CruiseOne Freer & Assoicates is offering Xtreme Poker Cruises, with the best of private, live tournament poker while sailing aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines newest ships!
Combine your cruise vacation with your favorite pastime. Game with real LIVE dealers (no electronic tables). Play in a private, professionally managed poker room. Enjoy cash games at ALL levels, ALL limits. The most popular games offered are 1/2 no limit hold em, 2/4 limit hold em, and 4/8 limit hold em! Enjoy daily tournaments including the XtremePokerCruise Main Event tournament with a $125 buy in.
Xtreme Poker Cruise Includes: Live Dealers, Cash Games & Tournaments Everyday, Final Day Freeroll Tournament, Welcome Cocktail Party, Bottle of Sparkling Wine, Daily Single Table Turbo Tournaments, Free Poker Instructional Class
Xtreme Poker Cruises offered on the following sailings:
7-Night Western Caribbean, March 4, 2012, Norwegian Pearl, Starting at $599.39
7-Night Eastern Caribbean, March 17, 2012, Norwegian Epic, Starting at $798.46
7-Night Eastern Caribbean, November 10, 2012, Norwegian Epic, Starting at $673.35
7-Night Eastern Caribbean, December 8, 2012, Norwegian Epic, Starting at $668.35
Give us a call to reserve your spot on one of these sailings! Space is limited, don't miss out! CruiseOne Freer & Associates, 888-882-5793, www.MemorableVoyages.com or kfreer@cruiseone.com
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Don’t miss this great opportunity if you are looking to cruise this year!
Our EXCLUSIVE On Board Credit sale begins on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 and ends on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
What is the AMAZING offer?
We will be funding an exclusive onboard credit up to $125.00 for both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.
This exclusive offer is combinable with any other consumer promotion in the marketplace. Both offers are combinable with our Free Shore Excursion offer that runs through August 31, 2011, as well.
Also, with Celebrity you are able to take advantage of an already in place up to $100on board credit on select sailings, so you can actually have up to $225.00 onboard credit on select sailings!
Here is how the on board credit will be calculated:
Total Trip Price
$1,000 to $1,999 - On Board Credit Amount $25.00
$2,000 to $2,999 - On Board Credit Amount $50.00
$3,000 to $3,999 - On Board Credit Amount $75.00
$4,000 to $4,999 - On Board Credit Amount $100.00
$5,000 and Above - On Board Credit Amount $125.00
Royal Caribbean Promotion - Up to $125 Onboard Credit, FREE Spa Treatment & Onboard Savings Booklet!
New bookings ONLY made between August 17, 2011 and August 31, 2011
All sailings departing on or before 9/30/11 will receive up to $125 per the grid listed above
All Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas sailings departing on or before 12/31/11 will receive up to $125 per the grid listed above
All Europe departing on or before 12/31/2011 will receive up to $125 per the grid listed above
Book an outside category stateroom on any 7 night or longer sailing and receive one Passport to Savings Onboard Value Booklet.
Book a balcony or above category stateroom on any 7 night or longer sailing and receive a Complimentary Spa Treatment, in addition to Two Passport to Savings Onboard Value Booklets!
Celebrity Cruises Promotion - Up to $225 Onboard Credit, 50% Reduced Deposit, PLUS $50 Specialty Dining Certificate!
New bookings ONLY made between August 17, 2011 and August 31, 2011
All sailings departing on or before 12/31/11 will receive up to $125 per the grid listed above
Select sailings will receive an additional up to $100 OBC
50% reduced deposit on select sailings
There are a lot of details and some conditions to this offer. Give us a call to take advantage of this amazing sale. Kathy Freer, CruiseOne Freer & Associates, 888-882-5793. Visit us on the web at www.MemorableVoyages.com or send me an email at kfreer@cruiseone.com.
What is the AMAZING offer?
We will be funding an exclusive onboard credit up to $125.00 for both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity.
