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Monarch Classic Cruises
 
This page is still under construction!
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of Monarch Classic Cruises. An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. The Table beneath gives links to complete history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table is a Fleet List in chronological order.
 
Monarch is a subsidiary of Majestic International Cruises who own the two vessels. In 2007, Ocean Monarch runs 3- and 4-day cruises out of Piraeus, whilst Blue Monarch takes a 7-day circuit from the same port.
 
 
Ships on This Page:-
Blue Monarch
Ocean Countess
Ocean Monarch
 
Associated Pages:-
Majestic International Cruises
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page
 
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Table of Ship Histories

Name

Other names

 Built
 Blue Monarch  Renaissance, World Renaissance, Awani Dream, Grand Victoria, etc

 1966
 Ocean Countess  Cunard Countess, Olympic Countess, Ocean Countess, Lili Marleen, Ruby

 1974
 Ocean Monarch  Port Sydney, Akrotiri Express, Daphne, Switzerland, Ocean Monarch, etc

 1954
 
 
 
 
 
 
Monarch Classic Cruises
 
 
Ocean Monarch
(Majestic International Cruises - Monarch Classic Cruises)
 
Ocean Monarch was built in 1955 as the fast cargo liner Port Sydney for Port Line's UK-Australia express service. Port Sydney and her sister Port Melbourne had a service speed of 17 knots, faster than most contemporary cargo ships. This made them suitable for conversion to passenger use and in 1972, both ships were sold to John Karras for conversion to car ferries, as Akrotiri Express and Therissos Express. However, the plans changed, and instead they were completely rebuilt as the up-market cruise ships Danae and Daphne, operated by Delian Cruises on lengthy (and expensive cruises). Daphne entered service in July 1975, but the venture was not a success, and both ships were offered for charter, Daphne sailing for Lauro Lines between 1978-1979. Both ships were then chartered by Costa Lines, and purchased outright in 1984.
 
In 1990, Danae and Daphne were transferred to Prestige Cruises, a joint venture between Costa Lines and Sovcomflot, receiving new funnel colours. Sovcomflot later pulled out of the agreement, and she returned to Costa. In 1996, for delivery in 1997, Daphne was sold to a Swiss company who renamed her Switzerland. She was managed by Leisure Cruises, and was largely owned by Swissair, who went bankrupt in 2001. Switzerland was sold soon afterwards to Majestic International Cruises who renamed her as the Ocean Monarch (after a possible period as Ocean Odyssey). She was chartered to Page & Moy, Hansa Kreuzfahrten and again Page & Moy. In 2004 she spent time in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, as a hospital ship for tsunami victims as the Hellenic Aid. After returning for another Page & Moy charter, there were plans to send her to New Orleans as a Hurricane Katrina relief ship. This fell through, and she was laid up in Eleusis Bay, whilst Majestic put her up for sale.
 
At this time there was dispute between Louis Cruise Lines and Golden Sun Cruises over the ownership of the Aegean I, the ship being taken over by the Greek courts until resolved. Golden Sun Cruises needed a replacement vessel for booked passengers, and took Ocean Monarch on charter. This proved surprisingly successful, and for 2007 Majestic International Cruises have advertised her themselves, through new subsidiary Monarch Classic Cruises. The return of Ocean Countess from bankrupt Holiday Kreuzfahrten meant that she was advertised to replace Ocean Monarch. However, Ocean Countess was chartered for 2007 to Louis Hellenic Cruise Lines and renamed Ruby, to replace the lost Sea Diamond. Ocean Monarch was reactivated in her place.
 
In 2008 Ocean Monarch was sold to Classic International Cruises, joining her sister Princess Danae. It was announced that she would become the Princess Daphne, but for 2008 continued to run as Ocean Monarch.
 
