50 Days on Sapphire Princess

[sewgood]

Sea Dog in regards to your shower head photos, do you think the second one was a massage setting/flow?

 

This could come handy after a hard day at sea to relax those worn out muscles.

[SeaDog-46]

Sewgood - Yes the second one pulsates & is quite powerfull but fixed not hand shower as previous.

[NSWP]

24 minutes ago, SeaDog-46 said:

Sewgood - Yes the second one pulsates & is quite powerfull but fixed not hand shower as previous.

I do prefer the hand held shower, for personal reasons.🤣

[SeaDog-46]

It was 2,826 nm between Aqaba & Dubai.  6 sea days requiring a speed of 18.4 knots, with mostly poor visibility due to desert dust haze. Only faint parts of the coast were occasionally visible. Did not see any naval vessels - but they are there in case of need.

Quote from Log of Cruise regarding extra security on this sector : "11th Nov. - One clear of Straits of Tiran [Gulf of Aqaba]  we joined the southbound traffic in the Red Sea.  Additional security measures were implemented and regular position reports were sent to the UK Maritime Trade Operations [UKMTO]  [Dubai].  At 10:52 on 13th we passed out of the Red Sea & entered the Gulf of Aden.

A Recommended Transit Corridor [IRTC] has been established between Yemen & Somalia to enhance security.  Entered corridor at 01:50 14th with high speed of 21 knots.  [Gas turbine generator in funnel in operation] Exited the corridor at 15:12 on 14th & continued on courses parallel to coast of Yemen.  Entered Strait of Hormuz at 23:30 16th."

 

Pilot boarded at Dubai at 07:53 on 17th Nov. &  we berthed at Port Rashid behind Mein Schiff 3.  She is not an attractive vessel - another block of flats on a barge - built in 2014  -  99,526 gt  & operated by TUI cruises.  Both ships each had a near new extensive cruise terminal to do a face to face with UAE immigration.

After berthing I took some pictures of the QE2 hotel in an inner part of Port Rashid nearer the city.

Temperature was a cool 31C, mostly overcast & a humid sea breeze later.

Although still not fully sewered Dubai has more building cranes than any other place in the world, along with a few other records.

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, sewgood said:

Thanks for much Aus Traveller for your detailed information and tips for touring Petra it is much appreciated.

We shall take plenty of water.

We haven't been to Europe in 20 years so this is a big trip for us and Petra is one of those places I have wished to go to for years but never thought I would make it.

Hopefully the tours will run that day but I realise not anything goes as planned on a cruise (with ports having to be missed) or even on land travel as my husband pointed out. Years ago we were driving up to San Francisco from LA on the coastal road and had to turn around due to the road being blocked by a rock fall.

Oh well if we miss a port we really wanted to go that gives us a reason to go back again.

 

 

For many decades I wanted to visit Petra and, like you, I didn't think I had a chance of getting there. There was much more to see than I had originally thought and our visit exceeded my wildest dreams. I hope you get there also.

[sewgood]

3 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

For many decades I wanted to visit Petra and, like you, I didn't think I had a chance of getting there. There was much more to see than I had originally thought and our visit exceeded my wildest dreams. I hope you get there also.

Thanks Aus Traveller

[Dobby_The_Ship_Elf]

Last time I transited through Dubai it was 46 degrees @ 10 am. 

 

Lets hope it is a comfortable high 29s to low 30s for our visit.

 

Cooked elf is not nice!!

[Aus Traveller]

5 hours ago, SeaDog-46 said:

 

The third photo above shows the Burj Khalifa (the highest building in the world) in the background, with the QEII in the foreground. The former ocean liner is being converted into a hotel.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for the pics and the navigation log.

[Cruisegroover]

On 12/13/2018 at 3:51 PM, SeaDog-46 said:

 

Unlike Diamond Princess that caters for the Japanese - Westerdam will be the usual mix of USA & others.  On SP Ausies were in the majority to Singapore.

All the best for Christmas & 2019  [juliet,mike,november,hotel,sierra 95 at gm.com]

 I did the Diamond Princess in May and while there was both an English and Japanese cruise director 3/4 of the pax were Aussies/Americans and English with Aussies making the biggest percentage of pax. So each cruise is different.

[SeaDog-46]

The QE2 Hotel in Dubai is rated 4 star & prices start from A$148 for a cabin to A$501 for a suite in January 2019.  This is quite a good price for a unique hotel in Dubai.

A couple of photos of the ferries on Dubai creek.  Note the extensive safety equipment.

