3 Must See Sites in Puerto Montt

Frutillar & German Settlers Museum

click images to enlarge

After a relaxing day at sea, we arrived in Puerto Montt.  This area is rich in German history which was the highlight of the tour we selected.  We boarded a bus for a tour through downtown Puerto Montt and points beyond.

Puerto Montt is your gateway to Chile's magnificent Lake District. Here, snow-capped volcanoes gaze down on alpine valleys nestled among low hills. Glaciers carved out this
terrain, leaving the jewel-like lakes in their wake. The Lake District was a magnet for
German immigrants, and their legacy can be seen today in the manicured rose
gardens of Puerto Varas, in Chile's "German Villages" like Frutillar and in Puerto Montt's
gabled homes with elaborate balconies.

Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas rests on the shores of shimmering Lake Llanquihue.  It is known as the "City of Roses" for its beautiful rose-encircled plaza.  We had some time to walk around the town before heading for our next stop.  Here we had magnificent view of Volcán Osorno.

Osorno Volcano is a 2,652-metre (8,701 ft) tall conical volcano which has become a symbol of the local landscape, and is noted for its similar appearance to Mount Fuji.

There are other tours which take you closer to the volcano.  Weather can be quite unpredictable near the volcano, and there is no guarantee that you'll see the peak.  You'll notice in these images that clouds obscured part of the volcano, but the peak was visible.  This reminded us of when we saw Mount McKinley in Alaska.

Frutillar

This small hamlet embraces its Germanic heritage.  After we arrived, we were given admission tickets for a tour of the German Colonial Museum, which resembles a small Swiss chalet.  
Here we walked among the gardens of roses and other flowers in bloom.  We strolled through the garden, mill, grain house, blacksmith shop and house.

We then went to a cafe across the street and had some cake before boarding the bus for the return to the ship. We drove past the lake one more time before heading to the ship.  We were on one of the final tender boats back to the ship.

Our recommendation for Puerto Montt is that you take an excursion, either organized by the ship or on your own, that includes a visit to one of the main lakes and if possible include a view of the volcano on that tour, regardless of how close you get to it.




Related Albums:

Puerto Montt
Puerto Varas
German Settlers Museum
Frutillar 

Note:  we will be adding to these albums as we continue our journey.

Click on the image to the right for more Blog posts about this trip.

Additional photos can be found on our South America Shutterfly page

View Our Other Shutterfly Share Pages

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  

Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin 
and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat 

Keeping Watch on Iceland Volcanic Activities

Monitoring Bárðarbunga and Holuhraun 

You might recall the major air traffic woes in 2010 and 2011 across Europe when ash from erupting volcanoes in Iceland grounded or diverted airlines.   This had a ripple effect on the travel industry, including the cruise segment.

When the Bardarbunga Volcano eruption over the weekend created lava fountains more than 50m (165ft) high, the Met Office in Iceland raised its ash warning for aviation to red, the highest level.  The level was later reduced to the second highest, orange.

Icelandic Met Office

Bárðarbunga - updated information 

Aviation colour code map

Because of the current seismic activity in nortwestern Vatnajökull, IMO has been allowed to publish the chapter Bárðarbunga System, an extract from a much larger work in progress.

Should Volcanic Ash clouds form, the following additional resources will be helpful:

Nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAAC) around the world are responsible for advising international aviation of the location and movement of clouds of volcanic ash.

Current Volcanic Ash Advisories (VAA) from London and Toulouse

• London VAA: Issued advisories (London) | Issued graphics
• Met Office Volcanic Ash Supplementary products: Concentration charts  | Annotated satellite images
• Toulouse VAA: Issued advisories (Toulouse)

 More information from NOAA about volcanoes.

Ash from the eruption of Grímsvötn (Credit: Icelandic Met Office)

London Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)

The London VAAC is an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) designated centre, responsible for issuing advisories for volcanic eruptions originating in Iceland and the north-eastern corner of the North Atlantic.

Cambridge scientists and PhD students are at the forefront of monitoring the activity of the Bárðarbunga volcano in Iceland.
Watch some amazing footage of the lava flows of the two active volcanic eruptions in Iceland.



   

 

Galapagos - Urbina Bay

click images to enlarge

ISABELA ISLAND - URBINA BAY

Day 7 of our Celebrity Xpeditions finds us on Isabela Island, which is by far the largest island in the Galapagos Archipelago.  It is composed of of 6 shield volcanoes - Alcedo, Cerro Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra and Wolf that over the years have coalesced into one island.  All of these volcanoes are considered still active with the last volcanic eruption occurring in May 2008.

There are five different subspecies of giant tortoises spread upon their slopes; almost all of the wonderful photos of these giant tortoises you may have seen were probably taken here.   Today we had our first opportunity to find the giant land tortoises (Galapagos).

Urbina Bay, a beautiful, small bay located at the east base of the Alcedo volcano.  The bay coastal area was uplifted 12 - 15 feet along a shore line of over a mile.  The violent action happened so quickly that it trapped crustaceans, echinoderms, mollusks, and fish species inland. 

The trail starts on the beach where a wet landing is made, the tour is approximately 3200m, and runs through sand substrates, pumice rock, lava, coral and vegetable formations in a coastal area that has had a lift; in addition burrows of land iguanas can be seen.

This area is also directly affected by the Cromwell Upwelling Current.  The Cromwell is a deep water current traveling along the equatorial line form the western Pacific eventually coming in contact with the Galapagos Archipelago.  This nutrient rich, cold water comes to the surface with temperatures reaching the mid 50's (10 -13 degrees Celsius).

View our Galapagos - Urbina Bay photo album for more images of our morning excursion on the Island of Isabela.

Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

Additional Photos can be found on our Exotics Shutterfly page

Connect With Us On

        

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers

Iceland Volcanic Ash Grounds Flights

Grímsvötn eruption
Credit: Institute of Earth Sciences

Iceland: Grímsvötn eruption 

Begins 21 May 2011

Grounds Flights 

UPDATE 24 May, 2011: 

Grímsvötn Volcano Causes Travel Woes

Europe remembers the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption which led to the closure of a large section of European airspace last year. Once again, ash is spewing from a volcano in Iceland, but so far the disruption of air traffic is restricted to Iceland itself.

Grímsvötn volcano, Iceland, began erupting on 21 May 2011, around 18-19 GMT.  Intensive earthquake activity, lasting for about an hour, was observed prior to the eruption.

Disruption of air traffic at Keflavik International Airport  due to the Grímsvötn volcanic eruption More

 Eruption in Iceland: News | Update | Vatnajökull monitoring | Volcanic ash advisory |

‘Significant eruption’ of Grimsvotn likely to bring ash to UK

Current Volcanic Ash Advisories (VAA) from London and Toulouse 
London VAA: Issued advisories | Issued graphics     Toulouse VAA: Issued advisories

Use the following links to browse for additional news and official information about the Grímsvötn volcanic eruption.

Latest Ash Impact on Flights Keflavik International Airport  Ash Concentration UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) EUROCONTROL Icelandic MetOffice (IMO) National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) Track Flights Live Over Europe

Icelandic volcano pictures, blogs, and other links Volcano halts Icelandic flights (BBC) Latest UK Met Office News Grímsvötn volcano FAQ  Grímsvötn volcanic ash observations Forecasters’ blog  British Geological Survey (BGS) Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland NOAA Satellite and Information Service More information from NOAA about volcanoes EUMETSAT - Monitoring weather and climate from space (volcanic ash page) NASA Earth Observatory - images, stories, discoveries about climate and the environment

Hopefully this volcanic eruption won't be as devastating to Europe travel as the one which began last April.  We will continue to monitor this story and provide significant updates.

Sunset of 2010

Red skies at night...

sailors delight. 

  
One famous nautical superstition has sailors looking to the evening skies to determine the weather for the next day.   A colorful sunset with red skies meant the seas would be calm and the weather favorable delighting the sailors.

What will the artist's canvas look like tonight as the final sunset is painted in the evening sky?    Let's hope that the sunset signals calm seas with favorable conditions for the coming year.

