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Sunday, March 6, 2011
Unique Itinerary: Windstar from Athens to Rome
Few places on this earth can match the breathatking beauty of the Greek Islands. White-washed houses adorned with sky-blue roofs, narrow streets, and royal blue seas have combined to make this one of the most popular cruise destinations on the planet. The fact that the region is widely considered to be the "cradle of civilization" doesn't hurt, either.
So when you think of island-hopping from Athens to Rome for a week, it only makes sense to do so by ship. But Windstar Cruises wants you to take things one step further, and experience the region aboard one of their innovative sailing ships that truly allow passengers to feel as though they've stepped back in time, without fully leaving the modern world behind.
Departing on Saturday, June 11, 2011 from Athens, Greece, passengers sail aboard the 439-foot long Wind Spirit on a weeklong itinerary that takes them to some of the more off-the-beaten-path ports in Greece and Italy, going where larger cruise ships cannot, and doing so in a style that is inherently relaxing.
Like all of Windstar's ships, Wind Spirit is primarily a sailing cruise ship. Equipped with four masts of sails, she can sail under wind power alone on many itineraries, though she does have a proper engine room which can be engaged in order to maintain her schedule should mother nature not cooperate. But whether propelled by wind or machine, just being aboard such a unique vessel is a treat in itself. All the amenities you might expect from a larger cruise ship are here, coupled with the intimate coziness of a smaller sailing vessel.
And in this highly digital age, what could be more relaxing than truly "sailing" the seven seas?
The full itinerary:
June 11 - Athens, Greece - Depart 5.00pm
June 12 - Milos, Greece - 8.00am to 8.00pm
June 13 - Monemvasia, Greece - 8.00am to 2.00pm
June 14 - At Sea
June 15 - Messina, Sicily - 9.00am to 5.00pm
June 16 - Amalfi, Italy - 11.00am to 11.59pm
June 17 - Ischia, Italy - 8.00am to 3.00pm
June 18 - Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy - Disembark
Pricing for this early summer voyage starts at just $2,499 per person, and if you book before March 31, 2011, the line doles out a generous $1,000 Onboard Spending Credit on weeklong voyages through the Greek Isles, Mediterranean, and Italy, as well as other select destinations.
For more information on this itinerary , Wind Spirit and the entire Windstar fleet, be sure to pay a visit to the Windstar Cruises website.
Windstar Cruises allows guests to experience the magic
of being under sail, but with the amenities of a modern
cruise ship.
Photo courtesy of Windstar Cruises
So when you think of island-hopping from Athens to Rome for a week, it only makes sense to do so by ship. But Windstar Cruises wants you to take things one step further, and experience the region aboard one of their innovative sailing ships that truly allow passengers to feel as though they've stepped back in time, without fully leaving the modern world behind.
Departing on Saturday, June 11, 2011 from Athens, Greece, passengers sail aboard the 439-foot long Wind Spirit on a weeklong itinerary that takes them to some of the more off-the-beaten-path ports in Greece and Italy, going where larger cruise ships cannot, and doing so in a style that is inherently relaxing.
Like all of Windstar's ships, Wind Spirit is primarily a sailing cruise ship. Equipped with four masts of sails, she can sail under wind power alone on many itineraries, though she does have a proper engine room which can be engaged in order to maintain her schedule should mother nature not cooperate. But whether propelled by wind or machine, just being aboard such a unique vessel is a treat in itself. All the amenities you might expect from a larger cruise ship are here, coupled with the intimate coziness of a smaller sailing vessel.
And in this highly digital age, what could be more relaxing than truly "sailing" the seven seas?
The full itinerary:
June 11 - Athens, Greece - Depart 5.00pm
June 12 - Milos, Greece - 8.00am to 8.00pm
June 13 - Monemvasia, Greece - 8.00am to 2.00pm
June 14 - At Sea
June 15 - Messina, Sicily - 9.00am to 5.00pm
June 16 - Amalfi, Italy - 11.00am to 11.59pm
June 17 - Ischia, Italy - 8.00am to 3.00pm
June 18 - Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy - Disembark
Pricing for this early summer voyage starts at just $2,499 per person, and if you book before March 31, 2011, the line doles out a generous $1,000 Onboard Spending Credit on weeklong voyages through the Greek Isles, Mediterranean, and Italy, as well as other select destinations.
For more information on this itinerary , Wind Spirit and the entire Windstar fleet, be sure to pay a visit to the Windstar Cruises website.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Photos of the Week - March 4
It's Friday, and that means it's time for our Cruise Photo of the Week.
This week, we figured it was appropriate to feature some photographs of Holland America Line's 2003-built Oosterdam. Just yesterday, the line announced it would deploy the popular Vista-class ship to Australia during the winter (summer in Australia) 2012-2013 cruise season, resulting in a 25% increase in overall capacity in the region which has exploded in popularity in recent years.
