Transatlantics in Style...for Both of You

 

The kennel master onboard QM2 walks a four-legged friend.

Photo courtesy of Cunard Line.

No one could accuse Cunard's Queen Mary 2 of being a featureless ship.  It boasts the only planetarium at sea, an amazing spa run by Canyon Ranch that spans two decks, a dedicated ballroom, a specialty restaurant featuring cuisine by Todd English, and she is the only true modern Ocean Liner at sea today.  She's enormous - but in a good way.

Of course, all this extra space allowed Cunard to continue something they've been quietly doing since their first ship, Britannia, set sail for the New World in 1840: transport pets.  On that particular voyage, the ship was home to three cats.  Since then, circus elephants, canaries, a monkey, and even a boa constrictor have sailed on Cunard.

The QM2 has a dedicated kennel high up on Deck 12.  You won't find it on the deck plans, but it is there, along with a dedicated kennel master.  

  

Deck 12 onboard QM2

Photo ©2008 Aaron Saunders 

The kennels are available on certain transatlantic crossings only, for a fee, and come with the appropriate Cunard swag for you and your pet: not only do you receive items like a QM2-branded frisbee, name tag, food dish and scoop, but your pet has the choice of comfortable beds in two sizes, healthy gourmet cookies baked fresh for dogs and cats, fleece blankets, an assortment of toys, and a selection of premium pet foods to ensure they travel in the same luxury as their owners.

Notice posted near the Kennels, Deck 12 - the door to the left leads in.

Photo ©2008 Aaron Saunders

Some things to consider before booking both you and Fido: the pets have their own interior public space and promenade area on Deck 12, and are not allowed in the regular public rooms or staterooms for obvious reasons.  That means you have to go visit and play with your pet in the designated area.  Also, this program is only available on Queen Mary 2 - Queen Victoria and the upcoming Queen Elizabeth do not offer this service.

For more information, visit Cunard's website. 

The Airfare Obstacle

 

Planes taxi at Calgary International Airport

Photo © 2009 Aaron Saunders

Picture this: you've found a fantastic deal on a cruise.  In fact, it's a deal that is too good to pass up.  You've researched the ship, picked your cabin, and you're on hold with your travel agent.  Life is good!  Then you look at flights and your jaw falls.  The roundtrip airfare is going to cost more than the cruise itself!  What to do?

Every cruiser has faced this dilemma at some point - how to get to the ship itself - economically.  I myself spent the better part of my weekend scouring the internet in a somewhat futile attempt to find flights to Barcelona during the summer that wouldn't require me to leave a DNA sample with my bank as collateral. 

What is surprising, though, is that many people don't know how the airline system works - or the ways that, if you're willing to be flexible, you can save some major cash.  I didn't either when I started travelling heavily five years ago - but I do now.

These tips apply mainly to international flights, but they can be used domestically as well.

Tip # 1 - Consider a different departure airport. 

Here in Canada, anyone within driving distance of a US airport knows the benefit of this - flights reduce drastically in price the second you cross the border.  A flight from Vancouver to Tampa might run you $1100 per person, but a flight from Seattle to Tampa can be half that price - or less.

The same applies to major US and International airports around the world: if flights to London Heathrow are expensive, why not consider flying to London Gatwick instead?  At the very least, it will broaden your transportation options.  Likewise for Paris - some great deals can be found into Paris Orly opposed to CDG.

Tip # 2 - Try a different airline.

Everyone has  a favourite airline, and everyone has one they swear they'll never fly with again.  So pick something in between.  Say you're flying from Seattle to Heathrow.  British Airways might pop into your mind, or American Airlines.  Did you know, though, that Iceland Air flies direct from Seattle to Reykjavik and then on to Heathrow?  Not only is their pricing ultra-competitive, but they even offer incentives to stop over in Reykjavik for a night - at no additional charge.

Here in Vancouver, we were looking to fly to New York.  Our options were an ultra-expensive direct Air Canada flight, one with a five-hour layover in Toronto, or - to our surprise - a direct flight on Asian airline Cathay Pacific.  If the price wasn't enough to get excited about, the fact that flights were operated by spacious Boeing 747 and 777 aircraft sold us.  Have a look around - it can pay off handsomely.

Tip #3 - Be willing to connect.  And connect.  And connect.

Fact: direct flights are often the most expensive.  There's no getting around it.  But, many destinations have at least one connecting flight anyway.  So treat it as an adventure; you get to see a lot of different places, and it might - might - save you time in the end.

The next time you need to book a flight, play with a site like Kayak or Expedia and see how many options are out there - you might be pleasantly surprised.

