The Carnival Magic, sister ship to the Dream, has completed sea trials and is good to go for its inaugural cruise and christening on May 1.

New on board…

• Caribbean-inspired RedFrog Pub, featuring private label beers
• Cucina del Capitano, a family-style Italian restaurant that brings Carnival’s Italian heritage to the table with homemade pasta
• SportSquare, an action-packed, top-deck recreation area featuring cruising’s first ropes course and outdoor fitness area

The Carnival Magic is set to debut in Europe with a series of 7-to-12-day Mediterranean cruises from May 1 to October 16. Following a 16-day Transatlantic crossing, the Magic will launch 7-day Caribbean service from Galveston, Texas, beginning November 14 and becoming the port’s largest year-round cruise ship.

All for now.

If you’re a first-time cruiser, the prices include your room, meals and entertainment. Yes, there are taxes and some fees and you do have to fly home from Europe but, hey, this is still a great deal.

These prices were available at time of writing and are per-person, based on double occupancy and are in Canadian funds. One more thing — lots of days just cruising at sea.

May 1, 2011
Galveston to Barcelona
14 days on Voyageur of the Seas
Ports: Ponta Delgada in the Azores, Malaga and Cartagena in Spain
Starting price: $459

May 1, 2011
San Juan to Malaga, Spain
13 nights on Adventure of the Seas
Ports: Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Tenerife, Canary Islands; Las Palmas, Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Funchal (Madeira), Portugal.
Starting price: $449

May 6, 2011
Fort Lauderdale to Harwich, England
12 days on Jewel of the Seas
Ports: Ponta Delgada in the Azores, Brest and Cherbourg in France
Starting price: $509

You will find all you need to know at Royal Caribbean’s website.

All for now.

Call 1.800.330.8820 to book your Transatlantic Cruise Vacation or click here for our travel planning form.

Special subject to change without notice. Certain restrictions apply. Not responsible for errors or omissions.

More than a few ships were in port,

which surprised me as it was Monday. Turns out that there are more airline seats available on Mondays, and the cruise lines have adjusted.

Debarking Sojourn was a breeze. I was first off the ship, bags were organized on the pier, and immigration was simple and speedy.

I had a car reserved to take me from Port Everglades, to the Miami Cruise Terminal. My instruction sheet issued to me by the car service instructed me to dial a specific 800 number to dispatch the limo from the holding area to the pick up lanes.

As you may remember, my cell phone was resting comfortably at home. I had to use a payphone to make the call. I had two, and only two, precious quarters in my pocket. Leaving the terminal building, there were two phones, on my immediate left; one pay, and one a free courtesy phone.

Yay for Pier 4. The quarters stayed in my pocket and I followed the phone instructions; dial 9, then the number. I did. Beep, beep, you’ve dialed a non functioning number, or words to that effect. I tried again; same recording.

Quarters out and into the pay phone. I got the same recording, AND the phone kept one quarter, while spitting the other out. Now what? The number to get my car didn’t work, and I had no idea how to make any of this happen.

I sought out a Celebrity official who was there to help departing passengers. He took out his cell to try the mystery number. Oh, but wait a minute, he didn’t have his glasses. I helped him press the buttons, and hallelujah, a voice answered. My now partner, besides not being able to see, couldn’t hear. I was handed the phone, and indeed it was dispatch. I told ‘dispatch” that I was ready to go.

“Where are you?”

“Terminal 4”

“I can’t hear you.”

“TERMINAL 4!!!!!”

“What is on your left?’

“The boat.”

“What are you standing next to?”

“A sign that says ‘pick up area’.”

“Look to your right.”

I actually thought I was hallucinating, but grudgingly looked to my right. And there, my friends, was my limo driver waving a sign that was too far away to read. He, being thoughtful, hadn’t bothered to wait in the holding area.

Off to Miami. Driver Reuben had a nearly indecipherable accent, and was giving me a tour as we went South. I did a lot of um humming.

We arrived at the Eclipse terminal. Since this was a two day trip, no baggage handlers were available. I was rolling a big suitcase and a carry on. When I got to security, I showed my passport plus my invitation to board. The invitation, for some reason wasn’t enough to get me in. They passed me on to a special desk. The lady there needed my cabin number. Well, I didn’t have that, so she looked for my name on a list. There were well over a thousand names on the list, not in alphabetical order, but listed by cabin number. I know you’re, way ahead of me, but I’ll say it anyway. My name was on the last page.

I was cleared and headed up to the boarding area. A “sentry” was in charge of the early boarding. I explained to him that I was to attend the press conference. He pointed to his lapel and said you need a purple button. After back and forth about my missing purple button, some Celebrity officials came by and said that there is no problem, but we had to wait until 10:30 to board. I put my luggage in a corner and sat to wait. After a bit, I needed to use the mens’ room. To get there, I had to pass through final security where bags and people are x-rayed. The mens’ room was down a hall that led to final check in.

