"PONT-AVEN" also at Portsmouth yesterday

BRITTANY FERRIES flagship, the 2004 built "PONT-AVEN" was also at Portsmouth yesterday arrived two hours earlier from Saint-Malo, photos taken from "CAP FINISTERE", HMS YORK can be seen on the last photo

ship spotting from the "CAP FINISTERE"

Photos taken yesterday from CAP FINISTERE, travelling at 27 knots with strong winds with the ship pitching, just off the Isle of Wight, the passenger ship is the BF NORMANDIE approaching Portsmouth at the end of her crossing from Caen

It's CHRISTMAS time on board "CAP FINISTERE"

"CAP FINISTERE" ready for sea, inside already in place Christmas decorations, not long now, photos taken today

Back at sea on BRITTANY FERRIES "CAP FINISTERE"

Exactly one year after my first trip on this vessel, I am back on board the "CAP FINISTERE", the ship was built in 2001 and is the last cruise ferry to join BRITTANY FERRIES, we sailing at 27.1 knots despite strong winds and a moderate sea. Photo dated the 27th November 2010 with the ship departing Santander

Sad day for CUNARD and Maritime History

CUNARD flagship was in Southampton yesterday for the last time as a British Merchant ship. QM2 will be registered in Bermuda as from the 1st of December, the ship left Southampton yesterday to Hamburg for a 14 days refit. 171 years of CUNARD ships having the RMS status simply vanished, sad chapter in Maritime History. Photo of QM2 in Liverpool last September

RED FUNNEL serving the ISLE OF WIGHT for 150 years

RED FUNNEL is celebrating 150 years of service, the company operates from Southampton to East Cowes at the Isle of Wight, to book a ferry or select any holiday packages, please visit www.redfunnel.co.uk

Photographing ARCADIA, one of the highlights of this year

I have a soft spot for P & O CRUISES "ARCADIA", the ship visited the city of Liverpool last August and I really enjoyed the experience, she ranks amongst my favourite cruise ships at the moment, she doesn't have the elegant lines of AURORA or ORIANA, but she is a ship of her own with a distinctive personality. She is due back in Liverpool next June, please visit my CRUISE SHIPS AND LINERS blog for other posts and photos about ARCADIA, photo included taken on the 26th August 2011 at the city of Liverpool

BLUE FUNNEL CRUISES

Formed in 1957, BLUE FUNNEL CRUISES is in my opinion one of the best ways to see the cruise ships visiting Southampton and to visit the Historic Dockyard at the Waterfront city of Portsmouth, for all information, private charters, day cruises and themed cruises please visit Blue Funnel´s official website, www.bluefunnel.co.uk

Photos taken this year of some of the current Blue Funnel´s fleet

Pilots going on board "NORMAN ASTURIAS"

One of the things I love watching when I am on board a ship is to see the pilots coming along and literally dock the ships safely, this occasion was last September on the 29th at Gijon when local pilots came on board LD LINES "NORMAN ASTURIAS"

ORIANA at Blohm & Voss for a major refit

P & O CRUISES "ORIANA" arrived this wednesday at the famous Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg for one of the most talked about refits of the last few years, the ship will undergo an overhaul and technical upgrades as well as conversion to adult only cruising, please visit my CRUISE SHIPS AND LINERS blog for other posts and pictures of this beautiful passenger ship, if you have a particular interest on the day to day life of the vessel, please visit one of the most accomplished blogs on the subject, ORIANAOF1995.BLOGSPOT.COM

Two photos of ORIANA, the first in September 1995, only four months old and at Calshot on the 27th September 2011, the last time I saw the ship before the refit that will certainly bring changes to her profile

Busy port of Rotterdam

Photos taken on the 23rd October 2011 at Hook Van Holland, ships photographers are kept busy in this part of the world and we love it

WIGHT LINK FERRIES, Portsmouth fleet

Founded in 1991 WIGHT LINK is a ferry company operating from Hampshire to the Isle of Wight. From Portsmouth to Fishbourne four ferries are currently in service, flagship ST CLARE, ST HELEN, ST CECILIA and ST FAITH, since 2009 a passenger-only service is also operated by catamarans WIGHT RYDER I and WIGHT RYDER II, these vessels take only 18 minutes from Portsmouth to the Ryde Pier as opposed to 40 minutes from conventional ferries. Photos here included were taken in June this year

BRITTANY FERRIES "BARFLEUR" laid up at Caen

"BARFLEUR" has been withdrawn from service last month, she was of course operated on the Cherbourg to Poole route, it has not been decided yet if service will resume next spring, for now the vessel, built in 1992 remains laid up at Caen/Ouistreham, please check my BRITTANY FERRIES blog for other posts and photos of this fine cruise ferry

MAN Diesel Plant at Saint-Nazaire

Saint-Nazaire is not just about shipyards and shipping, MAN Diesel engines are produced at Saint-Nazaire and used on ships and power stations all over the world. The company also provides training courses at the Plant both in French and English. Photos from September this year

"NORMAN VOYAGER" the new ship for the Saint-Nazaire to Gijon service

I did a post recently about the possibility of NORMAN ASTURIAS being replaced on the LD LINES route Saint-Nazaire to Gijon. The new ship already operating as from this week is the 2008 built "NORMAN VOYAGER", please check for future posts about this vessel on this blog

CHRISTMAS with a difference

To celebrate Christmas and the New Year, beautiful BRITTANY FERRIES "PONT-AVEN" will be sailing from Portsmouth in the UK to Santander in Spain, I have sailed on this vessel countless times and can assure you it will be a wonderful experience, the passenger facilities and food on board are extremely good, if you want to indulge yourself go for the De Luxe or Commodore Cabins, they offer all the facilities of modern cruise ships.For more information on the ship as well as vessel´s interiors please visit my BRITTANT FERRIES blog by clicking my must follow bloggs. For information on both cruises please click link in post below

Mistral Holidays - Mini Cruises - Mistral Holidays

Mistral Holidays - Mini Cruises - Mistral Holidays:

'via Blog this'

RMS "QUEEN MARY 2" returns to Madeira after seven years

QM2 was yesterday at Funchal, after a gap of 7 years, the first port of call of the ship during her maiden voyage was Madeira, she returned later in the year and has not been since then. Photos sent by local ships photographer João Abreu which of course we thank the colaboration

Tug "PUNTA MAYOR" in Barcelona

Seen here on the 30th of September is the Spanish built tug "PUNTA MAYOR", the vessel dates from 1984 and is registered at San Sebastian