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CruiseLog January 2003
 
 

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Cruise Line News and Best Bets and Values

 

 January 2003
 


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Head of the Class (January Issue 2003)

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Lindblad's Sea Lion

 

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Spring into France 1/30/03

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Yangtze and Beyond 1/29/03

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Polar Expert Breaks the Ice 1/28/03

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Sotheby’s at Sea 1/27/03

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No Stress, No Strings 1/25/03

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We’re going to Baja! Want to Join us? 1/24/03

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A Cooler CocoCay 1/23/03

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Get it on eBay 1/22/03

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HAL to the Rescue 1/21/03

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Sip and Swirl on Silversea 1/20/03

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Cruising Kid-free 11/18/03

Some Picture(s) Courtesy of Their Respective Cruise Line or Company

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Spring into France 1/30/03
     eWaterways.com has announced some new cruises in France for early spring this year, including airfare for $9 between most U.S. cities and Paris.

     On March 8, 15, 22 and 29 the 24-passenger Escargot follows the Ouche Valley through the Burgundy region, with visits to Dijon and Ducal Palace, Beaune, the medieval castle of Châteauneuf, and the Château of Commarin.

     The 24-passenger Chanterelle wends along the Upper Loire Valley on the Loire River sailing on March 22 and 29. The barge will visit Chateau D'Apremont, Sancerre for private wine tastings, Briare Aqueduct, Gien, Nevers, and Saint-Fargeau.

     The 50-passenger Chardonnay sails in Provence on March 22 or 29, with stops at Lyon, The Beaujolais, Tournus, Beaune, and Dijon.

     Beginning March 29, the 24-passenger Mirabelle cruises in Bordeaux between Libourne and Damazan. The barge will stop in Saint Emilion, Blaye, Medoc, Bordeaux,
Chateau De Roquetaillade, and Nerac.

     The packages include two nights in a 3-star boutique hotel in Paris and first class train transfers to and from the barge in France. The price for the Escargot and Chanterelle is $1999 per person, including air. The all-inclusive rate for the Chardonnay cruise is $2299; and the Mirabelle is $2199.

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

 

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Yangtze and Beyond 1/29/03
     TRAVCOA and Victoria Cruises have teamed-up to offer a 16-day Yangtze River cruise package priced from $6,695 per person/double occupancy.

     The “Yangtze River Adventure Of A Lifetime” deal includes four nights at the St. Regis Hotel in Beijing; three nights at the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel in Shanghai; two nights at the Shangri-La Golden Flower Hotel in Xian; one night at the Holiday Inn in Chongqing; one night at the Shangri-La Hotel in Wuhan; a three-night cruise sailing between Chongqing and Wuhan, with a trip to the Three Gorges Dam Site; and sightseeing in the cities.

     The trip departs from April 4 through October 17, 2003. Call your travel agent or 1-800-992-2003 or visit www.travcoa.com.

 

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Polar Expert Breaks the Ice 1/28/03

     World-renown polar expert Dr. Alfred S. McLaren will offer his personal insight into the polar region's diversity during a 15-day “Journey to the North Pole” aboard Intrav’s Yamal.

     The cruise will depart on July 17, 2003, and travel north of Spitsbergen, Norway in the Arctic Basin to 90° north. Along the way, Dr. McLaren will host presentations detailing the wildlife (seals, polar bears, walrus, and Arctic birds) observed along the route.

     Once at 90° north, passengers will be able to explore the landscape, walk on the Arctic ice, and plunge into the Arctic Ocean (if they dare). On the return route, Yamal will sail south toward the islands of Franz Josef Land for two days of discovery on the unexplored Russian archipelago. The trip will end with an overnight hotel stay in Oslo.

     Dr. McLaren, who holds a doctorate in the physical geography of the Polar Regions from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a master of philosophy in polar studies from Cambridge University, is one of the most recognized experts on the Arctic. A retired U.S. Navy nuclear submarine captain, Dr. McLaren is also president emeritus of TheExplorers Club and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Arctic Institute of North America. Aboard the USS Seadragon, he commanded the first submerged transit of the Northwest Passage and plans to reach the bottom of the sea at the geographic North Pole in 2004 using a Russian MIR submersible. On expeditions aboard the USS Queenfish, he completed the first under-ice survey of the entire Siberian Continental Shelf. For his research, Dr. McLaren has earned the Distinguished Service Medal (the United States' highest peacetime award), two Legions of Merit, and

     The Explorers Club's Lowell Thomas Medal for ocean exploration.
The inclusive rate for the expedition begins at $18,480 per person, double occupancy, and includes 11 nights aboard the Yamal; one night at the deluxe Grand Hotel in Oslo; one post-cruise night in Oslo at the Radisson SAS Airport Hotel; all sightseeing; and airfare.