When I came back and tried to go through reverse security, they called a port of Miami officer to deal with me. Apparently while I was, well you know, boarding had started. Suddenly my bags were all alone. Alert! Alert! The unaccompanied baggage alarmed all, and it was put through the screener without me.

I left the shaking heads and went to media check in. Standing next to me was someone who seemed to know me, and I vented a bit to him about how much better I thought Port Everglades was for cruise passengers. He didn’t agree.

All being in order, I received my room card. Next, to the escalator to board. Nope.

“We are not yet boarding, but you can sit here.”

As I sat the man I spoke to earlier about the difference between Port Everglades and Miami, came by on his way up the escalator and said that I needed a “Guest” sticker. Back to check in. Sticker now pasted on my shirt, it was up the escalator I went. At last, I thought, all hurdles have been jumped, and I’m on the ship.

Talking about hurdles, I ran the low hurdles in high school and in a meet brushed the top of the 4th hurdle. It had been set up backwards and didn’t fold as it should have. I ended up face first in the gravel track.

I went up the ramp and presented my room card to on-deck security. They inserted it. It didn’t work. The machine hummed then burped. Second try, same result. The two security guards then opened the machine and pulled on some connections. Machine closed, card inserted, humming and burping. The 4th hurdle?

They let me on, but said to go to Guest Services. Not a chance! I was on and headed to the press conference.

And there, ladies and gentlemen, I saw the man I had talked to about my preference for Port Everglades. He was on the panel representing the Port of Miami.

Coming up, a look at Celebrity Eclipse.

This is the last day of this voyage and also the last of nine sea days. If you’ve been reading this blog, you know I’ve been traveling alone. After awhile, my mind kind of numbed out. That is why I got interested in egg yolks. The eggs from Vons in Santa Clarita have pale yellow yolks. The eggs on Sojourn are red.

Why is that? Well, no one on the ship seems to know and could care less. The closest I came to an answer was from a gal from Jamaica who said it was the chickens. Well, I suppose so, they come first.

I am now in the midst of packing. Ordinarily, this is not a problem, but I am going to be on the Celebrity Eclipse for two days and need access to clothes. There won’t be any baggage handlers for the Eclipse doings, and they advised to only bring carry-on. Even the world’s strongest man would hesitate to call my 12 days of luggage “carry-on”.

The food on Sojourn defines gourmet. Each night at The Restaurant has been a consuming challenge. It was hard to decide what not to eat as all the entrees were tempting.

Even the vegetarian dishes were out of the ordinary. I do wish that I could have been at the meeting where they named The Restaurant. I am sure that a dozen designations were brought up and turned down. Then, folks, someone said how about calling it The Restaurant? Two to one it was the boss, and that’s why no one quarreled with that uncomplicated appellation.

So what can Celebrity’s Eclipse offer that will compete in the food category.? Well, how about if your food is upside down? Check out my article on Qsine.

Tomorrow off to Miami, then on Wednesday, American Airlines puts a period to this excursion. In December it will Crystal Symphony’s last Mexican Riviera cruise. and if food is still the subject, Michael and I will spend more than one dinner at the sushi bar.

Five dollars will buy you all you can eat.

Sayonara.

The Club is perfect for teatime, but it only seats about 50 people. Never mind. The show went on. One by one each lead singer took the stage with backup singers lining the hall. Indeed, it rocked the boat. I have some video. Maybe it will publish here. I really need Ralph Grizzle Avid Cruiser guru to put this together.

Ralph, help!!

When I got back to my cabin, I had a roommate. Nicole apparently thought I needed company.

The ship is swaying from side to side as big swells move from starboard to port.

Everyone trying to navigate the corridors is bouncing off the walls. People passing one another, if they are not careful, will end up embracing. It was fun watching folks reaching for food at the buffet and doing a semi-jog backwards, tongs in hand.

There is a high surf alert in the Ft. Lauderdale area, and talk of possible flooding. I mentioned this to someone at lunch, and he got nervous about whether his flight would get off the ground. I assured him that if the airport gets flooded so will most of the town. Not to worry.

At lunch a man and his wife were eating and playing Scrabble. I guess after eight days at sea they’ve run out of talk.

Last night I was again a guest at the end of a table for eleven. On my left a charming lady from Liverpool who chatted about the upscale changes to that city. She didn’t talk to me for long. On her left was an elderly man who recited his gaining a free trip because of the amount of days he has sailed Seabourn. That evolved into his Alaska trip. It was all word for word what head said to me a few dinners ago. On my right a sweet woman with a voice so whispery that it was as if she didn’t want anyone to hear her. Nobody did.

Our hostess was not quite versed in hosting duties. The host or hostess at a table will wait until all are served, and the say, “Bon Appétit”. Our hostess, a sweet lady flautist, didn’t want to start first, and sat quietly while we waited. After a bit I said, “Bon Appétit”. That became my job for the dinner.

There’s another show tonight, this time in The Salon. After the show there are different spots to visit. There’s music, dancing, and gambling. Last night I stopped by the casino and only one person was playing roulette; three were at the Blackjack table. Otherwise the casino was empty, except for the slots.

