S/S Cleveland Around The World Party Tokyo 1913 1885 El Rancho burned down in

El Rancho burned down in 1960

The menu has been handwritten in ink by a servant

who had endured transatlantic voyages by sea in “steerage” where they lacked adequate light and ventilation

Long Suey and Suey Shin tea cost 15 cents a pot

while spending the off-seasons on world cruises or in the Caribbean – an enviable lifestyle

S/S Cleveland Around The World Party Tokyo 1913 1885 El Rancho burned down inStrictly speaking, this is not a cruise ship menu but one that came from the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, which hosted a dinner in 1913 for the lucky passengers who were on a round the world cruise on the SS Cleveland. At the time, not many Westerners went to Japan, so this must have been quite an experience. The faade of the Imperial Hotel, as it would have been at the time, is now located in the Meiji Mura museum and a modern one has taken its place.