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Italia
Italia - Princess Italia - Ocean Princess - Sapphire
 
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the advanced small cruise ship Italia.
 
Italia was ordered by Sunsarda SpA in 1963, from the Felszegi yard in Muggia, near Trieste. Both the builders and ordering company were owned by the Giacomell group. Italia was one of the earliest purpose-built cruise ships, and was of an advanced design with rear engines and lifeboats mounted on lower decks, giving a very spacious open top deck. Her interiors were designed by Gustavo Finali and Romano Boico, who designed many other fine Italian liners such as the Augustus, Guglielmo Marconi, Homeric, Raffaello and Oceanic.
 
Construction proceeded slowly, and Italia was not launched until April 1965. During fitting out, both the owners and builders were declared bankrupt, and ownership passed to the the creditor bank BNL. BNL formed a new company Crociere d'Oltremare, based in Cagliari, Sardinia, to charter or sell the ship. Italia was delivered in 1967, with a logo of red and yellow triangles on her white funnel. A bareboat charter with Fratelli Cosulich (Genova) had been arranged, and Italia ran three Mediterranean cruises for them. Crociere d'Oltremare then chartered her to Princess Cruises, who used her to inaugurate their Mexican cruises out of Los Angeles. Italia was marketed as Princess Italia during her time with, although her name was not officially changed. At this stage she retained her original funnel logo, not receiving the famous Princess logo until the following year. In 1969, Princess Italia moved to Alaskan cruises out of San Francisco. The charter to Princess Cruises was cancelled in 1973, and Italia was returned to Crociere d'Oltremare. After a partial modernisation, Italia was then chartered to Costa in February 1974, although she was not purchased by them until 1977. She cruised around the world with Costa, plus served on further charters, until sold in September 1983 to Ocean Cruise Lines.
 
Under the name Ocean Princess, she spent summers in the Mediterranean, and winters on Latin America/Caribbean itineraries. In 1990, Ocean Cruise Lines was bought by Accor SA and Chargeurs SA, who also owned Paquet Cruises. Her career with them came to an abrupt end in March 1993, when she hit a sunken wreck in the Amazon, and she settled on the bottom, flooding the engine room and lowere decks. All passengers and crew were removed without injury. Ocean Princess was declared a Constructive Total Loss. She was sold by the insurers to a Greek company and she was renamed Sea Prince. She was due to re-enter service with Sunshine Cruise Line, but suffered a fire in May 1995 and was offered for sale again. She was bought by Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines and briefly renamed Princesa Oceanica. Following a further major refit, she was chartered to Thomson Cruises as the Sapphire. She remained in the Louis fleet after the Thomson charter.
 
 
Ship Names on this Page:-
Italia - Crociere d'Oltremare 1967-1973
Princess Italia - Princess Cruises charter
Italia - Costa Line
Ocean Princess - Ocean Cruise Line
Sapphire - Louis Cruise Line
 
Associated Pages:-
Costa Line
Louis Cruise Lines
Ocean Cruise Lines
Princess Cruises
Thomson Cruises
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
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Italia
(Crociere d'Oltremare: 1967-1973)
 
Italia was ordered by Sunsarda SpA in 1963, from the Felszegi yard in Muggia, near Trieste. Both the builders and ordering company were owned by the Giacomell group. Italia was one of the earliest purpose-built cruise ships, and was of an advanced design with rear engines and lifeboats mounted on lower decks, giving a very spacious open top deck. Her interiors were designed by Gustavo Finali and Romano Boico, who designed many other fine Italian liners such as the Augustus, Guglielmo Marconi, Homeric, Raffaello and Oceanic.
 
Construction proceeded slowly, and Italia was not launched until April 1965. During fitting out, both the owners and builders were declared bankrupt, and ownership passed to the the creditor bank BNL. BNL formed a new company Crociere d'Oltremare, based in Cagliari, Sardinia, to charter or sell the ship. Italia was delivered in 1967, with a logo of red and yellow triangles on her white funnel. A bareboat charter with Fratelli Cosulich (Genova) had been arranged, and Italia ran three Mediterranean cruises for them. Crociere d'Oltremare then chartered her to Princess Cruises, who used her to inaugurate their Mexican cruises out of Los Angeles. Italia was marketed as Princess Italia during her time with, although her name was not officially changed.
 
 
This photograph shows Italia with Crociere d'Oltremare funnel colours.
Italia ran three Mediterranean cruises for Fratelli Cosulich, followed by one year with Princess Cruises, in this livery.
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Princess Italia
(Princess Cruises charter: 1967-73)
 
Italia was delivered in 1967, with a logo of red and yellow triangles on her white funnel. A bareboat charter with Fratelli Cosulich (Genova) had been arranged, and Italia ran three Mediterranean cruises for them. Crociere d'Oltremare then chartered her to Princess Cruises, who used her to inaugurate their Mexican cruises out of Los Angeles. Italia was marketed as Princess Italia during her time with, although her name was not officially changed. At this stage she retained her original funnel logo, not receiving the famous Princess logo until the following year. In 1969, Princess Italia moved to Alaskan cruises out of San Francisco. The charter to Princess Cruises was cancelled in 1973, and Italia was returned to Crociere d'Oltremare. After a partial modernisation, Italia was then chartered to Costa in February 1974, although she was not purchased by them until 1977. She cruised around the world with Costa, plus served on further charters, until sold in September 1983 to Ocean Cruise Lines.
 
