Cunard Countess

Built in Denmark and having had her fit out in Italy, the Cunard Countess was originally intended to be run by Overseas National Airways.

To be used as ‘floating playground’s’, the ship was designed with input from Playboy boss Hugh Hefner.

However, that venture fell over, and Cunard acquired the ship along with a sister Cunard Conquest (later Cunard Princess).

Cunard Countess and Cunard Princess were amongst the first intermediate sizes cruise ships to prove successful in the jet age. Cunard Countess was christened by Mrs Armstrong, wife of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon.

Cunard deployed the Cunard Countess to the Caribbean, where she sailed regularly between Miami, San Juan and Santo Domingo. Here she competed closely with the Costa Cruise Line ship Carla C, and gained a loyal following.

In the 1980s, the ship was used to ferry British troops from Ascension Island to the Falkland Islands following the British victory in the Falklands Campaign.

In 1996 the Cunard Countess was sold to Awani Cruises and was renamed Awani Dream II. After Awani fell into financial trouble, the ship was sold to Royal Olympic Cruises and renamed Olympic Countess.

She was again resold and became Ocean Countess in 2004. After sailing for CMV she was laid up awaiting further use, however a fire ended her career, and the ship was scrapped in 2014.

Image sourced with permission from: Simplon Post Cards