Guest Blog

Dr Seth Gopin

Art Historian

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Cunard speakers are a privileged lot.  We have a “captive” audience, a wonderful lecture hall, and subjects that run the gamut from astrophysics to my subject of art and architectural history. 

My journey as a speaker with Cunard started a decade ago on the Queen Elizabeth 2.  As an art historian, a seasoned Rutgers University lecturer, and frustrated actor, I had all the right ingredients.  My range of topics cover New York City skyscrapers to Egyptian art and architecture, and this allows me to sign up for Transatlantic crossings as well as segments of the World Cruise.

Generally planning begins six to nine months earlier when we decide on a ship, locale, and topic.  The excitement starts when I fly to meet the ship. It is always fun to walk on board and see familiar faces and comfortable surroundings. 

The morning show is always fun to tape.  Whether it is Wake Up With Ray (or Amanda or Paul), I talk about my lectures and books.  En route to New York, I enjoy giving tips about what to see and experience in my vibrant city.  I don’t mind admitting that it was lots of fun on board Queen Victoria to be a taster for the Cocktail of the Day and am volunteering gladly to do this again. 

As a historian of French Art, I love giving extra talks to the Francophone passengers.  Sometimes there are only 10 in the audience but at other times my talk will draw 80 and fill one of the small spaces in Connexions.  I have discovered that there are lots of nooks and crannies on the ships where we can gather to look at art or buildings and talk. The French guests are so appreciative of having these special lectures and I am sure they are amused by my American-accented French. 

I want to put in a plug for the great technical staff on the ship.  The good people in Illuminations, the Royal Court Theatre, and the TV studio work very, very long hours and really go the extra mile (or kilometre) to make sure our lectures run as trouble-free as possible.

For me, the best part of the experience and the reason why I keep coming back are the guests.  Whether in my post-lecture “office hours” in the Commodore Club or in the corridors of the ships, I find that the Cunard travellers are engaged, lively, and articulate.  I loved meeting the teens who came to chat about architecture, the retired medical doctor who wanted to look at Michelangelo’s David with me from an anatomical viewpoint, and a retired architect who wanted to talk about his total dislike of 1960s modernism.  They and my many tablemates have been not only entertaining but also intellectually stimulating. Some have become good friends.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating (and on board Cunard Line we certainly eat wonderfully), and the proof of how much I enjoy lecturing is that I have already started planning my 2012 voyages.

Our regular guests may recognise today’s guest blogger as a key lecturer for our Insights enrichment programme. Known as “Mr. Ocean Liner,” Bill Miller has written more than 70 books about passenger ships, both past and present. He has prepared the passenger ship database for the Ellis Island Museum and currently serves as curator of 20th Century Maritime History for the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City.

Here are some great pictures of Queen Mary from one of Bill’s books:
http://www.billmilleratsea.com/bm_books.html

From 26 – 30 August we will be sponsoring “Cinematic Passages: Ocean Liners on Screen” at Walter Reade Theater, New York. The Film Society of Lincoln Center will be showcasing the glamour of ocean travel through films of the last 50 years and Robert Neal Marshall’s documentary on Bill Miller will be screened throughout the event. Bill was recently on board Queen Mary 2 and kindly gave us a few words about why Cunard is so special to him:

Mid Atlantic: Feeling at home! There’s something very special for me about Queen Mary 2. I’ve done nearly 40 trips aboard her beginning in Feb 2004, including her third voyage and her maiden cruise to Rio. But even when not at sea, there are links: my 60th birthday party was held on board in August 2008 and, just last July, the “first” premiere of Mr. Ocean Liner. A celebratory 80th birthday luncheon was also held aboard in Jul 2009, and in the Todd English Grill, for John Maxtone-Graham and then in November 2010 to honor Maurizio Eliseo upon receiving the Silver Riband Award. Some ships have, according to the late Frank Braynard, “souls,” a spirit that is not created by designers or built in shipyards. It is something, quite undefined, that caresses, even embodies, you. Coupled with the great familiarity, that feeling of “coming home,” there is for me an added warmth and happiness in being aboard this magnificent ship. Furthermore, and as I quickly observed on this crossing, Queen Mary 2’s“soul” is even more apparent. The ship has a definite magic. And she is in many ways even better than ever. Indeed, maturity has brought near-perfection!

Planning ahead! Cunard has announced its sponsorship of the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Cinematic Passages: Ocean Liners on Screen  film series in New York, which I will also be a part of. On Friday, August 26 at 7 p.m., I will kick off the series by revisiting the glory days of the grand transatlantic ocean liners in a presentation of Ocean Liners in Fact, Fiction and On Screen.

