Voyages of Discovery – Summer 2013

Posted on 17 May 2012 by cruisepeople

 Voyages of Discovery is looking ahead to summer 2013 with a new brochure featuring more unique itinerary choices and special interest cruises in its two ships and a special offer for guests who book early.

The new Summer 2013 Cruise Collection features exciting itineraries with more than 22 new ports of call on cruises on the 550-passenger Voyager , which joined the fleet at the end of 2012, and the 650-passenger Discovery, which is undergoing extensive refurbishments to feature 86 percent outside accommodations and 35 suites – 30 with outside balconies. Both ships will offer comfort and space while maintaining the ability to access the remote, out-of-the-way ports that are at the center of Voyage of Discovery’s destination-led cruising.

Guests who book from the 2013 Summer brochure by July 31, 2012 will receive 15% off the early booking fares. All fares cited are per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability.

For the first time, Voyages of Discovery will have two ships sailing into the same regions, offering travellers a wider selection of itineraries. Both Discovery and Voyager launch the 2013 summer season with round-trip cruises from London, England to the British Isles, Northern Europe and the Baltic. Discovery will also sail in Russia’s White Sea region, overnighting at the rarely visited Solovetsky Islands during a 19-day Summer Solstice & White Sea cruise that sails roundtrip from London, departing June 16; fares start at US$2,804.

Both ships will sail into the Mediterranean regions in the autumn, with itineraries that include visits to new ports such as Valencia, Spain; Sibenik, Croatia; Patmos, Kavala and Thessaloniki, Greece; and Monaco.

Black Sea explorations have consistently been very popular so both Discovery and Voyager will be visiting that region with itineraries that are sure to sell out quickly:

  • Treasures of the Black Sea: Sites of conquests that resulted in religious and political change abound on a 12-day cruise on Discovery departing Istanbul Oct. 17, 2013 and calling in Trabzon; Sochi and Novorossiysk, Russia; Yalta, Sevastopol and Odessa, Ukraine; and Canakkale, Turkey before arriving in Bodrum. Fares from $1,784.

  • In the Wake of the Argonauts: Discover sites from Greek mythology, Russian palaces and cities that were once behind the Iron Curtain on an 11-day cruise in Discovery departing Athens Oct. 7, 2013 and calling at Volos; Canakkale, Turkey; Nesebur, Bulgaria; Odessa, Sevastopol and Yalta, Ukraine; and Istanbul. Fares from $1,529.

  • The Legendary Black Sea: Voyager traces the history of the Black Sea region and visits ancient ports along the legendary coastline while sailing roundtrip from Istanbul on a 14-day cruise that departs Oct. 8, 2013. Port calls include Nesebur, Odessa, Sevastopol, Yalta, Feodosiya, Novorossiysk, Sochi, Batumi and Trabzon. Fares begin $2,039.

Discovery also takes guests on a 23-day Grand Mediterranean and Black Sea Discovery voyage that departs Sept. 25. Fares from $2,974.

Other summer 2013 itineraries include:

  • Mediterranean Odyssey: Blend the cosmopolitan and the classic on a 13-day cruise in Discovery,  departing Barcelona Sept. 25, 2013 and calling in Portoferraio, Trapani and the new port calls in Monaco, Bastia and Syracuse before arriving in Athens. Fares from $1,529 – less than $125 per day!

  • Baltic Classics & Tall Ships Race: 15-day round-trip cruise in Discovery from London, departing July 23, 2013 and calling in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, overnight in St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Sassnitz, Kiel Canal transit and a call in Szczecin, Poland just in time for the legendary Tall Ships Race and the Golden Age of Sail. Fares from $2,039.

  • Celtic Footprints & The Edinburgh Tattoo: Delve deep into the history, heritage and tradition of cultural cities, palaces and castles while visiting legend-haunted islands, dramatic seascapes and breathtaking landscapes on this 13-day roundtrip cruise from London in Discovery. Departing Aug. 6, 2013, the cruise calls at St. Helier, Plymouth, Dublin, Greenock, Portree, Stornaway, Lerwick, Kirkwall, Scrabster and Rosyth. Fares from $1,869.

