Franconian ?

[cantwaittosail]

when i first started sailing my mom and dad took me on this ship ... i think thats the correct spelling not sure ... but my memories of it where wonderful.... all teak decks etc .... if anybody has any info - it would be very cool ...........

 

i know this ship started my urge to love to sail ......

 

thanks for any input

[dougnewmanatsea]

The ship in question was FRANCONIA. I'm assuming "your" FRANCONIA is the one built in 1955 as IVERNIA for Cunard, the second of the four SAXONIA-class liners built for their Liverpool-Montreal service. In 1962, she was rebuilt for cruising, painted in Cunard's famous "cruising green" livery (introduced on CARONIA in 1948), and renamed FRANCONIA. Although she went to white livery in 1967, Cunard kept her until 1971, when she was laid-up, first at Southampton, then on the River Fal in Cornwall. In 1973, she was sold to the USSR Black Sea Shipping Company (BLASCO) and renamed FEDOR SHALYAPIN. Her Soviet (Ukranian, after the fall of communism) owners chartered her out to Western (first Australian, later European) companies until 1995, when she was laid up at Illychyevsk, Ukraine, amidst a financial crisis that saw the end of BLASCO. She remained there until earlier this year, when she went to Alang, India to be scrapped at the age of 49.

[cantwaittosail]

thank you so much for that input - and yes that was the name -- thats wild she lasted that long !!!!! i guess that makes me pretty old also !!!! eeks - but thank you again - i wonder if anybody else remembers her !!!!

[dougnewmanatsea]

i wonder if anybody else remembers her !!!!

Sure, I personally know plenty :) . She's definitely not a forgotten ship.

[dmarch@islc.net]

It was my very first cruise! Could not of been more than nine. I was going to start a thread about her when I saw yours! My dad told me she was scraped a few years after we sailed her, but Host Doug is right. Last year I asked about her on the Cunard board, a man posted current pics. She was not looking so hot. Glad I got taste of the real deal! What else do you remember?

[Tania]

Doug, What do you know about the first Cunard Franconia? My mother sailed this ship in the early fifties...

Thanks

[Bill S]

You can find out a little bit about the first Franconia at www.lostliners.com

 

Although I did not sail on this ship, my neighbor did in the early fifties. When I was around 8-10 years old, my mother and I took our neighbor to the ship at a pier in New York City, and we went to her cabin. The Franconia was the first ship I had ever been on and I have vivid memories of how stark and tiny the cabins were, especially in comparison to today's cruise ships.

[cruissett]

:) This was my very first cruise. I was under 21 and went with 2 girlfriends. We had 4 bunks in a very tiny inside cabin on one of the top decks. You were given an assigned deck chair and dinner at an assigned time. There was a movie theatar and shows each night. Much more simple then today. We sailed out of NYC, family & friends came to see us off. All were allowed onboard for the Bon Voyage party. When we sailed off we were given streamers to throw. We were at sea 1 1/2 days, then docked on Front Street, in Hamilton, Bermuda, then 1 1/2 days at sea and home. Wonderful memories. I have some of the old menus and daily newspapers in a scrapbook. If you print your fax number I can send you copies. My husband & I were reading them not long ago and got a few good laughs on how things have changed.

Only last year have my husband & I started cruising, we did 2 last year and doing 3 this year. Oh how wonderful it is to be out at sea.

 

Nancy