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Cunard Line Unveils Queen Elizabeth

With the Debut of its Third New Ocean Liner in Six Years, One of the Oldest Names In Ocean Travel will Operate the Industry’s Youngest Fleet

Bookings Open for Sale on April 2

17 March 2009 – Today, Cunard Line revealed itinerary and design plans for its newest ocean liner, Queen Elizabeth, which is scheduled to enter service on 12 October 2010, giving one of the oldest names in shipping the strength of operating the youngest fleet in the industry. Queen Elizabeth will be the third new ocean liner to be introduced by Cunard in six years and the second largest Cunard ship ever built.

Queen Elizabeth will feature the unique Cunard traditions linking her with her sisters Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, and their predecessors. She will also debut some exciting features that will give the vessel her own style and personality, plus all the modern day luxuries Cunard’s guests have come to expect.

Likewise, Cunard’s renowned White Star Service will be ever-present, ensuring that travellers who seek a return to tradition will enjoy proper, authentic experiences that reflect the line’s 170-year heritage of formality and civility at sea.

In announcing the first details of the new ship, Cunard President Carol Marlow said “Cunard holds the distinction of sailing the most famous ocean liners in the world and I’m delighted to announce this magnificent addition to our fleet, which marks the return to our operation of three Queens simultaneously. For more than 70 years there has been an ‘Elizabeth’ in the fleet and this beautiful modern-day celebration of our past ‘Elizabeths’ will ensure this proud tradition continues far into this century. Sir Samuel Cunard would be rightly proud.”

A Nod to Cunard’s History and Heritage

Queen Elizabeth is named after Cunard’s first Queen Elizabeth, the famed Cunard ship which was launched in 1938 as the world’s largest liner. The new ship will reference her predecessor in interior grandeur, décor and style, but with a modern twist.

From the outside, her distinctive black and red livery will hint at the experience that differentiates a Cunard liner from a modern-day cruise ship. This will be most evident in the ship’s adherence to liner decor, with elegant double and triple height public rooms on a grand scale, intricately detailed interiors replete with rich wood panelling, mosaics, gleaming chandeliers, and cool marbles. Art Deco features will pay homage to the original Queen Elizabeth, and will allow the new ship to reflect a more civilized era of travel. And in addition to the extensive Cunard entertainment programmes onboard, Queen Elizabeth will offer some unique strands inspired by the era of the first Queen Elizabeth, including country house parties, lively piano evenings and a variety of dancing from that time – including the jitterbug and jive - all within the setting of this 21st century ship.

As a successor to Queen Elizabeth 2, the ship will also reflect this great liner via artwork and memorabilia and will have its very own ‘Yacht Club,’ named after the lively aft lounge on QE2. Offering guests 270 degree views and the perfect setting for activities and gatherings during the day, it will also double as a dramatic evening venue for cocktails and dancing.

Similarly, through photography, memorabilia and exhibits, the ship will recognize the historic links Cunard has enjoyed with Royalty over the years.

The ship’s distinctive public spaces include:

Queens Room - a new take on the traditional Cunard ballroom, with artwork depicting views from royal palaces, and photography of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal family, along with its 1000 square foot dance floor for Grand Balls and Tea Dances at sea.

Garden Lounge - with its magnificent vaulted glass ceiling creating a conservatory feel inspired by the glass houses of Kew Gardens, beneath where guests will enjoy Supper Clubs, and mix dining with dancing under the stars.

Games Deck - Named after the same deck on the original Queen Elizabeth, the Games Deck will offer paddle tennis, croquet and traditional British bowls. (Interestingly, the ship’s home port of Southampton is home to the oldest surviving bowls green in the world, first used in 1299.)

Midships Bar - will pay homage to her namesake liner, the first Queen Elizabeth, with memorabilia displayed from that era.

The ship’s dining venues include:

Queens Grill and Princess Grill - The ship will also feature the line’s celebrated five-star Grills accommodation and dining, with its al fresco dining option on a private deck terrace - first introduced on Queen Victoria - beautiful restaurants, Grills Lounge and sunbathing deck.

The popular Britannia Club, having first debuted aboard Queen Mary 2, features a private dining room with single seating dining for those guests in the top Balcony staterooms.

Britannia Restaurant - Art Deco decorative flourishes create a dramatic backdrop for this two-tiered dining room featuring a sweeping staircase ideal for making a grand entrance.

