ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
With Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian
Memories of the
JVO
MS Johan van Oldenbarnevelt
Chapter Six
Cruise
Ship TSMS Lakonia
On
March 8, 1962,
the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt arrived in Genoa
and at
1600 hours and was officially handed over to her new owners, Goulandris’ Greek Line subsidiary; Ormos Shipping Company limited for an undisclosed price.
The
JVO, now thirty-three years old, was considered a worthwhile purchase,
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 would cruise in and around Europe.


JVO's arrival in Genoa 7 June 1963
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.


Life onboard the 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.

Lakonia
still looking grand!
On
9 December, she entered Number 6 Dry Dock for an 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. Her refitters, Thornycrofts, guaranteed
this new system would enhance her performance and 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 bathrooms added. By Thursday 13 December 1963, she was berthed
at 107. She went through all the major safety inspections and passed her SOLAS (Safety
of Life at Sea) 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. Lakonia gaily flag-bedecked 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 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
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
Who is the
Author of ssMaritime?
In the Passenger Shipping Industry since May
1960
If you have enjoyed this article, and you feel
you might have something of interest to add, be it a story or some photographs,
I would appreciate hearing from you.
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