     Call your travel agent or 1-800-456-8100 or visit www.intrav.com.

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Sotheby’s at Sea 1/27/03
     Crystal Cruises is bringing experts from Sotheby’s Institute aboard select sailings of the Crystal Harmony, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity this year.

     Guest lecturers from the famous art institute will provide guests with a historical perspective into the world of jewelry, wine, art and design of the cities visited, as well as the culture of destinations, such as the glory of Irish cut glass, the palaces of Imperial Russia, and the distinctive architecture of South Carolina on voyages to Waterford, St. Petersburg and Charleston.

     Daniela Mascetti, one of Sotheby's most experienced scholars specializing in the history of jewelry; Jane Gardiner, a specialist in early European ceramics and glass; Raymond Notely, a specialist in design history as well as the history of glass and ceramics; Adriana Turpin, a specialist in late 17th century furniture; and Tom Savage, vice president and director of Sotheby's Institute of Art for North and South America will be onboard the following select voyages:

bulletBeijing to Hong Kong - with calls in Qingdao, Shanghai, Nagasaki and Taipei, departing March 31. Twelve days aboard Crystal Harmony, including a three-day Beijing land program, from $4,245 - Lecturer: Mascetti. "The Glitter and Glamour of Belle Epoque Jewels,'' "The Exotic and Colorful Jewels of the Roaring Twenties," "From the Bold, Sculptural Jewels of the 1940s to the Elegant Sophistication of 1950s Diamond Creations.'
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bulletLondon to Amsterdam - with visits to Waterford, Bordeaux, Honfleur, Guernsey (St. Peter Port), and Ghent, departing on May 27. Ten days aboard Crystal Symphony, from $3,815 - Lecturer: Gardiner. "The Glory of Irish Cut Glass,'' "A Pictorial History of Wine Making,'' "Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century.''
 
bulletAmsterdam to London - with calls in Stockholm, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Copenhagen, departing on June 6. Eleven days aboard Crystal Symphony, from $5,035 - Lecturer: Notely. "Past and Present Delights of Swedish, Danish and Finnish Approaches to Design,'' "The Palaces and Pleasures of Imperial Russia,'' "Faberge: Master of Magnificence.''
 
bulletVenice to Rome - with stops in Dubrovnik, Taormina, Sorrento, Cagliari, Cannes, and St. Tropez, departing on August 14. Twelve days aboard Crystal Serenity, from $5,995 - Lecturer: Mascetti. "Art Nouveau and Art Deco Jewels in Paris and New York,'' "1940-2000: Six Decades of Jewelry,'' "Quintessentially American: Verdura and Schlumberger, Two of the Most Important Jewelry Designers of All Time.''
 
bulletRome to Athens - with calls in Taormina, Santorini, Yalta, Odessa, Varna and Istanbul, departing on August 26. Twelve days aboard Crystal Serenity, from $5,790 - Lecturer: Notely. "Great Palaces of Imperial Rome,'' "Harem! Scarem! Victorian Visions of Orientalism,'' "Gongs, Glass and Goulash."
 
bulletNew York to Montreal - with visits to Martha's Vineyard, Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Quebec and Montreal, departing on September 26. Eleven days aboard Crystal Symphony, from $4,425 - Lecturer: Turpin. "English Furniture and Interiors,'' "Regency Design and its Influence on American Furniture.''
 
bulletMontreal to Fort Lauderdale - with calls in Quebec, Halifax, Bar Harbor, New York, Norfolk and Charleston, departing on October 7. Twelve days aboard Crystal Symphony, from $4,435 - Lecturer: Savage. "High Life in the Low Country: Great Houses and Collections of Charleston, South Carolina,'' "In Pursuit of Refinement: Charlestonians Abroad, 1740-1860,'' "Great Houses and Collections of Tidewater Virginia.''

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No Stress, No Strings 1/25/03

     SeaDream Yacht Club has introduced a “No Stress, No Strings” cancellation policy for its guests.

     Here’s the deal: Travelers can change or postpone their SeaDream travel plans for any reason up to the date of departure and receive 100 percent travel credit of the yacht tariff including government fees, handling and service charges. The money is applied toward a future sailing on either the SeaDream I or II within two years of the original booking.

     Guests canceling cruises need to advise their travel agent of their desire to cancel their original booking prior to embarkation. In turn the agent will advise SeaDream prior to embarkation and the original monies will be credited to the guests SeaDream account for use within a two year period.

