Chapter Seven - T.S.M.S. Lakonia the Ill Fated Cruise Ship

M.S. Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, became the T.S.M.S. Lakonia in 1963

Please Note: Firefox & some other search engines may not suitable

Please use Google Chrome for this page to load perfectly!

Click the logo above to reach the ssMaritime FrontPage & the current Featured Ships

With Reuben Goossens

Maritime Historian, Author, Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer and Maritime Lecturer

Please Note: All ssMaritime and related maritime sites are 100% non-commercial and privately owned, thus ssmaritime is NOT associated with any shipping company or any other organisation! Although the author has worked and been involved in the passenger shipping industry for well over 60 years, but due to his old age and poor health, he was forced to retire. Yet, he has completed well over 1,365 Classic Liners, Passenger-Cargo Liners as well as humble converted C3 converted Migrant Liners, which has transported countless thousands of folk to the new world, as well on vacations’. I trust the features online will continue to provide Classic Liner and Ship enthusiasts both the information they are seeking, but more so provide a great deal of pleasure and relive many happy memories!

“Memories of the JVO”

M.S. Johan van Oldenbarnevelt

Chapter Seven

The “Greek Line”

The ill-fated Cruise Ship

T.S.M.S. Lakonia

The gleaming white T.S.M.S. Lakonia is still showing her original Dutch heritage,

is seen at Southampton on April 24, 1963.

The JVO, now thirty-three years old, was considered to be a worthwhile purchase by the “Greek Line” and considering she had a major refit and a face-lift just a few years ago, the company decided to use her as a running mate for their other cruise ship, the “Arkadia.” Both ships would cruise in and around Europe. The JVO arrived in Genoa, Italy on March 7, 1963.

JVO's arrival in Genoa March 7, 1963

The elegant M.S. Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was officially handed over at 1600 hours (4 P.M.) on March 8 to her new owners; the British based Mr. Goulandris’ “Ormos Shipping Company,” being a subsidiary of the “Greek Line”. He had purchased her for an undisclosed price!

Here we see the official handing over that took place onboard the ship

Officine Mariotti completed a refit at Genoa. Her eleven public rooms were all renamed with more suitable Greek Line names for cruising, such as, the “Tropicana Restaurant,” the “Mocambo Lounge” and Bar, the “Atlantic Room,” and “Pavilion Theatre.” Only the Night Club retained its original name, the “Riviera Bar”. Her decks were also renamed, like Sun, Sports, Boat, Promenade, Main and Restaurant. The aft swimming pool was enlarged and its surround was reshaped and modernised. Twelve additional cabins were added, and all cabins now featured bedsteads instead of berths. Air-conditioning was extended throughout the ship. Upon completion, she was now registered as being 20,238 GRT (Gross Registered Tons).

The Greek Line Cruise Ship, T.S.M.S. Lakonia

The ship, also lovingly known as the "Grand Old lady,” now reappeared painted all white and a new name, “Lakonia”. She now looked more like a young maiden. Soon she headed for Southampton, sailing via Amsterdam her original homeport as the “JVO” and then headed for the UK, arriving mid morning on April 24, 1963.

On that same day the T.S.M.S. Lakonia departed on her maiden Cruise for the Greek Line, departing at 1700 hours, bound for Madeira as well as several other popular ports. Ports of call would vary; these would always include Madeira, others would be; Le Havre, Tenerife and Las Palmas. A feature being, that passengers could leave at a port and holiday there then later rejoin the ship for the voyage home to the UK. Other ports of call in some itineraries would include one or two of the following, Lisbon, Vigo, Tangiers, Casablanca, Malaga and Cadiz.

The Lakonia is seen during her maiden cruise in April 1963

Two of the passengers who boarded on the T.S.M.S. Lakonia for her “Maiden Cruise” on April 24, 1963 were Mr & Mrs. Walter and Margaret Harding and from all accounts they had a very happy cruise! Their son Phillip Harding kindly provided me with the ships just released Deck Plan which he discovered amongst his parents paperwork, and I am most grateful to him for sending it. PS: The plan will be shown down the page.

The company planned a vigorous schedule of some twenty-seven cruises from April through to November 1963 followed by another twenty-seven thereafter into following year.

