Southampton hosted a couple of unexpected cruise visitors that had been diverted due to a severe storm that lashed Northwest Europe in September. Both vessels were due to call at Dover on 6 September but were diverted from the port, which at one point suspended all cross-Channel ferry traffic due to gusts in excess of 70mph and 5m seas.
The first caller was the 2010-built AIDAblu, which was on a seven-night cruise from Hamburg. She arrived at Southampton from Le Havre and in the process made the fastest ever crossing between the two ports by a cruise vessel, having left the French port at 2000 on 5 September and arriving at Southampton at 0245 on 6 September.
The second visitor was the 2000-built Costa Atlantica, which was also diverted from Dover and arrived at Southampton at 1200 on 6 September during a heavy storm and required the assistance of two tugs. Costa Atlantica sailed at 2332 the same day for Le Havre, after which she was to call at Vigo before going to the eastern Med.
