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With Reuben
Goossens
Maritime
Historian,
Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author
Memories of the JVO
MS Johan van Oldenbarnevelt
Chapter
Six
The
ill-fated Cruise Ship TSMS Lakonia
The gleaming white TSMS Lakonia is
still showing her original Dutch heritage – She is seen here in Southampton April 24, 1963.
The
JVO, now thirty-three years old, was considered to be a worthwhile purchase by
the Greek Line and considering she had a major refit and face-lift just a few
years ago, the company decided to use her as a running mate for their other
cruise ship, the "Arkadia." Both ships
would cruise in and around Europe.
The JVO arrived in Genoa
on June 7, 1963 and handed over the next day.
JVO's arrival in Genoa
7 June 1963
When
the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt arrived in Genoa
on June 7, 1963, she was officially handed over at
1600 hours on June 8 to her new owners; the British based Mr. Goulandris’
“Ormos Shipping Company,” which was a subsidiary of the “Greek
Line” He had purchased her for an undisclosed price!
Thew official handing over on board
the ship
Officine Mariotti completed an extensive refit in Genoa.
Her eleven public rooms were renamed with more suitable names for cruising,
such as, "Tropicana Restaurant,” the "Atlantic Room,” and
"Pavilion Theatre." Even her decks were renamed, like Sun, Sports,
Boat, Promenade, Main and Restaurant. The aft
swimming pool was enlarged and its surround modernised. Twelve additional
cabins were built, and all cabins now featured bedsteads instead of berths.
Air-conditioning was extended throughout the ship. She was now 20,238 gross
tonnes.
Greek
cruise liner, TSMS Lakonia
The
ship, also lovingly known as the "Grand Old lady,” now reappeared
painted all white and a new name, 'Lakonia.' She now looked more like a young
maiden. Soon she sailed for Southampton,
arriving mid morning on 24 April 1963. That day she undertook her first cruise
for the Greek Line, departing at 1700 hours. Ports of call would vary; these
would include Madeira, Le Havre, Tenerife, and Las Palmas.
A feature being, that passengers could leave at a port and holiday there then
later rejoin the ship for the voyage home to the UK.
Other ports of call in some itineraries would include one or two of the
following, Lisbon,
Vigo, Tangiers, Casablanca, Malaga and Cadiz.
The company planned a vigorous schedule of some twenty seventeen cruised from April through to November 1963 with
another twenty-seven planned the following year.
Cruising life on board TSMS Lakonia
For
a variety of reasons, the Lakonia's performance began
to slow and fell behind schedule. Finally, she arrived in Southampton
on 22 November 1963 three days behind schedule. She discharged her passengers
at berth 106 and was transferred to berth 101. Liners awaiting a refit or
re-deployment traditionally used this berth.
On
9 December, she entered Number 6 Dry Dock for yet another extensive refit. The
fuel injection system was changed from blast air, a novel item when built, to
pneumatic. This was considered to be the problem of her poor performance. The
company that refitted her, Thornycrofts guaranteed that this new system would
enhance her performance as well as her fuel economy.
The
Ocean Bar & the New
Agora
Shopping
Center
aft on Promenade deck
Other
improvements undertaken at the time were a new kitchen and pantry. Cabins were
redecorated with new and additional bathrooms fitted. By Thursday 13 December
1963, she was berthed at 107. She went through all the major safety inspections
and passed all her safety regulations.
The crew had been put through the full lifeboat and fire drill. Seven lifeboats
were lowered to the embarkation deck, after which four were lowered into the
water. Lakonia was well equipped with twenty- four lifeboats, with capability
of saving one thousand five hundred people in case of emergency. The Lakonia
was also in possession of a foreign ship certificate and her inspection was
completed with satisfaction. To all concerned, Lakonia was practically a new
ship, fully refitted, and with improved engines. This was a ship that had been
tried and tested for many years, sailing the globe. She was ready to continue
her cruising career.
Captain Mathios Zarbis, a veteran sailor from the
Aegean Island of Andros
On
Thursday 19 December, she was berthed between the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary
and the Lakonia was gaily flag-bedecked and looked splendid with her hull
gleaming white with her fresh coat of paint. Lakonia was indeed ready for her
eighteenth cruise in her new guise.
Passengers
arrived in full anticipation of what might lie ahead for them on this exciting Christmas
cruise with a number of wonderful destinations where the weather hopefully
would be much warmer than in the UK.
Her eleven-day cruise was scheduled to call at Madeira, then Tenerife for an
overnight stay on Christmas Eve and finally Las Palmas before returning home to Southampton.
Passengers had read the brochure, which included a statement,
"Here is a holiday you will remember and talk about for the rest of
your life."
No truer
statement could have been made, for this
cruise would indeed be remembered and talked about, not only by passengers, but
also by the whole world!
All
colour images on this page are from a Lakonia brochure from the
author’s collection
Chapter 8 - Lakonia's Final Voyage
JVO Index
Chapters
with an * were recently updated
Introduction Remembering the JVO
Chapter 1 The New Pride of the Netherlands
Chapter 2 JVO the Trooper
Chapter 3 A New Service
Chapter 4 New Lease of Life
*
Chapter 5 JVO the Cruise Ship *
Chapter 6 Goodbye JVO *
Chapter 7 Cruise Ship TSMS Lakonia
Chapter 8 Lakonia's Final Voyage *This Chapter
has 17 new photographs and stories – Dec 2009
Chapter 9 The End is Near
Chapter 10 Conclusion
*
Passenger
stories
Page One Boelen Family – The night
the JVO almost went down
Page Two - NEW Pieter Goldhoorn –1947
– a soldier’s voyage to the East Indies (Indonesia)
Page Three William Hamlyn
– 1945 Royal Signalman’s voyage home from wartime
duties
Page Four - NEW Laszlo
Pal – A Voyage to Canada
Page Five
– NEW Harold Heasman – His service on the JVO from March 1942 to August 1943
***********************************
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Photographs
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This
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