Ascania - Italian Ship Traveled on it 1964. What is it's history

Can anyone tell me anything about a ship called Ascania??? I travelled on it in 1964 from Trinadad & Tobago to Southampton, England. I believed it docked in Southampton in October 1964 when I was on it. It stopped at Lisbon and also Jamaica (I believe). I was only 10 years old at the time. I have searched the web and the details are very sketchie and nothing seems to give conclusive eveidence to this particular ship. I also believe it to be registered as an Italian Ship when I sailed on it. I would love to know it's history.

I know Cunard had two vessels named Ascania - both however were scrapped or sank long before 1964 (the last was scrapped in 1957).

Wish I could be of more help.

Thanks for your reply. That's the point I was trying to make when I said details are sketchie and nothing is conclusive evidence. The facts are real and I can actually smell the dining room we ate in most evenings. I even recall befriending the Captain's son who was the same age as myself at the time and I was so impressed when he casted a hook over the side and actually caught something.....while sailing.

Found out more....this ship was formally the Florida.

Found out more....this ship was formally the Florida.

We would need more data to determine which ship that is/was. There have been many ships in the 20th century named Florida. A built date and shipyard would help immensely.

Doc

Ascania 1955-68 The Ascania was built as the SGTM liner Florida in 1926. She was bought by Grimaldi-SIOSA in 1955. She was refitted to carry 183 first class and 932 tourist class passengers on services from Southampton, Vigo and Lisbon to the Caribbean and Venezuela. She mainly carried Spanish and Portuguese migrants outwards, and West Indians on the return voyage. In 1966, Ascania became a budget Mediterranean cruise ship.http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/

Sorry that yu will have to highlight to read this, the link is included, and there is a picture there. EM

The direct link to the above post is here:

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Grimaldi_SIOSA_PCs.html#anchor424144

Good find, Essiesmom!

The Ascania you are talking about was a LOT older than 10 years old in 1964: it had been built in 1926, then sunk by the Germans in a French harbor at the start of WW II. It was raised, refitted, and used after WW II by the Italian Lines. I traveled from NYC to LeHavre on her in 1960. One of the peculiarities of the ship was that she had a permanent 4-degree list--something had gone wrong in the refitting, and she tilted a bit to one side. The trip I made was as a foreign exchange student to Italy, and the entire ship had been chartered by the American Field Service and other foreign exchange groups--it was filled with teenagers, either going to Europe for the year or returning to Europe from a year in the US.

The Ascania than you inquire about was operated by the Siosa Line.

You may find their history interesting:

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Grimaldi_SIOSA_PCs.html#anchor424144

This is very spooky! I too came to England from Jamaica on that particular trip on the Ascania! I was just ten yeatrs old too. I remember the Italian films when all we children would shout,"FIN!" at the end. I especially remember the bread rolls and ham and spaghetti on board - absolutely beautiful. I also remember searching down the backs of chairs, hunting for lost coins (when people weren't looking).

So Cordell, we must have met on board!

I too traveled to England on the Ascania ( Gramaldi Siosa Line ) in 1964 I was a young adult and I also joined the ship in Trinidad, but my trip was in summer I think July, the ship developed engine problems a few days after leaving Trinidad, she was carrying 145 first class passengers and 700 economy or steerage as you will, I was travelling in first with my parents, it took Three Weeks and five days to get to Southampton, it was the best cruise I have ever been on, I came back to Trinidad three months later by the same ship, we were supposed to come back by one of her sister ships the Michael Angelo, but the time lost getting to England was the problem, I remember the captain very well, he was a short tubby happy guy, all the crew were really friendly, I heard that the trip before the ship had had to send out a May Day as some passengers from economy decided to commandeer the ship and a British frigate came and clapped the lot in irons and took them back to UK , There are lots of other things I will always remember but will not share publicly.

Ascania was indeed an Italian liner. As I remember it was a new Super liner sailing the West Indies islands to Southampton via Lisbon. As a young man I clearly remember it was called the SS Ascania

as  in the same erea was the SS Surriento. Some would have travelled  on it in 1964, but my experience on it was in 1961. What happened to it is an interesting question.

here some plans from the old tub

This is amazing, I also travelled to Britain on this ship into Southampton in October 1964. I was 7 years old and sailed from Grenada, my memories are not as clear as yours Cordell & Hobbitfeet (I don’t remember the cinemas etc) but I do remember the amazing strange foods and delicious biscuits. I also remember clearly one of the stewards who did the wake up calls each day and called to mealtimes, he was a short bow legged man but I cannot remember his name. I often think back to this episode in my life and wish I could research more about this ship.

I found this in a skip in Huddersfield. I am trying to find out more information. Is this the same ship, etched into the case? Where could I find a passenger list?

Merci pour cette discussion, les illustrations, plaquettes et photos. Je connais aussi comme siesmic61 un navire nommé S/S Ascania, que j'ai en photo sous la forme d'une carte postale produite à Marseille et postée de Marseille par mon père le 23 juillet 1957. Ce navire emmenait des troupes appelées ou rappelées en Afrique du Nord. Mon père a débarqué le 28 juillet à Casablanca. J'essaierai plus tard de joindre l'image, ce que je ne peux faire actuellement.

Frédéric Van Moé

I travelled on the Ascania from Dominica to Southampton in 1965, I have very vague memories but my sister who was 6 at the time remembers running up and down the decks with other youngsters on board at the same time, but yes I agree with you Cornell, it’s very sketchy can’t find anything on this liner at all.