PRINCESS DAPHNE on her way to the beach...

PRINCESS DAPHNE, the final cruise ship under control of the Lisbon branch of the Potamianos Family, sailed yesterday, 17 May 2014, from Souda Bay, in the island of Crete, bound for Port Said and the beaches of Alang, the India final destination for so many ships. 

For this final "cruise" she was renamed DAPHNE and now sails under the Kitts and Nevis flag. As PRINCESS DAPHNE this classic beautiful ship had been laying at Souda Bay since October 2012 when four Classic International Cruises ships still operating at the time, were arrested in the Mediterranean.

PRINCESS DAPHNE was the last cruise ship purchased by the late Georgios Petros Potamianos, founder of Lisbon-based Classic International Cruises, an organization developed following the purchase of the FUNCHALin August 1985 from Portuguese state owned company CTM - Companhia Portuguesa de Transportes Marítimos.

Georgios Potamianos operated six classic passenger liners and cruise ships from Lisbon, the largest being the VASCO DA GAMA. Over the years he was able to become a successful independent operator of classic older passenger ship tonnage. However Mr. Potamianos passed away in May 2012 and like so many other Greek shipping concerns his heritage did not survive for long. 

Early in 2013 Georgios Potamianos sons reached an agreement with a Lisbon bank and retained ownership of the PRINCESS DAPHNE, while the bank sold the other remaining ships to Portuscale Cruises. Unfortunately they were unable to return this ship to commercial cruise service despite some efforts, and so DAPHNE has just been sold for scrap.

PRINCESS DAPHNE was built in 1955 in Newcastle for Port Line as PORT SYDNEY. She was sold in 1972 to J. C. Karras and rebuilt as a luxury cruise ship, returning to service in 1975.

Photos of the PRINCESS DAPHNE taken in Tangiers on 14 September 2010 by Luís Miguel Correia from fleetmate ATHENA. Bth ships were cruising in tandem for several days...