HAYNES WORLD

Sovereign 25th June 2011 Part 7 (the final one)

2012-01-22T16:38:00.014Z

Friday 1st July 2011

This is a sea day, which is a great treat, and a late breakfast set the speed for the day – casual and comfortable. We sat on deck to write or read, and noticed the southern mountains of Sardinia. In the Lido we talked and admired the little circular paper discs in red or green, which could be placed on the tables to indicate that we had not finished our meal and did not yet want the plates cleared, thank you, perhaps as we went for coffee, or that we had indeed finished our meal and the plates could be cleared.

Such a simple and clever idea and so useful.

Anyone for rock-climbing?

We enjoyed the lingering hours of our last day on SOVEREIGN, before preparing for the evening’s Gala Dinner with the evitable singing waiters and parade in the Restaurant. We sensed the cooling of the temperatures as we headed overnight back towards Barcelona, but it was still lovely to be on holiday on a ship.

No ships seen today

Saturday 2nd July 2011
Here we are back in Barcelona again, under cloudy grey skies. Various ships were anchored outside the harbour, presumably waiting to be called in to unload their cargo; as we turned into our berth we could see LIBERTY OF THE SEAS and her penguins astern of us, and we could dimly see ARCADIA entering the harbour too.

Dukhan

A picture for Reuben

Wind Surf

Liberty of the Seas and the penguins

Agios Nikolas

Zurbaran

Arcadia

All passengers disembarked quickly and luggage was soon located down in the terminal building hall. We three walked into the city centre by the water and said fond farewells to the one flying home this morning; two of us went for tea/coffee at a favourite café near the water side, to enjoy a drink and watch the world go by. In fact that was not the only thing going by. I was sitting happily drinking my coffee, chatting with my companion who was sitting opposite me at the table. He had just removed his glasses and was cleaning them, when I looked over his shoulder and saw my rucksack being carried past in the arms of a nondescript-looking woman. Thank goodness I was alert, because I managed to shriek at high volume ‘my bag, my bag’ and lunged across a chair to grab my bag. The woman let go of it as I got hold of it, and gave me an impudent half smile-half shrug as she rushed away. Barcelona is certainly noted for its thieves, and I can now vouch for that. I needed another cup of coffee to recover.

After that we headed to the waterside for a harbour tour, and then had to make our respective ways home from Barcelona.

I took the airport bus and then flew home into Gatwick. On the way the pilot announced that we would be flying over the Isle of Wight and then Southampton, and when this happened I was able to stand up in the plane’s aisle and look down on Southampton Water. To my amazement I could see one large cruise ship doing the dog leg turn by the Isle of Wight (must have been about 5.30 p.m.) and another large cruise ship coming down Southampton Water somewhere near Fawley. It was the most incredible sight and I was so thrilled to have seen the ships from not too far above, as we headed in to land at Gatwick. It was only several minutes later that all passengers were asked to sit down and fasten seat belts, so it was excellent timing and I felt very lucky.

Ships seen: Liberty of the Seas, Arcadia, Zurbaran (Acciona), Wind Surf, Dukhan, Neptune Kefalonia, and two cruise ships coming down Southampton Water as seen from an easyJet flight from Barcelona to Gatwick!

The wake

So that was the memorable end to a week’s cruise on Pullmantur’s SOVEREIGN in June, to and from Barcelona in Spain, with an interesting itinerary.

Sovereign 25th June 2011 Part 6

2012-01-22T16:37:00.026Z

Wednesday 29th June 2011
Not a good date in my annual calendar, but life has to go on. We arrived early in Naples and I saw several fast ferries through my cabin window as I hurried to dress and get on deck. After breakfast we went our separate ways – it was extremely hot and I decided to ignore the usual lure of the city of Naples, and enjoy seeing the terminal and the nearby ships. Outside in the hot sun I went to look at the ferries and timetables for the local ports and islands. SNAV LAZIO was berthed adjacent to SOVEREIGN, with RUBY PRINCESS towering over us all. NOORDAM was further alongside our berth.

SNAV Lazio in Naples

Ala

Part of Naples port

Sovereign's stern

Ruby Princess next to the Maritime terminal

The Maritime Terminal has more shops in it now, with big ship pictures on the walls. I went to look at them more closely and discovered that some had been printed back-to-front, so the names had to be guessed at. In the same building were the offices of Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) so I asked for and was given copies of one of their current leaflets. I just loved the illustrations of the travelling family, including a very supercilious-looking pedigree dog, but he has a sweet face.

Lovely leaflet for GNV

Just look at that dog

In the harbour there was constant activity, with local fast ferries jetting out and back frequently, and bigger ferries on their daily call, as well as huge cruise ships dominating the scene.

Driade

It was fun to watch until it was time for us to leave the port, and we moved away from the berth. Moments later we were told that NOORDAM had priority to leave before us, so we had to wait until she had manoeuvred herself out and left the harbour.

Noordam

Ah well, eventually it was our turn and we could then see many other ships in distant parts of the harbour, some of them recognisable but others not because of the distance.

Capri

Trinacria

MSC Jasmine and others

Lora D'Abundo

It was interesting to see VILLE DE BORDEAUX with a sign on the hull saying ‘Airbus A380 on Board’.

Ville de Bordeaux

Logudoro

These looked interesting

This is the day I noticed that the daily Programme had the correct port and day on it, but the incorrect date. Wonder what tomorrow will bring…

Ships seen: Ville de Bordeaux, Celestina, Isla de S. Pietro, Pescara Jet, Caraclione, SNAV Auriga, Ponza Jet, SNAV Altair, Trinacria (of TTT), Achenar, Napoli Jet, Agostino Lauro, SNAV Orion, Superjet, SNAV Lazio, Ruby Princess, Noordam, Ala, Raffaele Rubattino, Amalfi Jet, Logudoro (Bluvia) laid up over on the far side of Naples harbour, Lora D’Abundo (Medmar), Capricorn (Tirrenia), SNAV Campania, Capri (Italian-built in 1962, which now does short charters in the Bay of Naples for Blu Cruises), Naiade, MSC Jasmine and others nearby

Thursday 30th June 2011

Plan of the ship

Today we arrived in Palermo, Sicily, in great heat, berthing at the Passenger Terminal which is at the lower end of the main street of the city.

Crossed paws in the Terminal

We walked up the main street enjoying the sights and then took to the back streets to look at the architecture in the cool shade of the old buildings.

The Opera House

Dead to the world, nearby

Contrasts

Jools

One of the sights

Hunger drove us into a local restaurant for a seafood risotto, before strolling back to the ship. I left the others whilst I went to see the Stella Maris building at the harbour side. I’m on my local committee of the Mission to Seafarers so I always try to call in to the Stella Maris or Mission building in a port. Unfortunately the staff were not there, but I enjoyed seeing a big model of the ITALIA in a glass case near the entrance.

Stella Maris

Blue cranes and mountains

Zeus Palace

Back on the ship, orange juice and tea were very welcome as I sent a ‘happy birthday’ text to one of my ferry friends for tomorrow (when we will be at sea), before taking to my bed for a reviving siesta.

Ievoli Spirit

The light as we left Palermo harbour was just delightful and the mountains were dark against the last of the sun, and we enjoyed trying to identify some of the ships that could just be seen in the distant part of the harbour. One of them was VINCENZO FLORIO, still there awaiting repair or whatever after the fire.

SNAV Lazio in Palermo

Last view of the docks

Goodbye Palermo

Dinner was again excellent at our table for 3, although we couldn’t help noticing a new passenger at a nearby large table sitting there wearing his hat and talking on his mobile phone all through the meal. He seemed to know some of his dining companions, but seemingly didn’t like them enough to talk to them. This was the evening when our two lovely female dining room stewards (Blanca and Juny) and I had a little chat about life and travelling with friends.

As usual after dinner, we went up to the Viking Crown Lounge for coffee and discussions about the day.

Ships seen: Bithia, Raffaele Rubattino, Zeus Palace, SNAV Campania, Ulisse, SNAV Lazio, Vincenzo Florio, San Sovino, La superba, Isola di Vulcano, Castoro 7 in dry dock, Ievoli Sprint (Marnavi), Vincenzo Florio

To be concluded...

Sovereign 25th June 2011 Part 5

2012-01-22T16:31:00.044Z

Tuesday 28th June 2011
We are due in Civitavecchia today, but I was up and on deck very early because my cabin television showed me a ‘view from the Bridge’ that looked too good to miss. We entered the harbour and saw ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS already tied up and MARINER OF THE SEAS tying up nearby, so as we turned and manoeuvred into our berth I had the chance to take photographs in the beautiful early morning light. No sooner had I turned my head out to sea than we could see COSTA MEDITERRANEA coming in fast, and soon the three huge ships could be seen together.

Adventure of the Seas

Mariner of the Seas

Costa Mediterranea

A trio of ships

I went back to bed for another hour, and emerged for breakfast. Our daily Programme has us in the correct port, on the correct day, but it is dated for Tuesday last week – ah well.

We have decided to have an ‘at home’ day today, and watch the shipping world go to and fro past us into this busy harbour. What fun it proved to be, with old and new friends appearing in the gorgeous blue water beside SOVEREIGN.

Inside the ship it was empty and cool, with coffee or other inclusive drinks available from the bar staff whenever they were needed.

Spinnaker Piano Bar

Spinnaker Bar

Were they scratched?

We usually enjoyed the Spinnaker Bar in the morning and spent many minutes looking at the design of the bar seating and wondering whether the ‘scratch’ marks on the supports were intentional patterns or simply wear and tear by human use. I wonder if anyone actually knows. I did wonder if anyone other than me actually cares…

Rendezvous Bar

I visited Reception during the morning to ask if it was possible please to find out what the ship on the horizon was. The kind young lady immediately answered in excellent English and rang the Bridge, to find out that it was MOBY FREEDOM and she was heading for this harbour. We had an interesting chat about ships (she came from Brazil) and shipping web-sites and exchanged pleasant goodbyes.

An unusually empty Reception area

Artwork

More Royal Caribbean artwork

Jewellery for sale

Back on deck with my chums, sitting in the cool shade high above the water of the harbour, we had a wonderful view of the port and only ventured away from our little base to obtain lunch from the Grill below to bring back to our steamer chairs. What bliss…! If our eyes closed in the heat, then who was to know, hidden as they were behind dark glasses.

A good view

Nomentana

Some time later a completely unexpected ship arrived – SCILLA, a ferry last seen in the Straits of Messina.

Scilla

Scilla amongst giants

In my mind her name is really SCILLA Crash, because every time we saw her approach her linkspan in Messina she crashed into the wooden dock/linkspan at great speed, bow first, and with a loud noise. As we were going back and forth across the Straits on different ferries for the fun of it, we saw her three times I think and each time felt we had to brace ourselves for the crash in the adjoining dock. We could understand why the wood of the dock was showing signs of wear and tear, caused by the little SCILLA Crash.

Moby Freedom

Mega Express Two

Fortunata returning to port after a day's fishing

Scintu in her new Sarema Sardegna colours

Nuraghes

Catania

Goodbye Scilla

The day passed watching ships coming into Civitavecchia and then leaving again some hours later, so this was a lovely relaxing part of our cruise.

Cruise Roma

At tea time we went into the Promenade deck buffet to find flags decorating the area, ready for the evening’s Tropical Night.

Flags in the Buffet

Goodbye Costa Mediterranea

On deck we prepared to watch our departure, only to hear frequent announcements calling for two people who obviously hadn’t returned to the ship from ashore. All passengers carried the usual plastic card and this Pullmantur one seemed to have even more information on it than usual: my name, my lifeboat number, my dinner seating time, the Restaurant name, my table number, my arrival date on board, and my departure date from the ship. Apparently the bar code even includes my Internet Identity number if I choose to use it.

The two missing people didn’t turn up, so we finally sailed 12 minutes late, joining the procession of vessels out of Civitavecchia harbour in the late afternoon heat.

And then it was our turn

A Programme showing Sovereign's List of Officers

Just before dinner the Photographer was doing good business in the atrium with passengers being able to dress up in an officer’s uniform jacket and/or cap and then pose. So many men chose to do that…

Uniformity

Dinner was excellent again, and our waiting staff were as friendly and efficient as usual. This meal was concluded with music and a conga going around the Restaurant, which lots of us enjoyed – it was cheerful and good fun. The shops were full with people finding Sale bargains

Evening sale

The Casino

before going to the evening’s entertainment, or on deck to watch the stars. The Sky bar lured many passengers up there, and a happy day came to an end.

Ships seen: Mariner of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Costa Mediterranea, Nomentana (Tirrenia), Traiano Secondo (tug), SNAV Toscana, Sharden (Tirrenia), Scilla (Bluvia) Mega Express Two, Moby Freedom (with a dog on deck), Scintu (Saremar Sardegna, in new colours), Catania (Grimaldi), Nuraghes (Tirrenia), Cruise Roma, Fortunata (local fishing boat)

To be continued...

Thomson Destiny 2nd December 2011

2012-01-21T10:23:00.044Z

THOMSON DESTINY
Friday 2nd December 2011

I was booked to travel for a Friday/Monday short cruise on THOMSON DESTINY, but had to set off for Gatwick Airport and a flight without a ticket. Thomson Cruises ticketing people had problems, and apparently hundreds of us had to have blind faith in our Confirmation of Payment and hope to board their flight to Tenerife to join the ship. It worked, I’m pleased to say!

Thomson Cruises have their own aircraft, with a hand luggage limit of just 5 lbs. so it was good to hand over small suitcases and know they would turn up on the quayside at Tenerife. As I got on the aircraft, I asked a flight attendant if we were flying south over the coast at Seaford, in Sussex, and she immediately led me into the flight deck to ask the Captain. I like that sort of welcome on board! He said we would be flying further east of that beacon and it was cloudy, so I might not see much, but I thought it kind of him to spare a few minutes to chat.

We arrived at Santa Cruz, Tenerife airport and were taken to a coach to travel along the coast to the port to join our ship.

Look at her waiting for us

Imagine our joy to see not just THOMSON DESTINY but other cruise ships and ferries in this eastern port;

Some others, viewed from the coach

we were also very pleased to feel the warm air temperature, and shed some winter woollies. We checked in at desks on the quayside and I was pleased to note that my ship card also told me my Lifeboat number. Despite having this card, I noted that each cabin still used a metal key to gain entry.

THOMSON DESTINY has a tonnage of 37,584, a cruising speed of 18 knots, and a maximum occupancy of 1,600 passengers. She was ordered by Royal Caribbean as their first new ship in ten years, as SONG OF AMERICA, and was delivered from Wartsila in Helsinki in 1982. Her cabin decks were stacked at the front of the ship, furthest from the engines, with public rooms further aft, which has remained an unusual layout to this day. Her Sky Lounge, which is now the Sky Bar, is distinctive. The ship originally did 7 day itineraries from Miami, and was almost the biggest Caribbean cruise ship in the world at the time, competing with TROPICALE. She was sold on to Airtours, becoming Sunbird in 1999, was then with My Travel, then sold on in 2004, becoming THOMSON DESTINY in May 2005.

I met my two other travelling companions for soft drinks in the Sky Bar, then went for buffet lunch, and out on deck for photos of our surroundings. We checked for timings of Lifeboat Drill, and it is to be tomorrow (Saturday) and no-one will be allowed off at the port until the Drill is complete. Needless to say we had all checked the back of our cabin doors to locate our Muster Stations.

Travelers tension (sic)

There are eleven public decks, with Decks B and A the lowest ones with cabins. Main Deck 4 has the full-width Seven Seas Restaurant at the stern half, with the rear tables set around what must be the base of the funnel; forward of this on the port side are the Shop and Internet Café, Library on the starboard side, and Gift Shops and Reception midships; cabins are forward of these.

Cabaret Deck 5 has the spacious and lovely Oklahoma Lounge at the stern, the Beauty Centre, Casino Royale, Clipper Bar and photo gallery midships, the Can Can Lounge forward of these, and then more cabins.

Upper Deck 6 is a small area with cabins forward. Promenade Deck 7 is the full wrap-around deck, which we all love, Blake’s Bar midships, and de-luxe cabins forward of that. Bridge Deck 8 has Saunas and Oceans Gym.

Sun Deck 9 at the stern has the access to the Sky Bar (Deck 12) Lido Bar and two Pools, with the Pool Grill at the forward end behind more cabins. Steps at the side of this Grill lead up to the Mast Bar on Compass Deck 10, with lots of open deck to walk around, above the pools.

The Sky Bar was on Deck 12 and well worth the climb or using the lift, with its fabulous view out over the ship. I suppose this style of bar is rather quirky to our eyes nowadays, but I do like the distinctive style on a ship like THOMSON DESTINY (built 1982), just as I did on SOVEREIGN (built 1987).

We spent the afternoon looking round and talking with other passengers, as well as watching other ship movements.

Two Costas and a Fred. Olsen

Bencomo Express

The Lido Cafe at night

I didn't...

Spacious stairways and landings

Detail on the front of some lifts

Dinner this evening is to be open seating between 18.30 and 22.30 so we could allow time to get to the Can Can Lounge for the evening’s show. The Pool Deck after that was the place to be, with more live music from the group on the little stage between the pools, and the chance to sit and enjoy the views. Sailaway was at 12.30 and celebrated with a sing-along or whatever one chose.

The Sailaway Party

Ships seen from the aircraft (this has to be a new category!): Volcan de Taburiente of Armas Line out at sea, and then approaching the airport

The Austral trimaran Benchijigua Express ready to go to La Gomera,

Ships seen on the coach to the ship: Volcan de Tauce built in Vigo, Niwaria (?)

Ships seen in port: Thomson Destiny, Thomson Dream, Boudicca, Costa Victoria, Costa Serena, MSC Fantasia, Volcan de Timafaya, Bencomo Express, Albaysan, the Acciona Trasmed freighter from Cadiz

Saturday 3rd December 2011
After sailing 74 nautical miles overnight we have arrived at Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, and this is rather nostalgic for me. When I was at sea with Union-Castle Line this would usually be the first port of call after leaving Southampton on the Mailship run to South Africa, and was on the itinerary for the Union-Castle Line Centenary Voyage in 1999/2000.

After breakfast Boat Drill was held on board and then we could leave the ship and head into the old town. It was alternately raining and then sunshine, but it was certainly warmer than December back at home. The mixture of old and new buildings was interesting to see, as was the tail end of a whale appearing to dive into a pond in a public garden.

Whale tail

Interesting drain cover

Thomson Destiny

Thor Supplier

Albayzin and Delta

Las Palmas

Lunch on board was followed by a rest, and then at 4 p.m. I joined a ship tour by a new member of staff. It was brief and I think I knew more about the ship than she did. I then had tea with an English lady who spent several winter months out in Tenerife, and was enjoying this short cruise as well. Our departure is not until 11 p.m. so I had time to take photographs;

Artwork on board

I was so pleased to find several of the jewel-coloured glass door handles that I have previously seen on Mediterranean ferries and which I think are beautiful.

Jewel-coloured glass door handles

I also loved the central piece of glass artwork in the area near Reception.

Wonderful original artwork

Can Can Lounge

Later I joined my friends for a drink up in the Sky Bar, and I see from my diary that I visited the Ladies toilets at one point and noted that I had never ‘spent a penny’ in a funnel before. Dinner was at 8.30 p.m. at a fixed seating table tonight, and very enjoyable, before we went to see the comedian at the Evening Show. I think the standard of food is excellent, and that seems to be everyone’s impression.

I think it doesn’t do to compare cruise ships, or ferries for that matter, in a negative way, as they are all built at different times and star-rated accordingly. We all know what we enjoy, and what basic levels of comfort and cleanliness we need for our holidays or trips, but we all choose a ship and itinerary for different reasons and I am always happy to be able to travel on one. Whether I want to travel on a particular ship or with a particular company again is another matter! On this Thomson Cruises ship all the staff on board have a professional approach but are also very friendly and this creates a good atmosphere.

The Thomson logo

Volcan del Teide

On deck

Ships seen: Christian Radich, Albaysin, Delta Reefer, Thor Supplier, Atlantic Explorer, Volcan del Teide (Armas)

Sunday 4th December 2011
We rolled into the sheltered bay of Santa Cruz de la Palma, Canary Islands, at 8.30 a.m. today having sailed 154 nautical miles overnight. We are about 2,000 miles from the UK and it’s pouring with rain. Ah well, most of us are happy to get off our little roller for a while and stretch our legs and take advantage of the local market set up at the end of the quayside.

Thomson Destiny stern

This is a small volcanic island, although with the largest volcanic crater in the world apparently, and the capital has several elegant 16th and 17th century houses which we could see during our walk around town. The cobbles glistened in the rain, and we could see why the flowers and plants were so prolific. One of the churches played a long peal of bells and this made a pleasant background sound during a coffee break. The island’s economy is based on agriculture (bananas etc.) and tourism, and I discovered that many international observatories and telescopes have been built near the top of the volcano.

Oklahoma Lounge bar and murals

Oklahoma Lounge

Passion Fruit Vine artwork dated 1994

We left the island at 3 p.m. and could then enjoy the ship’s facilities with tea etc. before preparing for the Captain’s Cocktail Party this evening at 7.30 p.m.; this was followed by a formal dinner in the Seven Seas Restaurant, and then a choice of entertainment. The Sky Bar beckoned as usual and we could only obey…

Ships seen: Boudicca, Volkan de Tauce, Beatriz B of Boluda Lines, Volkan de Taburiente

Monday 5th December 2011
I can hardly believe we have to disembark today, but here we are arriving in Funchal, Madeira, well before sunrise.

Early morning Funchal

Boudicca

Above the mast bar

Wartsila 1982

An Aida ship(Sol?), Lobo Marinho and Boudicca

Lobo Marinho

Again, we used to call here on the Mailships to fulfil the contract requiring one of our ships to call once a month; my first visit here was on the TRANSVAAL CASTLE and we anchored in the bay and I remember all the ‘bum’ boats coming alongside and the traders hoisting their wares on a rope up to the deck. Some of the traders were allowed on board with their goods, but very few of them. I still have the beautiful Madeira thread-work cotton tablecloth that I bought on that first trip and it still looks delightful.

After breakfast we had to disembark, say goodbye to one friend, before two of us took the coach to the airport. We were soon checked in and taken to the Thomson aircraft, and in a short time were waiting at the end of the runway, parallel to the coastline. As we turned to get into position for take-off I was interested to see that the end of the runway ended in a straight drop down. Hmm, bet that concentrates the minds of pilots coming into Funchal airport. As with any volcanic island, finding flat land to build on is very difficult and this seems to have been another feat of engineering, and made me think about the proposed airport at St. Helena in the South Atlantic.

Ships seen: Aida Sol (we think), Lobo Marinho, Boudicca

Back at Gatwick we were greeted by December English winter weather and normal life resumed after collecting baggage. I had enjoyed a weekend break many miles from home and travelled with congenial company on a ship that I found interesting – perhaps I shall say ‘She was my Destiny’.

QUEEN ELIZABETH 5th January 2012 Part 2

2012-01-15T12:14:00.027Z

Friday 6th January 2012
Part 2
Oops, I think I slept through my alarm clock telling me to get up, because we had arrived in Le Havre and I needed breakfast to start the day. This was in the Lido Restaurant, which I found a much more attractive area than that on QUEEN MARY 2. The seating was comfortable, and the various areas had sufficient soft furnishings to make it a very welcoming place to be. I saw that Sunrise was only at 8.57 a.m. so maybe my body clock was on GMT…

Outside it was extremely cold but sunny, so the free shuttle bus took passengers into the town, whilst others had taken excursions from the ship. The port and surrounding town buildings look very grey and I was amused to read that, after the war, the Le Havre rebuilding work was done by Auguste Perret, and he made much use of his favourite material, the sturdy (but not too scenic) reinforced concrete.

After a brisk walk around town (the Maritime Museum was closed) we returned to the ship

The Welcome Aboard mat

in time for a Golden Lion pub lunch. The fish and chips were lovely, and the day’s Special Dessert just had to be ordered – Volcano Pudding – chocolate and chocolate sauce, looking just like a little volcano indeed.

Volcano Pudding

Some time later it was time for Afternoon Tea, if only to be seated in the Queen’s Room being served Earl Grey tea.

Queens Room

Queens Room light

I was told that the table for two I was sitting at was the favourite of a particular member of the Ocean Liner Society, so that was fun to think about. The pianist entertained us, the light came through the stained glass windows high up on one side of the room, the glorious glass light fittings on the ceiling sparkled and looked wonderful, and everyone seemed happy to be on the ship in these lovely surroundings. I feel really comfortable on board and like the ship very much.

4 gantries being taken round to the container port

There was time for a rest and to prepare for pre-dinner drinks in the Carinthia Bar – it’s the night for a ‘posh frock’, or Elegant Casual as the Daily Programme told me – and watching us sail away from Le Havre.

Dinner was at another new table with my travelling companion and other congenial passengers, so nearly two hours passed easily with good food and conversation, before going to the Queen’s Room for a while to enjoy live music and dancing. Then it was time for the Royal Court Theatre, where tonight’s entertainment was a very skilled musician who amazed and amused us with ‘Music and Mayhem’.

Ships seen: Norman Voyager, Ottawa Express, CMA CGM Turquoise, Caroline in Le Havre town basin, Armorique far away on the horizon, Normandie far away on the horizon, VB Optiville, Leopard, VB Suprenzo 10, VB Yport 12, VB Barfleur 18, Le Havre Pilot boat 2, VB La Reve, Torm Saone, VB Sainte Adresse, and Zhen Hua 20 carrying 4 big blue container gantries on deck and accompanied by 5 tugs and which is registered in St. Vincent, Grenadines

Saturday 7th January 2012
We have a day at sea – what a treat. There was Restaurant breakfast to enjoy with the sunshine pouring through the windows, and most of us ignoring the big seas outside. Rough weather had been forecast and the ship was moving slightly, but our next appointment was in the Theatre for a lecture by Mr Peter Rushton, about Tall Ships – a Sail through the Century. When Peter was being introduced on stage by the Cruise Director, she mentioned that he had been at sea with Union-Castle Line. At this moment there was a small shout of ‘hooray’ from someone in the audience, which caused amusement all round including to those on stage. Yes, in my position as goodwill ambassador for Union-Castle, mine was the lone cheering voice.

After the talk I went to say hello to Peter, who remembered me through our various Union-Castle connections over the years.

Lunch was to be another treat – in The Verandah, the speciality Restaurant midships on Deck 2. This was fine dining in beautiful surroundings and with attentive service from staff who obviously enjoyed their work.

Our next appointment that had to be kept was a visit to the Bridge, thanks to the kindness and invitation of Captain Wells. He said he had been very pleased with the gift of a copy of my book (‘Union-Castle Line Purserette’) as it brought back many happy memories for him and his family, who had travelled on some of their liners.

Captain Wells on the Bridge

Flags on the Bridge

Living on the edge?

The Deck Officers on here obviously take their responsibilities very seriously, as we could see from the number of people on watch on the Bridge, and I find that very reassuring. We marvelled at all the equipment on the Bridge, including the device that enabled those of us at home to locate a particular ship in the waters of the world, find out its details and destination, often within moments of asking (http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/). I think this web site is such a wonderful free service to those of us interested in ships and ports.

Later we attended the Captain’s Cocktail Party in the Queen’s Room, Cunard style, with passengers standing and moving around on the dance floor and being able to chat so easily to each other. Captain Wells gave a humorous speech and I discovered I was one of 1965 British passengers on board, and that lots of us were disembarking in Hamburg and lots of German passengers were embarking in our place. It seems that many on board had already been on the ship for a month, including over Christmas, and some of those were continuing on the QUEEN ELIZABETH for her complete World Cruise. That’s something to wonder at, in these financially straitened times. Captain Wells also mentioned that the Hamburg Pilot had come on board at Le Havre because of the anticipated rough weather conditions during the night ahead, so that he could get us into port in Hamburg on time.

Gala Dinner followed, with all of us in our ‘posh frocks’ or dinner jackets, and I was quite amazed at the amount of ‘bling’ and bare flesh on display, but it was lovely to see and it made for a fun evening. The scheduled Theatre show had been postponed because of the rough sea conditions so we were entertained by a Beatles look-alike group instead. The Yacht Club was the final venue for the evening with disco music and dancing.

Ships seen: only some in the distance and not identifiable

Sunday 8th January 2012
We’ve arrived in Hamburg, and it’s cold, wet and dark, according to The View from the Bridge, but here I am again, Following in Father’s Footsteps.

Through a window, for Reuben

We are berthed at the new Altona Cruise Terminal which is probably a mile further down river than the Cap San Diego; the ferry pontoon is just alongside the terminal (but outside the ubiquitous ISPS fencing) so I shall be able to disembark QUEEN ELIZABETH and get straight on to another vessel!

After breakfast I said goodbye and thanked my cabin steward, and set off with pull-along suitcase and wearing lots of warm clothing down the gangway and into the terminal. There is a roof terrace on the top of it and already people were up there and walking around with cameras, taking pictures of the ship.

Another good viewing area, beside the Cruise Terminal

On the ferry landing stage I bought a day’s travel ticket for trains or ferries, including my trip to Hamburg Airport later in the day, and waited for the first ferry. It was called Reeperbahn – probably the nearest I shall get to that red-light district in my life – and took us further up the River Elbe.

Reeperbahn

Queen Elizabeth

We disembarked at the Fish Market stop,

I liked the weather-vane on top of the Fish Market building

a fun ship

Boudicca's boat No. 7

Rijnborg in dry dock

and took another ferry, just because we could, to our destination at Hafencity: Miniatur Wunderland. My travelling companion had told me about this amazing place but words just don’t do it justice. It is an old warehouse containing miniatures of several countries, their landscape and people, and if you like all forms of transport and working equipment, then you will be in heaven. It was wonderful. The leaflet gave some details and that it is at www.miniatur-wunderland.com.

We particularly enjoyed seeing BLACK PRINCE in dry dock, with a tiny man doing some welding, and thought of a particular maritime author and his love of Fred. Olsen ships; I just loved seeing the newest display, on the 4th floor, of Knuffingen Airport, which included aircraft landing and taking off! When the Space Shuttle landed, I could hardly believe my eyes, it was so beautifully done. I was brought up in a village called Harmondsworth, in Middlesex, which was (and still is) one of the Heathrow villages, so aircraft played a big part in my life for many years.

A few ferries later, it was time for a late lunch and another treat – the Hard Rock Café, Hamburg. Have to confess it’s my first visit to one, so I had to buy the T-shirt, which will be worn. The food was fresh and cooked to order, and the music was very enjoyable. Goodness, apparently I’m now a Rock Chick.

After all that excitement there was time for another ferry trip to the next stop down river to see the little vessel that was now a café, and then it was time to return to the Cruise Terminal for coffee and fond farewells, before taking another ferry to sail past QUEEN ELIZABETH for photos and waving.

I enjoyed this river view

I could walk to the nearby train station to journey to Hamburg Airport and my flight home.

Ships seen: Reeperbahn, Altenwerder (Lion King), Harburg, Tollerort (Tarzan), Oortkaten, Ovelgonne (all river ferries), Samso, Queen Elizabeth, Cap San Diego, Rijnborg (the 2007-built Wagenborg Shipping vessel in dry dock), Boudicca’s tender no. 7 on a quayside and I wonder why, on the south side of the River Elbe, Louisiana Star, Cosco Beijing, Cosco America, Rio de Janeiro, Stettin, and I shall include the Black Prince in dry dock in Miniatur Wunderland for fun

Queen Elizabeth alongside in Hamburg

My cruise on QUEEN ELIZABETH had been for just three nights, but I enjoyed the ship and the trip very much; she has a design style I can recognise and Cunard have their own particular way of doing things, which I find very comfortable.

In this Diamond Jubilee Year for our Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I feel very fortunate to have sailed on the lovely ship bearing the name QUEEN ELIZABETH.

QUEEN ELIZABETH 5th January 2012 Part 1

2012-01-14T17:53:00.032Z

QUEEN ELIZABETH 5th January 2012
Part 1

On 8th October 2010 I was in Southampton with some friends to watch the new Cunard cruise ship come into her home port of Southampton: it was QUEEN ELIZABETH, and she made a splendid sight in the early morning light. We were part of a large flotilla of ships to welcome her in for the first time.

Queen Elizabeth arriving in Southampton October 2010

Fifteen months later I was again in Southampton, and this time I was to sail on the newest Cunarder for myself, for 3 nights from Southampton to Hamburg, on the River Elbe in Germany. There was to be one call at Le Havre, on the way, before a sea day on our way to Hamburg. It was a ‘New Year Getaway’.

It was a wild and damp January winter morning, with trees down on the railway lines in the south of England, faulty signals near Portsmouth, and I felt glad my coastal train was only half an hour late. A taxi whisked me to the Queen Elizabeth II Terminal and on the way there I had a pleasant chat with the driver about the lavender-hulled lovelies of the Union-Castle Line that we both remembered. In the Ocean Terminal I could see BOUDICCA berthed against the quay, held there seemingly only with the help of a large tug nose-in to the side of the hull. The tug seemed to be putting a lot of force into this, as sea water was churning up continuously from her stern. My ticket said I was to embark in Ocean Terminal, so it was a surprise to see BOUDICCA there but I know the weather and wind conditions were dreadful.

I had booked a single use inside grade D8 cabin for my 3 nights on board, and had been happy to be notified of an upgrade to a D1 cabin, so I was pleased to embark and be greeted by cheerful faces as I reached the top of the gangway. My cabin 8031 was large and comfortably furnished, the bathroom was spacious and there was a bottle of champagne in an ice-bucket on the small table next to the settee. Life was already looking good, so I set off to meet my travelling companion. He had booked for the full five days of the cruise from Southampton and back, and had been upgraded four times since booking, so we had a mini cabin-cavalcade between my inside cabin and his outside with balcony.

Then it was time to start to explore the ship and enjoy the new sights and sounds of a ship actually in the sea, and not in a dry dock. My recent experience on COSTA DELIZIOSA and going into the Marseilles dry dock is still so fresh in my mind, that I can’t help comparing it with being here on QUEEN ELIZABETH!

QUEEN ELIZABETH was built for Cunard in 2010 with a gross tonnage of 90,900, to carry 2,068 passengers at a speed of 23.7 knots, and she is another enlarged Vista class of ship (a hybrid Vista/Spirit class), as was COSTA DELIZIOSA. Her home port is Southampton, in Hampshire, England, and she is now registered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Her Captain for this voyage is Captain Christopher Wells. The ship was named by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and I was so pleased to see the golden bust of Her Majesty on board, taken from the QE2 before she sailed to Dubai. There is also a beautiful painting of Her Majesty on board.

There are 12 passenger decks, with Forward A, Midships B and Aft C Stairways and Elevators. The lowest A Deck has the Tender Embarkation access and the Medical Centre. Deck 1 forward of Aft staircase C has staterooms, the Tour Office, Purser’s Office, and Voyage Sales Office. Forward of that is the lower part of the Grand Lobby,

The Linley ship

and then forward of that is the Internet Centre Connexions 1, leading on to more staterooms. Forward again from Forward Stairway A is the lowest level entry to the Royal Court Theatre.

Deck 2 aft is the lower level of the Britannia Restaurant, and forward of the stairway is the Britannia Club, The Verandah,

The Verandah

The Verandah

Cafe Carinthia, the second level of the Grand Lobby, and the lower level of the Library. Forward of Stairway B is the Book shop, Cunard Place, Queens Room,

Queens Room

Queens Arcade, Empire Casino and then Golden Lion pub. Forward again is the Stairway A and then the Royal Court Theatre.

Deck 3 at the stern has the upper level of the Britannia Restaurant,

Britannia Restaurant entrance

A stairway

Stairway C, Images Photo Gallery, Card Room, Midships Bar The Alcove, the top level of the Grand Lobby, and the Emporium/Library.

The Library

Forward of Stairway B is Cunarders’ Gallery, the Queens Room, then Connexions 2 and 3, Art Gallery and Royal Arcade.

Royal Arcade

Prize-winning sculpture

Forward of the Stairway A is the top level seating of the Theatre.

Decks 4 to 8 inclusive are all staterooms.

Deck 9 aft has the Lido Pool, Bar and Grill, and forward of Stairway C is the Lido Restaurant. Forward of Stairway B is the attractive Garden Lounge,

Garden Lounge

The Garden Lounge

which is another of the most attractive areas on the ship to my mind, especially in January when one can sit in very comfortable armchairs, with cushions, and be completely warm and safe from the vagaries of the weather in the North Sea. With a small bar in one corner to provide tea, coffee or whatever was needed, I enjoyed spending time there. Forward of that was the Pavilion Pool and Bar,

Funnel view on deck

Tiling outside the Pavilion

Outside Pool area

and forward and up again was the Yacht Club which was a very popular place at night for music and dancing.

The Yacht Club

Deck 9 forward had the Royal Spa and Fitness Centre.

Deck 10 forward had the Churchill’s Cigar Lounge, and then the Commodore Club which again was such a lovely venue especially at night time. The Games Deck was above this, with its canvas and rope-bound canopies to protect us from the weather.

Chess pieces

I was hoping to learn to play croquet but others had the same idea so that must be for another time.

There were other vessels in Southampton port, including ORIANA, BALMORAL and BOUDICCA, but it was a lovely surprise to look out and see a familiar but unusual small ship coming down Southampton Water towards us: it was the T.H.V. PATRICIA, the Flag Ship of Trinity House, going very slowly past us. We later discovered she went to shelter against the Isle of Wight, presumably to avoid the rough weather out in the English Channel.

THV Patricia

Lifeboat drill was next, in the wonderfully tiered theatre, and we soon departed from Southampton in the dark with the sound of suitable maritime music playing in the background and being blown towards us on the high wind on deck.

The Commodore Club was ideal for a pre-dinner drink, and then the Britannia Restaurant was our next destination for dinner. I had been allocated a table with seven other passengers on the upper level on Deck 3, which surrounded the lower level on Deck 2, and was accessed with the sort of light-edged curved staircase where one can ‘sweep down’ in a very feminine and elegant way. My travelling companion was with other congenial passengers on a table on the lower level, but the Maitre d’ had said he would arrange for us to sit together on subsequent nights. The menu was varied and full of desirable things to choose, so it was a pleasant occasion.

I sat in the middle of an oval table for eight, with my back to a wall. The Wine Waiter appeared with Wine Lists which she rapidly gave to the two men on the table, before rushing away and taking orders at other tables. I wanted to order a glass of wine, but was unable to do so until about 10 minutes later when I managed to catch her eye and wave as she rushed past again. She seemed rather surprised, but gathered herself and gave me a Wine List. It took another 5 minutes before she reappeared to take my small order and then another 10 minutes before the glass of wine appeared. It was obvious the member of staff was under intense pressure and perhaps Cunard need to think again about the number of Wine Stewards they have in this restaurant.

Plates of After Dinner Mints and small pieces of crystallised ginger were outside the Restaurant (welcome back to Cunard, Ann, I thought) and then it was time for the Welcome Aboard Show in the three-deck-high Royal Court Theatre. The Queen Elizabeth Theatre Company and eight-piece Theatre Orchestra entertained us after we were welcomed by the Entertainment Director Amanda; after that Show it was time to head up to the Yacht Club for music and dancing, with the wonderful silver model of QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 in a glass case at the entrance to the room.

Clocks have to go forward one hour tonight to put us on Continental time, so it was a short night ahead of me despite the beautiful linen and pillows on my bed.

Ships seen: Queen Elizabeth, Oriana, Balmoral, Boudicca (held alongside with a tug), Autostar, Great Expectations, Red Jet 4, Svitzer Ferriby tug, Patricia

To be concluded...

Costa Deliziosa 18th December 2011 Part 2

2012-01-01T20:25:00.045Z

Costa Deliziosa 18th December 2011 Part 2
Monday 19th December
Something woke me at 5.10 a.m., which may have been a nudge from a Marseilles tug or instinct, and when I turned the television on for the View from the Bridge, there was the dry dock just yards ahead. Years of training and maybe voices in my head told me to get up on deck with my camera, wearing lots of warm clothes. Went past a children’s outside play area and saw a little bird painted on something and decided I wasn’t the only ‘early bird’.

Another early bird

On deck

The top deck was empty but I soon started taking photos of us inching our way slowly into the dry dock, bow first, with more water on our port side than the starboard, presumably for the gangways to be fitted later in the day.

Into the dry dock

Costa funnel

Starboard side

Well, this is one of the most peculiar and interesting experiences of my life, standing on the top deck of a huge cruise ship, all alone, in freezing December weather, with a cold Mistral winter wind blowing, and the ship gradually moving into one of the CNM Marseilles Shipyard dry docks, on the far side of the bay from the ferries.

Not far now

Tug Marseille

Almost there

Some deck staff started putting out chairs and towels (yes, at 5.45 a.m.) on the aft deck so I decided to go back to my cabin for a hot shower and more sleep, both of which were wonderful.

Some time later I met my friends for breakfast and showed my photos, and could hardly believe what I’d done earlier that morning, but I was glad I did.

After a saunter around the ship, we could see that the dock gates had been closed and the water was gradually being emptied from around the ship; during the morning gangways were brought alongside and eventually hoisted into position on the starboard side, down to the quay. ISPS fencing was of course all around and that must have gladdened the hearts of so many people involved in the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, and nice to know that we are all so safe even if we are currently marooned!

Announcements were made that the dock would be empty after lunch, and passengers could all go ashore using the gangways after mid-day. Costa Cruises had kindly arranged frequent and free shuttle buses from the end of the dry dock quay into the city of Marseilles, so the outside world would then be available to us. The company are making every effort to make sure we all enjoy ourselves, even in these unusual circumstances, and have kept us fully informed, so it is much appreciated. During the morning we watched events from the comfort of the Chocolate Bar, looking at the chocolate models of ships, which were sitting on a ‘sea’ of black and white chocolate buttons. We three had hot chocolate drinks with meringues or other delicious things in them to celebrate. I kept saying ‘marooned, marooned’ to myself, because we were.

Chocolate drinks

Chocolate ships

We saw the arrival of UK-flagged STRAIT OF MESSINA ferry, and in the distance could see the PACIFIC still looking forlorn. We could also see the brand new La Meridionale ferry PIANA over in the ferry port, preparing for her maiden voyage on Wednesday from Marseille to Bastia. AL SABINI, the ex-Balearia fast ferry, was still against the quay some distance away.

Fast Challenger

Against the sun

We could also see lines of luggage on the quayside, and discovered this belonged to passengers who were leaving to fly home to Naples; I believe that later in the day passengers arrived with their luggage, who had been due to board in Naples. What a logistical nightmare this must have been for Costa Cruises.

We were also told that free excursions would be available to everyone during our time in dry dock, and only had to give our names to Reception to ensure we would be with fellow English-speakers on a particular coach excursion. We thought this was really exceptional care.

Not much water left

We took the shuttle into town after lunch, after walking along what I thought was the equivalent of a red carpet from the gangway to the end of the dry dock. To most people it looked like a very long piece of red plastic sheeting, weighted down against the Mistral wind by huge chunks of concrete placed every few feet, and with numerous cheerful Costa staff watching our every step along the way, but to me it could have been red carpet. I was determined to enjoy every moment of the whole experience, and this was all part of it.

In town we decided to take the local Dotto Train up to Our Lady/Notre Dame de La Garde Church on one of the high points overlooking the city and this gave us fascinating views over the city and the distant docks.

View across the bay

The copper-gilded-with-gold leaf Madonna and Child statue looked beautiful against the cloudless blue sky.

After that freezing trip and back down beside the harbour and fish market, we had to be revived with hot coffee and watch the world go past, before returning on the free shuttle bus and walking the red carpet to get back on board.

The ship in dry dock

By this time we could stop on the gangway and take pictures of what was literally a dry dock, and probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most of us.

A dry dock

A dry dock view

Being on an Italian ship meant that the delightful Prosecco was to hand for a drink before dinner, together with the Cola drink that in Italy seems to be marketed in tall and slim cans, perhaps because of the previous Prime Minister’s alleged preference for such designs, rather than the American shorter size. Hmmm, that reminds me that after dinner we went to enjoy the music and dancing in the ballroom, and one of the very popular tunes was called ‘Bunga, bunga’ with words suggesting dancers should be ‘sexy’ in their steps and movements. Ah well, makes a change from the playing of ‘Volare’, which most of us can and did sing along to most nights on board.

Coffee treats

The theatre show was of circus-type acts, which was enjoyable, and then it was time to look at the embroidered butterflies on my way home for the night.

Ships seen: Mediterrane, Tessali 2, El Djezair, Napoleon Bonaparte, Pascale Paoli, Girolata, Scandola, Corse, the newly-delivered Piana, Paglia Orbe, Atlantic Star, Strait of Messina, Il de Beaute, Al Sabini (which is due to depart in February), Fast Challenger (Demline-Egypt)

Tuesday 20th December
The Mistral wind has gone and taken the clear blue skies with it, and this morning is damp and very cold. We are going on an excursion though to spend ‘A Day in the Heart of Provence’, on a coach with an English-speaking guide and congenial fellow passengers.

Day in the heart of Provence

We left at 9.30 a.m. and headed out of Marseille across the plains of the Camargue and beside the salt pans, towards the historic city of Arles. We enjoyed being taken to see the ancient amphitheatre and the Cathedral, and strolling through some of the ancient streets. Vincent Van Gogh spent some time in the city after 1888 and we saw a statue to him in a park (with only one ear).

Plan of Arles

In Arles

We then had free time to have lunch at a local establishment and return to the coach in time to travel through the mountains and gorges to the small town of Saint-Remy-de-Provence. The shops there provided some unusual items to buy, and a tea-shop offered delicious nougat-flavoured ice-cream.

Christmas delights in Saint-Remy-de-Provence

This town was where the humanist Nostradamus was born in 1503 and grew up, and became known as a controversial astrologer, chemist and writer. This was another delightful small town to explore, despite the cold winter air, before boarding our coach to return to Marseille and the ship. En route we could see the industrial port of Marseille, and were told that today we had been through the wine-producing region of Cotes du Rhone, Cassis, and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Back on board it was time to dress up and prepare for the Captain’s Gala Cocktail Party, to be held in the 3 deck-high Duse Theatre. We assembled in the theatre seats, the Captain came on stage with some of his senior staff, he introduced them quickly, we all raised our glasses with him, and that was it. Then it was time to join our French dining companions for Welcome Gala Dinner in the lovely Albatros Restaurant with all its glorious decoration, and with the silver and glassware sparkling even more this evening under the gentle light of candles on the tables.

Calling in my cabin I found a letter from Reception asking me to contact them, which I did. I had already notified them that I would like to leave the ship a day early, in Marseille, before she left the dry dock, so I could fly home from the local airport to London Gatwick, rather than to London Heathrow from Savona/Nice as previously arranged. They were happy with this, but the Captain had asked that anyone leaving the ship on Wednesday had to be off before 11.30 a.m. because that was when the gangways would be removed. That was perfectly convenient for me.

After dinner we and many other diners took the usual evening ‘walk’ through the various bars, slot machine areas, and walkways through to the Ballroom, where we found that very sparkly Christmas trees had been put up near one of the Bars. Of course these added even more light to the room.

Christmas has arrived on board

We had time to look at the artwork in the glass cases in another part of the room, which included various items of clothing made of very bright copper-coloured metal and one of these was shaped into a tiny bikini. These items all provoked various comments between the three of us, and rather a lot of giggling.

Where is Cinderella?

A teeny-weeny bikini on a plate...

Then it was time to head back to the Theatre for Gala Night Fiesta Fantasia, where the dancing looked very energetic but was performed to piped music rather than a band, with no back drop or scenery. Ah well, we heard the well-known ‘Volare’ so all was good with the world.

The next appointment was in the 4D Theatre, for a 15 minute showing of ‘Turtle Vision’. After being asked to put my little evening bag on the floor and not on my lap, and to sit back comfortably in the big black seat and wear the small cardboard spectacles I had been handed, I wondered what I was about to experience. Within moments I had been plunged underwater and been eyeball to eyeball with a small turtle, which was all a bit disconcerting, especially when I knew I was really on a ship in a dry dock in the south of France. Talk about suspending belief…

The turtle and his friend had various adventures, and we all went in and out of the oil-covered sea at great speed because the big black chair kept lurching and throwing me about, as if I was just behind the turtle. Apparently I should also have smelled something appropriate that was coming out of a tiny hole in the seat in front of me, but I must have been too busy clutching the arms of my seat for that. The turtle met his lady friend, and they had baby turtles and that was the end of my 4D experience. I think we all staggered a bit as we left the little theatre, as it had been so unexpected and another experience to add to this little trip.

We returned to the Ballroom to talk about the film and watch the dancers and enjoy the band and singers. This was to be our last evening together in dry dock on COSTA DELIZIOSA so there was lots to talk about before we three go our separate ways tomorrow.

Ships seen: Costa Concordia, at Marseilles Cruise Terminal

Wednesday 21st December 2011
Today I have to leave my dry docked ship before 11.30 a.m. when the gangways are taken up. What a weird feeling - after breakfast I almost felt I didn’t want to leave my little cocoon.

Lady in red

One of the Dining Room waiters at breakfast had said that the trip from Savona to Marseille had been done on only one engine, and the other had to be checked in the dry dock, prior to the World Cruise that was due to start in a few days time. We didn’t know if this was correct of course, but if that trip had been done on one engine, that said a lot for the ship’s stability and sea-keeping in very rough conditions.

One other friend was also leaving the ship here in Marseille, rather than sailing back to Savona in Italy, so goodbyes had to be said to the friend remaining on the ship. Our English-speaking hostess knew of our arrangements and subsequently made sure our sailing friend would have congenial company for the rest of his trip, so that was reassuring for all of us.

The original cruise was to be for 4 nights, to and from Savona, which was what we had booked most happily, but the chance to disembark a day early, in Marseille, made it so much more convenient for me to get home even though I would miss the departure from dry dock and subsequent sail back through more rough weather to Savona.

Goodbye to Costa Deliziosa atrium

So it was time to walk down and over the gangway to the quayside, and see all the space and truly dry dock below my feet for the last time. A shuttle bus took us into the city, to get the Metro to the main railway station. From there I could get the bus to Marseille airport, for my flight home to England. As the airport bus drove up and out of the city I could see a white-hulled ferry in the bay, which turned out to be PAGLIA ORBA, heading into the port. She was very late and behind schedule, probably due to the continuing bad weather in this part of the Mediterranean.

Ships seen: Girolata, Atlantic Star, Al Sabini (moved into dry dock), Lady K II (built 1961 in England as Princess Tanya, and still laid up in Marseille), Piana (in her berth all ready for her maiden voyage later today), Monte D’Oro, Elyssa of Cotunav (ex Maersk), Pascal Paoli, Napoleon Bonaparte, Tariq Ibn Ziyad, Paglia Orba

So this has been my tale of fun-filled Farcusian frolics, despite or maybe because of COSTA DELIZIOSA going into dry dock. What started out as a 4 night cruise in the Mediterranean became an unforgettable shipping experience, thanks to my friends, and Mr Joe Farcus and Costa Cruises.

Costa Deliziosa 18th December 2011 Part 1

2012-01-01T16:03:00.025Z

Costa Deliziosa 18th December 2011

Saturday 17th December
I’m to sail on my first Farcus-styled ship on Sunday; I’ve looked at the brochure pictures and also remember William Mayes’ talk to the Ocean Liner Society some time ago about CARNIVAL LEGEND, when I think my jaw dropped on seeing the pictures of urns. Today I flew to Genoa ready to go to Savona on Sunday to join COSTA DELIZIOSA for 4 nights.

So this was the plan – until 17 hours before I was to leave home there was a telephone call from Costa in London telling me the ship had technical problems, and I could choose to join her still for her short trip to dry dock in Marseille, or not take the planned cruise. The terms offered by Costa were so enticing that I chose to go into dry dock with the ship in Marseille. My travelling companions chose the same so we knew we were likely to share an unusual experience.

I arrived at Genoa airport, flying in from east to west with a turbulent wind making it impossible to photograph anything from the plane. However, I could see lots of ships in the harbour as the aircraft wings rose and fell during landing. The Airport to City Volabus driver sold me a ticket and since I was the only passenger he took me almost to my destination hotel in the Porto Antico area of the city. I was slightly bemused that he decided to avoid all the usual bus stops en route but obviously my scanty Italian and his scanty English seemed to work some kind of chemistry and I was soon checking into my hotel thanks to his kindness. This whole trip already promises to be interesting…

Having met one of my friends we strolled to the harbour for coffee and then ship-watching, so I could put names to the vessels I had seen from the aircraft.

MSC Splendida

Carthage

Handy Tankers Miracle

Work in progress on Costa NeoRomantica

Ships and a ship lover

Corsica Shuttle

Genoa skyline

another view in wonderful light

Our evening meal was taken in one of the Eataly Restaurants on the top floor of the Renzo Piano Building overlooking the harbour, so fresh pasta and salad went down well with the views, and from our table I could also see some of the Piano glass chandeliers in another restaurant.

Ships seen: Pacific, Sardinia Vera, Corsica Marina Seconda, Moby Ale, Moby Fantasy, Moby Aki, SNAV Toscana, Excellent, Splendid, Majestic (memorably sailed on in July 2008), Aurelia, Splendida, Carthage (another memorable trip in 2010), Costa NeoRomantica, Vento di Aliseo, Linea Marina Jolly Blu or Jolly Corallo, and Handy Tankers Miracle (lovely name), MSC Splendida, Italia (for coffee), and Oceania Cruises Riviera still under construction at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard just beside the airport.

Sunday 18th December
Early breakfast was followed by a treat, when our other travelling companion arrived, together with a famous Italian maritime author who wanted to say hello again. There was lots of ship talk until it was time to take the train to Savona for our Costa cruise into dry dock. A local bus took us from Savona station to the cruise terminal, and we were soon going over the gangway to get on board my first Farcus-styled ship. Oh my, what an incredible, amazing and awe-inspiring vessel. The brochure pictures hardly prepared me for what I saw as I stepped aboard into the nine-deck-high atrium, with its glory of light, colour, noise and decoration including the Arnaldo Pomodoro sphere, here on the COSTA DELIZIOSA.

The Pomodoro Globe

Part of the 9 deck high Atrium

my cabin 5385

The original C door handles, with the double quote signs

We soon dropped our bags into our cabins, and set off to explore the ship on the way to a buffet lunch up on Deck 9 Orchidea in the Muscadins Self-Service Restaurant. Just aft of this was the Lido Acqua Regina, with its blue bucket-style seats around the pool.

Chilly Lido pool area

The restaurant ceiling was covered in nautical flag prints, the walls were covered in more nautical items, and the carpet was busy too.

Muscadins Self-Service Restaurant

Fortunately we could look out to the waters of the harbour as a calming balance to our senses. The food was good and plentiful and the self-service worked well enough.

COSTA DELIZIOSA was built for Costa Cruises in 2010 by Fincantieri in Venice, Italy, with 12 passenger decks and a gross tonnage of 92,600, and is a Vista/Spirit class of ship design. Her interior designer is Mr Joseph (Joe) Farcus. She was christened at Port Rashid, in the United Arab Emirates, to coincide with the opening of the new cruise terminal there. Her passenger capacity is 2,826 with a crew of 934, she has 4 restaurants, 11 bars, a Spa and other well-being facilities, and numerous entertainment opportunities including a 3-level theatre, a 4D cinema, a golf simulator, Playstation world, Costa Team virtual racing car, roller skating, a Casino and shops.

Some of the wonderful photographs in the stairways

We had our first sight of the Restaurant, which rendered us almost speechless,

Albatros Restaurant seen from the top level

Lower level of the Restaurant

The Casino

Ristorante Samsara

and then prepared for Life Boat Drill, followed by a Welcome on Board Presentation for English speakers. We seemed to be amongst about 40 people speaking English, with other presentations available for Italian, Spanish and German speakers. When we boarded we expected to see few other passengers, but I found out there were about 2000 of us on the ship.

Fun chairs

Magradome roof over the pools

We sailed at 5.00 p.m. from Savona, heading the 213 nautical miles to Marseille, although we didn’t yet know our arrival time there. Dinner was at 6.30 first sitting, which meant we actually started eating after 7 p.m., which we thought was better than second sitting starting at 8.45 p.m. and ending goodness knows when. The evening’s entertainment was available in many areas of the ship, and we went to the Casino show in the Duse Theatre. There was no live music, which we thought was rather unexpected. We also enjoyed the live music in the Atrium bar and the Chocolate Bar, and the sight of some of the items for sale in the ship’s shops which were now open.

There was lots of noise, music and dancing and we enjoyed walking around or sitting amongst it all.

The Ballroom (Grand Bar Mirabilis)

Ballroom lights of aqua-coloured glass

We also had to get away from it now and again and venture out onto the deck to check on the weather and get some air. This is when we found what we called the two conservatories – small seating areas jutting out onto the deck, one each side, but completely isolated from the wild weather outside.

Many families with small children were around the public rooms or bars, with the toddlers swaying with the rhythm of the band, or the tinies fast asleep in their pushchairs; we were all on holiday and enjoying the facilities of this large ship in our different ways.

The beautiful butterflies

So, with the ship hurtling into the night at 20 knots into a 70 km wind, we reluctantly left the ballroom and the wonderful butterflies artwork to seek temporary oblivion in sleep.

Ships seen: Artania, seen in Genoa’s harbour, from the train

To be concluded...

Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T13:26:00.003Z

14th December 1911 - Roald Amundsen reaches the South Pole

2011-12-15T17:47:00.010Z

14th December 1911
was the date that Norwegian Roald Amundsen arrived at the South Pole - the first man and team to do so.

In 1930 my Father, an Engineering Officer then with Blue Star Line on ARANDORA STAR, visited Kings Bay in Spitzbergen and saw a local child with 'Jacob', one of Amundsen's sleigh dogs. This is one of the pictures in my Father's collection, together with a picture of the Memorial to the 1925 Expedition, and I like knowing that 'the hand of history' continues to link us to very special events.

Copyright H F Williams (Ann Haynes Collection)

Sovereign Cruise Part 4

2011-11-20T11:24:00.018Z

Monday 27th June 2011
This morning we arrived early in Livorno, Italy, and today’s the day we are going on a little expedition. After an early breakfast in the Deck 11 Buffet Panorama, we took the shuttle bus to town, and then had a long walk to Livorno railway station. We caught the 11.26 train to Viareggio, changed there to another train and arrived at our destination at 12.38 – the ancient walled town of Lucca. I think it is one of the most fascinating little places I have seen, with its Roman, Medieval and Renaissance areas and architecture.

We enjoyed walking around in the hot sunshine, or cool shaded narrow streets, and working up an appetite for lunch in a local restaurant which looked and was delightful, the Osteria Baralla.

I had a dish of Tordelli Lluchasi (local Tordelli pasta in meat sauce, according to the English translations on the Menu) which was delicious; judging by the remarks made by my companions who had taken some time to choose something else, they were very unhappy with their choice. Can’t say I would have chosen a tripe dish in a little Italian restaurant, but there we are.

Reluctantly we left this little gem of a town to get the train back to Livorno, and then to the ship.

Liburna

Corsica Marina Seconda

Back on board on Pool Deck, many of our fellow passengers were enjoying the swimming pools, and some were practising the dances to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ ready for the evening’s entertainment. The small children were suitably horror-struck or amused by the masks worn by the cruise entertainment staff.

Programme for Livorno day

The ship's officers listed on the Programme for 25th June 2011

Ships seen: Moby Vincent, Moby Tommy, Corsica Marina Seconda, Mega Express Two, MSC Gemma, Toremar’s Liburna, Moby Otta

To be continued...

Sovereign Cruise Part 3

2011-11-14T20:57:00.022Z

Sovereign Cruise Part 3

Sunday 26th June 2011
My cabin bed has the head board just under the porthole, so I didn’t pull the curtains at night; that way I could wake to the lovely early morning light and then choose whether to watch ‘the view from the Bridge’ on the television, or go back to sleep.

Today, the sight of sliced pink grapefruit for Restaurant breakfast started my day well. We anchored off Villefranche, France, at 11.30, so I was in a tender and going ashore by 12.30.

Oh, what a view of circles

Lovely angles

MSC SINFONIA was anchored in the bay too.

Floral welcome

My friends wanted to walk around the coast to Nice, but I met an interesting American couple and stayed to talk with them whilst we waited in the shade for a local bus. Another local bus took me into Nice so I could walk to the ferry port and watch SNCM’s ferry MONTE D’ORO leave and sail from the harbour.

Monte D'Oro

Monte D'Oro

People were strolling around in the hot sunshine, or sitting in the shade of restaurant canopies and looking cheerful and happy to be alive, just like me.

I met my friends for cool drinks and then we caught the bus back to the Villefranche harbour side, ready to get the tender back to SOVEREIGN. Nearby I could see suitcases and luggage on a little ‘lighter’, which took the luggage to the ship for newly-embarking passengers.

A little lighter

'What Else' in the harbour

Sovereign looking good

Sovereign stern

The Daily Programme is printed in English, as well as Spanish, so we could enjoy planning our time on board, including walking round on Deck 7.

Carpet on a Bar wall

In the Restaurant, we three friends had our own table, and dinner was again very appetising and as enjoyable as the late-night drink up in the Viking Crown Lounge. I know it isn’t really called that now, but the name seems to have stuck with many of us.

Ships seen: MSC Sinfonia, Mega Express, Monte D’Oro, Sirene II, Sirene III, What Else, and other local craft in the Villefranche bay

To be continued...

Sovereign Cruise Part 2

2011-11-11T12:00:00.029Z

Saturday 25th June 2011
I enjoyed breakfast and, after checking out from my hotel, went along La Rambla to meet my two travelling companions at the Christopher Columbus statue. We had more coffee and then did a harbour tour on OMNIBUS, which gave us our first view of SOVEREIGN in port.

Sovereign

I remembered I had first seen her in the port of Los Angeles on 17th January 2005 as SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS, so I was excited to be sailing on her today.

Sovereign of the Seas 17th January 2005 at sunrise

Wind Spirit

Silver Spirit

Liberty of the Seas

Khudozhnik-Kraynev

We took the port bus to the cruise terminal, checked in and boarded the ship for our 7 nights cruise. I am in cabin 2104, which is an outside double for single use, at first sitting dinner.

Atrium view

Lunch on board was chaotic – we were all sent to the restaurant expecting a sit-down meal, but instead everyone had to queue for a long time, half way around the restaurant, to serve ourselves, buffet-style. Hmm, don’t think they’ve got this organised, but I suppose it’s because the ship is in port for such a short time, and there are lots of other things to be done.

SOVEREIGN appears to be a huge ship in my eyes, but at 73,529 gross tons is not really considered that nowadays. She was built at St. Nazaire, France, in 1987 for Royal Caribbean Cruises of Oslo, Norway, and was named SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS, to carry 2,524 passengers. She was handed over in December 1987 and began cruising out of Miami in the USA, as the largest cruise ship in the world. I’m told that in 1999 she was the first cruise ship with Internet facilities on board; in 2005 her port of registration was changed to Nassau, Bahamas, and in 2006 she began sailing out of Port Canaveral, Florida. In January 2009 she became part of the Pullmantur Cruises Company, registered in Malta. Her name was also changed then to SOVEREIGN. In 2011 she was based in Barcelona, Spain, for 7 nights cruises with Pullmantur, and we were to sail on her Mediterranean Breezes trip. We left at 5 p.m.

Deck Pools

Braemar leaving Barcelona

Braemar and Wind Spirit

Silver Spirit

During our first look around, I found that my eyes were often going to the circular 360º Bar & Lounge, high up on Deck 14 aft, which was originally known as the Viking Crown Lounge. It’s something quite new to me and proved to be a delightful location for an after-dinner drink.

Entrance to the Bar/Lounge

Near the stairs leading up to the Bar/Lounge - an original Royal Caribbean piece of artwork

In the Lounge

Part of the Lounge

Artwork near the Lounge

Ships seen: Omnibus, Maersk Stralsund, an Iscomar ship whose name I couldn’t see, Silver Spirit, Braemar, Moonlight II and its helicopter pad, Sunrays and its helicopter, Sovereign, Liberty of the Seas, Wind Spirit (with its 4 masts)

To be continued...

SOVEREIGN Cruise 25th June 2011 Part 1

2011-11-11T11:14:00.018Z

Friday 24th June 2011
Here I go again, flying out to Barcelona, ready to join Pullmantur’s ship SOVEREIGN tomorrow on a trip delightfully called ‘Breezes of the Mediterranean’.

I had checked in by mid-afternoon, in a small hostal just off La Rambla and then strolled straight for the Harbour Tours at the bottom of La Rambla, enjoying the shade of the huge plane trees set both sides of the central pedestrian street. I didn’t know what ships to expect, but it turned out to be a 7 cruise ship day, as well as other interesting vessels around the port. THOMSON DREAM was visible as tour boat ENCARNACION set off,

Thomson Dream

and then AIDA VITA’s stern and hull came into sight.

Aida Vita

Once under the high road bridge leading to the cruise ship terminals, I could see MSC SPLENDIDA, BRILLIANCE OF THE SEAS, NOORDAM and CARNIVAL MAGIC.

Four in a row

MSC Splendida

Brilliance of the Seas

Noordam

Carnival Magic

Distinctive Magic

and then tucked into another area near the Thomson ship was COSTA SERENA.

Costa Serena

The harbour tour took 35 minutes and goodness it was interesting. In the fishing boat part of the port was SEA SHEPHERD (Steve Irwin) and her ‘baby’ trimaran Brigitte Bardot, so I shall have to find out more about that vessel. I think I’ve heard of her, but know very little about her.

I watched CARNIVAL MAGIC leave her berth and turn, before heading out to sea.

I went back to the hotel then - my spacious single room also had a small balcony so I could sit outside and look at my day’s photographs with my feet up on one of the chairs – bliss in the shadowed warmth of a Spanish summer afternoon.

One of my travelling companions arrived that evening so we could enjoy dinner in a popular restaurant where one has to queue to get a table – always an excellent sign!

Ships seen: Encarnacion, Thomson Dream, Aida Vita, MSC Splendida, Brilliance of the Seas, Noordam, Carnival Magic, Costa Serena, Sea Shepherd Steve Irwin/Brigitte Bardot, Khudozhnik Kraynev, Punta Mayor (the orange coloured Rescue Boat) and lots of fishing vessels and private yachts

To be continued...

Paris Weekend September 2011

2011-10-31T15:55:00.040Z

I went to Paris by Eurostar train from London's St. Pancras International station, on Friday 16th September, and it was a most enjoyable trip. The engine was called Michel Hollard, the depot name on the side of it was Le Lande, and I was in carriage 17. The weather was clear and warm so I could see a lot of the English and French countryside during the 2 hours 21 minutes journey.

I am given to understand that five trains that have broken down in the past have all been maintained at the French Depot (Le Lande) and driven by French drivers, so I was happy that my journey had not been delayed in any way.

I went to see the Eiffel Tower, which is still so eye-catching.

My visit was planned so I could visit the FRANCE Ship Exhibition, which proved to be fascinating, and several times I felt as if I was on board, amongst so many cabin and room settings, and details of the construction and sailing of this ship.

I went also to Galeries Lafayette, which looked so ordinary a building from the outside.

Inside however it was absolutely stunning, with a huge glass dome of glorious colours, theatrical design, balconies on each floor facing inward, rose-coloured lighting in places and lots of people. The ground floor under the huge atrium and glass dome gave a spectacular view all around. What an amazing place, and so unexpected after the rather ordinary outside.

The next day I visited the Opera House, with free entry because it was Open Weekend in Paris, and again it was a spectacular sight, and a fabulous place.

The Auditorium was not open as rehearsals were taking place. There was a circular entrance hall, and then we went up a grand staircase (obviously to see and be seen) to a long gallery – all chandeliers and gold.

There is also a new Opera House in Paris, which looks very modern from the outside. The new and old Opera Houses get Euros 130 million per year from the French government as a subsidy. They also get visitor revenue and seat revenue. That visit was a wonderful free treat.

Lunch was at the Gare de Lyons,

the Big Ben Bar, which was another surprise.

And this is a station buffet? I think not - it's fabulous! This is where the PLM trains used to depart, on their Paris/Lyons/Marseilles journey.

The various Salons here in the Station depicted some of the ports. We sat in the Salon Algerien which had an enormous picture on one wall, high up; there was lots of very comfy seating all around the room.

The cloakroom had posters outside, with more paintings and murals in the main Restaurant, and our snack lunch was huge and beautifully presented. I shall never forget this place and the kindness of my companion in bringing me here. As we left we saw a very contented white cat curled up and asleep in the corner of one of the huge Chesterfield settees. I knew how he felt.

The next tourist treat was to see the Arc de Triomphe,

and then to make a quick visit to the famous Sephora store in the Champs Elysee.

Dinner was enjoyed in a vast Art Deco establishment, La Coupole (Cupola), a very popular restaurant built in 1927; the dome in the middle was done in 2008 by 4 international artists, and the pillars were painted and mirrored too. There was lovely food and service, including a memorable fig tart.

I returned home the next day, again by Eurostar train, at great speed and in comfort, which was an excellent ending to my enjoyable Paris weekend.

Trafalgar Day

2011-10-21T21:48:00.007+01:00

The Mission to Seafarers

2011-09-30T21:27:00.009+01:00

The Mission to Seafarers Annual Service
29th September 2011

The Feast of St. Michael and all Angels (Michaelmas)
and also International Maritime Day 2011

Some of the stained glass at The Painter-Stainers' Hall

SAGA PEARL II - Gallic Getaway

2011-09-22T21:01:00.043+01:00

Friday 26th August 2011
This is the day I join my very first SAGA cruise – it’s pouring with rain, puddles are everywhere, and the views from the train are limited. On the platform at Dover Priory station however I am met by a man wearing a sky-blue blazer, who takes my small suitcase and escorts me to a coach outside the station. My name is taken by another member of staff, and I sit on the coach for 43 minutes waiting to be taken to the ship. If it hadn’t been raining so heavily, I would have left my case on the coach and walked to the cruise terminal, as I often do for ship visits arranged by the Ocean Liner Society. The coach gradually fills up with people who mostly look decidedly older than me, and we finally set off for Dover Cruise Terminal. The guide welcomes us to SAGA Cruises and my home for the next 4 nights: SAGA PEARL II.

Check in was fairly quick, and in my case enlivened by a telephone conversation with grandchild number 3, aged 2 and a quarter. Then I could board, and discover my inside single cabin 339, the last one astern on A Deck, starboard side. It was very spacious and comfortably furnished and I’m looking forward to my 4 nights on board. When we leave Dover we will head for Zeebrugge for the day, then Honfleur for a day, and finally St. Peter Port, Guernsey, for a day, before returning to Dover.

Tea was being served in the Discovery Lounge so I headed there, and met another couple of friends; our group is to be six, arriving from various parts of the south of England. We had to attend Lifeboat Drill next, and then there was time to explore some of the seven passenger decks before meeting at the Sundowner Bar aft for pre-dinner drinks.

Sundowner Bar

The Library
The Card Room

We were fortunate enough to be allocated a permanent table for six in the Dining Room so we enjoyed our first meal together on board. The menu was good and the food and service excellent so we had a happy evening. We sailed from Dover at 9 p.m.

Saga Pearl II was built in 1981 in Hamburg, Germany, as HAMMONIA for Hadag Cruise Line at 18,853 tons. Her name then changed to ASTOR and in 1984 she was sold to Safmarine, to sail between Southampton and Cape Town. By one of life’s coincidences, last Monday I was with some friends (all of us ex-sea-going people) when one engineer produced an old brochure from Safmarine. My friend had been employed by them and given the brochure to tell him more about the company when he started. Inside was a double-page spread coloured picture of their ship ASTOR! I had to smile and tell him that I was going on her in 4 days time in her latest guise of SAGA PEARL II.

Her days as ASTOR lasted just a year, before she was sold on to an East German company and re-named ARKONA. She was then chartered out by Transocean Tours in 2001 as ASTORIA, arrested in Barcelona in 2008, and finally sold at auction to Saga Cruises management in mid-2009. Saga currently runs her as a cruise ship, but she is due to become their QUEST FOR ADVENTURE early in 2012.

Ships seen: Saga Pearl II, plus various ferries seen distantly through the rain, in Dover Harbour.

Saturday 27th August

We arrived in Zeebrugge, Belgium, at 8 a.m. and after a pleasant breakfast took the free shuttle bus, running every half hour, into the town of Blankenberge. It soon started to rain which became torrential so after a wet walk along the promenade we decided to take the shuttle bus back to the ship. It was a distance of at least 3 miles through docks and ISPS fencing so walking back was probably an impossibility; the coach drivers were on their lunch break so we chatted with the Cunard QUEEN ELIZABETH passengers who had arrived in port soon after us.

Queen Elizabeth

The rain had finally stopped so the wait became pleasant, and eventually our Saga-hired local coaches started running again. It was a little frustrating to see the numerous Cunard-hired coaches running such a frequent service. I think Saga perhaps expected most passengers to take their excursions.

Norstream

Charlemagne

Back on board we could enjoy an afternoon preparing for this evening’s highlights – at 6.15 all passengers were invited to the Captain’s Cocktail Party; at 7.15 pm the six of us had been invited to join a small party in Shackleton’s Bar, prior to having dinner at the Captain’s Table in the Restaurant.

Shackleton's Bar

Captain's table

The Restaurant on Gala Night

The Restaurant laid up for Gala Night

The SAGA PEARL II Master is Captain Wesley Dunlop and the group included two other guests (June and Stuart) and a member of the Cruise Staff (Rebecca Ward). That was a huge honour for us and it was an absolutely delightful time, with a delicious menu including a particular wine to accompany each course. Captain Dunlop had arranged for a group photograph to be taken and a copy was sent to each of us with his good wishes, which I thought was a very kind touch.

Ships seen: Pauline, Queen Elizabeth, Norstream, Melusine, Charlemagne

Sunday 28th August
We arrived in Honfleur, France, near the mouth of the River Seine, and had time to admire the seamanship involved in counteracting the swift tide and gusting wind to get us alongside the passenger ship quay near the town.

View aft in Honfleur

More ISPS fencing seems to be in place since my last visit, so the walk to town was on a different route, under a grey sky which threatened rain. I was glad to see the vast quantities of wood from Northern Europe at the premises behind the quay, as this is one of the products that helps the local economy.

View of Honfleur

The sun struggled through and so it was decided to do a harbour tour on a delightful little vessel called JOLIE FRANCE.

Where we bought the tickets

The Jolie France
Our every movement was watched...

We sailed through the harbour lock and out into the River towards the road-traffic-carrying Normandy Bridge and had wonderful views of this amazing piece of engineering, high above the water and surrounding countryside. An hour and three quarters later we returned to the harbour, well-satisfied with our views of the Bridge, SAGA PEARL II and distant views of the port of Le Havre.

A little local lunch called and was satisfied. We met up with our other friends and then further walking led to one of the town’s ice cream shops. Some had 3 scoops each, to sample the amazing choice of flavours, but I was happy with one of nougat. A slow stroll along the street and back meant that more ice-cream (but not for me) could be tried before heading back to the ship.

The new routine of afternoon tea, a swim in the indoor pool, pre-dinner drinks and an excellent dinner continued and ensured another enjoyable day.

Ships seen: Saga Pearl II, Jolie France, Jop, Maersk something invisible

Monday 29th August
This is a remarkable day for me as we are actually anchored off the port of St. Peter Port in Guernsey, Channel Islands. I’ve been here, or tried to be, several times over the years but weather conditions have usually stopped a visit. Today though the sun is shining brightly and there is no fog or anything to prevent a trip ashore in one of the ship’s tenders. HMS DARING is anchored nearby on a visit and it is interesting to see how our taxes have been spent in helping to guard our realm; I’m full of admiration for all our Armed Services. The strong sun was directly into my camera when I tried to photograph DARING, so I gave up.

My favourite deck

The smell of local cheese and other produce lured us along the quayside after we left the little tender, and we walked to see the sights of this hillside port and town. Castle Cornet was out on a promontory and provided another interesting goal for views of the ship and surrounding harbour. Whilst we were there we could see the fast ferry CONDOR VITESSE coming into port.

Condor Vitesse in port

The fine weather continued during a pub lunch, and the eventual return to the tender and the ship; an enjoyable day continued with the on-board routine of watching us sail. This time however we had been invited onto the Ship’s Bridge by Captain Dunlop – what a wonderful treat. We were greeted with Champagne and canapés and made most welcome.

The Captain on the Bridge

The Pilot was there to take us safely out of the port and between the islands on our heading for Dover. I asked to see the charts and yes, they still have them in the chart room drawers.

The flags were up in the little flag loft and when I asked about sextants, I was told that they were indeed available for use even though the ship carried all the necessary up-to-date electronic equipment. Good-oh, glad to know the Deck officers still know how to use one.

After the Bridge visit we sat in the sun and enjoyed being at sea on such a glorious day, with clear blue sky overhead.

Sailing by (but not on Radio 4)

Soon it was time to prepare for the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail Party for all passengers, and then dinner, so another day on the ship came to a happy end.

Ships seen: HMS Daring, Condor Vitesse, Pilot Boat, Ambulance Boat (not in use), Herm Trident VI, Spirit of Guernsey lifeboat

Tuesday 30th August
Next morning and back in Dover, the cloud cover was still low and it was almost raining.

Delft Seaways

Pride of Kent

Seafrance Rodin

Spirit of Britain

Ships seen: Pride of Kent, Delft Seaways, Spirit of Britain, Seafrance Rodin, DHB Doughty

Early breakfast was cheerful and we all waited for our departure groups to be called. Three of us were to travel by train from Dover so we were off the ship by 9.10 a.m., collected our luggage in the terminal building and were soon on board a coach to the station. Three hours later I was home again, after my interesting time on SAGA PEARL II.

I’d been told that on the other Saga ships there was usually one lounge for afternoon tea or parties, and another one for shows and evening entertainment – that was not the case with this ship, and presumably why she is to be transferred to a new role within the company. I enjoyed my 4 nights on board a Saga ship, especially as I was with good friends, but I thought it was expensive for an inside single cabin. The ships and itineraries are certainly attractive and the food and service are excellent. Maybe I’m not ready for this style of cruising, or want all the facilities and excursions on offer, but I would certainly recommend it for those who do.

Summer 2011 Part 14 (the final one)

2011-09-01T15:14:00.024+01:00

Hamburg

Sunday 17th July 2011
I slept well in my cabin on CAP SAN DIEGO. However, I was woken once during the night by something or someone out in the corridor, which was unexpected as there were few of us staying on board. This is the one thing I now realise about staying on this hotel ship – it seems there are no members of staff on board other than the man on the gate at the top of the pontoon gangways. Once the guests had left the hired rooms at the end of my corridor, the ship appeared to be empty. I think I imagined the ship would be full of guests, especially on a Saturday night in high summer.

When I met my travelling companion for breakfast we compared notes about the quiet ship, and he mentioned that he had also heard what he thought was a ‘prowler’ outside his cabin (on another higher deck) - the person seemed to have been carrying something heavy which knocked against his cabin door. We decided that this was rather eerie and slightly disturbing.

Breakfast was welcome and generous again and we were surprised when a group of six other people arrived in the Bord Bistro. Presumably they must have been staying on board the hotel ship too.

This morning we are going to visit the famed Hamburg Maritime Museum, walking east along to HafenCity and enjoying the sights on the way. I particularly liked the artwork on a bridge pavement created to look like a beautiful carpet.

We stopped for a coffee break beside a plastic wrapped hotel, which may or may not be its finished outer covering, near a ferris wheel.

Also in this area were several holes in the ground, which were destined to be hotels at some stage in the future. There were lots of people walking around, wrapped up to cope with a brisk breeze under a grey sky, and some of us tried the ‘playthings’ set into the paving around the coffee shop. We sat and looked at the two cruise ships that had arrived in Hamburg port – the AIDA BLU and the AIDA LUNA – and at the other harbour vessels.

Once in the Maritime Museum, it was another world – Mr Peter Tamm’s collection of thousands of ship models of all kinds, and other nautical items now housed in this 1878-built warehouse, with its internal wooden beams. It opened in June 2008 and is internationally popular. We enjoyed seeing so many items from Deck 10 down to Deck 6. I saw many Union-Castle Line ship models, and layouts of various ports around the world, and everything was fascinating and amazing – thank you Mr Tamm.

It was soon time for my companion to set off on his journey home, so we retraced our steps west and back to CAP SAN DIEGO to collect his and my luggage, and say goodbye. I walked further along the quay and bought a ticket to take a harbour cruise; there was a choice of seeing the docks on a long cruise down river, or a shorter cruise taking in the main harbour area and the cruise ships and this was the one I decided to do.

I boarded the little KIRCHDORF, which was built in 1962, and has obviously done good service over the years. We left the quayside and headed down river and saw the strange-looking building known as Docklands,

Docklands

a lovely sandy beach,

the tower with the time and temperature on one face,

lots of huge cargo ships in the dock basins on the south side,

and many local ferries. Heading up river again we approached the plastic-wrapped hotel we saw this morning, and then the two cruise ships (AIDA BLU and AIDA LUNA) alongside HafenCity.

On the way back we could see the rather new-looking MISSISSIPPI QUEEN and the LOUISANA STAR, and then the CAP SAN DIEGO beside her pontoon.

I’d been on the harbour cruise ship for nearly an hour, and enjoyed it tremendously, so I was reluctant to have to leave this amazing maritime city to get to Hamburg Airport for my flight home.

Ships seen: Aida Blu, Aida Luna, Kirchdorf, Mississippi Queen, Cap San Diego, Louisana Star, Navi Baltic, Lion King ferry, Tarzan ferry and many other local ferries and working craft.

I’ve enjoyed nine nautical days on such a variety of different ships in previously unknown waters, as well as calling or staying in ports that were new to me, and had the most amazing and fun time throughout – I feel so lucky.

THE END

Summer 2011 Part 13 Hamburg

2011-08-24T20:29:00.014+01:00

Summer 2011 Part 13
Happy in Hamburg

Saturday 16th July
After a plentiful breakfast on board CAP SAN DIEGO we set off down the long gangways

The Schaarhorn was just across the river

to the pontoon, and then across the old bridge with its newish roof covering. At the end was a little shop selling all sorts of souvenirs from the ship, which were hard to resist. When I think about buying Union-Castle Line goodies, I usually ask myself if I can wear it or use it; if the answer is no, then I probably won’t buy it. Today, I asked myself the usual question and ended up buying a rather lovely china mug, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the ship.

Just outside the shop was a sign set into the pavement, describing how the 3 funnel ships of yore used to come into Hamburg.

Quayside sign

There was a picture of one, with no name or date to be seen, obviously berthed just where we were standing, so I think that might be a good clue as to where the ARANDORA STAR might have berthed in August 1931 and 1932 when Father was working on there as an Assistant Engineering Officer. I took a few photos of the view this morning from the CSD deck. Father’s photograph includes one of the many churches and by checking his picture, I think I can identify it as St. Nicholas’s Church which is quite distinctive. Nowadays just the outer walls and spire of the church are intact and much-visited.

Hamburg in 1931 and 1932

Possibly the same view

As a first-time visitor to this city I was happy to walk to a wonderful bookshop, which also sold ship models – the Galerie Maritim. What a glorious place that turned out to be, as the 3 of us spent a very happy time there and the usual ‘wear it or use it’ question had to be put to the back of my mind when looking at the hundreds of 1:1250 models for sale in the glass cabinets. Conversation with the proprietors naturally covered all our favourite ships and shipping lines, and some of our favourite maritime authors too: Anthony Cooke, Bruce Peter and William Mayes (when is his next book due out, they asked) and Les Streater. I left the shop clutching a small bag – I seem to be a new addict… Oh well, I was warned.

The next bookshop we went to had a maritime section, so that was interesting too. I found a box of old photographs and when I started looking through them the young lady behind the counter asked if she could help with anything in particular. I smiled and said I wondered if she had any photographs of the ARANDORA STAR in the 1930s in Hamburg, and showed her one of Father’s photographs. She said she had more pictures in the back room and went to look for them. She re-appeared a short while later and handed me two black and white photographs of Father’s ship said to be taken in the early 1930s in Hamburg. They were obviously not taken at the same time, as her masts are different in the two pictures as are her forward arrangements.

Arandora Star arriving in Hamburg

The ship in Hamburg

One photograph had the name of Wolfgang Fuchs of Hamburg printed on the back. I was so astonished and of course I bought them. Life takes extraordinary turns, doesn’t it? I think this morning we all realised that Hamburg just loves its ships and shipping, and it is truly a maritime city to enjoy.

One of my chums had to catch a train after lunch so we saw him off safely at the Hauptbahnhof, and took a train ourselves to go to Wedel and the Welcome Point. Of course, as it was a weekend there was the inevitable engineering work on the line which meant we had to get a replacement bus (coo, it’s just like home) from Blankenese and then walk to Welcome Point. It is obviously a very popular place to visit and enjoy the café, restaurant or snack bar; we decided not to visit the ‘Ship in a Bottle Museum’, but did enjoy sitting on benches built in front of a long mural which we had seen from the HALUNDER JET yesterday. We waited in the warm sunshine to see several ships and hear the music.

Team Lines' Tina

Grimaldi's Grande Francia

The journey home was the expected walk, bus and train, followed by dinner in the city,

Restaurant toilet sign

Interesting thought, but NO.

and a soiree on deck to complete the day.

Ships seen: Transvaal Castle, Capetown Castle, Reina del Mar, S. A. Oranje (OK, they were models but what a collection they came from!), Grande Francia, Apollo, Tina, Lion King Ferry and lots of other ferries of all shapes and sizes.

To be continued…

Summer 2011 Part 12 Cap San Diego

2011-08-24T13:15:00.021+01:00

Summer 2011 Part 12
Cap San Diego in Hamburg

Saturday 16th July

My cabin on this hotel ship was very comfortable, and I slept well. Unfortunately I heard all the party-goers leaving the hired rooms along the end of my cabin corridor and walking past me very noisily. I think all the empty beer bottle crates were taken out too, along the same route. Ah well, when I went to the tea-making tray beside the television and found a good selection of tea, I also saw two packets of ear-plugs, so now I know why they were there!

The sun was shining on the water so I was soon out on deck and able to take pictures with no-one else around, on this beautiful summer’s morning. I was to meet my two chums at 9 a.m. for breakfast in the Bord-Bistro so I had time to explore in the sunshine the few areas available inside the ship and the outside decks.

Lovely woodwork

CAP SAN DIEGO was built in 1961, so this is her 50th anniversary year. She started life as a freighter designed in Hamburg and built for the Hamburg-Sud shipping company by Deutsche-Werft, and sailed regularly from Hamburg to South America, with a gross tonnage of 9998. Eventually she was sold on and finally returned to her home port in 1986 to be used as a Maritime Monument from 1987, bought by the Hanseatic City of Hamburg (http://www.capsandiego.de). Parties, conventions and events are held on board and every summer she also makes daytime trips with passengers on board.

Outside deck space

The Bridge

Certificate of Class

Chart room

Two sextants

Surprise occupant!

Looking forward

Bridge wing

View from the Bridge

Masts and gear

Covered pool

Hatch cover

Looking aft

And up I go on the fo'cs'le deck

As far forward as I can

Looking aft at the shear

I enjoyed seeing what I could, and looking out at the Hamburg maritime city. One of Father’s photographs was ever in my mind, as I wanted to try and identify where his ship had berthed when he was here in August 1931 and I think it must have been more or less where I am now. After breakfast we plan to go ashore and enjoy some of the sights so I may find out more then.

Hamburg picture postcard

To be continued…

Summer 2011 Part 11 Heligoland to Hamburg

2011-08-21T18:00:00.026+01:00

Part 11
Heligoland to Hamburg

Friday 15th July
So we three reluctantly made our way back to the HALUNDER JET. We boarded and this time our seats were on the upper deck in Comfort Class, with free tea, coffee or juices available. I noticed that one small area had a covered rail and coat hangers for Comfort Class passengers. I also noticed that the front rows of seats had seat belts fitted to them, presumably to be used in certain conditions. I imagine they were worn this morning. Again, food was available to order with table service. The sun was still shining and at 4.30 p.m. the crowded vessel pulled away from Heligoland, after an unforgettable visit!

Ships and route

Halunder Jet ready for boarding

After a few minutes we realised that the First Officer had been right about the weather and sea conditions for the part of our journey to Cuxhaven, and we all felt a lot happier.

Calmer seas

This time the journey took the scheduled 1 hour and 15 minutes, and the disembarking passengers were soon off the ship and the new ones on, under sunny and breezy conditions.

Weather signs at Cuxhaven

We stayed on board of course as we were to continue to Hamburg for the two and a half hours journey. Cuxhaven is on the south side of the River Elbe so we went out on the stern deck this time to watch us enter the wide River.

Unknown ship

Tug Vogelsand

Ark Futura

We could also see VISTAMAR at her berth and then watch her leave to sail north again. At last I was able to get a good photograph of her in sunshine.

Vistamar

As we left Cuxhaven we were able to move to the empty front row seats which we had booked originally, so that was lucky.

As the river narrowed very slightly we had to keep within the marked buoys, and of course slow down when nearing other vessels, whatever their size. On the port side we soon approached the western end of the Kiel Canal, at Brunsbuttel, and could see the start of the locks. Goodness, some of Father’s photos were taken eighty years ago when he came through the Canal to here, on the ARANDORA STAR. One of his photos is of him and some others sitting inside the edge of the ship’s funnel, going through the Kiel Canal, so it must have been the dummy funnel! One day I hope to do that journey myself – one day.

The River Elbe wound its way round a slim island in the middle, and then we approached and stopped at Wedel Point – the Welcome Point.

Welcome Point

Coming alongside at Wedel

It was a daily stop for the HALUNDER JET (three hours from Heligoland) and exciting for us: every time a ship passed the Point in daylight a piece of music was played over the loudspeakers, appropriate to the nationality of the ship. We dropped our passengers off, picked up the new ones, and as we left we heard a stirring piece of German music, which lasted for several minutes. Apparently the man who owns the Restaurant and Café there has a CD collection of about 300 national anthems or similar and tries to play the appropriate one for each vessel that passes. Some ships acknowledge this with a whistle, some just ignore it, but the rest of us are perfectly happy and amused. There is a list of expected vessels and their passing times on a notice board in the grounds.

Soon we came to the A380 Airbus factories on the south side of the river. Planes fly in to be fitted out here, and in fact we could see an AIRBUS SKYLINK plane beside the factory, with several others being completed. That reminded me that I saw a RORO vessel in Palermo recently which had the AIRBUS sign on the side of it, and was carrying parts for the aircraft. We also saw the Blohm & Voss ship repair yards as we neared Hamburg. All along the riverside we could see secluded homes tucked into the hillside woods, and frequent sandy beaches on the north side which were being enjoyed by many people.

We finally came in sight of Hamburg city and this reminded me of a couple of Father’s photographs as he approached it on the ARANDORA STAR in 1931. He could see some docks on one side, (and now I’m home I have scanned the photo in case anyone can recognise the funnel markings of the ship in the picture).

Hamburg docks 1931

and railway lines and railway wagons on the other side,

Approaching Hamburg 1931

as well as several church spires. This was the end of our trip, as the sun was sinking in the west.

Halunder Jet

The sky was finally clear and the light golden as we approached the quayside. Just ahead of us was our final destination of the day: the CAP SAN DIEGO.

Cap San Diego

We had booked to stay on board her, as yet another ship experience, and it took us only a few minutes to walk along the quayside, across an old bridge that had obviously been updated at some point, and onto the pontoon leading to our hotel ship.

Welcome on Board

We checked in, paid for our cabins, and enjoyed the thought that we were on board our third ship of the day.

My cabin 206

My bunk

My cabin 206 was spacious, with a view over the starboard side to the water, city spires, buildings and ships moored along the other pontoons. It was disappointing to discover that no food or drink was available on board, other than breakfast in the morning, so we had to leave our cabins and go ashore for a light meal. The public rooms on the ship are available for hire, and we could see people in those rooms, which were then locked up when they left. Why does this sound familiar? Ah well, I was in Hamburg for the very first time and staying on an hotel ship and looking forward to my weekend in the city.

Ships seen: Dublin Express, MSC Joy, Atlantis, 2 DFS freighters, Funny Girl, Lady von Busum, Amaranth, Grandi Napoli, Vistamar,Pilot ship and Mother Pilot Ship, Delta Hamburg, Juyul tanker with an Arabic name too, Anne Ehler (small feeder container), Euro Snow, Finn Breeze, Emma, PAL Line Trans Odin, Ever Eagle, D S Agility from Monrovia), Marie Fresno (Dutch sailing vessel), harbour ferries, Marstan, Ragna, Kristin Schepers, Cap George, City of Beirut in the floating dry dock, MSC Charleston, several other ships in the docks, Cap San Diego hotel ship.

To be continued…

Summer 2011 Part 10

2011-08-16T12:41:00.017+01:00

Cuxhaven and Heligoland

Friday 15th July

Forties, Dogger, Humber, Thames and Dover should sound familiar to anyone who ever listens to the British Shipping Forecast. I’ve just been travelling through North Utsire, South Utsire and Fisher, and today I’m in the German Bight shipping weather forecast area. I remember when there used to be a separate name on the list - of Heligoland - and this is the island where we are planning to go today.

VISTAMAR arrived two hours later than we expected, so our day’s plans had to be altered. Cuxhaven was shrouded in damp mist as we arrived in our berth, and were allowed off the ship. Although we rushed through the empty terminal to the Taxi rank, there were none to be seen, so we had to walk a long way to the Heligoland ferry terminal.

Heligoland Ferries

The vessels

We had tickets to catch the delightful looking ATLANTIS, the little ferry that sails from Cuxhaven to Heligoland island, out in the German Bight shipping area. Unfortunately as we approached the quay we could see the ship already on her way, on what looked like rather rough water.

Plan B swung into action, after we were advised to go to another terminal to try and get seats on the Company’s fast ferry (catamaran) on the same route. It was raining quite hard, the wind was blowing, the woman in the ticket office for the HALUNDER JET was obviously unused to smiling or being helpful to passengers, or even transferring tickets from one of their vessels to another. We had to pay for new tickets out to the island. We had also previously arranged to return from Heligoland on the HALUNDER JET anyway, this time for the complete journey back along the River Elbe to Hamburg. The office woman ignored our return tickets, the seats were summarily cancelled and new ones allocated so we no longer had the front row viewing seats we had booked and paid for many months ago. Ah well, we must make the best of it but what a shame.

So we boarded the vessel with almost 300 others and took our newly reserved seats on the lower Jet Deck of this catamaran. The seats were comfortable, screens around the lounge showed outside views, speed, and position on the route, and menus in the seat pockets showed food or drinks to order for delivery to one’s seat. All this was fine until we sailed and left the shelter of the coast. The journey was supposed to take one and a quarter hours, doing about 29 knots.

The journey to Heligoland was, well, the first syllable is about right – hell. It was very very rough, and the speed frequently dropped to 10 knots because of the sea conditions. Most people were sea-sick (I wasn’t) and staff walked around continuously collecting sick bags. I think it was the noise of people being ill, groaning, children crying, and some people screaming, and the discomfort that made it worse. I think we must have been on the limit of sailing conditions for that sort of vessel, and it was absolutely horrifying when we saw and felt us going underwater. Now we knew what a ‘green water’ experience was, as it happened several times during that dreadful journey.

One of my friends wanted some fresh air and managed to get on deck for a moment. Being the keen photographer that he is, he also managed to get pictures of the ATLANTIS ferry in the seas as we overtook her – we had caught her up on the journey, although she had left an hour ahead of us.

Atlantis up

Atlantis down

Nearly two hours later we arrived in Heligoland, to be met on the quayside by 3 ambulances. We disembarked with great relief and managed to walk away from the sight of the sea and an unforgettable experience.

The island seemed an interesting little place in the pale sunshine, with its painted shop fronts along the quayside. There were summer places to rent and lots of people around, obviously here on holiday. It looks very picturesque, with its nature reserves, sea life, beaches and summer social calendar. If this is July summer weather and sea conditions, we wondered what it might be like in the winter. I shall have to listen to the Shipping Forecast in December!

Helgoland

Helgoland

We sat with our backs to the sea for some time, and then realised that ATLANTIS had arrived. For some reason she does not come alongside, but anchors off. Those poor people on the ship then had the final indignity of having to descend into local craft to come ashore. After a voyage in those seas, I really didn’t envy them the final part of the journey, which must have seemed endless.

Coming ashore from Atlantis

Nearing the quayside

We recovered enough to have a snack in an upstairs restaurant which reminded me slightly of the de la Warr Pavilion at Bexhill in East Sussex.

Funny Girl

Lady von Busum

One friend had spoken to the First Officer on the HALUNDER JET about the weather and sea conditions for our return journey later, back to Hamburg via Cuxhaven. He was told that the weather front had almost cleared and the journey should be much better than this morning, which was such a relief. I think we three had mentally wondered about alternative means of getting back, rather than enduring another journey like the one coming here. In fact there is no other way of getting to this island, which has an interesting history.

The route

Halunder Jet

Ships seen: Dublin Express, MSC Joy, Atlantis, 2 DFS Freighters, Funny Girl, Lady von Busum (which was obviously translated as Lady of the Bosom), Amarinth, Nippon Maru (not really, just a model), Grandi Napoli, Halunder Jet

To be continued…

Summer 2011 Part 9

2011-08-12T10:49:00.019+01:00

VISTAMAR - Day at sea

Thursday 14th July
We have a day at sea, sailing south towards Cuxhaven, at the mouth of the River Elbe. Early morning tea and coffee was available each day but we took meals in the Restaurant at our assigned table, and after breakfast today we had to prepare for Lifeboat Drill at 10 a.m. Every passenger had to stand outside his or her cabin wearing a life jacket, and then wait to be taken to muster stations outside on the deck. There was a roll-call of names and cabin numbers, the usual instruction of what to do in the case of emergency, and then we were dismissed.

4 Deck atrium

Small but perfectly formed

Lots of greenery throughout the ship

Lifting the spirits?

We didn’t want to be involved in the Keep Fit so-called entertainment so decided to investigate the free beer and music (the 4 piece Convoy Band again) to be held out on the Lido Deck by the pool. By this time the weather was deteriorating, as we were heading into the stretch of water between Norway and Denmark (the Skagerrak), and it was windy and cool. The flapping flags above the deck were rigid with the strength of the wind, and the ship was moving a lot, so even the band decided to move inside. Some hardy souls continued to enjoy their drinks out on deck, but it wasn’t comfortable so having filled our lungs with just enough fresh air, we went inside too. I was ill for a few minutes (what a nuisance) but recovered in time to walk into lunch.

Restaurant lunch was very poorly attended, and there were sympathetic looks and remarks from the staff. I took to my bed and had a wonderful deep sleep and met my chums for Afternoon Tea. We had all missed Playing Darts and Shuffleboard but felt better for a rest. As forecast, the ship’s motion lessened; there was still a swell but no visibility.

Hospital waiting area

Card room

Afternoon Tea in the Musiksalon was really well attended so obviously everyone had managed to get back on their feet again ready to enjoy more wonderful cakes and pastries – the Feasting part of the trip continues. The Boutique staff brought some of their goods for sale into the Musiksalon where we were all queuing for dainty food, so I bought a reminder of the fact that VISTAMAR is registered in Venezia – a small item of Murano glass that couldn’t be ignored. Postcards, key rings and photographs of the passengers were on sale in the Reception Foyer at the foot of the atrium, so it felt as if the ship had come alive again with so many people around.

Reception

The next Entertainment started soon after tea, which was a Lecture about the North Sea with slide pictures. The language difference didn’t seem to make a problem as we listened and saw pictures and graphs about tides, sea beds, birds, animals, the coastlines, weather and currents. It was all very interesting until the moment we were instructed about the life cycle of the Danish worm that lives on their beaches. That became so detailed and rather horrifying because of what it eats and produces, that we vowed never to go barefoot on a Danish beach, ever.

Captain Antonio Mattera had invited all passengers to a Cocktail Party so it was posh frock for me and smart gear for everyone as we sat with a glass of fizz in hand in the Musiksalon as the Cruise Director introduced the Captain, who made a speech and in turn introduced his senior Officers. Fifteen minutes later everyone was heading down to the Restaurant for Gala Dinner, in a very happy and jolly atmosphere.

Gala dinner

Gala dinner

The food was enjoyable and then, just before dessert was served, the lights were turned out. Music started, napkins were waved, and yes, the waiters walked in with cakes and fireworks blazing. The catering staff appeared and were introduced en masse to great applause, and then they all went back to work, the lights were turned up and we were served with Baked Alaska. It may have been rather predictable, but there’s nothing wrong with that on some occasions.

Music was provided back in the Musiksalon and then it was Show Time again, with international songs and Anton of the Tyrol appearing with other singers. Later there was music for dancing, Snacks were served to everyone sitting in and around the room, and there was a chance to see a Cabaret Show up in the Veranda Club.

One of the suites

Another view of a suite

Keeping tabs on the passengers

We went for a walk out on the damp decks,

Caring for passengers...

and found out that our speed today had been between 10 and 12 knots. At 7,500 tons this is a small ship and vulnerable to low pressure weather fronts (again/still) as well as sea conditions. Earlier we had been told about future cruises and itineraries for VISTAMAR and how she was going on a wonderful trip across to South America leaving just before Christmas, but I can’t quite see the appeal of this small vessel going across the Atlantic from Tenerife .

I really like this ship and the way she is run and I would certainly consider sailing on her in warmer waters, perhaps on one of her short Mediterranean or Aegean port-intensive cruises. This ship VISTAMAR has an original style and I certainly enjoyed my short cruise on her.

Tomorrow we are due to arrive early in Cuxhaven and then go to Heligoland, so that promises to be interesting.

Ships seen: none

To be continued…

Summer 2011 Part 8

2011-08-10T17:22:00.036+01:00

Sailing on VISTAMAR

Wednesday 13th July 2011
This afternoon we will board the good ship VISTAMAR for a 2 night cruise to Cuxhaven, Germany. A Google translation of my ticket shows I am going to be “Dancing and Feasting between the mountains and Cuxhaven”. Hmm, hope I have the energy for all that…

From Mount Floyen we saw her coming through the last fjord towards Bergen at 11.06 a.m. and it was reassuring to know she was on her way; we later watched her berthing in the harbour at 12.40 p.m.

My ship is coming in

Vistamar manoeuvring alongside

and noticed the banner tied on the Sun Deck railings announcing she was with Plein Cap Croisieres of France. The French passengers disembarked into coaches and that was the end of that charter.

Alongside as Plein Cap Croisieres

By the time we three arrived back at the gangway at 2.00 p.m. the banner had been removed and the ship had now reverted to its owners - plantours & Partner - and it would be mostly German passengers – and us (two English and 1 American).

Along the quayside near the Fish Market

Local rubbish bin advertisement

The Purser was on the quayside and made us very welcome and said we could board straightaway.

Alongside then as plantours & Partner

The luggage was taken up the gangway for us, although one piece started to be taken towards an empty coach until spotted by its worried owner (not me) and brought back to go on board instead! I think the crewman imagined we were late in disembarking and had to be taken off by coach somewhere with our luggage. At last we were on board and in the Reception area which was full of sunshine and light from the 4-deck-high little circular atrium.

VISTAMAR’s keel was laid in 1988 at Union Naval de Levante, Valencia, Spain, and the ship completed in 1989 and registered to Mar Lines Universal Shipping, Panama. Her tonnage is 7,498 to carry 330 passengers at a possible maximum speed of 16.5 knots, sailing mostly in the Mediterranean. The Spanish owners and designers’ style seems to be reflected in the look of the ship which is quite angular, but pleasing to my eye at least.

Various charters over the years have sent her to South America, as well as to the eastern and western Mediterranean. She is now chartered annually by plantours & Partner (yes, with a lower-case p for the name) but we saw her finish her latest charter to Plein Cap Croisieres of France today, and revert back to plantours & Partner of Bremen. I like the idea that the ship has always kept the same name.

Vistamar deck and cabin plan

The ship has six decks, with cabins on the lower five, mostly in the forward half of the ship, with the public rooms in the rear half. There are two inside single cabins available, and four outside single cabins, three of which we had booked. There are various other grade cabins, including ten balcony suites and an owner’s suite, all shown on the Deck and Cabin Plan.

Deck names

Atrium artwork

Top of the Atrium

Writing Room

My cabin was spacious and simply furnished and the bathroom was fine, with ample towels and toiletries, so I was happy with my home for the next two nights.

Cabin 301, port side mid ships

In my bathroom

Toiletries

With no-one else on board we were able to explore, take some interior photographs, register credit cards,

Veranda Club looking aft

Musiksalon Bar, looking forward

Musiksalon port side, looking aft

and finally give in to the temptation to start the ‘dancing and feasting’ right away. The ship is registered in Venice, Italy, and the Lido Bar with its Venetian gondola scene looking out on to the swimming pool seemed the ideal place to relax in the hot Bergen sunshine, under the almost-cloudless blue sky.

Swimming pool

Lido Bar and Pool

Lido Bar tiling

Our Daily Programme (in German) in the cabins told us that at 2.30 p.m. we would all be welcomed in the Musiksalon with ‘fizz and nibbles’, so we went inside and joined many others being greeted by the friendly staff. The room is the full width of the ship, with tall windows covered inside by long golden-coloured curtains and faux palm trees placed at regular intervals. The seating was comfortable and solid-looking, set around a small raised stage at one end of the room. At the forward end of the Musiksalon was a semi-circular bar with tall chairs beside it. There seemed to be enough varied seating for all the passengers.

After enjoying the glass of fizz, we noticed that our Programme informed us that afternoon tea was available from 3.30 to 4.15 p.m. so after a rapid session of unpacking, we were back in the Musiksalon for the next entertainment – more feasting (wonderful pastries and cakes) and this time with rum-te-tum music from a 4 piece band on the little stage. The room was full, tea or coffee was enjoyed by all and I felt this was probably going to be the hub for a good time on board this almost unknown little ship. Indeed, I hadn’t heard of her before October 2010.

We were due to sail at 5.00 p.m. but as all the 200 passengers were on board and the ship was ready, we actually left the quayside and sailed at 4.35 p.m. and became part of the busy ship activity in Bergen harbour.

Top deck walkway around the Veranda Club

Forward Sun Deck

The Hurtigruten ship TROLLFJORD had arrived earlier and we could see her. The cruise ferry BERGENSFJORD was also to be seen, plus the cruise ships from earlier in the day, and local harbour vessels.

White Lady

Hakon Mosby

Amadea

Snarveien

2 turquoise funnels

Olympic Hera

Albatros

MSC Poesia

Trollfjord

We’d hardly settled down after departure than it was time to prepare for 7.30 p.m. Welcome Cocktails in the Musiksalon introduced by the Cruise Director, followed by dinner in the Restaurant Andalucia at 7.45 p.m. at our set table.

Restaurant Andalucia

This included free red or white wine, but bottled water and non-alcoholic drinks had to be paid for. At 10 p.m. there was a Welcome Show (in the Musiksalon of course) with music and singing that had my feet tapping and one particular singer/entertainer called Anton from the Tyrol, who seemed particularly popular. When the show ended the band continued to play for dancing. The translation of Dancing and Feasting for the title of the little cruise began to seem particularly accurate and I thought it was all very jolly.

At 10.30 p.m. there was the chance to photograph a Dessert Buffet and then consume it, which we couldn’t face, but I believe lots of passengers did. There was also an entertainer in the Veranda Club. We three decided to retire for the night to our respective cabins to build up our strength for the next day’s programme at sea.

Goodbye Bergen from Vistamar

Ships seen: Costa Luminosa, Costa Pacifica, MSC Poesia, Amadea, Albatros, the Bergen cross-harbour ferry, Bourbon Monsoon, White Lady, Normand Ranger, Trollfjord, Bergensfjord, Snarveien, Far Scorpion,

To be continued…

Summer 2011 Part 7

2011-08-08T17:47:00.029+01:00

Bergen morning

Wednesday 13th July 2011
Bergen beckoned outside my hotel window so, after breakfast in one of the ubiquitous Egon Restaurants, I checked out, left my case in a locked luggage room, and walked to meet one of my friends at the funicular station. We were going to ride up to Mount Floyen, to get superb views of the mountains and harbour, but first had to queue to get tickets.

map of Bergen

Funicular station

There are two carriages, with a passing place in the middle of the route.
Mount Floyen cable car

Going up

The view down

A carriage passing us

A padded tunnel

We finally arrived at the viewing platform and it was as wonderful as I had hoped.

What a view

Wonderful sight

COSTA LUMINOSA and COSTA PACIFICA

BOURBON MONSOON

We could see the fjords through which we had sailed yesterday on NORDSTJERNEN to arrive here in Bergen Harbour; we could see the mountains, the sunlight glistening on the water down below and a coffee shop in front of us. Outside this was an elevated rail, and two little miniature funicular carriages, one going up and one going down, exactly like the real ones!

Red cable car going up

Blue cable car coming down

Passing point

Just like the real thing

That was fun, as we could see when a carriage was due to arrive up on the viewing platform station just by looking at the toy carriages. I know, little things please little minds, but the proprietor of the sell-everything coffee shop obviously loved life and his customers, and this overhead rail was part of the fun.

Looking down at the harbour we could see today’s cruise ships in port,

MSC POESIA, AMADEA and ALBATROS

Far horizons

View of the view

plus other working ships, and then in the far distance was a sight to gladden the heart – it was the ship we are to sail on this afternoon: the VISTAMAR. Hooray, how reassuring.

Here she comes...

Coffee break finished and photos taken, we took the funicular down. In the ticket office hall were photos of the building of the funicular in 1918 and then the funicular carriages replaced in 1954, and then the new ones in 2002.

New in 2002

New in 1974

Built in 1918

I was so thrilled to see them because here I am following in Father’s Footsteps again, and I have his little photos of the funicular carriage he went in when he was here on ARANDORA STAR in 1931.

Bergen Funicular and ship in 1931

ARANDORA STAR at Bergen 1931

Bergen 1931

One of the ships that my Father saw and photographed near Bergen in 1931 or 1932 was the 1904-built METEOR, of Hamburg American Line.

Ship METEOR near Bergen

Back down in the city we each collected our luggage

SHOWTIME
Cross-harbour ferry

and met to go and board the 1989-built VISTAMAR for our two night trip south from Bergen to Cuxhaven.

Ships seen: Costa Luminosa, Costa Pacifica, MSC Poesia, Amadea, Vistamar, Albatros, Showtime, Bergen cross-harbour ferry, Bourbon Monsoon (Rescue Boat PX105)

To be continued...

Summer 2011 Part 6

2011-08-02T17:41:00.043+01:00

Summer 2011 Part 6
NORDSTJERNEN to Bergen

Tuesday 12th July 2011
The ship called at Torvik for half an hour, and then Maloy for 45 minutes, but I was still sleeping, obviously undisturbed by a quayside right outside my porthole! After that though the seas were very rough and we pitched and rolled for nearly an hour until 4 a.m. I eventually slept and woke when my alarm clock went off so I could be on deck for the next port of Floro at 7.45 and I managed a 5 minute walk on the quayside there, just to restore my equilibrium.

Rem Stadt

Skandi Sotra

Half an hour later we were off again, and then it was breakfast and rolling our way south again.

We were asked to vacate cabins by 10 a.m. so luggage was stored up on Deck C near Reception, carried up there by large Viking-like crew members, thus allowing the cabins to be cleaned and linen changed, ready for arrival in Bergen. Once we were in the shelter of another fjord the sea calmed slightly and many of us chose to sit up on the top deck, wrapped in warm thick blankets, taking in the fresh icy air in a very convivial atmosphere and admiring the amazing scenery.

Fedjefjord

Salmon and reindeer appeared on the lunch menu again,

3rd and 4th salmon to appear

lunch choices

more lunch choices

desserts

with more beautiful-looking desserts amongst other things, so everyone was well-fed by the time we sailed through the last of the fjords into the port of Bergen and the Hurtigruten Terminal. En route we could see lots more ships.

Falkvik

Malene Ostervold

Hanseatic Sailor

White Lady

The newly named Artania cruise ship

Another view of Artania

8 ships and Mount Floyen

SC Aberdeen

local sightseeing vessel

Snarveien

We were on time of course, at 2.30 p.m., and I felt reluctant to leave this delightful little ship.

Goodbye little dear

She really is a little liner, with so much wood in her fixtures and fittings, comfortable and stylish furnishings, fabulous food, and interesting and pleasant staff. I would happily sail on NORDSTJERNEN again, preferably when there wasn’t a low pressure weather front from the west affecting the state of the sea as it was during my short voyage, but a Hurtigruten voyage of whatever length is certainly something to be recommended. I imagine that the whole round trip from Bergen to Kirkenes and back is rightly named ‘The world’s most beautiful voyage’.

It was sunny and hot as I walked to my Bergen city centre hotel, past the harbour-side Fish Market stalls selling all sorts of fish and reindeer meat, to eat there or take home, and the Norwegian knitted goods stalls.

Another interesting drain cover

Tourists and visitors were everywhere, enjoying the sights and sounds. Later I met another of my travelling companions and we enjoyed coffee and cake before exploring part of the harbour and looking for interesting ships.

Restaurant Ladies toilet sign

Dinner of course was reindeer or salmon, and it was lovely to be able to walk home late in the evening whilst it was still very light. NORDSTJERNEN meanwhile was on her way north again, sailing along the Norwegian coast in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

NORDSTJERNEN leaving Bergen and sailing north again

Tomorrow I will be sailing on another unusual ship, from here in Bergen, heading further south.

Ships seen: Rem Stadt, Skandi Sotra, Fedjefjord, Falkvik, Malene Ostervold, Hanseatic Sailor, Artania cruise ship, SC Aberdeen, Snarveien, White Lady, Nordstjernen and other Bergen harbour vessels

To be continued…

Summer 2011 Part 5

2011-07-31T14:36:00.026+01:00

NORDSTJERNEN

Monday 11th July (contd.)
Seven Sisters

Ronja Superior

Bridge approaching Kristiansund

Welcome sign

Eidsvaag Polaris

At 4.30 p.m. we arrived at Kristiansund and had just under half an hour to take a short walk along the quayside to see the statue of the Klippfiskkjerringa, to be back on board for 5 p.m. sailing.

Nordstjernen at Kristiansund

One of our anchors

The Bridge from the quayside

Interesting drain cover

For sale in a shop...

Little tug steaming along nicely

The weather was clear but cool and the scenery was endlessly interesting. My Father had also called here on several occasions on the ARANDORA STAR. As we left the port, a few of us could stand on one bridge wing to watch the departure.

View from the Bridge

Island Challenger

Because the ship was now entering open sea it soon became very rough, and many of us on this tiny ship felt unwell, but this stretch of the passage was likely to last for a couple of hours and simply had to be endured.

Restaurant (and Captain's Table) laid for dinner

Most of us recovered in time for Restaurant dinner at 6.30 p.m. which was served at our individual tables – a beautifully presented plate of cured reindeer for starters,

followed by a layered creation of 3 fish with vegetables,

and followed by the famous Norwegian dessert of red soft fruit in juice, with cream.

It was a delicious meal, beautifully cooked and presented, and cheerfully served, and set the high standard for all the meals on board.

We called at Molde at 8.30 p.m. for an hour, and just before arriving there I was astonished to see AIDA BLU heading out of the mist towards us.

I know we are a small ship, but I didn’t envy the passengers on there heading up into those rough seas. Once in Molde I took a short walk around in the rain trying to identify a church in one of my Father’s photos;

A Molde church

I thought this was interesting

as we left, the NORDLYS berthed nearby.

We saw several of the Fjord1 and other Molde ferries whilst we were there.

Tiderose

Brandal

Romsdalsfjord

Noldefjord

Sekken

Last view of Molde

There is a Bar on the Saloon Deck near the Restaurant, so I took a glass of something delicious with me to the Lounge later that evening to see a short film show about the Hurtigruten route scenery; then I had a chat with the Purser about NORDNORGE and her now famous voyage north, and of course about NORDSTJERNEN. This was when he told me about her not having any sisters, as she was a replacement ship. He said there was no cargo on this trip as the crane was broken; the ship has ‘ancient monument’ status in Norway, so has special ‘clearance’ as a ship; she only sails in Norwegian waters so SOLAS doesn’t apply; she uses heavy oil but is fairly good, and the accountants are happy.

She is likely to last only one year now probably, as Hurtigruten must decide about new ships; FINNMARKEN is still on charter in Australia, and all are happy with this, so the charter may be renewed, in which case Hurtigruten must decide whether they need 1 or 2 new ships. I asked about the next SOLAS regulations due in a few years’ time, and he said NORDSTJERNEN’s fire doors would not be able to be used under the next Regulations.

I had noticed that the Post flag was flown from the stern flagpole and the Purser said that Mail had not been carried since the 1980s on the Hurtigruten ships, but as a courtesy they were allowed to continue using the Post flag because of her special status in Norway.

He was interested in knowing about my Father’s ship calls along the Norwegian coast in the 1930s, and mentioned another passenger he had met recently. The gentleman was coming back to the country that he had only seen during the Second World War from his submarine periscope! He had liked the look of the mountainous coast and bird life and determined to come back some day and actually set foot on the landscape he had so admired. The Purser didn’t mention the nationality of that passenger and I didn’t ask.

The ship called at Alesund at midnight for 45 minutes but I didn’t see a thing – I was lulled to sleep by the sea.

Ships seen: Kystekpressen, Coastguard vessel Barend Biesheuvel, Nordstjernen, Seven Sisters (Sea 7) a working ship with a heli-pad on the bow, Ronja Superior, Dart from Arhus, Kar steam tug at Kristiansund, Eidsvaag Polaris, Kristiansund cross-harbour ferry, Island Challenger, the UT 776E written on the hull of a vessel with a big bow, and no stern, outside Kristiansund, Nordlys of Hurtigruten, Molde ferries Tiderose, Brandal, Romsdalsfjord, Noldefjord and Sekken, a fast ferry in Kristiansund, Robas, Aida Blu appearing out of the mist and heading north from Molde

To be continued…

Summer 2011 Part 4

2011-07-28T14:44:00.042+01:00

NORDSTJERNEN

Monday 11th July 2011 (contd.)
With a 10 a.m. departure we soon returned from visiting POLARLYS,

Part of the hull

Why, it's a wind-chute!

the engines on NORDSTJERNEN were started and off we went, reversing out into the fjord, then full ahead for the Hurtigruten voyage south to Bergen.

and away we go

Looking astern

I had booked an unknown cabin many months ago, because the dates fitted in with my other travel plans later in the month, but was nervous of what I would be allocated after hearing some horror stories about the lowest inside cabins (on Deck A) on this 1956-built vessel, of 2,191 tons.

Down the stairs

On the stairs

Down another deck

On the stairs

I needn’t have worried! I was allocated cabin 204, which was an outside 2 bunk cabin on Deck B, with a porthole.

The bunks were one above the other, there was a small day bed/settee under the porthole, a seat in an alcove with a light above where my little suitcase fitted perfectly, there was a wardrobe, and a washbasin neatly fitted into the space between my bed head and the cabin door.

All the wood was gleaming, the porthole was very welcome although it was necessarily rather high up, and hot water gushed out of the tap when needed. It was what I would call a bijou cabin, but I was very happy with it and the bed proved to be extremely comfortable. A shower room was just across the corridor and so were Ladies Toilets.

My cabin corridor

NORDSTJERNEN (IV) was built in 1956 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, simply to replace another ship of the line, so she had no sisters. After being re-engined in 1983, she now carries 400 passengers in 69 cabins, with no car capacity. Her service speed is 15 knots. Her hull is black, with white superstructure, there are two raked masts and the black funnel over the mid-ships engines carries the Hurtigruten logo, making her a small but balanced-looking ship. I had looked at Anthony Cooke’s book ‘Liners & Cruise Ships – Some notable smaller vessels’ before I left home so I had some knowledge of her history and a kind friend had also sent me some notes.

NORDSTJERNEN has five public decks: cabins are on Decks A, B and C (which is where Reception is located). The top Saloon Deck is accessed by a staircase,
On the staircase

which leads forward through the Hall to the Lounge.

Lounge art work

Lounge art work

Astern of the Hall is the U-shaped Restaurant with tables on both sides of the kitchens and with the food set out on serving tables across the middle forward part for lunch times and breakfast.

Set evening dinner in the Restaurant was served at individual allocated tables.

The Cafe (port side)

and Bar (on the starboard side) were astern of the Restaurant,

and another Lounge was astern of them.

Aft Lounge

Aft Lounge

There was access to the Sun Deck from the doorway of the Aft Lounge.

Made by John Hastie & Co. Ltd. of Greenock

From the aft Sun Deck there were stairs leading up to the Boat Deck, and more stairs from the Boat Deck down to the forward Lounge.

Our 10 a.m. departure would take us on “A Voyage of Discovery”, south to Bergen where we would arrive tomorrow (Tuesday) at 2.30 p.m. having called at several ports en route. I had pre-paid for my four meals on board (lunch, dinner, breakfast and lunch) so went to the Saloon Deck Restaurant at 12.30 to choose delicious things from the buffet to eat. There was a wide choice of salad and cold starters, then for my main course I chose reindeer stew, which had been slow-cooked with mushrooms to create a fairly strong flavoured dish. With vegetables and small boiled new potatoes, my plate looked very inviting. My companion chose the reindeer and something to accompany it labelled ‘sour cream pudding’. We were a bit surprised when this turned out to be semolina. There were calorific desserts, cheese, coffee, tea and water all available and included.

Food could also be bought and consumed in the Café Bar.

Ships seen: Polarlys, Nordstjernen

To be continued…

Summer 2011 Part 3

2011-07-25T20:06:00.019+01:00

Part 3 POLARLYS visit

Monday 11th July 2011 in Trondheim

One of my travelling companions had arrived so after an early breakfast we walked to the port to see the little NORDSTJERNEN alongside the quay, ready to sail south to Bergen. Nearby was the northbound vessel POLARLYS, so we went for a quick visit on her. These are pictures of the interesting or fun things I saw on board.

Builder's plate

Polarlys Reception

Wonderful piece of art work

The Arcade

Eye-catching carpet

Top of the little atrium

Children's Playroom

Ceiling art work

Restaurant

Art work

Staircase

One of the Lounges

Fun furnishings

More interesting chairs

Library, with hidden television

Lovely glass door handle

Another lounge

POLARLYS viewed from NORDSTJERNEN as we left Trondheim

Ships seen: Nordstjernen, Polarlys

To be continued...