Port of London Authority to monitor cruise emissions at Greenwich

Staff Writer Cruise Ships

THE PORT of London Authority has installed pollution monitors either side of the Thames at Greenwich ahead of this year’s cruise season. Eight monitoring stations have been put up near to Greenwich Ship Tier to measure emissions from the ships while they are moored on the river. The equipment, which cost the PLA £80,000, was put in place before cruise …

Longest cruise ship ever on the Thames arrives at Tilbury

Staff Writer Cruise Ships

THE LONGEST cruise ship to visit the Port of London made its maiden arrival on Thursday morning. Norwegian Pearl sailed up the river to moor at London International Cruise Terminal, Tilbury, at about 8am. At 294 metres in length, she is the longest cruise ship to use the facility – beating the previous record holder – Mein Schiff 3 – …

Azamara Journey finishes first World Journey cruise at Greenwich

Staff Writer Cruise Ships

30,000 TONNE cruise ship Azamara Journey sailed up the River Thames on Saturday to complete her first round the world trip. The 102-day World Journey cruise started in Sydney in March and included visits to 28 countries before concluding in London at the weekend. 53 guests were on board the Azamara Club Cruises vessel for the whole of the 21,619 mile cruise …

London’s cruise ship season starts with arrival of Viking Sun

Staff Writer Cruise Ships

NEW 228-metre-long cruise ship Viking Sun sailed up the Thames in the early hours of Friday morning – the first cruise visitor to the capital this year. The ship, which was finishing her maiden 141 night round-the-world cruise that started in Miami last year, is the fourth in the Viking Star-class. Viking Sun, with a capacity of 930 passengers, spent …

Passing Gravesend's town centre

Tilbury welcomes its biggest ever cruise ship as Storm Aileen forces overnight stay

Rob Powell Cruise Ships, News

A 293 METRE long cruise ship became the biggest to ever visit London International Cruise Terminal when she sailed up the Thames yesterday. Mein Schiff 3, meaning My Ship 3 in English, arrived at the Tilbury terminal in Essex shortly after 7am on Tuesday morning. Seasoned ship spotters have been checking the archives to check whether she might be the …

Welcome to the World: “Residence at Sea” arrives in London

Rob Powell Cruise Ships

MS THE WORLD sailed up the Thames to moor in Greenwich earlier on today. The “residences at sea” ship looks like a cruise liner but actually has 165 privately owned apartments and constantly sails the globe with some of its wealthy passengers on board. Launched in 2002, The World has made several visits to London, the most recent of which was in 2013. The 196-metre …

Viking Sea becomes largest cruise ship ever christened on the Thames

Rob Powell Cruise Ships, News

LONDON saw its biggest ever cruise ship christening yesterday when Viking Sea arrived in town. The brand new, 227 metre long cruise ship sailed up the Thames to arrive at Greenwich shortly after midday. 28 sailors were manning the yard arm of Cutty Sark, the iconic clipper ship, at Greenwich to welcome Viking Sea to London. The cruise ship, capable …

London cruise season begins with L’Austral coming up the Thames

Rob Powell Cruise Ships

LONDON’s cruise season got under way this afternoon when the cruise ship L’Austral sailed up the Thames. The luxury megayacht-style ship made her way in to London in warm sunshine with blue sky and puffy white clouds above. L’Austral’s arrival into the upper pool alongside HMS Belfast is the first by a cruise ship so far this year. The 142-metre …

Gravesend sunset and sunrise

Rob Powell Cruise Ships, Weather

March came to an end and April started last week with a pleasing sunset and sunrise over the Thames at Gravesend. The sun sets on March 31st behind the old West Street station pier at Gravesend. The pier was part of a platform at the old Gravesend West railway station that jutted out on to the river. About 10 hours …