Andrea Doria 58th Anniversary of the sinking

Tomorrow, July 25 is the 58th anniversary of the sinking of the "Andrea Doria". We sailed on the last eastbound sailing to Italy to visit "Nona and Nono". I was 5 yrs old and still remember the ship and the sailing like it was yesterday! It was my first voyage on a ship, and I got hooked. Sine then, I've sailed at least 125 times either on a cruise or TA. We were supposed to come home on her late August, 1956, but got put on the " Christoforo Columbo". Thoughts and prayers are with those who perished on that foggy night, July 25, 1956.

Marco,

Thanks for posting this! Like the Titanic, Lusitania, and the Costa Concordia, the ship, her passengers, and her crew deserve to be remembered.

Being so young, I wonder if you have any artifacts from your voyage on Andrea Doria. If so, they would have significant value to collectors.

Thank you for posting this, Marco.

I am proud to own several cups and saucers brought up from her by a very talented diver.

Poor captain Piero Calamai, he took blame for it, and years later a new study was done, and he was exonerated, and a letter was sent to him to that affect, but he never opened it, and he died shortly thereafter.

Again, thank you for reminding me of the date, as I was not around when it happened, but you are not much older than I am!! (born 1958)

I do have a few things from the ship (and LOTS more from other Italian Line ships) I have an ashtray (not taken from a lounge, but one bought in the gift shop) a cup and saucer (which most likely was NOT purchased in the gift shop....I'll say no more!) a menu, actually, a few menus as my grandparents came to visit us in 1954 and sailed R/T on the "AD". I have a lot more Italian Line "stuff" from many TA's and cruises on the Da Vinci, MichaelAngelo and Raffaello. We sailed all of those, several times. The only ship I was on only once was the Columbo, and that was the return sailing that we got put on because we could not come home on the "AD". I have a trunk with the "hold baggage" tags on it from a sailing on the MicaelAngelo. We'd go for the summer and bring a lot of stuff, most of which we didn't bring home, but brought home lots of things that our house is full of. Paintings, dishes, platters, demi tasse set, cutwork and applique linen, bric-a-brac, a record. All of which we LOVE to use and look it. It brings back such wonderful, wonderful memories! Now.....I'm the "Nono" and I want my grandchildren to cherish their Italian heritage. We're going to Italy in the fall to visit and tour and we're going to come home on the newest Princess ship, sailing out of Venice. Grandchildren are still a little too young, but I want to bring them while they are still kids so they can know and appreciate how other people in the world, outside of the US live and I want them to stay connected to relatives in Italy. After 1976-ish, the Italian line ceased operation. We booked a cruise on "Italian Line Cruises International" on the Galileo or Marconi, (don't remember) but it got canx before we sail. We ended up sailing on the Home Lines, and continued to cruise with them for several years until they ceased operating. IMHO....they were as Italian as the Italian Line!

loubetti and marco,

How wonderful for you to have such artifacts! I, too, am a collector, but lost my Italian Line stuff in a disaster at my condo. I remember having a brochure with lots of interior photos of the Andrea Doria. Apparently to still be able to use that piece of literature for the Christoforo Columbo, an attempt had been made to block out the AD caption under the pictures and substitute Columbo's name. Many of the captions done that way were not successful and one could often make out the Doria's name.

I am glad to know that Home Lines was as Italian as the Italian Lines. I surely enjoyed the Oceanic: her ambience, crew, and cuisine. I only wish I could have sailed on an Italian Line vessel.

Have either of you sailed on a Costa ship? If so, opinions?

I have...twice. Both times in the Caribbean. A LONG time ago on the Carla C. Back then it was very Italian, like the Home lines. More recently (but still a few years ago) the Costa Allegra. By then, Costa was "Carnivalized" and homogenized. Still had Italian officers, but staff and crew were international. Still had a great time, but a little disappointed as it was nowhere as "Italian" as I expected or hoped it would be. IMHO, most lines now have more similarities then differences and none really have their own unique personality. "Once upon a time".... if you were on an Italian Line ship, it was like being in Italy, French Line, being in France, Long ago....HAL, it was Dutch. NCL...... now the only affinity to Norway is in the name of the line!

I know exactly what you mean and I agree. Royal Viking definitely had a Norwegian feel and I remember the earlier HAL with Dutch Night, etc. Things have changed.

Maybe the line that best still reflects its nationality is Cunard, even though the ships are now registered in Bermuda, if my memory is correct.