Galileo Galilei

The Galileo Galilei was one of two sister ships commissioned by Lloyd Triestino for their Italian-Australian service. Named after the famous astronomer, she represented the pinnacle of medium-sized post-war liner architecture, combining elegant design with modern functionality.

Construction & Design

Built by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adratico in Monfalcone, Italy, the vessel was launched on July 2, 1961, and completed in April 1963. Her sleek hull featured a distinctive flared "clipper" prow rising from a bulbous fore-foot. A notable innovation was her telescopic funnel-top, which could be raised at sea to disperse fumes away from the five tiers of open decks.

Service History

The Galileo Galilei commenced her maiden voyage from Genoa to Sydney on April 22, 1963, reducing the passage time to 23 days. Following the 1967 Suez Crisis during the Six-Day War, she was forced to reroute via Cape Town and Durban. By 1971, the vessel had expanded her operations to round-world voyages.

In 1975, she struck an uncharted reef off the Liberian coast. After initial assessment in Monrovia, the severe damage necessitated her return to Genoa for dry-docking and repairs. She resumed service once the Suez Canal reopened.

The Galileo Galilei and her sister ship Guglielmo Marconi became notable as the last two-class liners after P&O adopted single-class configurations. Following the Marconi's withdrawal in 1975, she remained the sole Italian-flag vessel on the route until 1977, when her Australian and New Zealand service concluded. She was subsequently transferred to "Italia" management and refitted for Mediterranean cruise operations.

Key Facts

Specification	Details
Gross Tonnage	27,907
Length	702 ft (214m)
Beam	94 ft (28.6m)
Draught	28 ft (8.5m)
Propulsion	Four D.R.G. Steam turbines (40,000 SHP)
Speed	25 knots
Passenger Capacity	156 First Class, 1,594 Tourist Class
Crew	440
Passenger Decks	Nine
Registry	Genoa, Italy