Discovery

The Liner season in Guernsey always starts slowly in the early days of Spring which can give wonderful weather or the gloomy day that greeted the Discovery when she arrived from the Scilly Isles. Guests staying at the award winning Hotel de Havelet have a good view of the liner. Unfortunately the Castle Breakwater in the background still remains shut following the winter storms that lifted granite slabs from the eastern side.

Despite the weather and the visitors enjoying a uncrowded Guernsey, the Herm Trident, passing the bows of the Discovery, still runs on a daily basis to serve the permanent population of Herm.

Monaco

The season is over in Guernsey now, and apart from the odd "conference" cruise there is no more activity until next year. The liners will now leave their Northern European routes and head for the cruises in warmer climes.

September in Southern France bought the opportunity to see the liners visiting the ports on the Cote d'Azur. Villefranche, the port for Nice, is a tender port between the town and Cap Ferrat in a most spectacular setting. The Liberty of the Seas and the MSC Poesia were in port on a perfect day.

The Monaco Yacht Show at the end of September provided spectacular settings for visiting liners with the guests of the Wind Surf being entertained by the Red Arrows as well as the most photographed Boat/Car/Thing at the show.

The Noordam was in port as the show opened and provided its guests with views of the final setting up of this major event, as well as the constant flow of tenders to the Super Yachts in the bay.

The Seabourn Quest stayed into the evening in Monaco and its guests had views of the Maltese Falcon coming alongside.

The Discovery was at Monaco on Friday, the penultimate day of the show.  However a lot of its guests decided to go on coach tours to Eze and Nice rather than enjoy the activities of the harbour. Guests had to be back on board by 2100 for a late evening departure.

As there are no more Liner visits for the rest of the year this will be the last of the regular post,s although there might be some historic ones through the winter.

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.