Italian Line

The Last Ocean Liners

The Italian Line, or Societa di Navigazione Italia, enjoyed enormous popularity for their good food and enthusiastic service, and as well for the relatively warm-weather climate of their mid-Atlantic crossings. Their ships all featured several outdoor pools and sunny open deck areas to take advantage.

The Leonardo da Vinci was a beautifully proportioned ocean liner, the finest Italy could produce, even in a land of superb artists. She was an evolved version of several others built in the 1950s for the Italian Line. Cristoforo Colombo was her slightly older and smaller running mate on the express run and sister to the sunken flagship Andrea Doria. They had a strong national following.

The Italian Line was able to offer a sailing every one to two weeks from New York on the smart express liners to Gibraltar (6 days), Naples (8 days), Cannes and Genoa (9 days). In 1965, the schedule was accelerated by one day with the introduction of the larger and faster, ultramodern Michelangelo and Raffaello. They were splendid luxury superliners with six swimming pools, original artworks, opulent public rooms and private facilities in every cabin.

The two older ships, which originally had black hulls, were repainted white to match the new ocean liners. They were then assigned longer cruise-like routes from New York to Naples and to Trieste calling at more intermediate ports. The Italian Line transatlantic service was finally closed in 1977.

"For the businessman, the industrialist, the technician or the tourist ... the voyage provides a period of wholesome relaxation, a much needed interlude in an atmosphere ideally suited to recollection as it is to enjoyment. Everything aboard is conducive to the complete relaxation of both body and spirit ..."

Italian Line Interchange Sailing Schedules