CLASSIC International Cruises Athena hosted a special charity event on board in Fremantle last week. The Wheels for Hope charity provides disabled people with specially tailored vehicles so that they can be mobile, with Athena providing a free stage show and lunch for 42 corporate guests. The event raised $6000 through ticket sales and a silent auction – and now Athena is en route to South Australia here she will tomorrow commence her third season based in Adelaide for the next month. The 550-passenger ship will dock at the Outer Harbour cruise terminal around 7.30am to begin the longest ever season for SA’s growing cruise industry, and the biggest ever commitment to the local market by Classic International Cruises. CIC was the first line ever to base a ship in South Australia, in 2008, nd remains the only cruise line to use Adelaide as a home port. This year’s SA season for Athena, supported by the South Australian Tourism Commission, will include three round trip voyages from Adelaide, including the first ever return voyage from Adelaide to Sydney. There’s also a round trip to Tasmania and back, along with a three night Australia Day cruise to Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln. Next ear Athena will once again return to Adelaide, with five voyages on offer and the introduction of Robe as a new port of call.
