John Honeywell, Author at Captain Greybeard

What made Quest and the Sea of Cortez an Azamazing experience

So, I have said a sad farewell to the Azamara Quest after a wonderful 12-day cruise to the Sea of Cortez that will remain long in the memory. Not just for the occasional glimpses of whales and dolphins - I had hoped for more - and not only for the marathon excursion by train to the Mexico's amazing Copper Canyon, which I wrote about a few days ago. After the initial disappointments of Mazatlan and La Paz, we visited some lovely ports of call. Loreto - where Quest spent two days - is a real gem, and Cabo San Lucas [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:27+00:00 12 February 2014|Cruise Destinations, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Full details of Britannia’s maiden season of cruises from Southampton

P&O Cruises' Marketing Director, Christopher Edgington joined the company only last hear, and he is new to the whole world of holidays at sea. But having seen what is planned for his line's newest ship, Britannia, he says he wants to find a way to set up his office on board. Announcing the ship's maiden season of cruises today, he said: "We have ensured that our prices remain constant throughout the year irrespective of the timing of the peak school holiday periods. We are conscious of the hardship families face when taking holidays at these time and are therefore committed [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:27+00:00 12 February 2014|Cruise Deals, Cruise News|0 Comments

What’s cooking? A brigade of food heroes for Britannia’s maiden season

Details of the maiden season for P&O's Britannia - biggest cruise ship ever to be built for the British market - have been announced. The ship's maiden voyage will be from Southampton on March 14, 2015, and the summer includes cruises to the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, Norwegian fjords, and the Baltic. There will be a two-night short break cruise to Guernsey in July, followed by a 12-night round-Britain cruise visiting Edinburgh, Inverness, Kirkwall, Glasgow, Liverpool, Dublin, and Cork. In October, the 3,600-passenger ship will set off for winter in the Caribbean, and fares for the 14-night Transatlantic crossing, which [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:27+00:00 12 February 2014|Cruise Destinations, Cruise Food & Drink, Cruise News|0 Comments

Dodgem car fun for Quantum bosses

If you're going to put dodgem cars on a cruise ship, then the best thing is you get to drive them and play with them. That's what top executives from Royal Caribbean and their German shipbuilders have been doing - and it looks like they had a great time. The dodgems - a first at sea - will be on Quantum of the Seas which launches later this year, and sister ship Anthem of the Seas, which will be sailing out of Southampton in 2015. Under the guise of deciding what surface to use for the dodgem rink and what [...]

By John Honeywell| 2014-02-12T05:00:10+00:00 12 February 2014|Cruise Entertainment|0 Comments

Anthem’s first UK cruises announced

The first itineraries for Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas ex-UK cruises in 2015 were announced today. Fares for three-day taster cruise start at £449. They go on sale from March 3. Highlights: · Four 3-night taster cruises and one 4-night taster cruise calling at Bruges and Paris (Le Havre) · One 7 and one 8-night France and Spain cruise calling at Bilbao and Paris (Le Havre) · One 16-night Mediterranean Cities of Distinction cruise including Barcelona, Nice, Rome Seville and Lisbon · Three 13-nights, one 10-night and one 12-night Sunshine in the Canaries cruise · Two 14-night Italian Mediterranean [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:28+00:00 10 February 2014|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|0 Comments

Electric christening for Getaway

Fresh from a two-day guest appearance in the UK and a starring role as a floating hotel at Super Bowl XLVIII, Norwegian Getaway took centre stage for a christening ceremony in her homeport of Miami. The ship's outdoor theatre and nightclub, Spice H2O, was transformed into the Magic City Lounge for the occasion, with the Miami skyline in the background. The Miami Dolphins' cheerleaders were joint godmothers - following the example set when the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes christened sister ship Norwegian Breakaway in New York last year. They were preceded onto the stage by the cast of the [...]

By John Honeywell| 2014-02-09T18:51:28+00:00 9 February 2014|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Riding the rails to Copper Canyon, one of the wonders of the world

When I booked to travel on this Azamara Quest cruise billed as "to the Sea of Cortez and Copper Canyon," it was because I was looking forward to the opportunity to view the teeming marine life. I had never heard of Copper Canyon, and assumed it might be a two-bit former mining town with a few relics to its name and little else. How wrong could anyone be? I'm now back from one of the longest and most expensive shore excursions I have ever undertaken, but it was worth every minute and every cent. Copper Canyon is a vast region [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:28+00:00 6 February 2014|Cruise Destinations|0 Comments

World’s biggest cruise ship to sail in Europe – Royal’s Allure for the Med

The biggest cruise ship in the world will be making Europe its home for the first time during summer 2015. Allure of the Seas, allegedly two inches longer than sister ship Oasis of the Seas, will be operating seven-night cruises in the Mediterranean from May until October. It also coincides with the deployment of brand-new ship Anthem of the Seas from Southampton, starting in spring next year. Long-anticipated - ever since Allure was launched in 2010 Royal Caribbean bosses have refused to rule out deployment outside American waters - the move follows a brief season of European cruises for Oasis [...]

By John Honeywell| 2015-04-10T14:23:52+00:00 5 February 2014|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Ballroom blitz on the way for Strictly star Craig and four P&O cruises

Strictly fans have a treat in store this year, with FOUR cruises lined up on P&O ships. The dancing-themed voyages will have more stars and more sparkle than ever before. Acid-tongued judge Craig Revel Horwood will be a constant presence; he will be joined by two pairs of professional dancers on each cruise, together with guest appearances by celebrity contestants from the hit TV show. Passengers will be able to learn to rumba with Robin Windsor, waltz with Ian Waite, or do the cha cha with Camilla Dallerup. Dance classes will be available throughout each cruise and there will be [...]

By John Honeywell| 2015-04-10T14:40:00+00:00 5 February 2014|Cruise Entertainment, Cruise News|0 Comments

The Blog From The Sea of Cortez: Languid in La Paz and Mazatlán

It's been an ambition for some years to visit the Sea of Cortez, or Gulf of California. I have heard tales and seen pictures and video of the teeming wildlife in its near-tropical waters where whales come to mate and give birth, where dolphins play in their thousands, and where rays fly like underwater aircraft. Inspired by John Steinbeck and his 1940 expedition to the region, chronicled in The Log From The Sea Of Cortez (no, it's not about a piece of wood, as I first imagined many years ago), I am here this week on a 12-day cruise aboard [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:28+00:00 5 February 2014|Cruise News|0 Comments