In addition to two “Footloose” walking-themed cruises accompanied by expert tour guides on Iconic Norwegian Fjords (Aug. 18, 2013) and Celtic Treasures (May 25, 2013), Voyages of Discovery’s expanded selection of special interest cruises for summer 2013 includes the following:

  • A Baltic Symphony: A 14-day round-trip musically themed cruise in Discovery from London departing May 22, 2013, this cruise features classical concerts, musical talks, tailored shore excursions and musical artists including the Auralio String Quartet. Calls in Copenhagen, Turku, Tallinn, St. Petersburg (overnight), Gdynia and Warnemunder, as well as a Kiel Canal transit. Fares from $1,869.

  • French Connoisseur: This 10-day wine appreciation cruise on Voyager sails round-trip from London, departing June 2, 2013. Wine expert Jilly Goolden leads the wine-related discovery, with calls in Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Nantes and Rouen and the chance to tour vineyards and wine makers, including the famed Grand Cru classe chateaux in Bordeaux. Fares from $1,359.

Both Voyager and Discovery offer the line’s signature elements of distinctive itineraries that blend world-class sites with smaller “hidden gems” and longer port stays.  Fares include a distinguished guest speaker programme, enrichment workshops, all meals including cocktail parties and gala dinners, entertainment, and service fees for onboard bar and spa purchases.

Contact The Cruise People, Ltd. for more information on Voyages of Discovery.

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Posted in Mediterranean, Theme Cruises, Voyages of Discovery | Leave a comment

S.S. Keewatin’s Repatriation to Canada Next Month

Posted on 15 May 2012 by cruisepeople

by Kevin Griffin, managing director of The Cruise People’s London office

The 105-year-old steamship, thought to be  the last surviving Edwardian
passenger liner, is due to be towed out  of the Kalamazoo River at Douglas,
Michigan, her home for the past  forty-five years, on about June 2.

She will then  be taken up Lake  Michigan to lay over at the old Michigan State
Ferries dock at   Mackinaw City (the ferries went out of service when the bridge
was opened  across  the Strait).

On or about June 20, she will depart for her final tow  to Port McNicoll.

Keewatin is scheduled to  arrive at Port McNicoll at 3 pm on Saturday, June
23, one hundred  years to the day after her first departure from that port.
Although  she and sister ship, Assiniboia, had been built in 1907, Canadian
Pacific  moved its main Great Lakes base of operations from Owen Sound  to
Port McNicoll  in 1912.

As a 17-year-old, I worked from Port  McNicoll as a waiter in sister  ship
Assiniboia, in her last year of  passenger service before enrolling at
university. The following year,  with the passenger service gone, I was
posted  out to Princess  Patricia, working from Vancouver to Alaska.

Both ships were built at Govan,  forty-two years apart. As my family emigrated to Canada on board Canadian Pacific’s Empress of Canada (ii), ex-Duchess of Richmond, and with  Keewatin being the last surviving Canadian Pacific passenger ship,  in whose  sister I worked, I have a particular interest in this voyage so I will  keep you posted.

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Oceania Cruises’ Riviera Confirms Positioning in the Market

Posted on 14 May 2012 by cruisepeople

by Kevin Griffin writing for cybercruises.com

Oceania Cruises’ Riviera, a sister ship of  Marina delivered in January 2011, was christened in Barcelona on Friday. At 66,084 tons, she would have been one of the largest in the world two decades ago, but is now just a footnote in an age where cruise ships have exceeded 225,000 tons and carry more than 6,000 passengers. In fact, more than 100 cruise ships exceed the size of these two sisters.

But those big ships, with all their children’s attractions (and we know that some adults are just grown up children), are much more like fun fairs than the cruise we used to know.

Riviera and her sister ship, however,are built on a more human scale, retaining their attachment to the sea. They are not like the big ships, travelling engineering marvels. But they are sophisticated.

As in days of yore, these ships exude quality on board and offer a quality cruising experience, reminiscent of the type of thing New Yorkers used to experience in Home Lines’ Oceanic, the first large purpose-built cruise ship, and Holland America Line’s once Transatlantic liner Rotterdam in the 1960s and 70s, and Brits knew with P&O’s traditional Canberra and Oriana, while both sides shared Cunard Line’s Caronia.

Riviera and Marina are very similar in dimensions if not in tonnage to these well-remembered ships, much as if this style of ship has returned after half a century:

Oceania Cruises has furthermore pulled a brilliant coup by positioning their ships as upper premium rather than utra-luxury. This means that it is easier to exceed passengers’ expectations when the ships’ position in the market is understated.

