Smarter Cruising with Clark Norton

Cunard announces design and itineraries for its newest liner, the Queen Elizabeth

2009-03-20T10:13:00.007-04:00

Cunard Line will launch its newest ocean liner, the Queen Elizabeth, on October 12, 2010 -- the third new liner introduced by the line in the past six years and the second largest Cunard ship ever built. It will join the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria in the Cunard fleet.

The new liner's name, of course, harks back to the original Queen Elizabeth, which was launched in 1938, and succeeds the recently retired Queen Elizabeth 2. So while it will be the third "Queen Elizabeth" ship, it will not be called the QE3.

The new liner will combine 21st-century amenities with traditional features such as Art Deco elements, rich wood interior panelling, mosaics, marbles and chandeliers. Public rooms and spaces will be on a grand scale, including a ballroom, garden lounge, and games deck.

In 2010, the Queen Elizabeth will make its 13-night maiden voyage out of Southampton, England, on October 12, sailing to Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands and Madeira; fares will start at $2,995 per person. If you're looking for a more affordable introduction to the ship, consider the five-day "Gallic Debut" voyage from Southampton to Rotterdam, Brussels/Bruges and Cherbourg, with fares starting at $1,195 per person. The liner will also make four other voyages in 2010, including a 22-day holiday Atlantic crossing to the Caribbean in December, 2010.

You can begin booking the Queen Elizabeth's inaugural season on April 2 (2009). For information and reservations, call Cunard at 800-7-CUNARD or a travel agent; or go to the Cunard website here.

Photo of the Queen Mary 2 from Cunard.

Cruise News Tidbits

2009-03-19T13:37:00.009-04:00

*** Disney is doubling the size of its cruise line. Its current two ships, the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic, will be joined by two new ones in 2001 and 2012, the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy. The two ships are being built in Germany. (And yes, there is a Carnival Fantasy and an upcoming Carnival Dream, but there's no word on whether there will soon be a Carnival Mickey and Carnival Goofy.)

*** The Hawaii Superferry, whose beginning we chronicled back in June 2007, has suspended operations, at least for the time being. It has been ferrying passengers and cars between Oahu and Maui and, after today, will no longer make the run. The reason: the Hawaii Supreme Court has ruled that the company can't operate until an environmental review is finished, to determine its effect on whales and other wildlife. The case is under appeal.

*** Carnival's Alaska cruises will sail out of Seattle starting in 2010, rather than Vancouver, BC. This is part of a trend: Seattle passed Vancouver this year for the first time as the leading departure point for all Inside Passage cruises. Carnival's one ship in Alaskan waters, the Spirit, will make 17 seven-day sailings from mid-May through August in 2010; port calls will include Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau, and Victoria, BC; Tracy Arm Fjord is also on the itineraries.

Photo of Carnival Spirit from Carnival.

Battle of the luxury cruise lines

2009-03-19T13:08:00.007-04:00

Two weeks ago, we reported on Seabourn's slashing of prices on upcoming European sailings.

Regent Seven Seas and Crystal Cruises are also getting into the act.

Regent has announced what they call "ultra-inclusive" pricing, which comes on top of their traditional "all-inclusive" pricing, which already includes gratuities and alcohol. What's the difference? For starters, if you book by May 31 of this year, Regent is offering free (selected) shore excursions for most of the rest of its 2009 sailings and all of its 2010 sailings (some restrictions apply). Regent is also offering two-for-one price savings (that is, 50 percent discounts) and free air -- gateway cities are limited, so you may have to pay extra -- also dependent on booking by May 31.

Crystal, meanwhile, has announced its own "All Inclusive -- As You Wish" program, which offers shipboard credits of $2,000 per couple if you book a cruise of 11 days or longer. Crystal's program stresses individual spending decisions: you can spend your credit on shore excursions, alcohol, or whatever you want.

In the past, discounting has been much more typical of mainstream lines such as Carnival or Royal Caribbean than the luxury lines. The battle of the luxury lines indicates just how tough the competition is for the cruise dollar in these hard economic times.

Photo of Seven Seas Voyager from Regent.

Celebration Cruise Line inaugurates short cruises to The Bahamas

2009-03-19T09:10:00.011-04:00

The new Celebration Cruise Line has begun sailing two- and three-night cruises this week from Port Everglades, Florida, to Nassau's Paradise Island. The line has scheduled seven departures for March and another 13 for April, as it gets into full swing. Two-night departures are on Mondays and Wednesdays, while three-night departures are on Fridays.

Celebration employs a single ship, the Bahamas Celebration, which holds 1,500 passengers. Rates range from a low of $99 per passenger for an interior bunk on the lowest deck on a two-night cruise to $639 per passenger for a deluxe suite on a three-day cruise over a holiday weekend.

The cruise line is run in large part by former executives from the now-defunct Imperial Majesty Cruise Line, which sailed to The Bahamas on the aging Regal Empress, which is apparently being retired rather than face costly safety upgrades. The Regal Empress -- if not Imperial Majesty itself, which had taken to practically giving away its cruises (amid annoying telephone promotions) the past couple of years -- will be missed. (For more on the Regal Empress, see Peter Knego's Sea Treks blog here.)

The Bahamas Celebration is itself nearly 30 years old, but has undergone extensive renovations to ready it for its new duties. It features four restaurants (one at additional cost), a casino, a nightclub with Vegas-style shows, a spa, and various bars and lounges. There are also children's facilities as well as a pool with waterslide. The ship spends a full day in Nassau, with shore excursions (such as snorkeling and glass-bottom boat trips) available for purchase.

For booking, call 800/520-2410 or a travel agent, or go to the Celebration Cruise Line website.

Photo from Celebration Cruise Line.

Seabourn puts European luxury voyages on sale

2009-03-05T16:09:00.007-05:00

The Yachts of Seabourn luxury small-ship cruise line is holding a one-week "Stimulate Your Summer" sale of selected European voyages departing in June and July of this year. Bookings must be made between March 9 and March 16, 2009.

The savings amount to up to 65 percent off regular fares for 14 sailings of one to two weeks in the Mediterranean and northern Europe aboard the Seabourn Pride, Spirit, Legend and the new Odyssey (whose maiden voyage is June 24 from Venice, but isn't part of the sale). All Seabourn yachts feature all-suite accommodations, open bars and complimentary water sports.

Spoecial fares begin at $2,840 per person, double occupancy, and are valid for all categories of suites on board.

For details, call Seabourn at 800/929-9391 or a travel agent, or go to the Seabourn website.

Photo of Seabourn Pride from The Yachts of Seabourn.

Fred. Olsen offers specials on Norway, Baltic cruises

2009-03-05T13:48:00.006-05:00

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, featuring relaxed British atmosphere aboard its five classic ships, is offering reduced prices on three sailings to Norway and one to the Baltic this spring through fall. Cruises leave from UK ports.

The 839-passenger Boudicca (pictured above) sails Norway for seven nights starting April 26, 2009, with prices starting at $950 per person (down from $1,110), and again for six nights starting June 15, 2009, with a reduced price of $641 per person, down from $956, for outside cabins.

The 987-passenger Braemar departs August 29, 2009, for seven nights in Norway for $951 per person, down from $1,189; and sails to the Baltic on December 14, 2009, for 12 nights, at a reduced price of $1,508 per person, down from $2,075.

You can expect great service aboard Fred. Olsen as well as interesting itineraries, featuring some lesser-known ports that bigger ships can't reach.

To book a Fred. Olsen cruise in the U.S., call Borton Overseas at 800/843-0602 ext. 21 0r 612/821-9701, or go to the Borton Overseas website.

Boudicca photo from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

Variety Cruises Greek Summer (April-October) Sale

2009-03-04T13:11:00.005-05:00

Variety Cruises, the four-year-old small-ship cruise line specializing in Greece, Turkey, the Red Sea, the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, is putting some of its Aegean cruises and cabins on sale for the summer 2009 season.

Couples booking into a double-occupancy cabin can save up to $1,500 on the line's "Classical Greece" and "Aegean Odyssey" itineraries, as well as receive two free nights at a four-star Athens hotel and a half-day sightseeing tour of Athens before or after the cruise.

Sailings are aboard the line's mega yachts Harmony G or Harmony V, departing from Athens or Crete. Port stops may include some of the lesser known Greek Islands including Patmos and Samos.

Possible sailing dates range from April 24, 2009, to October 30, 2009, but not all dates within those months are on sale, and cabins are limited to A, B, or in some cases C categories. See the Variety Cruises website or call 800/319-7776 (from US) or 866/944-8498 (from Canada) for more information on the sailings. Fares before the savings start at $2,290 per person.

Photo of M/Y Harmony V from Variety Cruises.

A dirge for a barge -- RiverBarge Excursions packs it in

2009-01-05T15:44:00.004-05:00

RiverBarge Excursion Lines, which operated the 196-passenger River Explorer, a set of connected barges that sailed on American rivers and inland waterways, has ceased operations for 2009.

A statement on the line's website blames the economic downturn -- "rising costs and very soft bookings" -- for the decision.

The 10-year-old company announced that all prospective passengers who have put down deposits will have their money refunded once funds are made available from a special escrow account overseen by the Federal Maritime Commission.

If you need more information, you can try calling RiverBarge at 888/GO-BARGE (888/462-2743).

With the historic Delta Queen very possibly having taken its last cruise, it's starting to get awfully quiet -- or at least far less picturesque -- out there on American rivers.

-- Clark Norton

Cruise West extends early booking deals for Alaska

2008-12-29T14:17:00.004-05:00

Cruise West, which runs small expedition-style cruises to Alaska (among 0ther destinations), is extending its early booking discount for its 2009 Alaska cruises and waiving the fuel surcharge for passengers who book and pay in full by January 30, 2009.

You can save up to $1,210 per cabin, double occupancy, on a 2009 eight-night Alaska's Inside Passage cruise, including one night's hotel accommodations in Juneau. The itinerary starts at $3,999 per person. This promotion may be applied to existing bookings.

The company is also waiving the fuel surcharge on all its 2009 cruises for passengers who pay in full by the final early booking discount dates for those cruises. For instance, if you pay in full for fall Japan cruises by January 17, 2009, or by March 27, 2009 for Panama and Costa Rica, Mexico's Sea of Cortes, or Columbia and Snake River cruises, you can escape the fuel surcharge.

For more information or bookings, go to the Cruise West website or call 800/296-8307.

Photo from Cruise West.

Happy Holidays from Smarter Cruising

2008-12-23T15:42:00.007-05:00

Wishing you all the best -- cruising and otherwise -- during the holiday season and throughout the New Year.

Clark Norton

The Smarter Cruiser

Photo by Dennis Cox/WorldViews

Hurry! Viking River Cruises sale ends tonight

2008-12-19T15:23:00.006-05:00

In an effort to encourage more people to take a river cruise, Viking River Cruises is offering a special promotion for anyone who has taken an ocean cruise -- a $1,000 per couple discount on any 2009 Viking itinerary.

This is in addition to the early booking discount of up to $2,000 per couple that is also being offered. Cruise prices start at $1,449 per person.

In total, you can save up to $3,000 per couple on two itineraries: a 15-day Grand European Tour along the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers, from Holland to Hungary; and the 16-day Eastern European Odyssey.

You can save up to $2,000 per stateroom on other Viking itineraries ranging from the 16-day Russian Rhapsody to the 17-day China's Cultural Delights tour, which includes a 10-day Yangtze cruise.

But you have to hurry -- the offer expires at 7 pm PST (10 pm EST) tonight, December 19, 2008. To take advantage of it, you have to pay in full by tonight. Be sure to request fare code 30W when you call. Viking can be reached at 866/200-5395 or 800/304-9616, or call a travel agent now.

Photo courtesy of Viking River Cruises.

Elegant Cruises offers discounts on 2009 Adriatic and other European voyages

2008-12-19T08:45:00.012-05:00

Elegant Cruises and Tours is offering $300 per person discounts on a variety of 2009 small-ship cruises ranging from the Adriatic to the Azores to remote Scottish Isles.

Elegant Cruises is also waiving the singles supplement on three April 2009 departures of its week-long Venice and Dalmatian Coast cruises of Croatia -- its most popular itinerary -- and offering 30 percent savings on shore excursions for those trips.

The cruises aboard the m/s Monet or the m/s Andrea must be reserved by January 31, 2009, in order to take advantage of these offers.

Elegant is also offering $300 off per person on seven Red Sea cruises in January and February 2009 (with visits to Egypt and Jordan) if you reserve by December 31, 2008.

Having sailed down the Dalmatian coast on the m/s Monet, I can vouch for the quality of these cruises, from the excellent onboard accommodations and food to the historical and cultural lectures and friendly crew. The ships' intimate size provides an opportunity to get to know everyone on board.For more information or bookings, go to Elegant's website or call 800/683-6767 (e-mail info@elegantcruises.com).

Photo courtesy of Elegant Cruises and Tours.

Cruise lines ending fuel supplements

2008-12-18T15:33:00.011-05:00

The sharp downward trend in oil prices is leading a number of cruise lines to drop the fuel supplements they implemented in the past year. Fuel supplements typically averaged $7-$9 per day, usually up to a maximum of $70 to $120 per passenger per cruise, depending on the cruise line. This is good news for cruise-goers, who can scratch at least one unexpected added fee to the cost of their voyage. Not having to pay a fuel supplement, for example, essentially cancels out the cost of tipping for many cruises.

Here are two of the most recent announcements:

**MSC Cruises eliminated fuel surcharges for all new bookings for 2009 beginning December 16, 2008. Passengers who have already booked for 2009 cruises will receive a shipboard credit equal to the amount of the fuel supplement. If fuel supplements are re-imposed in the future due to newly rising oil prices, anyone who books with a deposit prior to that decision will be protected from having to pay it.

**Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines eliminated fuel surcharges on all bookings made on or after December 17, 2008. Passengers who have already paid fuel surcharges will receive shipboard credits for the full amount of payment. (Bookings for Fred. Olsen in the U.S. are handled by Borton Overseas; call 800/843-0602 and press 6 at the prompt).

Photo of the Fred. Olsen ship Balmoral by Peter Knego.

Congratulations to President-Elect Obama

2008-11-05T16:24:00.004-05:00

Smarter Cruising wishes President-Elect Barack Obama smooth sailing through what are bound to be some rough waters during the next four years.

Well done!

Cruise fares plummet -- deals galore!

2008-10-31T10:17:00.016-04:00

According to R. Alan Fox, CEO of the discount cruise site Vacations to Go, cruise prices have plummeted in the past two weeks to levels not seen since immediately after 9-11.

A combination of bad economic news and tropical storms have scared off potential passengers, Fox says. The good news for those who do want to cruise, however, is that all cruise lines except super-luxury lines will slash prices to fill as many cabins as they can. Fox adds that you can expect to find discounts of 70 to 80 percent or even more on some sailings over the next two months.

Here are a few bargains Vacations to Go is listing on its 90-Day Ticker:

** A 19-day Princess cruise from Bangkok to Sydney via Vietnam and Malaysia, with departure November 23, for rates as low as $895 per person for an inside cabin -- 79 percent off the brochure price. (Ask for Fast Deal #29750.)

** A four-day Norwegian cruise roundtrip from Miami to The Bahamas, departing December 1, for rates starting at just $109 per person -- 88 percent off the brochure price. (Ask for Fast Deal 25260.)

** A 16-day Holland America cruise around Cape Horn from Argentina to Chile via Antarctica, departing January 8, 2009, for rates starting at $1,499 per person -- a 71 percent discount. (Ask for Fast Deal #10278.)

** a 17-day Fred Olsen cruise from Tahiti to Australia, departing February 5, 2009, for prices starting at $1,342 -- a 78 percent discount. (Ask for Fast Deal #17186.)

These deals are bound to go quickly, but if you go to the Vacations to Go website, you'll find many more like them.

For more information, call Vacations to Go at 800/338-4962.

Photo from Norwegian Cruise Lines.

One more week to grab two-for-one Oceania fares to the Mediterranean

2008-10-23T10:35:00.007-04:00

Oceania Cruises' early-bird specials on spring 2009 European voyages are nearing an end, so if you're interested, now is the time to act. Oceania -- a super premium line with some of the best cuisine at sea and a low-key atmosphere onboard -- is offering two-for-one cruise fares and free airfare on a number of western and eastern Mediterranean cruises for next year.

Fares start at $3,499 per person for a 14-day Barcelona to Istanbul cruise embarking April 4 on the Regatta with stops en route in France, Monaco, Italy, and Greece. Or you could choose a 12-day Rome to Istanbul itinerary for fares starting at $3,299, embarking May 31 aboard the Insignia.

Other itineraries available include a 12-day Istanbul to Athens, a 12-day Rome to Venice, and a 14-day Istanbul to Venice, all ranging from $3,499 to $3,999 per person, double occupancy.

If you don't want to take the free airfare offer, you should be able to land a further discount of several hundred dollars per passenger. Be sure to ask when booking.

The fine print: Government taxes and fees, and fuel supplement charges are extra. The free airfare deal is available from 20 major U.S. gateways; other gateways require an additional charge.

For more information or bookings, go to the Oceania website or call 800/404-8652 or a travel agent.

Photo courtesy of Oceania.

Ready to sail? Take off to Canada and Colonial America with Princess in a week

2008-10-22T10:20:00.007-04:00

Princess Cruises has another last-minute offer working: this one is

a 17-day voyage aboard the Royal Princess to Canada and Colonial

America. Fares start from $1,295 per person in double occupancy for inside cabins, and $1,495 for obstructed oceanview.

Embarkation date from Montreal is October 29 -- one week from today.

The cruise features 12 ports of call, including Quebec City; Sydney (Nova Scotia); Halifax; Portland, Maine; Boston; New York City; Philadelphia; Norfolk; Baltimore; and Charleston before finishing up in Ft. Lauderdale.

$99 air add-ons are available one-way between Ft. Lauderdale and Montreal, plus fees and taxes up to $50 per person. Government fees and taxes of up to $360 per person are additional to the cruise fare, though fuel supplements are included in the base price. This offer is for new bookings only.

For more information or to book passage, visit the Princess website or call 800/774-6237 or a travel agent, and ask for promo code UES.

Photo courtesy of Princess Cruises.

Last-minute Panama Canal cruise deal from Princess

2008-10-08T14:41:00.009-04:00

The ship sails October 22, so if you can leave on a two-week Panama Canal cruise on just a bit over a moment's notice, this one could be for you.

Princess is putting inside, obstructed oceanview, and balcony cabins on sale for its Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles cruise in two weeks (via Colombia, the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Mexico) aboard the Coral Princess, but you'll need to act fast. Inside fares start at $995 per passenger in double occupancy, while obstructed oceanview cabins are $1,095 per passenger and balconies are $1,395 per passenger.

A $9 a day fuel supplement (up to $126) is included in these fares, though government taxes and fees of $202 per passenger are not, so you'll come up about $77 short on that exchange. Residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible for the fares.

Air add-ons are available to or from Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, or Los Angeles for $199 plus government taxes and fees of up to $110 per person.

For more information or bookings, call Princess at 800/774-6237 or a travel agent, and ask for promo code UES. You can also go to the Princess website here.

MSC holds contest for free group Caribbean cruise

2008-09-26T15:11:00.014-04:00

MSC Cruises is holding a new Family and Friends Group Contest in honor of the upcoming arrival of its ship MSC Orchestra in North America.

The winner will receive up to four staterooms (each holding up to four passengers) on a seven-night Caribbean sailing -- either in the Eastern or Western Caribbean -- during the 2008-2009 winter season.

To win, you must write a maximum 150-word essay describing what you "envision a fantasy cruise for you and your family onboard the Orchestra would be like," as the cruise line puts it. Essays will be judged on creativity, enthusiasm, knowledge of the Orchestra's features as well as Caribbean destinations, and fit with the theme "the Orchestra is coming to town."

Weekly voting on the best essays will be followed by weekly prizes. The grand prize winner will be announced December 5.

To enter, log onto this web page. And good luck!

Photos from MSC Cruises.

Save up to $2,000 per couple on Uniworld European river cruises

2008-09-25T14:22:00.008-04:00

Uniworld is offering savings on selected 2009 European river cruises of up to $2,000 per couple ($1,000 per person) if you book and pay in full by September 30.

The offer applies to category 2 and above cabins on a number of different European river itineraries for 2009. For example, you could choose the "Eastern European Explorer," a 16-day itinerary from Vienna to Bucharest (or vice-versa) that runs from early April through mid-October next year.

For lower-price cabin categories, you could save between $1,000 and $1,200 per couple. Rates for lower-priced cabins for "Eastern European Explorer" voyages start at around $4,000 per person, depending on which month you sail. You'll need to request an exact quote from Uniworld to see exactly how much you save on the cruise you want.

If you book and pay in full by November 30, 2008, you can still save up to $500 per couple on selected 2009 itineraries.

For more information or bookings, go to the Uniworld website or call 800/733-7820 or a travel agent.

Photo from Uniworld.

General Tours offers big savings on Danube cruise this November

2008-09-18T14:19:00.007-04:00

General Tours is offering more than $1,000 per couple savings on Main Deck outside staterooms aboard the MV Mozart -- a five-star Peter Deilmann river vessel -- on its eight-day "Treasures of the Danube" voyage embarking November 2, 2008.

A Main Deck outside stateroom now starts at $1,599 per passenger, double occupancy, down from $2,149 previously -- an $1,100 savings per couple.

The MV Mozart sails roundtrip from Passau, Germany, an easy transfer from Munich Airport, and visits Vienna, Austria, and Budapest, Hungary, among other stops (with overnights in both those ports). Here's one of the best parts of the deal: seven escorted sightseeing excursions are included, as are port charges.

For more information, click here or call General Tours at 800/221-2216.

Photo of MV Mozart from Peter Deilmann.

Last-minute Alaska deal from Princess

2008-08-29T17:03:00.007-04:00

Princess Cruises has a truly last-minute special on a seven-day Alaska voyage aboard the Coral Princess on September 8, with fares as low as $489 for inside cabins, and obstructed oceanview fares from $589.

This "Voyage of the Glaciers" cruise sails between Anchorage (Whittier) and Vancouver, BC, and features two glacier viewings -- one in Glacier Bay National Park and one in College Fjord.

Air add-ons from $399 to $599 roundtrip are available from West Coast, Central, and East Coast gateways.

A fuel supplement of $9 per person per day up is included in the fares; government taxes and fees are additional.

To book call Princess at 800/PRINCESS or a travel agent and ask for promo code UEC/UED.

Photo from Princess Cruises.

Carnival one-day sale today on a year's worth of cruises

2008-08-28T11:31:00.013-04:00

Carnival Cruise Lines has a one-day sale today offering savings and free upgrades on almost all its cruises -- ranging from three to 12 days -- between now and August 31, 2009.

You could start with a $199 per person rate on an inside cabin on a four-day Western Caribbean cruise departing Miami September 8, 2008, aboard the Carnival Fascination. That's $50 a day for a voyage to Key West, Cozumel, and back. Or you could pay a bit more ($249) for a similar cruise aboard the Imagination on December 15, 2008.

Or, how about a 12-day Northern Europe/Baltic cruise aboard the Liberty out of London with stops in Copenhagen, Berlin, Helsinki, Talinn, St. Petersburg, and Amsterdam on June 2 or 14, 2009, for prices starting at $1,549 per person?

Free upgrades are available within like categories and not all categories are available for upgrade.

More fine print: Government taxes, fees, and a $9 per day fuel surcharge per passenger are additional. The offers expire midnight tonight (August 28, 2008) and are for new bookings only.

To book, call Carnival at 888/CARNIVAL, call a travel agent, or go to the Carnival website here. Be sure to ask for fare code P1S.

Photo from Carnival Cruise Lines.

Last-minute Princess special: Iceland and Greenland transatlantic cruise for $60 a day

2008-08-26T16:12:00.012-04:00

Princess Cruises is offering up a last-minute special on an 18-day Copenhagen to Ft. Lauderdale transatlantic crossing aboard the Crown Princess for double-occupancy fares starting from $1,075 for an inside cabin, and $1,775 for a balcony stateroom.

That's as low as $60 a day for the inside cabin and less than $100 a day for the balcony.

The cruise embarks on September 17 -- that's only about three weeks from now, making this what we call a boom-boom special. So if you have some free time next month, grab it now.

The sailing encompasses nine port stops, including London, Dublin, Reykjavik, Qaqortoq (Greenland), St. John's (Newfoundland), and New York City. The Crown Princess is considered the jewel of the Princess fleet.

You can also land an air add-on for as low as $599 if you're flying to Copenhagen one-way from Ft. Lauderdale or Miami, or $699 to $899 additional if you're flying from most East Coast, Central, or West Coast gateways.

Government taxes and fees of up to around $200 per person are additional to the basic fares, but a daily fuel supplement of $9 a day, up to a maximum of $126 per person, is included in the fares listed.

For more information or bookings, call Princess at 800/774-6237 or a travel agent, and ask for promo code UEC. You can also click here for the Princess website.

Crown Princess photo from Princess Cruises.

Oceania offers free air, two for one fares on winter 2009-2010 cruises

2008-08-25T15:37:00.011-04:00

The premium cruise line Oceania is offering free roundtrip economy airfare from more than 100 gateways and two-for-one fares on its 24 cruises for the winter season of 2009-2010.

The cruises aboard Oceania's fleet Regatta, Insignia, and Nautica -- all mid-size ships -- range from 10 to 40 days and span the warmer areas of the globe from Asia and Australia to South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

One particularly interesting itinerary aboard the Nautica spends 40 days traversing Asia, from Istanbul to Singapore, with stops in Israel, Egypt, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and India.

Fares begin at $1,499 per passenger, though most are somewhat or considerably more than that. If you don't want or need the airfare, you can ask for the appropriate amount (usually several hundred dollars) to be deducted from your cruise fare.

This special offer expires on December 31, 2008, so you have some time, though Oceania cruises tend to fill up early -- a word of warning to procrastinators. To book, go to the Oceania website or call 800/531-5658 or a travel agent.

Photo from Oceania Cruises.

Cruise News: Orient Lines announces new flagship Marco Polo II

2008-08-22T12:41:00.017-04:00

Orient Lines, whose previous flagship Marco Polo was sold off earlier this year, has announced that its new flagship -- Marco Polo II -- will make her maiden voyage for the line in April 2009. The ship, which previously sailed as the Maxim Gorkiy and earlier as the Hamburg, will carry 650 passengers in 325 staterooms.

The ship will embark from Barcelona April 15, 2009, and sail a series of Mediterranean and Northern European cruises throughout spring, summer and fall of next year, before setting off on a transatlantic crossing to Rio de Janeiro and points south in late October, 2009.

The ship originally dates from 1969, and was rebuilt and refurbished in 1988 and 1995, serving mostly German and Russian passengers over the years. It will be undergoing enhancements this year before next year's cruising season. The new flagship is larger than the Marco Polo but will carry 200 fewer passengers.

The Marco Polo II will have four restaurants and cafes, seven bars and lounges, a theater, a casino, a spa with indoor pool and saunas, and other public rooms.

For more information and bookings, go to the Orient Lines website or call 800/333-7300. Stay tuned to the Smarter Cruising Blog for any upcoming deals.

Special offer on 2009 European cruises from Azamara

2008-08-12T09:45:00.006-04:00

Azamara Cruises, Celebrity's deluxe line, is offering onboard credits and complimentary gratuities if you book one of its 2009 European cruises by the end of this month.

Azamara will give you a $150 credit for each oceanview or verandah stateroom, or a $300 credit for each suite that you book. The comped gratuities are for the standard recommended amount per cruise for the first or second passengers in a cabin only.

The cruise line has a wide variety of European sailings, ranging from April to November 2009, and visiting 91 ports in 36 countries altogether. Departures are from Athens, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Rome, or Venice.

The line has two 700-passenger ships, the Azamara Journey and the Azamara Quest. Two seven-night Mediterranean cruises -- one departing April 25 and another departing May 2, 2009, both have starting prices of around $1,500 per passenger for an oceanview cabin. Inside cabins are a couple of hundred dollars cheaper per passenger, but you wouldn't be eligible for the special offer by booking one of those. Verandahs, meanwhile, start at $2,100 per person and suites at $2,800 per person for the sailings mentioned above. There are also a wide variety of other Mediterranean and northern European cruises.

The fine print: this promotional offer is not combinable with any others. Azamara adds a fuel supplement of $15 per person per day for all North American bookings. You must book by August 31, 2008.

For more information or bookings, click here for the Azamara website or call 877/999-9553.

Question of the day: Readers, can anyone tell me where the name "Azamara" comes from? The first reader who gets it right will receive my eBook, "Saving Money Onboard," absolutely free!

Photo courtesy of Azamara Cruises.

MSC now taking early discount bookings on two new ships for 2009-10 Caribbean sailings

2008-08-06T10:41:00.012-04:00

MSC's two new Musica class ships, MSC Magnifica and
MSC Poesia, will arrive in Fort Lauderdale in late 2009 for their inaugural 2009-10 Caribbean sailing seasons, and the line is offering early-booking rates beginning at $499 per person for seven-day cruises and $749 per person for 10-day cruises, both in double occupancy.

Both ships feature 1,275 staterooms, 80 percent of them outside, and 65 percent with balconies. The Magnifica (pictured, above right) will be christened on December 5, 2009, in Germany and soon start sailing seven-night Caribbean itineraries through early April 2010, then return to Europe later that month. The Poesia will arrive in Fort Lauderdale in November 2009 after crossing the Atlantic to begin her inaugural Caribbean season, with seven- and ten-night itineraries including ports such as Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba, and Panama, before departing for Europe again in March 2010.

Seven-night cruises will include both Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, while 10-day cruises will feature four different itineraries focusing on the Southern Caribbean.

The fine print: Government taxes and fees and a fuel surcharge are additional to the fares listed above. Children aged 17 and under sail free when sharing a stateroom with two full-fare paying adults.

For more information click here for the MSC website or call 800/666-9333 or a travel agent.

Photo from MSC Cruises.

Savings offered on first two Crystal World Cruise segments for 2009

2008-08-04T14:35:00.013-04:00

Luxurious Crystal Cruises is offering free airfare back to the U.S. and special savings if you book the first two back-to-back segments of its 2009 World Cruise aboard the Crystal Serenity, departing Los Angeles in January of next year for Tahiti, New Zealand, and other Pacific stops.

Besides the free air back to some 20 U.S. cities, the perks include a five-percent combination-fare discount (ordinarily applied only to non-World Cruise back-to-back bookings), a full payment discount (if paid in full by October 27, 2008), and no fuel surcharge. Total savings could range up to around $6650 per couple.

The airfare is valued at $600 per passenger (or you could take an air credit in its place); the five percent combination-fare discount could save up to $2,900 per couple; the 3.5 percent full-payment discount could save up to $1,924 per couple; and the fuel surcharge rollback would save $624 per couple.

Additionally, you would receive a $200 shipboard credit for taking two segments and complimentary shore excursions in Cabo San Lica, Mexico, and Noumea, New Caledonia.

Besides those ports, the first two segments of the World Cruise -- one 12 days from Los Angeles to Tahiti, the next 14 days from Tahiti to New Zealand -- will call in the Marquesas Islands, several ports in French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Fiji, and the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, before finishing in Auckland. (The entire World Cruise visits 46 ports in 17 countries throughout the South Pacific, Asia, Africa, and Europe, and has seven distinctive segments.)

Cruise fares for the two segments start at $12,910 per passenger (including the five percent combination savings, but not including the other discounts or airfare savings).

