Cruise Wonderland >> Virtual Ship Tours >> Princess Daphne


Entered Service 1955 March 5th (as Port Sydney)
2008 November 14th (as Princess Daphne)
 

Princess Daphne is named after Daphne, the beautiful daughter of Earth and the river god Peneus. In Greek mythology, she was the personification of the laurel tree. She turned into the tree in order to escape the unwelcomed love of Apollo. Both Greeks and Romans regard Daphne a symbol of victory, wisdom and poetry.

Built in 1955, the vessel was originally a cargo-passenger ship called Port Sydney. She underwent her first conversion into a cruise ship from 1972 to 1975. Since then she has been rebuilt and refurbished several times. In 2008, Princess Daphne became the latest vessel to sail under Classic International Cruises, and reunited with her sister Princess Danae (former Port Melbourne) again. Since 2012 she is under charter to Ambiente Kreuzfahrten, a new German cruise company.

Princess Daphne has a charming, graceful classic profile, and a deep and sturdy hull for long-distance voyages. The well appointed public areas, spacious open decks, relaxing atmosphere and comfortable cabin accommodation make the ship a perfect choice for traditional cruising around the world. Her range of facilities include an elegant dining room, showlounge, four bars, library, shops, gymnasium, sauna and outdoor swimming pool. Every day there are a wide range of activities and entertainment programmes.

As a small vessel, Princess Daphne sails around the world and is able to call at many lesser visited ports. She is a ship suitable to elderly European passengers. In contrast with modern super liners, she offers a quiet, memorable and personalized cruising experience that combined attentive service by the experienced Portuguese staff and crew with warmth and friendship.  It is cruising as it was meant to be, where a sense of ocean, all its mystery, adventure and nautical traditions can be found.

Builder Swan Hunter Shipbuilders, Newcastle (England)
Original Cost unknown
Registry Madeira, Portugal
Gross Tonnage 15833 tons
Length x Beam x Draft 162.4 x 21.3 x 7.8 (m), 532.7 x 69.9 x 25.6 (ft)
Speed 16 knots
Passenger Decks 8
Number of Cabins
(Inside / Oceanview / Balcony)
241 (53, 182, 6)
Passengers
(Standard Occupancy /
Full Occupancy)
479 / 593
(maximum 508 in accordance with
the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate)
Total Crew 200
Navigation Officers European
IMO Number, Call Sign 5282627, CQSD
Sister Ships Princess Danae (Classic International Cruises)
History 1955-1972: Port Sydney (Port Line)
1972-1975: Akrotiri Express (J.C. Karras)
1975-1978: Daphne (Delian Cruises)
1978-1979: Daphne (StarLauro Cruises)
1979-1990: Daphne (Costa Cruises)
1990-1996: Daphne (Prestige Cruises)
1996-2001: Switzerland (Leisure Cruises)
2001-2002: [laid up]
2002-2002: Ocean Odyssey (Majestic International Cruises)
2002-2004: Ocean Monarch (Majestic International Cruises)
2004-2004: Hellenic Aid (hospital ship)
2004-2006: Ocean Monarch (Majestic International Cruises)
2006-2007: Ocean Monarch (Golden Sun Cruises)
2007-2008: Ocean Monarch (Monarch Classic Cruises)
2008-2008: Ocean Monarch (Classic International Cruises)
2008-2012: Princess Daphne (Classic International Cruises)
2012- : Princess Daphne (Ambiente Kreuzfahrten)

(Unless otherwise specified, information about Princess Daphne in this virtual ship tour was correct at the time of publishing after the author visited the ship in March 2011. Cruise Wonderland would like to express our gratitude to Classic International Cruises in organizing the ship tour for us.)

Click on different decks to view the details:
Deck 7 / Deck 6 / Deck 5 / Deck 4 / Deck 3 / Deck 2 / Deck 1 / Observation Deck

(On Princess Daphne, decks are arranged in numerically descending order as going upwards in levels.)


Deck 7 (Mediterranean Deck)
Deck 7 is the lowest passenger-accessible deck. It consists of passenger accommodation (inside and outside cabins) and the Medical Centre.

Medical Centre:
The Medical Centre is located at the forward end of Deck 7 and provides basic medical services for passengers. It can only be reached by the forward staircase.

Inside Cabins:
Accommodations on Princess Daphne are divided into 12 categories. Inside cabins can be found on Deck 7 (Categories 1 and 2), Deck 6 (Category 1), Deck 5 (Categories 3 and 4) and Deck 3 (Category 4) respectively. All cabins are equipped with two lower beds, air conditioning, satellite TV, telephone, closet and drawer space, bath and overhead shower plus en suite facilities.


Deck 6 (Pacific Deck)
There are the front desk, the tour desk, together with inside and outside cabins, on Deck 6.

Reception:
The Reception is situated near the aft staircase and is open 24 hours a day. Exchange services are available.

Excursion Office:
The Excursion Office is located beside the Reception, at the port side of Deck 6. Shore excursions can be booked here.

Reception Excursion Office Lobby
     

Outside Superior Cabin (Cabin Category 7) Pacific Deck Hallway Pacific Deck Aft Staircase


Deck 5 (Atlantic Deck)
Deck 5 is a cabin deck which houses inside cabins, outside cabins and Junior Suites.

Outside Cabins:
Outside cabins can be found on Deck 7 (Categories 5 and 6), Deck 6 (Categories 6 and 7) and Deck 5 (Category 7) respectively. They have porthole windows, two lower twin beds (arranged in L-shaped in some cabins) and other similar features as inside cabins.