This formula has won the day for Oceania and the proof of it is in the 2012 issue of the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Not only has Marina, the first of the twins, scored highly, achieving a full five stars and 1701 points out of 2000, but she has eclipsed her own supposedly more upmarket stablemates over at Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the all-inclusive arm of Prestige Cruise Holdings.

Ironically, I’m sure this is not what Prestige intended but the three Regent ships have been given only four-plus stars and an average of 1633 points out of 2000.

The reviews for both of the new ships have been consistently good, with the only criticism being that unlike the traditional cruise ships named above the new sisters have no walkaround promenade deck. However, the new Oceania sisters measure an impressive 52.8 tons per passenger, offering about a third more space per passenger compared to the average of about 40 on most contemporary ships to-day.

Riviera will offer a total of twenty Mediterranean cruises before heading for her new home port of Miami in November. Meanwhile, with two new ships now delivered to Oceania, it was reported that the top executives from both Prestige Cruise Holdings and the Italian shipbuilders Fincantieri who built the latest pair, were back on board Riviera negotiating the next newbuilding for Regent Seven Seas.

Posted in Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Oceania Cruises, P&O, Regent Seven Seas | Leave a comment

Holland America’s Maasdam Opens Montreal Cruise Season; Record 55,500 Cruise Passengers Expected in 2012, Up 46% on 2011

Posted on 10 May 2012 by cruisepeople

by thecruisepeople

CRUISE PASSENGER NUMBERS EXPECTED TO LEAP 46% IN 2012

Montreal’s 2012 cruise season, which starts this Saturday with the arrival of Holland America Line’s Maasdam at Alexandra Pier, will set a record: 55,500 passengers are expected to visit Montreal, up 46% over last season. From May 12 to October 24, 2012, 49,000 passengers are expected to transit through the passenger terminal during 35 scheduled international stopovers, and a further 6,500 passengers will embark on domestic cruises, primarily for the Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St Lawrence. Pictured above is Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony, which will operate a 7-night round-trip cruise from Montreal on September 30.

“I am absolutely thrilled by these results that show a very promising future for Montreal’s international cruise industry as well as significant economic spinoffs for the city,” said Sylvie Vachon, president and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority, at a press conference held this morning at Iberville Passenger Terminal.

“The success of the 2012 cruise season isn’t a coincidence. Those involved in this rapidly developing industry have joined forces on the Montreal Cruise Committee and have established the success of this sector as a major priority,” said the Hon Charles Lapointe, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tourisme Montréal.

Led by Tourisme Montréal and the Montreal Port Authority, the Montreal Cruise Committee brings together Aéroports de Montréal, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, the Old Port of Montreal Corporation, the Hotel Association of Greater Montreal, the City of Montreal, Casino de Montréal and the Société de dévelopement commercial du Vieux-Montréal. The committee is also supported by the Ministère du Tourisme du Québec. The 2012 cruise season should generate about $14 million in economic benefits.

For more information on cruising to or from Montreal and Quebec as well as New England call The Cruise People Ltd in London on 020 7723 2450 or e-mail cruise@cruisepeople.co.uk in North America call 1-800-961-5536 or e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca

Posted in Canadian Cruises, Crystal Cruises, East Coast Cruises, Holland America Line | Leave a comment

Miami Lands Yet Another Cruise Line

Posted on 7 May 2012 by cruisepeople

by Kevin Griffin of The Cruise People writing in cybercruises.com

MSC Cruises will change its Florida seasonal base port from Fort Lauderdale to Miami for the cruise season starting in late 2013. The Italian-based line will operate its newest ship, the 3,500-berth MSC Divina, from Miami between November 2013 and May 2014, although MSC Poesia will still sail from Port Everglades in 2012-13.

In announcing the move last week, MSC Cruises’ US president Rick Sasso also intimated that another MSC ship could well follow and that having a year-round MSC ship in North America was not entirely out of the question.  MSC Divina will become the largest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet when she delivers in Marseilles on May 26, featuring a separate 69-suite first-class zone called The Yacht Club, with exclusive forward views from its lounge atop the bridge.

This is the second such announcement in two weeks as earlier this month Norwegian Cruise Line revealed that it would be basing its own new 4,000-berth Norwegian Getaway at Miami year-round from her introduction in 2014. When she arrived, the 144,000-ton ship will become the largest ship to use Miami as her home port. Sister ship Norwegian Breakaway will be based at New York year-round from spring 2013.

