Posted on Friday, February 8, 2013 by Peter Knego
The MV FUNCHAL at Lisbon this past September. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2012.
Luis Miguel Correia reports today on his Ships and the Sea blog that four of the ships operated by Classic International Cruises (CIC) have been sold by creditors to 44-year-old entrepreneur Rui Alegre, who plans to start a new cruise line. A fifth ship, the 1955-built PRINCESS DAPHNE (ex PORT SYDNEY, DAPHNE, etc.) has gone to the Greek-based Potamianos brothers who still operate a branch of the now-defunct company.
In November, creditors seized the PRINCESS DAPHNE along with the 1955-built PRINCESS DANAE (ex PORT MELBOURNE, DANAE, etc.), the 1948-built ATHENA (ex STOCKHOLM, VOLKERFREUNDSCHAFT, etc.), the 1965-built ARION (ex ISTRA, ASTRA, etc.) and the 1960-built FUNCHAL when the Portuguese division of CIC collapsed. The FUNCHAL was in the midst of a stalled refit at Lisbon and the other ships were employed in charter service for various operators.
Hopefully more news will soon become available about the deployments of each ship but at least for now, it looks like several classics have been granted a reprieve from continued lay up or retirement.
Special thanks: Luis Miguel Correia
alan dumelow
February 8, 2013 at 12:43 am
Who is this young 44-year-old entrepreneur Rui Alegre? And does he really know what he’s letting himself in for with four ill-matched classics? And poor old Funchal is completely stripped of accommodation with all the wood panelling removed and will cost another Euros 8 million to refit to comply with SOLAs and Class.
But, hey, good luck to Rui. At least Athena and Danae are saved.
Hank
February 8, 2013 at 10:02 am
I gasped when I saw this! Yay!
Hank
February 8, 2013 at 10:03 am
I hope this comes to pass.
M/Y CATHERINE D
February 9, 2013 at 5:02 am
Congretulation Rui,
Very good news and good luck.
Sincerely
Ludovic
Kenenth Eden
February 9, 2013 at 11:11 am
I too gasped when I READ the above, and not in a yeah way.
Actually, who is this Rui person. I could Google but will rely on MM to give answer.
Raquel Sabino Pereira
February 9, 2013 at 11:40 am
Alan Dumelow, where do you come from? Certainly NOT from my country. In my country we LOVE ships for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health. So please DO us a favour and keep your comments such as «Four ill-matched classics» and «poor old Funchal» to yourself. Thank you.
Raquel Sabino Pereira
February 9, 2013 at 11:49 am
Alan Dumelow, ever heard about the Empire of the Cork? it’s where this really young entreprenneur (as you call him) comes from. From a really small country which, by the way, holds the monopoly of cork production. Small World, huh?
Have “Fun, shall” we?
XO,
Raquel
Ricardo
February 9, 2013 at 4:04 pm
É verdade o Funchal, o Princess Danae, o Arion e o Athena foram adquiridos por este jovem empresário. É um homem que fez fortuna no negócio da cortiça, imobiliário, e que detém participações em diversas empresas dos mais variados sectores de actividade. Realmente ainda não se conhece o desfecho desta compra, mas certamente nos próximos tempos existirão notícias sobre o futuro dos mesmos.
Obrigado Peter por dar ênfase a esta notícia.
Desculpe exprimir-me em Português, mas é uma língua falada por 280 milhões de pessoas, penso que a maior parte dos presentes também irá perceber o conteúdo
Com os melhores cumprimentos
Ricardo
Hank -to Alan
February 9, 2013 at 7:59 pm
Hi Alan, long time no see.
Hank
February 9, 2013 at 8:01 pm
I absolutely love FUNCHAL, ATHENA, the PRINCESSES, and the lovely ARION.
alan dumelow
February 10, 2013 at 1:44 am
Hi Hank ~ How goes it? Guess you’ve seen that Grant Hunter (ex CIC Australia) has renewed his aquaintance with CMV (after the Delphin fiasco) and taken “Astor” for three years’ charter down-under to replace Athena.
Was going to retort to Raquel S. Pereira (above) about “freedom of speach”. After all he/she doesn’t know I’ve been a classic ship enthusiast 59 years since age four, and that (in liaison with Alex Potamianos, Montepio & NavalRocha) I’ve been trying to find new homes for the ships.
Have heard that “Daphne” will be taken back on charter by Ambient Cruises, Berlin; which is good.
I nearly had buyers for “Athena” and, yes, ‘poor old’ “Funchal” but, in the latter case, her purchase price+SOLAS refit+refurb was too much. So let’s see what Doctor Rui does with her. After all, she is one of only three Unadulterated classics still (more or less) in service, discounting the internally beautiful but heavily rebuilt Athena and the (can’t really say classic) heavily rebuilt ex Port combi sisters.
Tony Johnston
February 13, 2013 at 11:25 pm
Well, I left New Zealand as .
Junior Engineer Officer on the Port Melbourne in 1965 and after 2 voyages i joined the Port Sydney as 5th Engineer for a further voyage. Its kind of nice to know that your first 2 ships are still operational while all the others have now gone on to a life in the momories
Carlos E. Azevedo
February 14, 2013 at 7:26 pm
Olá Ricardo. Gostei muito de ver seu comentário em Português. Um abraço.
I hope that Mr Rui Alegre has a happy ending with this business. The Funchal deserves all the attention. Despite its small size, its sympathy is not easily found in mega ships of today.
