Cruise Gossip

Recently reunited New Kids on the Block are going to end their comeback tour performing on a cruise ship. The three-day cruise on board Carnival Imagination will sail to the Bahamas from Miami, Florida on May 15. The American boy band - Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood and Jonathan and Jordan Knight – had a string of hits in the ‘80s before breaking up in 1994. They got back together last year and have been touring with Natasha Bedingfield and Lady Gaga. McIntyre says of the cruise: "Our manager tells us this is not a cheesy thing, this is [...]

Every cruise director has a collection of dumb questions from passengers who have difficulty grasping the basics of a cruise ship, or indeed life itself. Here’s my favourite dozen, to keep you amused as Christmas approaches. 1. How far above sea level are we? Well take a look, it’s all around you. 2. Does the ship generate its own electricity? If it didn’t, it would need an awfully long extension cable. 3. What time is the midnight buffet? Take a guess . . . though to be fair, this is not such a dumb question. The buffet usually starts before [...]

No excuses are needed for dressing up on most cruise ships. Least of all on a grand liner like the Queen Mary 2, where high tea is followed by high fashion ballgowns every evening. So it will be an ideal setting for a fashion show when flamboyant Australian designer Alex Perry launches his 2009 autumn and winter collection on board in Sydney Harbour on February 26. Perry, whose gowns have been modelled by Elle Macpherson, Linda Evangelista and Lily Cole, specialises in outfits which are low at the front and high at the hem. "Things that don't have a slight [...]

The best restaurant on the Ventura is the White Room, and I shall be eating there later this week. As it happens, Marco Pierre White is on board this weekend, paying one of his regular visits to make sure everything is running smoothly. And when Marco is on the ship, he does not just keep himself to himself and his kitchen team. Today he has spent an hour in the Arena Theatre, talking about his life and his career and answering questions from passengers. He spent three hours signing copies of his book, and having his picture taken with everyone [...]

If you thought John Sergeant suddenly withdrew from BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing today because he was stung by the judges’ criticism, think again – he pulled out so he can travel on a P & O cruise next week. The 64-year-old political broadcaster, whose two left feet earned him the wrath of the dancing experts, but endeared him to the voting public, will be sailing on Oceana from Barbados on November 28. The 15-night cruise transits the Panama Canal and finishes on the Pacific coast in Acapulco. P&O Cruises head of brand marketing, Philip Price, said: “We are delighted to [...]

Cricket groundsmen know what they are talking about when it comes to grass. So when a cruise company decided to put a 14,000 square foot lawn on their newest ship, they knew exactly where to look for advice. Celebrity Cruises flew Lancashire Cricket Club’s Peter Marron, 53, to Florida so he could pass on some of his 33 years experience to staff tending the grass on board the 122,000 tonne Celebrity Solstice. Peter, who has looked after the Old Trafford pitch since 1975, thought it was a joke when he first received the call. […]

The Ancient Mariner of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic verse ran into trouble with an albatross. One of our modern mariners has an equally fascinating story to tell about another flying creature. Capt. Albert Schoonderbeek is in charge of Holland America Lines’ MS Veendam, and his daily blog, which is among the links on the right of this page, is always fascinating, although usually more concerned with the practical side of getting a ship in and out of harbour rather than simply enjoying the sun. He has a lovely tale to tell about a surprising nocturnal visitor. Go here to read [...]