This exclusive offer is combinable with any other consumer promotion in the marketplace. Both offers are combinable with our Free Shore Excursion offer that runs through August 31, 2011, as well.
Also, with Celebrity you are able to take advantage of an already in place up to $100on board credit on select sailings, so you can actually have up to $225.00 onboard credit on select sailings!
Here is how the on board credit will be calculated:
Total Trip Price
$1,000 to $1,999 - On Board Credit Amount $25.00
$2,000 to $2,999 - On Board Credit Amount $50.00
$3,000 to $3,999 - On Board Credit Amount $75.00
$4,000 to $4,999 - On Board Credit Amount $100.00
$5,000 and Above - On Board Credit Amount $125.00
Royal Caribbean Promotion - Up to $125 Onboard Credit, FREE Spa Treatment & Onboard Savings Booklet!
New bookings ONLY made between August 17, 2011 and August 31, 2011
All sailings departing on or before 9/30/11 will receive up to $125 per the grid listed above
All Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas sailings departing on or before 12/31/11 will receive up to $125 per the grid listed above
All Europe departing on or before 12/31/2011 will receive up to $125 per the grid listed above
Book an outside category stateroom on any 7 night or longer sailing and receive one Passport to Savings Onboard Value Booklet.
Book a balcony or above category stateroom on any 7 night or longer sailing and receive a Complimentary Spa Treatment, in addition to Two Passport to Savings Onboard Value Booklets!
Celebrity Cruises Promotion - Up to $225 Onboard Credit, 50% Reduced Deposit, PLUS $50 Specialty Dining Certificate!
New bookings ONLY made between August 17, 2011 and August 31, 2011
All sailings departing on or before 12/31/11 will receive up to $125 per the grid listed above
Select sailings will receive an additional up to $100 OBC
50% reduced deposit on select sailings
There are a lot of details and some conditions to this offer. Give us a call to take advantage of this amazing sale. Kathy Freer, CruiseOne Freer & Associates, 888-882-5793. Visit us on the web at www.MemorableVoyages.com or send me an email at kfreer@cruiseone.com.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Feed Your Inner Foodie With A Menu Of Tempting Events
REPOST: Celebrity Chef Dena Marino will be on board the Celebrity Eclipse sailing December 10, 2011, doing a 7 night Eastern Caribbean itinerary!
Enjoy cooking? Always wanted to meet up with a professional chef? Well, here is your opportunity! And, to do it while on a vacation on board the beautiful Celebrity Eclipse … that makes it even better! Here is what will be happening:
Adding flavor to an already robust onboard experience are new special interest cruises, a part of the Celebrity Life Savor series, geared to those with a fine appreciation of food and wine. A renowned guest chef or wine maker will be invited aboard select cruises to celebrate all we love about good food and wine. There's no better place to showcase all this talent other than aboard the award-winning Celebrity ships with their already outstanding food and drink experience.
Feed Your Inner Foodie With A Menu Of Tempting Events.
Each "Savor Your Destination" culinary cruise offers a series of experiences to engage your taste buds and your mind.
• Meet and chat with the guest chef during a cocktail hour and have your photo taken together.
• Watch a chef-led cooking demonstration highlighting techniques and ingredients in the ship's theatre.
• Book signings, for those chefs with published books.
• Watch-or be selected to participate in-the "Star Chefs" competition cook-off. Guests are selected from the audience, then guided by the ship's own top chef to compete in a cook-off judged by a panel of fellow guests.
• Take part in a hands-on cooking class led by the chef in the ship's galley and receive a special recipe booklet featuring the chef's own creations.
• Exclusive food-and-wine-pairing dinner in the Murano Restaurant, designed and presented by the chef. Leave with a special booklet of the chef's recipes.
I have some group space on the Celebrity Eclipse, sailing December 10, 2010, doing a 7 night Eastern Caribbean itinerary, visiting San Juan, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.
Interested in this sailing, or perhaps any other dates that might be available? Give us a call! CruiseOne Freer & Associates 888-882-5793 or visit us on the web at www.kfreer.cruiseone.com.