Year of Disasters - Natural & Man Made

Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Volcanoes, Hurricanes

Photo courtesy Royal Caribbean International

Early in 2010, a major earthquake hit Haiti killing or injuring  hundreds of thousands, causing billions of dollars of damage, and devastating this already struggling nation.

The cruise industry and others rallied to try to help the country following the disaster.   Royal Caribbean, who has a long-standing relationship with the government of Haiti, led the cruise industry response (even while being criticized).  The nation would later suffer additional loss of life and damage when a hurricane struck the country.

Later in the year, the world's eyes turned to the skies over Iceland as volcanic ash grounded flights over Europe disrupting travel across the entire world.   Passengers were stranded in airports for days until the ash cleared.

Some passengers were unable to get to their cruise ships on time while in other cases, the ships provided an alternate means of travel for stranded air passengers.   It was a logistical nightmare for the entire travel industry and put additional strain on the economy.

Hurricane season began with a vengeance and it was feared that the NOAA predictions of a higher than normal season would become a reality.   There were a larger than usual number of named storms and hurricanes, but fortunately, they didn't produce the devastation of years past. 

That doesn't mean that there wasn't any loss of life or property damage.  As mentioned, Haiti did have substantial damage as did St. Lucia and other Caribbean countries.  Cruise itineraries were changed as storms approached or in their wake as services were restored.

Oil Spill, Ship Fire

During the height of hurricane season, an explosion on an oil rig caused loss of life and a major oil spill that would consume resources from the federal government and other agencies.  The spill severely endangered the ecology of the Gulf Coast region.    It took months to clean up and the effects of the spill will remain for many years to come.

Cruises were not impacted during the spill as the impacted ports remained open. Despite the continued cruise line presence, the economic impact from the oil spill took its toll on the region.  Many people changed their vacation plans as the cleanup continued.

The most recent major event of 2010 was the engine room fire on Carnival Splendor which stranded passengers on that cruise and impacted vacation plans through February next year.  The good news is that the industry will learn from this event and become even safer.

Cruise Line Expansion

2010 saw the introduction of several new cruise ships including Costa Deliziosa, MSC Magnifica, Celebrity Eclipse, P&O Azura, Norwegian Epic, Seabourn Sojourn, Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam, Cunard Queen Elizabeth, Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas, and Disney Dream.

The introduction of these new ships means there are more choices for the consumer.  As demand continues to increase, the capacity is keeping  pace assuring that a cruise vacation is well within the realm of possible vacation choices.

While the economy and disasters have been front and center all year long,  passengers are returning to cruising and we anticipate prices will rise as 2011 pricing comes out.   There might be some time yet to take advantage of lower prices, so it is wise not to procrastinate.  

Just like 2009, we saw an increase in first-time cruisers and those that have tried cruising continue to return year after year.    A cruise vacation remains an extremely good value making it a wise choice for those that decided to take a vacation.

Let us close the book on this historic year together. Tomorrow, when you awake, open the book on what I hope will be a brighter tomorrow. Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year to all!!

Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Pauses

Flight over Eyjafjallajökull at 14:15      22nd May 2010: 

Possibly the last ash explosion. Photo: Steinunn Jakobsdóttir.

Eruption In Iceland Paused

The latest information from the Icelandic Meteorological Service continues to show that the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull remains paused. Steam is still being emitted from the crater but no significant ash has been ejected since Sunday 23rd May. Issued at 1912 on Tue 25 May 2010.

Scientists are reluctant to declare the volcano as dormant.  It is common for erupting volcanoes to "pause" several times before completely stopping.


The eruption activity is minimal and therefore no significant ashfall is expected. The volcano is still being monitored and an ashfall forecast will be issued if necessary.  There is still a considerable amount of steam coming from the crater, but no ash can be seen in it.

There are currently no advisories or flight interruptions.

