Cruise ship Marco Polo runs aground

Cruise ship Marco Polo ran aground in soft mud off the Norwegian port of Leknes yesterday. No damage was caused, and passengers were taken ashore by tender for their scheduled excursions.

The ship was later re-floated and continued on its 14-night voyage in search of the Northern Lights.

Operators Cruise & Maritime Voyages said: "There has been no oil pollution arising out of the incident and none of the 763 mainly British passengers or crew have been injured. 

"Passengers wishing to go ashore were transferred by tender and the local tour programme continued as scheduled.”

On the other side of the Atlantic, Bahamas Celebration – a ship which operates 2-night  cruises from Florida – is out of service after being holed by an unidentified object.

Passengers were ordered to wear life jackets but they remained on the vessel until it returned to Freeport on Friday night.

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Gonzalo blows cruise off-course

High winds and heavy seas caused by the remnants of ex-hurricane Gonzalo have created havoc for a cruise ship in the Irish Sea.

MV Funchal, on charter to Cruise & Maritime Voyages, was returning from a 15-night voyage to Norway. Having seen the weather forecast, the operators decided it would be unwise to follow the original schedule, which would have meant sailing through the worst of the weather to reach port at Avonmouth, Bristol.

Plans were made to berth in Liverpool on Monday evening, and to transfer the 414 passengers by coach on Tuesday morning.

However, sea conditions made it impossible for a pilot to board the vessel and the local authorities decided it was unsafe for the ship to enter port.

Funchal took shelter off the Isle of Man to ride out the worst of the storm, and waited until calmer seas allowed her to enter the Mersey this morning (Wednesday).

Arrangements have also been made to transfer passengers joining the ship’s eight-night cruise to the Canary Islands later today.

Chris Coates, Commercial Director of CMV said: “In liaison with our agent and port authorities we have done everything we can to expedite Funchal’s arrival into Liverpool with the comfort and safety of our passengers our top priority. 

“We took the decision yesterday to re-route Funchal and finish the cruise in Liverpool to seek shelter and avoid the very heavy seas on our final passage to Avonmouth. Our passengers have been fully updated of the situation.”

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All Leisure cuts its losses and sells cruise ship Discovery for $5m

The cruise ship Discovery – one of the original locations for filming TV series Love Boat – has been sold for $5 million.

On paper, owners All Leisure Group have made a substantial loss on the deal, because the 43-year-old vessel was valued at £9.9 million.

But they made a loss of £3 million operating the 710-passenger ship in 2013. After sailing the ship under their Voyages of Discovery brand, All Leisure chartered it to Cruise & Maritime Voyages two years ago, and ran it as a joint venture.

A company statement said: "Although the consideration received is less than the current book value of the vessel, the board's decision to sell MV Discovery also took into account the absence of the future liabilities and other uncertainties associated with many other bids."

The ship’s future under new owners Liberty Resources, of Nassau, Bahamas, is unclear. Discovery left Avonmouth for the last time on October 9. It was handed over to a new Indian crew in Falmouth the next day, and was reportedly re-named Amen. It is currently in the Mediterranean, heading east, although its AIS automated tracking system has not been updated to show its next port of call.

UPDATE: According to its AIS, Discovery, now named Amen, has been re-classified as a cargo ship and is expected to reach Dubai before the end of the month.

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Cruise Lines Recognise War History

This year marks 100 years since the start of World War I and 70 years since the D-Day landings and, in commemoration, a number of cruise lines have created a wide selection of special itineraries and excursions.

The waterways and seas of Europe provide a unique, tranquil way to reflect on these times and an opportunity to visit the iconic locations that were the setting for some of the 20th Century’s most significant events.

A selection of specially designed cruise itineraries and excursions for 2014 have just reached our Inbox, and the details are as follows:

Azamara Club Cruises – 11 night ‘Memories of WWII’ fly/cruise
This 11-night cruise aboard Azamara Journey departs from Lisbon and calls at St. Peter Port (Guernsey), Cherbourg (D-Day Landing Beaches), Honfleur, Boulogne-Sur-Mer, Dover and Amsterdam before arriving into Hamburg. Guests can also enjoy ‘The North of France WWII experience’ excursion, taking in a visit to the national cemetery of Notre-Dame de Lorette and nearby museum.  

More info: visit www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk.

Cruise & Maritime Voyages – range of itineraries visiting historic areas & D-Day landings
Cruise options stopping at the ports of Ghent, Zeebrugge, Antwerp in Belgium and Honfleur in France allow guests to visit key places in World War One history, including Ypres, where the main conflict took place, and the Menin Gate. There is also a special Anniversary Cruise departing from Bristol on June 1 to commemorate the D-Day landings, taking in Normandy, Honfleur, Guernsey and Cherbourg.

