Crystal Cruises

Cruises to and From Monte Carlo Highlights 2006 Fall Mediterranean Collection

For the first time this fall, luxury cruise specialist Crystal Cruises will feature four new cruises beginning or ending in Monte Carlo, allowing travelers more options to extend their travels in the South of France. Also new is an 11-day itinerary from Rome to Athens with a maiden call at Tripoli, Libya and an overnight stay in Alexandria, Egypt, as well as a maiden call at Trieste, Italy on a September 21 itinerary.

From September through November, the Crystal Serenity offers six destination-rich 11-day itineraries visiting as many as five different countries on a single voyage. With late evening stays in several ports, guests enjoy the added luxury of time to explore the Amalfi and Dalmatian coasts, the Greek Isles, the French Riviera, the Canary Islands, the seaside towns of Turkey and the antiquities of Egypt.

As a special bonus, fares for Crystal Serenity's October 24 sailing from Athens to Monte Carlo have been reduced for better than 2-for-1 sailings, enabling travelers to enjoy plush outside staterooms for only $2,995 per person. With a range of itineraries and special savings fares for each sailing, Crystal Cruises is focusing on diversity and value for its fall 2006 collection. "With fewer crowds and slightly cooler weather, the fall is an ideal time to visit the Mediterranean," says Bill Smith, Crystal's senior vice president, sales and marketing. "Additionally, savvy travelers will appreciate the exceptional value of a Mediterranean cruise with Crystal, given the dollar's weak standing against the Euro and the resulting high prices of Europe's top luxury hotels."

With an emphasis on destination enrichment, Crystal is offering more than 250 optional shoreside Crystal Adventures, plus an unlimited opportunity to customize one's Mediterranean experience through the luxury line's Crystal Private Adventures program.

Crystal Cruises' 2006 Fall Mediterranean Collection includes:

-- Iberian Magic:  September 10 - 21; London, England to Monte Carlo, Monaco

  (overnight).  Visiting Honfleur and St. Tropez, France; Lisbon, Portugal;

  Cadiz/Seville and Barcelona, Spain.

-- Renaissance Rendezvous:  September 21 - October 2; Monte Carlo to Venice

  (overnight), Italy.  Visiting Florence/Livorno, Portofino, Rome/Civitavecchia and Trieste (maiden call), Italy; and Dubrovnik, Croatia.

--  La Dolce Vita:  October 2 - 13; Venice (overnight) to Rome. Visiting Dubrovnik; Corfu, Greece; Naples and Florence, Italy; and Monte Carlo (overnight).

-- Phoenician Passage:  October 13 - 24; Rome to Athens/Piraeus, Greece.   Visiting Sorrento, Italy; Tripoli, Libya (maiden call); Alexandria (overnight), Egypt; Kusadasi, Turkey; and Santorini/Thira, Greece.

-- Italian Splendors:  October 24 - November 4; Athens to Monte Carlo (overnight).  Visiting Split, Croatia; Venice (overnight), Sorrento, Rome, and Florence, Italy.

  -- Iberian Adventure:  November 4 - 15; Monte Carlo (overnight) to Lisbon.

  Visiting Barcelona, Cadiz, Canary Islands/Las Palmas and Canary Islands/Tenerife, Spain; Casablanca, Morocco; and Madeira/Funchal, Portugal.

Art historians from Sotheby's; Michael Bess, professor of European History at Vanderbilt University; and Thomas W. Lippman, a former Middle East bureau chief of The Washington Post are among the noted scholars who will share their insights of the destinations on these port-intensive itineraries.

For cruise reservations and additional information on Crystal Cruises, please contact a travel agent or call 888-799-4625. Website at www.crystalcruises.com

Discovery World Cruises

Antarctica In the Wake of the Bounty I

 Discovery’s cruise to Antarctica departs roundtrip from Buenos Aires February 3, 2007.

 The rates for the 15-night cruise start at $3,655 per person and include a three-night hotel stay in Buenos Aires.

Itinerary includes Ushuaia, Drake Passage, Deception Island & South Shetland Icebergs,

Admiralty Bay, Point Wild & Elephant Island, Antarctic Sound, Hope Bay& Gerlache Strait Paradise Harbor & Lemaire Channel, Half Moon Island, Cruise Cape Horn

When booking, request promotion code DISAN04

 Another cruise from Santiago to Paeete departs February 27, 2007. Rates for the 20-night cruise start at $3,145 per person and include a two-night hotel stay in Santiago

Port calls include: Robinson Crusoe Island, Easter Island (overnight), Pitcairn Island, Rangiroa Lagoon, Raiatea, Bora Bora

Request promotion code DISSP12

For complete details on all Discovery’s Winter 2007 cruisetours, visit www.discoveryworldcruises .

Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines

Fred Olsen has launched its biggest ever season of worldwide cruises for 2007/8 season aboard its fleet of four ships – Boudicca, Braemar, Black Watch and Black Prince.

