John Honeywell, Author at Captain Greybeard

Get me a new life jacket – this orange one doesn’t go with my shoes

My thanks to the people at CruiseCompare.co.uk for this piece of weekend fun - a collection of crazy complaints from cruise passengers. 1. No window in an inside cabin The clue is in the name but maybe this guest should read-up on the different cabin types before booking next time. They may even treat themselves to a balcony. 2.The engine is too loud One passenger overheard a man asking the captain to turn the engine off as it was too loud. Would he prefer to be stranded at sea? 3. Waiter is too quick There are always going to be [...]

By John Honeywell| 2015-04-12T21:15:07+00:00 26 October 2012|Cruise Entertainment|0 Comments

Sailin’ with Palin: Some suggestions for cruises to Brazil and the Amazon

Globe-trotting ex-Python Michael Palin is back on our TV screens, this time exploring Brazil. His new four-part BBC series opened this week in the north-east of the country; next week he goes Into Amazonia and meets the pink dolphins of the Rio Negro. It might be a long way from the grey shores of Britain to the wide waters of the world's biggest river, but it's possible to travel there and back by cruise ship. Passengers who want to follow in Palin's footsteps could set out from Portsmouth on January 5 and be at Manaus, in the heart of the [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:42+00:00 26 October 2012|Cruise Destinations|0 Comments

Oasis 3 is now a definite maybe

Cruise line Royal Caribbean has confirmed it has begun negotiations to build a third Oasis-class ship, capable of carrying more than 6,000 passengers and 2,100 crew. The announcement - following rumours which started circulating earlier this month - was made during its latest earnings statement today. Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, said: "The Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas have proven themselves to be exceptionally attractive ships by generating the highest guest satisfaction ratings in the fleet coupled with very compelling financial returns." His cautious statement continued: "Ordering another such ship for delivery in 2016, at a [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:42+00:00 25 October 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

Luxuriating in space – it’s Serene

Come with me on a journey into space. No, not an inter-planetary adventure on one of Richard Branson's rockets. I'm talking about my cruise on Crystal Serenity. For the most striking thing about this ship has been the amount of space available for its 1,070 passengers. In the cabins - in my case, a penthouse - in the restaurants and bars, on the open decks. Just everywhere. Not once since we left Athens 10 days ago have I felt that I was hemmed in or crowded by my fellow passengers. By way of comparison, P&O's Oriana is almost identical in [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:42+00:00 23 October 2012|Cruise Ships|4 Comments

Clean bill of health for Ventura after engineers repair these cracks

Cruise ship Ventura is back in the Bay of Biscay today, with crew and P&O officials no doubt hoping the weather will be kinder than during the ship's last crossing, when a substantial crack opened up in one of the upper decks. Passengers who were on board and saw sections of deck cordoned off have expressed their surprise at the extent of the damage and the speed of the repairs, which were carried out while the ship was in Southampton on Friday. One, who supplied these pictures, says: "I happened to talk to the deputy captain who at the time [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:42+00:00 22 October 2012|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|1 Comment

Brits to the fore on Crystal Serenity

The headquarters of Crystal Cruise Lines are in Century City, Los Angeles. The company is a subsidiary of the giant Japanese shipping conglomerate, Nippon Yusen Kaisha. Crystal Serenity, on which I have been travelling for the past week, was built in St Nazaire, France, and I have been mingling with passengers from all over the world. Since I embarked in Athens, I've met people from New York, Chicago, Florida and California. From Canada, South America, South Africa and Australia. Not to mention those from China, Japan and the Philippines. Plus the Israelis who joined us in Haifa for the remainder [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:42+00:00 21 October 2012|Cruise Entertainment|0 Comments

What caused a crack to open up in structure of cruise ship Ventura?

What is the cause of a two-inch-wide crack which opened up in the deck of P&O cruise ship, necessitating urgent repairs on its return to Southampton yesterday? Passengers on board the four-and-a-half-year-old ship took to Twitter, Facebook and cruise bulletin boards to report the incident, with some suggesting that rough seas during a crossing of the notorious Bay of Biscay were responsible for the damage. A gap opened up across the starboard side of Deck 16, directly below the Laguna Pool deck, leaving a number of glass panes loose. The area was immediately taped off, and some reports said passengers [...]

By John Honeywell| 2012-10-20T13:35:03+00:00 20 October 2012|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|4 Comments

Letting Serenity take the strain

It is one of the great paradoxes of luxury cruising. We travel cocooned in comfort, yet put ourselves through strenuous ordeals. On board Crystal Serenity I have two stewardesses to attend to my penthouse, and a butler who - when he's not pressing my shirts or cleaning my shoes - can rustle up a room service supper at a moment's notice. There's fine dining in a choice of three restaurants; casual meals in two more. Entertainment in two lounges and a brace of bars. Speaking of which, there are no bills to sign or cards to be swiped when ordering [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:42+00:00 16 October 2012|Cruise Destinations|0 Comments

London dinner to launch Titanic II

An Australian billionaire is pressing ahead with plans to build a replica of doomed liner Titanic despite the scepticism and derision which have greeted the project. This week, Clive Palmer announced he will host a black-tie gala dinner at London's Natural History Museum on December 1 to publicise his scheme. It will be followed three days later by a similar event on board the USS Intrepid in New York. With questionable taste, the menu at both events will feature the food served on board Titanic on April 14, 1912 - the night the ship hit an iceberg before sinking with [...]

By John Honeywell| 2012-10-13T07:30:46+00:00 13 October 2012|Cruise News|1 Comment

Happy birthday, QE – we’ll be seeing quite a bit of each other next week

Thank you to Cunard's Peter Shanks for reminding me it was exactly two years ago, on a glorious day in Southampton, that Queen Elizabeth was christened by Her Majesty. The video above shows what a grand occasion it was. We'll pass quickly over the fact that Jimmy Savile was one of the other guests, and caused a bit of a stir with port security when he refused to remove the jewellery round his neck and bangles round his wrists before passing through the scanner. He was setting off alarms even then. As it happens, I'll be seeing quite a bit [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:42+00:00 11 October 2012|Cruise Destinations, Cruise Ships|0 Comments