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President Circle, Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond
Jubilee, Cunard’s Atlantic Crossing, and more …
We were part of the Cruise Holidays President’s Circle
cruise, awarded to 20 of the top Cruise Holidays businesses in North America.
The cruise was aboard Cunard Line’s legendary Queen Mary 2, sailing from Southampton, England to New York, June
10-17, 2012. Being our first trans-Atlantic
cruise, we share the experience with you.
Canterbury, Kent – a voyage into the past
We traveled to Canterbury a week before the sailing -- just
in time to participate in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration; the passion and
outcry of love for the Queen was amazing! Hundreds of thousands exercised
squatter’s rights – taking up vantage positions days in advance to catch sight
of the Queen and the Royals. And according to the Guinness Book of Records, witness
the largest ever flotilla up the Thames or anywhere for that matter.
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| Flotilla, Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee |
The Queen
was visibly touched by her son Charles’ address which started with “Your Royal
Highness, Mummy ...”
We celebrated with locals at a 700 year-old pub in
Canterbury, Kent with our friends Mike and Ann. Dressed in regal regalia, the
locals danced, sang, and made merry. Mike and Ann were great hosts; we visited historic
sites of Canterbury and the coast north of Dover, a concert at the new Marlowe
Theatre that sticks out magnificently amidst the older Canterbury landscape.
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| View of Trafalgar Square |
In London, Zaneta remarked, “Of all the cities I have
visited, these landmarks are impressive!” We wanted to update ourselves on
London, the city and at the same time experience the services of one of our
preferred ground operators and travel partner. We treated ourselves to a
private morning tour using their services, and inspected 4 and 5-star hotels aligned
with our travelers’ preferences. Stay tuned for our enhanced British Isles
cruise-tours or a trans-Atlantic crossing on Cunard! Traditional cruising with
the largest dance floor on the ocean!
Southampton – a haunted hotel and embarkation
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| Bristol Room, New Place |
In Southampton, we stayed at a rural hotel – Devere Venues New Place. Built in 1906 it
has the appearance of a manor of much older vintage. Its Bristol Room – moved piece by piece from another house and
reassembled at New Place exactly as before. The fireplace carries the coat of
arms of the family and a date circa 1650. The manor was used as a school before
becoming a hotel and mysterious happenings occurred in the boys’ dormitory
above the Bristol Room. The story goes that there were some unexplained
appearances in the dorm – the last being in 1983 by a “Brutus” who had died
accidentally at the manor performing repairs to the roof.
The crossing
The next day, we traveled from rural Hampshire to
Southampton and boarded the Queen Mary 2. Once on sail, we were quick to appreciate
Cunard’s distinction between an “ocean liner” and a “cruise ship”. The crossing
on Queen Mary 2 was as smooth as silk even in choppy waters.
Unlike most
ocean-going voyages, a trans-Atlantic crossing is not defined by a series of
port calls. Passengers feel a sense of timelessness, as each day brings new
opportunities to relax and unwind aboard the ship. Very quickly, one realizes there
is no pressure to rise early in order to leave the ship to sight-see, shop, or
go to the beach. Overheard sentiments of one passenger: “From the moment you step aboard, you are not
stepping back in time, but in a sense you are stepping away from it.”
Restful, yet Stimulating
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| Stairwell, QM2 |
Those who feel a 7-day ocean crossing may leave too much
idle time need not fear. Although there is a feel of a slower pace, there are
countless activities to take part in from sun-up until well past sundown. The
days are filled with everything from early riser’s yoga, to insightful guest
lecturers, to Afternoon Tea, to exciting casino action or relaxing visits to
the spa.
Glittering, Glamorous Evenings
The Golden Age of ocean travel comes alive in the evenings on a
trans-Atlantic cruise. Passengers dress in their finest formalwear and enjoy
exquisite dishes such as Lobster Américaine Flambé, Châteaubriand,
and decadent desserts, like Cassis Champagne Mousse. Nothing can
compare to the lavish themed balls, such as the Black and White Ball or the
Royal Ascot Ball, held on the largest dance floor at sea, amidst a sea of glittering
ball gowns, tuxedos, magnificent hats and fascinators.
The Ultimate Experience
Passengers who wake early the final morning of the sailing
are treated to one of the most unique experiences anywhere at sea – sailing
into New York Harbor, under the Verrazano Bridge and past the Statue of
Liberty. It’s the ultimate experience to wake up before sunrise, go out on deck
in a warm sweater with a celebratory glass of champagne or a steaming mug of
coffee or tea in hand. To see land after an extended period at sea is a moment
that brings hope and a sense of new possibilities.
