More cruises from Portsmouth?

[AndyMichelle]

RCI Majesty of the Seas has been to Portsmouth with rumours locally that it could be its new home port? 

They have spent millions upgrading the berth to accommodate larger ship's, could this be the start of a new rival port to Southampton? 

Andy 

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

RCI Majesty of the Seas has been to Portsmouth with rumours locally that it could be its new home port? 

They have spent millions upgrading the berth to accommodate larger ship's, could this be the start of a new rival port to Southampton? 

Andy 

That would be good. Only 50mins from home, but 40 on the train.

[Britboys]

Well, it would be nice to see it get a bit more business (I have 'historical' family ties to the city) but I can't see it becoming a rival. It is already a very busy port, with a relatively narrow entrance. The cruise terminal is not in a great place, with the rail connection being a fair distance on congested roads. Equally, the one road in from the mainland is not great for a large increase in traffic. It could be a good port of call for overseas lines, with the Historic Dockyard and Gunwharf Quays, together with easy access to Arundel and Chichester but I doubt it has the credentials to be a major turnaround port.

[grapau27]

41 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

RCI Majesty of the Seas has been to Portsmouth with rumours locally that it could be its new home port? 

They have spent millions upgrading the berth to accommodate larger ship's, could this be the start of a new rival port to Southampton? 

Andy 

Majesty of the seas is an old ship expected to be sold or scrapped by RCL.

Portsmouth is too close to Southampton.

Liverpool or Newcastle would be better ports to reach for people living further north.

[grapau27]

17 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Well, it would be nice to see it get a bit more business (I have 'historical' family ties to the city) but I can't see it becoming a rival. It is already a very busy port, with a relatively narrow entrance. The cruise terminal is not in a great place, with the rail connection being a fair distance on congested roads. Equally, the one road in from the mainland is not great for a large increase in traffic. It could be a good port of call for overseas lines, with the Historic Dockyard and Gunwharf Quays, together with easy access to Arundel and Chichester but I doubt it has the credentials to be a major turnaround port.

Thank you.

Great post for someone not knowledgeable about Portsmouth.

[terrierjohn]

9 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Majesty of the seas is an old ship expected to be sold or scrapped by RCL.

Portsmouth is too close to Southampton.

Liverpool or Newcastle would be better ports to reach for people living further north.

You beat me to the same comment Graham, Wikipedia has it listed as out of service 2020.

[AndyMichelle]

13 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Majesty of the seas is an old ship expected to be sold or scrapped by RCL.

Portsmouth is too close to Southampton.

Liverpool or Newcastle would be better ports to reach for people living further north.

I wonder why they have spent so much to enable larger cruise ships if it has no plans to use it more or is not suitable? 

The local report says that Majesty is transferring for a European season, but probably wishful thinking. 

Andy 

 

[grapau27]

5 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

You beat me to the same comment Graham, Wikipedia has it listed as out of service 2020.

Built in 1992 and last refurbished in 2007 Majesty is a Sovereign class ship and expected to be scrapped.

[grapau27]

2 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I wonder why they have spent so much to enable larger cruise ships if it has no plans to use it more or is not suitable? 

The local report says that Majesty is transferring for a European season, but probably wishful thinking. 

Andy 

 

Majesty is 28 years old and not  in RCL plans as they have already sold 2 newer and bigger Vision class ships to Marella.

[terrierjohn]

2 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Built in 1992 and last refurbished in 2007 Majesty is a Sovereign class ship and expected to be scrapped.

Possibly over here to be closer to the Asian sandy beaches where it can be scrapped.

[AndyMichelle]

Just now, terrierjohn said:

Possibly over here to be closer to the Asian sandy beaches where it can be scrapped.

Just read the report again, it says it will now be located in the UK and they are 'hopeful' she will be visiting again. 

That aside, they are planning for cruise ships, hence the investment in making the port suitable. 

Andy 

[zap99]

1 minute ago, AndyMichelle said:

I wonder why they have spent so much to enable larger cruise ships if it has no plans to use it more or is not suitable? 

The local report says that Majesty is transferring for a European season, but probably wishful thinking. 

Andy 

 

Andy.

I too wonder. I wonder why, if the harbour is too small, the RN have based the fleet there. Including the 2 Aircraft carriers. Iona may be a tight fit, but lots of smaller ships would be fine. The station is a way away from the cruise port. I imagine you spend a little more time in Portsmouth than us, but Britboys post was fairly accurate as far as I see. It would be nice to sit outside the spice island watching the ships. Good business for the Michael Kors shop as well

😂

 

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, zap99 said:

Andy.

I too wonder. I wonder why, if the harbour is too small, the RN have based the fleet there. Including the 2 Aircraft carriers. Iona may be a tight fit, but lots of smaller ships would be fine. The station is a way away from the cruise port. I imagine you spend a little more time in Portsmouth than us, but Britboys post was fairly accurate as far as I see. It would be nice to sit outside the spice island watching the ships. Good business for the Michael Kors shop as well

😂

 

Majesty is the largest cruise liner ever to visit and can only do so because of the improvements. 

Everything Britboys said is accurate, so why would Pompey Council invest so much in something that is apparently unusable? 

Doesn't make sense. 