Related Links

Icelandic Meteorological Service
Icelandic Volcano Blog (London Met Office)
UK Civil Aviation Authority
National Air Traffic Services

Related Blog Posts

Iceland Volcanic Ash Causes New Woes
New Flight Cancellations Due to Volcanic Ash
Flights Resume in UK Airspace
Ash Continues But Some Planes Fly

Hopes Rise for UK Flight Resumption
Europe Travel Woes Continue
Erupting Volcano Grounds Flights 

Although no ash is being emitted at the moment, while any volcanic activity continues, the Met Office will continue to monitor the situation and we will continue to bring you breaking developments.

Travel With Protection Against Unexpected

Purchase Travel Insurance 

for Peace of Mind

Since mid-April the volcanic eruption in Iceland has dominated the travel news as passengers became stranded across the globe.   For those with travel plans within or to Europe, all they could do was wait and see if they would be able to fly to their destination.  Many travelers were stranded for days. 

Unlike some other natural disasters, there was no advance warning that an ash cloud would develop and blow over the UK.   Because of that, travelers were caught off guard and unable to make alternate plans.  This is the perfect example of "the unexpected".

Along with unexpected events, come unexpected expenses.   In the case of the flight groundings due to the ash cloud, passengers were forced to stay at their current location and in many cases incur expenses for lodging, meals, local transportation, phone calls, and other unanticipated expenses.  We heard stories of passengers running out of money because they had already exhausted their vacation budgets.

For those that were just beginning their vacation, it would be cut short at the very least.  In other cases, they were able to join the vacation in progress if alternate transportation could be obtained at a premium price.   In still other cases, the vacation wouldn't occur at all.  All of these situations have a financial impact.   For the uninsured traveler, they had to bear the burden of costs completely alone.

The flight groundings had a ripple affect.  Cruise passengers were unable to get to the embarkation ports and those returning from cruises were unable to return home.   The cruise lines and airlines worked hard to try to assist travelers.    Their hands were tied by regulations that prevented flights from departing.

A logistical nightmare had unfolded on a scale not seen since the grounding of flights after the 911 attacks. The unsung heroes were customer service agents who were working with affected travelers providing assistance.  These included the agents manning the phones of the various travel insurance providers.

If you were to ask one of the stranded passengers that had travel insurance if they felt the premium was worth paying, I'd bet they would say that just the ability to get assistance during this crisis was worth the cost alone.   Of course, the real benefit is reimbursement for the unexpected expenses up to and including the trip cost.

For the uninsured traveler, they not only have a lost vacation, but they very well might not be able to reschedule the trip since they no longer have the funds that they had saved for the trip (due to the extra unplanned expenses).

Those that read my blog on a regular basis know that I always encourage the purchase of travel insurance.   I have had personal experience with needing to interrupt a cruise and fortunately had travel insurance.   We've also been on many cruises where passengers were evacuated to obtain additional medical attention.   The cost of medical transportation can be thousands of dollars. 

Read more about Travel Insurance and the coverages provided.

I'll leave you with these parting thoughts ....  Always purchase Travel Insurance and Purchase the Insurance Policy at the Same Time as Booking Your Trip.

The reason for the last statement is that effective dates of the policy determine if an event is covered.    Once an event has been declared,  policies purchased after that date are not covered until a new event were to occur.    Again, the ash cloud is the perfect example of how this clause could impact your coverage.

For peace of mind and so that you can truly relax and enjoy your vacation, budget for travel insurance when saving for your vacation.

New Flight Cancellations Due to Volcanic Ash

Heathrow & Gatwick Impacted

Once again a new week starts with flight cancellations caused by the latest volcanic ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption. 

Impacted airports include:  Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, East Midlands, Birmingham, Teesside, Norwich and Doncaster in England.  Additional airports in the no-fly zone include all those in Northern Ireland, Ronaldsway, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Northern Scotland. Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol and Farnborough.

Useful Links:   CAA   EUROCONTROL  MetOffice    Nats

If you are flying to this part of Europe, please consult your airline directly for latest information.   Cruise line passengers may be impacted if flights are delayed.