Junior Suites:
46 Junior Suites (Category 8) are located on Deck 5, in which each of them has two porthole windows. In addition to the features that are found in inside and outside cabins, each Junior Suite also has a sofa, refrigerator and hairdryer.

Inside Superior Cabin (Cabin Category 3) Junior Suite (Cabin Category 8) Atlantic Deck Hallway


Deck 4 (Panorama Deck)
Deck 4 comprises most of the public rooms. The main restaurant, showlounge, bars, card room, library, Internet centre, the gift shop and the photo shop are all located here.

Restaurant:
Positioned forward of Deck 4, the 476-seat and non-smoking Restaurant is the place for formal dining. There are tables for 2, 4, 6 and 8. It offers à la carte breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day in single seating. Lighter breakfasts and lunch buffets are also served in the buffet area for those who prefer more casual mealtimes.

Restaurant Restaurant Restaurant (Buffet Area)

Gift Shop:
The Gift Shop is in between the Restaurant and the Library.
Logo merchandise, fashion, duty-free items like liquor, jewelry and cosmetics are sold here.

Photo Shop:
Photographs taken by the ship's photographers are displayed and can be purchased in the Photo Shop, which is opposite to the Library.

Gift Shop Gift Shop Gift Shop & Photo Shop

Card Room / Library / Internet Café:
Situated at the starboard side near the aft staircase, the multi-purposed room is able to accommodate 18 people. It can be a library, a card room or an Internet café according to different needs.

Main Lounge:
The 366-seat Main Lounge, which is located between the aft staircase and the two bars at the stern, is the principle showlounge on the ship. There is a wooden dance floor and a small stage for small-scale cabaret acts, lectures and ballroom dancing.

Card Room / Library / Internet Café Main Lounge Main Lounge

Veranda Bar / Club Room / Piano Bar:
Among the four bars on Princess Daphne, three of them are on Deck 3. The Veranda Bar and the Club Room are located at the aft end and can house 50 and 47 guests respectively. The Piano Bar is at the port side amidships, and has a capacity of 88 guests.

Veranda Bar Club Room Piano Bar


Deck 3 (Promenade Deck)
Deck 3 is composed of passenger cabins (in which most of them are suites), the Wellness Centre and the Promenade.

Wellness Centre (Beauty Salon / Spa / Fitness Centre):
Originally being a cinema, aft area of Deck 3 now becomes the well-equipped Wellness Centre. It consists of the Beauty Salon, the Fitness Centre with aft-facing view, as well as the Aqua Vitalis Spa with sauna, massage and treatment rooms.

Beauty Salon

Beauty Salon Spa (Treatment Room)
     
Spa (Hydro Massage) Spa (Sunbed) Fitness Centre

Promenade:
The wrap-around Promenade provides a excellence place for outdoor walking.

Promenade Promenade Deck Aft Lift Promenade Deck Hallway

Premium Oceanview Cabins:
18 Premium Oceanview Cabins (Category 9) are located at the aft end of Deck 3. Each has convertible double or twin beds, a large picture window, refrigerator, personal safe, hairdryer and other private facilities. These cabins are all promenade-facing, and some have obstructed view.

Superior Junior Suites and Deluxe Suites:
18 Superior Junior Suites (24
m2, Category 10) have 2 lower twin beds or double bed, large picture window, daily fresh fruit and all other items same as those in lower graded cabins. Some have separate living and sleeping area. 3 Deluxe Suites (29m2, Category 11) are situated at the forward end, and are similar to Superior Junior Suites.

Premium Oceanview Cabin (Cabin Category 9)

Superior Junior Suite A (Cabin Category 10) Superior Junior Suite B (Cabin Category 10)


Deck 2 (Bridge Deck)
Deck 2 has a bar, disco, outdoor swimming pool and open area at the aft end, and also upper promenades at the two sides amidships. The Navigation Bridge is positioned forward on this deck.

Neptune Bar & Disco:
With a capacity of 104 guests, the Neptune Bar has the aft view over the Swimming Pool, and at the same time acts as a disco with a mini dance floor. Casual self-service poolside buffets can also be taken into the indoor area.

Swimming Pool:
The large Swimming Pool is surrounded by the Sun Deck and the Neptune Bar & Disco, with much outdoor space for sunbathing, organizing deck parties and playing shuffleboards.

Neptune Bar & Disco

Swimming Pool Swimming Pool Area


Deck 1 (Sun Deck)
Deck 1 is the highest deck reached by elevator and with passenger accommodations. The aft, semi-circular open deck provides nice views of the swimming pool area one deck below. There are also table tennis table and dartboard.

Veranda Suites:
The largest cabins on Princess Daphne are the 6 Veranda Suites (31
m2, Category 12) on Deck 1. In addition to all the basic features, each also has a private balcony with two deck chairs, a separate bedroom with double bed, as well as a living room with sofa, mini-bar and large glass-topped coffee table. Fresh fruit is available daily.

Swimming Pool Area Sun Deck Sun Deck Hallway
     

Veranda Suite (Cabin Category 12)

Veranda Suite (Cabin Category 12)

Veranda Suite (Cabin Category 12)


Observation Deck
The highest deck on the ship is the Observation Deck. From the forward end to midship area under the funnel, passengers can enjoy panoramic views and overlook the aft pool as well as the Sun Deck. It can only be reached by the outdoor stairs.


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