Enjoy cooking? Always wanted to meet up with a professional chef? Well, here is your opportunity! And, to do it while on a vacation on board the beautiful Celebrity Eclipse … that makes it even better! Here is what will be happening:
Adding flavor to an already robust onboard experience are new special interest cruises, a part of the Celebrity Life Savor series, geared to those with a fine appreciation of food and wine. A renowned guest chef or wine maker will be invited aboard select cruises to celebrate all we love about good food and wine. There's no better place to showcase all this talent other than aboard the award-winning Celebrity ships with their already outstanding food and drink experience.
Feed Your Inner Foodie With A Menu Of Tempting Events.
Each "Savor Your Destination" culinary cruise offers a series of experiences to engage your taste buds and your mind.
• Meet and chat with the guest chef during a cocktail hour and have your photo taken together.
• Watch a chef-led cooking demonstration highlighting techniques and ingredients in the ship's theatre.
• Book signings, for those chefs with published books.
• Watch-or be selected to participate in-the "Star Chefs" competition cook-off. Guests are selected from the audience, then guided by the ship's own top chef to compete in a cook-off judged by a panel of fellow guests.
• Take part in a hands-on cooking class led by the chef in the ship's galley and receive a special recipe booklet featuring the chef's own creations.
• Exclusive food-and-wine-pairing dinner in the Murano Restaurant, designed and presented by the chef. Leave with a special booklet of the chef's recipes.
I have some group space on the Celebrity Eclipse, sailing December 10, 2010, doing a 7 night Eastern Caribbean itinerary, visiting San Juan, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.
Interested in this sailing, or perhaps any other dates that might be available? Give us a call! CruiseOne Freer & Associates 888-882-5793 or visit us on the web at www.kfreer.cruiseone.com.
Monday, August 8, 2011
3 Day Exclusive Royal Caribbean Sale!
We have an EXCLUSIVE sale with Royal Caribbean! Pre-Paid Gratuities! Complementary Dinner for Two in a Specialty Restaurant! Complementary Spa Treatment! And … on select sailings even some on board credit!
Contact Kathy Freer at CruiseOne Freer & Associates for details and to book your stateroom today! But hurry! This offer is only good for new bookings made between August 9, 2011 through August 11, 2011, and sailings must be 5 nights or longer, booked in a balcony or above and depart August 26, 2011 through December 31, 2011 to qualify.
Please read details below.
Give us a call at 888-882-5793, visit us on the web at www.MemorableVoyages.com or send me an email at kfreer@cruiseone.com.
Book a balcony or above stateroom on any 5-Night or longer Royal Caribbean cruise departing August 26 – December 31, 2011 and receive: Complimentary Dinner for Two in a Specialty Restaurant Plus Complimentary Spa Treatment Plus Pre-paid Gratuities!!
And when you book select sailings, you’ll also receive 50% Reduced deposit AND On select sailings, between $25 - $100 Onboard Credit per Stateroom
These special offers are available on hundreds of sailings, including Royal Caribbean’s newest, most innovative ships, the Oasis of the Seas® and Allure of the Seas®!
AUGUST THREE DAY SALE. ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
SPA: Spa offer valid for balcony or above staterooms on any 5-Night or longer cruise departing August 26 - December 31, 2011. Spa offer will be limited to one treatment per stateroom, and it will be at the guest’s discretion as to which guest on the stateroom redeems the treatment. The guest redeeming the spa offer will choose among one of three of the spa treatments: La Thérapie Hydrolift Facial; Swedish Massage; Reflexology including Massage.
DINNER FOR TWO: Specialty dining offer is valid on any 5-night or longer Royal Caribbean cruise departing between August 26 - December 31, 2011 and on a ship featuring specialty dining restaurants. Not all ships feature specialty dining restaurants. Applicable to outside and above stateroom categories. On Oasis-class ships, 150 Central Park, Johnny Rockets and Izumi are excluded from the dining offer. Dining voucher is applicable for one dining experience in a specialty restaurant for up to two guests. Beverages are not included in the value of the voucher. Specialty dining gratuities are included.
