NEWCASTLE’S PORT OF TYNE TO HOST THIRTY-NINE CRUISE VISITS IN 2016

Always a welcome sight at Port of Tyne, the Marco Polo will be back to the port in 2016

2016 will see Newcastle’s Port of Tyne hosting some thirty nine cruise ship calls between April and September, including some of the most illustrious names in the cruising firmament.

Cruise and Maritime’s flagship, Magellan inaugurates the 2016 cruise season on April 2nd, with the first of five round trip sailings to Norway and the Baltic capitals, before she returns to Tilbury on an overnight sailing on May 20th.

Later in the year, her fleet mate- the veteran Marco Polo- returns to operate two cruises- a Baltic itinerary, and a round trip to Iceland and Greenland.

Long established in northern waters, Fred. Olsen introduces it’s flagship, the gorgeous Balmoral, to the Tyne for the first time in 2016. The ship will operate the largest single round trip deployment from Port of Tyne in 2016. Beginning in May, she will offer some eleven sailings to Norway, round Britain, and even down to the Mediterranean, ranging from five to fifteen nights in length.

2016 will also see the return of some platinum chip prestige vessels on cruise visits, with the sublime Crystal Symphony returning to Port of Tyne on July 7th in the course of a North Sea voyage.

Also back is Regent Seven Seas’ ultra luxury Seven Seas Voyager on both June 8th and August 16th, while Oceania’s highly styled Nautica and Marina also make guest appearances.

Most likely to draw multi generation attention will be the first ever visits by Disney Cruise Line. The Disney Magic will visit the port twice in June; once during the course of a round Britain circuit, and again during a follow on Baltic cruise.

Meanwhile, the arrival of the Kongingsdam on August 16th is a real coup for the port. The new Holland America Line flagship will be in ‘town’ on the same day as Seven Seas Voyager. And her slightly smaller sister ship- the Zuiderdam- will also be on the Tyne on July 2nd.

All in all, a busy and prestigious roster of cruise ship tonnage will be showcased at Newcastle/Port of Tyne in 2016. Stay tuned for any updates, or see the complete list (with arrival times and departures) at; http://www.portoftyne.co.uk

 

Thanks to Lisa Donohoe at Port of Tyne for supplying the arrivals list for the Tyneside 2016 season

 

MARCO POLO TO THE BALTIC- DEPARTURE FROM NEWCASTLE

Sailing day; it still leaves me with that ‘kid-on-Christmas-Day’ feeling….

Add in the fact that I’m sailing on one of my favourite ships-the magnificent Marco Polo, celebrating her 50th anniversary this year-and you’ll perhaps understand why my adrenaline was running like tap water as we pulled up at the North Shields passenger terminal.

Originally designed to service the overnight ferries sailing to and from Amsterdam, the terminal- used for Newcastle/Port Of Tyne sailings- doubles up for cruise use on seasonal summer sailings from the Tyne. And, for someone used to making the long treks down to Southampton, Dover and Harwich to board a ship, the sheer ease and convenience of being able to rock up at my local home port never fails to amaze me.

Check in was arranged deck by deck and, though the ship had sold out (Capacity 800, adults only), the boarding process took exactly twenty five minutes. That’s from entering the terminal to walking into the warm, Balinese themed lobby of the Marco Polo. Pretty damned good, that.

Though she is as pretty as a postcard, the Marco Polo remains refreshingly intimate. More comfortable than luxurious, the feeling of boarding her is akin to sagging gratefully into a pair of favourite, comfortable slippers. There’s a feeling of gentle, contented ease that comes from being cocooned in something that is at once instantly welcoming, and yet wonderfully familiar. On both counts, the Marco Polo hits the bullseye.

A thorough but relatively short lifeboat drill follows, by which time my luggage is already outside my room. I have time enough to check out the daily programme, before being pathetically overcome by the need for that first, invariable ‘bon voyage’ drink.

Almost inevitably, I take this on the gorgeous, curved terrace that frames the outside of Scott’s Bar, overlooking the stern. Sat back on cafe chair, feet braced against the deck railings- the classic Marco Polo cruising stance- I tip my vodka and cranberry briefly in the direction of ‘Rudy’, the statue of Rudolf Nureyev that forms a focal point on the aft lido deck. Rudy and I have become well acquainted over the course of three decades.

