Hello all

Many of you will know that Cunard and many of our guests support the Prince’s Trust. The Prince’s Trust is a well known charity in the UK headed up by Prince Charles and we are a Gold Patron having helped to raise over half a million pounds since 2007. The Prince’s Trust helps young people all round the UK and is a very worthwhile cause. We recently received a letter from Prince Charles thanking all of our guests for their kind contributions to Prince’s Trust.  Here is a quote from his letter to us:

“I did just want to write and thank you and everyone at Cunard Line for your most generous ongoing support of my Trust and your commitment to join our group of dedicated supporters in becoming Gold Patrons of my Trust.

Cunard Line has made, and is continuing to make, the most enormous difference to our work across the United Kingdom. Your donations are used to transform the lives of a great many disadvantaged young people and help them into self-employment, work, education or training.”

So here’s the deal. It’s not like me to ask our valued bloggers and guests for money, but on this occasion I am going to. There are of course two options for you. The first option is to wake up on the 18th September, dust down your bike, get yourself to Buckingham Palace and cycle on what is bound to be a very hot day just 47 miles from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle. It’s known as the ‘Palace to Palace’ Prince’s Trust Bike Ride and is one of their regular fundraising activities. The second option you have is to let me do the hard work for you on my bike. So I have committed to get “on my bike” and do the ride on behalf of all of our loyal Cunarders and bloggers wherever you are right around the world. Your task is to sponsor me to do the ride and by doing so raise monies for the Prince’s Trust. Any amount of sponsorship would be welcome – but let me give you an example as to the power of what we could do together. If just 5,000 of our valued bloggers or Cunarders were to donate just £10 or $15 we would raise £50,000 or $75,000. That would be pretty cool – that would be what I refer to as a ‘shed load’ of money. But I think we could do a lot better than that. I have also written to our loyal Cunarders through the Cunarder magazine to ask for their assistance. Attached below is a link which will take both our UK, North American and International guests direct to a fundraising website called “justgiving.com”. It’s a very well used site by many people these days and totally secure. Now like you, I am sure, I have been asked to make charitable donations many times in the past and it can be a hassle. Trust me – so long as you have your credit card to hand – just a few minutes on the justgiving.com website could make the difference to the Prince’s Trust and to some very deserving young people in the UK.

Please forgive me for my blatant fundraising appeal, but I am determined to make the most out of my 47 miles. If you do find it within you to support us, then thank you very much in advance and we will of course be letting you know the amount of money we are able to raise and of course we will follow through on letting you know what good causes and which young people we are then able to support by your generosity.

So there you have it – two options. Either come and join me with your bike and cycle 47 miles on Sunday 18th September or enjoy whatever you are doing, wherever in the world on that particular Sunday, and let us have £10, $15 or perhaps more and I’ll do all the hard work on your behalf – and I will do so with great pride.

Best regards – off to do some training.

Peter

Hello All

We were delighted to welcome two very special guests to Queen Mary 2 recently. A good friend and colleague of mine – Carol Marlow. Many of you will remember Carol from her time as president of Cunard Line, and she is now Managing Director of one of our sister cruise lines – P&O Cruises. Carol has written a splendid blog about the voyage she enjoyed with her mum.

Guest Blog

Carol Marlow

Managing Director of P&O Cruises

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Good afternoon!

Well, at the moment I’m delighted to be on holiday on Queen Mary 2 with my mother. I enjoy taking a break on both P&O Cruises and Cunard, so this time picked a lovely fjords itinerary so we can both enjoy the scenery!

We are currently anchored in Geirangerfjord, and just this morning had an excellent trip up Mount Dalsnibba. Plenty of fabulous views and hairpin bends – over 40 apparently, and I was intending to count them as we went up, but our guide was great fun, and so I was distracted almost immediately – only getting to 4 – but I can assure you there are many more than that! We also saw reindeer grazing up on the high slopes, picturesque little log cabins and plenty of little rock flowers, but no trolls to report, I’m pleased to say…..

