The FRANCA C ship of Costa Cruises was originally built in 1914 as a cargo ship in Philadelphia under the name SS Medina and operated until 2009. At the time of its retirement, it was the oldest operating oceanic passenger ship.
In 1952, it was purchased at auction by shipowner Giacomo Costa, and from 1953 to 1977, it worked for Costa Cruises. Renamed DOULOS (a Greek term meaning 'servant') in 1978, it was operated by the German charitable organization Gute Bücher für Alle (Good Books for All). Until 2009, it was used as a floating bookstore.
It's interesting to note that today, the FRANCA C still exists! The 109-year-old ship was pulled out of the water, renamed DOULOS PHOS, and transformed into a 5-star hotel by Bintan Resort International.
The hotel was inaugurated in 2019 and has 104 rooms, all with a sea view. The hotel is located on Bintan Island, Indonesia.
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