|
Carnival Cruise Lines’ new 110,000-ton Carnival Liberty
first-ever Mediterranean cruises beginning July 20, 2005.
The 2,974-passenger Carnival Liberty will be the largest
ship in the contemporary market sailing in Europe. “Carnival
Liberty promises to be a spectacular addition to our fleet,”
said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO. ”To showcase
our newest ‘Fun Ship,’ we’ve created an inaugural schedule
that includes port calls at historic and charming European
cities, an unforgettable transatlantic crossing and visits
to tropical destinations throughout the Caribbean.”
Carnival Liberty’s Mediterranean cruises will run through
October 2005, after which the vessel will sail on a 16-day
transatlantic crossing then launch year-round six- and
eight-day Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.,
beginning in November 2005.
-- Carnival Liberty’s Mediterranean program will encompass
eight 12-day cruises operating round-trip from Rome (Civitavecchia)
July 20 – Oct. 12, 2005. Featured ports include Naples,
Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Venice, Italy (two-day call);
Messina, Sicily; Barcelona, Spain; Cannes, France; and
Livorno, Italy.
-- Following the 12-day Mediterranean cruises, Carnival
Liberty will operate a 16-day transatlantic voyage departing
Rome (Civitavecchia) Oct. 24, and arriving at Fort Lauderdale
Nov. 9, 2005. Ports of call include Barcelona, Palma de
Mallorca and Malaga, Spain; Funchal (Madeira), Portugal;
and St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles.
-- The transatlantic voyage will position Carnival Liberty
for an innovative schedule of year-round six- and eight-day
Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale beginning Nov.
12, 2005. This marks the first time that Carnival has
deployed a ship from Fort Lauderdale year-round. On this
route, six-day cruises will depart Sundays and visit three
ports: George Town, Grand Cayman; Cozumel, Mexico; and
Freeport, Bahamas; eight-day voyages will depart Saturdays
and alternate to the eastern and “exotic” western Caribbean.
-- Eight-day eastern Caribbean voyages will feature five
ports: San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas/St. John, U.S.V.I.;
Antigua, Lesser Antilles; Tortola/Virgin Gorda, B.V.I.;
and Nassau, Bahamas. “Exotic” western Caribbean cruises
will include Limon, Costa Rica; Colon, Panama; and Cozumel,
Mexico.
Among the largest passenger vessels at sea, Carnival
Liberty will encompass 13 passenger decks housing 22 lounges
and bars, a 13,300-square-foot health club, duty-free
shopping mall, nine-deck-high atrium, four swimming pools,
a 214-foot-long cascading water slide, an Internet café
and a comprehensive golf program. Dining options will
include two formal restaurants, a casual poolside eatery,
an upscale reservations-only supper club, a patisserie
and complimentary 24-hour room service. Of the ship’s
1,487 staterooms, 60 percent will offer an ocean view
with 60 percent of those featuring a private balcony.
Steadily increasing demand for Celebrity Cruises' vacation
experiences in Europe has led the top-rated premium line
to deploy a fourth ship to the region in 2005. The 1,750-guest
Century, previously scheduled to sail nine-and
ten-night Caribbean cruises this spring and summer, will
join Celebrity's Constellation, Galaxy and Millennium
in Europe, offering vacationers the greatest capacity
and broadest array of options Celebrity has offered to-date
in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
Following a 14-night transatlantic cruise departing from
Fort Lauderdale on May 7, Century will sail a series of
12-night Baltic cruises roundtrip from Amsterdam, a unique
Norwegian Fjords cruise, and ten- and 11-night Mediterranean
cruises, before returning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida,
departing roundtrip on alternating nine- and ten-night
Caribbean cruises. The new European sailings open for
booking January 4, 2005.
The sheer value of a Celebrity vacation also can't be
ignored. As the U.S. dollar continues to decline against
the euro, a growing number of savvy travelers are honing
in on cruising as the definitive way to experience Europe.
Company CEO Jack Williams tagged Century "the obvious
choice" for the fourth ship to sail in Europe next
year. The ship was the first in the Celebrity fleet to
sail in the region when the line launched regular service
there in 1999.
The sophistication of Europe is echoed in Century's onboard
experience, featuring the fresh, gourmet cuisine of renowned
Master Chef Michel Roux; the stylish Cova Cafe Milano,
Celebrity's seagoing version of the chic coffeehouse in
the fashion district of Milan; the exotic AquaSpa(R) by
Elemis, and a host of sumptuous services and amenities,
including Les Clefs d'Or-certified Concierges, expertly
trained Sommeliers, and 24-hour butler service in every
suite.
Century's 2005 Europe Itineraries
-- Century sets sail for Europe on a 14-night transatlantic
cruise departing Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on May 7, with
an overnight visit to King's Wharf, Bermuda, and calls
on Lisbon, Portugal; Vigo, Spain; and LeHavre (for Paris),
France, concluding in Amsterdam.
--From Amsterdam, Century presents roundtrip 12-night
Baltic cruises on May 21; June 2, 14 and 26; July 8 and
20, with calls on Copenhagen, Denmark (overnight); Oslo,
Norway; Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; St. Petersburg,
Russia (overnight), and Tallinn, Estonia.
-- On August 13, guests have the unique opportunity to
experience the stunning Norwegian Fjords in Celebrity
style, when Century departs roundtrip from Amsterdam on
a seven-night cruise calling on Bergen, Olden, Alesund,
and Flam, Norway.
-- Century sets sail August 20 on a repositioning cruise,
featuring visits to an extraordinary series of classic
ports, including Zeebrugge (for Brussels), Belgium; LeHavre
(for Paris), France; Vigo, Cadiz and Malaga, Spain; Lisbon,
Portugal; Civitavecchia (for Rome) and Livorno (for Florence/Pisa),
Italy; and Villefranche (for Nice/Monte Carlo), France,
concluding in Barcelona, Spain.
-- The beauty of the Balearics await guests on Century's
September 2 and 23 sailings, also calling on Marseilles/Provence
and Villefranche (for Nice/Monte Carlo), France; Livorno
(for Florence/Pisa) and Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy;
and Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Century caps her European season in 2005 with two cruises
in the Tyrrhenian Sea, departing Barcelona September 12
and October 3, and marking Celebrity's first calls on
Palermo, Sicily and Cartagena, Spain. The cruises also
feature calls on Ajaccio, Corsica, France; Civitavecchia
(for Rome), Naples, Italy; Valletta, Malta, and Messina,
Sicily.
-- Century heads westward on October 14, departing Barcelona
on a 15-night transatlantic voyage, with calls on Marseille/Provence
and Villefranche (for Nice/Monte Carlo), France; Civitavecchia
(for Rome), Italy; Malaga, Spain; Ponta Delgada, Azores;
and Nassau, Bahamas, ending in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. There,
Century resumes her Caribbean season, offering roundtrip
exotic nine- and ten--night vacations.
Fares for oceanview accommodations on Century's 12-night
Northern Europe cruises begin at $2,140 per person, based
on double occupancy. Fares for oceanview accommodations
on Century's Mediterranean sailings start at $1,690 per
person, based on double occupancy.
Celebrity has established special toll-free numbers
to reaccommodate guests booked on Century's Caribbean
cruises affected by the new European sailings. Guests
with individual bookings are asked to call 1-888-837-5676.
Groups are asked to call 1-888-305-4549.
Club Med 2 will sail an extended weekly Mediterranean
season this summer until end of September, one month later
than in the past. The 392-passenger French sailing vessel
will also call at three new countries in 2005: Albania
(with a stopover in Saranda), Slovenia (stopover in Piran)
and Tunisia (stopover in Tunis). Calls in Parga and Bastia
will allow passengers to discover new shore excursions
in Greece and Corsica. Also new this summer is a ‘Water
Colours’ theme cruise scheduled for June. Website: www.clubmed.com .
Cruise West, the largest American-owned cruise line,
is offering history and wildlife enthusiasts the opportunity
to trace the exciting path of Old West settlers on Gold
Rush Inside Passage cruises. Offered in the spring and
early fall, the Gold Rush Inside Passage voyage is a 10-night
exploration between Seattle and Juneau, visiting temperate
rain forests in British Columbia and navigating the Peril
Strait and Sergius Narrows to view towering totems in
Sitka. It can also be taken as a 15-night excursion, including
an additional stay at Denali National Park.
The Gold Rush Inside Passage traces the path of many
earlier adventurers who traveled north seeking (and sometimes
finding) a dream of riches. The first big gold strike
occurred in Juneau in 1880 when two prospectors found
and collected 1,000 pounds of ore on their first trip.
In 1896, gold strikes in Klondike brought more fortune
hunters to Alaska in search of their dreams. Later, in
1899, gold found on the beaches in Nome encouraged dreamers
such as Wyatt Earp to venture to “The Great Land.” Today,
major gold mining operations continue in the Fairbanks
area.
Considered one of the most fulfilling cruises that Cruise
West has to offer, the 2005 Gold Rush Inside Passage offers
guests extensive wildlife encounters and sceneries unrivaled
in beauty, including waterfalls formed by glacially-carved
granite at Tracy Arm, active tidewater glaciers that are
home to thousands of harbor seals in LeConte Bay, and
vibrant wildflowers and lush terrain nurtured by the Tongass
Rainforest in Juneau. Cruise West passengers who choose
to extend their voyage to 15 nights also make additional
stops beyond Denali National Park at Hurricane Gulch and
Broad Pass while ascending into the Alaska Range.
Other destinations on the voyage include Glacier Bay
National Park, where a National Park Service Ranger offers
insightful narration and helps guests spot harbor seals,
mountain goats and brown and black bears in rare regions,
and the Frederick Sound, where whale sightings are prevalent.
The 1,000-mile voyage starts at $3,099 per person and
the Denali National Park option starts at $5,299 per person.
Those who book Gold Rush Inside Passage cruises for departures
on June 15 or earlier can save as much as $200 per person
if a deposit is made by February 25, 2005. An additional
savings of $50 per person is available if paid in full
by February 25, 2005.
As the largest American-owned cruise line, Cruise West
-- a second-generation, family-owned business -- offers
the opportunity to explore remote, worldwide locales by
providing distinctive, one-of-a-kind, personalized itineraries
not offered by the traditional larger cruise lines. Cruise
West’s smaller ships–eight in al –hold between 70-114
people each, and the casual style onboard encourages relaxation
and congenial interaction between guests and crew alike.
The experience is personally enriching through onboard
narrative and lectures, special local guests from a wide
variety of backgrounds, and the library provided on each
vessel. All have forward lounges and ample outdoor deck
space for viewing and photographing wildlife and scenery.
To make reservations or request a brochure, visit www.cruisewest.com or call (800) 888-9378.
Sunshine and blue waters foster feelings of affection.
Crystal Cruises elegant Crystal Harmony sets sail from
Los Angeles February 14 for ten pampered days of cruising
the magical Mexican Riviera, visiting Manzanilla, Mazatlan,
Puerto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas. The luxurious ship
has lots of breathing space for decompressing and a wonderful
selection of activities should lovers be inclined toward
the Feng-Shui designed spa, Computer University@Sea, Caesars
Palace casino, and award-winning cuisine and entertainment.
There’s always the option of lolling about your exquisitely-appointed
stateroom or sitting on the verandah watching the world
sail by. Penthouse accommodations even come with a private
butler to draw the bath, pop the cork, plump the pillows,
and hang out the “Do Not Disturb” sign. Prices begin
at $1,995 per person. For information, visit: http://www.crystalcruises.com.
Shape Up With Crystal Cruises On Eight Health &
Fitness Voyages In 2005
Crystal Cruises steams into the New Year with eight Health
& Fitness cruises dedicated to overall wellness and
enrichment. In 2005, nutrition and fitness experts from
the Cleveland Clinic, professionals from the Tai Chi Cultural
Center, Debbie Rocker's exclusive WOW® - Walk on Water
-program, revitalizing exercise classes, invigorating
instructors, best-selling authors and motivating lectures
will inspire guests to observe their fitness resolutions
while traveling amidst the luxury of Crystal Harmony,
Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.
Each of the Health & Fitness cruises will offer specialized
instruction in either yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi and are
complemented by Crystal's state-of-the-art Feng Shui-designed
spa and gym facilities, wide full Promenade Decks ideal
for outdoor jogging and walking, and healthful menus,
including low-carb and low-fat selections all prepared
in accordance with American Heart Association guidelines.
"There is nothing more rejuvenating than a luxury
vacation, and our Health & Fitness cruises offer sumptuous
comfort and the opportunity to learn something new,"
says Bill Smith, Crystal's senior vice president of sales
and marketing. "With the specialized programming,
each voyage is designed to provide harmonizing enrichment
to body, mind and spirit."
The easy-going rhythms of the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera
provide a soothing warm weather backdrop for Crystal's
Health & Fitness series, which kicks off this Spring
with a seven-day March departure round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale
specially priced at only $1,695 per person—a better than
2-for-1 savings. The Health & Fitness collection
features a specialty on yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi, depending
on the sailing, including:
-- March 17 - Seven days, Crystal Symphony, Tai
Chi emphasis, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale visiting
Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, British West Indies;
Cozumel, Mexico; and Key West, Florida. Priced from $1,695.
--March 24 - Ten days, Crystal Symphony, yoga
emphasis, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale visiting St.
Thomas, USVI; Antigua, Barbados, and St. Lucia, West Indies;
and St. Barts, French West Indies. Priced from $1,995.
-- September 28 & November 1 - Seven days, Crystal
Harmony, Pilates and yoga emphasis, respectively,
round-trip from Los Angeles visiting Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán
and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Priced from $1,295.
-- October 22 - Ten days, Crystal Harmony, Tai
Chi emphasis, round-trip from Los Angeles visiting San
Diego, California; Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta,
and Manzanillo, Mexico. Priced from $1,750.
-- November 26 - Ten days, Crystal Serenity, yoga
emphasis, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale visiting Key
West, Florida; Turks & Caicos, UK (maiden call); St.
Maarten, Netherlands Antilles; St. Barts, French West
Indies; St. Thomas, USVI; and Nassau, Bahamas. Priced
from $2,995.
-- December 6 - Eight days, Crystal Serenity,
Pilates emphasis, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale visiting
Belize City, Belize; Roatan Island, Honduras (maiden call);
Grand Cayman, British West Indies; and Cozumel, Mexico.
Priced from $1,995.
-- December 14 - Eight days, Crystal Serenity,
yoga emphasis, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale visiting
St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles; St. Barts, French West
Indies; and St. Thomas, USVI. Priced from $1,995.
Fares quoted are per person, based double occupancy accommodations.
The award-winning Crystal fleet features a wide range
of complimentary gym and fitness classes including general
gym orientation, instruction and equipment, toning and
body sculpting, step and aerobics, as well as nutrition
seminars, swimming (including aqua aerobics), paddle tennis
and golf driving range instruction under the direction
of a full-time Fitness Director and Sports Director.
The cruise line created the revolutionary Creative Learning
Institute with a dedicated fitness component featuring
hands-on, interactive instruction in Thai Chi and health
and fitness seminars conducted by the renowned Cleveland
Clinic. Fitness expert Debbie Rocker customized a "Walk
on Water" program for the cruise line utilizing her
signature WALKVEST®, designed to maximize the health benefits
of walking.
The Crystal Spa, found aboard all three ships, is designed
in accordance with the principles of Feng Shui, the Oriental
Art of Placement to evoke health, prosperity and happiness,
and offers a variety of treatments applying these principles
to the body. A range of therapies designed to alleviate
stress and tension include Yin Yang Facials with essential
oils, Exotic Lime & Ginger Salt Glow with Well-Being
Massage, and Aroma Stone Therapy using heated volcanic
basalt stones and aromatherapy to release tension.
For additional information, please contact a travel agent
or call 866-446-6625. Visit the luxury line's website
at www.crystalcruises.com.
Crystal Announces 2006 Itineraries With Record Number
of Destinations
Renowned for its service excellence and stimulating onboard
programs, Crystal Cruises is placing even more emphasis
on destinations in 2006. Crystal's award-winning luxury
fleet—Crystal Harmony, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity—will
visit a record 214 ports in 82 countries, representing
more than 20 percent more ports and almost 50 percent
more countries than the line visited in 2004. More overnight
stays in port have been scheduled than for any previous
year. In all, a choice of 97 cruises are available ranging
from a new three-day sampler to new seven-day itineraries
on each of the ships to rich ten-, 11- and 12-day cruises,
as well as the ultimate voyage: a 106-day World Cruise.
Also new for 2006 are new itineraries in almost every
destination that Crystal regularly visits, including Alaska,
Canada/New England, South America and the Baltic; Crystal
Serenity will make her first-ever Baltic cruises, including
a new cruise to the Arctic Circle; and an exotic Christmas/New
Year cruise for Crystal Harmony in Australia, Tasmania
and New Zealand. Seventeen maiden calls are scheduled
throughout the year, including Ayr, Scotland; Pisco, Peru;
Tripoli, Libya; and Gijon, Spain.
Crystal Harmony
Crystal Harmony will kick off the year with a couple
of Panama Canal cruises followed by a winter dedicated
to South America's summer, including a new cruise to the
Amazon. In the spring, the 940-guest, 50,000-ton luxury
ship will offer a single Caribbean, Panama Canal and two
Mexican Riviera cruises and then will head north on a
three-day sampler cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver
to reposition for her summer Alaska series. In addition
to the line's successful 12-day cruises round-trip from
San Francisco, Crystal Harmony's Alaska season will feature
seven-day and new 10-day cruises round-trip from Vancouver,
with new calls in Whittier and stunning glacier cruising
in College Fjord, Columbia Glacier and Prince William
Sound. In the fall, Crystal Harmony innovates a series
of South Pacific and Australia/New Zealand cruises and
concludes the year with a new 14-day holiday itinerary
Down Under.
Crystal Symphony
Crystal Symphony begins the year with a series of Panama
Canal cruises followed by exotic cruises to the South
Pacific, China and Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Egypt.
She returns to the Mediterranean in the spring and, instead
of her previous patterns of heading north to the Baltic,
Crystal Symphony will remain in the Mediterranean through
the summer with seven- and 12-day itineraries, all of
which feature one to three overnight stays -- more than
ever previously offered. Fall foliage cruises in New England
and Eastern Canada include more departures round-trip
from New York and new overnight stays in Montreal. Crystal
Symphony's Christmas/New Year cruise will be 14 days round-trip
from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera.
Crystal Serenity
Following a couple of seven-day Mexican Rivera cruises
in January, Crystal Serenity will make her third World
Cruise on a an innovative itinerary featuring overnight
calls in Gauyaquil, Ecuador; Callao (for Lima), Peru;
Sydney, Australia; Cape Town, South Africa; Victoria,
Seychelles; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Safaga (for Luxor),
Egypt and Bordeaux, France, as well as several maiden
calls. Crystal Serenity will spend the spring through
summer cruising the Baltic, North Cape, Western and Northern
Europe before heading south for fall Mediterranean cruising.
A Canary Islands cruise and Trans-Atlantic reposition
Crystal Serenity to the Caribbean in late November, where
she makes warm weather cruises through December. Crystal
Serenity spends Christmas and New Year on a new tropical
14-day pattern through the Caribbean.
For 2006, Crystal is offering a combination of exotic
and close-to-home cruises of varying lengths. Of the 97
cruises, 50 percent sail either round-trip from a domestic
port or embark or disembark from a domestic port:
For additional information, please contact a travel agent
or call 866-446-6625. Visit the luxury line's website
at www.crystalcruises.com .
Crystal Cruises Adds 2005 Alaska Cruise With New Itinerary
Crystal Cruises has added a new Alaska departure to its
spring/summer season with a new itinerary and the luxury
line's lowest 12-day fares. Set for May 9, the cruise
marks Crystal Harmony's only 12-day Alaska cruise in 2005
sailing round-trip from Vancouver. The new itinerary
also features a maiden call in Whittier, three glacier
calls including Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier and Columbia
Glacier, and scenic transits of the Inside Passage, College
Fjord and Prince William Sound. Fares for the 12-day
cruise begin at only $2,020 per person, double occupancy,
or $168 per person, per day, nearly 19 percent lower then
Crystal's lowest 2005 12-day Alaska fares.
In addition to Whittier, the gateway to Anchorage, on
the May 9 cruise, Crystal Harmony will also stop at Juneau,
Skagway, Seward and Ketchikan. From May through September,
Crystal Harmony will sail on 10 other 12-day Alaska cruises,
round-trip from San Francisco, as well as a seven-day
cruise round-trip from Vancouver that can also be taken
as a nine-day voyage beginning in Vancouver and concluding
in San Francisco.
The sailing was added due to a change of dry-dock schedule
for Crystal Harmony. Originally scheduled for an early
May time slot, dry-dock has been postponed due to the
long lead time required to manufacture the parts needed
for one of the dry-dock projects.
To accommodate the revised dry-dock schedule, Crystal
Cruises is canceling Crystal Harmony's November 25 Mexican
Riviera and December 5 Panama Canal cruises.
For additional information, please contact a travel agent
or call 866-446-6625. Visit the luxury line's website
at www.crystalcruises.com .
Additional Savings On Select Crystal Cruises Booked
By January 31, 2005
Luxury cruise specialist Crystal Cruises is offering
up to 20 percent additional savings, representing up to
$500 per person, on select spring itineraries to the Mediterranean
and Alaska when travel is booked by January 31, 2005.
In addition to the limited time offer, savvy consumers
will appreciate the tremendous value inherent in purchasing
a luxury cruise and its accompanying land tours in U.S.
dollars due to the high Euro.
Offered in addition to specially priced fares already
earmarked for these voyages, the savings vary depending
on the sailing date and range from 10-20 percent. The
promotion is available for all new bookings made on any
of five different cruises from April through June, including
four Mediterranean departures aboard Crystal Serenity
and Crystal Symphony, and one Alaska journey aboard
Crystal Harmony.
Crystal has added three new seven-day itineraries to
its Mediterranean season appealing to travelers who seek
shorter escapes, but still want all the luxury and exquisite
service of a Crystal vacation. The new itineraries are
port-intensive and showcase the surprising secrets of
the Mediterranean in spring - such as the spectacular
sight of Rome's Spanish Steps blanketed in pink azaleas.
Each features at least one overnight stay in treasured
destinations such as Venice and Sorrento.
-- May 9-16, 2005 (seven days); aboard Crystal Serenity
from Rome to Venice (overnight); visiting Florence/Livorno
and Sorrento, Italy; Corsica, France; and Split, Croatia.
With the new 15 percent savings promotion, fares begin
at $2,317.
-- May 14-21, 2005 (seven days); aboard Crystal Symphony,
round-trip Rome; visiting Portofino, Florence/Livorno,
Sorrento (overnight), Italy; and Monte Carlo, Monaco.
With the new 20% savings promotion, fares begin at $1,995.
-- May 16-23, 2005 (seven days); aboard Crystal Serenity
from Venice (overnight) to Athens; visiting Monemvasia
(maiden call), Santorini, and Mykonos, Greece; and Kuadasi,
Turkey. With the new 15 percent savings promotion, fares
begin at $2,317.
-- April 27-May 9, 2005 (12 days); aboard Crystal
Serenity from London to Rome; visiting Dublin, Cork,
Ireland; Oporto, Lisbon, Portugal; Gibraltar, United Kingdom;
Barcelona, Spain; Cannes, France; and Florence/Livorno,
Italy. With the new 10 percent savings promotion, fares
begin at $3,626.
-- June 11-23, 2005 (12 days); aboard Crystal Harmony,
round-trip San Francisco;
visiting Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Alaska; and cruising
Glacier Bay. With the new 10 percent savings promotion,
fares begin at $2,533.
Fares quoted are per person based on double occupancy
accommodations. In addition to air/sea coach fares from
more than 100 North American cities, Crystal is also offering
a special low business class air add-on to Europe for
bookings made by March 31, 2005.
For additional information, please contact a travel agent
or call 866-446-6625. Visit the luxury line's website
at www.crystalcruises.com
.
Imagine sailing between two of the greatest cities in
the world - and having the chance to do all the things
you haven't had the time to do. Pamper yourself in the
Canyon Ranch SpaClub®. Sample cuisine by some of the world's
most famous chefs. Pursue your special interests at QM2's
very own cultural academy, with classes offered by the
University of Oxford. Explore the stars in the world's
only planetarium at sea. Or simply unwind in a deck chair
and catch up on your reading. It's all waiting for you
aboard QM2 - the grandest ocean liner ever built.
Take advantage of a QM2 Transatlantic special with free
upgrades for a limited time only. Fare start at $1,499*
per person on selected sailings for Standard Inside cabin.
A Standard Ocean View or Premium Balcony starts at $1.799
pr person.
Take advantage of a free balcony upgrade when you buy
an ocean view cabin on these sailings: April 10, 16, 22,
and 28. Website: www.cunard.com .
*Free upgrade applies to April 10, 16, 22 and 28, 2005
sailings only. $1,499 fare applies to interior stateroom
category D5 for April 10 and 16, 2005 sailings only. $1,799
fare applies to standard ocean view category C4 and premium
balcony category B7 for April 10. For more information
call 1-800-7-CUNARD. Fare Code: Y12U05, Y13U05.
MSC Cruises has a full lineup of baseball theme cruises
slated on the new MSC Opera during its winter sailings
in the Caribbean. “This is a great opportunity for fans
of the game to fill the time between the World Series
and spring training with baseball, as they meet and learn
from some of the game’s legends,” says Richard E. Sasso,
president and CEO of MSC Cruises (USA).
Each cruise from Fort Lauderdale will feature at least
six of baseball’s all-time greats. During the cruise,
guests can test their baseball knowledge in a player-hosted
trivia game, participate in question-and-answer sessions
and obtain player autographs. Players will also host pitching,
hitting and defensive strategy clinics.
-- The January 22 Western Caribbean cruise will feature
Frank Howard, Amos Otis, Rudy May, Ed Figueroa, Jerry
Koosman and Ken Griffey Sr. The itinerary includes calls
at Key West, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Roatan Island.
-- Three Eastern Caribbean itineraries (with calls at
San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Croix and Nassau) will also
feature baseball greats. Among those participating in
the Feb. 12 cruise will be Tony Oliva, Fritz Peterson,
Juan Marichal, Bill Russell, Willie Horton and Hector
Lopez, while Don Larsen, Gorman Thomas, Glenn Beckert,
Ron Swoboda, Gary Peters and Earl Williams will be on
the Feb. 26, 2005 sailing. The March 12 cruise will include
Earl Weaver, Tom Tresh, Cito Gaston and Lee May.
On each of the baseball cruises, there will also be time
to enjoy the elegance, Italian cuisine, ambiance, and
exceptional service of cruising “With a True Italian Signature”
as the ship sails. Prices begin at $545 per person, double
occupancy.
For further information and brochures, contact a travel
agent, call 1-800-666-9333 or visit the company's website
at http://www.msccruises.com.
Norwegian Coastal Voyage is expanding its air-inclusive
cruise programs and upgrading the fleet for the 2005 season.
A regional cruise tour program to the Lofoten Islands
and two fjord regions is being introduced in April on
the traditional MS Lofoten, Norway’s only floating national
historic monument. Jacuzzis are being installed on five
ships.
The fleet has 11 ships sailing daily year-round along
the 1,250-mile fjord-indented coast of Norway, calling
at 34 ports from Bergen to Kirkenes, above the Arctic
Circle.
Designed for active, experienced travelers interested
in nature, three new 10- and 11-day cruise tours on the
171-passenger Lofoten add hiking, fishing trips and lectures
to enhance daily excursions to well-known and remote destinations
accessible by landings in inflatable boats. The voyages
from Bodo or Bergen on April 20 to August 31 go north
to the rugged Lofotens and explore fjords as far south
as Stavanger and the Lysefjord,
stopping at many places not on the regular NCV itinerary.
Cost is $3,200 to $4,795 per person, double occupancy.
The launch of the 643-passenger MS Finnmarken
in 2002, the first Millennium-class ship, set a new NCV
standard with many more suites and the line’s first private
balconies, Jacuzzis and Internet café. For the 2005 season
outdoor Jacuzzis are being installed on two 674-berth
Millennium ships, the MS Trollfjord and MS Midnatsol,
and on the contemporary 464- to 490-berth MS Nordnorge,
MS Nordkapp and MS Richard With. The Nordnorge
is the fourth ship to be equipped with an Internet café.
A new suite is being added on the Nordkapp.
Promotional offers, which can be combined for maximum
savings, include year-round AARP (American Association
of Retired Persons) membership discounts of $70 to $150
per cabin; a senior savings for passengers 67 and older
of $95 to $170 per person except in June and July; and
a waived single supplement in selected cabin categories
on contemporary and mid-generation ships from January
1 to March 3 and October 1 to December 31.
An alternative to a traditional cruise, Norwegian Coastal
Voyage is a unique combination of first-class cruise ship,
a working ship carrying local passengers and cargo, and
a lifeline to remote coastal towns and villages. A seven-day
northbound, six-day southbound or 12-day round-trip sailing
on “the world’s most beautiful voyage” is the centerpiece
of three air-inclusive programs. NCV Vacations include
transatlantic flights from New York, hotels with breakfast
daily, the coastal voyage, gratuities, port charges and
air taxes. Add-on airfares are available from Chicago,
Washington, DC, Seattle and other U.S. cities.
NCV Independent Vacations are flexible 12-day to 17-day
programs combining
the coastal voyage with first-class hotels, one dinner,
Oslo and Bergen Cards, and the Oslo-Bergen train journey;
they operate daily year-round except one tour adding
Iceland; cabins cost $2,780 to $5,115 and suites $3,360
to $8,680 per person, double.
Introduced in 2004, NCV No Frills Vacations are 10- and
15-day independent
packages on the 312- to 318-berth mid-generation ships,
MS Narvik and MS Vesteralen, matched with tourist-class
hotels and a short land segment but the same ports of
call and scenery as the larger vessels. Year-round departures
are $1,955 to $4,110.
The 15- to 18-day NCV Escorted Vacations on Millennium
ships from May to September provide extensive sightseeing
in Lapland and/or the fjord region, first-class hotels
and most meals at tour prices of $4,620 to $6,720. Two
12-day holiday cruise tours combine the coastal voyage
with traditional Christmas celebrations in Copenhagen
and Norway, a gala New Year’s Eve aboard ship and an Arctic
wilderness stay.
For 2005, individual optional shore excursions can be
reserved in advance through the New York office. A new
Tromso dog-sledding safari on the frozen landscapes of
Kvaloya Island with refreshments in a Sami (Lapp) tent,
scheduled from late October to late April, is $120. Seasonal
and year-round excursions are priced from $30 to $130.
NCV has expanded its pre- and post-cruise extensions
to include all three of Norway’s best-known fjords–the
Sognefjord, Hardangerfjord and Geirangerfjord–with the
addition of a three-day Geirangerfjord program from Alesund
to Bergen at $610 from May through September.
Cruise-only rates range from $688 to $1,712 for six days,
$838 to $2,086 for seven days and $1,250-$3,113 for 12
days; suites cost $1,307 to $3,596 per person double for
the six-day, $1,592 to $4,381 for the seven-day, and $2,375
to $6,538 for the round trip. Soft-adventure NCV Expedition
Voyages are scheduled to Spitsbergen from June to August
and to Antarctica November to March. The company also
handles U.S. reservations for Sweden’s Gota Canal cruises.
Norwegian Coastal Voyage Inc. is at 405 Park Avenue,
New York, NY 10022;
(800) 323-7436 or (212) 319-1300; fax (212) 319-1390;
for brochures, (800)
666-2374, 24 hours a day; www.norwegiancoastalvoyage.us.
NCV Reduces Singles Rates From $320 To $1,385
Norwegian Coastal Voyage has reduced rates for solo travelers
from $320 to $1,385 per person on NCV No Frills Vacations,
10- and 15-day air-inclusive cruise tours introduced in
2004 on small mid-generation ships plying Norway’s 1,250-mile
west coast between Bergen and Kirkenes, above the Arctic
Circle. Year-round AARP member discounts of
$100 to $150 per cabin and savings for seniors age 67
and up of $95 to $170
per person except in June and July can be combined. Departures
are scheduled five to six times per month.
An alternative to more expensive NCV Independent Vacations,
no-frills tours feature a one-way or roundtrip voyage
on the 312- to 318-berth MS Narvik and MS Vesteralen
with the same 34 ports of call, scenery and shore excursions
as the fleet’s larger ships but with tourist-class hotels
and a shorter land segment.
Single rates are $2,280 to $4,300 on two 10-day tours
with a six-day southbound or seven-day northbound sailing
and $2,600 to $5,305 for a 5-day itinerary with a 12-day
roundtrip cruise through December, 2005. The rate reductions
apply to all price categories: inside and outside cabins
with upper/lower or two lower berths. Double rates are
$1,955 to $3,455 per person for 10-day and $2,195 to $4,110
for 15-day trips.
Packages include roundtrip flights from New York, cabin
category selected and all meals aboard ship, tourist-class
hotel and buffet breakfast in Oslo and Bergen, local flight,
ship gratuities, port charges and air taxes. The Bergen-Bergen
cruise itinerary omits Oslo and a flight. Add-on airfares
from other U.S. cities are available.
Norwegian Coastal Voyage vessels are a unique combination
of a first-class cruise ship and a working ship carrying
local passengers and cargo between ports ranging from
remote fishing villages to bustling cities like Trondheim.
The company is at (800) 323-7436 or (212) 319-1300 (US);
website: http://www.norwegiancoastalvoyage.us
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) will extend Norwegian
Sea's Houston, Texas deployment through July of 2005.
The company will add 11 additional Exotic Western Caribbean
sailing to the ship's current lineup as well as a Panama
Canal sailing.
The first 10 additional Western Caribbean sailings will
depart Houston each Saturday and call upon Cozumel, Mexico;
Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras; Belize City, Belize and
Cancun, Mexico through July 16. Then, the ship will sail
an abbreviated Western Caribbean itinerary offering all
the ports except Roatan to prepare for the ship's Panama
Canal cruise departing July 22, 2005. The two-week Panama
Canal sailing departs Houston and will feature calls in
Cozumel, Mexico; Cartagena, Columbia; transit the Panama
Canal and then continue onto Los Angeles with stops in
Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
From there, the ship will be transferred into the Star
Cruises fleet.
The additional sailings are on sail now starting from
$529 per person with the Panama Canal voyage starting
from $1049 per person. For further information on NCL
agents in the U.S. and Canada may contact NCL at (800)
327-7030; visit NCL's website at www.ncl.com.
: Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) today announced that the
newest addition to the fleet, Norwegian Jewel, which will
be delivered on August 5, 2005 from the Meyer Werft Shipyard
in Bremerhaven, Germany. She will sail three ex-UK itineraries
from Dover and four New England cruise itineraries during
September and October, out of New York, before beginning
her deployment out of Miami, sailing an Eastern and Western
Caribbean itinerary throughout the winter season.
Three completely new itineraries from NCL are a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity, for first-time and regular cruisers alike,
to cruise on Norwegian Jewel before she becomes part of
the NCL fleet in North America. The 92,000 ton, purpose-built
Freestyle Cruising ship, offers choice and flexibility
and the most innovative product sailing at sea, with something
for everyone and unparalleled dining options – a true
floating resort.
All three itineraries: 13-night Mediterranean Treasures,
12-night Baltic Capitals and 14-night Path of the Vikings,
depart from Dover.
-- On 10 August 2005 the Mediterranean Treasures itinerary
departs from Dover, calling at Lisbon, Gibraltar, Florence/Pisa
(Livorno), Cannes, Barcelona and Almeria.
-- On 23 August 2005 the ship will sail to the Baltic
Capitals stopping in Oslo, Helsinki, spending the night
in St. Petersburg, before sailing to Stockholm, Berlin
(Warnemunde) and Copenhagen before returning to the UK.
-- The transatlantic cruise, Path of the Vikings, departs
on 4 September 2005 and calls at Cork, Reykjavik (Iceland),
St. John's (Newfoundland) and Newport (Rhode Island) before
arriving in New York on 14 September 2005.
Prices start from £1,499 for the 13-night Mediterranean
Treasures, £1,399 for the 12-night tour of the Baltic
Capitals and packages for 14-night transatlantic voyage
to New York, Path of the Vikings, start from £1,049.
Freestyle Cruising offers choice and flexibility in dining
and Norwegian Jewel has 10 restaurants including: Cagney’s
Steak House, Le Bistro (French), Tango’s (Tapas), Chin
Chin (Asian), Tsar’s Palace and Mama’s Italian Kitchen.
The new ship also has more interconnecting cabins for
small or large families, a sports deck containing basketball,
volleyball and tennis court and 10 new courtyard villas
with a private courtyard and sundeck. The ship will be
particularly family friendly and feature the Splashdown
Kid’s Club and Sapphire Kid’s Pool – a brightly colored
facility for children designed with a cute and friendly
tropical sea creature theme as well as the Underground
Teen’s Club.
Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line is an international
cruise company and industry innovator that operates a
fleet of ten ships sailing to more than 140 ports around
the world. For further customer information on NCL,
visit NCL’s web site at www.uk.ncl.com, or dial reservations on 0845
658 8010 or contact an ABTA bonded travel agent.
For further customer information on NCL, visit NCL’s
website at www.uk.ncl.com, or dial reservations on 0845
658 8010 or contact an ABTA bonded travel agent.
NCL UK Launches Its ‘Sale Of All Sails’
In the UK, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has launched its
‘Sale of all Sails,’ Under the banner YOU CAN’T MISS SOMETHING
THIS BIG! the New Year sales campaign guarantees upgrades
to superior cabins, up to 45 percent off the brochure
price, and up to $350 on-board credit on all its ships
and all itineraries featured in the 2005/6 second-edition
brochure. This biggest ever NCL sale offers European holidaymakers
the ideal opportunity to take advantage of fantastic value
cruises to the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii and the Bahamas
& Florida.
Sale of all Sails runs until the February 28, 2005 and
is guaranteed on every ship and every itinerary in the
2005/06 second-edition brochure. This means that guests
will get the best deal possible, perfect for first time
cruisers or those returning to what has become the biggest
growing holiday sector in the UK.
Guests will be able to take advantage of the following
benefits:
-- Up to 4 category cabin upgrade (subject to availability)
which is not restricted inside to inside or outside to
outside cabins
-- Up to 45 percent off the full brochure price
-- Up to $350 on-board credit when booking an ocean view
stateroom with balcony or higher category
The following cruises are highlighted for fantastic value:
-- Alaska: Alaskan Seas & Glacier Bay – 9-night fly-cruise
from £1299 pp
-- Seattle (Washington) – Cruise the Inside Passage –
Juneau (Alaska) – Skagway (Alaska) – Cruise Glacier Bay
– Ketchikan (Alaska) – Victoria (British Columbia) – Seattle
-- Caribbean: Riches of the Western Caribbean – 9-night
fly-cruise from £899 pp
Miami – Great Stirrup Cay (Bahamas) – Ochoa Rios (Jamaica)
– George Town (Grand Cayman) – Rotan (Bay Islands) - Miami
-- Bahamas & Florida: New York Premiere – 11-night
cruise & stay from £1299 pp
New York – Port Canaveral (Florida) – Miami – Great Stirrup
Cay (Bahamas) – Nassau (Bahamas) – New York
-- Caribbean: Southern Caribbean – 14-night cruise &
stay from £1349 pp
New York – St Thomas (USVI) – St John’s (Antigua) – Bridgetown
(Barbados) – Philipsburg (St Marten) – Tortola (BVI) –
New York
-- Hawaii: Hawaiian Splendours – 10-night fly-cruise
from £1399 pp
Honolulu – Nawiliwili – Hilo – Kona – Kahului – Honolulu
Website: www.uk.ncl.com
Orbitz, the site that makes travel easier, has announced
the "Orbitz Cruise Bonus Event", featuring exclusive
offers and top-brand cruise deals, cash-back incentives,
shipboard credits and more, are available on www.Orbitz.com through February 14, 2005.