More info: visit www.cruiseandmaritime.tv

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines – 7-night cruise to commemorate D-Day 70th anniversary
Join the Braemar for its commemorative cruise visiting Zeebrugge – Tyne Cot Cemetery and In Flanders Fields Museum; Portsmouth – stopping at Southsea seafront and the D-Day Museum; before moving on to Cherbourg and Le Havre, France, where guests can visit the Allied landing areas on the ‘Day of Remembrance’ on June 6. Dunkirk is the last port of call, where guests can visit the Battle of Dunkirk Museum. Fred. Olsen is also proud to welcome nostalgic British ‘Big Band’ The New Squadronaires on board, as well as Tony Harris, Official Ambassador for the Help for Heroes charity and inspirational speaker.  

More info: visit www.fredolsencruises.com.

Swan Hellenic – new D-Day 70th Anniversary Cruise
Cross the Channel aboard the Minerva to Dunkirk, where guests will visit the Dunkirk beaches and museum. The cruise also takes in Ypres – to visit the In Flanders Fields Museum and Tyne Cot Cemetery, Caen – for the Gold and Sword beaches and Arromanches D-Day Museum, and Cherbourg – to visit the American Utah and Omaha beaches and St Mere Eglise, one of the first towns to be liberated. On June 6, the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings, Minerva will cruise off the Normandy Beaches and hold a Service of Remembrance.

More info: visit www.swanhellenic.com.

Titan Travel – new Centenary Remembrance Tour, ‘Corners of a Foreign Field’
Expert guides take guests to the WWI Battlefields, memorials, landmarks and museums of Flanders, Artois and the Somme. Guests will visit iconic landmarks such as Vimy Ridge and Hell Fire Corner, and the preserved trenches in Newfoundland Park, as well as the memorial to The Last Fighting Tommy.

More info: visit www.titantravel.co.uk

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Portsmouth Prepares For Record Year

We have been consistently tracking the amazing growth of ex-UK cruises in recent years and this looks like being a continued trend in 2014. And, to confirm it, the latest news from the port of Portsmouth suggests they are already looking at a bumper year before the cruise season has really got under way.

According to their latest figures, the number of ships coming to Portsmouth for “port of call” stops will rise by 28% in the coming year compared to 2013. Last year, 14 cruise ships arrived for day visits while this year's number will be 18. The rise is in addition to a large number of companies that will start and finish their itineraries in Portsmouth.

The growth in the number of visiting ships comes as the Waterfront City establishes itself as a major UK tourist destination. The recently opened Mary Rose Museum has been a great hit with visitors, alongside the ever popular HMS Victory and HMS Warrior in the Historic Dockyard. Seventy years ago, the docks were the focus of preparations for the D-Day landings, and this year many ships are visiting with this anniversary in mind. 

During the first week of June, there will be eight cruise ships coming and going from Portsmouth, the majority making the crossing to the Normandy Beaches. Among them will be Fred. Olsen’s Braemar, a new visitor to the port, and Cruise & Maritime’s Marco Polo. Customers will visit the D-Day Museum and see other key sights relating to the invasion that started on June 6, 1944. Swan Hellenic will also be starting and ending its special D-Day cruise in Portsmouth. 

Captain Rupert Taylor, Portsmouth International Port Harbour Master said: ”Just three years ago we had six tourist calls, now we have 18. This increase is great news for Portsmouth. Each liner loaded with tourists means a boost for the local economy, starting with jobs at the Port. As passengers make their way through our award-winning terminal, others feel the benefit too. Taxi and transport companies, tourist attractions, restaurants and shops can all take advantage of this rise in visitors. 

Among many new visitors this year will be MS Serenissima, a classic small luxury ship with a unique Swedish country house style interior. On a larger scale, the 900-berth Greek cruise ship Louis Aura is also booked to call. Le Boréal, the beautiful mega-yacht operated by Compagnie du Ponant, will glide into Portsmouth Harbour in early June, along with German ship Amadea.

More info: visit www.portsmouth-port.co.uk.

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That Marco Polo Style

Guest blogger Danielle Fear, aka Cruise Miss, reports back on her most recent voyage, a mini-cruise aboard the classic Marco Polo...

I recently returned from a 3-night sailing with Cruise & Maritime Voyages aboard their MS Marco Polo visiting Gent in Belgium and Amsterdam in Holland. This was by far the smallest ship I had cruised on, but boy does she have a big heart.

I was on Navigator Deck, cabin 821, and was pleasantly surprised by the overall size of the room. I had two single beds along with a large chest of drawers, chair, table and TV and a three-door wardrobe. The bathroom was generous, too. and the spacious accommodation made up for my obstructed window view.