This contented little reverie is gently shaken by a muted trembling that passes through the deck rails; one that always sends a shiver of delight running up my spine. I glance to port and, to my sheer, infantile joy, the Port Of Tyne terminal is already falling away like a fading souffle. The gangway is gone, as are the ropes. Those last, little tenuous links with reality are no longer needed.

Poised and perfect as a swan, the Marco Polo gives a first, tentative surge forward. Her whistle roars out a stately triple salute to the Tyne as a squadron of gluttonous, over fed gulls shriek, scream and swoop in her wake like so many demented dive bombers. People on house balconies lining the stately, steel grey river look over and wave as this fantastic floating time machine surges majestically past them, almost close enough to touch. Another vodka and cranberry appears at my elbow. I can’t help but smile.

Now out, past Tyneside’s historic breakwater, following in the wakes of the Mauretania, the QE2, and many other famous legends of yesteryear. Out of the Tyne, on a ship still writing chapters in her own, imperishable legend. One we are sharing, even as we savour it.

The North Sea welcomes us with benign skies, and sparkling sunlight dancing on languid, lapping waves that seem to speed the lady on her way. A stately, gentle roll begins to assert itself; the immutable overture to our voyage up ahead. Feet back up on the railings, I sit staring at the clouds, drifting by in the sky like fleets of ghostly galleons.

A sense of freedom dances in the ether around me. It clinks the ice cubes together in my glass as if in celebration. At least, that’s how it seems right at that moment.

And so, we are off. It begins again….

Sunlit aft terraces on the Marco Polo- ‘Rudy’ is centre stage

BALMORAL COMES TO THE TYNE FOR 2016

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has just announced that it’s flagship, the 1,350 passenger, 43,000 ton Balmoral, will come north to operate a series of eleven cruises from Newcastle between May and August of 2016.

The ship, originally built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg as the Crown Odyssey back in 1988, is the largest vessel in the current, four ship FOCL fleet, and will take the place currently occupied by fleet mate Boudicca, originally the fabled Royal Viking Sky.

The addition of the ship will increase the seasonal summer numbers sailing from Newcastle by an estimated forty five per cent. Ironically, it might also see Balmoral reunited from time to time with her former Orient Lines’ fleetmate, Marco Polo, which now sails for the rival Cruise And Maritime Voyages from the Tyne in summer.

The programme for Balmoral commences on May 21st, with a five night Norwegian fjords cruise. Standing out among the mostly Scandinavian itineraries is a rather attractive, eleven night cruise that showcases the best of Spain, Portugal and Guernsey.

Rightly famed for her beautiful, Art Deco styling and wide amount of open outdoor decks, Balmoral is an elegant, supremely comfortable vessel, decorated with great style, and features the excellent levels of service and cuisine for which the Fred. Olsen brand is well known in the cruising fraternity.

Her arrival in northern parts definintely ratchets up the increasing high profile of Newcastle/Port of Tyne as an ideal departure point, especially for the highlights of Scandinavia, Iceland and Greenland.

An interesting development, for sure. As ever, stay tuned.

Balmoral is Tyneside bound for summer 2016

TYNE AND TIDE; CMV’S MAGELLAN INAUGURATES PORT OF TYNE 2015 SEASON

Maiden calls always guarantee a bit of a media ‘splash’ for a new arrival, and this was definitely the case for the new Cruise and Maritime flagship, Magellan, when she inaugurated the cruising season from Port of Tyne on March 27th.

The 46,052 ton ship- built in 1985 as Carnival’s Holiday- arrived to embark some six hundred passengers for a Norwegian Fjords cruise after an overnight voyage from Tilbury.

While she was here, the company hosted a group of writers to a drinks reception and lunch. Boarding something like an hour earlier gave me time to wander round and run an eye over the ‘new’ flagship.

The first impression you get is of how much more spacious she is compared to, say, her fleet mate, the veteran Marco Polo. Magellan is wider by quite a way, and this allowed the creation of a string of open public spaces, both inside and out.

A long, finely styled interior boulevard with a Scandinavian accent contains many of the main public rooms. Lit by a long expanse of floor to ceiling windows, this space is a delight to stroll in it’s own right. Many of the main public rooms debouch from this walkway, and extend right out to the port side of the ship.

Nicely done is Sinatras, an evocative jazz bar that forms an elegant, expansive focal point for after dinner mood music and cocktails. I should imagine it will prove very popular with regular passengers.