For more information or reservations, call a travel agent or Crystal at 888/799-4625, or go to the Crystal website here.

Photo of Crystal Serenity from Crystal Cruises.

Cruise Norwegian to Canada and New England for half fare

2008-08-01T13:23:00.007-04:00

Orbitz has a deal for a seven-night cruise to Eastern Canada and New England aboard the Norwegian Dream for prices starting at $549 per passenger in double occupancy, a savings of about 50 percent off the brochure price.

Even better, you can land an oceanview cabin for just $30 more per person.

The deal is available on four sailings from late August to late September this year, so you'll need to act quickly. Departure dates are August 31, September 7, September 14, and September 21, all embarking from Boston and making calls at Saint John, New Brunswick; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Bar Harbor, Maine, before returning to Boston.

Along with the discount, you may be eligible for some additional special offers from Orbitz. You can save 15 percent off any qualifying hotel booking at Orbitz if you book your cruise by August 31 and travel by the end of October. And, for the three September departures only, you can get up to $400 in onboard spending free on the Norwegian Dream. The amount of free spending varies by the cruise and cabin category you choose, and the cruises must be booked through Orbitz by August 13. The latter offer is only good if you call Orbitz at 888/656-8184.

Government fees and taxes ranging from $5 to $150 per passenger are not inluded in the package. You can find out more about the itinerary and offer by going to the Orbitz website.

Photo from Norwegian Cruise Line.

Viking River Cruises extends early-booking discount deadline

2008-08-01T09:56:00.005-04:00

Viking River Cruises is extending its deadline for early-booking discounts on many of its 2009 cruises for one week, until August 7, 2008.

Click here to read our earlier blog post providing the details. Briefly, you can save $1,000 per couple by booking your 2009 cruise in the next week.

Call Viking at 800/304-9616 or a travel agent to book; click here for the Viking website.

Photo from Viking River Cruises.

Princess has special on 9-day October Caribbean sailing

2008-07-31T08:52:00.004-04:00

Princess Cruises has a nine-day Southern Caribbean cruise on the Sea Princess out of New York City on October 23 with inside cabins starting from $679 per person, double occupancy. That's about $75 per day, a nice price for a premium line.

The itinerary includes six port stops, including St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Dominica, St. Vincent, and Grenada before finishing in Barbados. (Dominica, St. Vincent, and Grenada are three of my favorite Caribbean ports.) There are also three days at sea.

One-way air add-ons from Barbados back to New York are available for $299 per passenger, or you can ask for roundtrip air add-ons ranging from $399 to $599 per passenger, depending on whether you're flying from the East Coast, Midwest, or West Coast. Government fees and taxes are not included in these prices, so you may be able to do better on your own.

The base cruise price includes an $81 fuel supplement but not fees and taxes that may add up to $59 per person.

One thing to be aware of during fall Caribbean sailings: it's hurricane season there. However, cruise ships generally get plenty of advance warning if a storm is forming to the east, and can change itineraries as needed, so the risk of a cruise being cancelled mid-voyage is very slim.

If you're interested in booking, click here for the Princess website or call Princess at 800/774-6237 or a travel agent. Be sure to request Promo Code UEA.

Photo from Princess Cruises.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines offers 8 nights in Caribbean for $72 per night in deluxe cabins

2008-07-30T14:50:00.009-04:00

British-owned Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has a special deal on its eight-night Braemar cruise from Barbados to Miami departing November 5, 2008.

The line is putting a limited number of deluxe "B" category outside cabins on sale for just $576 per person in double occupancy, or $72 per person per night. Fares include taxes and port charges but not a $96 fuel surcharge.

After leaving Barbados, the 850-passenger Braemar will call at Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and Tortola before the ship makes her maiden call in Miami on November 13. The ship will then depart later that day on the first of a season of Caribbean cruises out of Miami through April 2009. The Braemar was lengthened earlier this year by 102 feet.

Fred. Olsen is known for its mid-sized classic ships, English Country House atmosphere, and onboard friendliness. Having cruised the Caribbean aboard the Fred. Olsen ship Balmoral this spring, I can attest to the line's outstanding value, considering the high level of comfort and amenities you receive.

North American residents should call the line's booking agents, Borton Overseas, at 612/822-4640 or 800/843-0602 ext. 6, e-mail them at info@bortonoverseas.com, or go to their website here.

Braemar photo from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

Early booking deadline near for 2009 Viking River Cruises

2008-07-29T15:27:00.007-04:00

Viking River Cruises is offering savings of $1,000 per couple for many of its 2009 river cruises in Europe, Russia, and China. The only catch is that you have to book and pay in full by the end of this month -- that's Thursday, July 31, 2008.

Itineraries for 2009 eligible for the discount include Eastern European Odyssey and Treasures of the Rhine in Europe, Waterways of the Czars and Footsteps of the Cossacks in Russia and the Ukraine, and Imperial Jewels of China and Roof of the World in China.

To book, call Viking at 800/304-9616 and ask for offer code EBD. Reservation hours are up to 8 p.m. Pacific time on weekdays. You can combine the offer with a Past Guest Travel Credit if you're eligible.

Viking also has some special promotions on fast-upcoming 2008 river cruises; you can save up to $2,000 per couple on most October departures and $1,000 per couple on September departures of Waterways of the Czars, for example, or $2,000 per couple on October-November departures of the Grand European Tour cruises, among other deals. When you call Viking, ask for offer code 60W.

Go to the Viking website for more details on all these itineraries and discounts.

Photo courtesy of Viking River Cruises.

Free airfare deal sweetens Holland America's Eurodam inaugural sailing in northern Europe

2008-05-02T10:38:00.009-04:00

Holland America is offering a free-airfare special on the Inaugural Voyage of the ms Eurodam, the line's new Signature-class ship. The cruise departs Copenhagen for the Norwegian fjords and Scotland on July 5, 2008, with port stops in Alesund, Vik, Flam, and Stavanger, Norway, as well as three stops in the UK before returning to Copenhagen.

If you act quickly, you can land an inside stateroom on the 10-day cruise -- including free roundtrip airfare from five U.S. midwest and eastern gateway cities -- for fares starting at $2,299 per person in double occupancy. Oceanview cabins are going for $2,599 per person and up, while verandahs are starting as low as $2,899 per passenger.

The roundtrip airfare deal to Copenhagen is good from Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Cruise-only fares are only marginally ($100-$300) lower, if you've priced summer flights to Europe lately. The special fares also include fuel supplements.

To book or for more information, call Holland America at 877/724-5425 or a travel agent and request promo code RX.

Photo of ms Eurodam from Holland America.

One-day Carnival sale features cruises through March 2009

2008-04-29T11:19:00.008-04:00

Carnival Cruise Lines is having one of its periodic one-day sales this Thursday, May 1, with a preview day tomorrow, April 30.

Savings and free upgrades are available on many of its cruises through March 31, 2009.

A number of three- and four-day sailings are on sale for prices as low as $279 per passenger in double occupancy. These include three-day Bahamas cruises aboard the Carnival Imagination on December 5, 2008, and January 9, 2009; four-day Baja Mexico cruises aboard the Carnival Paradise departing November 3 and 10, 2008; and four-day Western Caribbean cruises aboard the Carnival Holiday and Imagination on December 1, 2008, and January 8, 2009.

Five-, seven-, eight-, and 12-day cruises are also on sale for starting prices ranging from $349 for a five-day Baja Mexico cruise on November 15, 2008, aboard the Carnival Elation to $1,199 for a 12-day European cruise aboard the Carnival Freedom October 25, 2008.

The fine print: Prices do not include $7 per day per passenger fuel supplements, nor do they include government taxes and fees. Upgrades are available within certain categories only and may be limited.

For more information or bookings, go to the Carnival website or call 888/CARNIVAL or a travel agent and request fare code CP1S.

Photo from Carnival Cruise Lines.

Act quickly for Norwegian coastal voyage specials on Hurtigruten

2008-04-28T16:28:00.008-04:00

Hurtigruten (formerly known as Norwegian Coastal Voyage in the U.S.) has a number of specials on its sailings along the Norwegian coast from Bergen to Kirkenes -- one of the world's most beautiful cruising itineraries -- that are expiring Wednesday, April 30.

* Free air offer: Book a selected 12-day Norwegian coastal voyage in October, November, or December 2008 and receive free roundtrip air from either JFK in New York or Newark International Airport in New Jersey.

* Two-for-one air fare offer: Book a selected six- or seven-day Norwegian coastal voyage during the same three months and receive two-for-one priced airfare from the same two gateway airports.

* Two-for-one cruise fare offer: Book a selected six-, seven-, or 12-day Norwegian coastal voyage departing in October-December 2008 and receive free companion cruise fare. (Offer is not valid for suites.)

* 50 percent off second guest offer: Book a selected six-, seven-, or 12-day Norwegian coastal voyage departing in May or September 2008 and receive 50 percent off for the second guest.

* Cruise-only offer: Book a selected six-, seven-, or 12-day Norwegian coastal voyage departing from May 20, 2008 to September 14, 2008, and save up to $1,000 per stateroom.

Please note that these offers cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions and that they're valid for new bookings only, made by April 30, 2008.

They're valid only for certain departure dates, and other restrictions may apply, so call Hurtigruten at 866/257-6104 for sailing dates and other details.

Photo from Hurtigruten.

12-day Holland America Mediterranean cruise for $999

2008-04-25T09:10:00.004-04:00

Vacations to Go is offering a 12-day Holland America Mediterranean cruise aboard the Zuiderdam next month for prices starting at $999 per person for an inside cabin, 70 percent off the brochure rates.

Oceanview and balcony rates both start at $1,599 for the cruise, while suites start at just $2,299 per person, all based on double occupancy. Savings on balcony staterooms and suites also approach 70 percent off brochure rates.

The cruise departs Barcelona on May 20, 2008, and ends in Venice on June 1, with stops in Monaco, Italy, Greece, and Croatia along the way. Highlights include chances to explore Florence, Rome, Olympia and Corfu Greece, and Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Rates quoted include port charges but not fuel surcharges or government taxes or fees.

The only way to get this deal is by calling Vacations to Go at 800/338-4962 and asking for Fast Deal #10584. For a cruise itinerary, click here.

Photo of Zuiderdam from Vacations to Go.

Win a free European river cruise from Vantage Travel

2008-04-22T16:19:00.012-04:00

By referring a friend or family member to Vantage Deluxe World Travel, you could win a free European river cruise for two with roundtrip airfare -- an $8,000 value per couple.

The prospective travelers you refer must be new to the Vantage mailing list, and each time one of them actually travels with Vantage, you'll receive a $150 per person credit toward your next Vantage trip, while the person you refer will receive a $50 to $100 credit off their trip.

Better yet, when you fill out this referral form, you'll automatically be entered in the drawing to win a "Castles Along the Rhine and Danube River Cruise" for two.

You need to fill out the form by May 5, 2008, to be eligible to win. Winners will be drawn at random on July 15, 2008.

Photo from Vantage Travel.

Uniworld has sale on November river cruises in Europe

2008-04-21T15:25:00.006-04:00

Uniworld Grand River Cruises has announced a "November to Remember" sale of several of its upcoming European river cruises this November. Cruises must be booked and deposits paid by April 30, 2008.

Passengers sailing in double occupancy can save up to $1,000 each on selected 12- to 14-night cruises and up to $500 each on selected seven-night cruises.

You can cruise the rivers Seine (from Paris through northern France), Danube (between Budapest and Vienna), or Rhine to Amsterdam through this offer. The longer cruises are combinations of two one-week cruises, so that you can sail both the Danube and Rhine, for instance.

For more information or bookings, go to the Uniworld website or call 800/868-7905 or a travel agent.

Photo from Uniworld.

easyCruise offers springtime special on Ionian Islands, Albania cruises

2008-04-15T15:44:00.009-04:00

easyCruise, the British-based Greek Islands cruising specialist, has announced discounts on its first cruises of the spring season on easyCruiseOne's new Ionian Sea itinerary, which visits a mix of Greek islands and includes a day in Albania to see Butrint, a World Heritage Site.

The cruises on April 29, May 12, and May 26, 2008, offer nine-, ten-, and 11-day itineraries, and start at 299 British pounds per person, or about $600 U.S. The per-person prices include accommodation in a twin outside cabin, five guided tours, and half-board meal plans with continental breakfast and either lunch or dinner.

Departures are from Marina Zea, near Athens, and make at least eight port stops; longer itineraries add two more.

Scheduling is different from the typical cruise ship. easyCruiseOne arrives at a new destination each day by lunchtime and doesn't leave again until early the following morning, so there's plenty of time to explore ports both by day and night.

The ship itself has a spa, sauna, hot tub, bar, restaurant, and sundeck.

For more information, visit the easyCruise website. For bookings, call a travel agent or easyCruise in the UK at 0871 210 0001 and quote "Ionian Offer." You can also call internationally at 30 211 211 6211.

easyCruiseOne photo from easyCruise.

Last-Minute Specials on Viking River Cruises

2008-04-11T15:21:00.007-04:00

May is just around the corner, and you could be spending part of it on a Viking River Cruises voyage in Europe or Russia, enjoying two-for-one discounts along the way. You can save up to $5,500 per stateroom, depending on your selection.

The offer applies to a number of Viking voyages during the month of May, and you must book and pay in full by one week from today, April 18. Prices are per person, double occupancy, and include port charges and surcharges as well as guided tours on land.

The two-for-one deals are being offered for the eight-day "Paris & the Heart of Normandy" cruise (Paris to Le Havre), the 13-day "Waterways of the Czars" cruise (Moscow to St. Petersburg), the 16-day "Eastern European Odyssey" (Bucharest to Nuremburg), the eight-day "Burgundy and Provence" cruise, and the 15-day "European Adventure" (Vienna to Amsterdam).

To take two examples: The eight-day "Paris & the Heart of Normandy" cruise has a May 4 departure with rates starting at $1,365, and a May 11 departure with rates starting at $1,615 for available cabins. The 13-day "Waterways of the Czars" cruise has a May 4 departure with rates starting at $1,648 for available cabins and $1,948 on its May 28 and May 31 departures.

A number of cabin categories are already sold out, so it's best to act ASAP to avoid being shut out.

For more information or bookings, go to the Viking website or call 877/668-4546 or a travel agent and ask for offer 22Echo.

Photo from Viking River Cruises.

Three days only: $1,000 shipboard credits on Regent

2008-04-09T14:16:00.008-04:00

Vacations To Go is offering $1,000 shipboard credits per cabin on a number of Regent cruises if you book between April 9-11 (some may be booked up to April 15). This is in addition to discounts ranging up to more than 40 percent off brochure prices on this luxury line.

You can choose among cruises in the Mediterranean and Tahiti, among others.

For instance, there's a one-week cruise departing June 7 from Athens to Monaco (Via Kusadasi, Turkey; Santorini, Greece; Taormina, Sicily; and two other stops in Italy aboard the Seven Seas Navigator. Suites start at $3,925 per person, 43 percent off the brochure rates; you'll also get the $1,000 per stateroom shipboard credit, which can be used for shore excursions, spa treatments, or other onboard purchases. Call 800/338-4962 by Friday April 11 and ask for Fast Deal #12619.

Or you might opt for a one-week cruise from Istanbul to Athens departing October 18 and stopping at several Greek islands as well as Kusadasi, aboard the Seven Seas Voyager. Prices for a suite or balcony stateroom start at $4,225 for this one, or 47 percent off brochure rates. To get the $1,000 shipboard credit, call 800/338-4962 by Friday April 11 and ask for Fast Deal #23342.

Prices are based on double occupancy and include port charges but not airfare or government taxes or fees.

Photo of Seven Seas Voyager from Regent Seven Seas cruises.

