John Honeywell, Author at Captain Greybeard

Ship-shape: it’s the future for hotels, museums and landmark buildings

It looks spectacular - bizarre, even - and it has excited a lot of attention since I posted pictures a couple of days ago, but the cliff-top Sun Cruise Resort hotel is only one of many buildings around the world which look like cruise ships . One of the most bizarre is a shopping mall in Hong Kong, surrounded by tower blocks. At least The Whampoa (above), which houses 30 retail outlets, is surrounded by water, albeit a shallow pond. And the site was originally a dry dock. Then there's quite a selection of hotels that take their inspiration from [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:30+00:00 16 July 2013|Cruise Entertainment|4 Comments

Injured crewman taken off P&O ship

A crew member from P&O's Arcadia was taken ashore by RNLI lifeboat last week after suffering a suspected broken arm. I hope for his sake the journey to shore was gentler than the rescue boat's rapid arrival, bouncing across the waves from its base in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Arcadia is on a two-week cruise to Iceland and the Norwegian fjords.

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:30+00:00 14 July 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments

Polar bear tells ship to push off

I thought I was lucky to see a polar bear in Svalbard's Magdalenafjord, during my cruise last week on Quest for Adventure. And then along comes this video, taken by a passenger who travelled to the island with G Adventures' ms Expedition. What a treasure !

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:30+00:00 12 July 2013|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Cruise ships stranded on dry land

The oceans and the waterways are not the only place you'll see cruise ships and riverboats these days - as these bizarre pictures show. Perched on a clifftop in South Korea stands the Sun Cruise Resort which compensates for its situation by playing recorded sounds of crashing waves and bird calls. Which is particularly odd, as the sea is only a few metres away. The resort has 211 guest rooms, two restaurants, a revolving sky lounge, swimming pool, golf range and gym. Everything a real cruise ship boasts . . . except the risk of seasickness. One guest, severely lacking [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-08-30T12:39:22+00:00 12 July 2013|Cruise Entertainment|1 Comment

Spitsbergen: The Arctic island where there are no births and no burials

Temperatures in the 80s and sunsets every evening; just two of the things I've had to get used to this week after my Quest for Adventure cruise to Svalbard. They have not erased memories of a wonderful journey to a stunning region. I love the Norwegian fjords and Alaska, but Spitsbergen - with its glaciers and snow-covered peaks, an abundance of whales, dolphins, seals and seabirds - beats them all. I was fortunate to travel to the region when I did; new regulations and restrictions will limit the number of cruise ships allowed in within a couple of years. The [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:30+00:00 12 July 2013|Cruise Destinations|0 Comments

New luxury cruise ship for Regent

Six-star all-inclusive cruise line Regent Seven Seas has ordered a new ship; Seven Seas Explorer will be larger than any of the three ships in the current fleet and will boast one of the highest space ratios and staff to guest ratios in luxury cruising. To be built by Fincantieri in Italy and scheduled for delivery in summer 2016, the vessel will measure 54,000 gross tons and carry 738 passengers. It will be Regent's first new ship in more than 10 years and is reported to be costing $450 million (£301 million). Accommodation will all be in suites ranging from [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:30+00:00 10 July 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments

Cruise passengers not convinced by BBC’s round-the-world voyage

Mixed reactions to the first part of BBC2's new documentary series The Cruise: A Life At Sea, which made its debut last night. Fred Olsen fans have been quick to express their opinions this morning, and many of them are far from favourable. I had not been expecting anything outrageous from the six-part series; the production team had earlier worked on gentle observational programmes such as An Island Parish, and were planning to focus on the activities of Balmoral's chaplain, the Rev Colin Still. Some viewers seem to think this gave the impression everyone on a Fred Olsen cruise is [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:31+00:00 10 July 2013|Cruise Gossip|3 Comments

TV series follows ship’s chaplain Colin on his round-the-world cruise

Take a world cruise tonight, without leaving your sofa. BBC2 is showing the first episode of a six-part documentary filmed during a 112-night voyage earlier this year. The series, The Cruise: A Life At Sea, focuses on ship's chaplain, the Rev Colin Still, as he travels the globe on board Fred Olsen's Balmoral. The Rev Still, of The Mission to Seafarers, provides advice, solace, and support to more than 1,700 passengers and crew on the ship. He is called on to renew wedding vows, gives spiritual guidance, and in his spare time, escorts guests on shore excursions. Tonight he is [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:31+00:00 9 July 2013|Cruise News|3 Comments

Cruising with James Bond

The name's Moore. Roger Moore. Yes, James Bond himself recently took a cruise on Azamara Journey. While the ship was in Monte Carlo, 007 talked with Edie Bornstein, the company's senior vice-president of marketing and sales, about an earlier cruise he enjoyed to the Norwegian fjords. He also discusses his charity work as a UNICEF ambassador, and reveals his recipe for the perfect Martini.

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:31+00:00 9 July 2013|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

QE2 prepares to leave Dubai

While Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 makes history this week on her 200th Transatlantic crossing , illustrious predecessor QE2 is being prepared for departure to a new home in the Far East. Its Dubai owners have announced the ship will depart under its own power on October 18, and will visit Singapore and Hong Kong before it enters a Chinese shipyard for work to complete its conversion into a luxury hotel. The ship, which itself completed 812 Transatlantic crossings during its 40 years service, was sold to Dubai property developers Nakheel for £50 million in 2008. Earlier plans to moor [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:31+00:00 8 July 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments