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February 2002
 
 

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Cruise Line News and Best Bets and Values

 

 For February 2002
 



 

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CruiseReports Goes Live From Celebrity Cruises' Infinity!

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Save $500 on European Waterways 3/7/02

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Steal on the QE2 3/5/02

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Extend Your Stay 3/4/02

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Celebrity from Charleston 3/2/02

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Princess Pampering 3/1/02

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Lock-in Airfare 2/28/02

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River Rate Reductions 2/27/02

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Couples Save $300 02/26/02

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Young Divers Wanted 02/25/02

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Rate Reductions on Radisson 02/23/02

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Last Minute Deals 2/22/02

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More on Cruiseshares 02/21/02

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Tie the Knot in Europe 02/20/02

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The World Delayed 02/19/02

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Pay Up! 2/18/02

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Out and About in Alaska 2/16/02

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To Hawaii or Bust (Again)02/15/02

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Smell the Tulips, Early 02/14/02

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More Than the World 02/13/02

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Extend Your Stay 2/12/02

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Kicking The Habit At Sea 2/8/02

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Seabourn Bubbly 2/7/02

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Price Tide Rising Again 2/6/02

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All Over Greece 2/5/02

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Play That Funky Music, Crystal 2/4/02

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Alaska Cruises Discounted 2/02/02

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Attention: Beatles Fans 2/1/02


CruiseReports Goes Live From Celebrity Cruises' Infinity!



     Beginning March 10 (this Sunday) CruiseReports' Editor Jessica Agate will host daily reports from Celebrity Cruises' 1,950-guest Infinity directly to the CruiseReports website, www.cruise-reports.com. Join Jessica as she sails round-trip from San Juan, Puerto Rico to St. Croix; Castries, St. Lucia; Bridgetown, Barbados; St. John's, Antigua; and St. Thomas.

     Read all about the fare at the intimate S.S. United States specialty restaurant, experience the soothing AquaSpa, see pictures of the staff, and discover all of the ship's nooks and crannies! If you have a question or want to learn more about a specific area of the ship, just drop Jessica a note at crureports@aol.com, and she'll find you the answer.

      The DailyReports will be featured in the CruiseLog section on the CruiseReports website all next week. After they've been posted, subscribers will have access to each day's logs in the CruiseReports@Sea archives section of the website.
Hope to see you onboard!

 


If you have a question or want to learn more about a specific area of the ship, just drop Jessica a note.
 

 

Name
e-mail
   

 

Save $500 on European Waterways 3/7/02

     Abercrombie $ Kent is offering savings of $500 per person on select 2002 river cruises in France, England, Scotland and Ireland. Barges include the Lafayette, Anacoluthe, L’Art de Vivre, Scottish Highlander, Actief, Serenite and the Shannon Princess. Cruises must be booked by March 31, 2002 to receive the discount.
Call your travel agent or 1-800-323-7308 or visit www.abercrombiekent.com.

Steal on the QE2 3/5/02

Picture of Queen Elizabeth 2
     Cunard Line is offering savings of up to 50 percent, free airfare and a $100 per cabin shipboard credit to guests who book and deposit the Queen Elizabeth 2's six-day trans-Atlantic crossings by March 31, 2002. The ship will sail alternating cruises from New York and Southampton. Departure dates are May 12, 18 and 24 and June 14 and 20, 2002.

     Rates begin at $1,099 per person/double occupancy. Guests must mention fare code 170D.

     Call your travel agent or 1-800-7-CUNARD or visit www.cunardline.com.

 

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Extend Your Stay 3/4/02

     Want to extend your European river cruise? KD River Cruises of Europe is now offering land packages in six cities – Amsterdam and Basel for the Rhine, Berlin and Prague on Elbe cruises and Budapest and Passau on the Danube.

     The packages, either one or two nights depending on the city, can be added to either end or both ends of a KD sailing and include breakfast, tax and service charges at the hotel, tours and excursions.

