John Honeywell, Author at Captain Greybeard

Liverpool claims victory in the battle over its Pier Head cruise terminal

A surprise announcement today from Liverpool, where the city council is claiming that its Pier Head terminal will be in business for cruise turnarounds within three months. The terminal, built with public money from the Government and Europe, has been at the centre of a row with rivals including Southampton who claimed it would provide unfair competition. After a Government inquiry, shipping minister Mike Penning decided last month to seek independent advice on the amount Liverpool should repay and council leader Joe Anderson conceded the city's cruise hopes were "back to square one." But the council has now agreed to [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:55+00:00 3 February 2012|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|0 Comments

Pictures fit for a Princess

It was an early morning in November, as the cruise ship Sea Princess arrived at Manhattan piers, that I took this picture of dawn over Manhattan. It's been tucked away on my computer hard disk since 2006, but I dragged it out this week in response to an appeal from Princess Cruises for passengers to submit pictures to be displayed in their newest ship. The line is looking for 1,000 images to adorn the corridors of Royal Princess, which is under construction in Italy and due to debut in May next year. The image judged the best, by a panel [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:55+00:00 3 February 2012|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Face of the Siren who lured Captain Coward and his ship onto the rocks

In Greek mythology, the Sirens were dangerous seductresses who lured sailors to destruction on the rocky coast of their island. The Lorelei of German folklore had a similar effect on the boatmen of the River Rhine. We now have a Siren for the 21st Century in the form of Domnica Cemortan, the passenger rep who says she was on the bridge of Costa Concordia with Captain Francisco Schettino when the ship hit a rock off the island of Giglio nearly three weeks ago. There's no evidence that 25-year-old Domnica - a former ballet dancer from Moldova - has birds' feathers [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:55+00:00 2 February 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

Just visiting: QM2 stops in Mauritius only long enough to drop off a VIP

So near and yet so far: the lights of Port Louis seen from QM2's bridgecam World cruise passengers on Cunard's Queen Mary 2 spent an unexpected day at sea today when their scheduled visit to Port Louis on the island of Mauritius was cancelled because of delays caused by cyclone Funso. The ship paused offshore just long enough for a launch to be sent out to collect Sir David Frost and his wife, Lady Carina. They had been on board for four days while he regaled passengers with stories from his long broadcasting career, and introduced a special screening of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:55+00:00 1 February 2012|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|1 Comment

Your favourite Disney Fantasies

Just a month from today Disney Fantasy, the newest cruise ship under the command of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, will be christened at Pier 88 in New York. If you want to see what the 148,000-ton ship has in store for its young fans, watch the video (above) to see the Top 5 activities - which don't even include the Aqua Duck water coaster circling the upper decks. After the kids have been tucked up in bed - or while they are being taken care of at their own clubs - there's plenty for mum and dad to do as [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:55+00:00 1 February 2012|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Concordia search is abandoned

Divers have finally abandoned their search for remaining bodies in the flooded section of cruise ship Costa Concordia, which capsized off the coast of Italy on January 13. The Civil Protection agency said it was too dangerous to continue. Relatives and diplomatic officials representing the countries of the 15 passengers and crew still listed as missing have been informed of the decision. The agency says emergency crews continue to inspect the part of the ship that still above the water line and will use specialist equipment to check whether there are any bodies on the sea bed. Meanwhile, Costa Corporation, [...]

By John Honeywell| 2012-01-31T14:26:12+00:00 31 January 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

Salvage of Costa Concordia wreck could take up to 10 months

Residents on the island of Giglio, where cruise chip Costa Concordia ran aground more than two weeks ago, are growing concerned that the wreckage may not be removed until the end of the year. The start of work to remove more than 2,000 tons of fuel from the vessel was delayed by rough weather this weekend. Only when most of the tanks have been emptied of diesel and heavy fuel oil can salvage experts take the next step - either to refloat the ship and tow it away, or to start cutting it up where it lies. The population of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:55+00:00 30 January 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

Day of reckoning for priest who lied about his cruise on Costa Concordia

A Catholic priest who told his parishioners he was taking time off to spend a week at a spiritual retreat is going to have to explain to them how he came to be rescued from the wreck of Costa Concordia. For Father Massimo Donghi had booked a cruise instead of locking himself away in prayer and meditation, and was caught out when his niece said on Facebook that he was among family members safe and well after the ship hit rocks two weeks ago. "What do you want me to say?" the 41-year-old priest told an Italian news magazine. "I [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:55+00:00 28 January 2012|Cruise News|1 Comment

Globe Award for unsung hero who flies to help if a cruise goes wrong

Heather Small and the X-Factor's Misha B sang their hearts out, beat-boxer Faith SFX brought the house down, and comedian Jack Whitehall tried to blag himself a day out at Alton Towers - when he could have been trying to grab a luxury cruise or an all-inclusive stay at Sandals. Such was the madness of the Travel Weekly Globe Awards ceremony at London's Grosvenor House this week. Among the star-studded celebrations and self-congratulatory sponsorships, one winner stood out above all the rest. Andrew Baldwin, 32-year-old leader of the Customer Care Team for P&O and Cunard cruise lines, picked up the [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:55+00:00 27 January 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

Southampton cheers as Liverpool cruise plans are back to square one

There are celebrations in Southampton at the news that a rival city's plans to cash in on the cruising boom have taken another knock. Liverpool received £18 million in aid from the Government and Europe to develop its Pier Head cruise terminal, on condition it was used only for day visits rather than more lucrative turnaround business, with passengers embarking and disembarking at the start and end of a voyage. An unseemly battle has been raging over the Mersey port's plans to upgrade the new facilities so it can move turnaround trade from the industrial backwater of Langton Dock which [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:55+00:00 27 January 2012|Cruise News|4 Comments