Captain Greybeard

Even the keenest Crystal ball-gazer would have had problems anticipating last night’s sensational announcements from Crystal Cruises. Rumours of expansion have been circulating for months, starting soon after Edie Rodriguez took over as company president and reaching fever pitch when the company was bought from its Japanese owners by Hong Kong financiers Genting. Some cruise industry pundits were sceptical, saying they had heard it all before and they would not believe it until they saw it. They will now be eating their words – Crystal is to build not one, but three new ocean ships. Not only that, it is [...]

Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 is to be fitted with extra accommodation for passengers and their pets. During a dry-dock refit next year, the vessel will be given 30 new balcony cabins for passengers travelling in Britannia Club class, and 15 single staterooms for passengers travelling individually, either as part of a larger family group or sailing solo. QM 2 is the only cruise liner with kennels and these are frequently fully booked for passengers’ dogs and cats on Transatlantic crossings. Ten new kennel places will be created – taking the total to 22 – and a lamp-post and a [...]

As President Obama strives to earn a place in history by lifting the restrictions on trade between the US and Cuba, news comes this week of two cruise lines that will soon be visiting the island. MSC Cruises were first off the starting blocks, announcing that 2,120-passenger MSC Opera will be operating 16 seven-night cruises from Havana this winter. The newly-refurbished ship, which has just gained an extra 197 cabins, will be in Cuba from December to April and its itineraries include visits to Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Cozumel in Mexico, as well as overnight stays in Havana. MSC [...]

Anyone who greeted last month’s announcement of Carnival’s new fathom brand of voluntourism cruises with a sceptical “Is that it?” can look again today. The company has announced it has been given the all-clear to take their ship - which remains as P&O Cruises’ Adonia until next spring. – to Cuba. The news comes hard on the heels of MSC revealing that their ship MSC Opera will be based in Havana this winter. The concept of fathom is to provide “social impact” holidays, with passengers taking part in local volunteer projects. The first of those are in the Dominican Republic, [...]

In a surprise U-turn, Royal Caribbean International has reversed the decision to transfer cruise ship Majesty of the Seas to the company’s Spanish brand, Pullmantur. The 2,380-passenger ship – at 23 years old the veteran of Royal’s fleet - is to be given a multi-million dollar refit that will add waterslides and an outdoor cinema screen, as well as the superfast wifi that was introduced on the lines Quantum of the Seas. On Majesty, passengers will have free internet access. New restaurant options to be added include Izumi Japanese cuisine with fresh sushi rolls and sashimi; the Sabor Taqueria, featuring modern Mexican [...]

It’s exactly 175 years ago today that a Cunard ship made its first passenger crossing of the Atlantic. The steamship Britannia carried 115 passengers and 89 crew on the voyage, which took 12 days to reach Halifax, Nova Scotia from Liverpool, and went on to Boston and New York. That first Cunard ship would fit comfortably inside the main dining room of Queen Mary 2 (above), which leaves the Mersey today on a one-off voyage to recreate the crossing, and which remains the only vessel providing a scheduled Transatlantic service between Southampton and New York David Bowie and Rod Stewart [...]