Showing posts with label liner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label liner. Show all posts

Monday, 30 April 2018

Maiden Voyage of Norwegian Bliss

While not the largest cruise ship to visit Halifax, Norwegian Bliss is certainly getting up there, boasting 303 metres in length, 168,000 tonnes, and up to 4,004 passengers. She also boasts a more than 300 metre long go-cart track that spans two levels and large water slides that actually hang over the side of the ship.

Watching Norwegian Bliss pull out from behind George's Island in the fog reminded me of the opening gag in the movie "Spaceballs" where, in a parody of the opening of "Star Wars", there is a seemingly endless reveal of a space ship.

OK, I think that's all of her.

 No, apparently the fog bank was hiding the upper decks.

This angle isn't any better.

As impressive as these ships undoubtedly are, the artwork on the bow of these ships is presumably intended to distract the viewer from the fact that the age of beautiful ocean liners is long past.


Another look at the bow artwork.







Another "Spaceballs" type shot.



This is probably the most flattering angle on one of these ships.
One would trust that prices for cruises at this time of year are heavily discounted - for their visit today, passengers could look forward to heavy fog, heavy rain, and a chilly wind. Not exactly the weather for sunning oneself on the upper deck or taking in the water slides.

After leaving Halifax in the evening, Norwegian Bliss is headed to New York. 

Some information here was cribbed from this CTV story.


Friday, 10 July 2015

Queen Mary 2: Cunard first voyage 175th Anniversary

RMS Queen Mary 2 arrived in Halifax from Liverpool this morning, retracing the voyage of Cunard's first steamer RMS Britannia, 175 years ago. She left this evening, headed for Boston: Theodore Too and Atlantic Oak led her out of the main harbour, while HMCS MONTREAL followed astern and escorted her out to sea.

Shipfax has a good account of her sailpast.

I had another commitment earlier in the evening, and only managed to make it to the waterfront for her final run down the Halifax waterfront and out to sea. Some photos from her visit and sailpast today:

Scheduled for an 0730 arrival, QM2 was already alongside before 0630.
A three shot panorama as she cleared the Svitzer pier. Sometime panoramas are necessary when you just don't have time to put a wider lens on the camera. 




HMCS MONTREAL (FFH 336).



HMCS MONTREAL escorting QM2 out to sea.

A lit up QM2 heading out to sea as the light fails. HMCS MONTREAL is noticeably smaller in this image.
Next stop, Boston!