Crystal Cruises Offers 2 for 1 Fares and More for all 2009/2010 Sailings!

While cruise fares are beginning to rebound, and as my clients can certainly attest, certain itineraries are getting hard to book, the luxury lines are extending out their unprecedented offers and lower fares for 2009 and 2010 sailings. Crystal is the most recent line to announce a significant savings program.

The main component of the savings is 2 for 1 pricing on all categories for all sailings in 2010! That's huge, but it's not all. In addition, they are offering:

• Up to $2,000 per couple in “All-Inclusive. As You Wish.” Spending Credits Receive up to $1,000 per person to spend any way you wish. Click here for details
• Free Air Fly free in Business or Economy Class on most 2010 voyages. Click here for details
• Price Guarantee Book early and pay the lowest applicable cruise fare - guaranteed! Click here for details

There are also other special offers which can often be combined with the above. These are:

• Birthday Bonus - Sail on your birthday and save 50% off a future cruise. Click here for details
• 20th Anniversary Celebrations – Enjoy onboard celebrations, commemorative merchandise and more on our special reunion cruises
• 20th Anniversary Commemorative Cruises – Celebrate 20 years of the World's Best with special events on our anniversary, July 20th, aboard voyages 0216 and 0317.
• Crystal Society 20th Anniversary Reunion Cruises – Enjoy special guests, events and receptions exclusively for Crystal Society members. Voyages 0210 and 0226.
• President’s Cruise 20th Anniversary Celebration – Join Crystal Cruises' President Gregg L. Michel aboard voyage 0210 for special guests, events and receptions.
• Up to $10,000 World Cruise “As You Wish” CruiseBank Spending Credits – Receive up to $5,000 per person to spend any way you wish. Click here for details
• Share the Experience – Earn $100 shipboard credit for each new-to-Crystal guest you sail with. Click here for details
• Crystal Family Memories – Sail with six or more family and friends and enjoy free third berths (17 years and under), pre-paid gratuities, shipboard spending credits and more. Sail with ten or more and receive a free berth! Click here for details
• Crystal Society Benefits Program – Shipboard credits, upgrades, free cruises and more for past guests. Click here for details

Crystal is a true luxury line, perfect for those who like the traditional style of cruising pared with exceptional service and amenities. While even with these offers it may be slightly more initial investment than a mainstream cruise line, the benefits are extensive, and the bottom line price, of the fare and onboard costs combined, is often very similar to what you'd experience on a premium line.

Is it time you started looking at luxury lines? Take advantage of the extraordinary savings you can experience now on Crystal or other lines and see what you may have been missing! Luxury cruising IS worth it and an amazing value, especially now. Call or email me to explore your options.

Live From Azamara Quest: Pillow Talk

A lot of my clients ask me about jet lag when flying to cruises in places such as Europe and South America. I have a lot of experience in long distance flights, and of course provide the tips and tricks I've learned along the way.

But there's one thing I find which affects my sleep and adjustment to a new time zone more than the flights: the pillows onboard ships.

I don't know about you, but a pillow is a very individual and personal thing to me. Judging by the number of different types I see in stores, I must not be alone. I even have clients who pack up their own pillows in compression bags to pack and take them along when they travel so they can sleep.

Many times, I find myself waking up more the first few days onboard a ship due to discomfort caused by the unfamiliar (and often downright hard or thin) pillows onboard than due to difficulty in adjusting to time zone differences.

On most lines, unless you're in a suite, all you can do is ask for more pillows, or hope they may have one or two different types to choose from, sometimes hypo-allergenic or similar. But once again, Deluxe and Luxury cruising takes this very important factor in your comfort very seriously, and you're not left suffering in the middle of the night.

On Azamara, even without consulting the "pillow menu", I knew they would have feather, hypo-allergenic, body, and isotonic pillows to choose from, among others. I use a combination to create my pillow wardrobe from which I fashion something similar in feel to what I have at home. Never quite the same, but close enough to sleep soundly.

Sometimes, it's really the little things which make a difference. In the scheme of life, a bad pillow isn't going to cause a catastrophe. But having a good pillow that suits your preferences makes everything else onboard your cruise nicer.

While I look forward to curling up tonight in my own bed at home with my own pillow, I didn't lose sleep on the Quest because I was missing it. I may even find myself reaching out in vain for the Quest's body pillow the next few nights.


Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from WIND

It’s Time for Another “Live From” Series!

It's been awhile since I've done a "Live From" series for you, but the wait is now over!

