For Immediate Release
Contact: Jane Owen/Ian Rumgay
01732760451/07747036050

Cruise Critic Announces U.K. Cruise Awards and Names Her
Majesty the Queen as Best Cruise Industry Ambassador

London, November 9, 2010:London, November 9, 2010: Her Majesty the Queen has been named Best Cruise Ambassador in the prestigious annual U.K. cruise industry awards announced by the influential cruise news and reviews Web site Cruise Critic� (http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk). The eponymous luxury liner, Queen Elizabeth, launched by Her Majesty in September, carried off the award for Best New Ship and Kirkwall, capital of the remote Orkney Islands, was named the U.K.'s best port of call.

The 2010 Cruise Critic U.K. Editors' Picks Awards celebrate excellence in cruise travel with the winners selected by an international panel of cruise journalists, led by Cruise Critic's editor in chief, Carolyn Spencer Brown. The awards recognize cruise lines and ships according to the types of passengers to whom they cater. Also considered are the breadth and quality of services offered in several key areas, ranging from luxury to budget-friendly, family cruising to child-free cruising, and best healthy cruise to best for dining.

This year, there are 20 different categories reflecting the wide variety of cruises and ships available to travellers today. It includes six new award categories � Best Pub at Sea, Best Entertainment at Sea, Best for Aspiring Chefs, Best for Lectures at Sea and Best for Acquiring a New Skill.

Talking about the Cruise Critic Awards for 2010, Carolyn Spencer Brown said, "It's been an exceptional year for the British cruise industry. In the face of cutbacks almost everywhere else, cruise industry growth continues unabated, with the cruise choice, quality and value-for-money on the rise for British travellers. There is excellence throughout the British cruise industry, and selecting the best of the best has been very difficult this year."

"The exception would be our special award of Best Cruise Ambassador, awarded to Her Majesty the Queen. She has been a great champion and poster for our industry, both as serial cruise traveller and as godmother to some of the greatest cruise ships ever. Her Majesty has served in that role four times, most recently when she named Cunard's latest luxury liner, her namesake, Queen Elizabeth. Meanwhile, the Queen continues to enjoy her holidays on the high seas sailing onboard Hebridean, on which she celebrated her birthday earlier this year."

Talking about Cruise Critic's Awards for U.K. Ports, Spencer Brown added, "The British cruise industry is a shining beacon for the country's economy. According to the Passenger Shipping Association, the number of ports continues to grow, along with the number of passengers who visit them. The industry is also generating more than �2.3billion in revenue while employing some 49,000 people. Our awards recognise two ports that have helped fuel that growth through their own investment programmes.

"Kirkwall, capital of the Orkney Islands, has been selected as the Best UK Port of Call. Deservedly, it has been the U.K. port most visited by cruise ships this year. The port and tourist authorities have worked hard to get all the details right, and this has paid dividends. They have invested in pier and dock-side facilities, improved transportation options and offer a lovely variety of shore experiences, from ancient stone circles to contemporary artisan traditions.

"Meanwhile, Southampton has been awarded Cruise Critic Best UK Departure Port for the second year running. What gives Southampton an edge is that it's not only Britain's most popular embarkation port, but it also has had the foresight to invest in creating port facilities that can support the world's largest ships. Southampton port authorities and city council have stolen a march on their competitors by recognising that the increased volume brought by leviathans -- such as Norwegian Epic, Independence of the Seas and Queen Mary 2 -- converts to greatly increased revenue for the city and local businesses."

The Award for Best Pub at Sea went to Cunard's Golden Lion pubs on Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth for the genuine feel of the decor and atmosphere that, says Spencer Brown, "are a true 'local' at sea."

The full list of 2010 Cruise Critic awards and judges' comments are available at http://www.cruisecritic.com/slideshows/?ID=193

2010 Cruise Critic Awards:

Cruise Critic's U.S. Cruise awards can be viewed at Cruise Critic U.K.'s U.S.-based sister site, www.cruisecritic.com: http://www.cruisecritic.com/slideshows/?ID=190

For further information, please contact Jane Owen or Ian Rumgay at +44 (0) 1732 760451 or +44 (0) 774 7036050 or jane@saxondene.com.

About Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.co.uk):

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