DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — An official involved in the transformation of the storied passenger liner Queen Elizabeth 2 into a floating hotel says the ship will set sail in October for Asia to begin the $ 90 million overhaul.
But full details remain under wraps. The Singapore-based group leading the project says only the QE2 will be refitted in a Chinese shipyard before being moored in an undisclosed Asian port as a 400-room hotel.
The ship has sat idle in Dubai for more than 4 1/2 years after its purchase by the state investment company Istithmar World for $ 100 million.
Khamis Juma Buamin, chairman of shipyard operator Drydocks World, told reporters Sunday the 46-year-old QE2 is undergoing upgrades in Dubai before its planned Oct. 18 departure. It will stop in Singapore and Hong Kong.
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ARETHUSA
<strong>First Place: Small Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 97.1</em>
Built in 2007, the 50-passenger Arethusa, owned and operated by Grand Circle Cruise Line, brings their popular river cruise model to the Mediterranean. Like GC’s river trips, much of what makes the Arethusa experience special is the ship’s two English-speaking Program Directors—experts in regional history, culture, and art—each of whom leads a group of no more than 25 travelers for the duration of the cruise. Despite its size, the Arethusa offers most of the amenities you’d expect: a topside Sun Deck, a lounge and bar area, and a dining room with panoramic ocean views. The 26 cabins range from 150 to 170 square feet and all have flat-screen TVs, AC, and private bathrooms. Upper deck cabins have floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors and private balconies. Design-wise, the lack of an elevator is the only conspicuous omission, and may pose a problem for those with mobility issues, though the Arethusa has just three decks. Featured itineraries include two-week tours of the Greek Isles (plus Istanbul) and “Hidden Gems” of the Dalmatian coast.
Itineraries/Schedule: 100
Shore Excursions: 100
Crew/Service: 100
Cabins: 88.0
Food/Dining: 100
Activites/Facilities: 95.5
Design/Layout: 96.0
Passengers: 50
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=2″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the Arethusa</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER
<strong>Second Place: Small Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 94.9</em>
Lindblad Expeditions launched this ship, a joint venture with the National Geographic Society, in 2008. The focus is squarely on nature and education, and the ship sails with a dozen experts (historians and naturalists, as well as photographers affiliated with the Society) and state-of-the art expedition technology (including undersea cameras, video-microscopes and a crow’s nest camera). Itineraries are in-depth and often long, including 14- and 24-night Antarctica tours and 18-day routes around Norwegian fjords.
Itineraries/Schedule: 94.9
Shore Excursions: 97.4
Crew/Service: 100
Cabins: 84.6
Food/Dining: 92.3
Activites/Facilities: 100
Design/Layout: 94.9
Passengers: 148
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=6″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the National Geographic Explorer</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ENDEAVOUR
<strong>Third place: Small cruise ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 94.4</em>
The forerunner of Lindblad Expeditions first led tours of the Galápagos in 1967, and the company acquired the Endeavour in 1996 (it was originally used as a North Sea fishing trawler), so both the line and the ship are old hands at sailing the islands that Darwin made famous. The 96-passenger ship has 10- and 16-day-long itineraries departing from Guayaquil, Ecuador. The Endeavour is a small expedition ship, and passengers shouldn’t expect luxury-liner amenities, but all cabins have small writing desks and views of the water; meals are single-seating at unassigned tables. One of the ship’s unusual features is a floating massage platform, for treatments made complete by the gentle rocking motion of the sea.
Itineraries/Schedule: 100
Shore Excursions: 100
Crew/Service: 100
Cabins: 85.7
Food/Dining: 92.9
Activites/Facilities: 96.4
Design/Layout: 85.2
Passengers: 96
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=8″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the National Geographic Endeavour</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
CRYSTAL SYMPHONY
<strong>First Place: Medium Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 94.5</em>
Along with the slightly larger Serenity, the service and amenities aboard the 461-cabin Crystal Symphony have sufficiently impressed Condé Nast Traveler readers that they have voted Crystal the world’s best large-ship cruise line in a record 17 Readers’ Choice surveys. A multimillion-dollar renovation completed in 2012 gave the Symphony a more contemporary feel. The Symphony and the Serenity have the same lineup of dining venues, including Silk Road (under the direction of celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa) and restaurateur Piero Selvaggio’s Valentino at Prego. The Symphony will be spending summer 2013 in Europe; in fall foliage season, it can often be found off the New England and eastern Canadian coasts. Itineraries are now all-inclusive, with complimentary wine and spirits and prepaid gratuities.
