Embark On A Superyacht
Escape to the balmy surroundings of the Red Sea while becoming among the first to sample Emerald Cruises first coastal voyages. The river cruise line is dipping its toe into salty waters with a new custom-built superyacht. Emerald Azzurra will accommodate 100 passengers, and will feature a pool and water sports platform just the craft for exploring this coastline with world-class diving around Sharm el Sheikh, the pink-rose Nabatean city of Petra near Aqaba and historic Bedouin tribe lands around Nuweiba.
How to do it: A seven-night round-trip sailing from Aqaba departs March 11. From £3,625pp, including gratuities .
Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Changes Itinerary Due To Berthing Conflict
Guests boarding Royal Caribbeans Allure of the Seas on January 22, 2022, have already been advised of itinerary changes for their sailing. Unlike recent sailings that have been troubled with port cancellations, however, the changes for Allure of the Seas are only a rearranging of the planned ports of call on the original itinerary.Allure of the Seas Itinerary ChangeThe January 22, 2022 sailing
Windstar Cruises Wave Season Offer Is A Choice Of Free Easy Stays Hotel Package Or Onboard Credit
U.S. headquartered Windstar Cruises has released its deal for the annual phenomenon known as Wave Season, when companies roll out their best offers for the first few months of the year. It is arguably the best time for booking a cruise vacation and typically is when the majority of travelers plan their vacation for the year ahead. Windstars 2022 Wave Season offer is valid through February 28,
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Cunard World Cruise 2022
RMS Queen Mary 2 has scheduled a 118-day World Voyage 2022 which replaced all scheduled QM2 cruises departing January 3 through April 3, 2022 .
The voyage departs roundtrip from Southampton and from New York City and visits Greece, Israel, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong China, Australia, Bali, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Italy, Portugal. The itinerary also features two Suez Canal crossings and overnights in Haifa, Dubai, Hong Kong, Sydney NSW, Singapore, a late-night departure from Colombo.
Queen Mary 2 World Cruise 2022 is bookable either as a full voyage or in several shorter segments from NYC , Southampton and itineraries departing out of Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia. The full itinerary visits 27 ports in 16 countries and 33 UNESCO Sites. Customers with full itinerary bookings enjoy a Welcome Onboard Reception, services by World Voyage Concierges, use of an exclusive lounge, Gala Event ashore, complimentary daily gratuities.
Prices for the 118-night full voyage started from GBP 13000 / ~USD 16900 / ~EUR 14300 per person . Prices for the 104-night full voyage started from GBP 10100 / ~USD 13150 / ~EUR 11100 per person .
Floating Hotel & Convention Center
Despite having a less than auspicious business record, the triumvirate had big plans for the Largest Liner Ever Built. They envisioned a 100+ acre tourist attraction with the RMS Queen Elizabeth as their centerpiece floating hotel, museum and convention center.
Originally they wanted this destination along the shores of the Delaware River at Philadelphia’s Hog Island. It quickly became apparent that the river wasn’t deep enough for the massive liner. The idea was scrapped and the owners pitched it instead to the governing bodies of Port Everglades, Florida. Eager for the tourist revenue, they agreed.
Hopes were high as the deal was signed on August 16, 1968. Almost immediately, however, problems surfaced. This should have been an omen. The company hemorrhaged money just with RMS Queen Elizabeth’s maintenance costs not including planning or construction. With no money coming in, the Queen Corporation appealed to Cunard itself for help. In exchange for $1 million advance, Cunard repurchased an 85% ownership stake in the ship. Queen Corporation would then pay Cunard $2 million per year for the next decade and then ownership would return solely to Queen Corporation.
The name ‘Queen‘ was dropped as a clause and the ship was marketed heavily as ‘Elizabeth: the Largest Liner the World Has Ever Seen’in Florida newspapers and magazines.
SS United States behind RMS Queen Elizabeth in the 1960s just as the Age of Liners was coming to an end.
