Safety at Sea Fact Sheet

Cruising is one of the safest forms of holiday available
Cruising remains one of the safest holidays.
While even one death is one too many, between 2005-2011 cruise lines carried more than 117 million passengers with a total 21 deaths related to marine casualties. That is less than 0.18 fatalities per million.

Staff undergo constant training
Each ship has a detailed emergency plan and every member of staff is allocated and trained to undertake a safety role if there is a problem.
Staff continue to be trained and practice regularly even while they are at sea. Regular completion of practice safety drills is a requirement of maritime law.
During any cruise you will regularly observe a number of drills for the crew where they practice responding to a variety of emergency situations. Such training may be taking place when passengers are ashore at a port of call.
Lifeboats must be capable of being loaded, launched and manoeuvred away from the ship within 30 minutes of the Master’s signal to abandon ship.
There are always more lifeboat/liferaft places than people on board. On a typical 2,000 passenger ship there will be lifeboats and liferafts capable of transporting a total of 2,500 people.

The industry is undergoing constant technical and legislative improvements
This is a very highly regulated industry which is constantly reviewing and improving safety standards, introducing new laws to improve navigation equipment, shipboard safety management systems, life saving equipment, safe return to port standards; revised training and certifications standards.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which falls under the United Nations sets strict global standards for the operation of cruise ships. The most important of the IMO treaties is the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
This is overlaid by additional regulations enforced by flag states (where the ship is registered) and port state control (countries and ports to which the ship sails).
Every ship is regularly inspected under the port state control agreements, and if it doesn’t comply with regulations, can be kept in port.
The technology used on cruise ships is extremely advanced and the ships undergo a wide ranging and detailed inspection on an annual basis. This is required in order to obtain a renewal of the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate, which a vessel can’t legally operate without. International rules dictate that cruise ships are required to regularly to go into dry dock for a thorough inspection and overhaul.
The Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) in the UK works closely with the European Cruise Council (ECC) in Brussels and Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) in the USA to share best industry practice.

Safety drills for passengers
When a cruise passenger reaches their cabin they will see (on the daily news-sheet as well as possibly on the TV) details of a mandatory safety drill, which in most circumstances takes place prior to departure.
The safety drill involves gathering at a muster station – sometimes by a designated lifeboat or possibly in a lounge or theatre – when the emergency signal sounds.
There passengers listen – as they would on an aircraft – to safety-trained crew and staff explaining what will happen and what needs to be done in the event of a real emergency. Passengers will also be shown how to wear a life jacket (supplied both in cabins and around the ship), in most cases passengers will then be asked to put on their lifejackets by way of a practice.

Taking a cruise as a holiday
Cruising remains statistically one of the safest forms of holiday available.

If you would like to speak with one of our experienced cruise experts please call Cruise Ahead now on free phone 0800 9700 855

Source: PSA Passenger Shipping Association | ACE Association of Cruise Experts First Floor, 41/42 Eastcastle Street, London, W1W 8DU
www.the-psa.co.uk

The below is a statement from Lord Sterling, the Chairman of our sister company Hebridean Island cruises, regarding the Hebridean Princess

"I am delighted to inform you that the Grant of a Royal Warrant of Appointment to the Queen has been approved and it is a great pleasure to inform you that Roger Allard will be the personal warrant holder. This is a great compliment to the Ship’s company and all staff ashore. I think I am right in saying that this is the first time a Royal Warrant has been awarded to a shipping company and I am sure that all sister companies within the All Leisure Group will be proud to receive this news. We will be able to reproduce the Royal Warrant on all Hebridean stationery and marketing material as well as display on board Hebridean Princess."

For more information please contact Cruise Ahead today on 0800 9700 855 or visit www.cruiseahead.co.uk

An exciting new chapter
Swan Hellenic, a British company founded in 1954, pioneered the concept of discovery cruising in the company of eminent Guest Speakers, while travelling the world in comfort and country-house style. It has now been four years since we became part of the All Leisure Group and were reunited with our much loved cruise ship Minerva. As ever we have listened to you, our loyal and growing number of passengers who remain as passionate about the Swan Hellenic lifestyle as our staff and ship’s company, and are now able to act on those comments and announce a visionary multi-million pound upgrade which will take Swan Hellenic and Minerva forward into the next era. Without increasing the number of berths or the number of passengers on board, innovative design will give added space and comfort. The new specification will feature an increased number of balcony cabins raising the number from 12 to 44, and an upgrade of all 181 ensuite passenger cabin facilities.

