It's always good news when travelers have more from which to choose. In this edition, look for larger ships heading to Bermuda, learn how to earn frequent flier miles when you cruise, discover underwater programs for kids in the South Pacific and more.
Big Ships on Bermuda's Horizon for 2005
It's been an axiom forever that Bermuda cruises are offered on smallish ships, a consequence of strict rules designed to protect the island's hotel industry and prevent overcrowding. But, since cruise lines are no longer building smallish ships, things eventually had to change -- and now they have.
Beginning in 2005, Bermuda will begin hosting some of the largest ships in the world, including Royal Caribbean's 3,114-passenger Voyager of the Seas. Sailing from the line's new Cape Liberty cruise port in Bayonne, New Jersey, the vessel will offer 5-night Bermuda packages May 15 through November 13, docking at the island's historic Royal Naval Dockyard.
You can find more information about Royal Caribbean by calling 800/398-9819, or going online to www.royalcaribbean.com.
Book a Cruise with Carnival Corp., Earn Miles with Delta
Further proof that frequent flier miles and money are the same thing: As of June 1, travelers booking a cruise through Delta's new SkyMiles Cruises program can earn between 1,500 and 10,000 bonus miles. The program offers cruise packages from the World's Leading Cruise Lines, a euphemism for Carnival Corportation, which controls Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, and Windstar Cruises.
To earn miles through SkyMiles Cruises, SkyMiles members must book a cruise at www.skymilescruises.com or call 800/571-4965. The website is searchable by cruise line, destination, length of cruise, and/or date range. To become a SkyMiles program member, visit www.delta.com/enroll.
Radisson Seven Seas Launches New Cousteau Kids Program
Radisson's (tel. 800/477-7500, www.rssc.com) 320-passenger ultra-luxe Paul Gauguin was built specifically to sail the French painter's beloved Polynesian islands, and this year it'll do so with a new environmentally friendly kids' program and 28 suites that have been adapted to accommodate families.
Developed in association with Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society, the "Ambassadors of the Environment" program will be offered in summer for kids aged 9 to 15, beginning June 26 of this year and continuing through August 28. Enrollment in the program is $50 per child, and participation is limited.
According to Cousteau, "I want kids to have fun . . . but I also want these educational adventures to inspire their curiosity and appreciation for the underwater world through first hand exploration and discovery. These are values they'll carry with them their entire lives, starting with an understanding of Polynesian culture and the value of traditional knowledge. If I can encourage their critical thinking, they'll see the profound interrelationships and connections that exist between land and sea, and ourselves and the natural world around us -- which will make it all worthwhile."
During the seven-night luxury voyages, which sail weekly roundtrip from Papeete, Tahiti, and visit Raiatea, Tahaa, Motu Mahana, Bora Bora, and Moorea, program participants will explore coral reefs, hike rainforest trails, visit marae temples, learn how volcanic islands become coral atolls and how black pearls and vanilla are cultivated, and take lessons from Polynesian children in how to paddle an outrigger canoe, prepare traditional food, and dance Polynesian-style.
The program is supervised by counselors who are degreed in natural or environment science, have experience working with young people, and are certified in first aid/CPR.
Paul Gauguin's category C, D, and E cabins have all been fitted with fold-out mattresses in their existing love seats -- slightly smaller than a regular twin, but able to accommodate a child or average-size adult. Categories B and above, as well as the ship's wheelchair-accessible cabin, continue to accommodate third passengers in roll-away beds.
Per-person prices start at $3,145, and sailings on June 26, July 3, 10, 17, and 31, and August 7 also include free roundtrip economy airfare from 86 North American gateways. Other voyages offer low-cost air add-ons from $379, depending on gateway. Prices for a third berth are 50% off the per-person double rate.
Yet Another New Ship for Princess Cruises, and Freebies for Its Suite Guests
Sure, yeah, OK, all the cruise lines have built an inordinate number of ships over the past few years, but this is ridiculous. On May 26, Princess (800/PRINCESS, www.princess.com) took delivery of its third new megaship in almost as many months. The 116,000-ton, 2,670-passenger Sapphire Princess, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Nagasaki, Japan, follows sister ship Diamond Princess (christened in late February) and Caribbean Princess (christened in early April).
Two of the best new megaships to come along in years, Diamond and Sapphire are Princess's biggest ever (and third in the world behind Queen Mary 2 and Royal Caribbean's Voyager ships), but they're also poster-children for Princess's philosophy of offering "big ship choice with small ship feel." Outside, they're an appealing update of the older Grand class's groundbreaking design, but more sleek, graceful, and streamlined, with a pair of purely decorative "jet turbine" pods mounted on the funnel -- a design feature introduced on last year's Coral and Island Princess and now something of a Princess trademark. Inside, décor aims at classic simplicity, with lots of wood tones and brass, minimalist textures, and an appealing lack of clutter. Passengers have the option of traditional dining in a main dining room or no-cost specialty dining in any of four smaller restaurants serving Italian, Asian, Southwestern, and steakhouse cuisine.
