Sapphire (ship)
 The Sapphire in the port of Messina
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The Sapphire was a cruise ship of the Cypriot Louis Cruise Lines , which was originally built in 1967 under the name Italia for the Italian shipping company Sunsarda . After several changes of ownership, it was sold to Louis Cruise Line in 1996, where it remained in service until 2010. In 2012 the ship was scrapped in Alang, India .
Planning and construction
The Italia was commissioned in 1963 as one of originally two sister ships by the Italian Sunsarda and laid down on June 23, 1963 at Cantieri Navale Felszegi in Trieste . For the interior of Italia were Gustavo finals and Romano Boico responsible, which already includes the interiors of both the Italian Line belonging sister ships Raffaello and Michelangelo had designed. Externally, the appearance of the Italia was based on the Oceanic , which was commissioned in 1965 . On April 28, 1965, the ship was launched. During construction, both Sunsarda and the builder Cantieri Navale Felszegi had to file for bankruptcy. Work on the Italia was stopped and the construction of her planned sister ship was canceled. The unfinished ship was then sold to Crociere d'Oltremare .
period of service
Princess Italia
The Italia was never used by Crociere d'Oltremare as planned, but instead chartered to Fratelli Cosulich after completion .
During the ferry trip from Trieste to California , the American film drama The Valley of the Puppets had its world premiere in the ship's theater. The invited guests included the actors Sharon Tate , Patty Duke , Tony Scotti and Jacqueline Susann , the author of the novel for the film.
After the Italia arrived in California, she was officially christened and put into service on her return to Europe in February 1968. After only three round trips in the Mediterranean , however, the ship was chartered to Princess Cruises , who used it as Princess Italia for cruises.
Italia
From 1969 the ship was used for expedition cruises to Alaska until Crociere d'Oltremare canceled the charter contract in 1973. The ship was then chartered under its old name Italia to Costa Crociere , who used it for cruises in the Caribbean . In 1977 the Italia was finally bought by Costa.
Ocean Princess
In 1983 the ship was sold to the Ocean Cruise Line and renamed Ocean Princess . It was henceforth used during the summer in the Mediterranean and during the winter in the Caribbean.
In March 1993, ran Ocean Princess during a cruise through the Amazon to a not in the chart is signed wreck . The ship sank in the shallow water, flooding the engine room and lower decks . All passengers and crew were rescued, but the ship was declared a total loss and handed over to the insurer.
Sea Prince
Nevertheless, the Ocean Princess was sold, lifted and repaired to the Sunshine Cruise Line . Work on the ship, now renamed Sea Prince , was almost complete when a fire broke out on board in 1995. The ship, again declared a total loss, was sold to the Cypriot shipping company Louis Cruise Lines and repaired again.
Princesa Oceanica / Sapphire
In 1996 the ship was finally put back into service as the Princesa Oceania . In the same year it was chartered to the British shipping company Thomson Cruises as Sapphire until 2002 . In 2002 the Sapphire returned to service for the Louis Cruise Line. She was henceforth used for Mediterranean cruises.
After the ship (2010 SOLAS) no longer met the latest safety regulations and the continued operation of high investments and reconstruction measures would have required, it was placed after the peak season in autumn 2010 and decommissioned in Eleusis launched .
In 2012 the Sapphire was sold for scrapping. In May 2012, the ship arrived under the transfer name Aspire in Alang, India, where it was completely scrapped by the end of the year .
Furnishing
The Italia had a total of eight passenger decks. In the course of their service life, the public spaces were renamed depending on the owner. The names of the decks and the division of the facilities remained the same, however, unless otherwise described.
Sun Deck : The bridge, the chart room, the radio room and the captain's accommodation were on this deck. The eponymous sundeck was located at the rear of the deck.
Lido Deck : There were several promenades on the Lido Deck as well as a pool decorated with mosaics at the foot of the chimney. On the same deck there was also a veranda cafe, a small sports hall and the officers' quarters.
Riviera Deck : At the time the ship was put into service, only public passenger facilities were housed on the Riviera Deck. After the takeover by Princess Cruises, however, some suites were placed in the front of the ship. The facilities of the Riviera Deck included a vestibule , a card room, a boutique, a nightclub and a bar that led into the ship's grand salon. In the front area of the Riviera Deck there was also an observation lounge, which was replaced by additional cabins after the takeover by Costa Crociere.
Promenade Deck : This deck contained cabins, the remaining suites and the ship's dining room. The galley and accommodations for crew members were located in the rear area. The entire deck was surrounded by a promenade on which the lifeboats were also located.
Pacific Deck : In addition to other cabins, the Pacific Deck housed the lobby, the purser's office and a beauty salon.
Belvedere Deck / Capri Deck : On the two lowest passenger decks Belvedere and Capri, only cabins were accommodated.
Machine system
The Sapphire was two Neunzylinder- diesel engines powered the brand Sulzer CRDA, which together generated an output of 11,026 kilowatts (14,991 hp). The maximum speed of the ship was 21.4 knots, the normal service speed 19 knots. The Sapphire had two fixed pitch propellers.
Web links
Footnotes
- ^ Reuben Goossens: MV Italia. Retrieved December 17, 2015 .
- ↑ Eric Woodard: Valley of the Dolls - Premiere Cruise. December 29, 2013, accessed December 17, 2015 .
- ^ Ian Boyle: Ocean Cruise Line. Retrieved November 21, 2016 .
- ^ Reuben Goossens: MV Sapphire. Retrieved December 17, 2015 .
- ^ Peter Knego: Gallery. Retrieved December 17, 2015 .
- ↑ Peter Knego: SAPPHIRE Retro-Decked! Part One - Remembering Louis Cruises' MV SAPPHIRE (ex ITALIA, etc.). June 8, 2013, accessed June 5, 2016 .
- ^ Micke Asklander: M / S ITALIA. Retrieved November 24, 2016 .
- ↑ Enrico Veneruso: Sapphire. October 6, 2009, accessed November 24, 2016 .