Captain Greybeard

Norovirus, the winter vomiting bug, is not exactly rare on cruise ships. It's a frequent visitor - just as it is in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and anywhere people gather in significant numbers. When it turns up, it's about as welcome as Dan Evans at a News of the World reunion party. The outbreak this week on Explorer of the Seas, however, has set a new high water mark, affecting a bigger percentage of passengers and crew than any recorded by the US Centre for Disease Control in the past 20 years. More than 600 guests, out of a total [...]

Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain had plenty to congratulate himself and his team about when the company's financial results were announced this week. Despite what he referred to as a storm of bad news "which would threaten any industry," - including a fire on one of his own ships and power failures affecting some competitors - earnings of $2.40 per share during 2013 were exactly as predicted at the start of the year. Increasing reliance on growing on-board revenue - up by 7.6 per cent - was one of the positive factors, justifying the millions of dollars spent on the [...]

One of the biggest bugbears of staying in hotels and travelling on cruise ships is the cost of internet connectivity. I have to declare an interest here - unlike most people travelling on holiday, I need to maintain contact with email, social media, and this blog. But even the most hedonistic passenger, determined to get away from it all and leave the pressures of work behind, might want to check correspondence occasionally, download a newspaper or magazine onto their tablet, or add another book to the Kindle's library. Hotels are moving towards providing free internet either openly or covertly; the [...]

Prepare for the unthinkable. After decades of rapid year-on-year growth, the number of Britons taking a cruise could fall this year. It's not something the industry is shouting about; the Cruise Lines International Association has forecast that final figures will show a record 1.79 million British holidaymakers took a cruise in 2013, up 89,000 on 2012. There were 5 per cent more UK passengers on ocean cruises year-on-year and the number has increased by 21 per cent since 2008. But I believe a decrease in 2014 is a real possibility. Capacity will reduce and the number of berths available each [...]

There's a new look coming to P&O Cruises. The buff-coloured funnels that have been a feature of its ships for more than 80 years are to disappear, and the fleet will sport giant versions of the Union Flag on their bows. Funnels are to be re-painted in blue and will sport the company's familiar rising sun logo, which originated as the Oriental part of the Peninsular and Oriental name on its coat of arms. The new livery will be seen first on Aurora, following a visit to dry dock for scheduled maintenance in September. It will be emblazoned on the [...]