John Honeywell, Author at Captain Greybeard

Dubai agrees deal for QE2 liner

A deal will be signed today taking the liner QE2 to the Far East, where the ship will finally be converted into a luxury hotel. The move brings to an end a sorry saga of failure in Dubai, and will break hearts in London among investors who had hoped to bring the ship to the Thames. The Financial Times reports that the Oceanic Group has entered into a joint venture agreement with Dubai World - who bought the ship from Cunard for £64 million - and who have kept the vessel at Port Rashid since she sailed from Southampton on [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:39+00:00 17 January 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments

From Breakaway to Bake-away

What's the must-have addition to the cruise ship experience these days? Broadway musicals, high-speed wi-fi, pillow menus and 3D cinemas have all staked their place alongside towel animals, singing waiters and the Baked Alaska parade. But they come nowhere near matching the desirability of a cake shop. Allure of the Seas has its Cupcake Cupboard - where I was given a lesson in cake decoration (above) - and Royal Princess will have its own Pastry Shop in the Horizon Court buffet. Cake Boy legend Eric Lanlard, who has created confections for David Beckham and Claudia Schiffer, will be travelling on [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:39+00:00 16 January 2013|Cruise Food & Drink|0 Comments

Engine room repairs cut Saga Ruby’s final world cruise to just 66 days

Work to repair that grand old lady Saga Ruby - which will be retired at the end of the year - is going to take longer than expected. I understand Saga Cruises has now decided her farewell world cruise cannot now depart until February 20, more than six weeks behind schedule. A team of customer care staff is contacting all those affected. The ship carries up to 661 passengers; some of them were booked on the entire 109-night trip which should have left Southampton on January 7, while others would have been joining for shorter stretches. The revised itinerary of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:39+00:00 15 January 2013|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|23 Comments

Silver Explorer damaged in Antarctic

The luxury expedition ship Silver Explorer has been damaged by high seas in Antarctica. Its next voyage, scheduled to depart from Ushuaia on January 21, has been cancelled so that repairs can be made. The vessel (seen above in the Antarctic and below on a visit to Dartmouth, Devon, last year) was carrying 133 passengers and 113 crew on a cruise to South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula. A statement from Silversea released today said the ship had "encountered heavy weather and sustained damage at approximately 1725 hours local time on January 12. "The vessel has full power and control, [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:39+00:00 15 January 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments

Abandon land – cruising from NYC

I was rather scathing - probably too much - about the TV commercial for Carnival Cruises. Having watched it a few times now, it's beginning to grow on me. This ad for Norwegian Breakaway is an instant hit, focusing on the fact the ship will be sailing out of New York every week. The vessel will be making a quick visit to the UK in April, but that's likely to be the last we see of it for some time. And the ad is unlikely to get an airing on our TV screens.

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:39+00:00 15 January 2013|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

David Bowie’s Where Are We Now video creates a cruise ship riddle

The release of David Bowie's haunting new single - which I am catching up on now I'm back from the Caribbean - brought back a number of poignant memories. The video returned me briefly to Potzdamer Platz, Nurnburgerstrasse, Haupstrasse, and the KaDeWe in Berlin, where Bowie recorded three albums in the 1970s. It also brought back memories of the night in June 1973 when I interviewed him after the last of four sold-out performances as Ziggy Stardust on stage at Birmingham Town Hall. Bouncing around in a blue boiler suit, with crooked teeth which had not yet benefitted from cosmetic [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:40+00:00 14 January 2013|Cruise News|6 Comments

Is cruising any safer, 12 months after the Costa Concordia tragedy?

Apologies for the lack of updates this week. There have been too many distractions - and too little internet - in the Caribbean. Back to regular action next week. In the meantime, here's an extended version of my column from the print edition of the Daily Mirror, published January 12. A year after it ran aground, the huge hulk of Costa Concordia still lies stricken off the Italian coast and a stark reminder of the 32 lives which were lost in the worst cruise ship disaster for decades. On Sunday, services were held on Costa's ships throughout the world and [...]

By John Honeywell| 2013-01-11T20:51:23+00:00 11 January 2013|Cruise News|0 Comments

Ruby not ready for final worldie

More than 600 passengers due to set off on a three-month world cruise have been told to stay at home because their ship has developed engine trouble. A crankshaft problem on Saga Ruby is the cause of the delay, which may take from a week to 10 days to repair. The ship should have left Southampton on Monday evening for its last-ever world voyage. The 40-year-old vessel is due to be retired at the end of 2013. Some passengers who had already arrived when the fault came to light were offered the chance to spend the night on board before [...]

By John Honeywell| 2013-01-08T21:06:58+00:00 8 January 2013|Cruise News|2 Comments

New home on the Thames for QE2?

EXPANDED VERSION OF MY COLUMN FROM THE DAILY MIRROR, JANUARY 5 As fears grow once again for the future of the fabled liner Queen Elizabeth 2, a group of investors has made a New Year resolution to bring the ship back to the UK. A team called QE2London wants to moor the ship in the Thames and claims to have raised £20m to convert it for use as a hotel and conference centre. The Clyde-built former former Cunard liner was retired in 2008 and sold to Dubai for £64 million; the new owners' plans to turn it into a hotel [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:40+00:00 5 January 2013|Cruise News|5 Comments

Ever get the feeling you’ve been ad?

Fancy a cruise? Then all you need to do to get away from rain-soaked Britain is flick a switch, according to the TV ad for Carnival which will debut on our screens this Sunday. If only it were as simple as that. And if only top ad agencies could come up with a convincing commercial without resorting to tired old clichés. OK, the ad is intended to raise awareness of the Carnival name in the UK, where it is hardly recognised - in comparison to its homeland in the USA where it is the brand leader. But is it really [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:40+00:00 4 January 2013|Cruise Ships|0 Comments