This is day 5 of our week on board, and it has been a wonderful break. We started off by popping along to Illuminations after dinner on the first evening to watch ‘The King’s Speech’. A great film made all the more relevant by the fact that Edward (David) and Wallis Simpson were passengers on the old Cunard liners on their transatlantic voyages to and from New York, and just to prove it, there’s a picture of them up in the starboard forward gallery showing them when they were travelling over with their dog!

Our first day at sea started with some heavy wind coming over the North Sea, but of course, as ever, this great ship handled it so well that we hardly felt anything. This is the first time that Mum has travelled on Queen Mary 2, so we spent our day acquainting her with the ship, and for me it was great to still see so many familiar faces, even 2 years on from having moved over to P&O Cruises.

In the evening we were delighted to be invited to dine with Commodore Rynd and his wife Julie on his Commodore’s Table – and of course I duly congratulated him, as he has been moved up into the important role of Commodore since we last met.

Our day in Stavanger was sunny and warm, and we went over to Flor & Fjoere Gardens which was beautiful under the clear blue sky. Such a magnificent place having been carefully created from a pretty barren island.  In the afternoon we had a wander through the little wooden houses in the old part of town.

The weather was perfect in Alesund too, and the attractive little town had a boat festival on – so lots to see and do, with a street market, and the curious looking sport of youngsters riding down what looked like a ski jump on a skateboard and doing acrobatic jumps into the water – rather them than me! We then went on a boat trip down another fjord, and also headed up to the restaurant overlooking the town from one of the highest points, for some magnificent views – but I have to confess to taking a coach up there, whilst others from the ship – including the Commodore and his family – actually walked up the 400+ steps…and then walked down again.

So, if you are starting to be concerned that I’m not getting enough exercise to go with all this wonderful food on board, I can reassure you that this afternoon I am planning to go to the gym while Mum has her hair done. And I’ll certainly need it!

A day in Bergen to look forward to tomorrow, and then a final day at sea to relax, before arriving back in Southampton and back to work on Wednesday!

It’s always fun to take a Cunard voyage, and this one was no exception. I wish all you Cunarders out there smooth sailing and many more adventures aboard ‘The most famous ocean liners in the world’.

Kind regards

Carol

Many thanks Carol – I know that many of the ship’s company enjoyed seeing you on board again. I was a busy Tuesday in Southampton yesterday – and I spent a couple of hours on board Queen Elizabeth where Captain Chris Wells has just returned from leave. I was able to have a quick catch up both with Chris and our Hotel Manager to see how things are going. In a day full of meetings in the office, it was a pleasure to be able to pop down and see the ship and see how she was doing. I have to admit I was somewhat envious of all those embarking as I set off back to the office. She has just returned from quite a challenging Northern Voyage where the weather was not on our side.

That is all for now – back soon to explain how I plan to ride 50 miles on your behalf to raise money for The Prince’s Trust. I am hoping that all of our bloggers will have a role to play – I will offer to do the ride and invite you to partake by pledging a small amount of support that could make a huge difference to some deserving you people. More to come on that shortly.

Best Regards

Peter

During a Cunard voyage you’ll scan the Daily Programme for the day’s activities and entertaiment, peruse the menus for your favourite dishes and glance at ‘Britain Today’, our syndicated newspaper. These are all printed daily on board by a small team of printers, who do a great job in producing this literature for every voyage. Meet Kelly Scalise, Queen Victoria’s Chief Printer in today’s guest blog:

I became involved in various aspects of printing while attending my local community college. I always enjoy looking at the final product that I had a part in creating. I became aware of a programme at the Rochester Institute of Technology that provided an internship for six months as Assistant Printer on a Cunard ship.

I vacationed as a child in California and stayed overnight on the original Queen Mary in Long Beach. Perhaps my destiny was unknowingly decided at that point. Would it be possible for me to actually partake in this opportunity on a Cunard ship? I did my best to make this a reality, and my dream actually came true! I did my internship on Queen Mary 2 starting in February 2010, stopping at ports around the world that I previously only read about or saw on television. Once I completed that internship, I applied for a Chief Printer position with Cunard. I am currently in that position on Queen Victoria. I consider myself fortunate to be able to have a job I love, and at the same time travel the world. Working on a ship is very different than a typical land job. There are so many new things to adapt to, such as living quarters, foods, people and cultures. The people I have met on board are absolutely incredible and it’s fun to learn about where they are from and how they came to be at sea.