Cunard itself is of course always a great favorite of mine, and we have already confirmed plans for six cruises in 2012 — five aboard Queen Mary 2  and one on Queen Elizabeth. Two of the highlight cruises for me will be the eastbound voyage to Southampton on Queen Mary 2  on 29 May followed by the cruise to the Baltic cities aboard Queen Elizabeth  on 5 June. Both voyages are themed to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and all three ships, including Queen Victoria, will depart in formation from Southampton on 5 June, the very day of the greatest Jubilee celebrations in London. One of my future books, Diamond Jubilee: Queen Elizabeth II & the House of Windsor  should be published by then as well.

You can find out more about Cinematic Passages here: http://www.filmlinc.com/films/series/cinematic-passages-ocean-liners-on-screen

Hello All    

At Cunard we are blessed with a very special relationship with the people of Hamburg in Germany. Along with Southampton, Liverpool, Halifax and New York – Hamburg has a special place in our hearts. So today we have a very special blog of the event that transpired last week on the river in Hamburg as Queen Mary 2 made her 20th call to the city. We had planned a ‘flag parade’ – a chance for all of our guests on board and many thousands in Hamburg to celebrate this joyous event together. And as you will read – enjoy it they did with over 200,000 people coming down to wave flags at Queen Mary 2. Here is a short video clip of Queen Mary 2 on the day (please do not adjust your computer – there is no sound):    

I am delighted that Alexander, one of our valued German speaking hosts , has written the story for us all with some great pictures. We had some wonderful comments from all of our international guests on board and we certainly made our mark with the people of Hamburg;    

Guest Blog: Alexander Vollmert, German Host, Queen Mary 2
    

13 August 2011 marked the 20th passenger call of  RMS Queen Mary 2 in the port of Hamburg since the legendary maiden arrival under the command of Captain Paul Wright on 19 July 2004, when more than 500.000 spectators lined up on the banks of the river Elbe to see the arrival of the ship. Ever since, the departures  of Queen Mary 2 from Hamburg brought huge numbers of people to the “St. Pauli-Landungsbrücken” – the main waterfront area in the port of Hamburg. To commemorate the 20th passenger call (excluding the dry-dock calls), the city of Hamburg organised a grand “Flag Parade”. All major newspapers as well as TV and Radio stations reported days in advance to promote the celebrations that would take place during sailaway. 150.000 flags with the Union Jack and the Coat of Arms of the city of Hamburg were printed and distributed all over Hamburg. The major department stores were key partners to promote the event. The ship received flags as well and all guest staterooms were prepared for the big event.    

When Commodore Christopher Rynd stopped Queen Mary 2 in front of the “St. Pauli-Landungsbrücken” that sunny and warm summer evening, Susi Salm, a famous singer from Hamburg, who performed in the Queens Room on board Queen Mary 2 in May, warmed up the crowds on the piers and three songs were performed  that reflected the Westbound Transatlantic Crossing to New York: “New York”,  “Rule Britannia” and “In Hamburg sagt man Tschüss.” After each song ended, large flags of the “Star Spangled Banner”, the “Union Jack” and the Flag of the City of Hamburg were lowered down the side of Queen Mary 2 – under the applause of the tens of thousands of spectators ashore.    

Photo Credit: Michael Batz

As during past calls in Hamburg, also on this sunny Saturday evening thousands of people lined the banks of the Elbe down river as Queen Mary 2 was accompanied by a large flotilla of Harbour Cruise boats .     

Photo Credit: Michael Batz

The famous “Louis C. Jacob” hotel on the Elbchaussee had its traditional waving with white bed linen and towels, the “Queen Mary 2 Canon Salute” was fired and “Land of Hope and Glory” could be heard all over the river. Also in  Blankenese – Hamburg’s most iconic suburb – the crowds lined the river and private fireworks were fired when the ship sailed past    

The NDR 2, the most popular radio station in the North of Germany, had organised a large open Air Festival that evening in Wedel, where Mike and Mechanics, Nathasha Bedingfield and Sunrise Avenue performed. Days in advance the Radio Station promoted the Open Air and announced that “one guest already agreed to attend: Queen Mary 2 will sail past on the Elbe river”. When the ship approached Wedel and the Festival site, the big screens on centre stage already showed the ship arriving and Queen Mary 2 greeted the audience of 20.000 by prolonged and repeated sounding of her famous whistles – each time a wave of applause came back from shore.    

Once again it  proved that Hamburg salutes our Flagship Queen Mary 2 in the most wonderful way – and many successful and memorable calls in Hamburg will follow in 2012.    

Photo Credit: Michael Batz

Thank you Alexander. I have been on Queen Mary 2 a number of times as she has sailed up and down the river to the heart of Hamburg. It is always a spine-tingling experience. There are several opportunities for our guests to experience this in 2012 – specifically I would look at the very first meeting of two Cunard Queens in Hamburg on 15 July. You could either book the Queen Elizabeth 14 day St Petersburg and Baltic Explorer Voyage from Southampton on 13 July or the Queen Mary 2 departing on the same day for her 14 day Fjords voyage. Alternatively a shorter Hamburg-Hamburg voyage is available on 15 July on Queen Mary 2. It will be a special event in Hamburg and we would love you to be with us for another chapter of Cunard history.    