Since losing Oasis and Allure of the Seas to Fort Lauderdale in 2009, Miami has been striving hard to make up for the loss of the world’s largest cruise ships. Even so, it has handled more than four million passengers for four years in a row now, a number that is expected to reach four and a half million by 2014.

Royal Caribbean’s choice of Fort Lauderdale as base port for its Oasis and Allure of the Seas ended the decades-old rule that Miami, with its 3-, 4- and 7-day cruises, was mass market while Fort Lauderdale, with its Round-the-World and Transatlantic liners, was upmarket. And the recent changes have only served to change this even more.

Three brand-new ships are set to start sailing from Miami later this year – the 3,030-berth Celebrity Reflection and 3,690-berth Carnival Breeze, operated by lines that are indicated in their names (echoing the days when tankers were all called Esso this or Texaco that), as well as Oceania Cruises’ new 1,259-berth Riviera. All three will sail from Miami this winter, and with Carnival Breeze becoming the largest ship to be based in Miami, at least until Norwegian Getaway arrives in 2014.

Also new to Miami will be Regent Seven Seas, which will bring two ships to the port next winter. Regent previously sailed from Port Everglades, but they will now share a dedicated Miami terminal with stable mates Oceania Cruises. Disney Cruise Line will also base its 1,750-berth Disney Wonder in Miami for the first time from December through May 2013, operating on 4- and 5-night itineraries. And Crystal and Cunard made the move to Miami some time ago now.

One thing going in Miami’s favour of course is that all of Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Cruises are based there, as are Prestige Cruises’ Oceania and Regent brands.

Posted in Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Lines, MSC, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Royal Caribbean | Leave a comment

Experience André Rieu Live and Cruise the Blue Danube

Posted on 4 May 2012 by cruisepeople

 

Announcing an André Rieu concert and cruise package. The 15-day luxury ‘Blue Danube’ cruise onboard Amadeus Royal will be coupled with a delightful city break in Salzburg in May in order to offer a unique opportunity to see André Rieu, the internationally renowned Dutch violinist and composer, perform in Salzburg.

This Concert and Cruise package is an 17-day holiday offering guests the opportunity to discover the historically rich city of Salzburg, before embarking on a 2500km cruise along the Danube from Passau to the Black Sea and back again. Visiting such notable cities of Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Bucharest, the highlight of the holiday is undoubtedly cruising through eight countries and visiting 4 capital cities on route.

At full capacity,  Amadeus Royal caters for just 144 passengers in a total of 72 luxuriously appointed staterooms (all outside facing) with flatscreen TVs and other mod cons to promise a memorable and refined cruise holiday. Often described as ’boutique hotels afloat’, the Amadeus river fleet exude elegance and a warm atmosphere. The Austrian hospitality on board is first class and caters to each individual’s needs with every comfort onboard considered. The refined ambiance on board is propelled into the 21st century with modern facilities including a fun pool, lido bar, golf putting area, well-equipped fitness room and 24-hour multimedia business lounge.

The André Rieu Concert and Cruise Journey starts on the 6th May 2012 for 18 days and includes a ticket to the André Rieu concert in Salzburg. Prices start from $US4899.00 per person.

Posted in European River, Theme Cruises | Leave a comment

Cunard Sale until Friday

Posted on 3 May 2012 by cruisepeople
Cunard Line

Cunard Line (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have you always wanted to experience a Cunard voyage,  but felt the pricing was out of reach?

Now you can experience Cunard Line at a fraction of the cost.

The Cunard Spring Spectacular Sale starts to-day.

Please take a look at the tremendous discounts its summer and autumn Europe sailings.

Imagine 12-days in Europe in the new Queen Elizabeth for only $CAD1059.99 each of two including taxes and fees.

Please contact us for specifics at 1-800-961-5536 or e-mail at cruise@thecruisepeople.ca

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Posted in Cunard Line, Mediterranean, Northern Europe | Leave a comment

Does Princess Listen To Its Passengers?

Posted on 2 May 2012 by cruisepeople

by Kevin Griffin of The Cruise People, Ltd. – London

About a month ago, on the morning of March 20, some hundred miles from land, Princess Cruises’ Star Princess was en route from Ecuador to Costa Rica, on a Round South America cruise, when she passed a small 26-foot fishing boat with three men on board named Fifty Cents.
Not noticed by those on the bridge of Star Princess was that  Fifty Cents, about a mile away, was adrift without power, and that its crew, having no radio, was trying to signal their distress to Star Princess.