Orbitz presents a first-ever, exclusive offer to American
Express c ardmembers enrolled in the Membership Rewards
program. Book a cruise on Orbitz.com using an American
Express Card through February 14, 2005, and earn triple
points for every dollar spent.
In addition, Orbitz customers who book an oceanview stateroom,
balcony stateroom or suite with any payment type are eligible
for an American Express Gift Card worth up to $300. (Note:
Gift Card offer not valid on Carnival Cruise Lines.) For
example, book three to five nights in an oceanview room
and receive a $25 American Express Gift Card, with a balcony
room, receive $50; book 10 nights and over in an oceanview
room and receive a $200 American Express Gift Card and
with a balcony room, receive $300.
Orbitz customers can secure even more savings through
mid-February, including cash-back offers, free airfare,
shipboard or spa credits on the following cruise lines.
-- Royal Caribbean is offering $25-$100 in EXTRA savings
-- Norwegian Cruise Lines is offering up to $100 in
shipboard credits
-- Celebrity Cruises is offering $50- $200 in EXTRA
savings
-- Holland America is offering spa credit, free dinner
upgrades and
complimentary wine
-- Disney Cruises offers its cruisers $25 in shipboard
credit
-- Oceania Cruises offers two-for-one prices, $100
shipboard credit and
free airfare
The following popular cruise deals are available on
Orbitz through February 14th:
-- Royal Caribbean seven-Night Western Caribbean Cruise.
Set sail from Port Canaveral on the impressive Mariner
of the Seas. The first stop is the private island
Labadee and then visit Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Go snorkeling
in Georgetown, the capital of Grand Cayman Island, and
finish the cruise with the Mayan ruins in Cozumel. Interior
rooms start at $559 and Orbitz customers can save an EXTRA
$100 on select cruises.
-- Holland America Line seven-night Eastern Caribbean.
Take a cruise on the Zuiderdam, boarding in Ft. Lauderdale.
Stop at these popular ports of call that include Half
Moon Cay Bahamas, Charlotte Amelie, Bahamas, Road Town
Tortilla, B.V.I., and finish with a visit to Nassau, Bahamas.
Interior rooms start at $599 and book on Orbits to receive
a dinner upgrade and/or two bottles of wine served at
dinner on select cruises.
-- Norwegian Cruise Line seven-night Alaska & Sawyer
Glacier. Board the Norwegian Sun in Vancouver and set
sail for Alaska. Ports of call include Cruise Inside Passage,
Ketchikan, Juneau, Cruise Sawyer Glacier, Skagway, and
Wrangell. Interior rooms start at $819 and receive a $50
Shipboard Credit on select cruises.
* Price is based on cruise-only, per person double
occupancy and includes port charges.
Please Note: Value-added cruise incentives are subject
to availability at the time of booking and certain restrictions
and blackout dates may apply.
Visit http://cruises.orbitz.com/promotion/amexsale/Default.html
for more information .
Complete details are available at http://cruises.orbitz.com/promotion/amexsale/Default.html
Orbitz is a leading online travel company that enables
travelers to search for and purchase a broad array of
travel products, including airline tickets, lodging, rental
cars, cruises and vacation packages. Since launching its
website, http://www.orbitz.com to the general public in
June 2001, Orbitz has become the third largest online
travel site based on gross travel bookings. On Orbitz,
consumers can search more than 455 airlines, tens of thousands
of lodging properties worldwide and 22 car rental companies.
Orbitz was acquired by Cendant's Travel Distribution Services
division in November 2004, and is part of the Consumer
Travel Americas group.
The 320-guest Paul Gauguin®, the standard bearer
of luxury cruising in Tahiti and French Polynesia since
entering service there in 1998 as part of the Radisson
Seven Seas® fleet, will continue to be managed by the
cruise line in Tahiti and Her Islands through January
6, 2007. Shipboard service will reflect the same uncompromising
levels of luxury, service and value for which the Radisson
Seven Seas brand is known.
The 320-guest Paul Gauguin was built in 1997 at Chantiers
de l’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France. She is 513 feet
long with a beam of 71 feet. Her draft of 16.9 feet allows
her access to smaller, rarely-frequented ports and anchorages
in French Polynesia. Her fully retractable marina allows
her to operate a comprehensive water sports program that
includes a PADI dive certification course.
The ship’s seven-night roundtrip sailings depart Papeete
on Saturdays and visit Raiatea (the cultural heart of
Polynesia), Tahaa (for a call at the ship’s private islet
of Motu Mahana), Bora Bora (for two full days on the island
James Michener used as the model of his idyllic “Bali
Hai”) and two days in Moorea.
In 2005, the Paul Gauguin will offer guests a selection
of 35 seven-night Society Islands itineraries plus an
expanded series of ten-, 11-, and 14-night sailings reaching
the Marquesas, Tuamotus, Australs, Cook and Pitcairn Islands
(for a total solar eclipse cruise).
A series of seven-night Summer in Tahiti cruises
features special fares with per person prices on March
12, 19 and 26 from $1,995; and on a January 22 14-night
Marquesas voyage from $3,495. Special savings fares for
seven-night cruises in April and May are from $2,195.
Ten-night voyages in the Society Islands and Tuamotus
on June 11 and July 2 are from $2,895. Eleven-night voyages
in the Society Islands, Tuamotus, and Marquesas on June
21 and July 12 are from $3,095. All sailings include
shipboard gratuities, wine with lunch and dinner, soft
drinks throughout and an in-stateroom bar set-up. Air
add-ons from 86 North American gateways start from $899.
Website: www.rssc.com
. To make reservations contact your travel professional.
Double Savings On Radisson’s ‘Seven Seas Mariner’
Yoga Cruise
Guests who are unfamiliar with but interested in the
practice of yoga, and those who already know how to execute
“standing stick,” “downward dog” and “warrior” poses,
will find the Seven Seas Mariner’s® first-ever yoga cruise
on February 24 a rewarding personal experience. The seven-night
Western Caribbean voyage will be accompanied by a pair
of renowned yoga experts who will lead daily classes for
guests of all levels.
The Spotlight on Yoga cruise will allow interested
travelers to stretch their minds and bodies, but not their
wallets, as the cruise features two-for-one fares from
$2,198 per guest in addition to a free one-category suite
upgrade.
Michael Lechonczak and Robin Whitney Levine, a New York
City-based husband-and- wife yoga team, will bring the
art and science of yoga to guests of the luxurious 700-guest
Seven Seas Mariner. Their daily onboard program
will offer a variety of options for men and women, yoga
beginners and experts of all ages. Classes on meditation
and aromatherapy will round out the mix. Lechonczak and
Levine’s innovative AromaYoga practice fuses the art of
yoga with the science of aromatherapy. Therapeutic grade
essential oils are used to facilitate breath and focus,
enabling yogis to flow easily into a powerful practice.
Michael Lechonczak is a nationally recognized yoga professional
who has been practicing and teaching for over 15 years.
Versed in the Iyengar, Astanga and Anusara schools of
yoga, his teaching style blends alignment, form, and consciousness
into a fun, athletic approach. Most recently, Michael
collaborated on the bestselling book Real Men Do Yoga.
