A World Cruise on the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2)

For twenty-five years the Queen Elizabeth 2 hasbrief stop in Brisbane there will be a two-day
been circling the globe, nobody knows their wayrespite at the seaside resort of Yorkey's Knob
around the world like she does. 2007 is her Silveroutside Cairns. You might even learn how to
Jubilee and she'll be visiting more of the world thanthrow a boomerang at the Tjapukai Aboriginal
ever on her Silver Jubilee World Cruise; 41 greatCultural Park.
cities and 25 nations on five continents in 108Leaving Australia the next port of call is Rabaul in
days. She's became the international symbol ofPapua New Guinea and then five days at sea
luxury travel and at virtually every stop along herbefore docking at Yokohama, Japan. In Japan's
way, she'll be welcomed with all the fanfare of asecond city you'll have the opportunity to tour the
celebrity.old Imperial Palace, home of the ruling dynasty for
The full 108-day cruise will start from New York140 years. Leaving Japan after a stop in Kyoto to
City on Jan 8 2007, returning to New York onsee The Golden Pavilion, a two-day cruise will end
April 22. Two alternatives are available for thosewith a stay in Shanghai. Here the passengers will
on the West Coast of the USA. One leaving Losbe given the option of excursions inland to
Angeles and ending in New York City in 94 days;Beijing's Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the
the other leaving San Francisco ending in New400-year-old Wu Gardens. After two days in
York in 92 days. Whether you book the full 108Hong Kong, the beautiful and peaceful beaches of
day cruise or merely a portion, you'll have chanceDa Nang will be a welcome change in Vietnam.
to see the major highlights along the way, withAfter a two day visit to Laem Chabang
multi-day tours to such sights as Beijing and the(Bangkok), Thailand, the QE2 will cruise for two
Great Wall of China. And you'll be sure to enjoydays to Singapore and then across the Indian
the days you spend on board, as the QE2 isOcean to Colombo in Sri Lanka, the former
practically a "City at Sea" with all the amenitiesCeylon. A short tour of Kandy is on the menu
you could need for an extended voyage.here. Here also is the beginning of an optional
The Queen Elizabeth 2 will sail from New Yorkmulti-day adventure to Jaipur and the Taj Mahal
City to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and two days laterbefore rejoining the QE2 in Mumbai. Those who
will call in at Georgetown, Grand Cayman. Then it'select to stay with the ship will be visiting Cochin,
on to Puerto Moin, Costa Rica with a side tripIndia next. Once a major stop on the Spice
available to visit the Braulio Carillo National Park.Route, this old port city predates Roman times.
Here there's an aerial tram that glides silently andOne can walk along streets lined with 15th
easily above the jungle canopy - there's no hikingcentury Portuguese house and step into an
required!ancient synagogue; the local Jewish community
Next is the passage through the Panama Canaldates back over 2000 years.
and north to Acapulco, then on to Los AngelesNext port is Mumbai, formerly called Bombay.
and San Francisco to take on those who will beHere one can take a tour of Bollywood, the
joining the cruise from these ports. Four dayscenter of the Indian film industry. After the
later, you are in Honolulu, Hawaii. The next day apassengers who left the ship in Columbo come
tour of the Haleakala Crater on Maui, followed byaboard again, the ship is off to Port Victoria in the
four days at sea crossing the South Pacific toSeychelles followed by Port Louis in Mauritius. A
Papeete in Tahiti and later Moorea. Another fourone day stop in Durban, South Africa, will be
days at sea to the Kingdom of Tonga, named thefollowed by two days in Cape Town, South
Friendly Islands by Captain Cook, not that muchAfrica's capital at the foot of Table Mountain. Here
has changed over the intervening centuries. On toa tour is available of the countryside of
Suva in Fiji, where passengers will have theStellenbosch with its famous vineyards, Dutch
opportunity to sample the ceremonial drink kava,gabled houses and an old fashioned trading post.
made from the root of the pepper tree.From here the QE2 will steer north as it cruises
Next on the cruise is New Zealand with visits toto Walvis Bay, Namibia. Six days cruising the
the ports of Auckland, Wellington and lastly theSouth Atlantic and crossing the Equator before
picturesque town of Christchurch, a nostalgictying up at Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, with
recreation of an English college town on the Southa quick visit to Funchal, Madeira the following day.
Island with ivy-covered brick homes, manicuredThree days later, The Queen Elizabeth 2 will tie up
gardens and even a river Avon. From Newin Southampton. The port where the Mayflower
Zealand she turns North to Hobart, Tasmania withset sail from centuries ago, it's now Britain's
a side trip to the Bonorong Wildlife Park, wherepremier seaport and has an historic harbor. A tour
one might catch a glimpse of the rare Tasmanianwill be available for the medieval Salisbury
Devil.Cathedral. A last the QE2 steers west across the
Melbourne is the first of four ports of call inNorth Atlantic and finally ties up at its homeport
Australia. One of the side trips here will be a ridefor this tour, New York City, after 108 days at
on the historic steam train "Puffing Billy", finishingsea.
with a lunch at a Yarra Glen vineyard. Next up isSo ends a once in a lifetime world cruise on the
Sydney with its famous Opera House. After aQueen Elizabeth 2, celebrating her Silver Jubilee.