"While some cruising fans - particularly those with young families to entertain - love the glitzy bars, snazzy spas and imaginative children's facilities of big, American-style "resort-afloat" ships, others believe you just can't beat a good, solid, traditionally British vessel. And if you're one of those keen on Ritz-on-Sea-style cruising, you are soon in for a very big treat.
For the dawn of 2008 sees not one but two classically British-style ships enter service, as Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines gains its fifth vessel, Balmoral, and Cunard Line unveils its brand-new, 90,000-ton dazzler Queen Victoria.
The 2,014-passenger Queen Victoria will be first to enter service, joining the Cunard fleet in December 2007, the second-largest Cunarder ever built. Like the line's largest ship Queen Mary 2 and the classic QE2, she will bear the traditional black-and-red Cunard colours, fly the Red Ensign and be run by a British captain and officers.
Her interior rooms, richly decorated with gorgeous mosaics, fine woods and Italian marble, will hark back to the elegant heydays of the great transatlantic liners.
Travellers who enjoy a good read can choose from among 6,000 books in Queen Victoria's wood-panelled library, while those who like a challenge can join classes and workshops in the ship's Hemispheres Lounge.
Here you will enjoy panoramic sea views by day and by night a discotheque. On formal nights, the imposing staircase sweeping down three decks in Queen Victoria's Grand Lobby will be the place to make an entrance, and a spectacular Conservatory - with lush greenery, a central fountain, rattan furniture and ceiling fans - will transport visitors back to the days of the Raj.
Cunard veterans will find many familiar elements to make them feel at home, including the Golden Lion Pub, Chart Room Bar, Queen's Room Ballroom and Grill Class dining, but there are a number of exclusive and impressive new features.
These include private boxes in the 800-seat Royal Court Theatre, the first at sea; a new "Cunardia" floating museum featuring priceless artefacts and memorabilia; and a new Courtyard Terrace for Grill Class passengers to dine alfresco.
Can't wait to see it all? While Queen Victoria's maiden voyage on December 11, 2007 has long been wait-listed, there is still space available on her 109-night Maiden World Cruise, which departs Southampton on January 6, 2008, and calls at 37 cities in 23 countries.
On January 30, 2008, Fred. Olsen's fifth vessel, Balmoral, sets sail from Dover on her inaugural cruise for the line, a 14-night sailing around the Canary Islands.
Balmoral then heads across the Atlantic to Miami, which will be her base for a series of 12- to 19-night Caribbean fly-cruises served by flights from London and Manchester.
A highlight of the ship's inaugural Caribbean season will be a 12-night Central American Adventure, which takes Balmoral round-trip from Miami to Nassau in the Bahamas; Port Antonio on Jamaica; Santo Tomas de Castilla and Roatan in Honduras; the Mexican ports of Playa del Carmen and Cozumel; and Florida's Key West.
On March 15, 2008, Balmoral returns from Miami to Rome's port, Civitavecchia, via the Bahamas, Bermuda, Madeira, Spain and Corsica.
The ship will be based there for a summer 2008 season of Mediterranean cruises, one highlight of which will be an 11-night Ancient Wonders round-trip sailing from Rome to Malta, Libya, Turkey and the Greek Islands. But before she sets off on her adventures, the 34,242-ton, 987-passenger ship (which started life in 1988 as the Crown Odyssey) will be extensively refurbished in Fred. Olsen's distinctive "Britain afloat" style.
Her nine passenger decks - Marina, Coral, Atlantic, Main, Lounge, Lido, Bridge, Marquee and Horizon - will be redesigned to introduce features already popular on other Fred. Olsen ships, including a spacious library, a card room and piano lounges.
The ship will also gain new gym and spa facilities, as well as an Internet Café. And while all 523 of the ship's cabins are to be refurbished, those on the Bridge and Marquee Decks will be altered even more substantially, with the addition of balconies.
Alongside the innovations, Fred. Olsen fans trying out the Balmoral will find many familiar elements in keeping with the line's traditional style. One of her public rooms is to be named after Blenheim Palace, while another will be called Ballindalloch, after a stately home that is set in the heartland of Scotland.
And as on all Olsen vessels, loudspeaker announcements will be kept to a minimum, while onboard activities will include a full programme of Arts Club and Flagship Golf."
Read your stuff on the port of Dover, it is good. For some reason I do not have an urge for the cruise bit, but admire the ships. It also never occurred to me to seek employment on a cruise ship, perhaps the thought of 'passengers' onboard. Abit too late in the day now anyway eh?. As for the 'A/C Eng wanted' I think that is more directed at yourself than I!. But there again I could really cause some damage eh?.