Packing Tips
Packing for a trans-Atlantic cruise does require a
considerable amount of forethought, but information on dress requirements is
readily available well ahead of the cruise departure, giving you time to plan
accordingly. Think of items you may be able to re-purpose, especially shawls,
wraps or light jackets. There is a laundry service onboard and launderettes are
generously spread throughout the ship on most decks. Of course the advantage of
all types of cruising is once you are at the ship you only need to unpack once.
About the Cruise Holidays President’s Circle
The formula for determining President’s Circle members is
based on two factors. The Cruise Holidays businesses that earned the most
revenue in the previous year along with those who had the most revenue growth
compared to the previous year were chosen as President’s Circle winners.
Additionally, while most of the winners were Cruise Holidays storefront
agencies, the top three virtual offices (home-based businesses) were also
selected for the President’s Circle.
Zaneta and I are honoured to have been named to the
President’s Circle for the last three years running, and thank you for your
continued support. We stand ready to help you realize your dream vacation or
check off one more of your “bucket list” items.
Call us at 905 855 1700 or email info@clarksontravel.ca
for more information. Our address is 1739 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga ON
L5J 1J4 and there is ample free parking at the rear of our store.
Join our team
Over the years, several of you, our fellow travelers, have
demonstrated a passion for travel driven as we are for an ongoing learning of
historical influences of the diverse cultures of the world. We are expanding,
and invite you to join us! We are particularly interested in individuals who
wish to work from the comfort of their homes. Please call us to discuss.
# # #
Cruise Holidays is
part of the oldest cruise-specialty retail franchise in North America, with
stores and home-based franchises in both the United States and Canada. Cruise
Holidays is also a distinguished provider of land tour vacation packages.
Founded in 1984, Cruise Holidays is part of Travel Leaders Group. With
approximately 1,300 travel agency locations in the United States and Canada,
Travel Leaders Group serves millions of individual leisure travelers, as well
as select corporate clients and destinations.
An invitation to join
Zaneta and Joe on two upcoming voyages.
Zaneta and I have had the pleasure of
travelling with many of you, and we have selected two voyages that we will
escort together -- by far our preferred way of travel. We describe these
voyages below and invite you to join us:
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| Orient Express from Bangkok to Singapore |
1. “The
Deluxe Orient Experience” departing Toronto November 2nd
2012 for Bangkok. This is a land tour, filled with
activity designed to provide an understanding of ancient culture at our places
of visit, and experience then influence of this past on today’s lifestyles. And
music, art, stunning landscapes and architectural wonders all form part of the
total experience. There are a total of
twelve hotel nights – Bangkok, Singapore, Bali and Hong Kong and with three
nights on board the Eastern and Oriental Express.
2.
Crystal
Cruises’ “Canary
Island Classic” departing Toronto April 7th 2013. Alexa 
Petrenko of the New
Classical 96.3FM radio station will join us on this voyage, and will be
available to meet, socialize with you, and share her experience with 96.3 and
her vast exposure to the world of classical music. Alexa hosts “Oasis” that
airs weekdays from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM and “Sunday Night at the Opera”. This
voyage visits the powers of the Old World, Portugal and Spain, the steamy
kingdom of Morocco, and the revered Canary Islands. There is much to see,
learn, experience and do on board and on shore. We invite you to come with us.
Note we are in the process of adding concerts etc. however don't wait to book!
Petrenko of the New
Classical 96.3FM radio station will join us on this voyage, and will be
available to meet, socialize with you, and share her experience with 96.3 and
her vast exposure to the world of classical music. Alexa hosts “Oasis” that
airs weekdays from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM and “Sunday Night at the Opera”. This
voyage visits the powers of the Old World, Portugal and Spain, the steamy
kingdom of Morocco, and the revered Canary Islands. There is much to see,
learn, experience and do on board and on shore. We invite you to come with us.
Note we are in the process of adding concerts etc. however don't wait to book!
Crystal Cruises’ has been voted # 1 by
Conde Nast for 17 years running.
For alternate dates and voyages, please view our Calendar of Value-Added Promotions. We have something extra in each!
For alternate dates and voyages, please view our Calendar of Value-Added Promotions. We have something extra in each!
We thank you for your business and we stand
ready to review and discuss how you can achieve your travel plans or dreams and
advantage of existing value offers. Please call us at 905 855 1700 or e-mail info@clarksontravel.ca for more information. Our address is 1739
Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga ON L5J 1J4 and there is ample free parking at
the rear of our store.