     Highlights of the tours and excursions included with each package are:

Amsterdam – the Floriade in Haarlemmermeer, The Netherlands, a once-a-decade event, showcasing horticultural exhibits from 25 countries.

Basel – the Münster, Basel's 14th-century cathedral built of red sand stone.

Berlin – Checkpoint Charlie, the remnants of the Berlin Wall and the 15th-century Sanssouci Palace, Frederick the Great's summer residence and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Budapest – a half-day excursion to the artist's colony of Szentendre, a well-preserved Baroque village made up of colorful red-roof houses, narrow alleyways and Orthodox churches.

Prague – dinner at a Bohemian restaurant and a performance at the Laterna Magica, Black Theater or singing fountain or a concert.

Passau – a concert at the Cathedral of St. Stephen, site of the world's largest pipe organ.
Per person/double occupancy rates depend on hotel choice and range in price from $135 to $375.

 

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Celebrity from Charleston 3/2/02


       East coast departures are on the rise, and Celebrity Cruises has just announced a new one of their own. Beginning in December 2002, the 1,870 Galaxy will offer 10- and 11-night Caribbean cruises departing round-trip from Charleston, South Carolina.

      Eleven-night departure dates include December 23, 2002, and January 13, February 3, and February 24, 2003, with ports of call in Tortola, Antigua, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, San Juan and Nassau.
 

     Galaxy's first 10-night Caribbean cruise departs Charleston on December 3, 2002, with ports of call in Nassau, Tortola, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and San Juan. Other 10-night itineraries depart on December 13, 2002, and January 3 and 24, February 14, and March 7, 2003, with ports of call in Nassau, Belize, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Key West.

     Fares for Celebrity's new Charleston-based sailings start at $899 per person, double occupancy.

      Call your travel agent or 1-800-CELEBRITY or visit www.celebritycruises.com.

 

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Princess Pampering 3/1/02

     Princess Cruises has begun to offer its branded, Lotus Spa program fleetwide.

     Currently in place aboard the Grand Princess, Golden Princess and new Star Princess the Asian-themed spa program offers an atmosphere and treatments based on ancient therapies and rituals from the Far East. Most of Princess' remaining ships will introduce the Lotus Spa program by mid-March.

     The expanded spa program features a variety of new treatment options and a more comprehensive selection of health and fitness offerings. Selections include a series of spa and beauty treatments, including Chakra Stone Therapy, Asian Lotus Ritual (massage with reflexology, reiki and shiatsu, plus Silk Booster Facial), Lime & Ginger Salt Glow, and Wild Strawberry Back Cleanse.

     Oxygenating facials, Lotus Massage, Deep Tissue Sports Therapy Massage, and body wraps such as the Musclease Ocean Wrap or Ionithermie Algae-Detox also are available. The spa's salon offers an Exotic Hand Ritual and a Sole Delight Foot Treatment in addition to the usual variety of manicure, pedicure and hair options.

     For active guests, the Lotus Spa's expanded fitness options include a more extensive menu of exercise classes, more fitness instructors and gym supervision, specialized fitness opportunities such as personal training and consultation sessions, and a series of health and nutrition seminars. The lineup includes aerobics, body conditioning and power walking, but also offers new specialized classes including yoga, Pilates, pulse cycling and KickBoXpress as well as body composition analysis and a Chakra balancing capsule. Extended hours include supervision between 7 am and 10 pm, while spa facilities and treatments are available 12 hours each day.

 

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Lock-in Airfare 2/28/02

     Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have made it possible for their guests to view flight itineraries 60 days prior to cruise departure and decide whether to use Custom Air service to lock-in those flights or choose others. Itineraries not secured with Custom Air are subject to change until the time of ticketing, typically four weeks prior to sailing.

     "This service gives travel agents and guests more time, if needed, to adjust air arrangements prior to receiving cruise documents," said Nick Hafner, vice president of Air/Sea. "By providing guests their air itineraries earlier, agents and guests can decide if it makes sense for them to take advantage of our Custom Air program."

