Cunard to carry rare facsimile of the Salisbury Magna Carta

Queen Mary 2

A rare facsimile of the Magna Carta, one of the most important documents in English history, will be going on display on board Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and sister ship Queen Victoria between May and September 2015 to celebrate its 800th anniversary year.

Salisbury Cathedral will be lending a rare facsimile of its Magna Carta (dated 1215) to Cunard and is one of only four of the original documents in existence. The facsimile will be displayed in the Grand Lobby of Queen Mary 2 from early May until September. It will also be briefly carried on-board Queen Victoria in late May.

The cruise line already has experience carrying an original Magna Carta. During World War II, the Lincoln Magna Carta, one of the four originals, was moved to Washington DC for safe-keeping. In January 1946 it began its journey home, first to New York and then on board Queen Elizabeth for the voyage to Southampton.

Chairman of the Salisbury Cathedral 2015 Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Board Robert Key will be escorting the copy of Salisbury's Magna Carta during crossings on-board Queen Mary 2 on voyages departing 10 May and 4 September. He will also be on-board Queen Victoria's voyage departing 22 May.  Key will host two talks on each voyage about the legacy of the Magna Carta and the effect it had in shaping the world as we know it today.

"I, and Salisbury Cathedral, are delighted to be working with Cunard as we celebrate the Magna Carta's 800th anniversary by loaning a very rare facsimile of the document. The impact of the Magna Carta was not only felt ashore, but in these lectures we have a golden opportunity to explain and explore those fundamental freedoms that give Cunard ships the right to sail the seven seas – rights that we won 800 years ago and for which people the world over are still prepared to fight and to die" said Robert Key.

(Photo credit to Cunard Line)

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Queen Victoria Debuts Re-Fit on 2015 World Voyage

Cunard Line's Queen Victoria embarked on the start of her 2015 World Voyage last week following an intensive 20-day refurbishment project.

The refurbishment works were carried out at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg. During the works nine new single staterooms were installed, existing furnishings were refreshed and enhancements were made to the outdoor spaces.



2,000 contractors representing thirty different nationalities worked a total of 600,000 man hours around the clock to replace all 215,278 square feet (approximately 20,000 square metres) of carpet in the passenger areas. They also renewed all 3,167 mattresses on board and replaced more than 3.75 miles of pipe work insulation. A total of 2,695 gallons (approximately 12,250 litres) of paint were used inside and out.

“We are really pleased with the results of Queen Victoria’s refit – the ship is looking immaculate. We pride ourselves on listening to what our passengers want, and are delighted to have added the nine single staterooms in response – a similar addition is already proving popular with single travellers on Queen Elizabeth since her refit last year," said marketing director Angus Struthers.

"We have also installed awnings at the back of Queen Victoria’s Lido to provide more comfortable al fresco dining, and on the Upper Grill Terrace, to offer the option of shade for sunbathers – perfect for Queen Victoria’s forthcoming season in the Mediterranean. I’m sure our passengers will notice other the grace-notes around the ship, such as enhancements to the coffee service at breakfast and the new internet stations in the library."

In honour of the company's 175th anniversary, Queen Victoria welcomed her World Voyage passengers aboard with a commemorative flag-raising ceremony which took place at the ship's mast. This was to hoist the signature flag for the first time on board and as is traditional, was performed by the youngest crew member, 20 year-old deck cadet Fraser Browne. The flag will be flown at iconic landmarks across the world during all three of the fleet's World Voyages and will be auctioned at their conclusion with all proceeds going to The Prince's Trust, Cunard's official charity.

The ship's first call was at Ponta Delgada in the Azores on 23 January and she is now under way to the Caribbean before transiting the Panama Canal and heading for Hawaii and Australia.

(Photo credit to Cunard Line)

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Cunard celebrates the start of its 175th anniversary year

3 Queens in Southampton

Last weekend saw the start of the celebrations from Cunard to mark their 175th anniversary. Fireworks and marching bands marked the departure of Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth on their World Voyages.



Both Queen Mary 2 and sister ship Queen Elizabeth were in Southampton together on 10 January 2015. British actress Celia Imrie was aboard Queen Mary 2 while Kate Adie, former chief news correspondent for the BBC, was aboard Queen Elizabeth.

Celebrations will continue throughout the year on all three vessels including:

• Gala dinners with souvenir menus on cruises of more than four nights
• "Black, Red and Gold" themed Balls in the Queens Room aboard each ship
• 175th themed commemorative drinks, from special blends of wine to craft beers, plus 175th themed cakes and deserts at afternoon tea and formal dinners.
• Themed entertainment, including  175th anniversary quizzes and the quirky side of Cunard's history presented by the RADA theatre group travelling aboard Queen Mary 2's transatlantic crossings
• Specially created 175th merchandise, from  collectible posters to teddy bears and polo shirts to cufflinks and 18 carat Clogue gold jewellery
• Mail posted on board with be over-stamped with the 175th anniversary logo
• In cabin stationery – postcards, writing paper and envelopes – will display the 175th anniversary logo

Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria will all reunite in their home port of Southampton on 3 May 2015 for a special sail away of the three Queens. This is expected to draw large crowds as is the gathering of the three vessels in Liverpool during a special three-day event between 24 and 26 May. On 25 May the trio of vessels will appear in formation on the Mersey where they will perform a series of carefully choreographed manoeuvres within sight of the Three Graces on Pier Head waterfront, including the iconic Cunard Building which was the company's headquarters for nearly 50 years.

As part of the celebrations Cunard have also released a short animated video chronicling the line's 175 years of service.



(Photo credit to Cunard Line)

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A round-up of the cruise line January offers

The month of January is synonymous with sales and discounts, and the cruise industry is no different. Here is a round-up of the best cruise line offers.

Royal Caribbean is offering an all-inclusive drinks package on selected itineraries during 2015. They are also offering a buy-one-get-one-half-price offer on selected Caribbean itineraries whereby the rate for the second passenger is half that of the first. On top of this, they have reduced their deposit to £50 per person. These offers expire on 31 January.

Princess Cruises are celebrating their 50th anniversary with their Golden Deals offer. They too are offering a reduced deposit of £50 per person. They are also offering up to $50 per stateroom per day in on-board credit and up to 50% discount on third and fourth passengers sharing a cabin. These offers expire on 28 February.

Celebrity Cruises are running their 123Go! promotion. Book a concierge stateroom or above on selected 2015/16 itineraries and receive a free all-inclusive drinks package, free gratuities and up to $300 in on-board credit per cabin. Third and fourth guests booked into the same cabin will also receive a free soft drinks package and a 40 minute internet package  Book an ocean-view or balcony cabin on selected worldwide itineraries and choose from either the drinks package, free gratuities or on-board credit. Book an ocean-view or balcony cabin on selected European itineraries and choose two of these extras. These offers expire on 28 February and they require a specific promo code which can be found on their website.

Cunard Line is celebrating its 175th anniversary and is offering $500 per person in on-board credit on selected May to November 2015 sailings when you book the Cunard Fare. This offer expires on 28 February.

P&O Cruises are offering up to £1,580 per cabin in on-board credit on Select Price bookings to coincide with their ‘This is the Life’ promotion. This offer expires on 28 February.

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering up to $1,000 in on-board credit per stateroom in a short running offer. The amount offered depends on the duration of the cruise and the grade of cabin booked. This offer expires on 7 January.

MSC Cruises are offering up to £600 discount per cabin based on the brochure price together with free British Airways return flights from London on selected 2015 voyages. They are also offering a free drinks package on-board selected MSC Fantasia & MSC Magnifica sailings too. These offers expire on 5 March.

Carnival Cruise Line is running its “The Real Deal” promotion which offers up to two-category cabin upgrades and up to $100 in on-board credit per cabin based on the duration of the cruise on selected itineraries. These offers expire on 31 January.

Terms and conditions apply to all of these offers and these can be found on the respective cruise line websites. Offers may be subject to availability, apply to selected travel dates or itineraries and may not be combinable.

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£6m investment in Southampton terminal as UK ports prepare for a busy 2015

An artist's impression of the re-designed Mayflower Cruise Terminal

The Mayflower Cruise Terminal in Southampton is to get a £6 million regeneration in preparation for the arrival of P&O Cruises' Britannia and Princess Cruises' Royal Princess next year.

The work includes a complete re-design of the departure, check-in, security and passenger lounges as well as drop-off and pick-up areas.  The construction work will see 100 tonnes of block-work walls and floors removed and 500 tonnes of new steelwork frames installed. A team of 200 will be involved in the project and it is scheduled to be completed in April

Nick Ridehalgh, director of ABP Southampton, said: “The benefits of the improvements will affect a much wider group than just those heading off on cruises. Businesses across the city, such as taxis, hotels and restaurants for examples, all benefit from the cruise industry. We must ensure we continue to work with the cruise lines and their guests to ensure Southampton remains the UK cruise port of choice.” According to ABP each cruise ship turnaround is worth £2 million to the local economy.

Liverpool Cruise Terminal is preparing itself for a busy 2015 with 54 cruise ship visits planned, welcoming in excess of 80,000 international visitors to the city over the year. The port will also host two landmark events to celebrate Cunard Line’s 175th anniversary. All three Cunard Line vessels – Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria – are scheduled to call at Liverpool on 25 May and on 4 July Queen Mary 2 will return to the city to commemorate the transatlantic departure of RMS Britannia from the port exactly 175 years ago.

Portsmouth International Port is also preparing for the new year with 38 ship visits scheduled so far between March and November. The first cruise liner to call into the port next year will be Voyages of Discovery’s Voyager on March 1. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ luxury vessel Europa 2 will also be calling into the port in June. Europa 2 is one of the most modern vessels to dock at the port and at 225 metres is also one of the longest. The visit has been made possible by investment in new berthing facilities.

(Photo credit to Associated British Ports)

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Celebrities at sea: Cunard unveil famous guest speaker line-up for 2015

Cunard Line have unveiled their roster of high-calibre guest speakers for selected 2015 voyages on board Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria. 2015 marks the cruise line’s 175th anniversary and the line-up is a fitting one for such a landmark year.

Sir Jackie Stewart OBE

On 30 January, three-times F1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart OBE will board Queen Mary 2 for a 22-night sailing from Dubai to Hong Kong. Awarded an OBE in 1972 and knighted by the Queen in 2001, Sir Jackie will be hosting a talk and Q&A session about his illustrious career.

Shirley Jones

Academy Award winning actress Shirley Jones - David Cassidy's "mother" in The Partridge Family – will board Queen Victoria for a 15-night voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles on 2 February. She will be accompanied by her husband, actor and comedian Marty Ingels. Passengers  will have the opportunity to meet the actress at a book signing, as well at two Q&A sessions and screenings of her films.

Nicholas Owen

On 10 May BBC news presenter, Nicholas Owen will board Queen Mary 2 for a seven-night Eastbound Transatlantic crossing from New York to Southampton. He will host two talks, with the first discussing how the monarchy works in the modern world and the second discussing whether newspapers have a role in modern society.

Peter Snow CBE

Journalist and broadcaster Peter Snow CBE will be on board Queen Victoria for a special 6-night 175th anniversary voyage from Southampton on 22 May.

The Right Honourable Professor Lord Robert Winston

On 16 June The Right Honourable Professor Lord Robert Winston will board Queen Elizabeth for a 14-night cruise to Spain and Italy from Southampton. Lord Winston will present three talks whilst on-board including, ‘How did Renaissance painters portray disease?’, ‘The burgeoning threat of technology’ and ‘The extinction of the human being’.

The Right Honourable David Blunkett MP

The Right Honourable David Blunkett MP will board Queen Victoria for a 14-night voyage from Rome to Venice on 12 September. As the first person with sight loss to hold senior office in government in modern times Blunkett will deliver two talks during the cruise including, ‘Reflections on growing up without sight’ and ‘Life in the bear pit’.

Pam Ayres MBE

Last but by no means least, writer and presenter Pam Ayres MBE will sail on the 17-night voyage on-board Queen Elizabeth to Venice and the Adriatic from Southampton on 21 October.

(Photographs courtesy of Cunard Line)

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Sting brings his Broadway hit musical The Last Ship to the stage on Queen Mary 2

Englishmen in New York: Sting on board QM2 with Capt Kevin Oprey

Superstar Sting took his new musical to Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 this week. Two days after The Last Ship premiered on Broadway, he performed a selection of numbers on the stage of the ship’s Royal Court Theatre.

In April next year the show will be performed at the Sage in Gateshead to benefit the venue’s 10^th birthday appeal. Sting will be joined by a selection of the north-east’s finest traditional musicians, including Northumbrian pipe player Kathryn Tickell, and the Wilson Family from Billingham.

Sting wrote The Last Ship around his memories of growing up in the shadow of a shipyard on the Tyne. He said: "Cunard is one of the most famous names in shipping and a lot of very notable ships were built on Tyneside – Mauretania and Carpathia, to name but two.  There’s a great lineage. 

"I was born and raised in Wallsend in the shadow of the Swan Hunter shipyard.  My earliest memories are of ships being built and launched into the river.  You couldn’t escape Swan Hunter – there was a coal mine at one end of town and Swan Hunter at the other, so these ships loomed over our houses.

"With The Last Ship, I thought I would try and honour the community that I came from.  Because everyone around me worked in the Swan Hunter shipyard.  My grandfather worked in the shipyard.  All his brothers worked in the shipyard.  My family has had things to do with the sea for many years.” 

He added: “Cunard are backing the concert that we are doing with the Sage in Gateshead.  It’s a benefit for the Sage.  It’s only right and fitting to take this story back in some form to the people who inspired it, so I’m really happy to do that.” 

The Last Ship opened to rave reviews. One critic described it as “a wonderful, ebullient surprise full of heart and soul that lights up the New York theatre season like fresh fireworks.”

Sting’s QM2 show, in front of a specially-invited audience, also included old favourites such as Message In A Bottle, and – appropriately enough – An Englishman in New York.

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Oil painting - live - to feature on Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic crossing

Robert Lloyd's preparatory sketch for his next QM2 painting

Passengers travelling on a Queen Mary 2 crossing to New York in November will have an opportunity to get their hands on a unique souvenir – an oil-painting of the ship actually created during the voyage.

Maritime artist Robert Lloyd – whose works hang prominently on all three Cunard Queens - will be in the ship’s Grand Lobby every morning, working on the painting and answering questions from guests.

The work will be sold to the highest bidder on the last afternoon at sea, and proceeds will be donated to The Prince’s Trust.

Fares for the crossing, which leaves Southampton on 12 November and arrives in New York on 19 November, start at £899, including return flight.

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Cunard's QM2 delivers a special cargo from Belgium's WW1 battlefields

Queen Mary 2 arrived in the UK today with a very special cargo on board. The Cunard flagship was carrying a sandbag filled with soil from the First World War cemeteries in Belgium.

It was the last of 70 bags collected from every battlefield in Flanders, where soldiers from the Household Division fell. After being blessed at a quayside service, it was taken to Southampton Civic Hall. It will make its final journey by train to London, and on to the Guards’ Museum at Wellington Barracks, where a Flanders Field Memorial Garden will be opened by The Queen next month.

The project began on Armistice Day when the Duke of Edinburgh attended a service at the Menin Gate. Until now the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has not allowed soil to be taken from the battlefield cemeteries.

The sandbag was on display to passengers during the short voyage from Zeebrugge.  QM2 Captain Kevin Oprey said: “It is an honour for Queen Mary 2 and Cunard to have played a part in bringing this last, special bag of soil home to the UK.  Many of our passengers have been moved by the presence of the soil on board and have wanted to pay their  respects.  Today’s ceremony is a poignant reminder of the bravery and sacrifice made by so many in World War One." 

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Head east for late Mediterranean sun, advises Bolsover Cruise Club

It’s not too late to sail away on a Mediterranean cruise, says Bolsover Cruise Club. who have confirmed that there is good availability this autumn for tours of the warmer Eastern Mediterranean.

Here are three deals for October still available to book through Bolsover Cruise Club:

Celebrity Reflection

Departs: 6 October 2014 for 11 nights. Flights: Return from Manchester to Rome.

Route: Rome, Santorini, Istanbul, Ephesus, Athens, Mykonos and Naples.

Prices: Inside £999; Ocean view £1,299; Balcony £1,879.

Celebrity Silhouette (Above )

Departs: 18 October 2014 for 14 nights. Flights: Return from Birmingham to Rome.

Route: Rome, Valletta, Argostoli, Jerusalem (Ashdod, overnight in port), Haifa, Ephesus, Athens, Catania  and Naples.

Prices: Inside £1,125; Ocean view £1,425; Balcony £1,535.

Cunard, Queen Elizabeth

Departs: 31 October 2014 for 7 nights. Flights: Return from London to Venice.

Route: Venice, Korcula, Heraklion, Rhodes, Ephesus and Athens.

Prices: Inside £799; Outside £849; Balcony £999.

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Cunard's 175th Anniversary Details

Fans of British traditionalists Cunard will be pleased to know the company has released details of the celebratory voyages it has planned in 2015 to mark the 175th anniversary of its first ship, Britannia, which set sail in July 1840.  

 

Britannia inaugurated the first-ever regularly-scheduled service across the Atlantic and every year since then Cunard ships have crossed and re-crossed the Atlantic, in peace and war, without fail. 

 

Here are the details of the major events to come in 2015.

The 175th Anniversary Crossing

Flagship Queen Mary 2 will recreate history when she sails from Liverpool on July 4, 2015, following in the wake of Britannia, which left the city 175 years earlier to the day. This will also be the first time since January 1968  a Cunard ship has departed from Liverpool for America. The 10-night crossing from Liverpool will call at Halifax and Boston, just like Britannia, and will conclude in New York on July 14.

