Thursday 30 April 2015

Cruise ship calls in Tallinn & Turku 2015

It has already been some time since Port of Tallinn released their cruise schedules. Just as I did last year, I'm going to give an overview of what I'm awaiting most. Since I'm planning to move to Turku halfway through the summer, I will mention that place too. Though, to be honest, the only considerable downside about moving from Tallinn to Turku is having to switch from THIS cruise schedule to THIS one. I guess not many find it worthwhile to sail the archipelago.

Aidacara

http://www.schiffskoch.com/

The oldest of the lady-faced cruise ships has a rather interesting itinerary this season, stopping in places such as Visby, Mariehamn, Turku, St. Petersburg, Tallinn and Riga among others, but skipping Helsinki and Stockholm. For Turku, she is the first, last and most frequent visitor, as well as the only one to visit more than once. Did I mention I really dig the itinerary?
First call in Tallinn 7. May & in Turku 11. May. 



Norwegian Star


She's adorbs. And visits frequently for the third season in a row. 
First call in Tallinn 14. May

Britannia

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
The most recent P&O newbuild, also the first one with the cruise line's new uniform livery - one cruise fleet less of boring white ships.
First call in Tallinn 6. June

Mein Schiff 4

http://www.ihsmaritime360.com/

Under construction in Turku as I write this, the 2nd newbuild to TUI Cruises will most likely still have a slight smell of construction works when she first calls in Tallinn in early June. 
First call in Tallinn 8. June. 

Louis Aura

www.fleetmon.com
I'm not as hyped about the ship as the cruise line here. Louis Cruises, now known as Celestyal Cruises, has not been seen around here much. Celestyal Cristal from the same fleet has a rather colourful history here on the Baltic Sea (which I've even written down HERE) and many would be happy to see her back in these waters. Seeing the cruise operator around here sheds a ray of hope, although some superstition may still surround the ship, considering the bad luck she had in these waters. 
First call in Tallinn 13. June. 

Disney Magic

www.cruisemates.com

Also mostly about the cruise line - Disney has not been seen here for a long time. 
First call in Tallinn 15. June.


Azores



As well as last year; I barely got the chance to see her and fortunately she will be returning this year. Yet another ship from my narrow selection of vessels with a history worthy of writing down (HERE). Now under charter to Cruise & Maritime Voyages, she's sporting a white funnel and will be renamed to Astoria after this season here. 
First & only call 10. July

Some more ships I'm looking forward to merely for the looks, such as Island Sky, Voyager, Corinthian or Horizon. I'm also looking forward to Magellan, an ex- Carnival / Ibero ship recently acquired by Cruise & Maritime Voyages with her Carnival style funnel still neatly in tact, but her only two calls are in August and September. But speaking of Turku, besides AIDAcara - 

Serenissima, 2. June
www.infoniac.com
Balmoral, 15. July. 

Saga Sapphire, 29. August - definitely a nice birthday present, thank you!
But hey- Turku gets Viking Grace every single evening and a nice shipyard letting out shiny newbuilds every now and then. Though, for some years to come those shiny newbuilds will be exact copies of the Mein Schiff 4. 

P.S. Something totally epic is coming up in about a month.

Wednesday 1 April 2015

[April fools] What they don't tell you about shipping - REVEALED!

I'm sure many of you have heard revelations about chemtrails left behind by planes, perhaps even ship trails - but that has just been scratching the surface. It's time to reveal the truth about the real profit generator in shipping.



Mainstream media has been talking a lot about a certain "EU sulphur directive", that apparently came into force at the start of this year. The truth is, you are all being lied to. The said talks are meant to cover up a bigger scheme that has, trust me, nothing to do with sulphur or preserving the environment, at all. Ships, in addition to serving what is commonly believed to be their main purpose, provide a great way to release different chemicals and toxins ranging from mercury and lye to dihydrogen monoxide and sodium chloride into the sea and even the air.

As shown by this evidence I've collected, no shipping company is innocent. Lye, Mercury, Arsenic, Botulinum, Nitrogen, Potassium, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Dihydrogen Monoxide, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Dioxygen, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Carbonate - you name it, it's in there.
Many do it discreetly, but as this evidence found on the Internet shows, some don't even bother to hide it. 

To cover up up the conspiracy, this obvious violation is served as a either a relatively harmless "fossil fuel emission" or just simple "ballast water". Some have even stated that the substances emitted are meant to feed the fish in order to enable the populations to survive and keep up with the growth of the fishing industry, thus remotely supporting the economy.

The reason behind the constant polluting of our seas and air is simple - money. The shipping companies get paid by the government and supplied by the big pHARMa to effectively dispose of the latter party's waste and poison the living nature along with ourselves - to make us more vulnerable and easier to control and shorten our lives in order to avoid having to pay our pensions. In addition to that, the emissions will eventually bring about the melting of the polar ice caps and the increase of sea level. As a result, they will have more seas for doing their highly profitable business. In fact, the profit from polluting the environment makes up most of their income, not tax-free sales or cargo transport, as they want you to believe.

Every thinking person should see right through those vile lies; alas, we are a minority. Open your eyes. Rethink shipping.