In the evening, we dined in the Waldorf restaurant on a table for 10. There were quite a few

large tables, surprisingly, and the restaurant felt a lot bigger than it was. The speed of service was just right, too. I have cruised on ships with half-full dining rooms and we have waited an age between courses. But, every night, the dining room on Marco Polo was packed and not once did the system break down.

My absolute favourite part, though, had to be her aft pool deck. What an incredible space - and her tiered stern just added even more character. I love a tiered stern and I was pretty

much in my element there. Every day, it was alive with people sitting and enjoying the view or a few glasses of wine. I wish we had more ships that offered such a wonderful space.

Scott’s Bar was the “go to” place of an evening and the music and dancing lastws well into the early hours. Columbus Bar was nice if you wanted something a little quieter and, of course, you would visit the Marco Polo Lounge for the evening’s main entertainment. One space I especially liked was the Captain’s Club (below). It was modern, bright and airy and had a great relaxation vibe about it. I didn’t get to spend as much time here as I would have liked, but the brief “chill out” was very much appreciated after my five-hour journey to the port.

Marco Polo is an old ship, coming up to her 50th birthday in fact, yet she is still going strong. Yes, in some areas she is a little dated, but she still has a few years left in her and the overall atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. I met several passengers who have cruised on her dozens of times and are still going back for more. The biggest appeal for

them was first of all her size, followed by the atmosphere and then, in the words of one passenger, the fact “they simply don’t make ships like this any more.” One lady had cruised more than 40 times and still wanted more!

I hope to cruise on Marco Polo again in the not-too-distant future. I am definitely starting to get a taste for small-ship cruising.

For more from Danielle, visit www.cruisemiss.com.

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Marco Polo's Caribbean Highlights

This November, the unique adventurer Marco Polo of Cruise & Maritime Voyages sails from London Tilbury on a spectacular 32-night cruise to the West Indies, taking in 9 different Caribbean islands and numerous opportunities to explore the region through an action-packed excursion programme. 

Departing November 3, it calls at Ponte Delgada in the Azores and then Antigua, St Barts, St Maarten, St Kitts, St Lucia, St Vincent, Beuquia, Mayreau and Barbados in the blissful Caribbean, before returning to Tilbury via another stop in the Azores, this time at Horta.

Cruise fares start from just £1,969 per person, and one of the featured eye-catching shore excursions is as follows:

Barbados and the Catamaran Cruise & Turtle Encounter: This catamaran and lunch cruise leaves Bridgetown's harbour and, after a pleasant sail along the coast, anchors in a quiet bay where guests can take to the warm, inviting waters and snorkel, and spend some chill-out time on the beach. Afterwards they can simply relax - lie in the shady cabin or bask in the sun on deck and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The catamaran then sets sail to an area where guests will have the unique opportunity to view and swim with the enchanting Hawksbill Turtles, an opportunity not to be missed. A buffet luncheon is served on board and an open bar serves unlimited soft drinks, juice, beer wine and rum.

Marco Polo is a classic, elegant vessel with original wooden decks, small enough to get to know your way around and offer the unique country-house-hotel style experience on board that Cruise & Maritime are known for.

The fares are based on two people sharing an inner twin cabin on a full board basis with afternoon teas, daytime activities and evening entertainment, and complimentary tea and coffee between 6am and 10pm. Gratuities of £5pp per night will be debited to the onboard account.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's leading specialist cruise-agents.

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Try A Marco Polo Sampler

Cruise & Maritime Voyages are the only line that offer regular cruises on the classic Marco Polo (above) from the River Thames at the London Cruise Terminal in Tilbury, with the chance for two 'sampler' voyages on this elegant 22,080-ton ship this December. And, with the benefit of great shopping and no flights, you can almost literally buy as much as you want!

Prices start from only £169 for the first person and just £85 for the second person, for the two-night cruise. Take your pick from:

1. Cruise to Ghent at the junction of the River Leie and Scheldt and Amsterdam on the North Sea Canal on December 15 for 3 nights. This is ideal for Christmas shopping when the Festive Market is in full swing in Ghent, or you can also visit neighbouring Bruges or Brussels. Amsterdam is well stocked for shopping and full of sightseeing interest. On board items such as spirits, perfume and other gifts, including jewellery, are also keenly priced and duty free. Prices are from £249 for the first person and £125 for the second.

2. On December 18, you can sail for two nights, again from London Tilbury to Antwerp with a pleasant journey along the River Scheldt. The city offers a good range of shopping in the main square and there are many quality shops close by. Marco Polo berths close to the main square that is just a 10-minute walk, and there visitors can buy local beer, chocolates and many unusual gifts not normally found in your local UK town.

Marco Polo is an adult-only traditional and classic ship. She boasts traditional wooden decks, is small enough to get to know your way around and offers the unique country-house-hotel style experience on board that Cruise & Maritime Voyages are known for.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's cruise-agent specialists.

