Indonesian Ferry KM Barcelona VA Catches Fire — 575 Rescued, 3 Dead, 2 Missing

On Sunday, a fire broke out on the ferry KM Barcelona VA in the Celebes Sea off the northern coast of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. The ferry was en route to Manado, on its regular half-day journey from Melonguane port, according … Continue reading

Backlash in Barcelona — Protests Planned Against ‘Elitist’ America’s Cup

With preliminary races of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup now underway in Barcelona, Spain, the famous sailing competition is facing the storm of over-tourism protests that have swept across much of Europe, as well as, many tourist hotspots across … Continue reading

Where Cruise Ships Are No Longer Welcome — Amsterdam Latest Port to Impose Ban

Have cruise ships worn out their welcome? Increasingly, port cities around the world are banning or regulating cruise ship dockings and operations in their coastal waters. Amsterdam has become only the most recent to do so. The BBC reports that … Continue reading

A Less Than Excellent Docking by the Cruise/Ferry Excellent in Barcelona

When the cruise/ferry Excellent docked in Barcelona, her arrival was less than, shall we say, excellent. Yesterday, at around 8AM, local time, the 663′ long ship was caught in high winds. While waiting for additional tugs, the ship was blown … Continue reading