Carnival Cruises

‘Carnival Destiny’ To Offer New Itinerary From San Juan In 2007

Carnival Cruise Lines’ 2,642-passenger “Fun Ship” Carnival Destiny will launch a new seven-day southern Caribbean schedule from San Juan featuring port calls to five different tropical destinations beginning in January 7, 2007. The island-intensive itinerary features extended day-long visits to a variety of magnificent southern Caribbean ports, including St. Lucia, Antigua, Dominica, Barbados, and St. Thomas/St. John, along with a fun-filled day at sea.

 Included on the Destiny’s new itinerary is St. Lucia, often referred to as the “crown jewel” of the Windward Islands and distinguished by the Pitons, twin volcanic mountains that overlook a landscape of flowers, fruit trees, cane fields, rain forests and white and black sand beaches.

Antigua is known for a multitude of beaches—some 365 of them. The island also features myriad historical sites including Nelson's Dockyard, the Caribbean's version of Colonial Williamsburg. 

The largest of the Windward Islands, Dominica is a 289-square-mile island offering a landscape of rugged mountains, hot springs and volcanoes, as well as gorgeous white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters teeming with tropical fish. 

Barbados is a friendly British isle boasting particularly beautiful aqua-blue waters and white sand beaches, along with a diversity of shopping, dining and watersports opportunities. 

St. Thomas is one of the Caribbean’s most popular islands boasting excellent duty-free shopping bargains and world-famous beaches.  The stop includes an optional shore excursion to St. John, a 20-square-mile island paradise whose Trunk Bay Beach consistently ranks among the world’s best.

The 101,353-ton Carnival Destiny encompasses 12 passenger decks featuring 18 lounges and bars, including a wine bar, sports bar, piano bar, a jazz club, and a 1,500-seat theatre showcasing lavish Vegas-style productions. Also featured are four swimming pools—one with a 214-foot-long water slide—a 14,500-square-foot health club, jogging track, an Internet café, a duty-free shopping mall, and a full gambling casino. A comprehensive golf program offering professional instruction both aboard ship and during Caribbean golf excursions is included, as well. Dining options include twin two-level formal restaurants with extensive menus and wine lists and a casual poolside eatery featuring a 24-hour pizzeria and Asian and American specialty areas. Beginning next month, all Carnival Destiny dining venues will feature Georges Blanc Signature Selections created by the world’s renowned French master chef.  

Sixty percent of Carnival Destiny’s 1,321 staterooms offer either a balcony or ocean view – perfect for scenic Caribbean cruising. The new Carnival Comfort Bed sleep system, with plush mattresses, luxurious duvets and duvet covers, and high quality pillows and linens, is featured in all Carnival Destiny accommodations.

  For additional information and reservations, call 1-800-327-9501 (individual) or 1-800-327-5782 (groups) or visit the line's travel agent Internet portal www.bookccl.com     .

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises Expands Cruises To Australia, New Zealand In 2007

Sightings of koala bears, kangaroos and kiwi birds await vacationers sailing with Celebrity Cruises next year. At a special event in New York today, the line's President Dan Hanrahan announced that Celebrity will sail for the first time in Australia and New Zealand beginning in 2007. "This marks a significant expansion of our product portfolio, and is particularly exciting because it's a market our guests and agency partners have told us they want to experience with Celebrity," said Hanrahan. "Based on that valuable feedback and our extensive research, we're looking forward to a very successful inaugural season there next year."

Celebrity's Mercury will present six 14-night open-jaw sailings between Auckland, New Zealand and Sydney, Australia from December 2007 through March 2008. Among Celebrity's destinations "down under" are Auckland, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound, and Milford Sound, New Zealand, along with Melbourne, Newcastle, and Sydney, Australia, and Hobart, Tasmania.

The line's first calls on Papeete, Tahiti; and Moorea and Bora Bora, French Polynesia, will precede Mercury's six Australia/New Zealand sailings on a 16-night voyage departing Honolulu on November 23, 2007, concluding in Auckland.

Celebrity also has created a new series of Cruisetour packages in the region, complementing the cruise with options including a two-night stay in Sydney, an escorted three-night experience in Sydney and Cairns, or a five- night adventure featuring the best of Sydney, Ayers Rock and Cairns, including visits to the famed Great Barrier Reef.

A total of nearly 40 new ports of call have been added to Celebrity's deployment lineup for 2007, including those in Australia and New Zealand.

 Celebrity Cruises offers a comfortably sophisticated, upscale cruise experience with highly personalized service, authentic five-star dining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Its nine ships and the line's service, cuisine and spas consistently dominate top travelers' surveys. Celebrity sails in Alaska, Bermuda, California, the Caribbean, Europe, the Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, the Mexican Riviera, the Panama Canal and South America. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111, or visit the Celebrity web site at http://www.celebrity.com.

Costa Cruises/Aida Cruises

Costa Crociere To Offer Departures Out Of Dubai

Costa Crociere SpA, the leading cruise operator in Europe, will be offering cruises with departures from Dubai starting December in a marketing move which is unprecedented in the global cruise industry. The Italian group which operates the brands AIDA Cruises and Costa Crociere made the announcement during a series of official meetings conducted in Dubai by its top management team during a two-day tour on February 1 and 2.

From December 2006, two ships—the Costa Classica and AIDAcara —will depart every week from the state-of-the-art Dubai Cruise Terminal on Arabian Gulf cruises. The seven-day itinerary features two nights in Dubai plus one-day stopovers in the ports of Fujairah, Muscat (Oman), Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.

The new Dubai-based cruises will be offered throughout the 2006/2007 winter season by two ships belonging to the Italian group – the Costa Classica and AIDAcara.  The Costa Classica will depart on Saturdays while the AIDA will leave every Friday. 

In all, the two ships will be deployed on a total of 25 cruises, 17 on the Costa Classica (from December 23, 2006 to April 14, 2007) and 8 on the AIDAcara (from December 22, 2006 to February 9, 2007). 

-- The Costa Classica is due to depart from Savona on December 5 and reach Dubai on December 22, 2006, with stopovers en route in Naples, Alexandria (Egypt), Port Said (Egypt), Sharm el Sheik (Egypt), Aqaba (Jordan) Safaga (Egypt), Hodeidah (Yemen), Mukalla (Yemen), Salalah (Oman) and Muscat (Oman). 

-- The AIDAcara will reach Dubai by means of two separate cruises:  the first, departing from Palma de Majorca on December 1 and arriving at Sharm el Sheik on December 9, 2006; the second, departing from Sharm el Sheik on December 9 and arriving in Dubai on December 21, 2006.

The cruises will include guided excursions in each port of call, with visits to some of the best local tourist attractions – places of natural beauty or historical and cultural interest. 

The program features desert adventures, trips to some of the most exclusive beaches in the Arabian Gulf, visits to the finest mosques, historical buildings and museums, tours of the city and their typical markets, as well as boating excursions to go dolphin-watching.

The 53,000 gross tonnage Costa Classica, built by Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard and entered service in 1991, is 221 meters in length, 31 meters in breadth and can accommodate up to 1680 guests. There are bars, a restaurant, buffet, casino, health & beauty centre, a disco, dance clubs, theatre, two swimming pools, meeting rooms and a host of other facilities guaranteeing a fun, relaxing holiday.

The 38,600 gross tonnage AIDAcara, built by the Kvaerner Masa Yards and entered service in 1996, is 193 meters in length, 27 meters in breadth, and has total passenger capacity of 1,339.  Like all AIDA ships, the AIDAcara is reserved for the German-speaking market, her hallmarks being a youthful style and informal service. Facilities on board include a restaurant, buffet, bars, wellness center, disco, golf facilities, theatre, and swimming pool.

A member of the Carnival Corporation & plc Group the world’s cruise industry leader - Costa Crociere SpA is operating with two distinct brands, AIDA Cruises and Costa Crociere, which have a total of 14 ships in service and orders for six additional vessels. All ships fly the Italian flag and operate in the Mediterranean, North Europe, the Caribbean and South America.

Crystal Cruises

New Crystal Adventures Showcase New England, Eastern Canadian Traditions

Renowned for its authentic shoreside programs, luxury cruise specialist Crystal Cruises is adding new Crystal Adventures focusing on artisanal experiences in New England and eastern Canada.  Offered with cruises during the prime fall foliage season, the new tours explore regional winemakers, yacht-builders, soap-makers, growers and local artisans.  Also among the 22 new adventures scheduled for Crystal Symphony’s fall season are ocean trail hiking in Bar Harbor, Maine and bicycle touring in New Brunswick, Canada.

