STANDART'S MARINE TREASURES
Click on the enter button above to view my M.S. Regal Empress items for sale. |
 |
| The T/N MICHELANGELO was launched on September 16, 1962 at Sestri shipyards in Genoa. Sea trials where carried out in March 1965 with delivery to the Italian Lines April 21, 1965. She would sail from Genoa to New York on her maiden voyage May 12, 1965. During her career she would make cruises to the Caribbean and to Rio.
Only one major accident happened to the MICHELANGELO; on April 12 while sailing to New York she would encounter a giant wave. Two passengers and one crew died in the incident. During the refit the aluminum forward superstructure would be replace with steel. The RAFFAELLO would also have her aluminum replaced at a later date. With the increasing costs of oil and Union demands by spring 1975 the Italian Government announced that subsidies would be withdrawn. On July 12, 1975 the MICHELANGELO would sail from her home port of Genoa to La Spezia to be laid up. Several cruise lines, Costa Line, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Homes Lines all looked at the MICHELANGELO and her sister RAFFAELLO for possible conversion to cruise service but, because of there size and the fact that the two ships where built as three class, First, Cabin, and Tourist transatlantic liners the cost would be too high to rebuild them. Home Lines showed the most interest in the ships and wanted to keep them registered in Italy, but the Italian Line said no to the deal. |