John Honeywell, Author at Captain Greybeard

Brighter Brilliance off to the Baltic

The spectacular Russian port of St Petersburg welcomes Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas tomorrow (Tuesday) for the first of eight scheduled visits this summer. The 2,112-passenger ship arrived in the Essex port of Harwich last week fresh from a £20 million revitalization. The 11-year-old vessel has been brought it up to date with the addition of many of the features which are now taken for granted on newer ships. There's a 220-square foot LED cinema screen above the main pool as well as new flat-screen TVs in every cabin, wi-fi access throughout the ship and an interactive touch-screen information [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:33+00:00 20 May 2013|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Beaucoup de godparents for the newest bateau in Bordeaux

When children are christened, they usually have a two godparents. Ships have to make do with just a godmother - or so I thought until Friday. CroisiEurope's newest vessel, MS Cyrano de Bergerac, had both a godfather and a godmother to swing a bottle of Champagne against its hull - not to mention a pair of "godparents of honours" in reserve. The 180-passenger boat was named at a quayside in the centre of Bordeaux, from where it will operate regular cruises along the Garonnne and Dordogne rivers and the Gironde estuary. Bordeaux's mayor, Alain Juppé, a former prime minister of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:33+00:00 19 May 2013|Cruise Destinations|0 Comments

New P&O cruise ship is on its way

The biggest cruise ship ever to be built for the British market started to take shape today, as P&O managing director Carol Marlow gave the order for the first section of the vessel's hull to be lowered into a dry-dock in Italy. A 408-ton steel block, already fitted with pipes, cables, insulation and other equipment, was lifted by a giant crane at Fincantieri's Monfalcone yard near Trieste - where I watched Regal Princess being floated out at the end of March. Scheduled to sail its maiden voyage in 2015, the 141,000-ton P&O ship will carry 3,600 passengers. It is being [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:33+00:00 15 May 2013|Cruise News|7 Comments

Savings for single passengers

Single cabins are all the rage at the moment. P&O's Ventura has just gained 18 during its recent refit and newcomer Norwegian Breakaway has followed big sister Norwegian Epic by having 59 studio cabins for solo passengers. Some cruise lines have had them all the time and are now realizing that they should be shouting about them. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines have even announced that in addition to the stock of 109 single cabins on their fleet of four ships, twin cabins on a number of cruises next year will be available for single occupancy with no single supplement. Sales [...]

By John Honeywell| 2013-05-14T06:32:44+00:00 14 May 2013|Cruise Deals|0 Comments

Couple lost overboard were seen arguing in cruise ship casino

The couple who went overboard from a cruise ship off the coast of Australia had been arguing shortly before they disappeared, according to the latest reports. Paul Rossington, 30, and his girlfriend Kristen Schroder, 27, were seen having a "short but heated argument" in the casino on board Carnival Spirit, a senior police source has said. As a result of the incident, the couple skipped dinner with Ms Schroder's family. But they were seen "mucking around" in a corridor on their way to a lift, giving the impression they were no longer quarrelling, according to the Herald Sun. The couple [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:33+00:00 12 May 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments

I christen you the Europa 2

"I christen you the EUROPA 2": Godmother Dana Schweiger (second left) with Hapag-Lloyd MD Dr Wolfgang Flagel, presenter Eva Habermann, and Capt Jan Akkermann Relaxed luxury is the newly-coined theme for Europa 2, and it was carried through to last night's naming ceremony in Hamburg. With the port en fete for its 824th anniversary, the ship slipped quietly down-river for the ceremony. Seven hundred guests watched as model Dana Schweiger took on the godmother duties and smashed a bottle of Champagne against the hull, before presenting the broken neck to Captain Friedrich Jan Akkermann. A firework display and a performance [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:33+00:00 11 May 2013|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Luxury for lottery winners

From the print edition of the Daily Mirror, 11 May, 2013 Brand new six-star cruise ship Europa 2 doesn't have staterooms or cabins. Every room is a suite and each has a sea view and a spacious balcony. The simplest have a bathroom with a window opening into the sleeping area; at the top of the range the bathrooms have floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides and come with a day bed for lazy lounging. It must feel like toweling down in a very posh spa. Pretty much the atmosphere achieved throughout the ship, which came to Britain briefly this week [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:33+00:00 11 May 2013|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Bobbing along in the Bay

From the print edition of the Daily Mirror, May 11, 2013 Capt Greybeard meets Capt Haddock and Snowy on the Île de Ré Bay of Biscay. Three little words that strike terror into the heart of sailors and landlubbers alike. The storm-tossed seas are a barrier that must be crossed on a cruise from Southampton or Dover to the warm waters of the Mediterranean or the Canaries. Quickly, before it turns round and bites. Its location between France and Spain attracts winds which follow the Gulf Stream across the Atlantic, and the shallow seabed exaggerates wave motion - all of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:33+00:00 11 May 2013|Cruise Destinations, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Time for Glee to take to the sea?

There was almost an element of inevitability about the announcement that Legally Blonde: The Musical is to be the headline entertainment on Norwegian Getaway when the ship launches next year. Norwegian and rivals Royal Caribbean are vying with each other to bring the best of Broadway and Las Vegas to cruise ship theatres. This week's newcomer, Norwegian Breakaway, features Rock of Ages on the main stage (above); Norwegian Epic has the innovative Blue Man Group. Hairspray, Chicago, and Saturday Night Fever have all made the transfer from Broadway and the West End to Royal Caribbean ships, and I'm still waiting [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:33+00:00 11 May 2013|Cruise Entertainment|0 Comments

Carnival switches OFF fun in Europe

Carnival Cruise Line will not have any of its Fun Ships sailing in Europe in 2014. The company has taken the decision to pull out of the region next year just as Carnival Sunshine - fresh from a £100 million makeover - makes its first voyage in the Med. Carnival Legend, which will be based in Dover from next month, is to be redeployed in Australia next year. The decision follows a lavish TV advertising campaign which urged holidaymakers to "Switch On Fun." While Carnival's UK managing director Adolfo Perez say the ads persuaded more Brits than ever to cruise [...]

By John Honeywell| 2013-05-10T12:24:44+00:00 10 May 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments