John Honeywell, Author at Captain Greybeard

Going downhill fast in Funchal

There are 2,039 of us on this Queen Elizabeth "Iberian Adventure," as the Cunard brochure describes the 12-day cruise to Madeira, the Canaries, and Lisbon. That means the ship, which carries 2,092 passengers when every one of its 1,046 cabins has two occupants, is pretty near full. After three full days at sea, there can have been few who were not ready to stretch their legs ashore when we arrived in Funchal, Madeira, yesterday. The weather was not quite as warm and sunny as we had been promised, but the morning at least was bright until cloud began to shroud [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:35+00:00 12 April 2013|Cruise Destinations|1 Comment

Costa fined €1m over Concordia

Italian prosecutors have accepted a plea bargain from Costa Crociere and have imposed a €1 million fine to settle potential criminal charges against the company in relation to the capsize of Costa Concordia in January 2012. The company had been under investigation as the employer of the crew of the ship which hit a rock off the island of Giglio, resulting in 32 deaths. Prosecutors now say they are satisfied with a preliminary court ruling and will not proceed with a criminal trial against Costa. However, the ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, still faces charges of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and [...]

By John Honeywell| 2013-04-10T18:26:22+00:00 10 April 2013|Cruise News|1 Comment

Flood of bookings for Oasis

The European debut of Oasis of the Seas is almost 18 months away, but it is generating an unprecedented demand for bookings, according Royal Caribbean's UK office. Thousands of people have pre-registered their interest in order to be at the front of the queue for the official opening of bookings to the general public tomorrow (Thursday). Members of the line's Crown and Anchor loyalty club could make bookings from yesterday and Royal Caribbean's reservations team has been working overtime. Part time workers have been drafted in to work full time and people from other departments across the business are answering [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:35+00:00 10 April 2013|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

The splendour of Europa2

Europa 2 promises to be among the grandest cruise ships in the world. The ship,whose 516 passengers will have unprecedented acres of space in which to luxuriate, will be making a brief visit to Southampton next month before joining slightly smaller sister vessel Europa, which consistently scores top marks in the Berlitz Guide - cruising's "Bible." Here's a sneak peek at what Europa 2 has to offer, courtesy of The Luxury Cruise Company.

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:35+00:00 10 April 2013|Cruise Ships|1 Comment

Classy Cunard cruise to the Canaries

Champagne and strawberry welcome to QE's Cabin 8035 Enough of the interminable British winter. I have escaped, and will be spending the next few days on board Cunard's Queen Elizabeth. We left Southampton on Sunday and will arrive in Funchal, Madeira on Thursday; the following few days will be spent in the Canaries, where temperatures are forecast to be hitting the 80s. It's my seventh cruise with Cunard and my second time on this ship. I travelled down to Gran Canaria on her shortly after she was launched in 2010. A video of the magnificent naming ceremony, which took place [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:35+00:00 9 April 2013|Cruise Destinations|1 Comment

Royal godmother for Royal Princess

Princess Cruises confirmed today that The Duchess of Cambridge will be godmother to their newest ship, Royal Princess. It's been the best-kept secret in cruising for more than a year, though her present condition may well have thrown her participation into doubt - she will be eight months pregnant when the ceremony takes place on June 13. But Kate Middleton is the one person that Princess must have had in mind from the moment in February last year that they revealed the ship would be named in Southampton. And they are delighted that she was able to resume her Royal [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:35+00:00 9 April 2013|Cruise News|1 Comment

Carnival’s reputation slips deeper, and drags the rest of cruising with it

As a leading US Senator describes Carnival Cruise Lines' answer to his questions about safety as "shameful," the company's public image crisis sinks deeper and deeper. TV talk-show host Jay Leno joked that instead of sending a navy warship to North Korea, America should send a Carnival cruise ship. "Just the stench ..." would scare the Koreans, he said, referring to reports that toilets overflowed when Carnival Triumph was left without power for several days after an engine room fire in February. And on the David Letterman show, comedian Martin Short performed a reworking of If They Could See Me [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:35+00:00 7 April 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments

Azamara is creating a bigger splash with its first AzAmazing evenings

If you found the University Boat Race a bit boring last weekend - it only really gets exciting when a protester swims into the river or one of the crews sinks - then I have discovered an exciting alternative. Water jousting. It sounds crazy, but it's highly entertaining, and should be introduced to the River Thames without delay. Frantic oarsmen work up a sweat driving their boats at each other, as combatants stand on a platform at the rear of each vessel trying to push their opponents into the drink. It's like something out of TV's Gladiators or Total Wipeout, [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:35+00:00 6 April 2013|Cruise Destinations, Cruise Entertainment, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Oasis of the Seas’ first European cruises go on sale from £61 a night

Details emerged today of the itineraries for Oasis of the Seas' first European cruises , which will take place in 2014. The voyages go on general sale next week and UK travel agents are predicting they could be sold out within 72 hours. Oasis, carrying 5,400 passengers and joint holder of the "biggest cruise ship in the world" title, is based in Fort Lauderdale and operates seven-day cruises to the Caribbean throughout the year. But next September the ship will be travelling to Europe for a routine dry dock overhaul. Royal Caribbean have taken the opportunity to offer two 12-night [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:35+00:00 5 April 2013|Cruise Deals, Cruise Destinations|0 Comments

Shot cruise passengers arrive home

A 72-year-old cruise passenger shot during a visit to Barbados last month returned home this week with a bullet still lodged in his leg. But Philip Prior and his wife Ann, 59, say they have not been deterred from travelling and are already looking at plans for a trip to Australia. The Priors, from Suffolk, were on a three-month cruise aboard P&O's Adonia when they were attacked during a day visit to Bridgetown. They were returning to the ship from a Commonwealth Day service in the capital's St Michael's Cathedral. Robbers stole Mrs Prior's bag during the attack. She was [...]

By John Honeywell| 2015-04-10T14:58:05+00:00 5 April 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments