Classic Liners
from great Trans-Atlantic liners or Liners sailing the Globe and also
Passenger-Cargo ships with 10 to 240 passengers
To read all about this the
very last of the Orient Line Liners - See: “Ship
of the Month” below;
Please Note: If
there are any photographs, images or copy missing on this page,
please refresh the page, or advise us at; rg@ssmaritime.com
Classic Liners Update ~ August/September 2018
For details go to “Ship of the Month” and keep on reading
Updated “Ship of the Month” #1 The
final Orient Line Liner SS Oriana (1960)
NEW “Ship of the Month” #2 the Italian Line S.S. Leonardo da Vinci (1960)
Introduction:
Looking Back:
of these being converted War-Time Victory Class ships, such as the
type C3 & C4 Class Vessels. Some of these ships were rebuilt into rather
humble Migrant Liners, whilst others became far more modern and even glamorous
Migrant Liners, such as Flotta Lauro’s TSS Roma and Sydney, as well as
Sitmar’s TSS Fairsky, and these ships made significant inroads into
maritime history. I hope that through the pages off ssMaritime you will
discover many wonderful memories, be it for those past passengers and their
relatives who may have sailed on these wonderful ships, from days of old until
their demise in the late 1970s.
The
author is seen whilst on an extended Princess Cruise-
To Conclude:
I must
say a very special thank you, to all ship lovers from around the world, for I
have been astounded that there have been so many of you reading ssMaritime; in
fact this site has now almost reached over 521.4 million readers to date from
when my first site came online 28 years ago, and that, dear friends simply
blows my mind! Please
remember, that my sites have always
remained 100% non-commercial, for my purpose has been to provide
wonderful and hopefully joyful memories to all past passengers from around the
world, and those who really love passenger lines and older cruise ships! Be
assured, it has been a great joy for me to present these many classic ships,
which I have been able to write about for so many years, therefore, enjoy the
memories!
ssMaritime’s Main Index is located just Below & also at the Bottom of the Page, be assured that you will discover a “Ship lover’s delight” with so many great ships, both Liners, Migrant Ships as well as Passenger-Cargo Liners and all of these will have you reading and returning for a long time to come!
Reuben Goossens - Retired!
Enter the ssMaritime Main INDEX,
Or
Continue to Read the New or Updated Features below
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Ship of the Month #1
SS Oriana is seen
arriving in
Having sailed via
the Suez Canal and she will return via
This extensive fourteen Webpage feature covers Oriana from her conception in 1954 to being broken up in 2005. Part One contains very special features, which are entirely related to her design, construction, launching, fitting out, sea trials and her maiden voyage with rare photographs thaat I have been given by the wife from the late Mr. Charles F Morris (famed for his “Book “Origins, Orient and Oriana”) who was a long established Orient Line Naval Architect being one of the ships main designers, and I received these photographs and other images that have never been seen before, thus come enjoy the beauty and come for an amazing ride as the SS Oriana comes to life!
Oriana’s uniquely located high and amidships Bridge with her funnel slightly aft up higher
Part
Two covers the Oriana’s complete history
“From Birth to the Breakers”. From construction to completion, and
her maiden voyage, her later days as an all white cruise ship and to her sale
to the Japanese in 1986. Having been sold to the Chinese, she ended up in
Enter the updated … SS Oriana Part One
Construction, Photographs, Deck Plans, Posta Cards & much more!
Or Enter … SS Oriana Part Two
Her History and
passenger & crew Pages as well as photo pages!
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Ship of the Month
S.S. Leonardo da Vinci
He we see the elegant Italian Line S.S. Leonardo da Vinci as she was from 1960 to late 1965
Due to the tragic loss of the magnificent Italian Line liner S.S. Andrea Doria which sank on July 25, 1956 after a collision with the Swedish liner MS Stockholm, and of course this proved to be a huge loss to the company, as the investigations rulings made the Italian Line cover the full cost of the loss of the Andrea Doria, whilst the Stockholm did have bow damage, which the Swedish American Line would financially covered. The Italian Government supported the Italia line and soon they commence to design a new and a larger ship, a ship that would become the revolutionary Leonardo da Vinci.
