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Find Cruise Deals: Europe Cruises and Cruisetours

March 28th, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in Europe Cruises, European Cruises
There are a number of cruise lines offering onboard credits, and complimentary shore-excursions and/or prepaid gratuities as a bonus offers. There also air fare-included cruise deals being offered for Europe cruises and cruisetours by various cruise lines.

How about an offer of $399 ($479 including port charges) on a seven-night Mediterranean cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's new ship, the Gem. The ship sails round-trip from Barcelona, Spain, stopping in Valletta, Malta; Naples, Civitavecchia and Livorno in Italy, and Villefranche, France. The special offer is available only on cruises that depart Oct. 25, Nov. 2 and Nov. 9.

Azamara Cruises, is offering shipboard credits of up to $800 per stateroom on select European sailings.

The Yachts of Seabourn has two-for-one offers on business-class air plus a 40-percent savings on many Europe sailings. On a 13-night trans-Atlantic from Ft Lauderdale to Lisbon, Portugal, fares aboard the Seabourn Pride start at $2,998, half off! plus shipboard credit and a complimentary shore excursion.

Celebrity Cruises has a 14-night trans-Atlantic sailing November 29th., sailing from Barcelona visiting Malaga, Spain; Madeira, Portugal; Lanzarote, Tenerife and La Palma in the Canary Islands and St. Maarten, ending in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Oceanview staterooms start at $999!

Here are some offers for your consideration.

Fares below are per person, double occupancy and include port charges. Space and price availability are subject to change.

Suite fares start at $4,925, including round-trip airfare, for Regent Seven Seas' seven-night cruise aboard the Navigator from Athens to Monte Carlo, sails on June 7, 2008.

An inside cabin on Cunard Line's June 8th 24-night sailing, Mediterranean cruise on the Queen Mary 2, including round-trip from New York City, begin at $4,759. Plus $150 onboard stateroom credit.

Crystal Cruise's seven-night, Athens to Venice aboard Crystal Serenity on June 6 offers ocean-view staterooms for $3,225.

Inside cabin prices start at $1,599 for Princess Cruises' 12-night, Barcelona-to-Venice cruise on Emerald Princess on May 24. These low fares also include two windfalls: Free upgrades where available and onboard stateroom credit.

Royal Caribbean's 12-night cruise, round-trip from Barcelona on Brilliance of the Seas, sails October 20, 2008, offers inside staterooms for as low as $1,449, including a $200 discount booklet and an onboard stateroom credit.

Alaska offers great views of whales, eagles, bears,but plan ahead, as wildlife viewing is not guaranteed.

March 10th, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in Alaska wildlife viewing, Denali National Park, Haines, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Ketchican, alaska cruise tours
Did you know that Denali National Park has over 9,500 square miles, but a population of just 350 brown bears.

Most people viist Alaska with high expectations of seeing an abundance of wildlife. Some even think they might see bears just minutes after landing on the pier, or pods of whales swimming beside their cruise ship, whereever it goes

If you go, you should be prepared for the possibility that you might not.How can you improve your chances of viewing wildlife? Just be in the right place at the right time.

First, call your cruise line and ask to talk to the shore excursion desk about your expectations. They know what to to do and when.

Let's take a look at some possibilities....

Sea Otters

Want to see Otters? Try the Sea Otter Quest from the town of Sitka. You will cruise through one of the world's most beautiful coastal environments.

You'll have the opportunity to observe sea otters, whales, sea lions, porpoise, harbor seals, brown bears, blacktail deer, bald eagles and a variety of marine birds. An onboard naturalist explains the workings of this remarkable ecosystem. Learn about the sea otter's recovery following their near extinction at the hands of Russian fur hunters in the early 1800s.The waterjet-driven boat, offers wildlife viewing at close range. Go topside and use the observation deck for photo ops and to fully enjoy a 360 degree viewing experience.

You are guaranteed to see an otter, a whale or a bear. If not, the tour operator offers a $100 cash refund ($50 refund per child) as you disembark the vessel. Complimentary admission to St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Cathedral is also included.

Whales

Summer is a great time to see whales. Summer is the time when humpbacks and orcas are feeding, so there’s a good chance you’ll see them.

Consider the Whale Watching & Wildlife Quest out of Juneau. Whales are so plentiful that this tour comes with a limited money-back guarantee.

You will be taken to Auke Bay, board a waterjet-powered catamaran specially designed for wildlife viewing. Along the way, take in the majestic backdrop of snow-capped peaks and glaciers as you cruise through the island-studded waters of Stephens Passage. An onboard naturalist explains the habits and habitat of the wildlife you may encounter, which may include humpback and killer whales, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, porpoises, and on the shore: bald eagles, Sitka blacktail deer and, occasionally, bears.Or try a whale-watch tour out of Juneau, where you can see so many humpbacks you may lost count. These humpbacks spout, surface and dive all around your boat. Watching their huge tails fan out as they go down is exciting.

Bears

Take the Bear Search tour out of Icy Strait Point. Remember, all wildlife tour descriptions clearly state that wildlife viewing cannot be guaranteed.

You will come to Spasski River. This area offers prime bear viewing opportunities when the salmon are running and the meadows are alive with plump, juicy berries and new-growth plants. Look for Sitka blacktail deer, land otters, salmon, bald eagles, and brown bears. The river valley offers prime bear viewing opportunities.

The standard tour costs about $100 per person. If you want spend more, you can take a fly-in tour to remote areas like Pack Creek on Admiralty Island or the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary. Bears do gather in these places. Visit Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, to view the bears feeding as the salmon run upstream in the summer.

Consider this: From Ketchikan, take a floatplane to Neets Bay in Tongass National Forest. Begin a quarter-mile walk to Neets Creek, the site of a world-class salmon hatchery whose annual release of fish is a huge draw for the region's most plentiful concentration of black bears. Watch bears fishing for and feeding on salmon and view the abundant bald eagles.

6 Steps to improve you chances of viewing wildlife...

1. Early morning ( 6-7AM ) and dusk are the best times for viewing. The bears are catching salmon for breakfast, and you don’t want to miss it.

2. Know when to go. Bears can be seen in Denali from May to September, but July through late August is the best time to see them at the Wildlife Observatory in the Tongass National Forest.

3. Experience Alaska's wild and majestic bald eagles in their natural habitat while rafting gently through the world famous Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve at Haines..

Your adventure begins with professional guides aboard the Yukon Queen for a narrated marine wildlife-spotting cruise en route to picturesque Haines. On arrival, you will be driven along the coastline into the heart of the "Valley of the Eagles." Take in the towering mountains, hanging glaciers and lush forests from the comfort of an 18-foot raft. Naturalist guides share their extensive knowledge of the area's plants, wildlife and rich Native history. This float trip has no whitewater and the mild nature of the glacial river provides amazing opportunities to photograph eagles in the wild. The preserve is also home to moose, bears, wolves and a host of other animals. Watch for wildlife and take lots of pictures while your guide rows the raft downriver.

Want to see the thousands of eagles? Visit in October.

4. You might see wildlife just by driving or walking around. People have seen moose and bear in towns, wolves and eagles hanging out by the rivers to catch salmon.

5. Increase your odds. Choose longer tours. When you plan your Alaskan vacation, don't miss Denali National Park. Its a place so expansive that it shelters more than six hundred-fifty species of flowering plants and thirty-seven mammal species. The park includes a dizzying six million acres filled with large caribou, moose, and grizzly bears, and offset with startlingly small flowers, miniaturized to suit Alaska's short growth season. You should make Denali National Park, the focal point of your Alaska Cruisetour. You will go deeper into Denali National Park on the six-to-eight hour Tundra Wilderness Tour than on the three-to-four hour Natural History Tour. Some Tundra tour buses also come equipped with high-powered video cameras hooked up to screens throughout the bus so you can get close-up images of animals that are far away. You can even purchase a DVD afterwards with footage from your trip. On the bus tour, you might see moose, caribou and Dall sheep in addition to a bear.

6. Bring binoculars, be quiet on trails, be patient and don't set the expectation bar too high. That way, you won't be disappointed if you don't see everything on your first visit to Alaska.

It take a lot of planning and a small amount of luck, to increase your chances of viewing the beautiful animals and breathtaking scenery that is Alaska. Take the time to do it right

Prices in U.S. dollars mean cruise travelers get better deal on a Europe cruise

March 9th, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in Baltic Cruises, Europe Cruises, Mediterranean Cruises, Scandinavia and Russia Cruises
Prices in U.S. dollars mean cruise travelers get better deal on a Europe cruise

Excerpts from an article we read....
To read the entire article, click here.

Explore centuries-old destinations, appreciate different cultures and relish the splendid sights of Europe -- all in U.S. dollars. That's one of the primary perks of a European cruise.
Sure, the dollar is falling in value against the euro. But your airfare, accommodations, food and drink, entertainment and other onboard amenities all are charged in U.S. dollars. Even shore excursions are charged to your shipboard account in American money. Travelers can cruise the Caribbean year-round, but because of the weather, European sailings begin in late spring and barely reach into early fall. Options range from the sunny Mediterranean and the exotic St. Petersburg, Russia, to the rocky cliffs of Ireland. Because there's so much to see and do, European cruises tend to be longer -- 10 to 14 days on average. But shorter sailings still exist.

Here are some of the popular regions and ports.

The Mediterranean

Cruising the Mediterranean lives up to its exotic reputation.
Opt for a European experience onboard and ashore on the Italian Costa Cruise Lines. The modern fleet's ships exude lively Italian hospitality, but ship hosts all speak English.

To celebrate Costa's 60th anniversary, the line is offering up to 60 percent off brochure rates on select Mediterranean sailings on five ships. These fares range from $699 to $1,149 a person. Airfare from Indianapolis to the Rome airport, which is near one of the port cities, Civitavecchia, starts at around $1,000 for a round-trip flight including taxes and fees.
Sightseeing highlights include the Moorish Castle in Gibraltar, the rugged scenery of Corsica, the cradle of civilization in Greece, the vivid reds and yellows that paint Spain, the two souls -- Greek and Turkish -- of Cyprus and France's unendingly picturesque sophistication.

Beginning in May, Cunard's regal Queen Elizabeth 2 plans seven Mediterranean itineraries, varying from 10 to 16 days. All voyages sail round-trip from Southampton, England. A 15-day Mediterranean Odyssey docks in Lisbon, Sardinia, Naples/Capri, Messina, Dubrovnik, Zakinthos, Athens, Gibraltar and Vigo, with pricing from $2,495.

Bask in ultimate pampering aboard the award-winning luxury line Crystal. Special fare savings on the Serenity begin at $3,440, but keep in mind that this is a true upscale cruise.

Take advantage of elegantly appointed staterooms, butler service, complimentary bottled water, soft drinks and specialty coffees, and high-end amenities such as Frette bathrobes.

The Baltic

Especially for those who remember the Cold War, having your feet firmly planted on the square in St. Petersburg, Russia, or in old town Tallinn, Estonia, can be exhilarating.
Making its debut in May with Mediterranean sailings, Carnival's Splendor heads to Northern Europe in July. This marks the first time a Carnival floating resort has plied the waters of the North Sea and the Baltic.

On these 12-day sailings, travel round-trip from London to Copenhagen, Warnemunde (Berlin), Helsinki, Tallinn and Amsterdam, and spend two days in St. Petersburg.
Pick a shore excursion that takes you to Anne Frank's House in Amsterdam or to the windmills and Dutch countryside. In Copenhagen, kayak the canals or stroll Tivoli Gardens.

The enchanting city of St. Petersburg wows with a White Nights Neva River cruise, folkloric performance or a walkabout in the Hermitage, one of the world's premier art museums.
Splendor sailings run from an ocean-view cabin for $1,849 to a balcony spa stateroom at $2,499 per person. Third and fourth guests cost an additional $799 each.

If you'd rather test the waters with a shorter cruise, check out Royal Caribbean's four-nighter, which departs Amsterdam and sails to Copenhagen and Oslo. Terrific savings on the mid-sized Jewel of the Sea can be found starting at $249 for an interior cabin and up to $849 for a deluxe stateroom.

Round-trip flights from Indianapolis to Amsterdam begin at around $1,290, including taxes and fees.

The United Kingdom

Hear an Irish lilt, Scottish brogue or impeccable English accent as you tour the British Isles. Amble down the steep hill from Edinburgh Castle to Old Town, visit literary sites in Dublin, traipse the massive stones at Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, or look for that real or imagined monster in Loch Ness.

This summer, Celebrity's Century goes round-trip from Amsterdam to Kirkwall and Inverness, Scotland, the Channel Islands and Norway. An ocean-view stateroom begins at $1,697 and a suite at $3,399. The Century's other nine- and 12-day sailings journey to Cork, Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Inverness and St. Peter Port (Guernsey). Inside cabins run $1,599 and a veranda, $2,799. Many cruises sail from Southampton, England, for which round-trip tickets from Indianapolis cost around $1,700, including taxes and fees.

Looking For a Refund for your Cruise? Learn the how and why you’re entitled to your money back.

March 7th, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in cruises

From an article we read at MSNBC;
Peter Greenberg explains how and why you’re entitled to your money back.

What happens when you buy a ticket for a cruise, airline flight or an organized tour — and then cancel? Do you — or perhaps more appropriately, can you — get your money back? What's the true meaning of "nonrefundable"? And what about undisclosed service fees and charges? Or taxes? Should you be taxed for something you didn't actually use?For starters, we're talking about hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars and who — legitimately — deserves them.I start with the story of the dream trip that wasn't. This story appeared late last year in the Washington Post, written by reporter Cindy Loose.

It's all about an elderly woman who purchased a cruise from Princess Cruise Lines. But she didn't just purchase the cruise through the cruise line, she also purchased her air travel and all other aspects of the cruise — shore excursions, port fees, surcharges and taxes, directly from Princess. And when the cruise line sent her on an absurd air itinerary with numerous hard-to-make connections and she missed her cruise, things got ugly.

From Cindy Loose's story: "The 78-year-old woman, who lives on a Social Security pension, missed the Alaska cruise she'd spent 10 years dreaming about. Princess Cruises kept not only the $2,500 she had paid for the cruise and airfare, but also the $559.80 the airlines refunded because the woman missed the last flight to her cruise.The woman didn't know until after she'd paid and her tickets had arrived that she was being sent to Anchorage in a roundabout way on three airlines, with three legs in each direction.

That's according to her daughter, who asked that her mother's name not be used because she'd suffered enough, and 'I don't want people asking her about it and making her rehash it over and over.' Seeing the difficult flight route, the daughter tried to talk her out of going, but the woman insisted she'd make the best of it.The woman arrived at 6:30 a.m. at BWI Airport for the first of her May 19 flights to her cruise.

She and an elderly friend got to Minneapolis just fine. But the Northwest flight to Seattle was delayed by mechanical problems, causing the two women to miss their connection to Anchorage.In Seattle, Northwest agents urged the two women and about 25 other passengers to run and try to make an Alaska Air flight, the woman said.

But that Alaska Air flight to Anchorage was full. So was the next one. Finally, the women were boarded on a third flight.But after they'd settled in, an Alaska Air attendant told them they had to get off the plane because two of the airline's own passengers had just shown up.

Two young people were so sympathetic to the elderly travelers that they offered to give up their seats, saying they lived in Anchorage and were in no hurry.

But 'the flight attendant was adamant that we should de-board the plane' and wouldn't allow the switch, the woman said. She wanted to call her daughter back in Washington but couldn't figure out how to use pay phones that required credit cards. She said two Alaska Air representatives refused to allow her to use company phones for a long-distance call.

Moments later, the woman's traveling companion had an asthma attack.Near midnight, the two finally made their way back to the Northwest terminal. Northwest offered to put them in a hotel and fly them to meet their ship at another port the following day. 'At this point my body was weak, I had a severe headache and was so tired and confused I could not think. I would miss the glaciers, the part of the trip I was most excited about, and I was too exhausted mentally and physically to continue.' Instead, Northwest flew them home without charge."

Loose reported that the woman's daughter had been fighting — since last May — for a refund from Princess as well as a refund for the unused air tickets.Princess Cruises took a very hard line in this case, claiming that under its stated refund policies, since the woman essentially canceled her cruise within 30 days, that she was entitled to no refund.

It would stick to its contract stating the woman would lose 100 percent of her payment.Loose did some additional digging and discovered that United Airlines did refund the unused ticket money — to Princess! When Washington Post readers read this sad tale, the response was intense and immediate. Dozens of readers wrote letters and sent money — ranging from $9 to one couple who sent thousands so that the elderly woman could not only take her dream cruise, but also take a friend.It was the kindness of strangers to the rescue — Princess, only under pressure, refunded the taxes and fees to the 78-year-old woman. But the story became ground zero in the discussion of refund policies and what travelers are entitled to receive.

(Read the entire Washington Post article here)
(Read the entire MSNBC article here)

Here is more excerpts from the article...

