[ 07-24-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

The Leonard da Vinchi entered service in 1960 as a replacement for the Andrea Doria
The ship continued on North Atlantic run until 1976. she was schedulled two Atlantic runs and few cruises from New York to Caribbean in 1976
Sha was Last Atlantic Liner of Italian Line
After Transatlantic Crossing, she has planned to sail 5 cruises in Med from genoa and one long cruise to Northern Capitals unitl Sep 30. 1976

[ 07-24-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

When the Italian government set up ICI in the summer of 1977, they announced that Gugliemlo Marconi and Galileo Galilei would run cruises out of Florida and New York. However, both ships needed extensive refits to be suitable for the US market and would not be ready for over a year. In order to promote the new cruise concern, the Leonardo Da Vinci was dispatched to Florida (with the ICI logo painted on its funnel) to operate 3 and 4 day cruises to the Bahamas. Costa operated the Da Vinci for ICI in this venture until the "new" Marconi was ready to make its debut sailing out of New York. As it eventually turned out, the whole ICI venture was a total disaster.

[ 07-25-2003: Message edited by: Brian_O ]

Commodore - ICI is Italian Cruises International

Below is schedule at that time

[ 07-25-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

[ 07-25-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

[ 07-25-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Commodore:
In fact, one of her captains in her ICI days said that she burned more fuel in dock than most ships do at sea!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Brian_O:

the Galilei never made any US cruises.
The Galileo Galilei remained in Europe.

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Below is a Chandris' Galileo Brochure in winter 1985/86

[ 07-25-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ocean Liners:

Below is a Chandris' Galileo Brochure in winter 1985/86

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You have taken my remarks out of context. I was talking about ICI and its plans which never came to pass. Her post-ICI career has been discussed recently in other threads on this Forum and a 1985 photo of her as Fantasy Cruises' Galileo is in my photo album in the "Ocean Liners" category.

After ICI folded, the Italian government returned both the Marconi and Galilei (names used by ICI) to their original owners Lloyd Triestino. LT then sold the Marconi to Costa and the Galilei to Chandris.

Chandris had previously chartered the Galilei from ICI on numerous occasions for cruises in European waters, but it was only after they purchased the ship and her name was shortened to Galileo that she made her debut in American waters for Fantasy Cruises.

Of course she later became Meridien for Chandris' Celebrity Cruises and in her final days she was the ill-fated Sun Vista.

[ 07-25-2003: Message edited by: Brian_O ]

1979 Mar 24: Arrived at Genoa. following Conversion. Managed by Italia Crociere Internatiozionali SpA,Genoa. Crusing in Mediterranean
1979 Sep 29: Laid up at Genoa.
1980 Sep 6: Laid up again having made a few cruises.
1981 14-day cruises in Mediterrenean
1981 Oct 24: Laid up at Genoa.
1983 Nov: Sold to Chandris Group. Registered under ownership of Fourth Transoceanic Shipping Co Ltd, Panama
1984 Renamed Galileo. Rifitted for Caribbean crusing

Below is a Chandris 1981 Med Cruise Schedule

Below is Chandris Brochure's Cover in winter 85/86

[ 07-25-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ocean Liners:
Below is Breif History for Galileo Galilei

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Everything in your post is consistent with what I have said in this and other threads concerning Galileo Galilei over the last few days (see favourite funnel thread as well). Thanks for posting this information.

The Sept 6, 1980 lay up date is interesting since she was at Santa Cruz de Tenerife on Sept 1 and at Funchal, Madeira the following day. I have photos that I took of her on both of those days, one of which is my album #1 in the Photo Gallery.
I was able to go aboard her in Tenerife and was told that she had no cruises scheduled after the one she was on at the time. The question I have is whether she called at any port between Madeira and Genoa.

Genoa Leave Jul 4 4PM, Arrive Napoli Jul 5 8AM Leave Jul 6 Noon Arrive Barcelona Jul 7 1PM Leave Midnight Arrive Argeciras Jul.8 11PM Leave midnight and Arrive Tenerife Jul 10 9AM
It took 6 days with stops Overnight in Napoli, Barcelona and Argeciras

If you have Galileo Galilei and Guglelmo Marconi
service to Singapore and Hong Kong Schedule, Please Let me know their Itineraries?

My source from vol 6 of Kludas and My Collections

[ 07-27-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ocean Liners:
If you have Galileo Galilei and Guglelmo Marconi
service to Singapore and Hong Kong Schedule, Please Let me know their Itineraries?

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Oops! I meant to say Singapore and Bombay....it was Lloyd Triestino's Asia and Victoria that called at Hong Kong. Sorry.

Galileo and Marconi called at Singapore and Bombay on the return trip from Sydney to Genoa. The usual itinerary was Genoa, Naples, Messina, Port Said, Suez Canal, Aden, Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Singapore, Bombay, Aden, Suez, Port Said, Messina, Naples, Genoa. However, this itinerary was no longer possible after the Suez Canal was closed for 8 years following the 6-day war in 1967. The 2 ships then went around the Cape of Good Hope to get to Australia and became well known in South African waters. I am not sure of their exact itinerary while Suez was closed.

Shortly after the reopening of the Suez Canal, Galileo's itinerary became Genoa, Naples, Messina, Port Said, Suez, Djibouti, Mombasa, Durban, Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Noumea, Tahiti, Acapulco, Panama Canal, Cristobal, Curacao, Malaga, Messina, Naples, Genoa. (Mombasa was dropped from the itinerary for 1977). This was a 69-night voyage, but the total elapsed time from Genoa to Genoa was 67 days and 15 hours. Various publications of the day such as Ford's Cruise Guide listed this as a 65-day circumnavigtion, but that was the Messina to Messina time.

I don't know if Marconi ever made that around the world trip, since she was transferred from Lloyd Triestino to Italia's South American service in January 1976.

Below is Lloyd Triestino Italy-Australia Express Service Sailings 1976

I can't find 1980 Brochure but 1979 Galilei Maiden Cruise Schedule is Below

[ 07-26-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

As far as 1976 is concerned, the Canadian agents for Lloyd Triestino had Mombassa listed as a port of call, but I'll take your information as correct since that looks like a copy of Lloyd Triestino's official sailing list. The 1977 list is identical except for the dates and the fact that voyages Galileo 3/77 and Galileo 4/77 never took place...a pity for me since I had planned to take Galileo 4/77 (October 3 to December 30).

Oh well, at least I had the chance to tour the ship in Tenerife in 1980.

Thanks again for the info.

quote:

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Originally posted by Brian_O:
I had the chance to tour the ship in Tenerife in 1980.

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I have to ask - what did you think of her?

[ 07-26-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

quote:

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Originally posted by cruiseny:

I have to ask - what did you think of her?

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I liked the ship. It reminded me of other italian built ships I had sailed on: Lloyd Triestino's Europa and Home Lines' Oceanic (minus its artwork). I told the guys guarding the gangway that it felt more like a ship than QE2 which was more like a hotel. (I was on a QE2 cruise at the time). They broke out in big smiles when I said that. (For you QE2 fans I was NOT making a negative comment about QE2, rather it was a positive comment about Galileo Galilei).

quote:

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Originally posted by Ocean Liners:
Now I post 1 Year List for your reference

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Thanks. Much appreciated. I saw this list plus all the other sailing lists that are in your album a few minutes ago.

Cheers
Brian

P.S. Do you have a 1959 sailing list for Africa and Europa?

[ 07-26-2003: Message edited by: Brian_O ]

[ 07-27-2003: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]