Part
Two
RMS Media is transformed into the …
Ultramodern liner … SS Flavia
The
RMS Media was sold for £740,000 pounds to “Compagnia
Genovese d'Armamento S.p.A.,” or Cogedar Line in July 1961, but she continued to sail for
Cunard until September 30 that year and having been destored
she was officially handed over in Liverpool
on October 12 to Cogedar Line.
RMS Media was transformed
as the ultra modern Passenger (Migrant) Liner SS Flavia in 1962/63
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
Medina arrived in Genoa on October 21
and after being registered ten days later, the Media was officially renamed Flavia. Cogedar
purchased her with the intention of using her as a replacement for their
ageing MS Flaminia.
This well built passenger cargo liner
received one on the most extensive rebuilding programmes ever seen on any
liner to date. For nine months, she was completely transformed into a sleek
liner by Officine A & R
Navi in Genoa. The Flavia gained an
amazing 26ft in length as her bow was completly
reshaped and lengthened. She received a sleek new funnel with a large fin,
which was her crowning glory. All her old accommodation was scrapped and her
cargo holds were transformed into extra passenger decks.
Flavia
showing her sleek lines
When completed the Flavia could accommodate
up to 1,224 tourist class passengers in 153 two-berth cabins, 220 four-berth
cabins and five eight-berth cabins, plus 100 folding bed-settee for children.
The vast majority of cabins had private facilities and were comfortably
furnished in warm timber tones. Her public rooms extended the full length of Riviera
(Promenade) deck, which is directly below boat deck. Forward was the two deck high
Ballroom with the cinema located far aft. She featured two swimming pools and
a glass enclosed children’s playground with paddling pool forward of the
upper level of the main lounge. Her two dinning rooms catered for all
passengers in two sittings.
Flavia, now registered at being 15,465 GRT, departed Genoa on her maiden voyage to Australia
on October 2, 1962.
As she steamed towards Sydney, she was an
impressive sight, a beautifully streamlined, a gleaming white passenger liner.
Sailing via the Suez, she
arrived in Fremantle on October 30, Melbourne November 5, and remained there
for two nights, reaching Sydney on October
9, departing the next day. She returned to Bremerhaven,
which became her European turnaround point. Flavia departed Bremerhaven
on December 22. It would be in 1963 that the Flavia began operating her around
the world service.
Flavia in Southampton. Right is Sitmar Lines Castle Felice.
Smoking funnels in the background is RMS Queen Mary
Photograph displayed courtesy of
the Seapix collection, NZ - © all rights reserved
Ports of Call: Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, London (Tilbury), Curacao, the Panama Canal,
Papeete, Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Fremantle, Aden, Suez, Port Said,
Cannes, London, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven. When the Suez Canal was closed in
1967, Flavia was
diverted via South Africa.
Flavia also made a number of Pacific
cruises out of Sydney,
including one to the Far East.
A
link to our Photo album is located further down the page
The popular Flavia was withdrawn
from the Round the world service in 1968, due to changes of the migrant
contract. She made one final cruise out of Australia and the
departed Sydney on 18
October 1968 for her return voyage to Europe.
During her return voyage, she was chartered to Atlantic Cruise Line for
cruising out of Miami to
the West Indies. She
received a rapid refit and refurbishing and commenced her life as a cruise
ship.
In that same year Flavia was
sold to the giant Italian shipping Company Costa Line. Costa was one of the
first companies to operate full time cruising with the historic MS Franca C. Flavia’s accommodation was vastly upgraded and
capacity was reduced to only 850 passengers.
A Costa C postcard of the cruise ship SS
Flavia
Flavia began a successful
career, operating year round three and four day cruises from Miami to the Bahamas.
She remained on this service until July 1977. Thereafter she operated a series
of cruise out of South America, before returning to Europe for Mediterranean cruise duties,
commencing in April 1978. Later that year in September, she returned to Miami
and recommenced her previous cruise duties.
In 1982 the Flavia was withdrawn and sold to Hong Kong based C.Y. Tung Group. Her name
was changed to Flavian
and was to commence cruising locally. Instead, she was laid up for four years
and was sold in 1986 to another Hong Kong
shipping company, Virtue Shipping, who changed her name to Lavia. This once
proud Cunard liner, the fine Cogedar Liner and Costa Lines Cruise Ship, was
laid up and remained at anchor near Landau
Island.
As
the Flavian she was poorly maintained, loosing her external elegance
On
January 7, 1989,
the sleek, but the badly neglected SS Lavia caught Fire. She was completely
gutted and her hulk was sold to Taiwanese shipbreakers.
A sad end for such a remarkable ship with a remarkable history!
January 7, 1989 – SS Lavia ex Flavian, Flavia was gutted by fire
Personally, I sailed on this delightful ship from Rotterdam to Auckland
via the Panama,
in February 1964. My memory of her as a young man was a joyous one. She was a
modern, bright, comfortable and a spacious liner. Yet, like so many fine
liners, she is gone, but the memories remain!
SS Medina / Flavia INDEX
Part One: RMS Media &
Parthia
Part Two: SS
Flavia
Part Three: Flavia
Photo Album
Part Four: Passenger Photographs
& Menus
Part Five: Flavia Cabin Plan
Part Six: Flavia Brochure
images - NEW
Other Cogedar Ships featured on ssMaritime
1: MS Flaminia
2: MS Aurelia
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Commenced
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