Boost for Greenock Cruise Terminal

Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 at Greenock Ocean Terminal

Greenock Ocean Terminal is predicted to handle 108,866 passengers during the course of 2015, making it the first Scottish port to handle in excess of 100,000 passengers. This is a dramatic increase from the 20,253 passengers that passed through the port back in 2007.

The port benefits from a convenient location in western Scotland. It offers easy access to Glasgow city centre and can be found on many itineraries calling into ports around the British Isles and Northern Ireland.

A total of 56 cruise ship calls have been scheduled in for the port between May and September 2015. Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Cunard Line, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Holland America Line, Azamara Club Cruises, P&O Cruises, CDF Croisières de France, TUI Cruises, Saga Cruises, AIDA and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines all have vessels scheduled to call into the port during the year.

Notable larger vessels scheduled to visit the port include Royal Princess, Queen Mary 2, Celebrity Silhouette, Britannia and Regal Princess.

It is also set to be a busy year for English ports too with ABP Southampton currently expecting at least 117 cruise ship calls, Liverpool Cruise Terminal expecting 54 cruise ship calls and Portsmouth International Port expecting 38 cruise ship calls throughout the year.

In Wales, Holyhead Port in Anglesey is also expecting a bumper year with 23 cruise ship calls totalling in excess of 14,000 passengers. Celebrity Silhouette will be the largest passenger cruise ship expected in the port this year, standing at 122,210 gross tons.

(Photo credit to Peel Ports)

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Fred. Olsen's longest-ever Grand Voyage to the Far East in 2015

            

Fred. Olsen's 119-night Far East Explorer cruise, sails from Southampton on board Balmoral on 4 January 2015. Guests will visit a total of 51 destinations, in 24 countries, across three different continents, navigating three oceans and 10 seas, while passing through 13 time zones - all from just £79 per person, per night.

In 2015/16, Fred. Olsen's fleet of four smaller, more intimate ships - Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch - will visit a total of 243 destinations in 80 countries, departing from ten convenient regional UK ports: Southampton, Dover, Harwich, Tilbury, Avonmouth, Liverpool, Newcastle, Greenock, Rosyth and Belfast. 

Price is based on two adults sharing a twin-bedded, Inside cabin, and includes accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board.

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Adventure Cruising blog

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Scottish Ports On Course For Record Cruise Season

Cruise Scotland - the marketing association for the Scottish ports of call - is stepping up its campaign to attract more visitors in future on the strength of a forecast for record numbers in 2014.

 

An end-of-season report reveals that passenger figures this year were up 9.7% on 2012 to 384,639, influenced in part by increasing vessel capacity (like the QM2 at Greenock, above). Vessel calls at 454 were down slightly on the 466 ships seen last year but cruise tourism is estimated to have been worth £48.8 million to Scotland in 2013, a rise of 5%.

The trend towards larger vessels continues next year with 450 arrivals currently expected, carrying approximately 390,000 passengers, the highest number yet to ports around the country. And Victor Sandison, Cruise Scotland’s Chairman, said: “Working closely with the Scottish Government and various agencies, we continue to make significant progress in a highly competitive, expanding international market.

“Over the past four seasons, vessels calling are up 26%, passengers by 43% and the value of cruise tourism to Scotland by 52.5%. We are committed to increasing awareness of the country’s many attractions, improving visitor experience and growing our market share.”

Scotland’s Minister for Energy, Enterprise & Tourism, Fergus Ewing MSP, added: “With the end of season figures showing an increase in passenger figures during 2013 as well as 2014 currently scheduling around 390,000 passengers, these are very encouraging results. They are testament to the hard work of all the industry and the hard work of the Cruise Scotland team.            

“The Scottish Government will continue to support the cruise industry, across all of Scotland, and we will work closely together in order to make the most of what Scotland has to offer at every potential destination – irrespective of the size of the vessel.”

Challenges faced by the industry currently include continued lobbying with other UK bodies, trade associations and ports to resolve issues over the UK Border Force’s face-to-document checks for passengers; tougher sulphur emission controls from 2015, which may impact on cruise calls to some ports; and constraints on coach capacity in some regions alongside insufficient tour guides with linguistic skills.

* Cruise Scotland was established in 2009 to promote and market Scotland as a first-class cruise destination to operators and work on behalf of members on relevant issues. It now has 20 members, including 16 ports, large and small, two major ground handlers/shore excursion providers and two castles, with recruitment ongoing.

 

More info: visit http://www.cruisescotland.com/ or call 01854 612724.

 

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A Right Royal Look at Queen Mary 2

Top cruise blogger Danielle Fear, aka Cruise Miss, offers her views of her tour around the Cunard flagship.

First impressions of Queen Mary 2 are numbing. I had been eager to visit this ship for quite a long time so to finally be on board in Greenock was a little surreal.