Tonight is formal, but many passengers will stay in their cabins and order off the menu. Not a bad idea. There are lots of movies on the TV and more music than one could possibly listen to in 12 days.

We have one more day at sea, and all are hoping for a quieter ocean and the end to a shaking ship.

.

Approaching Lisbon 

Such a beautiful city from the air; buildings of all different shapes, ancient to innovative, tall and short. From above, Lisbon is a city that invites exploration. Of course, those were the roofs I was looking at.

We left the plane and then had a bit of a walk.

That scene repeated itself around a corner, and then again around another corner. I know it was more than a mile to the baggage area.

It always irks me when Christmas is pushed out before Thanksgiving, but I admit in a dreary area, decorated by abandoned bags and carts, it was, well merry.

Since Portugal is part of the EU, no forms had to be filled out before showing our passports. Immigration was speedy; customs a nod of the head.

The airport is lovely,

but I wanted to get to the boat  port. How to do it was the problem; no one showed up to meet me. A lady and her sister had the same dilemma. She said her travel agent had promised someone would be waiting for her. The three of us hung around from 7:30 until 9:30.

I decided to take a cab, but had no idea where the port was, nor its name. The woman in the information cubicle didn’t either. She stared at her computer, pushed a few keys, moved her eyebrows up and down, and then went to ask someone. Her confidence in the name she gave me should have been encouraging. It wasn’t.

At least the airport was organized. The cabs came in, the line moved, your carts were taken, and you were off.

The fare to the ship was from 12 to 14 Euros; close to 17 to 20 dollars.

My cab driver neither spoke nor understood English. A “nice day isn’t it” just got a shrug. Several boats were in port, so I pointed and said “Seabourn.” Another shrug. Luckily, Sojourn was the last in the row so I shook my head no three times, and then yes, vigorously.

The waiting area before boarding consisted of some fake flowers, and around fifteen folding metal chairs. Boarding was not until 12:30. Well, the lady and her sister’s cab pulled up and the lady was having none of that. She ranted to other passengers, to me, and to the walls until the ship’s officer in charge of customer relations was called. Next immigration was summoned. Soon there was our group in line, then a podium, then a tight knot of four or five men, some in uniform, thrashing things out. We were aboard by 10:30.

I took a loooong nap, but was up and about for the “sail away” on Deck 9.

The band was great, really cooking,

and good stuff was poured.

Ahhhhhh, Seabourn. Sadly, it was goodbye to Lisbon.

Later, I was invited to dine with the Enrichment Lecturer. It was a table for 12. I was at one end. My “ears” didn’t go as far as the other end. Actually the table kind of divided itself. On my left was the Social Hostess….very personable, got my jokes, and helped me get through the evening.

On my right, last to the table, was a man in his late fifties. He was what I term a conversational agitator. He’d say something, reactions would come, then he’d say, “Hey I’m just joking.” All in all, a bit weird, but a lot of fun.

After dinner I gave in to my body and crashed!

In the lobby, a-hammer with all kinds of builders pounding nails into concrete, cutting wood on buzz saws, and dabbing paint onto ceiling murals, a painting of the ship caught my eye.  Incongruously elegant, it was an oil of Queen Elizabeth-the-new, clearly done from renderings as the ship appeared fully operational (it was clearly cruising around Southampton).

Now the painting, by Dorset’s Harley Crossley, hasn’t been moldering amidst the dust and debris for long; it was purposely hung for the three-hour visit by a handful of cruise journalists (and promptly taken down and properly stored the minute we left the room). Ultimately of course it will be surrounded by a much more glorious – and of course completed – atrium when it’s mounted again, permanently.

Still, for a few minutes, probably longer than that, I stood in front of it, mesmerized. Among nautical enthusiasts who decry the loss of ships with elegant exteriors in an era in which so many look like 1990s condo blocks (or like NCL’s new Norwegian Epic, with appearances that frankly defy description), the new painting of Queen Elizabeth-the-new took me back in time.

“Let’s put it this way,” said one of the dozen or so Cunard staffers milling around us, “Would you really stop to admire a painting of Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas?”

Look, I’m the first to say that as ugly as Norwegian Epic is, once you’re inside who cares what the ship’s exterior looks like? But that’s not the point with Cunard. Even as the line has made some modern compromises (building out the aft section of the ship to make room for more staterooms, for one, plenty of cabins with balconies for another), what’s important is this: Cunard’s very specialness is the fact that a passenger onboard its ships can cruise with a leg in the illustrious past of golden liners – and the other leg most definitely planted firmly in the present.

That’s why I want to cruise again on Cunard, whether it’s a crossing on Queen Mary 2 or a cruise on Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth.

On all three vessels, Cunard’s homage to its history, and to cruising’s golden era, is not lip service.  If that intrigues you as much as it does me, don’t miss spending time in Queen Elizabeth’s reincarnated Mid Ships bar (a QEII and Queen Mary institution). On a day with many highlights, the most memorable for me was the glimpse of the gallery that will be featured there – full of fantastic historic relics. My favorite was the Cunard White Star International Marine Radio Service Radiogram, dated October 9, 1946, from Queen Elizabeth’s maiden voyage:

Dear Belinda and Chris, grateful if you would check that our cabin, M45, is not more than five minutes walk from the sea. Stop.