Refunds

Airlines

If you buy a fully refundable airline ticket, the price is broken down between the base price of the ticket and the taxes and government fees. If you don't use the ticket, you get the full amount back. But what if you buy a "nonrefundable" ticket and don't use it? Do you at least get your taxes back? You don't. According to the IRS and the airlines, under most nonrefundable policies, the ticket is deemed "used" the minute you buy it, not when you use it. And the airline pays the government taxes on that ticket whether you use it or not. Most airlines allow you to apply the full value of the ticket against future flights, usually with a change fee ranging between $50 and $100 per ticket.

The IRS holds that the tax is imposed on the amount paid, not on the actual transportation. That means the government keeps the tax, since the tax is based on a percentage of the amount the customer paid.

Cruises, tour operators, trains and buses

Officially, you are entitled to your taxes and fees back. But how many people know this? Not many.We contacted a number of cruise lines for their policies and response:

Disney Cruise Lines: If customers cancel the cruise, the amount they paid, minus cancellation fees and other amounts owed, will be refunded. If customers cancel 75 days or earlier before the cruise, they will not incur cancellation fees and will receive a refund; if customers cancel 74-45 days before the cruise, they will lose their deposit. If they cancel within seven days or less, they will receive no refund.

According to Disney, if you cancel the cruise and receive no refund, the taxes and fees are still refunded to customer. When asked to comment on how many taxes and fees were refunded to passengers last year, Disney refused to comment.

Royal Caribbean International: Guests will receive a full refund if they notify Royal Caribbean in writing 70 days (60 days for 3- and 4-night cruise vacations) prior to the departure date. A cancellation charge may apply, depending on when the customer cancels the cruise.

If the customer cancels the cruise, the taxes and fees are refunded. It happens automatically, even if they miss a port of call, whatever that tax was for the port.Again, when asked how much money was refunded or how many passengers received back those taxes and fees last year, RCCL declined to comment.

Carnival Cruise Lines: Carnival Cruise Lines will not refund “no shows,” unused tickets, lost tickets, interruptions, partially used tickets, or cancellations received late or after the beginning of the cruise. A cancellation occurs when a stateroom is released and not simultaneously rebooked on the same sailing. If customers cancel their cruise 61 days or earlier, they will receive a 100 percent refund. If customers cancel 60 to 30 days before the cruise, they will lose only their deposit. If they cancel within seven days or less, they lose 100 percent of their fare.

Carnival Cruise Lines says they charge fees/taxes levied upon them by the home port and ports of call and a fuel supplement. When a cancellation is made, Carnival will refund taxes, government fees and the fuel supplement. Again, the cruise line would not comment on how many of their passengers who canceled actually received back those taxes and fees.

Princess Cruise Lines: For most cruises, if customers cancel 75 days or earlier before the cruise, they will not incur cancellation fees and will receive a refund. If customers cancel 74-45 days before the cruise, they will lose their deposit. If they cancel within 14 days or less, they will receive no refund.

According to Princess, "No matter when customers cancel their cruise, they receive the government fees and taxes back."Really? While the line again would not comment on how many passengers who canceled did, in fact, receive back those fees and taxes, we know for a fact that our 78-year-old woman did not receive them back.

As for tour companies, it actually varies by company.

Bottom line: If you have a sizable investment in your travels, you should purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance. If not, getting any kind of refund, including taxes and fees, can be difficult. But almost everyone we talked with stated that at the very least you deserved your taxes and fees back.

But going back to the cruise example, the words "port fees" have now been altered by many cruise lines in their contracts to make it almost impossible to get those back, even if you never set foot on the ship.

My advice? Buy trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

If you purchase travel services with a credit card (and we strongly suggest you do this) and you don't receive the service for which you contracted, under federal credit laws you can dispute the charge on your bill and the credit card company will investigate and issue a temporary credit while they check into it. If that fails and you are still charged for something you didn't get, you also have recourse in small-claims court.

In addition, as in the case of the woman who missed her cruise and had bought her airline tickets through the cruise line, there's the legal concept of detrimental reliance. She relied on the cruise line to provide all her travel services, to her detriment. The minute she bought everything through the cruise line, the cruise line became, in effect, the agent of the airline as well, and should be responsible.

In the case of Princess, it seems they were so obsessed with generating revenue that they forgot some basic responsiblities. And the tag to the piece — the woman will finally be cruising to Alaska this summer, courtesy of the generosity of Washington Post readers.

Yes, she'll be buying the trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and, not surprisingly, she won't be cruising on Princess!In almost every case involving a cruise line, tour or bus operator, demand your taxes and fees back if you cancel, even if the company has a "no refund" policy. You shouldn't be assessed taxes or fees if you never used the service, especially if the fees are paid to a third party based on the policy that you were charged a "head fee' for being somewhere you weren't.And sometimes, when travel providers fail to disclose additonal charges, you also have rights.

For example, if you used a credit card overseas between Feb. 1, 1996 and Nov. 8, 2006, you are probably eligible for at least a $25 rebate check from your credit card issuer. Why? A class action suit against Mastercard, Visa, Diners Club and Bank of America (and many other credit cards) charged the companies for not disclosing to their customers a foreign curency transaction fee they charged you for using the cards overseas. The credit card companies settled and established a $336 million settlement fund. Just log on to www.ccfsettlement.com before May 30, and you can file for your settlement online (some settlements may be huge, depending on how many trips you went on and how much money you spent).