Win a "free cruise for life" on Imperial Majesty -- with conditions

2008-04-08T13:52:00.011-04:00

Imperial Majesty Cruise Line is offering a "free cruise for life" on the Regal Empress every six months to any passenger booking an Imperial Majesty cruise through the cruise line this month and sailing in April or May 2008.

Now, before you rush to book a cruise, consider this: the Regal Empress is expected to be retired within two years, so you might have time to take three or four more cruises "for life" at most. Some sailing dates are not eligible for this promotion. And -- this is a big "and" -- the passenger getting the free cruise(s) will have to sail with a full-fare paying passenger in a double occupancy cabin (two "free passengers" cannot sail together in the same cabin). Taxes, gratuities and possible fuel surcharges will be extra for both.

Also keep in mind that these are two-night cruises, traveling roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Nassau, Bahamas, and normally cost from $129 to $469 per person, depending on cabin type. If you qualify for a free cruise "for life," the additional cruises would be in the same type of cabin you pay for originally.

If you're still interested, you can get more information or bookings through the line's website, or call 954/453-4625.

Photo from Imperial Majesty Cruise Line.

MSC offers free oceanview upgrades on Lirica sailings to Caribbean

2008-04-07T09:58:00.008-04:00

MSC Cruises is offering free upgrades from interior cabins to oceanview cabins for all its 2008-2009 sailings to the Caribbean aboard the MSC Lirica.

The free upgrades represent a savings of up to 52 percent over brochure rates. Prices for seven-night roundtrip Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale start at $629 per passenger, double occupancy, while rates for 10-night Caribbean voyages start at $879.

You must make reservations by June 10, 2008, by placing a deposit of $100 per person.

Children aged 17 and younger sail free when sharing a room with two full-paying adults. Government taxes and fees are additional for all persons, however, as are fuel surcharges for the first two passengers in a cabin.

For more information or bookings, go to the MSC website or call 800/666-9333 or a travel agent.

MSC Lirica photo from MSC Cruises.

Cross the Atlantic ten days from now with Fred. Olsen for 75 percent off

2008-04-04T09:18:00.014-04:00

Vacations to Go is offering cabins on Fred. Olsen Cruise Line's Balmoral 17-day transatlantic crossing departing April 14 from Miami to Rome for prices starting at $1,065 per person, double occupancy -- 75 percent off the brochure price.

Or, you could opt for an oceanview cabin for $1,325 per person or a balcony cabin or suite for just $1,700 per person -- all are 75 percent off the brochure prices.

And if you book right away, you may be eligible for a shipboard credit of $360 for the suite and balcony categories, $270 for the oceanview categories, or $180 for inside categories.

The Balmoral will make port stops in Port Canaveral, Florida, and Nassau, Bahamas, before beginning its ocean voyage; it will then stop in the Azores and Madeira before making two stops in Spain and terminating in Civitavecchia, the port of Rome, on May 1.

I was on the Balmoral in the Caribbean last month and found this British ship to have a most enjoyable and comfortable low-key atmosphere, with excellent food, roomy cabins, and well equipped public spaces -- a nice venue for a leisurely repositioning cruise.

The above prices include port charges and government taxes; airfare is extra. All passengers are required to purchase travel insurance, either from the cruise line or an independent vendor. Prices require payment in fall within 24 hours of booking.

For bookings or more information, click here or call 800/338-4962; ask for Fast Deal #17683.

Photo by Peter Knego.

French Country Waterways offers special on Burgundy barge cruises

2008-04-03T09:29:00.010-04:00

On March 11, we posted an item about French Country Waterways' 30 percent discounts on its luxury Princess barge cruises through Alsace-Lorraine this summer.

Now, French Country Waterways has announced 43 percent savings on its six-night luxury barge cruises aboard the 18-passenger Esprit through the Burgundy wine region in July and August. Rates are now $2,995 per person, compared to the brochure rate of $5,295. The Esprit's route follows narrow canals and the Saone river between St. Leger-sur-Dheune and Dijon.

The barge line is also offering 30 percent off its Champagne region six-night barge cruise aboard the 12-passenger Adrienne on July 6, which is now priced at $4,495 per passenger; the rate includes a night's stay at Paris' Hotel Raphael. The Adrienne's route follows the River Marne and Canal de l'Aisne a la Marne.

Rates include meals aboard as well as at Michelin-starred restaurants, and wine and cheese tastings along the way. They also include sightseeing excursions along the route.

For more information or bookings, visit the French Country Waterways website or call 800/222-1236.

Photo from French Country Waterways.

Holland America's three-day sale includes $59 cruise

2008-04-02T15:38:00.004-04:00

OK, that got your attention!

The $59 cruise is, admittedly, for an inside cabin on a one-day cruise from Vancouver to Seattle, but if you're looking to test the waters as a first-time cruiser, or maybe check out the Holland America experience, it could be just the thing.

You can try this cruise either April 22, aboard the Zaandam, or May 15, aboard the Amsterdam. You might even want to splurge on a verandah suite starting at $99 per person, to see how the upper crust lives if you've never tried it.

The Holland America three-day sale (from April 2-4) applies to HAL's destinations around the world, from Alaska to the Caribbean, Australia/NewZealand to the Panama Canal, the Mexican Riviera to Europe. Alaska cruises for 2008 start at $649 during the sale and Europe cruises at $1,199.

Here's a sale item that caught my eye, for those who can leave in just three weeks: an 18-day Japan, Eastern Russia and Alaska Statendam cruise from Kobe, Japan, to Vancouver embarking on April 23, for a starting price of $1,299.

A fuel supplement of $5 per passenger per day (maximum $70) applies to all offers, and some taxes are additional.

For more information or bookings, go to the Holland Amerca website or call 877/724-5425 or a travel agent.

Photo from Holland America.

Last-minute 16-day Transatlantic cruise on Princess from $799

2008-04-02T14:25:00.009-04:00

Princess Cruises has just announced a boom-boom special on a 16-day Transatlantic-Mediterranean cruise departing Fort Lauderdale on April 14 for prices starting at $799 for an inside cabin, double occupancy. Balcony fares start at $1,399, and there's an optional air add-on of $999 from a number of U.S. gateways.

Yes, that's $50 per person per day for the cruise itself if you take an inside cabin.

Not only will you enjoy several days at sea crossing the Atlantic, but this Emerald Princess repositioning cruise has an excellent selection of ports of call, stopping in Funchal, Madeira; Cadiz (Seville), Spain; Gibraltar; Cagliari, Sardinia; Civitavecchia (Rome) and Livorno (Florence, Pisa), Italy; Marseilles, France; and ending in Barcelona, Spain.

A bonus: Princess is including the $70 per passenger fuel supplement in the fare. However, government taxes and fees of $146 per person are extra. The offer is for new bookings only, and for residents of the U.S. and Canada.

For more information or bookings, call 800/774-6237 or a travel agent and ask for promo code UEC. With departure less than two weeks away, you'll need to call ASAP.

Emerald Princess photo from Princess Cruises.

Free air and early-booking discounts on two Voyages of Discovery Antarctic cruises

2008-04-01T09:49:00.012-04:00

You can get free roundtrip airfare from any of six North American gateways (or greatly reduced airfare from several others) as well as up to 35 percent early-booking discounts for two lengthy Voyages of Discovery Antarctic cruises this coming November and December.

The first is the November 13, 2008, 38-night "Voyage to Antarctica" from Lisbon to Buenos Aires, which starts at $8,395 per person in double occupancy. The second is the December 3, 2008, 18-night "Antarctica and the Falkland Islands," roundtrip from Buenos Aires, which starts at $5,550 per person. These trips include landings and Zodiac expeditions in Antarctica.

The cruise line is also offering free air and two-for-one fares on a 24-night transatlantic repositioning cruise tour from Lisbon to Buenos Aires in November (the first part of the November Antarctic cruise, without the Antarctic). Fares on this one start at $6,995 for the first passenger; the second passenger in double occupancy pays only $295 port charges. That's $3645 per person, or a little over $150 per day per passenger, including airfare.

All cruises are on the line's Discovery expedition-style ship; Antarctic cruises include a staff of scientists and researchers who present lectures and lead shore excursions.

For more information or bookings, go to the Voyages of Discovery website or call 866/623-2689.
Photo from Voyages of Discovery.

18-night S. America-Panama Canal cruise for $400? It's a Norwegian Dream price

2008-03-28T10:48:00.009-04:00

This sounds like a typo, but Cruises Only is advertising an 18-night cruise from Santiago, Chile, to Boston next month for the ridiculously low starting prices of $399 and $449 per passenger double occupancy in an interior or oceanview cabin, respectively, aboard NCL's Norwegian Dream.

That's at least 75 percent off brochure prices and an unbelievable $22-$25 per night -- cheaper than staying home! And no, you don't have to ride in a lifeboat (though that may have an ocean view), nor will you have to eat in the kitchen or wash dishes. It includes all the usual cabin, meals, ocean transport, onboard entertainment, and port charges.

It does not include airfare, shore excursions, or government taxes and fees ranging from $5 to $150 per person (at these prices, you can probably spring for that).

The itinerary stretches from April 13 to May 1, 2008, and includes several port stops in Chile before stopping in Peru and crossing through the Panama Canal on its way to Costa Rica, Key West, and Boston.

For more information or bookings, click here or call 800/278-4737, ASAP.

Photo from Norwegian Cruise Line.

Short-time worldwide sale from Viking River Cruises

2008-03-27T09:45:00.007-04:00

Viking River Cruises is offering specials until the end of this month on upcoming river cruises in Europe, China, and Russia.

Here are some of the deals:

* Choose between $199 roundtrip airfare from the U.S. or $1,000 per stateroom savings on two China cruisetours.

* Choose between $495 roundtrip airfare from the U.S. or up to $1,000 per cabin on three Russia itineraries.

* Discounts of up to $1,000 per cabin on a variety of European river cruises (including Vienna to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Basel, Paris to Prague, Amsterdam to Budapest, and eight more).

The fine print: You must book by 8 pm PST Monday March 31, and you must pay in full at time of booking. A "foreign currency surcharge" ranging from $35 to $100 will be added depending on length of the cruise; however, prices include port charges and fuel surcharges.

To book or for more information, click here or call 800/304-9616 or a travel agent. It's a good idea to ask for the specific offer code you're interested in, so go to the Viking website and look for it under "Specials and Promotions."

Photo from Viking River Cruises.

Final Carnival "Funtennial" offers: free upgrades, reduced rates

2008-03-26T15:36:00.011-04:00

Carnival's month-long "Funtennial" is coming to an end on March 31, but you can still capitalize over the next few days.

The current offer is a free cabin upgrade for virtually any 2008 Carnival cruise that you book by the end of this month; just exactly what upgrade you receive depends on current availability and which sailing you choose.

And there's a bonus offer as well: reduced rates (as low as $99) for the third and fourth passengers in a cabin on cruises from September-December 15, 2008.

These offers expire at midnight EST on Monday, March 31. For the free upgrade, ask for fare code CPF4; for the third and fourth passenger deals, ask for fare code CP45.

To book or for more information on Carnival, click here for the Carnival website or call 888/CARNIVAL or a travel agent.

For our earlier item on how to win a free Carnival cruise this month, click here.

Photo from Carnival Cruise Lines.

Cruise the Americas with Holland America for $115 a day, including air

2008-03-26T10:34:00.003-04:00

Holland America Line has a special offer on a 22-day cruise from San Diego, California, to Santiago, Chile, for prices starting at $2,499 per passenger for an inside cabin -- including airfare to and from a number of U.S. gateways.

The ms Amsterdam cruise departs from San Diego on November 23, 2008, and visits several ports in Mexico as well as Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, and Peru before making three stops in Chile.

While I don't usually recommend getting airfare from your cruise line, it can make sense on a one-way cruise since flying one way to San Diego and then flying home from Santiago could get very pricey. Without the airfare included, Holland America is pricing the same cruise on its website for $1,708 and up. If you can match or beat an $800 airfare expenditure by arranging it on your own -- for example, if you live in or near San Diego -- go for it, because you'll be able to make your own choices of schedules.

The cruise and air option does have one additional advantage: the $70 per passenger fuel supplement is included in the price, whereas it's extra if you book the cruise only. Some taxes, however, are additional for both.

For more information or bookings, click here for Holland America's website or call 877/724-5425 or a travel agent.

Photo of ms Amsterdam from Holland America.

Cruise Fiji with Blue Lagoon's two-cabin family specials

2008-03-25T10:06:00.009-04:00

Fiji's Blue Lagoon Cruises is offering special rates for families -- two adults and up to three children 15 years and under sharing their own cabin -- for various three-, four-, and seven-day cruises through these magical Pacific islands.

Family prices for two cabins start at around $1375 U.S. ($1515 AUD) for the three-day Yasawa Islands 'Club' Cruise, which goes roundtrip from Lautoka, Fiji, to the Yasawas, where you can swim, snorkel over a coral reef, visit a traditional Fijian village, and enjoy traditional island cuisine and entertainment onboard or on the beach. Cruising time averages four hours per day.

The special prices are available from now through March 31, 2009, and include all school holiday periods. Prices do not include international airfare or most beverages, but do include cabins, all meals, and cruise and cultural activities (scuba diving is extra).

For more information or bookings, click here for the Blue Lagoon website. In North America, you can call toll free 877/252-3454; or e-mail the Australian office (Courtney@bluelagooncruises.com) or reservations@blc.com.fj in Fiji.

Photo from Blue Lagoon Cruises.

Live it up on Regent in Tahiti with $1,000 shipboard credit

2008-03-24T16:48:00.011-04:00

Vacations To Go, the online cruise discounter, is offering an 11-day luxury Regent Seven Seas cruise through French Polynesia for $3,680 per passenger for an oceanview cabin on the Paul Gauguin. That's a 33 percent discount from the brochure price. And if you book by March 31, you'll get a $1,000 onboard credit.

The cruise departs from Papeete, Tahiti, on August 16, 2008, and stops at Rangiroa, Bora Bora, and two stops in the Marquesas, among others.

For more information or to book, call Vacations To Go at 800/338-4962 and ask for Fast Deal #23239 or click here.

Another thing to note for Regent cruisers: If you book a 2009 cruise by March 31, you can avoid the line's planned fuel surcharge of $7.50 per passenger per day next year.

Photo courtesy of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Prices slashed by a third on special Danube river cruise

2008-03-21T11:41:00.012-04:00

General Tours World Traveler has just announced price reductions of $2,500 to $2,700 per couple on a special eight-day Danube sailing this September aboard the luxury river cruise ship MV Mozart, a Peter Deilmann ship.

The September 14-21, 2008, itinerary takes passengers from Passau, Germany, into Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia. The cruise includes specially arranged shore excursions in every port, private receptions, exclusive concerts -- including a private concert by the Vienna Boys Choir --and specially arranged shipboard parties.

Cruise fares have been cut from $3,999 to $2,749 per person, double occupancy for Main Deck outside staterooms, while Upper Deck staterooms have been reduced from $4,899 to $3,549. Fares include meals, unlimited wine with dinner, transfers, shore excursions, private events, and port and fuel charges.

For more information, click here or call 800/221-2216.

MV Mozart photo from Peter Deilmann Cruises.

Save 50 percent on companion fare for Hurtigruten world cruise

2008-03-19T10:52:00.010-04:00

Hurtigruten is offering half off a companion fare when you book its fall 2008 Arctic-to-Antarctic World Cruise Voyage by the end of this month (March 31, 2008).

This is its second annual north-south world cruise, a 66-night voyage on the MS Fram -- the newest expedition ship in the Hurtigruten fleet -- that you'll find on no other line. The cruise starts in September 2008 and features 44 port calls in 17 countries, embarking from Iceland and ending in Argentina after visiting Antarctica.

The offer also applies to booking selected segments of the cruise from Rejkavik and New York. Both offers apply to new bookings only.