One last thing – I put another 25 miles under my belt over the weekend as part of my training for the Princes Trust Palace to Palace Bike ride. I have also sensibly bought a pair of those fancy cycling shorts that have extra padding in the right place. I would not win any fashion parades with them – but rather have padding than not for the upcoming 47 mile ride. Many thanks to those who have already sponsored me – very kind – to those who have not – the link is up at the top of this page.  

That is all for now – back later in the week with news of the Queen Mary 2 ‘refit’ in November.    

Best Regards    

Peter    

Many people choose to sail with us for special occasions including renewing wedding vows, birthdays and anniversaries. We would like to share with you Mr and Mrs Sydney Logan’s recent celebration on board Queen Elizabeth and are very grateful to the Logan’s for sharing their story with us.

During the Mediterranean Gems Voyage just completed, we were pleased to be able to help one couple to celebrate their Diamond Anniversary. Prior to departing Southampton, the Captain was handed a Special Envelope, and instructed to present it to the couple on the relevant day.

Accordingly, Mr and Mrs Sydney Logan were invited to The Admiral’s Lounge on 8 August, after departure from Civitavecchia, for a celebratory glass of champagne with the Captain. Also waiting in the Admiral’s Lounge were the couple’s son, David, and his partner Peter, together with the Hotel Manager, Chief Engineer and Deputy Captain. Once the champagne had been poured, and glasses raised, the envelope was duly presented.

It is not often that we are able to witness and celebrate a Diamond Anniversary on board, and even rarer to have the honour to present the congratulatory card from Buckingham Palace, but this was one of those moments.

In conversation it transpired that Sydney Logan had started his career as an apprentice butcher on a merchant ship in 1945, and actually spent three years at sea before settling down in Cumbria. Phyllis was very happy as this celebration culminated another special day for her; as this had been her first ever visit to Rome.

 Pictured, Sydney and Phyllis Logan, with their son David, Deputy Captain Hamish Sunter, Captain Chris Wells, Hotel Manager Jacqui Hodgson and Chief Engineer Colin Black

The importance of having the largest ball room afloat on RMS Queen Mary 2 was emphasised recently when guests packed into the Queen’s room and filled the dance floor to capacity for a dance extravaganza of Big Band Music.

Under the direction of Joey Mix the 14pc orchestra featured vocalist John Labelle and clarinetist Kenny Martyn performed swing favourites from Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Ted Heath and Glenn Miller.

Kenny Martyn’s thirty minute set featured some of the original arrangements from Benny Goodman’s library which were performed at the famous Carnegie Hall concert in February 16th 1938. The importance of this concert is widely recognised as the defining moment of American culture when jazz and swing music was legitimately defined within American culture for all races.

The origins of Swing music are very involved but undoubtedly, Fletcher Horace Henderson’s arrival in New York in 1920 as a newly qualified chemist from New Orleans, unable to obtain any pharmaceutical position is critical. He formed his own band, which featured a remarkable line up of Lester Young, Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong. The new sound that was first created in Fletcher’s 1924 composition ‘Sugar Foot Stomp’ was ‘Swing’ – a new era had been born and it was Fletcher one decade later who engineered the Goodman sound to create the ‘King of Swing’.

 Kenny Martyn:

Playing this music is my passion and being able to play with the original line up of 5 brass, 4 saxes, 4 rhythm – is always special. I ‘m very lucky to have the chance to play here on the Queen Mary 2 following in the Cunard traditions of Joe Loss, Count Basie and Duke Ellington who were playing regularly on Queen Elizabeth 2. What should be noted is that EVERY single musician we have here is TOP class, the brass section crackles, the saxes play pretty, and the rhythm section swings.

Thank you Cunard

www.kennymartyn.com

Hello All

I recently enjoyed my annual summer holiday. With our daughters off in different parts of the world my wife and I decided to try a cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean.  We did not sail with Cunard Line – I have always felt that would not be fair on our ship’s company and neither could I really relax – much as I know we would enjoy the experience. Instead we sailed with one of our sister cruise lines – on the Seabourn Odyssey – and very good it was too. But I thought I would write a blog more about that part of the world and how we found it. Often we hear questions as to whether flying out to join a ship in the Mediterranean is a good experience , will the airport be a hassle , will there be any leg room on the flight, what do we do about luggage , would it be better to sail from Southampton and . …… is the eastern Mediterranean safe?

