by Ralph Grizzle

Sounds pricey at $18,827, but the lead-in price for a 105-day world cruise makes the world your oyster. by Ralph Grizzle 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 a bygone era at sea. Late this year, Cunard launches a new liner, Queen Victoria. A quintessential Cunard vessel, Queen Victoria will feature not only the hallmark features associated with her sisters, but also innovations such as private viewing boxes in the Royal Court Theater, alfresco dining for Grill guests, a floating museum display of Cunard memorabilia (Cunardia), and a two-story library with nearly 6,000 books. Be among the first to cruise on Queen Victoria on her first world cruise or a segment of the world cruise, roundtrip New York beginning January 6, 2008. The 105-day Pathway to the Explorers world cruise calls on 36 cities in 23 countries. Every call, with the exception of Lisbon, will be a maiden call for Cunard's new Queen. She will circumnavigate the globe in a westbound direction and will transit the Panama Canal before making maiden calls at some of the world's most fabled cities, including Los Angeles, Auckland, Sydney, Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Dubai, Athens and Barcelona. Queen Victoria will transit the Suez Canal before arriving into Southampton on April 22, and guests returning to New York will transfer to Cunard's flagship vessel, Queen Mary 2, for one of her legendary six-day transatlantic crossings, arriving into the city on April 28. Early Booking Fares for Queen Victoria's 105-day Pathway to the Explorers maiden world cruise start from $18,827 per person, double occupancy. Shorter Liner Voyages are also available and include the 41-day New York to Sydney voyage with Early Booking Fares starting from $7,810 per person, double occupancy, and the 47-day Los Angeles to Singapore voyage with Early Booking Fares starting from $9,146, per person, double occupancy. Early Booking Fares for these voyages represent a 15 percent per person savings off brochure rates. As an extra bonus, guests will save an additional 5 percent when bookings are made by January 31, 2007. A special amenity package will be offered to guests booking a Full World Cruise or Liner Voyage including complimentary shore events for Grill guests. Queen Victoria's post-World Cruise itineraries will be announced during 2007. Bookmark this link for more details on Cunard's newest vessel between now and Queen Victoria's launch in December (2007). But Wait, There's More! Cunard Line, which pioneered world cruising in 1922 with the first-ever world cruise aboard the Laconia, launches Queen Victoria from New York on a 106-day Pathway to the Explorers voyage around the world. The momentous occasion will take on even more fanfare when Queen Victoria sails into New York for the first time on January 13, meeting Queen Mary 2 and QE2, marking the first time three Cunard Queens will be in port together in the company's 167-year history.