mercedes

I added it to my favorites, thanks for sharing.

What a shame, I am sorry to hear that.

Welcome back Janice, so good to see you posting again.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) announced the line’s full 2010 cruise program on its three luxury all-suite ships: the 700-guest Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner, and the 490-guest Seven Seas Navigator. More Inclusive than Ever: 2-for-1 Fares, Free Air and Free Unlimited Shore Excursions Making its product even more enticing than ever before, RSSC now offers 2-for-1 fares, free roundtrip airfare and free unlimited shore excursions on all 2010 departures. By adding these valuable amenities to a product that already includes all soft drinks, fine wines, premium spirits, onboard gratuities and governmental fees and taxes, Regent now offers the most inclusive cruise product ever offered by a luxury line. "This is a truly exciting announcement for us," said Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. "We are basically offering our discerning world travelers the opportunity to purchase almost every element of their cruise vacation upfront to ensure a hassle-free, relaxed vacation at sea and ashore that they can enjoy in the luxury and style of a Regent experience," he added. Limited Time Offer: Additional Savings up to $1,000 per person Additional savings of up to $1000 per person are available for those booking and depositing a 2010 Regent cruise by September 30, 2009. Global Deployment in 2010 Varying in length from 7-night cruises in favorite cruise areas such as Alaska, Europe and the Caribbean to an around-the-world Grand Voyage of 119 nights, the 2010 RSSC programs continue to offer a truly diverse collection of luxury cruise options, living up to its brand promise of Luxury Goes Exploring® . A total of 92 cruise departures encompass every major cruise area of the world: Asia; Antarctica; Australia/New Zealand; the South Pacific; India; Arabia; East, South and West Africa; North and South America; Northern Europe; the Mediterranean; Mexico, the Panama Canal and the Caribbean; and Alaska. Highlights of the 2010 program include: Four Grand Voyages Continuing the tradition of offering extended voyages in the winter and fall, RSSC will offer the following Grand Voyages in 2010: Seven Seas Voyager will offer a 119-night World Cruise (RSSC’s 10th such voyage) departing San Diego on January 14, following an exclusive performance for full World Cruise guests by America’s favorite TV comic Jay Leno and rock ‘n roll icons The Beach Boys. The voyage can be purchased in its four-month entirety, or in five shorter segments from 14 to 35 nights. The World Cruise is a global circumnavigation, crossing the Pacific Ocean to Australia via French Polynesia and various South Pacific islands; continuing to Singapore via Indonesia; on to Hong Kong via Brunei, the Philippines and mainland China; sailing West via Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, the Maldives, Seychelles and East and South Africa; and finally returning home to Fort Lauderdale via various stops in West Africa (maiden calls for RSSC), and then transatlantic to the Caribbean and Turks & Caicos islands. Seven Seas Mariner will operate a 65-night Circle South America cruise roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, departing January 10. The Grand Voyage can be purchased as a 2-month odyssey or in three shorter segments from 14 to 30 nights. The voyage starts with a two-week Caribbean and Panama Canal cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Lima, Peru, followed by a month-long cruise through the Chilean fjords and around Cape Horn (with a special first-time visit to Antarctica by an all-suite Regent ship) to the Falkland Islands, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro; ending with a three-week cruise home via the Amazon River (up to Manaus) and North through the Caribbean to Fort Lauderdale. A Grand Asia Pacific cruise of 96 nights will be offered on Seven Seas Navigator departing Anchorage, Alaska on September 15. The voyage can be purchased in its three-month entirety, or in five shorter segments from 15 to 22 nights. The voyage starts with a northern transpacific crossing from Alaska to Beijing, via Japan; a three-week journey to Thailand via Shanghai, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam; another three-week voyage to Sydney via Singapore, Indonesia and the North and East coasts of Australia; a two-week journey from Australia and Tasmania to the South and North islands of New Zealand; ending with a three-week transpacific crossing to San Francisco via Tonga, Samoa and Hawaii. Finally, a 75-night Discovery Collection voyage on Seven Seas Mariner departing Istanbul on October 21. The voyage can be purchased in its entirety or in four shorter segments of 14 to 25 nights. The voyage starts from Turkey, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Holy Land, through the Suez Canal and Red Sea to the Arabian Gulf and the United Arab Emirate of Dubai; continuing with an Indian Ocean odyssey via India, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion and South Africa; followed by a two-week southern transatlantic crossing from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro via Namibia and St. Helena; ending with a Christmas and New Year’s cruise through Brazil and the Caribbean to Fort Lauderdale. Shorter Programs and Traditional Favorites In addition to the Grand Voyages, RSSC will continue to offer more standard cruise programs in traditional cruise areas: Following the World Cruise, Seven Seas Voyager makes a northern transatlantic crossing to Southampton, England via the northeastern US and Canadian seaboard and Reykjavik, Iceland. This is followed by a series of 7 to 14-night cruises to the Baltic and Russia in the summer months, punctuated by a 15-night cruise through the Norwegian fjords to the Arctic Circle. For the fall, Seven Seas Voyager moves south to the Mediterranean for five 10 to 14-night cruises before sailing transatlantic to Fort Lauderdale for four Caribbean cruises from South Florida. After the Circle South America Grand Voyage, Seven Seas Mariner sails eastbound transatlantic for a full season of Mediterranean cruises of 7 to 12 nights in length featuring the highlights of the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, with voyages beginning or ending in Monte Carlo, Rome, Athens, Venice or Istanbul. Seven Seas Navigator operates a series of 7 to 11-night cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America during the winter months, followed by a full season of 7-night Alaska cruises between Vancouver and Anchorage during the summer. A Refurbished Fleet of Ultra-Luxury, Medium-Sized Ships Following a major refurbishment program involving a total investment of around $70 million, the three-ship ultra-luxury fleet of Regent Seven Seas is at the forefront of luxury cruising. Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner emerged in early 2009 from extensive refurbishment, and Seven Seas Navigator will receive a transformational makeover during a 22-night dry-docking in January 2010. In addition to offering the largest lead-in suites at sea (minimum size 301 square feet), RSSC offers the highest percentage of private balconies of any cruise line, including the world’s only all-suite, all-balcony ships. All of Regent’s award-winning suite accommodations feature walk-in closets and marble-appointed bathrooms. Combined with the highly professional, friendly service, the exclusive enrichment and entertainment programs, stellar cuisine with up to four dining venues, and the all-inclusive product, RSSC offers the luxury cruise traveler a relaxing vacation that is second to none. Expanded Butler Service Enhancing yet another level of luxury to the fleet, starting in 2010 Butler service will be expanded to include guests accommodated in suite category C and above (currently B and above). This change will add 85 Butler suites for a new total of 290 fleet-wide (113 on Seven Seas Voyager, 92 on Seven Seas Mariner, and 85 on Seven Seas Navigator), representing over 30% of the total suites available.