I'm heading out today to sail on Azamara Quest's Best of Italy 14-night itinerary. If you've been following this blog for awhile, you've seen my "live from" reports from exotic destinations such as Antarctica and Galapagos. (They can be found on my Past Feature Article page.) Europe, especially Italy, is far less exotic, but I'm hoping to bring it to you in a way you've not seen before.

Instead of focusing as much on the well-known ports, traveled in the traditional ways, to familiar sites and museums, I'm instead planning on taking a look at how Deluxe and Luxury lines, such as Azamara, allow for using cruise travel in ways you may not have envisioned.

Because of itineraries which allow for several overnights in ports, along with late night departures, and a ship size which allows docking in areas the larger ships can't access, touring options open up and you can see far more, spending more time in a region than on a traditional large ship.

I'm also going to look at the solo and independent traveler aspect of this type of travel. Regardless of whether you travel alone, or with a partner or spouse, this may help you in planning how you want to travel in the future.

Are you seeking to cross things off your "bucket list", or are you seeking life experiences? This series will, I hope, show you how to achieve both with this type of cruising.

I will be both blogging and tweeting my reports. Don't worry - you don't have to sign up with Twitter and figure all that out in order to follow me. Simply follow the link below to catch up on my activities:

Live From the Azamara Quest on Twitter

The Tweets from Twitter will contain links back to blog posts I make here, but there will be comments on Twitter not made on the blog, so the very best site to watch is Twitter.

If you do sign up for a free account on Twitter, or are already a member, you will have the advantage of being able to ask me questions, which I'll do my best to answer in real time (taking into consideration the time difference). You can follow me directly at @CruiseResource.

If you're looking to book a cruise while I'm gone, my associates, Mike and Darlene Jordan, will be happy to assist you until my return. They can be reached at 719-379-3133, toll-free at 800-267-7613, and by email at mjordan@cruisesinc.com. Their contact information can also be gotten by calling my voice mail or emailing me as my auto-responders will have all their information, as well as what to do if you're already booked and need assistance.

I will have email access while I'm gone, so feel free to email me, just know it may take a day or two for me to respond. This is quite an ambitious itinerary I'm undertaking. If you are wanting to wait for me, rather than contacting the Jordans, please indicate so in your email so I know you're waiting.

Unfortunately, I will be unable to post the Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara Happy Hour specials while I'm away, but if you're looking for something along those lines, the Jordans can help you with those - just give them a call or email them!

First blog will be about using miles to upgrade, and how to save on upgradeable fares! I'll probably talk about my adventures with a foreign SIM card and using my Blackberry in Italy. Then we'll hit the ground running with an overnight in Sorrento, Italy, and one of my favorite places on earth, the Amalfi Coast.

From there, I'll visit Taormina, Ravenna, head off the ship for a couple nights to visit the Palio activities in Siena and see Tosca at the Opera Festival held annually in a 1st Century Roman Coliseum in Verona, before rejoining the ship for an overnight and birthday celebration in Venice. From there, we have a day in Dubrovnik, Croatia, head to Olbia, Sardinia, then up to La Spezia and the Cinque Terre before ending in Livorno and a drive down to Volterra on my own.

Expect to hear a lot about how smaller ship cruising of this type is different from the large ship experience. How to set up independent travel from a cruise, and hopefully information for those considering cruising for the first time (I know there are some of you among my subscribers) on aspects of cruising you never knew were options.

Please feel free to pass these links to friends who might also be interested. The more the merrier! There's a reason they call Blogging and Tweeting "social" networking. Join in!

Peter Deilmann Cruises Bale out

Peter Deilmann Cruises has withdrawn from the river cruising market with the division of the German-based company declared insolvent.

The decision will impact “hundreds” of group and charter Australian bookings, Sydney-based general sales agent Classic Voyages said.

A statement from Peter Deilmann said that its “river ship division has been moved into insolvency which is the German for corporate reorganisation”.

“The 2010 river cruise program has been cancelled and charter and group operators involved have been advised of this situation,” the company said.

The 2009 season will go ahead as planned.

The move does not affect voyages of its cruise ship ms Deutschland, which is separately owned and operated.

Peter Podesta, managing director of Classic Voyages, said the river cruising vessels have independent owners and it remained to be seen what decision they will make over future bookings. “As more information comes to hand we will advise the trade,” he said.

The operation has been losing money in a tough market which the cruise company could no longer sustain.

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Tauck launches new river cruise ship

 On April 27, the Tauck family, along with local dignitaries and business colleagues, gathered in Passau, Germany to christen Tauck World Discovery's third new riverboat since 2006, the MS Swiss Jewel.  

