ORIANA, a Farewell Cruise, 28th June 2019

ORIANA, 28th June 2019

I am a member of the international Ocean Liner Society and was one of the people who booked to join other members on the planned annual cruise on board P&O's ORIANA for a farewell cruise, lasting a week. She is due to leave the fleet in a few weeks time and many of us were interested in sailing on her for the last time. I planned to travel to Southampton on the day before sailing, and checked on marinetraffic.com that morning, to see that the ship was approaching the Channel Island of Guernsey. That seemed fine and I looked forward to seeing her on Friday.

Thursday 27th June 2019
I travelled to Southampton and soon checked into my hotel and left my little suitcase. It felt odd not to have a rucksack on my back, with minimum weight, but I could indulge myself and take several different outfits for my week on board ORIANA - what a novelty.

I had been invited to meet a couple for dinner at a local hostelry and they sent me a message to say that the sea around Guernsey was too rough to launch the ORIANA tenders so the call there had been abandoned. The subsequent message was to tell me that the ship then had a medical emergency and would be returning to Southampton that very evening and was due in just after 9.00 p.m.

P&O's ship Oriana sailing towards the Mayflower Terminal



We sat at a dinner table on the first floor of the Dancing Man Brewery looking out of a big window when we suddenly noticed ORIANA sailing past and heading slowly for her berth at Mayflower Terminal. It was nearly 9 p.m. but the light was enough for a photograph and then to spot another friend walking along the pavement below. I had already been surprised to find out that this hostelry was originally what I knew as the old Maritime Museum, with its wonderful ship models and displays. I think back then the main thing I coveted was a very large model of the CAPETOWN CASTLE, which was so detailed I think I could have pointed out my cabin when I worked on her as a Union-Castle Line Purserette - oh my, memories, memories. Back to here and now, as we managed to contact our Danish friend down on the pavement and persuade him to come and join us for a meal.

That was a pleasant evening which ended with a short tourist trail around several of the city wall remains and a visit to the 14th century Red Lion, in Below Bar; I remember it as a favourite establishment in the 1960s where sea-going Union-Castle staff would sometimes meet on the night before sailing, on a Friday at 1.00 p.m.

Ships seen: Oriana, Red Funnel vessels heading to and from the Isle of Wight, various cargo vessels entering or leaving the port with tug assistance


Friday 28th June 2019
My Danish friend was staying at the same hotel as me, and over breakfast I suggested he might like to take a little ferry to Hythe from Town Quay, as he could add it to his Ship List for the year. He was immediately happy with that idea, so we checked out and left luggage at the hotel, and walked down to the water. We saw huge container ships further along Southampton Water, and I warned him that the Hythe ferry was much smaller. We saw the Red Funnel passenger ships heading to and from the Isle of Wight, and I said the Hythe ferry was smaller than these. We saw the fast catamarans heading to and from the Isle of Wight, and again I said the Hythe ferry was smaller than them.

By the time we had passed the Town Quay location of our Union-Castle Line offices way back in 1998 when the re-launched Union-Castle Line was preparing for the Centenary Voyage, my Danish friend was starting to wonder just what he was to sail on. He soon found out when we bought tickets for the little Hythe ferry called JENNY BLUE. She is of small and unknown tonnage but is 13 metres long and is standing in on the route at present due to 'safety issues' with one of the other Hythe ferries. It was a warm and sunny day and a pleasant way to spend 20 minutes on the sparkling water as we sailed over to the little village of Hythe, on the west side of Southampton Water.

At Hythe the ferry berths at the end of the 700 yards long Pier, which carries a railway along the track to the centre of town. The original railway was built in 1909 but the current electrified rails were laid in 1922 with a 2 feet wide narrow gauge. There is a wide board walk beside the line which is a pleasant alternative to the ancient but equally pleasant wooden railway carriages. I always enjoy this little trip to Hythe and would recommend it to anyone wishing to photograph any cruise ships in Southampton port or sailing in and out.
(more information can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hythe_Pier,_Railway_and_Ferry)

There was time for coffee and a walk around in the sunshine, before walking back to the end of the Pier and catching the JENNY BLUE back to Town Quay in Southampton. That was a delightful way to spend a morning before heading back to the hotel to collect luggage and then get a taxi to Mayflower Cruise terminal to join the good ship ORIANA for her 7 day Iberian Cruise.

Ships seen: Red Funnel ships going to and from the Isle of Wight, Jenny Blue going to and from Hythe Pier


To be continued...

MSC Bellissima 14th March 2019 Part 9 (the concluding one)

16th March 2019 Marseille
Shuttle bus passengers were dropped off near a Ferris wheel in a vast and empty parking area. I didn't recognise where we were at first but was directed towards the harbour, and soon knew where I wanted to go: along the side of the water leading to the inner harbour where the fishermen sell their produce each morning. Crowds of Saturday shoppers or strollers were enjoying the hot sunshine here in the south of France, and it was fascinating to walk along the quayside or under the arcades in deep shade.

