Well time is closing in. I am still looking for a White Tuxedo Jacket in an appropriate size. We are leaving on Saturday for the Playboy Jazz cruise aboard the Holland America Westerdam. We are going to enjoy our balcony cabin. There is only one formal night and an interesting itinerary: San Juan/Nevis/St Barts/ Hal's Private island and two sea days.

Because of the Half World cruise I decided to purchase a net book. I was torn between the Dell and the Eee by Asus. I decided on the Eee because it has a 130 Gig hard drive compared to Dell only having flash drive. It has a web cam and mike built in and works great with skpe. All this and a new mouse /pointer system where you an just tap or use two fingers to scroll. It weighs a little over 2lbs has a 4 hour battery life and I am in love!

Holland America had not assigned us a cabin for the New Zealand segment as yet. I received today an offer I could not refuse for only $999 per person! yes EACH they will allow us to upgrade to a balcony!

Well we did go ahead and spend the extra! Who says Travel Agents travel for free.

Preparation

Where do you start..........

Job one, take out the Tuxedo and suits. The QM2 has six formal nights in the 15 days. Try the clothes on and realize that you have put on a gazillion pounds since you used them last! I got on the scale and it went all the way around to Zero............O my God I am 300 lbs!

The next thing I do is go out and look for new clothes. There are none to fit me. I am too short and round like Humpty Dumpty.

I was always big but this is dangerous. I already have a heart problem, carrying an extra 150 lbs puts too much strain on the heart.

So on to Weight Watchers. I have lost 4.6 lbs in the first week. My goal is to loose 30 lbs before the QM2 departs on Feb 10th.

While deciding to loose the weight one of the reasons was after reviewing the QM2 menus I decided that I could not spend 15 days without sampling them all.

As the only balcony cabins on this ship are on two decks only we are in an outside cabin for this segment. The beds can be placed together.
I have been sailing on Holland America ships since 1980 and have always enjoyed the standard of service from staff and the quality of the food. Many nights we eat on the Lido deck. It is an informal setting. And I love the Holland America "Bread Pudding" available daily in a different format.

At this point I am looking at the following options as the next section.

Seabourn-Seabourn Spirit Mar 16 2009 30 Days. Hong Kong S.A.R., Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Ko Kood, Bangkok, Singapore, George Town, Colombo, Cochin, Mumbai, Muscat, Dubai.

Crystal Cruises-Crystal Serenity Mar 19 2009 28 Days. Singapore, Cruise Gulf of Thailand, Laem Chabang, Sihanoukville, Cruise Gulf of Thailand, Ho Chi Minh City, Chan May, Ha Long, Hong Kong, Xiamen, Shanghai, Nagasaki, Osaka, Shimizu, Yokohama.

Holland America Line-ms Rotterdam Mar 16 2009 58 Days. Singapore, Phuket, Cochin, Mumbai, Dubai, Muscat, Victoria, Mombasa, Nosy Be/Nossi Be, Mamoudzou, Maputo, Richards Bay, Durban, Cape Town, Luderitz, Walvis Bay, St. Helena, Ascension Island, Devils Island, Port Spain/Trinidad-Tobago, Barbados/Bridgetown, Gustavia, Fort Lauderdale.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines-Balmoral Mar 17 2009 38 Days. Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tianjin, Seoul, Kagoshima, Yokohama, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Crossing the International Dateline, Seward, College Fjord, Hubbard Glacier, Skagway, Ketchikan, Cruise Inside Passage, Vancouver.

Regent Seven Seas-Voyager Mar 18 2009 14 Days. Singapore, George Town, Phuket, Colombo, Cochin, Mumbai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai.

The Next Cruise Segment

How ever wonderful a cruise ship is passengers become satiated after a while. After 15 days of fine food and wine many passengers yearn for a "Big Mac" or a "Whopper."

For that reason I thought of looking for an alternate line for the next segment.

It came down to the Holland America Volendam from Sydney to New Zealand for 14 days Departing March 2nd 2009.

Gross Tonnage: 61,396 grt.(One registered ton equals 100 cubic feet)
Length: 780 feet
Beam: 105.8 feet Maximum speed: 23 knots (maximum)
Ship's Registry: The Netherlands
Passenger capacity: 1,432
Crew: 588
Dedicated: November 1999 by tennis professional Chris Evert.

