QE2 News?

(QE2 Port Rushid Dubai)

In the announcement, earlier this year, it was said that the iconic Ocean Liner Queen Elizabeth 2, would be transformed into a 500-room luxury hotel and moved to Asia. However, no location was given.

QE2’s new renovation plans include a shopping mall, a QE2 Café offering meals similar to those served during cruises, three Michelin-starred restaurants, convention and meeting facilities and an on-board maritime museum displaying QE2 and Dubai memorabilia.

However after the QE2’s transformation into a 5-star hotel, the ship may once again be moored on the shores of Dubai if the UAE wins its bid to host the World Expo 2020.

“Dubai is the base city for QE2, so everything is possible; we may even have a surprise for Dubai Expo 2020,”

(Source: Emirate 24/7)

Malcolm Says: don’t hold your breath, news items like this have been appearing since 2008, when the QE2 retired. Seeing is believing!

Breakaway arrives in Bermuda

15/5/2013, maiden call.

(Source: port webcam)

Below: Breakaway arrives in NYC

(Thanks to P Massey for the excellent YouTube video)

My Breakaway Review: http://wp.me/PfRKD-238

The steel is cut for P&O’s next ship

15 May, 2013: A ceremony marking the steel-cutting for the newest ship for P&O Cruises has been held at the Monfalcone shipyard of Fincantieri near Trieste, Italy.

(P&O rendering)

The largest ship ever built for P&O Cruises and for the British cruise market, the new 141,000 ton ship will be launched in spring 2015.

The 3,611 passenger ship will offer a stylish and innovative new design and an unprecedented number of passenger facilities, along with many of the brand’s classic and iconic features.

For the first time a British design company, Richmond, is overseeing the whole ship’s interiors to incorporate the classic and iconic history of P&O Cruises with modern design and features to appeal to both existing and a new generation of passengers.

The keel-laying, which involves the placement in the dry dock of one large section of the ship’s hull and the beginning of the actual ship build, will take place in May 2013.

The ship, yet to be named, will take to the water for the first time at her float out in summer 2014, before her delivery to P&O Cruises in spring 2015.

(Source: P&O)

Malcolm says: P&O’s new ship will be based on Princess’s new ship, ‘Royal Princess’, in the same way Ventura and Azura are based on the Princess ‘Grand Class’ design.  QM2 is actually a big bigger (gt) and will often will carry 1,000 passengers less . The size of the new ship might shock P&O traditionalists?

Viking take to the Seas

Viking River Cruises the industry’s largest river cruise line, with 31 vessels carrying almost 5,000 passengers, has an ambitious plan to introduce a new ocean-going cruise line.

The first of two 47,000-ton, 900-passenger newbuilds are to debut in spring 2015. They’ll be constructed at one of the Italian shipyards owned by Fincantieri, at a cost of about $400 million.

Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen had, at the record-setting launch of 10 new riverboats in Amsterdam in March, said that the coastal line will occupy a niche that travel agents dub “premium cruising”, currently occupied by lines such as Oceania Cruises, Azamara and Windstar.

The one big difference between Viking’s ships and those premium lines, according to Hagen: Design-wise, these vessels will have the same spare, lean and Scandinavian style as its river fleet, in which the emphasis is more on seeing the world than importing big ship diversions into the experience.

(Source: Cruise Critic)

Malcolm says: Given the fact that river boats are pretty small (maybe 200 passengers),  ocean cruising, even with smaller ships that can carry 900 passengers, must be more lucrative.  To think that ‘Oasis’ can carry more pasengers than their 31 river boats!

Viking have a very good reputation and I welcome all new ‘smaller’ ships to the world’s oceans.  However I’ve seen their river cruises priced form £250 per person, per day, (peak months) so I doubt if I would be able to afford their ocean fares.

Best Blogger?

Cruise International’s annual awards have come around again. In their words:

“Over 20,000 of you voted for last year’s Cruise International Awards, and this year’s are going to be bigger and better. But we need your help. We want to know which cruise lines you think deserve special recognition this year”. 

I’m a amazed to say that I’ve been nominated for “Best Blogger” along with Captain Greybeard, CruiseMiss and Jane Archer.  In fact I’m very honoured indeed to even be in the same competition as these pros.

Now It would be very tempting to say “PLEASE VOTE FOR ME”. However do have a look at the competition first, there are some very ‘slick’ online publications.  They can even spell!  I will be more than happy to achieve fourth place.

