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07/16/08 Cunard Sets New Speakers, Special Interest Programs

mmkaufmann — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 02:30:46 +0000

www.zanza.com

Cunard Line announced its Cunard Insights lineup for this summer and autumn aboard Queen Mary 2's transatlantic voyages and the QE2's final crossings. A special highlight will be the ships' October tandem crossings and the inclusion of maritime historians and experts lecturing aboard QE2 during these historic voyages. On the QE2's Oct. 10 crossing from Southampton to New York will be author and maritime historian Bill Miller, the adjunct curator of the Ocean Liner Council at New York's South Street Seaport Museum. He will provide a series of lectures on the great liners of the 20th Century. Also on that crossing will be Ted Scull, an author, travel writer and lecturer specializing in maritime subjects, and Sir Michael Parker, a longtime organizer for Royal and National events including the Queen's Silver and Golden Jubilees and the anniversaries of VE and VJ Day.

The QE2's Oct. 16 crossing will feature BBC broadcaster Jennie Bond; Stephen Payne, the newbuild project manager and lead architect for Queen Mary 2. Among his lectures on ocean liner history, he will present an illustrated history of famous Cunarders. The QM2 Oct. 10 crossing will feature Barry Brown, a film historian and former BBC TV producer who will lecture about some film luminaries including Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Gene Kelly, Clint Eastwood, David Niven, Ingrid Bergman and Alfred Hitchcock. (Brown is also sailing on the ship's Oct. 16 transatlantic crossing.) Derek Fraser, a modern British historian, will speak about key Prime Ministers in recent history. Fraser is also lecturing aboard QM2's July 16 and July 22 crossings. QM2's Oct. 16 crossing will feature Lynn Truss, the best-selling author of "Eats, Shoots, Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation" and "Talk to the Hand: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today." Also scheduled are Eric Dolin, who will lecture on the history of whaling in America, and David Whitehouse, an astronomer and Royal Astronomical Society Fellow.

Highlights of upcoming Cunard Insights programs and speakers on Queen Mary 2's transatlantic crossings include July 15, Steve Rivellino, a theater producer and former vice president and general manager of New York's Radio City Music Hall; Aug. 13, maritime historian John Maxtone-Graham; Aug. 13 and Nov. 15, Royal Astronomical Society for on-deck "star parties" and lectures; Aug. 27, Margaret Atwood, author of 40 books in genres ranging from fiction and poetry to literary criticism; Sept. 4, a Tribute to Bob Hope featuring his daughter Linda Hope; Sept. 4, Boston Symphony Chamber Players; Sept. 21, Joanne Harris, author of "Chocolat"; and Oct. 4, Giancarlo Impiglia, an Italian painter, sculptor, art historian and lecturer, whose work can be found onboard Queen Mary 2.

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RMS "Queen Elizabeth 2"

Leif Arne Kalleland — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:59:44 +0000

Bildet er hentet fra www.wikipedia.no

RMS "Queen Elizabeth 2" er i Stavanger for tiden. Dette er kanskje det mest imponerende cruiseskip som noen gang er bygd. Skipet ble bygd i Skottland i 1965 og hadde sin første jomfrutur i 1969. Det er nærmere 300 meter langt og drøyt 30 meter bredt. I disse dager er skipet ute på sin siste tur. Mot slutten av 2008 skal skipet bli et flytende hotell i Palm Jumeirah i Dubai. I dag finnes det cruiseskip som både er større og mer luksuriøse enn ”Queen Elizabeth 2". Likevel er det ingen som kan slå "Queen Elizabeth 2" på en ting, nemlig farten. Dette skipet er verdens raskeste cruiseskip. Det går raskere akterover enn det de fleste skip går forover, 20 knop. Toppfart forover er 32,5 knop, eller nærmere 60 km/h. Dette er svært imponerende for et snart 40 år gammelt skip på over 70 000 BRT. Skipet går ut fra Stavanger kl. 17.00 idag, og vil bli fulgt av alle båtene som er med på Nordsteam. (veteranbåtfestival som pågår i Stavanger). Skipet har også fartsrekorden over Atlanteren, og er det passasjerskipet som har seilt lengst distanse i løpet av sin levetid. Det er med andre ord en solid dose skipshistorie som nå seiler sine siste nautiske mil i disse dager. Mer om skipet: http://www.cunard.com/ourships/default.asp?ship=QE2

The Queen of the Seas.....And the Skies

John Heald — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:30:08 +0000

Surely one of the greatest achievements engineering of the last 30 years was Concorde. Wherever the hook-nosed, sleek machine was you knew there would be crowds of admirers and people who would be standing on the observation deck dreaming that they were one of the pop stars, hedge fund managers or George Hamilton’s who would experience the thrill of traveling faster than the speed of...well.......everything.