Above & below: Cruising life on board T.S.M.S. Lakonia

For a variety of mechanical reasons, Lakonia's performance sadly began to slow and she fell behind schedule. Finally, she arrived in Southampton on November 22, 1963 three days late. She discharged her passengers at berth 106 and she was then transferred to berth 101, being a berth where liners awaiting a refit or re-deployment would normally use this berth.

On December 9, 1963, she entered Number 6 Dry Dock for yet another extensive refit. The fuel injection system was changed from blast air, being a novel item when the ship was originally built, to a pneumatic system. This was considered to be the problem of her poor performance. The company that refitted her, “Thornycrofts” guaranteed that this new system would enhance her performance as well as fuel economy.

The Ocean Bar & the New Agora Shopping Center aft on Promenade deck

Other improvements undertaken at the time were a new kitchen and pantry. Cabins were redecorated and there were those that had new and additional bathrooms fitted. By Thursday December 13, 1963, she was placed at berth 107, where she went through a major inspection, and passed all her safety regulations. The crew had been put through the full lifeboat and fire-drill. Seven lifeboats were lowered to the embarkation deck, after which four were lowered into the water. The T.S.M.S. Lakonia was well equipped with twenty-four lifeboats, with capability of saving 1,500 people in case of an emergency. The Lakonia was also in possession of a foreign ship certificate and her inspection was completed with satisfaction by the British Inspectors.

To all concerned, the Lakonia was almost like a new ship, fully refitted, with greatly improved engines and her interiors beautifully redone, etc, she liked the perfect cruise ship for her time. This was a ship that had been tried and tested for many years, sailing the globe, and she was ready to continue her new cruising career BUT!

Captain Mathios Zarbis, a veteran sailor from the Aegean Island of Andros

On Thursday December 19, 1963, she was berthed between the RMS Queen Elizabeth and RMS Queen Mary and the T.S.M.S. Lakonia was gaily flag-bedecked and she looked splendid with her hull gleaming white with her fresh coat of paint. The Lakonia was indeed ready for her second season and her eighteenth cruise in her brand new guise.

T.S.M.S. Lakonia seen at Southampton ready to depart for her cruise

Passengers arrived in full anticipation of what might lie ahead for them, on what was expected to be a wonderful “Christmas Cruise” with a number of delightful destinations where the weather hopefully would be much warmer than in the UK. Her eleven-day cruise was scheduled to call at Madeira, then Tenerife for an overnight stay on Christmas Eve and finally Las Palmas before returning home to Southampton. Passengers had read in the brochure the following statement;

"Here is a holiday you will remember and talk about for the rest of your life."

No truer statement could have been made! For the trust is that this cruise would indeed be remembered and talked about, not only by her passengers, but by the entire world!

The Ships Deck Plan

Above we see the wonderful Deck Plan of the T.S.M.S. Lakonia as was so kindly provided to me by Phillip Harding, who is the son of Walter and Margaret Hardingwho actually sailed on Lakonia’s maiden cruise on April 24, 1963. As I stated above, I am most grateful to Phillip and his parents for providing this fine plan. However, there is a larger version available by clicking on the plan above or CLICK-HERE.

Please Note: Photographs are mostly from the author’s private collection or as otherwise stated,

there are many that originate from a brochure I have had from the 1960’s

***************************

Chapter 8 - Lakonia's Final Voyage

Or the - JVO Index

***************************

“Blue Water Liners sailing to the distant shores.
I watched them come, I watched them go and I watched them die.”

ENTER OUR … ssMaritime Main INDEX

Where you will discover well over 1,365 Classic Passenger & Passenger-Cargo Liners!

The Author has been in Passenger Shipping & the Cruise Industry for over 60 years!

For interest: Sadly an email service to ssMaritime is no longer available, due to the author’s old age and chronic illness as well as being disabled, etc. In the past ssMaritime received well over 140 emails per day, but Mr. Goossens can no longer handle same. He sincerely regrets this!

ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net

Where the ships of the past make history & The story of the 1914 built MV Doulos

Please Note: ssmaritime and associated sites are 100% non-commercial and the author does not seek funding or favours and never have and never will.

Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are either by the author or from the author’s private collection. In addition there are 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.