Captain Greybeard

Farewell then, Adonia. The smallest ship in the P&O Cruises fleet will leave the UK next year and sail off to a new venture as the flagship for a social impact tourism project to be launched by the giant Carnival Corporation. Instead of carrying 710 British passengers at a time on voyages to the Mediterranean, northern Europe, or further afield to South America, the vessel will be taking voluntourists on 7-day voyages from Miami to the Dominican Republic. Travelling with the new fathom venture, they will be given the chance to work on activities such as providing clean water, planting [...]

Latest estimates put the number of spectators crowding the banks of the Mersey to see Cunard’s spectacular Three Queens event on Monday at an astonishing 1.3 million. The throng certainly looked impressive from my viewpoint on board flagship Queen Mary 2 as we headed to the mouth of the river to greet Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria, and then followed them to the Pier Head. Thousands swarmed across the beaches at Crosby and New Brighton, and they were scores deep in front of Liverpool’s Three Graces – the Liver Building, Cunard Building, and Port Authority HQ – and across the [...]

There were a few more reminders yesterday that Queen Mary 2 is not just a cruise ship but an ocean liner. Captain Christopher Wells made the point forcefully throughout his address to passengers at the Gala 175 Welcome Cocktail Party. Apologising for the fact we had felt some movement as the ship encountered near gale-force winds between Land’s End and the Irish coast, he blamed the fact that we were “pootling along” at a mere 13 knots. The ship is designed to make twice that speed on Transatlantic crossings in far worse weather. Capt Wells made several semi-apologetic references to [...]

Intense competition between mainstream operators continues to keep fares down and ensure that cruises offer some of the best holiday value available. It also encourages operators to find new ways to increase revenue. In the case of Norwegian Cruise Line , whose Norwegian Epic is now based year-round in the Mediterranean, that has resulted in a charge being made for room service. The fee of up to $7.95 per order was introduced at the beginning of April on Breakaway and Getaway and to the rest of the fleet from the beginning of May. So far, so good – nobody is [...]

The Thomson name may disappear from Britain’s travel agencies to be replaced by the name (and smile logo) of German parent company TUI – and the change is going to have a significant effect on Thomson Cruises. Two ships which carry almost 2,000 passengers each are likely to be transferred to the UK fleet where they will join the similar-sized Thomson Discovery. They will probably replace older, smaller ships such as the Thomson Spirit and Thomson Celebration. Mein Schiff 1, built in 1996 as Galaxy, and Mein Schiff 2, the 1997-built former Mercury, were both originally with Celebrity Cruises. Discovery [...]

The Masters of Cunard’s three ships gathered together by the funnel of flagship Queen Mary 2 this morning ahead of the spectacular sailaway to mark the start of the celebrations for Cunard’s 175th anniversary year. The Three Queens - Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 – returned from their World Cruises today, arriving in Southampton in the early morning. After a rare opportunity for the three Captains to meet up together on the same vessel, the masters will take command of their respective ships and for the first time the fleet will sail together in daylight from Cunard’s [...]

Southampton’s Mayflower Cruise Terminal has been reopened following a £6 million pound refurbishment that will enable it to cater for some of the largest cruise vessels afloat, long into the future. The terminal, one of four in the port, now features a remodelled open plan interior, with expanded security, check-in and passenger reception areas. The increased number of cruise ships visiting Southampton, and the fact that most new ships are larger and carry more passengers, means P&O Cruises, Cunard and other brands of the Carnival Group,are expecting passenger volumes through Southampton to increase by 25 per cent over the next two [...]