PASSENGER DECKS 8
PASSENGER CAPACITY 701
Cabins WITH FULL FACILITIES 254
OUTSIDE Cabins 154
INSIDE Cabins 99
CINEMA 125
LIGHT HOUSE RESTAURANT 330
PIANO BAR 110
MAJORCA NIGHT CLUB 400
SKIPPER'S CLUB/CASINO 100
WINTER GARDEN/VERANDA PORTOFINO 24
CARD ROOM 10
LIBRARY 20
TECHNICAL DATA
FLAG CYPRUS
BUILDER CANTIERI RIUNITI DELL ADRIATICO, ITALY
BUILT 1957
GROSS TONNAGE 12,609
SERVICE SPEED 18 KNOTS
OVERALL LENGTH 159M
BREADTH 21.3M
DRAFT 6.54M
CLASSIFICATION R.I.N.A.
CREW SIZE 230
CABIN ELECTRIC CURRENT 220AC
SAFETY : SOLAS 74 AND ALL LATER AMENDMENTS AS EXISTING SHIP (NO SOLAS 2010)
REFURBISHED: 2001
PRICE: try $4 MILLION
Ausonia was built especially for Adriatica Lines Trieste-Egypt-Lebanon service. She was launched on August 5, 1956, and delivered from builders Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico, Monfalcone on September 23, 1957. She commenced her duties in October 1957. Ports of call were, Trieste, Venice, Brindisi, Alexandria, Beirut, Alexandria (Piraeus), Bari, Venice, and Trieste.
Ausonia measures 522 x 70 ft with a draught of 21 ft 5 inches. Engines: Steam DR geared Turbines 22,000 SHP, twin screw with a service speed of 21 knots, maximum speed of 25 knots. Passengers; 181 first, 118 second, 230 tourist class. Crew: 215.
When built it was said that she was a “ship of advanced design featuring a contemporary style of accommodation and furnishings. She was the largest and fastest liner operating in the Mediterranean at that time.
Ausonia in her new role as a cruise ship
In 1978/79, Ausonia was refitted by Arsenale Triestino, San Marco, made ready for cruising the Mediterranean for Italia Crociere Internazionali. Her passenger capacity increased to 690 passengers.
In 1983, she was registered under the ownership of Ausonia Crociere of Naples, part of the Grimaldi-SIOSA group. In 1984, her forward superstructure and aft decks were extended providing new lounges and increasing her passenger capacity to 750. The new alterations certainly did not enhance her former beauty, but did provide excellent interior facilities!
In May 1998, Louis Cruise Lines of Cyprus purchased her and operated mostly mini cruises to Lebanon and Egypt. She was chartered to the British cruise operator First Choice.
A Passenger, who sailed on Ausonia whilst she was operated by First Choice, had the following to say about this delightful ship … “I sailed on her (Ausonia) in 2001 and she was in fantastic condition, having been extensively refurbished for First Choice holidays. She would make an amazing ship for the UK cruising market, which she served before with First Choice and was very popular in that role.”
Happily, Ausonia keeps on sailing, but having sailed under the same name since being built, for some reason Louis Cruises decided in 2005 to rename her Ivory.
