Queen Elizabeth to make maiden call to Long Beach on February 5

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 28 January 2015 28 January 2015

On 5 February 2015, Cunard's Queen Elizabeth will meet her royal relative, the legendary Queen Mary, in a Cunard Royal Rendezvous when Queen Elizabeth docks in Long Beach for the first time ever.  This historic maiden call is particularly significant, not only because it is the first time a Cunard vessel has ever called at Long Beach, but because both Cunard and the Queen Mary are celebrating milestone anniversaries this year.  Cunard is marking 175 years since the first Transatlantic Crossing from England to the United States, inaugurating scheduled mail service to the U.S. and changing the face of ocean travel forever. The Queen Mary, who has crossed the Atlantic over 2,000 times while in service and is now a permanent hotel and museum in Long Beach harbor, is commemorating 80 years afloat.

The day will be marked with celebration and fanfare for the public, with traditional whistle salutes between the ships and a robust fireworks display.  The best public viewing location is on the Promenade Deck of the Queen Mary, at the aft (back) of the ship.  Complimentary access will be offered, and parking will be $15.00.  Queen Elizabeth will sail into Long Beach harbor at approximately 7:00am, and depart the port at approximately 6:00pm, followed by a whistle exchange salute with the Queen Mary, and fireworks display, before she proceeds on her journey.

“During our 175-year history, the Queen Mary has been one of our most beloved ships,” said Richard Meadows, president, Cunard, North America. “This meeting of the Queens will be especially memorable for our passengers, as this maiden call offers them the opportunity to disembark in Long Beach and experience the Queen Mary, an integral part of our history and tradition.”

Prior visits by Cunard ships to Long Beach have been restricted to floating salutes where the modern ships hovered in place while honouring their ancestor. The 5 February visit will see Queen Elizabeth dock nearby the Queen Mary - a first for Long Beach and Cunard...and the royal relatives.

Enhancing the Queen Elizabeth's visit, and in recognition of the Queen Mary's 80 years of public life, a new Ship Model Gallery will be dedicated on the Queen Mary in a private ceremony at 11:00am. Located on the Promenade Deck, the model gallery will open to the public at 12:30pm, and will house many important ship models and is the first phase of the Queen Mary's announced plans to create a world-class maritime museum and learning center aboard the ship.

"Having Queen Elizabeth in port for the Gallery dedication makes it even more special," said The Queen Mary’s General Manager, John Jenkins.

Included in the Gallery will be priceless large models of some of the world's greatest ships; Titanic, Lusitania, Normandie along with contemporary Cunard liners, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and QE2. Overall some 15 ship models will debut - with others on the way. The exhibition will also present the original Bassett-Lowke shipbuilder's model of the Queen Mary - a spectacular and historically significant ship model measuring over 20 feet in length.

During Cunard’s legendary history, the iconic Queen Mary epitomized the Golden Age of Ocean Travel.  She also served as a British Royal Mail Ship (RMS) and as a troopship during World War II. Winston Churchill credited the Queen Mary and the original Queen Elizabeth with ending World War II one year early as they carried over 1.5 million troops between them.  The Queen Mary’s influence lives on today, inspiring Cunard’s modern fleet; and she continues to be a popular tourist and maritime destination as a hotel and museum in Long Beach Harbor, located 40 miles south of Los Angeles.

The elegant Queen Elizabeth captured the world stage in 2010 when Her Majesty The Queen christened her in a Royal Naming Ceremony in Southampton, England, amongst more than 1,500 guests, celebrities and dignitaries.  As the youngest in Cunard’s fleet, Queen Elizabeth recalls the rich heritage of the first Cunarder to bear the name, and features many unique Cunard traditions linking her with her predecessors, but with all the modern day luxuries Cunard guests have come to expect.  The ship’s adherence to liner traditions is most evident through art deco touches, elegant double- and triple-height public rooms on a grand scale, intricate mosaics, hand-woven carpets, gleaming chandeliers and cool marbles.

Key features of Queen Elizabeth include a specially commissioned portrait of Her Majesty The Queen, as well as an 18.5 ft. marquetry piece of the original Queen Elizabeth, expertly created by David Linley, the only nephew of Her Majesty.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings opens sales office in Brazil

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 28 January 2015 28 January 2015

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. announced today the expansion of its sales presence in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with the establishment of a sales, marketing and reservations center to support the growing demand for cruise travel in the region.

The company’s three lines: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises have all experienced growth in the number of Brazilian guests that have chosen to take a cruise vacation, particularly in Europe, Alaska and Caribbean itineraries.