“It’s one of the ways we’re bringing the experience of the old liners to life,” said Peter Shanks, Cunard’s president, a few minutes after he’d been spotted whipping out his own camera to snap shots of some of the pieces featured in display cases.

You’d think that the radiogram and other artifacts, such as newspaper clippings featuring Cunard ships, old teapots, and ship models, would all be culled from the line’s own collection. You’d be wrong! One of the best aspects of overseeing Queen Elizabeth’s art collection for Amy Lucena, an art consultant for the cruise line, is hunting for just the right antiques to display.

She found the telegram from an antique shop in Dania Beach, Florida. Teapots came from the gift shop onboard Queen Mary, which is now a hotel ship in Long Beach, California. And via eBay she unearthed a treasure trove of 25 manila envelopes filled with newspapers with Queen Elizabeth stories.

In its own way, Cunard’s the closest thing we have to connecting cruising’s past with its present. As I never had the chance to cruise on a ship during the golden era, I’m glad that there’s still an opportunity to experience this glamour – without having to compromise on any of contemporary travel’s modern necessities.

CSB

The first step in estimating the cost of travel is to select a particular cruise line and cruise ship. The cruise ship you select is vital to estimating your vacation costs. This is because a number of cruise ships offer all-inclusive vacation packages. All-inclusive cruise ship packages may seem high priced, but you often do not have to worry about carrying along excessive amounts of money.

In addition to the type of cruise ship package you select, you will also need to consider where your cruise ship will depart from and what its destination is. If you are unable to book a vacation aboard a cruise ship with a departure port located near your home, you will have to include the cost of reaching your the port into your cruise.

If you are planning a cruise ship vacation, on a budget, the method of travel you select could have a significant impact on the overall cost of your vacation. For long distance travel you may want to compare the cost of airline tickets, bus tickets, or train tickets. Air travel is often considered the most preferred method of travel, but it is the most expensive. In addition to purchasing a bus ticket, airplane ticket, or train ticket, you may want to examine the cost of driving your own vehicle.

As previously mentioned, all-inclusive cruise ship packages help to eliminate the cost of food, drinks, and entertainment. While all-inclusive packages are nice, they are often hard to come by. If you are unable to book an all-inclusive cruise, will have to estimate the amount of money you will spend onboard. This estimate is not only important to estimating the cost of your vacation, but it should also be used to make sure you bring along enough spending money.

Estimating the cost of onboard entertainment is often easier than estimating the cost of your food and drinks. Most cruise lines have websites that offer detailed information on all of their ships. This information is also likely to include the cost of using a particular entertainment facility. You will find that many cruise ships charge their passengers to watch a movie, view a performance, or participate in many onboard activities. These onboard activities may include, but are not limited to, rock climbing, onboard surfing, gambling lessons, dance lessons, and swimming lessons.

Speaking of gambling, if you are interested in gambling on a cruise ship casino, you will need to keep this in mind when estimating the cost of your vacation. As with most land-based casinos, you can gamble with different amounts of money. If you are planning to estimate the cost of your vacation, you are encouraged to estimate the amount of money you will spend gambling. Since estimating money spent on gambling is difficult, you will want to aim your estimate high.

As previously mentioned, estimating the cost of your food and drinks can also be a difficult task. You can estimate the number of meals and drink you will have in a day, but it is important to remember that it is only an estimate. It is also difficult to estimate the cost of your onboard food and drinks because cruise ship menus are often difficult or impossible to obtain online. As with cruise ship gambling, it is advised that you overestimate the cost of food and drinks.

In addition to the cost of food, child care, travel, entertainment, and gambling it is advised that you consider the cost of obtaining items or souvenirs at the ports your ship plans on docking at. Whether you need to know if you can afford a cruise ship vacation or you’d just like to know where your money is going, there are an unlimited number of ways to estimate the total cost of your vacation.

I get genuinely excited about cruising when I see a line take on a new embarkation port or a series of first-time destinations.

Celebrity gets my kudos for porting the Constellation in Istanbul and offering some interesting round trips, starting in the fall of 2011. These are 12-night cruises and I would suggest packing a new pair of walking shoes because these babies are port-intensive.

There are three cruises — September 19, October 1, and October 13, 2011.

If you want to stretch out your trip after flying all that way, there are two Mediterranean trips connecting to the ones listed above…but let’s start with the “Greek Isles and Turkey Cruise.”

On all three dates, the cruise begins with an overnight in Istanbul, followed by a day at sea. The Constellation then makes three stops in Turkey — Ephesus (Kusadasi), Bodrum and Marmaris. In Greece, there are six stops — Rhodes, Santorini, Athens (Piraeus), Mykonos and Chania (Souda), Crete, followed by another day at sea before returning to Istanbul. Bodrum, Marmaris and Chania are all new ports for Celebrity cruise ships.