Sincerely,
Carlos.
Hank -to Alan
February 15, 2013 at 9:52 pm
Sorry for the late response time. I just now saw your message Alan. We are having a Bible Study event at church and all the teenagers are at different homes (I’m just going to the worship services). So, it’s busy. I just now got a chance to reply. I did see the article. I’m glad something worked out. I do feel sad that the FUNCHAL lost some of her original interiors, but if it gives the ship a couple more years, I’m for it. ATHENA isn’t original anymore (except the hull), but I agree. Her interiors are charming. We are planning a trip in 2014 on one of three choices. QM2, a trip to the SS ROTTERDAM (leaning for it), or, if a CIC ship is back in service and stays in service, then I would like that.
Do you have any information on when/where and if the Classics are coming back soon? If you do that’d be awesome! If not, I’d like to see SS ROTTERDAM, and CAP SAN DIEGO, SS GREAT BRITAIN, etc.
Feel free to get back with me.
Hank -to Alan
February 15, 2013 at 9:57 pm
And by teenagers, I mean the 80+ kids in the youth group.
I’m only 17, and planning some nice vacations
alan dumelow
February 16, 2013 at 1:46 am
Hank: the only ex CIC ship to presently have a schedule for you to sail on in 2014 is “Princess Daphne” with Ambient Cruises.
We’ll have to wait some time to find out what Doctor Rui is doing with the other four ex CIC ships. Nodoubt charters will figure in the picture somewhere.
alan dumelow
February 16, 2013 at 1:51 am
Hank: The only ex CIC classic with a known cruise schedule for 2014 is the “Princess Daphne” with Ambient Cruises.
We all have to wait and see what Doctor Rui does with the other four ships though, no doubt, charters will be involved.
Hank -to Alan
February 21, 2013 at 10:34 am
Thanks Alan!
Eriza Ridrieka Tatiana Harahap
March 13, 2013 at 7:08 pm
Hi…. im eriza im the one that very happy when i heard and i read in yahoo that CIC come back under Mr. Rui… hoping everything become succesfull, i’ve been working with cic many years, my first ship is Funchal, and the rest is Athena , i love that boat…if the chance coming back on me, i love to work in Athena again…
Sincerely
Eriza RTH
alan dumelow
March 14, 2013 at 4:52 am
Has anyone heard any news about what Doctor Rui Alegre is doing with the four ex CIC ships??? I’ve read that work has restarted onboard Funchal, which is a good sign. But what about Athena Arion and Danae?
NB: Arion is the only one listed for sale on brokers’ websites.
Clive Harvey
March 14, 2013 at 12:26 pm
Arion was due to arrive back in Lisbon today, Thursday 14th.
alan dumelow
March 26, 2013 at 2:41 am
So Doctor Rui Alegre has set up “Portuscale Cruises”. Arion is now back in Lisbon and Athena is due today.
See http://www.cruzeirosjorge.blogspot.com
Hank -to Alan
April 3, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Alan, do you happen to have the website link to Ambient cruises?
Kalle Id
April 4, 2013 at 1:53 am
Hank: http://www.ambiente-kreuzfahrten.de/
Unfortunately the website is available only in German however.
alan dumelow
April 4, 2013 at 5:06 am
Alan > Hank: http://www.ambiente-kreuzfahrten.de Simple.
Hank -to Kalle
April 4, 2013 at 6:36 pm
Yes. That is extremely unfortunate. I was curious if bookings are not available or if they are and you can only book in German. I do not speak German. I think I will probably be booking a QM2 voyage. That is wonderful too though. So regardless, I’ll be having a good time.
Hank -to Alan
April 4, 2013 at 6:37 pm
Thank you Alan! I don’t see bookings, but I will watch the site!
Hank -to Alan and Kalle
April 4, 2013 at 6:42 pm
Google actually translated the page for me (It isn’t the best translation though), and I think I know a little bit more about the situation. QM2 it is!
Grahame Arnold
April 10, 2013 at 2:56 pm
Arion is at Lisbon according to liveships.com but Athena has not moved from Marseille. I cruised on her last year to Norway and would love to sail on her again, should she be saved from the breakers.
josé antunes
April 18, 2013 at 9:10 am
I hope that this Mr. Alegre and his new company have money to pay the suppliers of CIC, still waiting to receive for the job done.
alan dumelow
April 18, 2013 at 11:13 pm
Jose: it is normal practise that ships are sold to a buyer free of outstanding debts and liens. Whatever Dr.Alegre paid Montepio Bank for the four ships, Montepio Bank will be responsible for paying CIC’s debts.
John Duckworth
April 19, 2013 at 9:20 am
Marine traffic shows Princess Danae underway from Marseille at a reasonable 14knots. Direction suggests heading for Gibraltar rather than eastwrds towards the scrapyards of Turkey and Alang
Good news, then!
John Duckworth
April 19, 2013 at 4:04 pm
Update from Marine Traffic tonight suggests destination of Princess Danae is Lisbon.
Hanibal.Rahardjo
May 5, 2013 at 9:39 am
Very good news,my ships are sailing again,hope mr Rui will asking former crew members,from Dannae and Daphne,I am ex Bartender on Princess Dannae and Daphne,Its been more than 7 months at home,Iam really hungry to work,
Hallo to mr Alexander Potamianos, congratulation with Daphne still belong toyou, If you excepting me, Iam really insist to go back to work.
Best wishes to both of you,looking forward for future.