Travel basics

Keep in mind that virtually all cruise lines have what amounts to a draconian refund policy and you need to read the fine print carefully. For most cruise lines, if you cancel your trip for any reason within 30 days of the cruise, you are entitled to no refund at all. So if you have any sizable investment in travel, (and a cruise certainly qualifies in this case), you should seriously consider purchasing trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

The premiums range from 8 to 13 percent of the cost of the trip, and the difference in premiums is really a reflection of how comprehensive the insurance policy is. Some policies will protect you if you get sick or there are weather issues. Other policies (more expensive, of course) allow you to cancel for any reason.

But if you don't have a substantial investment and don't purchase the insurance, here are some real-world scenarios under which you can —and should — get a refund:

Your flight is canceled by the airline: If your flight is canceled by the airline (and not by you), you are entitled to a full refund, even if the ticket was listed as "nonrefundable." The airline might want to give you the opportunity to rebook your flight later for no additional fee, or they might offer you vouchers to "compensate" you for your inconvenience. But that's not cash back to you, and you are entitled to that refund.You're offered a voucher: Airlines and cruise lines are notorious for trying to offer vouchers in lieu of refunds. This is problematic on a number of levels.

Firstly, a voucher only really works if you're planning on taking a flight, or another cruise, within a year. But the real problem is that it obligates you to take another flight or another cruise and spend even more money. It is not a real refund.

If you do accept an offer for a voucher, make sure it has at least a two-year expiration and there are no blackout dates — which could render it valueless in real-world terms.You didn't get taxes and other fees refunded:

Every cruise line insists that even when you cancel your cruise, you are entitled to taxes and fees back.

And here's the real confusing part: The fees. After a number of lawsuits against cruise lines for charging port fees but then keeping those fees — even when the ships didn't even stop at those ports — many cruise lines changed the language in their contracts and no longer call them port fees.

One reason they did this: The amount of money represented by just port fees is in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Keep in mind that cruise ships pay port fees on a per-passenger basis, based on the number of heads in beds on each cruise. If you werent on the cruise, the cruise company didn't pay the port fee — but they sure collected it, didn't they?

By "bundling" those port fees as part of your overall cruise ship fare, it's now become difficult, if not impossible, to get the cruise lines to break them out and refund them.

It's another strong case to buy travel insurance.

Small-claims court.

In recent years, many states have upped the dollar limits for what can be filed in small-claims courts. In California, it's now $7,500; in Illinois, it's $10,000, and in some states, like Tennessee, it's as high as $15,000. And the good news about small-claims court is that you don't need a lawyer. You can represent yourself — of course, all the basic good judgment and homework principles apply — you need to have all your records, receipts, witnesses and other documentation ready to present to the judge. But the other good news here is that in many cases, the defendants (cruise lines, tour operators) don't appear on their case date, and as a result, the court issues a judgment against them for the amount of your claim. Basically, you get your money back.

Cruise Tourism on the Danube in Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria Takes Off

March 4th, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in River Cruise News

Danude 4 March 2008 | The Balkans section of the Danube is getting a much-needed push, as the gradual economic recovery of the region’s countries along the river gets paired with the exceeding popularisation of cruise tourism observed in the past year.

The Danube Tourism Commission’s report from December 2007 noted that the Danube currently holds 30 per cent of the global river cruise market and highlighted positive developments in the Balkans.

As part of a wider trend of the popularisation of cruise tourism, which results in the continuous search for more ports of call, many Balkan cities are becoming popular stops along the Danube. While some are included in cruises lasting upward of a week, others are part of shorter routes limited to only one or two countries.

“On the Serbian Danube,” the report stated, “a number of attractive ports for cruise ships have opened over the past couple of years to complement Belgrade and Novi Sad.” It quoted growing figures as testimony: in 2007, 396 dockings (more than 50,000 passengers) were recorded in Belgrade, 224 at Novi Sad (22,000 passengers), 40 at Donji Milanovac and 80 in Viminacium.

Positive developments were observed in Romania as well: during 2007, the country’s ten Danube ports recorded 1,018 dockings (143,292 passengers) and 411 cruisers travelled to the river’s delta.

Regent Seven Seas 2009 Antarctica Journeys

March 3rd, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in Antarctica, Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Complimentary Zodiac® Tours Bring Guests Face-to-Face with the Stark Beautyand Abundant Wildlife of the White Continent

Regent Seven Seas Cruises, voted the “#1 Small-Ship Cruise Line” in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2007 Readers’ Choice Awards poll, will offer two Antarctica itineraries aboard the world’s top-rated expedition cruise ship, Minerva (formerly Explorer II) in 2009.

Sailing the Falkland Islands, Drake Passage and Antarctic Peninsula, guests aboard Minerva will explore the White Continent in stylish comfort, accompanied by respected naturalists, geologists, zoologists, historians and ornithologists. The journey will be highlighted by complimentary Zodiac tours and enlightening shore excursions featuring abundant glacier and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Explorer II will be re-named Minerva (after the fabled Roman goddess of poetry and wisdom, and inventor of music), following a summer 2008 dry-dock, during which the ship will receive new furnishings, carpeting and additional amenities.

“Unlike Antarctica cruises aboard today’s large cruise ships, Minerva’s smaller size and special Zodiac tours ensure our guests an abundance of unforgettable moments,” said Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas. “Our guests will share enriching insight into the seldom-visited Antarctic frontier from our onboard naturalists, all under the knowledgeable guidance of our expert expedition team.”

Setting sail on January 14 to 25 and January 25 to February 8, 2009, both voyages begin with visits to the Falkland Islands’ wildlife-rich shores and the quaint village of Port Stanley. Minerva then cruises to the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula (with opportunities for disembarkation and exploration as weather permits), followed by a transit of the Drake Passage.

Before returning to Ushuaia, Argentina, Minerva will sail along Cape Horn, at the confluence of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The 14-night cruise on January 25 adds a call at South Georgia Island, featuring large colonies of king penguins, fur and elephant seals.

