http://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises/sneak-peek-marina-oceanias-new-build-debuts-genoa-20056

Chairman and CEO, Frank Del Rio, added, “there’s only one thing better than one new ship and that is two new ships.”

We are now on our way to another part of the yard to watch the steel get cut for the Marina’s new sister, Riviera!

I’m so excited for clients to experience Marina…..more soon!

Greetings from Queen Mary 2!

Just about on the equator as I write.

This has been a very busy and exciting few weeks visiting so many exotic ports.

Cochin, India where a cruise on the still little known backwaters is a must.

Puket, Penang, Kuala Lumpar, Bangkok - all so colourful and different with, of course, interesting sightseeing and great shopping.

In Singapore we enjoyed a fantastic Cruise Specialists comp tour. A Bum boat ride on the river followed by fun trishaw ride as our drivers or rather peddelers tried to race each other through the busy streets. Then, finally just what we had been waiting for - a Singapore Sling in the Long bar at the world renown Raffles Hotel..

Ho chi minh and the ever vibrant Hong Kong followed.

In Shanghai I participated in a tour to Zhujiajiao a beautifully preserved town dating back 1,700 years! Babbling brooks, rustic bridges and willow trees, as on willow patterned porcelain - just beautiful. This is the China I had envisioned not the tower buildings of modern architecture previous seen on past visits.

I had visited Nagasaki before and its moving Peace Memorial. So this time decided to visit ancinet Samarai houses and the remains of houses nearly covered by lava in the 1991 volcanic eruption. It was very cold so the highlight of the all day tour were the heated toilet seats at the lunch venue!

Next Tokyo where we enjoyed an interesting full day tour with excellent Tapanaki lunch at the Hotel Okura. It had snowed during the night and was threatening to snow again as we sailed away on our wonderful home - the magnificient Queen Mary 2 to warmer climes.

Yesterday we reached Guam where the weather was perfect for a day around the pool of the Hyatt Hotel or for some a day spent on the beach. We can now enjoy 2 days at sea as we head South.

So much to do on board - lectures (on a wide variety of subjects - something to interest everyone) I personally enjoy ballroom dancing lessons while our other guests prefer bridge classes, classical concerts, movies, paddle tennis or practicing their golf swing - just to name a few of on-board activities available.

Must get ready for the Big Band Ball tonight!

Join me on Queen Elizabeth 2011 World Cruise next year!

Deirdre

By now, our ship was beginning to be covered in ice and snow - crew members from the Philippines and Indonesia who had probably never seen snow before, built a snowman on the outside Lido deck, which gave us a great photo
opportunity.

Unfortunately, as we sailed north we encountered a huge storm which - in addition to reacquainting us with sea legs and flying plates - prevented us from visiting the Falkland Islands ( as we have visited previously, this was not a catastrophe for us).

But after a few stormy days at sea the ice began to melt from the outside decks - and we were well entertained with interesting lectures - an ice pilot, geologist, historian, explorer and even tango dancers in preparation for our next port-of-call Buenos Aires, Argentina, the ‘Paris of South America’.

We were also advised of a change to our itinerary - due to increased security concerns in the Western Indian Ocean - our port call at Victoria, Seychelles on Mar.
6 & 7 has been canceled and replaced with a call at Male, Maldives on Mar. 8.

Well, tonight is a formal night so we now have to transform ourselves into Cary Grant and Kathryn Hepburn - a difficult process.

Teri and Ed

Queen Victoria Pier 35, San Francsico

When I found out that I was one of the lucky few guests from our office to be invited to visit the Queen Victoria when she came to San Francisco I was ecstatic. On a particularly sunny January afternoon as I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge I could see her parked at Pier 35 in all her glory. There was much excitement and anticipation as I reached the travel professional holding area, everyone was just as eager as I to see the Queen Victoria as she prepared to embark on the full World Cruise voyage.

Grand Lobby

From the moment I stepped onboard and reveled in the beautiful lobby until the moment I left back down the gangplank I was impressed and in awe. The Queen Victoria may only weigh in at 90,000 Gross Registered Tons, not a lot by today’s standards, but every inch of her had magnificent style and grace.