Two of the three are bookended by a Mediterranean sailing, on September 7 and October 25.

On the front end (September 7), the Constellation sails a 12-night itinerary from Amsterdam to Istanbul, featuring visits to Bruges, Belgium; Cherbourg, France; Vigo, Spain; Gibraltar, United Kingdom; Sicily, Italy and Athens.

On the back end (October 25), embarkation is Istanbul following an overnight stay in port, then stops at Athens in Greece, Naples, Rome, and Florence in Italy, Provence in France and Palma de Mallorca…on the way to Barcelona.

After that, on November 5, the Constellation re-positions from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on a 14-night Transatlantic voyage that features visits to Cartagena (Spain), Gibraltar, Madeira (Portugal) and Tenerife and La Palma (Canary Islands).

So you could sail from Istanbul to Barcelona, then across the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale. Or if you really have the time, cruise the Istanbul round-trip to the Greek Isles and Turkey, then Barcelona, then Fort Lauderdale.

That one’s 37 days, total.

Guests who wish to extend their Istanbul experience can combine the October 13 round-trip Istanbul cruise, the October 25 Istanbul-to-Barcelona cruise and the November 5 Transatlantic cruise without repeating any ports except Athens, another 37-night extravaganza.

Whether this interests you or not, it’s good to see some creative thinking from one of the large cruise lines. The cruises are on sale now.

Prices:
• Amsterdam to Istanbul, $1,559, 12 nights
• Round-trip Istanbul, $1,559, 12 nights
• Istanbul to Barcelona, $1,039, 11 nights
• Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale, $929, 14 nights

Those make for some interesting combos.

All for now.

Call 800-668-6414 Now to book this exclusive offer!

Click Picture to enlarge Comparison:

Royal Caribbean Selling Transatlantic Cruise for $799 pp

This year we have benefitted from being one of the best at selling distressed inventory for the cruise lines. We were able to get the Celebrity Century 14 night Transatlantic Cruise for only $399 per person. That is $29 per day per person for a Premium Cruise Experience. People were paying $799 for an inside cabin on this sailing a little over a month ago.

In a year of incredible deals, this is the best. I guarantee that no one will pay less than $399 for this the Celebrity Celebrity Century 14nt. Cruise Vacation. I checked air earlier today to find prices for Cruise & Air together for this cruise. From NYC the price for Cruise & Air is about $1043 per person. From Charlotte, North Carolina, and Miami, Florida is $1210.  Call 800.668.6414 to see if this deal is still available and to get rates on your airfare.

One Stop - La Palma Canary Islands

CruiseDeals.com Agent Eric M. tells us why the 13nt. TransAtlantic with Air on the Independence of the Sea is such an exciting deal. You must Call 800.668.6414 to book this Exclusive Offer. Eric is very familiar with this deal, get him at the extension he leaves on the Video! Offer ends on 7/17/09.

So here is the Deal: In late November 2009, a 13-night Transatlantic Cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Newest, Largest Ship, the Independence of the Seas with Air Included from Ft. Lauderdale for only $999!  We have low Air Addons from many other major US Cities.

A Transatlantic Voyage on the ship that is a destination…there is no other ship currently at that offers the amenities that the Independence of the Seas offers.   For those of you who have wanted to do a Transatlantic but thought you might get bored…if you  get bored on the Independence of the Seas then there is not much hope for you.

Call 800.668.6414 or Click Here for details!

Taylor and his band arrived in Southampton, England, having sailed the six day voyage from New York en route to begin a 10 week, 22 concert tour visiting nine European countries.
Before the concerts, guests got a closer glimpse inside the life of the music icon during a live interview session with Cunard Entertainment Director Ray Rouse. Taylor graciously greeted, signed autographs for and took photos with hundreds of adoring fans.
The Transatlantic Crossing fulfilled a lifelong dream for Taylor, who has said his favorite place to be is in the middle of the North Atlantic.
Taylor’s family also joined James on this voyage. His wife Kim, twin sons Rufus and Henry, and his mother Trudy Taylor.
James Taylor now becomes part of Cunard’s history of welcoming world famous entertainers, including Elizabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth, Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, Shirley Bassey, Harry Connick, Jr. and Lenny Kravitz.

Each itinerary will offer it’s own unique adventure – featuring overnights in Sydney, Hong Kong and Dubai on Queen Elizabeth, and Cape Town, Sydney and Hong Kong on Queen Mary 2.

Queen Elizabeth Maiden World Voyage

Cunards Queen Elizabeth, for her maiden voyage will offer a complete circumnavigation of the globe from her home port of Southampton, crossing the Atlantic en route to New York.  US and Canadian guests will have the unique opportunity of embarking on their World Voyage experience from New York, Fort Lauderdale or – after the ship transits the Panama Canal – Los Angeles.

