Her Majesty the Queen to Name Queen Elizabeth

Cunard Line is pleased to announce that Her Majesty The Queen will name the company’s new Queen Elizabeth, the third Cunard ship to bear the name, at a ceremony to take place in Southampton, England on Monday, 11 October 2010.

The naming will be a milestone in British maritime history and will be a major event of worldwide interest.

“The naming of a Cunard Queen is a very special occasion and this will be an historic event in the true sense of the word,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line. “The Queen launched Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1967 and named our current flagship, Queen Mary 2, in 2004. We are both honoured and proud that Her Majesty will name our new liner, Queen Elizabeth,” added Shanks.

Her Majesty was also present at the age of 12 at the launch of the first Queen Elizabeth on 27 September 1938 when she accompanied her mother, Queen Elizabeth, to Clydebank for the launch.

The Naming Ceremony will take place in Southampton on Monday, 11 October and Queen Elizabeth will set sail on her Maiden Voyage the following day.

Other historic namings of Cunard ships by British royalty over the Line’s 170-year history include the following:

Her Majesty The Queen, as Princess Elizabeth, launched Caronia, the ‘Green Goddess,’ in 1947.

Her Majesty Queen Mary, wife of King George V, launched Queen Mary in 1934 – and in so doing became the first British Monarch ever to launch a merchant ship. His Majesty King George V accompanied his wife.

The late Queen Mother, as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, launched Queen Elizabeth in 1938. Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret accompanied their mother.

HRH The Princess Margaret launched Carinthia in 1955.

HRH The Duchess of Cornwall named Queen Victoria in Southampton in December 2007. HRH The Prince of Wales was also in attendance.

For more information and to book a voyage aboard Queen Elizabeth, consult your Travel Agent, call toll-free 1-800-7-CUNARD (1-800-728-6273) or go to http://queenelizabeth.cunard.com/.

Windstar Cruises Announces 2-For-1 Fares on Select Fall European Sailings

Windstar Cruises, which operates a three-ship fleet of luxury yachts that explore hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world’s most treasured destinations, offers exceptional values to some of the most remarkable places in the world with 2-for-1 fares on select fall European voyages plus up to $750 per person bonus savings for new bookings made now through September 5, 2010.

Wind Surf 7-Day European Voyages:
· October 17, 2010, Venice to Venice Sailing: Venice, Italy (overnight); Rovinj, Croatia; Opatija, Croatia; Trogir, Croatia; Dubrovnik, Croatia; At Sea; and Venice, Italy from $1,299 (brochure fare $3,899) per person.
· October 31, 2010, Rome to Barcelona Sailing: Rome, Italy; Portoferraio, Italy; Porto-Vecchio, Italy; Alghero, Italy; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Mahon, Spain; and Barcelona, Spain from $1,249 (brochure fare $3,799) per person.
· November 7, 2010, Barcelona to Lisbon Sailing: Barcelona, Spain; Tarragona, Spain; Ibiza, Spain; Almeria, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Tangier, Morocco; At Sea; and Lisbon, Portugal from $1,175 (brochure fare $3,799) per person.

Wind Star 7-Day European Voyages:
· October 23, 2010, Rome to Rome Sailing: Rome, Italy; Ischia, Italy; Sorrento, Italy; Amalfi, Italy; At Sea; Cagliari, Italy; Porto Cervo, Italy; Porto-Vecchio, France; and Rome, Italy from $1,249 (brochure fare $3,899) per person.
· October 30, 2010, Rome to Barcelona Sailing: Rome, Italy; Port Cervo, Italy; Cagliari, Italy; Carloforto, Italy; Mahon, Spain; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Valencia, Spain; and Barcelona, Spain from $1,249 (brochure fare $3,899) per person.
· November 6, 2010, Barcelona to Lisbon Sailing: Barcelona, Spain; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; At Sea; Almeria, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Cadiz, Spain; Portimao, Portugal; and Lisbon, Portugal from $1,199 (brochure fare $3,899) per person.

Wind Spirit 7-Day European Voyages:
· October 30, 2010, Rome to Rome Sailing: Rome, Italy; Port-Vecchio, France; Porto Cervo, Italy; At Sea; Amalfi, Italy; Sorrento, Italy; Capri, Italy; Ischia, Italy; and Rome, Italy from $1,249 (brochure fare $3,899) per person.
· November 6, 2010, Rome to Barcelona Sailing: Rome, Italy; Ischia, Italy; Sorrento, Italy; Amalfi, Italy; At Sea; Carloforto, Italy; Mahon, Spain; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Barcelona, Spain from $1,199 (brochure fare $3,899) per person.

Windstar’s 2-for-1 Europe fares are not combinable with any other promotions/programs or shipboard credit offers. Offer is valid on new bookings made August 30, 2010, through September 5, 2010. Offer valid for U.S. residents only. 2-for-1 fares are per person, double occupancy based on a 50 percent discount off brochure fares as published in the 2010/2011Windstar Cruises Sailing Atlas. Bonus Savings of up to $750 per person on select sailings, is in addition to the 2-for-1 fare and is valid on select sailings only. Rates shown are for Category B staterooms, and once allotted staterooms are sold, the promotion is closed for that sailing. Government fees and taxes additional. Full payment is required within 24 hours of making the booking. Offer is capacity controlled and may be withdrawn or modified at the discretion of Windstar.

See the Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine profile of Windstar Cruises or visit the official website at http://www.windstarcruises.com/

Share Your Experience of the Food Network / Celebrity Cruises Cruise

If you were one of the lucky ones on the Food Network cruise with Clebrity Cruises, we would love to hear from you and share the fun with our readers.