We embarked on Deck 3 and were instantly drawn to the Casino. It reminded me of something you would find in a ‘Wild West’ movie, it had that kind of feel about it but with more class. From here, we made our way towards the Britannia Restaurant, which is where we would meet for lunch later in the day. More importantly, right outside was the elevator cluster and our gateway to the rest of the ship! 

 

I always prefer to start at the top and work my way down and we arrived mid-ships to a vast open space that was host to several tables and chairs for the small beverage section on the port side and then a fair few sun loungers for catching rays on the starboard side. It was a huge space, one I expect would be very lively on a hot summer’s day. 

 

From here we made our way down her starboard side and came across the sign, ‘Danger These Animals May Bite’. We had reached the doggy deck! Sadly, the kennels were off limits but we wandered along until we reached the end and were ultimately greeted by a stunning view - this is what I had been waiting to see.

The aft section of Queen Mary 2 (left) is nothing short of breathtaking and I could envision myself spending many perfect sea days here, with tier after tier of inviting sun loungers, hot tubs and pools. Pictures certainly do not do it justice. We had a quick peek in the Princess Grill then made our way through The King’s Court buffet style dining option and side-stepped into the Chef’s Galley, which is home to a small burger café.

We next entered the Winter Garden, which would certainly be my favourite inside space in which to sit and relax. It was bright, full of character and the waterfall that covered one entire wall set the tone perfectly. Our look around the Canyon Ranch Spa was quite brief as there were quite a few people using the various facilities. However, what we did see was impressive and the gym seemed to go on forever!

As we made our way to our next stop, the Planetarium, we were met by the famous ‘Stars On Board’ wall of fame. I didn’t have time to read every one but it was heart-warming to see all the familiar faces that have graced a Cunard ship over the years. including Walt Disney, Ella Fitzgerald and the Kennedys.

Once 12.25 arrived it was time to head back to the Britannia restaurant for a three-course lunch. The service was wonderful and the food delicious. After lunch it was time for a quick cabin tour before disembarkation. We had the pleasure of viewing a Queens Grill Cabin, which was very nice indeed, smaller than I expected but very well decorated. The bathroom was a good size, as was the walk-in wardrobe and kitchenette area. We also viewed a balcony cabin and an inside cabin. The same decoration ran throughout all of them, and they were a good cut above many other cabins  I have seen in my time.

Overall, Queen Mary 2 may well be the ultimate vessel. She has more space on board, both inside and out, than any other ship I have been on; her interior design is an art deco enthusiast’s paradise; and I really did feel like I had stepped back in time the moment I went aboard. She has soul and character and is entirely her own vessel, a trait I think many of today’s ships struggle to achieve, regardless of how unique their features may be.

She is dated to a specific period in time in many ways but her touches of modern life and glamour bring everything together perfectly. 

 
Look for more pictures on the Cruise Miss Facebook page on this link.

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Hebridean's Irish Odyssey

Hebridean Island Cruises have a wonderful chance to cruise Ireland in style this summer as their small luxury cruise ship Hebridean Princess offers two full voyages that focus primarily on the Emerald Isle.

Perfect for keen walkers, 'Footloose in Ireland' allows guests to discover the island in the best way possible – on foot. Highlights include a visit to Skellig Michael (above), a remote UNESCO heritage site, and a trip to Cape Clear Island, which boasts more than 5,000 years of history.

The cruise costs from £3,960 per person, departing from Oban in Scotland and calling at Dublin, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Bantry, Valentia Island, Schull and Cobh. The price is based on a July 31 departure.

Alternatively, the 'Gaelic Explorer' starts from £3,960 per person and is ideal for history enthusiasts, with excursions to Dublin Castle and the picturesque town of Kinsale, which was the scene of the end of the Gaelic order.

The voyage departs from Cobh (Cork) and calls at Kinsale and Dublin, Peel (Isle of Man), Strangford Lough, Bangor and Ballycastle (Northern Ireland), Sanda Island, Lochranza and Bute (Scotland) before finishing in Greenock. The price is based on an August 16 departure.

Prices include return flights from a regional UK airport, all meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, shore excursions and gratuities and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury adventure cruise specialists.

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Fred. Olsen's "Pre-Launch Offers!"

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has produced a special brochure of ‘Pre-Launch Offers’ to give early bookers the opportunity to take advantage of some very competitive prices on a selection of 57 worldwide cruises in 2013/14, from eight convenient, regional UK departure ports, ahead of the main brochure launch later in the year.

There are cruises to suit all tastes, from just £84 per person, per night, and prices are guaranteed to be lower than they will be in the ‘Worldwide 2013/14’ brochure. The ‘Pre-Launch Offers’ brochure is on general sale from March 8, with special launch prices available until April 26. 

It includes ex-UK cruises from no fewer than eight UK ports, departures from Harwich and Belfast for the first time and the welcome return of cruises from Liverpool. The other UK ports featured are Southampton, Dover, Newcastle, Greenock (Glasgow) and Rosyth (Edinburgh).

