Can QE2 Come Home?

Our columnist John Honeywell, aka Captain Greybeard has highlighted the bid by the QE2London team to bring the fabled Cunard liner QE2 back from Dubai to a permanent mooring in London (by North Greenwich), as she continues to moulder and rust in the hands of owners who seem to have no interest in completing their original plans for a luxury floating hotel in the Middle East.

There are renewed fears the famous ship will be scrapped and her heritage wiped out once and for all, hence the campaign - which claims to have raised £20million already - to bring her back 'home' after almost five years of sitting idle in Dubai.

It is a fascinating question, as much for the technical problems presented in trying to get the 70,000-ton liner that far up the Thames. But would the public (and private enterprise) support such a bid, and would it be worthwhile? Can you see a future for a floating hotel in Greenwich? And would you be interested in visiting if she was there as a tourist attraction as well as a source of accommodation?

We have set up a poll on our Blogger home page (just look for the Poll symbol or icon on the top right-hand side), so YOU can have you say in the great "Bring Her Home!" debate, indicating whether you think she should return or stay in the hands of her current owners. It's sure to be THE big talking point of the cruise world this year, so make sure you have your say.

And, for the full Captain Greybeard story, see this link.

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Berlitz Cruising

By guest blogger Steve Newman

When it comes to life on the ocean waves, small is beautiful according to the eagerly awaited 2011 Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships, the world’s most trusted guide (published Oct 4, 2010). Having reviewed 285 cruise ships, the new Berlitz Guide names the top-rated vessels for 2011, with the 10 most highly-rated being officially ‘small’ or ‘boutique’, and explains why they scored as highly as they did.

Europa (above), a ‘Small Ship’ of Hapag Lloyd Cruises, is the only vessel to receive the exclusive 5-star Plus rating, scoring the highest with 1,853 points out of a possible 2,000. Although a ship may be the latest, most stunning vessel in the world in terms of design and décor, if the food, service, staff and hospitality are not so good, the scores and ratings will reflect these. In this way, although Europa is now 11 years old, it looks almost new, thanks to the dedication of its crew and owners.

Within Europa’s wake are:

SeaDream II (1,788 points)
Seabourn Odyssey (1,787)
Seabourn Sojourn (1,787)
SeaDream I (1,786)
Seabourn Legend (1,774)
Silver Spirit (1,772)
Seabourn Spirit (1,770)
Seabourn Pride (1,769)
Silver Whisper (1,753)
Silver Shadow (1,750)

Douglas Ward is the world’s top authority on cruising and cruise ships, with more than 40 years of experience. He continues to spend some 200 days a year aboard cruise ships, inspecting and evaluating their facilities.

Commenting on the ratings system, he says: “There really is no best cruise line in the world or best cruise ship – only those that are right for you. With cruise ships, the goal posts keep changing as the industry evolves and matures. Ship owners, cruise operators, wholesalers and tour packagers keep redefining their product, pricing and marketing strategies in order to fill ships and make a profit.”

The fully revised and updated edition of the Guide, now in its 26th year of publication, also previews the 20 new ships set to debut between 2011 and 2014. Among the newcomers previewed is Queen Elizabeth, with a focus on why Cunard’s new liner, set to launch on October 11, should not be seen as a replacement for the much-loved QE2.

Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2011 (£16.99, 720 pages) will be available from all good bookshops from October 4.

For further information, visit http://www.berlitzpublishing.com/

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Like Your Bed? Now You Can Buy It!

We all know Her Majesty The Queen will be naming Cunard's new Queen Elizabeth liner in Southampton on 11th October in another milestone in British maritime history. The Queen was present at age 12 when her mother launched the first Queen Elizabeth in 1938 and she herself launched the famous, but now retired, QE2 in 1967.

This magnificent new Queen Elizabeth will be the second largest Cunard ship ever built and will enhance the company’s illustrious reputation for exquisite ocean travel redolent of a bygone era. With a wonderful retro design look full of Art Deco, all the décor will pay homage to past Cunard Queens and there will be exhibits, photos and memorabilia connecting the line’s links to royalty and the rich and famous…. but of course, under all this glamour will be the very latest in 21st century technology.

Accommodating just over 2,000 guests in 1,046 staterooms on board, 85% of which are outside and 71% with balconies, luxury is definitely the name of the game and that of course means the very best in 21st century beds. So what are the best beds fit for a Queen? It has to be Sealy - the world’s No 1 bed brand. Their beds are found in the very best places and are slept on by royalty, presidents, celebrities and connoisseurs.

Sealy, world famous for their renowned Posturepedic range, have developed specially designed beds for the new Queen Elizabeth which include the very latest in their sleep technology. They contain zones of the very best pocket springs with layers of upholstery that will support and cushion the body to ensure, say the company, "the very best night’s sleep as guests drift off to the soothing whispers of the waves as the liner silently crosses the oceans of the world. Even if the weather gets rough outside, there will be no tossing and turning for guests cocooned and cosseted in their sumptuous Sealy Posturepedic beds!"

Now these beds, The Sealy “Cunarder” Range, will also be available to buy via the Cunard website, for those guests who want to carry home their wonderful sleep experience and continue to dream of luxury life on the ocean waves!

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.