Carrying just under 2,000 passengers, this will be the first time a Vista-class ship has ventured to Australia, and the first time Oosterdam has left the Pacific Coast since spending a season in Europe in 2009. For most of her career, she has stuck to the Mexican Riviera run from San Diego during winter, and operated roundtrip sailings on Alaska's Hubbard Glacier route from Seattle during summer.
Holland America even plans to open a dedicated office in Sydney to serve the ever-growing Australian cruise market, and both North Americans and Aussies alike have reason to be excited about this recent deployment decision.
So to round off this first week in March, we present: the Oosterdam.
This week, we figured it was appropriate to feature some photographs of Holland America Line's 2003-built Oosterdam. Just yesterday, the line announced it would deploy the popular Vista-class ship to Australia during the winter (summer in Australia) 2012-2013 cruise season, resulting in a 25% increase in overall capacity in the region which has exploded in popularity in recent years.
Oosterdam tied up at Canada Place in Vancouver, BC.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Carrying just under 2,000 passengers, this will be the first time a Vista-class ship has ventured to Australia, and the first time Oosterdam has left the Pacific Coast since spending a season in Europe in 2009. For most of her career, she has stuck to the Mexican Riviera run from San Diego during winter, and operated roundtrip sailings on Alaska's Hubbard Glacier route from Seattle during summer.
Holland America even plans to open a dedicated office in Sydney to serve the ever-growing Australian cruise market, and both North Americans and Aussies alike have reason to be excited about this recent deployment decision.
So to round off this first week in March, we present: the Oosterdam.
Passengers are likely to visit the striking, three-story atrium
when they first embark. The Earth is made of Waterford Crystal.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Those looking for the ultimate onboard relaxation may wish to
purchase a week pass to the ship's Hydrotherapy Pool.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Stairwells are adorned with original paintings by
renowned maritime artist, Stephen J. Card.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
One of the most beautiful features of the Oosterdam is her
wraparound, teak promenade deck.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Foodies may want to sample the cuisine - and atmosphere - in
the Pinnacle Grill, Holland America's fee-based specialty restaurant.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
The ultimate relaxation: a beautifully presented Martini in the
Oosterdam's signature Ocean Bar.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
From the Deck Chair will return Sunday, March 6th.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Focus On...Crown Princess
Crown Princess is arguably one of the most successful ships ever built by Princess Cruises. Constructed in 2006 at the Fincantieri shipyards near Venice, Italy, she is an evolution of the design that started back in 1998 with the launch of Grand Princess.
Crown Princess, seen here in Akureyri, Iceland.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Each subsequent ship in the Grand Class has seen its own subtle and not-so-subtle changes. Golden Princess, built in 2001, boasted a new, elegant atrium design.
Built in 2003 and 2004 at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Japan, Diamond and Sapphire Princess saw the repositioning of Skywalkers Nightclub from its elevated perch down to the uppermost deck, and a reconfigured aft pool.
Movies Under the Stars became an instant hit for Princess.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Also in 2004, Princess returned to Italian builder Fincantieri to construct Caribbean Princess, which saw a return to the original Grand Class design, but with an additional deck of balcony staterooms and a new feature: a gigantic LED screen suspended above the midship pool called Movies Under the Stars. Unique to Princess at the time, this innovation has been widely adopted by many other lines since then.
Pull up a chair and relax in The Sanctuary, Crown Princess'
fee-based premium relaxation area.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
While each of these ships has a popular following in its own right, it was in 2006 with the launch of the Crown Princess that Princess Cruises really struck gold. Crown Princess boasted an external profile that could best be described as Caribbean Princess meets Sapphire Princess.
Skywalkers was once again moved down, and an attractive new Aft Terrace was developed. Movies Under the Stars was refined and enhanced, and another Caribbean Princess feature, the open-air relaxation lounge known as The Sanctuary, was added. A small fee is required to use this area, which is well worth it.
Skywalkers was once again moved down, and an attractive new Aft Terrace was developed. Movies Under the Stars was refined and enhanced, and another Caribbean Princess feature, the open-air relaxation lounge known as The Sanctuary, was added. A small fee is required to use this area, which is well worth it.
The beautiful Piazza-style atrium set the standard for all future
Princess ships.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Elegant design, soft lighting and central location helped transform
the Piazza atrium aboard Crown Princess.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
But the real changes were saved for the Crown’s interior design. She sported an amazing new atrium space, known as the Piazza. Decorated in marble and elegant woods, this area became an incredibly popular spot for passengers, thanks to its comfortable seating, live and varied entertainment, and the plethora of public rooms that surrounds it.
