Saturday 31 August 2013

Ocean Princess


Ocean Princess is back in today at the start of her cruise from Dover going around the British Isles the other way to last week. She was in Guernsey for a full day before her tea time departure to Falmouth. The Model Yacht Pond at the Castle Emplacement was full of young sailors today gaining their first experiences at boat handling,. Maybe in the future one will be an officer on the liner at anchor.


The Ocean Princess was getting its last tenders aboard as the sun still shone. Some guests were taking advantage of the deck areas to enjoy the end of season weather as Guernsey heads towards the first day of September.


Clouds over the island blocked out the sun on the Castle Breakwater but the sun still shone on the Ocean Princess on its last visit to Guernsey this season.


Friday 30 August 2013

Crystal Symphony


Crystal Symphony arrived today on a cruise from Lisbon to Dover. It was good visibility after the mist of the past two days.  The "Humps", a collection of small islands, are in the background with their seal population that can be visited on locally run rib tours. The coast of Normandy was also visible, which the local population in June 1940 must have looked at apprehensively. They had to make the agonizing decision whether to evacuate their children or face the unknown on Guernsey as the occupying forces drew closer with gunfire clearly audible from the fighting on the French coast.


These guests had the chance to learn more about the Occupation in World War 2 as their guide on this specially Guernsey Occupation liveried coach explains the history. The Occupation lasted from 1940 until May 9th 1945, a date which is still celebrated as Liberation Day on Guernsey and Jersey, their own national holiday. These specialized tours are some of the opportunities that visiting guests have to learn more about these unique islands.


The Crystal Symphony with a crew of over 500, and capacity of just under a 1,000 guests, was built in Finland in 1995. She has undergone 3 major refits and a "facelift" in 2012 intended to offer her guests the best Crystal experience which they will enjoy on their journey to Honfleur.


Thursday 29 August 2013

Ocean Princess


Yesterday was a summer's day, very hot, hardly any wind; this morning brought fog, and with the Ocean Princess having arrived from Milford Haven it was not the best welcome to the shores of Guernsey. The Ronez was at anchor awaiting the tide for St Sampson's harbour, Guernsey's tidal commercial port.


The Ocean Princess was on the westerly anchorage which gave a shorter tender ride for the guests on their 8 day cruise from Dover, visiting Milford Haven, Dublin and Edinburgh as well as Guernsey. Before the sun is up tomorrow they will have arrived back at Dover at the end of the cruise.


At anchor off Belgrave Bay on a low tide, this is not the tourist picture of Guernsey. For the population of the north of the Island this is the view they see on their commute every day of the year with low tides, high tides, beautiful sunrises, views of the other Islands - it does beat the M25 queues every day!! When somebody wanted to reclaim this bay, the local population marched in protest, most people like it as it is.


Wednesday 28 August 2013

Celebrity Infinity


Summer continues in Guernsey with another hot sunny day, only the mist that persists over the calm sea is not welcome as the liner fades into the distance. The Celebrity Infinity visited today as part of its 11 night cruise around the British Isles originating in Harwich, before continuing to Cobh and then Waterford. The Sark Venture comes alongside as the Bon Marin heads back to St Peter Port with guests aboard.


The Herm Trident is full even after Bank Holiday Monday as she leaves on a late morning departure for Herm, taking her passengers for a close up view of the liner, on the short 20 minute ride. There are plenty of visiting yachts still in Guernsey waters taking advantage of the weather whilst it lasts.


The Celebrity Infinity employed the services of Sark Shipping with both the Bon Marin and the Sark Venture being used as tenders. Despite the two ferries and the liners own tenders queues built up as her mid afternoon departure became imminent.



Tuesday 27 August 2013

MSC Opera, Superyacht Ronin


A busy day at St Peter Port with the MSC Opera on one of its regular visits and the superyacht Ronin on a refueling visit. She spent over 6 hours fueling from a fleet of road tankers, before departing later in the day for Horta in the Azores.


The MSC Opera did not sail by this week, as she did last week, and arrived shortly after midday to spend a misty half day visit at St Peter Port on her way from Ijmuiden to Vigo in Spain. Only three more visits before her season finishes in Guernsey and she heads to the southern oceans for a cruise to Cape Town in October.
This family seemed oblivous to the liner as they head for an afternoon's fishing on the Castle Breakwater.


Later afternoon at St Peter Port Harbour presented a familiar summer scene with the tenders operating to the MSC Opera, the Commodore Clipper on No 2 berth having arrived from Portsmouth on her daily visit, the Victor Hugo on the cross berth awaiting passengers for Dielette, and the Valiant of Channel Seaways operating its LOLO service. Only the Huelin Dispatch is missing from this scene, after many years of a afternoon schedule to Southampton, as Huelin Renouf have recently gone into liquidation.


