Fifty years ago, on November 23, 1966, RMS Queen of Bermuda slipped through Two Rock Passage for the final time, closing a gilded era of luxury sailing between New York and Bermuda. The commemorative show at Masterworks, Hail to the Queen, celebrates the ship that helped make Bermuda a queen of vacation destinations through paintings, photographs, video and memorabilia.

The Queen of Bermuda’s maiden voyage to the island was in 1933. She was operated by the Furness Bermuda Line, transporting passengers and many Bermudian crew in 40 hours to the “coral isles”. Along with her sister ship, the Ocean Monarch, she was a jewel in the crown of Bermuda’s halcyon days of tourism.

The graceful vessel was known as “the Queen” and built exclusively for the New York-Bermuda route.

Her sleek profile, with three red and black funnels, made a familiar sight as she arrived punctually in Hamilton on a Monday morning for three days on the island.

It is no wonder with wealthy passengers such as the Astor and Vanderbilt families and Princess Soraya — the second wife of the last Shah of Iran — and Hollywood stars Cary Grant and Clark Gable, that the Queen of Bermuda became known as a “millionaires’ ship”.

The show on Masterworks’ mezzanine level uses minimum wall text and misses a narrative direction. However an iPad document containing the original typed journal and photographs by a honeymooning couple is a delightful inclusion that shows the inspiring range of the collection. Their beautifully written journal is entitled simply Bermuda by Jack and Gene; a sparkling account of their cruise. They describe Furness Line’s “pleasure-plan” and the “exquisite loveliness” of horse and carriage trips to the Swizzle Inn, Crystal Caves and sea gardens, before fitting in a swim and dressing for dinner and cocktails.

A diorama, including an original cabin drop-leaf desk, recreates the vintage feel of the show and an example of the sequinned gown that was de rigueur evening attire for women. Next to a small bell from the Queen of Bermuda hangs a Blue Peter, raised to signal the passengers and crew to return to the ship before sailing. A replica painted wooden model is among the memorabilia displayed and a plan of the ship’s three decks covers the gallery floor. You can see that each room had a bathroom — a novelty for the era.

The ship’s distinctive funnels were reduced over time from three to two and, after a final refit in 1961, to a single stack. From Adolf Triedlers’s original advertising posters to the contemporary Bermudian artist William Gringley’s portrait, the ship’s transformation is evident.

It was the ornate wooden panelled interior that ultimately led to her demise in 1966 as she failed to meet modern fire safety codes.

The show rekindles the era when the Furness Line propelled Bermuda tourism and helped set the island’s economy full speed ahead.

The exhibit runs until the end of November.