SS Ausonia (1956)

SS Ausonia, later known as the SS Ivory and Aegean Two while in service with her last owners, Golden Star Cruises, was a cruise liner belonging to Louis Cruise Lines operating in the Mediterranean. She operated mostly cruise service during her 52 years of life. She was the last vintage Italian ocean liner in service when she was retired from service in September 2008 and beached for dismantling in March 2010.

1956-1998
She was commissioned by Adriatica Lines for its Trieste–Egypt–Lebanon service. She was launched by Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico at Monfalcone on 5 August 1956, and delivered on 23 September 1957. She was rapidly fitted out and commenced service in October 1957. Ports of call were Trieste, Venice, Brindisi, Alexandria, Beirut,  Piraeus and Bari. She remained in service with her original owners until 1978, when she underwent a major refit that increased her passenger capacity from 529 to 690. She remained in service with her new owners, Italia Crociere Internazionali, until 1998, when she was sold to the Cyprus based Louis Cruise Lines.

1998-2010


She never entered service with her original owners right away, as she was chartered to First Choice Holidays for about four years, before entering service for Louis. She was then in 2005 renamed Ivory by Louis and continued to operate under Louis Cruise Lines until the end of summer 2008 (sailing from Cyprus to Port Said in Egypt for 2 day excursion cruises). The Ivory was withdrawn from service in 2009 due to her not fulfilling the SOLAS 2010 regulations.

Demise
She was beached for scrapping operations at Alang, India on March 3rd, 2010. She was renamed Winner 5 in preparation for scrapping. She was one of only two Italian cruise liners still operating, the only operational one now the SS Oceanic of 1965. The stripping of her interiors has begun, and cutting is imminent. By May 20th scrapping had begun, and the tip of her bow was cut. Photos taken on June 29, 2010 show that a large portion of her bow is gone, and scrappers are now cutting away her superstructure. Winner 5 was completely dismantled by November 13, 2010. Fellow ocean liner Maestro replaced her and was beached in her plot, 141.