From September through October, Crystal Symphony is offering five seven-and 11-day itineraries, three of which are round-trip from New York and two are between New York and Montréal.  Depending on the departure, ports include Newport, Rhode Island; Boston, Massachusetts; Bar Harbor, Maine; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Québec City, St. John, New Brunswick and Le Baie de Ha! Ha!, Canada.

New tours through the Saguenay Fjord region expose travelers to many of the local trades people and crafts people honing their skills at:

A glass-blowing workshop where artists demonstrate sophisticated techniques,

A family-run angora goat farm specializing in spinning mohair wool,

A traditional soapery where aromatherapeutic soaps are crafted from local olive oil,

A leading cultivator of raspberries and blueberries producing honey, jams, vinegars, wines and aperitifs, and,

A unique nursery known for its array of edible flowers.

Among the other new tours showcasing local talent are:

Tastings at several family-run Rhode Island wineries, ranging from a Victorian farm operated for four generations to one of the most modern in the eastern U.S. (from Newport),

A visit to The International Yacht Restoration School, dedicated to preserving and teaching the time-honored artisanship and specific skills required to restore classic and modern yachts (from Newport), and

A blind tasting of eastern Canada’s award-winning wines (from Saint John).

Bicycle touring and ocean trail hikes have also been added to the roster of soft adventure experiences.

The 940-guest, 50,000-ton Crystal Symphony is among the most spacious and elegant vessels cruising in the luxury market.  Its unique size allows for smooth sailing and a wide range of innovative facilities, generous amenities and elegant accommodations.

For additional information, please contact a travel agent or call 888-799-4625.  Visit the luxury line's website at www.crystalcruises.com.

Golf Legend Corey Pavin Tees Off In Europe With Crystal Cruises

Golf enthusiasts on Crystal Symphony's August 19 cruise from Rome to London can tee off with U.S. Open golf champion Corey Pavin at some of the Mediterranean's most exclusive golf resorts.  Corey Pavin is the winner of 14 PGA tournaments, 12 international victories and one of only a handful of golfers to win back-to-back Nissan Open championships, including one U.S Open.  He is also the recipient of the prestigious Arnold Palmer Award.

Pavin will also participate in golf clinics, lectures and a Hole-in-One-Competition for a chance to win a free cruise.  Guests participating in the Golf Theme Program will enjoy play at Golf Club Dell'Ugolino (Florence, Italy), Monte Carlo Golf Club (Monte Carlo, Monaco), Ste. Maxime Golf Club (St-Tropez, France) and Réal Club de Golf el Prat (Barcelona, Spain).

At each course, golfers will enjoy 18-holes of championship golf in organized foursomes, 45-minute warm-up session on driving range or putting green, caddy or motorized cart, 9th hole refreshments, use of locker room facilities, and transfers to and from the ship.  On board, participating golfers are invited to exclusive parties and private clinics hosted by Corey Pavin, and enjoy complimentary club and golf shoe cleaning after each course, as well as complimentary club storage.  Also leading golf clinics and attending the golf themed events will be LPGA teaching professional and golf writer Shannon Dowdy.

Golfers playing all courses during either cruise are eligible to receive awards for competitions including: Best Overall Score for Putting Contest (team and individual); Best Overall Average Score (team and individual); Longest Drive; Closest to the Pin; and the ultimate:  a Hole-in-One, which rewards the winner with a free Crystal cruise for two.

Golfers may confirm their participation at each desired course in advance of their trip by reserving online at www.crystalcruises.com

Exclusively with this cruise, guests can ship their golf clubs from the U.S. through Virtual Bellhop for only $100 each way, a savings of 50 percent.  For added convenience, all luggage can be shipped through the service.  For more information and arrangements on golf club and luggage shipping, contact Virtual Bellhop at www.virtualbellhop.com or call 877-Bellhop.  Crystal recommends that golfers bring their own clubs, as their rental at the courses is based on availability.

