Achille Lauro

(Lauro: 1966-1987 - StarLauro: 1987-1994)

 

Achille Lauro was the most famous member of the Flotta Lauro fleet, mainly due to her hijacking in 1985. She joined the fleet in 1966, originally as an emigrant carrier. She was restyled as a cruise ship in 1973. In 1987, the Swiss-based Mediterranean Shipping Company bought Lauro, and relaunched them as Starlauro Cruises. Achille Lauro was lost, after a fire in 1994. The company was then relaunched again as Mediterranean Shipping Cruises, and the blue hulls were lost.

 

Complete history of Achille Lauro

 

 

This is the first official Starlauro card of Achille Lauro.

 

 

The second official Starlauro card of Achille Lauro.

 

 

 

 

 

Monterey

(StarLauro: 1989-1995 - MSC: 1995-2007)

 

Mariposa (3) and Monterey (3) were built in 1952, as the fast cargo ships Free State Mariner and Pine Tree Mariner. Matson Line bought them in 1955 for their Oceanic subsidiary, but they were rebuilt as the 14,799 ton passenger ships Mariposa (3) and Monterey (3) for their South Pacific servce. In 1970 they were sold to Pacific Far East Lines. In 1989, Monterey was acquired by StarLauro Crociere, passing to MSC in 1995. She remained in service in 2006, and was scheduled to run a series of cruises from South Africa in their 2006/2007 summer, but mechanical problems caused her withdrawal and scrapping.

 

Complete history of Monterey

 

 

This was the first official Starlauro card of Monterey.

 

 

The second official Starlauro card of Monterey.

 

 

The first official Mediterranean Shipping Cruises card of Monterey, expertly retouched from the previous card.

 

 

A more recent official Mediterranean Shipping Cruises card of Monterey.

 

 

Harold Jordan's Chantry Classics postcard of Monterey.

Photo: © Ian Boyle, August 2003.

 

 

 

Photograph of Monterey at Palma, Mallorca.

Photo: Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003.

 

 

Photograph of Monterey at Palma, Mallorca.

Photo: Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003.

 

 

Photograph of Monterey at Palma, Mallorca.

Photo: Ian Boyle, 20th August 2003.

 

 

Postcard of Monterey at Funchal, Madeira, in latest colours applied 2004.

 

 

 

 

 

Angelina Lauro (2)

(StarLauro: 1989-1991 - chartered)

 

Between 1989-91, Starlauro chartered Attika Cruises' Arcadia, which was renamed Angelina Lauro (2) during the charter. She then reverted to the name Arcadia, and in 2000 was being operated by Golden Sun Cruises.

 

 

Giacomelli card NE04, showing the Angelina Lauro (2) in Venice in 1990.

 

 

Photograph of Angelina Lauro (2) by © Raimondo Starcevich

 

 

 

 

 

Symphony

 

In 1994, Starlauro acquired the Enrico Costa, which became their Symphony. In 2000 she was chartered to Golden Sun Cruises as Aegean II then Aegean Spirit.

 

Complete history of Symphony

 

 

This is the official Starlauro card of Symphony.

 

 

Starlight Cruises postcard of Symphony.

Scan of postcard supplied by Dimas Almada.

 

 

The official Mediterranean Shipping Company card of Symphony.

 

 

 

 

 

Rhapsody

 

Starlauro acquired the Cunard Line's Cunard Countess shortly after the Enrico Costa, after first having her under charter.

 

Complete history of Rhapsody

 

 

Scan of postcard of Cunard Countess under charter, supplied by Dimas Almada.

 

 

Cunard Countess became the Rhapsody; this is the official Starlauro card.

 

 

Following the Achille Lauro tragedy, the company reorganised as Mediterranean Shipping Cruises very soon after the purchase of Rhapsody. This is the official MSC card in the new colours.

 

 

Official MSC card of Rhapsody.

 

 

Nelson de Barros Pereira postcard of Rhapsody published in Brazil in late 2000.

 

 

Official MSC card of Rhapsody in later colours.

 

 

Rhapsody at Tilbury Cruise Terminal.

Photo: © 2006 Copyright Ian Boyle, 19th May 2006

Click to open larger image in new window

 

 

Rhapsody at Tilbury Cruise Terminal.

Photo: © 2006 Copyright Ian Boyle, 19th May 2006

Click to open larger image in new window