MEIN SCHIFF 4, 7th September 2015, Part 2

Saturday 5th September 2015
After an early breakfast at the Stella Maris hotel in Hamburg I was collected by some of my friends, ready to pick up a hire car and drive up to Brunsbuttel. This is the town at the end of the Kiel Canal, on the River Elbe. We planned to sail on the 12.10 ferry across to Cuxhaven, near the mouth of the River Elbe.

The route from Brunsbuttel to Cuxhaven

Locks at the start of the Kiel Canal

Red arrow marks the linkspan pier on the plan

The pier and linkspan

A passing ship

Saaremaa arriving

About to drive on board

Builders plate


The weather was bleak, grey and wet, with occasional sunshine. The ferry was late arriving at the pier linkspan because of the strong wind so we didn't leave until 1.10, but hot soup and rolls in the ship's cafe soon restored our spirits. The ship was SAAREMAA, built in Norway in 2010, and joining this route only on 20th August this year.

Anne Marie Bistro, serving goulash soup

Life ring

OOCL Montreal heading into the Kiel Canal

In the cafe

Godmother

Ship details

Neuwerk

The big Pilot mother ship Weser

Waiting to disembark


Once in Cuxhaven and in sunshine we could be tourists and enjoy coffee, apple strudel and ice cream, before driving around to see the famous ATLANTIS at her berth.

Atlantis, well tied up at Cuxhaven

Atlantis


It was interesting to note that the ferries out of Hamburg today had been cancelled, because of the strong winds. It seems that even the never-to-be-forgotten HALUNDER JET has had to stay in port and not travel to Helgoland, in South Utsire!

Today's ferrying trip was in fact our Plan B because we had booked to travel today on the new HELGOLAND ferry from Hamburg to Helgoland and back. She was built but having problems, before being handed over to Casson Eils for use. We saw the advertisements for her in Cuxhaven but no starting date was now shown.

The new Helgoland ferry we should have been on


We three travellers had all experienced what felt like life-threatening sailings on other journeys to Helgoland and were really looking forward to a safe and enjoyable trip on the new ferry. Ah well, we each received refunds on our tickets and looked forward to being able to sail on her in the future.

Muhumaa back to Brunsbuttel (gross tons 1,700)

Nautica leaving the Kiel Canal for Amsterdam


Then it was time to catch the ferry MUHUMAA back to Cuxhaven, leaving at 5.05 p.m and arriving at 6.30 p.m. Once back in Brunsbuttel it was decided to head a few miles alongside the Kiel Canal because there was a tiny ferry there, just waiting to be used to take us across the Canal!

Our Stettin ferry route, shown on the map, just on the other side of Brunsbuttel


This was the little STETTIN, which held 4 cars and some pedestrians.

About to board the Stettin

Driving on

On board the Stettin

The Berlin passing us in the other direction


Then we returned to the main route back to Hamburg, following the end of a rainbow, under a grey sky. The hire car was returned and we made our way back to the hotel for a very satisfying dinner.


Ships seen: Saaremaa, Arabian Breeze, Elizabeth Rus of Transferrica, ER Athina, Yan Cux 2, Neuwerk (Coastguard), Blue Bella, Patricia Esberger, Blue Antares, Deo Volente, Neckar High, Atlantis, Flipper, WMS Groenigen, Muhumaa, Timbus, Wolf 7 tug, Seagard of Transferrica, Nautica the cruise ship exiting the Kiel Canal on her way to Amsterdam, APL Changi, OOCL Montreal, Stettin the tiny ferry across the Kiel Canal, St. Johannes, Berlin


To be continued...

Nassau & CARNIVAL BREEZE Part 3

(click on pictures to enlarge)

Friday 23rd November 2012
Today we arrived in Nassau, in the Bahamas, at 8 a.m

Ports of call

Approaching Nassau

Through the harbour entrance

I was on deck at 7.30 a.m. all dressed and ready for the day, as I couldn't sleep any more and the View from the Bridge was looking very enticing. All around was blue sky and hot sunshine as we approached the quayside. Up on deck I met two charming American ladies - Valerie and her friend Jean - and we chatted for quite a while. We could see the hotel resort of Atlantis on Paradise Island which looked weird and wonderful, but then Michael Jackson thought enough of it to have his permanent rooms there, over the bridge between the buildings.