Elsewhere in Star Princess, a group of three birdwatchers using binoculars and telescopic lenses, managed to spot the drifting Fifty Cents and noticed that one of its crew members, Adrian Vasquez, 18, was waving a red shirt. The Panamanian fishermen had been adrift in the Pacific for sixteen days and had no food left when Star Princess came into view.

The fishermen waved for help and the birdwatchers alerted the crew, but to the amazement of both groups, Star Princess carried on. Later that day, Fifty Cents’ Capt Oropeces Betancourt, 24, died of dehydration, and five days later, Fernando Osorio, 16, succumbed to dehydration, sunburn and heat stroke.

The sole survivor, Adrian Vasquez, 18, was not rescued until twelve days after Star Princess passed, when he was found by a larger fishing vessel near the Galapagos Islands, six hundred miles from Rio Hato, Panama, from where the little fishing boat had set out. After pushing his friends’ bodies into the ocean, Vasquez had managed to survive on rain water, raw fish and floating coconuts

Despite the birdwatchers having reported the boat in distress, the master of Star Princess, Capt. Edward Perrin, a veteran who had previously served in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, was never informed and was later said to be devastated when advised of the men’s fate.

Press reports stated that Judy Meredith, one of the birdwatchers, from Bend, Oregon, described seeing a man waving a red T-shirt. She said:“You don’t wave a shirt like that just to be friendly. He was desperate to get our attention.”

She was apparently not allowed to go to the bridge to tell the captain, and the only crew member she could find was a member of the ship’s sales team. The birdwatchers said they showed the crew member the drifting boat through a telescope. When the liner did not stop they thought the crew must have alerted the authorities.

A statement issued by Princess Cruises on Thursday said that it “deeply regrets that two Panamanian men perished at sea after their boat became disabled in early March. Since we became aware of this incident, we have been investigating circumstances surrounding the claim that Star Princess failed to come to the aid of the disabled boat, after a crewmember was alerted by passengers. The preliminary results of our investigation have shown that there appeared to be a breakdown in communication in relaying the passenger’s concern. Neither Captain Edward Perrin nor the officer of the watch were notified.”

I am sure that spurious press reports speculating that the ship had to proceed in order to meet her schedule are just that – spurious. But we now wait to hear the results of this investigation as to specifically how it was the master was not informed of this serious report by passengers on that cruise. Does Princess not listen to its passengers? Or is there some other explanation?

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A Spate of Mid-Life Refits

Posted on 8 April 2012 by cruisepeople

by Kevin Griffin og our London office writing in cybercruises.com

We reported that Rhapsody of the Seas was at Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore for a $54 million mid-life refit, and that Minerva and Costa neoRomantica had re-emerged from theirs. In the case of Costa neoRomantica, which also received major structural modifications, the bill came to €90 million (about $118 million).

These refits usually involve tens of millions in investment per ship and many weeks in drydock to achieve them. Sometimes there are external signs of the changes, as when balconies and new decks are added, sometimes all the changes are internal as in the “Solsticization” projects at Celebrity.

Recently came news of an even more ambitious plan from Carnival Cruise Lines. Carnival Destiny, which was the first 100,000-tonner when she was launched at Venice in 1996, will be going to Fincantieri for an even bigger mid-life refit, out of which she will emerge in April 2013 with a new name – Carnival Sunshine. (Is Carnival trying to steal some thunder from Royal Caribbean’s “Project Sunshine” ships on order at Meyer Werft for delivery in 2014 and 2015?)

Costing $155 million, somewhat like Costa neoRomantica, Carnival Sunshine will get an extra deck and two new deck extensions as well as new staterooms (182 compared to neoRomantica’s 111), but unlike the neoRomantica she will not need saddlebag balconies as the Destiny class have their lifeboats installed at a lower level.

This month, the “new” 3.006-berth Carnival Sunshine will enter cruise service in the Mediterranean, departing in October for a new base at New Orleans, where she will replace the 2,974-berth Carnival Conquest. The Conquest was the first ship to be built with the extra deck that Carnival Sunshine will now have and Costa’s Costa Concordia class are sister ships. This investment is part of the $500 million FunShip 2.0 programme, which also includes more modest updates to  Carnival Liberty last year and Carnival Glory and Conquest later this year.

