Cruise Blog

The BP oil spill at the Deepwater Horizon Oil rig is one of the biggest disasters we have seen for years. As our industry is dependent on the environment, whether it be the sea or the mountains, we wanted to take a closer look at the timeline of events that took place and how it compares to other similar events.

April 20th 2010 saw the start of the disaster when an explosion took place on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, the rig was drilling at the time but not in production. 115 workers were evacuated, though 11 were killed and 17 were injured. 36 hours after the explosion the rig sank.

Within a week the coast guard was reporting an approximate leak of 8,000 barrels a day, equivalent to 300,000 gallons, the slick had also grown to around 590 sq miles. On April the 26th 23,000 ft of containment booms were deployed with a further 70,000ft waiting to go up and 50,000ft on order. The following day robot submarines were sent in to try and stem the leak.

By the 29th April BP estimates the leak to be 5,000 barrels a day, compared to initial estimates of 1,000. There are now 49 vessels working on the clean-up after the US Military join the effort. The oil reaches the Louisiana shoreline on the 30th April, and the BBC report the oil slick to have grown to 4,000 sq miles. By the 1st May there are 1,900 emergency workers and 300 vessels sent to the disaster zone.

On 4th May a BP executive admits the leak could be ten times the expected level, this would equate to 50,000 barrels a day.

14th May a plan to use a mile long pipe to staunch the flow fails. The next day enormous plumes of oil, estimated at 30 miles wide and 300ft thick, were discovered under the surface.

By the 17th May BP announce they are capturing up to 1,000 barrels a day and on the 18th they revise the figure to 2,000 barrels a day.

The 24th May comes with more bad news as the oil slick is now covering 30,000 sq miles and on the 27th May the estimated leak is up to 19,000 barrels a day.

On 4th June BP begin funnelling off the leak, saving 1,000 barrels a day, by the 6th June BP is capturing 10,000 barrels a day - more than half of the leak.

Oil Spill Timeline 

We have compiled an visual represtation on the current statics of the oil spill. For a closer view of the details take a look at the oil spill timeline page.

Current estimates of this disaster bring the total oil leakage up to 38 million gallons. This will surely have a huge effect on the environment, though remains a long way from the largest disaster of this type. On the 23rd Jan 1991, during the Gulf War, Iraqi forces opened valves from the Sea Island terminal and dumped several tankers full of oil in the Persian Gulf to prevent the US Military from landing in the gulf. This led to approximately 462 million gallons, covering 4242 sq miles, of oil leaked into the ocean. This should not take away from the fact that the current leak will have a huge impact on the environment, it does however highlight the scale compared to previous disasters.

Written by Stephen Adam, statistics courtesy of the BBC.

The Iglucruise website is currently home to 159 ships and 22 cruise lines, with so much choice available there surely must be a cruise for everyone. Modern cruising seems to be growing by the day, Royal Caribbean are putting the finishing touches on Allure of the Seas - sister ship to the world's largest cruise ship, Princess Cruises have ordered two new ships, P&O recently launched the Azura and Celebrity are expanding the Solstice class. These are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of new ships.

My question is with so much choice out there, such variety in cruising styles, and the cruise lines vying for our attention, how do you know what is the right holiday for you?

The most popular types of cruising at Iglu Towers appear to come in the form of American-style cruises, British-style cruises and Italian-style cruises. Cruising styles also range from your 3* affordable family cruises such as Ocean Village to your 6* luxury all-inclusive lines like Silversea. With so many first time cruisers out there I wanted to take a look at what all this means, and what would I chose.

As I'm sat in London I'll start with British-style cruises and cruise lines. Cunard are the first to come to mind, the 5* luxury cruise line with it's famous ships. Next you are looking at P&O Cruises, a 4* cruise line renowned for great service and modern ships. Fred Olsen Cruises offer affordable holidays on their smaller ships and Thomson Cruises are a great value line with an informal atmosphere and great itineraries.