Nassau Festival Place Market

Atlantis & Paradise Island

A Bahamas Ferry

We had breakfast on board and watched the huge surf pounding onto the surrounding outer rocks and the turquoise sea was a wonderful colour wherever I looked. I understand there is very deep water outside the reefs.

Breeze, Bridge and balconies

Carnival Breeze

Carnival Breeze at Nassau

Welcome to Nassau

We walked ashore to Festival Place Market which was noisy, vibrant and colourful, just at the entrance to the Cruise Ship port. The original building was destroyed by fire in 2001 I gather, and this rebuilt one is said to reflect the architectural style of a Bahamian village and evokes a time when Bahamian artisans and crafts persons practised their art and trade in small island communities, with over 45 artisans busy at their work in the Straw Market. Most of them were busy making hats and bags and I have never seen so many for sale all at once. Walking around the town was interesting and occasionally hazardous as some building work was being undertaken in unexpected places, but the high number of diamond and jewellery shops was a surprise. The T-shirt shops appeared to be doing good business too.

We walked along a town quay to watch the arrival of NORWEGIAN EPIC into the harbour, and she really is an odd sight with the positioning of her forward cabins.

What were they thinking of...

She had been closely followed by CARNIVAL SENSATION but because of the EPIC manoeuvring, the SENSATION had to wait outside the harbour. We felt so glad not to be on board her then, as the wind and currents caused her bow and stern to rise and fall rather a lot as she struggled to stay in place, and we saw one anchor dropped to try to help. Once EPIC was alongside, the CARNIVAL SENSATION could come into port.

Senor Frog's Place

Then Carnival Sensation arrived

Celebrating the Women's Suffrage Movement

I knew that my Father had been to Nassau on the ARANDORA STAR in 1931, but his two pictures taken there show a huge shark being carved up on deck, whilst he and other colleagues look on. Father is in the right hand picture, third from the right, in his Engine room overalls.

Nassau, West Indies, 1931, is pencilled on the back of the originals of these

Back on board CARNIVAL BREEZE the pool deck lunch looked very appetising, with a big choice. We sailed from Nassau at 5 p.m. under a threatening sky, but the view from the stern decks was fascinating as we left the port and soon came into deeper water. The Pilot left us as we sheltered him from the rising wind, and we watched the views of the island disappear into the dusk.

Atlantis

Last view of Nassau

Dinner this evening included a starter of alligator fritters, which I decided to try. It was all right, but mixed with vegetables so there was hardly any flavour, but maybe that was the idea. Some diners kept doing arm movements like an alligator's jaws, but we eventually realised that is the name of a famous American football team so they are used to doing that action when the name is called.

Today's Didja

Alligator Fritters

Again this evening the Maitre d' sang, some of the waiters danced on a few tables down on the lower level of the restaurant, and it was fun to watch.

Dancing waiters

The Show at 10.15 was again good, but there is no orchestral music, it is only recorded, and yet there is an excellent band playing for the atrium after dinner. That atrium is so like those on Costa ships but there seems to be more participation on here with hundreds of people happily dancing or standing around on the various levels enjoying the music.

Enjoying real live music

Tomorrow we arrive back in Miami before dawn, and later I leave the ship to start the next part of my Miami-based adventure, by flying up to Tampa to join another Carnival ship. I am now part of the Carnival family!

Ships seen: A Bahamas ferry, Norwegian Epic, Carnival Sensation

Saturday 24th November 2012
Here we are back in Miami Cruise Terminal, with Carnival Liberty astern, and I will be leaving the ship to head for the airport.

Carnival Liberty astern

The builder's plate

Back in Miami

I have really enjoyed my time on CARNIVAL BREEZE, although it was rather short. I think the ship architects, the Partner Ship Design company of Hamburg, Germany, have done an excellent job with many memorable places on board, and I would be pleased to sail on her again. My travelling companion has written an article about the ship which will be published in the Ocean Liner Society's quarterly magazine "Sea Lines" so I shall look forward to reading an in-depth description and review of the ship.


To be continued....