1932 – 1956 / The second vessel of White Star’s modern pair of motor ships, the Georgic was to be one of the last ships to sport the company livery. Bombed and badly damaged during World War II, the ship was refitted and emerged with a single funnel after the conflict. She was sent to the breakers in 1956.
Daniel Othfors
70 posts
1932 – 1944 / Built to be the pride of Italy, the Rex was a greyhound that managed to capture the Blue Riband. Her career was however stifled by the second world war, during which she was bombed and sunk by British aircraft.
1932 – 1950 / Another Italian showpiece, the Conte di Savoia was noted for her lavish interiors, which deviated from the modern trends of her era. Bombed and sunk during World War II, she was too heavily damaged to be salvaged, and was dismantled after the war.
1936 – Present Day / Perhaps the most famous ship of all time, rivalled only by the Titanic, Queen Mary was the national symbol that inspired Great Britain’s struggle out of the great depression. She performed invaluable trooping duties during World War II, commanded the North Atlantic in the 50s, and is still with us today in Long Beach, California.
1947 – 1994 / Also known as Achille Lauro / An intermediate Dutch liner, the construction of the Willem Ruys was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. She entered commercial service after the war, and became most famous under the name Achille Lauro, when she was hijacked by Palestinian terrorists in 1985.
1949 – 1961 / Also known as Maréchal Pétain, Arosa Sky, and Bianca C / Built for the route connecting France to Southeast Asia, the changing political climate soon led to her sale and transfer to other flags. She burned and sank in the waters off Grenada in 1961, and today, her wreck is known as the ‘Titanic of the Caribbean’.
1952 – 1994 / Also known as Carla C, Carla Costa, and Pallas Athena / Built to modernise the French Line’s fleet after the war, Flandre was unfortunately beset with electrical problems at the start of her career. In spite of this, she went on to have a long career with various companies, but was lost to fire in 1994.
1953 – 1956 / The pride of Italy and a great national symbol, the Andrea Doria is above all remembered for her tragic demise. After having collided with the Stockholm in the waters off Nantucket, the Italian ship sank with the loss of 46 lives.
1954 – 1982 / Running mate of the Andrea Doria, the Cristoforo Colombo was actually the slightly larger ship of the two. She was decidedly more fortunate as well, and stayed in Italian service well into the 1970s.
1957 – 2001 / Also known as Navarino and Regent Sea / Originally part of the ‘White Viking Fleet’, the second Gripsholm remained with SAL until the company folded. The ship went on to serve other companies in the cruising industry, but was lost in 2001, while under tow off the Cape of Good Hope.