The introduction of the fourth ship—Boudicca—in February 2006, has allowed for a wider choice of destinations and more long cruises ex-UK. Black Watch will set sail for a world cruise again in 2008—her third—and other cruise destinations include Africa, the Amazon, the Baltic, the Canary Islands, Caribbean, Mediterranean and the Norwegian Fjords. 

The choice of departure points has also been expanded for 2007/8, with Braemar adding Edinburgh (Leith) to her Newcastle season. This allows Black Prince to cruise from western British ports with more sailings from Liverpool, Glasgow (Greenock), Dublin and Belfast. 

 Departure points have also been expanded for 2007/8, with Braemar adding Edinburgh (Leith) to her Newcastle season. This allows Black Prince to cruise from western British ports with more sailings from Liverpool, Glasgow (Greenock), Dublin and Belfast.

One of the key highlights among the new cruises is Black Watch's North America 51-night voyage leaving Dover on September 23, 2007. This travels via Iceland and Greenland to Canada and all along the Eastern Seaboard of North America including Boston and New York, then on to the Bahamas and Bermuda returning via the Azores.

This classic New World odyssey can also be booked in three separate, shorter sectors:- these are Dover—Montreal, Montreal—Nassau, and Nassau—Dover and there are cruise and stay options, with pre and post cruise holidays in Canada and the Bahamas an as optional extra. Prices for the full 51-night cruise start from £5,443 per person including the early booking Cruiseaway Discount.

The 2007/8 cruise program visits a huge variety of ports worldwide, of which many are first time destinations for the cruise line. The World Cruise alone includes nine new destinations that Black Watch will visit on her epic 107-night voyage in 2008, as well as twenty new ports in the rest of the program.

Summer 2007 cruises traveling north will visit, for the first time, Lulea, Sweden's Lapland port; Halmstad in Sweden celebrating its 700th birthday and Archangel on Russia’s White Sea coast.

New destinations in a southerly direction are Khania, Crete; Sochi on Russia's Black Sea Coast; Split in Croatia, Koper in Slovenia and Seville in Spain, with 40 miles sailing up the Guadalquivir River.

Boudicca starts 2007 with an epic Latin America cruise of 48 nights. She departs Southampton on 21st January, traveling via the Canary Islands to the Caribbean and Central America, with key ports of call including Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and Cuba. She returns via the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Azores. The Cruiseaway fare on this cruise starts from £4,667 per person.

Among first time ports of call added to 2007/8 itineraries are Koper in Slovenia, Lulea in Sweden and Dunedin on New Zealand's South Island. The cruises offer the most extensive choice ever—both of destinations and departure ports—from mini cruises of just 2 nights right up to Black Watch's World Cruise of 107 nights.

More departures from the UK: Fred Olsen has also extended its program of departures from regional UK cruise ports for the 2007/8 season. A new development will be a series of summer cruises from Edinburgh (Leith) aboard Braemar in 2007, traveling to Iceland, the Baltic and the Norwegian fjords. First of these departures is a ten-night cruise to Iceland departing Leith on July 6. This cruise travels via Bergen in Norway and visits four Icelandic ports—Djupivogur, Akureyri, Reykjavik and Heimaey—and returns via Kirkwall in Norway. Braemar will also repeat her season of summer and early autumn cruises from Newcastle, introduced in 2006.

Black Prince cruises exclusively from regional ports in 2007/8 with departures from Liverpool, Glasgow (Greenock), Belfast, Dublin and Waterford. On some cruises there is a choice of departure ports Ð for example a cruise to Iberia can be taken from Liverpool on March 31, 2008, or from Waterford departing March 30. The full itinerary for this ten-day cruise is Waterford, Liverpool, then two days at sea before reaching Lisbon, Tangier and Seville and finally La Coruna in Spain. Other cruises offer a choice of departures from Belfast or Greenock (BP707, Canaries Easter cruise), Dublin/Liverpool, Belfast/Liverpool or Dublin/Greenock.

Full details of all cruises are featured in Fred Olsen Cruises Worldwide 2007/8 brochure and on the website at fredolsencruises.co.uk. For reservations, call 01473 742424

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Bilingual Travel Aboard The ‘Europa’ Available In 2007

In 2007, Americans will have new opportunities to indulge in the unsurpassed and unmatched luxury aboard MS Europa, the world’s five-star-plus rated cruise ship (Berlitz Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships 2006).