Andy 

[grapau27]

10 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Just read the report again, it says it will now be located in the UK and they are 'hopeful' she will be visiting again. 

That aside, they are planning for cruise ships, hence the investment in making the port suitable. 

Andy 

Pullmantur was her destination but they are in administration and their ships have gone back to RCL.

Oceana is a similar tonnage and a much nicer ship and gone so maybe Fred Olsen,Marella or CMV might want Majesty if the price is right.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2020 by grapau27

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Majesty is the largest cruise liner ever to visit and can only do so because of the improvements. 

Everything Britboys said is accurate, so why would Pompey Council invest so much in something that is apparently unusable? 

Doesn't make sense. 

Andy 

We sailed on Pride of Bilbao out of Portsmouth. It didn't Scape the side on the way out. I think it was about 38000 tonnes, so not small. I seem to recall an Aida ship there, but that could have been after too many sherberts watching the harbour.

[grapau27]

8 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Majesty is the largest cruise liner ever to visit and can only do so because of the improvements. 

Everything Britboys said is accurate, so why would Pompey Council invest so much in something that is apparently unusable? 

Doesn't make sense. 

Andy 

Liverpool have made big improvements to their terminal but they have shallow water with only a narrow channel approach deep enough to accommodate big cruise liners.

[ann141]

Some friends sailed with CMV (British Isles cruise) a year ago from Portsmouth and travelled down by train.We have visited Portsmouth for the day before cruising from Southampton and the Historic Dockyard and shopping outlet are impressive.It would be great if more ships cruised from Liverpool or Newcastle but at the moment it only seems to be Fred Olsen and CMV that cruise from there neither of which I am keen on

[AndyMichelle]

12 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We sailed on Pride of Bilbao out of Portsmouth. It didn't Scape the side on the way out. I think it was about 38000 tonnes, so not small. I seem to recall an Aida ship there, but that could have been after too many sherberts watching the harbour.

Apparently it had a sloping bottom which is now flat, costing 18 million quid, solely to accommodate larger cruise ships. 

Andy 

[grapau27]

10 minutes ago, ann141 said:

Some friends sailed with CMV (British Isles cruise) a year ago from Portsmouth and travelled down by train.We have visited Portsmouth for the day before cruising from Southampton and the Historic Dockyard and shopping outlet are impressive.It would be great if more ships cruised from Liverpool or Newcastle but at the moment it only seems to be Fred Olsen and CMV that cruise from there neither of which I am keen on

Marella and MSC have sailed from Newcastle.

[ann141]

4 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Marella and MSC have sailed from Newcastle.

I had forgotten about Marella.We did consider one of their cruises sailing from Newcastle a few years ago.We were due to cruise on MSC from Southampton in September but it has been cancelled.I wasn t aware that MSC sometimes cruise from Newcastle.

[Britboys]

29 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Majesty is the largest cruise liner ever to visit and can only do so because of the improvements. 

Everything Britboys said is accurate, so why would Pompey Council invest so much in something that is apparently unusable? 

Doesn't make sense. 

Andy 

I'm sure it is useable Andy but not on such a frequent basis as to make them rival Southampton. Their website does say that they want to grow the cruise business but let's face it, they are starting from quite a low base. Purely speculation, but maybe they want to grow the port call business and maybe perhaps try to tempt CMV away from Tilbury all the time in the South? At least now they know they can accommodate a 70k ton ship if they need to. They are probably trying to jump on the bandwagon at exactly the wrong time thanks to Covid-19...

[grapau27]

7 minutes ago, ann141 said:

I had forgotten about Marella.We did consider one of their cruises sailing from Newcastle a few years ago.We were due to cruise on MSC from Southampton in September but it has been cancelled.I wasn t aware that MSC sometimes cruise from Newcastle.

MSC Magnifica sailed several times from Newcastle in 2018.

These  pictures were Sept 2018.

[zap99]

6 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I'm sure it is useable Andy but not on such a frequent basis as to make them rival Southampton. Their website does say that they want to grow the cruise business but let's face it, they are starting from quite a low base. Purely speculation, but maybe they want to grow the port call business and maybe perhaps try to tempt CMV away from Tilbury all the time in the South? At least now they know they can accommodate a 70k ton ship if they need to. They are probably trying to jump on the bandwagon at exactly the wrong time thanks to Covid-19...

We sail from Portsmouth, normally twice a year. We only go for a Ocean view as Brittany Ferries don't have balconies.

[mike x ftc]

Portsmouth gets a few ships in but not regularly. Saga, CMV,  Phoenix Reisen, Paul Gauguin and last year a few calls from Viking.  There's a lot in Portsmouth and a great base but the port is just a bit far out from public transport and things to see, nothing would be walkable from the ship.

Edited July 12, 2020 by mike x ftc

[AndyMichelle]

40 minutes ago, mike x ftc said:

Portsmouth gets a few ships in but not regularly. Saga, CMV,  Phoenix Reisen, Paul Gauguin and last year a few calls from Viking.  There's a lot in Portsmouth and a great base but the port is just a bit far out from public transport and things to see, nothing would be walkable from the ship.

Could it be worse than Tilbury, Dover or Harwich? 

I know it could never scale up to Southampton, but might take a bit of trade. 

Andy