Unique Itinerary: From Boston to Bermuda

 

New England & Bermuda.

Illustration courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

This week's Unique Itinerary comes to us courtesy of Celebrity Cruises. 

Departing Sunday May 16, 2010 and sailing for seven nights onboard the beautiful Celebrity Summit from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, this particular voyage combines the brilliance of New England with the warmth and sun of Bermuda.

Arriving first at beautiful Newport, Rhode Island - home to the mansions of turn of the century industrialists like Alfred Vanderbilt and the Astors - the ship then heads north, to Boston, Massachusetts.  Here, guests can take a stroll through Quincy Market, have a beer at "Cheers", or walk the amazing Boston Common. 

Then, it's a relaxing day at sea before arrival on Thursday, May 20, in King's Wharf, Bermuda.  An overnight stay departing the next evening at 5 pm allows guests the ability to soak in as much sun - and history - of this British-ruled island as they can.

After that, it's off to another relaxing day at sea before arriving back in Bayonne, New Jersey.  Instead of rushing off to the airport, why not explore all that New Jersey, New York and Brooklyn have to offer?

To learn more about this tremendous itinerary offered onboard Celebrity Summit, visit the Celebrity Cruises webpage. 

Pricing starts at just $528 CDN for an inside, or $849 CDN for a balcony. 

The Silversea Way

 

Silver Spirit.

Photo courtesy of Silversea Cruises

Sometimes in order to be groundbreaking, a ship doesn't have to contain a waterside.  Or two.  Or a seaside theatre.  In fact, the ship I'm about to describe has no bowling alley, mini-golf course or wrestling ring, and yet is still one of the most exciting newbuilds afloat.. 

Sometimes a ship simply has to be a ship. Novel concept, right?  While the media gorged itself on a delicious buffet of Oasis of the Seas, in December Silversea became the proud owners of their newest ship: Silver Spirit. 

 

Stairwell.

Photo courtesy of Silversea Cruises 

A couple of things combined to make Silver Spirit's launch a real event for Silversea.  First and foremost, it is the first newbuild for them since Silver Whisper debuted in 2001.  Secondly, Silver Spirit is the largest Silversea vessel to date, at 36,000 gross register tons and with a capacity of 540 passengers.

Large doesn't mean crowded though - this is Silversea, after all.  With an almost unheard of passenger space ratio of 67%, finding a section of the ship to call your own won't pose a problem.  To put it in perspective, Holland America's Prinsendam, a mainstream ship of similar size, is considered 'roomy' at 47.86%.  Silversea bests that by an easy 20%. 

What could be better than that?  How about  that the smallest stateroom on this all-suite ship is 312 sq. feet - gargantuan compared to the average 155-185 sq. feet found on most mainstream lines.  The two Owner's Suites measure 1,668 sq. feet and include a 190 sq. foot verandah.

 

Veranda Suite.

Photo courtesy of Silversea Cruises 

With all that space, it would be tempting not to leave your cabin - but then you'd miss out on all the extra amenities Silversea's designers have thoughtfully added to the 642-foot long ship.  Like the 70-seat La Terrazza, an authentic Italian a la carte experience.  Maybe a cigar and cognac in the ship's Connoisseur's Corner is more to your liking before heading off to the 320-guest Show Lounge to take in the evening performance.

After all that delicious food and drink, you might want to head up to the Fitness Centre, complete with treadmills, a rowing machine, stationary bikes, multi-purpose weight machines and a Kinesis Wall.  All this as you cruise across the ocean at twenty knots.

The thoughtfully-arranged Pool Deck.

Photo courtesy of Silversea Cruises. 

Silversea has built a reputation on providing a stellar cruise experience for discerning travellers who enjoy the finer things in life - but in a relaxing, unpretentious atmosphere.  Guests are generally down-to-earth people who are well travelled and don't need a rock climbing wall to keep entertained.  What's more, there's never been a better time to try Silversea: they're offering 60% off and free airfare on select 2011 voyages.

Silversea also has a very innovative program  called Personalised Voyages® that is completely unique to them: don't see the voyage you want?  Create your own!  You can choose your embarkation and disembarkation ports, and the system will come up with a price for you based on a standard per diem.  The only catch is that voyages must be at least five days in length, and if starting at a US port, cannot end at a different US port due to restrictions in the Jones Act.  Los Angeles to San Francisco is not allowed, but Los Angeles to Vancouver or Acupulco works just fine.

To learn more about the Silver Spirit, Silversea, or their unique Personalised Voyages® program, visit the Silversea Website.