Changing for the better
Imaginative design will transform the public areas on board providing increased passenger space for our 350 passengers. A new wrap-around Orpheus Lounge and Bar will be created at the forward end of the top deck providing expansive panoramic views. Shackleton’s Bar will be extended into a horseshoe shape allowing passengers additional space in which to relax and enjoy the intimate on board ambience prior to dining in the newly named signature Swan Restaurant, named after our founders W F and R K Swan. A new walk round teak Promenade Deck, which preserves the classic days of cruising, will be laid at the top of the ship. This, with the Orpheus Lounge and Bar, will offer the perfect vantage points, both inside and out, for those memorable arrivals and departures, early morning walks and pre and post dinner cocktails.

A reconfiguration of the public areas on Bridge Deck will see the former cinema upgraded to an additional lounge, to be known as the Livingstone Lounge. The internet area, currently located in the Library, will move to the port side of the ship and be renamed the Internet Lounge. This larger facility will meet our passengers’ expectations, allowing them to remain in close touch with family and friends.The renowned and popular Swan Hellenic library, which boasts some 5,000 volumes, an integral part of the Swan Hellenic heritage, will remain unchanged. A new Salon Centre and Gymnasium will be created at the aft end of Aegean Deck. The aft end of the new Sun Deck will be extended with teak decking to create an additional, sheltered outside space for relaxation, while the teak deck surrounding the pool area on Bridge Deck will now benefit from a canopy arrangement to provide protection from the sun. This will create an enhanced space for dining alfresco and also create a late evening entertainment venue.

For More Information Please Contact Cruise Ahead on 0800 9700 855 or Send us an email to enquiries@cruiseahead.co.uk

Sailing on Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner, Regent’s all-suite, all-balcony vessels, the cruises include free flights and transfers, overnights in ancient cities including Safaga, Haifa and Istanbul, as well as all onboard dining, beverages and gratuities.  And with the privilege of unlimited shore excursions offered in every port, these itineraries boast up to 38 free excursions for guests to choose from to further enhance their cruise experience.   So why not treat yourself this Xmas!

Fares for a Deluxe Balcony Suite on a 10-night Mediterranean cruise start from an incredible £2,153 per person

Details of the three voyages are:

Seven Seas Voyager – Dubai to Athens – 17-nights – Departs: 30 March 2012

Calls at: Muscat, Salalah, Luxor (from Safaga), Petra, Sharm El Sheikh, Cairo, Ashdod and Haifa

Seven Seas Mariner – Barcelona to Istanbul (Tarragona to Istanbul on 30 April departure) – 10-nights – Departs: 2 April 2012, 30 April 2012

Calls at: Monte Carlo, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Capri/Sorrento, Taormina, Santorini and Ephesus

For more information and to book one of these cruises, call our experienced luxury specialists at Cruise Ahead on  freephone 0800 9700 855

Alternatively check our website for offers www.cruiseahead.co.uk

Bookings made earlier – by 10^th January 2012 – can also qualify for free coach travel or car parking, making the offer even better value for money* along with extra Cruise Club benefits from ourselves!!!

The ‘Captains’ Collection’ brochure includes cruises on all four Fred. Olsen ships; Balmoral, Braemar, Black Watch and Boudicca, sailing from a variety of UK ports. Destinations include Norway, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the British Isles & Iberia, Canada, and the Canary Islands.

Savings can be up to £500 per booking, and discounts vary, depending on the cabin grade and duration of the cruise. On a cruise of 14 nights or more, savings range from £100 on a single cabin to £500 for a suite. Even on a three or four-night mini cruise, guests can save up to £200 per booking through ‘Captain’s Collection’.

Cruises offering Double Savings include:-

Black Watch’s ‘Baltic Christmas Markets’ cruise, W1218, a 12-night cruise departing from Southampton on 22^nd November 2012. This cruise travels via the Kiel Canal to Warnemunde, Germany for tours to Berlin, and then visits Tallinn (Estonia), St. Petersburg (Russia), Helsinki (Finland), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Kiel (Germany), and returns to Southampton. Prices start from £1,019 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘I’.

