Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#1
Huge Cruise Liner in today..the real deal. One of the magnificent fleet of MSC jobs scheduled to come here...which is good news of sorts. Hopefully we can capitalise on some of the spend from the floods of passengers this year.
This one is The Magnifica and its big.
As it was such a grey morning I couldnt get a decent shot, everything looked grey, so I played around with the programming for some mild amusement.
In the foreground you can clearly see 'our' Loch Ness monster!
Close up of 'our' Loch Ness monster below! Dont go in the Water!
Just added a general shot below hopefully showing how low the tide is getting at the moment. High Tides, Low Tides.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#2
i wonder what happened to the tourists who book a night at the churchill before going on a cruise?
i hope they were referred to premier lodge rather than out of the town.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
#3
Ah PaulB, you have an unfair advantage living down there. Only got in half hour ago to report the cruise ship on here, but can`t win them all.
Yes, great to see that liner in this morning, and still fine picture`s all the same. I didn`t fair much better, and a pity it wasn`t the last couple of days with the sunshine. Whilst walking uptown from the front though, I spotted a bus with cruise passenger`s alighting, and the first time I`ve seen them in Dover. Got a few snaps, and tried to make out I was one of them with my camera and evesdrop on any comment`s they might have about our town. All foreign, and I couldn`t make any of the language`s out. I saw some up town photographing St Mary`s church.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
#4
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
#5
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
#6
MSC Magnifica is brand new, just completed in Saint Nazaire. She showed herself off to the tourist industry in Southampton the other day and is now on a short cruise to Hamburg where she will be named.
She is the last of four sisters, one of which, MSC Poesia, was christened in Dover. Another sister ship, MSC Opera, is running out of Dover this year but will transfer to Southampton next year as MSC reckon they can tap more of the British cruise market by sailing from there.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#7
Ah you did great there Colin. Man on the spot in there amongst the tourists. Very good that a few managed to reach the worn out streets of Dover, but what they made of the low grade suicide inducing Bench St gawd alone knows ( as shown in your bottom shot).
Ed I was at the MSC Poesia launch a few years ago now and brought some pictures back to show on here. The MSC chief spoke with huge enthusiasm in favour of their relationship with Dover so a bit dismal therefore to think that they are moving to Southampton. I wonder what the real reason is..the real why? after all we are blessed with the High Speed Train now and everything so passengers would have no problem reaching here.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
#8
These are the reasons given on a website called MyCruiseBlog:
"MSC has previously run UK departures from Dover, but this is great news because it opens up to a whole new audience. Getting to Dover from the North of England has always been a real issue, but Southampton means that your journey completely avoids the congestion of the M25 and the M20."
The line's UK and Ireland managing director Giulio Libutti said: "Ex-UK cruising is becoming ever more desirable and popular and we are delighted to be working with Southampton port in 2011. Southampton port is well suited to our new planned itineraries cruising to the north of France, Spain and Portugal. The infrastructure and amenities at the port and in the city make Southampton a desirable and attractive port for us, with great transport links offered by road, rail and air, which will better service our passengers. The move also allows us to better penetrate Southampton's local markets, as well as the whole of the South West, which is saturated with established cruisers and an increasing number of first time cruisers."
http://www.mycruiseblog.co.uk/blog/_archives/2010/1/27/4440232.html
No mention of the High Speed Train there. Possibly because there is not a lot of room for baggage. Travelled on it for the first time on monday and very impressed. An hour and seven minutes to St Pancras and very reasonable £31.80 off peak return. Airline seating but a couple of tables in each carriage, which my granddaughter and I spread our stuff out on. She had come down from Blackpool and I picked her up from Euston, which is just a ten minute walk up the road from St.Pancras (and Kings Cross is next door to St.Pancras of course).
It is certainly an embarrassment to think of cruise passengers walking about just about anywhere in Dover. No contest with Southampton which is a lovely place where I had the pleasure of living for a decade. Best thing would be to whisk them up to the Castle and keep the windows blacked out so they cannot see all the dereliction.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
#9
Thanks Paul, the nearest I`ll ever become to being a master spy. On a slightly down note, the visitor`s were walking through the subway to the seafront, and that chap with the noisy radio was down there in his bag again, (as per all week and last), together with another man, and this is what I was trying to get at the other week about homeless lying about. It was just not a very good advert for Dover. And another of my previous post`s, there were a number of biscuit`s laying in the subway this morning, and all those darned pigeon`s all over the place. Again, not a very good advert for visitor`s.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
#10
Yes, I love Southampton, too, it's a place we visit once a year on a visit to a friend who lives there. However, the Mayflower cruise terminal is nowhere near the standard of either of the two in Dover, despite recent refurbishment.
And, as for the person who says that getting to Southampton is better than getting to Dover , avoiding the congestion of the M25 and the M20............I'd like to ask him/her how the congestion of the M25 & M20 differs from the congestion of the M25 and M3, the latter being considerably more congested than the M20 (except during Op Stack, of course!).
True friends stab you in the front.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
#11
Beside`s these visitor`s this morning, other`s were to my left photographing each other at the monument, while still more were walking in the opposite direction. All coming through the subway. Shame also about that bitter wind this morning.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
#12
I`ve lodged down Southampton a number of times, working with the car trains down there. It is a nice place, but one thing a bit absurd was the ritual of many passenger`s coming into Dock gate 4, and having to carry their baggage near half a mile to get to the cruise ship. Could never make that out.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#13
that does surprise me colin.
cruising is a luxury holiday, carting luggage a distance does not fit in with that.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
#14
There was a constant flow of private cars and taxi`s Howard, usually Thursday if I remember correctly, and when we shut the road off to let the car trains through, there was a massive build up of traffic. A number of traveller`s though, walked from Canute Road to the terminal. I was surprised they never ran a mini bus along there. This picture I took in 2008, shows the walking route on the right, and stretching
back into the distance. Where that crane stands, is pier 14, where the Titanic sailed from nearly 100 years ago.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
#15
And in the opposite direction, the cruise terminal is where that car carrier vessel is, round the corner. I really enjoyed staying and working down in Southampton, and wandering round the shops. Plenty of ships passing to photograph, which I did between trains. There is no public admittance down there though, without prior arrangements with Associated British Ports. Pity we can`t be twinned with Southampton, and have a bit of their work.
I could do a small thread on Southampton port with some of the ships if anyone`s interested, but if not, no worries.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
#16
I think I`ve just woke Marek up with my pounding of the keypad, so I shall now retire.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#17
Ha Ha
Couldn't sleep my leg is killing me.I am enjoying the photo's you posted.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#18
Another large cruise liner in today...so Dover is off to a flying start now that its March. Its not quite as large as yesterdays whopper but is one of those with a multi-painted hull so worth a look. Its called the...
AIDAblu and thats how its lettered...just had a look through the oul trusty binoculars. Very operatic, so must be Italian at a wild guess.
Some interesting information in the posts above there lads...many thanks. I wasnt aware Southampton was an attractive destination, never been there myself alas. Sounds good though.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
#19
AIDA is not only an opera, Paul. With my 'Fabric Fairy' head on, I can tell you that AIDA is also the standard fabric used in the lower levels of cross-stitch. Whilst keen to promote all aspects of the industry in which I find myself employed, I very much doubt, however, that the huge cruise ship in Dover today will be filled to the gunwhales with enthusiastic cross stitchers!
On the other hand, if it is, perhaps I should hightail it down to the Cruise Terminal and set up shop for the day!
True friends stab you in the front.
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
#20
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A couple of photos from shipspotting.com.
The night shot is at the Hamburg cruise centre.
She was built in Germany and registered in Italy and is one of seven liners from cruise firm Aida.
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
