John Honeywell, Author at Captain Greybeard

Cruise ship Ocean Countess fulfils Brunel’s dream in the Bristol Channel

Cruise & Maritime Voyages, who operate the classic ships Marco Polo and Ocean Countess, are blazing a trail when it comes to finding new departure ports in the UK. No sooner have they made history by becoming the first line to use Liverpool's new turnaround facilities - and taking the biggest passenger ship ever to visit Scottish port of Fort William - than the company is announcing a series of voyages departing next year from Avonmouth (above), in the Bristol Channel. The 780-passenger Ocean Countess will become the first cruise ship to operate from the port since 1992. It will [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 30 June 2012|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|0 Comments

Rock of Ages for Breakaway

Don't Stop Believin' - the musical Rock of Ages is to be the headline entertainment on cruise ship Norwegian Breakaway when it debuts next April. The hit show will be performed six times a week on the 4,000-passenger vessel. The high-energy musical opened on Broadway in 2009 and in London's West End last year. A film version starring Tom Cruise and Russell Brand was released earlier this month. Norwegian - who broke new ground by hiring The Blue Man Group to perform on Norwegian Epic - are following the example of Royal Caribbean, who have presented full-length versions of Hairspray, [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 29 June 2012|Cruise Entertainment|0 Comments

Seeing double in the fjords

No, you're not actually seeing double - the picture shows Cunard sister ships Queen Victoria (left) and Queen Elizabeth together in the Norwegian fjords at the tiny port of Flåm, at the head of Norway's Aurlandsfjord. It's another occasion when a small shot at the top of this column would be inadequate, so click on the picture to see a bigger version. The 450 inhabitants of Flåm are used to being outnumbered by visiting cruise passengers, but although they welcome up to 500,000 a year from more than 150 ship visits they don't often get as many as the 4,200 [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 28 June 2012|Cruise Ships|1 Comment

Sapphire gets the blues again

Captain Philip Rentell has been telling readers of his blog about the latest misfortunes to affect cruise ship Saga Sapphire. A generator problem led to an extended stay in the port of Tromsø - two days instead of half a day -while an expert was flown in to diagnose the fault and make repairs. Once fixed, departure was further delayed by the Norwegian celebrations for the summer solstice - all taking place in permanent daylight as the city is well inside the Arctic Circle. I'll let Captain Rentell take up the story: "We've had a few problems that have meant [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 27 June 2012|Cruise News|2 Comments

What’s so good about Breeze?

After a sensible period for quiet reflection, it's safe to pick through some of the highlights - and a few lowlights - of last week's cruise on the brand new Carnival Breeze. Passengers who sailed the full round-trip will be disembarking in Barcelona today. I jumped ship at the weekend and flew home from Venice, although not, I hasten to add, because I could take no more of the lively party atmosphere. With Breeze's calmer decor and Fun Ship 2 innovations, not to mention the unblemished weather in the Mediterranean, I was having a great week. What was so good [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 27 June 2012|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Vote now to win a holiday

Voting has opened for the second annual Cruise Awards organised by Cruise International magazine. Choose your favourite cruise line or destination and you could win a holiday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Fred Olsen won the Cruise Line of the Year title in 2011, with Seabourn taking the luxury category, while P&O was voted best for value. Sydney took the prize for best destination, and this year the category has been split into two contests - one for Europe, and one for the Rest of the World. Blogger of the Year was Carnival's John Heald, and I'm looking to my regular [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:47+00:00 26 June 2012|Cruise News|1 Comment

Numbers look good for cruises

Proof that cruise holidays are a big earner for the UK economy comes in the latest set of statistics issued by the European Cruise Council. The industry generated direct expenditure of £2.28 billion in Britain last year, an increase of 10.2 per cent on 2010. The European total was £12.1 billion, up 3.3 per cent. The UK spend is second to Italy, and only in France is cruise business growing faster. The number of UK holidaymakers who took a cruise in 2011 increased by almost 11 per cent to 1.7 million; total European numbers rose by nine per cent to [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:47+00:00 26 June 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

End of the world for Saga?

I don't usually get excited when the postman delivers another bundle of mail or catalogues from Saga - they arrive with such frequency I'd be in a permanent state of agitation. But today's package stopped me in my tracks. Over a picture of the grand old cruise ship Saga Ruby in front of the Sydney Opera House a headline proclaims "LAST EVER WORLD CRUISE." The voyage in question - or "ultimate journey" in Saga speak - will leave Southampton on January 7, 2013, and will return on April 27 after travelling 33,467 nautical miles. It's a true circumnavigation, sailing west [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:47+00:00 25 June 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

Turning up the Heat for Micky

Carnival boss Micky Arison (above) may be celebrating the success of his basketball team, Miami Heat, in the NBA Championship finals, but the performance of the biggest cruise company in the world must be giving him some sleepless nights. Thousands of fans were thronging the streets today to join the Heat's victory parade, following the team's 4-1 victory over Oklahoma City Thunder. When Micky and the team he owns have finished partying, he'll have to take a long hard look at the numbers thrown up in Carnival Corporation's latest financial statement. Earnings for the second quarter fell by 93 per [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:47+00:00 25 June 2012|Cruise News|1 Comment

New ports and destinations, plus free drinks – Fred Olsen includes them all

New ports around the world, additional disembarkation points in the UK, voyages of a lifetime, and free drinks - they are all included in Fred Olsen's 2013-14 cruise programme, announced this week with the release of a new brochure. The company's four ships - Black Watch, Boudicca, Balmoral and Braemar - will be visiting a total of 240 ports in 77 countries. Twelve of them will be maiden calls: Haugesund and Bronnovsund in Norway; Vaasa in Sweden; Husavik in Iceland; Boulogne, France; Melilla, a Spanish enclave in Morocco; Townsville, Australia; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Nawiliwili, Hawaii; Osaka and Hiroshima, Japan; and [...]

By John Honeywell| 2012-06-24T18:02:02+00:00 24 June 2012|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|1 Comment