The Swiss Jewel joins its sister ships in Tauck’s growing riverboat fleet, comprised of the MS Swiss Sapphire launched last April, and the MS Swiss Emerald launched in 2006.  

“Our goal is not to be the biggest river cruise line, but to be the best,” said Dan Mahar.  “Having the Swiss Jewel enter service is another exciting milestone in our efforts.  She lives up to the same award-winning standards set by the Swiss Sapphire and the Swiss Emerald, and we look forward to hosting our first Tauck guests aboard the Jewel in the coming days.” 

Guests aboard the 361-foot Swiss Jewel will enjoy a relaxed and casually elegant atmosphere, as the ship accommodates just 118 guests, versus 150 or more on other similarly sized vessels. The Jewel offers a total of 59 outside-facing staterooms, including 14 suites and seven junior suites.

As on Tauck’s other vessels, the Jewel’s 300 square-foot suites are highlighted by floor-to-ceiling windows, French balconies, walk-in closets and marble baths with full size tubs. The additional 45 junior suites and cabins range from 150 to 183 square-feet, with 85 percent of all accommodations including floor-to-ceiling windows and French balconies. Each of the Jewel’s suites, junior suites and cabins feature plasma TVs, mini-bars, terry cloth robes, radios, safes, individual air conditioning and L’Occitane toiletries. 

The Jewel also provides guests with a second onboard dining option, the Lido bar, where bistro-style food is offered as a more casual alternative to the ship’s main dining room. Other onboard amenities include a 24-hour Jacuzzi, lounge and wellness center. Along with a ship’s crew of 29, the Jewel also has an onboard staff of three Tauck Directors and one Tauck Cruise Director.

Those interested in learning more about the Swiss Jewel and Tauck’s river cruises can call RiverDiscounts.com  1 800 640 4899

Canadian Travel Company Offers Great Lakes Cruises

The Great Canadian Travel Company is offering seven-night cruises on the Great Lakes aboard the 100-passenger, all-suite Clelia II. The cruises operate on four of the five Great Lakes from Toronto, Ontario, to Duluth, Minn. The cruise includes welcome and farewell receptions; all meals; house wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner; and open bar throughout the cruise. Tours and excursions also are included, as are educational programs and guest lecturers. Fares start at $5,595 per person, including transfers between pier and airport, port and embarkation taxes, and gratuities to porters, guides and drivers. There are 12 departures this year between June 27 and Sept. 12.

The cruise starts in Toronto and travels on Lake Ontario and bypassing Niagara Falls with time for an excursion. There’s a day at sea while cruising past Detroit and onto Lake Huron. The cruise then visits Manitoulin Island, the world’s largest freshwater island, where the Wikwemikong Reserve is a thriving community that has never ceded authority to Canada. Next is a visit to Mackinac Island and passage through Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie. The cruise continues through the Portage Waterway to call at Houghton and Thunder Bay before concluding in Duluth. For more information

Luxury Savings News

You've all most likely been inundated with sales and offers from the mainstream brands such as Carnival, Princess, NCL, etc. But you may not have seen some spectacular offers from lines such as Crystal, Regent, Oceania and Azamara. All are offering similarly amazing deals, which bring their pricing down to values never before seen.

Would you believe up to $2,000 in onboard credit from Crystal for 2009 European sailings? In addition to other savings offers? Huge discounts on the Regent Paul Gauguin in French Polynesia if booked prior to March 31? And did you notice that there are now included shore excursions with Regent sailings?

Azamara has announced they will be offering cruise-only rates so you can take advantage of the discounts available in airfares right now direct from the airlines.

How about a historic Transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2? You've not seen prices like this before!

Interested in a river cruise? There are fabulous bargains to be found this summer, even in high season.

And these are only a tiny portion of the offers available right now in the Deluxe and Luxury brands.

So if you've longed for the pampering and quality of these Deluxe and Luxury lines, and have the ability to travel this summer, now is the time to book! You might find yourself paying less for one of these cruises than you've paid in the past for a mainstream brand.

As a CLIA-certified Luxury Cruise Specialist, I can help you find the line, itinerary and value best suited to your preferences. Give me a call or email me at amber@cruiseresource.com!

