Flavia

[Mrs.Linarcos]

We sailed on her in 1982, we were travel agents then, she was really wonderful. She was my second cruise after the DOLPHIN IV in May 1981. The FLAVIA was the MEDIA from Cunard Line, built at the same yard TITANIC was. She was really a special ship. It was a big shock to all of us agents when we learned she was sold, she was really popular with the traveling public. I wished we had a few more salings with her. If we only had digital cameras then....

[ryndam]

Thank you for the memories. My very first cruise was on the Flavia with my parents in 1969. A quickie, 3-day r/t Miami-Nassau-Miami. We had one of those indoor, 4-bed, bunk-bed cabins like the one show in the brochure pics above. My actual Kodak pictures during the cruise and in Nassau are as faded and as grainy as yours! Camera film was expensive in 1969! I remember that the Flavia was the largest and most "deluxe" cruise ship sailing from FL at the time. If I recall, the other two were Ariadne and New Bahama Star. We were able to visit all three ships (visitors used to be allowed onboard), and my parents chose the Flavia, mostly based on the Italian menu, I think!

 

I'll dig through the archives (aka old boxes of photo albums). I'll scan and post if I unearth anything interesting!

 

Rob

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, Mrs.Linarcos said:

We sailed on her in 1982, we were travel agents then, she was really wonderful. She was my second cruise after the DOLPHIN IV in May 1981. The FLAVIA was the MEDIA from Cunard Line, built at the same yard TITANIC was. She was really a special ship. It was a big shock to all of us agents when we learned she was sold, she was really popular with the traveling public. I wished we had a few more salings with her. If we only had digital cameras then....

 

Magnificent pictures; many thanks for posting them.  My favorite is the one of the Deck Buffet.  Somehow, in spite of the CDC, during those years when such buffets were available, we were able to consume food from those buffets and not become ill.    

[Mrs.Linarcos]

1 minute ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Magnificent pictures; many thanks for posting them.  My favorite is the one of the Deck Buffet.  Somehow, in spite of the CDC, during those years when such buffets were available, we were able to consume food from those buffets and not become ill.    

You're very welcome, most of the photos came from a booklet I got onboard when we sailed on her. I remember those buffets. They were very good indeed. You could always expect the best from Costa's chefs.

 

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, ryndam said:

I remember that the Flavia was the largest and most "deluxe" cruise ship sailing from FL at the time. If I recall, the other two were Ariadne and New Bahama Star. We were able to visit all three ships (visitors used to be allowed onboard),

 

I believe you remember correctly.  In 1970, when Song of Norway was introduced, she was a "revolution" to the cruising scene.  She looked "so different" and Royal Caribbean's marketing was different, I recall.  I first saw her in 1970 when I was on Rotterdam V.  We were docked at San Juan and--here arrived Song of Norway!  There was a "buzz" when people saw her.  That rather spelled the "end" for ships like New Bahama Star, Ariadne, Boehme, etc.  

[ryndam]

Deep in the depths of the archives, I unearthed these long-ago ephemera from August 1969.  Daily programs, menus, ticket sleeve, baggage tags. The last photo, the liquor list, is the the bottle-price, not the per-drink price! Enjoy!

 

Rob

 

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by ryndam

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Rob,

 

Thanks so much for posting.  How I miss those beautiful little ships.  We had as much fun on those as any of the new behemoths.  It’s great to see the Flavia interiors and menus back in the time when Costa was truly Italian.  Thanks again.

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, ryndam said:

I unearthed these long-ago ephemera from August 1969.  Daily programs, menus, ticket sleeve, baggage tags.

 

Thanks for doing so!

The first day's cruise program's message of WELCOME TO ITALY is significant.  This was a time in cruising history when sailing on Italian ship was "like" being in Italy.  The same when one was on Cunard; one was in England.  The same was when one was on HAL; one was in Holland.  There was an "ambiance" that most of the cruise ships of today do not reflect whatever their "country affiliation" might thought to be.  

[CGTNORMANDIE]

6 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thanks for doing so!

The first day's cruise program's message of WELCOME TO ITALY is significant.  This was a time in cruising history when sailing on Italian ship was "like" being in Italy.  The same when one was on Cunard; one was in England.  The same was when one was on HAL; one was in Holland.  There was an "ambiance" that most of the cruise ships of today do not reflect whatever their "country affiliation" might thought to be.  

So true RK.  Most cruise pax today do not know that back then each ship was run distinctly according to its nationality.  The France was French, the Queen was English, the Leonardo was Italian and so on.  Each ship was the offering of a nation.  Such a shame that the tradition of national identity has disappeared.  
 

I wonder what else Rob has in his archives...hmmmmmmm.

Edited August 20, 2020 by CGTNORMANDIE

[rkacruiser]

In 1973 when I sailed on Home Line's S. S. Oceanic, the nationality of the ship was evident in my cruise experience.  Italian crew, Italian cuisine, Italian ambiance from the name of the forward Lounge--the Italian Hall--where Romy Formica and the Favolosi played their excellent music and most, if not all, of the vocals were in Italian.  

 

My next cruise was on the S. S. Statendam in February, 1975.  I'm going to have to reflect awhile whether it was as "Dutch" as my previous two HAL cruises were,