THE ADMIRAL Into the Blue
Few dispute that a voyage across the vast Atlantic Ocean is a rite of passage, but such a monumental journey also evoked a quest for speed. The pursuit for the fastest crossing of the North Atlantic dates back to 1838 when the steamship Sirius completed the crossing from Cork to Sandy Hook (off New Jersey) in 18 days, 14 hours, 22 minutes. The spectacle of ever-larger and more powerful liners vying for fame and fortune, stirred the imagination. The very name of this most glamorous speed record – the Blue Riband – originates from the blue insignia of the British Order of the Garter. No one knows when the term was first used to describe the fastest passage between Europe and America, but it was in general use by the 1880s. National pride was at stake. In 1935 Harold Hales, Member of Parliament and shipping company magnate, commissioned a large silver-gilt trophy to be presented to the fastest ship crossing the Atlantic. In August that year, French Line’s Normandie achieved the fastest
crossing between Bishop’s Rock (at the westernmost tip of the Isles of Scilly) and the Ambrose Light (in Lower New York Bay) on her maiden voyage – in a time of 4 days, 3 hours and 2 minutes. The following year Queen Mary made the crossing in 4 days and 27 minutes, thereby seizing the coveted trophy for Cunard Line. Normandie won the Blue Riband twice again in 1937 before being destroyed by a fire in New York Harbour in 1942. Queen Mary regained the accolade in 1938 with an astonishing record of 3 days, 20 hours, 42 minutes and held the title until the SS United States crossed the Atlantic in 3 days, 10 hours and 40 minutes in 1952. That record stood until 1990 when Hoverspeed Great Britain
made a faster crossing, but carried no commercial passengers! This Old Salt well remembers being aboard QE2 made when she made her fastest-ever eastbound transatlantic crossing in July 1990. Under the command of Captain Robin Woodall, this Atlantic greyhound completed the crossing in 4 days, 6 hours and 57 minutes at an average speed of 30.16 knots. When Queen Mary 2 was designed, economics were uppermost in the minds of the bean-counters and fast crossings of the North Atlantic were never considered. Indeed, in the latter years of the 20th century, even QE2 began operating six-day crossings in order to save fuel and give passengers a more comfortable ride by taking a southerly course. Despite all the unbridled chutzpah emanating from Cunard’s glossy brochures, waxing lyrical in a misty-eyed retrospective on the Golden Age of transatlantic travel, Queen Mary 2’s crossings now take seven days – more than twice as long as her illustrious predecessor in 1938. I’m all for an eyeful and a day-full of nothing more than the rhythm of the sea, but a week is a long time on the briny. It would seem nostalgia isn’t what it used to be!
A new Dawn for NCL
NCL’s chic mid-size ship Norwegian Dawn has emerged from a multi-million dollar refurbish- ment in Freeport, Bahamas, with an exciting range of new features. The renovations include the addition of 28 suites; Moderno Churrascaria, the popular Brazilian steakhouse restaurant introduced on Norwegian Epic; the relocation of the Spinnaker Lounge; and flatscreen TVs in all staterooms. CEO Kevin Sheehan explained: “Norwegian
Dawn’s refurbishment is similar to the enhancements made to Norwegian Star last year. Those updates were very well received and we expect our guests will appreciate the changes to Dawn as well.” Other refurbishments include: Relocation and total renovation of the gift shop,
art gallery, photo gallery, conference centre, Spinnaker Lounge and Blue Lagoon restaurant; enhancements to the Dawn Club Casino including new layout, fixed furniture and carpet; complete renovation of the Kid’s Crew and Teen Club; aesthetic improvements in the fitness area and Garden Café: Atrium Lobby refresh, including new furniture in Java Café and plant replacement. Dawn is currently on 7-day Bermuda itineraries from Boston before repositioning to Miami for 10 and 11-day Caribbean itineraries. More info: call 0845 201 8900 or visit
www.ncl.co.uk.
IN BRIEF
Guests on HURTIGRUTEN voyages in Spitsbergen, Greenland and Antarctica this season will be offered the opportunity to raise money to support areas they have just sailed through. At the end of every voyage, a charity auction will now take place with all funds raised being donated to local preservation organisations. More info: call 0844 448 7601
www.hurtigruten.co.uk.
ZEGRAHM EXPEDITIONS has again been selected for National Geographic Traveler Magazine’s “Tours of a Lifetime” honour for their new, 17-day in-depth cultural tour, Voyage Through the Red Sea. More info:
www.zeco.com.
MSC CRUISES has rolled out a new programme across its 11-ship fleet to provide more flexible dining choice this month. In keeping with cruising’s dine-when-you-want approach to evening meals, MSC guests can now enjoy a more casual dining experience, with the buffet restaurants introducing an evening service with no fixed sitting times. More info: call 0844 561 7412 or
www.msccruises.co.uk.
SILVERSEA CRUISES has changed the name of its luxury adventure-style ship from Prince Albert II (as named in Monaco by the principality’s reigning monarch two years ago) to the Silver Explorer to better match the rest of the fleet.
12 WORLD OF CRUISING I Summer 2011
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