Pacific Delight Tours Posts Early Bird Special

Pacific Delight Tours introduced an Early Bird Special with up to $1,000 off per couple for bookings received by Feb. 28. The discount applies to all tours available via Pacific Delight’s Gold Experience Exclusive Collection, which includes the 13-day Historic Cities and Yangtze River Gold Exclusive. The luxury program guarantees intimacy and exclusivity as each departure is limited to 16 participants, and features the tour operator’s FiveStarPlus program with upgraded hotel rooms at five-star properties in Beijing, Xian, Guilin and Shanghai, as well as a Junior Suite with private balcony and top deck, a la carte dining on a five-star cruise provided by Victoria Cruises, the pre-eminent line on the temple-lined Yangtze River. Also included are meals (12 breakfasts, eight lunches and 12 dinners), all intra-China air/land transportation, as well as comprehensive sightseeing, special cultural activities and performances.

Pricing for 2009 departures of Pacific Delight Tours’ 13-day Historic Cities and Yangtze River Gold Exclusive begins at $4,490 per person double occupancy for Early Bird bookings made by Feb. 28, and $4,990 per person double, for bookings received after Feb. 28. International air is not included but can be purchased from Pacific Delight at the time of booking. Pacific Delight Tours is a market leader in escorted and independent tours to China, the Orient and Southeast Asia. For more information, call 800-640-4899

Orion extends 2009 expeditions to Papua New Guinea

For those who truly seek a path less travelled, Papua New Guinea rates as one of the world’s most diverse and fascinating geographic and cultural landscapes.

Impossibly dense tropical rainforest, scattered islands, rugged terrain and active volcanoes conspire to make PNG difficult to explore. The purpose built 5 star expedition cruise ship Orion provides the perfect base for those seeking adventures in this remote paradise, Australia’s closest neighbour.

Fares begin from $8,600 per person for an11 night Papua New Guinea Highlands Culture voyage (departing Rabaul 18 March and 9 April 2009), or the 11 night New Guinea Island Adventure ‘Voyage of Discovery’ (departing Cairns 29 March 2009).

Expanding on previous voyages to Papua New Guinea, Orion, during her Island Adventure Voyage of Discovery, will visit Pomio, Lambom, Lamassa and the Duke of York Islands for the first time. Rarely visited, even for PNG, Orion will be the first ship of its kind to visit Lambom and just the second to visit Lamassa. Here fire eating and night-time spirit dances remain core cultural activities and in local mythology a secret beach has a salt water spring said to be the source of all the world’s oceans.

Guests on all three voyages will encounter primitive tribal cultures and unique flora and fauna, see superb indigenous artwork and artefacts, visit remote villages and enjoy world-class snorkelling. For many the World War II history and relics, a palpable reminder of our recent history, will be a highlight.  

Orion’s guests will become immersed in a diverse array of experiences found nowhere else on the globe. Evocative ports of call including Madang, Tufi, Milne Bay, the Sepik River, Samarai Island and Deboyne Lagoon spark the imagination – without disappointment, for much still remains a tropical paradise time has forgotten and tourism overlooked.

From the busy harbour of Rabaul, bustling with inter-island trading ships, to dug-out canoes on the Sepik River, this is a land of trade. Orion visits Kwato Island and the Trobriand Islands (known as the ‘Islands of Love’) where, in the 1700’s, European traders used to stop to trade in mother-of-pearl, sandalwood and sea cucumbers. Visit with Orion and discover for yourself just why the traders were so reluctant to leave.

In Madang, colonial buildings, lush gardens and magnificent vistas of tropical seascapes are reminiscent of Somerset Maugham and James A Michener. In bustling open-air markets shop for stone and wooden carvings, woven goods and baskets, shell necklaces, clay pottery and Sepik River artefacts.

The D’Entrecasteaux group boasts some of the mostly steeply-sided islands in the world and the Cape Nelson volcanic fjord land around Tufi is surrounded by dense rainforest above sheer basalt walls, many with waterfalls plunging into the sea.

Be it the renowned Asaro Mud Men of Goroka or a visit to the D’Entrecasteaux islands, renowned for being one of the last haunts of cannibals, mystery is entwined within culture. This is the land of the ancient ritual of ‘shark calling’ and the region still abounds in sorcery and witchcraft.

Orion’s scuba diving enthusiasts will appreciate PNG’s war planes and shipwrecks, pristine coral reefs, underwater volcanic vents, caves and abundant marine life - manta rays, brilliant tropical fish, whales and dolphins.

Be it volcanic thermal springs, the world's largest butterfly, vertiginous topography, WWII history, sorcery or ancient artefacts Orion’s 2009 11 night Papua New Guinea expeditions provide guests with remarkable opportunities to experience this totally unspoilt part of the world.

