Sveti Stefan II and Montenegro

Back in July, I made a trip from Ancona in Italy to Bar in Montenegro on Montenegro Lines' Sveti Stefan II. Originally the German Prinz Hamlet on the Hamburg-Harwich route, dating from 1973, the vessel clearly has not been well looked after by her present owner. Indeed, she is probably the worst I have ever encountered. (An old ferry need not be below par - Jadrolinija's Marko Polo, for example, is is superb condition.) Fortunately, Montenegro itself proved to be very interesting and attractive.

 

The Sveti Stefan Ii arrives in Ancona - looking shipshape externally, at least.

 

Orange stairs from the vehicle deck and 1970s signs.

 

Midships lounge and cafeteria

 

Many of the advertisements in the hallways dated from the 1990s - a period when the ship was under Polferries ownership.

Leaving Ancona with Ancona and Riviera Del Conero in the background.

 

The pub and the forward bar - neither had tonic water, or much else.

The dining saloon - which was actually quite clean. But the food...

No comment needed.

Time for a shower. Or perhaps not, actually.

 

The plumbing barely worked and all the urinals and WCs were backed up. Oh, well, best use an empty plastic bottle instead.

 

The air conditioning didn't work either - so the cabins were like ovens. It looked like it hadn't worked for a long time, judging by the state of the ventilators.

 

One of the suites on boat deck - with Polish furniture - and an original 1973 carpet.

 

 Montenegro is a lovely country, though. Here I am in front of Sveti Stefan (the place)
which, strangely, is a private haven for international celebrities and closed to the public.

Downtown Bar with Communist era shopping mall.

Bar yacht marina at dusk.



Sveti Stefan II - poor ship.