NAVIGATION-Cruising and Maritime Themes

Two former R-CLASS passenger ships were in Lisbon last month, seen here above is the "COLUMBUS 2" built for RENAISSANCE CRUISES as the R ONE in 1998, she is 30.277 G.T. and can accommodate just over 800 passengers, she is operated today by HAPAG-LLOYD. Photos 28.5.2013  "OCEAN PRINCESS" was built as the R FOUR in 1999, both these sister ships were delivered by CHANTIERS DE L'ATLANTIQUE at Saint-Nazaire, both ships cruise at 18 knots, their passenger capacity is also very similar, photos of OCEAN PRINCESS taken 29.5.2013

M.V. "CRYSTAL SYMPHONY" is a beautiful cruise ship built in 1995 by KVAERNER MASA-YARDS in Finland, she is owned and operated by CRYSTAL CRUISES and measures 51.044 G.T., the ship cruises at 19 knots and has accommodation for just over 900 passengers. "CRYSTAL SYMPHONY" is very similar to an older sister originally named  CRYSTAL HARMONY when built in 1990, today she is the ASUKA II. There is a third ship, the CRYSTAL SERENITY built in 2003 with a G.T. of 68.870 tons also operated by CRYSTAL CRUISES. Last time I saw this rather lovely ship was back in 2000 when she was visiting the French Normandy Port of Honfleur. Photos included showing the SYMPHONY departing Southampton, from Calshot beach, 15.6.2013

I have been lucky enough to photograph the "ARCADIA" on regular basis during the last couple of years, here she is again departing Southampton on another cruise, she was built in 2005, the third passenger ship on the P & O CRUISES fleet to bear the name ARCADIA, named after a Greek Region, she is a fine vessel built by the prestigious FINCANTIERI in Italy, talking with a friend that traveled recently on the ship, she is in need of a refit, she has another one scheduled for December of this year. Photos 16.6.2013

CUNARD was formed in 1840, the connection with Southampton has been of major importance, some of the greatest Liners have sailed from there and CUNARD ships homeport has only recently been changed to Hamilton, despite the changing of flag, today's CUNARD owned by the CARNIVAL GROUP is still based and operated from Southampton, an American-British company known as CARNIVAL UK monitors operations from Southampton. QUEEN VICTORIA above and QUEEN ELIZABETH below are seen here departing Southampton, these two ships are the youngest of this proud Shipping Company, QV was built in 2007 and QE three years later, as a keen photographer and observer it gives me great pleasure to note that enthusiasts and general public still admire these ships, they are for modern standards, ships with a clear elegant profile and of course the CUNARD livery does help the overall image. Photos QV, 15.6.2013 and QE 16.6.2013