CLASSIC CRUISING
was at once engaging, mellow and hugely educational.
Inside, most of the public rooms are on one main deck, and this allows for pretty easy passenger flow for the 550 or so pas- sengers Athena can carry. Right forward, there is a show lounge with the stage at the rear, a sit-up bar and terraced seating flanked by a line of pil- lars. The overall colouring is a slate grey for furnishings here. Throughout the public areas, Athena boasts some elegant Murano glass lighting fixtures mounted on the walls. Walking aft, there are a couple of cosy annexes, including a beautiful little bar used for private Captain’s receptions, and a small library. Both of these benefits from floor- to-ceiling windows that admit a lovely wash of sunshine on fine days. The adja- cent casino has a similar treatment, but did not see much use on this cruise. Next along is the elegant main lounge, built around the upper level of the two-sto- rey atrium lobby. This can also be accessed by a twin spiral stairway that ascends from the reception deck below. With its gleam- ing brass railings and central, pale-blue light sculpture, this makes for an elegant focal point for the entire ship. There are table groupings right the way around the rim of the upper level, together with a long bar and a piano. This also fea- tured live jazz until into the midnight hour. Walking aft, a large buffet leads on to the main lido pool area. This was open for breakfast and lunch, but not every night for dinner. Most meals were taken in the main dining room, and no other room
70 WORLD OF CRUISING I Winter 2010 / 2011
so captured the ship’s past as this room. It extends the full width of the ship, with double rows of portholes along its entire length. Some of the original Swedish American ice buckets are still in circula- tion, if you look closely. It operates in two sittings, with tables for 2-6 guests. While the menu choices are not as extensive as newer ships, the food is generally very good – soups were often outstanding – and the service was polite and not over the top. All in all, the dining operation is a hugely enjoyable experi- ence. Buffets, while not overly fussed, were well worth savouring outdoors in the benign Croatian sunshine.
private verandas. Again, the retro feel predominates; the chunky chairs and sofas could have been lifted intact from the lobby of some high-end New York hotel in the 1950s. Every room in all categories has a bath as well as a shower.
C My room also had a bidet, as well as
two real portholes that exerted something akin to fascination in me. Two portholes – I knew I really was on an ocean liner. But wheat really makes the CIC experi- ence so intense is the hospitality level on these ships.
Officers were to be seen around at all
hours, checking on services and chatting to guests. The amiable captain, Carlos Pizar- ro, and hotel manager Avelino Martins were almost always in evidence, leading from the front and setting the tone aboard
abins range from compact insides to two-room suites with Jacuzzi baths, separate bedrooms and
a ship where the staff exhibit a palpable, ongoing concern for the well-being of the passengers in their charge. Of course, the relatively small size of the ship nurtures an air of intimacy in any event. It also makes getting on and off quick and easy, whether by tender or gang- way. However, that gangway can be steep in some ports, and care is necessary. In sum, Athena is a finely-crafted time capsule that takes you on two voyages in one. Venture to some spellbinding ports while at the same time enjoying the incredible ambience and aura of this fabu- lous, almost fairytale piece of engineering. Combine very reasonable onboard prices and the complete lack of any kind of hard sell, and you get what amounts to a little slice of old world civility, gifted with an adventurer’s heart for exploring. Athena is a ship with a warm soul. Open, honest and unpretentious, she has the ability to charm and relax you at the same time. How many travel experiences can truly make that claim in these strait- ened times?
FACT FILE
Athena
Maiden Voyage: 1948; refurbished 1994 and 2004 Tonnage: 16,144 Length: 525ft Beam: 69ft Draft: 26ft Speed: 19 knots Passengers: 550 (double occupancy) Crew: 260
Passenger decks: 8 Registry: Portugal ITINERARIES: winter, Rome-Fremantle (Australia), Australia and south-east Asia; spring, Fremantle-Portsmouth; summer, northern Europe and Mediterranean.
MORE INFO: in the UK, call 020 8324 3115 or visit
www.classicintcruises.
co.uk.
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