Ports of Call: Sydney, Australia; Melbourne, Australia; Burnie, Tasmania, Australia; Milford Sound, New Zealand; Fiordland Natl Park Eastbound; Dunedin, New Zealand; Christchurch, New Zealand; Picton, New Zealand; Wellington, New Zealand; Napier, New Zealand; Tauranga (Rotorua) New Zealand; Auckland, New Zealand.

The Next Segment

As we arrive in Sydney on Feb 26th we will be staying in an apartment overlooking the beach and ocean at Manly about 8 miles from Sydney. The rate is about $100 per night for a one bedroom. I will keep you updated when we arrive there.

"From the moment you walk in the front door the stunning views of Manly Beach and the ocean will take your breath away. This fully renovated intimate one bedroom apartment is on the top floor which guarantees the fantastic open views of the beach and the ocean. Comfortable recliner lounges." The apartment is located next to the famous shopping, cafe and restaurant area of “The Corso” right in Manly and only a minute or so from the beautiful expanse of Manly Beach. Walk, bike-ride or jog along the beach promenade or just enjoy the vibrant outdoor cafes, bars and shops. There’s always lively action in Manly with its street markets, food and wine festival and the famous Manly Jazz Festival.Only five minutes walk to Manly Wharf on the beautiful Sydney Harbour. Catch the ferry or Jetcat straight to Circular Quay in Sydney arriving right at the Opera House and The Sydney Harbour Bridge. The 30 minute ferry ride on the harbour is spectacular in itself. "

What Itineraries?

I had decided that although I did want to do the "World Cruise" the 90 day itinerary of the QM2 for 2009 with fares from $20,000 - $205,000 per person was going to cover much of the area that we had already covered. For that reason I decided to make my own Itinerary.
The days are long gone of departing New York with lots of streamers and champagne. I decided we would start in Los Angeles on Feb 10th 2009

10Tue Los Angeles, California

11 Wed Cruising the Pacific Ocean

12 Thu Cruising the Pacific Ocean

13 Fri Cruising the Pacific Ocean

14 Sat Cruising the Pacific Ocean

15 Sun Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

16 Mon Cruising the Pacific Ocean

17 Tue Cruising the Pacific Ocean

18 Wed Cruising the South Pacific Ocean

19 Thu Pago Pago, American Samoa

20 Fri Cross International Dateline - Lost Day

21 Sat Cruising the South Pacific Ocean

22 Sun Cruising the South Pacific Ocean

23 Mon Auckland, New Zealand

24 Tue Cruising the South Pacific Ocean

25 Wed Cruising the Tasman Sea

26 Thu Sydney, Australia

As you can see this itinerary includes many "Sea Days." That was the reason to select the QM2 for this segment with it's many on board facilities.

What Cabin

As a past Cunard passenger I was able to obtain an "In Hull" Balcony cabin a category B3 for $2,999 per person with a $250 per person On Board credit. The In hull balcony cabins have the metal wall.

In the middle of December we received notification that we had been upgraded to a Deluxe Balcony cabin on deck 11. These cabins are much higher on the ship and allow you to enjoy the view even from the bed.

Deluxe Balcony Staterooms offer approximately 248 square feet including a panoramic glass balcony with loungers and tables. King-size bed may be converted to twins and a dual height coffee table may be used for en suite dining.

Which ships?

I have been sailing since 1980, selling cruises since 1982 and mainly River Cruises to the Danube, Rhine and Russia for the last six years.
For the world cruise I had decided that although I do not normaly enjoy ships over 700 passengers The QM2 would be a great selection based on the availability of the following.

Facilities: Large library with more than 8,000 books, the largest Library at sea. Planetarium. Queen Mary 2's full-scale planetarium. It also functions as a grand cinema and a 500-seat lecture hall. Number of balcony cabins

Food and service: Pub Food, There's even a traditional Pub Lunch served every day, with classic favourites such as fish & chips and cottage pie. Indian food options, Afternoon Tea: Indulge in a truly British tradition. White-gloved waiters serve fresh scones with cream, finger sandwiches and premium tea in the Queens Room; you can also enjoy a full tea on our Promenade Deck, served each afternoon from our classic tea trolley.