Features found on the line’s newest ships, including Guy’s Burger Joint, the Blue Iguana Tequila Bar, Fahrenheit 555 extra-tariff steak house, Italian Cucina del Capitano, Red Frog Pub, EA Sports Bar and Hasbro Game Show will be incorporated into the new design, as will a casual dining option in the Lido restaurant, a coffee bar, the Havana Bar Cuban lounge with Latin music and a Sunshine Bar in the atrium. Interiors will be by PartnerShip Design.

The best-known recent example of this type of work is the $140 million “Solsticization” of Celebrity Cruises’ four Millennium class ships, with the first upgrade completed on the Celebrity Constellation in 2010. Averaging $35 million per ship, Celebrity Infinity completed Solsticization in December 2011, Celebrity Summit last month, and Celebrity Millennium will complete the project when she emerges from the Grand Bahamas Shipyard in May.

The Summit, redelivered last month, received Aqua Class veranda staterooms with access to a new Mediterranean-themed restaurant, Blu. Also added was Qsine, the specialty restaurant that debuted on Celebrity Eclipse.

Also new to Summit is the Celebrity iLounge, where passengers can buy the latest Apple products, and the line’s famous Martini Bar, complete with frosted countertop, plus Cellar Masters wine bar where patrons can buy wines by the glass.

Cafe al Bacio and Gelateria have been added, along with a creperie, Bistro on Five. Suites have gained verandas, new furniture and more sumptuous appointments. Extra ocean-view and inside staterooms have also been added, and all accommodations have been outfitted with fresh carpet, upholstery and bedding, as well as flat-screen televisions.

Finally, we mentioned the Rhapsody of the Seas going to Sembawang for a $54 million makeover (see last week for the actual updates) as part of Royal Caribbean’s $300 million Royal Advantage program. Radiance and Splendour of the Seas were completed last year and after Rhapsody, they will be joined by the Grandeur and Serenade of the Seas this May and November.

And it’s not just the mainstream lines. Crystal Cruises has spent well in excess of $50 million recently on upgrading its soon-to-be-all-inclusive Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony.
Indeed, while new orders for cruise ships may have slowed down since the onset of the recession there is a very good market for shipyards to be updating cruise ships that are now ten and fifteen years old in order to bring them into line with their newer fleetmates.

Posted in Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Swan Hellenic | Leave a comment

Cunard Line Announces 2013 Voyage Programme, Open for Sale on 24 April

Posted on 6 April 2012 by cruisepeople
 

Highlights include new itineraries, inaugural calls in Italy, Iceland and the Mediterranean, plus overnight stays in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and Canada

Cunard Line has announced its 2013 Voyage Programme, offering an extensive range of sailings across its three ships featuring 106 voyages/cruises visiting 99 ports in 35 countries. Highlights include several inugural calls and overnight stays, and multiple departures for its most popular itineraries, including the St. Petersburg & Baltic Explorer, Fjords & Waterfalls and Greek Isles & Mediterranean Treasures.

Cunard brings over 170 years of maritime heritage to the youngest, luxury fleet at sea – flagship RMS Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth – acquainting passengers with captivating destinations and the Line’s enduring grandeur, glamour and elegance.

RMS Queen Mary 2 will continue to offer her legendary Transatlantic Voyages between New York and Southampton, as well as to Hamburg, while Queen Victoria will spend her full 2013 season sailing Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and Atlantic Isles, Iberia and Morocco, with a new 24-day voyage to the Black Sea and Turkey; and Queen Elizabeth will spend much of her season travelling from Southampton to Northern Europe and sailing the Mediterranean from Venice, Athens, Rome and Southampton.

RMS Queen Mary 2
The grandest ocean liner at sea, Queen Mary 2, will sail a total of 17 Transatlantic sailings between New York and Southampton from May 2013 to January 2014. In addition to the flagship’s popular seven-day Transatlantic voyages, Cunard introduces two eight-day crossings. Extended nine- and ten-day Crossings between New York and Hamburg will also be available.

These longer Crossings offer additional time to explore the ship’s extensive on board amenities and activities, including lectures through the award-winning Cunard Insights programme; stargazing in the only planetarium at sea; white-gloved afternoon tea served in the Queens Room or a spin around the dance floor during a Royal Nights themed ball; taking in a performance or workshop by members of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; or perusing the 8,000 volumes in the largest library at sea.

