October 20, 2003 -- Don't drink and climb on this excursion; kids get schooled on Celebrity; and The World can be yours in this week's roundup of the latest from inside the cruise industry.
Taking a Shore Excursion? Walk That White Line First
In the immortal words of Dean Martin, "I ain't walkin' that white line unless you put a net under it." Be that as it may, ultra-luxe Seabourn Cruise Line (800/929-9391, www.seabourn.com) announced this week that one of its new Adventure Series excursions will require participants to take a breathalyzer test before starting out.
The half-day excursion, offered on the line's 2004 visits to Sydney, Australia, is known as the "Harbour Bridge Climb & Rocks Pubs," which gives you some idea of why you don't want to be flying -- in either sense of that word -- while you're doing it. You'll be plenty high enough climbing the catwalk to the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge, 441 feet above water.
Outfitted with not-exactly-stylish industrial-gray "Bridge Suits," harnesses, radio headsets, and an earful of safety information, participants are escorted from a support pylon up to the 1,650-foot summit of the bridge's huge, landmark arch, from which they enjoy a 360-degree view of Sydney Harbor.
Once back on solid ground, participants head to Sydney's historic Rocks neighborhood, where they can celebrate over drinks (finally!) at one of many local pubs.
Other Adventure Series tours offered during Seabourn's 2004 South Pacific season include a dolphin swim and a visit to a seal rookery near Akaroa, New Zealand. Less strenuous options include a behind-the-scenes tour of Sydney Opera House, with a private performance by a Sydney Opera singer.
Celebrity Teaches Kids about the Bugs and the Bees
Cruise lines mostly have children's centers so parents can go and have a good time (and spend their vacation dollars) in the bars and spa, but still, some lines try harder than others. This week, Celebrity Cruises (800/437-3111, www.celebrity.com) announced "Celebrity Science Journeys," a new learning component that'll be offered daily fleetwide beginning November 27.
Ranging from 30 minutes to one hour and tailored to kids 3 to 12, classes are led by trained youth counselors and give kids an opportunity to learn about science and nature in a fun environment. Classes include:
- Buccaneer's Bounty: Tracing the history of pirates, sunken treasure, and excavation.
- Earthworks: Lessons about biomes, pollination, and the solar system.
- Environmentation Station: Explores natural phenomena and the affects of human activity on the environment.
- Get Buggy: Looks at insects and arachnids, including the process of metamorphosis.
- Sounds of the Sea: Gives kids a chance to listen to dolphins, whales, and other sea creatures communicating underwater.
- Wacky Weather: Looks into hurricanes, tsunamis, thunder, and how weather patterns emerge and change.
The Celebrity program is a second foray into science for Celebrity and sister-line Royal Caribbean, whose Explorer of the Seas features a pair of working $1.5 million laboratories where scientists from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science conduct research on wind patterns, water chemistry, UV and solar radiation, and air pollution, all via sensors attached to the ship's mast and hull. Over the course of each cruise, these scientists present talks on their research and show off their labs to passengers on free organized tours.
Consortium of Rich People Buys the World
"The rich are different from you and me," said F. Scott Fitzgerald.
"Yes," replied Hemingway. "They have more money."
That explains why ResidenSea Ltd., the company that in April 2002 launched the world's first all-condo ship, was able to announce that it would soon sell that ship, The World, to its resident owners.
The deal, which is currently in the letter-of-intent stage, includes all unsold inventory of onboard studio and apartment residences, and will make the ship even more like a traditional land-based resort condo community, with common areas owned and operated entirely to the residents' standards.
Sailing a year-round, world-roaming itinerary, The World is luxe all the way, with residents enjoying exceptional service, dining, and amenities, as well as the option of embarking and disembarking in whatever port they choose.
The ship's vacation rental program, through which non-owners can rent studio and two- to six-bedroom apartments for any amount of time (with a 3-day minimum), is expected to continue, and there are no plans to change the ship's scheduled itinerary until after mid-February 2004.
For more information, you can contact ResidenSea at 305/264-9090 for apartment purchase, 800/970-6601 for vacation stays, or online at www.residensea.com.