Braemar’s ‘The Azores & the Canaries’ cruise, M1208, is a 14-night cruise that departs from Dover on 14^th April 2012, and visits Lisbon (Portugal), Arrecife (Lanzarote), Santa Cruz (Tenerife), Santa Cruz (La Palma), Praia da Vitoria (Azores), and Ponta Delgada (Azores), returning to Dover.

This cruise has an additional attraction of a theme of ‘Drawing’ through Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Vistas onboard enhancement programme. Prices start from £1,199 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. Cruise prices include all meals and entertainment on board and port taxes, representing exceptional value for money.

Selected cruises offer both Double Savings and free Onboard Spend for selected cabin grades, and these include both Boudicca and Braemar’s Christmas cruises for 2012, so there are superb savings to be made for early bookers.

‘Our ‘No Fuel Surcharge Guarantee’ also applies on all bookings made by 31^st January 2012, for departures from 1^st January 2012 onwards, so value for money is guaranteed.’

Don’t delay call Cruise Ahead today on 0800 9700 855 or send us an email to enquiries@cruiseahead.co.uk

In 2012, ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises will offer its most expansive collection of Bridge Sailings ever. Spanning the world from Auckland and Shanghai to Rio and Monte Carlo, 56 voyages will feature a bridge enrichment programme.

Though guests are welcome to play bridge on any Silversea cruise, a Bridge Sailing features a formal programme of contract and duplicate bridge, which is supervised by instructors who are certified ACBL (American Contract Bridge League) Life Masters. All Bridge Sailing activities are completely complimentary and guests can enjoy daily bridge sessions (twice daily on sea days), bridge lectures for both beginning and intermediate-level players, and even opportunities to earn ACBL Master Points. Silversea supplies all bridge materials and hosts the programme in a dedicated Card Room on board.

Steve Tucker, Silversea’s vice president of field sales for North America, said: "Our Bridge Sailings are a great way for players to hone their skills and meet other bridge enthusiasts from around the world — all while enjoying a luxury cruise holiday."

Following below is a small selection of the Bridge Sailings offered in 2012:

AFRICA & ARABIA

Voyage 2203: Silver Wind departs 24 January on a 10-day roundtrip journey from Cape Town with calls in Port Elizabeth, Maputo, Richards Bay, Durban and East London.

Voyage 2237: Silver Wind departs Dubai 5 December on a 17-day sailing to Port Louis, Mauritius, with calls in Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, and Male.

ASIA

Voyage 4208: Silver Whisper departs Bangkok 26 March on an 18-day sailing to Dubai (a segment of World Cruise 2012) with calls in Ko Samui, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Cochin, Mormugao, Mumbai and Fujairah.

Voyage 3211: Silver Shadow departs Tokyo 25 April on an 11-day sailing to Shanghai with calls in Hiroshima, Busan, Jeju, Dalian and Tianjin (Beijing).

MEDITERRANEAN

Voyage 4210: Silver Whisper departs Monte Carlo 1 May on a 12-day sailing to Southampton with calls in Palma de Mallorca, Cadiz, Portimao, La Coruña, Bilbao, Bordeaux and Le Verdon.

Voyage 5211A: Silver Spirit departs 5 May on a 12-day roundtrip journey from Monte Carlo with calls in Valletta, Crete, Rhodes, Bodrum, Santorini, Taormina, Sorrento and Portoferraio (Elba).

Voyage 1213: Silver Cloud departs Monte Carlo 8 May on a 12-day sailing to Rouen with calls in Cartagena, Malaga, Portimao, Lisbon, Santander, Bordeaux and Guernsey.

SOUTH AMERICA

Voyage 5204: Silver Spirit departs Buenos Aires 12 February on a 7-day sailing to Rio de Janeiro with calls in Punta del Este, Rio Grande do Sul, Santos (Sao Paulo), Parati and Buzios.

Voyage 5205: Silver Spirit departs Rio de Janeiro 19 February on a 15-day sailing to Barbados with calls in Salvador de Bahia, Recife, Fortaleza, Belém, Tobago and Grenada.

