Changine times

Well, things have changed a lot since the last posting. I start a new job in August, The forum has been threatened by socially inept idiots, and my car has failed its mot (badly).

At least I have had a great weekend. Started with the failed MOT, but then I went with Leo to the "Dads group" at the local nursery. Time spent on my own is always a pleasure, even when he is acting like a 2 year old!

Today, we have been to the local farmers market, full of local produce that outsrips the supermarkets quality in spades.
An afternoon spent at the farm was cut short, as thunderstorms were likely to hit, so we decided against the pre-planned bbq.

As it was, Lexx made a great rosy veal and mushroom pasta dish that was great.

To top it all, I briefly spoke to Vic tonight. Always a pleasure.

Take care all

James

gary moore concert

Sitting here watching my favourite axe man play the blues at the apollo manchester. Life is good!

Queen Mary to sail the oceans again?

Meanwhile, another development company hopes to buy the Queen Mary and has grand plans for the ship - restoring it to seaworthiness and turning it once again into a luxury ocean liner. Is that plan a pipe dream - one in a seemingly endless series of plans and proposals for the Queen Mary that never came to fruition - or would city leaders actually consider selling the vessel that has been a symbol of Long Beach for more than four decades?

This article (New ideas floted for Queen Mary) says that there are possibly plans developing to return Mary to sea worthiness. Whilst I would love to see this, I am not sure it will happen. As is stated in the article, it would require a huge amount of money, and, more importantly, Cunard's permission to use her as a passenger vessel. Also, hasn't it been mentioned that, when compared to current liners, she would be move to much in the water to be comfortable to modern passengers?

I would personally love to see her sail into Liverpool, even just watching. I think it would generate 10 times as much interest as either QM2's first or QE2's last arrival.

Imagine, one of the original Cunard Queens plying the Atlantic again(albeit somewhat bumpily). That really would be a sight to behold.

What do you think, will it happen, can it happen?


J

I have pleasure in announcing that the April photo of the month gallery is now active, and that voting can begin.

Please peruse the gallery, which can be found by clicking here

When you have decided which photo to vote for, please send me a PM through the forum with the number of the photo that has taken your fancy.

WE have a great selection, and not just Cunard ships, although QM2 and QE2 feature heavily. I hope you enjoy looking at them, and I thank the entrants for their sterling efforts.

Any problems, please email me. Take care

James

Free magazine subscriptions

Well, in the history of Cunard Forums, I do not think anyone has given away magazine subscriptions!

I have a load of Delta sky miles expiring at the end of the month. As I live in the UK, and do not have enough miles for a return trip to Atlanta, the only way to use the miles is to give away magazine subscriptions to the American members of the board.

To get to the thread, click the link. Sorry, but only members who were registered before I offered this are eligible for the free subscriptions.

To go to the thread, click here!

Thanks

James

Pictures for the competition

The pictures are flooding in now that the subject has been changed. There are many to choose from, and the ships in question are very diverse, especially from one member!

Please keep sending them in, and they will be put up on the 26th April for voting.

Gallery is now operational

After much faffing about, the gallery is now working on the new forum. There was a conflict between the forum skin we use and the gallery software. By remapping the gallery skin, it now uses the default IPB skin. The gallery can be located by clicking the gallery button at the top of the forum. Each member can have 2 galleries, so get uploading!

Whilst this makes for a not too good looking forum, at least it works and can be "tarted up" at a later date.

The newsletters that I send out from Cunardcritic seem to be a success. There is always a good deal of interest after the emails are sent out, and none more so that todays detailing the launch of the forum. Please let me know if you are, or are not happy with the newsletters.

The first ever photo contest was won by Robert (tyneturbine) with a lovely night shot of QE2 leaving North Shields on her "farewell to the UK" tour.

This months competition is titled "from a distance", meaning shots where the ships are in the distance, and not the main subject of a shot.

Anyway, I will write again, when I have something pertinent to say.

Still wondering about which trips to do in 2010!

Take care

James

What to do, what to do

Cunard have released details on what to expect in 2011. It seems that Lexx, Leo and I will be flying to LAX and popping on Queen Victoria for her maiden call to Hawai'i. With any luck, there will be other CuTic'ers with us as Betsy has expressed an interest, and hopefully we might be able to drag Vic on for the ride. It will be like the Jan 2008 Caribbean all over again!

Other details have also been made public. The much publicised QM2 7 day crossings have been cut in number to 11, with the other 10 crossings taking the more normal 6 days. Personally, I like the ship to be stretching it's legs on a crossing, so a 6 day 24kt crossing is more my thing rather than 20kt.

Anyway, it seems that decisions will have to be made when the voyages go on sale in just over two weeks time, hopefully my brochure will land on the doorstep soon.

James

A day of missed dentists and others...

Don't you love getting all worked up about going to the dentist, and then having them cancel 10 minutes before your appointment? It happened to me this morning, I am peeved, annoyed and down right hacked off.

I do not like dentists at all, and I have to psyche myself up for going, then it is cancelled!!

Anyway, I am going diving tonight, CIMA have put on a Scuba diving sampler evening. Quite what Scuba diving has to do with management accountancy I do not know! Still, they are providing an Indian meal afterwards (I hope that the qualification enables their Indian cooking skills to come to the fore...).

Therefore, I will be losing weight while diving (having put on weight attaching the equipment), will lose more weight when I take the equipment off, then put some back on as I ingest just enough indian food for it not to be called "Gluttony".

Fun.

J

Amazing deal on Marco Polo

I get the Travel zoo top 20 travel deals emailed to me each week, and this week, they sent me this.

6 nights on Marco Polo, undoubtably one of the best little ships still in service, going around the Fjords.

It is a shame that we cannot afford it, but it brings a few questions to light. How can Transocean afford to deep discount like this? My personal view is that they can't. However, previous bad reviews on major cruise websites (maybe the reviewers were in the pocket of "other" lines???) have put a lot of people off travelling on Marco.

This is a real shame, because without repeat and new custom, the ship will likely be confined to the sale fate as Regal Empress, who sailed for the last time with passengers on the 14th March (See here for Wikipedia article).

I hope that transocean will soon manage to sort out their customer service, and that Marco Polo has a chance to survive this summer and winter and still be around in 2010, when I might be able to sail on her!

Queen Elizabeth revealed

Well, after much hype and speculation, Queen Elizabeth, Cunards new "liner" has been unveiled. No surprise is that she looks rather similar to Queen Victoria.

This is causing debate on CunardCritic.

Please see the following thread that details how our learned members view the new ship: I'm distinctly underwhelmed - Kindlychap on Cunardcritic.

1000 posts on the new forum

I am proud to say that the new forum is coping well with the change. We have over 1000 new posts there now, and are continuing to gain new members on an almost daily basis.

Come and take a look, and see the renewed CunardCritic! (Click the banner)

Happy st patricks day!

Success!

The conversion went well, we now have New Forum

My thanks go to all the contributors, and the admins on the forum.

Please take a look at the forum, and let me know whether there is anything else you want to see there.

Thanks for reading.

James.

Cunardcritic is changing

Well, the forum is "coming home". since March last year, it has been on invisionfree's webspace. It is now being moved to the cunardcritic webspace, and a shiny new install of IPB 2.3.6 and IP Gallery will be done soon.

Going on an old ship, the Black Prince

We are going on Black Prince in June on a 2 night mini break. I would love to hear from anyone that has been on the ship. I will, of course, bore you all with pictures after the event!