You can leave your comments here, or email us at social@prowsedge.com

Cruise articles about other cruises can be found in the CRUISE ARTICLES AND REVIEWS section of Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Cruise for Foodies - a big success

The hugely successful “cruise for foodies” we wrote about in FOOD NETWORK AT SEA WITH CELEBRITY CRUISES in our June 10 blog is sadly coming to an end - but don’t be too sad about having missed this one, plans are underway to offer a range of additional exclusive Food Network programs in the Food Network at Sea program for 2010 and 2011. These experiences will include other trips with Food Network stars, and trips tied to specific Food Network culinary trends or topics

The 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise that departed August 22 from Ft. Lauderdale aboard the Celebrity Solstice, called in San Juan, St. Thomas and St. Maarten, and featured culinary demonstrations led by Iron Chef Cat Cora and Chef Aarón Sánchez from Chefs vs. City, hands-on cooking classes with Food Network chefs, a Food Network VIP Lounge & Screening Room, Battle of the Celebrity Solstice Chefs competition event and VIP Pier-side check-in.

The only cable channel dedicated to connecting viewers to the power and joy of food, Food Network established Food Network at Sea to allow consumers to not only watch the network, but to experience it first hand.

To keep track of future cruises, visit www.foodnetworktravel.com.

For cruise ship recipes take a look at the Cruise Food section at Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine that is packed full of recipes from celebrated executive chefs like Jacques Pépin and Georges Blanc from all the major cruise lines.

If you were one of the lucky ones on the cruise, we would love to hear from you. and find out all about it.

The humanitarian side of Pandaw Cruises

As we reported in our blog in July – Pandaw Cruises’ Floating Hospital - two years ago Pandaw Cruises and their passengers raised emergency funds to buy and equip a brand new hospital ship to provide much needed health care in Burma.

Three doctors and three nurses together with ten auxiliaries and crew sail seven days a week from village to village delivering babies, performing operations and providing healthcare where it would otherwise be non existent. An average of 200 patients a day are treated.

If you would like to take part in this humanitarian effort, Pandaw Cruises invites you to go on line and see the latest news about the Pandaw Charity where you can also make a donation.

When Ships get Seized

In November last year we talked about the new experience Pandaw River Cruises were offering on the Ganges: Cruise on the Ganges - Who ever would have thought it!

Who ever would have thought that the ship would be seized.

Soon after Pandaw Cruises sent the Pandaw IV from Burma to begin operation, the partner, a Mr Raj Singh, through his company called Pandaw India, seized control of the ship. Pandaw Cruises are now suing Pandaw India in the Indian courts for either payment for the ship or its return to the rightful owners. Meanwhile a court injunction will stop Pandaw India from operating the vessel next season.

A sad development in the story of an attempt by Pandaw River Cruises to bring new and unusual destinations for cruise travelers around the world.

Pandaw River Cruises is now also having to warn its loyal passengers that a company called ‘Pandaw India’ offering cruises on the Ganges starting September 2010 is in no way connected with Pandaw River Cruises. In fact, the ship on offer, the old Pandaw IV since renamed the Bengal Pandaw, is not owned or managed by Pandaw Cruises.

The good news is that the litigation in India has not affected Pandaw operations in other countries where all is running to their usual high standards and plans to increase vessel capacity for the Mekong and other new river destinations in Asia have not in the slightest way been set back.

For more information about Pandaw River Cruises visit the Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine profile about Pandaw River Cruises or visit the official web site at http://www.pandaw.com/

The Fight Continues . . .

Since their latest success in their efforts to improve safety at sea, Kendall Carver and his colleagues at the International Cruise Victims Association (ICV) (see our last blog post - SOMETHING TO BE PROUD ABOUT ) have been keeping busy continuing their fight to eliminate crime at sea.

Their targets now are Canada and Australia where they hope to initiate the process to get similar legislation enacted.

Kendall Carver, President of The International Cruise Victims Association (ICV) spoke on a Canadian radio show, The Informed Traveller (AM770) and did an interview in Australia with ABC about why the cruise safety bill needs to be added in those countries.

Said Kendall Carver, “Clearly the need for such legislation is becoming known around the world. It only makes sense for all countries to put in place the legislation we have passed here in the US.”

Recent cases of crime at sea have brought to the attention of the public in Australia and around the world the fact that cruise crimes are an international problem and occur throughout the world.

ICV currently maintains a separate chapter in Australia, which supports both Australia and South East Asia. Mark Brimble, Vice President and Executive Committee Member of ICV, leads their efforts in these regions and will respond to any inquiries pertaining to these respective regions.

A form to contact Mark Brimble can be found at http://www.internationalcruisevictims.org/ICV_AU.html

For more about cruise crimes, cruise ship crimes and safety at sea, visit the Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine section on CRUISE CRIMES - SAFETY AT SEA

Something to be Proud About

The historic day last month when President Obama signed Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.)’s Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act into law is a day that The International Cruise Victims Association, Inc. (ICV) can be proud of.

The non-profit corporation formed by victims and families of victims of cruise crimes is the prime reason that the new law has finally emerged and it demonstrates that a group of victims with limited funding can come together and make changes to affect an industry. The photo here shows the ICV lobbying team (including Kendall Carver – President ) at the Capitol.

After almost 5 years of existence, this group now has members in 16 different countries with a separate chapter in Australia.

Says Kendall Carver, "Hopefully this process will serve as a model for others that become victims of crimes, so that they can join together and make a difference."

The new law will increase security, law enforcement, and accountability on cruise ships in international waters. More details are at Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine's Summary of the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009.

For more information about the The International Cruise Victims Association, Inc. (ICV) visit http://www.internationalcruisevictims.org/index.html