Home Lines
(Est. 1946)


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Home Lines began operations in 1946 by purchasing the Norwegian America liner Bergensfjord, which was renamed Argentina and used on services to South America from the company's base, Genoa. Home Lines ships were registered in Panama, the company chairman was Greek (Eugen Eugenides), and crews were Italian. There were connections with both Cosulich Lines, who were managers of the Argentina, and Swedish America Lines (Axel Johnson, manager of Swedish America, was also manager of South Atlantic Lines who initially managed the Brasil and Italia). Home Lines was originally a joint venture between Swedish American and the Italian Cosulich Line. The original connection between the companies is seen in the funnel designs, with Home Lines closely resembling Swedish America, but with one, not three, crowns on each funnel.

Additional ships were acquired, and services successfully switched to the North Atlantic, and then cruising. Home Lines first purpose-built ship, was the Oceanic of 1963. She was designed as a two-class liner to operate in summer on their Canadian route from Cuxhaven, Le Havre and Southampton. By the time of her delivery, Home Lines had dropped the Atlantic liner voyages, and Oceanic ran 7-day cruises to Nassau from New York through the summer. In winter she ran longer trips to the Caribbean. Home Lines were one of the most highly regarded of cruise lines, with superb purpose-built ships, when they were purchased by Holland America Line in 1988.

Eugen Eugenides' adopted son, Vernicos Eugenides, also founded the Hamburg Atlantik Line, whose Hanseatic (2) later joined Home Lines as the Doric. Vernicos Eugenides was later president of both Hamburg Atlantik and Home Lines.

Holland America Line
www.hollandamerica.com

 


        (c) Cruise Ship History Collection 2018 including www.thecunarders.co.uk                                                                                                                                                                              A Edward Elliott