Photographs © Michael Bracken and Ian Collard 2006

ATHENA is seen here arriving at Liverpool on August 23 following an overnight "Country and Western" cruise from Dublin. The veteran  1948 built ATHENA is better known as the STOCKHOLM, famous for its encounter with the Italian Liner ANDREA DORIA. Despite the major collision which resulted in the sinking of the Italian Liner the ATHENA has had a charmed life when many ships a fraction of her age have long gone to the scrap yard. She was sold by Swedish America Line in 1960 to the East German Government for use as a trade union cruise ship VOLKERFREUNDSCHAFT and operated until 1985. ATHENA then had a somewhat chequered career which included use as an asylum seeker's refuge in Oslo. Following several ownership changes she was extensively refitted and chartered to Classic International Cruises on for ten years in 2004.

ATHENA called at Liverpool again on September 01 and is seen departing bound for Lisbon.

She had been scheduled originally to use the Port of Mostyn but her itinerary was changed to Liverpool. (Ian Collard)