Tuesday, July 10, 2012

July 2012 Newsletter -- Trans Atlantic Crossing on Cunard's Queen Mary 2



Visit our Website About Us Our Calendar of Value-Added Promos

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. 
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.
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

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

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.
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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:
Eastern and Oriental Express
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!
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!


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.

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