     Flight itineraries can be obtained 60 days prior to departure through CruiseMatch, the cruise lines' automated booking tool for travel agents, as well as most other automated booking tools, or by contacting the reservations department at Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises.

     Custom Air can be planned up to 11 months in advance or booked as little as seven days prior to North American sailings. By utilizing Custom Air for a$50 administrative fee ($75 for international sailings), guests can secure an existing itinerary or select other flights and times. The service is free to Crown & Anchor Society members at the Diamond and Platinum levels. There could be a bump-up fare on certain flights.

 

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River Rate Reductions 2/27/02

    RiverBarge Excursion Lines is offering $50 onboard credit per stateroom to guests who book the River Explorer’s “Mouth of the Mississippi River” cruise departing New Orleans on March 6, 2002; “Delta South” from New Orleans to Memphis departing on March 27 and April 10; and “Rivers to Rails” departing from Cincinnati on June 18.

     Rates for the seven-day cruises begin at $2,080 per person/double occupancy.

     Call your travel agent or 1-888-GOBARGE or visit www.riverbarge.com.

 

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Couples Save $300 2/26/02

 
   
FAR&WIDE Travel Corporation is offering two cruise-tour packages with savings of $150 per person/double occupancy to travelers wishing to explore Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, or the Orinoco Delta and Tobago.

     A nine-day cruise-tour on Le Levant will depart on April 7, 2002. The trip begins with a one-night stay in Trinidad then continues with the seven-night cruise along Venezuela's Orinoco Delta. Rates start at $3,145.

      A 10-day Costa Rica package, departing on March 26, 2002, will begin with a three-night land stay in San Jose. Passengers will then board the Le Ponant for a six-night cruise with visits to national parks, beaches and landmarks of Costa Rica, including a transit of the Panama Canal, and stops in the San Blas Islands. Prices start at $5,340.

     Call your travel agent or 1-800-395-3288 or visit www.farandwide.com.

 

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Young Divers Wanted 02/24/02


     Aggressor Fleet is offering teen divers special training programs this year, with the help of a professional staff of diving instructors to assist students.

     The yacht dive boat company is offering weeklong training programs aboard the Bay Islands Aggressor IV from June 15-22 and June 22-29, 2002. Open-water certified divers ages 14 to 18 may participate in the first week’s activities. In addition to diving, sessions include an Advanced Open-water course, up to five specialty courses, First Aid training, Rescue Diver training and plenty of diving.

    Teens who have a Stress/Rescue Diver Certification may join in the second week of Teen Camp and earn a Junior Divemaster Certification from a national training agency.

     On the seven-day excursions, divers will explore Honduras’ reefs off the islands of Roatan, Guanaja, Utila and Cayos Cochinos. The Bay Islands Teen Week charter rate is $2,095 king cabin and $1,895 queen cabin, per person, double occupancy and includes all courses, diving, meals and onboard accommodations. Rental dive gear and underwater cameras also are available onboard.

     For reservations, call your local dive shop, travel professional or 1-800-348-2628, or visit www.aggressor.com.

 

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Rate Reductions on Radisson 02/23/02

     Radisson Seven Seas Cruises is offering two-for-one rates and 50 percent off of second-guest fares on select Radisson Diamond and Seven Seas Mariner sailings in March and April. Guests who secure their deposits with a credit card at the time of their booking also will receive shipboard credits of $200 per stateroom/suite.
The following voyages are included:

Radisson Diamond
 

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March 22, 27, April 9, five-night "Diamonds of the Caribbean" voyage, roundtrip from San Juan, calling at Tortola, St. Barts, St. Maarten and St. Thomas. Two-for-one prices start at $1,198 per person.