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What’s An Eastbound Atlantic Crossing Like
The ship normally sails from New York at 17:00. This is the usual time, but please check for your specific departure date. Once on board and settled into your stateroom, listen for announcements about emergency drill. This is held at 16:00 and takes about 20 minutes. You listen for the alarm bells, fetch your lifejackets from your stateroom and go to your allocated muster station where staff will brief you on emergency procedures and you’ll listen to an announcement by the captain. After this you’re free to go up on deck and admire the Manhattan skyline astern and the Statue of Liberty to starboard . At 17:00 she casts off, and with a band playing on her aft decks and glasses of champagne available she heads out to sea. Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty slowly disappear astern, and the QM2 heads toward and then underneath the huge Verrazano suspension bridge out into the Atlantic. There is just a few precious feet of clearance above her red funnel! An NYPD police boat follows behind , and a police helicopter buzzes overhead…
Where Two Worlds Meet
It is possible to combine a love of cruising with a love of safari and gazing across the African savanna as thousands of grazing antelope are silently stalked by prowling lions is an unforgettable sight. On an African safari trip with CroisiEurope, lodge stays are mixed with water safaris to showcase the natural bounty of Botswana and Zimbabwe. The tour begins with an overnight stay in Johannesburg, before guests fly to Botswana for a three-night lodge stay. They then transfer to the new 16-passenger Zimbabwean Dream for a four-night cruise through man-made Lake Karibas unique landscape of drowned trees. The trip finishes on a high as guests encounter the smoke that thunders at Victoria Falls.
How to do it: The eight-night trip, from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls, departs on various dates. From £5,007pp .
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The 20 Best Cruises For 2022
Pent-up demand has sparked a rush on bookings since the new year here are the ocean and river voyages to look out for
Nothing can match the feeling of unalloyed joy at being at sea, or the excitement as your cruise ship slowly eases away from the dock. Even after more than a decade of writing about cruises, I still get that same thrill and sense of anticipation as I linger on deck to relish the romance of sailaway.
Ill never forget sailing out of New York on Cunards ocean liner Queen Mary 2 as the band struck up the Rod Stewart classic Sailing. Knowing we wouldnt see land for another seven days lent an extra resonance to our departure on one of the worlds great crossings.
Its these experiences that lure devoted cruisers like me back to the water time and time again. A fact that is being borne out by a rising tide of cruise bookings, which have gathered pace since the start of the year.
Many operators have reported heightened levels of interest, with people treating themselves to extravagant voyages.
James Cole, managing director of Panache Cruises, said: The further ahead it is, the more people are booking longer trips to faraway places and spending more money as they make up for two years of not cruising.
Heres our pick of the best cruises that you should be booking right now.
New York To London In Pictures
Which cabin to choose?
There are a bewildering range of staterooms on the Queen Mary 2 at varying prices, but they basically fall into these categories, in ascending order of cost:
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Britannia Balcony : The cheapest cabin type to have its own balcony, allocated to the Britannia restaurant. These are all on Deck 8 above the promenade deck, but with their view heavily obstructed by the ship’s lifeboats. They have a double or twin beds for 2 people, and a few cabins have a 3rd berth in the form of a pull-out sofa bed.
I’d definitely pay a little more for an sheltered balcony, without any obstruction.
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Britannia Sheltered Balcony: The next cheapest cabin type to have its own balcony, allocated to the Britannia restaurant, also with a double or twin beds for 2 people, a few cabins have a pull-out sofa bed as well. Sheltered balcony cabins are on decks 4, 5 & 6 below the promenade deck with a small balcony cut into the hull. Typically 269 sq ft, including balcony.
This is my own first choice , arguably a better choice for a transatlantic crossing than a more expensive cabin with a more windswept balcony in the ship’s superstructure. See the photos below.
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What Is Qe2 Means For You
What does QE2 mean? QE2 stands for Quantitative Easing round/phase 2. Right after Halloween in 2010 the US Federal Reserve decided that the US economy was not growing fast enough. It was growing but not fast enough. Unemployment was over 9%, a few hundred banks had failed since 2008, the price of gold had soared, homeowners were underwater.