Under a shady arcade

It's a miraculous fish soup...

Blue sky and white tree

Le Ferry Boat


Halfway along the quay I saw what I hoped to find: the cross-harbour little Le Ferry Boat was running. I was soon on board, paid my fare, and enjoyed looking around. It takes 45 people maximum but I was one of about a dozen.

View


The water sparkled, and we soon set off and a few minutes later arrived on the other side. I disembarked and then joined a little queue of people waiting to return to my first boarding point. Well, that was all enjoyable.

I walked back to the shuttle drop-off point and prepared to get what ship photographs I could on the coach journey way back to the ship.

Walking back to the coach park - the Cathedral

Another view

Piana

Vizzavona


As I walked into the coach park the red-hulled VIZZAVONA sailed out of the harbour at speed so I was fortunate to be able to turn my camera and capture that. The journey back proved fairly worthwhile, even at speed and with the unexpected route.

Mediterranee

MN on the hull

A Superfast vessel


Back on board I enjoyed a very late lunch before returning to my cabin. Later on I met my friend and during a promenade around the ship a little later we discovered some lovely ship models in glass cases; these included MSC MAGNIFICA, MSC GRANDIOSA, MSC BELLISSIMA, MSC SEASIDE and MSC MERAVIGLIA.

MSC Magnifica

MSC Grandiosa

MSC Seaside

MSC Meraviglia

MSC Bellissima


We met again in our favourite Champagne Bar before dinner, enjoying our last evening on board.

Tonight we have a booking for the Cirque Du Soleil at Sea show, which sounds really exciting. The performance is called 'Varelia - Love in full colour' and is described as 'a tale of modern chivalry where love and courage triumph over the greatest divides'. The doors of the Carousel Lounge Deck 7 opened at 21.45 and we were soon in our allotted seats very near to the raised circular stage. Passengers were also able to book seats at raised dining tables at the back of the Lounge and have a meal there, but they seemed very expensive for such a distant view of the performance. We were given a drink as we arrived and that was just as good, and we were able to look around and watch the high level screens showing interesting light displays before the show started. Then the music started and it was time to watch the performance right in front of us - we enjoyed it all hugely.


Ships seen: MSC Bellissima, Viking Star, Girolata, Superfast something, an MN vessel, Mediterranee, Piana, Pascal Paoli, Tariq Ibn Ziyad of Algerie Ferries, Vizzavona of Corsica Linea, Le Ferry Boat in Marseille harbour

Sunday 17th March 2019
This morning we sailed back into Genoa harbour, under a sunny sky again. We disembarked and walked up to the Railway Station where my friend was to get a train on his way home. I caught a free bus taking me to the airport, where I could enjoy a last Italian coffee before flying back to England. It had been an enjoyable and interesting short trip on this brand-new ship MSC BELLISSIMA.

MSC Bellissima

MSC BELLISSIMA 14th March 2019 Part 8

Saturday 16th March 2019
On board MSC BELLISSIMA it was another lovely warm and sunny morning as we arrived at our berth in Marseille after sailing overnight from Barcelona.

Looking aft towards the inner port


Once I was on deck I could look out and see the dry dock that I remember so well from December 2011. Back then I was on board COSTA DELIZIOSA for a short cruise of 4 nights from Savona which turned into a shorter cruise into a Marseille dry dock but with free excursions and fun on board. (See Costa Deliziosa 18th December 2011). Today after breakfast we walked round to see a little more of this new ship, and enjoyed coffee in the Horizon Pool Bar area.

Grand Canyon pool bar area

Fun seats; at first glance they reminded me of Cadbury's milk chocolate finger biscuits


The big seats were a fun design and comfortable, although with a tendency to make me slide down towards the floor. This was in port, I hasten to add.

We also found a large model of the up-coming MSC World Class ships, the first of which is due in 2022. It has a radical design bow, will carry 6,774 passengers at 205,700 gross tons.

Upcoming World Class ship

Details of World Class

Photograph

Deck scene

Reflections, right above me



My friend was having a sea day, and didn't want to go ashore here in Marseille, so I set off on the shuttle bus with my costly ticket.

Ship's bow

MSC Bellissima from the quayside

Viking Star at a nearby berth


The VIKING STAR was berthed on the other side of the quay. The route through the docks was odd, as we seemed to have very little room on either side of the coach between the security fences. I think it was just a single lane route, and occasionally we were very near the ships alongside the quay - but with fencing between us. I could see some familiar ferries but they were quite difficult to photograph because of the line of sight. I hope to be luckier on my way back because I imagine this lane has got to be one way only, but time will tell.