It has been an amazing year and half for me and I wouldn’t change it for anything. It is always nice when I go home on holiday and hear people say how lucky I am that I can do this while I am so young. Most of my family and friends are envious when they see where I have been. Growing up in Central New York State I enjoy the change of seasons, except for winter, which is too cold and snowy for me. My hometown is close to the Adirondack Mountains, with many lakes and plenty of places to explore. Not many people leave the area to do something as drastic as working at sea and traveling the world. Every day I wake up someplace different. It is something you get used to, but it is still a very exciting feeling. There are days I think to myself, I can’t believe this is my life. It is very surreal. This truly is my opportunity of a lifetime!

Thank you for a great guest blog Kelly! If any of our readers are interested in working on board the Cunard fleet, you can find out more here: http://www.cunard.com/About-Cunard/Employment/

For those of you travelling on board Queen Mary 2 between Southampton and New York this autumn you may be interested in some events happening throughout New York  from September. If you have already experienced the wonderful sights and attractions such as the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building, or if you’d like to experience a different side to New York you’ll be interested in today’s guest blog. Chris Heywood, the Vice President of Travel & Tourism Public Relations of NYC & Company shares with us what Lower Manhattan has to offer this autumn:

The eyes of the world will be on New York City as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches. Leading up to and beyond the anniversary, NYC & Company, the City’s marketing, tourism and partnership organisation, is highlighting travel to the recently revitalised Lower Manhattan with its Get More NYC: Lower Manhattan campaign.  With 18 hotels—brands such as W, Andaz, Marriott, Hilton, Club Quarters, and Ritz-Carlton—and great restaurants, shops, cultural attractions, architecture and recreational opportunities, Lower Manhattan is poised to become a new focal point for visitors to experience the energy, excitement and diversity of NYC.  The 9/11 Memorial opens on September 12, and visitors can access free tickets through a timed-ticketing system at www.911memorial.org; the National 9/11 Museum will open in September 2012. 

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In an effort to highlight all that the area below Chambers Street in Downtown has to offer, NYC & Company’s new initiative highlights Lower Manhattan events, itineraries, hotel promotions, and much more.  From Stone Street to Battery Park, Lower Manhattan is a bustling area that is pedestrian friendly and easy to access via NYC’s seamless public transportation system or via ferry.  The area also serves as a launching pad to access other parts of the City, including Governors Island (open from May to October), Staten Island, Liberty Island and Ellis Island.

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Brooklyn is also an easy ferry or subway ride from Lower Manhattan, providing more access to the world’s most exciting city.  For a comprehensive listing of all there is to see and do in Lower Manhattan, go to www.nycgo.com/getmorenyc/lower-manhattan. To access information about all five boroughs—Manhattan, Queens, The Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island—go to www.nycgo.com.  For general itineraries on what to see and do in New York City, go to www.nycgo.com/itineraries.  For a listing of annual events, go to www.nycgo.com/annualevents. 

Today’s guest blog comes from one of our engineers on board Queen Victoria, Sara Smith. At only 21 years old, Sara has embarked on a very interesting career in a predominantly male environment, here’s how she got there:

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I’ve always had a strong interest in machinery and engines of various types. This, we think could well and truly be in my blood. My father is a qualified Charter Skipper/Trawler man off Holyhead, whereas my mother is a Surveyor for the MCA and also a Coastguard. My younger sibling is also water based; he is also a qualified Charter Skipper/Trawler man and runs his own boat, he also volunteers as an RNLI crew member for Treaddur Bay inshore lifeboat team. My Grandfather also worked away at sea.

Originally from Anglesey, North Wales, I attended Coleg Menai, Bangor, where I studied Manufacturing Engineering, ICT and Robotics. I originally found out about the Merchant Navy through family and friends. Before this I worked at Airbus in Broughton, as a fitter, however with all of the negativity hitting the press that year regarding the financial issues of Airbus, I decided to send my CV into Clyde Marine Training, just on a spur of the moment thing.