May 2022 Transatlantic Panama Canal Alaska
- 12-day Transatlantic from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale, visiting Vigo , Port Canaveral prices from $900 pp.
- 30-day Transatlantic & Panama Canal from Southampton to San Francisco, visiting Vigo , Port Canaveral , Fort Lauderdale , Grand Turk , Oranjestad , Panama Canal , Puntarenas , Manzanillo , Los Angeles from $3000 pp 33-day to Vancouver $3000 pp.
- 43-day Panama Canal & Alaska from Southampton to Vancouver, visiting Vigo , Port Canaveral , Fort Lauderdale , Grand Turk , Oranjestad , Panama Canal , Puntarenas , Manzanillo , Los Angeles , San Francisco , Vancouver , Glacier Bay , Haines , Hubbard Glacier , Juneau , Sitka , Ketchikan , Victoria from $4250 pp.
- 16-day Panama Canal from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles, visiting Grand Turk , Oranjestad , Panama Canal , Puntarenas , Manzanillo prices from $2000 pp 18-day plus San Francisco $2300 pp 21-day to Vancouver from $2900 pp.
- 5-day from Los Angeles to Vancouver, visiting San Francisco, California from $950 pp.
- 15-day from Los Angeles to Vancouver, visiting San Francisco , Vancouver , Glacier Bay , Haines , Hubbard Glacier , Juneau , Sitka , Ketchikan , Victoria prices from $1900 pp.
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Cruise News Update: January 15 2022
There have been lots of new developments in the cruise industry over the past week as more cruise ships cancel sailings or have itinerary changes, but cruising continues for thousands of guests and the CDCs Conditional Sailing Order moves into a voluntary program.Cruise News UpdateIts just never-ending with all the cruise news, but there is something that has ended, and thats the CDCs
Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship: On Board The Successor To The Qe2 That Now Calls Melbourne Home
- The ship’s main restaurant, Brittania. Photo: Supplied
- Traditional English games like bowls and croquet on the games deck. Photo: Supplied
- The two-storey library on board. Photo: Supplied
- The ship features more than 700 balcony rooms. Photo: Supplied
- Steakhouse at The Verandah, one of 10 dining options on board. Photo: Christopher Ison
- The 800-seat Royal Court Theatre. Photo: Supplied
- The Queen Elizabeth in Sydney. Photo: Supplied
- A suite for Queen’s Grill level passengers. Photo: Mark Laing
- A suite for Queen’s Grill passengers. Photo: Mark Laing
- The Grand Lobby. Photo: Supplied
- There have been a few tweaks made for the Australian market, with the ship’s famous bell boys are now fitted out in striking red R. M. Williams uniforms and Akubra hats. Photo: Supplied
- High Tea is one of the must-do experiences on board. Photo: Supplied
The sign says “Party Cruise” though it’s not the sort of party you might expect.
This is, after all, the Queen Elizabeth, one of the Cunard line’s three queens of the seas cruise ships better known for their old-world charm and traditions, rather than raging booze cruises.
The sign is pinned up in the Queen Elizabeth’s giant main galley and the kitchen crew’s definition of “party” means they will have to double their production for this three-day trip from Melbourne to Sydney.
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When Did Qe2 Go To Dubai
The build up to the Hotel finally opening. In 2015, things finally started to look more positive for QE2, and by 2016 she had been moved round to the Dubai Cruise Terminal, the very cruise terminal which which she herself inaugurated on her maiden call to Dubai in March 1997 during her world cruise.
