Arcadia & Emerald Princess

The Arcadia arrived yesterday morning and stayed overnight hosting a IT Directors Spring Conference. Its a non-landing cruise from Southampton returning first thing Saturday morning. The mist of the last few days persisted although clearing somewhat during the day. Last night the views from the liner could not have been good.

The Arcadia was joined by the Emerald Princess today. She was returning from her cruise to the north coast of Spain and was due to leave early in the evening for Southampton. The Arcadia slips away in the background with the delegates on board no doubt getting ready for the "Gala Dinner". Emerald Princess will follow her back.

Saints Harbour on the south coast of Guernsey cannot be visited by guests on a tour bus. Best accessed on foot it a small fishing harbour also favored by anglers and kayakers. Today the sun shone on the harbour and these fisherman are making good use of the clear waters.

Arcadia & Ocean Endeavour

Not the best of days for liner visits with the Arcadia and Ocean Endeavour anchoring at St Peter Port. Through the mist, fog, rain and drizzle the liners were occasionally visible but not a lot. The Arcadia guests had the longest tender ride into town but sea conditions were not too bad.

Ocean Endeavour with its ice strengthened hull is more suited to Arctic and Antarctic seas and the end of the year will see her in the Falklands and South Georgia. Built in 1982 she spent her early years in the Baltic before heading to the Mediterranean. She was sold to her current owners in early 2014. Ocean Endeavour left for Dover in the late afternoon with Arcadia also disappearing into the fog by early evening, bound for Southampton.

Those guests who took the cliff path just outside St Peter Port heading for Fort George, will have found the path lined with bluebells and 'stinking onions', still in bloom this year due to recent cold weather.  They brighten up even the dullest day. 

Arcadia & Serenissima

Not many tenders today from the more distant Arcadia anchored off St Peter Port as she is a conference venue for, I think, IT Directors. Originally intended to be Cunard's 'Queen Victoria' the liner was transferred to P&O, and certainly looked familiar after Queen Victoria's recent visit. The smaller Serenissima should have been in Herm this afternoon but conditions were not suitable so the guests enjoyed a longer stay in Guernsey. She will leave for Alderney early tomorrow morning.

Changes could be afoot for those guests wishing to take coach tours in Guernsey. Parking trials were taking place tonight to assess suitability. The walk  in the rain from the current parking area could not have been nice for recent guests from the Queen Victoria. The yachts in the Old Harbour are part of the Morliax Yacht Club annual Tresco Trophy Race.

It is unusual to have a "Conference Cruise" so close to the harbour, rather than at the southerly anchorage, so two liners staying overnight made for a unusual sight this evening. The view from the Blue Mountains, above the harbour, makes the most of this, along with Jethou and Sark in the background.

Ruby Princess & Arcadia

A busy day for the island today, with the Ruby Princess and the Arcadia visiting. The Ruby Princess is going around the British  Isles having left Southampton last night, with the next port of call Cobh. Tenders were in the water early from the Ruby Princess with the first guests ashore before 8.00 a.m.  The Arcadia arrived at the anchorage about 40 minutes later.

This Guernsey fishing boat must have felt a bit intimidated as he sailed under the bows of the liner.

St Peter Port harbour was a hive of activity this Saturday lunchtime with the two liners at anchor and Condor's fast ferries arriving and departing for England. In the foreground are the many chimney pots of St Peter Port which tumbles down from the high ground in the west towards the harbour. The Ruby Princess left mid-afternoon, with the Arcadia returning to Southampton early evening on her two night cruise.