"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" in Lisbon

"MARCONI" has arrived this morning in Lisbon, one of the oldest cities in the World and  the Westernmost largest city located in Europe. Lisbon is the Capital of Portugal with a population of 2.8 million people living in its Metropolitan Area. This beautiful and historic city is considered to be a "global city" due to its finance, commerce, international trade, arts, education and tourism. Photos above by local photographer and Maritime Historian, Luis Miguel Correia, GALILEO GALILEI, early seventies and "GUGLIELMO MARCONI" in 1976 already in service with ITALIA LINE on the Europe to South America route.

 JERONIMOS MONASTERY built during the 16th century, one of the main tourist attractions in Lisbon

BELEM TOWER also built in the 16th century to be a defense site and a ceremonial gateway to the city of Lisbon, both Jeronimos Monastery and Belem Tower are since 1983 classified has UNESCO HERITAGE SITES, both photos by Alves Gaspar

 Photos of CASCAIS, ESTORIL and SINTRA, some of the most visited places in the all of Portugal, situated just about 30/45 minutes from the city of Lisbon, photos taken from the internet.

Apart from the city of Lisbon, Cascais, Estoril and Sintra, passengers on board "MARCONI" have available an excursion to FATIMA. The SANCTUARY OF FATIMA is the focus of visitors and pilgrims, FATIMA is commonly associated with the "Marian Apparitions" that occured in 1917 and later recognized by the Catholic Chruch.

"MARCONI" will depart Lisbon tomorrow at 12.00
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Destination: Malaga, E.T.A. 1.11.2012 at 07.00
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Distance from Lisbon to Malaga 275 nm
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Average speed: 20.50 knots
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Temperature today in Lisbon: 20 C
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"MARCONI" back in Europe tomorrow

 "MARCONI" is back in Europe tomorrow, the ship will dock at Lisbon at 10am and will stay for about 26 hours, one more week and this epic voyage around the World will come to an end at the port of Genova, where it all began on the 25.8.2012. Above "MARCONI"'s sister the GALILEO GALILEI at Hobart in Australia, one of my favourite photos of these amazing ships

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" at Curacao today

 "MARCONI" has arrived this morning at the Island of CURACAO, the ship docked at 08.00 and will depart for Lisbon at 19.00. CURACAO is an island situated off the Coast of Venezuela, in the Southern Caribbean sea and is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its population is about 145.000 people and Dutch is the official language.

"MARCONI" will depart Curacao at 19.00
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Destination: Lisbon, E.T.A., 30.10.2012 at 10.00 am
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Travelling Distance: 3575 nm
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Average speed for this voyage: 22.75 knots
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Maximum temperature today at Curacao: 31 C
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"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" at Cristobal

"MARCONI" will be docking at 14.00 hours this afternoon at Cristobal, a port on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal, named after the Italian Navigator and Explorer Cristoforo Colombo. The ship will stay for seven hours, the highlight of this short stay is a performance by local Folk Music Groups which will perform on board the ship. At 23.00 hours, our liner will depart for Curacao.

"MARCONI" departs tonight from Cristobal at 23.00 hour
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Destination: Curacao, E.T.A., 23.10.2012 at 08.00 hours
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Distance from Cristobal to Curacao: 1437 nm
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Average speed: 23.50 knots
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Maximum temperature today at Cristobal, 29 C
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"MARCONI" at the Panama Canal

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" is now at Balboa, a district of Panama City located at the Pacific entrance to the PANAMA CANAL, the town was named after Spanish Conquistador Vasco Nunez de Balboa and founded by the United States during the construction of the PANAMA CANAL. The ship will stay until 5am tomorrow, when the transit of the PANAMA CANAL will begin, "MARCONI" will take 11 hours to get to Cristobal on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Canal.

The PANAMA CANAL is a 78 kms ship canal that connects the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans, named by the American Society of Civil Engineers has one of the "seven wonders of modern world", the canal was built between 1881 and 1914, the ownership of the Territory went from Colombian to French and then American before coming under control of the Panamanian Government in 1999. The canal shortcut made possible for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in half the time previously needed, making it no longer necessary for ships to negotiate Cape Horn in South America.

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" will be arriving at Cristobal tomorrow at 4 pm and will stay for seven hours., after that the last leg of this World Voyage with the ship calling at Curacao/Lisbon/Malaga/Malta/Piraeus and then Messina, Napoli and finally Genova.

"MARCONI" at Acapulco

"MARCONI" has arrived this morning at 8.30 in Acapulco, a major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, the city is also Mexico's largest beach and a major tourist destination and today with a temperature of 30 Celsius ideal for a visit to the beach and holiday resort. The other excursion available is Mexico City.