     When they re-book -- within the specified two years -- the amount paid for the original booking is applied. If the re-booking costs less than the original booking the balance is applied for the remainder of a two year period. If the re-booked cruise costs more than the original booking guests will have to pay the difference.

 

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We’re going to Baja! Want to Join us? 1/24/03


     CruiseReports’ Editor Jessica Agate is escaping the frigid temperatures of New Jersey to spend five days aboard Lindblad Expeditions’ 70-passenger Sea Lion in the warm Baja California region. During her adventure she’ll visit La Paz Mexico, San Carlos, Cabo San Lucas and Gorda Banks, as well as spend a couple of days cruising and exploring Bahia Magdalena – a vast wilderness of sand dunes, man-grove channels and protected waters – where she’ll get upclose and personal with California gray whales.

    You can join us on our journey, beginning the weekend of January 25, by reading daily reports from the ship’s naturalist here! We’ll give you our full report of the ship and all of our adventurous land and sea excursions when we return. Also – look forward to reading what other guests had to say about the journey in the March issue of CruiseReports, where the Sea Lion will be featured!

     Bon voyage!

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A Cooler CocoCay 1/23/03

     Most of the major cruise lines have their own “private islands” in the Caribbean and Bahamas where they take guests to relax and play without the threat of other area tourists. Disney has Castaway Cay; Holland America uses Half Moon Cay; and Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have CocoCay. And the list goes on.

     As if having a private island isn’t cool enough – Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have made $20 million worth of renovations, including the addition of activities to its 140-acre island in the Bahamas. New snorkeling and scuba diving facilities, expanded docks, additional restaurants, bars and shops have all been added.

     A new Snorkel Shack was built, where visitors can sign up for snorkeling and rent equipment; and the new the Diver's Den offers certified divers the equipment for a one-tank, shallow-water beach dive that takes them to 40 feet below, where a PADI scuba instructor will be on hand.

     The new Wave Hut rents out WaveRunners, along with a guided 50-minute tour of the Great Stirrup Cay Lighthouse, Slaughter Harbor, Star Fish Alley and the abandoned island community of Cistern Cay.

     On land, a three-mile-long Nature Trail has been added; and of course the island has a straw market for shopping.

     New bars have been added -- Stir-it-up and On the Rocks – in addition to new dining shelters; specialty seating areas and trellises for shade; new and renovated restrooms; and a new building for the First Aid station and full-time nurse.

 

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Get it on eBay 1/22/03
    You can just about buy, or sell, anything on eBay. And Celebrity Cruises “Celebrity” branded t-shirts are no exception.

     The line has teamed up with actual celebrities such as George Clooney, Jason Alexander, Jackie Chan, Jay Leno, Susan Lucci, Steve Martin, the Baldwin brothers and more, as well as the casts of “Friends” and the “Today Show,” to launch a philanthropic auction on eBay.
How?

     By getting those celebrity’s signatures on the white T’s, and putting them up for auction on the marketplace web site. Bids start at $1. Last time we checked ebay.com (1/21), the Jackie Chan autographed T-shirt had the highest bid at $56. A few celeb shirts, such as James Cameron, Harry Hamlin/Lisa Rinna, Holly Robinson/Rodney Peete Stephen Baldwin, William Baldwin, Kyra Sedgwick, and Rob Reiner haven’t had a counter bid to the starting price yet. Sorry guys!
The shirt proceeds will go to various organizations including, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Starlight Children's Foundation, the Race to Erase MS, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, and more.

     The auction is set to end on January 30. To bid, or to see what other celebrity-autographed shirts are up for grabs, visit http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/celebritytshirts/

 

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HAL to the Rescue 1/21/03
 

Holland America
     Sometimes the US Coast Guard calls upon cruise ships sailing the high seas to take on a rescue mission of nearby vessel in distress.

     This past weekend, Holland America Line’s Statendam played the role of a hero when it rescued three men in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

     In response to a request from the US Coast Guard, the Statendam altered its course on its current sailing towards Hawaii to respond to a distress signal from a 45-foot private yacht,
   
     Enchantment, which was its maiden voyage from California to Honolulu.
Statendam sailed directly to the sailboat, which was taking on water, and rescued the three injured men from it while in 25-foot seas.

     "The three gentlemen are in good spirits and are being treated by our on-board medical team," said Stein Kruse, senior vice president, fleet operations. "They will sail with the ship to Honolulu."

     The Statendam is set to arrive in Honolulu today.

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Sip and Swirl on Silversea 1/20/03
     Silversea Cruises has some wine cruises in store for 2003. The line’s new eleven “Wine Series” sailings will explore regions and vineyards throughout Western Europe and the Mediterranean during cruises aboard the Silver Wind, Silver Whisper, Silver Cloud and Silver Shadow.