 
Official Princess Cruises release of Princess Italia in Acapulco (plus card back).
This is an early card still showing Crociere d'Oltremare funnel colours.
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Official Princess Cruises release of Princess Italia.
 
 
The card-back of this Princess release shown above.
 
 
Official Princess Cruises release of Princess Italia in Alaska (plus card back).
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Mexfotocolor postcard of Princess Italia in Ensenada (Mexico).
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Mexfotocolor postcard of Princess Italia in Ensenada (Mexico).
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Dedman's postcard of Princess Italia at Skagway.
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Photograph of Princess Italia at Morea.
Photo: © Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Photograph of Princess Italia at Morea.
Photo: © Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Photograph of Princess Italia at Morea.
Photo: © Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Photograph of Princess Italia at Morea.
Photo: © Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Photograph of Princess Italia at Malaga.
Photo: © Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Photograph of Princess Italia at Sydney.
Photo: © Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Photograph of Princess Italia at Sydney.
Photo: © Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Photograph of Princess Italia in a storm.
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Princess Cruises 1968/69 brochure for Princess Italia.
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Princess Cruises 1969 brochure for Princess Italia.
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Princess Cruises brochure for Princess Italia.
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
Advertising card for Princess Italia.
Scan: Sergio de Luyk.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Italia
(Costa: 1973-1983)
 
The charter to Princess Cruises was cancelled in 1973, and Italia was returned to Crociere d'Oltremare. After a partial modernisation, Italia was then chartered to Costa in February 1974, although she was not purchased by them until 1977. She cruised around the world with Costa, plus served on further charters, until sold in September 1983 to Ocean Cruise Lines.
 
 
Official Costa postcard of Italia.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ocean Princess
(Ocean Cruise Line: 1983-93)
 
Italia cruised around the world with Costa, plus served on further charters, until sold in September 1983 to Ocean Cruise Lines. Under the name Ocean Princess, she then spent summers in the Mediterranean, and winters on Latin America/Caribbean itineraries. In 1990, Ocean Cruise Lines was bought by Accor SA and Chargeurs SA, who also owned Paquet Cruises. Her career with them came to an abrupt end in March 1993, when she hit a sunken wreck in the Amazon, and she settled on the bottom, flooding the engine room and lowere decks. All passengers and crew were removed without injury. Ocean Princess was declared a Constructive Total Loss. She was sold by the insurers to a Greek company and she was renamed Sea Prince. She was due to re-enter service with Sunshine Cruise Line, but suffered a fire in May 1995 and was offered for sale again. She was bought by Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines and briefly renamed Princesa Oceanica. Following a further major refit, she was chartered to Thomson Cruises as the Sapphire.
 
 
Official Ocean Cruise Lines postcard of Ocean Princess.
 
 
Official Ocean Cruise Lines postcard of Ocean Princess.
 
 
Official Ocean Cruise Lines postcard of Ocean Princess.
 
 
Chantry Classics postcard CC/S73 of Ocean Princess.
Photo: A.O.Wilhelmi 3rd.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Princesa Oceanica - Sapphire
(Louis Cruise Line: 1995- )
 
The career as Ocean Princess came to an abrupt end in March 1993, when she hit a sunken wreck in the Amazon. Ocean Princess was declared a Constructive Total Loss and was sold by the insurers to a Greek company who renamed her Sea Prince. She was due to re-enter service with Sunshine Cruise Line, but suffered a fire in May 1995 and was offered for sale again. She was bought by Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines and briefly renamed Princesa Oceanica. Following a further major refit, she was chartered to Thomson Cruises as the Sapphire. She remains in the Louis fleet after the Thomson charter.
 
 
Sapphire in the initial Thomson livery.
 
 
Sapphire in the initial Thomson livery.
 
 
Sapphire in later Thomson livery.
 
 
Sapphire in later Thomson livery.
 
 
Thomson also have this generic card available on their ships, showing a very small Sapphire in the Eastern Mediterranean.
 
 
Official Louis postcard of Sapphire.
Scan: Rogerio Gouveia
Click to open larger image in new window
Sapphire -  Louis Cruise Lines - www.simplonpc.co.uk
 
 
Photograph of Sapphire.
Photo: © Michael Jacob - Scan: Fakta om Fartyg.
 
 
Photograph of Sapphire.
Photo: © Michael Jacob - Scan: Fakta om Fartyg.
 
 
 
 
 
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