Cruise Ships - Page 49 of 57 - Captain Greybeard

Queen Elizabeth’s master named

Cunard have announced that Captain Christopher Wells is to take command of their next cruise ship, Queen Elizabeth, which will be making its maiden voyage in just over a year's time. It's not the first time he has been in charge of a new Cunard liner. In 2002 he became part of the site team at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard during the construction of Queen Mary 2. and he was the first Staff Captain of the new ship when she was handed over to Cunard on 22nd December 2003, remaining with her until May 2005. He later went on [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:38+00:00 3 September 2009|Cruise Ships|1 Comment

Blackbeard gets his sea legs

First Officer Blackbeard sends his first report from the cruise ship Spirit of Adventure, somewhere at sea off the coast of northern Spain . . . While Captain Greybeard may well be a hardened cruise expert, who can provide with help and advice and the latest updates in goings-on at sea, what you haven't had on this blog is the wide-eyed exploits of a cruise virgin. Hi, my name is Russell. I'm 27 and I have never cruised before. For the next week I will be at sea and at various ports of call as I travel along the coast [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:38+00:00 31 August 2009|Cruise Destinations, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Blackbeard’s adventures in Spain

Greybeard's apprentice takes to the seas this week. First Officer Blackbeard, as we'll call him for now, flew to Bilbao this morning for a week's cruising to Malaga on board Spirit of Adventure. He's probably more suited to the Freestyle frolics of a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship, or the resort-style attractions of Royal Caribbean, so I shall be interested to hear what he makes of one of my favourite smaller ships. He was hoping to have time to visit the Guggenheim Museum before the ship sails this evening, and on Tuesday he should be on an excursion to Santiago de [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:39+00:00 30 August 2009|Cruise Destinations, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Bank holiday cruise ship bonanza

Nine cruise ships will bring a Bank Holiday bonanza to Southampton this weekend, worth an estimated £8.5 million to local businesses. Up to 45,000 passengers will be embarking and disembarking on Saturday and Sunday, as some of the biggest cruise ships in the world arrive in port. The local council estimates that each person arriving in the city to start a cruise spends an average of £380 in hotels, shops, the airport and other transport. But while taxi drivers and baggage porters will be looking forward to making enough money to pay for their own cruises, the arrival and departure [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:39+00:00 27 August 2009|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Take a chance on an Epic maiden

Maiden voyages are always popular, but before one is put on sale the cruise line usually knows when it is going to happen and where the ship is going to sail. Norwegian Cruise Lines are taking an interesting step with the launch of their giant new ship, Norwegian Epic, by opening for bookings without knowing either of those things, or even how much they are going to charge. The 4,200-passenger ship, 60 per cent bigger than any other vessel in the fleet, has to get from the shipyard in France to Miami, where it will be based from June 17 [...]

By John Honeywell| 2009-08-25T23:30:50+00:00 25 August 2009|Cruise Ships|0 Comments

Cruise deal of the Century

You've got to feel envious of anyone who has booked a four-night Caribbean cruise on board Celebrity Century next summer. Their plans are going to be changed because the ship is being redeployed to the Mediterranean, but to make up for the inconvenience they are being offered a seven-night cruise on Celebrity Solstice instead. That's got to be one of the best deals yet. The 1,814-passenger Century now joins the Constellation, Equinox and Eclipse sailing European waters in 2010. The ship will leave Miami on May 20 for a 14-night Transatlantic crossing calling at the Azores, Lisbon, Seville and Malaga [...]

By John Honeywell| 2009-08-25T22:53:42+00:00 25 August 2009|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News, Cruise Ships|1 Comment

Billion dollar baby takes shape

Royal Caribbean chairman Richard Fain has been back to the Finnish shipyard which is building his new billion dollar baby, Oasis of the Seas, and returned with some impressive pictures of the work going on to complete the biggest cruise ship in the world. The ship, which will carry 5,400 passengers and more, is scheduled to make her debut in Fort Lauderdale at the end of November, and will be sailing regular voyages to the Caribbean, where new piers and terminals are being built to accommodate the giant. So huge is the vessel that without special measures, Richard explains it [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:39+00:00 24 August 2009|Cruise Ships|1 Comment

Minerva library speaks volumes

For a vessel which was originally designed as a Russian spy ship, Minerva makes a very comfortable cruise ship. She was in Dover today, saying farewell to the UK until next June, with Swan Hellenic chairman Lord Sterling hosting lunch on board. The little ship, just 12,500 tons and carrying no more than 350 passengers, set off tonight for the Mediterranean, and will be spending four months from mid-November to February cruising from Buenos Aires to Antarctica. She might be small, but the ship has many features which would be the envy of vessels 10 times her size. The library, [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:39+00:00 22 August 2009|Cruise Destinations, Cruise Ships|2 Comments

Preview of Pearl’s maiden cruises

The brochure for Saga's 2010 cruises will be arriving through thousands of letterboxes this week, just days after the company had finally acquired a new ship to replace the much-loved Saga Rose. No surprise then that the cover is a picture of Saga Pearl II, formerly the Astoria, in her new livery, and of course there are full details of the voyages planned for the ship's inaugural season. The maiden voyage, leaving Southampton on March 15, will be to Norway and the Arctic Circle. Earlier in the year than most ships visit the fjords, many familiar excursions will not be [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:40+00:00 10 August 2009|Cruise Destinations, Cruise News, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

P&O cruise ships go smoke-free

Smokers are being squeezed outside on P&O's cruise ships. From April next year, there will be no indoor smoking areas on Arcadia, Aurora, Oriana, or the company's newest ship, Azura. Passenger cabins will also be no-smoking, and nicotine addicts will be restricted to defined areas of open deck and their cabin balconies. Similar restrictions were introduced on Oceana, Ventura and Artemis last October, following UK legislation which banned smoking in bars and restaurants. A company statement says: "As a direct result of feedback from our passengers, it has become increasingly apparent that the acceptance of smoking inside our ships has [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:40+00:00 1 August 2009|Cruise News, Cruise Ships|1 Comment