From the west coast, Queen Elizabeth will continue her westward journey to the city of Sydney, where she will stay overnight, via the South Pacific and New Zealand before heading to the exotic ports of Asia that includes Singapore, Bali, Vietnam and Thailand as well as another overnight stay in Hong Kong. The vessel then sails on to Malaysia and India before stopping in Dubai (also an overnight stay), followed by a visit to Oman before transiting the Suez Canal and taking in sites of Egypt, Greece, Italy and Portugal en-route back to Southampton. Here North American guests can rendezvous with the Queen Mary 2 and take in a legendary Transatlantic crossing to complete their 103-day circumnavigation of the globe.  The full World Voyage fares start from $19,995 per person.

Segment voyages capture the essence of the World Voyage and aboard Queen Elizabeth range from 12 to 25 days, including New York to Los Angeles (16 days), Los Angeles to Sydney (23 days), Sydney to Singapore (25 days), Singapore to Dubai (12 days) and Dubai to Southampton (19 days). Guests can enjoy great value by combining two or more consecutive segments to create a unique itinerary. Segment fares start from $2,545 per person.

Queen Mary 2 World Voyage

Queen Mary 2 will begin her fourth World Voyage in New York , and will be her second passage sailing on an east-west route around the globe.  After a call in Fort Lauderdale, the ship will head to the Caribbean and South America, stopping in Barbados, Brazil and Uruguay before arriving for an overnight stay in the beautiful city of Cape Town in South Africa, the ship’s second visit to this destination. From there she will sail to the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean before an exploration of Australia that culminates with an overnight stay in Sydney. The vessel then continues on to New Zealand and Guam before giving highlights of China and Japan en-route to an overnight stay in Hong Kong, followed by visits to Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and India en-route to Dubai. From here, Queen Mary 2 will call in Egypt before making a transit of the Suez Canal that will take her to European calls in Italy, Monaco, Spain and the United Kingdom, her last call before ending her 103-day odyssey in New York.  Full World Voyage fares start from $19,995 per person.

Segment voyages aboard Queen Mary 2 range from 15 to 25-days and include New York to Cape Town (23 days), Cape Town to Sydney (17 days), Sydney to Hong Kong (25 days), Hong Kong to Dubai (15 days) and Dubai to New York (23 days). Consecutive segments can be combined to experience the Liner Voyages. Segment fares start from $3,245 per person.

Cunard is also pleased to offer guests the chance to enjoy the World Voyage experience using a combination of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary 2.  Embarking in New York, guests will be able to complete the first half of their World Voyage on Queen Elizabeth before transferring ships in Sydney and sailing back to New York on Queen Mary 2.

 Check out the early savings discounts offered for Cunard Line

Over his career, Taylor has earned 40 gold, platinum and multi platinum awards and five Grammy Awards. In 2000, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Queen Mary 2′s Transatlantic Crossings offer the best in ocean travel and refinement. Cunard offers 25 crossings in 2009. with the six day Crossings offering guests opportunities for relaxation and leisure pursuits, varying from wellness in the Canyon Ranch SpaClub at sea, to wine tastings with a world class sommelier.

Douglas Ward is the dean of cruise book writers.

The veteran cruiser made his first transatlantic crossing in 1965,

In those days people were winging their way across the Atlantic on 707’s and DC 8’s with the 747 still in development.

The veteran cruiser has been turning out the Berlitz book for 24 years and the latest version of the “Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships” will be out sometime this month.

So who is number one in the eyes of Douglas Ward?

It’s the same ship he has given the honour too for years—MS Europa–from the Hapag Lloyd Line of Germany.

Who!!

You’ve probably Hapag Lloyd on the side of giant containerships in ports all over the world. They do have a cruise line and its one of the best.

Hapag Lloyd’s cruise division specializes in the smaller ship most of which are in the expedition class. The Europa, however, is in a class of its own.

Every other ship in Ward’s book receives anywhere from 1-5 stars—Europa is the only one that ranks 5+

I interviewed Douglas at length, and sometime in the future ill share that interview with you.

His books are more about the ship and the experience onboard. He is most definitely qualified to talk on the subject—cruising about 200 days a year—yes and believe it or not he is married.

Europa received 1852 points out of 2000.

When it comes to Hapag Lloyd he doesn’t stop there.

Hanseatic one of their expedition ship ranks 5 stars in Douglas’s latest book The ship travels the world to the most unique destinations and only carries 184 passengers.

Europa carries 408 passengers and there is more than ½ a crew person per passenger

You won’t find large theatres or even a Casino onboard. Entertainment comes from a lounge and the performers are picked to suit the cruise.

Detail detail detail, according to Ward, makes Europa his top pick.

Others back up Ward’s critique.

The ship also received the Six-Star-Diamond award by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, and won the six star award from Fielding’s Guide to Luxury Cruises.

So the question is can you afford it and where does it go.

Let me give you an example of a couple of trips and the cost

March 12th Shanghai to Hong Kong 13 days with prices starting a just over $9000

October 25th 09 Venice to Barcelona 10 days with a starting price of $7000

Nothing under $700 dollars a day.

This will definitely be on my—if I win the lottery—list.