American-style cruising tends to be a more vibrant affair with huge emphasis on entertainment. Cruise lines such as Regent Seven Seas are at the 6* luxury end of the market, Celebrity Cruises offer great value 5* cruises, the likes of Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines are the 4* affordable cruises. Onboard Royal Caribbean and NCL you w ill find everything from ice-rinks, water-slides and climbing walls to Broadway-style productions and an upbeat atmosphere.

Italian-style cruising is also a growing aspect of the industry. Silversea cruises offer a more glamorous and luxurious experience, with suite based all-inclusive cruises. MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises offer the main market share. These are more continental feeling, with European-style food, service and entertainment onboard, and a real mixture of cultures for a mostly European clientele.

With this in mind I decided to speak to the cruise team to find out their favourite ship, with mixed results. My personal favourite has to be the Sun Princess, at 2,000 passengers for me it's not too big or too small. Though an older ship in the fleet it has a great atmosphere and a core crew who seem to go back year after year (plus I spent 3 months onboard in Alaska!).

Most of the team at Iglucruise have either worked on board or are serial cruisers, here's what they had to say.

What's my favourite ship? Well, I've seen them big and I've seen them small, I've seen them long and I've seen them tall, I've had the best service you can have possibly imagined, And I've seen stage shows that belong in the West End, I've dined in restaurants that deserve a star from Michelin, And I've sipped a sunset cocktail in an exotic location, I've seen discos that rock through the night, And I've seen piano bars that get the romance just right, But in the end it comes to down this, It all depends on the person you're with.

If I have to choose just one ship, then let it be the MSC Orchestra. Large enough to keep you occupied and that Italian service is just right. Not overbearing and not too formal. I especially like the bar at the stern for a sunset cocktail. - A.J

Independence of the Seas! I loved the size of this ship, it hardly felt like you were at sea. I loved the shopping promenade running through the middle, with bars and restaurants on either side of it. I had a blast doing Karaoke in the booths they have. You can change the booth to make it private or so people can see in. Was a lot of fun. My favourite ship I have been on. Had something for everyone. - Keren

I'm fairly new to cruising but I had a great experience on the Braemar which is a Fred Olsen's ship. We were greeted with champagne and impeccably pleasant staff so the mood was good from the start. I was surprised to find how spacious the cabins are, not to mention light and airy, a good sleep to be had on this ship for sure. Undoubtedly the highlight was the nosh though, a lovely buffet including fresh fish, tasty salads and a healthy dosage of the plonk. Happy cruisers... off for a lie in the sun! - Christian

My favourite ship is the Independence of the Seas, they have the best leisure and sporting facilities at sea, not to mention the opulent stage productions and ice shows! - Walter

My favourite ship is  the Eclipse which is a Celebrity ship... because it has a martini bar! - Tracy

My favourite ship would have to be the Celebrity Eclipse. It's a classy, luxurious ship with an excellent crew. It has all of the necessities with a bar located in every corner of the ship and excellent dining options to fill the time between. The ship is big enough to get lost, but it still somehow feels quaint. All in all a great cruise ship. - August

My favourite ship is Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas. There is plenty on the ship to keep you entertained, good food and very friendly staff. - Cynthia

I love the Celebrity Eclipse which completely changed my outlook on cruising. It is a spectacular ship, offering the best food, service & the most deliciously potent cocktails I have ever come across! - James

Oasis of the Seas is huge, absolutely beautiful, and the innovative neighbourhood concept provides a marvellous atmosphere for cruisers. With so much onboard variety, travellers will need a week's cruise (or more) to thoroughly experience the Oasis of the Seas. - Jay

Best ship so far... I would have to say the Celebrity Eclipse. I love this ship for all its facilities such as the spa and wide range of bars! The onboard entertainment is fantastic and you cannot beat the service and friendliness of the staff. - Rebecca

Cunard's Queen Mary 2. Service was great and my balcony room was exceptional and very spacious. I enjoyed every day on this beautiful ship. I would recommend dinning in the Todd English specialty restaurant which serves the best steaks I have ever had, and you can even dine Al fresco. This cruise is an experience you must try, worth every penny. - Dennis (Iglu's original cruiser)