Robin Whitney Levine is a certified fitness professional
specializing in yoga and holistic wellness in New York.
She is a skilled and dynamic instructor who integrates
western modalities such as Pilates and core conditioning
with her knowledge of yoga, aromatherapy and reflexology.
Together, Michael and Robin lead yoga workshops and retreats
worldwide and teach at Equinox Fitness Clubs throughout
Manhattan.
The Seven Seas Mariner’s seven-night voyage sails roundtrip
from Ft. Lauderdale on February 24 and calls at Grand
Cayman, Cozumel, (with an onboard overnight) and Key West,
Florida (with an onboard overnight).
The luxury Seven Seas Mariner accommodates her 700 guests
in suites ranging from 301 to 2,002 square feet, all including
a private balcony, separate sitting room, marble-appointed
bathroom, walk-in closet with safe, TV and VCR. Four
fine dining choices are available, including Signatures,
run by chefs of Le Cordon Bleu®, with the main dining
room offering single, open seating allowing guests to
dine when and with whom they wish. An Internet classroom/café
has 18 computers for guests to use.
Per person prices for the yoga cruise start from $2,198,
including two-for-one savings, a complimentary one-category
suite upgrade, all shipboard gratuities, an in-suite bar
set-up, wine with dinner, and yoga program. Low cost air
add-ons are available from 86 North American gateways
from $469.
Website: www.rssc.com
. To make reservations contact your travel professional.
Around The World In 109 Days On ‘Seven Seas Voyager’
2006 World Cruise
Guests thinking of taking a luxurious Radisson Seven
Seas® World Cruise are well advised to book early for
2006 in light of the great success of the Seven Seas
Voyager’s® 2005 World Cruise. Every segment of her January
5, 2005, world circumnavigation sold out early with more
than 300 guests booked to sail the entire 100-plus day
voyage.
Even among the most experienced travelers, the World
Cruise has a special cachet - and the cruise line is putting
that appealing prospect within reach once more as the
acclaimed all-balcony suite 700-guest Seven Seas Voyager
sets out to circumnavigate the globe again on her Jan.
10, 2006 voyage, spanning 45 ports in 28 nations on five
continents. While all of the favorite destinations will
be reached - including Tahiti, Hong Kong and Sydney -
this 109-day World Cruise will also introduce guests to
the mysteries of Rangoon and Tripoli, even as they enjoy
the ship’s six-star luxury.
Reservations for the 2006 World Cruise will open January
18, 2005. Guests may preview the full itinerary online
at www.rssc.com. By
the end of this three-month adventure, guests will have
seen and explored ports of call in French Polynesia, New
Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Thailand,
Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, India, United Arab Emirates,
Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Italy, Monaco, Spain, Portugal,
Bermuda and the Bahamas before reaching Ft. Lauderdale
on April 28.
In addition to the largest lead-in suites at sea - each
with a private balcony, with competitively priced lead-in
fares from $49,995 per person, guests who book the entire
World Cruise will enjoy complimentary inclusions that
will further elevate the luxury and convenience of their
experience: roundtrip first class air from 86 North American
gateways; up to $2,000 per suite shipboard credit; luggage
delivery service from guests’ home to their onboard suite;
private car transfers in port of embarkation/disembarkation;
a Bon Voyage celebration and hotel night at The Regent
Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles; visa costs for US and
Canadian guests residing in North America; and five percent
savings for past RSSC Full World Cruise guests and Seven
Seas Society members.
Highlights of the World Cruise also include a series
of complimentary special shoreside events and optional
multi-day tours in some of the most exotic lands on earth.
A distinguished roster of Smithsonian Institution lecturers
and prominent celebrity guests will offer stimulating
talks on a variety of fascinating topics.
Segments & Pre-World Cruise Option
Six individual segments of the World Cruise may be combined.
Segment one, a 22-night voyage from Los Angeles to Sydney,
departs January 10, 2006; segment two: 21-nights from
Sydney to Hong Kong; segment three: 14 nights from Hong
Kong to Singapore; segment four: 15 nights from Singapore
to Dubai; segment five: 17 nights from Dubai to Civitavecchia
(Rome); segment six: 15 nights from Civitavecchia, across
the Atlantic to Bermuda and the Bahamas, arriving in Ft.
Lauderdale on April 28. Guests who wish to truly circumnavigate
the globe may add a 14-night Panama Canal, Costa Rica
and Mexico cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles before
their world voyage, creating a 122-night roundtrip Ft.
Lauderdale journey.
Acclaimed for her all-suite, all-balcony design, the
Seven Seas Voyager is ideally suited to world cruising
with balcony-suites ranging from 356 to 1,403 square feet
of living space including walk-in closets and large marble-appointed
bathrooms featuring separate glass shower stalls and full
bathtubs. Four main dining, open-seating venues are offered,
including the 110-seat Signatures, directed by Le Cordon
Bleu® chefs. The Carita Spa offers a full menu of spa,
beauty and grooming services and the ship houses Club.com,
an Internet café and learning center. Butler service is
available in 88 suites.
Per person prices from $49,995 for the 109-day World
Cruise include Early Booking Savings (if booked 120 days
prior to departure) and all inclusions mentioned above,
resulting in exceptional value for a World Cruise. And
in true “ultra-luxury” spirit, shipboard gratuities, wine,
liquor and soft drinks throughout the voyage are also
included in the World Cruise fare.
Per person prices for the 122-night roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale
cruise on December 27, 2005 are from $54,995.
For further information, visit: www.rssc.com . To make reservations contact your
travel professional.
From extreme makeovers to outstanding new itineraries
from the Northeast, Royal Caribbean International is offering
even more innovative amenities and exciting vacation options
for guests in 2005.
-- Royal Caribbean's much-anticipated Freedom of the
Seas is under construction with bookings scheduled
to open in spring 2005. At 158,000 gross registered tons,
Freedom will be the world's largest cruise ship when she
enters service in April 2006 and will sail year-round,
seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries
from Miami. The line will be releasing details on the
ship's unique and innovative features throughout 2005.
-- Sovereign of the Seas continues her year-round,
three- and four-night Bahamas itineraries from Port Canaveral,
having undergone an extreme makeover at the end of 2004
that transformed all areas of the ship and added Boleros,
the line's hot Latin lounge; a sit-down coffee and ice
cream shop; and three teen-only venues. The third Royal
Caribbean ship to undergo extensive renovations in recent
years, Sovereign's most visible additions are 62 new balconies,
creating the ship's first balcony staterooms.
-- This spring, the line is going to new lengths with
Enchantment of the Seas, which will receive a 73-foot
midsection insert, dramatic suspension bridges, a splash
deck for kids, and bungee trampolines that send guests
soaring into the air. Returning to service in July 2005,
Enchantment of the Seas will offer a series of special
summer and fall Canada/New England sailings from Cape
Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, NJ, as well as from Philadelphia
and Boston, before returning to year-round Caribbean sailings
from Fort Lauderdale.
-- Royal Caribbean is strengthening its Northeast lineup,
with Voyager of the Seas and Grandeur of the
Seas set to sail alternating five-night Bermuda and
nine-night Western Caribbean itineraries from May through
November 2005 from Cape Liberty, in Bayonne, NJ, and Baltimore
respectively.
-- Royal Caribbean is continuing short cruises from the
Gulf. Splendour of the Seas will return to Galveston,
Texas, in November 2005 to sail four- and five- night
itineraries to the Western Caribbean during the 2005-06
winter season.
-- In addition, the line's newest ship Jewel of the
Seas returns to Boston in September 2005 to offer
new ten-night Bermuda/Caribbean sailings visiting Tortola,
B.V.I.; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; King's Wharf, Bermuda,
and Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private destination in
Hispaniola.
-- Royal Caribbean has 16 ships in the Caribbean this
winter, including Empress of the Seas, which is offering
exotic itineraries in Southern Caribbean through April
2005. Departing from San Juan, the unique 11-night adventures
take guests to St. Maarten, St. Barts, St. Kitts, St.