That week I was offered an interview, the week after given the job and started the month after in Newcastle at the South Tyneside Nautical College.
They offered me a sponsorship with Wallenius Wilhelmsen Shipping Company. I accepted and this is where it started. The company consisted of; Ro-Ro’s, container ships, bulk carriers, con-ro’s, PCTC’s, LPG’s,etc.

I was at South Tyneside Nautical College in Newcastle for just over three years. The course consisted of time spent both at sea and in college. It was carried out like this in order to obtain a certificate of competency for sea work, whilst at the same time, doing a Marine Engineering Higher National Diploma.

The course was very intense and challenging, however, also very rewarding. Whilst in college I undertook various examinations, drills and challenges, some of these were; fire fighting, first aid, simulation courses with engine incidents, navigation, operation of survival craft and rescue boats, along with the core subjects of maths, thermodynamics, sciences, electrics, CAD drawing, engineering drawing, workshop skills, welding, hydraulics, business studies, Marine Management and many more.

When I qualified at South Tyneside College in 2010, I won the title of Best Cadet of the Year, for outstanding performance and initiative shown during my cadetship.
I then went onto be awarded the Marine Society Engineering Cadet of the Year UK Wide prize In London. This was awarded for, initiative, progress, an outstanding MNTB (Merchant Navy Training Board) Portfolio, etc.

My time at sea as a cadet, was thoroughly enjoyable, even though from time to time, I encountered a number of people, to who didn’t see why I should be entitled to work in a male environment, let alone be on board. It took a lot of determination and will power to progress and rise above their views. After all, I had just as much right to be there as they did. My cadetship was great fun; I learnt a great deal and also had a lot of fun along the way.

Granted it’s not an easy thing to do, but if your heart’s in it don’t hold back just go for it. I was lucky enough to have a lot of support, when I needed it the most.
The role I have on board Queen Victoria is a demanding and very rewarding job. As a 3rd Engineer, we help maintain the engine room and propel the ship from one port to another. We also have the responsibility of producing fresh drinking water, carrying out routine testing and maintenance, assisting in Bunkers (taking on fuel), carrying out fire watches, water management, arrival/departure checklists, etc.

If someone would have told me 10 years ago, that I would go onto become a Marine Engineer, for the Merchant Navy, I’d of had a hard time believing them.
Yet here I stand today, standing tall and proud of my achievements and I can safely say I’m glad I did it and couldn’t think of doing anything else.

Twelve months from now I’d like to be doing my seconds ticket, I’ve started the prep work for it already.

During my time at sea, I have made a number of friends and have seen the world in a totally different light, and not to mention I saw the world for free during my job.
I have been to South Africa, Finland, Poland, Russia, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, China, Singapore, Canada, USA, Italy, Hawaii, Bermuda, Madeira, Korea, plus many more countries.

At nearly 22 years of age, I have done a lot to be proud of.

Kind Regards,

Sara

Hello All

We have an exciting personal blog today from none other than Jerry Springer who recently travelled on board Queen Mary 2 – we are very grateful to him for sharing his story – I hope you enjoy it.

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In 1949, my parents brought my sister and me to America by way of the ‘Queen Mary’ – a 5 day journey from Southampton – in hopes of finding a new life – having lost most of their family in the Holocaust.

Though I was only 5 years old, I remember the morning we sailed passed the Statue of Liberty into the New York Harbor. Everyone came up on deck to look at ‘Miss Liberty’ – and in later years Mom told me I had asked her “What are we staring at? What does it mean?” She responded in her German “einfach alles”– ‘one day everything’. She was right; America has given us a wonderful life.

We have never forgotten that voyage – the ‘Queen Mary’, and so, for my sister’s birthday I bought 4 tickets for our spouses and us to relive the journey, this time on Queen Mary 2. What a magnificent ship, what a wonderful week – another life memory.

If you get the chance – sail away – call the Queens

Jerry Springer

Today we have a guest blog from Michelle Marchant, Voyage Sales Specialist on board Queen Victoria. Some of you may recognise Michelle from the Voyage Sales Office or the Cunard World Club Cocktail Parties. She has traveled the world with Cunard and offers an insight into a life at sea. Before that we thought you would like to see these photos taken by Kenneth MacLeod in New York over the 4 July Weekend. Doesn’t she look marvellous?