To find out more on all their ships go to

http://www.hapag-lloyd.com/en/index.html

Douglas Ward has a new book out “First Time—Cruise Guide and you’ll find more on that at

http://www.berlitzpublishing.com/berlitz/home.asp

See you tomorrow

RCCL Majesty of the Seas 4 night Bahamas. $139 Out of Miami on 9/15.

Carnival Elation 5 night cruise to Mexico, $249 out of San Diego on 9/15.

Celebrity Mercury 14 night Transcanal sailing, inside $899, Oceanview $1199 Ft.Lauderdale to San Diego on 12/5

Caribbean Princess 7 night southern Caribbean. $526 per person with a $100 onboard credit per cabin sailing out of San Juan, 11/16.

Navigator of the Seas 12 night Transatlantic, Nov 10th, $449. Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale.

All rates are subject to availablity. They are per person and do not include taxes. Click the links above to check avilability and to see total price.

Go to Cruisedeals.com to search for more Transatlantics.

After lunch, we walked the short distance back to the John Howard to slightly unpack for the next three days.  I decided it would be easier to live out of a suit case for three days mainly because my entire room WAS a closet!  I have never seen such a small hotel room in my life….if it was 8×12 I would be surprised.  It was neat, clean and overlooked Queen’s Gate street below, but it was tiny.  The free wifi made it bearable as did the first floor location.  Everyone else had grand-sized rooms, huge bathrooms and sitting areas.  Not me.  This room was hilarious – but I definitely would not recommend it to anyone. Getting in the shower was a feat unto itself…I had to turn side-ways to sidle into the two-foot square shower.  Water pressure, however, was awesome, as it was throughout the U.K.  Enough about my room.  I would heartily recommend the John Howard Hotel – it has an elevator, restaurant on premises and includes a complete English breakfast, is walking distance to the buses, Kensington Palace and Gardens, restaurants, pubs, everything,  Just be sure to not get Room 21 unless you are agoraphobic!   Three days in London was either not enough time or just enough time…I’m not sure.  Probably I’d opt for 2 more days.  I did manage to get last minute tickets to Les Miserables, tour Kensington Palace and Gardens, get to Greenwich to see the Maritime Museum and timeclock.  I had lunch in Harrod’s, another Guinness at a true local’s pub on the River Thames, drove around Picadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square so I feel I did the correct tourist requirements. 

By day four, two in our group of nine had flown home, and two more were staying over in London for another day. Five of us were heading to Forest Row for one night in an authentic 600 year old coaching inn.   Only a short hour’s drive from London and we were checking in to the Forest Row Inn, just down the road from the town of Forest Row, on the edge of the Forest – home to Winnie the Pooh and A.A. Milne. What an amazing little village and beautiful scenery.  I could have spend 3 days here with the inclination to explore the Forty-Acre Wood in search of the House at Pooh Corner.  There are tours and hiking paths throughout the forest for both nature lovers and literary lovers.  The house of A.A. Milne is open to the public as are the once private grounds.  But alas, we had only one day to spend and we spent it in the town of Forest Row.  Once again, had a typical English luncheon and just wandered into the little shops before boarding the local bus back to the hotel. Yet another place to revisit in the future.   Bright and early the next morning, following our leisurely English breakfast, the van arrived a few minutes ahead of schedule to take us to the third leg of our journey, to Dover, to board the Constellation for our 12-night cruise back to America, Bayonne New Jersey to be exact.

The Queen Mary 2 hasn’t changed much since I last sailed her in June 2005.  No visible signs of wear and tear.  It’s taken me a while to get reacquainted with the deck plans but I’m slowly remembering which decks are the “you can’t get there from here” decks.  You know…the “you have to go up to go down” decks because of the placement of the galleys or other so-called necessary evils.

All the passengers are so very courteous with one another.  No five-language announcements for yet another “Gold By The Inch” sale or “Jackpot Bingo.  It’s blissful.  The only announcements to be heard are by Commodore Warner at noon, when he  - brings us up-to-date on our location (at the western edge of the Sargasso Sea) where we can see seaweed from the Seaweed Forest, floating past.

I haven’t been to the gym yet.  Well, I visited it briefly today and plan to spend 30 minutes there this afternoon.  Lunch was at my favorite place:  The Golden Lion Pub where I had a most wonderful Ploughman’s Lunch – a crispy roll, sliced ham, large wedges of Stilton and English Cheddar, Branston Pickle, lettuce, tomato and mustard.  All washed down with a perfectly poured Guinness.   Can anything be better? 

Time to head up to the gym.  Note to self:  Deck 8 forward – very forward is a good location for close proximity to the Spa, Gym and Library. 

The night ended on a high note.  Dinner was excellent.  Freshly caught lobster from Halifax, Nova Scotia where the QM2 had visited a day or so ago and purchased freshly caught lobsters.  The filet was truly a filet mignon, not some circularly cut sirloin masquerading as filet. 

Directly from our dinner, we headed to the Royal Court Theater for the evening’s Gala performance.  Tonight it was a Tribute to Judy Garland.  It was a beautifully choreographed musical montage.  Voices were actually on key, dance steps perfected to precision.  Not exactly for an audience of 20-30 somethings, but the average age on this crossing is probably close to 60 so the show definitely befits the target audience. 

