NAVIGATION-Cruising and Maritime Themes

the 2000 year built "AZAMARA QUEST" was in Lisbon this last week-end, the ship arrived sunday at noon and departed the following day to Seville, 26.8.2013. This charming passenger ship was built at CHANTIERS DE L'ATLANTIQUE in France as the R-Six, after 2007 she has been operated by Azamara Cruises, the ship is 30.277 G.T. and has capacity for 690 passengers. Photos 25 and 26.8.2013

"FUNCHAL" has been a regular here, but this will most certainly be the most important "post" so far about this beautiful classic passenger ship, she was built back in 1961 and has been a very successful and lucky ship at the same time, back in September of 2010 "FUNCHAL" was laid-up in Lisbon facing uncertain future, in February of this year a newly formed Portuguese Cruise company, PORTUSCALE CRUISES bought the ship together with other three classic ships operated by former owners C.I.C., since then "FUNCHAL" has been going through a process of total renovation, surely one of the most important refits of her long life, the ship spent 72 days at NAVALROCHA Lisbon shipyard undergoing a complete renovation. "FUNCHAL" left dry dock a couple of days ago and will soon be going for her first sea trials, she is due to leave Lisbon on the 31.8.2013 and proceed directly to Gothenburg to start cruising again, a few cru...

"PACIFIC PRINCESS" was built in 1971 by German Shipyard NORDSEEWERKE as the SEA VENTURE for Norwegian Cruiseships A/S, Oslo. In 1975 the ship was sold to the recently acquired PRINCESS CRUISES part of the P & O Group and renamed "PACIFIC PRINCESS", she became a favourite of all ships enthusiasts because of her distinctive yacht-like profile, she was then a mid-sized cruise ship at little under 20.000 G.T. In 1977 the World of Cruising would change forever when the TV Series known as the "THE LOVE BOAT" were set on board "PACIFIC PRINCESS", these ABC Television Series became a major TV success and the ship was known Worldwide, I was a regular follower of the program and remember at the time, people starting to talk about cruising due to the TV Series and of course "PACIFIC PRINCESS" became one of the most famous and well known passenger ships in the World, the sentence "I'd love to cruise" originated her...

Seen here departing Southampton is the Cruise Ship "MARINA", this modern version of the PACIFIC/ISLAND PRINCESS ships from the early seventies, has a distinctive yacht-like profile similar to the latter ships when they entered service more then forty years ago. "MARINA" was built in Italy by FINCANTIERI SESTRI PONENTE and delivered to their owners and operators OCEANIA CRUISES late 2010, her maiden voyage was on the 22.1.2011. This lovely passenger ship cruises at 20 knots and has 66.000 G.T., she has capacity for approximately 1200 passengers, she has a younger sister, the RIVIERA which entered service in May of 2012, both ships are known for sophisticated elegance. Photos taken from Calshot Beach, 10.8.2013