Both itineraries include a one-night, pre-cruise stay in Santiago, Chile; roundtrip charter flights from Santiago to Ushuaia; a city tour and Patagonian lunch on embarkation day in Ushuaia; and a complimentary backpack and parka. All Zodiac excursions are also included.

Minerva offers a degree of comfort unmatched in Antarctic cruising. Rated among the world’s top small cruise ships by readers of Condé Nast Traveler, Minerva looks and feels like a small country hotel. But a strong steel foundation, including an ice-strengthened hull, ensures a safe navigation through these waters. Inside, Minerva offers all oceanview suites and staterooms, two open-seating restaurants, a full-service health club and a salon. Designed to carry up to 394 guests in Antarctica, Regent limits the ship’s capacity to just 198 guests for maximum comfort. Fewer guests mean more excursions each day and a higher crew-to-guest ratio (1 to 1.5).

Per person prices for Regent’s Antarctica programs start from $10,495 for the 11-night voyage and $12,895 for the 14-night voyage, based on double occupancy. Fares include free Economy Class air from select U.S./Canadian gateways or $1,200 off the cruise fare.
As with all Regent Seven Seas cruises, fares include all shipboard gratuities and complimentary beverages, including select wines and spirits served throughout the ship.
For additional information click here

Azamara Cruises “leaps” Into Exotic Europe in 2009

March 3rd, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest, Azamara cruises, celebrity cruises
Azamara Cruises "leaps" Into Exotic Europe in 2009

A year which is not a leap year is called a "common year," but there's very little that’s common about what Azamara Cruises has planned in Europe in 2009.

The deluxe, destination-driven brand today revealed a widely varied series of itineraries for both Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, including 20 new ports and overnight stays in some of the most romantic cities on the continent.

"We've been thrilled with the response to our 2008 European itineraries this year, and are really building on that in 2009," said Azamara Cruises President Dan Hanrahan. "No other deluxe brand offers the number of ports that Azamara will visit next year, nor matches our breadth of distinct itineraries.

"Azamara's series of seven- to 15-night Europe itineraries in 2009 will visit 91 ports in 36 countries, and depart from five different homeports: Athens, Greece; Barcelona, Spain; Copenhagen, Denmark; Rome and Venice, Italy. Overnight stays will be offered in Barcelona, Edinburgh, Scotland; Florence and Ravenna, Italy, Istanbul, Turkey; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Stockholm, Sweden. Late-night (10 p.m. or after) departures will be offered in 10 ports of call, allowing guests to capture more of the flavor of each locale's nightlife.Azamara Cruises' 2009 Europe Highlights
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An enhanced 14-night “Western Europe” itinerary includes a transit up the Thames River and into the heart of London, anchoring overnight within view of the Tower of London and including a new-for-2009 call on Antwerp, Belgium, with a unique downtown berth position and transit along the scenic River Scheldt before a sunset departure for the North Sea.
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New, harder-to-access port calls, including:
Docking in Zadar, Croatia (where larger ships have to anchor)
Rouen, France, just one hour from Paris (as opposed to Le Havre, where larger ships dock, which is two-and-a-half hours from the city)
Volos, Greece, where Azamara will offer excursions to the Meteora Monasteries, high atop massive granite rocks(made famous in the film For Your Eyes Only)
Amalfi, Italy, near the postcard-perfect Sorrento, Positano and Isle of Capri
A docking in La Spezia, Italy, where larger ships have to anchor
Dartmouth, United Kingdom, inaccessible to larger ships.
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A series of four consecutive 7-night Mediterranean cruises, which, for travelers interested in pairing itineraries back-to-back, will present no repeat ports of call.
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A new "Iceland and Norwegian Fjords" voyage roundtrip from Copenhagen, Denmark, featuring three Icelandic ports. The sailing also includes calls on Scotland's Shetland Islands, Denmark's Faroe Islands, which received National Geographic Traveler's top score among islands in Europe in its November/December 2007 issue, and Scotland’s famed Shetland Islands.
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A continuation of Azamara's successful 2008 Baltic itineraries from Copenhagen, with an extended, three-day stay in St. Petersburg, Russia, allowing guests ample time to visit the Hermitage or take an overnight shore excursion to Moscow.
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A 15-night "Holy Land" itinerary from Athens to Rome featuring 11 cities, including an overnight stay in Istanbul, Turkey.
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An enhanced "Best of Italy" itinerary with overnight stays in Venice and Sorrento, as well as in Ravenna, giving guests the opportunity to visit Florence by train to experience one of the world's oldest republics, the independent state of San Marino; the Ferrari and Lamborghini factories; or the sixth-century church of Chiesa di San Vitale, noted on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and famed for its collection of Byzantine mosaics.
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Three 14-night "Ancient Empires" cruises departing from Rome or Athens, calling on five different Turkish ports as well as various ports in Greece, Cyprus and Egypt.
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A 10-night "Eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic Coast" voyage with only one sea day and calls in Slovenia, Albania, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, and Italy.

The new lineup will open for sale on April 2, 2008, allowing travel agents time to become familiar with the widely varied new sailings. Cruise enthusiasts are encouraged to click here for more information. Azamara Cruises unlocks the hidden corners of the world for those who desire to immerse themselves in the rich details of every voyage.

The deluxe ships - Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest - offer an intimate experience, while allowing access to exotic destinations experienced travelers long to reach. For the 694 guests on each Azamara Cruises ship, every moment at sea embodies the pinnacle of luxury, and each footstep on shore accentuates the difference between visiting a place and getting a true sense of place. This year, Azamara Cruises presents the best of South America and the Panama Canal, elite Asia, the most captivating Caribbean and enchanting Europe.

Brand New Musical Aboard Disney Cruise Line

March 3rd, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in Disney Cruise Line, Disney Cruises, Walt Disneyworld
Brand New Musical Aboard Disney Cruise Line Brings Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story” to the Stage for the First Time.

