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MSC Cruises Holds Balcony Lottery and Holland America Offers 114-Day World Voyage

7/7/2014

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PictureMCS Divina
By John Roberts

How's this for a deal?

MSC Cruises is offering a balcony lottery of sorts. Passengers who book a basic interior stateroom will be eligible to get an upgrade to a balcony stateroom -- all based on the luck of the draw.

Rates on seven-day sailings from Miami to the Caribbean are priced at $299, $349 and $379, based on itinerary, and cruisers will be assigned their cabins at random at least 14 days before the sail date. Eligible cruises start August 23 and run on sailings that depart through October 25. Bookings must be made by the end of July. You could get anything from an interior to a balcony stateroom. The prices start at less than $50 a day to sail on MSC Divina (a spectacularly low price that is sure to tempt avid cruisers to find time for a bonus adventure). And the chance at a balcony is a great sweetener, too. Balconies are awesome! Nothing beats the view as you sail the open waters and can have breakfast outside in your robe. But the prices often are prohibitive for us frugalistas.



Got $20,000 burning a hole in your pocket? Of course not. But have you been considering a hiatus to go off and see the world? Holland America Line features a 114-day world voyage that starts at $19,999 and leaves out of Fort Lauderdale on January 15, 2015 bound for 45 ports in 25 countries on six continents.

Let's break this down. That's about $175 per person, per day. That ranges a bit higher than the great deal level I tend to set around $100 per day.

On HAL cruises, you are offered a bit of luxury among an older crowd. But this might not be a bad way to see a vast portion of the world with your hotel room, meals and transportation all included at that one price. It helps a lot with the logistics of this type of ambitious trip.

Also, if you can book and pay in full by July 31, you get 3 percent off the cruise fare. HAL's Amsterdam ship will transit the Panama Canal and stop in Australia, the Polynesian islands, Cambodia, India, Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Italy and Spain among many other destinations.

Now, to find that money and get the time off from work.


Rainforest Cruises, an Amazon River specialist, has launched a new cruise and lodge package in Peru. Ever wanted to explore the Amazon? Me too. That's still on my list. Check this out. It might be a little pricy, but it sounds way cool. The Peruvian Amazon adventure tour includes a four-day riverboat cruise and a tree-top "hotel" stay. 

Tours begin with two-nights in the Amazon's Treehouse Lodge, a collection of eight en-suite bungalows set from 25 feet to a dizzying 65 feet in the air, all joined by secure walkways and platforms perfect for spotting the abundant tree-top wildlife.

After the stay, join the Cattleya Amazon riverboat to embark on a four-day adventure cruise into the little visited Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, the largest protected wetland in the world and recognized as one of the areas of highest biodiversity on the planet. 

The eight-person riverboat is sleeker and has a smaller engine than other vessels in the region, allowing the Cattleya to quietly navigate farther along narrow tributaries and channels for more chances to spot wildlife.

Prices for the six-day tour start from about $2,600 per person, with all accommodations and meals included.


PictureGeorge Takei
Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 sails a July 28 transatlantic voyage with actor George Takei onboard. I've reported that here before. The news is that passengers will get the chance to check out an exclusive onboard screening of Takei's biographical documentary "To Be Takei" during the eight-night voyage from New York to Southampton. 

The documentary looks at Takei's personal journey from his childhood in U.S. internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II, through his iconic and groundbreaking role as Sulu on "Star Trek" to his rise as an Internet phenomenon. Takei also will speak twice during the cruise as part of the line's Insights program.

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Cruise Lines Offer Adventurous Excursions, Exotic Destinations

6/23/2014

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Picture
Maybe you can rappel into a cenote in Mexico for a cool swim during your day ashore.
By John Roberts

When we go ashore, we usually pick an active excursion. Sure, we mix in an occasional beach day, but that also will include a lot of snorkeling time.

The cruise lines offer a wide range of choices that will get your heart pumping when you spend a day in port.

In fact, here's a list of unconventional excursion options Cruise Lines International Association released last week to highlight how lines are catering to adventure-seeking cruisers. That's you!


CLIA is the world's largest cruise industry trade association.

Note: At many cruise ports, you can find the same excursions or very similar ones to those offered for you to purchase on your ship. You might be able to negotiate a lower price and a smaller-group experience on your own, but you don't get certain benefits, such as a guarantee that the ship won't leave you if you are late to return after your day in port. I'll discuss more about booking your excursions independently in a coming post.
 
Alaskan Wilderness Family Expedition
Take a five- to seven-mile glacier hike to get an up-close view of Alaska's wilderness, waterfalls and wildlife on Carnival Cruise Lines' "Laughton Glacier Hike." An expert guide leads participants (9 and older) on an Alaskan wilderness trek, complete with a scenic train ride and a traditional Alaskan meal.
 
Explore One of the Most Remote and Coldest Islands in the World
Hurtigruten, specialists in Arctic and Antarctic cruises, is the only cruise line that visits Norwegian volcanic island Jan Mayen, one of the most isolated spots in the world and home to a large population of polar bears. Excursion activities include learning Arctic winter survival skills or bush craft. You'll get tricks for how to make a fire, fish, and throw a lasso in the harsh climate.

