Cruise Talk: MICHELANGELO /RAFFAELLO

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»	Cruise Talk » Ocean Liners and Classic Cruise Ships » MICHELANGELO /RAFFAELLO

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Topic: MICHELANGELO /RAFFAELLO

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 02-08-2001 05:50 PM

These two fast, beautiful, and striking ships, with nice interiors, were 12 years too late and 15,000 tons too large.

I understand as 3 class liners the 3rd class was too spartan for cruise passengers.

Unlike the Canberra, Rembrandt, and QE2 1/2 time cruising was not well considered.

They apparantly were boondoggles to keep the shipyards busy with government money.

Knut Kloster looked at them among the SSUS and the France, he should have bought the lot. NCL would have had 4 of the 10 largest postwar liners.

It was a shame to see them desecrated into barracks for religious fanatics.

The Raffaello was bombed by Saddam Hussien
The Michelangelo was infested with rats and went to Ghadani Beach.

Any thoughts?

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Rex
First Class Passenger
Member # 1113

posted 02-09-2001 08:52 AM

Why is it that the Italians never had commercial success with their superliners. The REX, CONTE DI SAVOIA, and the MICHELANGELO & RAFFAELLO. They never got a change to earn a profit and they all had brief, tragic lives. And they WERE beautiful. But the timing always seemed bad. The first two were launched in the middle of the Depression, and the second two at a time of serious decline of the transatlantic trade.

I read somewhere that they were called the "MIKE" and the "RALPH" by New York stevedores. Can you confirm this Desirod?

Posts: 1413 | From: Philadelphia PA, USA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

tg_lindo
First Class Passenger
Member # 806

posted 02-09-2001 02:35 PM

I've only seen a few interior pictures but would love to see more. What I would give to take a time machine and hang out in those public rooms.

Posts: 349 | From: San Francisco, CA | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged

RuthPerk
First Class Passenger
Member # 1609

posted 02-09-2001 03:39 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tg_lindo:
I've only seen a few interior pictures but would love to see more. What I would give to take a time machine and hang out in those public rooms.

My parents took my sister and I on the Rafaello back in the early/mid 70's. I was about 6 at the time and the only thing I can really remember is having the he** scared out of me when they blew her horn at the time of sailing!

I will look and see if I can find the pictures my parents took and post them somewhere.

Posts: 329 | From: Victor, NY, USA | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

Conte Di Savoia
First Class Passenger
Member # 1802

posted 02-10-2001 12:02 PM

These were among the most elegant liners every built. I traveled on them often, being on the 3rd transatlantic crossing of the Michelangelo and the 2nd of the Raffaello in 1965. I made several additional transatlantic crossings, 21 day "Mediterranean-Go-Round" cruises from NYC (less than $1000 for a single first class cabin!)and Caribbean cruises. Although almost identical on the exterior, their interiors differed. The Raffaello had a particularly elegant first class dining room, The Excelsior. It had pristene white walls with tapered fluted columns, Wedgewood blue chairs and red flooring and beautiful still life oil paintings on the walls The Queens Room on QE2 was consciously designed to resemble it. The Michelangelo had a beautiful first class bar with padded leather walls and dark brown leather chairs. The ceiling was black egg-crate and the bottles at the bar where back illuminated to create a very urbane look. If you didn't arrive early you couldn't get a seat.
At the beginning of their careers they were the height of transatlantic travel. I never felt that the Rotterdam could compare to them. Unfortunately they did not cruise well. The first and cabin class accomodations were elegant, but the tourist class public rooms and staterooms were not usable. And they were "gas guzzlers".
I had the greatest of times on these vessels. I also have lots of pictures and memorabilia. Perhaps I'll post some.

Posts: 64 | From: Bay Shore, NY | Registered: Feb 2001 | IP: Logged

PauloMestre
First Class Passenger
Member # 1613

posted 02-10-2001 02:30 PM

I love this picture:

Click here for a larger version of the image

The last queens of the North Atlantic gather in New York, 3rd February 1973.
Source: Bill Miller collection

Michelangelo's gracefull bow:

Regards

Paulo Mestre

[ 12-19-2001: Message edited by: PauloMestre ]

Posts: 311 | From: Alhos Vedros, Setubal, Portugal | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

Jesse C
First Class Passenger
Member # 1678

posted 02-10-2001 06:18 PM

The TN Michelangelo was sold to Iran as a troopship and was later scrapped. I habe seen it in a book about ships. It said "The Italian Line's Michealangelo always has enough lifeboats."

Yes, the TN Raffaelo must also have been purchased by Iran.

Anyways, how did Italian Line fold up?

[This message has been edited by joe at travelpage (edited 02-10-2001).]

Posts: 244 | From: Houston, Texas, United States of America | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

tg_lindo
First Class Passenger
Member # 806

posted 02-12-2001 04:38 PM

RuthPerk and cfi,
I'd be grateful to see your memorabilia!

Posts: 349 | From: San Francisco, CA | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged

blf49
First Class Passenger
Member # 502

posted 02-15-2001 08:42 PM

Paulo-
The pic of the last queens is the best.

Posts: 56 | From: Seattle, WA, US | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 12-17-2001 09:55 PM

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

Jekyll
First Class Passenger
Member # 1878

posted 12-18-2001 12:10 PM

I tried to see the pics that PauloMestre posted but can't seem to view them on any of my computers - is anyone else unable to do so?

Any chance of a repost?

Thanks!

Posts: 1524 | From: Nowhere | Registered: Mar 2001 | IP: Logged

PauloMestre
First Class Passenger
Member # 1613

posted 12-19-2001 11:25 AM

Hello to all,

My account on Geocities was closed so I changed the pictures to a new ISP account.

I hope everyone likes the pictures.

Best regards

Paulo Mestre

Posts: 311 | From: Alhos Vedros, Setubal, Portugal | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

JP
First Class Passenger
Member # 1373

posted 12-19-2001 12:31 PM

We crossed in tourist class on the Raffaello in 1974 and while not elegant, I wouldn't have said that our cabin was "not usable". I don't really remember the public rooms except the dining room, and what I remember most about it was the escalator that came up near our table. I recall being somewhat disappointed with the food, but I'm not sure it would have compared too badly with the average cruise fare today. They did have nice art on the menu covers.

Posts: 280 | From: Minnesota, USA | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

nzmike
First Class Passenger
Member # 1308

posted 12-20-2001 06:22 PM

Does anyone have any photos of Michelangelo and Raffaello during their time as accommodation ships?

Posts: 186 | From: Auckland, New Zealand | Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

Aris
First Class Passenger
Member # 1718

posted 12-21-2001 03:48 PM

Raffaello propably sunk in shallow water. I wonder if there are any pictures of the wreck?
Aris

Posts: 82 | From: Athens, Greece | Registered: Dec 2000 | IP: Logged

Cambodge
First Class Passenger
Member # 906

posted 12-29-2001 03:20 PM

An unforgettable sight!

My wife and I were driving along the Riv1era in a rented Renault in the early '70s. As we rounded a turn, there was an unforgettable view of one of these two ships, a fair distance away, slowly approaching port, (Monaco? Villefranche? it was a long time ago.

The pines along the road framed the scene but the traffic along the narrow road made it impossible to stop. I may have some cine footage somewhere, but the sight of that beautiful white ship with its "battleship" stacks; the blue Med and the green pines remains with me today. Really classic.

[ 12-30-2001: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

Posts: 2149 | From: St. Michaels MD USA , the town that fooled the British! | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 11-21-2002 09:16 AM

since the subject came up again

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

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