The Marco Polo from Cruise and Maritime: A ship with character, unpretentious clientele, often sailing stunning itineraries. - Maarten

The ship I most like to sell is P&O's Oceana. It may not have as many facilities compared to the newer, more modern ships but it's certainly made up for by the atmosphere onboard. It's the most popular ship for first timers cruising with P&O, and with good reason. - Matt

I would have to say Celebrity Eclipse is my favourite ship. The facilities are 5* standard. The decor, the rooms and the food are exceptionally impressive, not to mention the bars and clubs where you can dance the night away in style. Highly recommended. - Sharlene

MSC Orchestra, because the staff really care about their passengers in a way I have not experienced in over 20 years of working in the travel industry. Maybe the reason is that the staff are on nine month contracts rather than six which means they genuinely do care about their passengers otherwise they wouldn't last the contracts - but whatever the reason it does lead to a great atmosphere on board. - David

The most beautiful ship I saw must be the Equinox. I loved the attention to details, handmade chairs, Swarovski glass everywhere, Ice bar which melts every day, the food was second to none, however my favourite ship would be the Braemar, only because everything was just easier, more relaxed. Cabins are twice as big, staff was the friendliest and always happy to see you. It felt like being at Grandma's on holidays and you could see yourself coming back again and again. - Linda

Celebrity Eclipse. How something that weighs 122,000 tonnes can stay afloat baffles me. There is also plenty of variation in the casino. - Calaway

I would have said the Ventura, fantastic food and very grand ship, but... there is something about the MSC Magifica that wins for me. A beautiful, plush ship with a real quality finish. - Kwesi

Celebrity Eclipse. Elegant, stylish, contemporary luxury with no expense spared. Standing out from the rest of the cruise lines with special touches such as the first real grass lawn on the top deck with 360 degree views of the ocean, an outdoor glass-blowing studio and the martini ice bar with the frosted bar and the best martinis around. And for me, possibly most importantly, outstanding dining, culinary treats and top class service to impress even the most demanding guest. - Katherine

Independence of the Seas. The flowrider really is a giggle. - Dave Mills

As you can see there is a fairly varied response, the Independence of the Seas and Celebrity Eclipse may be the most popular ships, but there are fans of P&O, Cunard, MSC and even the smaller cruise lines like Fred Olsen.

Cruising is about finding the right ship for you. I prefer the elegance of Princess Cruises and the mid sized ships, some people love the size and incredible entertainment on Royal Caribbean's ships, and other, well... are just after a top notch cocktail!

If you're looking for your first cruise or something different the best bet is speak to the experts and let them help you find the right ship for you.

Written by Stephen Adam

Now I don't want to tempt fate, but since the ash cloud seems to have diminished, we've started to see more and more people taking advantage of some stunning fly cruise deals here at Iglu towers.

Whilst there's no doubt of the convenience and benefits associated with cruising from the UK, there's definitely something to be said for flying down to the Mediterranean, (or to the heart of the Caribbean during our winter) to join your ship in the sunshine. The technology and thus stability of modern cruise ships means a voyage down the Bay of Biscay is no longer something to be wary of, though more and more people seem to be opting for cruises which start in Barcelona, Venice, Rome or Palma particularly.

Starting your cruise holiday from one of these major Mediterranean ports, also affords you the ability to extend your cruise holiday with a night or two in a hotel pre cruise. This is especially popular with cruisers wishing to make a nine or ten night holiday out of a seven night cruise. This concept is also increasingly popular with cruises to Dubai and the surrounding Emirates, where there are some amazing and contrasting sights to discover by adding a few days in the sun.

Cruises from Southampton, Dover or Newcastle (for example) continue to be a amazing way to cruise. But particularly for last minute bargains, fly cruises currently represent superb value for jet setting cruisers!

Written by Dave Mills