Seven Seas Mariner

bulletMarch 22, five-night "Four Flags in the Caribbean" cruise, roundtrip from San Juan to St. Thomas, St. John's, St. Barts and St. Maarten. Per person prices from $1,496 include 50% savings on second-guest fares.
 
bulletMarch 27, six-night "Leeward Landfalls and Virgin Adventures" voyage, roundtrip from San Juan to St. Thomas, St. John's, St. Bart's, St. Maarten, and Virgin Gorda. Per person prices from $1,721 include 50% savings on second-guest fares.
 
bulletApril 22, four-night "Caribbean Sampler" voyage, from San Juan to Ft. Lauderdale, with calls at St. Thomas and Nassau. Two-for-one prices start at $798 per guest.
Call your travel agent or 1-800-285-1835 or visit www.rssc.com.

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Last Minute Deals 2/22/02

 

     eWaterways.com is offering two all-inclusive packages in France on select March departures. Both packages include a six-night cruise, round-trip economy class airfare, transfers, and a two-night hotel stay in Paris. On the 22-passenger eWaterways, the price is $1,999 per person/double occupancy. The cruise will sail through the Burgundy region and visit Dijon, Clos de Vougeot and Chateauneuf.

     The price for the package on the 50-passenger Chardonnay is $2,199. The barge will sail from Lyon to Saint-Jean-de-Losne and visit the Beaujolais, Tournus, Beaune and Dijon.

     Call your travel agent or 1-800-676-6613 or visit www.ewaterways.com.

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More on Cruiseshares 2/21/02


    
Would you like to purchase timeshare on a cruise ship?  Well, you can – and we’re not talking about buying a condo on The World of ResidenSea.

     EXA International, a Florida-based company specializing in travel-related services, has purchased the defunct Premier Cruise Lines’ Rembrandt and is selling Cruiseshares
ä on the ship, through its subsidiary Romantic Cruise Line. The 550-stateroom vessel, which is currently undergoing a refurbishment in Freeport, is set to enter service in May and will initially sail a southern Caribbean itinerary.

     Cruiseshares range in price from $10,500 to $27,000 per stateroom, with annual maintenance fees between $770 and $1,200 per couple for a seven-day share. The weeklong share also can be used as shorter cruises adding up to a seven day total each year and also can be sold, transferred, rented or loaned.

     Each Cruiseshare includes a specific seven-day time period and a designated stateroom or cabin category. Cruiseshare owners have the option of using the specified time period or can cruise during a different time period and also can trade a Cruiseshare for an alternative time on the same Cruiseshared vessel, on other Cruiseshared ships, or for a worldwide selection of land vacations through a timeshare exchange company.

EXA plans to acquire additional ships to expand Romantic Cruise Line’s fleet.

Call your travel agent or 1-954-725-5570 or visit www.cruiseshares.com.

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Tie the Knot in Europe 02/20/02


    
Holland America Line has expanded its "shipboard romance" opportunities beyond the U.S. and Caribbean to include several European ports where couples may arrange a wedding onboard one of the line’s ships or in a location ashore, including such ports as Santorini, Greece; Florence, Rome and Naples, Italy; and Stockholm, Sweden.

     "The new European options are the latest addition to an array of wedding, honeymoon, anniversary and renewal-of-vows packages that fulfill the wishes of couples who want to celebrate special romantic moments onboard one of Holland America's 11 premium cruise ships," said David A. Giersdorf, senior vice president, marketing and sales. "For our Europe cruise guests, this new wedding program opens up a whole new array of choices that will add an extra touch of magic to one of the most important occasions in a couple's life together."

     European wedding packages start at $1,900, which includes wedding planning, officiant, romantic recorded music, custom wedding ceremony, wedding site, bride's bouquet and groom's boutonniere, bottle of champagne, 10-inch wedding cake, photography service, wedding photo album, keepsake certificate and 10 announcements. Additional services, such as live music, are available to customize each wedding.

     Onboard wedding packages are available in Ft. Lauderdale, Acapulco, Barbados, San Juan, St. Thomas, Costa Rica, Halifax, Juneau, Kona, Los Angeles, New York, San Diego and Vancouver. Other packages, including beach, garden or glacier weddings, also are available.