Complete history of Ocean Monarch
 
 
Monarch Classic Cruises image of Ocean Monarch.
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Monarch Cruises brochure for Ocean Monarch.
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Ocean Monarch at Piraeus, with Perla of Louis Cruise Lines
Photo: © Tien-Lun Yao, 10th January 2007
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Ocean Monarch at Piraeus, with Perla of Louis Cruise Lines
Photo: © Tien-Lun Yao, 10th January 2007
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Ocean Monarch at Piraeus, with Perla of Louis Cruise Lines
Photo: © Tien-Lun Yao, 10th January 2007
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Ocean Monarch at Piraeus, with Perla of Louis Cruise Lines
Photo: © Tien-Lun Yao, 10th January 2007
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Ocean Monarch at Piraeus, with Perla, Ivory and Calypso of Louis Cruise Lines
Photo: © Tien-Lun Yao, 10th January 2007
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Ocean Monarch at Dubrovnik in Classic International colours (Portuguese flag)
Photo: © Ivo Batricevic, September 2008
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Ocean Monarch at Dubrovnik in Classic International colours
Photo: © Ivo Batricevic, September 2008
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Ocean Monarch at Dubrovnik in Classic International colours
Photo: © Ivo Batricevic, September 2008
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Ocean Monarch at Dubrovnik in Classic International colours
Photo: © Ivo Batricevic, September 2008
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Ocean Monarch at Dubrovnik in Classic International colours
Photo: © Ivo Batricevic, September 2008
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Blue Monarch
(Majestic International Cruises - Monarch Classic Cruises)
 
Blue Monarch was built as the Renaissance for the Paquet's subsidiary Cie. Francaise de Navigation in 1966, who used her on routes from Marseille to the Eastern Mediterranean. Ownership passed to Nouvelle Cie. de Paquebots in 1970. She was sold in 1977 to Epirotiki Lines, and was renamed Homeric Renaissance. Costa Lines took her on charter and renamed her World Renaissance. She later operated for Epirotiki themselves as World Renaissance, and also for a charter with Club Awani as Awani Dream. She returned to Epirotiki Lines and passed to Royal Olympic Cruises, again as World Renaissance. Following their collapse in 2004, she was sold at auction, becoming the Grand Victoria.
 
In September 2006 is was reported that Grand Victoria would be used by Majestic International Cruises as Blue Monarch. She starts service in April 2007 on 7-day circuits from Piraeus, along with Ocean Monarch which runs 3- and 4-day circuits from the same port. She is marketed by Majestic International Cruises subsidiary Monarch Classic Cruises.
 
Complete history of Blue Monarch
 
 
Official postcard of Blue Monarch
Scan: Ivo Batricevic
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Monarch Classic Cruises image of Blue Monarch.
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Blue Monarch at Dubrovnik.
Photo: © Ivo Batricevic, 2007
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Blue Monarch at Dubrovnik.
Photo: © Ivo Batricevic, 2007
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Ocean Countess
(Majestic International Cruises - Monarch Classic Cruises)
 
Ocean Countess was built as the Cunard Countess. Launched by Burmeister & Wain in Copenhagen in 1974, Cunard Countess was moved to La Spezia for fitting out, entering service with Cunard Line in August 1976. Sistership was Cunard Princess. She originally had a white funnel like the Cunard Adventurer, which she replaced in service. Cunard Countess was given Cunard funnel colours in 1980. In 1982/83 she was used as a troop ship during the Falklands conflict. Cunard Countess was sold to Royal Olympic in 1997 becoming the Olympic Countess (later Olympia Countess). Following the collapse of Royal Olympia in 2004, Olympia Countess was bought by Majestic International Cruises who renamed her Ocean Countess. She was chartered to Globalia in 2005, and to the German tour operator Holiday Kreuzfahrten in 2006, as Lili Marleen. Holiday Kreuzfahrten failed later in 2006 and Lili Marleen was returned to her owners, Majestic International Cruises. She was advertised to operate 3- and 4-day cruises out of Piraeus in 2007 for subsidiary Monarch Cruises, in place of the advertised Ocean Monarch. However, she was chartered for 2007 to Louis Hellenic Cruise Lines and renamed Ruby, to replace the lost Sea Diamond. Ocean Monarch was reactivated in her place.
 
Complete history of Ocean Countess
 
 
Majestic International Cruises official card of Ocean Countess
 
 
Monarch Classic Cruises image of Ocean Countess
 
 
Monarch Classic Cruises brochure for Ocean Countess
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Ocean Countess at Piraeus
Photo: © Tien-Lun Yao, 10th January 2007
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Ocean Countess and Sea Diamond at Piraeus
Photo: © Tien-Lun Yao, 10th January 2007
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Ocean Countess and Sea Diamond at Piraeus
Photo: © Tien-Lun Yao, 10th January 2007
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Ocean Countess at Piraeus
Photo: © Tien-Lun Yao, 10th January 2007
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