Big Bands and Roaring Laughs 6/7/02


     Guests who sail on Radisson Seven Seas Cruises’ eight-night July 12 “Baltic Rhapsody” voyage aboard the Seven Seas Mariner will be able to enjoy the sounds of Dixieland and Big Band music as well as the humor and commentary of comedic duo Al Franken and Norman Ornstein -- one of Comedy Central's most popular satiric teams.

     Musically scheduled to perform: Randy Sandke on trumpet, Chuck Wilson on clarinet, Harry Allen on sax, John Allred on trombone, Joe Ascione on drums, Frank Tate on bass, James Chirillo on guitar and Johnny Varro on piano.

     The ship will sail from Kiel to Copenhagen, with visits to Visby, Stockholm, Tallinn, and two nights in St. Petersburg. The line also is offering an optional air excursion to Moscow.

     Radisson is offering savings of $1,000 per person, or business class upgrades of $699 per person. Prices are from $3,095 per person/double occupancy. Call your travel agent or 1-800-285-1835 or visit www.rssc.com

Star Princess to Sail Asia and South Pacific 6/6/02

     Princess Cruises has announced that the new Star Princess, which entered service in March, will offer a series of Asia/South Pacific sailings for the 2003-04 season.

     The 109,000-ton ship will feature 12 Asia and South Pacific voyages on eight itineraries that feature 47 ports of call, including a new stop for the line – Adelaide, Australia. In addition, the ship will offer extended sailings that will take passengers between Asia and such destinations as Australia, Alaska and the Mediterranean.

     Star Princess will sail on two 12-day voyages and four 14-day voyages that explore Australia and New Zealand between November 26, 2003 and January 31, 2004. Both itineraries sail between Sydney and Auckland, and feature calls in the Australian ports of Melbourne and Hobart (Tasmania), a cruise through New Zealand’s Fjordland National Park, and stops at the New Zealand ports of Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington. The 14-day journey also features the new port of Adelaide, on the coast of South Australia.

     The ship will begin her Pacific cruises with a 19-day Alaska/Far East cruise from Seattle to Osaka on September 20, with calls at Dutch Harbor, Sapporo (Japan), Vladivostok, Pusan (South Korea) and Nagasaki. The ship then sails on a 12-day Orient/China voyage from Osaka to Beijing on October 10, followed by a 16-day Orient/Asia cruise from Beijing to Bangkok on October 22. Ports calls include Nagasaki, Pusan, and Shanghai, plus Vladivostok and Salian on the 12-day cruise; and Hong Kong, Da Nang (Vietnam) and Singapore on the 16-day voyage.

     Star Princess then heads to Australia with a 19-day voyage from Bangkok to Sydney, departing November 7. Singapore, the Thai island of Phuket, Kuala Lumpur and Bali, Perth, and Adelaide, are on the itinerary. Star Princess also will sail an 18-day Australia/Asia voyage from Sydney to Bangkok departing on February 14, 2004. The route takes passengers to the Great Barrier Reef and the port of Darwin, followed by calls in Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City.

     Star Princess’ Pacific Rim season ends with a 30-day journey from Bangkok to Venice, departing March 3, 2004. The ship will travel through three continents with visits to Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Kuala Lampur, Cochin (India), Bombay, Salalah (Oman), Aqaba (for Petra, Jordan), Safaga (for Luxor/ Karnak, Egypt), the Suez Canal, Port Said (for Cairo/Giza, Egypt), Rhodes, Kusadasi and Istanbul.

     Rates begin at $1,895 per person/double occupancy.

Galapagos Explorer 6/5/02

   Galapagos Cruises is offering reduced rates on select three- and four-night cruises aboard the Galapagos Explorer II through the Galapagos Isands. Departure dates include June 22 and 26 and July 10 and 13. The cruises will visit Bartholome Island, Santiago Island, Fernandina Island, Isabela Island, San Cristobal Island, Espanola Island, Santa Cruz Island, Genovesa Island, and Lobos Island.
 

     Three-night cruises cost $795; and four-night cruises cost $1,100 per person/double occupancy. Call your travel agent or 1-800-327-9854 or visit www.galapagoscruises.net.

Glacier Bay Takes a Bite Out of Seattle 6/4/02

     Along with sampling some of the best food in the city, those attending Seattle’s “2002 Bite of Seattle” festival from July 19-21, will have a chance to win an Alaska cruise package, compliments of Glacier Bay Cruiseline. .

     As the event’s newest headline sponsor, the Seattle-based small-ship cruise line will be giving away a seven-night Alaska cruise for two (valued at $7,500), including sea kayaking, Zodiac expeditions to the face of glaciers, remote island hiking, and exploration of Glacier Bay National Park.

