Here are some snapshots of some of my ship trips
and ship inspections in latest-date-first sequence.

2018 February - ship inspection & lunch - Melbourne - QUEEN MARY 2

 

2018 February - ship inspection - Melbourne - VIKING SUN
 

2018 - spotted at Melbourne's Station Pier - EUROPA  (Berlitz's #1 cruise ship)
(EUROPA and refueling tender at Station Pier.)

2016 - ship inspection & lunch at Melbourne - CELEBRITY SOLSTICE

2015 & 2017 - "BRAVO Music Cruise" Pacific - RADIANCE of the SEAS

Radiance of the Seas at dock in Noumea, New Caledonia.

2010 - inspection and dinner with clients on Silversea's SILVER WHISPER

2009 - ship inspections or viewings en route...
Wherever I go, I take the opportunity to sight or even get aboard ships which happen to be
in harbour at the same time I am.  I've listed some of these happy happenings below.
 
I once spotted the ALBATROS at Melbourne pier, many years ago. And even in Hong Kong harbour around 2010, on a Star Ferry, I was able to spot Holland America's VOLENDAM, (pic at right above), a very comfortable cruise ship.  Every little glimpse and sneaked snapshot "makes my day"!

2006 - ship inspection and lunch - Melbourne - Holland America's  NOORDAM

2003 - ship inspection - Melbourne - MS MARCO POLO

2002 - ship cruise - Germany - RHINE RIVER CRUISES

1999 - ship cruise - Fiji -  BLUE LAGOON CRUISES

There's been many more over the thirty-plus years I've been representing cruises.  Here's those I can recall from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s...

Assorted day and part-day cruises
I am going to take some poetic license now and add some time
I've had on the water which you would not exactly call cruising,
but as Paul Carmen used to say "At least you're on the water..."
So here we go...
NEW YORK STATEN ISLAND FERRY
NIAGARA FALLS CRUISE CANADIAN SIDE
ANGEL FALLS VENEZUELA by CANOE ABOVE THE FALLS (before the Piranha nets)
Also BELOW THE FALLS (and again, away from the Piranha nets)
 Saw the REED BOATS on LAKE TITICACA, PERU.
BUENOS AIRES...  This was not actually "on the water" but you would have to say
it should be included because of a connection with shipping:
This is where Aristotle Onassis began his shipping empire,
borrowing a row boat and rowing people out to an island and back
from a town near Buenos Aires. This always fascinated me.
The town's buildings are totally covered in beautiful paintings by locals.
That's the story if you do the tour, anyway!
The internet suggests his fortune was from more than just a start in a row boat.
ROSSLARE FERRY from CHERBOURG to ROSSLARE,
Plying among the CHANNEL ISLANDS (Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, etc),
Several CHANNEL and NORTH SEA crossings, including
DOVER/CALAIS FERRY, ALSO TO ZEEBRUGGE,
DINNER CRUISE ON THE SEINE, PARIS
CANAL CRUISE AMSTERDAM
GEIRANGER, SOGNE FJORDS, NORWAY
OSLO - a short boat ride to visit the wonderful VIKING SHIP MUSEUM
CANAL AND RIVER CRUISE ST PETERSBURG
RIVER CRUISES in EUROPE
LAKE BLED... yes, I know, it's not a cruise, but please bear with me:
   
Lake Bled in the Julian Alps of Slovenia has a small island in the middle which houses a Baroque Church of Assumption
overlooked by a castle (pic 1). The whole scene is breathtaking. Pletna Boats (that's them in pic 3 - the "cruise" connection!)
took us across the lake to the church and 99 steps had us up to a vantage point in the tower of the Church.
You can also visit the Castle back on mainland. Winter time is cold but beautiful (pic 2).
While still in the same area.....
Plitvice Lake National Park in Croatia has 16 terraced lakes that are joined by waterfalls. An electric boat links the 12 upper
and 4 lower lakes and they come together into magnificent falls 78 m high (pix 4,5,6). I did not take the electric boats
but certainly loved my time at the falls. All of this is set in 290 sq klms of forest. Magnificent.
This whole area would have to be in my Top 10 List and I have raved about this since going and told many clients about it.
These photos are not mine.  I'll update them when I find mine.
   
...okay... back to more water rides:
VENICE CANAL AND GONDOLIER RIDES
CAPRI THE BLUE GROTTO CRUISE from SORRENTO
PIRAEUS to BRINDISI, and some cruising among the GREEK ISLANDS
SAIGON TO VUNG TAU HYDROFOIL FERRY (several, and all forgettable)
PERFUME RIVER, HUE, DRAGON BOATS - SEVERAL CRUISES
9 or 10 single-day cruises on junks on HA LONG BAY, VIETNAM

As well as personal experiences, I subscribe to all the major shipping and cruise books and magazines,
so I'm "up to date" with the latest ships and shipping news.

I also have access to what must be one of the most innovative and helpful booking sites: Cruiseco.
In minutes I can find for you what ships are operating where and when, and give you itineraries, deck plans, cabin layouts and ship highlights.  Please see my CRUISE NEWS & NEW SHIPS web page (click on the yellow text) for a list of new ship builds expected over the next several years.

The Berlitz Guide to Cruising is an annual "Bible" (I have the last 22 publications on my shelves), however, I'd suggest you'd still need a knowledgeable travel agent.  There is some risk booking on the internet with regard to obtaining information on the correct visas and helping you with inoculations, insurance, transfers, flights, etc. You pay no more for a travel agent and they will take the worry out of your much-anticipated holiday. A good knowledge of ships and shipping lines will have you on the right ship and the right itinerary, AND be able to assist you while overseas if you become ill or need to change your itinerary at short notice. And often a travel agent has access to better fares/packages...

And my knowledge is not restricted to ships and cruising - I can also suggest tours, hotels and other arrangements to enhance your trip.  I have done countless bespoke tours of Europe and the Americas for past-passengers.

If you're thinking of a cruise or any other major holiday, I can assist...

For your information - if you'd like to look at ships past and present
and their separate life-stories, there's a terrific website at
www.ssmaritime.com
Please go to the MAIN PAGE and click to open up an A to Z of ships
showing their past and present situations.

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Caroline Judd at Wiltrans
took me under her wing and was at the end of the phone
for some decades helping source particular cabins, getting obscure information,
clearing waiting lists and making sure I was a part of many of their inspections and famils.
I truly admire her dedication to her job and her knowledge
and in my opinion she is a true Lady of Shipping.
Wiltrans represented then Crystal Cruise Line, Royal Viking Line, Paul Gaughin Cruises,
Royal Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas, and Renaissance Cruise Line who had
6 ships which when they went in to liquidation in 2001, were sold off to various companies.
Oceania bought three one now the Nautica, Seabourn and Silversea others.
From memory Wiltrans also represented Seabourn before Carnival took it over.

Paul Carmen from P&O/Princess
was another who fed my interest, always ready with an answer
and often would turn up with a beautiful shipping book or shipping gift.
He was thrilled for me when I won the
P&O Premium Cruises "Top Suburban Agency" award for 1990:


In those days I was trading as TRAVELWISE and CRUISEWISE.
This man LOVES ships. I believe he is with MSC now.

And Ernie Skalsky
always had an opinion or advice for me, an encyclopaedia of shipping.

It would be true to say there have been many personalities involved in shipping
both on the ships and behind the scenes. It attracts the eccentrics as well.
A look at the passenger manifests for Trans Atlantic crossings on
Queen Mary, QM2, QE2 and many others would prove this.
How fascinating.