Feeling peckish, or just need that latte? Head on over
to the International Cafe.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
The International Café serves up specialty coffees and light snacks throughout the day and night. During the afternoon, waiters come around the area, offering passengers an assortment of cookies with milk. Service is remarkably attentive for a ship this size, and crew members make a special effort to get to know guests.
Enjoy wine, cheese and sushi at Vines.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Also adjacent to the Piazza is Vines, Princess’ new wine and sushi concept. It’s also oddly under-utilized, though on a recent Crown Princess cruise it was gaining in popularity. A wide selection of wines by the glass and bottle are offered, and can be paired with some excellent sushi or sashimi – some of the best we’ve had onboard a ship. Not to your liking? Why not sample the Spanish-style Tapas?
After two Crown Princess voyages, this is still one of my favorite areas aboard for its central Piazza location, cozy atmosphere, and fantastic service. Did I mention it's not crowded?
Wrapping around the ship, Crown Princess's promenade deck
is the perfect place to take in the sea air.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
One deck up are the ship’s boutiques, and while bottlenecks do occur here, they seem to flow better than on other vessels, and can be avoided by simply ascending or descending the Piazza stairs.
Great location, atmosphere and Martini's;
it's tough to beat Crooner's.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Ascending another deck is the popular Crooner’s bar. With one half bordering the beautiful atrium, this is a tremendous place to enjoy a nightcap and listen to the live pianist. The only downside? It’s not nearly large enough for how popular it can be, particularly when a show empties out. But the atmosphere is one of our favorites aboard any ship, and the Martini list is fantastic.
The Crown Grill specialty restaurant.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
The Italian-themed Sabatini's.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Other new areas include the Crown Grill specialty steakhouse, and Sabatini’s Italian restaurant all the way aft and high atop Deck 16. The Crown Grill serves, as you might imagine, all manner of steak and seafood, while Sabatini’s is a multi-course delight that is served best if you haven’t had lunch – believe us, it’s a lot of food!
Adagio's has the perfect atmosphere: cozy, clubby
and with the drinks to back it up.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
It's tough to not fall instantly in love with this great nightspot.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Adjacent to Sabatini’s is another lounge that instantly won us over: Adagio’s. It’s high and aft location ensures that most people never find it, which seems to be how the passengers and crew like it. Done in dark woods with plenty of curved walls and large windows, the martini menu here is highly customized (try the one with champagne over shaved ice!) , and the selection of fine spirits is the best on the ship.
A pianist serenades whomever happens to be in the room, and the big, plush couches and comfortable chairs ensure you won’t want to get up for some time. Even just writing this makes me wish I was back there right now, drink in hand, looking out at the ocean. Bright and airy during the day, Adagio’s is best experienced at night.
Additional seating outside the safari-themed Explorer's Lounge.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Other hallmarks that have made this class of ship such a success are also present. Rather than having one large, imposing dining room, Princess opted to have three smaller ones, two of which provide the line’s Anytime Dining concept, and one located in its own section near the stern providing a more traditional, fixed-seating dining alternative.
Club Fusion, all the way aft on Deck 7, sports a Western feel.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
While the dine-when-you-want concept is hit or miss on many mainstream lines, Princess has it down to a fine science. Even when requesting a private table for two, wait times were never much beyond ten minutes. Should you encounter a wait for a desired table, you’ll be give a pager that functions in the atrium, allowing you to enjoy the pre-dinner entertainment or have a drink.
Get here early: The Princess Theatre fills up quickly.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
The only area that truly represents a problem on Crown Princess and the entire Grand-class is her main theatre, the aptly-named Princess Theatre. Located all the way forward, this theatre is one of the only public rooms that hasn’t seen any major evolution; it is identical right down to the fabric on the chairs. It also only has seating for about a third of the ship, which means guests start queuing for a 7pm show at 6:15pm. It’s an odd miss for a ship that has so many excellent design choices.
The Library aboard Crown Princess.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
Together with her sisters Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess, and near-sisters, Crown Princess offers an excellent cruise vacation for those who like their ships big, but without losing the intimate feel of a smaller vessel.
For more information about Crown Princess and the entire Princess Cruises fleet, be sure to visit the Princess Cruises website.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Silversea Adds Complimentary Business Class Air to Select Voyages
Silversea Cruises upped the ante Monday by announcing that it would be offering complimentary roundtrip Business Class airfare on select Northern Europe and Mediterranean voyages this summer, plus $1,000 Onboard Spending Credits.
Silversea, already known for providing complimentary airfare
on many of their itineraries, is offering free Business Class airfare
on select sailings this summer.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
The line is already widely known for providing free economy-class roundtrip airfare with many of its itineraries, and the value represented by including Business Class airfare makes the long-haul flights from North America to Europe look very attractive indeed.
But is it worth the price of admission?
In a word: yes.