    "We are delighted to be a part of this year's Bite," states Megan McKinney-Rickey, Marketing Manager for the Line. "Seattle is the perfect match for our style of soft adventure, high activity cruising," she added

Chefs Spice Up Crystal 6/3/02
 

     Crystal Cruises has confirmed two of the country's highest-rated chefs for Crystal Harmony's 11-day November 18, 2002 Panama Canal/Caribbean voyage. As part of the line's ongoing Wine & Food Festival, the James Beard Foundation's 2002 “Outstanding Pastry Chef” Sherry Yard of Spago, Beverly Hills will join the cruise, along Angelo Auriana, executive chef of Valentino, Santa Monica, who will prepare multi-course dinners in Prego, the ship's Italian specialty restaurant. Both will share recipes and tips at daytime demonstrations.

     And where would great food be without great wine? Not on this cruise.

     Master Sommelier Bob Bath also will be aboard to conduct wine tastings and suggest pairings from the ship’s cellar.

     The "Panama Serenade" cruise departs Costa Rica for Ft. Lauderdale, and calls in Curaçao, St. Lucia, St. Barts, St. John and St. Thomas.

     Bon Appetit!

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Prinsendam Arrival 6/1/02


     Holland America Line’s new Prinsendam will be introduced in New York this weekend, with a dedication ceremony commencing on Monday, June 3. Dubbed as the fleet’s “Elegant Explorer,” the 794-guest, 38,000-ton vessel was formerly Seabourn Cruise Line’s Seabourn Sun.

     While three of the line’s executives – Rose Abello, vice president, public relations; Eva Andresen, vice president, information technologies and Linda Ehlenberger, vice president, sales – will officially name the ship, Holland America’s more than 10,000 employees worldwide all have been named godparents of the new ship.

     In addition to more than 100 suites, the Prinsendam boats a new type of staterooms with the introduction of 10 "lanai" cabins with private lanais and a private, covered deck and a hot tub.
Other new features include an alternative Odyssey Restaurant, featuring Italian cuisine and Mediterranean décor; an Internet Center with 11 computer stations; a dedicated Art Gallery; a specially commissioned sculpture for the central atrium and more, as well as traditional Holland America hallmarks.

     On June 3 the ship will set sail on its inaugural season in Europe with a trans-Atlantic cruise to Southampton. Following its maiden cruise, the Prinsendam will embark on a series of 13- and 14-day cruises from London, Copenhagen or Amsterdam. The ship will then offer cruises in Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia/New Zealand.

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Princess Heads to Seattle 5/31/02

     Princess Cruises’ newest ships will operate Alaska cruises from Seattle next summer – a first for the line. Star Princess and Diamond Princess (set to debut in June 2003, and the first ship in a new series for Princess) will offer the new seven-day Inside Passage route, with calls at Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria, as well as cruising through Tracy Arm and Sawyer Glacier.

     The 2,600-passenger Star Princess will offer 18 voyages on this itinerary departing on Saturdays between May 17 and September 13, while the new 2,670-passenger Diamond Princess will offer 14 voyages departing on Sundays, beginning June 15 and continuing through September 14. These cruises are in addition to the Alaska 2003 schedule of four ships sailing on the line’s “Voyage of the Glaciers” Gulf of Alaska itinerary, including Coral Princess, Island Princess, Sun
Princess and Dawn Princess.

     “We’ve never offered this combination in Alaska before – our largest and most amenity-filled ships sailing on an easily accessible roundtrip itinerary from Seattle,” said Dean Brown, Princess’ executive vice president of customer service and sales.

     In combination with new cruises, Princess will offer pre- and post-cruise packages in Seattle as well as extended tours of the Canadian Rockies.

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Windstar Extends Sale 5/30/02


     Windstar Cruises is extending its free and low-cost airfare deals on 31 Tahiti cruises through the end of 2002. On 17 cruises through September 20, 2002 Windstar is offering free roundtrip airfare to Tahiti from Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson, and Vancouver, B.C.

     On those same dates, the line is offering roundtrip airfare to Tahiti for either $199 or $299 from 26 other North American cities listed below. Those flying from Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New York, Orlando, Salt Lake City, and Tampa will pay $199. Guests flying to Tahiti from Detroit, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Washington D.C., Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, and Toronto will pay $299.

     On 14 cruises beginning September 27 through December 27, 2002, Windstar is offering roundtrip airfare between Los Angeles and Tahiti for $495.

     The Wind Song sails weekly from Tahiti to Raiatea, Huahine, Bora Bora, and Moorea.

     Rates begin at $4,195 per person/double occupancy. Call your travel agent or 1-877-827-7245 or visit www.windstarcruises.com.

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Myth Dispelled 5/29/02

     Contrary to a public rumor that tourism in the scenic Three Gorges region of China's legendary Yangtze River will halt once the second phase of construction of the Three Gorges Dam is completed (summer 2003), Regal China Cruises anticipates a bright future for sailing on the world's third longest waterway.

     "Travelers will actually gain access to areas that have been out of reach for centuries, therefore, expanding exploration on the River," says David Yiu, president of Regal China Cruises. "Once construction of the Three Gorges Dam begins phase three and the water levels begin to rise (June 2003), ships will be able to navigate the many streams and tributaries of the Yangtze, offering new spots to discover in places where little is known to mankind as the water was previously too shallow to explore."

     According to the National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China, the Three Gorges Dam will provide 15 percent of China's electricity, improve navigation along the river and lessen the severity of flooding by about 90 percent. There are three phases of the project. Phase I, which included building a diversion canal, was completed in 1998. During the second phase, a temporary ship lock will be completed and all ships will begin using it this November. During the third and final phase, beginning in June 2003 and continuing until 2009, water levels will gradually rise to about 525 feet. Once the damming of the Three Gorges is complete, a 360-mile long reservoir will replace 13 cities, 140 towns and 1,352 villages. Residents, farms and industries are currently being relocated to adjacent higher ground. Some historical sights, landscapes and natural beauty will be submerged wholly or partially. These areas account for only 13 percent of the entire scenic attractions of the Three Gorges region. Most of the peaks along the gorges are between about 300 to 3,000 feet above sea level and will be unaffected.

     Areas such as Baidicheng (near Wanxian), and Shibaozhai, which contains an ancient temple dating from the Ming Dynasty, will become islands accessible by boat, but they will be preserved, according to Regal China. Kuimen Gate, Fairy Peaks and Xiling Gorge will remain intact. Fengdu, Sandouping, and the Small Three Gorges are among some of places that the line will continue to visit.

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Star Clipper Steal 5/28/02

     Star Clippers is offering free airfare from New York to Nice to guests who book the Royal Clipper’s seven-night Balearic Island cruise from Cannes. Select dates include June 8 and 22, July 6, and August 31. Ports of call include Menorca, Majorca, Palamos, Barcelona and St. Tropez.

     Rates start at $2,095 per person. Call your travel agent or (800) 442-0551 or visit www.starclippers.com.

Summer Sotheby’s Sailings 5/26/02

     Travelers sailing on Crystal Cruises’ vessels this summer will be able to indulge in the line’s newest of onboard programs. Crystal has partnered with Sotheby's to provide an enrichment series -- including guest lecturers in fields such as art, wine and jewelry -- on the Crystal Symphony in Europe this summer.

     Sotheby's experts will share their knowledge during three of the ship’s summer and fall 2002 cruises in the Baltic and Mediterranean. Slated to kick off the program from Sotheby's Institute of Art in London are BBC broadcaster and Realism expert James Malpas; lecturer emeritus Raymond Notley who specializes in 19th and 20th century decorative arts; and Daniela Mascetti, director of Sotheby's London jewelry department. Each will share topical insights related to the sailing's destination, ranging from "The Danish Golden Age," "Landscape and the Nordic Soul," and "Russian Art 1900" during Crystal Symphony's July 7 Scandinavia and Russia cruise which also visits Amsterdam, to "Venetian Glass," "Decorative Arts," and an entire series on classical jewelry and its revival through the ages during the ship’s August 25 and October 1 Mediterranean cruises.

     Crystal Cruises also is featuring Serena Sutcliffe, master of wine, author, lecturer, and head of Sotheby's International wine department, on Crystal Harmony's July 16 Alaska sailing. The vessel will sail round-trip from San Francisco and call in Victoria, Vancouver, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka and Ketchikan.

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New Voyager on Schedule 5/25/02


     Radisson Seven Seas Cruises has confirmed that its second all-balcony suite ship will arrive on time. The 700-guest Seven Seas Voyager is under construction at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy and is slated to enter service April 1, 2003, with inaugural voyages calling in the Mediterranean, Baltic, and along the west coast of the U.S. & Mexico.

     Onboard features include a permanent Le Cordon Bleu-directed restaurant (Signatures) as well as an exclusive hands-on cooking workshop program with the prestigious French culinary institution.

