Great mediterranean passenger ships -- ausonia

[Doc Vernon]

Avsonia.jpg
Another Italian liner to appear in our new book Great Mediterranean Passenger Liners is the sleek Ausonia, built in 1957 for the Adriatica Line. Built as a follow-up to the very handsome Andrea Doria & Cristoforo Colombo (1952 & '54), the fast Ausonia was different: she was designed for inter-Mediterranean service, the Express Run to the Eastern Med (Trieste, Venice & Brindisi to Alexandria & Beirut).

Inside, the 550-passenger (in three classes) Ausonia was very Fifties Italian Modern -- lots of lino, modern art, that ultra-suede upholstery. Of course, she had outdoor lido decks with umbrellas, pools with slides, a movie theater and, expectedly, a complete chapel.​

[vic mcclymont]

I sailed on her as a cruise passenger from Greece to the UK after she had or supposed to have been refitted for cruising. Works were still ongoing as conversion not completed.
Nice, stable ship.
Regards
Vic

[Gulliver]

Just a little history and subsequent fate.
s.s.AUSONIA built 1957 for Adriatica,registered Venice.Pass/Cargo vessel.

1979 Converted to pass/Cruise vessel.
1983 Re-registered Naples
1997 Reflagged to Malta,registered Valletta
1998 Reflagged to Cyprian,registered Limassol
2006 Reflagged by Greek interests,registered Piraeus.Renamed THE AUSONIA,then IVORY
2008 reverted to IVORY
2010 Renamed WINNER 5,then beached Alang,India 4/3/2010 : 53 years old i.e. 22 in original guise then 31 in converted cruise liner form.