Michelle Marchant

Voyage Sales Specialist

Queen Victoria

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As I write this we are sailing down to Barcelona, one of my favourite cities of Europe, where we can look forward to the Ramblas and Tapas in the local cafes. This is when I take a moment to reflect my journey so far with Cunard, from starting in the company over 10 years ago in reservations to looking after the crew in fleet personnel and I think to myself ‘look where I am now’. 

I can confidently say I have one of the most sought after jobs at sea, every time I put my white star pin on my uniform I am proud of working for such a famous, well established and refined company as Cunard.  I was born in Southampton, the capital of the shipping industry, as far back as I can remember I have always yearned to work at sea, from standing on the foreshore of Netley watching QE2 gracefully sailing out of Southampton waters and knowing that one day ‘I would work for Cunard’.  I have had a long journey since dreaming of that day as I’ve sacrificed my family & friends to fulfil my dreams of working for one of the world’s most famous ocean liners, Queen Victoria and ‘I stand proud’. I must say that I feel very passionate and most of all I enjoy meeting all of our guests, I feel we learn every day talking to the guests, we share our knowledge of the ships as sometimes our most well travelled guests seem to know more than we do.

When someone asks me where the best place is that I have visited, I can’t really say which place stands out the most.

So from Santorini to the Pyramids, or from Russia to Mexico, one place always sticks in my mind – the day I visited Queen Mary in California. From looking up at her vast red & black funnels to running my hand along her wooden beams and walking up her vast open decks with a tear glistening in my eye from the over whelming feeling of being on board, that day was very emotional for me being transported back in time with all the tradition that Cunard represents from that day in history to this day in time it remains the same on board and I had to buy myself a souvenir of my day spent on her.

I can take my memories away with me and tell my grandchildren one day that their Grandmother Michelle Marchant worked as Voyage Sales Specialist for the Most Famous Liners in the World, that I made history on board Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 doing the full World Voyage.

Those of you who have sailed on board Queen Victoria recently may have met our guest blogger today; Entertainment Director Sally Sagoe.

Sally comes from an international background and was born in the UK in London. She graduated as a ‘Speech and Drama’ teacher – and spent time teaching underprivileged children and those who were unable to participate in main stream education.

She later spent several years as a television and West End theatre actress and singer. Award-nominated Sally is probably best known for the part she played for 3 years as Hannah Carpenter in ‘Eastenders’ in the 1980s, one of Britain’s best loved TV soap operas.

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Guest Blog

Sally Sagoe

Entertainment Director

Queen Victoria

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I have been working at sea since 1999 on board several different P&O Cruises ships, and most recently Queen Victoria. My background is in theatre and television and before working at sea I spent many years in the industry, including a few years on the popular British soap Eastenders.

One of the strange things about being in a soap opera is that the general public feels they know you personally – often I would be stopped whilst out shopping – and a complete stranger would berate me for not looking after my fictional TV husband and children. On another occasion the storyline dealt with a pregnant character – numerous members of public sent in knitted booties for the fictional baby!  You often hear about actors and actresses having the privilege of filming ‘on location’ – often in exotic locations. Whilst filming for another soap opera –  I was  excited and expectant when it was discovered we were  going   ’on location  -  however it turned out to be Tooting Bec! Nothing wrong with Tooting Bec  -  but we were hoping  for Barbados!  

My London West End theatre, television and film performances culminated in the accolade of being invited to perform at the ‘Royal Variety Performance’, where I was honoured to sing for the late Queen Mother and to meet members of the Royal Family. 

My first love has always  been theatre, I love a live audience  -  there’s nothing like a ‘first night’ to get the adrenalin going  -  you wait expectantly  in the wings  in  scintillating anticipation -  a million thoughts going through  your head  -  you hear ‘Overture and Beginners’  –  it’s your  cue –  and you’re on. Weeks of rehearsals have finally come to fruition and now it’s your turn to  ‘tread the boards.