     Top experts, vineyard owners and winemakers from renowned establishments will be onboard to provide lectures, conduct tastings of vintage blends and guide guests on the vineyard excursions.

     Two wine-themed voyages this summer will be combined with the line’s “Culinary Arts” cruises to form “Unique Pairings from Napa Valley.” They’ll feature wine experts and all of the epicurean delights that the culinary cruises bring to the table, such as cooking demonstrations by the renowned international chefs of Relais & Château; food samplings; recipes secrets from restaurants such as Villa la Massa,, and the L'Arpege restaurant of Paris; and regional dishes, local market tours and a 5-course gala dinner.

     Silver Cloud's 10-day voyage departing August 7, from Paris to Lisbon, features guest chef Richard Reddington of Napa Valley's Auberge du Soleil. Reddington matches his contemporary French-Mediterranean cuisine with a selection of vintages chosen by the Robert Mondavi and Opus One wineries. On the Silver Shadow’s 6 six-day sailing from Rome to Cannes departing July 23, Meadowood's Didier Lenders and Steven Tevere, and winemaker Scott McLeod, of Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery, find the ideal will be onboard.

     The Wine Series cruises are listed below:

bulletBarcelona to Amsterdam; 11 Days [Silver Whisper] May 10 -
21, 2003; Domaine Carneros -- hosted by Eileen Crane, President & Winemaker
 
bulletRome to Barcelona; Seven Days [Silver Cloud] May 15 - 22, 2003;
Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery -- Host to be announced
 
bulletCannes to Valletta; Eight Days [Silver Shadow] June 2 - 10, 2003;
Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates -- hosted by Randy Ullom, Winemaster
 
bulletIstanbul to Marseille; Nine Days [Silver Shadow] July 2 - 11,
2003; Far Niente -- The Napa Valley Wine Estate -- hosted by Stephanie
Putnam, Winemaker
 
bulletBarcelona to Rome; Seven Days [Silver Shadow] July 16 - 23,
2003; Dyer Vineyard -- hosted by Bill & Dawnine Dyer, Owners & Winemakers
 
bulletLondon to Monte Carlo; 12 Days [Silver Wind] July 26 -
August 7, 2003; Scotchmans Hill Vineyard and Winery -- hosted by Ian Bird,
Sales Manager
 
bulletCannes to Barcelona; Seven Days [Silver Shadow] July 29 – August 5, 2003; Spottswoode Vineyard and Winery -- hosted by Mary Novak, Owner; Duckhorn Wine Company -- hosted by Margaret Duckhorn, Co-Founder, Duckhorn Vineyards
 
bulletCannes to Barcelona; Eight Days [Silver Shadow] August 24-September 1, 2003; Castello Banfi Vineyard Estate & Winery -- hosted by Bill Whiting, Manager of Wine Education
 
bulletRome to Monte Carlo; Seven Days [Silver Wind] August 28-September 4, 2003; Penfolds Wineries and Vineyards -- hosted by Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker
 
bulletLisbon to Barcelona; Seven Days [Silver Shadow] September 8-15, 2003; Artesa Winery /Codorniu Group -- hosted by Elisa Errea Gutierrez, Fine Wine Specialist
 
bulletRome to Marseille; Seven Days [Silver Shadow] September 22 - 29, 2003; St. Francis Winery -- hosted by Joe Martin, Partner

 

Cruising Kid-free 11/18/03
     Sure traveling with your kids is fun – most of the time. But let’s face it – cruises are more relaxing, and more romantic, without them.

     In fact, a recent survey conducted for Celebrity Cruises found that nearly 90 percent of parents surveyed would be interested in taking a romantic vacation - without their children. Although 50 percent have never vacationed without kids, 66 percent of parents believe that time away from their kids makes the time with them even better. We bet!

     The survey polled 1,000 U.S. parents with children ranging from newborns to teens to find out what appeals to them the most about vacationing without the kids. While sleeping late rated high (17 percent), and 37 percent of parents said they couldn't wait to be free of responsibilities, having time alone with their partner won by a landslide. An overwhelming 77 percent of those surveyed stressed the importance of time for romance, saying that among the perfect vacation ingredients would be "a cruise," along with cash.

     Aside from costs, parents surveyed said the biggest challenge in planning a vacation is finding time and securing childcare. Other parents expressed concern about finding someone to care for their pets.

     All the parents surveyed agreed that they just want to relax on their child-free vacation. More than half said they would like to enjoy fine food and wine, and lounge by the pool. Others said they would take time to see a show, go dancing and just curl up with a good book.

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