Travel Times

Queen Elizabeth to name Queen Mary

Cunard Line announced that Queen Mary 2 will officially be named by Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth. The naming ceremony is set for Thursday, Jan. 8 and Her Majesty The Queen will be accompanied by her husband, His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. This is Queen Elizabeth's third ship naming ceremony; she also performed the ceremony for QE2 in 1967 and the old Caronia in 1947. The late Queen Mother launched Queen Elizabeth in 1938. Queen Mary, wife of King George V, was the first monarch to launch a cruise ship when she named Queen Mary in 1934. The 150,000-ton, 2,620-passenger ship sails its inaugural on Jan. 12 with a Southampton to Ft. Lauderdale trans-Atlantic crossing. For more information, call the Travel Desk, ( 408) 723-0283

Princess adding Antarctic shore excursion 
Want to visit Antarctica? You can now join a special shore excursion with luxurious accommodations. Princess will combine sightseeing from the deck of the ship with an excursion that actually takes passengers ashore to the planet's most remote continent. The new "Antarctica Landing Expedition," which departs from the Chilean port of Punta Arenas, will first be offered for passengers on Royal Princess' Dec. 19 Antarctica/South America cruise. The tour will subsequently be available to passengers on Royal Princess' Cape Horn/Strait of Magellan cruises in January and February 2004. For more information, call the Travel Desk, ( 408) 723-0283

Pictured is the Astrophysical Research in Antarctica (CARA) facilities.

Disney Magic returns from dry dock

The Disney Magic is now sporting a more adult look and several new public rooms specifically designed to appeal to the older crowd. The former Off Beat bar, which is located on Beat Street, has been converted into an Irish Pub and the Sports Bar named Diversions. There will be theme nights featuring international sports and sports related activities including tailgating. The new Quite Cove Café features cognac, cigars, specialty coffees and light snacks. The decor is inspired by the art deco of the 1930s. The ESPN Skybox is now a teen-oriented area called Stacks. Morty the Magician show has been replaced by Golden Mickeys, an academy awards show themed event. For more information, call the Travel Desk, ( 408) 723-0283