Happy Birthday Queen Mary 2!

Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from the Cunard Line and thought it
would be of interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings,
they are available on my web site.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com


Happy Birthday Queen Mary 2!

Britain's Flagship Celebrates First Year of Service

VALENCIA, Calif., Jan. 13
Queen Mary 2 celebrates her first birthday after entering service and
making worldwide headlines in January 2004. The first transatlantic
liner to be built since QE2, Queen Mary 2 is the biggest (151,400
tons), the longest (1,132 feet), the tallest (236 feet) the widest
(135 feet) passenger liner ever and, at a cost of $800 million, the
most expensive passenger ship in history.

And what a year it's been!

Four days after being named by Her Majesty The Queen during the most
stunning naming ceremony ever, this record-breaking ship set off on
her Maiden Voyage and has been making headlines ever since. Her first
year has seen her complete 13 Atlantic crossings, sail 125,000
nautical miles and carry almost 130,000 passengers. She has been a
crowd-puller at every port she has visited for the first time and
almost three million turned out when she sailed up the east coast of
England at close range in July.

Passenger reaction to Queen Mary 2 has been overwhelming with
passengers rating the ship highly when it comes to dining, service and
on board facilities -- which have no equal at sea today.

Queen Mary 2 has entertained a range of celebrities including Antonio
Banderas, Glenn Close, Danny DeVito, Whoopi Goldberg, Elizabeth
Hurley, Esther Rantzen, Sir Jimmy Savile and The Muppets. Her Royal
Court Theatre has been the venue for shows from Dame Shirley Bassey,
Jon Bon Jovi, Harry Connick Jr. and Beyonce Knowles while eminent
visitors have included Her Majesty The Queen, His Royal Highness The
Duke of Edinburgh, Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent, the Rt
Hon John Prescott MP, Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg and Senator
Hilary Clinton.

She was the flagship vessel at the Athens Olympics in August where she
played host to Queen Sophia of Spain, former President George Bush and
Olympic athlete royalty including Great Britain's gold medal winner
Ben Ainslie.

She's now so famous, in fact, that already four books have been
published about her!

Queen Mary 2 is fast proving to be the destination in her own right.
Everything about this ship is superlative and she offers a whole host
of 'firsts' and exclusives. 79% of cabins feature private balconies.
There is over $5 million of artwork on board. The world's first
floating Planetarium offers virtual reality rides through the
galaxies. A cultural academy is operated by the University of Oxford.
She has the first suites with private lift access, the first Canyon
Ranch Spa at sea, the first Veuve Clicquot Champagne Bar at sea, the
largest Library at sea (with 8,000 hardbacks, 500 paperbacks, 200
audio books and 100 CD ROMs) and the largest ballroom with the biggest
dance floor at sea. Workshops and master classes are performed by RADA
(the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts). She also boasts the longest
jogging track at sea, the largest and most extensive wine cellar at
sea -- and, if that's not enough, the 'Queen Mary 2' signs near the
funnel are the largest illuminated ship's name signs in maritime
history!

Queen Mary 2 will sail 26 Atlantic crossings in 2005. Crossing the
Atlantic on the only scheduled service by sea is an experience and an
adventure. Nobody knows this more than Cunard: the company's ships
have crossed the Atlantic every year, without fail, since 1840. Queen
Mary 2 is the first transatlantic liner to be built since her elder
sister, Queen Elizabeth 2, entered service in 1969. An Atlantic
'steamship' crossing is a 'must do' journey -- one that has been
undertaken for over 160 years by everyone from emigrants to film
stars, from Dickens to the Duchess of Windsor. A crossing enables
passengers to follow in the footsteps of their forefathers and is a
relaxing and rewarding opportunity to savour. The past comes to life
on board Queen Mary 2 with the Maritime Quest exhibition -- the first
ever permanent exhibition on an ocean liner where deck upon deck and
corridor upon corridor trace Cunard's proud history since its founding
in 1839. The journey to New York has the added benefit of 25-hour days
as well as the never-to-be-forgotten experience of seeing at dawn the
most famous cityscape in the world. Fares for the six-day cruising
(including flight to / from the ship) start from $1,499 per person.

In addition Queen Mary 2 offers a variety of cruises to Northern
Europe, the Mediterreanan and the Caribbean. More records will be
broken in winter 2006 when she becomes the largest passenger ship ever
to circumnavigate South America and visit the US West Coast and
Hawaii.

For more information on Queen Mary 2, consult a travel professional.

Cunard Line has operated the most famous ocean liners in the world
since 1840. Cunard vessels have a classic British heritage and include
the legendary Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2. Queen Victoria joins
the fleet in 2007.

Cunard Line is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. The
exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland
America Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, Windstar Cruises and
The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a
commitment to quality and value, member lines appeal to a wide range
of lifestyles and budgets. Together they offer exciting and enriching
cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.