SOUTHAMPTON, England -- And then there were nine. Fast-growing Celebrity Cruises today officially named its second new ship in less than a year -- bringing its total to nine -- in a black tie ceremony on board the 2,850-passenger vessel. Nina Barough, founder of breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, christened the ship from the stage of the its main theater by cutting a pink ribbon that signaled the breaking of a champagne bottle. "Her story, her outspoken devotion to breast cancer causes, and her day-to-day life is a compelling example of the need to take our health and well-being seriously," said Richard Fain, the longtime chairman and CEO of Celebrity's parent company, Royal Caribbean. "And all this paints a lovely picture of why we are so honored to have her as our godmother." The upbeat event, which kicked off with buglers and a bagpipe and drum corps performance, also included a piano rendition of The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun." Barough, whose 12-year-old charity has raised nearly $100 million for breast cancer research with regular fundraiser walks across England, exhibited an infectious enthusiasm, at one point asking the executives, travel agents and media in the audience to hold hands and bless the room with their energy. She also asked attendees to hug the person standing next to them. Fain later noted to the crowd that he had been to a lot of naming ceremonies to name ships but "never one where we blessed the room . . . or where I held hands with the captain." Celebrity also invited sister ship Celebrity Solstice's Godmother Sharon Smith to participate. Smith took the stage by surprise to Barough, and both joined Fain to cut the ribbon - symbolically, pink, in recognition of breast cancer causes. The ribbon threaded through the ship, ultimately releasing a large bottle of champagne that crashed against the stack atop the ship. The bottle, too, was symbolic, created by The Corning Museum of Glass, with whom Celebrity struck an alliance in 2008 to create the industry's first glassblowing show and demonstration at sea (now aboard both Celebrity Equinox and its eight-month-old sister ship, Celebrity Solstice). One oddity of the ceremony was the lack of a role for Dan Hanrahan, Celebrity's president and CEO, who remained seated in the audience for most of the event. Celebrity Equinox set sail from Southampton shortly after the naming ceremony for a two-night inaugural cruise into the English Channel. The ship will set sail Friday on an eight-night Norwegian Fjords cruise before its official maiden voyage to the Mediterranean scheduled for Aug. 8. The ship will move to the Caribbean this winter.

