Uniworld Increases Company-Owned Fleet To Ten With Launch Of The Majestic River Beatrice

Globus Offers New Portugal River Cruise

For the first time, Globus is offering a Portugal river cruise-tour. To celebrate, the company is offering a discount of $100 per person on the air-inclusive price of the 2009 Portugal Cruise when booked by Oct. 7, 2008. The 11-day cruise vacation begins with free time in Lisbon before traveling to Oporto to embark on a seven-night cruise. Cruisers will float along the Douro River and experience cultural programs like flamenco and authentic Portuguese shows onboard. Additional highlights include a Portuguese meal at the 14th-century former Benedictine monastery in Bitetos; visits to Lamego's Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies shrine and the Mateus wine estate; wine tasting in Pinhão; and a walking tour of Salamanco, Spain. Back in Oporto, passengers will take a guided sightseeing tour, then travel along the Atlantic coast and stop at a Port wine lodge to visit the cellars and sample the wine. Upon return to Lisbon, they will take a guided sightseeing tour. The cruise=tour is priced from $2,549 per person, double, not including air. To receive the $100 discount, clients must pay the deposit by Oct. 7, 2008, for travel commencing by Dec. 31, 2009. The offer is not valid with any other offer and is reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Call RiverDiscounts 800-640-4899

Small cruise line plans six visits

Elvira Schmatzler and her companion, Virginia Cameron, have been here several times over the years but they had never witnessed the Portuguese Festival and Blessing of the Fleet.

Duncan Bailey and his wife, Barbara, had never been to Provincetown and were having fun ducking into the stores on Commercial Street. All of them, plus another 50 or so fellow passengers, arrived here recently on the Grande Caribe, a 96-passenger small cruise ship owned by the American Canadian Caribbean Line (ACCL). The niche cruise company has included Provincetown on its Cape Cod & Islands itinerary for the first time this summer, hoping to gauge customer interest in continuing the tour in the future.

“Most of our passengers are repeats. We wanted to offer something different, give them more variety,” said Erika Moore, ACCL operations manager. “Provincetown is so different from the other stops, a little more vibrant and eclectic. The art galleries are a draw for our people.”

ACCL has scheduled six tours into Provincetown this summer, part of a five-night cruise that includes Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Newport, R.I. The new summer tour was the result of marketing by the Provincetown Tourism Office, Chamber of Commerce and harbormaster’s office to attract more cruise ships to the harbor. The ships, which rarely stay more than 24 hours, often drop hundreds of passengers into town, and most spend money on food and shopping. A large cruise ship operated by Rosie O’Donnell’s company, R Family Vacations, is scheduled to anchor here next week.

ACCL, however, specializes in small cruise ships that can tie up directly to MacMillan Pier. That makes it easier for the passengers, Moore said, who can walk to most sites in town without having to spend time waiting for a tender to ferry them to the dock. That seemed to work for the Baileys, who ignored most of the town’s history in favor of shopping.

“There are some unique stores here that you don’t see in Inman, S.C.,” Bailey said, referring to his hometown. “We helped pump a little money into the local economy.”

Schmatzler and Cameron, who live in Plymouth and have traveled to Provincetown frequently in the past, were more interested in the Blessing of the Fleet, which took place a few yards from their ship, an unexpected bonus on their trip.

“We felt like it was a foreign country,” Schmatzler said. “[The Blessing] was so different. We didn’t expect anything like that in Provincetown.”

“It was really fascinating. The boats kept coming and coming,” Cameron said.

The ACCL cruises to Provincetown and the Islands had low passenger numbers for the four trips in June but are almost fully booked for the two August cruises. Moore said that even if the company deems the new cruise a success, they have scheduled only one trip to Provincetown next summer. The reason is that the company has to finalize its sailing schedule over a year in advance and did not have any information on the popularity of the new Cape and Islands cruise before it had to commit to the 2009 season.

AMA Waterways Christens Amacello, Amadante in Germany

AMA Waterways christened it two newest river ships, the Amacello and the Amadante, in the medieval town of Regensburg, Germany. More than 80 percent of the ships' staterooms feature French balconies. All of them feature plush bedding with down duvets; flat-screen TVs; in-room "infotainment systems" with complimentary Internet access; marble-appointed bathrooms, spa-quality bath amenities; terry robes; and slippers. Each vessel also offers complimentary Wi-Fi, as well as a complimentary specialty coffee and tea station. Gourmet meals in the restaurant are accompanied by complimentary local wines. Each ship also features a fitness center, a beauty salon, a whirlpool, a walking track on the Sun Deck and a fleet of bicycles for passenger use. Next year, AMA will debut the Amadolce and the Amalyra; and two additional ships will join the fleet in 2010. More Information RiverDiscounts 800-640-4899

Top 4 Princess Alaska Adventures for 2009

Majestic America Line cancels cruises

Majestic America Line announced that it has cancelled cruises on the American Queen departing after November 8, 2008, and on Empress of the North for cruises departing after August 2, 2008 due to “soft advance bookings.”

