John Oram's photos with the keyword: MSC

Far from riding into the sunset, as at one time seemed entirely possible, the cruise industry rode out the pandemic storm and survived to see more Solent sunsets. On the evening of Saturday 14 August 2021, MSC Virtuosa was the last of three ships I watched leaving Southampton. With the light around Cowes likely to be dull, I secured a first shot as she passed Fawley. 200_4_P1020629E2

By the time MSC Virtuosa had passed Cowes on another voyage from Southampton, I was pushing my camera and myself hard to get another handheld shot. The sun, now low, was glinting on her stern. 200_4_P1020632CE

As the light faded, MSC Preziosa was being prepared for departure from Road Town, Tortola to St. Maarten although, at this stage, a gangway was still in place. 200_3_P1100079E

Crew members gather at the starboard bow prior to the departure of MSC Preziosa from Road Town for St Maarten. 200_3_P1100061R

Arriving second at the Road Town Cruise Pier, MSC Preziosa dwarfed the Viking Sea. Preziosa had arrived from Point-à-Pitre and would depart to Philipsburg, St Maarten. Viking Sea was on its first port call after leaving San Juan on a West Indies Explorer itinerary. She left in the evening for St Kitts. 200_3_P1100024CE

Arriving second at the Road Town Cruise Pier, MSC Preziosa dwarfed the Viking Sea. Preziosa had arrived from Point-à-Pitre and would depart to Philipsburg, St Maarten. Viking Sea was on its first port call after leaving San Juan on a West Indies Explorer itinerary. She left in the evening for St Kitts. 200_3_P1100011CE

With the sun still, essentially, behind the ship, MSC Preziosa arrives at Road Town, Tortola, entering the quay area stern first. The contrast with our own Viking Sea [qv] was notable and is shown later in my photostream. Preziosa was engaged on one of a series of Caribbean, Cuba and Antilles itineraries. She had arrived from Point-à-Pitre and would depart to one of the Caribbean's busiest ports, Philipsburg, St Maarten. 200_3_P1090995R

The newest ship in the MSC fleet, MSC Bellissima, was officially delivered to the company by Chantiers de l'Atlantique on 27 February 2019 and arrived in Southampton on 1 March 2019 for 4 days of celebrations including the naming ceremony on Saturday 2 March. She became the largest cruise ship to be christened at the UK port. This picture is the first in a new body of work by me using my recently acquired Nikon D5300. I continue to use other cameras and they serve me well but I have long been uncomfortable with how 'soft' some of my images are compared to the beautiful work of some of my contacts. The nature of my documentary photography and slightly industrial output means that I have to make compromises in many situations where shots cannot be meticulously planned or repeated so bridge and compact cameras have a role to play. Unfortunately, MSC Bellissima was unattractively posed at berth 101, City Cruise Terminal, starboard side to quay and with a large container ship forward. So, whatever the merits of my new camera, this is, nevertheless, no more than a record shot. 5300_DSC_0005CE