Sapphire is currently sailing for Seattle, where she's scheduled to arrive on June 7. On June 10 she'll be christened by the first lady of Alaska, Nancy Murkowski, then begin her inaugural season of 7-night Alaska Inside Passage cruises roundtrip from Seattle, visiting Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria, BC. In September she'll begin offering a variety of sailings in the Pacific, including cruises to Mexico, Asia, and Australia/New Zealand.
In other Princess news, the line has also announced upgrades to its suite amenities fleetwide, including complimentary internet access, dry cleaning, laundry, and shoe polishing; complimentary corsage and boutonniere on formal nights; expedited embarkation and debarkation; and other perks, including free portrait sessions with the ship's photographer or en suite afternoon tea. It's good to be king . . . or queen . . . or princess.
Royal Olympia Gasps while Olympia Explorer Joins Semester at Sea
The lingering, torturous demise of Royal Olympia Cruises continued this week as company representatives requested that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission grant an extension for filing its annual financial review for 2003. Some of the company's subsidiaries are under Section 45 protection in Greece (similar to U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy) and have until August 28 to develop a restructuring plan acceptable to lenders. As of now, the company has not obtained the financing necessary for it to continue in operation.
A cruise line needs cruise ships, of course, and this week one of Royal Olympia's began its new life as a floating college for the Institute for Shipboard Education and its Semester at Sea program.
Sponsored academically since 1981 by the University of Pittsburgh, the Semester at Sea program has been in existence in several guises since 1926, offering students the opportunity to sail around the world, observing cultures firsthand and broadening their understanding of international issues. Olympia Explorer, which entered service in 2002 and is one of the fastest cruise vessels in the world, replaces the ss Universe Explorer, which has served as the program's venue since 1996.
For more information about Semester at Sea, contact tel. 800/854-0195, www.semesteratsea.com.
Traveling Solo? Silversea Won't Charge You an Arm and a Leg Extra
Face it, single people are discriminated against in our society. As an example, look at cruising, where people traveling solo get socked with something called the "single supplement" -- an additional 50% to 100% charge on top of the standard per person cruise fare. Since cruise lines base their revenue expectations on two people sharing every cabin, they figure the charge is justified if someone is taking that cabin all by their lonesome, whether by choice or ill fate.
Some lines quietly forego or reduce this kind of supplemental charge if a ship isn't filling up as a particular departure date approaches, but ultra-luxe Silversea (877/215-9986, www.silversea.com) has just announced a new "Solo Traveler Savings" option on a limited number of suites on many 2004 and 2005 voyages. For a limited time, single supplements are available from just 10% to 25% above the published per-person, double-occupancy fares. The following best-available fares are offered for a limited time and may also include Advance Payment Bonus (APB) savings, which require full payment of the cruise six months prior to sailing.
- Silver Wind 14-night transatlantic, Barcelona to Barbados, Oct 20-Nov 3, 2004 (Voyage 2429), visiting Cadiz (Spain), Casablanca (Morocco), and the Canary and Cape Verde Islands. Solo fares start at $6,045.
- Silver Shadow 10-night Central America/Mexican Riviera, Costa Rica to San Diego, Dec 4-14, 2004 (Voyage 3434), visiting Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala) and Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Manzanillo, and Puerto Vallarta (Mexico). Solo fares start at $5,275.
- Silver Whisper 9-night Caribbean, Aruba to Ft. Lauderdale, Dec 13-22, 2004 (Voyage 4437), visiting Grenada, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Bart's, and Tortola. Solo fares start at $3,663, including APB savings.
- Silver Cloud 16-night Asia, Australia to Bangkok, Jan 31-Feb 16, 2005 (Voyage 1503), visiting Thursday Island and Darwin (Australia), Semarang (Indonesia), and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). Solo fares start at $7,178, including APB savings.
- Silver Whisper 7-night Caribbean, roundtrip from San Juan, Feb 24-Mar 3, 2005 (Voyage 4508), visiting Grenada, Bequia, St. Lucia, Dominica, and St. Bart's. Solo fares start at $2,952, including APB savings.
- Silver Shadow 8-night South America, Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro, Feb 27-Mar 7, 2005 (Voyage 3506), visiting Rio Grande, Porto Belo, and Santos/Sao Paulo (Brazil). Solo fares start at $4,357, including APB savings.
As a bonus to solo female passengers, all of the voyages above feature gentlemen social hosts. Pack your dancin' shoes...
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