The cruise business may no longer be in freefall. But it's not bouncing back rapidly, either. That's the word from executives at Royal Caribbean, who say the hefty discounts the company has been offering in recent months have helped stabilize the business but haven't yet caused a big turnaround. "Bookings and pricing are at stable levels that are far better than many of the more bearish predictions," Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain told Wall Street analysts today during a conference call to discuss second quarter earnings. "Having said that I have remained extremely frustrated that we have not yet seen a more significant upturn in the market." Royal Caribbean said it lost $35.1 million, or $0.16 per share, during the second quarter, a sharp reversal from a year ago when the company had a second quarter profit of $84.7 million. The loss -- the line's second in a row -- was slightly worse than some Wall Street firms had expected. Like other travel companies, Royal Caribbean has been hard hit by the downturn in the economy as vacationers cut back on spending, and the company had warned investors earlier this year that its net yields -- a measure of how much money it brings in per cabin -- could be down 17% for the quarter. But yields ended the quarter down an even worse 17.9%. The company, which operates several brands including its namesake Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises, projects the third quarter will be equally tough with yields down 18%. For the full year the company now is projecting a yield decline of 14% vs. previous estimates of a 12% to 13% decline. The company blamed some of the decline on the ongoing impact of the H1N1 swineflu outbreak earlier this year, which has reduced demand for voyages to Mexico. The company says the H1N1 virus cost it more than $10 million in the second quarter and will end up costing it nearly $60 million this year by the time all is said and done. Helping Royal Caribbean in the second quarter: A significant drop in costs. Net cruise costs, excluding fuel, fell by 8.4% on a per passenger basis. Fain told analysts he has seen "tentative signs of encouragement" in the booking climate but not the rebound one might have expected by now. "We would have hoped that the upturn would have started at least by now," he said. "We hope it will soon, (but until it does) we have to take comfort from the fact that the situation has stabilized." Later during the conference call, Royal Caribbean CFO Brian Rice made clear that the fact that things have stabilized doesn't mean they're rebounding. "I dont think we've said that the market has gotten any better," he said in a response to a question by an analyst from investment firm Goldman Sachs.

On our last Med cruise, my DD had to turn in a few home work assignments. She did it all from her cell phone, (it's like mini computer, it has word, power point, excel, etc.) but had to use the ship’s internet to print out a few docs. I have used the internet a few times to check on the kids back home, but now that I have the same phone as my DD, I don’t have to. I can send e-mail messages from my phone and probably from my iPod Touch, all I need is a WiFi signal.

I am very sorry to hear that. I had to cancel a cruise to Hawaii a few years ago, it is not an easy decision to make. At least you have your September cruise to look forward to.

I have seen it and there is always a crowd, but I have never purchased.

Themed cruises have popped up for just about every niche group imaginable in recent years, from jazz lovers to nudists. The latest gee-whiz offering: Cruises for divorcees. National cruise retailer Cruise.com today announced what it's billing as the first cruises aimed at the divorcee market. The sailings, which kick off in October, will take place on Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean ships and start at $199 for three nights. "These cruise groups were designed for divorced individuals to meet, party and perhaps even connect with others who have shared similar relationship experiences," said Anthony Hamawy, President of Cruise.com. The first divorcee cruise is a three-night voyage from Miami to the Bahamas scheduled for Oct. 16 on the Norwegian Sky. Two more voyages are planned for Nov. 16 aboard the Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the seas (5 days to Mexico from San Diego) and Dec. 18 aboard Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas (for 3 day Bahamas from Miami). Special activities planned include private parties, games, prizes, and more For further information and reservations contact Cruise.com at 866-401-0895 or visit www.Cruise.com

