Portuguese cruise ship LISBOA, the former PRINCESS DANAE has cancelled the 2014 cruise program geared to the French market due to start in late February, it has just been announced by Portuscale CEO, Mr. Rui Alegre. The rebuilding of this classic lady is taking much more time than expected and cancelling the cruises avoids repeating the last minute delays of FUNCHAL in August 2013. LISBOA is being refitted in Lisbon, at the Navalrocha dry dock nº. 1. The hull has just been repainted deep dark blue this week and work is still progressing aboard her.
The LISBOA was built in Greece in 1974-75 for Karras Cruises using the hull and main engines of Port Line's cargo passenger liner PORT MELBOURNE of 1955. It happens that the steel and other materials used in Greece were not of the same high quality as the materials used in Belfast in 1954-1955, and probably the rebuilding set another 20 years of active service, while she in fact has sailed for much longer. Rebuilding a classic lady like LISBOA takes time and all the care, so in order to avoid last minute delays, and repeat the situation faced by FUNCHAL last August, it makes all the sense to refit the ship and then introduce her into service in due time...
Mr. Rui Alegre, the CEO of Portuscale Cruise issued a press release yesterday in French:
"Chers partenaires et clients,
Comme vous le savez le M/V LISBOA subit actuellement d’importantes rénovations avec pour but le confort et l’entière satisfaction de nos passagers. Il s’avère que la situation technique, sécurité et normes de l’ex Princess Danae nécessite beaucoup plus d’interventions qu’initialement prévues et surtout nous avons découvert de nombreuses anomalies non signalées sur les documents de contrôle du paquebot lors de l’achat.
Par précaution, je préfère stopper la progression du chantier le temps de tirer cette fâcheuse situation au clair et décide, ce jour, de suspendre la commercialisation jusqu’à nouvel ordre.
Afin de respecter et surtout d’assurer à nos clients et partenaires qui nous ont accordé leur confiance et qui désiraient vraiment la renaissance du Lisboa, j’ai décidé de suspendre toutes les croisières 2014.
Bien entendu, nous ferons le nécessaire afin que vous ne subissiez aucun préjudice. Nous n’avions à ce jour effectué aucun encaissement, individuels ni agence. Merci encore pour votre confiance et compréhension. RUI ALEGRE"
Let's ish the actual problems facing the present refitting work will be solved and that LISBOA returns to service in good technical conditions in due time... Meanwhile check our previous post on the LISBOA here.