All the latest cruise news from the man in the know

Stay-at-home Americans give us the best Mediterranean cruise deals yet

There have never been as many cruise ships sailing in European waters as there are this summer. Royal Caribbean have a record 12 of their vessels on this side of the pond to compete with P&O's seven, and the fleets of Cunard, Fred. Olsen, and Thomson. NCL's giant Norwegian Epic is today calling at the Azores and arrives in Barcelona on Wednesday to begin a season of Mediterranean cruises. The expensively-refitted Grand Princess returns to Southampton next Saturday [May 21] and over the next few months will be tying up at Spanish and Italian ports alongside the ships of Costa [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:07+00:00 14 May 2011|Cruise Deals, Cruise News|0 Comments

Cruise ship hits ice in Alaska

A cruise ship carrying almost 2,000 passengers has been damaged by solid ice while visiting Hubbard Glacier in Alaska (above). Holland America Lines' Westerdam was manoeuvring in Yakutat Bay earlier this week. It is not known whether high winds at the time contributed to the incident. A HAL spokesperson said the ship's hull received "a mild indentation" below the waterline. "The hull was not breached and the ship continued on its published itinerary." The ship sailed left Seattle on Saturday for the seven-day voyage, its first visit of the season to Alaska. The US Coast Guard said the damage to [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:07+00:00 12 May 2011|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|0 Comments

Is it farewell to Lorraine as P&O welcomes its latest cruise ship?

When Dame Shirley Bassey names P&O's newest ship, Adonia, in Southampton next Saturday, she will open a new chapter in the life of a vessel which has already seen several changes in its short life. It may also be the end of a fascinating book for another grand old lady. In June 2007, Lorraine Arzt was godmother when the ship was re-named Royal Princess in Portofino harbour, Italy. She had been living almost permanently on board Princess cruise ships for the whole of the decade. The picture above shows her with Micky Arison (left), chief executive of Carnival Corporation which [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:07+00:00 12 May 2011|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Illegal immigrants smuggled into New York in luxury on Cunard’s QM2

Cunard have long boasted - with some justification - that sailing into New York on board luxurious liner Queen Mary 2 is the best way to arrive in America. It is indeed an unforgettable sight, despite the fact that it's necessary to be up at some unfeasible hour to get the full experience of sailing under the Verazzano Narrows Bridge and past the Statue of Liberty as Manhattan's skyscrapers see the first of the dawn sun. It's certainly a stylish and extremely unusual way for an illegal immigrant to arrive. But when QM2 arrived the harbour recently, five men and [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:07+00:00 10 May 2011|Cruise News|0 Comments

HMS Belfast’s nine-gun salute a treat for visitors to superyacht SeaDream I

To Tower Bridge today, where one of SeaDream's two identical luxury super-yachts was visiting London for the first time. Just arrived in Europe after a transatlantic crossing, and heading for a routine dry dock SeaDream I has been holding open house for travel agents, media and past passengers. There was chance for a quick look around the delightful vessel - which carries 112 passengers cosseted by 95 attentive crew - before a splendid lunch that featured lobster and crab, the tastiest pumpkin soup I have ever experienced, and a succulent plate of sea bass and tuna. There was a surprise [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:07+00:00 10 May 2011|Cruise News|0 Comments

Cruise numbers add up to success

The 600 travel agents who gathered in Southampton for the fifth annual UK Cruise Convention were no doubt delighted to receive confirmation of their important role in a continually growing business. Brits took a record 1.62 million cruises in 2010, up 6 per cent on the previous year and more than double the number of 10 years ago according to the latest figures issued by the Passenger Shipping Association. And despite cruise lines' efforts to persuade customers to book online, four out of five cruises are booked through High Street agents. Value for money is seen as one of the [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:08+00:00 8 May 2011|Cruise News|0 Comments

Who’s ready for the new Adonia?

P&O finally got their hands on their newest ship this week and after a few days' work in a shipyard in the Bahamas, Royal Princess will be transformed into Adonia. Two weeks from today (May 21) Dame Shirley Bassey will crack a bottle of pink English sparkling wine to officially christen the 700-passenger vessel. She will be assisted by Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville, fresh from his appearance as swashbuckling pirate captain John Avery (above right with Matt Smith) in tonight's episode of Dr Who: The Curse of the Black Spot. Adonia, smallest ship in the P&O fleet and for [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:08+00:00 7 May 2011|Cruise News|0 Comments

It’s Magic! Carnival Breeze will blow into the Mediterranean next summer

Carnival Cruise Lines' boss Gerry Cahill today confirmed that the 3,690-passenger ship Carnival Breeze will be sailing in the Mediterranean next summer. Breeze is a sister to Carnival Magic, which was launched in Venice at the weekend and is currently sailing on its maiden voyage to Barcelona, from where it will be operating seven, nine and 12-night Mediterranean cruises throughout the summer. In October it will move to its new home in Galveston, Texas. Cahill told me recently that the number of UK passengers booking Carnival cruises has doubled since last year, but he accepts that most of the passengers [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:08+00:00 3 May 2011|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News|1 Comment

Marvellous! A moving moment as Cunard Commodore Bernie bows out

Perhaps Cunard wanted to keep the retirement of Commodore Bernie Warner a family affair. Perhaps the man himself didn't want a big fuss. And perhaps I was a bit unkind to suggest the cruise line had let their most senior captain slip away too quietly last week at the end of Queen Mary 2's world voyage. Because a video now posted on Peter Shanks's We Are Cunard blog pays a fitting tribute to the man, and reveals what an emotional morning it was for Warner, his wife Tina, and all those on the bridge for his farewell after 46 years [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:08+00:00 30 April 2011|Cruise News|0 Comments

Arab turmoil gives Spirit time off for dry dock and a fresh coat of paint

When Spirit of Adventure docks in Civitavecchia on Friday morning, 350 passengers will troop off to board coaches for Rome airport to fly home, or perhaps to spend a few more days' holiday in the Eternal City. For once, there will not be a procession of coaches bringing a new shipload eager to start a new cruise. The scheduled 14-night Relics of Rome cruise has been cancelled. It would have taken passengers on excursions to the magnificent amphitheatres of Leptis Magna in Libya and El Djem in Tunisia, plus the ports of Annaba and Bejaia in Algeria before spending a [...]

By John Honeywell| 2011-04-27T09:17:02+00:00 27 April 2011|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|0 Comments