Europa is the first “all-suites” cruise ship, with staterooms that are never less than 290 square feet, 80 percent of them having their own veranda, assuring privacy and relaxation. Every stateroom has a modern infotainment system with TV, video on-demand, music center, internet access and private complimentary email connections with personal email address. The Europa experience includes a masterful blend of world-class cuisine, with two specialty restaurants of fine Italian and Eurasian dishes, and frequent visiting world-class guest chefs. The chef recently instituted cuisine légère, a culinary innovation offering light lunch and evening fare for those who are fitness conscious. A gymnasium and spa are available to complete the fitness experience.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises consistently caters to the individual on Europa. Its new 2007 program enables shore excursions to be more personal than ever; guests can choose from excursions for late risers or groups of like-minded people with special interests. Bicycle tours are also offered with the ship’s own bicycles.  The ship also has a saltwater pool that can be partially covered by the hydraulic Magrodome – so swimming is possible in all weather. A PGA professional golf coach is always onboard and is available even on “non-golf” cruises to work and play on the ship’s 21 course golf simulator.  

The bilingual itineraries on Europa that are available in 2007 include:

-- Down Under - Great Moments on the fifth continent – Music cruise From Melbourne to Jakarta: March 4, 2007 – March 22, 2007, including Adelaide, Australia; Kingscote, Kangaroo Island; Albany, Fremantle, Geraldton, Monkey Mia, Bromme, Australia; Padang Bay, Bali; Semarang, Indonesia

-- 1001 Nights – Around the Arabian Peninsula – Active Cruise from Muscat to Beirut: April 10, 2007 – April 23, 2007, including Salalah, Oman; Aden and Hodeidah, Yemen; Aqaba, Jordan; Sharm-el-Sheikh, Hurghada, Suez and Port Said, Egypt

-- Ancient World Of Europe – Cultural Cruise from Beirut to Genoa: April 23, 2007 – May 7, 2007, including Paphos, Cyprus; Antalya, Turkey; Volos, Delos, Mykonos and Crete, Greece; Catania, Sicily; Capri and Olbia, Sardinia

-- Western Europe – Gourmet Cruise along the Mediterranean and Atlantic Coast – from Lisbon to Monte Carlo: September 20 – September 30, 2007, including Portimao, Portugal; Tanger, Morocco; Barcelona, Valencia and Palma de Mallorca, Spain and Porto Vecchio; Corsica

-- Fall Feelings – Enjoy Southern Europe – Music Cruise from Monte Carlo to Istanbul: October 4 – October 18, 2007, including Catania, Sicily; Gallipoli and Venice, Italy; Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kerkyra, Pylos and Santorini, Greece

-- Heritage Of The Czars –  Explore the cultural sites of the BLACK SEA – Cultural Cruise from and to Istanbul: October 18 – October 28,  2007, including Trabzon, Turkey; Sotchi, Russia; Jalta, Sevastopol and Odessa, Ukraine; Varna and Nesebur, Bulgaria

-- Adventure Amazon – Cultural cruise along the Brazilian Coast – From Rio de Janeiro to Manaus: December 4 – December 19,  2007, including Salvador, Maceio, Recife, Fortaleza, Belem, Rio do Cajari, Santarem and Boca da Valeria. 

For more information, visit Hapag Lloyd’s bilingual website www.hl-cruises.com.

Hebridean International Cruises

29 Exceptional Voyages For Hebridean’s Winter/Spring 2007 Season

Hebridean International Cruises’ Winter and Spring 2006 – 2007 cruises of distinction brochure features 29 exceptional voyages. Taking in the Mediterranean and Red Sea through to the Indian Ocean and on to the Atlantic Ocean, the brochure runs from November 2006 to April 2007.

Starting in the Mediterranean in Greece and moving onto Egypt before visiting the United Arab Emirates, Christmas is spent on board sailing the Arabian Sea under a golden sun as the Hebridean Spirit makes her way to Sri Lanka. Spirit then glides through the Indian Ocean visiting India, the Seychelles and Mauritius before arriving in South Africa in spring and heading back up to the Canary Isles as her last port of call.

With only 96 guests and a ratio of almost one crewmember to each passenger, guests can be assured of a personal and discreet service that epitomizes cruising on board Spirit. Guests can relax by day with spa treatments, a book from the onboard library and the conversation of like-minded people, or journey ashore to explore the scenery, culture and wildlife as new destinations unfold.

In addition excellent guest speakers travel with Spirit helping to bring the region to life, from natural history experts, ornithologists and artists.

Fine dining with gourmet cuisine and hand-picked wines is very much part of the Sprit experience. The Welcome Cocktail party sets the tone for the rest of the cruise, where relaxed entertaining is the order of the day and the house party atmosphere soon sees new friendships established.

Luxury accommodation is provided in individually designed spacious cabins that offer all the comforts of a five star hotel but with an ever-changing vista from the cabin window.

Cruises include

-- Mediterranean and Red Sea—Along the Incense Trail—this cruise may be taken as a five-night cruise from Larnaca to Sharm-el-Sheikh, a 16 night cruise from Sharm-el-Sheikh to Dubai or a 20 night cruise from Larnaca to Dubai. Either option will take in this thousand-year old incense journey, following the route, which saw Frankincense, Myrrh and gold transported between Arabia and the Mediterranean. Highlights include a full day guided visit to Cairo including Giza and the Pyramids, a visit to St Catherine’s Monastery located deep in the Sinai, the world heritage site of the Red Rose City of Petra in Jordan, Dahlak Islands situated off the coast of Eritrea and the ancient city of Muscat in Oman.

Prices from £1,949 per person for five nights, £5,311 for 16 nights and £6,897 for 21 nights.

-- The Indian Ocean—Indian Ocean Paradise—January and February sees Sprit sailing the calm waters of the Indian Ocean. This voyage travels from Colombo to Mumbai.

Highlights include visits to the Gangaram Buddhist temple and Kelaniya Hindu temple in Colombo, the Indo-Portuguese town of Cochin, a guided rice barge cruise through the quiet backwaters of Kerala, a beach landing with beach barbecue on Aggatti Island one of the remote islands of Lakshadweep, and a guided sightseeing tour of Mumbai.

Again, this cruise offers three options, five nights, nine nights and 14 nights.

Prices from £1,736 per person traveling from Colombo to Cochin, £3,080 from Cochin to Mumbai or £4,576 from Colombo to Mumbai.

-- Indian to the Atlantic Ocean—Wonders of the Cape. This ten night cruise travels from Durban to Cape Town taking in Bushman Sands Game Reserve including game drives, Oudtshoorn  (the Ostrich Capital) along the picturesque Garden Route, a visit to the poignant Robben Island and the bustle of Cape Town. Prices from £3,3449 per person

All prices quoted include all meals, snacks, picnics and barbecues; wine from the Sommeliers selection and house wines and spirits and champagne by the glass throughout the public areas, all soft drinks, and tea and coffee. All Spirit’s organized tours are included as is use of the ships equipment such as bicycles and snorkeling kit. Gratuities are also included.

Solo travelers have always felt relaxed and welcome and enjoy Spirit’s friendly, yet unobtrusive service and ambience. Those traveling in parties of ten or more will benefit from Hebridean’s exclusive offer for larger parties. For every ten, the eleventh passenger will travel on a complimentary basis.

For further information on Hebridean Spirit please visit www.hebridean.co.uk

Holland America Line

What's Exclusive and New in European Cruise Excursions

Holland America Line seeks out unique cruise tour experiences in Europe from an Evening of Chopin in Gdansk, new for 2006 and 2007, to a private visit to the Vatican in Rome. Whether guests want to sightsee via camel, kayak, canal boat or gondola, the company offers more than 500 excursions in 138 ports of call in 2006 on cruises to the Mediterranean, Black Sea, North Africa, Scandinavia, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, the British Isles; and 2007 will offer all of that plus the Holy Land.

Something for everyone is the hallmark of Holland America's 2006 and 2007 slate of European excursions. Amsterdam's Canals on a Summer Evening is perfect for romantics. Murder on the Moika River in St. Petersburg and Angels and Demons’ Rome Adventure by Train has mystery buffs in mind. Nature lovers can go on a bird safari, attend a horse show, watch for whales and dolphins or visit the Polar Zoo. Thrill-seekers can opt for a Polar Flight, an extraordinary adventure from Akureyri, Iceland that provides entree to the Artic Circle Club -- with a membership certificate to prove it.

Exciting and new. Alexandria is the place to marvel at the Pyramids, glide down the Nile, ponder the riddle of the Sphinx, and, new this year, travel across the sands of time in a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Holland America has also added the Rembrandt Narrator exhibition in Leiden, the catacombs and cathedrals of Savoca and Forza D'Agro, Abisko National Park north of the Arctic Circle, the Hidden Villages of Santorini, and the Treasures of Sinop, the most beautiful natural harbor of the Black Sea, to its already extensive list of excursions.

Medallion Collection excursions feature exclusivity. This elite tour category features unique adventures and special events for a limited number of privileged guests. Topping the list of one-of-a-kind experiences are Formula One racecar driving in Barcelona, kayaking the Geirangerfjord in Norway, sipping vodka from a frozen glass in Stockholm's chic Ice Bar, flying over Berlin in a Raisin Bomber and a Gala Performance of live opera at St. Petersburg's famed Yusupov Palace.

"Taste of Europe" tours add flavor. Shore excursions offer a wonderful way to explore intriguing destinations. Organized tours ranging from a few hours to a full day in length, many including meals, spotlight traditional icons like the Pyramids, the Parthenon, the Colosseum and Pompeii while delving into each port's cultural scene and lifestyle. Tasting Devonshire Cream in the British Isles, sampling Cider and Cheese in Normandy, or savoring authentic pizza in Naples add zest to the European travel experience.

"Off the beaten track" excursions have wide appeal. Select tours designated as "off the beaten track" are ideal for those who "collect" new places. A high-speed boat trip through the Finnish Archipelago, a Neretva River Delta Photo Safari encompassing two countries — Croatia and Boznia Herzogovinia—or The Zozimus Experience, which revisits the scenes of great escapes, murders and mythical happenings within the medieval city of Dublin inject a fresh look at familiar places.

Holland America also offers customized group shore excursions customized to the ports and activities a group wants to experience. They also include language-specific guides, private transportation, and added features, such as a lunch or a show. To learn more about Holland America Line's entire award-winning shore excursions program or to pre-book excursions online, visit www.hollandamerica.com  and click "shore excursions".

For a cruise brochure or for more information, consult a professional travel agent, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

Holland America And Food &Wine Magazine Continue Culinary Alliance

As part of its continuing culinary alliance with Food & Wine magazine, the following culinary experts are scheduled to sail in the latter half of 2006 on HAL ships:

  -- Cat Cora, host and producer of The Cat Cora Show and frequent guest and

     host on various Food Network shows, sails June 23rd aboard ms Zaandam

     to Alaska.

  -- Jim Coleman, chef, Normandy Farm and host of Flavors of America, sailing on the June 25th Alaska sailing aboard the ms Veendam.

  -- Nick Stellino, chef, author and host of public television's Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen, sailing on the July 9th Alaska cruise aboard the ms Westerdam.

  -- Ari Nieminen, Executive Chef, Water's Edge; former Chef at FireBird, on

     the ms Maasdam's Transatlantic cruise July 10th.

  -- Clay Conley, Chef, Azul at Mandarin Oriental sails aboard ms Volendam

     in Alaska on July 19th.

  -- Gerald Dawes, expert in Spanish food, wine and culture, sailing on the July 20th Western Mediterranean cruise aboard Noordam.

  -- Jean-Francis & Alessandra Quaglia, chefs/proprietors, Provence Mediterranean Grill and Provence Marinaside, sailing on the July 22nd Alaska cruise aboard the ms Zuiderdam.

  -- Akira Oshima, Executive Chef, Hotel Okura cruising aboard the Ryndam in

     Alaska on July 23rd.

  -- John Howie, Chef at Seastar Restaurant cruising aboard Noordam in the

     Mediterranean on July 30th.

  -- Mark Fiorentino, chef boulanger, Daniel, sailing on the August 11th  Baltic cruise aboard the ms Amsterdam.

  -- James Boyce, chef, Studio at Montage Resort & Spa, sailing on the August 14th Europe cruise aboard the ms Prinsendam.

  -- Dean Fearing of the Mansion on Turtle Creek sails to Canada/New England

     August 19th aboard Maasdam.

  -- Aaron Sanchez, chef, Paladar, and regular on TV Food Network, sailing

     aboard the August 27th Alaska cruise aboard Westerdam.

  -- Charles Dale, founder, Range and Rustique, sailing on the September

     18th Western Mediterranean cruise aboard Noordam.

  -- John Besh, executive chef, Restaurant August, sailing on the September

     28th Alaska cruise aboard the ms Veendam.

  -- James Mazzio, executive chef, The Studio of Long Grove, sailing on the

     September 30th Panama Canal cruise aboard Zuiderdam.

  -- Sharon Kramis and Julie Kramis Hearne, mother-daughter duo and authors,

     The Cast Iron Skillet, sailing on the October 11th Canada/New England

     cruise aboard Amsterdam.

  -- Ernie Pino, Culinary Instructor, cruises in the Mediterranean on ms Rotterdam October 22nd.

  -- Marcus Samuelsson, chef/owner, Aquavit and Riingo, sailing on the October 22nd Mexico cruise aboard the ms Zaandam.

  -- Anthony Giglio, wine and spirits expert, sailing on the November 25th

     Caribbean cruise aboard the ms Noordam.

In addition to the program with Food & Wine magazine, Holland America Line offers culinary demonstrations, wine tasting and hands-on cooking classes in its Culinary Arts Center program aboard every sailing. These include culinary demonstrations by the line's own executive chefs and culinary staff as well as regional and specialty chefs from the ports visited on Mexico, Alaska, Europe and Asia/Pacific cruises. Website:                    www.hollandamerica.com

Norwegian Cruise Line

‘Norwegian Spirit’ To Homeport In New Orleans In 2007

NCL Corporation has announced that Norwegian Spirit will drop anchor in the New Orleans beginning in November 2007 sailing seven-day exotic Western Caribbean cruises through April 2008. Norwegian Spirit’s itinerary will feature calls into Belize City, Santo Tomas, Guatemala and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico. “We are the first cruise line back in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina this fall with Norwegian Sun and our commitment to this historic and beautiful city continues in 2007,” said Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL Corporation. “Freestyle Cruising out of the Big Easy has proven to be very popular and we are pleased to be returning there next year.”

After the 2007 summer deployment out of New York, Norwegian Spirit repositions to New Orleans beginning November 18 replacing Norwegian Sun, which moves to Hawaii for the winter season.

Norwegian Spirit’s summer season out of New York features an 8-day itinerary with a day-long call into Bermuda, an overnight in St. Thomas, USVI, and a call into Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Norwegian Spirit alternates this itinerary with 6-day Bahamas and Florida itinerary calling in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida, Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.

NCL has three ships based in New York for the 2006 and 2007 summer season including Norwegian Spirit; Norwegian Crown with seven-day cruises to Bermuda; and Norwegian Dawn, featuring seven-day cruises to Bermuda and Bahamas. In the winter of 2006, Norwegian Dawn sails alternating ten- and 11-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises out of New York.

In November 2007, Norwegian Gem will be homeported in New York as NCL places its newest ship year round in the Big Apple sailing a short series of seven-day Florida and Bahamas cruises and four ten- and 11-day cruises to the Southern Caribbean in the winter; and seven-day cruises to Bermuda and the Bahamas in the summer. In November 2007, Norwegian Dawn will move to Miami, where she will sail seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruises for the winter.

Norwegian Spirit features NCL’s signature Freestyle Cruising with eight restaurants, 12 bars and lounges, a state of the art spa and fitness facility, a pirate-themed activity complex for kids, a teen center, basketball court, golf driving net, casino and conference center among other amenities.

Norwegian Spirit accommodates 1,966 passengers and features 18 spacious suites and nearly 600 oceanview staterooms, of which nearly 65 percent offer private balconies.

Suites feature private bedrooms, bathrooms with separate shower and whirlpool bathtubs, living rooms with dining areas, stereos with CD/DVD library, computer access with internet connection and butler and concierge services.

All staterooms feature NCL’s high-quality finishes, with rich cherry wood, tea and coffee makers in every room, and a much larger bathroom unit than other ships, containing WC, shower, and washstand compartments separated by sliding doors.

Norwegian Spirit’s New Orleans itineraries will be on sale in the next few weeks.

For further information, please contact NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (800) 327-

7030; visit NCL’s website at www.ncl.com.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Yoga & Pilates Experts On ‘Seven Seas Voyager’s 8 Baltic Sailings

Luxury, balance and discipline come together on eight Seven Seas Voyager® Baltic sailings in July and August as the creators of IntelligentYoga™ and the owner of the Pilates Institute of Scottsdale guide guests to enhance control of their minds and bodies and strengthen their core abdominal muscles. In addition to special daily fitness classes open to all, those seeking a full enrichment program can participate in the “Active Exploration and Wellness” Circle of Interest which includes personal training, biking, hiking, canoeing and walking excursions.

The eight seven-night Baltic sailings on the all-balcony suite 700-guest Seven Seas Voyager – with convenient weekly Saturday departures – feature two onboard overnights in the gilded city of St. Petersburg and calls in Tallinn, Estonia, and Visby, Gotland, two of the best-retained medieval towns in Europe.

Voyages sailing from Stockholm to Copenhagen include a call in Helsinki, Finland, and voyages sailing from Copenhagen to Stockholm include an onboard overnight in the Swedish capital city.

Catering to individuals who enjoy personalized workouts that improve both physical condition and mental attitude, G Pelliteri, owner of the Pilates Institute of Scottsdale, uses her 20+-year background in the fitness industry to creatively instruct. Bringing her unique perspective to guests of the Seven Seas Voyager’s July 1, 8 and 15 cruises, G will teach daily Pilates mat classes for all levels, incorporating balance and strengthening work with the ball. Devoted to optimal physical and mental wellbeing, G strives to make fitness and health an integral and fun part of her students’ lives. Demonstrating and instructing the tenets of Pilates, her body-conditioning program will feature exercises that require fewer repetitions but concentrate on highly precise movements, proper control and form. This workout in turn develops a balanced muscular-skeletal system with strong, flexible muscles and better posture.

Michael Lechonczak and Robin Whitney Levine, a New York City-based husband and wife team with over 20 years of shared teaching experience, will bring the art and science of yoga to guests on July 22, 29, and August 5 sailings; their colleague Paul Malley will join the August 12 and 19 voyages.

The couple’s clear, comprehensive teaching approach, called IntelligentYoga™ weaves mindfulness, breath, alignment and movement into a synergistic whole. The result is balance: a conscious, calm mind present in a radiant, healthy body. Their daily onboard program will offer a variety of options for men and women, yoga beginners and experts of all ages. 

Guests participating in the “Active Exploration and Wellness” package will find fellow travelers enjoying a wealth of active pursuits both aboard and ashore.   Circle of Interest tours include: Visby by Bicycle, a nine-mile ride with dramatic views of the medieval Swedish town and cathedral; Finnish Forest Hike and Canoeing Adventure, a vigorous climb through a natural park and a canoe trip through valleys forged in the Ice Age; and a Walking Tour: Experience Daily Life in St. Petersburg, with an insider’s view to the city’s rich history.

