The Doulos has a long and interesting career and also holds the record for longest seagoing passenger ship. She began her life in 1914 as the fruit carrier Medina. In 1948 she was converted into a passenger ship and named Roma, her original profile was drastically altered by the new bow, two extra decks and a raised bridge house. In 1952 the Roma was bought by the Costa Line and renamed Franca C, she also received new engines, a white hull and new passenger accommodations. Later in 1957 she got a more modern funnel and in 1959 she was altered from a three class divided liner into a one class luxury cruise ship. After a long and successful career with Costa she finally left the fleet in 1977. Luckily this was not the end of her, instead of going to the breaker she was bought by OM (Operation Mobilisation). Franca C was renamed Doulos and she was fitted out for her new role as a Christian floating library, one of the major additions was the bookstore on her aft deck. Since then she has visited many countries around the world.
Doulos docked in Scheveningen.
In April 2004 Doulos also visited the port of Scheveningen in Holland and I had my change to see this interesting piece of sailing history. She had just arrived after a stay in Southampton and after photographing the exterior of the ship I took a tour onboard. once onboard you can feel the ambiance of an old ship like the sheer of the decks and the low deck heads, but there were little to non references to her former cargo/liner/cruise careers. The ship is utilized in a practical and functional way for her current role with OM as a sailing book exhibition. The tour was given by Dutch volunteers, they clearly showed that they had a fond relationship with the Doulos and the other OM ships (the old Logos and the Logos II). Doulos is a good example of ships being like small cities. The tour started with a visit to the bridge and boat deck, then we continued to the restaurant in the front part of the ship. The cabins of crew, families and volunteers can be reached by a maze of corridors (fun to walk true but also confusing) A visit to the engine room was interesting and (as expected) noisy. On the walls of the corridors and staircases you could see pictures of the ship during several stages of her life and some framed charts that were left behind from her Franca C period. The fire station which is located on the promenade deck keeps a constant check of the entire ship, a possible danger of a fire outbreak is taken very serious and each day the fire-fighters have a thorough fire drill. Also located on the promenade deck are the bakery and the laundry station. Deep inside the hull is the storage of books, videos, and CD's that are sold in the book store above on her aft deck. There is a lift going to the bookstore, each time a new country is visited the books need to be changed with copies in the correct language. Al the shelving units are fitted tightly between the outer bulkheads of the hull. The tour ended with a visit to the book exhibition, where I bought a nice little history booklet of Doulos and the OM ships and some postcards.

For more pictures and information I also have a ship file of the Doulos or check out the official site of the OM ships.
The restaurant onboard Doulos, low deck heads and the sheer is easily visable.
Doulos engine room, three levels of diesel engines, catwalks, machinery and piping.
Another look inside the engine room
A look along the promenade, first door leads to the fire station, in the middle the bakery and aft the laundry station.
A shot of her book/videos/CD storage deep inside her hull. Note: in the back you can see the bullheads of her hull.
Overlooking the lounge deck.
A view of the bridge and bridge wing
Overlooking her foredeck.