This is such an exciting time of the year – We have just enjoyed Halloween, (for me and my fellow Brits – Guy Fawkes Day or Bonfire night 5th November) another birthday for me on the 7th – 29 again! Then it is on to Thanksgiving (yes I am also proud to be an American) followed by Christmas and New Years. BUT the reason I get so excited is this is the time of the year when I see so many friends make their final arrangments for our next Cunard World Cruise – so many old (sorry, former friends) returning to enjoy this special time with me.

Many of us started on the fabled QE2 (Queen Elizabeth 2) – and yes we still miss her old fashioned charm but have learned to appreciate the amenities of more modern ocean-going liners.

The previous 2 years we have enjoyed the beautiful Queen Victoria – the most gorgeous public rooms seen anywhere on land or sea.

This year however we have chosen to take a different route – easterly “ the other way around” on the magnificent Ocean Liner – Queen Mary 2. Many of you I am sure will have already experienced her on her regular transatlantic crossings – some of you with your pets on-board!

I am very excited to once again share a Cunard World Cruise in 2010 with so many friends. Often I am asked – do I tire of travelling the world every year and visiting many of the same places? Never! Whilst travelling, one makes so many new and interesting friends and even if they are not onboard this year I will be meeting with previously onboard friends in Southampton, Sydney, Durban and Cape Town. Plus of course I am able to offer our passengers ideas of what to do in various ports of call should they not want to take an organized excursion.

As Cruise Specialists escort, I do look forward to accompanying our guests on our complimentary tours in both Singapore (have you enjoyed a Rickshaw ride and a Singapore sling?) and the unique Musical Museum when we ferry across to Waiheke Island from the port of Auckland (where my son was born, when I was living in Fiji) to once again meet the charming couple and admire their amazing collection of old musical instruments.

Yes the Queen Mary is the largest of the Cunard fleet but large or small each ship has it’s own advantages as my repeating world cruise guests will agree.

More excitement for 2011 when we travel the World on the Inaugural Cruise of the “new”

Queen Elizabeth (no number this time!) Many of your have already made your reservations as you know only too well Inaugural cruises always sell out fast. FYI the ship is to be launched in October so any initial teething problems will be well out of the way before we embark in New York in January.

More on our World Cruise at a later date as first I must prepare for Seabourn Legend in December when I will be on-board Host on this delightful Yacht like small ship. I look forward to returning for the exceptional service only a small luxury ship can afford and meeting old friends from June of last year when I enjoyed a Mediterranean Riviera cruise. This time we are enjoying the many small ports only accessible to a ship carrying 200 passengers between Costa Rica – Ft. Lauderdale. I will tell you all about it upon my return.

I look forward to hearing from many of my Cruise Specialists friends – comments and suggestions on my first blog post, please.

Meanwhile stay well and happy!

With kindest wishes,

Deirdre Irlam
on-board Host for –
Seabourn Legend Dec ’09
Queen Mary 2 World Cruise 2010
Queen Elizabeth World Cruise 2011