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading cruise agent specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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An Early Summer Adriatic Adventure With Fred. Olsen

Cruise guests can enjoy an early summer holiday with Fred. Olsen Cruises this May, getting the chance to visit a host of attractive ports in the wonderful Aegean Sea, including two in Croatia. 

This 21-night Boudicca’s cruise departs from Greenock (Glasgow) on May 20 and there is an added attraction of ‘Flavours of the Adriatic’ through the award-winning onboard enrichment programme, Vistas. The expert speaker will be Robert Ash, a celebrity chef who is also a professional musician. Robert runs a cookery school in Mâcon, in the Burgundy region of France, and was also a finalist on the BBC’s ‘Masterchef.’

The island-hopping voyage calls first into Gibraltar, then Malta’s capital Valletta, before reaching its first Croatian port, Šibenik, where the ship is at anchor (as Fred Olsen's ships are small enough to visit the more off-the-beaten-track locations). This pretty town, set at the mouth of the River Krka, has a medieval square, surrounded by historic buildings, considered to be one of the most beautiful squares in the Adriatic region, as well as a monastery with a recently restored herb garden.

Next port of call is glorious Venice, where the ship stays until late at night, allowing guests time to explore this legendary city of mysterious canals, before cruising on to Koper in Slovenia. This beautiful little town was formerly part of Venice, when it was called ‘Capo d‘Istria’ and boasts a fine 12^th Century cathedral and 15^th Century palace, among other architectural gems.

The next visit is to Ancona, on the east coast of Italy, before Boudicca reaches the jewel of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik, in Croatia. This medieval walled town, with its many open-air cafés and stunning beaches, makes it a real highlight of the cruise. On the return journey, Boudicca calls into the Spanish sport of Motril, before she returns to Greenock. 

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading specialist cruise agents, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Fred. Olsen's Worldwide Voyaging

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has launched its new worldwide brochure for 2012/13, detailing a comprehensive programme of ex-UK cruises aboard classic ships Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch. All the new cruises feature Fred. Olsen’s ‘No Fuel Surcharge Guarantee’.

The 2012/13 programme includes an enormous choice of destinations, varying in duration from a mini-cruise of just two nights to an epic world voyage of 112 nights. The itineraries feature new and exciting destinations, along with many old favourites, with departures from convenient regional British ports, Dover, Southampton, Portsmouth, Newcastle, Greenock (Glasgow) and Rosyth (Edinburgh).

Highlights include:

- A ‘Christmas Markets’ cruise aboard Black Watch, travelling to the Baltic and calling at Warnemünde (Germany), Tallinn (Estonia), St Petersburg (Russia), Helsinki (Finland), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Kiel (Germany).

- The chance to sail over 50 miles up the Guadalquivir River to Seville, in Spain.

- A return call to the newly-accessible Banjul Harbour in The Gambia, on Balmoral’s 21-night ‘West Africa and Cape Verde’ cruise.

- Three brand new destinations on Canada’s east coast – Port Saguenay, Trois Rivières and Havre St. Pierre.

- Some enticing longer cruises in 2013 – Balmoral’s new ‘Around the World’ itinerary and Black Watch’s epic cruise, down the West Coast of Africa and into the Indian Ocean.

- Another opportunity to take a Winter cruise to Norway, ‘In Search of the Northern Lights’, with Boudicca in February 2013, or to cruise into the heart of the mighty Amazon River, also aboard Boudicca, on a long (35-night) cruise in early 2013.

- Christmas 2012, when both Balmoral and Braemar will be visiting the Cape Verde Islands, as part of their festive itineraries, while Black Watch offers a real getaway, with her ex-UK ‘Caribbean Christmas’ cruise of 25 nights.

Fred. Olsen also continues to make regular enhancements to its fleet. Boudicca benefitted from a major refit in January 2011, allowing for extra cabins, smart new shopping outlets and a top-deck fitness centre. The onboard experience continues to benefit from an ever-increasing choice of activities and interests for guests to pursue. The cruise enrichment programme, Vistas (formerly The ArtsClub), has been re-launched and reinvigorated, with many distinguished new names joining the panoply of on-board experts, covering an even wider range of subjects.

Other additional attractions, on selected cruises, include ‘Flagship Golf‘, boasting even more top courses in 2012/13, and, for the best in entertainment, Fred. Olsen’s ‘Music and Laughter’; programme. This gives guests a wonderful opportunity to enjoy live music and comedy in an intimate setting, from some of the top names in the business, and all at no extra cost. Past favourites include the Divas of Motown, The Drifters and Lulu, and big names lined up for this season include The Operababes – back by popular demand – The Sounds of Boney M, featuring Sheyla Bonnick, and The Tornados – the first UK group to top the US charts, with ‘Telstar’, and original backing group to 60s legend, Billy Fury.

For more info, see www.fredolsencruises.com or contact the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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