But now.........it's gone.

I don’t feel sorry for the people in suits who now need seven hours to get across the Atlantic. It was, after all, their meanness that caused Concorde's demise in the first place.

I do, however, feel sorry for the plane itself. It’s sitting in some shed now, wondering what it has done wrong and why it has been put on the naughty step... Why did it not fly yesterday and why is there no sense that it will fly today? Why is nobody tinkering with its engines, filling its refrigerators with Dom Perignon and vacuuming its bespoke leather seats in case Catherine Zeta Jones puts her bottom on one?

I like to believe that a machine does have a heart and a soul. This may seem strange but I like to think of cars, planes and, of course, ships as ordinary people think of dogs. They cannot read or write or understand our spoken words. But they understand what we’d like them to do in other ways.

Go left. Go right. Go faster. Fly, Wait, Stop and Go Again.

Think of Concorde as a cocker spaniel that you’ve had in the family for 27 years. Think of the way it has never once let you down. And how thrilled it is when you feed it and pet it and take it out for a walk.

And now try to imagine how that dog would feel if you locked it up one night. And never went back.

Luckily, that will not be happening to the grand old lady......The Queen Elizabeth 2.

She has had crowds of dreamers and well-wishers follow her all over the world for many years and now its time for her to rest. She will be cocooned in the care of the people of Dubai whose bottomless pockets will insure that she is preserved for generations to come.

So, the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the Concord have left a huge iconic hole to fill ..............or have they?

Well, no actually...... the role of the most iconic mode of luxurious transportation has already been filled by the one and the only Queen Mary 2. There are and will be bigger ships........but today that means nothing and even though we have shopping malls of the seas, nothing can compare to the Queen Mary 2. Like her sister and Concorde before her whereever she goes she is joined by a new breed of dreamers and well wishers who stand on piers in Australia and Southampton, New York and New Zealand all wanting to catch a glimpse of the Queen.

She carries the weight of her sister on her bow and Concorde on her stern but that all rests very easily on her 150,000 tons of excellence.

Here is Carol Marlow Cunard’s so very proud President to describe the reaction to the ship’s arrival in Hamburg.

Queen Mary 2, making her 10th call to this port city, brought out the crowds once again yesterday. This time Queen Mary 2 hosted the opening ceremony of the first-ever 'Hamburg Cruise Days' extravaganza – five days centered around the port, showing that Hamburg is one of the key gateways to the world. Over the next five days many different ships will be calling in Hamburg including AIDA Aura, and several will be taking part in the festivities. In addition there will be concerts and exhibitions around the port and the city.

In a ceremony up on deck under a balmy, clear evening sky, over 100 guests witnessed the moment when actor Til Schweiger (known by some as the Pierce Brosnan of Germany) and a man who needs no introduction - Boris Becker (who looked as sexy as ever - but gosh how tall!) pushed 'the button' alongside Captain Chris Wells and Senator Doctor Fritag of Hamburg City, which literally turned the city - and the ship - blue. Then moments later fireworks lit up the night sky. Boris and Til had taken dinner in Queen Mary 2's Todd English restaurant before the ceremony and were amazed at the size and grandeur of the vessel. Maybe they'll sail with us next time!

Earlier in the day over 400 guests toured Queen Mary 2 and the ship hosted a concert by chart topping German jazz singer Roger Cicero. It was certainly a day to remember, as the press showed this morning when Queen Mary 2 yet again dominated the papers.

It was a very special day

Carol

Queen Mary 2 and Boris Becker turn Hamburg Blue!

The Concord has gone..........The Queen Elizabeth 2 will soon be tied forever to a dock ...........but Queen Mary 2 is here............and now she is...........the one and only!

I never got to fly on Concord or sail on the Queen Elizabeth 2..........but this is one icon I have no intention of missing out on………….. And neither should you.

Cheers
John

Freighter News

cruise2 — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:53:41 +0000

New Products

M.V. Hanjin Madrid is now sailing from the west coast (Prince Rupert, Vancouver, and Seattle) to the Far East. The 62-day itinerary calls at Yokohama, Shanghai, Pusan, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Kwangyang, Hong Kong, Yantian, and Yokohama.

This 68,800 ton vessel has 3 cabins – Owners, Double and Single – carrying a maximum of five passengers.

MCC Rickmers has just announced a service from the Mediterranean to the west coast of South America via the Panama Canal. There are no stops in mainland US or Canada.

Ask us for details.