The full voyage, number M511D, begins in Cunard's homeport of Southampton on July 2 and the 12-night crossing from Southampton to Liverpool, Halifax and New York has fares from £2,249 per person.

There has been intense excitement about this voyage since it was initially announced and demand is expected to be high. Whether joining in Southampton or Liverpool, passengers will be taking part in the signature celebration of the company’s 175 years and will themselves become part of Cunard’s illustrious history.

A Salute to Liverpool

Cunard was founded in the city of Liverpool and the company’s Head Office remained there for 128 years. Today, the magnificent Cunard Building forms one third of the World Heritage-listed ‘Three Graces’ on the Pier Head. It is fitting, therefore, that 175 years after the inauguration of Cunard’s transatlantic service from Liverpool, the current fleet salutes the company’s ‘spiritual’ home. From May 24-26, 2015, Liverpool will play host to the three largest Cunard ships ever built in an historic three-day event.

Queen Mary 2 will arrive in Liverpool on May 24 and make her first ever overnight stay in the city, berthed in sight of the Cunard Building. The following morning, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria will sail into the city and, for a time, all three ships of the fleet will line up on the Mersey in a spectacle that is expected to draw huge crowds. Over a million people saw QE2 sail into Liverpool for the first time in July 1990.

Queen Mary 2 will then take her leave and sail out of Liverpool late morning on the 25th as Queen Elizabeth berths at the landing stage, where she will remain until late that night. Queen Victoria, meanwhile, will anchor in the Mersey.

Late in the evening, Queen Elizabeth will set sail and Queen Victoria will then take the berth and remain overnight, and for the following day, May 26. The event also features as a highlight of three very different cruises that go on general sale from 1pm on March 13:

Queen Mary 2: 10-night ‘British Isles – Liverpool Salute’

May 17-27, 2015. Voyage number M506. Fares from £1,499 per person.
This ‘lap-of-honour’ by the Cunard flagship leaves Southampton and calls at Cobh, Dun Laoghaire, Greenock (where celebrations to recognise the 125 Cunard ships built on the Clyde since 1840 will take place), Oban, Liverpool and St Peter Port before returning to Southampton.

Queen Elizabeth: 16-night ‘Baltic – Liverpool Salute’

May 11-27. Voyage number Q507. Fares from £1,849 per person.
Southampton – Oslo – Copenhagen – Stockholm – Tallinn – St Petersburg (overnight) – Warnemunde – Kirkwall – Liverpool – Southampton.

Queen Victoria: six-night ‘Liverpool Salute’

May 22-28. Voyage number V512. Fares from £899 per person.
Southampton – St Peter Port – Liverpool (overnight) – Southampton

Let the Party Commence – Southampton, May 3, 2015

Cunard’s 175th celebrations will start in earnest at its homeport of Southampton on May 3 when all 3 ships will sail into Southampton together and depart later that day in formation. This will be the first time Queen Mary 2 will have led the fleet out of Southampton in daylight.

After the meeting, Queen Victoria will depart on her ‘Lusitania Remembered’ voyage; QM2 will head for New York (seven-nights; voyage number M504, fares from £1,299 per person); and Queen Elizabeth will set sail for Northern Europe (eight-nights calling at Hamburg and Amsterdam; voyage number Q504A, fares from £849 per person). Places on these two sailings go on general sale from 1pm on April 8.

‘Lusitania Remembered’

On May 7, 2015, it will be exactly 100 years since Cunard flagship Lusitania was torpedoed while en-route from New York to Liverpool. The ship sank approximately 14 miles off the old Head of Kinsale in Ireland. In all, Cunard lost 22 ships during the First World War, including Carpathia, which had rescued all of the survivors of the Titanic.

This special seven-night cruise by Queen Victoria will commemorate the loss of Lusitania and of Cunard crew and ships in World War One more generally. The ship will call at Cobh (formerly Queenstown) on May 7, 100 years to the day since Lusitania was lost. A special service ashore will be held, to which all passengers on Queen Victoria will be invited, in addition to a number of other tributes that will be made that day.
 

Sailing round-trip from Southampton on May 3, Voyage number V510, Queen Victoria will call at St Peter Port (Guernsey), Le Havre, Cobh and Dublin. Fares start from £799 per person. This sailing goes on general sale from 1pm on March 13.

 

More info: call 0843 374 0000 or visit www.cunard.co.uk.

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