Aurora on way to Cadiz

[tim2go]

I noticed this morning that Aurora is heading out across the Bay of Biscay apparently on her way to the Gulf of Cadiz.

 

I'm assuming she's going for drydock/scheduled maintenance/refit?

 

Does anyone have more info?

[Manx buoy]

Don’t think they can make their minds up where they’re going🤷‍♂️

[tim2go]

Definitely still heading south.

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, tim2go said:

Definitely still heading south.

You don't need to worry until she runs aground somewhere in India!!!😉

[davecttr]

I now prefer cruise ship tracker which has her half way across the BoB doing 14 knots and scheduled to arrive in Cadiz at 04.30 on the 9th

[P&O SUE]

Ooh err, Azura is the next ship needing a re-fit. Wonder what Aurora’s doing?

Edited September 6, 2021 by P&O SUE

[davecttr]

Going to be de branded as part of a disposal 😱

 

Or just going for a spruce up and a cheaper parking place now that winter is approaching. I think the Bay of Cadiz is a sheltered anchorage?

[wowzz]

21 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

Ooh err, Azura is the next ship needing a re-fit. Wonder what Aurora’s doing?

Isn't Azura having a fair bit of work being done on her whilst in Belfast?  She will still need to be dry docked somewhere before she starts carrying passengers though.

 

[tring]

I see she has just rounded the NW point of Spain.  Anyone heard any more?  We are due on her on the 20th Feb and does seem a strange journey to make at present.

 

I wonder if molecrochip will provide any information?

[P&O SUE]

16 hours ago, wowzz said:

Isn't Azura having a fair bit of work being done on her whilst in Belfast?  She will still need to be dry docked somewhere before she starts carrying passengers though.

 

Oh I knew she was in Belfast, didn’t know they were doing work on her there . Makes sense though.

Edited September 7, 2021 by P&O SUE

[kermchem]

Not sure if this belongs here on in the old Azura thread. Azura is indeed in Belfast. Back when she was in North Shields in there were people posting photos of her every week. We took a walk around South Shields in April and grabbed a photo that looked like many others, so I never posted it. Now she is in Belfast she seems to be unloved by the photographers, so here is one from last week, as we had some time to kill before catching a Stena ferry from the other side of the dock. She is moored alongside the Harland and Woolf yard, and the paintwork looks good - the rough ground was as close as I could get on public land.

 

Always struck me as strange that Azura was the one ship to get long term alongside mooring whilst the rest were floating round Weymouth Bay.

 

[crompton21]

I think I am correct in saying that Azura is well overdue for an extended dry docking/examination.

 

Google pacific star maib which makes for an interesting (but long) read.  

 

"Significantly, the rough weather also exacerbated pre-existing corrosion damage causing the ship to take water through small holes in her side"

[Beckett]

18 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

Oh I knew she was in Belfast, didn’t know they were doing work on her there . Makes sense though.

She was in Belfast when we were there in August Sue - and definitely having work done.  Jane.x

[tring]

Aurora now just rounding the SW point of Iberia.  I see Molecrochip has answered some questions on this forum this afternoon, so hopefully he/she will kindly let us know why she is heading to Cadiz, if that information is known.

[molecrochip]

20 minutes ago, tring said:

Aurora now just rounding the SW point of Iberia.  I see Molecrochip has answered some questions on this forum this afternoon, so hopefully he/she will kindly let us know why she is heading to Cadiz, if that information is known.

Given she's headed to Cadiz which is home to Navantia who have done a number of RCI Amplifications, Carnival upgrades and was due to do Azura's 2020 drydock, I suspect for maintenance.

 

That said, her Southampton visits have dropped to every 8 weeks which suggests she may anchor in the Bay as its sheltered. Some ships used 30% propulsion during the high winds last winter - just to stay still!

Edited September 8, 2021 by molecrochip

[molecrochip]

On 9/7/2021 at 5:17 PM, kermchem said:

Not sure if this belongs here on in the old Azura thread. Azura is indeed in Belfast. Back when she was in North Shields in there were people posting photos of her every week. We took a walk around South Shields in April and grabbed a photo that looked like many others, so I never posted it. Now she is in Belfast she seems to be unloved by the photographers, so here is one from last week, as we had some time to kill before catching a Stena ferry from the other side of the dock. She is moored alongside the Harland and Woolf yard, and the paintwork looks good - the rough ground was as close as I could get on public land.

 

Always struck me as strange that Azura was the one ship to get long term alongside mooring whilst the rest were floating round Weymouth Bay.

 

Her long term mooring is because:

 

1. With her drydock overdue, there is a desire to keep mileage down to get her round to her heavy maintenance checks.

2. Its easier to bring crew into Belfast and quarantine on board than it is to bring them into London and have them quarantine in hotels.

3. A ship sat still for so long is at risk of barnacle build up. This reduces efficiency. With a dry dock due anyway, she will get a hull repair, polish and repaint so not a problem.

 

My understanding is that she will still go Belfast > Southampton > Dry dock > Southampton > Barbados

[tring]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Given she's headed to Cadiz which is home to Navantia who have done a number of RCI Amplifications, Carnival upgrades and was due to do Azura's 2020 drydock, I suspect for maintenance.

 

That said, her Southampton visits have dropped to every 8 weeks which suggests she may anchor in the Bay as its sheltered. Some ships used 30% propulsion during the high winds last winter - just to stay still!

 

Thank you very much for your insight.  We were able to wave to her when we docked in Portland in August and may have chance to do so another couple of times as we are due in Cadiz on two autumn cruises, so will be there late October and late November 🙂

 

We are then booked on Aurora for the 40 night Caribbean in February.   30% propulsion must mean a lot of fuel to just stand still!

 

Barbara

Edited September 8, 2021 by tring

[molecrochip]

41 minutes ago, tring said:

 

Thank you very much for your insight.  We were able to wave to her when we docked in Portland in August and may have chance to do so another couple of times as we are due in Cadiz on two autumn cruises, so will be there late October and late November 🙂

 

We are then booked on Aurora for the 40 night Caribbean in February.   30% propulsion must mean a lot of fuel to just stand still!

 

Barbara

When you have gusts of up to 100mph its better than drifting. Especially when there are multiple other ships in close proximity.

[davecttr]

Aurora reversed course 30 miles short of Cadiz and is now listed as returning to Weymouth on the 12th. 

[sogne]

Now eta Cadiz 1145 12th 

[Son of Anarchy]

Does make you wonder what's gone on.

[tring]

 

She is still heading west. almost south of Portimao now.

 

We need to remember the ships and crew have been holed up as much as we have for much of the last 18 months.  I think she deserves an outing - as long as she picks us up from Southampton on 20th February.

 

Sorry, tried to delete and change the link but cannot do it - I only meant to post the first song - not the rest of this.....

 

Edited September 9, 2021 by tring

[wowzz]

 

[tring]

23 minutes ago, wowzz said:

 

 

That's more like it 🙂

 

 I hope Aurora copes better with her "wanderings" though.

[tring]

She is now just south of western Portugal and has turned back towards Cadiz

 

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:371449/mmsi:310556000/imo:9169524/vessel:AURORA

 

https://www.cruisemapper.com/?imo=9169524

 

I hope she is enjoying her wanderings with warmer weather and calm seas.  We are due in Cadiz two weeks tomorrow, so just hoping  the weather keeps up for us as well.

 

Barbara

Edited September 9, 2021 by tring