Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
Ah well now, I will be on this wonderful ship in August for a mini-cruise to Amsterdam, so PaulB eat your heart out
I'll take some photos for you though
Roger and Jean I hope you enjoy your Baltic cruise, Jean certainly deserves it and your goodself of course.
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
Oh come on flower give us guys a break you know full well I,d rather be at work ha ha I don,t think so
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
That super ship the Norwegian Jewel is in again this morning..always looks magnificent in its glorious coloured livery. Roger and Jean will be on it this time when it sails off this evening into tropical waters. Lucky beggers!..and they didnt so much as invite the rest of us neither. Its not on so its not
..Im going to complain so I am..I am..
ColetteB and B W-S will be on it in august too so they keep telling us.
Im disgruntled. All I have to look forward to is an occasional plod along the leafy lanes of Kent on me oul motorbike. Oh the injustice of it all!
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
Roger and Jean I hope you have a great time, it's a great ship, so it is. Ah, to putter along the leafy lanes of Kent on two wheels must be wonderful, taking in the dawn with the larks, I envy you PaulB
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Roger and Jean's great ship is back..yes the fab Norwegian Jewel is looking resplendantly colourful by the harbour wall as I write and all in a spot of glorious sunshine too. Oh we are spoiled!..sunshine two days running. It must be global warming kicking in!
In the past few days we have had fantastic ships in..the Crystal Symphony and the MSC Armonia to name but two. This cruise season is going great guns.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Jean and I had a great cruise as did the friends we went with - also from Dover; the Jewel is certainly a lovely ship and decorated and fitted out to a high standard.
The thing that we didn't too much care for though, was "Free-Style" cruising, which means that anything goes as far as dress is concerned and some people really dressed DOWN for dinner, lunch or even breakfast.
Some came to dinner like they'd just come in from working in the garden, we couldn't believe it.
No shorts at dinner was just the minimum. I think it spoils it to be honest; even working class Councillors like to wear a suit occasionally !
The places we called at showed why Dover is missiing out so much.
Proper sight-seeing tour buses at each location, apart from St. Petersburg, then it has to be an organised tour (which was what we did) or a cruise-company tour.
The tour bus we have in Dover picks up from the cruise terminal, up to the Castle and then to the Market Square - or it may be the Market Square first, before the Castle.
Two small Towns we called at - Warnemunde in Germany and Tallin in Estonia were beautiful - clean streets and pavements, well-cared for buildings and welcoming people, shop owners and workers.
Most of the destinations had stalls/shops close to the ships, so people could buy local things - various souvenirs, clothes, drinks etc.
I'm sure something could be done for Dover.
When we returned on Tuesday, I was just amazed at the Cruise Welcome desk. I know it was a "Turn-Around, not a Port of Call", but not everyone is rushing off to the USA or where ever they came from, some were spending time in Dover perhaps for the day or more - but nothing, absolutely nothing.
Even if the majority of people are going directly home, we should have posters and information there, showing what we have here and it being given out to anyone we can give it to -they may come back to Dover for another cruise, people do and they will know then what there is to see and do the next time they're here; stay for two or three days.
We have the Port, we have the History, we have so little understanding of what we should be doing- sad seems such an understatement.
Even with little or no co-operation from the cruise-line companies (on their TV service for example, it is for Dover, read London and Canterbury - literally), we could do so much for ourselves.
Why aren't we selling Dover ? why are we allowing the buildings that are going to stay after the DTIZ is finished, not being smartened up - through enforcement if necessary.
Roger
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Good to see you down there Roger,but you are right,the desk down there is not good,and after you had gone the line for the Taxis were an hour wait at least,I had one blind couple who I put into a Taxi bus as I knew the driver and the cab had 2 other people in and were going to the Station,I then saw 2 of my Mums friends who were going home to Dover,the lady is in a wheelchair at the moment so I helped them and told them to call a taxi company before they left the terminal,they waited 5 mins for there taxi.2100 people came off that Norwegian Jewel and 2300 went on it,but the Terminal brings in so much money to Dover,people come down the night before,Taxi drivers,Security Porters Crane Drivers Hotels Flowers and all sorts of goods are loaded on to the ships.