Stay Overnight on a Traditional Junk in Vietnam
AmaWaterways' offers an excursion called "Vietnam, Cambodia & the Riches of the Mekong." You'll spend the night on a junk (ancient vessel) sailing World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. The most distinctive feature of junks, which were developed during the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. to 220 A.D.) and used throughout Asia for extensive ocean voyages, is their broad, fully battened sails. Enjoy dinner and breakfast onboard taking in the bay's scenery including dramatic limestone cliffs and rock formations.
 
SCUBA Training and Certification in French Polynesia
For treasures underneath the sea, Paul Gauguin Cruises' Paul Gauguin is the only luxury ship in the French Polynesian islands offering PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certification onboard. Programs include the "Discover SCUBA Diving" class, or resort certification, and "PADI Open-Water Diver Certification."

Save the Coral Reefs of Bonaire
To help save and protect precious coral reefs that delight divers and snorkelers, Cunard has a volunteer excursion for 2014-15: the "Coral Restoration Dive Experience." The program (only for PADI certified divers) connects passengers with the Coral Restoration Foundation in Bonaire where they receive hands-on instruction on basic coral reef preservation.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Dracula
Sink your teeth into this exciting . . . OK, sorry. Oceania Cruises' itinerary in the Greek Islands and Eastern Mediterranean includes a stop in Constanta, Romania, featuring a day trip to "Dracula's Haunts and Best of Bucharest" in Transylvania, with a drive through the Prahova Valley and then to Bran Castle, where the legend of Dracula was born.

Russian Cosmonaut Training
Blast off on a Crystal Cruises Baltic sailing to St. Petersburg, Russia. You'll get a flight to Moscow and an overnight stay in Star City, the Russian equivalent of NASA and home to the largest centrifuge in the world. The excursion includes experiencing one of three Russian Cosmonaut Training courses on advanced space equipment: the centrifuge, zero-gravity flight, or hydro-space program. 


Picture
Princess Cruises is offering a "Bucket List" promotion featuring deals on exotic destinations. I picked out this item to show you because it has some cool spots that appeal to me, so I know you probably are considering getting to these places, too -- if you haven't already been. 

The cruise sale runs through July 17 and offers passengers up to $200 in onboard credit and up to $400 in prepaid gratuities, depending on the type of stateroom booked. These types of perks mean a more affordable vacation for you.

Check out some of the destinations:

Tahiti -- 10 days; $1,499 for an interior cabin and $2,199 for a balcony
 
Australia and New Zealand -- 12 days; $1,499 interior, $2,499 balcony
 
Grand Asia -- 17 days; $1,199 interior, $2,199 balcony
 
South America -- 14 days; $1,399 interior, $1,999 balcony
 
Transatlantic -- 14 to 32 days; from $1,299 interior, $1,999 balcony. On transatlantic voyages, you sail across the ocean as the ship repositions ports -- from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona, for example. These cruises offer a lot of sea days and very low prices. 

More information about the Bucket List Extravaganza Sale and cruise prices can be found at Princess.com/sale.

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Cunard Line Offers Single Cabins on Queen Elizabeth Ship

6/9/2014

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By John Roberts

Cunard Line announced that it is now offering single cabins on Queen Elizabeth. The ship has added eight outside staterooms and one inside for solo passengers. The cabins all are located in mid-ship locations close to the social areas of the Empire Casino, the Royal Court Theater and the Queens Room, the line says. The single staterooms build upon Cunard's amenities and activities catering to a growing solo traveler base. Across Cunard's fleet, passengers traveling on their own can look forward to special activities organized by social hostesses, including a welcome reception on embarkation day, coffee and cookies every sea day morning and special meeting points and excursions on port days. Single ladies who enjoy dancing can find a partner with Queen Elizabeth's Gentlemen Dance Hosts. The expert dancers know all the formal ballroom dances and are available during evening balls held in the Queen’s Room.

Princess Cruises raised $832,000 for the American Heart Association during a themed fundraising cruise in February. The special five-day Western Caribbean sailing on Ruby Princess took place Feb. 10-15 and included activities and educational opportunities focused on heart-healthy living, including training in the American Heart Association's Hands-Only CPR; seminars on how to better manage stress, diet and exercise; a survivor's reception for those who had overcome heart disease; complimentary blood pressure screenings; and a fundraising walk on deck. The sailing was part of the company's "Cruising for a Cause" program. The money was raised from a portion of each guest's cruise fare and a 100 percent matching amount from Princess Cruises.

Royal Caribbean announced actress Kristin Chenoweth, the godmother for the anticipated newbuild Quantum of the Seas, will also serve as the ship's entertainment adviser. Chenoweth joins a lineup of advisers who are working with Royal Caribbean on the experiences and amenities for the 4,180-passenger vessel. Other stars enlisted are: HGTV-star and interior designer Genevieve Gorder, athlete and adventurer Dhani Jones and James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz. The ship is due to launch in the fall and sail the winter season from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, N.J. Quantum of the Seas will relocate to Shanghai as its permanent homeport in May 2015.

Holland America Line's Volendam will complete its drydock service in December. HAL says the ship is getting 21 lanai staterooms, the contemporary bar area Mix and updated bathrooms in all suites and select stateroom categories. The passenger capacity remains at 1,432. The unique lanai accommodations feature large sliding-glass doors with direct access to the Lower Promenade wraparound teak walking deck. Each lanai stateroom includes reserved deck chairs, and the sliding-glass doors have a one-way mirrored coating to ensure privacy. The line's Maasdam, Rotterdam and Veendam vessels have already received lanai cabins.

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