friends and family.
The text on this ticket showed to just what extent steamer passengers were treated like royalty. They were told to whistle or snap their fingers when they required service from ship personnel. These practices, now seen as rude, were actually encouraged!