Always wanted to trade up to a luxury line? Now may be the time to do it. In the latest in an unusual string of summer cruise sales, swanky The Yachts of Seabourn is putting its entire 2010 season of European and Asian cruises on sale for 45%- to 65%-off. The offer is an expansion of the previously announced Yachting Collection Savings promotion and includes nearly 150 cruises of seven to 14 days aboard the Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend, as well as the newly-launched Seabourn Odyssey and its soon-to-debut sister Seabourn Sojourn. With the discounts, the line says one-week fares start as low as $2,749 per person, based on double occupancy for an ocean-view suite. Seabourn says the discounts are capacity-controlled and may be changed or withdrawn at any time, either for whole voyages or for certain suite categories. Yachting Collection Savings already had been announced for Seabourn’s first-quarter 2010 cruises in Southeast Asia, South and Central America and the Caribbean. The expansion adds an extensive array of voyages in Europe from Iceland, Norway and the Baltic across the whole span of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. In Asia, Seabourn Pride’s voyages in Vietnam and Thailand are included, as well as brand-new itineraries exploring China, Korea and Japan. Seabourn rival Silversea Cruises already is marking down 2010 voyages by a hefty 60%. A Silversea spokesperson says it's the biggest savings ever offered by the line. Last week Princess Cruises slashed rates for seven-night fall voyages to Mexico and the Caribbean to as little as $399 in a "Sun-Drenched Deals" promotion. And MSC Cruises is holding a one-week "blowout" sale through Friday on European cruises with prices marked down by more than 50%. Norwegian Cruise Line is touting a "Pity the Procrastinator" sale through Aug. 2 that includes up to a six category upgrade (amounting to a savings of up to $600 per cabin) for sailings in 2010-2011.