 

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The World Delayed 02/19/02


     The delivery of the first resort community at sea has been delayed.  The World of ResidenSea, will now begin her maiden voyage from Oslo, Norway on March 7, 2002, with the ship's christening to take place on April 19 in New York City.  The ship was originally scheduled to depart on February 25.

     Residents of the 110 apartments will move into their new homes in Oslo on March 6, and the first passengers her 88 guest suites will board in London on March 12.  The ship will then arrive in its first U.S. port of call, Ft. Lauderdale, on March 24.  From there, The World will visit Bridgetown, Ft. Lauderdale, Nassau, Charleston, Norfolk, Baltimore, Boston, Cape Cod, Newport and head to New York City for the christening.

 

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Pay Up!
2/18/02

     Effective immediately, Carnival Cruise Lines has adjusted the amount of money that each passenger must deposit when booking cruises – and in most cases the rate has increased.

     The following deposits must be paid 60 days prior to departure in order to secure confirmed accommodations: $50 for two-day cruises; $100 for three-day sailings; $150 on four-day cruises; and $200 on five-day sailings. Two- to five-day cruises previously required a $100 deposit.

     Rates for six- and seven-day cruises have remained the same, at $250, which must be paid 70 days prior to sailing. The eight-day voyage deposit rate has increased from $250 to $300, and also must be paid 70 days out.

     Passengers sailing on cruises 10 days or longer will now deposit $400, 75 days prior to sailing, as opposed to the previous $300 rate. Alaska cruises also must be deposited 75 days in advance. The rate has jumped $50 to $350.
Carnival accepts American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and the Discover card for all cruise payments.

 

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Out and About in Alaska 2/16/02


     Cruise West has made the decision to take the 78-passenger Spirit of Alaska out of Alaska this summer, and keep her laid up in Seattle.

     “We made this decision (to remove her from Alaska service) because in the fall, we found it difficult to predict what our booking patterns would be,” said Cruise West spokesperson Maureen Camandona. “Like other cruise lines, the beginning of our main booking season was atypically slow.”

     The 102-guest Spirit of Endeavour will operate the Spirit of Alaska’s “Secluded Waterways” all-Alaska itinerary that sails between Ketchikan and Juneau. Port calls include Petersburg, Metlakatla, Skagway, Haines, Sitka, Juneau and Ketchikan, along with scenic cruising in Glacier Bay, and Misty Fjords National Monument.

     The Spirit of Endeavour was originally scheduled to operate Cruise West’s “Explorers’ Route” cruises between Seattle and Juneau. The Spirit of ’98 and the Spirit of Discovery will now operate those itineraries.

     “Bookings for January and February are extremely strong,” said Camandona. “In fact, both months are outpacing January and February 2001, which was a record year for us.”

     Cruise West fully expects to operate all of its seven vessels in Alaska in 2003.

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To Hawaii or Bust (Again) 02/15/02

   
 Norwegian Cruise Line has been dealing with some rough waters in Hawaii. Last month the line announced that the Norwegian Star would be calling at Hilo instead of visiting the scheduled call at Kona on its Hawaii cruises through March 21, 2002.  But that's not all.  The line has made two more changes.

     Instead of calling at Lahaina, Maui, the Norwegian Star will stop at Kahului, Maui on Fridays through May 3, 2002. Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL, gave the same reasons for this change as he did the previous one: lack of sufficient shore side tender support in the originally scheduled port, and of course, inclement weather.

     Guests will still be able to go on their pre-booked excursions in Lahaina and the line will operate free shuttle service between Lahaina and Kahului.

     NCL also has decided to discontinue all seven-day Maui sailings because of complications embarking and disembarking in Lahaina, which is a tendering port.  Beginning on August 16, the Norwegian Star will operate the cruises from Honolulu -- not Maui. 