PRE-PAID GRATUITIES: Gratuity offer is valid on any Royal Caribbean cruise departing between August 26 - December 31, 2011. Special offer includes pre-paid gratuities for the first and second guest in a stateroom. Gratuities for 3rd, 4th or more guests in the same stateroom will be the responsibility of the guest. Limit one pre-paid gratuities offer, up to two guests, per stateroom. On 3 – 4 Night itineraries, the gratuity offer is applicable to suite categories and above. On 5-Night or longer itineraries, the gratuity offer is applicable to outside and above stateroom categories.
REDUCED DEPOSIT: Reduced deposit offer is applicable to all Royal Caribbean ships, sail dates and stateroom categories, except those sailings that are within final payment. Any bookings made on sailings within final payment will not be eligible to participate in this offer. Only 50% of the normal deposit amount will be required at the time of deposit. The normal payment schedule will apply thereafter. Note: Gratuity amounts for suites (Grand Suite and higher) are higher than the categories. Reduced deposit must be applied to bookings by August 11. After the close of the sale, bookings will require full deposit if not deposited during the sale.
ONBOARD CREDIT: Bookings made in outside or above stateroom categories between on select sailings will also receive between $25 to $100 onboard credit per stateroom. Please contact me to determine which sailings are applicable. Onboard credit is applicable to select sailings, and amount varies by itinerary length. This offer is not transferable. OBC is in U.S. dollars and is not redeemable for cash. The onboard credit offer cannot be used with certain fares. The Onboard Credit offer cannot be combined with any onboard credit or dollars off coupon on the same sailing.
Contact Kathy Freer at CruiseOne Freer & Associates for details and to book your stateroom today! But hurry! This offer is only good for new bookings made between August 9, 2011 through August 11, 2011, and sailings must be 5 nights or longer, booked in a balcony or above and depart August 26, 2011 through December 31, 2011 to qualify.
Please read details below.
Give us a call at 888-882-5793, visit us on the web at www.MemorableVoyages.com or send me an email at kfreer@cruiseone.com.
Book a balcony or above stateroom on any 5-Night or longer Royal Caribbean cruise departing August 26 – December 31, 2011 and receive: Complimentary Dinner for Two in a Specialty Restaurant Plus Complimentary Spa Treatment Plus Pre-paid Gratuities!!
And when you book select sailings, you’ll also receive 50% Reduced deposit AND On select sailings, between $25 - $100 Onboard Credit per Stateroom
These special offers are available on hundreds of sailings, including Royal Caribbean’s newest, most innovative ships, the Oasis of the Seas® and Allure of the Seas®!
AUGUST THREE DAY SALE. ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
SPA: Spa offer valid for balcony or above staterooms on any 5-Night or longer cruise departing August 26 - December 31, 2011. Spa offer will be limited to one treatment per stateroom, and it will be at the guest’s discretion as to which guest on the stateroom redeems the treatment. The guest redeeming the spa offer will choose among one of three of the spa treatments: La Thérapie Hydrolift Facial; Swedish Massage; Reflexology including Massage.
DINNER FOR TWO: Specialty dining offer is valid on any 5-night or longer Royal Caribbean cruise departing between August 26 - December 31, 2011 and on a ship featuring specialty dining restaurants. Not all ships feature specialty dining restaurants. Applicable to outside and above stateroom categories. On Oasis-class ships, 150 Central Park, Johnny Rockets and Izumi are excluded from the dining offer. Dining voucher is applicable for one dining experience in a specialty restaurant for up to two guests. Beverages are not included in the value of the voucher. Specialty dining gratuities are included.