11-night  Papua New Guinea Highland Cultures: RABAUL (embark after charter flight from Cairns), Sepik River, Madang (for Goroka & the highlands), Tami Islands, Tufi, D’Entrecasteaux Islands, Samarai Island, Kwato Island, Alotau (Milne Bay), CAIRNS. 2009 Departures: 18 March, 9 April               

11-night New Guinea Island Adventure – Voyage of Discovery: CAIRNS, Milne Bay, Deboyne Lagoon, Kitava (The Trobriands), Pomio, Lambom, Lamassa Island, Duke of York Islands, RABAUL (overnight onboard). 2009 Departure: 29 March

Fares begin from $8,600 per person for an ocean view (Category B Stateroom)

Suites begin from $11,860 per person for a Junior Suite

Orion’s Owners’ Suites are $14,805 per person

Subject to fuel surcharge, currently $50 per person per night.

Cruise fares include accommodation and all meals in an unhurried single sitting, the service of 75 experienced crew members, guest speakers and/or expedition leaders and selected landings & activities ashore.

With Orion, you no longer need to look overseas in order to access a world-class 5 star cruise ship. Akin to a private mega-yacht, accommodating just 53 couples, Orion’s staff of 75 professionally caters for the needs of everyone in an unobtrusive yet attentive way.

All 53 suites and staterooms have ocean views, marble bathrooms, flat screen TV and DVD/CD player, internet accessibility and choice of queen or twin bed configuration.

Elegant throughout, Orion’s features include a sauna, health spa and gym, boutique, library with internet access, a wide range of water sport activities, plus a choice of dining areas and innovative menus created by multi-award winning chef, Serge Dansereau.

 

For Extra Orion savings call 800-640-4899

Silversea’s Silver Wind Completes Major Transformation

Silversea Cruises has just put the finishing touches on a multimillion-dollar renovation of Silver Wind. Undertaken over the past month during a dry-dock at the San Giorgio shipyard in Genoa, Italy, the refurbishment of Silver Wind included a refreshed décor with touches of natural cherry wood, russet and golden tones. A centerpiece of the project was the addition of a 60-seat Observation Lounge, spa, beauty salon and fitness center on the forward section of Deck 9, altering the ship’s exterior appearance with floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around the new space. A new two-floor, glass-enclosed elevator was also installed connecting Decks 8 and 9.

“We’re delighted with the results of this major renovation,” said Amerigo Perasso, Silversea president and CEO. “Silver Wind has a refreshed look and feel, yet the ship retains her elegance and charm throughout. The company has made an important investment to bring this vessel in line with the style and design themes that are planned for our new ship, Silver Spirit, currently under construction. With these enhancements, our guests are sure to enjoy a renewed sense of luxury and comfort aboard Silver Wind. Despite the challenging economic environment, our company is showing a strong commitment with this important investment. This is clearly a difficult and unpredictable time and while our business is not immune, we have the strength of our assets, brand and management team that position us well in the long term.”

Accommodating 298 guests, Silver Wind’s 149 ocean-view suites range in size from 240 to 1,314 square feet with 80 percent now featuring a private veranda. Suite modifications include four of the always-in-demand Silver Suites added on Deck 8, an Owner’s Suite with a connecting second-bedroom suite added on Deck 7, one Medallion Suite added on Deck 7, one Vista Suite added on Deck 7, fixed queen beds in larger suites have been replaced with convertible twin-to-queen beds, custom-built TV cabinets added to all Vista and Veranda Suites and new flat-screen TVs. All suites also received new sofas, armchairs, desks, vanity, night tables, headboard, carpets, drapes and bed coverings. The bathrooms were updated with new fixtures, bathtubs, new marble countertops, walls and flooring.

The new spa, which encompasses the beauty salon and fitness center, occupies over 650 additional square feet following the renovation. The expanded spa features a reception area, four massage rooms, one body treatment room, one dry sauna and one steam sauna. The new fitness center includes a body-building room and separate aerobics room, both offering ocean views. Other ship enhancements include new upholstery, curtains, wall treatments, carpets and/or flooring in the restaurants, public lounges, lobbies, stairs and corridors. The first guests to experience the Silver Wind enhancements are sailing on a Dec. 2 Las Palmas-to-Cape Town cruise, an 18-day voyage calling in the Cape Verde Islands, Dakar, Banjul, Bom Bom Island and Walvis Bay.

Call 800-640-4899 Foe Extra Silversea Savigs