Archive for the 'Cunard Cruises' Category

While true connoisseurs of luxury cruising may not accept a substitute for sailing on a small upscale ship, there are now pockets of luxury on almost every large premium and contemporary cruise ship afloat.

Recognizing that there are many cruisers with a taste for luxury but who appreciate big ship amenities (and often lower rates), or who may be traveling with families or in groups for whom bigger ships make more sense, most cruise lines now offer optional exclusive experiences to passengers.

On some ships it may be concierge service, or a special lounge, a pool deck cabana, or exclusive access to the spa or certain restaurants. On others, entire areas are blocked off for people in some of the ship’s best staterooms to have a private pool and deck area.

“I have many luxury clients who book families on the larger cruise ships because of the activities for their adult children and for their grandchildren,” says Bonnie Childs, a cruise consultant with Seattle-based Cruise Specialists. “This way they can show their families what cruise ships have to offer.”  Read more... (1842 words, 3 images, estimated 7:22 mins reading time)

I’ve just been looking over a press release about all the good cruise values being offered. There’s two-for-one pricing, kids sail free, early-booking offers — and more.

Personally, I think it’s a great time to latch on to some of the bargains and plan a get-away for the spring or summer. Following is a sampling of the offerings. Check with your cruise consultant. He or she may have even better value offerings.  Read more... (669 words, estimated 2:41 mins reading time)

January marks the month that cruise ships begin their longest sea journeys. While it’s too late to embark on such an epic adventure this year, it’s not too late to begin charting your course for a 2010 world cruise, when the lineup ranges from complete circumnavigations to port-intensive itineraries that visit many destinations but do not circle the globe.

You can get on a world cruise for as little as $20,000 per person for the more-than-100-day journey. Want to splurge? Top fares for the best accommodations exceed $350,000 — per person. Not surprisingly, nearly 50 percent of respondents to a national survey listed a world cruise as tops on their travel wish list.

For a full report on world cruises and what’s being offered in 2010, read on . . .

 Read more... (1653 words, 8 images, estimated 6:37 mins reading time)

To truly get the feeling of what it is like to be aboard Cunard Line’s new Queen Victoria, it helps if you think of hats. Hats crowned nearly every woman’s head during Queen Victoria’s naming ceremony in Southampton, England this past December.  Read more... (1022 words, 6 images, estimated 4:05 mins reading time)

It’s time to begin thinking about 2009 world cruises.  Read more... (654 words, 1 image, estimated 2:37 mins reading time)

Cunard Line’s two classic ocean liners – Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2 – not only reflect a strong sense of British heritage but also serve as stately icons that symbolize a time of great glamour, elegance and tradition. For avid cruisers, the liners provide opportunities for modern-day travelers to relive bygone eras at sea.  Read more... (230 words, estimated 55 secs reading time)

This past weekend, I visited Venice, Italy, to tour Cunard Line’s Queen Victoria, which was under construction in Marghera, Italy — on the mainland shore just west of Venice.Rai Calouri, executive vice president of fleet operations for Cunard Line, took me and other journalists on a walk-through of the ship, which, as you’ll see in the videos that follow, was little more than a hull with beams of steel and dangling wires.  Read more... (198 words, 1 image, estimated 48 secs reading time)