All of the public rooms have been toned down in terms of decor from the Carnival days, though the casino is still bigger than on any of the other ships in the fleet. Overall, this is a ship where strolling from bar to bar after dinner is an indulgent affair, with music to suit every mood and whim.

Outside, the Magellan benefits from having a central pool located in a vast, teak lined well deck, thus shading it from the wind all around. Another pool overlooking the stern has a pair of Jacuzzis just behind it, while another, oval shaped Jacuzzi is located right forward, on the highest deck.

The two main restaurants- Kensington and Waldorf- are both located on one of the lower decks. Each serves the same menu and spans the full width of the ship. They are done in a slighly more vibrant, but not over the top, shade of green that gives them a fresh, warm feeling when sunlight floods in through the big windows on either side.

It is worth noting that the Magellan is an adults-only ship. Twice the tonnage of Marco Polo, and with a maximum capacity of 1,250 passengers, she offers roughly half as much space again per person as the smaller ship. And, because of her later, mid eighties design, many cabins are of a uniform size and layout. In fact, they are the largest standard cabins on any ship of this size in the UK market.

CMV has been smart in selling quite a large number of these- both inside and outside- as dedicated singles, at a smile inducing 25 per cent supplement on the normal fares. They represent some of the best buys available anywhere in the UK cruisng scene today.

In short, Magellan looks like a smart acquisition. Sure, she is bigger than Marco Polo, but the level of intimacy is still there. There are more lifts, a good passenger flow, and more spaces in which to pause and play in. There’s an aft facing spa and wellness centre on this ship that looks particularly alluring as well.

The renovation of the ship has been quite sympathetic, keeping the open, breezy largesse of the former ‘Fun Ship’ while, at the same time, enhancing and expanding her appeal for the British cruising passenger. Offering everything from overnight cruises to grand, thirty plus day round trip sailings to the Caribbean, the Magellan will have some cruises on offer to suit eveybody’s budget and timescale.

Definitely an experience worthy of consideration. I hope to do a short cruise on her later this year, and I’ll have a fuller, more comprehensive report on the ship then.

As ever, stay tuned.

The Norwegian Fjords will be a highlight of the 2015 Magellan season

SHINING ON THE TYNE- CRYSTAL AND REGENT TO VISIT NEWCASTLE IN AUGUST

In what amounts ot a double shot of elegant, exclusive luxury, the port of Newcastle will for the first time play host to two ultra luxury cruise ships in August within the space of a week. This is a huge coup for the port that could set a possible trend for future, upscale arrivals in the region.

First, we have Regent Seven Seas’ classy Seven Seas Voyager. The 50,000 ton, 700 guest all suite ship will dock at North Shields for the day on Wednesday, August 19th.

One week later, it will be the turn of the sublime Crystal Symphony, slated for an 1100 arrival at North Shields on Wednesday 26th, and departing at 1900 that same evening.

The Tyne is no stranger to great luxury ships; as well as being a seasonal home base for the ships of Cruise And Maritime and Fred. Olsen, the port has been graced by such star attractions as the QE2, Silver Cloud, Westerdam and MSC Magnifica among others in recent times.

While this should hardly be surprising when considering the sheer glut of scenic overkill that the region is famed for, not to mention it’s world renowned hospitality, the arrival of these two highly styled, very exclusive vessels one after another cannot help but raise the region’s profile on the international cruise circuit.

For the locals, it will be a matter of great pride to welcome these two superb vessels and their guests to the Tyne. Stay tuned for further details.

Magnificnet Durham Cathedral; one of many regional masterpieces on offer to cruise passengers visiting the Tyne

MARITIME SNIPPETS; TIDE, TYNE, AND OUT OF TIME…..

There’s no shortage of news to digest on the maritime front. And, like anything that you are obliged to chew over- whethether actually or mentally- some leave a better taste in the mouth than others. In this industry, that is the inevitable default setting.

I was immensely saddened, but not surprised, to see the sale of the lovely little Lisboa to a scrapyard, some two years after her partially completed refit had to be aborted owing to unexpected extra costs. I had the pleasure of sailing on this staunch, dignified little dream of a ship and, to those who love her, her loss is tragic indeed, if inevitable.

On the plus front, the forthcoming arrival in the UK of Anthem Of The Seas will add a welcome splash of colour and diversity to the big ship market. Sleek, state of the art, and jam packed with a conga line of beguiling new gimmicks and estalished, old fashioned favourites, I expect this ship to be an absolute smash during her first ever European season.