Onboard, guests will maintain their active glow with an exclusive Pilates/yoga workshop in addition to daily exercise and stretching classes, a personal fitness assessment and training session, a half hour European in-suite massage, and a private dinner and reception.  This Circle of Interest package is $395 per person.

Per person prices for the July 1, 8, 15, 22, August 5 and 19 Seven Seas Voyager Baltic voyages start from $5,276.  The July 29 and August 12 voyages feature two-for-one savings, with fares starting at $3,298 per person.  All prices include a complimentary Regent Inaugural Season commemorative album, shipboard gratuities, wine with dinner, an in-suite bar set-up, and Inaugural Season Savings* offers: a choice of roundtrip economy class air from 86 North American gateways, $499 business class upgrade when an economy class air add-on is purchased (roundtrip business class airfares starting at $1,828), or $1,000 savings off the cruise fare.

*The Inaugural Season Savings offers are limited, subject to availability and can be withdrawn at any time.

For further information, contact Regent Seven Seas Cruises, 1000 Corporate Drive, Suite 500, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33334; or toll-free 800-477-7500; for brochures and reservation information toll-free 800-285-1835; or visit www.rssc.com.

Seabourn Cruise Line

Bermuda Adds New Flavor To Seabourn Food & Wine Fest

 The ultra luxury Seabourn Pride will host its fourth annual Great American Food & Wine Festival this autumn as the intimate, all-suite ship sails from New England to the Caribbean. But this year, the recipe has been changed to include an overnight stay at Bermuda. The 12-day cruise departs October 29, 2006 from the picturesque fishing port of Gloucester, Massachusetts, just a short way from Boston's Logan International Airport via a complimentary Seabourn transfer. Aside from Bermuda, ports of call include Norfolk, Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina; and Amelia Island and Port Canaveral, Florida. The cruise ends in Nassau, Bahamas on November 10.

Along the way, guests will enjoy tastings, cooking demonstrations and signature dishes by renowned chef and cookbook author Paulette Mitchell, as well as specially-created culinary excursions in ports of call, wine tastings and culinary events on board. The author of twelve cookbooks, Chef Mitchell is also a popular speaker and cooking instructor, whose two most recent books are "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup" and "The Spirited Vegetarian," the first vegetarian cookbook to use wine or spirits in every recipe.

Another special Dress Circle guest will be professional photographer Nancy Bundt, who has a particular interest in culinary subjects. She will present images of foods traditional to the Atlantic seaboard of the U.S., as well as giving guests tips on digital photography to enhance their photographic diaries of the voyage.

Famous for its pink sand beaches and genteel style, Bermuda is a culinary melting pot, strongly influenced by its British colonial past and trade with the distant Caribbean islands. Bermudian chef Judith Wadson (an alumna of Alice Waters Chez Panisse) will demonstrate local delicacies and ingredients in an optional class at her restaurant, and tell you about her grandmothers childhood flirtations with Mark Twain.

In Norfolk, guests can travel to the village of Surry, Virginia, where the Edwards family has been curing award-winning, old-fashioned country hams for 80 years. Their tender country ham recently topped all others in a Gourmet magazine tasting.  Guests will also enjoy a traditional luncheon and sightseeing in the picturesque and historic town of Smithfield.

At Charleston, Amanda Dew Manning leads a tour of Lowcountry culinary heritage, including a demonstration and luncheon. The free Exclusively Seabourn experience will be a ride by horsedrawn carriage to a traditional Southern tea in a 19th century Charleston home.

Amelia Island offers a luncheon at The Florida House Inn, Florida’s oldest surviving hotel, in the Victorian-era Fernandina Beach Historic District.

 From Port Canaveral, guests can visit the Kennedy Space center or Follow the Wild Ocean Shrimp on a boat tour of the Indian River Lagoon and a shrimp processor, then feast on local shrimp prepared in a variety of ways at the famous Dixie Crossroads.

With Cruise Only Savings of 50 percent, fares start from $4,799 per person, based on double occupancy of a 277-square foot ocean-view suite. For information or to reserve a suite, contact your travel agent, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com.

Silversea Cruises

Silversea Showcases The Exotic Far East On Eight Luxurious Voyages

From cosmopolitan Hong Kong's vibrant harbor and colorful markets to the ethereal beauty of Vietnam's Ha Long Bay, Silversea is offering travelers the chance to explore the fascinating cultures of the Far East from the private veranda of a luxurious six-star ship.  From December through February, the intimate, all-suite ships Silver Cloud and Silver Whisper will offer a collection of eight voyages, ranging from nine to 14 days, showcasing some of the world's most enchanting and exotic destinations.  

In addition to savings of up to 50 percent, guests will enjoy spacious, ocean-view accommodations, most with private veranda, award-winning gourmet cuisine, personalized service, warm Italian hospitality, and Silversea’s unmatched selection of all-inclusive shipboard amenities, including complimentary beverages, wines and spirits served throughout the ship, 24-hour room service, stocked in-suite beverage cabinet and all gratuities.

