ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
With Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian
S.S.
Eugenio C
Later
names: EugenioCosta, Edinburgh
Castle, The Big Red Boat II, she was
broken up as “Big Red”

An
early Linea Lines post card of SS Eugenio C
From the author’s private collection
Costa
Armatori SpA (Linea C) Genoa
ordered a new ship for the South American service. She would be not only new,
but, revolutionary. She was built by Cantieri Riuniti Dell Adriatico in Monfalcone, Italy. Her keel was laid down on January 4, 1964.

SS Eugenio C seen
during her construction
From
the Paolo Baldazzi collection
This fine liner was launched on November 21 1964 and
was delivered to Linea C on August 22, 1966 and duly departed for her maiden
Trans-Atlantic voyage from Genoa to Buenos Aires. Her twin
turbines gave her a remarkable speed of 27 knots, shortening crossing the Atlantic considerably. She accommodated 178 first class
passengers, 356 second class and 1102 tourist class. With her many modern
features in all classes, she became a popular luxury liner, much was sought
after by the rich and famous. For the next ten years Eugenio C operated a full
time Trans Atlantic service from Genoa to South America, however, with passenger loadings dropping
rapidly in the late seventies, she undertook more and more cruises. However, by
1983 a Trans Atlantic voyage would be a twice yearly positioning voyage as she
cruised year round from Europe or the Americas.
Specifications:
Length: 713ft
– 217.39 Meters
Breadth: 96.1ft
– 29.39 Meters
Draught: 28.3ft
– 8.63 Meters
Gross Registered Tonnage: 32.753 Tons
Main Engines: De
Laval Twin Cross compounded turbines in two cylinders 55,000 SHP
Boilers: 3
Babcock and Wilcox selectable superheat boilers of integral furnace design
Propellers: 2
Speed: 27 knots
/ 28.4 max
Passengers: 178
First – 356 Cabin – 1,102 Tourist
Crew: 424
Two
sets of stabilizers / Fully air-conditioned
EugenioCosta

In
1984 SS Eugenio C was renamed EugenioCosta
From the author’s private collection
It was decided in 1984 to rename
Eugenio C and give her an extensive conversion. She was renamed EugenioCosta.
In 1994 it was planned to transfer her to “American Family Cruises”
(part of the Costa Group) and rename her American Adventure, however, this
venture was never realised. EugenioCosta completed her last cruise in November
1996.

The
elegant lines of the well built SS EugenioCosta
From
the author’s private collection
Edinburgh Castle

SS
Edinburgh
Castle
From the author’s private collection
EugenioCosta
was sold to the Bremen Vulkan shipyard in part exchange for the Costa Victoria.
The British company, Lowline Shipping acquired her in 1998, and chartered her
to Direct Cruises, who operated budget cruises, which were marketed through
telephone sales to the UK.
Renamed Edinburgh
Castle, she received a US$12 million
refit and commenced her new cruise service with Direct Cruises. Sadly, the ship
was plagued with mechanical problems, which saw her owners go into liquidation
in 1999. Lowline Shipping filed for bankruptcy. Ownership passed to their main
creditor, being Cammell Laird.
Big
Red Boat II

It
was hard to miss the SS The Big Red Boat II with her bright red hull
Photographed
by Bill Donall
Edinburgh Castle now part of the
Cammell Laird stable, was chartered to Premier Cruises. She received a 10 month
US$25 million overhaul and refit, which saw her hull painted bright red, like
the other Premier ships. She was renamed “The Big Red Boat II” and
commenced service in 2000.
Sadly, The Big Red Boat II did not have a long
cruising life with Premier Cruises as the company also went into liquidation in
September 2000. Still owned by Cammell Laird, Big Red Boat II was placed on a
short based charter to the U.S.
government after which she was laid up at Freeport
where most of her fleet mates had already been laid up. She was laid up
alongside the magnificent SS Rembrandt, ex Rotterdam, which has since been completely
refurbished and is now open in Rotterdam Holland as the successful SS Rotterdam
Hotel and Tourist centre.

SS The Big Red Boat II is seen laid up at Freeport alongside the SS
Rembrandt
Photographer
unknown – See photo notes at bottom of page
The Big Red Boat II was placed on the market
along with all other ships of her fleet. Although her interiors were in excellent
shape it was her mechanical reputation that remained the biggest drawback for
finding new owners, as she required major repairs to her boilers. The Big Red
Boat II was sold to Argo Ship Management in 2003, who sadly allowed her
condition to deteriorate. However, she continued on the market, but it became
obvious that cruise companies were not willing to take a gamble on this once
fine liner. In addition being a steam ship means that operational costs would
be considerable compared to a motor ship, this being another reason why she
languished in Freeport for five long lonely years.

SS
Big Red bunkering in the Azores on April 15
Photo © 2005 www.shipinfo.org.uk
Not being able to find a buyer -
be it for active duties or even as a hotel, for which she would have been
perfect, in 2005 this magnificent ship was sold to Indian breakers. She
departed Freeport for India under her own power and she
was seen with huge plumes of black smoke flowing behind her with the name Big
Red on her bow and stern. She was seen bunkering in the Azores
on April 15, before heading for Alang.

This once great liner is
coming to the end of her life, a sad sight indeed!
Photograph
by & © Kaushal Trivedi
SS Big Red She arrived in Alang on Sunday June 5, 2000 and
was beached on the 7th.the day after the
arrival of the Margarita L, ex Windsor
Castle. Two fine and much loved liners
have gone forever, one of Italian heritage and the other very British that
ended its day more like a Greek tycoon’s private yacht.
Enter our Eugenio C / Edinburgh Castle / The Big Red Boat II - Photo Album
NEW: The Big Red Boat
II photographed by Klaas Krijnen in Freeport
***************************************************
I
trust you have enjoyed reading this page on this much loved passenger liner. If
you have sailed on her then I would like to hear from you, and if you have any
photographs I would greatly appreciate some, especially those of the interiors
and out on deck. Email Me!
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Commenced in the Passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960
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Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are: 1. By the author. 2. From the
author’s private collection. 3. As provided by
Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to
all contributors. However, there are photographs provided to me without details
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