View source for MS Giulio Cesare

{{Short description|Italian ocean liner (1950–1973)}}
{{Other ships|SS Giulio Cesare}}
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{{More citations needed|date=January 2016}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image="Giulio Cesare".jpg
|Ship caption=
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{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Italy]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Italy|civil}}
|Ship name=MS ''Giulio Cesare''
|Ship namesake=[[Julius Caesar]]
|Ship owner=
|Ship operator=[[Italian Line]]
|Ship registry=[[Genoa]], {{flag|Italy}}
|Ship route=*1951-1956: [[Genoa]]-[[Buenos Aires]]
*1956-1960: Genoa-[[New York City]]
*1960-1973: Genoa-Buenos Aires
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico]], [[Trieste]], [[Italy]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number= Number 1756
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=18 May 1950 by Md. Donna Ida Einaudi, wife of the President of Italy
|Ship completed=27 October 1951
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship maiden voyage=27 October 1951
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=14 January 1973
|Ship identification=
|Ship fate=Scrapped on 20 April 1973 at Terrestre Marittima Shipyards, La Spezia, Italy
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Ocean liner]]
|Ship tonnage=27,078 GRT
|Ship displacement=
|Ship length=207 m / 681 ft
|Ship beam=26.6 m / 87.2 ft
|Ship height=
|Ship draught=8.5 m / 28 ft
|Ship draft=
|Ship depth
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship ramps=
|Ship ice class=
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship power=powered by “Societa Anonima Fiat” diesel engines
|Ship propulsion=Twin screws -37,000 BHP; 16.5
|Ship speed=23.3 knots
|Ship capacity=*1950-1964: First: 178 Cabin: 288 Tourist: 714
*1964-1973: First: 180 Tourist: Approx 1,000
|Ship crew=493
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''MS ''Giulio Cesare''''' was a luxurious ocean liner built for the [[Italian Line]]. She was a sister ship to [[MS Augustus (1952)|MS ''Augustus'']] which was launched in the same year. She was built for the [[South America]] service like her sister. These two ships' specification and design were very similar.

During [[World War II]], the Italian Line had lost a large portion of its fleet, including the ocean liner {{SS|Rex}}. The surviving ships were refitted and repaired, and returned to passenger service after the war was over. However, the surviving ships like {{MS|Saturnia}} and her sister ship {{MS|Vulcania}}, and the {{SS|Conte Grande}} and her sister ship {{SS|Conte Biancamano}}, all could carry small numbers of passengers. The [[Italian Line]] needed new liners for the South American service. It placed an order with [[Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico]] to build two new 27,000 GRT ocean liners, to be christened ''Giulio Cesare'' and ''Augustus''.

The building of the 27,000 GRT ''Giulio Cesare'' and ''Augustus'' marked the start of a new era for the Italian Line; furthermore, other large Italian liners were being built, such as the {{SS|Andrea Doria}} and her sister ship {{SS|Cristoforo Colombo}}, both  29,000 GRT. In 1958, these two great liners were followed by {{SS|Leonardo da Vinci}}. {{SS|Michelangelo}} and her sister ship {{SS|Raffaello}} which were the last and the biggest liners of the Italian Line.

==Design and construction==
MS ''Giulio Cesare'' was built by [[Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico]], [[Monfalcone]] (Yard #1756) but was engines by [[Societa Anonima Fiat]], [[Turin]]. She was launched on 18 May 1950, in the presence of Md. Donna Ida Einaudi, wife of the President of Italy. The ship was completed in September 1951 and made her maiden voyage on 27 October 1951, from [[Genoa]] to [[Naples]] and then to [[Buenos Aires]].

The ''Augustus'' and the ''Giulio Cesare'' were powered by Societa Anonima Fiat diesel engines. These engines were the largest and most powerful ever built,{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} and were found to cause severe vibrations in her passenger accommodation, however, they produced 35,000 HP, providing 23.3 knots, which made her popular.

The exterior design of ''Giulio Cesare'' and her sister attracted many passengers because of their fat and round bows, curved superstructures, modern masts, tall large funnel, and graceful sterns. They also provided full air-conditioning for passengers. The ships were divided into three classes: First, Cabin, and Tourist. There were swimming pools for each class. The First class cabins had two or four roomed suites, one and two berth cabins, and private facilities and phones. The Cabin class were provided with a bathroom and one, two or four berth cabins. The Tourist Class accommodation lacked some of the luxuries of the other classes, but were still considered modern and comfortable .

==Service history==
She was initially placed on the Genoa-Buenos Aires service after her maiden voyage. But she was transferred to the Genoa-[[Cannes]]-Naples-[[New York City]] service on 29 June 1956, and operated this route until 1960 when she was returned to the [[Italy]]-South America route after she has made 32 round voyages on the North Atlantic route. She remained on her South America route for the next thirteen years. She was refitted in 1964. After the refit, she received a new cinema, and the Cabin and Tourist Class dining rooms were combined. Her three classes were also merged into a First and Tourist class after the refit. However the number of passengers she and her sisters were carrying began to decline. She developed problems with her rudder on 14 January 1973, and had to return to [[Naples]]. The Italian Line decided to sell her for scrap. She was laid up at Naples on 14 January, and departed on 20 April for the Terrestre Marittima Shipyards, La Spezia, Italy where she was broken up, the first post-war built Italian liner to be scrapped.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web|url=http://www.ssmaritime.com/augustus.htm |title=Italia Line MS Giulio Cesare & Augustus - M/S Philippines |website=Ssmaritime.com |date= |accessdate=19 January 2016}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071111000153/http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsG.html ]

{{Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giulio Cesare}}
[[Category:Passenger ships of Italy]]
[[Category:Ocean liners]]
[[Category:1950 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico]]
[[Category:Ships built in Trieste]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Julius Caesar]]