Some Americans have a problem with the Cunard English "attitude and food." Since Cunard is now part of the Carnival company this has improved and also, being British by birth I have a good Idea of what to expect.

QM2 Facts
Length: 1,132 feet
Beam: 135 feet
Beam at Bridge Wings: 147.5 feet
Draft: 32 feet 10 inches
Height (Keel to Funnel): 236.2 feet
Gross Tonnage: Approximately 151,400 gross tonnes
Guest Capacity: 2,592 lower berths 3,056 maximum capacity (Including third and fourth berths)
Crew: 1,253
Cruise Speed: 28.5 Knots
Power: 157,000 horsepower, environmentally friendly, gas turbine/diesel electric plant
Propulsion: Four pods of 21.5 MW each; 2 fixed and 2 azimuthing
Strength: Extra thick steel hull for strength and stability for Transatlantic Crossings
Stabilizers: Two sets
Cost: Estimated $800 million

Some Comparisons:
QM2 is five times longer than Cunard's first ship, Britannia (230 ft.)
QM2 is 113 feet longer than the original Queen Mary
QM2 is more than twice as long as the Washington Monument is tall (550 ft.)
QM2 is 147 feet longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall (984 ft.)
QM2 is more than 3½ times as long as Westminster Tower (Big Ben) is high (310 ft.)
QM2 is only 117 feet shorter than the Empire State Building is tall (1248 ft.)
QM2 is more than three times as long as St. Paul's Cathedral is tall (366 ft.)
QM2 is as long as 41 double-decker London buses (31½ ft. each)
QM2's whistle is audible for 10 miles

The Begining

I was born at a very early age...............When I was a small child in England a few years after the second world war, television came about. The first pictures that I saw were of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth 2. If my memory serves me well It was June? 1953. I was seven years old. I also remember that every child in England received a gift of Cadbury's chocolates in a tin box. After the first day of course the chocolate had been devoured but the box with it's silver paper liner retained the chocolate aroma which fed my imagination if not my appetite for several weeks. The box eventually became the receptacle for my pencils and pens. In those days our school desks had ink wells and we took our books to school in Gas Mask bags left over from the war.

During 1959-1960 BBC television produced TV a show called "Whickers"s World" with host Allen Whicker. The bespectacled Whicker--a former journalist and reporter for television's Tonight programme has probed and dissected the often secretive and unobserved private worlds of the rich and famous, rooting out the most implausible and sometimes ridiculous characters after gaining admittance to the places where they conduct their leisure hours. One of the shows featured a lady of idependant means who lived on the Cunard Queen Mary taking a world cruise. The BBC has announced that there will be a new show produced in 2008. The four-part series, Alan Whicker's Journey of a Lifetime, due this autumn, will mix Whicker's memories, reflections and archive footage from 30 years of the hugely popular Whicker's World. He is now 85 years old.

At the age of 14 I decide this would be the life for me. Living on a cruise ship sailing around the world! Well it took me a little while.............and, you can't always get what you want!...You get what you need?

By the time I was able to participate the Queen Mary is in a block of cement in Long Beach, The QE2 will soon be in a block of cement in Dubai. I have been cruising since 1976 and have had always wanted to travel on board one of the Cunard vessels. I did have the opportunity to travel a few years ago on the Q.E 2 in a suite which gave one the "privilege" of dining in the Queens Grill. During the trip we came through some rough seas. We knew something was up when the cabin steward came into our suite and placed everything on the floor of the cabin. It was rough enough to blow out the windows on the "Two Deck" which is the second deck level to the top of the ship . When we met with Commodore Warwick he told us it was "Nothing." We did not understand "this is not a cruise, it is a crossing and the QE2 always gets through."
Even after this experience which required me to be taken to the doctor on board for a "Mal De Mer" shot, I still wanted to "do" the "World Cruise" and being British, specifically with Cunard.
This blog will be the "story" of this epic!

I will be posting from my trip hopefully on a daily basis if the ship's internet system allows?