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It’s a Jungle Out There! 5/24/02

     Seabourn Cruise Line has teamed up with Africa-based Micato Safaris to operate pre- and post-cruise “Seabourn Journeys” in East Africa and India in 2003. The tour specialists will host Seabourn guests on multi-day land extensions touring India in the spring, and on safaris in Kenya in the autumn, before and after cruises aboard the Seabourn Spirit.

     Fully escorted Journeys include extensive guided sightseeing, internal air transportation, most or all meals, transfers, taxes, porterage and gratuities.

     A five-night Seabourn India Journey operates April 5 -10, 2003, prior to Seabourn Spirit's 17-day Red Sea voyage from Mumbai (Bombay), India to Alexandria, Egypt. The Journey includes sightseeing in Old and New Delhi, visits to the Taj Mahal and other attractions in Agra, the palaces of the "Pink City" of Jaipur and in Mumbai itself. A four-night version operates April 10 - 14, 2003, following Seabourn Spirit's 12-day voyage sailing March 29 from Singapore to Mumbai.

     Seabourn's Africa Journey will operate for six nights November 30 to December 6, 2003, prior to Seabourn Spirit's 16-day voyage from Mombasa to Singapore. The Journey includes sightseeing in and around Nairobi, as well as safaris in the Maasai Mara and Amboseli National Park, two of Kenya's premier game parks. Safaris include morning and afternoon game drives each day with accommodation in deluxe-tented camps and luxurious game lodges. Special highlights include visits to Out of Africa author Karen Blixen's home, Daphne Sheldrick's animal orphanage and a meeting with Masai Elder Ben Kipeno. A five-night version runs December 6 to 11, 2003 following Seabourn Spirit's 15-day voyage departing November 21 from Alexandria, Egypt to Mombasa, Kenya..

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Crystal Gets In-Depth Online 5/23/02
 
     Crystal Cruises is in the midst of completing phase I of an overall redesign of its web site, www.crystalcruises.com. The line is enhancing the destination section on its site to feature pages of copy with in-depth details on the history, culture and special places of interest at visited ports of call. According to the line, the new enhancement enables its visitors to discover information on more than 200 ports of call on 118 worldwide itineraries. Originally Crystal’s port section of the site included only a short paragraph on the area's highlights.

     The detailed port descriptions are being posted as they are developed, and already appear for Asia, Australia, the Caribbean and South America. Destinations visited on every 2002 and 2003 cruise aboard Crystal Harmony, Crystal Symphony, and the line's third ship, Crystal Serenity, scheduled for delivery in July 2003, will be completed by the end of this summer.

     The section also features a link to the web site's Recommended Reading section, a customized listing of books relevant to each itinerary and destination that Crystal created exclusively with Barnes & Noble.

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More on Princess 5/22/02

     Princess Cruises has expanded its 2003 cruise and cruise-tour options in Alaska and Europe, respectively. The line will deploy its two 88,000-ton new builds – Coral Princess and Island Princess – on its “Voyage of the Glaciers” Gulf of Alaska route next summer, replacing the Ocean and Star Princess, which currently operate the itinerary along with the Sun and Dawn Princess.

     Coral Princess, scheduled to debut this December, will begin its Alaska season on May 10, 2003, while Island Princess is slated to begin the season on May 31, shortly after its arrival. Both ships will sail the seven-day itinerary between Vancouver and Seward, with calls at Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, including a visit to Glacier Bay National Park.

     “These striking new vessels were designed specifically to offer the wide range of amenities and services found on our larger Grand Princess-class vessels – while maintaining our emphasis on providing big-ship choice with small-ship feel,” said Dean Brown, Princess’ executive vice president of customer service and sales. “Both feature our unique wedding-at-sea program, wonderful alternative dining options, an AOL Internet café, and, of course, our trademark balcony cabins – perfect for viewing Glacier Bay.”

     In addition to Princess’ traditional onboard attractions, the ships also will feature a new “ScholarShip at Sea” program offering enrichment courses on cooking, photography, ceramics, visual arts, computers, and other fun and informative classes; the Bayou Café, the first New Orleans-style restaurant at sea offering Cajun specialties and live jazz music; and a new cigar lounge with humidor and a 1960s retro martini bar.

     Princess also has expanded its lineup of cruises and land options for its Europe season next year. In combination with Mediterranean cruises on the Grand Princess and Golden Princess, the line is offering five options for guests to extend their
stay on land.

     The program includes a new tour of Italy featuring Rome and Tuscany, along with options such as the Heart of Spain; London, Paris and Provence; the Swiss Alps; and the Danube region. Regal Princess’ Scandinavia/Russia cruises also will offer three tour choices, including the Danube, as well as London, Paris, Bruges and Amsterdam. The latter tour is also available without the London segment. For the first time, cruise-tours also have been developed to mesh with select Royal Princess connoisseur cruises from Southampton, including a new tour of Britain and a London/Paris option.