     The line is offering guest currently booked and deposited on any of the cancelled Maui embarkation sailings a four-category upgrade or up to a two-category upgrade for those booked in oceanview staterooms.  NCL also is offering rate protection on any other seven-day round-trip Honolulu sailing aboard the Norwegian Star (except fro Christmas and New Year's). 

     If you are booked on any of these cruises, and haven't made a deposit -- contact your travel agent that made the booking, or call Norwegian Cruise Line at 1-800-327-7030, or else NCL will automatically cancel your booking.

 

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Smell the Tulips, Early 02/14/02

     Crown Blue Line is offering early booking savings on any new 2002 Holland reservations made by March 20, 2002, with rates beginning at $875 for a weeklong boat rental, (or $175 per person). The self-skippered boating company is offering a 15 percent discount on the Princess Sheba boat (sleeps five) and a 10 percent discount on all other boats. An additional 5 percent discount is offered for Monday start dates.

     Call your travel agent or 1-888-355-9491 or visit www.crownblueline.com.

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More Than the World 02/13/02

      Radisson Seven Seas Cruises is offering some extra perks to its guests of the Seven Seas Navigator's World Cruise. On segments four and five of the 105-night World Cruise, passengers will receive a complimentary three-night pre-cruise extension with an African safari offered before the 14-night Cape Town to Rio voyage on April 7, 2002, or an Iguazu Falls tour prior to the 14-night April 21, Rio to Ft. Lauderdale cruise. Free Economy Air is included, with low-cost roundtrip Business Class upgrades available for $999 (April 7) and $499 (April 21) per person. Per person prices for the 14-night April 7 voyage begin at $8,275, while rates for the 14-night April 21 voyage begin at $4,571.

     The line also is offering extra savings to those who opt to combine both 14-night sailings for an April 7, 28-night journey from Cape Town to Ft. Lauderdale. In addition to the pre-cruise three-night safari in South Africa, guests will receive free Business Class air to South Africa from any of 83 gateways and a $500 per couple shipboard credit. For either of the voyages, guests who book and deposit on the same day will receive a $200 per couple shipboard credit. Prices for the voyage start at $10,525 per person.

     Special onboard guests include, Ted Koppel, anchor/managing editor of ABC News' Nightline; Dick Thornburgh, two-term Pennsylvania governor and attorney general under Presidents Bush and Reagan; and Larry Hagman, star of Dallas and "Master" in I Dream of Jeannie, will mingle with guests and discuss highlights of their eventful careers. Call your travel agent or 800-285-1835 or visit www.rssc.com.
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Extend Your Stay 2/12/02

     Holland America Line is offering new pre-cruise land tours to guests who book the Amsterdam’s 2002 Alaska cruises. The tours range from one to four nights and visit Seattle and Western Washington, with some options to Portland, Oregon or into Eastern Washington.

     All of the land packages start with an overnight stay at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Seattle and include a tour of the Seattle area. Seven pre-cruise options range from one to four-night packages and cost from $195 to $625 per person/double occupancy.

     Options include a one-night “Seattle and Tillicum Village” tour; a two-night “Seattle Classic with Mt. Rainier”; a three-night “Seattle/Mt. St. Helens/Mt. Rainier” option; a three-night “Seattle and Olympic Loop”; a three-night “Seattle and Cascade Loop” excursion; and a four night “Seattle and Columbia Gorge” package.

     The tours return guests to Seattle to board the Amsterdam for their seven-day cruise to Alaska. Sailings begin on May 18, 2002, and will visit Juneau, Hubbard Glacier, Sitka, Ketchikan, and Victoria. Call your travel agent or 1-877-724-5425 or visit www.hollandamerica.com.
 

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Kicking The Habit At Sea 2/8/02

     When Carnival introduced the smoke-free Paradise, the line’s executives mildly dismissed speculation that a week-long cruise on the ship would provide a great way for people to quit smoking. The rigid no-tobacco policy onboard Paradise – even having smoking materials in your stateroom can get you kicked off the ship – might be too much for people struggling to “kick the habit,” they suggested.