Sunday 25 August 2013

Discovery, Seabourn Sojourn


Four months to Christmas but it was still a summer's morning, on a Bank Holiday weekend,  as the super-yacht Big Eagle came into Guernsey to refuel along with two liners.  The Discovery came from Honfleur on a British Isles cruise originating in Newcastle, and the Seabourn Sojourn from Southampton on the start of her cruise. Castle Cornet provides the foreground and is one of the frequent places that guests come to, to photograph their liners.



The Seabourn Sojourn was launched in 2010 and is the second of a trio of luxury boutique ships built for Seabourn. With a capacity for 450 guests and the "largest luxe spa" at sea, she spent her short stay on the closer anchorage to St Peter Port before departing for Cobh. With the short stay, tenders shuttled back and forth frequently and a power boat race in the morning also provided entertainment.



The Discovery by comparison was on the more easterly anchorage with a longer tender ride . Even the design of the tenders show the ship's age with the Discovery ones looking more traditional in appearance. The Discovery went into service in 1972 and starred in a supporting role to her sister ship in the TV Sitcom "Love Boat", which is credited with prevoking more interest in cruising.  Her first cruise from Great Britain in 2013 left from Avonmouth, the first liner to do so in over 20 years.


Monday 19 August 2013

Oceana


The Oceana's long day at sea on her way from Le Havre was made even longer as her arrival time was delayed to accommodate the detonation of a un-exploded mine! The  RCAF mine was dropped on Guernsey in World War 2. The mine was successfully detonated late evening by a Royal Navy bomb disposal team. The harbour work boat Sarnia stands by with the Navy detonation team on board.


The Oceana seemed to follow the current fashion of long days at sea or early arrivals with no disembarkation at their destination. She anchored off St Peter Port long after the sun had set but the early risers amongst the guests this morning had the opportunity to see sunrise.


The Oceana was on a short 4 night cruise from and to Southampton and left St Peter Port shortly after 6.00 pm. Twelve hours later she will be arriving in Southampton and their taster cruise will be over. The season is starting to slow down but over the next few weeks there are still thousands of guests yet to sample the delights of Guernsey.



Saturday 17 August 2013

Prinsendam, Caribbean Princess, Azamara Quest


A unusual sight today was the Prinsendam leaving St Peter Port for Zeebrugge  at 7.00 am, after a overnight stay.  For a short time she shared the anchorages with the Caribbean Princess which arrived at sunrise from Southampton on one of her regular visits to Guernsey . The coast of France was clearly visible as the liner headed for the Big Russel.


The Caribbean Princess spent half a day in Guernsey not only using her own tenders but also Sark and Herm ferries to cope with the large number of guests wishing to enjoy a Saturday morning in St Peter Port.


Only two days after her last visit the Azamara Quest arrived from Southampton and stayed till late afternoon before departing for Bordeaux. One of the key features of this line is the AzAmazing evening which showcases some of the destinations that are visited.


There should have been another liner today but the MSC Opera cancelled its visit, probably due to the high winds late on Saturday afternoon. The guests still had a view of Guernsey as she sailed by on her way to Vigo.


Minerva, Prinsendam, Corinthian


The weather went through all its variations today with rain, sun, mist, dull and then did it all again, which was a varied welcome for the three liners that came in. The Minerva should have been a Soviet research vessel but the deal fell through and she became owned by Swan Hellenic. She is now well travelled from Antartica to Guernsey. She had the longest tender ride being anchored almost out of sight beyond the Prinsendam.


The Prinsendam with her 800 guests arrived from Plymouth and provided the background for the Corinthian which is back in Channel Island waters having arrived from St Malo. Being one of the smaller liners she was able to negotiate the locks at St Malo and lie alongside in the inner basin a short walk from the walls of St Malo. She left at lunchtime for Herm and then Honfleur.


The Prinsendam stayed the night off St Peter Port before departing on Saturday morning for Zeebrugge. The cruise goes under the title of "14 Day Celtic Enchantment" visiting such places as Galway, Waterford and Liverpool before her stop in Guernsey.

Friday 16 August 2013

Ocean Princess, Azamara Quest


After a quiet few days the Ocean Princess came back for her second visit in a week from Dover and the Azamara Quest arrived from Honfleur. The Ocean Princess was on the fashionable short day visit and with calm seas all morning the tenders were soon operating.


The Azamara Quest was on the more easterly anchorage and had the longer ride in to St Peter Port on tenders. The passengers on the Bon Marin had a closer look at the liner on the their trip to Sark. The journey takes about a hour and passes close by the other Channel Islands of Herm and Jethou.


Arriving and leaving St Peter Port harbour by tender gives one of the best views of the capital of Guernsey that you can have. With the landmark Town Church and other buildings that formed the sea front over a 100 years ago. the rising hill forms a natural harbour that was developed over the years.


Sunday 11 August 2013

Corinthian


Arriving via the Little Russel from the north, the boutique liner Corinthian made for a unusual sight as she sailed to the anchorage, passing Roustel beacon. She is in local waters for two visits over the next week taking in all the major islands in the bailiwick of Guernsey. Sunday afternoon she makes the short journey to Herm.


