Cruise History: The Compañia Internacional Transportadora or Arosa Line was founded by Nicolo Rizzi.  He was a Swiss/Italian financier.   A little known shipping service – THE AROSA LINE – it provided Trans-Atlanitc service for immigrants and students.

The company was known as a Swiss organization – all the ships were registered in countries of convenience – such as Panama and Liberia.

These were small ships, without stabilizers and could provide a very rough crossing.

A limited amount of first class passengers were carried on each liner.  This was done to secure a lower tourist class fare.  It was a required by the Trans-Atlantic Passenger Steamship Conference.

The SS AROSA SUN – AT SEA

The SS AROSA KUHN – READY TO DEPART FROM CANADA TO EUROPE

During the 1950s, it was difficult to operate an all tourist class ship because of the association.  Passenger companies had to belong to the TA Conference in order to sell easily to travel agents and have an exchange for tickets should passengers want to return on another line.

These are  various shipboard photos of sailing aboard THE AROSA LINE in the 1950s.  Many students were carried.

Rizzi took advantage of the immigrant trade, along with students and tourists on limited budgets, sailing from Canada, the USA to Europe.

His company filled a niche for half a decade.

But cheaper air fares, the jets, competition from mayor companies such as Cunard, French Line, US Lines, etc. – who were matching his fares and had newer ships – soon forced the Arosa Line into bankruptcy.

Exchange students going to Germany ’58-59. Sailing under the auspices of American Friends Service on the SS Arosa Star.

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