Disney Cruise Line will transform one of the most beloved animated features of all time into a stage spectacular aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship when "Toy Story-The Musical" makes its debut at the Walt Disney Theatre this spring. This is the first time the popular Disney•Pixar classic has been adapted for the stage.

Preserving the humor and heart of the original "Toy Story" film from Pixar Animation Studios, "Toy Story-The Musical" explores the true meaning of friendship as Buzz Lightyear and Woody transform from jealous adversaries to best friends with an unbreakable bond. The show's elaborate costumes capture the vibrant colors and playfulness of the animated characters. Guests of all ages will delight in an original collection of show tunes that retell the story in a fun and energizing way.

"World-class Disney entertainment is an important hallmark of Disney Cruise Line that sets us apart from the rest of the cruise industry and one of the reasons guests sail with us again and again," said Disney Cruise Line President Tom McAlpin. " 'Toy Story-The Musical' represents the next generation of staged entertainment for Disney Cruise Line and a great enhancement to our incredible array of entertainment aboard the Disney Wonder."

Following the storyline of the original Disney•Pixar film, "Toy Story-The Musical" will give guests a toy's eye-view of life in Andy's room. The musical opens with an introduction to Woody, a pull-string talking cowboy who has long been six-year-old Andy's favorite toy.

But Andy's birthday brings a new arrival -- Buzz Lightyear, the coolest action figure in the universe. Woody's jealousy gets the better of him and he schemes to get rid of his new rival, but things go dreadfully awry. Woody and Buzz find themselves outside of Andy's room and in a hostile world. Working together and overcoming their differences, they find their way back to Andy -- along the way developing an appreciation of one another and creating a friendship.

"The 'Toy Story' film offered us a rich story and some incredible visual elements to build upon," noted Jim Urry, vice president of Entertainment for Disney Cruise Line. "The team we assembled created costumes, set designs and a whole new musical score to literally transport our guests into the middle of the whimsical world of Buzz and Woody."

Taking audiences into that world was no small task. Larger-than-life props help transform the 977-seat Walt Disney Theatre into a toy-sized world of fun and adventure. A rear projection screen aids the transformation between human-sized and toy-sized scenes and takes the show from the comfort of Andy's room ... to the frenzied world of Pizza Planet ... to the frightening room of Andy's neighbor, Sid.

Using Randy Newman's Oscar nominated hit song "You've Got a Friend in Me" as a departure point, this production has a new eight-song score that brings the story to life. New York-based Valerie Vigoda and Brendan Milburn from the band GrooveLily blended together pop, rock and folk music to create a contemporary score that truly captures the heartfelt whimsy of the animated tale.

The costumes for "Toy Story-The Musical" are some of the most complex ever developed for a Disney Cruise Line production. Costume designer Ann Closs-Farley created an extraordinary vision for what the characters would look like on stage. With a combination of articulated puppets and inflatable costumes, the "Toy Story" characters come to life -- including a nearly 9-foot-tall version of Rex the dinosaur and a 4-foot-round Hamm the piggybank.

In all, "Toy Story-The Musical" represents one of the largest productions ever developed for a cruise ship. This is just the second time a Pixar animated feature has been adapted for the stage by Disney Creative Entertainment. In early 2007, "Finding Nemo-The Musical" debuted at Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort and has been a tremendous success.

"When we first thought of bringing 'Toy Story' to the stage, there was a great deal of excitement about the project," said Anne Hamburger, Disney Creative Entertainment executive vice president. "Everyone on our team could immediately see how the heart and comedy of these characters could come alive in a memorable way that is unique to musical theatre."

"Toy Story-The Musical" compliments an already stellar lineup of entertainment performed every voyage on the Disney Wonder, joining stage shows "The Golden Mickeys" and the award-winning "Disney Dreams."

A leader in the family cruise segment, Disney Cruise Line offers three-, four- and seven-night itineraries to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Land/sea vacation packages that include a stay at Walt Disney World Resort are also available.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, click here.

Alaska What’s Cruisin for 2008

March 3rd, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in alaska cruise tours, alaska cruise vacations, alaska cruises
It looks like another big year is on tap for Alaska cruising. Last season, nearly a million visitors cruised Alaska's waterways, and 2008 may well bring even more travelers anxious to view and experience the state's wilderness waterways, glaciers, forests, snow-capped mountains, wildlife, picturesque port cities and native Alaskan culture.

In 2008, 15 cruise lines will dispatch a whopping total of 47 vessels to explore the waters of Alaska's Inside Passage and beyond. Here's the scoop on cruising patterns, the cruise lines, and the ships:

Cruising patterns remain largely unchanged from years past with four basic options: Most traditional is an Inside Passage round trip in seven nights, eight days from Seattle or Vancouver, B.C. to Southeast Alaska and return. Port calls usually include at least three or four of the principal communities of the region -- Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, Haines and Skagway -- plus Glacier Bay National Park and/or other spectacular glacier-viewing sites.

Another favorite is a one way ''Gulf and Glaciers'' sailing in seven nights/eight days. This option takes in many of the same Inside Passage cities and sights but adds glacier-rich Prince William Sound. A Gulf-and-Glaciers voyage ends (or begins) at Seward or Whittier at the north end of a voyage, or Vancouver at the southern end. Some voyages include a full-day's visit at the award-winning Alaska Native-owned cultural and light adventure site at Icy Strait Point near the native community of Hoonah.

Passengers also may opt for cruises entirely within Alaska -- either round trips from a single city such as Ketchikan or Juneau, or a one-way voyage between two communities, such as the seven-night trips between Juneau and Sitka.

