The 'last cruise ship on Earth' finally comes home

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

The three last cruise ships still sailing with passengers will dock today - and one has had quite the odyssey.

The MSC Magnifica left Europe in January, and was in the other corner of the world when ports began to close.

With nowhere to go, the Swiss-owned ship started the long journey home. Its passengers, used to a new port every few days, last felt land six weeks ago.

On Monday those passengers will finally get off in Marseille, having last disembarked in Wellington.

Their voyage has included political storms, presidential pleas, one death, and - despite it all - plenty of fun.

[Thatcham Crossing]

Read that article and as one who has cruised found it very interesting.

Out of interest, as I have cruised with them 5 times, I had a look on marinetraffic.com to see where P&O's ships currently are:
- Britannia, Azura and Ventura are all in Southampton, along with 2 Cunards and one Marella (3 more Marella ships appear to be at anchor in the English Channel to the SE of the IOW)
- Aurora, Oceana and Arcadia (which returned from it's World Cruise about a week ago) are all in Dover - a place P&O's ships never normally go. You can see them on this webcam https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/united-kingdom/england/dover/dover-beach-kent.html
- the new ship Iona is in Bremerhaven, from where she's been doing sea trials prior to service entry (whenever that will now be!)

[grahame]

- Aurora, Oceana and Arcadia (which returned from it's World Cruise about a week ago) are all in Dover - a place P&O's ships never normally go. You can see them on this webcam

Here is Aurora ... last September.
1. In port - the places you visit
2. On board - the game Marine Draughts
3. One of the lecture on board - the things you learn

We are (!) due to sail on her again this summer; very doubtful that we will,  and even if we do I suspect it might turn out to be all sea days and no ports.  The UK^▸ (United Kingdom) is in some ways the "dirty man" compared to Iceland and Norway where we're headed.  But sea days are fine, sailing through scenery can be a pleasure and we can cancel / postpone until a few days ahead.

[froome]

Cruise ships have obviously been in the news a lot of late due to their potential for spreading the virus quickly around their passengers and crew, and also previously due to various concerns about the whole operation of cruising, from environmental impacts to their impact on the localities they visit.

So I wondered whether there is anyway of finding out about how many cruise ships there are around the world, and how many are at ocean at any one time, without looking at every operator (or indeed finding out who all the operators are).

[PhilWakely]

Cruise ships have obviously been in the news a lot of late due to their potential for spreading the virus quickly around their passengers and crew, and also previously due to various concerns about the whole operation of cruising, from environmental impacts to their impact on the localities they visit.

So I wondered whether there is anyway of finding out about how many cruise ships there are around the world, and how many are at ocean at any one time, without looking at every operator (or indeed finding out who all the operators are).

Is this what you are looking for?

[Thatcham Crossing]

Norway where we're headed

Even if you can't get off, the passage into and out of the fjords is spectacular.

We had a week on Britannia back in 2015, in mid-Summer, so there was hardly any darkness as we entered the fjords in the early hours making our way to the end at Olden and Flamm (where of course there is also a famous railway) in our case. If I remember correct, Flamm is around 100 miles from the open sea, so it takes the ship 5 or 6 hours on the way in and out, and is spectacular all the way.

Attached a pic of Britannia in Olden. The maneuvers it did for a ship of it's size to spin around at the end of the fjord and dock were amazing in themselves.

[GBM]

Did a week from Tilbury to Norway 18 months ago on the CMV Columbus.
Being a smaller cruiser, we were able to access some of the lesser fjords.
As stated by all, superb views in and out, plus intricate anchoring/docking manoeuvres.
Discharged refined oil at a few smaller ports in Norway and Sweden in my early 20's and really wanted to return.
Went with another couple who were also ex BP^» (Beyond Petroleum (Former name - British Petroleum) - home page) Shipping which made it an excellent cruise.

[Celestial]

Norway where we're headed

 and Flamm (where of course there is also a famous railway)

Another "must do" line, especially if combined with the Bergen to Oslo line.

[Thatcham Crossing]

Norway where we're headed

 and Flamm (where of course there is also a famous railway)

Another "must do" line, especially if combined with the Bergen to Oslo line.

Cruise ships dock in Flamm right next to the Station. We took the train up, with bikes that we hired on the quayside for the ride back - 20-odd km's but all downhill (although I fell off after about 2km and needed to be patched-up by the ship's nurse). And yes, it's just a cross-platform transfer at the top for Bergen-Oslo.