Well – let me tell you how we found things.  First the flights. We ended up booking British Airways – out to Istanbul and back from Dubrovnik. The fares were reasonable as I booked nice and early. It is interesting that airlines today do manage to push their fares up closer to departure and it seems to make sense to book early. I have an advantage in that given how often I travel; I have a BA Gold Card, so that allowed me to choose our seats on the plane. I was able to choose the ‘Emergency Exit’ seats and so had more leg room than you could shake a stick at. We were also allowed to take two pieces of luggage – so no problem with the packing and we actually just took one case each. We flew from Heathrow Terminal 5. Here is a little secret – the Gordon Ramsay Restaurant just after you go through security. I am not brave enough to get into a debate as to whether he is a good chap or not – what I will say is that they offer a very fine bowl of porridge for that time of the morning and for just £3.75. So the whole flight experience out and back was really just fine – I think there is a bit of a myth going round that flying can be tough – if you approach it with a relaxed attitude it gets you there in no time. Well done BA – and OK, having a Gold card helps a little.

Bit of a surprise on arriving in Istanbul – before you go through passport control you have to get in line to pay 20 Euros each as an arrival tax. Now we had long discussions as to whether we should have gone straight to the ship, or spend a couple of nights in Istanbul. We spent the two nights in Istanbul and it was fabulous – more of that in a second. The second debate we had was whether to stay in a big well known hotel or in a nice little ‘boutique’ hotel nestled in the centre of the city. So for days I had explored Google and travel guides to search out one of those special little hotels – close to the sights, in the heart of the city, hustle and bustle and a real sense of the city. Then I went onto the Four Seasons website and booked us a lovely room at their hotel right on the Bospherous. Boy was it good. It may be a 10 minute ride to the city, but it had space, gardens, outstanding service a lovely pool and two outside restaurants. You could have breakfast lunch and dinner overlooking the incredibly busy shipping lanes. I would honestly recommend it as a very fine – if a little expensive – place to stay and worth every penny. (By the way – we also discovered another Four Seasons that is right in the heart of the city, no pool but a nice little oasis from the heat). We found that staying two nights in the city prior to arriving on the ship meant that when we did arrive on the ship we were completely relaxed and ready to enjoy the cruise – I would recommend it.

So how was Istanbul? Well we were a little nervous having not been there before other than for the odd conference. We were very pleasantly surprised. Over the two days we visited the Blue Mosque, Spice Market, Hagia Sophia and the underground cisterns. They were all awesome – it is remarkable to see the changing history of the city. We really enjoyed just walking around, we found the people very helpful and friendly, we were careful where we went and we felt safe. One tip – if you are not interested in buying a carpet – then just avoid any eye contact and you will be fine. We met some people who hired a local guide for a half or full day – they said that also worked very well for them.

So – totally refreshed and relaxed we joined our ship for 12 nights in the Eastern Mediterranean full of intrigue as to how we would find it. I thought you may be interested in some of the destinations that we visited and how the overall experience was. Of course I do have a slight agenda in telling you this – you may know that this summer Queen Victoria is in the Mediterranean and next summer Queen Elizabeth will be there. I will mention some of the ports that they visit – as well as some of the other ports we visited.

History and Culture – when you travel through Turkey and Greece the historic significance and experiences are amazing. On many occasions you can stand close-up to buildings that go back over 2,000 years. There were Byzantine Times, Roman Times, and a wide variety of religious influences – not to mention wars. You can take history or leave it – but we found it fascinating to read up on each destination and then go ashore a get a real sense of what it must have been like all those years ago.

Ephesus – this is really worth a visit. It is only about 30 minutes from the port of Kusadasi. We went in a smaller group of about 12 with a guide and spent about two hours in the ancient city. On arrival we stopped at the top of the old ruins, so the tour itself was all downhill – a useful tip as it is very, very hot and a bottle of water is essential. We found it fascinating. There is not quite the detail of Pompeii, but you can’t help but wonder what life must have been like when it was a very impressive city. It used to have its own port – but now it’s about 30 minutes from the coast. One of the reasons the city became extinct was that as the coast receded it created a large swamp area and there were terrible problems with mosquitoes and malaria. As you approach the centre of the old city with the impressive façade of the Library they have excavated several old terraced houses. They have built an undercover structure of stairways and platforms out of steel and glass so as you can see many of the original rooms and murals. There are many people at work slowly scraping away and revealing more and more of the old city. It was a very worthwhile visit – and we returned that evening for a classical concert right in the heart of the ruins – the sun went down , a couple of cold beers went down and the moon came up – marvelous.

Mykonos – One of the best things about cruising in this part of the world is the relaxed nature of the cruise and the beautiful scenery. You also tend to get a nice breeze every day – so although it is very hot it does not feel too bad. Many went off the ship to discover the interesting beaches and cultures around the island. We just went for a walk around the old town. It is a real labyrinth of streets, shops and bars. Another of the great things about cruising is that when you are ashore, hot, a little bothered – you can return to your beautiful air-conditioned ship, have a quick swim and then relax into a lovely lunch.

