I think I'm correct in saying that the
Oceania's Marina is the largest cruise liner to visit Stornoway. Certainly when she was sitting there in the outer harbour she dwarfed all around her. Unfortunately it was rather a misty morning so my photos are more images of record than anything else. The Marina is the sister ship of the Riviera which entered service last month as one of the most sophisticated and elegant ships to debut in the last 50 years and on which Pat and Dave's daughter is the retail manager. She spent a short while on the Marina to get a feel for the new vessel and was a bit upset to have missed the opportunity to visit her home port.
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| The Marina in the outer harbour taken from the town |
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The Marina from the Sandwick side of the outer harbour.
The Isle of Lewis ferry is hardly noticeable when she's in the same place. |
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| Passing the lighthouse into the inner harbour |
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| One of the lifeboats used to ferry passengers ashore at the ferry terminal tender landing sta |
Huge ship!! They really do dwarf everything.
ReplyDeleteMy parents took a cruise on the QEII and, more recently, I met them in Venice at the end of their cruise on the Queen Victoria.
At least the QEII was elegant, Liz. This on the other hand has convenience and luxury and suites and balconies for everyone.
DeleteThat is a big boat.
ReplyDeleteI'd settle for the wee orange one.
It rather depends whether I'm crossing the Atlantic or taking a more modest journey.
DeleteWhy would you want to cross the Atlantic ?
DeleteTo get to the other side - particularly if I was in the US at the time.
DeleteIn the first photo it looks almost unreal - like it had been photoshopped in! I think it's the proportions compared to the lighthouse that does it...
ReplyDeleteThese vessels really are huge Monica. I found that the photo doesn't even make it look as big as real life.
DeleteGreat shots, Geeb.
ReplyDeleteThese vessels really are astonishingly large. When I first saw one passing through the narrows between our local Mount Maunganui and Matakana Island I could hardly believe there was room. Yet these floating high-rise hotels come into our port all the time. Only at high-tide, though. There is definitely not enough sea-space down there otherwise.
No Katherine that one couldn't get into the inner harbour.
ReplyDeleteI began to doubt it Geeb, but I just had a look at the cruise ship schedule and the Marina is herself scheduled to be at the Port of Tauranga on 28 February 2013.
Deletehttp://www.port-tauranga.co.nz/Shipping-Information/Cruise-Schedules/
DeleteI have never seen one of these giants except in movies or photos. Nevertheless, I do recognize that it is HUGE!
ReplyDeleteLiving near the sea I sea lots of these Norma and I often wonder how they float.
DeleteA floating city. Fascinating!
ReplyDeleteYes, Meike, once on board you need want for nothing........if you are that kind of person.
DeleteI find the idea of spending lots of money to have a holiday on one of these ships is quite depressing. Reminds me of a block of flats in Benidorm, with the added disadvantage of sea sickness. Of course, I know that really they have lots of facilities on all the decks, but I would still find it oppressive. I photographed a monster like this in Venice once because it looked so grotesque in the generally elegant scene!
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