John Oram's photos with the keyword: TUI

As cruise industry activity remained suspended during the coronavirus pandemic, no fewer than six ships could be found in Weymouth Bay. It was a magnificent but very sad sight. My photographs were taken from Osmington Mills. P&O's largest ship Britannia is seen flanked by Carnival Valor and Cunard Queen Mary 2 with Marella Discovery. 5300_DSC_1875E

As cruise industry activity remained suspended during the coronavirus pandemic, no fewer than six ships could be found in Weymouth Bay. It was a magnificent but very sad sight. My photographs were taken from Osmington Mills. Cunard Queen Mary 2 is seen with Marella Discovery. 5300_DSC_1874CE

As cruise industry activity remained suspended during the coronavirus pandemic, no fewer than six ships could be found in Weymouth Bay. It was a magnificent but very sad sight. My photographs were taken from Osmington Mills. Cunard Queen Mary 2 is seen with Marella Discovery. 5300_DSC_1870CE

As cruise industry activity remained suspended during the coronavirus pandemic, no fewer than six ships could be found in Weymouth Bay. It was a magnificent but very sad sight. My photographs were taken from Osmington Mills. P&O's largest ship Britannia is seen with Cunard Queen Mary 2 and Marella Discovery. 5300_DSC_1871E

When the sun appears only in the breaks in a considerable amount of cloud, the lighting varies enormously and thus also the interpretation by the camera and, later, in editing. I chose this approach because it pleases me. A view along the well maintained Bournemouth Pier looks towards Marella Explorer 2, one of the world's cruise ships idle during the coronavirus pandemic. 5300_DSC_1835CE

Coronavirus brought the cruise industry to a halt worldwide with ships idle in numerous locations. TUI's Marella Explorer 2 was one of three anchored off Bournemouth on Sunday 5 July 2020. This became four in the evening with the arrival, reportedly from Torquay of P&O Arcadia which moved to an anchorage just east of Marella Explorer the other TUI vessel present. Marella Explorer 2 left Bournemouth on the afternoon of 6 July reportedly for the Nab anchorage. Arcadia later moved to the position previously occupied by Aurora which had sailed reportedly to Dover, leaving Bournemouth after Marella Explorer 2. The movements are difficult to keep up with and my photographs are the result of a lot of shooting and editing. A combination of unsettled weather with endless variations of sun and cloud together with the time of day and the movement of individual ships at anchor creates a whole range of results with often far too much blue in the picture. The end products are the result of rather subjective judgements on colour. 5300_DSC_1860CE

Coronavirus brought the cruise industry to a halt worldwide with ships idle in numerous locations. TUI's Marella Explorer was one of three (later four) anchored off Bournemouth on Sunday 5 July 2020. Marella Explorer left Bournemouth in the late evening of 6 July reportedly for a Southampton anchorage. 5300_DSC_1852CE

Coronavirus brought the cruise industry to a halt worldwide with ships idle in numerous locations. TUI's Marella Explorer 2 was one of three (later four) anchored off Bournemouth on Sunday 5 July 2020. Marella Explorer 2 left Bournemouth on the afternoon of 6 July reportedly for the Nab anchorage. 5300_DSC_1828CE

Early on a Sunday morning, the near deserted area around Bournemouth Pier added to the appearance of isolation for TUI's Marella Explorer 2, one of the world's cruise ships idle during the coronavirus pandemic. There were, in fact, two other ships anchored nearby. 5300_DSC_1816CE_M

Early on a Sunday morning, the near deserted area around Bournemouth Pier added to the appearance of isolation for TUI's Marella Explorer 2, one of the world's cruise ships idle during the coronavirus pandemic. There were, in fact, two other ships anchored nearby. 5300_DSC_1816CE

The morning of Sunday 5 July 2020 saw a tentative change in the weather which remained unsettled to that lighting conditions varied by the minute. It was a time to be bold with my record of the three ships anchored off Bournemouth as the cruise industry remained in a coronavirus induced hiatus. Staring across the sun and the pier from West Cliff, one could see TUI's Marella Explorer. P&O Aurora and Marella Explorer 2 were a little further west. 5300_DSC_1841E

The morning of Sunday 5 July 2020 saw a tentative change in the weather which remained unsettled to that lighting conditions varied by the minute. It was a time to be bold with my record of the three ships anchored off Bournemouth as the cruise industry remained in a coronavirus induced hiatus. Staring across the sun from West Cliff, one could see TUI's Marella Explorer and P&O Aurora. Marella Explorer 2 was a little further west. 5300_DSC_1840CE

The rather sad procession through Southampton of cruise ships unable to fulfil their intended role continues. Today it was the turn of TUI's Marella Explorer 2 to tie up at berth 101, happily port side to quay. The very familiar Veolia waste disposal vessel Seagreen was alongside and the inevitable gulls were swirling around just above the water. On berth 106 in the distance, Cunard's Queen Victoria looked fairly majestic in the sunshine. 5300_DSC_1802E

Without being in the secure area of the port there is only so much one can see at Southampton and that is from the vantage point of Mayflower Park. As the coronavirus crisis continued, the shipping at berths 101 - 106 provided a feast for the eyes on a June Friday. From the camera are RCCL Empress of the Seas (101) which had arrived from Berry Islands, Bahamas on crew repatriation, the familiar sight of Grimaldi Line vehicle carrier Grande Mediterraneo (102), TUI's Marella Explorer (104) which, given the current situation, has been a recent local wanderer and Carnival Breeze (106). Not visible in this shot is the superyacht Dilbar (105) which arrived during the evening of 4 June. 5300_DSC_1705

In 2020 the coronavirus pandemic brought the cruise industry to a halt. At the outset, several ships were effectively stranded at sea, refused entry to multiple ports. As the situation settled and with ships unable to undertake voyages, they could be found in clusters around the world. In the Southampton area, including the Solent and the Isle of Wight, ships would anchor or meander between Southampton itself and, for example, Weymouth/Portland. As the world waited for the launch of SpaceX Crew Dragon, which, ultimately, was delayed by weather, TUI's Marella Explorer slid past the Isle of Wight into the dusk. 5300_DSC_1667CE

TUI B737-800 G-FDZR approaching runway 26L at Gatwick. 200_3_P1110299CE

The TUI operated Marella Discovery on berth 101 at Southampton's City Cruise Terminal. She had arrived from Le Havre on a cruise from Malaga to Newcastle, her next port of call. The ship is due to be based in Newcastle for several cruises before returning to Southampton in early September. 200_3_P1050846C

It was a surprise and a pleasure to be able to photograph TUI Mein Schiff 3 at Southampton's City Cruise Terminal on a sunny 3 May 2018 because her original schedule was to leave the previous day at 2000. Morning rain on the 2nd had deterred a visit. She eventually sailed for Bremerhaven at 1345. The lighting for this shot about three hours earlier was near ideal. 200_3_P1050533