For my own, native North East, this coming August will see the very welcome visits of not one, but two, six star ships within two weeks of each other. First is a very welcome debut for Regent’s sybaritic Seven Seas Voyager, still currently one of only three all suite, all balcony cruise ships in the world. She is followed a fortnight later by the excellent, perenially elegant Crystal Symphony, recently extensively refurbished and definite

Old, new, borrowed and blue. It’s all going on right now in the cruise industry…

ly looking as regal as ever.

The arrival of such high end vessels in the region is a wonderful opportunity to show just how much this area has to offer to cruise ship passengers. I hope all concerned do everything possible to provide these incoming visitors with a wonderfully inclusive experience for the day.

For my part, I am also very much looking forward to seeing CMV’s Magellan when she arrives for her inaugural visit to the Tyne on Saturday, 28th March. The 46,052 ton ship- formerly the Holiday of Carnival Cruise Lines- has been extensively refurbished, and looks stunning in her new livery. Expect a full review of this ship shortly.

And, of course, it is not too long now until the poised, beautifully styled Viking Star makes her debut. The first of Viking Ocean’s quartet of cruise ships is very much a throwback to the traditional style of inclusive excellence once typified by the legendary Royal Viking Line, and this new ship is clearly aimed at a market that prefers a more inclusive, tradtional kind of cruise experience. Clearly, the lady is going to be quite something.

Interesting times, for sure. As ever, stay tuned.

 

2014 CRUISE SCHEDULE FROM THE TYNE

Fred. Olsen’s Black Watch in the Kiel Canal

Newcastle’s Port Of Tyne lists no less than twenty one round  trip departures over the summer of 2014, featuring ships from three different lines, between May and October. With Thomson Cruises pulling out of ex- UK cruising for 2015 at least, this might be something of a high water mark for the northern port.

That line is offering nine sailings from Port Of Tyne, with the 33,000 ton Thomson Spirit. Beginning with the first round trip departure from the port on May 27th, she will be making three twelve to fifteen night cruises to the highlights of the Baltic, as well as a twelve night cruise to the top of the North Cape, and a special, fifteen night cruise out to Iceland and the Arctic.

There is also a trio of seven night cruises over to the spectacular fjords of Western Norway. The season closes out with a three night mini cruise on August 23rd, which repositions the ship to Harwich.

Cruise And Maritime is also returning to sailings from the Tyne, with the 22,000 ton veteran Marco Polo making five sailings, beginning with a six night cruise to Western Norway that leaves on June 9th. A further, seven night itinerary that also sails to Norway on 27th June is bracketed by a twelve night Baltic Capitals cruise, departing from the Tyne on June 15th, and a fourteen night adventure to the North Cape of Norway that sails on July 4th.

Helsinki’s Lutheran Cathedral is a staple of the summertime Baltic cruise

Marco Polo rounds off her Tyneside season with an eleven night, Round Britain cruise that sails on July 18th. This cruise ends at London Tilbury.

Last but not least, northern mainstay Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines returns to the Tyne with the 28,000 ton Black Watch. The former Royal Viking Line flagship is serving up seven round trip departures, kicking off with a fifteen night foray to the North Cape on June 28th.

This is followed by a one off, seven night cruise to Western Norway on July 13th, and an eleven night swing out to Iceland on July 20th.

After a brief break, the Black Watch returns to the Tyne on September 14th to make a fourteen night Baltic Capitals cruise, followed by an eleven night cruise down to the sunny highlights of Northern Spain on September 28th. A penultimate, ten night departure on October 9th goes to some of the highlights of Scandinavia.

Final departure of the year is a fifteen night, Canary Islands sailing on October 19th, before Black Watch closes the Port Of Tyne cruise season with her departure from North Shields on November 3rd.

The summertime Baltic sunsets are truly phenomenal

Between them, the total of twenty one sailings carried out by these three ships are anticipated to carry a total of 21,000 passengers from the only major port of embarkation in North East England. While a relatively small total compared to the flagship ports on the south coast, it has to be kept in mind that the season from the Tyne is a lot shorter than for most other ports on the mainland UK.

Future trends are hard to see, for although both Fred. Olsen and Cruise And Maritime will be back on the Tyne in 2015, the abrupt departure of Thomson Cruises creates something of a void. With a passenger capacity of around 1,250, the Thomson Spirit offers half as many berths again as her rivals, and she also offered the largest number of sailings. It has to be hoped that her absence in 2015 is only a temporary blip.

