Cunard: The Most Famous Ocean Liners In The World

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Cunard Line Public Relations
Jackie Chase
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LEGENDARY QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 DEBUTS 2006 WORLD CRUISE ITINERARY

Energized from brisk sales for the line’s 2005 World Cruise, which is scheduled to depart January 3, Cunard Line has already unveiled its around-the-world itinerary for 2006. The 109-day “Voyage of the Seven Wonders” will visit 42 ports in 27 countries with prices ranging from $33,999 to $399,999 per person, double.

While the revered British shipping line hosted the first-ever World Cruise back in 1922 aboard its vessel Laconia, the 2005 voyage has seen a substantial increase in the number of guests who reserved the entire cruise, rather than a portion of the itinerary. “People obviously have the time and money for big-ticket luxury travel,” said David Gevanthor, vice president of yield management and marketing, Cunard Line. “The research shows that our World Cruise passengers are young retirees, age 60 plus, who appreciate the finer things in life.”

Discover the World in Grand Style
Cunard’s 2006 World Cruise – which departs January 9, 2006 – sails from New York via the Panama Canal to Los Angeles, across the South Pacific to New Zealand and Australia, through the Far East to India, Arabia and Europe, before crossing the North Atlantic from England, back to New York. For those unable to spend nearly four months at sea, five “Liner Voyages” – from 37 to 72 days – are priced from $12,999 per person, double. Early booking savings of up to 40 percent are available for the full world cruise as well as the five Liner Voyages.

Travellers circumnavigate the globe aboard the world famous Queen Elizabeth 2, which is the star attraction in virtually every port along her route. Passenger should be prepared for great fanfare as the arrival of the legendary liner is customarily heralded the world over.

“Voyage of the Seven Wonders” will visit Fort Lauderdale; Curacao; Fuerte Amador, Panama; Acapulco; Los Angeles; Honolulu; Pago Pago, American Samoa; Lautoka, Fiji; Noumea, New Caledonia; Auckland, Tauranga and Wellington, New Zealand; Sydney, Phillip Island, Melbourne, Adelaide, Fremantle and Exmouth, Australia; Bali; Taiwan; Kobe and Kagoshima, Japan; Shanghai and Hong Kong, China; Bangkok; Singapore; Penang, Malaysia; Phuket, Thailand; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Cochin and Mumbai, India; Dubai; Salalah, Oman; Safaga and Alexandria, Egypt; Aqaba, Jordan; Piraeus, Greece; Civitavecchia, Italy; Valencia, Spain; Lisbon; and Southampton.

Overnight stays and unusual land tours
Six of the ports to be visited are made more memorable for QE2 by designing the itinerary to include overnight stays in Auckland, Sydney (two nights), Hong Kong (two nights), Bangkok, Mumbai (Bombay) and Dubai. New for 2006, the ship will visit Shanghai – QE2 will also stay in port overnight here to enable passengers to experience more of the People’s Republic.

Escorted sightseeing tours to inland attractions are hallmarks of every World Cruise. The line’s Connoisseur CollectionSM includes land tours from Shanghai to Beijing, to the Australian Outback, India’s Taj Mahal, New Zealand’s North Island and Chiang Mai in Thailand.

Complimentary air and all shipboard gratuities
For 2006, round-trip Economy Class air transportation between 102 North American cities and the ship is complimentary on the World Cruise and all Liner Voyges. With few exceptions, Business Class upgrades are offered to guests booked in Caronia cabins and those in Britannia, Princess and Queens grill luxury accommodations will fly in First Class. Additionally, shipboard gratuities are included for all passengers sailing for 89 days or longer.

Queen Elizabeth 2 – The Legend Lives On
Renowned for its award-winning and stimulating on-board enrichment programmes, Cunard will once again feature a stellar line-up of lecturers and celebrity guests from journalism, film, literature, music, history, politics and the culinary arts to further enhance the QE2 World Cruise experience. Entertainment is also specially selected for variety, and local talent complements the top-name comedians, singers and musicians who make guest appearances.

According to Gevanthor, “Cunard has operated the consummate World Cruise for 82 years. The galas, themed balls, top entertainers and lecturers, fine cuisine and service and exotic ports are made all the more spectacular aboard QE2 – undoubtedly the world’s best-known ship.”

Cuisine and service on board QE2 pay homage to the company’s proud 164-year British tradition. To that end, menus are carefully planned to provide variety throughout the three-month-plus voyage and Cunard’s White Star Service assures gracious and efficient care while away from home. In fact, the ship’s five-star Grill accommodations have repeatedly won high praise from respected Berlitz cruise guide author Douglas Ward: “If you occupy one of the top-level suites, with butler service and all the trimmings of finery, your experience should be nothing short of superb.”

QE2 has all the five-star comforts and conveniences requisite for an extended ocean voyage, including formal dining rooms, a casual alternative venue, several elegant bars and lounges, European-style spa, casino, grand ballroom, cinema, computer centre with Internet and e-mail access, well-stocked library, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, hot tubs, exercise room and duty-free boutiques.

Shipboard facilities also include a beauty salon, medical centre, golf driving range and putting green, formal wear shop (rentals available), florist, synagogue and the Heritage Trail – a permanent, museum-quality exhibit that uniquely retraces Cunard’s history through artworks and other memorabilia. For women travelling singly or with companions that don’t dance, a brigade of gallant gentlemen social hosts assures that they will not miss out on the festivities.