| Grand Princess returned for her fourth Southampton season on the 21st May 2011 only there was something a little different about her. Well a LOT different actually - she'd become Decapitated Princess after they removed Skywalkers, her world-famous handle during her April refit in Freeport, Bahamas! I had booked a cruise for later this year specifically so I could watch the world go by from inside the handle and they chopped it off! Must've known I was coming - hehe! My friend, the late journalist Steve Read, had reported back in December it would happen but Princess refused to comment, only telling him there would be an announcement in January. During the final, middle of the night conversation I had with him just before he died suddenly at the beginning of February, he was convinced he'd be eating humble pie. Despite my saying if he was wrong, he could say he was reporting a rumour but if it WASN'T true, why didn't they deny it, he wouldn't be convinced. Five days after that conversation they announced it and he had been right! Oh for just another five days, Steve! They had made several other changes internally too as well as losing 200grt from her 109,000 tonnage. So her return today was somewhat bittersweet since there had been such a huge connection with Steve and I really wished he had been here today with his huge and very heavy camera doing another Video Diary using her as a backdrop! Mind you, he'd have had to do it either before boarding Adonia or from her because was named at 3.30pm by Dame Shirley Bassey. Aurora and Eclipse were also in on this wonderful day, weatherwise. Eclipse was in the news this day but for a sad reason. A thirty-one year old Filipino crew member jumped overboard near Cherbourg, apparently because his contract ended today and he didn't want to go home. Adonia would be sailing the following day while Grand was 4pm and the other two half an hour later. |
