FESTOS PALACE (ΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ ΠΑΛΑΣ)
-Minoan Lines
ex-MYKONOS PALACE (ΜΥΚΟΝΟΣ ΠΑΛΑΣ), also for Minoan Lines (2018-2020)
Built in 2002 (age 22). Registered in Heraklion. Current line: None (under refit in Elefsina)
The cruiseferry FESTOS PALACE was the last of the four ships ordered by the Greek company Minoan Lines between 2000 and 2002. She was completed in 2002 in Italy, as the EUROPA PALACE. She was deployed alongside her sister ship, namely the OLYMPIA PALACE, on the Patras-Igoumenitsa-Ancona line on the Adriatic Sea. Following the arrival of the newly-built CRUISE EUROPA and CRUISE OLYMPIA in 2009 and in 2010, respectively, the OLYMPIA PALACE and the EUROPA PALACE were deployed on the Patras-Igoumenitsa-Corfu-Venice line in 2010. Following the 2011 season, Minoan Lines closed the line, leaving both sister ships without an assigned area of service. The EUROPA PALACE was sent to operate as a third ship on the Patras-Igoumenitsa-Ancona line, while the OLYMPIA PALACE was laid-up in Perama. Although the company wanted to deploy them on the Piraeus-Chania line, they were instead chartered in 2012 to the Italian company Tirrenia Di Navigazione, being renamed AMSICORA and BONARIA, respectively. Both ships were deployed on the Civitavecchia-Olbia-Arbatax line, where they remained until 2017. In 2018 both ships returned to the Grimaldi Group. While the BONARIA was sold to Grimaldi Lines and became the CRUISE BONARIA, the AMSICORA rejoined Minoan Lines, being renamed MYKONOS PALACE, and she was deployed on the Piraeus-Chania line. In 2019, following a conversion in Malta, she became the first-ever ship in the history of the Greek coastal service to receive scrubbers. In 2020, as part of the reshuffling of the services of Minoan Lines in Crete, she was renamed FESTOS PALACE (thus becoming the second ship to ever have this name, after her fleetmate, namely the KYDON PALACE) and she was deployed on the Piraeus-Milos-Heraklion line.
PHOTOS (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022):
The MYKONOS PALACE in Piraeus, during her first-ever summer on the Piraeus-Chania line (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE in Piraeus, in her first summer back with Minoan Lines (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE berthed in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE berthed in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE berthed in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (8/2018).
The MYKONOS PALACE docked in Piraeus. Note her updated funnel, after she underwent her conversion in order to receive scrubbers. Picture taken by my mother, to whom I am extremely grateful (5/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen in Piraeus, with her newly-upgraded funnel, following the installation of the exhaust cleaning gas system. She became the first ferry in the history of the Greek coastal service to acquire it (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE having just entered the port of Piraeus, after having arrived from Chania (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE having just entered the port of Piraeus, after having arrived from Chania (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE having just entered the port of Piraeus, after having arrived from Chania (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE preparing to undergo her maneuvering procedure in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE preparing to undergo her maneuvering procedure in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE preparing to undergo her maneuvering procedure in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE about to maneuver in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen maneuvering in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen maneuvering in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen maneuvering in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen maneuvering in the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen maneuvering in the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen maneuvering in the port of Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE having just docked in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE having just docked in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE having just docked in Piraeus (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE seen in Piraeus, shortly before her afternoon departure for Chania (7/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (8/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (8/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (8/2019).
The MYKONOS PALACE docked in Piraeus. This happened to be my last-ever picture of the ship under that name, as she was renamed FESTOS PALACE in 2020. The former FESTOS PALACE (who had that name from 2001 to 2020), one of her sister ships, was renamed KYDON PALACE (8/2019).
My first-ever picture of the FESTOS PALACE under her new name, as she is seen in Piraeus (8/2020).
The FESTOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (8/2020).
The FESTOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (8/2020).
The FESTOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (8/2020).
A view of the FESTOS PALACE in Piraeus (8/2020).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus during the early morning (9/2020).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus during the early morning (9/2020).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus during the early morning (9/2020).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in the port of Piraeus (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in the port of Piraeus (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in the port of Piraeus (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus in the evening (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen resting in the port of Piraeus (7/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE spotted in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE spotted in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE spotted in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen docked in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen docked in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen docked in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE berthed in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE berthed in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE berthed in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen docked in the port of Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen docked in the port of Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen receiving bunkers in Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen docked in the port of Piraeus (8/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus in the evening (9/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus in the evening (9/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus in the evening (9/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (9/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen from behind, as she is docked in Piraeus (9/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen from behind, as she is docked in Piraeus (9/2021).
A view of the FESTOS PALACE in Piraeus (9/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus during the evening (9/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus during the evening (9/2021).
The FESTOS PALACE having just arrived in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE having just arrived in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE having just arrived in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE proceeding towards her docking spot in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE proceeding towards her docking spot in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE proceeding towards her docking spot in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus, after having arrived from Heraklion (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus, after having arrived from Heraklion (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE about to being her maneuvering procedure in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE about to being her maneuvering procedure in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen undergoing her maneuvering procedure in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen undergoing her maneuvering procedure in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE resting in the port of Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE resting in the port of Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE resting in the port of Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus, right before a morning departure to Milos and Heraklion (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE spotted in the port of Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE spotted in the port of Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE spotted in the port of Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus (8/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (9/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (9/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (9/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE docked in Piraeus (9/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen resting in Piraeus (9/2022).
A view of the FESTOS PALACE in Piraeus (10/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (10/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE seen in Piraeus (10/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (10/2022).
The FESTOS PALACE resting in Piraeus (10/2022).