Santorini – this was a really fun day. First of all the arrival. One of the things I love to do on a ship is get up around 0600 – grab a coffee and then go up to the top deck to watch the ship arrive somewhere. Well arriving into Santorini is a beautiful sight. You pass the newest volcanic eruption and there you are right in what would have been the massive crater following the original eruption. There were a number of options for the day – you could walk up the many steps to the top of the cliffs and see the town, you could go up on a modern chair-lift or you could ride a donkey up. We did none of those, instead we took a boat trip to one of the islands which is just a volcanic outcrop and walked to the top of it. It was very barren – and at the top sulphur and steam leaks out of the rocks over fabulous views of Santorini. We then went for a swim in the sea above some volcanic springs before going back to the ship for yes – another swim and another wonderful lunch.

Athens – Well I can’t tell you much about Athens from this trip. There I was at 0630, with my coffee up on the top deck as we sailed into Piraeus. There were around 8 other cruise ships in the port – it was going to be a busy day. As we approached the berth I thought it a bit strange that I could see no coaches or taxis. I then spotted the taxis – around 100 of them blockading the port gates – they were on strike. Far be it for me to make a comment on the financial or political situation in Greece – other than to say that the taxi drivers might want to target their frustration at people other than those who were waiting to provide them with a lot of business. They were however very peaceful and one has to be somewhat sympathetic to their cause. But it was clear we would not be going anywhere that day and would have to spend it on the ship. No hardship there – more swimming, a trip to the gym, a wonderful lunch and then just after ‘beer-o-clock’ my first cold beer of the day. Actually having spent the previous two days looking round old buildings and churches on the islands of Patmos and Mylos – I have to quietly admit I was rather relieved to have a rest from looking round broken buildings.

Kotor, Montenegro – unfortunately we are not featuring this destination just yet – but I am keen that we do in the future. It is like arriving in the Norwegian Fjords. The ship goes in – the mountains get higher, you twist and turn and then arrive in a beautiful little town called Kotor. I would really recommend a visit here – or to the many developing little ports, towns and beaches of Montenegro. Now here we had a little excitement. We decided to go on a kayak adventure. There were two to a boat and around 8 boats in our group – along with a guide in his boat. On went the life jackets and we set off. Easy-Peasy we thought, the sea was flat calm, the scenery was spectacular and we paddled about three kilometers away from our ship and stopped for a swim.  Marvelous, or at least marvelous until we got back in the kayaks to find a rather strong wind had arrived which was creating some rather strong waves. So there we all were pounding through waves as we set about the three kilometers back in the other direction. Actually it was reminder as to how fast the weather can change and how careful we had to be. An hour later we were now just 4 kayaks, with two having disappeared and two having given up on the shore with their paddlers walking back to the ship, Our guide was good – he got out four boats to stop and huddle together on the shore and he went back and helped tow the two remaining boats to catch us up. As they caught us up – a little more drama as one capsized. All ended well , we abandoned the kayaks on the beach and our guide phoned his brother who came an collected us in his boat and took us back to the ship – yes you guessed it for another quick swim and some fresh fish for lunch. We all got back safe and with another tale to tell. There is another option in Kotor – you can climb the 853 steps of the old city wall and experience a wonderful view – next time.

Dubrovnik – We were surprised by Dubrovnik. Many have seen pictures of the old walled city nestled into the coast line. When you go ashore it is larger than you think. It has become a little ‘touristy’ although with the greatest respect to one of our sister lines that could be because just as we arrived two very large Costa ships did their best to double the population of the city. But it is a fascinating place to visit. The people are very friendly, you can if you want walk right round the old city walls and there are numerous small streets, cafés, ships and restaurants to keep you busy – well worth a visit. It is interesting to think how recently Croatia and Montenegro were involved in very difficult times – but you see little evidence of that and good for them in doing so well to recover their tourism so strongly.

So then it was ‘beer-o-clock’ again and our last day and time for one last relaxing dinner .We reflected on just how much we had enjoyed this part of the world. Glorious weather every day – hot but with cool breezes. We had seen so much history – real history over 2,000 years ago. We had seen some beautiful islands. We had exercised a lot in the gym and through our volcano walks and kayaking. We ate – as you would on many cruise lines – some very tasty and healthy food. The service on board – as it is on many cruise lines – was delivered by some wonderful people and was superb and very relaxing. Getting there and back by air was just fine. The beer was cold, the champagne was bubbly and we met some lovely people – from the UK, from Poland, from North America and from Australia.