Vehicle Shipping

We are frequently asked about sailing with a vehicle. While passenger freighters do not accept accompanying vehicles, we now have a contact to a company which ships vehicles using Ro-Ro (Roll on – Roll off) ships. This saves the cost of packing the vehicles in a container. We are happy to supply details with passenger freighter inquiries. Just let us know you wish to take a vehicle.

Pets

Please remember passenger freighters do not accept pets. The only ship accepting pets is RMS Queen Mary 2 on her Atlantic crossings which has a kennel deck. We are happy to research this for you. The number of kennels is limited and there are requirements so early booking is advised.

Michael Able of The Cruise People, Ltd. 1-800-268-6523 has experience with these programmes.

43 Things Tags: dog transport,car transport,passenger freighter news

Crossing the Atlantic

gregoryolney — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:36:42 +0000

Many thousands of Europeans have friends and relatives in Canada and the United States - and vice versa of course. Until the 1960s, visiting each other was the preserve of the relatively wealthy who could afford to travel by sea on the great ocean liners. However, with the introduction and development of jet aircraft, visits back and forth have become the norm rather than the exception. There are two reasons for this, viz the price and the short time involved in flying across the Atlantic. But with flying getting more expensive and with all the hassle of security and the worry in the back of peoples' minds that someone might want to blow up or shoot down their aircraft, this experience is becoming more stressful and unpleasant, and perhaps now is the time for a return to the more leisurely days of the Atlantic Liners.

As a young man in the early 1960s I had the opportunity to go to the USA and stay with a cousin and her family. I jumped at the chance, saved up the fare (£68 minimum tourist rate) and enjoyed a five-day crossing on board Cunard's Queen Mary. It may have been 45 years ago but I still remember the experience, particularly sailing into New York on a cold January day and seeing the Statue of Liberty and then the Manhattan Skyline emerge from the mist. So when a few days ago my partner and I decided to go to the US for a few months to visit her family, the thought occurred that perhaps we could go by sea and looked into what was involved.

The results of our enquiries and research were pleasantly surprising. The crossing on, for example the Queen Mary 2, still takes five or six days as you might expect. The fare was a bit of a shock. OK you can pay thousands of pounds if you want to travel in total luxury - and it appears that there are plenty who can afford this - but the minimum fares start at around £900. This can be either a one-way fare, which is what we were looking for - or it can include a return flight. A bit more expensive than BA or Virgin I agree, but if you fly Club Class, the sea crossing is comparable in cost, or even cheaper depending on what deals you can find. There are two other points to consider too. First of all your sea crossing is five or six days and the price includes all meals - and Cunard give you more than enough to eat - so in effect you are getting the equivalent of five days in a luxury hotel for your money ! Secondly there is no restriction on the amount of luggage you can take - within reason. I was chatting with the Cunard rep on the phone about this and he told me that one lady turned up at Southampton followed by a van which contained her suitcases - all 84 of them ! I remember that when I crossed on the Queen Mary we had to label our luggage as either Cabin Baggage or Not Wanted on Voyage but I understand that nowadays you are expected to have all your luggage in your cabin. But what a good deal this is when you remember that airlines are now limiting everyone to one suitcase and charging extra for the rest.

So we are now shopping round the travel agents looking for the best deal. We are lucky in that we don't have any time restrictions and can afford to spend a week on a ship. On top of this, the thoughts of not having to go through an "Airport Day" make the whole idea very appealing ! All we have to do is get someone to drive us and our eight suitcases to Southampton, check in and go through security and into our cabin for five days rest and relaxation. No hanging about waiting for a delayed flight, no cramped seats with someone in front trying to shove his seat back in my face, no smelly loos, no screaming kids - just fresh sea air and hopefully no sea-sickness !! And no lost luggage if we have to keep it in the cabin.

This all seems very nice, so there must be some disadvantages. As far as we can make out, life on board ship seems to be a bit too formal for our liking. We don't want to have to dress for dinner - I don't own a tuxedo and the only suit I have is about ten years old. I think I have a tie somewhere though. And we don't want to have to sit at a table with other people, which it seems is what most of the passengers want to do. But no doubt we shall find a way round this. My point here is that, if the cruise ship owners want to increase their share of the Transatlantic business, they must consider making the ships a bit less formal and cater for ordinary people like us. We don't have a lot of money and will have to borrow to make this trip, so we don't want to spend loads on board or gamble in the casino. We just like to sit around in jeans and t-shirts, read, relax, have a drink and some food, go to the pictures, have a walk on deck. We're not ballroom dancers and the thought of having dinner at the Captain's Table puts me off the whole idea ! But that's just us and no doubt there are plenty who enjoy putting on airs and graces.

