A few days ago I returned from a two-week Mediterranean cruise on board the P&O Cruises flagship Britannia. Launched in 2015, the ship carries 3,647 guests and 1350 crew. She weighs 143,000 GT and spends most the year cruising to Norway, the Canary Islands, the Western Mediterranean and the Caribbean.
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P&O Cruises name their newest flagship Iona (updated)
Iona will be the name of the newest P&O Cruises flagship due to launch in 2020. At 180,000 tons she will be the biggest cruise ship ever built for the British market, with a capacity for 5,200 guests. P&O Cruises launched a competition to name the new cruise ship last
Read moreCruise ship review: Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas
This is a guest post about Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas by my dad, maritime historian and owner of Cobwebs Ocean Liner Memorabilia – Peter Boyd-Smith. Dad has been on over 100 cruises over the years, as a passenger and guest lecturer. Both Mum and Dad have sailed on
Read moreCruise ship review: P&O Cruises Ventura post 2018 refit
P&O Cruises’ mighty Ventura is special to me for a number of reasons. She was the first cruise ship I ever worked on back in 2009, and I spent much of 2015 and 2016 cruising on her for long periods with my husband. It’s safe to say that she, alongside
Read moreCruise ship review: Braemar, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
A few months ago I was fortunate enough to have a look around the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ship Balmoral. I was impressed by the ship and keen to learn more about the rest of the fleet. When the opportunity arose to visit another Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ship –
Read moreMy memories of the QE2, Dubai’s newest 5-star hotel
The Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner (or QE2 as she is fondly known) is to open as a floating hotel in Dubai, after a major refurbishment. QE2 first arrived in Dubai in 2008 but plans to turn her into a hotel ground to a halt, until now. An invitation only soft
Read moreCruising with a family on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas
This is a guest post by James Allen a thirty-something Senior Naval Engineer from Bath, who cruises regularly with his wife and two young children. James and his family have sailed on board Harmony of the Seas, their first Royal Caribbean experience. He has kindly shared his thoughts on the
Read moreA beginner’s guide to Marella Cruises
This is a guest post by cruise and travel bloggers Paul and Carole from Paul and Carole Love to Travel. You can find more links to their website and social media channels, at the end of this post. We have now cruised 13 times and 2 out of our last
Read moreShip review: Cunard’s Queen Victoria
When I graduated from university in 2007, I had a temporary contract working for a company called Ocean Books. The company set up and maintain libraries on many of the world’s best-known cruise ships. Back in 2007, this included the soon-to-be-launched Queen Victoria (QV). I remember the excitement surrounding this
Read moreShip review: Balmoral, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
I had a couple of preconceptions before boarding the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines flagship Balmoral this month. I’d heard that Fred. Olsen ships looked dated and their passenger base was a lot older than many of the other larger cruise lines. I hadn’t been on one of their ships before,
Read moreShip review: P&O Cruises Oceana post 2017 refit
Anyone who knows me, knows that the P&O Cruises ship Oceana has a special place in my heart. Not only did I work on her during my second contract at sea, but I’ve also spent time sailing on her recently, as my husband was her deputy captain for a time.
Read morePhotos from the P&O Cruises Arcadia refit 2017
Fans of the P&O Cruises ship Arcadia will be pleased to hear that she has just had a multi-million pound refit. The refurbishment took place in Hamburg at the Blohm+Voss shipyard. I’ve acquired a number of exclusive photos taken on board in Hamburg and Southampton, after the refit work was
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