THE GRILLS
Most people know that a voyage on Cunard Line is like none other in the world. Part of this unique experience is the varying class of service throughout the ship. The Grills are the utmost elite class of service that Cunard provides. In addition to spacious and beautiful suite accommodations and a host of upgraded amenities such as priority embarkation,

The Courtyard, between Grill Restaurants

you have access to the private Grills Lounge and Upper Grills Terrace, to socialize with new found friends, relax and for drinks. The Queens Grill and Princess Grill Restaurants, both identical one is Aft and one Starboard; with a very pretty private outdoor Courtyard that connects them. I am happy to report that on the Queen Victoria anyone not booked in a Grill Suite will not feel left out. In order to get to these amenities you must use only one set of elevators all the way forward and you must have a Grill Suite keycard.

Britannia Restaurant

THE STATEROOMS
For the rest of us we may be more inclined to sail in a standard Inside, Oceanview or Balcony Stateroom, all of which use the lovely two-tiered Britannia Dining room as their main dining area. Although the staterooms were not readily available for viewing I did get a chance to see the layout of a Standard Inside stateroom (D3-D8). These staterooms are pretty small and although are fine for many, if you must sail in an inside I would suggest at least upgrading to a Deluxe Inside (D1-D2). If I had to choose I would go with a Balcony (AA-A7), there’s nothing quite like opening your balcony door and enjoying the fresh sea air!

THE LIBRARY
If you are going to do a Library at sea, do it right or don’t do it at all. Cunard Line definitely got this right; as this was the most stunning library at sea I have ever seen. Rows and rows of books from all genres to choose from on two floors connecting with one dramatic dark wood spiral staircase. The room also had comfortable seating for those wishing to stay and read.

Queens Room ballroom

QUEENS ROOM
Visions of dignitaries and the social elite flashed through my mind as I walked onto the dance floor. This grand space complete with live Orchestra includes a truly grand dance floor with plenty of space for everyone to dance the night away. Surrounding the dance floor are plenty of tables and chairs to socialize and relax. The Queens Room is the location of Cunard’s famed Royal Nights formal balls.

CUNARD ROYAL SPA & FITNESS CENTER

Spa - Ceramic tile heated seats

This large spa and fitness center is truly wonderful. The large fitness room with floor-to-ceiling windows is where they provide instructed classes such as yoga and Pilates, as well as your typical workout machines. The Spa side has a luxurious Thermal Suite, complete with heated tile chairs, a large Hydrotherapy Pool and plenty of other treatment rooms for you to indulge in.

I was a little sad as I waved goodbye to the Queen Victoria, as she is truly a remarkable and beautiful ship. From her friendly and attentive staff, always with a smile to her amazing public spaces and activities - anyone who has the opportunity should sail on her at least once. You will find yourself whisked away to a bygone era to the golden age of ocean travel that is synonymous with Cunard’s regal heritage. I know I did – if only for a few hours.

While it was hard to top the recent Holland America World Cruise bon voyage party in Ft. Lauderdale, the Cruise Specialists Regent Seven Seas world cruise guests were also given similar VIP treatment at their own farewell affair in San Diego. Enthusiastic travelers boarded the Seven Seas Voyager for an afternoon celebration on the ship to toast the start of their 119 night journey weaving through exotic destinations in Australia, Asia, and Africa.

During the exclusive party held in the Observation Lounge, guests were personally welcomed to the ship by Cruise Specialists leaders, cruise escorts and staff members as well as World Cruise Captain Dag, and several top executives of Regent Seven Seas Cruises including President Mark Conroy. Captain Dag walked the group of passionate cruisers through the upcoming itinerary and said he was particularly looking forward to returning to the West Coast of Africa this year, while President Conroy spoke of meeting up with the group again in Hong Kong.

“Providing “the extra” is what Cruise Specialists thrives on,” said Vice President Greg Nacco. “I really enjoy working with Regent Seven Seas Cruises as they challenge us to find extraordinary ways to add value to an already phenomenal all-inclusive product. Everyone at Cruise Specialists raises the bar when putting a group or individual aboard Regent - with our on-board hosts, complimentary private cars and plethora of onboard gifts and amenities, we feel we have the best programming on the high-seas!”

Following the cocktail mixer, the bon voyage festivities on the Voyager continued well into the evening with dinner and entertainment provided by comedian Jay Leno and music by the Beach Boys.

