Cruising

Post by **spot** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:05 am

I was in Southampton at the end of last week. There was a cruise liner tied up at the City Cruise terminal. It was large, I thought, being well over a mile from where I was staying, so I wandered over for a better look. I was right, it was large.

It goes into service this month, it had just been handed over to its operators after construction in France. There's a picture on MSC Cruises: MSC Magnifica â€“ Arriving 26th Feb 2010

I've not seen a ship that big before. It has a cinema with 1200 seats, for example, over a thousand crew and cabins for over 2500 passengers. Whatever gross tonnage means, it has 93,330 of those too.

I was impressed. I don't think the UK has anything like it.

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 8:36 am

She's amazing isn't she?

We saw her when we went to Ikea in Southampton, which is down by Mayflower Park.

Whereabouts were you staying Spotty?

Post by **spot** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 8:46 am

Rapunzel;1294453 wrote: Whereabouts were you staying Spotty?

In an hotel next to the Civic Centre Clock Tower beside Solent University. It's a very odd clock. It chimes the quarter hours nicely, it chimes the hours except the fifth bong is always missing and every four hours it rings out a verse of "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" which seems appallingly non-PC in this day and age but fits in quite well with the proximity of the docks. Isaac Watts wrote the hymn and he came from those parts. Though, thinking about it, he didn't write the tune, William Croft did. Odd.

minks · Post by **minks** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 9:16 am

In a word

WOW

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 9:54 am

spot;1294455 wrote: In an hotel next to the Civic Centre Clock Tower beside Solent University. It's a very odd clock. It chimes the quarter hours nicely, it chimes the hours except the fifth bong is always missing and every four hours it rings out a verse of "O God, Our Help in Ages Past" which seems appallingly non-PC in this day and age but fits in quite well with the proximity of the docks. Isaac Watts wrote the hymn and he came from those parts. Though, thinking about it, he didn't write the tune, William Croft did. Odd.

Lol. It has always played that tune because, as you correctly note, Isaac Watts did hail from this area. In fact, the park behind the civic centre is named Watts Park. I love the beautiful white Portland stone that the civic centre is built from. My very first job was working there, in the civic.

Post by **spot** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:19 am

minks;1294459 wrote: In a word

WOW

It couldn't visit Bristol Harbour and that's a fact. I reckon if one of its lifeboats came in through the floating harbour entrance it'd be the largest ship in town.

minks · Post by **minks** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:51 am

spot;1294476 wrote: It couldn't visit Bristol Harbour and that's a fact. I reckon if one of its lifeboats came in through the floating harbour entrance it'd be the largest ship in town.

Very cool. One day I would like to get on cruise ship trip.

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:32 am

minks;1294486 wrote: Very cool. One day I would like to get on cruise ship trip.
They are great Minks, I have been on 6 to date, the last one was last May. Best vacations I have ever had.

ZAP · Post by **ZAP** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:35 am

YZGI;1294490 wrote: They are great Minks, I have been on 6 to date, the last one was last May. Best vacations I have ever had.

I echo that! I took my 8th in August out of Southampton. Cruising is wonderful!

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:25 pm

I have done my fair share of "Cruising" also I prefer the smaller more Intimate ship. :-6:-6This is a floating city.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:22 pm

Oh, a casino onboard too, very spiffy.

Lancer786 · Post by **Lancer786** » Thu May 13, 2010 10:41 am

I always prefer cruising rather than road or air trip because first of all it is a big fun and secondly its cheaper and more comfortable and we can really enjoy it more than other means of travel.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Thu May 13, 2010 11:30 am

As one who has sailed on many different kinds and sizes of boats, ships & craft, I find this large cruise ship obscene.

YouTube - Raw Video: World's Largest Cruise Ship

Cruise Ship | Elite Choice

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Thu May 13, 2010 11:45 am

I'm with you there, Lon! That ship is just a sea-going block of flats, top heavy and basically ugly. Give me the QE2 and similar every time!

cars · Post by **cars** » Thu May 13, 2010 12:38 pm

Similar to a race car, where there's always someone trying to build a faster one, Cruise Lines are always striving to have the "biggest behemoth" in their fleet!

Anyway, cruising is the greatest! It can be a relaxing as you want it to be, or hectic as you want it to be. Or even a combination/mixture of both as you much as you desire!

Not to mention all the food & drinks galore!

hoppy · Post by **hoppy** » Thu May 13, 2010 12:56 pm

Somali pirates will live like kings on that tub.:wah:

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Thu May 13, 2010 2:58 pm

hoppy;1309906 wrote: Somali pirates will live like kings on that tub.:wah:

You are flippin funny today Hoppy:yh_rotfl

panzermk2 · Post by **panzermk2** » Wed May 19, 2010 10:07 pm

Imagine how hard it wold be to get off that thing when it sinks.

hoppy · Post by **hoppy** » Thu May 20, 2010 5:07 am

panzermk2;1311207 wrote: Imagine how hard it wold be to get off that thing when it sinks.

You would have to use gravity.:wah:

panzermk2 · Post by **panzermk2** » Thu May 20, 2010 11:14 am

while trapped inside with all those windows sealed up. No thanks.

cars · Post by **cars** » Fri May 21, 2010 5:40 am

panzermk2;1311333 wrote: while trapped inside with all those windows sealed up. No thanks.
Oh, probably another good reason to have a "balcony room", that has a door to the outside! :wah::p:D:rolleyes:

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Fri May 21, 2010 5:54 am

G#Gill;1309899 wrote: That ship is just a sea-going block of flats, top heavy

It seems so - it's got a height of 65m (AW), and a draught of only 9m! However, it has a displacement of 100,000 tonnes, and is 220,000 tonnes gross, so it's not *that* top-heavy!

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Fri May 21, 2010 6:44 am

If you toook all the ships and subs out of the ocean, how far would the oceans water levels fall?