Pascal Paoli and Girolata

Algerie Ferries Tariq Ibn Ziyad

Vizzavona of Corsica Ferries

Her stern ramps

Vizzavona round the other side - I thought we were close, to get all these views

Here we are at the shuttle drop-off place



To be concluded...

MSC BELLISSIMA 14th March 2019 Part 7

Friday 15th March 2019
I woke early this morning, looked at the TV screen to find out where we were, and regretted that this ship doesn't appear to have a 'View from the Bridge' camera. That's a shame I thought, although I could see that we were speeding along towards Barcelona at 22 knots.

Cabin TV screen

Cabin 13324 location


I had previously photographed the cabin route out to the nearest landing/stairwell so I managed to get to breakfast in a better than expected time, which was reassuring. From the windows of the Marketplace buffet on deck 15 we could see the Spanish coast a few miles off on our starboard side and the weather looked good. We are due to dock in Barcelona at 12.30, so there is time this morning to look round more areas of the ship.

Up on deck 16 we saw more attractive artworks, the entrance to the Solarium and bags of whey available, the Virtual Games Arcade with an actual racing car which looked fun to drive, the Horizon pool and amphitheatre, and the pool deck.

I liked this

And this

Whey to go... (pun intended)

That looked fun

Horizon pool deck aft

The ship's wake


Earlier in the atrium area near the Champagne Bar on deck 7, I had looked round and noticed sick bags placed beside one of the art works I had admired the previous evening.

Sick bags and artwork

It seems that the seas had been quite rough overnight, and maybe the alcohol intake rather high too, so the bags were placed around in case they were needed.

The Atmosphere pool with North and South Bars was very popular with many passengers with ice-cream, food and drinks all near at hand. It was open but nicely sheltered with lots of poolside seating.

Atmosphere pool area

Sparkling pool water


Just forward of this was the Grand Canyon bar with huge chairs for comfortable individual seating. They were fun for morning coffee and watching the world go past in various ways.

We had planned to have lunch on board then go ashore and walk along to take a harbour tour. We watched the Barcelona Pilot come on board and then get us to our berth, before heading for the Restaurant.

Into Barcelona harbour

S.T.I.Hackney

Viking Star

Eurocargo Palermo

Grimaldi Spes

Volcan de Tinamar

Viking Jupiter

Viking Jupiter's stern, taken a little later


After leaving MSC BELLISSIMA we looked back up at it from the quayside and were amazed to notice a cabin balcony right above the Bridge on the port side. I had to blink and look again before realising that a passenger was actually standing on what must have been a Yacht Club cabin balcony. It was his/her movement that must have caught our attention up above the Bridge.

Cabin Balcony above Bridge

Person on Balcony above Bridge


The sun was hot and comfortable as we strolled along towards the other part of the harbour beyond the bridge. We had good views of the ships as we crossed the bridge and headed towards the little vessels offering harbour tours.

MSC Bellissima from the harbour bridge


On our way I persuaded my friend to walk with me into the ferry terminal on our route and he was amazed to see several ship models. I think he now realises how fascinating they can be both to see and to travel on, and I know he enjoyed seeing the cutaway model of one of them with all the tiny passengers, cars, lorries etc. standing beside the model ship in the glass case.

At the harbour tours quayside the popular OMNIBUS was there so we bought tickets and climbed on board, and were soon heading round the inner harbour and under the bridge. It was enjoyable taking photographs from sea level for a change.

Our ship from water level

Viking Jupiter

Barcelona World Trade Centre

Open Arms
copyright S. Morton


After disembarking from OMNIBUS we just had to visit the flea market that had been set up near the quayside, with so many eye-catching things glittering in the sunlight. Nearby again was the local bus that took us back to the cruise ship terminals and we were soon on board.

We met again later at the Champagne Bar and a glass of Prosecco was soon put in front of me. Dinner was good again, although the people we met at the table last night had left the ship today. Tonight we noticed that some passengers were refused entry to the Restaurant because of their too casual daytime clothing.

Question mark stools

I liked this comparison

One of the entertainment staff



After dinner we joined the usual promenaders in the Galleria Bellissima, and realised that part of the evening's entertainment was suggesting passengers dressed in 1960/1970s style, to match the Flower Glory Party theatre show. Some of the entertainment staff were dressed accordingly, but a couple of the ones I saw looked rather bored. Fortunately, up in the Sky Lounge we could enjoy the music of the jazz duo, and sample the delights of an Aperol Spritz. Tomorrow we visit Marseilles in France, so that should be another interesting day.



Ships seen: Viking Jupiter delivered a month ago in February 2019, Viking Star, Eurocargo Palermo, Baltic Chief I, STI Hackney, Grimaldi Spes, Armas Volcan de Tinamar, Omnibus for the harbour tour, L'Audace,


To be continued...