Apollon XI

Apollon XI was an Epirotiki Lines cruise ship, which was named after both the Greek sun god Apollo and the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first humans on the Moon.

Apollon XI

Cruise-ship Apollon II at the port of Rhodos, 1972
History
Owner	1952: Coast Lines Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland 1968: Epirotiki Lines 1981: Corporacion Naviera Intercontinental de Panama S.A.
Builder	Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Launched	8 May 1952
Completed	16 October 1952
Out of service	11 October 1989
Identification	IMO number: 5163120
Fate	Ran aground in Batangas, was demolished in Manila
General characteristics
Tonnage	3,813 GRT
Length	103.54 m (339.7 ft)
Beam	15.73 m (51.6 ft)
Depth	4.81 m (15.78 ft)
Speed	16 knots
Capacity	1,200 passengers (as Irish Coast), 350 passengers (as Apollon XI)

Initially it was built as a passenger ship under the name Irish Coast for Coast Lines Ltd, Glasgow. She was chartered by Burns & Laird Lines Ltd. for the service between Belfast and Liverpool, also from Cork to Fishguard, Dublin to Liverpool and for the service Glasgow – Dublin – Liverpool.

In 1968 she was acquired by Epirotiki and changed several names (Orpheus in 1968, then Semiramis II and Achilleus in 1969) until she took the final name Apollon XI (or Apollon 11) and was rebuilt as a cruise ship. She was used for cruises in the Aegean Sea, in the Mediterranean Sea, in the Antilles (Caribbean Sea) and in Africa. In 1982 she was renamed to Regency. On 11 October 1989, she ran aground due to the typhoon Dan and was subsequently towed to Manila (Philippines) for demolition.

The Apollon XI and another Epirotiki ship, the MTS Oceanos, were featured in the 1986 film Hardbodies 2.

External links

• M/S Irish Coast, on Micke Asklander's ship data website (in Swedish)
• Ship data on the Wreck Site
• Irish Coast in Geoff Topp's postcard collection
• Apollo official Epirotiki postcard on the website of Simplon Postcards
• Apollon 11 around 1970.