PRE-PAID GRATUITIES: Gratuity offer is valid on any Royal Caribbean cruise departing between August 26 - December 31, 2011. Special offer includes pre-paid gratuities for the first and second guest in a stateroom. Gratuities for 3rd, 4th or more guests in the same stateroom will be the responsibility of the guest. Limit one pre-paid gratuities offer, up to two guests, per stateroom. On 3 – 4 Night itineraries, the gratuity offer is applicable to suite categories and above. On 5-Night or longer itineraries, the gratuity offer is applicable to outside and above stateroom categories.
REDUCED DEPOSIT: Reduced deposit offer is applicable to all Royal Caribbean ships, sail dates and stateroom categories, except those sailings that are within final payment. Any bookings made on sailings within final payment will not be eligible to participate in this offer. Only 50% of the normal deposit amount will be required at the time of deposit. The normal payment schedule will apply thereafter. Note: Gratuity amounts for suites (Grand Suite and higher) are higher than the categories. Reduced deposit must be applied to bookings by August 11. After the close of the sale, bookings will require full deposit if not deposited during the sale.
ONBOARD CREDIT: Bookings made in outside or above stateroom categories between on select sailings will also receive between $25 to $100 onboard credit per stateroom. Please contact me to determine which sailings are applicable. Onboard credit is applicable to select sailings, and amount varies by itinerary length. This offer is not transferable. OBC is in U.S. dollars and is not redeemable for cash. The onboard credit offer cannot be used with certain fares. The Onboard Credit offer cannot be combined with any onboard credit or dollars off coupon on the same sailing.
Monday, August 1, 2011
World's Most Scenic Cruises
I saw this article online, from Travel and Leisure. I thought it was a good one to share.
From coral reefs to calving glaciers, set sail for gorgeous views on the world’s most scenic cruises.
By Fran Golden
Scenic views are the most priceless part of the amenity-packed cruise experience. And, as savvy travelers seek more adventure opportunities, cruise lines are responding by charting a course to ever more beautiful—and remote—corners of the map.
With their shallow drafts, small cruise ships can get close to the sights, and they come equipped with inflatable Zodiacs that allow for intimate coastline exploration.
But big ship lines, too, are bringing passengers to ocean-accessible scenic wonders like Alaska's Inside Passage, where the roar of calving glaciers is best experienced from the vantage point of a ship's deck. Even Carnival Cruise Lines, with its strong base in the Caribbean, is positioning a ship year-round in Sydney, beginning in fall 2012. It's easy to see the reasoning: the South Pacific, South America, and Africa are all hot cruising destinations, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, the industry's top marketing group.
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but on the world's most scenic cruises, Mother Nature serves up views that will please the most jaded traveler—and may even change the very way you look at the world.
Galapagos Islands
Located some 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, and virtually untouched by man, these islands have fostered hundreds of species found nowhere else on earth. Giant tortoises, curious iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and Charles Darwin's famous finches are the main attractions. You'll cruise past volcanic peaks and beaches, with opportunities to schmooze with land critters, snorkel with sharks, or watch the birds and contemplate the ongoing evolution in this wild spot.
Season: Year round.
Sample Itinerary: 7-day on the 92-passenger Celebrity Xpedition, from Baltra, Ecuador. From $3,499 per person, based on double occupancy.
The Kimberley
The rugged red cliffs and white sands of northwestern Australia make for one of the wildest, most beautiful coastlines in the world—and the best parts are accessible only by ship. In this outback, where the Indian Ocean meets the Timor Sea, remote islands proliferate, and rivers and inlets lead to isolated gorges, towering rock faces, majestic waterfalls (as high as 328 feet), and roving saltwater crocodiles.
Season: April–October.
Sample Itinerary: 10-day, from the frontier cities of Darwin or Broome, on the 50-passenger Coral Princess. From $7,337 per person, based on double occupancy.
Alaska
Cruising the calm waters of Alaska's Inside Passage delivers high-drama views -- namely, the awesome sight of immense glaciers thunderously calving into the sea. But what may linger in your memory is the sheer vastness of the wilderness, icy and forested. Keep your binoculars handy to catch glimpses of whales, eagles, and, if you're lucky, a grizzly.