CRUISES TO THE NORTH EAST OF ENGLAND

Durham has a magnificent setting

North East England’s amazing cities, historic sites and stunning, sweeping coastline is receiving more cruise ship visitors year on year. And, when you look at the wealth of attractions encompassed within such a welcoming, relatively compact area, it’s hardly surprising that the really savvy, forward thinking lines are already visiting and, in some cases, even basing ships on Tyneside during the long, light days of summer.

History in it’s most classical sense is on display in dignified, dramatic Durham, the third oldest university city in the United Kingdom, and also the site of a truly stunning Norman castle and cathedral, dating from the year 1086, that sits overlooking the meandering sweep of the River Wear. Granted UNESCO World Heritage Status, this remarkable brace of Romanesque revelations constitute the most completely intact constructions of their kind anywhere in Northern Europe.

All cruises to date arrive at North Shields/Port Of Tyne, the gateway to the region. Not far away is Newcastle, a swaggering, graceful city garlanded with some stunning Georgian architecture, and an amazing span of bridges that vault the steel grey Tyne itself. This alone makes for one of the most heart stopping and dramatic photo opportunities in the world. Not too far away is the stand alone Angel Of The North, initially controversial, but now as much a symbol of the region as the famous Tyne Bridge itself.

Intrigued by Harry Potter? Just north of Newcastle is stately, patrician Alnwick, with the castle and formal gardens that were used as sets for the world famous film series. And the local White Swan Hotel also contains many of the first class fittings and fixtures from the Olympic, the almost identical twin sister ship of the Titanic. It’s a wonderful setting for afternoon tea, or just a look around.

The keep of famous Durham Castle

That same coastline of Northumbria is famed for some amazing, honey coloured beaches, crowned by ancient ruined castles clinging to stunning headlands, where the play of light across sea and landscape is truly breathtaking. This is the area around Lindisfarne, a storied and stoic outcrop steeped in lore, legend, and memories of Saint Cuthbert.

Moving south from Durham, you have cities such as Stockton, quite literally the birthplace of modern rail travel, and historic Hartlepool, with its preserved old naval quarter that plays home to the HMS Trincomalee, an outstanding example of a Nelson era, fully restored ship of the line. Sunderland has beautiful, covered winter gardens, with a riot of gorgeous fauna displays, and swathes of sturdy old Victorian architecture right throughout the city centre.

When you combine all of this with world class shopping and dining, and add in the natural warmth and friendliness of the local population, the wonder surely is that more cruise ships do not have Port Of Tyne on their schedules. As time passes, expect that to change dramatically.

And, if you want to actually cruise from here to the convenient, absolutely spellbinding scenery of Norway and Scandinavia, both Cruise And Maritime and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines have ships that sail, round trip, from the Tyne during the summer. A great opportunity, then, to combine a fantastic cruise adventures with the warmth and beauty of North East England.

CRUISE AND MARITIME- SMALL BUT SWEET

Cruise and Maritime can show you the beauty of Ibiza

Cruise and Maritime is a relative newcomer to the UK cruising scene, but in a few short years it has managed to acquire a trio of smaller, extremely comfortable ‘ladies of the sea’ of a certain vintage, Marketed successfully to a clientele that is naturally averse to the current generation of glittering, Vegas- style mega ships, it also offers a summertime series of sailing from different home ports around the country. As with their rival, Fred. Olsen, this has proved to be a winning formula.

There is a lot of flexibility in the company schedules, from overnight repositioning cruises to gargantuan, thirty two night round trip cruises to the Caribbean and back. And, with this winter season’s charter of the small, beautifully styled Astor, Cruise and Maritime now offers the welcome option to sail to and from Australia and South Africa over the winter months; a real boon for those averse to airports and flying in general.

The company’s trio of swells consists of the aforementioned Astor, a stylish lady of 21,000 tons with a graceful, swept back funnel and some gorgeous tiered decks at the stern. Discovery is the former Island Princess, also around 20,000 tons. With light, airy interiors and a sliding glass roof over her central lido pool, she is ideal for cruises in northern waters in the long summer nights.

Perhaps best known is the Marco Polo, a wonderful, typically styled liner, suffused in bow to stern art deco, and blessed with a wonderful series of cascading, upper deck terraces at the stern. A similar size to her fleetmates, her capacity of around 800 passengers is also on a par with the other two ships. And, like them, she offers a uniformity of product across the board.

