John Honeywell, Author at Captain Greybeard

Norwegian makes Europe pay

Europe might have been "a bummer" for cruise giant Royal Caribbean - who last week reported a second-quarter loss - but the region is credited with improving Norwegian's profits over the same period. Company president and CEO Kevin Sheehan yesterday said the deployment of a record four of the fleet's 11 ships to Europe had brought improved revenues. Higher fares and modest cost savings helped drive earnings up from $568.6 million to $583.2 million, with profits rising from $29.2 million to $36m. The company has not, however, been immune to the effects of the Euro crisis and the sinking of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:45+00:00 31 July 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

Germany’s dream ship avoids nightmare over change of flag

Cruise ship MS Deutschland is a national institution. Much loved by traditionalists in its home country, the 480-passenger vessel is familiar to millions as the setting for long-running German TV soap Traum Schiff - a derivative of America's Love Boat. Over the next two weeks the 14-year-old ship is berthed in London, providing accommodation for members of the German Olympic Committee and visitors to the Champions Club. At the end of the Games, it will take athletes back home, on a short voyage from the Thames to Hamburg. German president Joachim Gauck was a visitor to the ship on Saturday, [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:45+00:00 31 July 2012|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|1 Comment

Silver lining in the cruise clouds

There's a bit of catching up to do after my week in the Baltic on Saga Sapphire - a lovely ship which is sure to earn its place in the hearts of a loyal band of ever-more-youthful Saganauts. We were blessed with beautiful weather as we visited Rostock (from Warnemunde), Tallinn, St Petersburg and Helsinki. A couple of days ahead of me, the Mirror's esteemed travel editor Nigel Thompson was not so fortunate - "Bring a brolly" was his advice from Peter the Great's Russian capital, and he expressed little surprise when he discovered Helsinki had been under snow only [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:45+00:00 29 July 2012|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|1 Comment

British captain at the helm of Royal

New cruise ship Royal Princess will have a British captain at the controls when it is launched next June. Tony Draper, who has also served with Cunard and P&O, will be leading a team of senior officers with more than 100 years of combined experience. Draper is originally from Scotland and now lives in Cornwall with his wife Joanna and young daughter Alysia. He and Joanna first met when he was second officer aboard Island Princess, onr of the original Love Boats. He began his sea-going career with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service, the civilian-manned supply and logistics division of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:45+00:00 26 July 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

Hermitage night to remember

Every visitor to St Petersburg will have The Hermitage museum at or near the top of their list of must-see places. Quite rightly, because with its three million exhibits, including some of the most famous and familiar Old Masters and Impressionist paintings in the world, it is well worth seeing time and again. Even the most carefully-planned visit usually involves queues and the crush of thousands of others all trying to see the same things at the same time. Last night I was privileged to view everything I wanted with hardly another soul in sight. The journey took me and [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:45+00:00 25 July 2012|Cruise Destinations|0 Comments

Cruise ships going for Olympic gold

Normal service is slightly interrupted this week while I take a look at what Saga Sapphire has to offer during a cruise in the Baltic. I boarded in Kalundborg, Denmark on Saturday. The original schedule would have given us a day at sea on Sunday prior to arrival in Stockholm today. But Captain Philip Rentell - almost as prolific a blogger as me - took account of the weather forecast and delivered us to Warnemunde in Germany instead, where our guide not only showed us the sights but also gave us a glimpse of some of the dark secrets of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:45+00:00 23 July 2012|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Pulp’s Disco 2012 will be on a cruise

FROM THE PRINT EDITION OF TODAY'S DAILY MIRROR Once he was proud to be one of the Common People; now Jarvis Cocker is taking Pulp on a luxury cruise - two in fact - aboard Celebrity Silhouette. The group, who performed in April at the Coachella Festival - a desert institution held near Palm Springs, California, are top of the bill for the event's first journey to sea. Also appearing will be Hot Chip. Yeasayer and Girl Talk. Bookings open today and British fans can make reservations at ss.coachella.com. All fares are priced in US $ and start at $500 [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:45+00:00 21 July 2012|Cruise Entertainment|0 Comments

Cheers! The drinks are on Fred

When it comes to deals to help sell cruises there are two popular ways to avoid cutting fares to the bone - a price promise that means early bookers will always get the best value, and all-inclusive drinks. Fred Olsen is now embracing both in a concerted attempt to get customers to book early . Only last month, the cruise line announced it was going to trial the drinks deal on a handful of itineraries aboard Braemar next February and March. They did such good business as a result, with those cruises selling three times as quickly as others in [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:45+00:00 20 July 2012|Cruise Deals, Cruise News|1 Comment

Spanish ports ready for more cruises

The on-going - and unnecessary - row between Southampton and Liverpool has resulted in Britain's leading cruise port deciding to delay work to create a fifth terminal. There may be similar north-south tensions in Spain, but they haven't put a stop to progress. On the Costa del Sol, Malaga this month opens a new building which alongside a berth which can accommodate ships of up to 200 metres in length. Part of Quay Two's Palmeral de las Sorpresas (Palm Groove promenade) is a picturesque walkway that incorporates gardens and shaded areas, as well as a children's play area. The passenger [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 18 July 2012|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|0 Comments

Are you ready to cruise with Prêt?

The private equity company which controls the Pret a Manger sandwich shop chain has bought a cruise line. Bridgepoint Capital has agreed to purchase luxury cruise company Compagnie du Ponant from French owners CMA CGM who also operate one of the world's largest fleets of container ships. Ponant had reduced its fleet recently by selling off two ships. The 90-passenger Le Levant went to Paul Gauguin Cruises for operation as Tere Moana in the South Pacific. Le Diamant has been chartered to Quark Expeditions, who will rename the 200-passenger ship Ocean Diamond and sail her in the polar waters of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 18 July 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments