HAYNES WORLD: August 2022

30 August 2022

Carnival Pride 10th June 2022 Part 3

Sunday 12th June 2022 Early this morning we are due in Stavanger, Norway, a popular and busy port town in a beautiful setting. The day looked wet and it was raining outside as we came alongside. Our plans to take our own excursion on a local small vessel to a local sight had to be cancelled but new plans were made over breakfast as the rain seemed to be stopping. We decided to get off the ship and see what other vessels were nearby, or local sights within reasonable walking distance. The rain had stopped as we set off. We were soon able to take photographs of our ship CARNIVAL PRIDE so that was a good start;

as we rounded the local roadside pavement we saw an unexpected vessel just beside us, obviously constructed with rivets. It was the ROGALAND, a 1929 built Norwegian Passenger ship of 829 gross tons, with big signs on the quayside inviting members of the public to come on board and visit. We needed no second bidding and were soon climbing the gangway and being welcomed. We enjoyed touring the little ship and hearing about its wartime career, and seeing the many photographs in the various public rooms. Coffee and biscuits were available to buy to raise funds for the ship's maintenance, and I managed to get a few postcard pictures of the vessel. We all enjoyed getting on the forward fo'c'sle (forecastle) deck amongst the huge mooring ropes for more views around. I was talking with a member of the volunteer crew and asked if it might be possible please to visit the little Bridge whilst we were on here, and the answer was yes so we four enjoyed a private visit there. That was quite a treat for us all. We left the vessel after thanks and handshakes all round.

The rain soon started again so we decided to head back to our ship, and enjoy lunch. We noticed that the welcome sheet told us there would be a Trivia Quiz this afternoon so we decided to join in with that. With so many passengers back on board here in Stavanger because of the rain, lots of people had the same idea but I'm happy to note in my diary that we came top. We won the amazing CARNIVAL PRIDE TROPHY, and I was sent up to collect it from the quiz master. Oh the honour and glory of accepting it and being part of the winning team! It was suggested I give it house room down in my cabin, so I did. I hope I blushed prettily as I thanked my friends.

The rest of the day passed in a gentle manner until it was time to meet up again for drinks before dinner. Again we went for late dining in the Normandie Restaurant and after the main meal was served we enjoyed watching many of the waiters singing and dancing on small circular tables set amongst the dining tables. They obviously enjoyed it and I know we passengers certainly did. The show tonight was called The Flying Scotsman, which wasn't a train of course, but an energetic person entertaining us with chat and singing, as he frequently enjoyed twirling around the stage at speed in his tartan kilt. He had a lovely singing voice. Overnight we will be sailing further along the Norwegian coast, towards our next port of call of Skjolden. Ships seen: Sandnes, Rogaland, Carnival Pride, Havila Charisma built in 2012 To be continued...

29 August 2022

Carnival Pride 10th June 2022 (part 2)

Carnival Pride Saturday 11th June 2022 My alarm was set for 9.25 a.m. so that was a good start to our day at sea. We had arranged to meet for Sea Day Brunch in the Normandie Restaurant, deck 2 aft, at 11.30 but of course the need for good coffee earlier meant we all met by chance at the coffee bar midships deck 2 well before that. Outside the sky was clear and blue as we sailed calmly along at 14.9 knots, heading north towards our first port of Stavanger in Norway. Breakfast Brunch was good and offered a vast choice, so we left there feeling that we won't need more food for hours. I think we spent time on deck and then time in-board enjoying the views of the sea and the distant oil rigs. I took some photos of the ship's wake in the sunshine, over a teak rail, from the stern Serenity area. Life was gentle for some hours.

I think this is where I shall mention my two previous Carnival ship trips. The first one was after I flew to Miami, in Florida, from the UK in November 2012. Before sailing I had been invited to visit the Wolfsonian Museum and see their Union-Castle Line Collection, which was a great treat (thank you Larry). A friend and I then sailed on the CARNIVAL BREEZE on 22nd November 2012 from Miami on a 2 night inaugural cruise to Nassau in the Bahamas . Lunch on the first day was in the Italian Restaurant, with another treat for me: one of the many ship photographs on the walls was the ship FESTIVALE, bought by Mr Arison in 1977 from Union-Castle Line as the TRANSVAAL CASTLE for Carnival Cruise Line. She was the first ship I ever worked on as a sea-going Purserette, so being shown that photograph was a treat - thank you, you know who you are. 24th November 2012 saw us arrive back in Miami, and I then flew off to Tampa. Tampa was where I joined the CARNIVAL PARADISE to sail on 26th November 2012 from Tampa to Grand Cayman for our first port, which is a British Overseas Territory. Our next port of call was Cozumel in Mexico, b So those were my two previous Carnival ship experiences, both good fun. But back to this latest Carnival ship, here on CARNIVAL PRIDE, nearly ten years later. There were many things to do during the day on the ship, be it bingo, karaoke, build-a-bear workshop, more food or shopping, but they could keep for another day. Some hours later I think we all had to visit one of the many food locations, to see what was available for a little snack, before dinner. I think we all just like spending time together in unusual circumstances, at sea. We are told that tonight's attire is Cruise Elegant, so out came what's known as my 'posh frock'. It was fun to dress up and be a very smart group of friends this evening as we met for drinks and dinner, before going to the late show. My diary says that a towel animal was left on my bed this evening, which was a surprise when I went home. Ships seen: oil rigs in the far distance, with an occasional supply vessel alongside one or two, but too far away to distinguish.

To be continued...

24 August 2022

CARNIVAL PRIDE 10th June 2022

I left my home in the south of England just a few days after celebrating Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee with family and friends. It had been a wonderful four days of Bank Holiday celebrations on the 2nd to 5th June 2022 and many of us felt so thrilled to watch the national events on television and enjoy celebrations locally.

At my home I had prepared a display of souvenir items I owned, collected over the years since the Queen's accession to the throne in 1952. I was a child at the village school then but on half term holiday, and on that 6th February day I remember my mother coming home from the village shop. As she opened the door I greeted her with the words I'd just heard on the wireless (!) that "the King had died". She was shocked of course and after that life changed for everyone for ever.

Thursday 9th June 2022

Now on 9th June, here I was with a pull-along suitcase for a ten day cruise on the good ship CARNIVAL PRIDE, sailing from Dover in Kent to several ports in Norway and back again. A train through the south of England to Ashford International Station meant I had just under 10 minutes there to get off the train, take a platform lift down to a subway, run along that (fast) with my suitcase, and take another lift up to a platform to get the train to Dover. I did it!

At Dover Priory station I went to the Ladies facilities and was surprised to be in the way of a young man leaving those facilities at speed, who did apologise as he rushed past. OK, welcome to Dover I thought.

A local taxi took me to my overnight seafront hotel, where I checked in and left my case, before taking a bracing walk along the seafront of a curved bay. The town was accessible by walking through a tunnel under a busy dual-carriageway road and arriving in the midst of noisy road works. I was soon on my way back, looking at the many naval memorial stones as I walked, and thinking of those brave war-time men and women who had given their lives for us.

I could see several P&O or DFDS ferries arriving and departing from the port of Dover, heading over to France. Tomorrow I will be meeting up with my travelling companions and we too will be sailing out of the port, but on a cruise ship and heading for Norway - lucky us. We all met as members of the Ocean Liner Society and became friends; the monthly meetings are currently held via Zoom, thanks to the OLS Committee, and are really well-attended.

Friday 10th June 2022

One of my travelling companions arrived to join me for hotel breakfast so that was a good start to the holiday here in Dover. Carnival had requested that we all be Covid-tested ready to sail with them, and proof of a non-NHS negative test e-mailed to them within the last couple of days, so I was happy to get a taxi to the cruise terminal to board CARNIVAL PRIDE.

At the quayside my suitcase was taken away to be delivered to my cabin, and we were free to check in and join the queues to board the ship. Union Jack flags were flying outside, and the sun was shining so all went well and we were soon on board. I was first asked to go to an officer who was handling the Boat Drill and gave my name which was ticked off on a list. Several of us were then shown how to put a Life Jacket on properly and that seemed to be the official part done. I could then head for the Buffet Restaurant on Deck 9 aft for lunch . Carnival had issued and printed an actual paper Welcome Aboard sheet detailing food, drink and music locations for today, plus entertainment details and locations for the day, which was very welcome and avoided me clutching a phone in one hand like so many other passengers.

Another travelling companion was in the Buffet Restaurant so we had a happy reunion and an enjoyable lunch together. One more friend will be arriving soon so our little group will then be complete. We all live in different locations in the UK so always enjoy meeting up for a ship trip.

After lunch we all went down to the Normandie Restaurant on Deck 3 aft to check that my name had been added to our group table of 4 - it had - so that was very reassuring. Over the many weeks since I booked this cruise on line, Carnival had found it difficult to accept that I was English and lived in England, and that my e-mail address was what I told them it was but all seemed to be well and this week they had started to e-mail me correctly. These aren't real problems but did make me wonder. We had all had to be Covid tested Negative within the last couple of days by an outside source and the proof forwarded to Carnival, before boarding today so I knew I had been accepted as a passenger, even if the ship's dining arrangements had refused to accept my original dining request. Ah well, all seems to be going well now.

After that we each went to locate our own cabins and key. I first went to sea as a Purserette with the wonderful Union-Castle Line so my voyages were based in a 'cabin', and I tend to use the word still. Anyway, my suitcase was outside my cabin and as I heaved it inside, the door closed behind me and so I had a slight problem. My new stateroom attendant introduced herself and let me in, so that amused us both.

I was pleased to find out that the gross tonnage on this Carnival Spirit Class ship is 85,920, holding 2,124 passengers. She was built in 2001, launched in 2002 and last refurbished with upgrades in 2019. With 1062 cabins, 3 pools, and 13 decks, CARNIVAL PRIDE is advertised as a Fun Ship, so as four positive people we intend to have FUN!

We all met up again as the ship was preparing to leave the port of Dover, up on deck 10 above the Lido in the sunshine. Far below us in the sparkling sea we could see two local tugs, DAUNTLESS and DOUGHTY, sending plumes of water spray high into the air on our port side although we are still tied up.

Eventually we felt the ship begin to move away from the cruise terminal and CARNIVAL PRIDE set off on her voyage to Norway.

My Ocean View cabin 1107 was down on deck 1 starboard side forward and very spacious for my single use. The bathroom had a shower and other facilities but I noticed that the signs over the shower controls were not correct. The on/off sign was over the water/temperature control and vice versa, which was disconcerting at first. I told my stateroom attendant and she arranged for engineers to visit the cabin and put them in the correct position. If this ship has been fairly recently refurbished I wonder how nobody noticed.

I met my friends up in the mid-ships Deck 2 Bar at the bottom of the Atrium and this is when we began to notice and enjoy so many of the Joe Farcus design features around us in this ship. In front of the Bar was a spacious compass-rose styled dance floor, with settees and comfy seating set around it, and behind the bar on a small stage were two real musicians entertaining us with enjoyable music before dinner. Carnival Corporation is celebrating its 50th Birthday Anniversary this year and we were very happy to be on board and able to join in.

We were notified that our dining table was then available and we made our way to the Normandie Restaurant, deck 2 aft. An actual menu was requested and available from our dining room steward which I thought that made life so much easier, to choose one's food from a complete selection. I was very grateful to my friends for telling me the various courses during our pre-dinner drinks, as it did avoid me having to put my reading glasses on and look at those details on a small phone in my hand. I noticed I was not the only person looking at the menu on our table. I'm aware that Carnival want us all to be digitally-minded all the time, and that's fine, but I think there has to be a happy balance. I shall leave it at that.

After a really enjoyable meal we made our way to the Taj Mahal Show Lounge for the Welcome Aboard Show. This was forward in the ship, with a choice of seating on decks 2, 3 and 4, so there were good sight lines everywhere . The entertainers were really talented and it sounds as if we will be coming here most nights. There is no live music here in the Show Lounge but that seems to be the way of it on some cruise ships. There were lots of other entertainments going on throughout the ship, offering a good choice.

My friends decided to go to The Punchliner Comedy Club after the main show, so I joined them for a short while. The clocks go forward 1 hour tonight, although we have a day at sea tomorrow. I saw from the TV details that we are doing 19 knots this evening in what feels like calm seas.

Ships seen: P&O Ferries, DFDS Ferries, new Irish Ferries vessel Isle of Inisheer, Carnival Pride, tugs Dauntless and Doughty

To be continued...

13 August 2022

Steamship Shieldhall 31st July 2022

STEAMSHIP SHIELDHALL

31st July 2022

I went to Southampton for the weekend at the end of July. The first event was CANBERRA DAY, on 30th July, a Celebration organised by the Ocean Liner Society with speakers who were very knowledgeable about the ship for many reasons. One thing I particularly remember hearing in a talk by a Naval Architect was about the Admiralty Equation. I understood the explanation at the time, thank goodness. I didn't ever sail on CANBERRA but really enjoyed hearing so much about her history, design, building, and of course her service in the Falklands Conflict in 1982. She was certainly popular as a cruise ship, from her maiden voyage on 2nd June 1961 until her last cruise ended on 30th September 1997.

On Sunday 31st July 2022 I had arranged to sail on the STEAMSHIP SHIELDHALL, for a Cowes Week 'Liners Day' Steam Cruise, leaving Berth 110 in the Western Docks at 2.00 p.m. There were many OLS friends on board, as well as other members of the public, when I climbed the gangway in the warm sunshine, so I knew it was going to be a good afternoon at sea.

SHIELDHALL is the largest working steamship in Britain, according to my Boarding Pass leaflet. As a member of the National Historic Fleet she serves as a sea-going tribute to Britain's maritime heritage.

Commissioned in 1955 by Glasgow Corporation to dump treated sewage sludge at sea, she had a surprising secondary role as a passenger ship, taking groups out to sea with her on day trips. In 1977 she was sold to Southern Water and operated out of Southampton before being withdrawn from service in 1985. As the last of her kind she was rescued from being scrapped and, in 1988, bought by The Solent Steam Packet Limited, the charity that continues to operate her today.

I sat and watched the sea as we steamed along, or walked around the decks to see other vessels; I also chatted with a couple of older cheerful ladies. One of them was dressed in lavender-coloured summer clothes so she caught my eye. I told her about my days at sea with Union-Castle Line and she remembered seeing them occasionally. She also told me that her late brother-in-law had worked on this ship back in the days when sewage sludge was loaded and then disposed of at sea so we all had a giggle at that. I don't think I will forget this cheerful lady and her friend for a long time.

There is a tea and refreshments bar on board as well as a licensed bar, and it was possible to visit the Engine Room too, plus a lot of inboard or outboard seating. There were occasional commentaries about the history and sights on our route, including mention of various shipping lines (including Union-Castle Line I'm happy to say) that used the seaways over many years.

Passengers on board were able to visit the Bridge in small numbers so I was happy to do that during the afternoon. I understand that the Captain and a few other senior staff are paid by the charity but everyone else on board is there as a volunteer and seem very happy about it. I was on the Bridge when the Captain pointed out that the ship PATRICIA was about to sail near us in the opposite direction so she received a steam whistle salute from SHIELDHALL. That was fun to see and hear.

We were due back in the Western Docks at 6 p.m. after a wonderful afternoon at sea on a little treasure of a ship. Long may the STEAMSHIP SHIELDHALL sail.

These are some of the photographs I took that afternoon.