Related Blog Posts

Iceland Volcanic Ash Causes New Woes

Cruise With Christine Pappin: Europe Travel Woes Continue

Cruise With Christine Pappin: Hopes Rise for UK Flight Resumption 

Cruise With Christine Pappin: Erupting Volcano Grounds Flights

Rather than repeat links, please consult these other posts for resources.

 

Iceland Volcanic Ash Causes New Woes

Eyjafjallajökull eruption at noon 8th May 2010. Photo: Gunnar B. Guðmundsson.

Once again volcanic ash has spread across southern France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany Sunday, shutting down airports and disrupting flights across Europe and lengthening trans-Atlantic flights which were forced to avoid the ash cloud.   This latest series of Eyjafjallajökull eruptions began May 4th.

As has been the case all along, this situation is very fluid.   It is best to check the links below for up to date information.   If you are traveling, check with your air carrier and cruise line for any last minute changes.

Nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAAC) around the world are responsible for advising international aviation of the location and movement of clouds of volcanic ash.

Current Volcanic Ash Advisories (VAA) from London and Toulouse 
London VAA: Issued advisories | Issued graphics     Toulouse VAA: Issued advisories 


Latest Ash Impact on Flights

• UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
• EUROCONTROL
• MetOffice     
• National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats)
• Track Flights Live Over Europe  

• Airports in Austria
• Munich Airport
• Other Airports in Germany
• Irish Aviation Authority  
• Airports in Spain
• Airports in Italy
• Airports in Portugal
  

Icelandic volcano pictures, blogs, and other links

• Picture gallery including the latest satellite imagery
• Volcanic Ash Slideshow
• Forecasters’ blog
• Live: Volcanic cloud over Europe (BBC)
• British Geological Survey (BGS)
• Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
• YouTube - Eyjafjallajökull - You're doing it wrong! 
• Spotlight on Eyjafjallajökull – Southern Iceland (Global Volcanism Program) 
•  NOAA Satellite and Information Service
• More information from NOAA about volcanoes
• Volcanism Blog
• EUMETSAT - Monitoring weather and climate from space (volcanic ash page)
• NASA Earth Observatory - images, stories, discoveries about climate and the environment

Cruise Line Announcements



Note:  Some cruise line links have changed;  check the latest news on the cruise line websites.

• AMAWATERWAYS: Call cruise line for flight or cruise information 
• Avalon Waterways: Europe Airport Closures
• Celebrity Cruises: UK Airport Disruption
• Crystal Cruises
• Cunard : Volcanic Eruption Update
• Disney Cruise Line
• Holland America
• Norwegian Cruise Line:  UK airport disruption due to Icelandic volcanic eruption
• Oceania Cruises: contact cruise line directly
• Princess Cruises: Update on Flight Cancellations Due to Volcanic Eruption 
• Regent Seven Seas
• Royal Caribbean Important Updates 
• Uniworld: Important Notice about European Airport Closures
• Viking River Cruise:  contact cruise line for assistance

Celebrity Eclipse to the Rescue

Celebrity Eclipse Delivered

MEYER WERFT delivered the new passenger cruise vessel Celebrity Eclipse to Celebrity Cruises on April 15th in the Dutch port of Eemshaven. The Celebrity Eclipse is the third ship out of a series of five cruise ships the shipyard is building for Celebrity Cruises.   This Solstice-Class ship weighs in at 122,000 gross tons and has a capacity of 2,852 passengers.

This event was overshadowed by the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in Iceland.   Celebrity Eclipse was delivered just in time to be put to use in an unplanned rescue voyage.  The first leg of her launch celebrations, scheduled to begin on April 22, was cancelled in order to assist stranded U.K. travelers returning from their Easter break. 

As I write this column, Celebrity Eclipse is sailing from Southampton, where she arrived on Tuesday, April 20, 2010, to Bilbao, Spain, where she is scheduled to arrive in the early hours of  Thursday, April 22. Stranded travelers will join the ship throughout Thursday morning. The ship will return to Southampton, arriving late Friday evening. This sailing replaces the activities planned during the two-night, round-trip launch celebration cruise from Southampton.

