P&O's Britannia is put through her paces for the first time

It might look like a particularly drunken version of Join the Dots, or perhaps it reminds you of the tangle that came out of the box when you started to put up the Christmas tree lights. But this is P&O’s newest ship being put through her paces. The images show the track of Britannia in the Gulf of Trieste - in the north-east corner of the Adriatic - where she is on her first sea trials. A captain  from the shipbuilders, Fincantieri, is at the controls while Captain Paul Brown, the P&O skipper who will take command when the vessel is handed over, is keeping a watching brief. He’s probably hoping they’ll give him a little go before the ship is returned to port. For now, Britannia is having her engines, propulsion system, steering and stability tested for the first time in a tortuous series of twists and turns. I hope the officers on the bridge keep an eye on their rear view mirrors. [Image captures from marinetraffic.com]

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Why Indy was down on power for three years

Independence of the Seas' three azipod propulsion units

Cruise ship Independence of the Seas was powered by only two of its three propellers for much of the time the ship was sailing from Southampton, it has been revealed.

A bearing failure on one of its three azipod propulsion units left the 3,600-passenger vessel dependent on the remaining two pods – electric motors attached to the outside of the hull replacing conventional shaft-driven propellers. Its top speed was restricted to 19.5 knots instead of the design maximum of 21.6 knots.

The unit’s failure came to light in a posting on the Facebook Cruise Lovers’ page. A contributor said the unit’s propellers were removed to prevent vibration, and that they were eventually replaced in visit to dry dock. The post added: “Three years of going forward and back over the Bay of Biscay with only two azipods is quite a feat.”

Royal Caribbean marketing and PR director Jo Briody confirmed the failure. She said: “Independence of the Seas has two azipods and one fixipod. Due to bearing failure, the blades of the fixipod were removed as a temporary measure to prevent further damage. The only resulting outcome was that the vessel was not able to reach its top speed.

“This does not provide any limitations as the ship sails in the Bay of Biscay. In fact, speeds of 19.5 knots were still attainable. The removal did not cause any delays or missed ports during Independence of the Seas' cruises.”

She added that full power was restored during a dry dock overhaul in April 2013.

Independence of the Seas left Southampton for the last time on November 1 and will spend the winter sailing in the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. From April 2015, it will be replaced on ex-UK sailings by brand new ship Anthem of the Seas.

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Save up to £600 in MSC Cruises turn of year sale

MSC Cruises are offering customers the chance to save up to £600 per cabin in its turn-of-year sales campaign which started this week. The offer is applicable on selected summer sailings around the Mediterranean in 2015 and on selected winter 2015/2016 itineraries.

MSC Preziosa sailing in the Mediterranean

MSC Cruises are known for offering family-friendly cruises that represent exceptional value for money, particularly on fly-cruises. Whilst many sailings are available as cruise-only offers, some allow you to bundle in flights and transfers. These fly-cruises take the hassle out of finding suitable flights and separate transfers between the airport and port. You just pay one price and MSC Cruises sort out all the paperwork.

Furthermore, unlike some other cruise lines who use budget carriers for their fly-cruise offers , MSC Cruises offer return flights from London Gatwick airport flying with British Airways. If you live too far away from Gatwick then MSC Cruises is offering the option of regional flights to Gatwick plus overnight airport hotel stay, or the chance to add car parking and a one-night hotel stay via a new partnership with A2B Transfers. Additional fees apply, and this service is subject to availability.

Discounts apply to selected summer 2015 fly-cruises on six ships. Choose MSC Magnifica and MSC Musica for Eastern Mediterranean itineraries or MSC Preziosa, MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia and MSC Armonia for Western Mediterranean itineraries. All applicable cruises depart from either the romantic city of Venice or the historic port of Genoa.

Summer sale rates start from just £549 per person based on a seven-night MSC Fantasia sailing in April 2015. This offers a discount of £300 per person from the brochure prices. If you would prefer a cabin with a view then upgrades to balcony cabins are available on all seven-night sailings for just £200 per person. Cabin availability and cruise fares are subject to availability.

Promotional fares are also available for a wide range of winter 2015/2016 itineraries sailing in the Mediterranean, The Canary Islands, the Emirates and the Caribbean.

Giles Hawke, executive director UK & Ireland for MSC Cruises, said: “These great offers are sure to be really popular so holidaymakers should get in quickly to ensure they get the sailing and cabin they want."

(Photo credit to  MSC Crociere)

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On the EDGE: Celebrity orders two new cruise ships

Celebrity Cruises has ordered two new ships to be built by the STX yard in France and scheduled for delivery in autumn 2018 and spring 2020.

According to last night’s announcement, the vessels, designated Project EDGE, will provide “small ship itineraries with large ship amenities” – although how this feat will be achieved remains to be seen.

Michael Bayley, president and CEO, said: “Our new class of ship will set the standard  for premium world travel and deliver the next generation of modern luxury experiences that our guests know and love.”

