Cruise Ships - Page 26 of 57 - Captain Greybeard

It’s party time for QE2

After three years sitting idly in port at Dubai, the former Cunard liner QE2 will soon be welcoming guests aboard once again. Still no nearer to being converted to a luxury hotel - which was the original plan when it was bought for $100 million - the ship is to host a VIP party on New Year's Eve. An Emirates company, Global Event Management, has hired the ship for an invitation-only, black-tie event. In decidedly over-the-top Dubai style, they claim it will be one of the most exclusive New Year celebrations in the world and that among the guests will [...]

By John Honeywell| 2011-12-17T14:49:42+00:00 17 December 2011|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Cruise is cancelled as Adonia heads for ‘essential’ repairs in dry-dock

A New Year's cruise on P&O's newest ship, Adonia, has been cancelled at short notice in order to carry out what the company has described as "essential maintenance." The 30,000-ton ship, which has been sailing in the Mediterranean since the autumn, was due to have set out from Naples on January 3 for a 10-night voyage to Southampton. Instead it will now go into dry-dock in Falmouth, Cornwall, prior to setting out on January 13 for a marathon 87-night South American Adventure which will take it around Cape Horn and through the Panama Canal. Hundreds of passengers have been contacted [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:57+00:00 16 December 2011|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|7 Comments

Cunard’s QM2 is back from dry-dock refit and looking pretty as a picture

The stern of Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 may now be emblazoned with the name of Hamilton, her now port of registry, but a new reminder of her British heritage is now on display in the Grand Lobby. A portrait of the Queen, painted by celebrity artist Gail Graham, was unveiled last week when the ship returned to service after a multi-million pound refit. The oil-on-canvas work shows Her Majesty during her final visit to Queen Elizabeth 2 to mark the ship's 40th anniversary in June 2008. The picture above shows the artist with Cunard president Peter Shanks and Captain [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:57+00:00 11 December 2011|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Does my bum look big in this?

As the new ducktail on Splendour of the Seas enters the water for the first time today, here are pictures of the similar extension which has been added to P&O's Oriana. Seems like having a rear end like Beyoncé or J-Lo is the new fashion for cruise ships. The work is taking place at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, where the 16-year-old Oriana is being updated and adapted for adult-only use. Out goes the kids clubs and in come some new cabins and restaurants. As with Splendour the additions, and advancing age, have added weight to the vessel [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:58+00:00 25 November 2011|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Jurgen serenades Island Escape

The busiest man on board Splendour of the Seas during its dry dock is Jurgen Bailom (left); as Hotel Director in charge of Royal Caribbean's $300 million fleet revitalisation programme he has to co-ordinate more than 1,000 workmen and 760 crew to ensure that everything is completed on time. Making sure every square inch of 170 miles of new carpet has been laid; the cabins all have their new furniture and flat-screen TVs installed, and the kitchens for the five new restaurants are fitted and working involves constant chasing, intricate inspections and regular meetings. The routine was broken a week [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:58+00:00 21 November 2011|Cruise Ships|3 Comments

Splendour’s drydock in pictures

The $50 million operation to bring 15-year-old cruise ship Splendour of the Seas up to date is a triumph of organisation and logistics. Co-ordinating the efforts of about 1,200 workmen and contractors during the 32-day drydock would be a big enough headache on its own, but think of the planning and ordering and delivery of parts, equipment and furnishings that had to be completed first. Plans are already well under way for the next stage of the $300 million "Royal Advantage" programme which will see sister ship Rhapsody of the Seas enter drydock in Singapore early next year. Most of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:58+00:00 17 November 2011|Cruise Ships|2 Comments

How cruise ship Splendour is dealing with a case of middle-age spread

After far too many extravagant meals on board cruise ships, I know all about unwanted weight gain and middle-aged spread. Today I discovered that ships themselves suffer exactly the same problems - they gain weight as they get older. Every extra piece of equipment added during a ship's life - from a mixing desk for the night club to a pizza oven in the galley, an outdoor cinema screen to a climbing wall for the kids - adds extra weight. Even the coats of paint which are constantly being applied help to pile on the pounds. Problem is, if a [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:58+00:00 16 November 2011|Cruise Ships|3 Comments

Cruise ships in dock for new look

Never mind the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, this autumn seems to be packed with cruise ships being refurbished and re-fitted - at huge expense - in dry docks everywhere so they can provide facilities to match those on newer vessels. When I arrived unexpectedly in the Italian Riviera port of La Spezia a few days ago, Adonia's captain David Box pointed out Europa in the Fincantieri yard across the other side of the harbour. The ship is now back in service after the 13-day makeover, and has a newly-designed Lido Cafe as well as updated bathrooms for some [...]

By John Honeywell| 2011-11-13T12:31:43+00:00 13 November 2011|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Welcome home for Finnmarken

There'll be a warm welcome in the Norwegian fjords next February, when Finnmarken, one of Hurtigruten's newest and largest vessels, returns after an absence of almost two years. The ship, built in 2002, has been serving as a floating accommodation unit for workers developing the Gorgon natural gas field at Barrow Island, in a remote corner of Western Australia. But it will be back on duty plying the picturesque route from Bergen to Kirkenes from February 16, standing in for Hurtigruten's Nordlys - which is still undergoing repairs after being damaged by fire in September. Nordlys is expected to return [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T15:59:58+00:00 9 November 2011|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|1 Comment

Indy ducks out of winter in Europe

UNDER GREY SKIES: Independence of the Seas in Southampton Royal Caribbean's experiment of sailing year-round from the UK is over. The wide open spaces of the Independence of the Seas' upper decks with the H2O Zone water park for kids, the FlowRider surf simulator, and the whirlpool baths cantilevered over the side of the ship 112 feet above the waves, are apparently not best suited to chilly days in the Bay of Biscay. The winter 2012-13 deployment for the 154,000-ton vessel has it sailing six and eight-night Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale instead of heading for the Canaries and the [...]