The disaster of the venture Cruise Lines relaunch in 1978 could be the end of America and it would not have been truly glorious. With her ??last passenger career as Italis, the "Italian Lady," which in the years come ex-America managed though no more real new beginning, but at least a happy ending to their long, successful career.
The prerequisites for America at the foreclosure sale on 28 August 1978 were bleak. The starting price was $ 150,000 and the only scrap merchant who traveled from the Far East were in their victory already secure. The bids increased slowly to 650,000 dollars. At 1 million, the auctioneer then gave the award, but the selling bank was this bid too low. So called a bidder: "a million and ten thousand dollars!". The Bank accepted and no other of those present was willing to offer more. As the hammer struck three times and America had a new owner. And who was the lucky high bidder? Dimitrios Kaparis, the Vice President of the Chandris Lines!
Nichtnur had the Greek shipping company so that its long-standing flagship saved from scrapping, but also achieved an incredible profit. They had not yet received U.S. $ 6.5 million * for the sale of the former Australis in the spring of the same year, as was paid by the highest bid of the auction of $ 1,010,000, a gain of around 5.5 million * for the Chandris Lines.
In early September 1978, which ran from America with a minimum crew quietly and almost unnoticed from New York to Europe. Long gone are the days of her early years, as they cheered and lined with dozens of harbor boats took their journeys. There should be a final farewell from her home port ehemalilgen who had brought her in recent months, so much humiliation.
Once in Greece, America was launched in Eleusis Bay. At this time their future was far from certain. Would she still be sold for scrap to Taiwan from Chandris, which would have been profitable due to the low purchase price?
In the winter, then the surprise. The shipping company Chandris gave the ship a new opportunity: the former Australis was slightly renovated, repaired and rebuilt to make them suitable for transporting passengers again. This includes the front dummy chimney was removed to give the ship a more modern profile. The hull kept the dark blue of the short cruise venture career. But the new name of the ship was not, as previously Australis, but according to their new destination Italis, which means "Italian Lady" meant. The Italis should be used for Mediterranean cruises.
The changes made by the Cruise Lines venture as new flooring, color schemes and other textured wallpaper for indoor remained largely intact. Even the small casino which was established in 1978, remained on the Italis in use. Likewise remained the furniture and deck loungers, which in 1978 bought together in a hurry, on board and have not been fully replaced again by the originals that had Chandris then taken before the sale of the Austalis board.
For a short time the former Australis was once the largest ship and flagship of the Chandris fleet and, as before, the only one that had no white-painted hull.