Season: May–September.
Sample Itinerary: Weeklong Eastern Coves on the 68-passenger Wilderness Discoverer or 57-passenger Wilderness Adventurer, between Juneau and Ketchikan. From $1,795 per person, based on double occupancy.
Antarctica and the South Shetland Islands
The captain charts a course south from Argentina's tip to the "Great White Continent," where wild beauty comes in the form of spectacular glaciers, giant white and blue icebergs, and snowcapped mountains. In this stark setting, you can spot orca and sperm whales from the deck and observe penguins and elephant seals up close on island stops. What you won't find is any sign of humans (beyond a smattering of scientific research stations).
Season: November–February.
Sample Itinerary: 11-day Antarctic Explorer, round trip from Ushuaia, Argentina, on the 122-passenger Clipper Adventurer. From $4,890 per person, based on double occupancy.
Borneo
In the heart of the Malay Archipelago awaits the third largest island in the world, where ancient tropical rainforests support a zoological wonderland. There are interesting plants, and animal and bird life galore, and offshore, the reefs are full of colorful coral and marine life. Don't miss the monkeys in the wild, particularly orangutans.
Season: September–January.
Sample Itinerary: 10-day Camp Leaky on the 100-passenger Orion II (includes a stop at the orangutan rehab center featured in the IMAX film Born to be Wild). From $6,930 per person, based on double occupancy.
Madagascar
As you island-hop across the Indian Ocean, passing Mauritius, Reunion, and the Comoros, you'll be wowed by such sights as volcanoes (both extinct and active), dense forests, and some of the most pristine beaches and teeming coral reefs in the world. The East African cruise experience peaks at Madagascar, so big it's been dubbed the "eighth continent," which presents the added allure of lemurs—those spooky primates whose eyes make them look perpetually startled.
Season: December–March.
Sample Itinerary: 15-day East Africa, from Mauritius to Zanzibar on Zegrahm Expeditions' 110-passenger Clipper Odyssey, one of the only ships that devotes more than a day to the remarkable island of Madagascar. From $12,480 per person, based on double occupancy.
Greek Isles
Ancient architectural wonders combine with whitewashed towns, beaches, and abundant sunshine to make the Greek Isles a highly desirable cruising destination. The most magnificent scenery belongs to Santorini, where your ship sails into a bay that is actually a giant caldera, created when a volcano erupted in 1500 B.C. Multihued cliffs and the 1,000-foot-high town of Fira complete the view.
Season: May–September.
Sample Itinerary: 12-day Holy Land Cruise, round trip from Rome (Civitavecchia) on the brand-new 2,886-passenger Celebrity Silhouette. From $1,599 per person, based on double occupancy.
Milford Sound
Rudyard Kipling called Milford Sound “the eighth wonder of the world,” and it’s hard to argue when you behold the ethereal beauty of a waterway little changed since the Maori people discovered it more than 1,000 years ago. In South Island’s Fjordland National Park, the sound cuts through steep cliffs carved by glaciers. Your ship may get close enough to a roaring waterfall for you to feel the spray.
Season: Year-round.
Sample Itinerary: 14-day New Zealand, round-trip from Brisbane, Australia, on the 1,990-passenger Sun Princess. From $1,699 per person, based on double occupancy.
New England
The colorful leaves that light up the Eastern Seaboard each fall are recognized worldwide as one of nature's best shows. Seeing the red-and-gold display from the sea is a refreshing alternative to traffic-clogged roadways. Plus there's the added delight of rugged coastline and sightings of humpback and minke whales. Cruises typically head up to Canada, and some seek out a route that includes the tree-lined fjord of the Saguenay, which cuts through what may be the oldest rocks on earth.
Season: September–October.
Sample Itinerary: 10-day Canada/New England, including Saguenay, on Holland America's 2,100-passenger Eurodam from New York or Quebec City, from $1,499 per person, based on double occupancy.
