Lloyd Triestino

The Last Ocean Liners

One of Italy's great passenger shipping companies, Lloyd Triestino Societa di Navigazione built seven fine motor liners in the early 1950s for their routes to the Orient, East Africa and Australia. It was the "Golden Age" of the combination liner, and they were among the most beautiful of the type ever built. The Asia and Victoria were placed on the month-long run from Genoa and Naples to Hong Kong via Egypt, Yemen, Pakistan, India, Ceylon and Singapore.

Fully air-conditioned and with private or shared facilities in all cabins, they were perhaps overall the best-equipped ships on the route from Europe to the East. Each class had its own lounge, verandah, card room and writing room. They earned an envied reputation for fine accommodations, good food and attentive service.

Outside, their modern Italian design included a curved superstructure, streamlined funnel and terraced afterdecks with a pool and lido for each class.

With the closure of the Suez Canal in 1967, the two ocean liners were rerouted from Italy via South Africa to turnaround at Karachi and Bombay. The detour, combined with airline and container ship competition, eventually ended the service.

"On board it is as if you were staying at a Riviera hotel ... On this small but complete floating city, passengers will have the opportunity of spending their days absolutely free of care without any need to forego their most cherished habits."

Lloyd Triestino Interchange Sailing Schedules