This is probably the last ‘Cruising’ article by Mike Smith for a few months due to the current crisis, meaning that these fabulous cruise ships are not allowed to sail.
Waiting expectantly for the market to re-open, many cruise ships are anchored or moored alongside in various ports around the world, all manned with skeleton crews to continue essential on-board maintenance.
Two new ships have joined their respective fleets – one being ‘Iona’ for P & O and the other, ‘Spirit of Adventure’ for Saga Cruises. Both operators with ‘newbuilds’ and a number of other lines with orders are either put on hold, or are continuing but with delivery dates delayed.
The other thing to report is that a number of cruise ships are changing ownership, but many previously well known within the industry are being scrapped. The sad sight of these in line on a beach in Turkey, literally being torn apart, is very distressing. The majority proceed to this one region under their own power, are anchored off and ultimately, where possible, are literally driven ‘full speed’ onto the beach facilities for scrapping.
When the market is expected to re-open, many more ships will either change ownership or sadly be scrapped.
Under the circumstance of there being no, or little, cruising to report, sadly I will hold off future contributions to the Costa Cálida Chronicle until the market recommences. I thank all the staff of our favourite magazine for their assistance in publishing my reports and their readership for their support. Hopefully it will not be too long before I can re-commence my articles and support the stunning cruise liners as they call once again into Cartagena.
Mike Smith
Here are three pictures of popular P & O ships that visited during 2019 –
‘Arcadia’, ‘Aurora’ and ‘Britannia’.