Host Sharon Posted January 14, 2021 #101 Share Posted January 14, 2021 From a highly reliable source, Azura is in Newcastle for maintenance and ease of crew transfers. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DM6045 Posted January 14, 2021 #102 Share Posted January 14, 2021 29 minutes ago, Captain_Morgan said: Very good points, but at the end of the day the restart of any brand will be driven by maximizing the generation of £/$/€ which I think is something we can all agree. Based on that rationale, having Ventura/Britannia/Azura operating even at 50% capacity equates to a larger income generation than the likes of Aurora/Arcadia operating at 50% capacity based on a simple 1 person = £1 ratio (monetary figure used strictly for example and clearly doesn't represent the actual fare being charged 😆). I agree as well with points made that despite her size Iona is likely to be kept tucked away until a more grand restart can be had for her as she is very much the new flagship of the brand thus my inclusion of Britannia as one of those I think being first to resume service. I completely agree thats how a restart will most likely go ahead it makes the most sense for the company, my comments were merely made as I have seen a-lot of posts both on here and fb etc recently that even smaller ship devotees seem to consider the newer larger ships being ‘safer’ as they are perceived to be more spacious, I guess it just go’s to show that the ‘bigger is better’ marketing that their PR departments put out works. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapau27 Posted January 14, 2021 #103 Share Posted January 14, 2021 48 minutes ago, Host Sharon said: From a highly reliable source, Azura is in Newcastle for maintenance and ease of crew transfers. Newcastle international airport is only about 15-20 minutes drive from the cruise terminal so that would make good sense for crew transfers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain_Morgan Posted January 14, 2021 #104 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Especially compared to 4-5 hours to/from Torquay/Heathrow which can't be cheap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeecco Posted January 14, 2021 Author #105 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Just now, Captain_Morgan said: Especially compared to 4-5 hours to/from Torquay/Heathrow which can't be cheap! Surely they were doing crew transfers when they were in and out of Southampton which is only 20 mins from the airport too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downsmead Posted January 14, 2021 #106 Share Posted January 14, 2021 1 hour ago, Host Sharon said: From a highly reliable source, Azura is in Newcastle for maintenance and ease of crew transfers. I would imagine that a) mooring at Newcastle is cheaper than Southampton, b) Newcastle has contractors to do the maintenance work and facilities, c) nearby airport. It makes sense to carry out the work now while not sailing, the only issue being if the dockyards are open to do the work, which is seems they may be during this lockdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adawn47 Posted January 14, 2021 #107 Share Posted January 14, 2021 1 hour ago, Captain_Morgan said: Very good points, but at the end of the day the restart of any brand will be driven by maximizing the generation of £/$/€ which I think is something we can all agree. Based on that rationale, having Ventura/Britannia/Azura operating even at 50% capacity equates to a larger income generation than the likes of Aurora/Arcadia operating at 50% capacity based on a simple 1 person = £1 ratio (monetary figure used strictly for example) I agree with you up to a point, however the very large hike in cruise prices, I would assume will more than compensate for the reduction in passenger numbers. We have a cruise booked on Arcadia due to sail in October and the cruise price has doubled from booking. Using my simple mathmatical brain, 50% less passengers and a 200% price increase would mean no loss of revenue wouldn't it? I'm expecting to be corrected😉 Avril Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrierjohn Posted January 14, 2021 #108 Share Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) 52 minutes ago, grapau27 said: Newcastle international airport is only about 15-20 minutes drive from the cruise terminal so that would make good sense for crew transfers. But does Newcastle have direct flights to Mumbai and Manilla? Edited January 14, 2021 by terrierjohn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeecco Posted January 14, 2021 Author #109 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Just now, terrierjohn said: But do Newcastle have direct flights to Mumbai and Manilla? They may still be using charters for their crews like they did with repatriation maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wowzz Posted January 14, 2021 #110 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Just now, terrierjohn said: But do Newcastle have direct flights to Mumbai and Manilla? I would have thought that P&O would charter their own flights - after all, there will be a significant number of people to be transferred. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majortom10 Posted January 14, 2021 #111 Share Posted January 14, 2021 I think the extortionate price rises on some cruises is not to make money out of less people booking. I think that they are already well booked from initial release and prices were very low. I think the extortionate price rises are to deter people on booking so that P&O do not have to cancel passengers and pay compensation if the figure of people booked is higher than what the percentage figure the government will give permission for them to sail. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapau27 Posted January 14, 2021 #112 Share Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, joeecco said: Surely they were doing crew transfers when they were in and out of Southampton which is only 20 mins from the airport too. There are direct flights from Newcastle to India where a lot of P&O crew come from. There are flights to Dubai and onto the Philippines etc. Edited January 14, 2021 by grapau27 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wowzz Posted January 14, 2021 #113 Share Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) 5 minutes ago, grapau27 said: There are direct flights from Newcastle to India etc. Via AMS, LHR or DXB I assume. I don't think there are any nonstop flights to India from Newcastle. Edited January 14, 2021 by wowzz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapau27 Posted January 14, 2021 #114 Share Posted January 14, 2021 2 hours ago, terrierjohn said: But does Newcastle have direct flights to Mumbai and Manilla? Yes with possible change in Dubai for Manilla. There are daily Emirates A380 flights from Newcastle to Dubai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wowzz Posted January 14, 2021 #115 Share Posted January 14, 2021 8 minutes ago, grapau27 said: Yes with possible change in Dubai for Manilla. There are daily Emirates A380 flights from Newcastle to Dubai. So not non stop flights, so more efficient to charter an entire aircraft. From memory, there would be direct flights to India from Southampton as well, but involving 2 or 3 stops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapau27 Posted January 14, 2021 #116 Share Posted January 14, 2021 7 minutes ago, wowzz said: Via AMS, LHR or DXB I assume. I don't think there are any nonstop flights to India from Newcastle. Yes British Airways have stops at Heathrow or Amsterdam but this is due to BA flights. Emirates fly non stop to Dubai from Newcastle where you can transfer to India,Sri Lanka, Manilla etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wowzz Posted January 14, 2021 #117 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Just now, grapau27 said: Yes British Airways have stops at Heathrow or Amsterdam but this is due to BA flights. Emirates fly non stop to Dubai from Newcastle where you can transfer to India,Sri Lanka, Manilla etc. Indeed - some people (not you Graham!) make the mistake of thinking that a direct flight is the same as a non-stop flight, which is not the case. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
showingdiva Posted January 14, 2021 #118 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Due 10am at Northumbrian Quay 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemorton Posted January 15, 2021 #119 Share Posted January 15, 2021 I didnt think Newcastle could take ships that big? Of am I thinking of Shields? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindylooellalouise Posted January 15, 2021 #120 Share Posted January 15, 2021 3 minutes ago, davemorton said: I didnt think Newcastle could take ships that big? Of am I thinking of Shields? I think it’s North Shields we were on QV British isles cruise last year and that was as far up the Tyne. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevcharben Posted January 15, 2021 #121 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Due to sail on her on 25th May 2021, wishful thinking maybe. Picture of her arriving in the North East https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19014496.watch-p-os-azura-arrives-port-tyne/ 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare P&O SUE Posted January 15, 2021 #122 Share Posted January 15, 2021 1 hour ago, kevcharben said: Due to sail on her on 25th May 2021, wishful thinking maybe. Picture of her arriving in the North East https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19014496.watch-p-os-azura-arrives-port-tyne/ How funny reporters still compare modern cruise ships to the Titanic! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tring Posted January 15, 2021 #123 Share Posted January 15, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, kevcharben said: Due to sail on her on 25th May 2021, wishful thinking maybe. Picture of her arriving in the North East https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19014496.watch-p-os-azura-arrives-port-tyne/ So she is a HUGE cruise ship, but not quite as big as the biggest ever built, which just happens to been mentioned as twice her tonnage. An interesting use of the term "not quite as big" 🙂 I see P&O have told The Northern Echo that she is there for essential maintenance, since Southampton do not have enough berths for all their ships. Edited January 15, 2021 by tring 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tring Posted January 15, 2021 #124 Share Posted January 15, 2021 4 hours ago, davemorton said: I didnt think Newcastle could take ships that big? Of am I thinking of Shields? It may also vary in different circumstances. For instance Liverpool can and does take some very big ships for a one day call, but can only do turn around for smaller ships as the facilities not in place (as yet). I do not know if that is the case in the Newcastle area though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecttr Posted January 15, 2021 #125 Share Posted January 15, 2021 The berth is at the North Shields Ferry Terminal at Royal Quays. There is a berth for the DFDS? ferry to Holland and the northern berth for cruise ships. Azura is 290 metres long and the berth is about 330 metres. Royal Quays shopping centre close by and also a Premier Inn, surprisingly without air conditioning. I stayed there summer 2018 and in 2017 at the modern Premier Inn Whitley Bay. I was last in Whitley Bay over 40 years ago and it has not changed that much. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now