Norwegian Fjords
The crystal-clear Norwegian Fjords serve up an embarrassment of natural riches. These stunning waterways cut right through 1,000-foot cliffs, revealing snowcapped mountains, glacier-fed waterfalls, and rolling lowlands. The spectacular views just keep on coming and continue well past dinnertime as you cruise with the midnight sun.
Season: May–August.
Sample Itinerary: 9-day Norwegian Fjords, round trip from Copenhagen on the Seabourn Sojourn. From $3,995 per person, based on double occupancy.
Give CruiseOne Freer & Associates a call to check rates and reserve your scenic cruise today! You can reach us 24/7 at 888-882-5793, visit us on the web at www.MemorableVoyages.com or email at kfreer@cruiseone.com
From coral reefs to calving glaciers, set sail for gorgeous views on the world’s most scenic cruises.
By Fran Golden
Scenic views are the most priceless part of the amenity-packed cruise experience. And, as savvy travelers seek more adventure opportunities, cruise lines are responding by charting a course to ever more beautiful—and remote—corners of the map.
With their shallow drafts, small cruise ships can get close to the sights, and they come equipped with inflatable Zodiacs that allow for intimate coastline exploration.
But big ship lines, too, are bringing passengers to ocean-accessible scenic wonders like Alaska's Inside Passage, where the roar of calving glaciers is best experienced from the vantage point of a ship's deck. Even Carnival Cruise Lines, with its strong base in the Caribbean, is positioning a ship year-round in Sydney, beginning in fall 2012. It's easy to see the reasoning: the South Pacific, South America, and Africa are all hot cruising destinations, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, the industry's top marketing group.
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but on the world's most scenic cruises, Mother Nature serves up views that will please the most jaded traveler—and may even change the very way you look at the world.
Galapagos Islands
Located some 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, and virtually untouched by man, these islands have fostered hundreds of species found nowhere else on earth. Giant tortoises, curious iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and Charles Darwin's famous finches are the main attractions. You'll cruise past volcanic peaks and beaches, with opportunities to schmooze with land critters, snorkel with sharks, or watch the birds and contemplate the ongoing evolution in this wild spot.
Season: Year round.
Sample Itinerary: 7-day on the 92-passenger Celebrity Xpedition, from Baltra, Ecuador. From $3,499 per person, based on double occupancy.
The Kimberley
The rugged red cliffs and white sands of northwestern Australia make for one of the wildest, most beautiful coastlines in the world—and the best parts are accessible only by ship. In this outback, where the Indian Ocean meets the Timor Sea, remote islands proliferate, and rivers and inlets lead to isolated gorges, towering rock faces, majestic waterfalls (as high as 328 feet), and roving saltwater crocodiles.
Season: April–October.
Sample Itinerary: 10-day, from the frontier cities of Darwin or Broome, on the 50-passenger Coral Princess. From $7,337 per person, based on double occupancy.
Alaska
Cruising the calm waters of Alaska's Inside Passage delivers high-drama views -- namely, the awesome sight of immense glaciers thunderously calving into the sea. But what may linger in your memory is the sheer vastness of the wilderness, icy and forested. Keep your binoculars handy to catch glimpses of whales, eagles, and, if you're lucky, a grizzly.
Season: May–September.
Sample Itinerary: Weeklong Eastern Coves on the 68-passenger Wilderness Discoverer or 57-passenger Wilderness Adventurer, between Juneau and Ketchikan. From $1,795 per person, based on double occupancy.
Antarctica and the South Shetland Islands
The captain charts a course south from Argentina's tip to the "Great White Continent," where wild beauty comes in the form of spectacular glaciers, giant white and blue icebergs, and snowcapped mountains. In this stark setting, you can spot orca and sperm whales from the deck and observe penguins and elephant seals up close on island stops. What you won't find is any sign of humans (beyond a smattering of scientific research stations).
Season: November–February.