TRANSOCEANIC

Voyage 3227: Silver Shadow departs Vancouver 6 September on a 16-day sailing to Tokyo with calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Kodiak, Kamchatka, Hakodate and Sendai.

With its expanded schedule of Bridge Sailings in 2012, the company’s website now features a section dedicated to these special voyages.

Fares listed above are per person, based on double occupancy for a Vista Suite. Silver Savings is a capacity-controlled programme and subject to availability.

About Silversea Cruises
Silversea Cruises is recognised as an innovator in the luxury cruise line industry, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate, all-suite vessels: Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and Silver Spirit — all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance. With the inclusion of Silver Explorer, Silversea Cruises’ itineraries encompass all seven continents and feature worldwide luxury cruises to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, both polar regions and over 400 fascinating destinations in between.

In the US, Silversea has been voted "World’s Best" by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler (nine times) and Travel + Leisure (seven times), and rated Number-One luxury cruise line by high-net-worth consumers in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI). International awards include "Best Innovation in Products and Services" from the Italian Innovazione Marketing Oggi Awards (2009); "World’s Leading Small Ships Cruise Line" from World Travel Awards (2009); "Five Star Diamond Award" from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (2010); "Number One" small-ship line in the Readers’ Choice survey conducted by Britain’s Condé Nast Traveller magazine (2010); "Best Luxury Cruise Line" Excellence Award by Spain’s Cruise News Media Group (2009); "Best Luxury Cruise Line" by Australia’s Luxury Travel & Style Magazine (2011); and "Best Luxury Cruise Operator" according to Travel Weekly China (2010).

For more information please contact Cruise Ahead Today on 0800 9700 855 or send us an email to enquiries@cruiseahead.co.uk and one of our Silver Cruise specialists will assist you. We look forward to hearing from you.

• We’ve scooped up 8 awards!

  Cruise Critic Awards 2011

  Best for Cabins (small ship)
  Azamara Journey (Azamara Quest coming in 3rd)
  Best for Dining (small ship)
  Azamara Journey
  Best for Entertainment (small ship)
  Azamara Journey
  Best for Shore Excursions (small ship)
  Azamara Quest
  Best for Fitness (small ship)
  Azamara Quest
  Best for Public Rooms (small ship)
  Azamara Journey
  Best for Value (small ship)
  Azamara Journey, followed by Azamara Quest!
  Best Overall (small ship)
  Azamara Journey

For more information Call Cruise Ahead Today on 0800 9700 855 and speak to one of our Azamara Club Cruise Specialists.

Cunard Line has released details of the planned refit of the company’s flagship Queen Mary 2, in preparation for her eighth birthday in January 2012. The major refurbishment and redesign includes new carpets, curtains, bedcovers and linens, and will make a voyage even more appealing on board the grandest ocean liner at sea.
Taking place at the Blohm & Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, from 24 November to 7 December, work will take place in all staterooms, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub®, the Queens Grill and Princess Grill Restaurants, the Commodore Club, the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar, Sir Samuel’s and the Play Zone / Kids’ Zone. The popular Golden Lion Pub will be completely redesigned.

Picture of the New Commodore Club Design

The noted Tillberg Design company, who were involved in Queen Mary 2’s original design, have been engaged by Cunard to handle the new designs.
Peter Shanks, Cunard President and Managing Director, says:

‘Queen Mary 2′ is an iconic leader in the world of luxury ocean travel and continues to receive high ratings by guests and the cruise industry. A ship that still turns heads everywhere she goes, she is unquestionably the pride of our fleet. We are committed to maintaining that impeccable reputation, and this significant refurbishment is an important investment on behalf of our guests."
The 14-day refit will require a team of thousands of workers replacing the equivalent of almost ten football fields of carpet and manufacturing about 18 miles of fabric into over 6,000 individual items.
Specific plans include:
•Staterooms All 1,310 staterooms aboard Queen Mary 2 will receive a fresh look with new carpeting, curtains, bedspreads and some will receive new furniture. The revised design will be in keeping with current designs but with an enhanced sense of comfort as can be experienced in luxury hotels around the world.
•Golden Lion Pub With its increasingly popular traditional British pub lunch menus, busy bar, exciting sports events and nightly music offerings, the Pub will benefit from a complete refurbishment and redesign to enhance its endearing appeal. The new design retains the British pub atmosphere and also evokes an American country club feel similar to the warm colours and plush seating in the same venues aboard sister ships Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth. Upgraded television screens will also be installed.
•Canyon Ranch SpaClub An extensive refurbishment of the first Canyon Ranch SpaClub at sea will include the teak surrounds of the hydrotherapy pool and adjacent wet areas and a general upgrade of all the facilities. In addition, new exercise machines in the fitness centre and new and improved features in the Beauty Salon will be installed.
•Queens Grill and Princess Grill Restaurants A new, lighter carpet design for both of Queen Mary 2’s exclusive Grill restaurants, the finest at sea, will enhance the existing ambience.

