Page 27 - Sphere No.23 (Dec 2008)

life that they sign up for round-the-world cruises that can last for four months.
Whatever the destination, the food on board is guaranteed to be sensational,
with guests chefs a regular feature on the bigger cruise ships.
The improved fare has been accompanied by new on-board accommoda-
tion options – the word “cabin” hardly does justice to some penthouse suites
that come with personal butler service, private verandas, open bars and a
jacuzzi. The core of the market, though, is likely to remain people who
book because they want to combine luxury with a spot of mild adven-
ture. For example, staple itineraries for ships leaving the Harwich In-
ternational Port in Britain feature the Norwegian fjords and the Bal-
tic, a chance for passengers to experience radically different scenery
outside, while forgoing none of the comforts of home below deck.
The much-loved QE2 recently made its final call to Har-
wich, marking the end of a long association with the east-
coast port. The QE2, which will become a floating hotel
and entertainment centre berthed in Dubai, made its last
journey some 40 years after being launched.
The world had never before seen a cruise ship quite so slick,
sleek and fast. It was the trans-Atlantic vessel of choice for genera-
tions of pop singers and movie stars, the most elegant and indul-
gent way to go from Europe to New York City. Among those who
have sailed on her are the late Princess Diana, the Emperor of Japan,
George W Bush, Jimmy Carter, Nelson Mandela and Mick Jagger.
Britain, of course, has a reputation as a seafaring nation; its earlier
adventurers such as Walter Raleigh, Francis Drake and James Cook,
sailed far and wide into unchartered waters. British engineers also
built the most famous ocean liner of all time, albeit one that came to
grief when it hit an iceberg and sank. Thankfully, navigational aids and
hull strengths have improved radically since the Titanic era, not to men-
tion the on-board fare and port facilities. Today, not only are cruise ships
safer, bigger, and better, people on board and on land work hand in hand to
make these seafarers adventures’ unforgettable experiences.
The core of the
market is likely to
remain people who
want to combine
luxury with a
spot of mild
adventure
PHOTOS: ABOVE, STEWART COHEN/GETTY IMAGES; RIGHT, DAVID SACKS/GETTY IMAGES