SS "AUSONIA" a ship of sheer beauty

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This post is a tribute to a remarkably beautiful passenger liner, the "AUSONIA". Built by CANTIERI RIUNITI DEL ADRIATICO in 1957, she was owned and operated by ADRIATICA LINES on the Trieste-Egypt-Lebanon service until 1978, "AUSONIA" was as built 11.875 GRT, propelled by steam turbines with a top speed of 25 knots. In 1978 she was sold to ITALIA CROCIERI INTERNAZIONALI, her passenger capacity was increased from 520 to 690 passengers during the conversion process for full time cruising, but kept the same name until 1998 when she was again sold, this time to LOUIS CRUISE LINES, she was renamed IVORY. The ship changed owners again in 2005, operated by GOLDEN STAR CRUISES she was sailing as the AEGEAN TWO. The old "AUSONIA" was withdrawn from service in 2009, she was eventually sold for scrapping in 2010 renamed WINNER 5 for the voyage to Alang in India. When she was sold for scrapping she was together with SS OCEANIC of 1965, still with us, the last Italian Liners still in service and according to many World known Maritime Historians and passengers alike she was in immaculate   general condition but did not fulfil the 2010 SOLAS regulations, she was not lucky, like FUNCHAL for instance, so we were deprived from this amazing ship, one of the very few proper passenger ships still in operation. Images one and three, postcards from my private collection, "AUSONIA" and AEGEAN TWO, middle photo the ship in Barcelona in 1991 during another cruise for I.C.I.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 20, 2014 at 5:51 AM

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  2. C J FarrugiaMarch 2, 2016 at 9:29 AM

    Lovely to read about the Ausonia. This was the first ship I cruised on in 1988. I think it was owned by Grimaldi and we did the Western Mediterranean 7 day cruise, visiting Palermo, Napoli, Genova, Barcellona and Tunis. Great ship, great service. Sorry to read it was scrapped.

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