The 12-day cruise aboard the luxurious Crystal Symphony departs from Rome's port of Civitavecchia for Livorno/Florence, Monte Carlo, St-Tropez, Barcelona, Lisbon, Bordeaux (overnight), Guernsey, and London.  Fares start at $3,990 per person, double occupancy. For additional information, please contact a travel agent or call 888-799-4625

Holland America

HAL Showcases European Heritage on Cruises From London, Copenhagen and Rotterdam

Holland America Line, a premier cruise company that originated in Rotterdam, Holland, in the 1870s, explores Northern Europe with itineraries rich in content and diversity thanks to more than 130 years of experience in the region. Two spacious five-star ships offering four different itineraries from three convenient ports reflect increased demand for the line's intriguing Baltic cruises departing May through September, 2006.

All cruises spotlight the unique treasury of art and architecture to be found in St. Petersburg, Russia. Two full days in port offer organized excursions to the Hermitage Museum, Peterhof and Catherine's Palaces and many other legendary sites. Unique cultural experiences like a Gala Evening at Yusupov Palace, one of the line's exclusive Medallion Collection excursions. To complement a Baltic cruise vacation, exciting pre and post hotel packages in London, Copenhagen and Rotterdam offer the opportunity to extend stays in these remarkable cities.

-- New 12-day Best of the Baltic voyages travel from London to Copenhagen. Six cities in twelve unforgettable days offer endless possibilities. Guests can spend their first day in St. Petersburg touring the city highlights from the Winter Palace and the Church on the Spilled Blood to the extraordinary Hermitage Museum; then travel to Peter the Great's resplendent Summer Palace, followed by a Russian Folk Show, the next. Also included are the legendary cities of Oslo, Stockholm, Tallinn, and Berlin. Rotterdam sails June 10 and July 28, 2006 during the wonderful White Nights of Northern Europe with rates starting at US $1,499 per person, double occupancy.

-- Ten-day Gems of the Baltic cruises sail roundtrip from Copenhagen. This fantastic itinerary provides an intoxicating blend of Northern Europe's most desirable ports—St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, and Warnemuende for Berlin—with offbeat adventures made possible by the less-visited cities of Visby, for biking through the Swedish countryside and Arhus for a vintage train ride past sparkling Danish lakes. The 1,380-passenger ms Amsterdam departs May 23, June 2, 12, 22; July 2, 12, 22; and August 1 and 11, 2006. Cruise-only fares start at US $1,299 per person, double occupancy.

-- Twelve -day Vikings & Czars and Treasures of Scandinavia & Russia cruises sail between Rotterdam and Copenhagen. These vacations, featuring in-depth exploration during two days in St. Petersburg, will fill a scrapbook with dramatic fjords, dancing fountains, ornate palaces and timeless cultures. There's Arhus for the island home of Hans Christian Andersen, Warnemuende for the Jewels of Germany" Tallinn in Estonia for medieval Old Town, Helsinki for Porvoo, Finland's famed 12th century village, and Stockholm for a Taste of Ice Cool Sweden. This one-of-kind Medallion Collection Tour visits the Nordic Hotel's "Ice Bar" where the entire interior is made from Torne River ice. Rotterdam sails from Rotterdam to Copenhagen on July 4 and August 21, 2006 and from Copenhagen to Rotterdam on June 22, July 16, August 9 and September 2, 2006 with fares starting at US $1,499.

-- A new tour from Rotterdam celebrates Holland America's history. Guests sailing aboard the 1,316-passenger ms Rotterdam departing on July 4 or August 21, 2006 from Rotterdam are invited to join Holland America and the Port of Rotterdam for a pre-cruise tour of the city the cruise line is proud to call home. This three-night hotel package includes sightseeing in Rotterdam, including Holland America's original headquarters, the Maritime Museum and historical Delfshaven plus a full day of The Netherlands' popular highlights, including The Hague, and Delft, renowned for its porcelain. Pre-cruise tour fares are US $699.

For a 2006 Europe cruise brochure or for more information, consult a professional travel agent, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (877-724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com .

Holland America Line Boston Cruise Calls Growing In Popularity

Holland America Line begins calling at Boston on May 20, 2006, at the conclusion of a seven-day cruise between Montreal and Boston. Continuing this itinerary through Sept. 30, the ship will visit the Saguenay Fjord and calls at Quebec City; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; and Bar Harbor, Maine. The Maasdam makes a final visit to Boston as a port visit on Oct. 14 during a 10-day sailing from Montreal to Norfolk. Fares start at US$999 per person, double occupancy.