Finally, more adventurous travelers consider expedition-type voyages, some extending well beyond traditional options to include Aleutian and other remote islands, sub-Arctic ports, and Russian lands across the Bering Sea.

Here's the lineup of Alaska-bound vessels for 2008:

LARGE/MEGA SHIPS
Carnival Cruise Line, 2,124-guest Carnival Spirit makes one-way Gulf-and-Glaciers sailings between Vancouver and Whittier, plus a smaller number of Inside Passage cruises from Vancouver to and through Southeast Alaska and return.

Celebrity Cruises, 1,950-passenger Millennium begins its season with a 14-night open-jaw sailing between San Francisco, Alaska, and Vancouver, then ends the season with another open-jaw option from Vancouver to Alaska ending in San Diego. Most other sailings will be one-way seven night cruises between Vancouver and Seward. Celebrity's 1,950-guest Infinity will offer Inside Passage sailings from Seattle to Southeast Alaska and return. The Mercury (1,870 guests) sails from Vancouver to the Alaska panhandle and return in seven-night sailings, ending its season with an eight-night open-jaw journey to Seattle.

Holland America Line, Eight of its major vessels will be stationed in Alaska. Amsterdam (1,380 guests), Oosterdam (1,848) and Westerdam (1,848) offer round-trip Inside Passage voyages from Seattle to Southeast Alaska; Ryndam and Statendam (each 1,258) and Zaandam (1,432) visit Alaska's southeast region on round trips from Vancouver. Holland America's season-long Gulf and Glaciers option of one way north or south voyages between Vancouver and Seward will be served by the line's Veendam (1,258), Volendam (1,432), and Zaandam (1,432).

Norwegian Cruise Line, Seven-night round-trip voyages from Seattle to Southeast Alaska aboard the Norwegian Star (2,244 guests). The 2,394-guest Norwegian Pearl will homeport in Seattle while the Norwegian Sun (2,002 passengers) will sail the Inside Passage route from Vancouver.

Princess Cruises, Three itineraries: seven-night Inside Passage sailings, seven-night Gulf-and-Glaciers offerings, plus a new-for-'08 14-night option that the line calls a ''Connoisseur'' itinerary. It, too, offers traditional ports and viewing areas but adds Kodiak Island, the region around Valdez and travel in Kenai Fjords National Park.
Vessels sailing the round trip Inside Passage route from Seattle include Star Princess and Golden Princess (sister ships, each accommodating 2,600 guests) and Sun Princess (1,950) cruising round trip from San Francisco. One-way sailings between Vancouver and Whittier are offered on Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess (each 2,670) and Coral Princess and Island Princess (each 1,970). The two-week ''Connoisseur'' option will be aboard the Tahitian Princess (670 guests).

Royal Caribbean International, The season opens with an open-jaw sailing by Serenade of the Seas (2,100 guests) from San Francisco to Vancouver with port visits at Astoria, Seattle, Victoria, and Southeast Alaska communities, followed by Vancouver-based round trips to Alaska's Southeast. The final trip of the year will be another open-jaw sailing Sept. 20 from Vancouver to Southeast Alaska with disembarkation in San Diego.

Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas (2,000 guests) will arrive in Alaska waters from Asia, with visiting Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, the Hubbard Glacier and other Alaska ports before disembarking in Seattle. It then begins a series of Seattle-based round trip sailings to the Alaska panhandle and return. Radiance of the Seas (2,100 guests) will sail between Vancouver and Seward. The vessel will close the season with an open-jaw from Vancouver to Southeast Alaska with disembarkation in San Diego.

MID-SIZE VESSELS ( luxury )
Regent Seven Seas Cruises, 700-guest Seven Seas Mariner offers three options: a single 11-night season opener from San Francisco to Seward, a summer-long series of seven-night one-way voyages between Vancouver and Seward, and a seven-night round trip season closer from Vancouver to Southeast Alaska.

Silversea Cruises, The 382-guest Silver Shadow offers a varied menu of Southeast Alaska-bound round trips and open jaw voyages.

SMALLER SHIPS
American Safari Cruises, adds the 36-guest Safari Explorer to its fleet. The elegant yacht will sail a season-long seven-night round trip itinerary from Juneau through wilderness waters of the northern panhandle. Safari Escape (12 passengers) will do eight-night one way cruises between Juneau and Prince Rupert, B.C. while Safari Quest (22 guests) will offer one way, seven-night cruises between Juneau and Sitka. Safari Spirit (also 12 guests) is scheduled for one way, seven-night sailings between Juneau and Petersburg. The Escape, Quest, and Spirit offer 14-night positioning cruises in spring and fall.

The Boat Company, The 20-guest 1940's converted wartime minesweeper Liseron and the 24-guest replica Mist Cove will make a total of 30 sailings between Juneau and Sitka.
Cruise West, the nation's largest small-ship cruise line, will offer eight ships in Alaska this year. The largest carries 138 passengers, the smallest 78. Sailings rang from three nights to 24 night.

Discovery Voyages, : Offers 12-guest, 65-foot former missionary vessel Discovery throughout Prince William Sound, specializing in wildlife viewing cruises, hike and kayak adventures, birding trips, whale watching and glacier photography.

Lindblad Expeditions, National Geographic Sea Lion and National Geographic Sea Bird, each accommodating 62 guests, offer season opener/closer sailings of 11 nights. Throughout the season, each offers a seven-night one way cruise between Juneau and Sitka.

Majestic America Line, Sternwheeler Empress of the North (223 guests) offers a season of saltwater cruising in Southeast Alaska with seven-night itineraries.

Maple Leaf Adventures, An authentic sailing schooner (8 passengers) more than a century old makes one-way voyages from Prince Rupert. B.C. and Juneau.

Read the full story....

http://www.miamiherald.com/living/travel/story/434609.html
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