Cruise aficionados who missed the boat on the Regent world cruise this year can sneak a peek at life onboard through live ‘tweets’ from the Cruise Specialists cruise escorts Kevin LaGraff and Susan Atkins at http://twitter.com/RSSCWorldCruise

Twitter is a great way to keep up with people when they travel.

Susan Atkins and Kevin LaGraff are escorting the 2010 Regent world cruise and provide updates almost daily on where they are and what the Cruise Specialists passengers are doing.

Simply go to http://twitter.com/RSSCWorldCruise and you can read their “Tweets.”

If you want to sign up to receive the updates as they are posted, just click on the big green button to sign up for a free account.

The luxury cruise and tour agency welcomed hundreds of clients
to Fort Lauderdale with a celebratory bon voyage party

Seattle, WA (February 03, 2010) –Each year Cruise Specialists looks forward to the momentous day in January when it is time to send another band of hearty world cruisers off on their nearly four month voyage around the world. The luxury cruise and tour agency recently welcomed hundreds of clients to Fort Lauderdale with a celebratory Bon Voyage Gala that would mark the beginning of their 114-day Holland America world cruise.

New and returning travelers were personally welcomed to the evening festivities by Cruise Specialists staff members and cruise escorts at the Westin Fort Lauderdale hotel the night before the ms Amsterdam set sail. After enjoying a special cocktail party with dance instructors Ron Troy and Barbara Strong and bridge directors Bill Fox and Joan Madrid, the cruise guests settled in for the elegant gala dinner and heartfelt messages from Cruise Specialists leaders that followed.

“The World Cruise Gala is one of my favorite events of the year,” confessed Greg Nacco, vice president of Cruise Specialists. “While I would certainly like to board the ship and sail away, it is my opportunity to visit and engage with some of the most interesting and well-traveled people I’ve ever met. More so, these folks become wonderful friends and acquaintances. While certainly the Bon Voyage Gala is just one day, it sets the tone. It is so much fun to see guests meet and greet one another. Whether it is a new guest or a 20 time world cruiser, Cruise Specialists is a family affair that cannot be manufactured.”

Cruise Specialists President Tom Baumann heartily agreed with Nacco’s impressions of the bon voyage festivities. “It was exciting to welcome our cruisers to Ft. Lauderdale and see so many people who are dedicated to obtaining a return on life – actively getting out there and seeing the world.”

-MORE-

Baumann continued “I personally look forward to sailing with our clients for eight days of their journey and visiting the SOS Children’s Village together in Durban, South Africa as part of our Cruise Specialists Cares Shore Excursion. There, we will take time to tour the orphanage and visit with the children who live there orphaned by AIDS, as well as donate gifts, supplies and money collected for the organization from all the cruisers who opted to take this special tour with a cause.”

As the celebration came to an end, the cruise guests received an assortment of travel gifts to use throughout their trip. The next day the excited Cruise Specialists group was escorted to the pier by motorcoaches to start their highly anticipated adventure at sea.

For more information on any future sailings and shore excursions offered by Cruise Specialists, visit www.CruiseSpecialists.com or call 800-544-2469.

About Cruise Specialists:
Cruise Specialists is an award-winning cruise and tour agency dedicated to arranging the most luxurious land and sea vacations for their clients. Cruise Specialists is a member of Virtuoso and has been sending clients on memorable world cruises, family reunion cruises, affinity group cruises, honeymoons and unique personal travel experiences since the company’s inception in 1987. The agency has been recognized by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine, Travel + Leisure and other travel publications as one of the top luxury travel agencies for the past ten years. Cruise Specialists headquarters is located in Seattle, Washington with an additional office in Novato, California.

Greetings from Queen Mary 2!

We are presently in the south Arabian Sea heading for Cochin, India where we are due to arrive early tomorrow morning. Today the sea is like glass, hardly a ripple, except for the flying fish, as we glide smoothly along. We now have bright hot sun making it almost too hot to enjoy our balconies!

What a contract to a month ago when we sailed out of New York in below freezing temperatures and snow flurries! Similar weather was to greet us in a cold, grey, ice and snow covered England after a surprisingly calm Transatlantic crossing.