On her new operation, Celebrity Eclipse will collect the delayed vacationers - some delayed by up to seven days - who were on package holidays with major U.K. tour operators. Over 2,000 travelers are currently expected to join Celebrity Eclipse in Bilbao.  Read More

We applaud Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. for once again quickly reacting to natural disasters and putting the full resources of the line to good use. 

As Earth Day approaches, it is significant to note that Celebrity Eclipse is an extremely eco-friendly ship. A total energy saving of about 30% compared to similar ships is achieved by highly energy-efficient components such as a photovoltaic system, optimized hull design (hydrodynamics), a very efficient underwater coating, and an energy-saving lighting system using LEDs.

For more information about Celebrity Eclipse and itineraries,  click here

Flights Resume in UK Airspace

UK Civil Aviation Authority

Allows Flights to Resume 

After careful evaluation, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), working closely with aircraft manufacturers and other agencies, has recommended a gradual reopening of UK airspace.

So after six days of ash, Why is it Now Safe to Fly?   This BBC News article, Flights resume as ash fear recedes, says it better than I could.  This was uncharted territory, as the previous time this volcano exploded  was before the dawn of aviation as we know it today.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UK’s independent specialist regulator with oversight of aviation safety, today issues new guidance on the use of airspace. This is issued in conjunction with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and covers the Anglo Irish Functional Airspace Block (FAB).

The new guidance allows a phased reintroduction from 2200 tonight of much of the airspace which is currently closed due to the volcanic ash plume over the UK. There will continue to be some ‘no fly zones’ where concentrations of ash are at levels unsafe for flights to take place, but very much smaller than the present restrictions. Furthermore, the Met Office advise that the ‘no fly zones’ do not currently cover the UK.       Read More

The airlines and airports are working closely together with CAA to resume flights while maintaining passenger safety.  Despite the reopening of the airspace, passengers are encouraged to contact their airline prior to going to the airport.  

British Airways issued the following statement:

UK airspace reopening

We are very pleased that the aviation authorities have opened UK airspace to enable us to begin the task of bringing our stranded customers home, as well as working towards normal operations.

As we have many aircraft and crew out of position, it will still take some considerable time before we can restore our full flying programme. We are working hard to see how many flights we can operate in the days ahead to help our customers.

At this stage we are looking to operate all longhaul flights departing from Heathrow and Gatwick on Wednesday April 21.

Please check your flight status before departing for the airport.

Check the status of your flight

DO NOT GO TO THE AIRPORT IF YOUR FLIGHT IS CANCELLED.

There will be shorthaul cancellations to and from London airports until 1300 (UK time) on Wednesday 21 April, and possibly beyond that time. We hope to have further updates soon.

BAA Airports BAA owns and operates a number of airports in the UK.

• London Heathrow
• London Stansted
• Glasgow
• Edinburgh
• Aberdeen
• Southampton
• Naples

Please consult the following websites for the latest updates:

MetOffice      EUROCONTROL      NATS    CAA      Track Flights Live Over Europe

Related Blog Posts:

Consult the following for links to Airports, Cruise Line Announcements and other Agencies

Ash Continues But Some Planes Fly

Hopes Rise for UK Flight Resumption

Europe Travel Woes Continue

Erupting Volcano Grounds Flights

Weather 

BBC News:  Scientists assess flight risks from Iceland volcano ash

We will continue to monitor this situation and bring you updates on significant events.   Between posts, please use the links provided for latest information.

Ash Continues But Some Planes Fly

North America & Europe Flights   Courtesy: BBC

Limited Flights Allowed

The picture above, courtesy BBC, shows a snapshot of the airspace between the U.S. and Europe.   The red zone is the predicted ash cloud pattern which is still blanketing much of the region.   Some flights were permitted to take to the skies, mainly flying above the ash cloud or in areas not currently in the wind patterns.

Classifying  the situation regarding the volcanic eruption in Iceland as "dynamic" NATS made the following statement:

Based on the latest Met Office information, part of Scottish airspace including Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh airports will continue to be available from 1300-1900 today, and also south to Newcastle Airport. Restrictions will remain in place over the rest of UK airspace below 20,000ft.

Overnight the CAA, in line with new guidance from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) decided flights above the ash cloud will be permitted in the UK; between 1300-1900 this will enable aircraft movements above 20,000ft in UK airspace.

Please consult the following websites for the latest updates:

MetOffice             EUROCONTROL          National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats)


BBC News Article:   Europe starts to resume flights

While there was good news for a few airports across Europe,  London's Heathrow International Airport, the main hub in Europe, remained closed posting the following notice on their website:


Flights suspended until further notice
Last updated: 09:55 BST, Tuesday 20 April 2010
Based on advice from NATS, all flights to and from Heathrow remain suspended until further notice.

EU Officials continue to work on a solution for this growing problem.   Every day the planes remain grounded costs millions of dollars and further extends the recovery period.   

The Cruise Line industry has also been impacted by this natural disaster in many ways.   Passengers have been stranded at airports and unable to join their cruises;  others have not been able to return home following their cruises;   crew members have also suffered the same fate;   there have been long hours for everyone involved in keeping the cruise ships moving.  This is a logistical nightmare not seen in this magnitude since the September 11th terrorist attacks.  

This time of year is typically when the cruise lines reposition their ships from the Caribbean to Europe.   Some have departed already for those journeys while a few will be leaving in the next several days.   Cunard has regularly scheduled crossings between New York and England.   As of this past weekend, there had been some availability on those cruises, and the cruise line's reservations systems were flooded with calls, both from people seeking passage as well as passengers looking for assistance.   Most Trans-Atlantic crossings in the next month are currently sold out and wait-listed.    Cunard indicated that the wait-list had over 1,000 names for example.

Related Blog Posts:

Consult the following for links to Airports, Cruise Line Announcements and other Agencies

Hopes Rise for UK Flight Resumption

Europe Travel Woes Continue

Erupting Volcano Grounds Flights

Weather 

We will continue to monitor this situation and bring you updates on significant events.   Between posts, please use the links provided for latest information.

Hopes Rise for UK Flight Resumption

Eyjafjallajökull ash cloud 17 April 2010. Flight with the Icelandic Coast Guards. 

Photo: Matthew J. Roberts. This phase of the eruption is declining. 
Courtesy: Icelandic Met Office

Ash Plume Subsiding
Hopeful Flights to Resume

According to NATS, "the volcanic eruption has reduced and the volcano is not currently emitting ash to altitudes that will affect the UK. Assuming there are no further significant ash emissions we are now looking at a continuously improving situation".

This hopeful news comes none too soon as Day 5 of the flight grounding  continues.  The grounding is costing millions of dollars a day to an already over-taxed industry, stranding tens of thousands of passengers each day, and  interrupting the flow of other commerce.  Even for those that were able to reach their holiday destination, returning home may become so stressful as to have a nullifying effect on the rest and relaxation enjoyed during the vacation.

Based on the latest information from the Met Office, NATS advises that the restrictions currently in place across UK controlled airspace will remain in place until 0700 (local time) tomorrow, Tuesday.

From 0700 (local time) tomorrow, Tuesday, Scottish airspace will be open, and south to a line between Teesside and Blackpool. Mainland Scottish airports will be open.


(UPDATE) As quickly as hopes rise, they fall.   The airline industry recommends that the aircraft should not be subjected to ash.   The latest update from NATS, based on MetOffice data is as follows:

Since our last statement at 1530 today, the volcano eruption in Iceland has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading south and east towards the UK.  This demonstrates the dynamic and rapidly changing conditions in which we are working.  

We will continue to monitor Met Office information and the situation is likely to change overnight.  We will make a further statement at approximately 0300 (local time), tomorrow, Tuesday 20 April and again at 0900 (local time).    

I won't repeat the links here, so please consult my previous column, Europe Travel Woes Continue, if you are searching for  updates on your cruise or for other links covering this volcanic eruption.


