1900 – 1947 / Also known as Stockholm (I), Solglimt and Sonderburg / Launched as the Holland-America Line’s largest ship thus far, the Potsdam would see a long career of nearly 50 years. She inaugurated the Swedish American Line as the first Stockholm, and was later converted into a whale factory ship.
swedish american line
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1905 – 1955 / Also known as Drottningholm, Brasil, and Homeland / A long-lived ship, the Virginian would see almost 50 years of service under different flags and names. She lived through two world wars, and was the oldest ship in transatlantic service when she was retired.
1925 – 1966 / Also known as Berlin / The first ship built for the Swedish-American Line, the Gripsholm was also the first motor ship on the North Atlantic run. She helped cement the company’s reputation on the high seas, but was eventually sold and enjoyed a second life as a German liner.
1928 – 1965 / Also known as Italia / As Swedish-American Line’s second newbuild, the Kungsholm offered both crossings and cruisings up until the outbreak of World War II, when she was requisitioned and used as an American troopship. After the war, her career continued under a new name with Home Lines.
1948 – Present Day / Also known as Völkerfreundschaft, Volker, Italia, Italia Prima, Valtur Prima, Caribe, Athena, Azores, and Astoria / A smaller ship of the Swedish-American Line, the Stockholm became famous when she collided with and sank the Andrea Doria in 1956. The ship survived and would have a long career and remarkably, she is still in service today, although heavily rebuilt and virtually unrecognisable.
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.
1966 – 2015 / Also known as Sea Princess (I), Victoria (II), Mona Lisa, and Oceanic II / The largest and fastest, but also final ship built for the Swedish-American Line, the fourth Kungsholm was the crowning achievement of the ‘White Viking Fleet’. When the company folded, she went on to have a career under many different flags, but was sadly beached at Alang in 2015 and dismantled there.