CUNARD LINE. S.S. "Franconia" at Bermuda in the late 1960's

CUNARD LINE. S.S. "Franconia" at Bermuda in the late 1960's. Postcard by C.T. Publishing, No. 010, 1993 (from the Collection of Richard I. Weiss).
[This ship, named initially "Ivernia", was built in 1954 by John Brown & Co, Clydebank. She was the second four ships primarily intended for the Canadian service, and their dimensions were determined by the St Lawrence Seaway. During the summer they would sail to Quebec and Montreal, and in the winter (when the St Lawrence Seaway is iced over) to Halifax and New York. Construction of Ivernia started in 1954, and she commenced her maiden voyage from Greenock to Quebec and Montreal on 1st July 1955. She carried 110 first class passengers and 833 tourist class. Her decor was contemporary for the time, and most unlike the traditional interiors of earlier Cunarders. From April 1957, "Ivernia" sailed from Southampton to Montreal, rather than from Liverpool. The late 1950s were boom years for Cunard, and "Ivernia" was initially very successful on her designed routes. However, air was becoming increasingly the dominant mode of trans-Atlantic travel, and Cunard announced a significant financial loss in June 1962. It was announced that "Saxonia" and "Ivernia" would be rebuilt at John Browns to make them more suitable for cruising. "Ivernia" had completed 109 round voyages across the Atlantic when she was sent back to her builders in October 1962, reappearing as the "Franconia" in Cunard's cruising green livery. The interiors had been refitted, and a new lido had been built on the aft decks, replacing the aft cargo hatches. Passenger capacity had been reduced to 119 first and 728 tourist class, and air conditioning had been installed throughout. Despite the cruising modifications, "Franconia" re-entered service on the North Atlantic run in July 1963. She ran successfully through the summer and switched to her planned cruising itinerary from New York in the winter, returning to the trans-Atlantic routes in April 1964. In 1970, Cunard took a 50% interest in Overseas National Airways, which had two cruise ships on order to operate on fly-cruises, forming the company Cunard-ONA. Shortly after this, ONA were forced to withdraw from the arrangement, leaving Cunard to continue alone. "Franconia" left on her last Bermuda cruise on 2nd October 1971, remained at Southampton for seven months, when they were moved to the River Fal, where they joined the Southern Cross which had been withdrawn shortly after them. At one point is was hoped to sell them to Ted Arison for his fledgling Carnival Cruises, but agreement could not be reached. "Franconia" eventually began new careers under the Soviet Unions's hammer and sickle as "Fedor Shalyapin", and received very little interior changes before beginning a varied career as Soviet cruise ship, travelling all over the world. Following the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1989, became owned by the Ukraine, although nominally belonging to Maltese holding companies. Their condition deteriorated over the next few years and they were both laid up in the Black Sea in 1995.]

CUNARD LINE. El S.S. "Franconia" en Bermuda a finales de la década de 1960. Tarjeta postal de C.T. Publishing, Nº 010, 1993 (de la colección de Richard I. Weiss).

CUNARD LINE. L'S.S. "Franconia" a Bermuda al final de la dècada de 1960. Targeta postal de C.T. Publishing, Nº 010, 1993 (de la col·lecció de Richard I. Weiss).

CUNARD LINE. Le S.S. "Franconia" à Bermuda vers la fin des années 1960. Carte postale de C.T. Publishing, Nº 010, 1993 (de la collection de Richard I. Weiss).

CUNARD LINE. Il S.S. "Franconia" a Bermuda alla fine degli anni 1960. Cartolina di C.T. Publishing, Nº 010, 1993 (della collezione di Richard I. Weiss).

Traveler's collection.