Highlighting the Far East program are two complimentary tours in Vietnam.  Guests aboard Silver Whisper's January 14 cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore will be treated to a free Scenic Wonders of Ha Long Bay excursion, offering a chance to sail aboard a traditional red-sailed boat to discover the many fascinating islets rising from the misty waters of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

And on Silver Whisper's following voyage to Bangkok, departing Singapore on January 23, the line is offering a complimentary Evening of Vietnamese Cuisine and Culture in Ho Chi Minh City.

Guests can extend their voyage with optional pre- and post-cruise land programs featuring deluxe accommodations, all transportation, transfers, guided sightseeing and some meals.  Prices start from $1,735 per guest.  Highlights include:

-- From Mumbai (Bombay), the six-night "Realm of the Tiger Safari" introduces you to Rajasthan's premier wildlife refuge, where tigers prowl ancient ruins.  Ranthambore National Park is also home to leopards, sambar deer, langur monkeys, boars, gazelles, and a host of other wildlife.  Enjoy a tour of New Delhi, Agra Fort, morning and evening game drives, plus an optional elephant safari.

-- From Singapore, guests on the six- or seven-night Vistas of Vietnam extension will tour Ho Chi Minh City, including the colorful Binh Tay market, Thien Hue temple and a traditional lacquerware factory.  Enjoy drinks at the Vietnam war-era Rex hotel.  Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels, the Cao Dai temples, Hoi An and the imperial city of Hue.  Voyage on the Perfume River to ancient sites.

-- From Bangkok, the five-night Exotic Laos program offers an in-depth exploration of the ancient royal capital of Luang Prabang, one of the world's oldest centers of Buddhist teachings.  Cross the Mekong by boat to view the mysterious caves of Pak Ou, and watch a panoramic sunset from Phu See Mountain.  Sample traditional Laotian cuisine and Lao Lao -- a native rice whisky.  Explore the golden temple of Xieng Thong and the National Museum, once the Royal Palace.

-- From Bangkok, the five- or six-night Siam Sojourn offers cultural riches and exotic sights with a gracious hospitality.  Guests visit an elephant training camp, orchid and butterfly farm and savor traditional Khan Toke Thai cuisine.  Other highlights include the famous Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai and a tour of Bangkok's Grand Palace.

Following is a list of the Far East voyages offering exceptional value with special savings opportunities from 15 to 50 percent:

-- Silver Cloud departs December 11, 2006 on an 11-day Indian Ocean Discovery voyage (1635) from Mumbai to Singapore with calls in Cochin, India; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Phuket, Thailand; Penang and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  Silver Sailing fares start at $3,597 per person (50% savings).

-- Silver Whisper departs December 22, 2006 on a 14-day Burmese Interlude voyage (4641) from Singapore to Singapore with calls in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Phuket, Thailand; Belawan, Indonesia; Penang and Malacca, Malaysia, plus a special 3-night visit to Yangon, Myanmar.  Early Booking Incentive fares start at $8,495 per person (15% savings).

-- Silver Whisper departs January 5, 2007 on a 9-day Spirit of the South China Sea voyage (4701) from Singapore to Hong Kong with calls in Kuching, Malaysia; Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang, Vietnam; and Guangzhou (Canton), China.  Advance Payment Bonus fares start at $4,496 per person (25% savings).

-- Silver Whisper departs January 14, 2007 on a 9-day Vietnamese Rhapsody voyage (4702) from Hong Kong to Singapore with calls in Haiphong, Ha Long Bay, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  Advance Payment Bonus fares start at $4,796 per person (20% savings).

-- Silver Whisper departs January 23, 2007 on a 10-day Across the Gulf of Thailand voyage (4703) from Singapore to Bangkok with calls in Muara, Brunei; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Sihanoukville, Cambodia; and Ko Samui, Thailand.  Advance Payment Bonus fares start at $5,276 per person (20% savings).

-- Silver Whisper departs February 2, 2007 on a 10-day Far East Vistas voyage (4704) from Bangkok to Singapore with calls in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Muara, Brunei; Kuching and Malacca, Malaysia.  Advance Payment Bonus fares start at $5,276 per person (20% savings).

-- Silver Whisper departs February 12, 2007 on an 11-day Legend of the Golden Land voyage (4705) from Singapore to Singapore with calls in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, Malaysia; Phuket, Thailand; and a special extended three-night visit to Yangon, Myanmar.  Advance Payment Bonus fares start at $6,200 per person (15% savings).

-- Silver Whisper departs February 23, 2007 on a 12-day Indonesian Wonders voyage (4706) from Singapore to Mumbai with calls in Phuket, Thailand; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Cochin and Murmugao, India.  Advance Payment Bonus fares start at $5,356 per person (20% savings).

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 .