“Given its economic growth and the increasing interest of Brazilians to experience the world by taking a cruise, Brazil represents a significant opportunity to advance Norwegian Cruise Line Holding’s international growth strategy,” said Andy Stuart, executive vice president of international sales for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. has acquired Firstar Representacoes, the local representative for Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises in Brazil. Estela Farina will lead the new office as general manager.  The company will have its main office in Sao Paulo and a satellite office in Rio de Janeiro.

The new office provides multiple benefits for local travel partners.  For Norwegian Cruise Line bookings, these include the ability to offer cruise fares in BRL (Brazilian Reais), accept payment in up to ten installments with no financing fees and an on-line booking engine in Portuguese.  For Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Sea Cruises bookings, the sales center will allow guests to pay in up to four installments with no financing fees. The office will also offer local reservations, sales and marketing support for all three brands, providing direct access to travel partners and consumers. The local reservation center will be available to make reservations in real time and invoice directly from the cruise line.  Additionally, individual travel agency sales will be recorded and recognized for performance and compensation based on production. Finally, travel partners will continue to be provided training opportunities, now on a more regular basis and directly by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd staff.

Travel partners in Brazil can contact the new Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. office at 011 3253 7203 in Sao Paulo and 021 3553 7646 in Rio.

CLIA UK & Ireland to host River Cruise Weekend in March

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 27 January 2015 27 January 2015

Following the success of the CLIA UK & Ireland Cruise Week, the association is today announcing details of its first ever CLIA UK & Ireland River Cruise Weekend taking place in March and aimed at raising the profile of river cruise holidays within the travel trade and to the consumer, the organisation said on its page on Facebook.

“Via social media, the event will focus on promoting the diversity of destinations available on a river cruise holiday together with the wonderful experiences and service provided by the association’s 17 river members,” CLIA said.

“More British passengers than ever before are taking a holiday on Europe’s waterways, with the most recent figures (2013) showing a rise of 22% in the number of passengers choosing a river cruise taking the total number to almost 110,000 passengers. The growth on Europe’s rivers has been underpinned by a significant increase in the number of new cruise ships with more than 25 being launched this year on the world’s waterways,” it said

CLIA UK & Ireland director, Andy Harmer, said: ‘More travel agents than ever are now selling river cruises but we want to grow this interest still further. Together with our 17 river members, we will highlight the very best of river cruising – whether that’s in Europe, America, Africa or Asia, there are just so many fantastic places to visit.”

He continued: “We will ask travel agents and guests to Tweet ‪#‎lovecruise with a wonderful photo of a river cruise destination or experience explaining why they love river cruising. We will be collecting river cruise stories, blogs and videos so that we can maximise exposure across all social media platforms. We are also placing additional river specific training modules on our website to help agents make the most of the River Cruise Weekend which runs from 26 – 30 March. This segment of cruising is growing at a tremendous pace and we want to ensure agents are best placed to take advantage of the opportunities this brings.”

Regent Seven Seas' sales soar as bookings open for Seven Seas Explorer

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

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Published: 26 January 2015 26 January 2015

The world’s most luxurious ship is already surpassing expectations, as Regent Seven Seas Cruises reported both single-day and first week record bookings for the line’s new flagship Seven Seas Explorer.  The ship went on sale exclusively to members of the line’s loyalty program, the Seven Seas Society, on Jan. 19 and reservations made that day surpassed the line’s previous single-day revenue record by nearly three times.

The new level of grandeur offered on Seven Seas Explorer generated strong demand for the ship’s inaugural season, resulting in a new weekly sales record for Regent Seven Seas Cruises that more than doubled the previous high.  Currently, reservations for Seven Seas Explorer are limited to past cruisers with the line and will become widely available starting Feb. 4.  

“We meticulously designed every detail aboard Seven Seas Explorer in order to make it the most luxurious ship ever built, and we are thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive response from our past guests and travel partners,” shared Jason Montague, president and chief operating officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “The maiden voyage is nearly sold out and demand for the inaugural season is extremely strong, it underscores the global excitement surrounding the world’s most luxurious ship.”

Scheduled to set sail in the summer of 2016, Seven Seas Explorer’s maiden voyage will be a 14-night sailing from Monte Carlo to Venice on July 20, 2016.  The inaugural season highlights a variety of iconic locations throughout the Mediterranean including Ibiza, Barcelona, St. Tropez and Venice.

At 56,000 gross-registered tons and carrying just 750 guests, the all-suite, all-balcony ship will boast one-of-the-highest space ratios in the cruise industry and an exceptionally high staff-to-guest ratio.  The ship is designed to be the most luxurious ship ever built, with the one-of-a-kind, opulent 3,875-square-foot Regent Suite, extravagantly designed lounges and showplaces, and lavish gourmet restaurants.  Regent Seven Seas Cruises is setting a new standard for luxury vacations with the launch of Seven Seas Explorer.