The Pride arrives in London

[norm2002]

Well, I did it! I was up at 4.30 yesterday morning and got to Tower Bridge at 5.45. The ship actually arrived a few minutes early but I was on the pier of the Bridge as the ship sailed in - pulled in backwards by a tug.

 

 

Captain Erik Anderssen could see me waving -

 

 

 

 

either that or he was practising his early morning aerobics!

 

The ship manoeuvred in to berth by HMS Belfast in front of the Greater London Assembly building.

 

[norm2002]

Another view of the ship tying up

 

 

The sun was beginning to get bright and the sky was the clearest (and hottest) in London this year

 

I was back by the Bridge for the sailaway at 6pm

 

 

I also made a little video of the Bridge opening for the ship. I will try to post some versions of this later today. Some of you may not know that the Bridge normally opens only about 70% and that is the conventional image. But for the Pride the Bridge has to open 100%.

Wait for my next post. :)

[Keith1010]

Norm, thanks for posting these wonderful pictures. They are great. We are on the 8/31 sailing of the Pride from Cophenhagen to London and we are very pleased to know that the ship will be arriving at the Tower Bridge. It is such a beautiful area.

 

Keith

[wynkys]

Norm,

As usual, some more great shots. Why Seabourn haven't already engaged you as their official photographer remains a mystery?

Those shots with the Tower Bridge are classics.

 

Wayne

[norm2002]

Don't know if I'm going to make it to your sail in to London. I see it's a Friday so it depends on the time the ship goes through the Bridge and also the weather.

 

Still working on converting my video of the Bridge. I've created two versions so far - one Quicktime, which may work on a Mac http://www.myphotopages.net/pride/qt.mov - about 30mb - don't know about Macs but you may need to download and save the file first - and one of about 5mbs which could be used from dialup although the resolution is very low to keep the file small - http://www.myphotopages.net/pride/dialup.wmv.

 

It's just a simple video of the Bridge - lasts about 5 minutes although the Pride is only "on screen" for a short part of that. Don't worry that the audio starts a few seconds after the video but listen out for the second use of the words "Can you hear me?".

 

By the way, that is a Police boat following the Pride.

 

A larger unlimited broadband only file will, hopefully, follow.

Norm

[crystal808]

What fun!

 

Thanks, Norm...it played just fine on my Mac! (No download or saving necessary with my QuickTime)

 

Paul

[norm2002]

Here are the links to the slightly better resolution versions of the video. They are each about 50mbs. They are currently being uploaded to my server so may not work until about 11am ET.

This one is for downloading - rightclick and choose Save Target As ... - http://www.myphotopages.net/pride/pride.avi

This one is for streaming - http://www.myphotopages.net/pride/pride.wmv

Norm

[Lefty Bob]

Norm, two thumbs up for the pictures.

 

Lefty B.:) :D

[TLCOhio]

Norm, two thumbs up for the pictures.

 

Lefty B.:) :D

 

Great pictures! Showed them to my wife. Pointed out where our windows would be on the boat. That's why Norm gets FOUR THUMBS UP!!!

 

Less than two weeks until we will be on our first cruise . . . and, a Seabourn one, too.

 

PHOTO TIPS? Will arrive on our first visit to Athens in ten days. Depart afternoon of June 17 for seven-day Seabourn Spirit Cruise doing Greek Islands of Mykanos, Milos and Patmos; then Bodrum and Kusadasi/Ephesus on the Turkish Coast; before arriving for two days in Istanbul. Then have five nights in London near Sloane Square for R&R after the cruise. What are your BEST TIPS for photo shots highlighting the Spirit and other key sights and sites for and on this trip? Special hours of day or night, locations to shoot from, etc.? Being late June, it will mean early sunrises and late sunsets. Just got a new Nikon D-50 with two lens ranging up to 300 mm. Ready to get lots of great visual memories. SUGGESTIONS & SECRETS?

 

THANKS!

TLC in Ohio

[LaPaloma]

Thanks for a treat this Sunday am. My Mac opened this one straight away...thanks to your talent. It is great to do a bit of vicarious living. It is extremely hot in Tucson now..we take our pleasures where we can. Take care!

[Travelnut7321]

All I can say is wow! Those pictures just blew me away. Fantastic, you are one lucky fellow to be on that ship. Ok, now I know I need to book a cruise on Seabourn.

 

KarenM :D

[Early Retiree]

Norm,

Thanks so much for the movie! My husband and I loved it and cannot wait to get on the Pride on July 20.

Merril

[PeaSea8ch]

Ditto Norm!! Fantastic photos and movie. What more can I say?

[cadum]

Norman

Seabourn Pride visits London - Photos are of course top notch but your video exceeded even your usual super excellence. Congrats

 

cadum

[Winner]

Thank you, Norm, for capturing our wonderful (if earlier than planned) sail-in to London. Weather on the Lisbon-London cruise was mostly unseasonably cool and windy; we missed the first two ports due to very rough seas in the Bay of Biscay but were rewarded on Friday by a sunny day in green, green Kent and walking through The Duckery at Leeds Castle; what a lovely way to end a cruise!

 

Thank you too for the departure photographs; unfortunately I was somewhere over the Atlantic by then.

[norm2002]

Winner

You weren't standing at the back of the ship as she sailed in, I suppose? I have a couple of pictures of the people there. If you were, I could post them when I get home tonight.

Regards

Norm

[SantaAna,CA]

Norm, thank you so much for doing this. I had tears in my eyes watching that beautiful bridge lift up and then seeing the elegant Pride sail through. What a wonderful day it looked to be in London, as well. Those lucky, lucky people who got to experience that!

 

Maybe someday...I'll put it on my list of places to go and things to see on Seabourn! It's running about twelve pages long now!!

 

Thank you again, Norm, so much. That video made my day, and your still pictures are, once again, outstanding.

 

Jane :)

[dd@sea]

Norm, what a treat to arrive home from a trip to Carmel, go to my favorite site and find your pictures and video (which our MAC handled with ease)of the Pride and the Bridge. We too, will be on the September 15 arrival of the Pride into London. We just made final payment and can't wait! Thank you again for all that you do to add to the Seabourn site on Cruise Critic. So much fun to see your postings!

[GrannyLorr]

Great pics Norm

TLCOhio, I dont have any ~secrets~ but will start a thread with some pics of those areas you mentioned......Norm taught me how....so I better practice!

[Cruisewoman79]

 

http://www.myphotopages.net/pride/dialup.wmv.

 

It's just a simple video of the Bridge - lasts about 5 minutes although the Pride is only "on screen" for a short part of that. Don't worry that the audio starts a few seconds after the video but listen out for the second use of the words "Can you hear me?".

By the way, that is a Police boat following the Pride.

Norm that is awesome! I love it. Very impressed with the Rod Stewart song and then the horn insertion! Love the photos too! Thanks. Gets me very excited - 5 weeks we will be sailing out of Athens on the Spirit!

[Missabby]

Norm, thanks for posting these wonderful pictures. They are great. We are on the 8/31 sailing of the Pride from Cophenhagen to London and we are very pleased to know that the ship will be arriving at the Tower Bridge. It is such a beautiful area.

 

Keith

Keith - we'll be on that cruise along with Beargal. Hoping for a great sailing.