GUGLIELMO MARCONI arriving Santos back in 1976

Magnificent photo of GUGLIELMO MARCONI arriving Santos in 1976, the year she started to be operated by ITALIA Line on the river plate route, photo copyright J C Rossini, kindly sent by local friend Laire Giraud

GENOVA, 38 years after

It's been a while since my last "post", the return is quite special, last year I returned to Genova after 38 years, I have first been there onboard the GUGLIELMO MARCONI in 1976, obviously the city changed quite a lot, it was good to see once again the ESTACAO MARITIMA and our dock back in 1976, so many memories came to mind and it was quite special and emotional. Photos 23.7.2014

"COSTA RIVIERA" at Madeira

"COSTA RIVIERA" former GUGLIELMO MARCONI is seen here at Madeira on the 22.12.1999, copyright photo, Nuno Jesus

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" Deck Plan

In 1976, can't really remember the date, I went on board MARCONI with a very good friend from my primary school years, Francisco Moura, him also a great ships enthusiast, we been together on many ship spotting in our native Lisbon, this was a special occasion for him though, we embarked on one of the tugs that would assist MARCONI and clearly remember him saying to me, " you were right, this ship is really amazing", minutes later we stepped on board for a tour of the ship, something that being his first time he cherished for nearly four decades, earlier this year we met again is his house and as a gesture and appreciation of my admiration for this ship he decided to offer me the deck plan and a copy of a telegram that he was presented on board, memorabilia that he has saved all these years, I can't thank him enough for this, this is a bit of history posted on this blog, the deck plan of the ship when she was introduced for the Europe to the River Plate service in January of 1976.

"MARCONI" undergoing transformation in 1984

 Two photos showing the "GUGLIELMO MARCONI" undergoing transformation to become the COSTA CRUISES ship "COSTA RIVIERA". Images from 1984 kindly sent by Claudio Belvede

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" at Hobart for the first time

This gorgeous photo shows the "GUGLIELMO MARCONI" arriving Hobart in Australia for the very first time, we don't have the exact date, but it will be December of 1963 because the ship started on the 18th of November her Maiden Voyage. Thank you to Melbourne Photographers, Lindsey Rex and John Bone, copyright photo

MARCONI / GALILEO, Claudio Belvede Memorobilia

Thank you to Claudio for sending these Historic images, some marvelous additions to this Blog.

MARCONI/GALILEO Memorabilia by Claudio Belvede

Thank you to Claudio Belvede for sending me some items he's collected for many years of memorabilia of the Lloyd Triestino sisters, Claudio traveled on both ships back in 1966 with his family and developed an enthusiasm on passenger Liners, these two being his favourites. I am overwhelmed with the interest on the Blog, so once again thank you all the followers and readers.

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" sailing as the cruise ship "COSTA RIVIERA"

MARCONI sailing as the "COSTA RIVIERA", after a complete rebuilt she was back at sea in 1984 after three years laid-up, her superstructure was greatly modified, the original funnel was kept until the very end of the ship in 2002 but a new larger funnel version was added and completely covered the original one.

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" launched fifty years ago

Our ship, the star of this Blog was launched in 1961, photo above, and came into service in November of 1963, so this year marks 50 years since this unforgettable Liner was born, a very special thank you to Lloyd Triestino her owners, her designers and to her ship builders to have given life to the ship that marked my life like no other, I still clearly remember the visits I have paid to her engine room back in 1976 when I sailed on her, she had four turbines that propelled her to a cruising speed of 24 knots, during sea trials she reached 27.1, the fastest Italian Liner together with her sister, GALILEO GALILEI on the Australian service