Majestic America Line apolgizes for the inconvenience but says “soft advance bookings” are making the cancellations necessary. The line is offering their customers a full refund or rebooking with a 50% discount.

This bad news follows last month’s annoucement by Ambassadors International that it is selling Majestic America Line.

Stay tuned for more news…

Scenic Tours’ Sapphire to Make July 4 Debut

Scenic Tours' new riverboat Scenic Sapphire is set to welcome passengers onboard on July 4. The sold-out 2008 itineraries sail on the Rhine and Danube rivers, between Amsterdam and Budapest on the initial 15-day "Jewels of Europe" cruise. More than 80 percent of cabins have private balconies measuring over 25 square feet. The superior Danube Deck also features services of a butler, who can be summoned at the touch of a button. Scenic's fares are all-inclusive with guided shore tours, gourmet meals, wine with dinner, airport transfers and all gratuities. Each day of the two-week trip offers Scenic FreeChoice, which allows passengers to select their sightseeing option. Since launching in 1987, Australia-based Scenic Tours entered the European river cruising market in 2005 and has invested $100 million to introduce a fleet of new ships in 2008. For more information, RiverDiscounts.com 800-640-4899

Azamara modifies itineraries to take guests closer to Thai, Vietnamese cities

Taking advantage of its ships' smaller size, Azamara Cruises has modified its 2008-09 itineraries to take guests closerto several cities in Thailand and Vietnam. The smaller size of the deluxe, 694-guest Azamara Quest, which will begin sailing in the region in December of this year, allows the vessel to access ports inaccessible to larger cruise ships. Azamara recently announced these changes would begin with its 2009-10 Asia season, but has worked hard to implement them sooner in order to create the ideal guest experience. Azamara Quest will sail to new dock locations in Bangkok (Klong Toey), Thailand, and Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi (Ha Long Bay), Vietnam. In Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, the port time will be shortened to allow for the additional transit time up the rivers into the cities; however, the amount of time guests have in each city will be the same, since their ground-transportation time into each city will be reduced.

Lenghtened Braemar rejoins Fred. Olsen fleet

Lenghtened Braemar rejoins Fred. Olsen fleet



Braemar, the second cruise liner Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has lenghtened and modernised, has re-entered service after work being carried out at the Blom & Voss shipyard in Germany. A 31.2 metre midsection increased the ship's length to 195 metres and gross tonnage to about 23,500 from 19,089. Earlier this year, the company lengthened Balmoral, which at 43,000 grss tons is the largest ship in its fleet, before introducing the vessel on the UK market. Fred. Olsen has increased its capacity by 60% this year thanks to these two moves.

River Tosca To Make Maiden Voyage Along Egypt’s Great River

Uniworld announces the debut of its newest, company-owned ship, the River Tosca. Poised to set 'the' standard for service on the Nile, the Tosca will begin sailing in April 2009. The River Tosca joins Uniworld's nine other intimate, boutique hotel-style ships and will deliver the same impeccable service, award-winning hospitality and lavish décor.

"Uniworld has seen 100% growth in Egypt this year, so we are experiencing a very strong demand in this region. We believe the River Tosca will fit in extremely well with Uniworld's existing European product line, and we are delighted to offer our loyal guests a new level of luxury when cruising on the Nile," said Guy Young, president of Uniworld.

The Tosca was decorated by the renowned interior design team responsible for furnishing the prestigious Red Carnation Hotel Collection, one of Uniworld's sister companies (www.redcarnation.com). Each of the 42 suites onboard the all-suite Tosca is lavishly adorned with rich wood paneling, original Egyptian artwork, handcrafted Alhambra brass lanterns and fine linen drapes accented with Ian Mankin striped fabric. Floors are heated and covered in crema marfil marble. Leather night tables with brass stud accents rest aside beds fitted with soft, Egyptian cotton sheets and duvets. iPod® docking stations give guests the ability to fill their cabins with their favorite music. Fully tiled bathrooms, stocked with complimentary amenities, plush robes and slippers add extra comforts. Most suites aboard the Tosca are over 300 sq. ft. For those desiring additional space, Presidential cabin suites are over 650 sq. ft. with large, adjoining private terraces.

Guests aboard the River Tosca will find a host of onboard activities. A swimming pool lined with cabanas and a Jacuzzi® can be found on the sun deck. Additional diversions include the fully equipped gym, spa, hairdresser, library, and boutique for gifts and sundries. When night falls, guests will enjoy panoramic views and entertainment in the ship's elegant rooftop bar.

For reservations and more information, contact your Professional Travel agent, RiverDiscounts.com 800.640.4899