AUREOL/MARIANNA VI tour page one
All pictures are copyright Peter Knego
Welcome to this once "private" tour of MARIANNA VI, the former AUREOL. I composed these pages in 2000 shortly before MARIANNA VI was sold to Indian shipbreakers. The images were for architects and designers with one of the major cruise lines to inspect in case they were interested in rescuing fittings from this basically unchanged classic blue water liner. The text was written to underscore this purpose. Unfortunately, the principal architects and designers were not interested, which may have been the impetus for me to try and rescue some of AUREOL for myself and fellow ship lovers. This continued into the campaign that led to ON THE ROAD TO ALANG and my other efforts to salvage and document the last of the classic passenger ships at Alang.
This "tour" is not intended to be one of the standard, in depth Maritime Matters ship histories. It is what it is: a final look at the former AUREOL before she went to the beach of Alang in 2001. In the aftermath, I was able to salvage the bell, a repeather telegraph, the tourist class bar, the dining room light fixtures, the circular light fixture in the cinema, the doors to the first class lounge, cinema, and smoking room, ten dining room chairs, and some cabin furniture and paneling. The paintings, marquetry panel, and most of the navigation equipment was either retained by the Latsis family or sold before I could salvage them.
MARIANNA VI was but one of many wonderful liners worthy of preservation. Sadly, there is just not enough public interest and support for such ventures. One day a puzzled world will look back and wonder where it all went.
Peter Knego, Moorpark, CA
Ê May 26, 2005AUREOL (1951), Elder Dempster Lines, Liverpool.
Built by Alexander Stephen and Sons at Glasgow.
14,083 GRT, 537 x 70 feet, Twin screw, diesel engines, 16 knots.
253 1st, 76 cabin class passengers; crew 145Launched March 28, 1951, maiden voyage Liverpool-Lagos November 3.
Post card view of AUREOL in Elder Dempster Line livery. Note bridge wing enclosures.
Another post card image of AUREOL in Elder Dempster Line's service.
MARIANNA VI at Eleusis on 29 December 1998
MARIANNA VI at Eleusis on 3 October 1994.
Binnacle on MARIANNA VI's flying bridge. Typical of original navigational fixtures found throughout ship.
Huge brass telegraph on MARIANNA VI's port bridge wing.
A view facing aft from the ship's starboard bridge wing showing architectural features as they are today.
This view taken aft from the Bridge Deck looks over the former first class lido area. Pool is underneath blue covering. Tourist class lido area is beyond.
Facing aft along MARIANNA VI's port Upper Promenade Deck. Note unusual davits.
Beautifully sculpted, architecturally unaltered superstructure from forward Lower Promenade Deck. Full sized windows underneath wheelhouse are the deluxe suite verandas.
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