We picked a random itinerary – Silver Cloud's July 20th Southampton to Copenhagen itinerary - and used Kayak.com to find available business class airfare options. Roundtrip airfare from Vancouver, BC to London’s Heathrow Airport on July 19, and returning July 30 from Copenhagen showed a lowest price of $3,848 USD per person, utilizing Air Canada and Brussels Airlines.
From there, prices only increased.
From there, prices only increased.
Silversea's new complimentary Business Class air promotion
means flying to Europe this summer just got more attractive.
Photo © Aaron Saunders
For a 10-day cruise that’s priced at $6,276 per person, that’s a heck of a deal. Plus, the line throws in its generous $1,000 Onboard Spending Credit, which can be used for shore excursions, spa appointments, or perhaps a degustation dinner experience in the line’s signature Le Champagne onboard restaurant – one of the few extra charges aboard Silversea ships.
Consider this: a 10-day voyage on a mainstream ship can run almost as much when you throw the airfare in. A comparable stateroom on Emerald Princess's July 18, 11-night sailing roundtrip Copenhagen is $3,463 per person. Kayak shows rountrip economy class airfare from Vancouver aboard KLM for the least expensive price of $1,632, bringing the total vacation cost to $5275 per person.
If $1,001 is all that separates luxury from mainstream, business from economy, that's a good value.
Consider this: a 10-day voyage on a mainstream ship can run almost as much when you throw the airfare in. A comparable stateroom on Emerald Princess's July 18, 11-night sailing roundtrip Copenhagen is $3,463 per person. Kayak shows rountrip economy class airfare from Vancouver aboard KLM for the least expensive price of $1,632, bringing the total vacation cost to $5275 per person.
If $1,001 is all that separates luxury from mainstream, business from economy, that's a good value.
The complete list of sailings featuring complimentary Business Class airfare is listed below. For additional details and information, be sure to visit the Silversea Cruises website or visit your local travel agent.
| ||||||||
5 Jul 2011 | 1119 | 15 | 55% | $9,365 | $500 | |||
20 Jul 2011 | 1120 | 10 | 60% | $6,276 | $1,000 | |||
30 Jul 2011 | 1121 | 17 | 55% | $9,815 | $500 | |||
16 Aug 2011 | 1122 | 10 | 60% | $6,276 | $1,000 | |||
| ||||||||
14 Jul 2011 | 2120 | 10 | 55% | $7,205 | $500 | |||
9 Aug 2011 | 2123 | 11 | 60% | $7,036 | $1,000 | |||
| ||||||||
9 Jul 2011 | 4120 | 7 | 60% | $5,396 | $500 | |||
16 Jul 2011 | 4121 | 7 | 55% | $5,945 | $500 | |||
23 Jul 2011 | 4122 | 7 | 60% | $5,396 | $500 | |||
6 Aug 2011 | 4124 | 7 | 55% | $5,945 | $500 | |||
| ||||||||
2 Jul 2011 | 5117 | 7 | 50% | $6,895 | $1,000 | |||
15 Jul 2011 | 5119 | 8 | 60% | $6,396 | $1,000 | |||
23 Jul 2011 | 5120 | 7 | 55% | $6,305 | $1,000 | |||
30 Jul 2011 | 5121 | 7 | 55% | $6,305 | $1,000 | |||
6 Aug 2011 | 5122 | 7 | 55% | $6,305 | $1,000 | |||
13 Aug 2011 | 5123 | 7 | 60% | $5,716 | $1,000 | |||
20 Aug 2011 | 5124 | 7 | 60% | $5,716 | $1,000 | |||
27 Aug 2011 | 5125 | 7 | 60% | $5,716 | $1,000 | |||
Hapag-Lloyd to Debut Columbus 2 Next Year
Oceania Cruises Insignia will become Hapag-Lloyd's
COLUMBUS 2 in May, 2012.
Photo courtesy of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises announced Monday that its COLUMBUS would depart the fleet a year earlier than scheduled, in May 2012. She will be replaced by Oceania Cruises Insignia, which will join the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises fleet next May, rechristened as COLUMBUS 2.
Larger and with a capacity of 698 guests, COLUMBUS 2 will allow Hapag-Lloyd Cruises to add more diversity to its itinerary offerings while at the same time enhancing the onboard experience for its guests. COLUMBUS 2 is also larger, at 593 feet in length.
COLUMBUS will carry out her published 2011-2012 World Tour schedule as planned, departing the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises fleet on May 7, 2012 in the port of Nice, France. Only two previously announced cruises departing after this date will be scrapped, and passengers booked on the affected voyages will be given the option to switch to a new itinerary.
The Officers and crew of COLUMBUS will be transferred over to COLUMBUS 2.
For more information on COLUMBUS, including her now-farewell 2011 Great Lakes voyages, and for information regarding the new COLUMBUS 2, be sure to pay a visit to the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises website.
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