Captain Greybeard: http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/captain-greybeard/

CruiseMiss: http://cruisemiss.com

Jane Archer: http://blog.cruisingshow.co.uk

Why not at least vote for somebody and you can also select you favourite cruise line etc.

Vote Here: http://cruise-international.com/awards

Speedy Boarding

Southampton’s Seacity Museum

You might not have heard, but Southampton has a new nautical museum called ‘SeaCity’.

(Part of SeaCity Museum)

Occupying a former court building,  SeaCity is located very near the city centre. (The City Art Gallery is also adjacent).

It does not have it’s own car park, but there are some nearby.  It is walkable in 10-15 minutes, from the shopping centre, the train station, National Express bus station and Hotels like the De Vere Grand and Premier Inn.  (The City Art Gallery is also adjacent).

The Museum is much more extensive than the little one that was  in the wool house, run by volunteers, that it has replaced.  The Museum is open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm, with last admission at 4.00pm.  However you really need 2.5-3 hours to see it all properly, in my opinion.  Admission currently costs £8.50p, which I feel is a little over-priced.

I visited the Museum in April 2013.  The official description of the museum is: “SeaCity Museum tells the story of the people of the city, their fascinating lives and historic connections with Titanic and the sea”.

I must admit that I was surprised that the museum was almost exclusively about the RMS Titanic.  Unfortunately Southampton’s wider maritime heritage, including Cunard and P&O, forms a minor part of the museum. There is also little about modern cruising. (I particularly enjoyed the National Maritime Museum’s ‘Passengers’ exhibition which was the history from ocean liners to cruise ships, although it has now been removed.)

Never the less, the exhibition is very well done and suitable for both adults and children alike. There are some real artefacts from the Titanic and Olympic on display.  One section about the enquiry into the Titanic’s sinking, is located in one of the old courtrooms and creates an interesting audio-visual experience.

SeaCity has space for ‘guest’ exhibitions which will change from time to time, a nice café and book shop.

So in conclusion, SeaCity is a welcome addition to Southampton and is  particularly good for Titanic fans. It makes a nice pre or post cruise treat.

Malcolm

Maps: http://wp.me/PfRKD-25w

SeaCity web site:  www.seacitymuseum.co.uk

Breakaway Christened in New York

8th may, 2013

NCL CEO Kevin Sheehan & The Rockettes

Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Breakaway, was christened by the legendary Rockettes during a ceremony officiated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Buddy Valastro, star of the US series “Cake Boss,” hosted the highly anticipated ceremony.

Throughout the christening ceremony, simulcast in ten venues around the ship, Norwegian Breakaway’s spectacular on-board amenities and entertainment were showcased in front of more than 4000 guests.

Breakaway later set out for a two-day inaugural cruise, which included a spectacular firework display.

Breakaway leaves NY

 

Christening slideshow:      http://youtu.be/jfjWpyPB5Fw

My Breakaway Review:      http://wp.me/PfRKD-238

Stop Press:  Legally Blonde, the hit Broadway musical, will be coming to NCL’s next ship, Norwegian Getaway, as part of its new line-up of entertainments

Breakaway Crosses the Pond

7 May, 2013:

The Norwegian Breakaway completed a transatlantic crossing to arrive in her home port of New York today (Tuesday morning).

(Image NY harbour web cam)

The ship will have its christening tomorrow at Manhattan Cruise Terminal Pier 88 by its godmothers The Rockettes, in front of a crowd of dignitaries.

The Breakaway will then depart for a two-day cruise to nowhere to show off all the amenities to the dignitaries, travel agents and press corp.

It will do an additional two-day cruise to nowhere on Friday before it makes its inaugural seven-day cruise to Bermuda.

The 146,000-ton ship will be the largest ever to make regular visits to Bermuda. It has a double occupancy of around 4,000 guests, but fully book holds 4,500 passengers. In addition it has a crew of 1,600.

(Source: BDASUN)

Malcolm says: I hear that she met some choppy seas, mid-Atlantic.

My Breakaway @ Southampton Review: http://wp.me/PfRKD-238

Norwegain Breakaway Review

(Breakaway Southampton)

I’ve now written up my review of Norwegian Breakaway. I’ts very long and probably still has a few typos/spelling mistakes.

Read it here: http://wp.me/PfRKD-238

(The Waterfront)

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(Spice H20)