One other point - we have two small dogs who we are taking with us. There is an extra charge for them, but it is a lot less than the airlines charge and certainly a lot less stressful for the dogs. They won't be stuffed in the hold in small cages but will enjoy being in kennels with other pets and being visited by us several times a day.

So next time you are thinking of going to visit your American cousins, do a bit of homework and see if the option of a sea cross

Twee "queens" meren aan in haven Zeebrugge.

Reynie — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:30:27 +0000

Vanmorgen zijn in Zeebrugge twee cruiseschepen van rederij Cunard aangemeerd: de Queen Victoria en de Queen Elisabeth II.

Het is de eerste keer dat twee paradepaarden van de Cunard-rederij tegelijkertijd een bezoek brengen aan een Belgische haven.

Maar het zal ook meteen de laatste maal in de geschiedenis zijn. De Queen Elisabeth II, ook wel eens de "Koningin der Zeeën" genoemd, verlaat over enkele dagen de vloot.

Het schip wordt binnenkort omgebouwd tot drijvend luxehotel voor de Arabische kust.

Het oudste en populairste cruiseschip van de Britse rederij Cunard kwam in 1967 in de vaart en had zowat 2 miljoen passagiers aan boord, onder wie een hele lijst beroemdheden. Enkele namen: prinses Diana, Nelson Mandela, Sir Elton John, Rod Stewart en David Bowie.
Nicole en Hugo

Ook Nicole en Hugo namen afscheid van de Queen Elisabeth II, het schip waarop ze meermaals optraden. "We herinneren ons dit schip omdat we hier altijd heel hard moesten werken", vertelt Nicole. "Omdat het theater te klein was voor alle passagiers, moesten we onze show elke avond twee keer uitvoeren."

Veel bemanningsleden van beide schepen namen even de tijd om het afscheidnemende schip te bezoeken en omgekeerd. De Queen Victoria kwam pas in december 2007 in de vaart. Aan boord is er ruimte voor 2.014 passagiers en zo'n 1.100 bemanningsleden. De Queen Elisabeth II kan 1.700 passagiers aan boord nemen.

Zeebrugge was zeer opgezet met de komst van beide luxeschepen. De haven zal dit jaar meer dan 60 cruiseschepen ontvangen. Voor 2009 hebben er zich al een 50-tal aangemeld, waaronder de Queen Mary II, het grootste ter wereld. Dat schip komt op 21 juli 2009 voor het eerst naar Zeebrugge.

Veel toeristen aan de kust namen alvast even de tijd om tot aan de kade te komen en beide schepen, die met de neus naar elkaar kijken, te bewonderen.
Bron: deredactie.be

:arrow: Twee "queens" meren aan in haven Zeebrugge

Idd, véél toe terroristen voor m'n deur. :?

Crystal Cruise Lines 7/18

1cheapcruise — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:33:11 +0000

Free Air and more on a fabulous 26-day World Cruise

Book on two of Crystal’s South Pacific back-to-back World Cruise segments and you receive free air, or a $600 air credit plus an additional 5% combo-cruise fare savings. We’ll also waive their fuel surcharge as well as extended date for the full payment savings. You'll receive savings of $6,648* per couple and enjoy complimentary World Cruise Entertainment, Crystal Adventures and guests speakers Bill Boggs, Nigel West and Jack Hanna plus so much more. Incomparable value aboard the World’s Best cruise line.
Applicable combo voyage:
January 21 to February 17 – 9302+9303 – Los Angeles to Auckland – 26 days

Normal Combo Fares
(includes fuel surcharge)
Special Combo Fares
Combo Savings

Category C $13,902
$11,858
$2,044

Category B $15,517
$13,340
$2,177

Category A $16,322
$14,078
$2,244

Category AA $17,697
$15,337
$2,360

Category PH $29,262 $25,938 $3,324

** rates before the 1Cheapcruise.com discount applied ** email for our cruise fares **

*$6,648 per couple savings applies to category PH only on combo cruise 9302 and 9303 and includes air credits, fuel surcharge, full payment and combo-cruise savings. Combo-cruise savings of 5% are valid for new bookings only as of 7/10/08 and apply to categories PH-C only. Free air offer is valid for new bookings only as of 6/19/08 for a limited time only, subject to availability. Airfare offered is for economy round-trip only from Crystal’s Air/Sea gateways. Full payment savings is extended from six months prior to departure to three months prior to departure (10/27/08).
www.1Cheapcruise.com

Saluting Tony

Philip Stern — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:59:41 +0000

TONY
"So one of my regular comes down the street. She gives me 40 bucks and says that she's going to miss me. She's moving to California and so this will be the last time she will see me. Then she says I've been an real inspiration to her over the last 4 years. Really. She said that to me.

"Boy, did that make me feel good."