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A Day On MV Discovery

Recently,  I had the pleasure of spending a few hours on the Cruise & Maritime Voyages ship MV Discovery - and what a most pleasant time it was!

We met as usual in the passenger terminal at Port of Tyne and were escorted on board at around 11am. The gangway was located at the aft of the ship, literally straight on to her open deck. I have never boarded a ship in this way before but have seen it done on many of the smaller vessels. It was a much nicer way to board and far more relaxed than the hustle-bustle you sometimes get from the larger ships.

I really could imagine myself boarding after having spent a long day ashore on a wonderful tropical island. I am met within a few moments by a chair and the bar, where I can grab a nice chilled Diet Coke, drop everything at my feet and relax. This is what I am beginning to fall in love with when it comes to smaller ships.

Daydream over, back to the blog…

We had a short welcome introduction and a brief 'Hello' from the Captain in the Discovery Lounge before heading to one of her show lounges for a small treat from the singers and dancers on board. I have never come across an ‘entertainment preview’ on any other day ship visits so it was something nice to add to the tour. It lasted around 20 minutes and was a flash preview of various songs they do throughout Discovery’s cruises. I was allowed to video the performance, so have added a section to YouTube. Go on, have a look - just be sure to come back and read the rest!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PmIi3KSPWM&feature=share&list=UUlE0Qt5FUNCdhMYOL2HMfOA

After the show, it was time to tour the ship. She is relatively small, only 168 metres in length and just 20,186 tons, but she is pleasantly spacious. We explored numerous areas, including her bars and other lounges, the buffet area, which also has a swimming pool at one end and a retractable roof.

 

We passed through the small gym and then landed the Spa area, where I took one of the 'menus’ with to see what is usually on offer. 

 

They do Honey Massage, Shiatsu, Exfoliating Body Polish, Mineral Mud Wrap, Teen Facial, Swedish Classic Massage and more, with prices quite reasonable. For example, a 45-minute Exfoliating Body Polish is just £45, as I am sure I have seen the same treatment on other vessels for £60.

After peeking into a few other areas, we doubled back through the Discovery Lounge and out on to the sun deck. I absolutely adored this space. I am a huge fan of the open decks on any ship, as this is where I spend the majority of my time whilst cruising, so I always go in for a closer inspection. On offer was a deck the width of the ship with a small bar on the port side and a swimming pool in the middle. What a swimming pool, too! The one midships was just under 6ft in depth but this one must have easily been 8 or 9 feet deep. I have never seen such a pool on a ship before and, had it been filled with water, I would have been tempted to jump in. This was my kind of chill-out area.

We managed to have a peek inside two cabins during the visit. Both outside but one was a disabled cabin. They were both spacious considering the size of the ship. Nicely furnished and the disabled cabin offered three lovely little port holes. I did notice the cabin doors are the good old key-in-the-lock-system. No electronic door cards on this ship! Not sure how I would cope with that as I’m so used to a card.

Once the tour ended, we made our way to the Seven Continents Restaurant for lunch. It is a good-sized restaurant, airy and with all tables spaced perfectly.

 

I dislike nothing more than feeling like people are sitting on top of me whilst I am eating but the space worked well. The lunch selection was quite good. I opted for chicken tikka to start as I was intrigued to see how they could make such a dish into a starter. It was delicious. 

 

For the main course, I decided on the vegetarian option, which was oven baked Cannelloni. I have to say it was possibly the nicest Cannelloni I have ever tasted and I’m pretty fussy with pasta. Dessert came in the shape of a Strawberry Gateaux, which was light but just a little too moist for my liking. Sadly, lunch marked the end of our visit but what a pleasant one it had been.

MV Discovery was something new for me, the oldest ship by far I have ever explored and, in some areas, she was showing her age. But would she be a ship I would cruise on? Without question. She offered everything I would look for in a cruise experience, plus there’s the added bonus of boarding like she were a grand yacht.

I can now also say I have visited one of the ships featured in The Love Boat TV series, although then she was known as Island Princess.

See more on my photo album on this link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.657308720963332.1073741836.342074555820085&type=3&uploaded=74

Love, Danielle

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When Bloggers Meet!!

It was a surprise for two of our regular bloggers when our arch-contributor Steve Newman met guest blogger Danielle Fear, aka Cruise Miss, for lunch on Cruise and Maritime Voyages' MV Discovery yesterday when the ship was berthed at Newcastle-upon-Tyne prior to leaving on her latest cruise to Norway and the North Cape.

That's the joy of cruising - you never know who you're going to meet and where. Steve and Danielle seem to be gripping on the stairway, even though the ship is docked. Only Lisa Donohoe from the  Port of Tyne Cruise Terminal seems to have her sea legs!

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