What Happened To The Queen Mary 1 Ship
After several years of decreased profits for Cunard Line, Queen Mary was officially retired from service in 1967. She left Southampton for the last time on 31 October 1967 and sailed to the port of Long Beach, California, United States, where she remains permanently moored.RMS Queen Mary.
| History |
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| 15 April 1993 |
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My Favourite Hotel Search Site: Wwwbookingcom
www.booking.comis my favourite hotel booking site and I generally prefer booking my hotels all in one place here. You can usually book with free cancellation – this allows you to confirm your accommodation at no risk before train booking opens. It also means you can hold accommodation while you finalise your itinerary, and alter your plans as they evolve – a feature I use all the time when putting a trip together. I never book hotels non-refundably. I have also come to trust their review scores – you won’t be disappointed with anything over 8.0.
Tip: It can pay to compare prices across multiple hotel sites: HotelsCombined.com is a price comparison site which compares hotel prices on Booking.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, Accor, Agoda and many others. Though if there’s not much in it, I prefer keeping all my bookings together in one place atwww.booking.com.
Ms Queen Elizabeth 2 Hotel
- the QE2 ship sailed into dry-docks for an expensive refit and top-notch renovations. The latest decision of the Arabs is a direct result from the restructuring of the Dubai Worlds $25 billion debt, as all Istithmars assets are to be sold off over the next 5-8 years. Just so you know there was another suggestion from bank creditors who in 2011 asked Dubai to sell the QE2 ship for scrap to the Chinese for £20 million, another reason being the $1 million a month cost of keeping her berthed in Port Rashid. The Singapore company, backed by investors in China, will pay Dubai World about $1 million a year, with an option to purchase the QE2 ship hotel after ten years for a min price of $35 million.
After a dry-dock refurbishment, RMS QE2 was scheduled to sail to Hong Kong to start a brand new life as a top-class luxury hotel. According to the renovation plans, the Hong Kong hotel-ship guests will have the happy choice of choosing among her 100 suites and 300 Hotel-deluxe staterooms , while dining options will include 7 restaurants and 10 bars& lounges. Additional spending opportunities a line of top luxury boutique shops and the Royal Spa/Fitness facility. I am so glad this cruise liner has a better fate than the ms Mardi Gras ship! The Carnival Cruise Lines first ever ship and the whole Carnivals early history was scrapped away for a petty money profit for all the CCLs starving shareholders!
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How To Check Sailing Dates Times Prices & Availability
If you live in the UK or elsewhere in Europe, go towww.cruisenation.com. Click LINES at the top, then select CUNARD LINE then change Any destination to Transatlantic.
If you live in the USA or Canada, you can confirm sailing dates, times and availability at www.cruisedirect.com: Hover over CRUISE LINES at the top and select CUNARD LINE. Then look for SELECT DESTINATION at lower left and tick Transatlantic.
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From £3,059 |
From £3,449 |
Inside = without window, oceanview = with porthole, see the. All other staterooms & suites have a balcony, except the two Q3 Royal Suites.
Britannia = allocated to the Britannia restaurant for meals. Princess or Queen’s Grill = allocated to the superior Princess or Queen’s Grill restaurants for meals.
How to find cheaper tickets: You’ll often find cheaper fares if you buy your tickets from a cruise specialist such aswww.cruisenation.com orwww.cruisedirect.com , both of which have online booking for transatlantic crossings and cruises. Agencies like these can save perhaps £100 per person or more off the official Cunard price, and you’ll also find cheaper fares if you shop for last minute deals and late-season crossings, as low as £799 or better, for example. However, be aware that in high summer transatlantic sailings can get full many months in advance.
Child fares: .
Transfer By Taxi To Southampton Central Station
The Queen Mary 2 can use any one of four different terminals in Southampton, either the QEII terminal , City Cruise Terminal , Mayflower Cruise Terminal , or the new Ocean Terminal . Map of Southampton, showing all cruise terminals, Southampton Central Station & the original historic Ocean Terminal. A taxi to Southampton Central station costs around £9 from the Mayflower or City cruise terminals, or around £12 from the QEII terminal or Ocean Terminal. You’ll find plenty of taxis waiting at the terminal, although there can be a long wait as there are so many other passengers. The taxi ride takes just 10 minutes.
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