So I can honestly say that you should indeed consider going on a cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean.  We felt safe, we learnt a huge amount about local history, we saw small islands and big cities and most of all we felt relaxed. I do hope that has given you some insight into what a cruise can be like – of course many of our regular bloggers will know that already. And far be it from me to be too persuasive – but just imagine doing all of what I have described – and more – next summer with the fine Queen Elizabeth as your home. She will be based in the Mediterranean from late August to November and we would love you to come and join us……..

That’s all for now.  Have a wonderful weekend wherever you are – and when it gets to beer-o-clock on Saturday I will raise a glass to you all……….

Best Regards

Peter

Scott Uehlein, Corporate Chef for Canyon Ranch, oversees the food and beverage programs for Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona; Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachuesetts; Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach and all Canyon Ranch SpaClub facilities, including Queen Mary 2. A visionary in his field, he is consistently recognised for his creativity and expertise in the development and preparation of healthy cuisine.

Award-winning Canyon Ranch cuisine raises the culinary bar with gourmet dining that’s incredibly good for you. Chef Scott works with  Cunard’s Chef Patron Jean-Marie Zimmermann and culinary staff aboard Queen Mary 2 to design nutritious spa menu selections, offering guests the same world-famous healthy cuisine that Canyon Ranch is known for.

We asked Chef Scott to provide some of his favourite healthy tips that you can follow at home:

I love food, and I love preparing healthy gourmet food at home to share with my family and friends. I get a lot of questions on how to create a healthy meal when you are short on time. Here are a few of my favourite tips and shortcuts that I use in my kitchen at home to create tasty and healthful meals that everyone will love.

Food preparation tips to trim unnecessary fat and calories:
• When sautéing foods, spray oil instead of pouring. One tablespoon of oil in a pan adds 90 calories and 15 grams of fat to a dish. And beware; you pour oil out of a bottle with a standard plastic top at a rate of one tablespoon per second. When TV chefs instruct you to “add a little oil” to a pan, and pour five seconds worth of oil, they are adding 450 calories and 75 grams of fat! Spraying adds about 1/3 of a teaspoon per pump and only about one gram of fat.
• Instead of adding a lot of cream or butter to a dish, try balancing flavours of a dish by incorporating the taste elements of sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Sweet may be a touch of sweetener or fruit, sour may be a squeeze of citrus juice, bitter may be a bit of chopped olive and salty means properly seasoned with sea salt, not excessively salty. You may find you are using less fat if you look at flavors.

Good fundamentals to stock in the freezer along with easy ways to use them:
• Home-made chicken stock: I simmer chicken bones after we roast a chicken for dinner, cool the stock and freeze it in containers or bags. This helps me avoid purchasing stock. I also use it for a quick meal – just add chicken meat, carrots, celery and onions and simmer. You can serve this as a soup or thicken slightly with cornstarch and serve over noodles.
• Brown rice: I cook extra brown rice when I make it for dinner and freeze it. Having it cooked and frozen is a quick starch with a healthy stir fry.
• Vegetables for stir fry: I prefer fresh vegetables, but I do have frozen for the nights we need something really fast.
• Edamame: Both in the shell (great as an appetizer) as well as out of the shell (great to roast as a snack, or mash as a starch).
• A variety of nuts and seeds: Keeping them in the freezer maximises their freshness.

Healthy and easy side dishes that are sure to be crowd pleasers:
• In addition to the ones above, for quick sides we prepare spinach with garlic and olive oil (done in a couple of minutes), sliced tomatoes (when in season with a little salt), sliced cucumbers with onion, vinegar and a pinch of salt, stir fried veggies (whatever is in season) with garlic ginger and a touch of soy sauce.

Interesting condiments to quickly spice up a dish:
• Sweet chili sauce: I use it on fish, chicken or stir fry or as an ingredient in a dish that may need a hint of sweet & spicy.
• Sambal sauce: This is a spicy chili paste that I use in cucumber salsa, Thai noodles, etc. But be sure to look for one without sulfites.
• Hot sauce: Because I truly dislike the flavor of preservatives, I make my own with peppers, vinegar, garlic, onions and spices. But there are brands out there without preservatives that taste great, too. I use hot sauce on eggs, chicken, fish, in stir fry dishes, on sandwiches, etc.
• “Maple spread” – This is a maple sugar / maple syrup mixture that I use on toast or even in place of sugar in certain preparations – the flavour is awesome and all natural.

Those are just a few tips to help make cooking at home quick, easy and healthy. If you are looking to take the delicious healthy food served at Canyon Ranch home with you, I encourage you to browse our library of Canyon Ranch recipes – making healthy eating easy and irresistible: http://www.canyonranch.com/community_connection/recipes/

Hello All

The future belongs to the youngsters of today. Today I want to share a very special blog with you written by one of our guests – 16 year old Matt Venner. Matt recently travelled across the Atlantic Ocean on Queen Mary 2 and he asked if he could share his experiences on our blog – to which the answer was ‘of course, we would love you to’. So – through the eyes of a bright 16 year old – here we go……

Guest Blog

Matt Venner

Guest on board Queen Mary 2

Nothing can prepare you for the sheer size of Queen Mary 2. Her giant white superstructure towers above the new ocean terminal in Southampton and you never quite remember how massive she is. When we arrived, my eyes just kept going up. I had totally forgotten how tall she is, always dominating the skyline, not that it bothers me at all, because isn’t she a beautiful thing?