This local fisherman has a close look at the Corinthian as he heads out for a day's fishing. The Corinthian was "re-launched" in 2009 and has 50 suites on board for its 100 guests. With her ice strengthened hull she can also offer cruises in Antacrtica, as well as the unique experiences that these small liners offer.


Despite the luxury that these guests are travelling in with on board gym, spa and beauty salon, it seems that the best way to get ashore is on the Zodiacs being prepared, as the Golden Spur waits for the disembarkation of the local pilot.


Friday 9 August 2013

Queen Elizabeth


Today was the turn of Cunard's Queen Elizabeth arriving from Dublin after a day at sea yesterday. Her maiden voyage was in autumn 2010 to the Iberian Peninsula. For company on the anchorage today she had the Sarnia Cherie, one of Guernsey's own oil tankers.  She was purchased to safeguard the delivery of oil to St Sampsons Harbour which dries out at low tide. Because of this the double hulled ship, built in 200,7 has to sit on the bottom of the harbour.


If you were in Castle Cornet you had the opportunity to see her through the pay per view telescopes, now costing 50 pence or 1 Euro, I though they were still 10 pence. Is this where the one from the airport went? This must be one of the few dual coinage pay machines on the island.


This game of lawn bowls goes on despite the view of the Queen Elizabeth in the background. Tonight the liner will leave Guernsey bound for Southampton where she will end her 10 day cruise around the British Isles.



Wednesday 7 August 2013

7th August 2013 and then there were 3


After the past few sunny days it was wiping the rain off the lens this morning as the Celebrity Infinity and Ocean Princess arrived from Le Havre and Dover respectively. Both are on cruises around the British Isles with only the Infinity putting into a port on mainland England, the Ocean Princess staying with Ireland and Scotland. The pilot boat, Golden Spur, having put the pilot on board the Ocean Princess, heads for the anchorage.


The Ocean Princess was renamed from Tahitian Princess, rather more exotic sounding than its current name. Celebrity Infinity was launched in 2001 and in the United Kingdom is based at Harwich. Both were on the anchorage before 8.00am ready for their guests to enjoy the rather soggy day in Guernsey.


Then there were three liners off St Peter Port. The MSC Opera arrived from Ijmuiden on one of her regular visits on the way to the Iberian peninsula with some "nose in parking".


Condor Express on her approach to St Peter Port from the north gave her passengers a good look at the Ocean Princess and the MSC Opera as she manoeuvred her way around the many tenders operating at the time.


A very congested scene off the harbour with the THV Patricia on one of her regular visits to Guernsey in the background. The three liners were not all together for long as Celebrity Infinity left mid afternoon with the Ocean Princess leaving just before tea time leaving the MSC Opera all alone.


Snowy does not seem too interested in the Celebrity Infinity. Perhaps he is thinking about the parma ham roll he will have a bit of for lunch, as well as the walk exploring all the angles on three liners.


Monday 5 August 2013

Caribbean Princess, Queen Mary 2


Today Queen Mary 2 was still at anchor off the Lower Heads Buoy ready for a mid afternoon departure for Zeebrugge, the port for Bruges. Last night during her stay, the coast of France was visible in the twilight of a Sunday's summer night.


This morning bought a sunrise that it is worth getting up early for, not sure if anybody on the Queen Mary 2 saw it though.  Within a hour it rained but cleared for the judging of St Peter's Parish entry for the Britain in Bloom contest.  Tomorrow the judges will be in Wales.


With the Queen Mary 2 anchored off Jerbourg it was a chance to see her with the Caribbean Princess which is on one of her 12 day round the British Isles cruises. Next port of call is Cobh and then into the Irish Sea, around the north coast of Scotland to Edinburgh, then Le Havre and back to Southampton.


For the early risers the approach to the anchorage gave a chance to view Herm and Jethou at close quarters, before anchoring for their half day visit.


Quest for Adventure, Queen Mary 2


Last night, for a change to the normal day visits, the Quest for Adventure came up from St Malo on her Wine Regions of Europe cruise. Passing the Lower Heads buoy just as the day was fading, the lights of Flamenville in Normandy showed behind Sark.


She anchored close to St Peter Port and with Castle Cornet illuminated provided a unusual sight for late night partygoers in town. She had departed from St Malo at tea time and, according to the ship's blog, the guests enjoyed some virtuoso playing by their piano showman as they sailed north.  (Thanks to Captain Kees Spekman for that insight.)


Early Sunday morning Queen Mary 2 arrived from Southampton. With the pilot on board, the Guernsey pilot boat, Golden Spur, marks the spot for the liner to anchor providing a short ride on the tenders to St Peter Port


As the Cunard liner was on a full day visit passengers on board the fast ferries of Condor had the opportunity to appreciate the size of her at close quarters. Having just completed her 200th Transatlantic crossing the Queen Mary 2 and Cunard continue to provide a unique cruise experience.