     Now, however, Carnival Cruise Lines, the American Lung Association of Connecticut (ALAC) and Manchester Community College have teamed up to offer a series of "Quit Smoking Caribbean Cruises" aboard the Paradise. The key here is that the seven-day cruises are incorporated into ALAC's comprehensive seven-session Freedom From Smoking program.

     The program comprises three Paradise sailings from Miami – on September 15, October 13 and December 1, 2002 – will feature on-board smoking-cessation clinics and seminars conducted by the ALAC's trained experts. The clinics utilize positive behavior modification strategies to help smokers develop their own "quitting plan," adjust to recovery symptoms, manage stress through proven relaxation techniques and fight the urge to resume smoking.

     Prior to taking the cruise, participants must enroll in the Freedom From Smoking program and attend the first and second sessions in their geographic areas to lay the groundwork for quitting smoking. Sessions three and four – when smokers actually stop smoking – will be held during the Paradise cruise. The remaining sessions take place following the voyage to reinforce long-term maintenance and behavior modification strategies.

     Smokers who want to kick the habit while they’re kicking up their heels on a Caribbean cruise can book the cruise and the quit-smoking program through their travel agents.
 

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Seabourn Bubbly 2/7/02

     A chilled bottle of Piper Heidsieck champagne in their suites has traditionally greeted those lucky souls setting sail on the Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend. Starting in June, Seabourn Cruise Line will extend that custom, offering complimentary bubbly from the famous French champagne maker to its guests throughout their cruises.

     The line’s new alliance with Heidsieck & Co., which has supplied champagne to royalty throughout Europe since 1785, brings a regal flair to the line’s already supremely luxurious cruises. It also marks the latest in a series of refinements the line has implemented to enhance the Yachts of Seabourn experience.

     Seabourn introduced complimentary fine wines and spirits, exclusive shoreside experiences and free mini-massages on deck throughout its fleet last year. Further refinements announced for 2002 include menus created by renowned chef Charlie Palmer and Seabourn's “Pure Pampering” program, featuring bathing and well-being products by Molton Brown, London.

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Price Tide Rising Again 2/6/02

     After a winter of incredible bargains, cruise prices have begun to rise again as cruise lines set booking records in the first weeks of 2002. A sampling of lines’ “Wave Season” business by Cruise Lines International Association found several posting record reservation volumes in January, and most have responded with higher fares.

     Cruise prices were already starting to inch up in late 2001, but the January boom has helped accelerate the rise to the point that advertised entry-level rates for some popular itineraries have been leaping $100 per person or more per week. A case in point: an Alaska cruise advertised on a cruise discount web site for $694 on January 16 appeared on the same web site a week later at the new price of $833.

     There are, of course, those who are still betting that the bargains will return after the pent-up demand subsides, but right now there’s no indication that is likely to happen. The one certainty, however, remains that the big winners sailing in 2002 will be the people who booked their cruise vacations last October.

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All Over Greece 2/5/02

     FAR&WIDE is offering rates beginning at $1,999 on its “Hellenic Classic” departures in Greece. The package includes three-nights in Athens, five days touring the sites of Argolis, Olympia, Delphi, and Meteora, a four-day cruise to the Greek Islands and Turkey on a Royal Olympic Cruises ship, and round-trip airfare from New York. The cruise will visit Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes, Santorini and Piraeus.

     The offer applies to departures from April through October 2002 that are booked and deposited by February 28.

     Call your travel agent or 1-800-272-7600 or visit www.farandwide.com.

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Play That Funky Music, Crystal 2/4/02

    As part of its onboard enrichment programming Crystal Cruises has set five musically-themed cruises in four different destinations from April through October 2002. A roster of entertainers and music professionals aboard Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony will perform a variety of musical styles, including classical, jazz and blues, Big Band and '70s pop. Guest speakers and screenings of relevant films and documentaries will also be a highlight of the cruises.

