SS Galileo Galilei

File:Ssmeridian.jpg SS Meridian underway
History
Name	1963-1984: Galileo Galilei 1984-1990: Galileo 1990-1997: Meridian 1997-1999: Sun Vista
Owner	1963-1979: Lloyd Triestino 1979-1983: Italia Crociere 1983-1990: Chandris Cruises 1990-1997: Celebrity Cruises 1997-1999: Sun Cruises
Operator	1983-1977: Lloyd Triestino 1979: Italia Crociere 1984-1989: Chandris Fantasy Cruises 1990-1997: Celebrity Cruises 1997-1999: Sun Cruises
Port of registry	1963-1983: Genoa, Italy 1983-1990: Panama City, Panama 1990-1999: Nassau, Bahamas
Ordered	1960
Builder	Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico, Monfalcone, Italy
Yard number	1982
Launched	2 July 1961
Acquired	March 1963
Maiden voyage	23 March 1963
In service	23 March 1963
Out of service	20 May 1999
Fate	Sunk 21 May 1999
Notes	Sister ship to SS Guglielmo Marconi
General characteristics (as built)
Tonnage	27,888 GRT
Displacement	9,486 t DWT
Length	213.65 m (700 ft 11 in)
Beam	28.71 m (94 ft 2 in)
Draught	8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)
Installed power	4 × De Laval-San Andrea steam turbines combined 32824 kW
Propulsion	Twin propellers
Speed	24 knots service speed 27.4 knots maximum speed
Capacity	1750 passengers (156 first class, 1594 tourist class)
General characteristics (following 1984 refit)
Capacity	1262 passengers
Notes	Otherwise the same as built
General characteristics (following 1990 refit)
Tonnage	30,440 GRT
Capacity	1428 passengers
Notes	Otherwise the same as built

SS Galileo Galilei was an ocean liner built in 1963 by Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico, Monfalcone, Italy for Lloyd Triestino's Italy—Australia service. In 1979 she was converted to a cruise ship, and subsequently sailed under the names Galileo and Meridian. She sank in the Strait of Malacca in 1999 as the Sun Vista.

History

Ordered by Lloyd Triestino in 1960, Galileo Galilei was built in Italy for the Australian immigrant route. Galileo Galilei was launched on 2 July 1961. On 23 March 1963 the ship entered service for Lloyd Triestino, doing Mediterranean cruises before departing on its official maiden voyage from Genoa, Italy to Sydney, Australia on 22 April 1963. In November of the same year she was joined on the route by her sister ship SS Guglielmo Marconi. Originally the ships traveled to Australia via the eastern route, passing through Suez Canal in both directions, but in the later years the return trip to Europe was via the Panama Canal. They also routed to Australia via the Cape of Good Hope in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The ships were very successful until the 1973 oil crisis, which, combined with the increasing prevalence of airliners, contributed to the decline of ocean liners. Galileo Galilei returned to Genoa and repaired after she stuck a reef off coast of West Africa on 13 January 1975. Galileo Galilei continued to operate on the Italy–Australia run until April 1977, at which point she was withdrawn from service and laid up. Her lay-up was short, and in October 1977 she returned to her builders for a lengthy reconstruction into a cruise ship. On 24 March 1979 the Galileo Galilei finally started cruise service with Italia Crociere (owned by Italia Navigazione, who also owned Lloyd Triestino). However, already in September of the same year the Galileo Galilei was withdrawn from service and laid up again.

In 1983, the vessel was purchased by Chandris Group. The ship was again rebuilt, this time with additional cabins on her forward deck, and her name shortened to Galileo. In 1984 the Galileo began cruising on the Caribbean under Chandris' Fantasy Cruises brand. After the collapse of Home Lines in 1988 Chandris' executives decided to create a new upmarket brand to take over the market segment occupied by Home Lines. With this in mind the Galileo sent to a multi-million dollar refit at Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven, Germany between October 1989 and February 1990. Most of her interiors were rebuilt, and externally her rear superstructure enlarged. On 1 March 1990 she emerged as the stylish SS Meridian, the first ship of the new Celebrity Cruises brand, cruising on the Caribbean and the Boston/New York–Bermuda service.

In 1997, following Royal Caribbean International's acquisition of Celebrity Cruises, the ship was sold to Sun Cruises, which operated her as SS Sun Vista. On 20 May 1999, the vessel suffered an engine room fire, which cut all power and caused her to sink on 21 May 1999 at 0121 hrs. All 1,090 passengers and crew were safely evacuated.

External links

• Sun Vista wreck photos