Life has always been good on a Celebrity Cruises vacation, and today, the brand announced a new program that will make it even better. Celebrity Cruises today announced "Celebrity Life," a new series of palate-pleasing, intellectually-enriching and life-enhancing programs designed to deliver the most unique and sophisticated onboard experience in premium cruising. Built on long-established pillars of the Celebrity brand - dining, enrichment, and wellness - Celebrity Life encompasses three distinct program categories: "Savor," "Discover," and "Renew." "Celebrity Cruises has always been committed to offering the best vacation experience for discerning travelers," said Celebrity Cruises Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. "Celebrity Life will provide our guests with an array of experiences they will remember long after they sail with us, thanks to the delivery and dedication of our spectacular crew across the fleet." "Savor" takes an already stellar culinary experience to new heights, with eight new wine enrichment events, six spirits and mixology tastings, and more than seven different interactive programs for guests, hosted by the ship's Executive Chef and team. "Discover" presents an opportunity for guests to do or learn what they have always wanted to try, but never had time to accomplish. Whether it's ordering a bottle of Chianti in Italian, or exploring the universe in 40 minutes, guests can delve into a wide variety of interests. "Renew" offers an improved, more goal-oriented approach to classes, seminars, and treatments designed to help guests on their journey to looking younger, feeling better and living longer. Shaped by the line's award-winning chef, restaurateur and Vice President of Culinary Operations Jacques Van Staden, the Savor series will encompass three programs centered around Celebrity Cruises' industry-leading food and beverage programming: "Celebrity Vineyards," "Signature Spirits" and "Food as Art." The "Celebrity Vineyards" wine enrichment program, developed in partnership with the United States Sommelier Association, will feature a host of immersive wine events providing guests the opportunity to expand their understanding and appreciation of the fascinating world of wine. Among the varied activities are the comparative wine workshops Celebrity introduced in 2007, sanctioned by the renowned Riedel Crystal. Celebrity's "Signature Spirits" events will help unleash guests' "inner mixologist" as they explore the modern world of spirits and cocktails during exclusive "Mixology 101" workshops developed in partnership with Bacardi. The Signature Spirits events also will offer the opportunity to experience the industry's first "Molecular Mixology" workshop developed by "The Liquid Chef," world-renowned Master Mixologist Junior Merino. Celebrity's immersive "Food as Art" culinary arts program also includes highly interactive and participatory cooking shows. Led by a variety of Celebrity's shipboard chefs, the program allows guests to serve as sous chefs in "Star Chef Cooking Competitions," and to participate in exclusive behind-the-scenes tours to watch the teams in Celebrity's galleys actively preparing delectable desserts, fresh-baked breads and a seemingly endless array of entrees. The Food as Art program also will surprise and delight vacationers with a special lineup of guest chefs who will set sail with Celebrity over the course of the year. A highlight of Celebrity Life's "Discover" series is the opportunity to learn a new language through Celebrity's industry-first alliance with Rosetta Stone . Through this new partnership, over the course of just one sailing, either self-taught or hosted, guests can gain a working knowledge of their choice from among 13 languages. Celebrity's "Beyond the Podium" enrichment series, as its name implies, will offer guests far more than the typical enrichment lecture. The series will be highlighted by the brand's new association with Smithsonian Journeys, the educational travel program of the renowned Smithsonian Institution, which is the world's largest museum complex and research organization. Guests on select sailings will have the opportunity to gain deep, new insight from Smithsonian Journeys' globally recognized experts as they speak with Celebrity guests about a vast array of topics, including history, culture, art and architecture, and the natural environment. Meanwhile, iPod addicts can learn new iTunes tips and tricks while onboard, and novice and experienced computer users alike can boost their technological prowess through Celebrity's "digITal" series, with courses ranging from Photoshop and Windows XP primers, to BlackBerry tips and blog creation. Stargazers will be inspired to stare skyward as they learn about astronomy, telescope tips, and even celestial navigation through Celebrity's new alliance with Stargeezer, a program devoted to educating consumers about astronomy in user-friendly fashion. Celebrity guests also will be invited to gaze at the night skies out on deck during special stargazers' parties and "star hunts" designed to identify the evening's brightest constellations and planets. Dance enthusiasts can share the stage with Celebrity's own professional dancers during itinerary-influenced, interactive productions whose themes include "Sizzle," "Groove," "Decco," and "Flava." Additionally, in partnership with Skyy Vodka, Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox will present "Live @ Sky" in the two ships' Sky Observation Lounge. In addition to participating in cultural, world and ballroom dance classes, guests also will have the opportunity to compete in the "Everybody Dance" competition, culminating in a vote for "star" dance champions on every sailing. To learn how to creatively preserve photos of their impressive new dance moves, or the picturesque places they visited during their cruise, guests can participate in Celebrity's new courses offered through the line's unique partnership with the StoryTellersClub, designed to guide guests through the process of creating valuable keepsakes of their cruise vacation memories. Celebrity Life's new health and wellness program called "Renew" offers an expansion of spa and wellness services designed to help guests feel better, live longer, and look younger. Redefining the spa experience with an innovative range of beauty and wellness options for Celebrity guests, Renew offers three areas of enrichment within the program: "Ageless," "Energy," and "Longevity," each with its own slate of treatment selections, seminars and workshops. Guests can participate in motivating classes, a variety of seminars, and also experience results-driven spa or fitness treatments created for each series within the program. Within the Ageless series are informative seminars focused on skin renewal and youth-enhancing lifestyle tips, in addition to medi-spa cosmetic services such as BOTOX Cosmetic, Restylane and Perlane , and a selection of anti-aging facials, including a 24-karat gold facial available on the fleet's latest ship, Celebrity Equinox, to target fine lines and wrinkles. To help promote self-awareness and healthier living long-term, the Energy series entails nutritional information, wellness assessments and realistic "Life" prescriptions that guests can incorporate into their lifestyle, plus body sculpting and strengthening options, including a "boot camp" course, indoor cycling, personal training, and gravity training classes. Among the highlights of the Longevity series are seminars focused on stress management, lifestyle enhancements, and alternative healing systems such as Chinese medicine. The Longevity series also features complimentary consultations with the onboard acupuncturist, an array of acupuncture treatments to rebalance the mind and body, in addition to yoga, tai-chi and "fab abs" courses. Following its rollout on the new Celebrity Equinox when the ship enters service July 31, the Celebrity Life program will be introduced across the balance of the fleet by the end of November. "All of us at Celebrity are eager to introduce this new program to our guests," said Lutoff-Perlo. "From pleasing palates to enriching intellects to enhancing day-to-day life, there's something to suit every interest within our new Celebrity Life. And this is only the beginning. We look forward to introducing more surprises over the course of the year."