STX France is currently building Royal Caribbean’s Oasis 3 and has been contracted to build a new class of cruise ship for MSC Cruises. It built Norwegian Epic and Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. Bayley added: “STX designs and builds some of the most innovative and stylish cruise ships in the world. Project EDGE offers them the opportunity to set a new standard for modern iconic architecture.”

Celebrity said the vessels also represent a step forward in eco-friendly ship design, with improved fuel efficiency and extensive use of sustainable materials.

At 117,000 tons and carrying 2,900 passengers the new design is slightly smaller than the recent Solstice class. Four of the five Solstice ships are around 122,000 tons each and carry about 2,880 passengers. The most recent, Reflection (above), is 125,000 tons and can carry 3,050 passengers.

Celebrity, a division of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, also operates four Millennium-class ships built between 2000 and 2002, and carrying about 1,950 passengers each, plus a much smaller vessel, Celebrity Xpedition, carrying 90 passengers on cruises in the Galapagos islands.

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Richard Branson confirms launch of Virgin Cruises

Richard Branson

After months of speculation, it’s all systems go for Virgin Cruises. Richard Branson has done planes and he’s done trains. Now the serial entrepreneur is ready to complete the full set from Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s memorable sixties song.

Branson finally fulfils his Trains And Boats And Planes ambitions (OK it should be Ships, but it’s too late for a rewrite) and he promises to change cruising for ever.

He has $1.7 billion finance in place to fund the building of two ships, which will be based in Miami or Fort Lauderdale, but a start date for operations has not yet been announced “for competitive reasons” according to a Virgin statement.

Branson said this week: “We plan to shake up the cruise industry and deliver a holiday that customers will absolutely love. They'll be sailing on the latest ships offering great quality, a real sense of fun, and many exciting activities all delivered with the famed Virgin service."

He has secured financial backing from alternative investment firm Bain Capital, whose managing director, Stephen Pagliuca, added: “There is a unique opportunity here to help build the next great cruise line serving travellers from around the world. Virgin Cruises will help reshape consumers' expectations of what a cruise experience can be.”

Branson has brought in Tom McAlpin as Virgin Cruises president. He was part of the management team that founded Disney Cruise Line in 1996 and has also been CEO of the ultra luxury The World, Residences At Sea.

McAlpin said: Cruise guests deserve something better and different to what is being offered today, and Virgin Cruises is committed to creating breathtaking experiences for them and a new generation of guests.”

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Regent Seven Seas Cruises unveils Explorer renderings

Luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises has revealed the first renderings of its new ship, Seven Seas Explorer to accompany a new microsite they have just launched to showcase the vessel.

A rendering of Regent Seven Seas Cruises Explorer

Seven Seas Explorer will be launched in the summer of 2016 and will be the most luxurious ship Regent Seven Seas Cruises has ever built. Explorer will accommodate up to 750 guests and will be an all-suite all-balcony vessel.

The microsite will be updated with details of the ship, imagery and progress on the shipbuilding development. There will also be updates on the public space and suite designs, the on-board amenities, the new itineraries and other new elements as they are revealed.

The microsite launch also coincides with the release of a new video that sets the elegant tone for Seven Seas Explorer.

Reservations for Seven Seas Explorer’s maiden voyage and inaugural season open on 19 January 2015 exclusively for Seven Seas Society members, and become widely available from 11 February.

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British Travel Awards winners 2014 announced

The British Travel Awards 2014 were presented at a glamorous Venetian-themed gala dinner event in the  London last week. The ceremony, which attracted an audience of around 1,000 of the UK travel industry’s finest, was hosted by comedian Russell Kane.

The line up of British Travel Awards 2014 trophies

Nearly 300 companies registered to take part in the British Travel Awards this year and the winners were decided through a public vote. Customers had an opportunity to vote for their favourite companies across a number of travel categories including hotels, travel agencies, specialist travel companies and many more.

The ones that really matter to readers of Time Spent at Sea are those that involve sea travel. Ocean and river cruise operators were represented in the Best Cruise Lines category whilst ferry operators were represented in the Best Car Hire, Ferry And Cross Channel Operators category.

P&O Cruises won the Best Family Cruise Line award, with Thomson Cruises and Princess Cruises coming in second and third respectively.

Princess Cruises did however win the Best Luxury Cruise Line award followed by Seabourn and Hebridean Island Cruises in second and third place respectively.

The Best Specialist and Small Ships Cruise Line award was given to Saga Holidays, whilst Voyages of Discovery picked up the silver award and Hurtigruten won the bronze award.

Viking River Cruises won the Best River Cruise Line award for the sixth year running. Riviera Travel and Red Sea Holidays came in second and third respectively.

P&O Cruises scooped a second award for the Best UK Departure Cruise Line award followed by Saga Holidays and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines in second and third place respectively.

In terms of ferries, P&O Ferries won both the Best English Channel Operator and Best Ferry Operator awards. The runners-up for the Best English Channel Operator award were Eurostar International in second place and DFDS Seaways in third place. The runners-up for the Best Ferry Operator award were Brittany Ferries in second place and DFDS Seaways again in third place.

A full list of winners and categories for the 2014 awards can be found here.

(Photo credit to British Travel Awards)

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