Sample Itinerary: 11-day Antarctic Explorer, round trip from Ushuaia, Argentina, on the 122-passenger Clipper Adventurer. From $4,890 per person, based on double occupancy.
Borneo
In the heart of the Malay Archipelago awaits the third largest island in the world, where ancient tropical rainforests support a zoological wonderland. There are interesting plants, and animal and bird life galore, and offshore, the reefs are full of colorful coral and marine life. Don't miss the monkeys in the wild, particularly orangutans.
Season: September–January.
Sample Itinerary: 10-day Camp Leaky on the 100-passenger Orion II (includes a stop at the orangutan rehab center featured in the IMAX film Born to be Wild). From $6,930 per person, based on double occupancy.
Madagascar
As you island-hop across the Indian Ocean, passing Mauritius, Reunion, and the Comoros, you'll be wowed by such sights as volcanoes (both extinct and active), dense forests, and some of the most pristine beaches and teeming coral reefs in the world. The East African cruise experience peaks at Madagascar, so big it's been dubbed the "eighth continent," which presents the added allure of lemurs—those spooky primates whose eyes make them look perpetually startled.
Season: December–March.
Sample Itinerary: 15-day East Africa, from Mauritius to Zanzibar on Zegrahm Expeditions' 110-passenger Clipper Odyssey, one of the only ships that devotes more than a day to the remarkable island of Madagascar. From $12,480 per person, based on double occupancy.
Greek Isles
Ancient architectural wonders combine with whitewashed towns, beaches, and abundant sunshine to make the Greek Isles a highly desirable cruising destination. The most magnificent scenery belongs to Santorini, where your ship sails into a bay that is actually a giant caldera, created when a volcano erupted in 1500 B.C. Multihued cliffs and the 1,000-foot-high town of Fira complete the view.
Season: May–September.
Sample Itinerary: 12-day Holy Land Cruise, round trip from Rome (Civitavecchia) on the brand-new 2,886-passenger Celebrity Silhouette. From $1,599 per person, based on double occupancy.
Milford Sound
Rudyard Kipling called Milford Sound “the eighth wonder of the world,” and it’s hard to argue when you behold the ethereal beauty of a waterway little changed since the Maori people discovered it more than 1,000 years ago. In South Island’s Fjordland National Park, the sound cuts through steep cliffs carved by glaciers. Your ship may get close enough to a roaring waterfall for you to feel the spray.
Season: Year-round.
Sample Itinerary: 14-day New Zealand, round-trip from Brisbane, Australia, on the 1,990-passenger Sun Princess. From $1,699 per person, based on double occupancy.
New England
The colorful leaves that light up the Eastern Seaboard each fall are recognized worldwide as one of nature's best shows. Seeing the red-and-gold display from the sea is a refreshing alternative to traffic-clogged roadways. Plus there's the added delight of rugged coastline and sightings of humpback and minke whales. Cruises typically head up to Canada, and some seek out a route that includes the tree-lined fjord of the Saguenay, which cuts through what may be the oldest rocks on earth.
Season: September–October.
Sample Itinerary: 10-day Canada/New England, including Saguenay, on Holland America's 2,100-passenger Eurodam from New York or Quebec City, from $1,499 per person, based on double occupancy.
Norwegian Fjords
The crystal-clear Norwegian Fjords serve up an embarrassment of natural riches. These stunning waterways cut right through 1,000-foot cliffs, revealing snowcapped mountains, glacier-fed waterfalls, and rolling lowlands. The spectacular views just keep on coming and continue well past dinnertime as you cruise with the midnight sun.
Season: May–August.
Sample Itinerary: 9-day Norwegian Fjords, round trip from Copenhagen on the Seabourn Sojourn. From $3,995 per person, based on double occupancy.
Give CruiseOne Freer & Associates a call to check rates and reserve your scenic cruise today! You can reach us 24/7 at 888-882-5793, visit us on the web at www.MemorableVoyages.com or email at kfreer@cruiseone.com
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