ssMaritime.net
MV Doulos
“A
Ship Like no Other”
By Reuben Goossens
An American 1914
built ship that sailed 95 Years into History
SS
Medina (1914-1948)
--MV Franca C--
Brochures 1959
– 1969
From
the author’s private collection
This page shows just a number of a host of Linea C/Costa Cruises brochures from the author’s private collection. In addition there is a Linea C coat hanger that was so kindly given to me by Mr. Sven Benseler from the Doulos. It is one of only a few that has been found onboard. I trust that you will enjoy viewing these brochures. In addition I have included one menu with it superb cover, and you will discover that menus on the modern cruise ship, although good, hardly measures up with the variety that was on offer on this superb luxury Italian cruise ship that goes back to 1959. Franca C was the very first fully dedicated all first class year round cruise ship in the world, as well as being the first ever cruise ship to be based in Ft Lauderdale to operate West Indies/Caribbean Cruises on a US to US basis. Franca C set the standard for all cruise companies in the future, and she remains with us to this day, which is a testament to a great ship. May she be spared from the breakers in 2010 and become a unique floating museum 1. to great American ship building, as she was built at Newport News Ship Yards, 2. In honour of Linea C and OM International Ships a Christian Charity organisation who has owned he since 1977, for both have cared and looked after this fine old dame of the sea with great care and much love, especially in her latter years!
Cover of a
Dinner menu dated
You do not
see variety like this even on the best cruise ships anymore
1960/1961
West Indies/South American brochure
As
in each brochure, it includes the cruise back to
Inside the
1960/61 brochure
An English
and Italian 1963 Mediterranean/European summer cruises brochure
Above &
below: This general colour brochure with cabin plan was published in November
1963
It contains
no itineraries
… but a general publicity shot taken on one of Costa’s
other ships
Above and
Below: A colourful 1963-64 Brochure
From the
author’s private collection
Costa Line
is by now clearly marked as being the ships owners
Above is a 1964 hand poster for Mediterranean Cruises from
1964 / 1965
West Indies/South American brochure
1965 / 1966
West Indies/South American brochure
1967 / 1968
Caribbean brochure, this time sailing from
A page from
the 1967 / 1968 brochure featuring the ships many facilities
The 1968
brochure above was released by National Airlines for Fly/Cruise & Stay
packages using
1968 Franca C cruise schedule
1969 West
Indies/South American brochure – This was the final brochure before her
1970 refit
Note: After
the 1967/68 season with
The
following brochures were released after her refit in 1970
A 1975 Costa Line Mediterranean Cruise brochure featuring their
various ships including Franca C
The
1977 Costa Line Brochure Mediterranean Cruise
brochure featuring their various ships
This would be the last time Franca C would be included in any of
their brochures!
A Few images from these 1960’s brochures
The Rapallo
Restaurant and the mural on the far forward wall it remains to this day as can
be seen below
This
photograph was taken by the author in 1999, however, whilst my time aboard
sailing along the coast of
Be assured
it is still there and I have taken new 2008 photographs. These can be seen on
the “Doulos at Sea” pages
Photograph by & © copyright 1999 - Reuben
Goossens
The Buffet with
a mural that disappeared in 1970 and was 4replaced by a superb blue ceramic
piece
See below …
This was
photographed in 1999, but it has also gone except for one piece. Again see
“Doulos at Sea”
Photograph by & © copyright 1999 - Reuben
Goossens
A brochure
view of the Portofino Bar
The stately
Franca C funnel
At the 1970
refit the stove pipe atop would be removed and replaced with a much larger one
A view from
a brochure of the ships hull and her name
Franca C this photo was taken from a 1975 brochure
A fine view of the ships’ funnel, her lifeboats, and
her aft decks. This photo hails from a 1975 brochure
An item of memorabilia from the Franca C
The coat hanger above and below is one of just a few found onboard the Doulos. My host Mr. Sven Benseler Manager of the ships media communications department was kind enough to give me this as a special gift and add it to my collection of memorabilia. I am so appreciative to him and I thank him for his thoughtfulness!
The
last
Above and below: The front & Back cover of the very last M/S Franca C brochure ever produced in February 1977. However, this same brochure was first published in March 1972 and in that edition she still showed her accommodations available on B Deck, which by the mid seventies were no longer available. The 1977 brochure B Deck was no longer showing. These brochures contained no itineraries as there were produced solely for promotional purposes. Images found in this production have been used on the Franca C pages.
At the conclusion
of the 1977 summer Mediterranean cruise season MS Franca C was laid up and was
sold in November to the German charity organisation OM Ships International. The
cabin plan and contents can be seen on Cabin Plan Two 1970 - 1977, and Franca C
the Cruise Ship page.
The end nears for a great
luxury cruise ship, but history is about to be rewritten as she becomes the
rather modest MV Doulos!
Go to
Next
Chapter 5 - A New Role for a Grand Old Lady of the Sea - MV Doulos - 1979
Return to the Author’s – MV Doulos “A Ship Like No Other” Main Index
PLEASE NOTE:
Doulos was
decommissioned by OM Ships in December 2009
Read my … “MV Doulos
Preservation Campaign” page for details
on how my campaign saved
her for the future to become the Doulos Phos.
***************************************************
If you have enjoyed this feature and you feel you might have something of interest to add, be it a story or some photographs, I would appreciate hearing from you!
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Commenced in Passenger Shipping
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