Classic International Cruises

Classic International Cruises (CIC) was a historic cruise brand associated mainly with older passenger ships, some of them converted. Its best-known ship was the Funchal. The company’s history is also a story of different roles: Arcalia Shipping and Greek shipowner George Potamianos were behind the brand, while tour operators chartered ships and put together the cruises.

CIC and the ships of Arcalia Shipping

CIC’s history began in 1985 with the Funchal. The Portuguese liner had been built in 1961 for Empresa Insulana de Navegação. George Potamianos later chartered the ship for cruises; in the 1990s, he developed it into a small cruise line with several historic ships. CIC made ships available to tour operators. In 2012, the company was described as the owner, while other operators organized the cruises. This distinction explains why the same ships could appear in different travel programs and be offered by different operators.

Funchal and a fleet with a history

The Funchal was originally built for passenger service between mainland Portugal and the Atlantic islands. After a technical failure in 1972, the ship was fitted with new diesel engines and its passenger spaces were remodeled for cruises carrying up to 400 guests; an outdoor pool was also added. Portuguese owners then used it for cruises. It was therefore not a new ship belonging to a uniform CIC class, but an older liner adapted for a different kind of travel.

Other ships in the brand’s fleet also had long histories: the Athena was built in 1948 and converted in 1994, while the Princess Danae and Princess Daphne dated from 1955 and were converted into cruise ships in 1972. The fleet thus brought together different generations of ships and conversion approaches. An overview of individual ships is available in the ship directory; the port of Funchal in Madeira should not be confused with the ship of the same name.

Crisis and transfer to Portuscale

In autumn 2012, three CIC ships were under arrest over unpaid claims and outstanding wages. The company had to cancel its Mediterranean program, and crew members were aboard the detained ships. The Funchal had already been awaiting repairs in Lisbon since July 2011. In early 2013, Portuguese entrepreneur Rui Alegre acquired four former CIC ships for his new company, Portuscale Cruises: Arion, Princess Danae, Athena and Funchal. The first three were renamed Porto, Lisboa and Azores; the Funchal kept its name. Portuscale planned to resume operations with refurbished classic ships. The four vessels formed the core of Portuscale’s planned fleet. More company histories can be found in the overview of historic cruise companies.