Enjoying a cocktail at the "UNIVERS BAR" in Saint-Malo

UNIVERS Hotel and bar is one of my favourite places for a drink at the walled city of Saint-Malo, it's one of the most nautical bars I ever came across, the drink on this occasion was a "GROG CHAUVIN", recipe in one of the photos included. Saint-Malo 2.3.2016

"THE KITCHEN", Self-Service Restaurant aboard "PRIDE OF BRUGES"

"THE KITCHEN" onboard "PRIDE OF BRUGES", my choice for dinner and breakfast during my most recent trip on the ship, photos 25th and 26th February 2016

Cruising on "PRIDE OF BRUGES" with an extra touch of luxury

Cruising with P & O FERRIES from Hull to Zeebrugge or Rotterdam is a great experience to sample a mini cruise. The ships offer very smart passenger amenities, on shore, excursions to Belgium and Holland are very well organized, allowing passengers to stay a full day visiting the medieval delights of Bruges and cosmopolitan Amsterdam and Rotterdam. It all begins at Hull where passengers are allowed to board the ships about three hours before sailing, excellent opportunity for a pre-dinner drink and book with time dinner at the Brasserie or self-service restaurants, for an extra touch of luxury and comfort, particularly at this time of the year for a very reasonable extra charge, passengers can upgrade from basic or Premier cabins to CLUB, very spacious cabins with TV, chocolates and soft drinks come free and even a glass of champagne at the "WINE BAR" is part of the package. On all the ships I strongly recommend the BRASSERIE for dinner, for breakfast the following morning, I believe the Self-Service is a great choice, personally enjoy to socialize and sample the Buffets on display, photos here included were taken on the 25th of February 2016 during a voyage onboard "PRIDE OF BRUGES" from Hull to Zeebrugge, special attention to my cabin, a CLUB on green deck and the "WINE BAR", my favourite room aboard the ship.

sailing the MED on "CRUISE ROMA"

Onboard "CRUISE ROMA" approaching Barcelona, photos 18.11.2015

"SUPERFAST XI" arriving Ancona

"SUPERFAST XI" was built in Germany by HDL in 2002, she is operated by SUPERFAST FERRIES and been in service since her introduction on the Patras-Igoumenitsa in Greece to Ancona in Italy, she is a striking cruise ferry with a beautiful livery, the ship is 30.902 G.T. with capacity for 653 cars and 1427 passengers, her powerful Wartsila-Sulzer engines can propel the ship to a top speed of 31 knots. Photos taken at Ancona 15.11.2015

ZADAR at Ancona

ZADAR is a small ferry with 9.487 G.T. owned and operated by Croatian state-owned company JADROLINIJA, she is a beautiful ship linking Split with Ancona. ZADAR was built in 1993 and started service with her current owners in 2004. Photos at Ancona, 13.11.2015

Cruise Ferry "CRUISE EUROPA" of MINOAN LINES

Cruise Ferry "CRUISE EUROPA" arriving Ancona 14.11.2015. The ship together with her sister "CRUISE OLYMPIA" are operated by the 1972 founded Greek Ferry company "MINOAN LINES", one of the leading Ferry companies in Greece. These mega cruise ferries are on charter from GRIMALDI, parent company since 2008. CRUISE EUROPA was built in 2009 and OLYMPIA in 2010, at 54.000 GT they are the largest cruise ferries operating in the Adriatic Sea, they have two more sister ships the CRUISE ROMA and CRUISE BARCELONA, both operated by GRIMALDI on the Civitavecchia to Barcelona route. These quartet of ships can carry 2850 passengers and get to speeds of up to 28.5 knots. Photos 14.11.2015

Cruise Ferry "HELLENIC SPIRIT" arriving Ancona

"HELLENIC SPIRIT" and her sister ship "OLYMPIC CHAMPION", were the first new buildings for ANEK LINES, they are operated on the Greece to Italy service, both have a top speed of 30 knots, capacity for 1850 passengers and 670 vehicles. OLYMPIC was the first to be introduced in 2000, the "HELLENIC SPIRIT", seen above entering Ancona, one year later. Photos 14.11.2015

"BRIDGE" at Ancona

Built in 1976 "BRIDGE" is operated by ADRIA FERRIES linking Italy to Albania, she is seen here at Ancona on the 13th of November 2015, the ship can carry 1030 passengers and 450 cars.