Externally
the 1960, 33,340 Gross ton S.S. Leonardo da Vinci was very similar looking to her two earlier constructed sisters,
however she was 63 ft longer and a good 2 ft wider, in addition she had a
larger superstructure both forward and aft. The ships funnel was also
beautifully re-shaped into a more modern shapely funnel, as well as being
somewhat taller and she was given a small smoke deflector fin. Atop of her
Bridge, but set back, we find the only mast on the Leonardo, and it a stylish
tall, multi level radar mast, suitable for the ship being beautifully dressed
with flags
The Leonardo da Vinci had the same livery as the ill fated S.S.
Andrea Doria and her sister S.S. Cristoforo Colombo, having red boot topping
which was itself topped by a thin white ribbon. The ship had a perfectly
painted black hull with a thin white band painted two-thirds up the hull from
the red boot topping and its white ribbon. Forward she had just two king posts
to handle cargo, however far aft there was no cargo handling posts or any
cranes, which provided the four beautifully stepped spacious
Late 1965 & 66 she was painted all white as the company livery had changed as their ships were operating more and more cruises.
Here we see the 1966 new look Leonardo da Vinci, operating both as a trans-Atlantic liner and as a Cruise Ship!
There is no doubt externally, and I do mean visually, S.S. Leonardo da Vinci was a perfectly balanced liner; she was absolute perfection to behold at sea, be it way back then and even if she was with us today!, but being traditional, I still prefer the black hull!
Enter my Three Page feature on this amazing liner via the LINK below, it contains the Leonardo da Vinci’s amazing and most unusual history, and did you know that she was ready to be fitted with a nuclear power plant? The pages are full of photographs, brochures, posters, menus and a full Deck Plan will be online very soon!
Enter S.S. Leonardo da Vinci
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Ship of the Month
“Hotel
Queen Elizabeth 2
Dubai
“Hotel
Queen
The
exciting new luxury floating hotel, the ex Trans-Atlantic Liner RMS Queen
Elizabeth 2, so lovingly known in days gone by as the ‘QE2’ has
finally opened in
Although her lifeboats and davits have been removed, but apart from that she looks very much the same as we remember her as during her cruising days, having received her diesel engines and her new suites built topside, etc. Her interiors have been carefully been restored to their original state, with very minor alteration, thus allowing the ship to constantly reveal her history through her décor and fittings, such as her original furnishings and art throughout her public spaces.
The Golden Lion Pub remains as was and how many memories have been made here and will be again
Accommodations have been beautifully updated, although again, the Cunard touch can be found in every room.
One of the spacious Captains Club Rooms
Ashore
is the Terminal, which has the reception desk, a Café and the
Here we see the Ship and the Terminal with the marina just aft of the QE2
I have placed a comprehensive webpage online (LINK below the next Photograph), which provides a short history of the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, to her arrival at Dubai, her long lay-up and her amazing revival to her magnificent transformation into a superb hotel, which has retained the great Queen as much as possible in her original condition, which her original owners at Palm Jumeirah would not have done!
“Hotel
Queen Elizabeth 2” still looks like her beautiful long and sleek self!
Visit my
comprehensive all New Hotel
Queen Elizabeth 2 page
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Ship of the Month
S.S. Funchal
SS Funchal is
seen arriving at
This
remarkable ship was designed in
Due to her long streamlined design she always tended to look larger than her 9,824 GRT tonnage, and it was said that the Funchal “must surely rank as one of the most attractive small liners built in the post-War period. This was a statement made by Lloyds of London. In addition, her accommodations and lounges received great praise; in addition she was fully air-conditioned and stabilised!
Funchal was chartered on various occasions between February 1968 until 1972 to operate as the official Portuguese Presidential Yacht, however as she was suffering on and of boiler problems it was decided in 1972 to send her to Amsterdam in the Netherlands where her old steam engines were removed and Funchal received two brand new ultra reliable “Werkspoor” 9-Cylinder Diesel Engines developing 2 x 5,000 BHP. Although she would now operate as a slightly slower service speed of 16 knots, but as she would now operate mostly as a cruise ship thus speed was no longer an issue. She had been painted all white with, blue boot topping, blue trim and a new yellow funnel with a blue band. In addition a new deck was added forward topside and she became an all one class ship.
The new look cruise ship MV Funchal
In 1976 that one of the most famous Greek Shipping Magnates Mr. George Petros Potamianos chartered the Funchal to operate a series of cruises. I know the amazing history of the Potamianos family personally and they go back in shipping history to 1850, when his great grandfather commenced the much loved and world famous “Epirotiki Lines”, thus it stood to reason that the Funchal charter was going to be very successful indeed! There was no doubt that Mr. Potamianos did not forget this now greatly loved stylish ship, for in 1985 having oprated her on a regular basis, he decided buy her outright for his company “Great Warwick Inc” and “Arcalia Shipping Company” and she would be managed by his “Classic International Cruises” or CIC.