The terminal itself is fantastic. The boarding system that Cunard have adopted is brilliant, and we thought they should do the same at airline check in! The lettered cards are a great idea. Not only do they split up hoards of people into manageable sized groups, but they also build excitement as everyone eagerly awaits the call of their letter.

Once you get on the ship itself, there really is nothing quite like it; it’s hard to take it all in. Smiling faces at the door are ready to greet you and show you to anywhere you need, the massive expanse of the Grand Lobby stretches all around you, and the wide hallways reach to each end of the ship and the most important public areas. It’s one of the most fantastic public spaces I have ever experienced; the lobby is just as you would imagine a classic liner’s to be, including a double staircase, white and black wood and red carpets.

Almost everyone has asked me what my favourite part of the trip was, and to be honest I can’t say one thing over the others, it was all perfect and I really could not fault anything. If I had to choose though, I would say the wonderful Cunard service. For me it isn’t just the White Star Standard, it’s all the personal touches from everyone. Nothing is too much hassle, and everything is served with a massive smile and impeccable manners – I could definitely get used to being called Sir at 16 years old on a day to day basis. One member of staff that comes straight to mind is one of the head waiters in the Britannia Restaurant. Every time we saw him he chatted away, and always cheered us up when we were tired in the morning. Another great part of cruising is the people you meet. We were lucky enough to meet some wonderful people, from our brilliantly chatty fellow diners, to the people we bumped into round the decks and in the pools and Jacuzzis.

Possibly the best highlight of the voyage, was Monday 25^th July. The whole day was stunning. The sun shone all day and the decks were packed with people enjoying cloudless blue skies, but perhaps some of the best moments I can recall from my entire childhood came in the early afternoon. We spotted a small group of dolphins off the port side; everyone rushed over and gazed at the ocean waiting for any small glimpse of the prize.

After our appetites were wetted by this short encounter, the wildlife obliged. Pods of dolphins and whales came past the boat all afternoon. No sooner was one group out of sight, swimming past the boat, than we caught a glimpse of the next group coming just ahead of the bow. They were heading the opposite direction to us, and literally came in their hundreds. We learnt later in the day that it had been one of the best days the Queen Mary 2 had ever had, and an estimated 500 dolphins and whales passed the boat throughout the day. We were in heaven. On our own private balcony, overlooking perfectly clear aqua seas, completely flat and reminiscent of shimmering silk, with nothing but the ripples from the bow wave, and pods of dolphins swimming right by our window, perhaps only about 50 metres away at their closest, coming from underneath the ship and jumping right before our eyes.

Another transatlantic wonder is the sunsets, and sunrises. The sunset on our penultimate night was absolutely stunning, and the panorama I took doesn’t really show it in all its glory – it was breathtaking.

At the end of our voyage was the fantastic entrance to New York harbour. Here the sunrise was stunning. Never have I seen such pink skies in the morning. If anyone hasn’t yet tried it, it really should be on your list of “things to do before you die”, standing on the top deck of the tallest ocean liner in the world, as people are talking in hushed whispers that grow into small yelps as the funnel approaches the Verrazano bridge. They say 4 metres clearance but it doesn’t even look like 4 feet! The atmosphere on deck is unlike anything I’ve felt. Everyone is staring at one specific point waiting to see if it will fit, and right up until the last moment, no one believes it will (even those who have experienced it before!) It is beyond exciting.

As we slipped into New York, through the metaphoric gates of the Verrazano Bridge supports, to quote one of the fantastic lecturers we had on board, Bill Miller:

“We became another sparkling jewel on the magic bracelet that is New York City.”

As for my final word; the Queen Mary 2 is a fantastic liner. I can’t find words that do it justice but I would sail again on her tomorrow if I could. I had a magical experience.

Thank you so much Matt and we are all so pleased that you offered to share your experiences with us. At Cunard Line we don’t often talk about how many families and youngsters we have sailing with us. However at this time of year we can have as many as 300 youngsters on board for a crossing. We have good facilities for them and the scale of the ships means that guests are never really aware of just how many youngsters we have on board. I really enjoy seeing young children – and teenagers – dressed for dinner on a formal night. I am sure there must be many conversations prior to dniner along the lines of ‘Dad – I am not wearing that jacket and that funny bow-tie thing’. But wear them they do – and memories they create for the whole family. It reminds me of one of my own Queen Mary 2 family memories.

