CUNARD building at Liverpool ready for the QUEENS

The Legendary CUNARD Building at Liverpool looks splendid after an external makeover. This Historic "Monument" is associated with the story of the CUNARD LINE probably like no other place in the country. The Building looks immaculate ready for the next CUNARD ship's visit which will happen on the 3rd of August with the visit of the latest addition to the fleet, the QUEEN ELIZABETH. QE and the CUNARD flagship QM2 will return to the city of Liverpool next year. QM2 will be back in May while the QE has another visit scheduled for August, excellent news for Liverpool and for the many ships enthusiasts always keen to mark their presence when passenger ships visit the city of Liverpool. Photos of the CUNARD building last thursday, QE in Lisbon on the 22sd April 2011 and QM2 at Liverpool, 15th of September 2011

"GRAND PRINCESS" in Southampton last week

The cruise ship "GRAND PRINCESS" was built in Italy by FINCANTIERI in 1998, the ship is operated by PRINCESS CRUISES, for other photos of this ship please visit my CRUISE SHIPS AND LINERS blog by clicking the link below on my must follow blogs, photos here included dated 3rd September 2011 and were taken at Calshot

SOUTHAMPTON, A UNIQUE UK SEAPORT

Southampton is a major seaport lying at the head of the estuary known as Southampton Water, the port became of real significance during the second half of the 19th century because of the building of the railway which connected it to London but mainly because it has two high waters every tide making it a unique seaport, prosperity was assured to Southampton when "Royal Mail" and "Union Castle" steamship lines adopted it as their main English Port and of course the seal was set When Cunard Line moved all their operations from Liverpool to Southampton, the ocean liners are no longer there on daily basis, but it still is the undisputed main destination in the UK for cruise ships from all over the world and of course the home port for the Cunard Line and P&O Cruises where thousands of passengers start their cruises every single year. Yesterday was a busy day for Southampton with four huge cruise ships, GRAND PRINCESS, OCEANA, INDEPENDENCE OF THE SEAS and VENTURA visiting, photos here included taken at Calshot yesterday evening

"ARCADIA" A SHIP OF HER OWN

the MV "ARCADIA" was initially ordered by HAL to become their fifth VISTA CLASS ship, in 2003 it was decided that she would sail as the QUEEN VICTORIA operated by CUNARD LINE, just before her launch  in 2004 a decision was made to transfer the vessel to the P&O CRUISES fleet, as a result of all these alterations she became rather a unique ship, a vessel of her own, she sports a modified QE2 style funnel unlike the traditional P&O funnel like the ones seen on ORIANA and AURORA and her mast shows remarkable similarity with the CUNARD ships, QM2 for instance, she looks splendid, pictures taken yesterday

P & O CRUISES "ARCADIA" LOOKING BEAUTIFUL AT LIVERPOOL

ARCADIA paid her first visit to the city of Liverpool yesterday, she looked amazing and the city gave her a warm welcome, she is 86.799 GRT and has been in service since 2005, some pictures taken yesterday, the ship at berth and off New Brighton

CRUISE SHIP "ARCADIA" WAS IN LIVERPOOL YESTERDAY

P&O CRUISES "ARCADIA" paid a visit to Liverpool yesterday, it has just been announced that the ship will return next year, also "ADONIA" will visit the city for the first time, photo taken at the cruise terminal

SS "EUROPA" OF 1929 AND MV "EUROPA" OF 1981

two of the most beautiful German passenger ships ever built were the liner "EUROPA" of 1929 and the cruise ship "EUROPA" of 1981, I have great memories of seeing the latter one in Lisbon during the eighties, when she was considered one of the most luxurious passenger ships afloat, please see my CRUISE SHIPS AND LINERS blog for other photos and posts on these two beautiful ships, postcard of my private collection and the MV "EUROPA" photographed in Lisbon during the eighties

MV "AURORA" DESIGNED AS A CLASSIC OCEAN GOING SHIP

The P & O CRUISES "AURORA" was designed and built as an ocean going vessel, she is therefore tailored for cruising around the world, please visit my CRUISE SHIPS AND LINERS blog for further information and pictures regarding this beautiful ship, photo included shows the ship mid morning at Southampton in December 2007

CRUISE SHIP "AIDAblu" AT THE CITY OF LIVERPOOL YESTERDAY

AIDAblu was at Liverpool yesterday, the ship is operated by German cruise line AIDA CRUISES and debuted in February 2010, she arrived from Dublin at about 7.30 and and left 7pm sharp to Greenock, she proved to be very famous with young teenager spectators, the ship is back in Liverpool on the 27th of August, for other posts and photos of AIDAblu, please visit my CRUISE SHIPS AND LINERS and LIVERPOOL MARITIME CITY blogs by clicking links below, photos 13th August 2011

THE BRAND NEW "AIDASol" AT DOVER

photo of the passenger cruise ship AIDA SOL at Dover during her second voyage to this UK port on the 21st April, the ship visited Dover on her maiden voyage on the 14th, she is the latest addition to the German operator AIDA CRUISES, the ship has a GT of 71.100 tons and is the eight vessel to join this growing company

M S FUNCHAL leaving Lisbon in the late 80´s for another cruise

the M S FUNCHAL is seen here departing Lisbon for another cruise in the late eighties, she has always been a very elegant ship

The VISION OF THE SEAS in Lisbon

Photo of the VISION OF THE SEAS during a call at Lisbon in April 2011, a very elegant ship for some of today´s standards

MSC POESIA LEAVING LISBON

The MV MSC POESIA seen here leaving Lisbon in April, is the third ship from the MUSICA CLASS, she has 93.000 GT and entered service in 2008