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PAGE FOUR: MV PRINCESA VICTORIA Tour
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Following a cloudburst and just as the sun begins to set, a glistening PRINCESA VICTORIA awaits at her Limassol berth in December of 1997. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
In 1993, THE VICTORIA was sold to Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines, a relatively new subdivision of the decades old Louis Organization (which owns hotels and operates tours throughout the Cyprus region). With Limassol as home port, the company offers two and three night cruises to Egypt and The Holy Land in conjunction with land tours and hotel stays.
With the slightly amended name PRINCESA VICTORIA, the venerable ship joined two other vessels in the short cruise circuit: the 9,984 gt 733 passenger PRINCESA CYPRIA (ex PRINSESSE MARGRETHE, LU JIANG, ASIA ANGEL.), and the 10,487 gt 853 passenger PRINCESA MARISSA (ex FINNHANSA, PRINSESSAN). In the meantime, the smaller 4858 gt 327 passenger 1957-built PRINCESA AMOROSA (ex SCOTTISH COAST, GALAXIAS) ventured on longer jaunts into the Aegean from Limassol.
Despite the political turmoil of the region, the company managed to prosper and has since increased its fleet with the addtion of THE EMERALD (ex SANTA ROSA, DIAMOND ISLAND, REGENT RAINBOW), CALYPSO (CANGURO VERDE, REGENT JEWEL, REGENT CALYPSO), LA PALMA (FERDINAND DE LESSEPS, etc.), SAPPHIRE (ITALIA, PRINCESS ITALIA, OCEAN PRINCESS, etc.), AUSONIA, and SERENADE (JEAN MERMOZ, MERMOZ). Several of these ships are chartered out while others are diverted on alternate itineraries such as Malta-based cruises to Italy and North Africa and off-the-beaten-path cruises to the Aegean.
PRINCESA VICTORIA has been well-cared for over the years and is a credit to her builders, past, and present owners for giving over sixty years of reliable service. Your reporter sailed in PRINCESA VICTORIA in December of 1997 on two back-to-back cruises to Israel from Limassol and then revisited the ship in December of 1998 during her annual layup at Perama. Her condition is remarkable and she has recently been given a SOLAS refit which will hopefully keep her sailing for several more years.
A 3/4 stern view of the PRINCESA VICTORIA, a ship that is beautiful from all angles. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
In October of 1997, PRINCESA VICTORIA came to the rescue of her former fleetmate ROMANZA, then sailing as Paradise Cruises' ROMANTICA. When the ROMANTICA caught fire off Limassol, the PRINCESA VICTORIA helped disembark many of her passengers in an event eerily similar to that in 1979 when she rescued the ROMANZA's passeners at Dhenousa. This time, ROMANTICA/ROMANZA would not return to service, having been completely burnt-out in the fire, although all of her passengers and crew were saved.
In the summer of 1998, PRINCESA VICTORIA was chartered for stationary use at Lisbon during the Expo and in 2001, she served as an accommodation ship at the G8 Summit in Genova. The Castle-Gayzer Group of London has expressed interest in preserving the PRINCESA VICTORIA as a floating hotel in London at some point in the near future. Their original plans to utilize AMERIKANIS (former KENYA CASTLE) were aborted when that ship was sold to Indian shipbreakers earlier this year.
Now, let's go aboard and see how the venerable beauty looks today, beginning with a look at the deck areas and wheelhouse.
This view from the PRINCESA VICTORIA's monkey island shows just how well maintained the ship is, with her freshly painted sports deck in the foreground. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997
This view from just aft of the funnel casing shows not only the lido deck but also the aft portion of Pearl Deck, which is slightly elevated from the side promenades to allow extra ceiling height in the Riviera Ballroom just below. Note the fresh new deck turfing. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
In this view facing aft from the port bridge wing, the original DUNNOTTAR CASTLE superstructure is even more readily visible than before as the wood window frames are returned to their natural state. Note underneath the Louis lettering, the embossed THE VICTORIA surfacing. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
The PRINCESA VICTORIA's wheelhouse is full of original brass equipment and even sports a wooden helm wheel. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
The forward portion of Pearl Deck (which happens to be the ship's uppermost passenger level) is protected by a glass windscreen, as shown in this port-facing view. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
Pearl Deck continues on either side with traditional Boat Deck promenades, where shuffleboard and other deck games can be enjoyed. This view is facing aft along the port side. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
The aft portion of Pearl Deck contains a small gym and children's playroom as well as eight large cabins. The far aft section has an elevated sunning platform that overlooks the stern, as shown in this forward-facing view. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
The view over PRINCESA VICTORIA's lido from Pearl Deck shows the two famous pools and expansive deck space. The small footbridge was removed in recent years. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
The games area on forward Rendezvous Deck can only be accessed by stairs on either side that lead down from Pearl Deck. In this image, the bridge looms over the windscreened portion of Pearl Deck, which is just atop the picture windows of the El Patio Lounge. The simple lines of this sculpted facade contribute significantly to the PRINCESA VICTORIA's good looks and are a refreshing contrast to the angled, monolithic planes of solid shell plating found on ships of today. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
The outer portion of Rendezvous Deck continues on either side aft of the El Patio Lounge with sheltered promenades. The port side is occupied by a Winter Garden that is even more inviting with its rattan furniture than it was with its white painted metal fixtures. This view is facing aft. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
Meanwhile, the port side of Rendezvous Deck begins with glass panels and opens up to a sheltered area that has plenty of room for deck chairs. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
From underneath the overhang of Pearl Deck, this port facing view captures the forward portion of the first pool as well as one of the famous spiral staircases. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
From the far aft end of Rendezvous Deck, the PRINCESA VICTORIA's lido is much the same as it was in the ships previous THE VICTORIA and VICTORIA incarnations. The freshly turfed surfacing is well tended as seen in this forward-facing view. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
The view aft from the PRINCESA VICTORIA's focsle not only captures more of her architectural symmetry, but reveals the polished original brass VICTORIA bell in the foreground. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
More sunning space can be found on aft Sapphire Deck, one level below the Lido. The windows in the foreground belong to the Library/Card Room. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.
Continue Here For a Tour of PRINCESA VICTORIA's public rooms....
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