To be sure, the entire 66-night cruise is expensive, with cabins starting at around $14,000 per person, double occupancy for an inside cabin. But the other way to look at it is that you could save $7,000 for your companion by booking in the next two weeks. That's a bit over $300 per day for two people on what could be the most memorable cruise of your life.

For more information or bookings, visit the Hurtigruten website or call 866/257-6104 or a travel agent.

Photo of MS Fram from Hurtigruten.

A chance to win a free cruise by visiting MSC Orchestra website

2008-03-18T15:25:00.015-04:00

MSC Cruises is luring visitors to a new website celebrating one of the newest ships in its fleet, the MSC Orchestra, by offering chances to win a free cruise through the month of May.

It's easy: all you have to do is go to http://www.theorchestraiscomingtotown.com/ -- and yes, it's such a mouthful that even MSC misspelled it in their official contest rules -- fill out a short form the first time you enter, and click to see if you're an instant winner.

Some losing entrants will be given a chance for special offers, such as free upgrades, but the main incentive is the free week-long Caribbean cruise for two aboard the Orchestra in the winter of 2009. The 2,550-passenger Orchestra debuted in 2007 and will arrive in Fort Lauderdale for Caribbean cruising in early January 2009 and stay until early May 2009. Value of the cruise for two is $2,500.

You can enter once a day every day until May 31 if you wish, and you only have to fill out the form once. Only U.S. residents are eligible, and you must pay for your own transportation to Fort Lauderdale and some government fees if you wish to take the cruise.

Orchestra photo from MSC Cruises.

Aboard Fred. Olsen's Balmoral cruise, port stop: Antigua

2008-03-17T11:58:00.026-04:00

Our story so far, as chronicled in Smarter Cruising on March 12-14:

I'm aboard the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' newest ship, the Balmoral, on its maiden voyage out of Miami into the Eastern Caribbean. Previous port stops have included Grand Turk, St. Bart's, and St. Maarten, along with two full days at sea. Fred. Olsen is a longtime, well-respected British cruise line with a fleet of five ships, and is starting to acquire greater name recognition in the U.S. High points on the Balmoral have included great food, lots of deck space, and a friendly, low-key atmosphere.

The Balmoral arrived in St. John's, Antigua, at 8 a.m. March 8 and tied up at Heritage Pier, a short walk from town.

I wanted to get out for an early walk since I had to fly back to the U.S. that afternoon (after an all-day stop in Antigua, the Balmoral and most of the rest of its passengers would continue on to St. Kitts and Tortola before returning to Miami in a few days). I was off the ship before 9 despite feeling a bit woozy that morning. Having to dodge a number of zealous taxi drivers offering rides around the island didn't help my equilibrium, but I was able to have a look around St. John's before heading back to the ship for final packing. (The only advantage to leaving a ship before the end of the cruise is a more leisurely, less crowded disembarkation.)

While the area near the pier is fairly colorful and seemed a bit more authentic than your typical cruise ship pier shopping complex, I can't promise you great things from St. John's, which overall seemed a bit shabby. Its major landmark, the twin-spired Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Divine, which dominates the city from a hilltop, is in severe need of a landscaping makeover.

My suggestion is to take a look around on foot and then head for one of the island's 365 beaches (whether this number is entirely accurate, I can't say, but it does make for a great tourist slogan: "a beach for every day of the year"). There's not much in the way of public transportation so you may want to make a taxi driver's day and hire him for the trip.

I got to see a fair amount of Antigua's coastline on the ride to the airport in early afternoon, and it does appear to be a lovely island, though one with a good deal of development (Barbuda, which together with Antigua make up the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, is more pristine). No less a celebrity than Eric Clapton maintains a home here, though I must add that he also has a house in Columbus, Ohio, so we may have reason to question Eric's taste. (That gratuitous slam at Columbus was brought to you by a University of Michigan grad -- Go Blue!).

But I digress. En route to the airport the group of travel writers I was with stopped at a very scenic local resort for lunch, complete with views of the turquoise Caribbean and a menu that could have been out of a, well, Columbus, Ohio, diner: burgers, hot dogs, fries. Most people opted for the one interesting-sounding item, curried chicken, and liked it. I was still feeling woozy or worse and the owner, taking pity, brought me a delicious pumpkin soup, not on the menu. But where was the grilled fish? Still swimming in the Caribbean, I guess.

Antigua has a beautiful little airport, and after forfeiting my half-finished bottle of water to airport security, which I'm sure made everyone feel safer, I was winging my way to San Juan and later to cold, grim Newark, New Jersey, and then into New York City.

Starting next fall, the Fred. Olsen line will begin Caribbean sailings out of Miami aboard the Balmoral's sister ship, the Braemar, which carries between 700 and 800 passengers. As did the Balmoral last fall, the Braemar will be undergoing a lengthening and refurbishment, adding more cabins with balconies and an English-style pub.

Meanwhile, the Balmoral will return to Europe and other destinations for the near future.

To check out all that Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has to offer, go to its website here or call 800/843-0620 in the U.S. or 44 (0) 1473 746175 in the UK.

Photos courtesy of Peter Knego.

Aboard Fred. Olsen's Balmoral cruise, port stops: St. Bart's, St. Maarten

2008-03-14T11:47:00.023-04:00

In yesterday's post, I talked about the port of Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the first stop on my Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Fred. Olsen ship Balmoral.

Those of you following this saga know that Fred. Olsen is a British line with a predominately British clientele that is now trying to lure a greater number of North American passengers, especially for its remaining three Balmoral departures from Miami this spring and aboard another ship in its line scheduled for winter 2008-09. (You can find the Balmoral in the Mediterranean, Baltic, and British Isles this summer.)

Like any cruise line, Fred. Olsen isn't right for everyone -- nor does it try to compete with American mega-ships. For instance, two of the big sporting activities aboard the Balmoral last week were carpet putting and carpet bowling, which don't exactly rank with waterslides and climbing walls on the action meter. And though there are a few gaming tables, there's no casino with whirring shot machines and flashy lights.

You will find two decent-sized swimming pools, some hot tubs, a spa and gym, quite a lot of deck space (though often not enough unoccupied deck chairs, it seems -- the Brits love to linger in the noonday sun), a number of bars and restaurants, various music and show venues, a well-stocked library, and some lectures and quiz games thrown in for good measure.

On my Balmoral cruise, service was generally helpful and friendly, despite a few housekeeping glitches -- though this was only the Balmoral's second cruise under the Fred. Olsen banner, so I didn't necessarily expect all the rough edges to be smoothed.

One fellow American onboard requested ice the first night of the cruise -- and after that, it appeared in her cabin regularly every day. My guess is that ice (whether in cabins or cocktails) will become a regular feature on Fred. Olsen cruises leaving out of Miami, especially if their North American passenger base grows as they hope.

Overall, I give the Fred. Olsen line high marks, and the shipboard ambiance and top-quality cuisine alone would draw me back in a moment.

Now, on to St. Bart's. Because we had to skip the scheduled port stop in the Dominican Republic due to high winds, we spent a full day at sea before reaching St. Bart's early on the morning of March 7. The port of Gustavia requires being tendered in from larger ships, so we dropped anchor away from the inner harbor and were crammed into smallish boats each seating 90 passengers or so to make the 15-minute trip into town.

I was on the second tender (leaving right after those taking scheduled tours), which started filling around 8:40 in the morning and arrived at the pier around 9 a.m., with instructions to return on or before the last tender at 1:15 p.m. (Originally we had been scheduled to arrive in St. Bart's in mid-afternoon and to leave around 11 p.m.)

With just a few hours in port, I decided not to try to explore the island beyond the town of Gustavia, though a few passengers were renting cars or scooters to do just that.

My purpose was two-fold: to see the town and then find the town beach.

Set against a backdrop of lush green hills, with curving roads leading up provocatively to other regions of this small French island, Gustavia would have felt at home on the Riviera. The main streets along the harbor were lined with sidewalk cafes and bistros and residents carried bagfuls of baguettes brought fresh from the bakeries.

Prices, listed in Euros, were daunting, especially with the brutal exchange rate currently depressing the value of U.S. dollars. If one were inclined to sip a cafe creme at a sidewalk bistro overlooking the lovely harbor -- and many brave or foolhardy passengers were -- you would have to pay $6 per cup or so for the experience. My advice: sip slowly.

I kept walking, past enormous yachts tied up in the harbor, a variety of boutiques and other shops, a church or two, and some schools where uniformed children marched hand in hand on their way to class. Eventually I made my way to Shell Beach, tucked a bit out of view just beyond a pre-school on the south side of town. It was small, gorgeously situated against cacti- and shrub-lined hills, and led to water of an alluring shade of blue as it lapped the sands that were strewn with tiny shells.

And for the next two hours, I swam, sunned, and watched the beach slowly fill with ever-more cruise-ship passengers and a smattering of locals. An open-air restaurant beckoned at one end, until the 25-Euro ($38) plates of fish convinced me I should return to the ship for lunch.

But, as it turns out, I was in for a long wait. At noon, the line for the tenders was half a city block long, 45 minutes in the hot sun. Because of windy conditions, it turned out, the ship could only offload passengers onto one side of the ship, thus cutting the number of tender runs in half. The tenders had to keep running till well after 2 p.m. and the ship's departure was delayed for an hour and a half or so.

Those weather-related things happen on cruises; it comes with the territory. And I was soothed by one of the best lunches of the week when I did get back to the ship: lamb skewers, blue mussel soup, chicken tikka, and pannacotta with raspberry sauce. I ordered off the menu in the smallish 10th-deck Spey restaurant, with its huge windows overlooking the sea, but could have also hit the buffet there for more mussels, shrimp, you name it -- what a feast.

Instead, in the interests of staying awake, I headed for a deck chair and watched the remaining tenders come in until we finally were able to sail off for St. Maarten, already visible in the distance.

While I had previously been to St. Martin -- the French side of that divided island -- I had never been to the Dutch side, St. Maarten. Since I was scheduled to go for an early dinner with several other cruise writers, I waited until then (about 6:30 p.m.) to venture into the port of Phillipsburg. Altogether, we were docked from about 5 p.m. until 11 that night.

Like so many Caribbean ports, the end of the cruise ship pier here leads to a newish and somewhat garish shopping complex, which I skipped entirely en route to the small bus that was taking us into town. It was just a few minutes until we reached the neon-light casinos that Phillipsburg is known for, and a few minutes beyond that when we were left off in front of a noisy, crowded area near the waterfront that was hopping with activity.

It turned out that this was the weekend of the big Heineken Regatta, and all kinds of special tents had been erected along the waterfront where musicians played, young women in "Fun Crew" T-shirts sold Heineken, and restaurants buzzed with activity. We headed into one with outdoor seating that was packed with mostly young people chugging away at beers and margaritas and downing large plates of baby back ribs.

I suspect the ribs weren't the most authentic in local cuisine, but they looked good and just about everyone at our table ordered them, along with some conch fritters and fried calamari to start. The beer flowed, the music blared in the background, the Friday-night partiers streamed by, and everyone had a blast. Or at least I think they did, because I could barely hear a word anyone was saying.

And I have no idea what Phillipsburg is actually like under normal circumstances, assuming these weren't it. After dinner we all piled back into our small bus and returned to the ship, where a young Filipina singer was belting out modern classics on the Lido deck, aft. Knowing I had to leave the ship the next morning, I lingered outside for hours.

Next up: Antigua.

Balmoral and St. Bart's photos by Peter Knego.

Aboard the Fred. Olsen cruise ship Balmoral, port stop: Grand Turk

2008-03-13T14:59:00.031-04:00

In yesterday's blog post, I talked about the new Fred. Olsen cruise ship, Balmoral, which carried me and some 1,300 other passengers to the Eastern Caribbean out of Miami last week, the first U.S. embarkation port for this well-respected British cruise line.

It was a nice itinerary, even though high winds forced us to skip over a planned stop in Samana, Dominican Republic, which to my mind is the most beautiful (yet often overlooked) corner of that country. (To buy one of my co-authored guidebooks to the DR, the Dominican Republic Adventure Guide or Dominican Republic Pocket Adventures, both from Hunter Publishing, click here.)

After a full day at sea out of Miami, our first port stop was Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands, just south of The Bahamas.

Since Carnival built a shiny new cruise center at the end of the pier there two years ago, Grand Turk has become an increasingly hot cruise destination and tourism has taken over as the top industry. The Turks and Caicos are surrounded by an extensive coral reef system and are known for fine diving, snorkeling, and swimming at some 230 miles of beaches across the chain.

Grand Turk is one of 40 islands in the Turks and Caicos, part of the British West Indies. (Incidentally, the name "Turks" comes from a local type of cactus whose tops resemble old-style Turkish headdresses -- a bit of trivia I learned on this trip.) Eight of the islands are inhabited, with a total population of about 36,000 people.

We were cleared to go ashore around 11 a.m., a bit late due to the aforementioned high winds. I was signed up for an early afternoon island tour, but first wandered around the new Grand Turk Cruise Center, a neat-as-a-pin complex of shops with a stretch of sandy beach (and free beach chairs!), a big resort-style swimming pool area, and the obligatory Margaritaville, the Jimmy Buffett-themed bar/restaurant chain. Antiseptic places like this shopping complex bore me to tears, but I realize I'm probably a minority on that score. The beach filled up fast with fellow passengers, as did the shops and Margaritaville, and Jimmy's canned voice ("wasting away again in...") blasted over a loudspeaker.

I was more anxious to see something of the island since it was my first visit here, which made it all the more frustrating when my "safari" tour was postponed for more than an hour -- one reason why I usually avoid group tours of this sort. But in this case, the wait was worth it.

With a dozen people packed into the back of an open-air four-wheel-drive vehicle painted with zebra stripes ("safari," remember?), Vic, our Chukka Caribbean Adventures driver headed off toward Cockburn Town, the Turks and Caicos' administrative capital. (If you aren't on a tour, you can catch a taxi there -- U.S. dollars accepted -- or walk from the pier in around a half hour.)

While I had overheard someone on the ship counseling "Don't bother to go into town," I found it quite charming. It's true that it is small, quiet, low-key, and mostly devoid of shops and commercialism, but it had colorful Bermuda-style houses and a few inviting-looking inns, and the main street overlooked the sea and a sandy ribbon of beach. Columbus famously landed here and the seafront is a national park.

We passed the only fast food place on the island, a joint called "Nookie Pookie Pizza," rumored to serve some of the worst pizza south of Florida -- or anywhere else for that matter.

Our one stop in town was to tour the historic Her Majesty's Prison, dating from 1830, when there were just three cell blocks. Since there wasn't much crime, the cells were often taken up with minor offenders, such as heavy drinkers and -- this is true -- annoying kite flyers. Shut down in 1994, it's now a tourist attraction, complete with gift shop filled with cell-bar-themed T-shirts.

By the way, as our guide Vic pointed out, there still isn't much crime on the islands. For instance, no one steals cars because there's no place to go once you steal them. (But watch out for those dastardly kite-flyers!) However, they have built a brand-new prison just in case.

Then it was off to the "bush," or whatever they call the hinterlands on Grand Turk. (I'm trying to keep to the safari theme here.) Perhaps the most interesting sight of the entire tour was the parade of wild horses, donkeys, and cows sauntering up to the island's one fresh-water pond for a drink. The animals all technically belong to the government but roam freely. Vic pointed out the "zebra without stripes" (donkey), a joke that fell as flat as the local landscape.

As a whole, Grand Turk is, well, flat as a flounder and lacks the kind of lush scenery and greenery you find on many other Caribbean islands (though it's not as desert-like as, say, Curacao). In fact, no crops of any kind grow here -- the soil is too salty. So all island food has to be imported. And you know what that means -- prices go up at Nookie Pookie Pizza. Even salt must be imported because they've given up on farming the local salt ponds, which look somewhat forlorn.