Queen Elizabeth’s Maiden Voyage Season

Queen Elizabeth’s maiden 2010 season will consist of six voyages, calling on 32 distinct ports in 18 countries. Her Maiden Voyage will depart from Cunard’s homeport of Southampton on 12 October 2010, en route to the Atlantic Isles. The 13-night voyage will call at Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela), Lisbon, Seville (Cadiz), Gran Canaria (Las Palmas), Tenerife (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), La Palma (Santa Cruz de La Palma) and Madeira (Funchal). Fares start from $2,995 per person.

The ship will then embark on five celebratory inaugural voyages:

Mediterranean Premiere – A 14-day voyage departing Southampton on 25 October 2010 with maiden calls to Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples (for Capri and Pompeii), Cartagena and Gibraltar. Fares start from $2,795 per person.

Aegean Introduction – An 18-day voyage departing Southampton on 8 November 2010 calling on Malaga (for Granada), Malta (Valletta), Venice, Dubrovnik, Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Athens (Piraeus) and Alicante. Fares from $3,295 per person.

Gallic Debut – A five-day voyage departing Southampton on 26 November 2010 with maiden calls to Rotterdam (for Amsterdam), Brussels/Bruges (for Zeebrugge) and Cherbourg. Fares start from $1,195 per person.

Iberian Discovery – A 13-day voyage departing Southampton on 1 December 2010 with calls to Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela), Lisbon, Seville (Cadiz), Gran Canaria (Las Palmas), Tenerife (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), La Palma (Santa Cruz de La Palma) and Madeira. Fares start from $2,395 per person.

Festive Debut – A 22-day holiday voyage departing Southampton on 14 December 2010 with calls in the Caribbean, including Madeira (Funchal), Tortola, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua and Azores Islands (Ponta Delgada). Fares start from $4,795 per person.

Reservations for Queen Elizabeth’s maiden voyages and inaugural season will be open for booking on April 2. For more information and to book a voyage, consult Cunard Commodore Debbie at 281-351-9150 or debbieh@tropictravelonline.com or call 800-5Cunard.

(Ft. Lauderdale, FL -- March 18, 2009) Luxury travel innovator Silversea Cruises is raising the bar in personalized service with plans to feature butlers for all guest accommodations aboard its award-winning fleet. The enhanced service will be phased in gradually over the coming months.

The line's newest all-suite ship, Silver Spirit, will feature butler service in all accommodations when launched in December.

"By expanding the butler service, we're essentially elevating the qualifications and caliber of our hospitality staff to ensure we continue to deliver a guest experience of unsurpassed quality," said Christian Sauleau, executive vice president of fleet operations for Silversea. "Our butlers come to us from some of the world's finest hotels and grandest homes, already highly trained in the art of recognizing guest preferences and anticipating their needs, ever attentive yet in the most unobtrusive manner."

Sauleau added, "Each butler, assisted by a suite attendant, is empowered to troubleshoot problems and provide special service touches, if desired by the guest -- for example unpacking and packing clothing, facilitating a dry cleaning request or preparing a scented Jacuzzi bath -- ultimately creating a suite environment where one can relax and feel totally cared for."

As the complimentary butler service rolls out to all accommodations, it will join an already expansive array of all-inclusive amenities available to Silversea guests, including a premium assortment of wines, champagne and spirits served throughout the ship, all gratuities, and on select sailings, the Silversea Experience®, an exclusive shoreside event. All accommodations are ocean-view (most are suites) and feature Pommery Champagne upon arrival; fresh fruit and flower arrangements; selection of European bath amenities; fine bed linens; premium mattresses; choice of pillow; plush robes and slippers; personalized stationery; 24-hour room service; in-suite beverage cabinet stocked daily on request with guest's selection of wines, spirits, bottled water and soft drinks; and twice daily suite service with turndown nightly.

Currently, complimentary butler service is available in the top-category accommodations -- Royal, Grand and Owner's Suites. In the coming months, it will be rolled out to Silver and Medallion Suites as follows:

-- May 7: Silver Wind
-- May 17: Prince Albert II
-- May 19: Silver Whisper
-- May 30: Silver Cloud
-- June 7: Silver Shadow

Butler service will then be extended to all accommodations on all ships as follows:

-- September 21: Prince Albert II
-- October 9: Silver Cloud
-- October 24: Silver Whisper
-- November 9: Silver Wind
-- December 2: Silver Shadow

Silversea Cruises is recognized as an innovator in the luxury segment, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate, all-suite vessels: Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper -- and launching in December, Silver Spirit -- all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance. With the addition of the regal expedition ship Prince Albert II, the company's itineraries encompass all seven continents.