Back in 2004 there was much excitement in the Shanks Family household when I announced we would all be going on the first Queen Mary 2 ’shakedown’ voyage for two nights – we would be amongst the first to sail on the most famous ship in the world. As my wife and two daughters (14 and 12 at the time) travelled down the M3 to join the ship I called them to say that we would all be staying in a four-bed inside stateroom. I stressed that it would be rather embarrassing for them to be seen to be complaining about this and they had to be on their best behaviour. On arrival at the QE2 Terminal, they were met by a Butler and taken up to The Balmoral Duplex Suite where I was waiting to meet them. I shall always remember the look on my daughters faces – they were not after all in a four-bed inside stateroom, they were about to ’shakedown’ the largest suite at sea. Reading Matt’s blog reminds me of just how exciting and special Queen Mary 2 is. As a family we still treasure all the photos from that ’shakedown’ – and every cabin we have stayed in since has been somewhat of a disappointment by comparison. I hope that Matt treasures his memories and I hope he has thanked his mother for giving him that opportunity – I am sure he has. We look forward to Matt – and many youngsters like him – travelling with us in the future and ensuring the continued success of Cunard Line for many, many years to come.

Have a good weekend wherever you are.

Best Regards

Peter

We thought we would share this little blog with you from David Stephenson, Hotel Manager on board Queen Victoria.

On Queen Victoria’s recent overnight call in St Petersburg, the Hotel Team on Queen Victoria received a request from Hans Dernision Hotel Manager and Agnello D’ Souza Executive Housekeeper of Holland America Line, ms Rotterdam for assistance with their laundry  following a temporary failure of one of their main laundry washing machines.

Always happy to assist the Queen Victoria team arranged to wash and dry 720 kilos of pool towels and stateroom towels while processing the linen change for their own guests.

The Deputy Captain arranged the necessary Gangway clearances so that the transfer of the dirty linen could be expedited quickly and efficiently between the two vessels. The whole process went seamlessly and the clean linen was transferred back to the ms Rotterdam with ample time to spare before Queen Victoria’s departure for Tallinn. It was perhaps ironic that the most complicated part of the process was arranging the customs authorisation to make the transfer possible.

Pictures below show ms Rotterdam’s Laundry Staff working alongside Queen Victoria’s onboard Laundry Team

Guest Blog

Annette Wardell

Guest Entertainer

Being a Guest Entertainer is the best job in the world! What other profession gives you the chance to do what you love doing (sing!), travel the world and meet some truly amazing people?!

I’m a professional opera singer, and literally fell by happy accident into the world of ship-board entertainment. I was performing ‘Carmen’ in Valencia, Spain, and was approached by an Agent at breakfast after the opening show. At the time, I didn’t even know that there was entertainment on board ships! Little did I realise then what a wonderful world I was about to discover.

Cunard was the first line I ever worked for, and I was sent all the way to South America to join the Caronia for a week. As a Guest Entertainer, you are emailed flight, hotel and transfer details well in advance of the contract date. However, I learned very early on that a certain amount of independence is needed to get yourself from A to B and back again, and in dealing with all the Customs, Immigration and Port Officials this job entails. quite a daunting prospect for someone who’d never even flown on her own before!

One of the very best parts of this job are the friends you make. I’m constantly receiving emails, texts and calls from people all over the world, working on many different ships. We may not see each other for weeks, even months, and yet when we meet again on another ship, it’s as though we’ve never been apart. Catching up over a coffee, or something a little stronger, after shows is fantastic. There is a huge camaraderie amongst Guest Entertainers, and staff on board, including Entertainment, Theatre and Shops, all become great friends. Without wanting to sound clichéd, we are like a big family, especially on Cunard! On that first voyage I made a very special friend, who taught me so much about working and performing on ships, and has remained an inspiration to this day – the lovely Kenny Martyn (who is, incidentally, in the next cabin as I write, preparing a spectacular Big Band show for the Queens Room this evening!). Not only did we tour most of South America’s football stadiums, but I still use the very same Hotmail account he so kindly set up for me on a very sultry afternoon in a café in Montevideo!
Although I regularly perform opera and concerts on land, ship performances remain my favourite. Entertainers put together their own programmes – mine is all my favourite songs! And in no other venue do we have the opportunity to meet and get to know our audience. It’s very special being able to chat to guests after shows, and see just how much the entertainment here on board is valued and appreciated.

Every show of my ship career has been a thrill, but my highlights? My first performance in the Royal Court Theatre here on Queen Mary 2; a magnificent theatre, better than any to be found in the West End or Broadway! And being invited to perform on the very last night of QE2’s very last voyage. It was a true honour, and singing ‘Time to Say Goodbye’ has never been so difficult, filled as it was with so many memories. She was a beautiful ship.

What an amazing job I’ve got! Lucky, lucky girl!

-          Annette.