To justify the use of the four-wheel-drive vehicle, we took off over some dunes at one point along an incredibly rutted path that had everyone wishing they hadn't drunk so much bottled water. And to fully justify calling this an adventure tour, Vic drove backwards for what seemed like a quarter mile, before stopping at the foot of a place called Gun Hill. The second highest point on the island -- it must have been all of 30 feet above sea level -- it was a one-time lookout where the British watched intently for the invading French, who never arrived (perhaps put off by the prospect of Nookie Pookie Pizza for dinner). Or maybe the French did invade and the Brits were at tea. Whatever.

The last stop was Governor's Beach, said to be the most beautiful stretch of sand on the island. While it doesn't rank with the best in the Caribbean by any means, the water was crystal clear, aquamarine, and refreshing for a quick dip, all I could ask after our "adventurous" safari tour. Vic ladeled out some rum punch and before we knew it, we were back at the Cruise Center, ready to shop -- or, in my case, drop....in for tea on the ship.

In sum, I'd say Grand Turk is low-key, safe, clean, and perhaps more interesting underwater than above, but still mostly untouched and unspoiled by mass tourism. And for that, I'd gladly go back.

Next up: Gustavia, St. Bart's; and Phillipsburg, St. Maarten.

Balmoral photos courtesy of Peter Knego.

Cruising the Caribbean aboard the Fred. Olsen Balmoral

2008-03-12T15:07:00.012-04:00

I've just returned from a Caribbean cruise on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' newest ship, the 1340-passenger Balmoral.

Sailing roundtrip from Miami on March 3, the cruise was the first Fred. Olsen voyage from an American port. For those of you who aren't familiar with this British-based cruise line, I strongly recommend you check out their website and future offerings.

The Balmoral -- previously the Norwegian Crown when it was owned by NCL, and recently lengthened and refurbished after joining the Fred. Olsen fleet -- is a beautiful ship, dating from 1988. I was especially impressed by the five-tier aft deck space and the wraparound promenade deck that calls out to daytime power-walkers and moonlight strollers.

Forget stereotypes about British food: the Balmoral's shipboard cuisine is first rate, with inventive dishes spanning the Continent and the Caribbean, and outstanding ambiance in its three dining rooms (one grand and two more intimate, and none requiring a special supplement). How about a four-course meal of Jamaican aubergine (eggplant) fritters, mussel soup, chicken tikka with coriander-yogurt dressing, and pannacotta in raspberry sauce? (and that's just for lunch).

There's also a casual cafe that features buffets, as well as a number of bars and lounges. My favorite was the Observatory Lounge on Deck 11, great for sunset cocktails and munchies including my new favorite: Twiglets, a British pretzel-like snack that is something of an acquired taste. I acquired it so rapidly the bar ran out.

I also liked the low-key atmosphere: loudspeaker announcements were limited to a couple a day by the captain and one or two by the cruise director to let passengers know when we had been cleared to enter port. Entertainment was provided mainly by the Music of your Life at Sea crew, featuring Buddy Morrow and The Dorsey Seven (descendants of the Tommy Dorsey orchestra) and a variety of musicians and vocalists performing longtime standards.

Cabins were comfortable with plenty of storage space, flat-screen TVs (BBC and a free movie channel) and little British touches like trays stocked with tea bags, cups, and water heaters. A nice feature is that the Balmoral has about 70 single cabins, so if you are traveling solo, ask about landing one of those.

Because it sailed from Miami, this Fred. Olsen cruise drew a larger American clientele than typical for the line: about 170 out of 1,340 or so aboard -- nearly all the rest were British, though an occasional smattering of French, German, Spanish, and Swedish could be heard in the dining rooms. I found it a great way to get to know people from across the pond, and several English couples told me they enjoyed getting to know some of the "colonists."

For formal night, I almost felt underdressed in my dark suit and tie; virtually all the British men onboard were decked out in tuxes or white dinner jackets, and a Scotsman or two were resplendent in kilts (watch out for that breeze on deck!). While most passengers were of an age to appreciate the brand of music being featured in the lounges and show rooms, there were enough younger people on board to make a nice mix. (Virtually no children, though: families tend to take Fred. Olsen cruises only during school holidays.)

Starting tomorrow, I'll chronicle our day-to-day itinerary that took us to an interesting variety of ports: Grand Turk; Gustavia, St. Bart's; Phillipsburg, St. Maarten; and St. John's, Antigua. (I had to leave the ship in Antigua, but most of the rest of the lucky passengers got to continue to St. Kitts and Tortola before returning to Miami.) St. Maarten was a last-minute addition to the itinerary, since we weren't able to safely stop in Samana, Dominican Republic (due to high winds; it's a tender port).

The Balmoral has three more departures from Miami this month and next: a 10-night Caribbean cruise embarking March 24 (with prices starting at $840 per passenger, double occupancy); an 11-night Caribbean cruise departing April 3 (with prices starting at $720); and a 17-night repositioning cruise to Rome departing April 14, with prices starting at $1145.

The ship won't be returning to Miami next season, but another ship in the Fred. Olsen fleet will. I'll talk more about that in a later post.

Balmoral photos courtesy of Peter Knego. Click here to read about Peter's experience aboard the Balmoral.

Book a Carnival cruise this month, win another free one

2008-03-11T13:56:00.006-04:00

For the entire month of March, Carnival Cruise Lines is enticing prospective passengers to book a cruise during the line's "Funtennial Celebration" with a chance to win a free cruise for two.

And not in an inside cabin, either -- the winners will get to cruise in the Owner's Suite aboard either the Carnival Inspiration or Carnival Imagination.

All you have to do is book a Carnival cruise and you'll automatically be entered in the contest. Or, click here to go to the Carnival website -- and to enter the contest without booking a cruise (you do have to fill out a questionnaire).

Also during the March "Funtennial," Carnival is offering weekly specials. This week, you can save from $100 to $300 per stateroom on select three- to seven-day sailings between June and August 2008, depending on length of cruise and number of passengers in a cabin. The offer expires at midnight EST on Friday March 14.

To book or get more information on this week's specials, call Carnival at 888/CARNIVAL or go to the Carnival website and request fare code CPF2 or CP43 depending on the number of passengers.

There will be new specials each of the last two weeks of March.

Photo from Carnival Cruise Lines.

Barge through Alsace-Lorraine this summer with 30 percent discount

2008-03-11T10:34:00.006-04:00

French Country Waterways is offering 30 percent savings on its nine luxury barge tours in Alsace-Lorraine during the months of July and August, 2008.

Normal per-passengers fares of $6,095 to $6,795 have been reduced to special rates of $4,500 to $4,700 for that time period.

The leisurely six-day barge cruises aboard the barge Princess travel the Canal de la Marne au Rhin between Nancy and Hochfelden in Alsace-Lorraine, with a stop in the city of Strasbourg and views of medieval villages, forests, fields, pasturelands, and vineyards along the way.

The barge carries only eight passengers maximum in four suites.

For more information or bookings, visit the French Country Waterways website or call 800/222-1236 or 781/934-2454 (in Massachusetts) or e-mail admin@fcwl.com.

Photo of the Princess from French Country Waterways.

Final day to name new ships, win a cruise

2008-02-29T13:05:00.008-05:00

USAToday.com's Name That Ship contest, which we wrote about here last month, is in its final day today.

For all the details and a link to the rules and an entry form, read our previous posting, but the gist of it is that if you come up with the perfect names for two new Royal Caribbean Genesis-class cruise ships, you could win a free cruise for yourself and a guest.

One detail has changed since our previous post: you now have until midnight tonight (February 29), EST, to name those ships.

Good luck!

Photo from Royal Caribbean.

Early-booking savings on Red Sea with Elegant Cruises

2008-02-28T13:01:00.010-05:00

You can save $300 per passenger off the regular rates on Elegant Cruises' new Red Sea cruise and land tours of Egypt and Jordan by booking by May 31, 2008.

Elegant's "Monasteries of the Lonely Desert" two-week cruise tours are offered in late December 2008 and in January and February 2009, with 10 departures either from Cairo or Amman, Jordan, aboard the 62-passenger M.S. Monet.

Egypt's Cairo, Luxor and Sharm El Sheikh and Jordan's Petra and Amman are all on the itinerary, which includes six nights aboard the Monet cruising the Gulf of Suez and Red Sea and a five-night land program. Excursions include visits to Egyptian monasteries, the temples at Luxor, a Bedouin village, and the ancient rock city of Petra, among others.

Prices (for bookings after May 31) start at $3,512 per passenger in double occupancy, or, for early bookings, $3,212 per passenger. If you'd like to take the cruise only, without the land portion, prices start at $2,706 per person, or $2,406 with the early-booking discount.

Unlike many cruises, these prices include all excursions -- a great deal.

You can also opt for a two-night pre- or post-cruise extension (with hotel, tours, and some meals) to Cairo for $560 per person double occupancy; you can take a $350 per person discount off the Cairo extension in lieu of the other early-booking discount if you wish.

Having experienced one of Elegant's M.S. Monet cruises down the coast of Croatia in the Adriatic, I can vouch for the quality of these voyages, from the excellent onboard accommodations and food to the historical and cultural lectures and friendly crew. The Monet's intimate size provides an opportunity to get to know everyone on board.

For more information or bookings, go to Elegant's website or call 800/683-6767 (e-mail info@elegantcruises.com).

Egypt photo courtesy of Elegant Cruises.

Carnival one-day sale today on 2008 cruises

2008-02-28T10:27:00.009-05:00

Carnival Cruise Lines is holding one of its periodic one-day sales today, with discounts and free upgrades on most of its 2008 cruises.

Three-day cruises -- such as a sailing to The Bahamas aboard the Carnival Imagination on October 3, 2008 -- start as low as $249 per passenger, while a four-day Bahamas cruise aboard the Carnival Sensation on October 26 starts at $299 per person.

Five-day western Caribbean cruises this spring start at $429, while week-long western and eastern Caribbean cruises start at just $529 this fall.

The fine print: Prices do not include a $5 per day per passenger fuel surcharge, or government taxes and fees. You'll need to put down a full deposit when you book. The offers are valid for new bookings only, and expire tonight (February 28) at midnight EST.

For more information or bookings, go to the Carnival website or call 888/CARNIVAL or a travel agent, and request fare code CP1S. Be sure to ask about available upgrades.

Photo from Carnival Cruise Lines.

Viking River Cruises offers free travel insurance in 2008

2008-02-26T09:15:00.006-05:00

Viking River Cruises, which sails rivers in Europe, Russia, and China, is offering free travel insurance on any of its 2008 cruises for two people in a stateroom if you book one by March 7.

The Viking Travel Protection Plan covers trip cancellation, travel and baggage delay protection, emergency medical expenses and evacuation, and personal effects damage coverage.

The value of the coverage depends on the total cost of your trip package, but if you were to purchase insurance separately it might amount to several hundred dollars or more. Maximum savings are $2,000.

The fine print: You must pay in full at time of booking to receive the free insurance coverage. You can combine this offer with Viking's Past Guest Discount, but no other discount offers.

To book, call Viking at 877/668-4546 or a travel agent and ask for offer 27Echo. For more information on Viking River Cruises, go to its website by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Viking River Cruises.

Tierra del Fuego, anyone? Jump on board for last-minute savings

2008-02-20T15:57:00.006-05:00

Princess Cruises has a boom-boom special on three 12-day cruises aboard the Star Princess around South America's Cape Horn next month, with prices starting at just $799 per person for inside cabins and $1,299 for balcony cabins.

The cruises sail between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Santiago, Chile, with stops in Montevideo, Uruguay; the Falkland Islands; and Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego. There's also scenic cruising through the Beagle Channel, the Chilean fjords, and around Cape Horn.

Departure dates are March 6, 18, and 30, 2008 -- so if you're free next month and feel like doing the tango or checking out the penguins in the Falklands, jump on these deals quickly.

Prices are based on double occupancy and include fuel supplements but don't include $77 in taxes and fees.

For more information or bookings, click here for the Princess website or call 800/774-6237 or a travel agent. Ask for promo code UEF.

Star Princess photo from Princess Cruises.

Cruise West offers kids' discounts on Alaska cruises

2008-02-18T15:23:00.014-05:00

Recently we detailed the small ship cruise line Cruise West's innovative "Stowaway" program, which offers discounts to passengers who book late and have flexible schedules.

Earlier we wrote about Cruise West's early booking discounts for five summer 2008 Alaska itineraries.

Today's item is for passengers who want to bring their kids along to Glacier Bay, Alaska, this summer to experience Glacier Bay's incredible wildlife and scenery. Cruise West is offering 50 to 75 percent discounts (off the adult fare) for kids 18 and under for all its three- and four-night "Glacier Bay Highlights" sailings in 2008, which travel roundtrip from Juneau to Glacier Bay from May to September. The four-night sailings also stop in Haines.

These cruises are aboard the 102-passenger ship Spirit of Glacier Bay and are priced from $1,799 per adult in double occupancy. An adult paying $1,799 could bring along a child for $900.

For more information, visit the Cruise West website or call 800/296-8307 or a travel agent.

Photo from Cruise West.

Princess Launches "Greatest Romantic" Contest

2008-02-14T12:50:00.011-05:00

Appropriately for Valentine's Day, Princess Cruises launched its "The Greatest Romantic" contest today, with a grand prize of a seven-day Caribbean or Mexican Riviera cruise for two (airfare included) to the person judged The Greatest Romantic.

The Love Boat line is asking for video submissions -- from "heartfelt stories" to "crazy stunts," song and dances to poems -- that will convince the judges that you or someone you know is The Greatest Romantic. The ultimate judges will be registered visitors to the Princess website who vote on the winner; a lucky voter will also win a free cruise for two, and five finalists will also win prizes.

Entries will be accepted from today (February 14) until March 20. Voting will begin April 1 and continue for two weeks; the winning video will be announced around April 15.

Naturally, there are a whole raft of rules; click here to begin reading about them.

Good luck, and if you insist on nominating me as The Greatest Romantic, well, I'll send you a postcard from the cruise! Happy Valentine's Day!

Photo from Princess Cruises.

Save 25 percent on Cruise West Stowaway Program

2008-02-12T09:45:00.000-05:00

I like the name of this offer from Cruise West: the "Stowaway" Program.

If you're a flexible traveler who can take off with just 30 days' notice, you can save 25 percent on your fare from Cruise West, the small ship line that covers the West Coast from Alaska to Mexico.

Here's how to become a "stowaway": sixty or more days prior to the first date of your desired travel period, make a $700 deposit for the cabin category and cruise itinerary of your choice that departs within a particular 30-day window of that travel period.

Cruise West will then inform you of a specific Stowaway travel date at least 30 days prior to departure.

If you accept that date, your payment of 75 percent of the published fare must be made in full by credit card within 24 hours. (Once full payment is made, you'll be subject to penalties if you cancel; cancellations within 30 days of departure forfeit 100 percent of the cruise price.)

If you decline the date offered, your deposit can be applied to a future cruise but is not refundable.

You can also elect to receive Cruise West travel coupons in the amount of the deposit to be used toward any Cruise West destination within 24 months of issue. These travel coupons are transferable but not refundable.

More fine print: Stowaway availability is limited and your choice of ship, departure dates, sailing direction (northbound or southbound) and cabin category are not guaranteed. If Cruise West can't offer you a departure date and cabin category within your 30-day travel window, the line will refund your deposit in full. The offer is valid for the cruise only; when booking cruise/land tours, the 25 percent savings is only on the cruise portion.

Cruise West past guests (Quyana Club members) are eligible for an additional 5 percent savings, but the Stowaway Program can't be combined with group savings or other offers.

If you need help with last-minute air arrangements, Cruise West may be able to assist from various gateway cities.

To sign up for the Stowaway Program, call Cruise West at 888/851-8133.

Photo by Dennis Cox/WorldViews.

Last-Minute Savings on Fred. Olsen cruises from Miami

2008-02-11T14:13:00.000-05:00

Four Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines voyages out of Miami aboard its newest ship, the Balmoral, are available at last-minute savings. The cruises depart in March and April 2008 for destinations in the Caribbean and Europe.