Itineraries/Schedule: 94.7
Shore Excursions: 90.2
Crew/Service: 98.2
Cabins: 91.5
Food/Dining: 95.9
Activites/Facilities: 94.1
Design/Layout: 96.5
Passengers: 922
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=22″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the Crystal Symphony</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
CRYSTAL SERENITY
<strong>Second Place: Medium Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 94.0</em>
The 535-cabin Crystal Serenity underwent an extensive renovation in May 2011, with new bedding and updated decor (tufted headboards and state-of-the-art lighting), which brought it up to par with the Symphony, its slightly smaller sister ship. Both ships have Creative Learning Institutes, with course offerings from language classes to digital filmmaking workshops, which help earn the line some of the industry’s highest scores for activities among Condé Nast Traveler readers. New in 2011 on both ships is “Perfect Choice Dining,” which provides passengers with flexible dining times in the main restaurant, and the “You Care, We Care” program, in which Crystal covers the expenses of their new voluntourism-focused shore excursions. In addition to world cruises, the Serenity can often be found in the Baltic early in the summer, the Mediterranean in late summer and fall, and the Caribbean and South America in winter. Itineraries are now all-inclusive, with complimentary wine and spirits and prepaid gratuities.
Itineraries/Schedule: 94.3
Shore Excursions: 86.7
Crew/Service: 97.1
Cabins: 91.8
Food/Dining: 97.1
Activites/Facilities: 94.2
Design/Layout: 96.4
Passengers: 1,070
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=27″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the Crystal Serenity</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
SEVEN SEAS VOYAGER
<strong>Third Place: Medium Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 91.9</em>
The highest rated of Regent Seven Seas’ ships, the Seven Seas Voyager may bill itself as the second “all-suite, all-balcony” ship (the first ship being her sister the Mariner), but the Voyager is first in terms of the size of its staterooms. With the smallest measuring 356 square feet, the ship has the largest “lead-in” suites in the industry. The Voyager was renovated in December 2008, and new additions include the Prime 7 steak house and a Canyon Ranch–branded spa. The Voyager is always on the move, from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, though in summer she can often be found in the Mediterranean or Scandinavia.
Itineraries/Schedule: 95.1
Shore Excursions: 82.2
Crew/Service: 93.9
Cabins: 96.3
Food/Dining: 91.0
Activites/Facilities: 90.1
Design/Layout: 94.3
Passengers: 700
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=32″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the Seven Seas Voyager</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
DISNEY MAGIC
<strong>First Place: Large Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 89.9</em>
One of the original two sister ships of the Disney Cruise Line, the 2,700-passenger Disney Magic debuted in 1998. The emphasis (not surprisingly) is on family fun and entertainment: the ship has a Little Mermaid nursery for the youngest passengers, as well as the teens-only Vibe, where a “Central Perk” decor includes flat-screen TVs and video games. Any passengers in need of a break from the kids can head to four adults-only lounges, including the roadhouse-inspired Rockin’ Bar D and the mellower Sessions piano bar. Magic’s itineraries are concentrated in the Mediterranean in the summer and the Caribbean in the winter, including calls at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas.
Itineraries/Schedule: 91.6
Shore Excursions: 81.3
Crew/Service: 96.2
Cabins: 91.6
Food/Dining: 85.7
Activites/Facilities: 92.0
Design/Layout: 90.3
Passengers: 2,700
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=50″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the Disney Magic</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
DISNEY WONDER
<strong>Second Place: Large Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 89.6</em>
One of the Disney Cruise Line’s first two ships, the Disney Wonder debuted in 1999, a year after her sister ship, the Magic. As with the Magic, the Wonder celebrates Disney characters and the artists who created them. The ship’s godmother was Tinkerbell, while all Disney ships include Animator’s Palate restaurants, whose interiors are decorated with sketches of characters and feature columns and walls at impossible fun-house angles. A show starring costumed cast members is the highlight of dinner. (Passengers who want a break from all the family fun can head to the adults-only Palo for Italian.) In 2011, the Wonder began offering Alaska itineraries in the summer; she sails in the Bahamas and along the Mexican Riviera in the fall and winter.
