Captain Greybeard - Page 147 of 209 - Your expert guide to cruise ships and cruise holidays

Not so Fantastic for MSC Cruises

In an unfortunate coincidence of timing, MSC Cruises announced confirmation of their newest ship at the weekend, just as news reports were breaking about a passenger being killed when a gangway collapsed. Construction work started in April, but it is only now that financing has been agreed between MSC, its bankers, and builders STX France at St Nazaire. French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been closely involved in brokering the deal in order to provide jobs at the yard whose order book has been looking a bit thin since the completion of Norwegian Epic in June. His intervention has sparked speculation [...]

By John Honeywell| 2010-07-26T10:32:15+00:00 26 July 2010|Cruise News|0 Comments

Best price per day for a cruise

How do you calculate the cost of your holiday? With a cruise - where the fare includes meals and entertainment - it's easy to work out how much you'll spend for each day on the ship. Then it's simple to compare exactly what you're paying, whether you're sailing from the UK, or flying to the Mediterranean or the Caribbean. Just remember to budget for extras such as excursions, drinks and gratuities. £117 Top of the shop today is the luxurious Queen Mary 2; sail from Southampton on September 19 and visit Barcelona, Monaco, Civitavecchia (for Rome), Naples, Gibraltar and Lisbon [...]

By John Honeywell| 2010-07-24T00:01:00+00:00 24 July 2010|Cruise Deals|1 Comment

Queen sails off on a Princess

Putting all thoughts of pesky garden party guests behind her, the Queen is expected to set out on her summer holiday today. Sailing around the west coast of Scotland on board the luxurious cruise ship Hebridean Princess, the biggest nuisance she is likely to encounter will be the notorious midges rather than BNP leader Nick Griffin. Her Majesty, together with Prince Philip, is flying to the island of Lewis and will be embarking in Stornoway this afternoon ready for a 10-night cruise. She chartered the ship, a converted car ferry which now carries up to 49 passengers, for her 80th [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:24+00:00 23 July 2010|Cruise News|0 Comments

Camilla’s back on board Cunarder

When HRH the Duchess of Cornwall uttered the traditional words "I name this ship . . ." at the christening of Cunard's Queen Victoria (above) there were gasps from the audience as the champagne bottle failed to break. Seen by traditionalists as a sign of bad luck, it sparked countless references to the "Curse of Camilla" whenever the ship was struck by the slightest incident or misfortune. Either Cunard are very forgiving, or have no time for superstition, because Camilla will return to the ship on Monday for the first time since that ceremony in December 2007. Queen Victoria will [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:24+00:00 21 July 2010|Cruise News|1 Comment

Contest chefs are all at sea

Breakfast time gets a gourmet makeover next week, as a televised cooking contest takes to the sea on board P&O cruise ship Ventura. Four finalists, chosen this week by GMTV viewers, will join the ship for a week-long cruise to Vigo, Lisbon, La Rochelle and Brest. While on board, they will be mentored by Soapstar Superchef's Rosemary Shrager, who will be setting them a series of culinary taskes in the galley and ashore. Other passengers on the cruise will vote for their two favourites during a "cook-off" in the ship's theatre, and the two finalists will compete head-to-head in a [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:24+00:00 21 July 2010|Cruise Entertainment, Cruise Food & Drink|2 Comments

Cuba libre for British cruise ships

It's all very well our American cousins beginning to get excited about the possibility of Congress lifting the ban on US citizens travelling to Cuba. Even if the 47-year-old law is repealed this year, it could be some time before the island develops the facilities capable of meeting the needs of an influx of cruise passengers, according to MSC president Rick Sasso, in an interview in the Palm Beach Daily News spotted by my colleague Jane Archer. "Right now, they lack the infrastructure and facilities to handle the huge influx of vessels and visitors," said Sasso, who is chairman of [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:24+00:00 20 July 2010|Cruise Destinations|3 Comments

Sail of the Century Down Under

What is it about Australia and New Zealand that is attracting increasing numbers of cruise ships and, hopefully, passengers? It can't all be down to the fact that a million Brits emigrated to Oz as "£10 Poms" between 1945 and 1972, even if one of them - Julia Gillard - is now the country's Prime Minister. The second of Ocean Village's two ships will soon complete its summer season in the Med and be transferred to the P&O Australia fleet as Pacific Pearl. It will take the line's fleet to four, and joins Pacific Jewel which left the UK last [...]

By John Honeywell| 2010-07-19T23:30:46+00:00 19 July 2010|Cruise Destinations|1 Comment

Back from a Scottish sojourn

My blog updates have been thin on the ground this week because I have been visiting remote parts of Scotland where internet access was as limited as the government's spending plans. Turns out two of my destinations, though hundreds of miles apart, are linked by failed attempts to cash in on the North Sea oil boom of the 1970s. At Portavadie, at the tip of the Cowal Peninsula on the west coast, a dock created to build rigs - but never used - has been converted into a yacht marina with some luxurious apartments where I stayed one night. And [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:24+00:00 17 July 2010|Cruise Destinations|0 Comments

Top cruise deals of the week

How do you get the best cruise bargain - book early, or leave it until the last minute? Both schools of thought have their followers. It's fair to say that those who plan ahead get first choice of itineraries, dates and even cabins. But leave it until later and you may well find yourself bumping into other passengers who paid more for their holiday. Here's a selection of deals for the early birds and late booking offers for the next few weeks. Fly to Barbados on March 19 to board P&O's Azura as the ship sets off back to Britain [...]

By John Honeywell| 2017-06-15T16:00:24+00:00 17 July 2010|Cruise Deals|0 Comments

Song and dance for Cunard

Passengers on Cunard's new Queen Elizabeth will be able to take a trip on the London Underground when the ship begins sailing in October. The Piccadilly Line, set in the shell of a Tube train carriage, will be one of the regular production shows in the ship's Royal Court Theatre. There will be 29 singers, dancers, actors and musicians in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company, and their biggest show will be Slice of Saturday Night, a pastiche of 1960s music which has been staged in London and toured extensively throughout Britain and the USA. Adapted especially for the Queen Elizabeth [...]

By John Honeywell| 2010-07-13T11:56:39+00:00 13 July 2010|Cruise Entertainment|2 Comments