A March 13 11-night Western Caribbean departure heads for Nassau, Ocho Rios (Jamaica), Belize, Santo Tomas de Castilla (Guatemala), Roatan Island (Honduras), and two stops in Mexico before returning to Miami via Key West. Prices begin at $720 per person, double occupancy. A similar voyage at similar rates departs Miami April 3 as well.

A 10-night March 24 Eastern Caribbean itinerary includes Grand Turk, Samana (Dominican Republic), Antigua, St. Kitts and Tortola. Double occupancy fares begin at $840 per person.

A 17-night repositioning cruise leaves Miami on April 14 for Civitavecchia, Italy, the port of Rome, via Nassau, Hamilton (Bermuda), Funchal (Madeira), Malaga (Spain), and Ajaccio (Corsica). Fares begin at $1,145 per person.

The fine print: Full payment is required at the time of booking and is non-refundable. Prices include port charges, taxes and fuel surcharges. The offers are based on availability and subject to withdrawal at any time.

For more information, call Borton Overseas at 800-843-0602, ext. 6, or visit http://www.bortonoverseas.com/.

Phoo from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

Holland America Alaska cruise sale this week

2008-02-07T10:12:00.000-05:00

Holland America Line is putting its 2008 seven-day Alaska cruises on sale February 6-8, with prices starting at $599 per person for an inside cabin in double occupancy.

Those prices are available on the May 10 "Alaskan Explorer via Hubbard Glacier" voyage aboard the Oosterdam, the May 16 "Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay" sailing aboard the Amsterdam, and the September 14 "Glacier Bay Inside Passage Cruise" aboard the Zaandam.

Many other week-long Alaska cruises are available for prices starting at $649 per person and up, May to September. And back-to-back two-week Glacier Discovery cruises are on sale at prices starting at $999 per person.

A host of cruise tours (combining sea and land itineraries) are also on sale.

An added bonus: depending on the date of the cruise, you can get free or reduced fares ($99 to $299 per person) on many seven- and 14-day Alaska sailings from May to September, subject to the availability of triple and quad staterooms.

The fine print: Prices do not include taxes or a $5 per day per person fuel surcharge. These rates are for new bookings only. You must book by 11:59 pm, Pacific Time, Friday February 8. Ask for Promo FJ.

For more information or bookings, go to the Holland America website or call 877/724-5425 or a travel agent.

Photo from Holland America.

Hurry to land baby boomer savings on MSC Caribbean sailings

2008-02-06T13:44:00.000-05:00

The Italian line MSC Cruises is offering special Baby Boomer/Senior-Saver rates on some fast-upcoming 10-day MSC Lirica cruises to the Caribbean.

Rates start at $799 per person, double occupancy, if even one passenger in a stateroom is at least 50 years of age. Kids or grandkids 17 and under sail free in the same cabin. Government taxes and fees are additional, as is a fuel surcharge for the first two people in the cabin.

Rates starting at $799 are available for a 10-night March 9 cruise with stops in Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Antigua, Tortola, and the Dominican Republic.

Rates start at $949 per person for a 10-night March 19 Caribbean cruise with stops in Cozumel, Mexico; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Cristobal, Panama; Cartagena, Colombia; and Cayo Levantado, Dominican Republic.

The offers expire on February 29, 2008, but space is limited and cabins could fill at any time.

For more information, go to the MSC Cruises website. For reservations, call a travel agent.

Photo of MSC Lirica cabin from MSC Cruises.

Looking for a theme cruise? Try our new blog

2008-02-05T09:59:00.000-05:00

Are you a bridge fanatic, a classical music lover, a political junkie?

Do you have a passion, hobby, or interest that you'd like to combine with your love of cruising?

Then you'd be a good candidate for a theme cruise.

Theme cruises -- appealing to groups as diverse as birders, photographers, golfers, history buffs, salsa dancers, and many others -- are one of the hottest trends in cruising. Like-minded people get together to celebrate their interests, attend lectures and performances, play games or sports, practice their dance moves, revisit World War II sites, view wildlife, learn yoga...the possibilities are nearly endless.

And all against the backdrop of the blue sea and the added flair of wonderful ports around the globe.

But many theme cruises are one-shot opportunities that you might miss out on -- unless you check in frequently with our new blog from Smarter Cruising:
Theme Cruise Finder (http://www.theme-cruise.blogspot.com/).

Launched February 4, the Theme Cruise Finder has already covered theme cruises appealing to bridge players, classical music aficionados, and wanna-be political pundits.

Whatever your special interest, you're sure to find an upcoming theme cruise that will appeal to you.

See you soon at Theme Cruise Finder!

Photo of Crystal Symphony from Crystal Cruises; the Symphony is hosting a classical music lovers' cruise to the Baltic on June 7, 2008.

Crystal offers 2-for-1 deals on S. America cruises

2008-02-01T10:43:00.000-05:00

The luxury line Crystal Cruises is offering up to 50 percent off on some staterooms for two repositioning cruises on the Crystal Symphony between the U.S. and South America next winter.

One of the cruises leaves Los Angeles for Valparaiso, Chile, on December 7, 2008, and has a theme of Mind, Body and Spirit with instruction in yoga, Pilates, and tai chi and wellness seminars. Ports on the 15-day cruise will include stops in Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Peru.

The other, a 16-day voyage, leaves Buenos Aires for Miami on January 9, 2009, with stops in Rio De Janeiro and other ports in Brazil, Barbados, and Grand Turk.

On the first voyage, staterooms start at $3,450 in double occupancy and on the next they start at $3,790 . At around $230 per day per passenger, this is good value for a deluxe cruise line, which seldom offers such big discounts.

Note that fares do not include port, security and handling charges, or a $7 per person per day fuel surcharge.

For bookings, call a Crystal-approved travel agency at 888/269-9414 or 888/722-0021 or your own travel agent.

Photo of Crystal Symphony from Crystal Cruises.

Win a free cruise by naming new Royal Caribbean ships

2008-01-31T14:09:00.000-05:00

Royal Caribbean is running a "Name That Ship" contest for its two new Project Genesis ships that will be officially christened in 2009 and 2010.

The names must end in the words "of the Seas" and are supposed to "capture the scope of amenities and innovations" on the upcoming ships. Royal Caribbean describes them as the "newest, largest, and most innovative cruise ships in the world." The cruise line suggests not focusing on the sheer size of the ships, but the range of experiences that will be available on them. Both names should share the same theme, such as "Freedom of the Seas" or "Liberty of the Seas" (two current ship names).

The contest, which is being run in conjunction with the newspaper USA Today, began January 18 and will end at 6 pm EST on February 29, 2008.

A number of Finalist prizes will be awarded, topped by two Grand Prizes that involve free cruises on either Project Genesis ship. Six Finalists will be named beginning March 14, 2008, and the Grand Prize winner(s) will be announced by the end of May.

The winner(s) won't necessarily be choosing the actual names of the ships, however; Royal Caribbean reserves the right to choose its own names.

For detailed contest rules, click here. For an entry form, click here.

Freedom of the Seas photo from Royal Caribbean.

Today-only Carnival special: family of four cruise for under $1,000

2008-01-30T15:32:00.000-05:00

Carnival is offering savings of up to $200 per stateroom today (January 30) that could enable you to book a three-day cruise for base fares starting at $979 for a family of four, a four-day cruise for fares starting at $999 for a family of four, a five-day cruise for the same family for fares starting at $1299, and a week-long cruise for the family at fares starting at $1799.

Friends are also eligible as long as you don't mind staying four to a stateroom. Savings for three- to five-day cruises between February and May 2008 range up to $100 per stateroom, while savings on seven- and eight-day cruises between February and May range up to $200 per stateroom.

The offer doesn't include West Coast sailings, so check with the cruise line to make sure the voyage you want is on the list.

When you call the cruise line (888-CARNIVAL) or a travel agent, ask for fare code CPDW for the first and second passengers, and fare code CP43 for the third and fourth passengers.

Government taxes and fees are additional, as is a $5 a day fuel supplement per passenger. A full deposit is required and only new bookings are eligible. The offer expires at midnight January 30.

Photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines.

Early booking perks on Majestic America cruises

2008-01-29T16:40:00.000-05:00

Majestic America Line is offering free airfare and upgrades on some of its seven-night 2008 Columbia and Snake River cruises aboard its vessels Empress of the North, Queen of the West, and Columbia Queen.

For instance, book a 'D' inside category stateroom (dates from March 22 to April 19, 2008) aboard the Empress of the North by February 22, 2008, and be upgraded to a 'CC' outside verandah stateroom. Or book a 2008 spring cruise (dates from March 23 to April 13, 2008) aboard the Queen of the West by the same date and receive a free stateroom category upgrade from 'EE' to 'D', or 'D' to 'DD'.

The offers also include free roundtrip air to Portland, Oregon. The itineraries include views of waterfalls, gorges, and Lewis and Clark historic sites along these Northwestern rivers.

Early booking fares begin at $1,999 per passenger, based on double occupancy.

For more information, click here for the Majestic America website or call 800/434-1232 or a travel agent.

Empress of the North photo from Majestic America Line.

Hurtigruten offers savings for Norway coastal voyages

2008-01-28T16:28:00.000-05:00

Hurtigruten, formerly Norwegian Coastal Voyage, is offering free trans-atlantic airfare for both passengers in a double-occupancy cabin on selected 12-day voyages along the Norway coast in March or April, or between October and mid-December, 2008.

Free companion air tickets are available for selected six- and seven-day voyages during the same time period. Or you can get 50 percent off a companion ticket for May and September sailings.

You can combine the airfare offers with discounts ranging up to $500 per person on the same cruises.

Those booking a southbound trip (ending in Bergen) will also receive a free shore excursion.

To be eligible for these discounts, you must book by March 15, 2008.

For more information on available dates, click here for the Hurtigruten website (then click on "News" in the upper righthand corner of the homepage) or call 866-257-6071 or a travel agent.

Having sailed on the Norwegian Coastal Voyage in 2006, I can attest that Hurtigruten's slogan "The World's Most Beautiful Voyage" is hardly an exaggeration; the scenery (mountains, fjords, island fishing villages) is staggering throughout.

Photo courtesy of Hurtigruten.

Leaving Ocho Rios, Jamaica, aboard the Carnival Freedom

2008-01-25T14:22:00.000-05:00

Yeh mon, no problem. Our third and last port stop on our week-long Carnival Freedom cruise through the western Caribbean has been Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We’ve now left Ocho Rios and are sailing back to Miami, but not before being assured there’s “no problem, mon” several dozen times. And, generally speaking, there wasn’t.

Ocho Rios is a lushly situated, lively port along Jamaica’s north coast. It’s located on a lovely beach-lined bay, easily accessible from the dock. You can walk to town in about five minutes, once you get past all the security people. Then all you have to do is politely wave off dozens of eager but not overly aggressive taxi drivers, unless, of course, you do want to hire a taxi.

Besides the beach and the usual plethora of shopping plazas one finds nearby the cruise ship docks in the Caribbean, Ocho Rios has some very worthwhile nearby attractions. Bob Marley’s home is located way up in the hills, a couple of hours away by taxi, and makes for a nice, if slightly perilous, drive.

Much nearer – maybe ten minutes by taxi or bus -- is Dunn’s River Falls, a spectacular multi-level cascade that you can walk up if you’re willing to get very, very wet. I did, and it’s well worth the effort. You can rent water shoes and lockers – don’t even consider trying to carry a backpack up or even a camera (though a few do) – and it’s best to wear a bathing suit and perhaps a T-shirt. Water shoes are important to get a good grip; I wore Teva sandals and was fine.

Most climbers go in large groups led by guides who know the best pathways, though it’s possible to sneak in at certain points and go solo. Some guides carry video cameras and will sell you a video of your climbing experience. To get the full effect, start all the way down at the beach and climb, climb, and climb some more, reaching various plateaus along the way where you can immerse yourself in the refreshingly cool water and get even wetter.

Allow plenty of time for the experience – don’t rush this one (though some guides may go faster than you want). And after you finish, as my bus driver noted, “you’ll feel five years younger.”

Near Dunn’s River Falls is Dolphin Cove, where I spent much of the rest of my port time. Dolphin Cove has swimming with dolphins opportunities along with swimming with stingrays and even with sharks; the dolphins put on shows as well. It also has a smallish sandy beach, kayaks, a snorkeling area, a shopping area (naturally), a jungle trail, and of course plenty of food and rum-soaked beverages. Try the rum and Ting (but don’t try to climb the Falls afterwards). They cram a lot in to a fairly compact area along a gorgeous cove, where, I was told, Ursula Andress once rose from the water in a James Bond film.

After Dolphin Cove, I had just enough time for a stroll along Main Street, where I had to fend off a few men offering illegal substances of various types, and then back to the ship by 3 pm. My advice in Ocho Rios is to leave a little extra time getting back to the ship, because the Jamaican security forces do a thorough check of everyone’s bags – and sometimes various body parts – on the way in. A few dozen people were a bit late getting back, but the ship duly waited for them – yeh mon, no problem.

A day in port in Grand Cayman with the Carnival Freedom

2008-01-23T17:56:00.000-05:00

Those of us cruising on the Carnival Freedom this week just pulled out of port in Grand Cayman after a sunny warm day here. Grand Cayman is a bit dull for my taste, but it does have one sparkling attraction, which I enjoyed this morning: Stingray City.

Most visitors to Grand Cayman end up on this shallow sandbar at one point or another, or at least should: dozens of extremely tame stingrays hang out here waiting for humans to show up in hopes of being fed chopped up squid. When I was there today, there were about six tour boats all pointing toward the center of the sand bar, disgorging tourists in snorkeling gear eager (or in some cases reluctant) to swim with, feed, and touch or kiss the stingrays.

The boat guides hold up a stingray so that each tourist can have his or her picture taken stroking or kissing one of the loveable beasts. But the real fun is having a ray or two or three swim right up to you and take food out of your hand, or, in some cases, “kissing” you (I’m told they like the taste of salt from your skin). A number of passengers weren’t at all sure they enjoyed this experience and practically jumped out of the water when a ray snuggled up to them, but for the most part everyone thought it was great sport.

Those passengers who didn’t go to Stingray City mostly walked around the capital, George Town, and shopped for jewelry and other island items, and perhaps hung out a bit at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville or Senor Frog’s. This is a tender port, where all ships are connected to port by small boats, or tenders, and to catch the ship to Jamaica one had to be on a return tender no later than 3:45 pm.

I heard that one couple did not make the ship after our Cozumel port stop two days ago – even though they had till 9:45 pm. No doubt a few too many margaritas at Margaritaville (it’s a chain). They were to rejoin the ship after flying to Grand Cayman via Miami. Note to self: do not miss ship! No stingray is so cuddly as to warrant having to fly to Jamaica at my own expense. At least none that I’ve met so far.

At sea (Caribbean) with the Carnival Freedom

2008-01-22T17:15:00.000-05:00

Today is a sea day on the Carnival Freedom en route from Cozumel to Grand Cayman, which we’ll reach early tomorrow morning. I’m glad to say the sun is back and the multitudes have returned to the Lido Deck around the pool to catch some rays. Above the pool is a gigantic LED screen – 12 feet high by 22 feet wide – that is the centerpiece of Carnival’s Seaside Theatre, which shows movies, sporting events, concerts, and Morning Shows hosted by the ship’s congenial cruise director, John Heald.

John is getting only four hours of sleep per night this week as he doubles as cruise director and host of the first-annual John Heald’s bloggers cruise. Aboard are some 700 fans of his highly popular blog about life on a cruise ship, which you can read at www.johnhealdsblog.com.