In the U.S., Silversea has been voted "World's Best" by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler (nine times) and Travel + Leisure (seven times), and rated Number-One luxury cruise line by high-net-worth consumers in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI). International awards include "World's Leading Luxury Cruise Line" from World Travel Awards (2007) ; "Five Star Diamond Award" from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (2009); "Number One" small-ship line in the Readers' Choice" survey conducted by Britain's Condé Nast Traveller magazine (2007); "Best Luxury Cruise Line" by Spain's Cruceros & Destinos magazine (2008); "Best Luxury Cruise Line" by Australia's Luxury Travel & Style Magazine (2009); and "Best Luxury Cruise Operator" according to Asia's Travel Weekly (2008).

Our next Silversea cruise will be on Silver Whisper, boarding in Yokohama. We were very excited to hear that Ted Koppel would be onboard. Here is the announcement:

Ted Koppel spent 45 years working at ABC News and has won every major industry award. Mr. Koppel is scheduled to lecture on internatinal affairs and host a screening of the final segment of The People's Republic of Capitalism, an enlightening four-part program on China he produced with Discovery Channel. Following the screening, he will respond to questions and comments from the audience

February 12, 2009 – Award-winning author and political satirist Christopher Buckley has joined the distinguished list of literary luminaries scheduled to sail aboard Cunard Line’s flagship ocean liner Queen Mary 2. He will be aboard the November 5 Transatlantic Crossing from New York to Southampton. Hailed as “the quintessential political novelist of our time” by Fortune magazine, Buckley will be a featured guest of Cunard Insights, Cunard’s acclaimed onboard enrichment programme which, this year, will host notable authors such as E.L. Doctorow, Erica Jong and Amy Bloom. Like his literary contemporaries, Buckley will deliver a series of lectures, Q&A discussions, readings and book signings during his voyage aboard Queen Mary 2.

“Buckley’s political insight and ‘insider intelligence’ promise an engaging and entertaining experience for our guests,” said Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line. “His humourous take on Washington’s political life is always fresh and appealing and we know his unique brand of wit will resonate with our guests.”

A cum laude graduate of Yale University, Buckley has been awarded the Thurber Prize for Literary Excellence and the Thurber Prize for American Humor. He has written fourteen books, including God Is My Broker, The White House Mess, No Way to Treat a First Lady, Little Green Men, Florence of Arabia, Boomsday and Supreme Courtship, his newest work. His book, Thank You for Smoking, was made into a major motion picture starring Aaron Eckhart and Robert Duvall. Buckley is the founding editor of Forbes FYI (now ForbesLife) and is currently the magazine’s editor-at-large. A former managing editor of Esquire magazine (at the age of 24) and chief speechwriter to Vice President George H.W. Bush (at age 29), Buckley has written more than 60 comic essays for The New Yorker and writes regularly for the New York Times.

The November 5 Transatlantic Crossing is one of more than 20 classic six-day voyages between New York and Southampton offered by Cunard in 2009. In addition, Queen Mary 2 will sail two voyages between New York and Hamburg and two voyages between Boston and Southampton. Widely considered the definitive ocean travel experience, a Cunard Transatlantic Crossing offers guests myriad opportunities for intellectual interaction, leisurely pursuits, health and wellness activities and gourmet dining. Unique Cunard amenities found aboard Queen Mary 2 include the Canyon Ranch SpaClub®, the famed Princess and Queens Grill accommodations, restaurants and lounges and the first Todd English restaurant at sea.

Cunard has long been the line-of-choice for travelers with a passion for literature. Cunard was the first company to install a library aboard a passenger vessel and, today, Queen Mary 2 continues the tradition with the largest library at sea, a two-story space with two librarians and more than 8,000 books. Cunard also features an onboard Book Club.

Delving deeply into a variety of compelling and relevant topics, Cunard Insights introduces guests to stimulating experts and accomplished visionaries who reflect the line's heritage of adventure and prestige. Through a series of lectures, Q&A's, debates, social gatherings and workshops, guests connect with authors and intellectuals who have achieved notable distinction in areas including history, world affairs, science, politics, arts and literature. The Insights programme underscores Cunard’s longstanding view that onboard entertainment should afford guests a provocative and rewarding cerebral experience.

Contact your Cunard Captain, Debbie at 281-351-9150 for more info.

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