Funchal
continued to be hugely popular and in 2004 she was based during the Australian
Summer season in Fremantle (
I was
most fortunate to be onboard the Funchal on her last voyage back to the
Funchal seen in
just after lunch to the container wharf as a large Star Cruises ship was due in.
I went back ashore to take this photograph as it would be a fine view of the Funchal
Photograph by © 2008 Reuben Goossens
The
reason Funchal concluded her seasons in
MV Funchal has an amazing story, and the above is just a small introduction for you will discover a multi page feature on her as well as a page regarding her future.
Visit the Updated SS/MV Funchal feature
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Ship of the
Month
Royal Packet Company (KPM)
Later:
MS Tjiwangi & Tjiluwah
These
two fine compact liners were considered the most beautifully proportioned
passenger cargo liners ever to be seen in Australian waters, and they became
the most popular ships to sail between
In 1948 KPM decided to build two relatively luxurious 9,000 GRT, 479 ft – 146 m long Passenger-Cargo Liners, and these ships were built by “C. van der Giessen & Zonen” at Krimpen aan den Ijssel, Amsterdam. Named the Tjiwangi and Tjiluwah they were launched on April 29, 1950 and April 28, 1951 respectively.
Their
First Class Public Facilities were amazingly opulent, with the Main Lounge
located forward on Promenade (A) Deck being surrounded by the wonderful and greatly
loved Wintergarden. The Main Lounge was sumptuously
furnished and just aft on the portside was a delightful Bar, whilst on the
starboard side the Library and Writing Room. Directly aft was the covered open
sided full width deck Verandah, which was popular at night as an entertainment
venue and dancing, although the main lounge also had a more intimate dance
floor! One deck up on Boat Deck was the First Class Swimming Pool! Tourist
class had their Lounge and Dining Room on a lower deck, as well as ample
spacious deck space. All cabins were outside either with one or two portholes.
And here is the wonderful MS Tjiwangi
MS
Tjiwangi and Tjiluwah operated on the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) and Hong
Kong service until in 1960 a decision was made to change their service and
place them on the
The delightful
Tjiluwah is seen arriving in
In 1963 both ships received a complete refit, which saw Tourist Class greatly improved, with a new lounge added as well as another swimming pool, and the ships were now painted all white. Upon completion they were registered at 8,978 GRT.
The now all white
MS Tjiluwah is seen in
In a very short time, these beautiful ships became lovingly known as the “Elegant White Yachts” due to their beautiful exterior lines and perfect design. In addition it was well known that their First class was without a doubt sumptuous, having grand carved timber stairwells carved from the main Lounge down to te Lobby below, and the Restaurant being two levels high with a balcony surrounding it, and again another stairwell for the ladies to slowly come down with their gents, in their long gowns dripping with jewels and fur stoles, looking a million dollars ready to dine on a sumptuous cuisine and service that always came with perfection.
The First Class Restaurant for a small ship was quite extravagant
Note the differences between the décor between the two ships above and below
The staircases were different on each ship as one was placed forward & the
other aft of the Dinning Room, one traditional, the other more modern looking
A most pleasant Tourist Class Lounge and Bar
Their
voyages operated as follows:
MS Tjiluwah seen
in 1963 in
For a
multi page feature on these fine ships Visit … MS Tjiwangi & Tjiluwah
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Mercy Ships is My Special Interest & My Fundraising Campaign,
Please Support this Very Worthy Cause!
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I trust that the above new and updated features will be greatly enjoyed as most will have new and/or larger photographs; in addition with updated features, I have added new details to some of its and added additional details where applicable!
Reuben
Goossens.
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Also visit Maritime
Links & our Maritime Art pages!
“Blue Water
Liners sailing to the distant shores.
I watched them come, I watched them go, and I watched them die.”
Photographs on
ssmaritime and associate pages are either by the author or from the author’s
private collection. In addition, some images and photographs that have been
provided by Shipping Companies or private photographers or collectors. Credit
is given to all contributors however, there are some photographs provided to me
without details regarding the photographer or owner concerned. Therefore, I
hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves
known to me (my email address can be found on www.ssmaritime.com) in order that due credit may be given.
ssMaritime is owned & © Copyright
by Reuben Goossens - All Rights Reserved