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Showing posts from 2015

A quick update...

It's been a couple of months since I last updated this blog and I thought I should write a quick post to keep people up to speed. In April and unexpected job offer prompted me to move to the UK for work, which of course temporarily put the brakes on this blog. The good news is that I still have a sizeable 'backlog' of posts to write up, including a few new cruise ship photo tours, and a great selection of photos I have been sent by friends and readers since I left Bergen. I will continue to keep this blog live with these submissions and with any photos I take during visits to Bergen, so please keep sending me any photos if you are happy for them to be shared on the blog. So Ships in Bergen goes on, albeit as a slightly lighter version for the forseeable future. You should see new content starting to go up over the next few days. Thanks all for your continuing support!

MV Voyager - Ship Visit and Photo Tour (Part 1)

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Last Friday morning I went on board MV Voyager as she was alongside in Bergen, to complete a full interior photo tour. To find out a little bit about her history, take a look at our post with pictures of her departure later in the afternoon . Otherwise, keep reading to have a look around her public spaces... Passengers head down the gangway to enjoy a day in Bergen Voyager looked good alongside at Bontelabo, helped by the spring sunshine in Bergen. I stepped on board and was greeted at reception by a very friendly crew before being taken for a look around. My guide was Voyager's Deputy Entertainment Director Jamie Leeke. The smart reception desk is right beside the embarkation area The first stop on the tour was Discovery Deck (Deck 5), which is the location of many of Voyager's public rooms. For a ship of her size Voyager has an impressive selection of bars and lounges; perhaps a happy leftover from her previous life as a casino ship in Asia. Forward fa

Oriana

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Also calling into Bergen over the weekend was P&O's Oriana. Currently mid-way through her livery change to bring her in line with the company's new branding, she is sporting the new royal blue funnel but is yet to receive the enormous stylised Union Jack across her bows. Oriana looked fantastic in the morning sun The sun shone as she made her way into town in the morning, giving some great views of her gliding in towards her berth at Bontelabo. Oriana turns as she comes alongside her berth Oriana was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, and entered service in 1995. She was the first purpose-built cruise ship specifically for the British market, and with a tonnage of 69,000 was one of the largest in the world at the time. As such, she attracted considerable attention during her launch and the related celebrations, and was named by Queen Elizabeth II in Southampton. The sun catches the side of Oriana's new royal blue funnel She can carry 1,900 pas

MV Voyager

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The 2015 cruise ship season in Bergen has now started to pick up pace, marked by a weekend with 4 ships calling. On Friday, Voyages of Discovery's MV Voyager was in the city. I was lucky enough to go on board Voyager to be shown around her interiors. The full tour will be added soon. The following photos were taken of her alongside at Bontelabo, and of her departure later in the afternoon. MV Voyager alongside at Bontelabo, Bergen With a length of 152m and a gross tonnage of 15,400 she carries just 540 passengers. Stores are taken on board for the final leg of the voyage Laid down in 1988 and completed in 1990, Voyager has had a long and varied career. After several years sailing for cruise lines in the US, and a stint with Cunard, she was bought for use as a casino ship, sailing short gambling cruises from Singapore, and later Hong Kong. Voyager's smart superstructure contrasts with the clear blue sky Following a period of uncertainty she underwent a major

Costa Pacifica

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It was an absolutely stunning day in Bergen last summer when Costa Pacifica docked at Bontelabo. The following photos were taken as she made her departure from the city on 08/07/14.  I have now updated this post with additional photos and information, as I work to refresh the archive of photos taken before this blog was up and running.  Close-ups of Costa Pacifica alongside in Bergen Costa Pacifica was built in Italy in 2008/09. She is the third of Costa's Concordia-Class ships, following on from her ill-fated sister Costa Concordia. With a length of 290m and a gross tonnage of 114,500 she can accommodate up to 3780 passengers, served by a crew of 1100. The sun cast some wonderful reflections on her hull With little to distinguish between the majority of large ships in Costa's fleet, Costa Pacifica settled easily into her service role, and has had a reasonably successful career to date. Deck workers stand by as Costa Pacifica swings away from her b

MS Stavangerfjord - Ship Visit and Photo Tour

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Last week I went on board Fjordline's cruise-ferry Stavangerfjord, for a whistle stop tour of her passenger facilities during her impressively fast turnaround in the city. MS Stavangerfjord approaches Bergen, Norway To find out a bit more about her design, construction and service, take a look at my previous post here , with photos of Stavangerfjord approaching Bergen taken last December. Otherwise, keep reading to have a look around her public rooms, cabins and suites... A plan of Deck 7, showing the layout of Stavangerfjord's public spaces (credit: fjordline.com) With a few exceptions, Deck 7 contains all of Stavangerfjords public spaces. The gangway leads directly to the middle of this deck, adjacent to the reception desk. First impressions are good, with an attractive entrance area and smiling staff to welcome you on board. The Reception Desk Directly opposite the reception desk is Bungalow Wine & Tapas Bar, with the fresh food on display making t