Friday 13 October 2017

Travelling in style on "STENA HOLLANDICA"





The mega cruise ferries STENA HOLLANDICA and BRITTANICA are wonderful ships with great passenger facilities, for the overnight trip and for an added touch of luxury the Captain's Class cabins are amazing, truthfully all the cabins on board these ships are some of the best on the business, but a voyage on Captain's Class is definitely a great experience, photos included were taken on STENNA HOLLANDICA, 20.9.2017 Vitor Francisco.

Sunday 8 October 2017

"VIKING ORION" at the Fitting-Out Basin at Ancona



The fifth cruise ship for VIKING OCEAN CRUISES is named "VIKING ORION" not VIKING SPIRIT, she is seen here the day she was moved to her fitting-out basin, the 29th of September 2017, she took to the water for the first time the week before, water can still be seen where she was built on the third photo, the day before, the 28th, her sister ship, the VIKING SUN, departed Ancona to Montenegro, a cruise destined to crew training purposes, with guests on board. Photos taken at FINCANTIERI Shipyard, their Ancona division by Vitor Francisco

Saturday 7 October 2017

Cruising on PRIDE OF BRUGES of P & O FERRIES




For the past two years I have been sailing often with P & O FERRIES from Hull to Rotterdam or Zeebrugge, this was my first trip of the year on the PRIDE OF BRUGES, a trip that I was antecipating very much as I have not sailed on her after the massive makeover, refit, that took place earlier this year, in a way I knew what to expect as I have been on board her sister PRIDE OF YORK four times this year,once on board, the ship looked very much the same as the YORK, the refurbishement to the passenger facilities are no different on both ships, they both look very smart and ready for the next chapter for years to come, how many I don't know, but they certainly can guarantee the service for several years more, the service on board both ships is improving, the food is getting better, I recommend the Asian dishes and breakfast on the KITCHEN, the self-service Restaurant on board, the ships continue to deliver and offer a first time cruise experience to the passengers wishing to cross the North Sea and experience the magnificent city of Bruges, or York, for the passengers sailing from Belgium to the UK. Photos included 3.10.2017 by Vitor Francisco

MSC SINFONIA entering the Port of Ancona, Province of Marche in Italy



MSC SINFONIA is seen here at Ancona on the 29.9.2017, the ship was originally built for FESTIVAL CRUISES as the EUROPEAN STARS and delivered by her builders, the CHANTIERS DE L'ATLANTIQUE at Saint-Nazaire in 2002, her career with FESTIVAL was short lived, she was sold to MSC in 2004 after a few months laid-up, she emerged for the new owners/operators in April of 2005 with the present name, MSC SINFONIA has capacity for just over 2500 passengers and has a displacement of G.T. 58.675, considered a small ship by today's standards, she looked a giant though when enetering the port of Ancona, a city in the Province of Marche, central Italy, passengers calling at this Port can visit apart from the city, the outstanding Riviera Del Conero, photos Vitor Francisco.