Mexico City is the capital of Mexico, the country's largest city as well as its political, educational and financial centre. The city was originally built on a island, called Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs, known as Tenochtitlan in 1325. During the "Siege of Tenochtitlan"in 1521 the city was virtually destroyed and later redesigned and rebuilt in accordance with Spanish Urban Standards. The conquest of Mexico was part of the Spanish Colonization of the Americas, today the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City is the largest in the Western Hemisphere with a population of over 21 million people.

"MARCONI" will depart Acapulco tomorrow at 19.00
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Destination: Balboa
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E.T.A. Balboa: 20.10.2012 at 14.00
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Distance from Acapulco to Balboa: 1430 nm
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Average speed: 21.50 knots
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"MARCONI" will get to Acapulco tomorrow morning

Image of sheer beauty and elegance at sea, the "MARCONI's" sister GALILEO GALILEI cruising the oceans of the World. "MARCONI" will get to Acapulco tomorrow morning, the ship will stay in port for 34 hours.

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" at sea

"MARCONI" is at the moment at sea on her way to Acapulco, the ship is due on the 16.10.2012 at 09.00. Top photo from a brochure when the ship joined ITALIA LINE, early 1976, below at speed passing another Lloyd Triestino ship, the ASIA

"MARCONI" at Tahiti today

                                      MARAE, worship platforms for local religious order

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" has today docked at Tahiti, the largest island in the Windward group of the French Polynesia, Tahiti is the economic, cultural and political centre of the region, Papeete is the capital, located on the Northwest Coast with the only international airport. Tahiti was proclaimed a French Colony in 1880, French is the only official language, although the native tahitian language, the "reo tahiti" is widely spoken. Excursions for the passengers of "MARCONI" include a visit of the island and the Marae, worship platforms for a religious order of the island. Above "MARCONI" at anchor, during an around the World visit
and photos of Tahiti taken from the internet.

"MARCONI" departs Tahiti, tomorrow, 9.10.2012 at 12.00
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Destination:  Acapulco
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E.T.A. Acapulco: 16.10.2012 at 09.00
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Distance from Tahiti to Acapulco: 3574 nm
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Average speed: 22.50 knots
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Temperature today at Tahiti, maximum: 27 C
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"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" and "GALILEO GALILEI", phase two of their lives

Coming soon on this blog, MARCONI's and GALILEO's chapter two of their sea going careers, after 1977 both ships were laid-up for a long time and their days as liners were over, they would be both transformed into full-time cruise ships. "MARCONI" is at the moment travelling around the World, this epic voyage ends on the 7.11.2012 at Genova, second chapter of their long careers coming here just after.

"MARCONI" visited Suva yesterday

 "MARCONI" visited Suva yesterday the largest city in the FIJI, today Suva has a population of nearly 200.000 people and it's commonly said that Suva is the most sophisticated city in the South Pacific. Passengers on board enjoyed excursions to Suva and Nausori, the fourth largest city in the FIJI

                      The Fijian village of Navala in the Nausori Highlands.

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" is at sea at the moment on her way to Tahiti, the ship will dock on monday, 8.10.2012 at 08.00 and will stay in port for 28 hours.

Distance from Suva to Tahiti: 1850 nm
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E.T.A. Tahiti: 8.10.2012 at 08.00
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Average speed: 23.75 knots

"MARCONI" in the South Pacific today

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" has arrived today at Noumea, in the French New Caledonia, the city is home for the majority of Europeans, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Tahitians, Noumea is one of the most industrialized cities in the South Pacific. Noumea owns its origins to Captain Louis Marie Francois when in 1852 the place was chosen for the settlement of his garrison, today Noumea has a population of nearly 100.000 people. Photos above, GALILEO GALILEI at Pago Pago in the late 60's and Noumea.

"MARCONI" departs Noumea today at 21.00
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Destination: Suva
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E.T.A. Suva: 5.10.2012 at 08.00
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Distance from Noumea to Suva: 751 nm
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Average speed: 22.75
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Temperature today at Noumea: 22 C
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"MARCONI" visited Auckland yesterday

"GUGLIELMO MARCONI" visited yesterday the city of Auckland, the most populated area in New Zealand with over 1.4 million people, it's one of the few cities in the World to have harbours on two separate bodies of water. The ship called at 08.00 and stayed for 5 hours, giving opportunity for an excursion to the city and to embark passengers, mainly tourists taking the last leg of this World voyage.

"MARCONI" will arrive Noumea tomorrow at 09.00
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Distance from Auckland to Noumea: 963 nm
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Average speed: 23.50 knots
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