HAL Features More National Parks On Cruise Tours to Alaska and the Yukon

Holland America Line makes 13 national parks and preserves easily accessible in the Great Land. Every cruise and CruiseTour features numerous national parks of note and Glacier Bay National Park on all three major cruise itineraries. From world-renowned Denali National Park to remote and stunning Kluane National Park, guests can follow their wilderness quest with Holland America Line. "Holland America Line embraced Alaska 59 years ago and has taken great strides in developing comprehensive itineraries to take advantage of really getting into the Great Land. Our Klondike Wilderness Adventure CruiseTour for example explores three premier national parks—Glacier Bay, Denali, Kluane—and guests have the option of taking an excursion to another recognized wilderness park at Tombstone, just north of Dawson City," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, senior vice president, marketing and sales. "Most guests have one opportunity to visit Alaska and the Yukon, and it's our intention to fulfill their dreams."

Holland America Line Alaska cruises, CruiseTours and optional excursions feature visits to more National Parks than any other cruise tour company. Guests have the opportunity to explore 13 parks including Denali National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, Kluane National Park, Tombstone Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Klondike National Historical Park at Skagway, Klondike National Historic Site at Dawson City, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park (Hubbard Glacier), Sitka National Historical Park, Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and Misty Fjords National Monument.

The Alaska experience goes beyond visually admiring a national park. Holland America Line brings onboard Park Rangers and local experts to enhance the experience. On all itineraries that include either Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier, located within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, a local Park Ranger and a Huna Totem Corporation Interpreter (Glacier Bay) or Yakutat Tlingit Interpreter (Hubbard Glacier) speaker will join the ship for the glacier viewing. Guests will learn about the natural history and heritage of the area.

Guests embarking on an Alaskan Explorer cruise from Seattle will enjoy a unique send-off with insights provided by Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park Rangers. Newly introduced, the program will highlight the historical importance of Seattle as a port for the Klondike Gold Rush, point out the significance of the Inside Passage as a historical route to Alaska and give an overview of the National Parks guests have the opportunity to visit on that ship's specific itinerary.

All Alaska ships feature seven documentaries provided by the Alaska Natural History Association including Grand Glaciers of Alaska's Inside Passage, and Heartbeats of Denali -- Denali National Park and Preserve. Also featured are five Alaska themed movies that will be rotated into the TV movie schedule.

CruiseTours range from ten- to 20-days and start at $1,299 per person, double occupancy. There are three basic CruiseTour patterns to choose from; Great Land Klondike, discovering Alaska and the Yukon through Dawson City with a Yukon River cruise; Great Land Wilderness, featuring Alaska and the Yukon traveling the Alaska Highway; and Glacier Discovery, a collection of itineraries featuring 7-day cruises plus extensive land tours that may include Denali, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Alyeska, the Arctic, and the Kenai Peninsula. Most CruiseTours include luxury rail travel onboard the McKinley Explorer to Denali. Both Great Land Klondike and Great Land Wilderness CruiseTours feature three- or four-day cruises plus land tour.

Holland America Line will sail eight ships in Alaska on 159 cruises in 2006. The company's premium ships offer unmatched spaciousness, carry fewer passengers than any other major cruise line and offer the most entries into Glacier Bay National Park. Cruise itineraries include seven-day Alaska Explorer roundtrip from Seattle; Glacier Discovery journeys between Vancouver, B.C., and Seward, Alaska; and Glacier Bay Inside Passage sailings roundtrip from Vancouver. Prices start at $699 per person, double occupancy. For more information about booking an Alaska cruise or CruiseTour, contact a travel agent or call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com .

Princess Cruises

Princess Offers Expanded Capacity to Alaska's Famed Inside Passage in 2007

In 2007, Golden Princess will make her Alaska debut with a series of sailings through the crystal waters of the Insie Passage, adding a new choice and expanding capacity to Princess' popular Inside Passage program. Golden Princess, along with Sun Princess, will sail from Seattle, while Dawn Princess cruises on a variety of 10-day sailings from San Francisco. Dawn Princess' schedule will also include two special sailings that feature daylight cruising of Glacier Bay National Park. Together, the three ships offer 53 departures on three itineraries, each offering the convenience of roundtrip travel.

