SEAWORTHY

Posted on 01/15/2016

Passengers on the P&O Canberra in 1973 got treated to an impromptu song from one of the other guests. At the earlier invitation of cruise director Ronnie Ray, David Bowie got up on stage and sang his recently released song Space Oddity. Ray shared that memory and a photo of Bowie that night with the media. He said people were coming out of their cabins in the pyjamas when they heard the singer.

• A couple from Brazil were kicked off the Celebrity Solstice this week and had to make their own way back home after a security camera caught the woman stealing a Michael Kors handbag valued over $400. Cruise ship security notified police when they landed in Dunedin but the cruise line has chosen not to press charges.

• The captain of a Carnival cruise ship heading from Tampa to the Caribbean rescued a vessel in distress this week, where a group of Cuban migrants were trying to get to the US on a handmade raft.

• A Balmoral vessel docked at Funchal Madeira malfunctioned this week. The Fred Olsen Cruise Ship tender was being lowered when the ship’s wenches moved at different speeds causing the boat to appear to be suspended for a short time. Eventually it was lowered safely and lifted onto the forecastle of Balmoral. A month ago the winches were independently surveyed for Flag compliance and no issues were found.

• The Country Music Cruise on Holland America’s MS Oosterdam is sold out for the January 16 to 23 2016 sailing from Fort Lauderdale with calls in Ochio Rios and Grand Cayman. The line up includes Kenny Rogers, Alabama’s Randy Owen, The Oak Ridge Boys, Mel Tillis and Kathy Mattea. Reservations are being made for the 2017 cruise with shows from Vince Gill, Charley Pride, Tanya Tucker, Wade Hayes and others yet to be announced.

• A 60 year old German man suffered a heart attack on the Aida Bella cruise liner. He was brought to shore and immediatel transported to Songkhai Hospital (southern province of Thailand) by the navy.