     Classical Music will be the focus of the Crystal Symphony’s 16-day Panama Canal cruise from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale, departing April 27. Philharmonia Virtuosi, the resident Classical Music Orchestra of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, will perform works conducted by Musical Director and Conductor Richard Kapp. Kapp also will give a series of lectures on the history of classical music. Director and choreographer Kevin Carlisle also will be on board to share his production experience of more than 500 television series, specials and stage productions. Prices begin at $4,455.

     Soloists and Chamber Orchestras from The Juilliard School of Music will offer full evening concerts, matinee recitals, and tea-time performances on the Crystal Harmony’s 12-day Alaska sailing, round-trip San Francisco, departing on September 2. Fares begin at $2,975.

    An 11-day Jazz & Blues cruise from Acapulco to New Orleans on the Crystal Harmony will depart on October 16. Tom Hook and the Terrier Brothers will perform concerts and dance sets of jazz and the blues while the ship cruises to New Orleans. Vocalist and pianist Yve Evans also will perform her one-woman shows. Each evening, the ship’s nightclub will be transformed into a jazz venue. Jazz-related films and documentaries, and guest speakers will explore the roots of this music. Rates begin at $2,820.

     The Crystal Symphony’s nine-day Big Band, trans-Atlantic crossing will sail from Ft. Lauderdale to London on May 13. This sailing will feature The Glenn Miller Orchestra. Big Band vocalist Beryl Davis, who toured with the original Glenn Miller Orchestra and Django Reinhardt and Les Brown, also will be aboard. Fares begin at $2,310.

     The Crystal Harmony will host a 70’s theme cruise, sailing from San Francisco to Acapulco, on October 8. The eight-day cruise will feature a to-be-announced '70s-era artist or group to get revelers into the groove with the decade's top dance hits. On one night, the main show lounge will be transformed into "Studio 54." Prices start at $1,995.

     All rates are per person/double occupancy. Call your travel agents or 1-800-820-6663 or visit www.crystalcruises.com.

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Alaska Cruises Discounted 2/02/02

     Princess Cruises has expanded its "Double Early Booking Discount" promotion for Alaska cruises and cruisetours until February 14, 2002. The previous deadline was January 31.

     Discounted fares are available on all Gulf of Alaska cruises and for select dates on all of the company's 56 cruisetour options. Cruise fares begin at $799 per person/double occupancy for a seven-day Alaska voyage and $1,499 for an 11-day cruisetour.

     Call your travel agent number or 1-800-421-1700 or visit www.princess.com.

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Attention: Beatles Fans  2/1/02

     Radisson Seven Seas Cruises is hosting a “Tribute to Beatles” cruise onboard the Seven Seas Mariner’s seven-night cruise from Lisbon to Southampton departing on June 13, 2002.

     Joe Johnson, host of the nationally syndicated radio show “Beatle Brunch” (which airs every Sunday) will be aboard, along with other Beatles experts. Joe and his associates will host a Beatles night in the nightclub, along with events such as Beatles Trivia and look-alike contests, with special prizes. During the cruise there will be performances by Revolution, a renowned Beatles tribute band.

     An exclusive Beatles post-cruise tour also has been arranged for guests as follows:

     June 20: Disembark in Southampton and fly to Manchester then transfer to Liverpool and the Marriott Hotel. The evening offers a live musical event at the Cavern Club, followed by a traditional English pub dinner.

     June 21: Magical Mystery Tour of the famous sights of the Beatles’ Liverpool. Visit Sir Paul McCartney’s private art exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery. Travel First Class to London by train and transfer to the Langham Hilton Hotel for a two-night stay.

     June 22: Take a Beatles sites-of-London bus tour, including the Abbey Road Studios.

     June 23: Depart for home.

     Fares start at $3,595 per guest/double occupancy. Call your travel agent or 1-800-285-1835 or visit www.rssc.com

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