Itineraries/Schedule: 87.6
Shore Excursions: 81.0
Crew/Service: 96.3
Cabins: 90.5
Food/Dining: 84.3
Activites/Facilities: 93.8
Design/Layout: 92.6
Passengers: 2,700
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=55″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the Disney Wonder</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
DISNEY DREAM
<strong>Third Place: Large Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 89.5</em>
Disney continues to set the bar high with the Disney Dream, which mixes a sense of fantasy with technology to create innovative new features. For example, the first aquatic roller coaster at sea, the AquaDuck, is a serious upgrade for kids used to top-deck water slides. Interior cabins have been fit with “magical” portholes, which show live feeds, and hallways are lined with “enchanted” paintings, which are LCD screens showing videos of animated characters. There’s plenty for parents, too, from an adults-only pool to Remy, a Ratatouille-themed French restaurant.
Itineraries/Schedule: 80.1
Shore Excursions: 80.1
Crew/Service: 95.7
Cabins: 95.7
Food/Dining: 87.2
Activites/Facilities: 95.2
Design/Layout: 90.9
Passengers: 4,000
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=60″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the Disney Dream</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
PROVENCE
<strong>First Place: River-Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 98.1</em>
Launched in 2000, the Provence is small, long, and low, with only three decks, like its sister ship, the Chardonnay, with which it also shares an itinerary. As its name implies, the Provence operates in France, primarily on the Rhône River through the wine-growing region of Burgundy, toward its eponymous destination. The ship’s roof is a sundeck with tables and chairs under a striped awning, chaises under the open sky, as well as whirlpools. With 14 crew members to serve only 27 cabins, it’s no wonder Condé Nast Traveler readers give the ship an outstanding score for service.
Itineraries/Schedule: 100
Shore Excursions: 100
Crew/Service: 100
Cabins: 100
Food/Dining: 95.7
Activites/Facilities: 91.3
Design/Layout: 100
Passengers: 46
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=74″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the Provence</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
RIVER ALLEGRO
<strong>Second Place: River-Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 97.7</em>
Acquired, renovated, and relaunched in 2011, the 22 year-old River Allegro (formerly Peter Deilmann Cruises’ M/S Dresden) is technically Grand Circle’s newest ship, and much effort’s been put into buffing it up and making it worthy of the fleet of which it’s now a member. The number of berths has been reduced by nearly 20, the bar and lounge expanded accordingly, and the dining room has been extensively redecorated. These efforts weren’t lost on Condé Nast Traveler readers, who rated the Allegro one of 2013′s top river ships. The Allegro’s open Sun Deck offers panoramic views of the River Elbe and environs on its 12- and 13-day trips from Berlin to Prague. A maximum capacity of 90 passengers allows each of the two resident Program Directors—experts in regional history, arts and culture—to lead a small group of travelers, offering them a more focused, personalized experience than that of larger operations.
Itineraries/Schedule: 98.0
Shore Excursions: 98.0
Crew/Service: 98.0
Cabins: 98.0
Food/Dining: 98.0
Activites/Facilities: 95.8
Design/Layout: 98.0
Passengers: 90
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2013/01/top-rated-cruise-ships-photo-tours?mbid=synd_huffpo#slide=78″ target=”_hplink”>See more photos of the River Allegro</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
RIVER ADAGIO
<strong>Third Place: River-Cruise Ships</strong>
<em>Overall Rating: 96.5</em>
Large for a river cruise ship, the River Adagio was designed to cruise on the widest downriver stretches of the Danube, from Budapest east to the Black Sea. You’ll want to be on the open-air sundeck when the Adagio reaches the famous Iron Gate gorge separating Serbia and Romania. Identical to the Aria, which also cruises the Danube, the Adagio has four decks carrying 164 passengers. All cabins are exterior; none have double beds, but some have balconies and all have big windows that, when you’re not on the sundeck, deliver open-air panoramas of the plains and bluffs of southern Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania. The ship’s size allows more generous public spaces and facilities, including a sauna.
Itineraries/Schedule: 100
Shore Excursions: 95.4
Crew/Service: 99.1
Cabins: 92.7
Food/Dining: 98.2
Activites/Facilities: 93.5
Design/Layout: 96.3
Passengers: 164
<strong><a href=”http://www.cntraveler.com/cruises/polls/2013/top-100-cruise-ships-in-the-world?mbid=synd_huffpo” target=”_hplink”>See the full list of top cruise ships</a></strong>
<em>Photographs courtesy of the cruise ship lines
</em>
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