Aurora has set a new record by becoming the largest vessel every to go alongside at Honningsvaag (North Cape).

Normally ships anchor off, but the Captain, on his first command persuaded the reluctant Port Authority to let Aurora actually go alongside!

On that same cruise, due to a change in port rotation, Aurora steamed from Southampton to Vik at an impressive 27.5knots.

This just proves the small ships claim to fame is false!

Small ships claim they can go places large ships cant. The Artemis brochure for 2005 Grand Voyage claimed because of its size it could visit Milford Sound in New Zealand, yet when I was on the 116,000ton Sapphire Princess, it set the record as the largest ship to ever visit.

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Concerning that it's of course not only the draft but also the other dimensions - and mind you that a longer and wider ships needs the water depth clearance in a much bigger area than a small ship with the same draft.

Smaller ships can not only because of that go to smaller ports - also the smaller number of passengers makes some things easier or possible at all (calling at certain destinations - tender and zodiac operation etc.) - this and the more personal atmosphere is what makes the difference.

[ 06-21-2006: Message edited by: Ernst ]

If I can I will try and get some photos from my friend who was onboard, the length of the lines ashore were phenomonal!

Talking of draft, when we were on Arcadia earlier this year, it was interesting to see that when most of the pax were ashore, the draft went up to 7.5m from the 8.0m when we left Southampton!

A few years ago I would of thought that would make for a very uncomfortable vessel, but after being on her in a force 8, she was very well mannered.

Aurora and Oriana, which always seems to be 8.0m when leaving Southampton are superb in rough weather.

A contrast to the container ships I'm involved with as a ship planner, they have drafts in excess of 14m!

[ 06-21-2006: Message edited by: Ernst ]

Captain Ian Hutley – on his first cruise as Master of P&O’s AURORA – said: "We had to comply with the Harbourmaster’s conditions while alongside, the main one being that the stern thruster was kept running throughout and if winds increased to gale force then we had to leave the berth.

"The forecast was for a maximum of force 5 winds from the North during our stay and with a continuously rated stern thruster, having it running all day was not a problem.

"Many of our passengers were on tour to the North Cape that afternoon and tendering over 1,000 passengers ashore for such an excursion, with a 1pm arrival time, can prove very demanding on all parties involved. By going alongside the berth it made for an 'effortless' experience for our passengers."

He added: "There was no 'reluctance' shown by the Port Authority, they simply advised me of their 'rules'."

The second item on speed Southampton to Vik. This is not true since the ship went directly to Flaam without calling at Vik. Speed attained was 24 knots, Aurora's maximum sea speed.

quote:

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
[b] [...] and tendering over 1,000 passengers ashore for such an excursion, with a 1pm arrival time, can prove very demanding on all parties involved. [...]

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quote:

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From Sread;
Capt Hutley has just joined Aurora after a year as master of sister ship OCEANA

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quote:

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Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
From sread:

The second item on speed Southampton to Vik. This is not true since the ship went directly to Flaam without calling at Vik. Speed attained was 24 knots, Aurora's maximum sea speed.

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Hi Malcolm, my friend who was onboard had a portable GPS which indicated the speed which was the 27.5knts, and this was confirmed by the Engineer onboard (unofficially of course!), I take it that the 24knts was the average between Southampton and Flaam.
My mistake on the Vik/Flaam however!

Nice to know that the Captain had that much thought for the passengers, especially as the effort the bridge and deck crew went to whilst alongside in case the ship had to leave the jetty.

Did "sread" have a review of the cruise we can read? Be good to compare notes with my friend who was onboard (I am trying to get them to submit their thoughts and photos!).

Rgds,
Andrew

[ 06-21-2006: Message edited by: OceanVoyager ]

OceanVoyager: The 24kts (and the rest of the quotes about the thruster etc) are direct from the Captain ... so I'll go with what he says! :-) I wasn't onboard so don't have a review of the cruise, sorry. Would love to see the pictures of the lines though.

Malcolm: Thanks for posting it for me, I was stuck behind a firewall.

[ 06-21-2006: Message edited by: sread ]

There are many lines out there that claim to operate small ships despite the fact that they are up to and over 30,000tons

My defanition of a small ship is something under 5,000tons

I refered to the Artemis claiming to be a small ship enabling it to cruise to destinations larger ships cant. That claim to fame I think is a myth along with the many other ships of similar size that companies refer to as small.

Tendering passengers ashore from an anchorage is OK so long as the seas remain calm.

On one of the last UK cruises made by the ss Oriana we had to leave passengers ashore at Dubrovnik when the winds increased and we had to move out to sea.

They spent the night on a ferry, which was in port, and we were able to get them back on board the next morning when the weather had improved.

Some of the crews of our lifeboat /tenders were also unable to rejoin the ship that night and they with their boats were also left overnight in the harbour.

Regards to all,

Neil ( Bob )

[ 07-05-2006: Message edited by: Neil Whitmore ( Bob ) ]

I also would not call the Artemis a small ship - concerning accessability of ports her advantage to really big ships is not as big as often cited.

[ 07-05-2006: Message edited by: Ernst ]

ss Oriana displayed the brass cockeral above her bridge as the fastest ship in the P&O fleet.

She also made the fastest crossings of both the Indian and Pacific oceans.

I was the Maitre D'Hotel on her for her last ten years before she was sold to the Japanese.

Regards,

quote:

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Originally posted by PamM:
..but did Aurora actually achieve that speed...

Pam

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Good question! It was the Designs 00 yearbook, published by Cruise & Ferry Info in Sweden, that stated "Aurora"'s trial speed as 29 knots. At least that is the only source where I have seen that figure. I believe P&O and Meyer Werft have never stated a figure other than "service speed 24 knots".

It is an old P&O tradition that the brass cockeral is displayed above the bridge of the fastest P&O passenger/cruise ship.

Does anyone know which ship now displays it.

That is unless this tradition has been stopped by Carnival.

I do not know how old it is but at one time it was held by the ss Strathaid and later went to the ss Oriana shortly after the merger of the P&O and Orient Line fleets.

I would be interested to know any other history on the cockeral as I do not think it is mentioned in the book ' The Story of P&O '.

Regards to all,

It is certainly possible to get a ship that size over 30 knots.

Although these are different examples but the US aircraft carriers are larger in dimensions than Aurora and Orinana and they can travel over 30 knots - even the steam powered ones.

My point about the above is that a carrier is not as streamlined as a cruise ship and a carrier has more wind resistance. However a carrier would have more power than a cruise ship.