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New Legend in Florida 5/21/02

    Carnival Cruise Lines' new 2,124-passenger Carnival Legend will operate a series of eight-day "exotic" Caribbean voyages from Fort Lauderdale from November 10, 2002 through April 19, 2003, marking the first time the line has deployed a brand new ship to that port.

     Originally, the program was scheduled to operate from Miami.

     The ship’s new Fort Lauderdale-based schedule will consist of alternating eight-day "exotic" southern and western Caribbean cruises. Eight-day southern Caribbean cruises will visit St. Maarten, Barbados and Martinique, while eight-day western Caribbean voyages will call at Belize City, Limon, Costa Rica and Colon, Panama.

Grandeur From San Diego 5/20/02

     Royal Caribbean International's Grandeur of the Seas will begin sailing from the Port of San Diego this Sunday, on the first of its 19 sailings from the California port between May 19 and September 21, marking the first time in 10 years that summertime weekly roundtrip cruises will be offered out of San Diego Bay. Royal Caribbean International and its sister cruise line, Celebrity Cruises, will originate 46 cruises in San Diego in 2002.

     Grandeur of the Seas will depart San Diego on Sundays on seven-night Mexican Riviera sailings, with ports of call in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

     On September 15, the ship will make a six-night California Coastal sailing, with port calls in San Francisco, Monterey and Catalina Island, and Ensenada. The vessel will then depart San Diego on September 21, on a 14-night sailing to New Orleans, with ports of call in Cabo San Lucas and Acapulco, the Panama Canal, and Puntarenas.

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No More Crossings for QE2 5/18/02

     Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth 2 will end her 32-year transatlantic cruise history in 2003. The ship, which will sail a farewell series of 16 transatlantic crossings from April to December 2003, will move to Southampton, England in 2004, where she will continue to operate Cunard's annual World Cruise as well as a will offer a full schedule of voyages departing from British port.

     Don’t fret though. The line will still offer crossings. Beginning in April 2004, the much-anticipated Queen Mary 2, currently under construction, will operate Cunard’s New York to Southampton transatlantic run.

Where’d She Go? 5/17/02

     For months Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam has been awaiting a new home. The ship, which was sold to United States Lines as the Patriot, and then reclaimed by Holland America after the foreclosure of USL, will move to the U.K.

     Holland America Line has entered into a long-term agreement to charter the Nieuw Amsterdam to Cypress-based Louis Cruises, which will subcharter the vessel to Thomson Holidays in the U. K. where she will be marketed as the Thomson Spirit.

     Bon voyage, once again.

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Princess Enhances Shopping in Alaska 5/16/02


     Cruise vacationers traveling to Alaska on Princess Cruises’ vessels this season will be introduced to some unique shopping options onboard.

     Exclusive new merchandise from brand names including National Geographic, Warner Bros., and Evergreen Crystal will fill the ships’ boutiques. The line also is offering guests the opportunity to order Alaskan salmon from Taku Smokeries, directly from the ships. Additionally, an onboard “Gold Rush Marketplace” will offer an assortment of Alaska-related items, some available for purchase on deck. And the line will offer shipping services for passengers’ souvenirs in partnership with Mailboxes Etc.

     Items include apparel featuring National Geographic’s artwork, Warner Bros. characters such as Bugs Bunny, the Tasmanian Devil, Yosemite Sam and others, as well as mugs and other souvenir items featuring the cartoon characters.

     Evergreen Crystal has also produced an exclusive line of decanters, glasses, bowls and other crystal pieces for Princess, decorated with totemic art.

     Shop ‘till you drop – and then ship it home!

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Smithsonian Cruise 5/15/02

     Smithsonian Study Tours is offering a 13-day tour “Voyage from Venice to the Dalmation Coast” aboard the Monet, departing October 22, 2002. The tour includes nine nights aboard the ship and two nights accommodations at the Hotel Excelsior in Dubrovnik.

     The tour will begin in Venice and visit Ravenna, Istrian Peninsula Split and Korcula. Attractions include the Piazza San Marco, Pula’s Roman Arena, Kornati Islands National Park and more. Smithsonian study leaders also will be onboard.

     The company is offering savings of $500 per person to those who book the trip by May 31. Rates begin at $5,275.

     Call your travel agent or 1-877-EDU-TOUR or visit www.smithsonianstudytours.org.

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Jubilee in San Juan 3/14/02