Yikes! An ocean giant’s steaming right at my hotel
THE cruise ship looked as if it was going to sail right into the hotel lobby. Crowds had gathered at the northern Italian port of Trieste to cheer the arrival of the enormous Majestic Princess on her maiden voyage.
I had the best seat in town – the Savoia Excelsior Palace Hotel, right on the waterfront. It’s a few yards from the deep-water cruise terminal, making it one of the world’s best hotels for embarking for a cruise.
The next morning I could carry my luggage across the road, register for the cruise and be on board within minutes – in fact, just in time for a late breakfast.
The hotel is also a fine choice for anyone visiting this charming old city with Edwardian grandeur from the days of the AustroHungarian Empire. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was a regular visitor. Sadly, his sea-facing firstfloor suite is now a function room but hotel staff proudly show off the period bathroom if you ask.
I had watched the arrival of the 3,500-passenger Majestic Princess from the hotel’s ground-floor bar. The ship first appeared as a dot on the horizon, then steamed straight towards the Savoia. Soon it was so big and close that it seemed to blot out the sky.
For a moment I thought something had gone dreadfully wrong. Perhaps something wasn’t working and the 143,000- ton mega- ship would plough straight into the hotel, historic bathroom and all. But the skills of the captain brought her to a perfect rest next to the hotel entrance. Normally the Savoia is the biggest thing on the waterfront, but for one day, Majestic loomed above everything.
Because I was staying so close, I was one of the first guests on board. First impressions were excellent. Chinese/English dual signs weren’t the only clue that cruise companies are taking the emerging Chinese market seriously.
Majestic will be stationed in the Far East so, to satisfy Chinese tastes, it has the biggest designer shopping area at sea, several casinos and karaoke lounges.
After passengers who had travelled a lot further than me that day had boarded, we cast off for a short cruise to Rome. By then, thousands had gathered on Trieste’s waterfront. Brass bands played, flags waved and fireworks erupted.
When the church bells started ringing, too, I thought perhaps they were celebrating getting rid of the ship and reclaiming their view of the sky. Only later did I learn that the celebrations were a tribute to the captain of the ship, a popular local figure.
Majestic Princess will be sailing from Sydney to Auckland in December 2018. Visit princess. com. B&B rates at the Savoia Excelsior Palace (starhotels.com) start at €136 (£121) a night.