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!