World-renowned Master Chef Jacques Pepin will open Jacques - his first ever restaurant at sea - onboard Oceania Cruises' new 1,258-guest Marina, scheduled to launch in late 2010. Pepin's namesake restaurant will draw inspiration from bistros in his home town of Lyon and the fabled bistros of Paris. "The cornerstone of any great dining experience is freshly prepared, simple dishes that are as visually pleasing on the plate as they are on the palate," according to Pepin. Guests entering the restaurant will be greeted by the aroma of freshly roasted chicken, duck and lamb wafting from the grand rotisserie. Custom Jacques Pepin signature china, antique flatware and Lalique glassware adorn the tables while chandeliers fashioned from crystal decanters add a whimsical shimmer to the room. An art collection comprised of some of Pepin's favorite personal pieces and original works Pepin created especially for Marina, grace the room and adds a warm, personal touch. "As we designed the culinary experience aboard Marina, a restaurant by Jacques Pepin was at the top of our guests' wish lists," stated Bob Binder, Oceania Cruises' president. "Jacques will present a traditional French dining experience in a casually elegant fashion." Jacques Pepin is the host of award-winning cooking shows, author of more than 20 cookbooks and has served as personal chef to numerous heads of state. As the Executive Culinary Director for Oceania Cruises, Pepin has brought his legendary cuisine and unique artistry to the gourmet restaurants onboard Marina's sister ships Regatta, Insignia and Nautica. "Jacques Pepin has been a member of our team since the line's inception and we are honored that he is debuting his signature restaurant aboard our magnificent new Marina," added Binder. Dining in Jacques will be reminiscent of dining in a favorite bistro that is run by a long-time friend. The service, while professional and polished, is friendly and endearing and in the tradition of fine French dining, a leisurely pace is de rigueur, thus ensuring a relaxing dining experience. Upon arrival at the table, guests are greeted with a bread basket of "Les Trois Baguettes" with three different freshly baked French baguettes along with Country Petit Pate with gherkins and traditional Rillettes of salmon and foie de volaille. Highlights of the menu include an appetizer of homemade Pumpkin Soup a l'Anglaise served in a pumpkin shell, fresh Mussels Mariniere, freshly roasted free range chicken, duck, lamb and other specialty cuts of fine meat. In addition, the chef's "specialites de la maison" are presented each day, having been hand-selected from local markets in the ports that Marina visits. To cap off the evening, a choice of nine classic French desserts and a cheese tray with 12 AOC French cheeses that locally procured in the regions they are produced serve as a fitting finale to an unforgettable dining experience. Oceania Cruises' new Marina has been purposefully designed for epicureans with 10 dining venues, including six open-seating, gourmet restaurants. Public spaces awash in rich woods, marble and granite, fine wool carpets and lustrous leather retain the intimacy and signature design elements of the line's three sister ships while affording an increased level of space, comfort, convenience and luxury amenities. Featuring a total of 10 dining venues, Marina guests may choose to dine in any of six distinctly different gourmet restaurants, including Jacques and Red Ginger, all at no additional charge. Guest accommodations are comprised of 629 staterooms and suites, 96 percent of which have private verandas. Facilities include an array of elegant bars and lounges, a CanyonRanch SpaClub , state-of-the-art fitness center, outdoor swimming pool and hot tubs.

Long known as the operator of "The Most Famous Ocean Liners in the World," the Cunard brand itself has recently been recognized as the most famous in cruising – coming in at #41 overall out of the top 500 Superbrands survey. This puts the Cunard name higher than Starbucks, Audi, Sunday Times and Harvey Nichols, with only British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Hilton and Thomas Cook in the travel sector ranking higher. Moreover, among the over 55 age group, Cunard was in the coveted top ten – coming in at number 9. One of the oldest names in passenger shipping, Cunard's fleet is the youngest in the industry, currently with grand flagship Queen Mary 2 and stylish Queen Victoria. A third Queen, Queen Elizabeth, will join the fleet in October 2010, reducing the average fleet age even further. The annual Superbrands survey is a major work of research conducted among thousands of consumers. It involves a panel of experts who determine which brands are the "best in their field." The full survey was published in the 19 July issue of London's Sunday Telegraph. "Consumers today are looking for high profile brands that represent the best in class, and Cunard is just such a brand," said Peter Shanks, newly-appointed president and managing director for Cunard. "This is a tremendous credit to everyone involved in Cunard, ship and shore," he added.