Visit Honfleur on a Cruise and Maritime city break

Common to all three of the Cruise and Maritime ships is a warm, intimate atmosphere, and food, service and entertainment geared towards a predominantly older, UK market. There are very few balcony cabins on any of the ships, and extra tariff restaurants are a complete no-no here.

What you do get is a good value, solid product that will take you to some fascinating places, at a genuinely good price point. The exception is the single cabins, which are typically twice the rate of a double, and something the company needs to address in light of aggressive discounting by rivals.

Both Discovery and Marco Polo shift bases around the country during the summer, sailing from ports such as Bristol, Edinburgh, Harwich and Newcastle, as well as the main, year round base of Tilbury. The Essex port has a dedicated coach connection from London Victoria for all sailings, and is also easily reached  by rail from anywhere in the UK via London’s Fenchurch Street station.

Cruise and Maritime is a real alternative to the mega ships of Cunard and P&O. The ships are charming and evocative, well run, and offer a whole raft of optional itineraries. You can even spend the evening on board Marco Polo pierside in Tilbury, and enjoy drinks, dinner and a floorshow on board. This is a great way to get the ‘feel’ of the ship without going overboard on the finances.

Shell Beach, Saint Barts. Go there with Cruise and Maritime’s winter escape

I particularly recommend some of the short, two to five day short cruises offered by Marco Polo, many of which are ideal for visiting some of Northern Europe’s more appealing Christmas markets, such as Antwerp and Ghent. These are also ideal pick me ups, and they also offer the opportunity to see and discover some new and very attractive cities at a good price point. Add in the attractions of a secure, largely all inclusive environment, and the value becomes obvious.

Best of all, there’s also no worries on the amount of personal luggage you can bring back with you, so you can shop to your heart’s- and your wallet’s- content. Enjoy.

FERRY NICE- NEW START UP SERVICE FROM NEWCASTLE TO NORWAY (Updated)

The stunning beauty of Western Norway

After months of rumours and stop-start negotiations, start up company Norwegian Seaways has finally announced the oft bruited resumption of a direct ferry service between Newcastle and Western Norway. This will be the first such direct link between the UK and Norway since the 2008 demise of the Bergen Line.

The route, scheduled for two weekly round trips from North Shields to both Bergen and Stavanger, is tentatively scheduled to start from the Tyne on April 14th next year.The trips, which will also be sold as mini cruises, will be of about three days’ duration each.

However, the firm date, as announced in Stavanger last week by Peter Iles, chairman of Norwegian Seaways, has been apparently greeted with astonishment by his own board, according to a Norwegian newspaper. They seem to have concerns that the ship- believed to be a ferry acquired from the Mediterranean- might not be ready for that early start date.

In any event, this seems a relatively minor storm in a teacup. The vessel in question is said to be around 27,000 tons, and with a length of around two hundred metres. With the intention of capturing both the business and holiday market, the as yet unnamed ship will boast a full service spa, several bars and restaurants, a casino and a disco. Cabin configurations are as yet unknown.

She will also be fully stabilised. That’s a key requirement for the often mercurial North Sea, and especially important as the ship is expected to sail year round. A move is afoot to promote Norway as a potentially viable ski-ing destination during the winter. The fact that a ship would have a far more generous baggage allowance than any budget or scheduled flight could be a key marketing advantage for the projected new service.

Street scene in Stavanger

Western Norway has huge potential as a ski destination, with runs at least comparable, if not far superior, to those of winter France, Italy and Switzerland. It’s unclear yet what the car carrying capacity of the ship will be, though obviously there will be a full trailer and lorry carrying operation on the ship.

The service should also have considerable appeal as a cruise/ferry option. Both Bergen and Stavanger are extremely attractive ports in their own right, especially in the long Nordic summer nights. It is to be hoped that the new company will also offer a cruise-and-stay option, both for passengers from the UK, and those embarking in Norway to visit the Newcastle/Durham region.

This is definitely one to keep an eye on for 2014. As always, my advice is to stay tuned.

UPDATE: The vessel in question is said to be the Zeus Palace, originally built in 2001. In her current configuration, the ship has some 500 staterooms for around 1300 passengers, and a capacity for some 1,000 cars. She is currently sailing for Italy’s Grimaldi Lines in the Mediterranean.

Another update: A second company source has just said that the company has not purchased any vessel, and that the service might not start in 2014 at all. Bit of a dog’s breakfast……