So although we can rightfully complain about the Cruise Companies marketing around our local area they do bring thousands of pounds to the local community and I am seeing a few forumites even working down there,but it is a well run operation to move so many people in such a short time and hard work.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Thanks John - it was good to see you too. I agree, it is well run and for you guys, hard work.
I was surprised we got a taxi so soon - I only phoned for one after we had had breakfast.
I agree that the cruise ships bring money into Dover, but only certain sections of it and I certainly don't dent any of those sections the money that it does bring, but we could do so much better - we need a bigger slice of the cake.
Roger
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Great postings there chaps..very interesting indeed.
For lovers of large ones...there is a whopper in today..an absolute whopper probably the biggest one that comes to visit us here. Its the Grand Princess, the one with the nose cone(front end) like a dolphin and the back end like a ski jump.
Worth taking a look if you are down this way or nearby.
The minnow Regatta also in. Minnow by comparison.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
picture of the great ship today...
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
Great picture PaulB, that's not one of your pigeons by any chance?
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Barry W-S
Spec savers have an offer on at the moment and I suggest you pay them a visit asap.The offending bird in Pauls snap is a Seagull..not rare in this area and easily distinguished by their ability to pooh all over over Dover at will.the loud shrieks they emit and their larger size in comparison to the flying vermin often referred to as pigeons.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
Hi Marek, I know the difference me auld china, as you know PaulB's been 'having a little bit of bother' with said pigeons, so I thought I'd have a bit of fun
ps Thanks for the tip for Specsavers I think I'll get myself down there fast lol!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
whatever we think about the herring gulls and their habits, it has to be said that they are beautiful creatures.
the markings are quite outstanding, as we see so many we hardly notice.
in fact they are so lovely, i have taken the liberty of giving a group of them paul's address.
sure he wouldn't mind.
Guest 670- Registered: 23 Apr 2008
- Posts: 573
I'm sure he will be delighted Howard especially with the alarm call at 5.00am every morning.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
Yep that would really set him up for a nice start to the day
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
Norwegian Jewel passing astern of Maersk Dover after departing Eastern Entrance on sunday. Weather a bit blustery so she and the Balmoral both departed by Eastern.
http://shipsintheportofdover.fotopic.net/c1021470.html
Grand Princess photographed from the footbridge over the freight exit road as I trudged across to join Maersk Dover for my two weeks on, groog! She and her sister ship Star Princess (see below) are the largest cruise ships to visit Dover so far. The Carnival Splendour is due to arrive on her maiden voyage on July 10th and will then take that title. Personally, I find the lines of the Grand Princess rather attractive, with the distinctive disco across the stern. However, my fellow ETO referred to her as the "shopping trolley!"
http://shipsintheportofdover.fotopic.net/c565341.html
Star Princess photographed in 2005 with Saga Rose. The former had a serious fire a year or two ago when a conflagration on one of the balconies spread along the ships side. The latter had an unfortunate accident recently when a filipino crewman died from asphyxiation down a ballast tank.
http://shipsintheportofdover.fotopic.net/c990429.htmlGuest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Well done Ed. have mentioned your pictures on the current frontpage.
A little gem of mild interest I heard earlier on the Today prog R4. Stena who are obviously very big in ferry travel have announced that they are adding to the time of their fast craft sailings to Ireland, from Holyhead to Dun Leary and from Stranraer to Belfast.
The time of the crossing from Holyhead to Dun Leary will be longer henceforth by 16 mins. This reduction in speed across the water saves an absolute fortune in fuel. The spokesman wasnt prepared to say how much, as it was "commercially sensitive". The company is clearly being hammered by rising fuel prices, as is everyone else, and has chosen this cost saving method to stay competitive.
I wonder if our own humble Speedferries is attempting anything similar.
So all along we have been gobbling up vast amounts of fossil fuel in order to get there that bit faster, whether from Dover or anywhere else, when really most of us dont care if we are aboard a short time extra. Does it matter?
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
I beleive the Dover ferries extend their crossing times to give maximum shopping time
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
PaulB
I read recently that an american airline company slowed its planes down which added an extra 3 minutes on each journey and saved the company $52million in fuel bills.
Its got to be the way ahead.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
email: dover7@msn.com