A little late I know, but on the plus side we fixed the sound quality issue we had last week. This week’s show is back up to our normal standards – take that for what you will… 
Once again not a whole lot of news this week, but we do talk a bit about the incident in the Antarctic and the ongoing saga with Windjammer Barefoot Cruises.
Then it’s on to happier stuff. This year we try our had at offering a gift guide for the cruise fan.
No Deal of The Week this week. The deal is starting it’s winter vacation a little early – partly because we’ll be back on Queen Mary 2 in about two weeks!
Regent Seven Seas Cruises, voted the “#1 Small-Ship Cruise Line” in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2007 Readers’ Choice Awards poll, is offering guests aboard its 2008 World Cruise a rare treat in Honolulu: a private evening reception featuring Hawai’i Governor Linda Lingle at her ceremonial residence, Washington Place.
The reception takes place on January 13, 2008, and is open exclusively to guests participating in the full 115-night World Cruise. Best known as the former home of Queen Lili’uokalani, Hawaii’s last reigning monarch, Washington Place has been at the center of social and political life in Hawai’i throughout its 160-year history. Following the Queen’s death, this elegant Greek Revival treasure served as the Hawaiian governor’s Executive Mansion for 80 years, before finally being designated a National Historic Landmark earlier this year.
Departing January 6, 2008 from San Francisco, World Cruise guests will travel in stylish luxury aboard 700-guest all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Voyager as she circumnavigates the globe, visiting 51 ports in 26 countries throughout the South Pacific, Orient and Arabia, as well as the Mediterranean and Bermuda.
Celebrity Cruises will present a stellar line-up of nightclubs and lounges on the line’s new Celebrity Solstice, scheduled to launch in December, 2008. From an intimate, enriching wine cellar to a vibrant club that transforms with each night’s dance theme, the 2,850-guest ship will offer guests some of the most stylish and varied public spaces at sea.
Celebrity Solstice will be the line’s first in a class of four 2,850-passenger vessels with an exceptional range of guest-inspired services and amenities. German shipbuilder Meyer Werft, who constructed the line’s Century-class fleet-Celebrity Century, Celebrity Mercury, and Celebrity Galaxy–is building the 122,000-ton ship.
Following several weeks of inaugural activities, Celebrity Solstice will make its maiden voyage December 14, 2008, on a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., visiting San Juan, Puerto Rico; Basseterre, St. Kitts; and Phillipsburg, St. Maarten. The itinerary will be offered on Sundays through April 5, 2009, with an alternating itinerary calling on San Juan, Puerto Rico; Phillipsburg, St. Maarten; Tortola, B.V.I; and Labadee, Haiti, through April 12, 2009. Fares for veranda staterooms begin at $1,099 per persona, based on double occupancy.
We’ve got the details on the hot spots onboard when you click on “more” below
We’ve got a few pieces of news about Queen Victoria. First up – Queen Victoria will offer fencing at sea!
In a move that underscores Cunard’s tradition of British heritage and ongoing attention to historical detail, the Line will introduce the sport of fencing – a favorite pastime of Prince Albert, husband and consort of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. To craft the program, which is another cruise industry first, Cunard turned to Leon Paul Fencing Equipment, the British company whose name has been synonymous with fencing for nearly a century. Run by and for competitive fencers, members of the Leon Paul family have competed in 20 Olympic Games and 30 World Championships, winning 25 national titles.
Cunard guests will have an opportunity to learn fencing basics or fine-tune their fencing skills with a fully certified instructor using equipment identical to that used by world champions. The fencing program can accommodate up to 10 aspiring or accomplished fencers at a time for foil fencing, the preferred method for elementary fencing classes due to the flexible and lightweight blade and blunted tip. Fencing instruction for guests aged 16 and up will be provided daily by a fully certified fencing instructor.
In addition today will mark a milestone in the new ship’s career. In a ceremony at Fincantierri’s Marghera yard Queen Victoria will be officially turned over to Cunard Line. Expected to be in attendance are the Italian Prime Minister, British Under Secretary of State, and the band of Scots Guards in addition to the usual VIPs from Cunard and Fincantierri.
Ok, first off I need to come right out and admit it – the sound quality of this show isn’t that great- all right, it’s horrible. We couldn’t tell that there was a problem with the sound until after we finished recording. The problem has been fixed and it shouldn’t happen again.
But on to the show – this week we talk about our sailing last week on Carnival Freedom the newest ship in the Carnival fleet. We had a great time on board and really appreciated the invitation we received from Carnival to come on board.
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