Lucia, Barbados, Venezuela, Aruba and Curacao. Empress
also sails
three-night cruises to St. Thomas/St. Maarten and St.
Kitts/St. Maarten.
Exploring Ashore.
Europe
-- In 2005, Royal Caribbean once again is offering exclusive
European cruisetours, pairing land trips to some of the
most historic and beautiful regions of England, France
and Spain with European cruises on Brilliance of the
Seas and Splendour of the Seas in the Mediterranean
and Jewel of the Seas in Northern Europe. Land-tour portions,
ranging from three to five days, are escorted by knowledgeable,
local Tour Directors. They include four- and five- star
hotel accommodations and guided tours of top cultural
attractions, as well as plenty of free time to pursue
individual interests.
Alaska and Canada
-- Royal Caribbean guests can explore Alaska and Canada
with cruisetour packages in conjunction with seven-night
Alaska cruise itineraries. Vision of the Seas sails
one-way Gulf of Alaska itineraries between Vancouver and
Seward, while Radiance of the Seas and Serenade
of the Seas sail roundtrip Hubbard Glacier itineraries
from Vancouver. Guests aboard Vision of the Seas
sailings can choose from 19 cruisetours that explore Alaska's
natural wonders and include travel by deluxe motorcoach
and luxurious glass-domed railcars, the Wilderness Express.
Adventurous land excursion options include white-water
rafting, glacier flight-seeing and heli-hiking. The line
also offers Canadian Rockies and Whistler cruisetours
in conjunction with the roundtrip Hubbard Glacier cruises.
For additional information about the cruise line, please
visit the company's Web site at http://www.royalcaribbean.com
or call 800-327-6700.
Silversea Cruises is teaming up again with Relais &
Châteaux - Relais Gourmands, the prestigious association
of boutique hotels and restaurants, to offer a unique
collection of eleven new Culinary Arts theme cruises in
2005. The popular culinary enrichment program will showcase
the artistry of award-winning chefs from around the world,
such as Eyvind Hellstrøm of Oslo's Bagatelle, a Michelin
Two Star restaurant; Alois Vanlangenaeker, the Michelin
Star chef of Il San Pietro Hotel in Positano, Italy; and
Rick Tramonto, partner and executive chef of Chicago's
Tru, a Mobil Four Star and AAA Five Diamond restaurant.
"We're delighted to continue featuring some of the
world's most acclaimed chefs through our partnership with
Relais & Châteaux," said Barbara Muckermann,
Silversea's senior vice president, worldwide marketing
and communications. "Our Culinary Arts cruises are
a great way to meld together exciting travel destinations
with cooking events and demonstrations that entertain
and edify, as well as reveal the personalities, skills
- and a few culinary secrets - of the masters of haute
cuisine."
This year's collection of Culinary Arts cruises offers
guests a chance to explore the ancient ruins of Machu
Picchu on the slopes of the Andes Mountains; witness the
serene beauty of sun-drenched Caribbean beaches; soak
up the glamour and nightlife of Monte Carlo; or enjoy
a leisurely bike ride and lunch along Québec's scenic
St. Lawrence River - to mention just a few highlights
of the eleven different itineraries. On each culinary
sailing, the distinguished guest chefs of Relais &
Châteaux - Relais Gourmands will display their epicurean
artistry during informative and entertaining cooking demonstrations.
Guests can taste and learn firsthand the secrets of enticing
signature dishes created by master chefs like Robert Carter,
executive chef of the Mobil Four Star and AAA Four Diamond
Peninsula Grill at Planters Inn, Charleston, South Carolina;
Paul Wade, executive chef of the Mobil Four Star Montagna
restaurant at The Little Nell, Aspen, Colorado; Marc Fosh,
the Michelin Star executive chef of the gourmet restaurant
at Read's Hotel, Santa María, Mallorca; and Joachim Koerper,
the Michelin Two Star chef/owner of Spain's famed Girasol
restaurant.
The Culinary Arts cruises also feature food and wine
pairings, creative regional dishes, and a five-course
grand gourmet dinner. Throughout these special voyages,
the featured guest chef and Silversea's executive chef
are on hand to share their culinary expertise and answer
any questions.
Silversea's 2005 Relais & Chateaux Culinary
Arts Cruises
-- Silver Shadow's Pacific Coast Explorer
12-day cruise from Acapulco to Callao (Lima, Peru), January
19 - 31, 2005 (Voyage 3503). Guest Chef: Joachim Koerper,
Michelin Two Star Girasol, Moraira (Alicante), Spain.
Early Booking Incentive fares start at $6,116 per person.
-- Silver Wind’s Across a Southern Sea
15-day cruise from Rio de Janeiro to Cape Town, February
15 - March 2, 2005, (Voyage 2504). Guest Chef: Alois
Vanlangenaeker, Il San Pietro Hotel (Michelin Star restaurant),
Positano (Campania), Italy. Early Booking Incentive fares
start at $4,897 per person.
-- Silver Shadow’s Grand Transatlantic
16-day cruise from Rio de Janeiro to Lisbon, March 7 -
23, 2005 (Voyage 3507). Guest Chef: Marc Fosh, Read's
Hotel (Michelin Star restaurant), Santa María, (Mallorca),
Spain. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $5,621 per
person.
-- Silver Whisper's Tropical Passage 14-day
cruise from Barbados to Lisbon, April 1 - 15, 2005 (Voyage
4514). Guest Chef: Maxime Deschamps, Le Gaïac Restaurant
at Le Toiny Hotel, St. Barthelemy, French West Indies.
Silver Sailings fares start at $3,957 per person.
-- Silver Shadow's The Riviera & Tuscany
ten-day cruise from Monte Carlo to Rome, April 2 - 12,
2005 (Voyage 3509). Guest Chef: Franz Faeh, Grand Hotel
Park, Gstaad, Switzerland. Early Booking Incentive fares
start at $4,926 per person.
-- Silver Shadow's Crossroads of History
ten-day cruise from Rome to Venice, April 12 - 22, 2005
(Voyage 3510). Guest Chef: Paul Wade, Mobil Four Star
Montagna at the Little Nell, Aspen, Colorado. Early Booking
Incentive fares start at $4,926 per person.
-- Silver Wind's Mallorca to the Riviera
seven-day cruise from Palma de Mallorca to Monte Carlo,
July 11 - 18, 2005 (Voyage 2517). Guest Chef: Rick Tramonto,
Mobil Four Star / AAA Five Diamond Tru, Chicago, Illinois.
Early Booking Incentive fares start at $4,501 per person.
-- Silver Whisper's Classic Crossing 12-day
cruise from London (Southampton) to Boston, August 29
- September 10, 2005 (Voyage 4533). Guest Chef: Robert
Carter, Mobil Four Star / AAA Four Diamond Peninsula Grill
at Planters Inn, Charleston, South Carolina. Advance
Payment Bonus fares start at $4,057 per person.
-- Silver Whisper's Colonial Coast & Florida
12-day cruise from Montreal to Ft. Lauderdale, October
21 - November 2, 2005 (Voyage 4538). Guest Chef: Marc
Latulippe, Kingsbrae Arms, St. Andrews, New Brunswick.
Advance Payment Bonus fares start at $6,156 per person.
-- Silver Cloud's Amazon Explorer 12-day
cruise from Barbados to Manaus, October 31 - November
12, 2005 (Voyage 1532). Guest Chef: Eyvind Hellstrøm,
Michelin Two Star Bagatelle, Oslo, Norway. Advance Payment
Bonus fares start at $5,756 per person.
-- Silver Whisper's Caribbean Breezes nine-day
cruise from Barbados to Ft. Lauderdale, November 11 -
20, 2005 (Voyage 4540). Guest Chef: Neil Hitchen, Terrace
Restaurant at Cobblers Cove, Bridgetown, Barbados. Advance
Payment Bonus fares start at $3,296 per person.
For more information on Silversea Cruises, please contact
a travel agent. For a complimentary brochure, please call
toll-free (877) 215-9986 or visit www.silversea.com
|