 

[MicCanberra]

LOL.

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for the pictures and comments.

Great info.

[Dobby_The_Ship_Elf]

11 hours ago, SeaDog-46 said:

 

A couple of photos of the ferries on Dubai creek.  Note the extensive safety equipment.

 

 

Last time I took Mrs Elf on a small watercraft we almost lost her overboard.

 

Methinks we shall keep our foots on dry land.

 

Great pics

[MicCanberra]

Plus elves shouldn't get wet or be fed after Midnight, or is that gremlins?

[SeaDog-46]

The whole 50 days we had Debbie Shields as the Destinations Presenter.  An English lady who gave port lectures on the history, culture & information to make the most of port visits.  She was not pushing ships tours, & unlike some on the ships she knew her subject & made the talks interesting.  Talks were repeated on the cabin TV.

 

On the 38 days to Singapore there were two Enrichment Lecturers -

UK Egyptologist Vivianne Rowan  &  Canadian / Australian  Dr. Karen Woodman semi retired University Professor speaking on Language.

[MicCanberra]

The talks sound interesting but perhaps a bit light on with only 2 in 38 days.

[SeaDog-46]

No Mic - the two lady lecturers did a whole series of talks right through to Malaysia.

 

The most interest lecturer for me was on the earlier Canary Islands 12 day cruise - Commander Jevan Morris RN [retired] who spoke on the life of Nelson.  Sounding a bit like Jeremy Clarkson in Top Gear - you were not allowed to nod off in his lectures about the life, loves & battles of Admiral Nelson.

Jevan is also a toastmaster & has an interesting account of his career on line that included various posts in the Royal Navy & security.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, SeaDog-46 said:

No Mic - the two lady lecturers did a whole series of talks right through to Malaysia.

 

Oh, that is better.

[SeaDog-46]

Entertainers - Apart from the ships permanent cruise entertainers - visiting acts that were onboard just a few days were varied & quite numerous & some quite good.

Unfortunately there was the usual over amplification & drowning out of some acts by the band.

At a few ports where we left a bit later Folkloric groups performed before departure.

The stand out visiting act was Jeff Stevenson a comedian from London who had been in show business since his teens.

He does the Cunarders around Australia in the summer. He was so popular after 2 shows before Rome - they got him back after Rome for another.

[NSWP]

When on Sapphire in June doing Scandinavia, we had an Abba tribute band performing in Princess Theatre.   So popular they did 4 shows over 2 nights.   They were Brits, but brilliant.   But as John Sea Dogs says, the Brit comedians on the ships are usually very good.

[SeaDog-46]

Agree with you Les - Abba tribute bands & UK comedians are usually good & enjoyed by Aussie & UK passengers.

 

During the long sea day periods after Suez the ship put on various dance classes for Latin, Tap, Hip Hop & Line dancing.

Also formed a choir & one of the guitarists in the ships band - Paul - taught classes in Ukulele & what they called the drum circle.

An introduction to music teaching simple rhythms on hand held instruments.

Before Dubai & again before Port Kelang there was a passenger talent show that included the choir, Ukulele & Drum Circle.

[NSWP]

10 minutes ago, SeaDog-46 said:

Agree with you Les - Abba tribute bands & UK comedians are usually good & enjoyed by Aussie & UK passengers.

 

During the long sea day periods after Suez the ship put on various dance classes for Latin, Tap, Hip Hop & Line dancing.

Also formed a choir & one of the guitarists in the ships band - Paul - taught classes in Ukulele & what they called the drum circle.

An introduction to music teaching simple rhythms on hand held instruments.

Before Dubai & again before Port Kelang there was a passenger talent show that included the choir, Ukulele & Drum Circle.

Thanks John, I always join the Princess Pop Choir, they generally only form them on cruises of 14 days plus.  Did them on Sapphire and Royal mid year.  Not sure if HAL will have one on my next cruise in April.

[SeaDog-46]

If you don't get to join the choir on Noordam you will at least have a bath & hand shower to play with!

Some interesting vessels seen -

Viking Sky - 2017 - 47800 gt - pulling out ahead of us at Vigo, Spain.

Magellan - CMV - ex Holiday - 1985 - 46052 gt  @ Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain.

Europa 2 - Hapag-Lloyd - 2013 - 43830 gt @ Lanzarote.

Albatros - ex Royal Viking Sea - 1973 - Phoenix Reisen - 20018 gt @ night Lanzarote & looking good at 45 years old.

[MicCanberra]

Some nice pics of ships, thanks.