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This Cunard Cruise Lines dedicated, though independent website are pleased to announce they have joined up with Cruise Holidays specialists Cruise VIP and will soon only promote them from within this website. Cruises are a growing industry and Cruise VIP have searched high and low to find experienced staff with years of experience to help their clients find the perfect cruise.

Camilla to be Queen Victoria’s Godmother

Cunard Cruise Lines today have announced that Camilla, The Duchess of Windsor and wife of Prince Charles will be the Godmother of Queen Victoria when she is christened in December at Southampton. She joins her mother in law, The Queen who herself is Godmother (though the term is not used) to both the Queen Elizabeth 2 (in 1969) and Queen Mary 2 (2004).

A statement from Cunard read:

Cunard Line is delightedly announcing that Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, will attend a ceremony in Southampton on December 10, 2007, to mark the introduction of Cunard’s new 90,000-ton liner Queen Victoria. At this ceremony, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall will perform the naming of the ship. This naming will be a milestone in both Cunard and British maritime history, and will be a major event of worldwide interest, with over 2,000 VIP guests from around the globe in attendance at the prestigious ceremony.

“This will be an historic occasion. We are most honoured that Their Royal Highnesses have accepted our invitation and that Her Royal Highness will name our newest Cunarder,” said Carol Marlow, president of Cunard Line. “Every one of our Cunard Queens has been named by a member of the Royal Family and we are therefore delighted that Queen Victoria will follow in that tradition. In addition, this particular ceremony will mark the beginning of a new era, as it will be the first time in our 168-year history that we will have three Cunard Queens in service at the same time,” added Marlow.

Queen Victoria will not only be a classic Cunard ocean liner, offering the very best of Cunard heritage and traditions, but will also be the second largest Cunarder the company has ever built. She will be in Southampton for four days, during which time over 7,000 guests from around the world will visit the ship. She will depart on her Maiden Voyage on Tuesday December 11, 2007.

Queen Elizabeth 2 celebrates 40 years!

Queen Elizabeth 2, celebrates 40 years today, though christened in 1969, she was first floated in 1967.

Queen Victoria has undergone her first Sea Trials

Cunard’s Queen Victoria has undergone her first Sea Trials. These are to test both her abilities and sea safeness. If all goes to plan and Cunard are giving no reason to expect anything different, she will hit her target date of arriving in Southampton in December of this year for her inaugural season.

QE2 Sold!!!

QE2 Sold!!!, Cunard’s grand old lady is set to be sold to Dubai World in November 2008 after her last cruise. With new legislation the cost of updating QE2 was deemed by Cunard to be Prohibitive, hence the sale.

QE2 will be transformed into a luxury hotel, the same fate as Queen Mary and placed at the retail and entertainment complex in Dubai’s The Palm Jumeirah, the world’s largest man-made island.

The cost $100 million. More details about QE2 Sold will appear here shortly.

Seven New Ships due in 2007

Estimated Inaugural: February, 2007
Cruise Line: Carnival Ship Name: Carnival Freedom
Size: GRT: 110,000 Capacity: 2974 (double occupancy)
Builder: Fincantieri - Sestri, Italy
This is an additional Conquest class vessel ordered as part of a four-ship deal with Fincantieri, two of which ended up going to the Carnival brand. As a Conquest-class, it will not fit through the Panama Canal. Given that there is an almost two-year lag between this ship and the previous one of this class delivered (Carnival Liberty), there will likely be some progressions in the design.

Estimated Inaugural: April, 2007
Cruise Line: MSC Ship Name: MSC Orchestra
Size: GRT: 89,600 Capacity: 2,550 lower berths - 3,000 total & 1,000 crew
Builder: Aker France - St. Nazaire, France
This will be the second of the Musica class.

Estimated Inaugural: May 19, 2007
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean Ship Name: Liberty of the Seas
Size: GRT: 160,000 Capacity: 3600 lower berths
Builder: Aker Finnyards - Finland
This will be the second of the “Ultra Voyager-class” When it is delivered the class will still have bragging rights to being the largest passenger ships in the world.

Estimated Inaugural: Spring, 2007
Cruise Line: Princess Ship Name: Emerald Princess
Size: GRT: 116,000 Capacity: 3100
Builder: Fincantieri - Monfalcone, Italy
This is an additional Caribbean-class vessel ordered as part of the four-ship order with Fincantieri, the only one in the order designated for Princess. It will be the third in the series. It has not necessarily been designated for the Caribbean as the previous two were, but it will likely have a long life in whichever ocean it starts since it will not fit through the Panama Canal.

Estimated Inaugural: May, 2007
Cruise Line: Costa Ship Name: Costa Serena
Size: GRT: 112,000 Capacity: 3000 (double occupancy), total capacity 3,780
Builder: Fincantieri - Sestri, Italy
This will be the second of Costa’s Concordia class. Deployment is thought to be year round in the Mediterranean.

Estimated Inaugural: October, 2007
Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line Ship Name: Norwegian Gem
Size: GRT: 92,000 Capacity: 2,384 lower berths
Builder: Meyer Werft (Papenburg Germany yard)
This will be the third in the Norwegian Jewel series with 540 staterooms and suites with private balconies.

Estimated Inaugural: December 11, 2007
Cruise Line: Cunard Ship Name: Queen Victoria
Size: GRT: 90,000 Capacity: 2000
Builder: Fincantieri - Marghera, Italy
This ship will be similar to HAL’s line of Vista-class vessels, but with Cunard’s own twists in the design and slightly larger. It will be built to Panamax standards, so it can be used in both the Atlantic and Pacific. 86% of the cabins will be outside, 71% of those with private verandahs. In September 2004 the design was enlarged as part of an order of four other ships from Fincantieri. It was originally slated for 88,000 tons and a capacity of 1968. Eleven meters were added to the length raising the tonnage to 90,000 and increasing the capacity to 2000, but the ship will still be able to transit the Panama Canal.
Initial Deployment: The first two voyages will be round trips from Southampton. Cunard says it will be used for a mix of cruises, ocean crossings and world cruises.

Berlitz Guide to Cruising, by Doug Ward, has named its top ships for 2007

1. Europa
2. Silver Cloud
3. SeaDream II
4. Silver Wind
5. SeaDream I
6. Queen Mary 2 (Grill Class)
7. Seabourn Legend
8. Sea Cloud II
9. Seabourn Pride
10. Sea Cloud
11. Seabourn Spirit
12. Crystal Serenity
13. Silver Shadow
14. Crystal Symphony
15. Silver Whisper
16. Seven Seas Mariner
17. Hanseatic
18. Seven Seas Voyager

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