My love of the performing arts prompted me to set up my own music business which sent me touring around the world with my jazz, blues and soul bands. I auditioned bands and then took them out on the road with me for various tours. Life on the road as an artist was exhilarating and very hard work   - particularly when travelling on mountainous roads in Scandinavia. Driving from venue to venue could take up to 5 hours. Far from the luxury of stunning Queen Victoria   – we travelled by cars and touring vans during winter -  with studded tyres and chains on tyres to grip the snow .It all seemed so exciting then  -  not so sure I’d want to do it now! However who could not enjoy the spectacular and scenic views?  

Rehearsals for my 45 minute stage  act would commence shortly after arrival at the venue  -  and then  early morning  –  the boys and I and my manager  would be back on the road  -  travelling to the next venue. On one occasion the boys in the band went to a party and left their equipment on stage. During the night the hotel caught fire and all our instruments burnt to a cinder. Most importantly everyone escaped unharmed, however we had to cancel the rest of the tour and return home. My experiences of life on the road with numerous bands gave me a thorough understanding of the intricacies of music and the complex nature of some musicians-  and an appreciation of remaining in one place for more than one night at a time!  

More recently, my career has taken me into the training consultancy, management and cruise industry where I met and married a ship’s engineer in a romantic wedding on a beach in Barbados.  

My first impressions of moving to Cunard and Queen Victoria was of how breathtakingly beautiful she is – stunning venues throughout the ship and the excitement of hearing not one but two wonderful orchestras. It was thrilling to watch guests on one particular evening   – as they emerged from the Theatre still singing “Rule Britannia” & waving flags- making their way to the Golden Lion Pub where the rousing  sounds of New Orleans and Dixieland Jazz  with the fabulous Royal Court Theatre Orchestra  filled the air. A little further on the Victoriana Ball was in full swing – many in full Victorian costume. Those who ventured beyond were delighted by the classical melodies cascading through the mid ships area with the String Quartet and Harpist   - what more could a girl ask for?

With her zest for life, extensive entertainment background and love of people and travel, Sally says she finds her role as Entertainment Director on Queen Victoria a wonderfully fulfilling position. If she ever finds the time, she would like to write a book about her experiences both at sea and on land.  “I might have to change the names of a few people to protect the innocent!”

Guest Blog

Richard Curtis & Cristina Munoz

Cunard Marketing

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At Cunard we are proud of our relationship with our guests and partners. We work in partnership with many well known and respected brands such as Fortnum & Mason, Twinings, The Prince’s Trust and, most recently The RHS (Royal Horticultural Society). Which brings us to the largest flower show in the world at Hampton Court Palace this week.

The 2011 Hampton Court Palace Flower Show opened on 4 July with a glittering preview evening and we are delighted to be present throughout the week with The Palace Tea Rooms in association with Cunard. The magnificent Hampton Court Palace, the Long Water, the beautiful gardens and a host of quintessential British traditions are providing us with the perfect setting for visitors to enjoy a relaxing break and afternoon tea. 

Gardening has long been a favourite past time for our Cunard guests and the world’s largest flower show was the ideal event to showcase our new partnership with The RHS. We are grateful to the organisers for coordinating the fireworks display around The Palace Tea Rooms!

During the day the judging of the gardens took place, in time for the show opening in the evening. Here are some of the deserving winners and some interesting displays:

The first 2 days of the show are dedicated to RHS members and we were glad to see so many Cunard guests amongst them. We spoke to many of you at our stand, where visitors can enter the competition to win a voyage on board Queen Elizabeth. No wonder our stand has been so popular….

Many of you may wonder why we are associated with The Palace Tea Rooms instead of a garden. The Tea Rooms offers one of our signature traditions -  afternoon tea, served with sandwiches, scones, cakes and even champagne for the Sparkling Afternoon Treat! It proved very popular, with some previous guests commenting that they almost felt like they were at sea, with the stunning location alongside the Long Water.
Along with the beautiful gardens, there is so much more to see, including the edible garden, food stalls, shopping and some rather photogenic ducks…

If you are coming to the show this week, we’d love to see you, and you may even win a voyage on Queen Elizabeth!

Richard & Cristina