The 2,600-passenger Golden Princess and 1,950-passenger Sun Princess each offer seven-day roundtrip sailings from Seattle with an itinerary that features Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, plus the opportunity to cruise through the dramatic glaciers, rock walls and waterfalls of Tracy Arm and the twin Sawyer Glaciers. Golden Princess will offer 20 voyages departing on Saturdays between May 5 and September 15, 2007, while Sun Princess sails on 20 cruises with Sunday departures beginning on May 6 and continuing through September 16.

-- The 1,950-passenger Dawn Princess will take over the popular ten-day roundtrips from The City by the Bay on 13 departures between May 11 and September 8. The ship's itinerary from San Francisco features calls Juneau and Victoria with two additional ports that rotate between Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka and Icy Strait Point plus premiere glacier viewing with cruising through Tracy Arm. Two special voyages on May 11 and September 8 feature daylight cruising of Glacier Bay National Park in place of Tracy Arm.

-- The 2,600-passenger Golden Princess and 1,950-passenger Sun Princess each offer seven-day roundtrip sailings from Seattle with an itinerary that features Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, plus the opportunity to cruise through the dramatic glaciers, rock walls and waterfalls of Tracy Arm and the twin Sawyer Glaciers. Golden Princess will offer 20 voyages departing on Saturdays between May 5 and September 15, 2007, while Sun Princess sails on 20 cruises with Sunday departures beginning on May 6 and continuing through September 16.

Inside Passage cruises complement Princess' other 2007 Alaska option, the Voyage of the Glaciers Gulf of Alaska itinerary, available on five ships, sailing between Vancouver and Whittier, including new Wednesday sailings on the intimate Pacific Princess.

Early booking fares for Inside Passage voyages start at $749 per person, based on double occupancy. Cruises will be available for booking on May 20, 2006.

Additional information is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.

Peter Deilmann Cruises

Two Deilmann European Cruises Offer Free Air, 10% Discounts

Western Europe and Black Sea ports are on the itineraries of two fall cruises Peter Deilmann Cruises is offering U.S. travelers with free air and ten-percent discounts on cruise rates on the line’s grand ocean liner, the five-star MS Deutschland. 

-- One is a 13-night cruise that sails the Atlantic to the Mediterranean from Hamburg to Malaga calling at Amsterdam, Zeebrügge (Belgium), Honfleur, St. Malo, St. Nazaire and La Palice in France, Santander (Bilbao) in Spain and Lisbon, Portugal, Sepember 21-October 4.

-- The other is a Black Sea cruise roundtrip from Piraeus (Athens) to Varna (Bulgaria), Odessa and Yalta in Ukraine, Constanta in Romania and Sinop and Istanbul in Turkey, Oct. 17-27. Passengers can fly free roundtrip from 16 U.S. cities and save up to $1,194 on the cruise rates alone.  

An added incentive for U.S. travelers to book these Grand Hotel Voyages is the 50 percent reduction on pre-arranged packages of English-language shore excursions and free airport/ship transfers.  Reduced cruise prices begin at $3,398 per person for the Black Sea sailing, while single staterooms start at $3,737.  The ship has 67 singles and charges considerably less for single supplements than other cruise lines.

The free round-trip air transportation is available from New York City, Boston, Miami, Washington and 12 other eastern U.S. gateways.  Air supplements from 19 Midwest gateways cost just $60 to $70 and $150 to $170 from 13 cities in the West.  For those passengers arranging their own air, there is a $750 reduction from the cruise fare.       

For the Hamburg-Malaga 13-night sailing, reduced rates start at $3,679 per person twin and $4,069 for a single stateroom.  This September 21 cruise also offers an optional golf package featuring courses in Deauville (Honfleur), Chateau des Ormes Golf Club (St. Malo), La Baule International (St. Nazaire), the Real Golf de Pedrena near Santander and the Oitavos Quinta de Marunha golf course near Lisbon with spectacular views of the Atlantic. The air/sea golf package, starting at $4,788 (before the 10% discount) per person from New York and 15 other U.S. cities includes air transportation, the cruise and golf program with six rounds of golf, free transfers to and from the ship, green fees, pull cart, use of driving range if available, golf escort and tips.  Non-golfing companions deduct $700 from ocean golf cruise prices.

