All the latest cruise news from the man in the know

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

Is the plan for Titanic 2 crazy? You bet – unless you’re a pensioner

There were plenty of people - including me - ready to declare Australian billionaire Clive Palmer crazy when he revealed plans to build Titanic 2. His latest announcement seems designed to convince us he is completely bonkers. Pensioners, for example, will be barred from the casino, and less well-off passengers will be "screened" to make sure they can afford to lose money at the gambling tables. The ship, which a Chinese yard has contracted to build, will be an exact replica of the 1912 original but about four feet wider in the beam and with an extra deck inserted to [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 17 July 2012|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|4 Comments

Fare deal guarantee is launched in bid to attract early cruise bookers

Cunard and P&O Cruises have moved to try to break the habits of customers who are accustomed to picking up bargain fares with late deals. Under its new Price Promise, passengers are guaranteed they won't lose out if fares are reduced. The new Vantage Fares, launching next Monday, July 23, will include the choice of a range of benefits such as free car parking at the port or airport, or return coach transfers to Southampton. Vantage Fare passengers can choose a specific cabin and will have the flexibility to make changes to their booking up to 90 days before departure, [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 16 July 2012|Cruise Deals, Cruise News|4 Comments

Cruise dates for your diary

Couple of dates to make a note of . . . National Cruise Week will be from September 5 to 23 this year, and will be themed on Greatest Journeys. Which no doubt means that instead of pushing three-night mini-breaks from Southampton to Zeebrugge, it will be promoting destinations and experiences around the world. Many of the cruise lines who are members of the Passenger Shipping Association and the travel agent members of the Association of Cruise Experts will be putting together special offers which will be worth looking out for. PSA director William Gibbons says: "This is now the [...]

By John Honeywell| 2012-07-16T13:07:13+00:00 16 July 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

100 escape fire on river cruise

More than 100 British passengers were evacuated from a River Rhine cruise boat which caught fire in the early hours of yesterday morning. Four were taken to hospital and a total of 10 were treated for breathing problems caused by smoke inhalation. None of the injuries was reported to be life-threatening. Fire was discovered in a storage room in the galley area of Regina Rheni (above) at about 3.15 am. The 102 passengers - wearing pyjamas and nightdresses - were assembled at the forward part of the vessel from where they were taken to a nearby ferry landing and then [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 14 July 2012|Cruise News|0 Comments

EXCLUSIVE: Cruise ship Saga Ruby is about to sail into retirement

Sad news for lovers of classic cruise ships - Saga Ruby is to be retired. The vessel, which will be 40 years old next year, will be withdrawn from service early in 2014, Saga Shipping is announcing today. The decision will also bring disappointment to fans of the associated Spirit of Adventure brand which looks set to disappear when the ship Quest for Adventure returns to Saga's fleet and resumes sailing as Saga Pearl II. Despite a statement by commercial director James Duguid, who told the recent European Cruise Council AGM in Brussels that a new-build ship was under consideration, [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 10 July 2012|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|13 Comments

Costa captain thanks ‘divine hand’

Could the captain of Costa Concordia captain be about to submit a "guilty but insane" plea ahead of his scheduled court appearance on July 21? That's the best explanation I can come up with for his claim that he was guided by a "divine hand" on the night his ship ran aground. Francisco Schettino, charged with manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning his ship, has written to an Italian newspaper to give his version of the events which led to the loss of 32 lives when the vessel struck rocks and capsized off the island of Giglio. He claims that [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 6 July 2012|Cruise News|1 Comment

P&O on the crest of a wave

What is the compulsion that forces us to wave at passing ships? We have all done it, as other cruise ships have joined us in port, or as we have left them behind on departure. Last night, Princess Anne waved off all seven ships in the P&O fleet at the end of a memorable and emotional day which marked the founding of the cruise company 175 years ago. She was not alone. Thousands of people had flocked to Southampton throughout the day. As evening approached, an estimated 30,000 gathered along Southampton Water from Hythe to Calshot, from Mayflower Park and [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:46+00:00 4 July 2012|Cruise News|1 Comment