Our next port of call - Lisbon, Portugal greeted us with torrential rain and driving wind after heavy seas in the Bay of Biscay. Of course we felt very little movemwent on the Magnificient Mary as she is fondly known by us many time Cunard World cruisers.

The first couple of weeks of cold wet weather was of little importance as we unpacked for our nearly 4 month voyage ahead, reaquainted ourselves with the layout of this large ocean going Liner but most importantly renewed friendships made over the many years we have cruised the world together with both guests and crew. Catching up with news of the past year - so very special especially for a “people person” like me.

Most enjoyed the excursions into Rome on a perfect sightseeing day - cool but sunny.

Excitement followed as we entered the Suez Canal and enjoyed our excursions to Cairo, Egypt to visit the Pyramids and other antiquities. Plus of course the fun of bartering in the bazaars!

Then to Safaga for excursions to Luxor (or for me a day on the beach) having visited Luxor and the Valley of the Kings whilst on the Queen Victoria world cruise last year.

We then negotiated the Yemen coast accompanied by the international task force “pirate patrol” with ships from US, Turkey, Japan and Saudi Arabia without incident. I think some were secretly hoping a Johnny Depp look- alike would arrive!

Muscat, Oman was an absolute delight. I had previously visited but only stayed around the port area. This time we toured inland to visit a medieaval fortress and enjoyed a delicious lunch at a beautiful hotel. We were especially lucky as our guide was a charming, polite and knowledgeable young gentleman. I highly recommend a visit to Oman - voted the second cleanest city in the world after Singapore!

Then it was Dubai with near perfect weather. I personally enjoyed a lunch invitation to the famous Burj Al Arab hotel. We were of course able to see the newly opened tallest building in the world and we berthed next to our beloved QE2. I understand it still has a compliment of 38 on board. The chief engineer visited the QM2 chief (a long time friend) so I was hoping to get some inside info of what will happen to our all time favourite ship but to no avail. I understand the decision to keep or scrap her will be made within the next month.

After our visit to India we start our travels around the Pacific Rim - come back soon for more updates.

Deirdre
On board hostess for Cruise Specialists..

Barcelona to Lisbon

Wind Surf

Our first time aboard Wind Surf. We had been told that people either prefer the smaller ships, Wind Spirit or Wind Star (148 guests) or the larger Surf (309) – but we confess to being equally pleased by both. We sailed from Barcelona on a balmy Mediterranean evening and before dinner had met several couples who became our sea buddies for the rest of the trip. That seems to happen aboard the intimate Windstar with its casual atmosphere. The next day found us in Ibiza – a quaint, walled Mediterranean city by day and a fairy tale setting at night with outside dining, romantic lights and candles, street performers and a laid back party atmosphere. Palma de Mallorca was next – more elegant – equally enticing.

Barcelona waterfront

We enjoyed a day at sea then it was onto Malaga. Malaga is a jumping off point for shore excursions to Granada and the Alhambra, but if you have been to the Alhambra before and opt to stay in Malaga you won’t be disappointed. The main pedestrian walkway was so attractive – I half-way expected to see Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire appear out of nowhere and dance the length of the street. An ancient fortress guards the city – nice if you like walled terraces, fountains, stone pathways and those wonderful arched doorways that always seem to frame a view of the sea.

Gaudi architecture in Barcelona

Another day at sea – this one a bit brisk as we were in the Atlantic. A day for reading, a spa treatment, a visit to the gym or time to check out a DVD and watch a movie.

We disembarked in Lisbon and were grateful to have allowed two days before returning home. What a picturesque city – cobblestone streets, red tile roofs, ancient cable cars, good restaurants and friendly locals. The best view in town? The Ritz Hotel now under Four Seasons management. Take in the view of both old and new Lisbon from the rooftop or if you are fortunate enough to stay, enjoy the suites and the award-winning spa. Following our Rick Steves’ Guide To Portugal, we used local transportation to explore Sintra, a resort town just outside of Lisbon. Crowning the hill, the Pena Palace, built by a cousin of the mad King Ludwig – it must run in the family… You have to see it to believe it and it’s worth the steep climb.

We loved this itinerary and would do it again, but probably won’t, as Windstar has an itinerary that covers the enticing Dalmatian coast or there’s that other option that goes to Valletta….