On the October 17 sailing from Piraeus, the Deutschland cruises the Aegean, the Dardanelles and Bosphorus to the Black Sea and Varna, Bulgaria’s third largest city and main port with a cosmopolitan atmosphere that dates back to 580 BC.  Odessa, Ukraine’s major sea port and Black Sea summer resort, founded in 1794, known for its parks, architecture and opera house, is one of two port calls in Ukraine. The other is Yalta, center of the Ukraine Riviera and site of Livadia Palace where Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin decided the future of Europe in 1945. 

The Turkish city of Sinop with one of the most beautiful natural harbors on the Black Sea coast is among other destinations on the cruise. Its extant monuments include a ruined ancient citadel rebuilt during Byzantine and Seljuq periods, ruins and old walls and dating from the early Greek and Roman periods, and mosque dating from 1214. A 13th-century religious school now houses the local museum. Sinop is linked by sea with Istanbul, an overnight stay on the cruise.

A luxury ocean liner that recalls the days of grand ocean travel, the MS Deutschland was launched in 1998 and is refurbished annually.  The five-star ship has just 286 beautifully appointed staterooms for a maximum of 520 passengers and offers a very high level of service with a 2-to-1 passenger-to-crew ratio.  Peter Deilmann built the Deutschland for discriminating travelers who want a traditional cruise experience in a gleaming ship designed in art nouveau and art deco styles.

Details on the sailings and the Grand Hotel Voyages brochure of Deutschland sailings are available from travel agencies and Peter Deilmann Cruises at 1-800-348-8287 or by e-mail at pdcmail@ deilmann-cruises.com.  To view and download itineraries and theme cruises, log on to www.deilmann-cruises.com .    

Pullmantour Cruises

Pullmantur Cruises’ Blue Moon will begin homeporting year-round from Aruba in November. Customers of the Spanish company will fly in on Pullmantur’s own aircraft. The 684-passenger Blue Moon will sail Saturdays starting Nov. 4.  Website: www.pullmanturcruises.com

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Europe Sailings Offer Special Enrichment Programs In Baltic, Mediterranean

When the all-balcony suite Seven Seas Voyager® debuts in Europe under her new Regent banner this summer, she will also be charting a new course in personalized luxury cruising.  From July 1 to November 4, each seven- and eight-night voyage will feature three Circles of Interest enrichment programs, giving guests innovative ways to experience ports visited based on their personal interests.

In addition to Regent Seven Seas’® celebratory fanfare on every voyage, special inaugural savings are in the offing. Guests are given the tough decision of choosing either complimentary roundtrip economy air from 86 North American gateways, $499 business class air upgrade (with purchase of economy air add-on), or $1,000 off the cruise fare.*  And, as a keepsake memento of their inaugural voyage with Regent, guests will receive a complimentary personalized commemorative photo album.

Each of the 15 inaugural sailings on the acclaimed, six-star 700-guest Seven Seas Voyager will offer three Circles of Interest enrichment programs featuring a choice of exclusive ship and shore activities linked by a common theme. 

-- In the Baltic, Art, Design and Museums, Active Exploration and Wellness, and Performing Arts: Jazz will be available on eight Seven Seas Voyager Stockholm/ Copenhagen voyages between July 1 and August 19. 

-- In the Mediterranean, Archaeology and History, Photography and Food and Wine will be offered on seven, seven- and eight-night voyages between Monte Carlo, Rome, Athens, and Funchal September 16 to November 4.

These highly customizable ship-to-shore options feature onboard lectures and workshops plus specially created excursions and events led by “Circle” guest experts.  The variety of packages allows guests to adjust their experiences ashore through their personal passions – all while building camaraderie and forging friendships with like-minded guests. 

In true celebratory fashion, gala Regent celebrations and special inaugural festivities will take place on each sailing.

Throughout the inaugural season, cruise guests can extend their Regent ExperienceSM with a special Regent Berlin two-night pre- or post-cruise hotel stay for only $299 per person including breakfast.  Air programs are also available.

Per person prices for these inaugural Seven Seas Voyager cruises start from $3,298. All fares include 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 $1,769), or $1,000 savings off the cruise fare.

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.

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