NAVIGATION-Cruising and Maritime Themes

M.S. "DEUTSCHLAND" is a mid-size cruise ship, she was built in sections by four different German shipyards and assembled at Kiel by HOWALDTSWERKE-DEUTSCHE WERFT, she was delivered in May of 1998 to her operators, the German based PETER DEILMANN REEDEREI. "DEUTSCHLAND" is 175 meters long with a GRT of 22.400, capacity for 520 passengers and cruises at 19 knots. The ship is decorated in ART DECO style made famous by French Liners ILE DE FRANCE and NORMANDIE, she is an important ship for German speaking passengers seeking a traditional ship, she offers Premium lifestyle cruising. In 2000 a Concorde flight from Paris to New York carrying passengers for a 16 day cruise to South America on board "DEUTSCHLAND" crashed without survivors. During the LONDON 2012 Olympic Games, "DEUTSCHLAND" was used as an hospitality ship by the German Olympic Committee. For all the information about cruising on this ship, please visit P.D.R. official website  here...

Cruise ship "THOMSON DREAM" at Barcelona, photos 7.9.2012

 "THOMSON DREAM" was built as the HOMERIC in 1986 by MEYER WERFT in Germany, the ship was operated by HOME LINES cruising from New York to Bermuda during the summer season and cruising the Caribbean the rest of the year. Just two years old the ship changed owners as HOME LINES was bought by HOLLAND AMERICA LINE, she was renamed WESTERDAM, shortly after, H.A.L. was bought by the CARNIVAL CORPORATION who decided to invest on the ship with a major refit that included her lengthening in 39 meters, she returned to her builders in October of 1989 for the process, she resumed service in April of 1990 sailing for H.A.L. until 2002 when it was decided to transfer the ship for another company of the CARNIVAL GROUP, the prestigious COSTA CRUISES.  the ship was once again renamed in 2002 she was known as the COSTA EUROPA, employed cruising in Europe until 2010 when she was chartered by THOMSON CRUISES for ten years, she is now sailing as the "THOMSON DREAM". When bui...

Cruise Ship "CELEBRITY ECLIPSE" off Livorno last week in a dramatic sunset display. I was on board cruise ferry IKARUS PALACE, please check my post about this ferry  here , and just approaching the Italian port of Livorno, used by cruise ships for their Firenze and Pisa excursions, couldn't believe my luck when this beautiful new cruise ship sailed passed us on our port side, what a moment, the sea was so calm and the temperature outside despite being 7.30 pm was around 29 C, remarkable, will never forget it. Going back to the ship, she was built by the prestigious MEYER WERFT in 2010, she has 122.000 GRT, has capacity for 2800 passengers and has a top speed of 24 knots. "CELEBRITY ECLIPSE" became very popular with the British Market since brand new, during the UK shutdown airspace due to the Iceland's volcano eruption in 2010, "CELEBRITY ECLIPSE" was used to the rescue of about 2000 British Tourists stranded in Spain, what a gestu...

CRUISE SHIPS AND LINERS was once again in Barcelona last week. The date 4.9.2012, six cruise ships were in port, CARNIVAL BREEZE, THOMSON DREAM, AIDA VITA, MSC FANTASIA, SEABOURN QUEST and the ISLAND SKY which unfortunately I had no opportunity to photograph, five out of six not bad at all, please check future posts coming here soon

                    CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION above at Oxdjupet and Oslo below The fantastic cruise ship "CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION" was built as the CONSTELLATION in 2002 by CHANTIERS DE L'ATLANTIQUE at Saint-Nazaire, France, the ship has been operated by one of the most pretigious cruise line companies of the moment, CELEBRITY CRUISES, the name of the ship changed  in 2007 for "CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION". First registered at Nassau, the ship changed port of registry to Valetta in 2007, she is 91.000 GRT, she is now 10 years old but still looks very modern with original sleek lines, a very well balanced ship in my opinion. The ship is propelled by Diesel and Gas turbines engines taking her to a maximum of 25 knots, fast for today's standards. Text: VMF Photos at Oxdjupet in 2009 and last one at Oslo, copyright Harald Oanes