as a fingerprint. Athena’s gracefully raked bow displays her transatlantic past as unmistakably as the badge on the bonnet of a Rolls-Royce. That bow flares out into twin soaring,
graceful flanks studded with thousands of rivets, and her vast steel plates were notably thrown into sharp relief by the first fresh rays of the autumn Croatian sunshine as it swept along the soaring, snow-white length of the hull.
At the stern, an elegant counter is bal-
anced by a waterline sponson that runs for approximately one third of Athena’s length. This was added during the 1994 re- fit to give the ship a much-needed increase in stability. From the shore, you can easily discern
the graceful upward sheer of her decks at both bow and stern. The sum total is a staunch, wondrous hull that is among the strongest afloat anywhere, as well as easily the most beautiful. While Athena has every mod con you
could want inside, that hull displays – no, flaunts – her ancestry with a sense of
almost unique individuality. It is as stun- ning as any great cathedral, and just as intricate in many ways, too.
at the stern that overlooks the lido pool, the only one of its kind I can recall. This resembles nothing so much as one of the docking bridges from any of the pre WWI transatlantic liners and, as vantage spots go, it is one of the nicest afloat. The upper decks around the funnel are largely composed of Astroturf, and are mainly full when Athena enters or leaves
T
he full-length promenade deck is narrow but encircles the ship com- pletely. It includes a raised terrace
port. The busiest decks are invariably the lido, which also has a large outdoor buffet area. This gets quite crowded at times. One deck above, a sublime terrace
bar overlooks the stern, sprinkled with umbrella-shaded tables and chairs. Both of these outdoor areas proved popular in the balmy warmth of a mellow autumn, with a roistering soundtrack of live jazz on offer most nights.
Like Rogers and Astaire, there is something about combining vintage liners and excellent jazz that just feels so right; a seamless, almost poetic combination that raises a beautifully scenic cruise to the level of fine art. The whole experience
Winter 2010 / 2011 I WORLD OF CRUISING 69
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104