EUROCONTROL - Updates on European air traffic situation (select date/time and click more)

Cruise lines are operating on schedule for the most part, with some minor itinerary changes.  The lines are working directly with affected passengers in attempts to salvage their cruise vacations.   Where that is not possible, they are working to rebook passengers for alternate cruises.   Passengers that cancel will be subject to normal cancellation polices and should consult with their travel insurance companies regarding compensation.   Polices would have to be in effect prior to the volcanic event to be covered according to insurance spokesmen.

Related Blog Posts:

Europe Travel Woes Continue

Erupting Volcano Grounds Flights

Weather

 

Europe Travel Woes Continue

Iceland's Ash Cloud  (Credit AP)

Europe Airspace Still Empty

Based on the latest information from the Met Office, NATS advises that the restrictions currently in place across UK controlled airspace will remain in place until at least 0700 (local time) tomorrow, Monday 19 April.  Consult the links below for ongoing updates as this situation is dynamic (based on weather conditions and continued eruptions).

The sky might be blue in the photo above, provided by AP, but the skies over Europe are anything but friendly as Day 3 of the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano eruption continues to ground flights across the globe.  Flights to and from Europe remain restricted until 0700 BST on Sunday.  

Some flights may be able to take off from Scotland and Northern Ireland before 1900 BST on Saturday, but most planes will remain grounded.   British Airways has cancelled all short haul flights on Sunday and is still evaluating long haul services.Flights from other countries, including the United States, have been cancelled during the restricted time period.

Related Post (airport links, details about volcanic ash):  Erupting Volcano Grounds Flights


Latest Updates:    Track Flights Live Over Europe
EUROCONTROL Air Traffic Control        National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats)
Also consult individual airports and airline carrier's websites.    

Nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAAC) around the world are responsible for advising international aviation of the location and movement of clouds of volcanic ash.

Current Volcanic Ash Advisories (VAA) from London and Toulouse 
London VAA: Issued advisories | Issued graphics     Toulouse VAA: Issued advisories

The National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) said Met Office forecasts showed the ash cloud progressively covering the whole of the UK after 1900 BST. A further update is expected at about 2100 BST.

Scientists continue to monitor seismic activity in the region.  See time and magnitude of earthquakes near Mýrdalsjökull (which is the larger ice-cap east of active Eyjafjallajökull) on another map. Note the graph under that map which shows the onset clearly.  Historically, when Eyjafjallajökull is active, so is Mýrdalsjökull.

Icelandic volcano pictures, blogs, and other links

• Picture gallery including the latest satellite imagery
• Volcanic Ash Slideshow
• Map of dust observations
• Forecasters’ blog
• Live: Volcanic cloud over Europe (BBC)
• British Geological Survey (BGS)
• Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
• YouTube - Eyjafjallajökull - You're doing it wrong! 
• Spotlight on Eyjafjallajökull – Southern Iceland (Global Volcanism Program) ‎

Cruise Line Announcements

• AMAWATERWAYS: Call cruise line for flight or cruise information 
• Avalon Waterways: Europe Airport Closures
• Celebrity Cruises: UK Airport Disruption
• Crystal Cruises: has rebooked flights for affected passengers 
• Cunard : Volcanic Eruption Update
• Disney Cruise Line: ships are mid-cruise so no immediate concerns
• Holland America is working directly with affected passengers
• Norwegian Cruise Line:  UK airport disruption due to Icelandic volcanic eruption
• Oceania Cruises: contact cruise line directly
• Princess Cruises: Update on Flight Cancellations Due to Volcanic Eruption 
• Regent Seven Seas: is unaffected at this time
• Royal Caribbean Important Updates 
• Uniworld: Important Notice about European Airport Closures
• Viking River Cruise:  contact cruise line for assistance

Cruise lines with passengers affected by the flight delays are monitoring the situation.  In some cases, such as Royal Caribbean, rebooking fees are being waived.  In other cases, departure times may be adjusted to allow air-sea passengers to arrive before departure.  Continue to monitor links provided here for updates on conditions and any itinerary changes.

Your travel agent or cruise line may need to contact you directly, so be sure they have your contact information.  Contact your travel insurance provider for assistance.