The Freedom, which had its inaugural cruise last March, holds just fewer than 3,000 passengers and contains 22 bars and lounges, most of which appear to be hopping at all hours. I’ve been impressed with the food service, including the Fish and Chips Restaurant in an out-of-the-way nook, where I had my second lunch of the day: fried calamari fritters (also featuring shredded zucchini and Maui onions) with chips. I wasn’t hungry after downing a buffet lunch an hour or so earlier, but just couldn’t pass it up – yum. The Freedom also has a tandoori oven for Indian food, a sushi bar, 24-hour pizzeria, a Tex-Mex bar with enchiladas, afternoon teatime with classical music – everything an omnivore could ask for.

Over the course of each week-long cruise, the Freedom will serve up more than 3,000 pounds of prime rib, 6,480 pounds of chicken, 2,150 pounds of lobster, and 23,750 shrimp – of which I’ve had maybe, oh, 10,000. That’s because I’ve laid off the hot dogs (5,600 per week) and burgers (7,350 per week). We won’t discuss the total amount of alcohol consumed.

Carnival has set up hand sanitizers throughout the ship to try to head off mass virus attacks of the kind that have plagued so many ships in recent years, and I commend the cruise line for taking proactive steps to prevent sickness from spreading. Cabin TVs and the cruise director have also spread the gospel of hand washing, which has joined knowing how to put on a lifejacket as essential survival info on modern cruise ships.

One mystery: with so many young children on board, why aren’t they in school? (Is this what they call “ski week?”) Oddly, I haven’t heard even one of them complaining about missing class…or not going skiing.

On Board the Carnival Freedom bloggers cruise

2008-01-21T18:35:00.000-05:00

Greetings from the port of Cozumel: I’m on a Carnival Freedom week-long cruise in the Western Caribbean. This cruise has a special theme: John Heald’s bloggers cruise, and SmarterCruising will appear on an onboard panel later this week to talk about the joys and pain (well, joys) of blogging.

Many of you who have sailed on Carnival are familiar with John Heald, the cruise line’s Senior Cruise Director, bon vivant and storyteller extraordinaire. John’s catchphrase, “Life’s too short not to have fun,” shows up when he’s holding court on board and in his robust waistline as well (sorry, John!).

John launched a blog last spring and has garnered a million and a half readers who enjoy his tales of life at sea, which provide inside glimpses into what it’s like to live and work on board cruise ships. You can read his blog at www.johnhealdsblog.com.

The Freedom’s week-long itinerary is taking us from Miami to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Today we’re in port in Cozumel, where I explored the town for the first time post-hurricane (recovering nicely) and took an interesting Atlantis submarine ride 100 feet below the sea to view a tremendous variety of coral and colorful tropical fish.

It proved to be a good choice of excursions: a light rain was falling as we submerged and the overcast weather made it not much of a beach day. The sky is looking better at the moment and, we hope, sunshine will prevail the rest of the way. In any event, it beats the 10-degree weather I left a few days ago in upstate New York.

I’ll have more on the Freedom cruise in the next few days. Don’t forget to check out John Heald’s blog in the meantime.

Special online 2 for 1 offer on Dutch river cruise

2008-01-17T14:19:00.000-05:00

Vantage Deluxe World Travel is offering its week-long "Canals and Waterways of Holland" river cruise at prices as low as $1,699 per person for its March 13, 2008, departure on the ms River Discovery. That represents a two-for-one deal or the equivalent of a 50 percent discount per person.

Thirty-five total cabins are left on the cruise as of today (January 17), with four in the lowest price category. Other cabins are also going at two-for-one rates, ranging from $2,099 up to $4,299 per person.

Roundtrip international airfare is included from a number of U.S. cities. The price includes fuel surcharges but does not include government taxes and fees.

Besides roundtrip airfare from some U.S. cities, the package includes seven nights aboard the ship in a riverview stateroom, eight sightseeing tours, and other perks.

To take advantage of this offer, you must book online by January 24, 2008, and request promotion code EM15030. Click here to book, and then click on the box "Click Online" to get the two-for-one offer.

Map courtesy of Vantage Travel.

Holland America offers free or $99 3rd and 4th fares for week-long Alaska cruises

2008-01-16T13:50:00.000-05:00

Holland America is offering free or $99 fares for third and fourth passengers in a cabin on its week-long Glacier Bay Discovery Cruises this summer (weekly departures from mid-May to mid-September) aboard the ships Zaandam or Volendam.

Fares for each of the first two passengers in the stateroom start at $499 for inside cabins and $649 for oceanview; these are available on the May 25 sailing.

The free third and fourth passenger fares are available on the May 11 and 18 departures (all cruises depart from either Vancouver or Seward and disembark at the other). The $99 per extra passenger fares are available on all other sailings.

Similar fares are available on the seven-day Hubbard Glacier Discovery Cruises aboard the Veendam, with weekly departures from Vancouver or Seward mid-May to mid-September. Third and fourth passengers are free on the May 23 departure, $99 on the rest.

Fares do not include fuel supplement charges of $5 per passenger, per day (maximum $70 per person). Nor do they include taxes ranging from $94 to $148 per passenger.

For more information and bookings, call 800/391-6258 or a travel agent and ask for promo code RA/RH for the double-occupancy fares and promo code Z3 for the third and fourth passenger fares.

Photo courtesy of Holland America Line.

Savings on Alaska cruises from Cruise West

2008-01-15T09:37:00.000-05:00

The small-ship line Cruise West is offering savings from $100 to $550 for passengers who book one of five 2008 Alaska Inside Passage itineraries before February 29, 2008.

Choices include the ten-night "Gold Rush Inside Passage" cruise between Seattle and Juneau, available on six ships and offered in May, August and September at prices starting at $3,599 per person, and the eight-night "Alaska's Whales & Wilderness Inside Passage" cruise, round-trip from Juneau May through August at prices also starting at $3,599 per passenger.

Three- and four-night "Glacier Bay Highlights" cruises roundtrip from Juneau are also available from May to September for prices starting at $1,799 per person. Two other more expensive eight- and 11-night itineraries are offered at discounts as well.

All discounts are per passenger based on double occupancy in a cabin. Cruise West's nine ships have a maximum passenger capacity of 78 to 138 passengers.

For bookings, call 888/851-8133 or a travel agent before the end of February.

Photo courtesy of Cruise West.

Savings of $1,000 per cabin on Viking River Cruises

2008-01-14T14:34:00.000-05:00

Viking River Cruises is offering a number of river cruises and cruise tours in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and China for a savings of $1,000 per stateroom if you book by January 25, 2008.

In Ukraine, you can choose the 11-day Kiev to Odessa "In the Footsteps of the Cossacks" cruise along the Dnieper River, including nine guided tours along the way. Stops include Sevastopol and Yalta. Five sailings are up for sale -- two in June, two in August and one in October -- and prices begin at $2399 per person in double occupancy. Three 12-day cruises from Odessa to Kiev are also available June to September; the latter starts at $2499.

The 12-day "Paris to Prague" trip includes an 8-day cruise along the Moselle, Rhine, and Main rivers as well as two nights in Paris and Prague on either end. Eleven guided tours are included from start to finish. Cruises are offered from March to October, with prices starting at $2699 for a March 21 departure.

The 16-day "China's Cultural Delights" travels from Beijing to Shanghai or the reverse and includes a 10-day Yangtze River cruise as well as three nights in Beijing, two in Shanghai and one night in Xian; intra-China flights, 16 guided tours and various cultural events are also included. Dates range from March to October and cruisetour prices start at $3399 per person in double occupancy.

For more information or to book any of these trips, call 877/668-4546 by January 25 and ask for offer 14Echo. You can also call your travel agent.

Full payment is required at time of booking. Prices include port charges but do not include fuel surcharges of $49 per passenger.

Photo of Viking Fontane (used in the "Paris to Prague" cruise) courtesy of Viking River Cruises.

12 days around S. America for $905

2008-01-11T09:41:00.000-05:00

VacationsToGo.com is featuring a 12-day South American voyage on Princess Cruises from Santiago, Chile, around Cape Horn to Buenos Aires, Argentina, this March for just $905 per person for an inside cabin and only $200 more per person for an oceanview cabin.

The cruise aboard the Star Princess also stops in Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas, Chile; Ushuaia, Argentina (known as the world's southernmost city); and Montevideo, Uruguay.

The $905 per person inside cabin price represents a 69 percent discount from the brochure price, while the $1,105 per passenger oceanview cabin is a 63 percent discount. Both rates are based on double occupancy and include port charges. Some taxes and fees may be additional, and airfare is not included.

If you're interested, act fast: availability is limited. Call 800/338-4962 and ask for Fast Deal #11204. Click here for the Vacations to Go website.

Photo of the Star Princess courtesy of Vacations to Go.

St. Petersburg to Moscow cruise for under $1,900

2008-01-10T14:58:00.000-05:00

European River Cruises is featuring a Gate 1 Travel 12-day Russian river cruise tour from St. Petersburg to Moscow in May 2008 for $1,829 per person in double occupancy. The cruise price is for an outside cabin aboard the 131-cabin M/S Ivan Bunin.

If you want to add roundtrip airfare from New York to your package, the price is $2,729 per person.

Prices include a number of shore excursions along with ten nights on board, meals, transfers (ifyou book the air), and port charges. Some fees and taxes are not included. You may also choose optional shore excursions for an additional price.

Stops between St. Petersburg and Moscow include the village of Mandrogi, the island of Kizhi, the town of Goritsy, and the cities of Yaroslavl and Uglich, all of great historical, architectural, or scenic interest.

To book this cruise or for additional information, call 800/510-4002 and ask for Fast Deal T77286.

Photo of M/S Bunin cabin courtesy of Gate 1 Travel.

French Country Waterways river cruises at 40 percent off

2008-01-08T10:15:00.000-05:00

French Country Waterways is reducing the cost of its six-night cruises aboard the 18-passenger luxury barge Esprit to $3,200 per person, double occupancy, from the brochure rate of $5,295 -- a 40 percent discount -- available on several select departures through June 2008.

The Esprit's route through Burgundy's Côte d'Or wine-growing region follows the Canal du Centre overlooking vineyards of the Côte de Beaune, then along the River Saône and the Canal de Bourgogne between St. Léger-sur-Dheune and Dijon.

Daily sightseeing excursions include a walking tour of Dijon,; the privately owned 18th-century Château de Longecourt; medieval Clos de Vougeot; Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy; the port of Chalon-sur-Saône; 12th-century La Rochepot castle; and a tasting of Burgundies in the private cellars of a local vintner in Santenay. During free time passengers can relax on the sundeck and walk or bicycle along the towpaths.

For more information, go to the French Country Waterways website or call 800/222-1236.

Photo of Esprit courtesy of French Country Waterways.

Happy New Year from Smarter Cruising

2008-01-02T12:07:00.001-05:00

Here's wishing you the cruises of your dreams in 2008!

Our very best for the New Year,

Clark Norton and all of us at Smarter Cruising

Caribbean oceanview stateroom for a song

2007-12-28T15:44:00.000-05:00

If you're ready to take off for the Caribbean in two weeks or so, you can get an oceanview stateroom on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas sailing out of Santo Domingo January 13 for just $499 in double occupancy -- that's more than $300 less than an interior cabin on the same cruise.

It's also $400-$500 less than similar cabins on similar itineraries on the same ship later in January as well as in February and March. Royal Caribbean's $5 per person fuel surcharge doesn't kick in until February 2008, so you'll save even more on this cruise.

The southern Caribbean itinerary is an attractive one: going roundtrip from the Dominican Republic, it stops in St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Barbados, and St. Lucia.

If you're interested, jump on this one right away. Visit Royal Caribbean's website or call 866/562-7625. The same price is offered at VacationsToGo.com; call 800/419-5104 and ask for Fast Deal 10770.

Photo of Legend of the Seas oceanview stateroom courtesy of Royal Caribbean.

Week-long Royal Caribbean Mexico cruise for $399

2007-12-19T14:55:00.000-05:00

Royal Caribbean is offering a seven-day Mexico cruise in February 2008 for prices starting at $399 per person for an interior cabin, and $499 for an oceanview.

The Vision of the Seas cruise leaves Los Angeles on February 10 for Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta before returning to L.A. Similar itineraries are available on other dates in February and March 2008 for prices starting at $449-$499 for an interior cabin.

Additional discounts are available for seniors; one person in each cabin must be age 55 or over.

Rates are double occupancy and don't include a $5 per person per day fuel surcharge for the first two people in a cabin.

To book one of these cruises, visit the Royal Caribbean website or call 866/562-7625 or a travel agent.

Week-long NCL Caribbean cruise for $400

2007-12-13T14:34:00.000-05:00

CruiseExperts.com is listing a Norwegian Cruise Lines voyage departing Charleston, SC, for the Western Caribbean on January 5, 12, or 19, 2008, for just $399 per person, double occupancy in an inside cabin -- two-thirds off the brochure price. Oceanview cabins start at $449, also two-thirds off.

And if you book one of these trips by December 21, they'll give you ship coupons worth up to $600 per stateroom.

The itinerary aboard the Norwegian Majesty includes stops in Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Key West, with three days at sea.

NCL's website has the same cruises on sale for prices starting at $429, $30 higher (if you book through NCL, ask for Promo code PGSD1).

To book through CruiseExperts.com, go to their website or call 888/804-2784.

Photo of Norwegian Majesty courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Cruise Greece for $100 a day, including airfare

2007-12-12T12:51:00.000-05:00

Friendly Planet Travel is offering the nine-day Classical Greece by Sea cruisetour this February and March (2008) for as little as $899 per person, double occupancy, if you book by January 15. That price includes roundtrip airfare from New York to Athens (or discounted airfare from other U.S. cities).

Centerpiece of the trip is a seven-night voyage on easyCruise One, including an outside cabin and two meals (breakfast and dinner) per day. Transfers, fuel surcharges, and port charges are all included, though an extra $135 in taxes and fees per person is not.

The $899 price is available on the February 23 departure; four other March departures range from $999 to $1099 per person. After January 15, prices rise by $300 per person.

An optional shore excursion touring program, including lunches, is available for $175 per person, which represents half off.

The cruise departs Athens for ancient Corinth, the island of Ithaki, Patras (for Olympia), Delphi, and Aegina before returning to Athens; passengers will have the better part of two days in Athens, one on either end of the trip.

While you technically have until January 15 to book, at these prices you may not want to wait; selling out quickly is a distinct possibility.

For more information, go to the Friendly Planet website or call 800/555-5765.

Greek islands photo by Dennis Cox/WorldViews.

Majestic America extends free airfare offer

2007-12-11T10:58:00.000-05:00

Majestic America Line has extended its free roundtrip airfare offer from selected U.S. getaway cities for several of its 2008 Delta Queen and American Queen sailings if you book by December 15, 2007.

The offer applies to a number of 2008 sailings on the Mississippi River of seven nights or longer on the two ships.

Alternatively, if you don't need the free air, you can opt for a $300 per person credit off your cruise fare.

For more information, click here or call Majestic America at 800/434-1232 or a travel agent.

American Queen photo courtesy of Majestic America Line.

Luxury for less on Crystal Mediterranean sailings

2007-12-10T14:14:00.000-05:00

Crystal Cruises, one of the world's most luxurious cruise lines, has just announced a sale on its late spring and summer 2008 Mediterranean cruises, if you book your cruise by the end of February.

The luxury line is offering 10 percent off all verandah and non-verandha staterooms (as well as five percent off Penthouse accommodations) for virtually all of Crystal Serenity's European cruises departing from May 19 through September 5, 2008.

The peak savings would be $1,650 per couple on 10 sailings from Rome, Venice, Athens, Barcelona, and Monte Carlo. The voyages start at $2,995 per person, double occupancy.

To take advantage of this offer, you must book by February 29, 2008; new bookings only.

For more information, go to Crystal's website or for bookings call 888/722-0021 or a travel agent.

Photo of Crystal Serenity courtesy of Crystal Cruises.