I know that "Francesca" (ex "Konstantin Simonov) has been sold to Mano Maritime, Israel and "Carina" is offered by Primexpress as the "Primexpress Island".

Where are the mentioned ships? Who offers cruises?

Where is the "Van Gogh"? Is there a web-site with cruises?

Has one of the "Gruziya"-class ships a blue hull? In a brochure of SUNBAY Cruises (new small cruise ship "Sun Bay" from 2001) I found a picture of one of these ships in a Norwegian fjord. Think it is a "real" pic.

Hope anybody can gibe me answers.

The MIKHAIL KALININ, sistership of the Bashkiriya

The SILVER STAR, you can see from the picture above that she changed a bit from the original look (image borrowed from www.mano.co.il ).

Regards

Paulo Mestre

FEDOR SHALJAPIN, ex FRANCONIA (1963), IVERNIA (1954).

IVERNIA, renamed FRANCONIA after the 1962/1963 refit for cruising. She looks nice with the white hull. (image from www.ships.cwc.net )

Regards

Paulo Mestre

quote:

---

Originally posted by Baker:
Patrick,
My first ship was the 'Ivernia" then only 6 years old and running to Canada and New York in winter,I see her sister
'Saxonia' has now been scrapped, what chance would an old ship like the "IVY" have to go back to sea. ? Not much of a chance I fear, she is about 46 years old. I have a soft spot for her so if you should hear any news on her demise, please let me know, Thanks. Baker..

---

It could be possible for a return to sea of the IVERNIA/FRANCONIA/FEDOR SHALJAPIN, after all ALBATROS (ex Sylvania) and FAIR PRINCESS (ex CARINTHIA) are still in use and provide nice cruising experiences.
It only needs a manager with guts, will and money to put her back to cruising order.

Regards

Paulo Mestre

Hello Patrick

I hope you can help me, do you know anything about a Russian Cargo Vessel called the "Vetlugals" it called in at Grangemouth, Scotland around 1967/68.

It was my first encounter with ships of any size, to see it just squeeze through the dock gates was fascinating, and the guards at the top of the gang plank with their guns.

Baker, I keep you updated about the FEDOR SHALJAPIN. Since UkrPasFlot (BLASCO) is doing much better already during the last months, a come-back of her could be possible (remember she was dedicated to be scrapped but saved anyway, so it means rather good news for BLASCO-situation).

Scottyglass: I´m sorry but about cargo-ships I can´t help you too much, even if they are Russian or German. There are just too many around to keep the overview about them.

Thank you for your reply regarding Vetlugals, for a Cargo Vessel of what I can remember it looked quite good, it had a pale green hull.

Do you know where the Saxonia was actually scrapped, and when??

quote:

---

Originally posted by Scottylass:
Do you know where the Saxonia was actually scrapped, and when??
M.

---

From www.maritimematters.com (page dedicated to SAXONIA/FRANCONIA/LEONID SOBINOV):

.. She was renamed LEONID SOBINOV (after a famous Russian actor) and chartered to British-based CTC Lines. Following a refit by by Swan Hunter at South Shields, her first voyage as LEONID SOBINOV from Southampton to Sydney commenced on February 25, 1974. She then cruised Australian Waters and made occasional UK to Australia voyages. This segment of her career ended when Australia banned Russian ships from their ports in December 1979 after Soviet troops invaded Afganistan. She and her sister FEDOR SHALYAPIN were next rumored to have sailed to Vladivostock. Later used for trooping between Cuba and Angola. In 1989, LEONID SOBINOV was given a refit and mechanical overhaul which saw much of her original furnishing and paneling replaced. In 1990, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, she was registered at Malta, spending her final active years on low-budget Mediterranean service.

In 1995, she was laid up at Iliychevsk, Ukraine in need of mechanical repairs and cosmetic upgrading. Shortly afterwards, she was joined by the FEDOR SHALYAPIN. Despite rumors that SOBINOV had been scrapped in Calcutta in 1997, both sisters remained idle until December 1998, when LEONID finally began raising steam. She left her berth in late January 1999, and following a brief stop at nearby Odessa, passed through the Suez Canal on 10 February bound for Alang, India for scrapping. She arrived at the anchorage on 1 April, 1999.

Regards

Paulo Mestre

I think it is no reflection. But possible that it is a manipulated photo. The ships is shown in a Norwegian fjord. Possible that the hull was changed in blue in the pic, because the company´s new ship "Sun Bay" ist also blue. (???). I search it and try to scann it.

Thank you for the answers @all writers :-)

Where are the Croatian "Adriana" and "Dalmacija"? Searching for routes in the www, but without success. Who operates them?

I just purchased a card of the Khabarovsk you mentioned in this topic. So she still exists? Can you tell me the year she was built & the names she has had during her career. I tried to look for her at a book titled: "Soviet Merchant Ships", author Ambrose Greenway, but the Khabarovsk wasn't there, at least not under that name.

Regards,
AJL

photos at: http://www.geocities.com/assedo68/home

I would like to say that the former -Shota Rustavelli- presently ASSEDO( Odessa written backwards) was scheduled to arrive on the 31 December 2001 to Madeira, on a Festive Cruise mostly with Ukranian and Russian passenger to see the fireworks and shore excurssions,however unfortunately this ship did not came, and according to some news, neither she called at Tenerife, her origin port, so,i would like to know if she really departed to make this cruise, and where is she presently, because according to the ASSEDO's company web-site this ship as a full cruise programme for 2002.

best regards,

Ship'sEnthusiast

dimasalmada@hotmail.com