Picture of the redesigned Queen’s Grill
•Commodore Club One of the most popular public rooms on board, this lounge overlooking her bow will be refreshed with a new carpet design and additions to the white leather furnishings of chairs, sofas and bar stools.
•Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar This venue featuring the exquisite Veuve Clicquot brand of champagne will see a new carpet and soft furnishing.
•Sir Samuel’s This busy venue, which features speciality coffees during the day and an impressive menu of wines at night, will receive new carpeting and furniture coverings.
•The Play Zone / Kids Zone These facilities for younger guests will undergo a complete refurbishment, including new soft play areas, plus upgrades to the very latest in electronic gaming technology and entertainment.
In addition to the refit, when Queen Mary 2 returns to service on 8 December, she will introduce several new on board features, details of which will be disclosed soon.
Queen Mary 2 was recently named the world’s Top Large Resort Ship in the new 2012 Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising. By continuing to invest in both her technical and hotel areas and retaining her grand status with the largest ballroom at sea, the only planetarium at sea, the first Todd English Restaurant at sea and the largest library at sea, Cunard will ensure a consistently special voyage experience that will meet guests’ expectations.

Call Cruise Ahead now and speak to our Cunard Cruise Specialists  on free phone 0800 9700 855

Alternatively email us at enquiries@cruiseahead.co.uk and request a call back from our website www.cruiseahead.co.uk

Cunard Line, one of the oldest names in shipping but with the youngest fleet at sea, is to offer its guests the opportunity to be married on board for the first time in its 171-year history.
Peter Shanks, Cunard President and Managing Director, explains:

"Most of our competitors have been developing increasingly popular and lucrative Weddings at Sea programmes, and these are now very big business in the cruise industry. We receive a lot of enquiries about the possibility of being married on one of our ships particularly about weddings mid-Atlantic on board Queen Mary 2, which no other company can offer".

Cunard’s ‘Weddings at Sea’ programme will begin after the World Voyages have been completed in Spring 2012 and will offer a number of packages on all three ships. A brochure detailing the programme will be issued in November, and the programme will go on sale in December 2011.

For more information please contact Cruise Ahead and speak to one of our wedding’s at sea specialists on 0800 9700 855

DISCOVER A WORLD OF CRUISE DURING NATIONAL CRUISE WEEK 2011

Cruise Ahead is joining thousands of travel agencies the length and breadth of Britain to push the boat out for the fourth National Cruise Week  this week.

Cruising is on the crest of a wave as a record number of people explore the four corners of the world from the comfort of a cruise or river ship.

The week has been organised by ACE, the Association of Cruise Experts, to dispel many of the myths that surround cruising and show just how varied cruise holidays can be and what exceptional value they offer. Cruise Ahead is getting on board and supporting National Cruise Week by offering many benefits including on board credit, free parking & discounts on selected cruises, subject to availability. 

National Cruise Week will showcase the huge choice of destination and style of cruising, whether it’s family fun in the Mediterranean, lazy trips down a European river, an adventure in Alaska or indulgence in the Far East, there’s a cruise for everyone.

Yvonne from Cruise Ahead says: ‘More people than ever are choosing a cruise holiday because it offers such great value with meals, accommodation, entertainment and of course fantastic destinations all included within the price. And during National Cruise Week there are a range of specials offers and added value incentives, so this is an ideal time to jump on board.’

So jump aboard and visit www.cruiseahead.co.uk for everything cruise, call us on free phone 0800 9700 855 or email enquiries@cruiseahead.co.uk