Danae and Daphne were originally built in 1955 as the fast cargo liners Port Melbourne and Port Sydney for Port Line’s UK-Australia express service. Being fast ships, they were suitable for conversion to passenger ferries and in 1972 they were sold to Greek shipowner John Karras for conversion to car ferries, as Akrotiri Express and Therissos Express. But Karras changed his mind and and instead they were fully rebuilt as the ultra-luxury cruise ships Danae and Daphne, operated by Delian Cruises. The venture was not a success and they were chartered out, Danae to Costa Cruises who purchased her outright in 1984. In 1990, Danae and Daphne were transferred to Prestige Cruises, a joint venture between Costa Lines and Sovcomflot. Danae was severely damaged by fire during a refit. It was expected she would go for scrap but she was sold for rebuilding, and she served as Baltica from 1994 for Baltic Cruise Line, before she became Princess Danae for the Portuguese company Arcalia Shipping, later trading as Classic International Cruises. The company ceased trading in 2013 and Princess Danae was taken over by Portuscale Cruises and renamed Lisboa. When they went bankrupt in 2015 she was sold for scrap.

61 photographs (2006 ship visit in Amsterdam)