Security Failure

Passengers sailing on cruises out of Southampton should feel very uneasy thanks to a leaked British report that says in a test, investigators were able to smuggle a total of 28 weapons past security in all four terminals at Southampton. This included guns, knives and even eight IEDs (bombs).

They got them past walk-through scanners, detection wands, pat-downs and x-rays, causing investigators to conclude in the report that the screeners “lack the moral fibre to challenge suspicious behavior, or are completely oblivious to what is going on around them.”

The complete story appeared in the June 25 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Records Are Breaking at Southampton

Cruise business is booming at Southampton.

The port saw two million passengers pass through in 2017 on more than 500 ship calls.

Details appeared in the February 26 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Big Weekend for Southampton

As Britain’s main cruise port, Southampton is always busy, but the port warned those in Southampton and those coming into the city that Saturday and Sunday were going to be extra busy, because ten cruise ships were scheduled to be in port over the two-day period.

The complete story appeared in the August 21 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - June 7, 2017

CND subscribers also read about:

• Playa del Carmen is considering building a pier to accommodate cruise ships, but financing is a problem. 
• Southampton had its busiest cruise ship weekend ever last weekend. 
• It's not just cruise ships. The US Navy reported a man overboard Tuesday afternoon 80 nauticle miles off the North Carolina Coast. 

Details appeared in the June 7 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - May 21, 2016

CND subscribers also read about:

• Royal Caribbean will upgrade Southampton's City Cruise Terminal so passengers who have completed their embarkation forms online can be aboard within ten minutes of stepping onto the curb in front of the terminal. 
• Carnival is ending their five-year relationship with comedian George Lopez.
• The mayor of Seattle proclaimed this "Seattle's Hometown Cruise Line Day."

Details appeared in the May 20 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Upgrade at Southampton

Associated British Ports and Carnival Corp have begun a five-million-pound upgrade at Southampton’s QE II Cruise Terminal.  The work, which will be done in two phases, will bring the terminal into line with the other terminals which were remodeled in the last couple of years.

Details appeared in the November 20 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Three Cunard Queens Meet at Southampton

Crowds watch Cunard's Three Queens depart Southampton

Additional photos are on our Pinterest board.

Cunard's fleet met at Southampton today to mark the start of the line's 175th anniversary year celebration.

At the end of the day, they sailed out of Southampton in formation. The photo above show spectators watching at Calshot as Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth sail for New York, Guernsey and Hamburg respectively.


Photos courtesy or Cunard and James Morgan. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Anthem of the Seas Arrives at Southampton

Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas arrived at Southampton this morning. The ship will be homeported at the British port for the summer season.

More photos are on our Pinterest board

Photos courtesy of Royal Caribbean International. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Britannia Arrives Southampton

P&O's newest ship, Britannia, arrived Southampton this morning for the first time to await her official naming on Tuesday by Her Majesty The Queen.

Photos courtesy of P&O Cruises. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Quantum of the Seas Arrives at Southampton

Royal Caribbean made their first port call with Quantum of the Seas since assuming ownership of the newbuild when it arrived at Southampton yesterday evening (October 29, 2014). The ship will be engaged in promotional activities there until it departs on its first revenue cruise on November 4, a transatlantic crossing to New York.

Quantum received a traditional welcome as seen from Quantum's bridge

Quantum approaching Southampton with North Star deployed

Note that the Ripcord skydiving simulator is already in use

Quantum is really excited to be at Southampton.
The North Star has been fully deployed.

Additional photos at http://www.pinterest.com/cruisenewsdaily/quantum-of-the-seas/


Photos courtesy of Royal Caribbean. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without permission.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for May 9, 2014

* A Royal Double-Header
Royal Caribbean had two giant events today in France. First STX France laid the keel for the line’s as-yet-unnamed third Oasis-class ship. That was one event. At that ceremony, the second event occurred when Royal Caribbean announced they have agreed to build a fourth Oasis-class ship with STX France, subject to the normal financing terms being finalized.

* What a Day in Southampton
A marvelous day has come and gone in Southampton, and the tenth anniversary of Queen Mary 2 has been duly noted in royal style.
   To mark the occasion, Cunard’s entire fleet assembled at Southampton to salute the flagship, and there was a royal visit to Queen Mary 2 by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh.

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

The first 1,000-ton block of Oasis III was lowered into place at STX France

It Was Queen Mary 2's Day in Southampton

It was a special day in Southampton because all three of Cunard's queens visited the city to mark the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Queen Mary 2. As part of the celebration, HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh visited Queen Mary 2.

(Additional content is still being added to this page.)

Queen Mary 2 arriving at Southampton

 

All three of Cunard's queens arrived early this morning at Southampton

HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, visited Queen Mary 2 to mark the occasion.

The Duke of Edinburgh on the bridge of QM2 with Capt Chris Wells

Cunard's Three Queens Arrive at Southampton:



Highlights of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh's visit to Queen Mary 2

Cruise News Daily Headlines for November 21, 2013

* First Home Ports for Anthem of the Seas Named
One of the industry’s worst-kept secrets was confirmed today when Royal Caribbean announced that Anthem of the Seas will be based at Southampton for its inaugural season in the summer of 2015.

Not quite as widely talked about, but logically, nonetheless, the ship will then reposition to a home port in Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades) for the winter season sailing Caribbean programs.

* Other Things You’ll Want to Know
CND subscribers also read about Monday Night Football on Princess ... BB King's expanding on Holland America ... James Taylor coming back to QM2 (related).

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Cunard's Operation at Southampton's New Ocean Terminal

The Cunard liners have begun operating from Southampton's new Ocean Terminal, and on Cunard's blog, cruise director Alistair Greener takes a look at the new facility.

Southampton to Have Busy Weekend

Everything is relative.

The Daily Echo reports the port of Southampton is going to have what they consider to be a busy weekend. They will have nine large cruise ships in port over this weekend. The port expects huge crowds coming out to see the ships. Not only that but they are actually free running bus tours.

Saturday will see Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas, P&O Cruises’ Oceana, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ Black Watch and Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 in port. Sunday the ships in port will be P&O Cruises' Oriana, P&O's Ventura and P&O's Aurora along with Cunard’s Queen Victoria.

As we said, everything is relative. Ft. Lauderdale would consider those really light days.

New Southampton Passenger Terminal Ready to Open

The new Ocean Terminal is ready to open at Southampton, directly across from the site of the original terminal bearing that name. The new terminal is the city's fourth and designed for the future, able to handle 4,000 passengers at once. The BBC video report looks at the new terminal along with a look back at the original Ocean Terminal.