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Azura on Sea Trials

Captain Rhone

By Captain Rhone,
in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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Mareng

Mareng

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The reason they bring the ship back into dry-dock after the first trails is to check the underwater coating and they also set the block pattern to the alternative configuration so that any areas of the hull that were hidden by the original support block pattern can be coated properly. It is also a chance to ensure that the water lubricated bearings and all the seals on the stabilizers, thrusters etc have functioned correctly during the initial running in.

Unfortunately the economics of modern cruise ships means that the fine lines of the passengers liners of yesteryear will never be seen again, If you can have one Captain and staff of senior officers looking after 3200 passengers this has a much better effect on the bottom line than running a ship with the same crew complement and only 720 passengers.

Another factor is the pure cost of building ships that look pretty , flat steel is significantly cheaper than having the yard bend it into fancy curves so by default the naval architects are somewhat hamstrung by the price the yards put on the build cost at the very inception of the project.

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Johnthed0g

Johnthed0g

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I find all these enormous ships ugly, doesn't stop me booking though :-)

 

The beautiful liners are mostly Cunard. They actually look like liners instead of floating hotels, but it's in the eye of the beholder.

That it because they are liners & the new ships are floating hotels!! We are going BIG this year Celebrity Eclipse & then Azura, both in similar stages of construction. Out of interest do pop over to the Celebrity board & check out the new restaurant concept Qsine, maybe look at the other two special restaurants too...a step up from P&O I think, though hopefully Azura will be better.

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LibraLass41

LibraLass41

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That it because they are liners & the new ships are floating hotels!! We are going BIG this year Celebrity Eclipse & then Azura, both in similar stages of construction. Out of interest do pop over to the Celebrity board & check out the new restaurant concept Qsine, maybe look at the other two special restaurants too...a step up from P&O I think, though hopefully Azura will be better.

 

Not necessarily.... I have eaten in Murano on Equinox and Rhodes on Oriana and Arcadia, wasn't atall impressed with Murano, and if I hadn't been invited free by the Celebrity Execs I would of demanded my money back!

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