Those travelling select European itineraries also may opt to combine their voyage with a Transatlantic Voyage on either side, creating a “Grand” voyage.
Queen Mary 2 will also continue ventures to Northern Europe, plus roundtrip New York departures to New England and Canada – featuring an overnight stay in Quebec – and a visit to the Caribbean just in time for the holidays. First-time calls for Queen Mary 2 include Andalsnes, Norway and Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda.
Fares for the following voyages start from:
* Seven-day Transatlantic: $1199
* Eight-day Transatlantic: $1499
* Seven-day Fjords & Waterfalls: $1699
* Five-day 4th of July Getaway: $1349
* 12-day Autumn Colours (New England/Canada): $2499
* 15-day Northern Highlights: $2999
* 21-day Grand Fjords & Waterfalls: $4399

Those considering travelling with pets should make kennel reservations now as space will sell out quickly for the entire 2013 sailings.

Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria will sail a range of voyages from Southampton to Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Isles, Iberia and Morocco, including the popular seven-day Fjords & Waterfalls itinerary (Norway) and the St. Petersburg & Baltic Explorer voyage, with an overnight stay in St. Petersburg.
Additionally, Queen Victoria will sail a series of Mediterranean voyages ranging from 12 to 17 days and, new for 2013, a 24-day voyage to the Black Sea and Turkey. Inaugurl ports include Agadir, Morocco; Isafjordur, Iceland; Palau-Costa Smeralda, Italy; Torshavn, Faroe Islands; and Warnemunde, Germany.

Overnight stays include St. Petersburg, Istanbul and Madeira (two nights).
Fares for the following voyages start from:
* 10-day Iberia & Moroccan Highlights: $1499
* 14-day Mediterranean Medley: $3099
* 14-day St. Petersburg & Baltic Explorer: $2999
* 15-day Geysers & Glaciers: $3199
* 24-day Black Sea & Turkish Splendours: $5399
Guests sailing aboard Queen Victoria enjoy many distinctive features including the first private theatre boxes at sea (Royal Court Theatre); the classic art of fencing; Cunardia, a museum display of historic artifacts; and nods to HM Queen Victoria including original etchings drawn by The Queen and Prince Albert.

Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth‘s 2013 schedule will take her to Iceland, the Norwegian Fjords, the British Isles and the Baltic Sea. Later in the season, she will reposition to the Mediterranean and embark on eight voyages from Venice, Rome (Civitavecchia) and Athens (Piraeus). These popular itineraries again include the Greek Isles and Holy Land voyages, and inaugural ports include Akureyri, Iceland; Goteborg, Sweden; Isafjordur, Iceland; Izmir, Turkey; Marseilles, France; Reykjavik, Iceland; Salerno, Italy; Split, Croatia; Valencia, Spain; and Warnemunde, Germany. Overnight calls include St. Petersburg, Istanbul, Copenhagen and Venice.

Fares for the following voyages start from:
* 7-day Fjords & Waterfalls: $1399
* 12-day Greek Isles & Holy Land Explorer: $1799
* 12-day Mediterranean Odyssey: $1799
* 12-day Adriatic & Black Sea Explorer: $2499
* 14-day St. Petersburg & Baltic Explorer: $2799

Queen Elizabeth‘s grand art deco interiors and unique art works, which pay homage to both the original Queen Elizabeth and Great Britain’s Royal Family, continue to fascinate and delight guests who sail aboard the Line’s newest Cunarder. The ship’s Grand Lobby prominently displays the 18.5 ft. marquetry piece of the original Queen Elizabeth created by David Linley, only nephew of Her Majesty The Queen; and a specially commissioned portrait of The Queen, created by artist Isobel Peachey particularly for Queen Elizabeth‘s 2010 debut.

All referenced fares are US per person, based on double occupancy.
Reservations for Cunard’s 2013 voyages will open for booking on 24 April 2012. The Cruise People is setting up its Cunard group departures now.  Please let us know if there are sailings of interest to you.

See Cunard’s programmes online.

For more information and to book a voyage, consult The Cruise People, Ltd., toll-free at 1-800-961-5536 or e-mail cruise@thecruisepeople.ca

Posted in Atlantic Crossing, Bermuda, Canadian Cruises, Cunard Line, Mediterranean | Leave a comment