Immediately after that….I had to witness the first Royal Black and White Ball in the Queen’s Room.  A terrific orchestra provided dance music.  All of the music onboard is excellent, even the featured shows have live music….none of that canned pre-recorded synthesized music on some of the other cruise lines. 

Because of the daily time change…I’m getting totally out of sync and for some odd reason, all of us are getting tired early.  I’ll pick this up tomorrow.  G’nite!

 Bon Voyage to me!

My wife Michael and I were on a 12-day Atlantic crossing sampling Concierge Class on Celebrity Cruises’ Constellation. Celebrity created Concierge Class to bridge the gap between a pricey butler suite and a standard ocean view cabin with balcony.

The pillow menu was just one of the amenities. There were four choices: Conformance, Goose, Body and Isotonic. The latter, according to the menu, reacts to your body with foam that sculpts and contours — self-adjusting according to your body dynamics. As I read the description, Michael’s eyebrow shot up. I chose Goose.

Our cabin was about the same size as an ocean view with balcony, but we Concierge Cruisers got binoculars, Frette robes, special bathroom toiletries, preferred dinner seating, nightly hors d’oeuvres, daily fresh fruit and flowers, special towels, invitations to special events, three, count ‘em, three umbrellas and special in-suite breakfast offerings.

The Other Menu
Concierge Class guests also may order food from the regular dining room menu to be served in their cabins. Otherwise, the dining experience was the same for all passengers.

Celebrity has a well deserved reputation for its dining and service. In the San Marco restaurant, our waiters never missed a beat and graciously extended themselves to make sure we were satisfied. The Ocean Liners Restaurant, Constellation’s alternate dining venue, takes the dinner experience to another level entirely. Noting the surcharge of $30 per person (including gratuity), I initially balked, but it was worth all that — and more.

I’m not certain how many waiters took care of us, but enough for a few tables of bridge. We ordered from the “Menu Exceptional,” six courses, and for $27.95 more (the price of one of the less expensive wines on the Ocean Liners wine list), the Sommelier served a glass of wine paired for each course.

For the casually dressed set, there were beautifully set tables in the nightly transformed Seaside Café, with full wait service and an attractive menu. A $2 per person tip was suggested, but if you want to save that $2 for the slots, around the corner is a self-service sushi bar. Among the various sushi rolls was the Japanese Bagel, which consisted of salmon and cream cheese wrapped in seaweed.

During the day Constellation offered a full buffet service, divided into sections according to food types. Pasta and Italian (including pizza made to order) in one area, sandwiches freshly made in another. The Spa quarter offered a more health constrained fare. I loved the Salmon Tartar. Even with 1,992 passengers on this cruise, no line I encountered was ever more than four or five deep, including the food areas.

Ports of CallLeaving Dover, we visited Amsterdam, Brussels, Le Havre, Cork, Halifax, and (tada!) Bayonne, New Jersey. In Amsterdam, we took a canal tour and learned that the houses along the canal were taxed according to width, so the devious Dutch built them deep but narrow. So much so, that furniture could not be delivered up the steep and skinny stairs. Most homes were equipped with outdoor hoists for the large stuff. We also learned that Heineken once used water from the canals to make its beer. No longer, though the image stays with me.

After a tour of the many canals bisecting Amsterdam, it was time for a pot of coffee. Naturally, we went to a coffee house. Oops! The big cannabis plant outside should have warned us that the only pot inside was to smoke. For coffee, look for a café.

We passed on other tours. In Brussels, we spent the day in Blankenberge, a delightful cobble-stoned village with friendly people, lovely small shops and tons of chocolate. In Cork, we hung around the port, Cobh (pronounced Cove), our last stop before crossing.

Coincidently, it was also the last stop of the Titanic. To get to Cork was almost an hour on a bus, and the main tour attractions, Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone, were another five miles out of town. To kiss the Blarney Stone, you had to climb 100 steps, and then do a Cirque De Soleil backward lean to press your lips to the magic rock. Not me! Who knows where all those lips have been?

In Halifax, we came across a bus named FRED (Free Ride Everywhere Downtown) that runs every half hour. FRED stops at the ship terminal, and lets you on and off at shopping areas and tourist attractions. The driver will point out the sights. The ship charges $36 for much the same tour. Both will point out that the local McDonald’s has MacLobster meals. Nova Scotia means new Scotland, and it seemed appropriate when a lone bagpiper serenaded us as Constellation eased away from the pier.

About the only hitch we had in our Transatlantic crossing was the lack of contact. “Celebrity Today,” the ship’s paper, seemed to have lost touch altogether. The day after we left France, the paper featured a piece about getting to know France. The day after we left Ireland and had started across the Atlantic toward America, a story began, “As we cruise the Atlantic Ocean toward Europe.” I checked my bearings, and for a moment wished it were true that we were headed to Europe to begin the voyage all over again.