MAKE YOUR VACATION TAX DEDUCTIBLE -- Aqua Cat and Cat Ppalu Cruises in the Bahamas have joined marine researchers in studying the invasion of Indo-Pacific Lionfish into Atlantic waters. Fish locations will be identified and marked, and the vessel may stay on site for multiple dives to document these behaviors. Photographers are welcome. Oct. 20-26 in Eleuthera -- $1,395 per person -- is the next trip. The Lionfish Expeditions are tax deductible.

BOOK ALASKA NOW -- On many cruises you can get 10 to 25% discount for next summer if you book now.    At Cruise West you can also use its flex program in which you request an itinerary and cabin category within a 30-day window and they confirm your dates and cabin a month before departure.   On the 84-passenger Spirit of Discovery you can save 10% and $350-500 extra if you book by Dec. 7 for a cruise in 2008.   The Spirit of Nantucket has been renamed Spirit of Glacier Bay and it will be cruising in Glacier Bay in 2008.   If you prefer a big ship, you can cruise Glacier Bay National Park from $599 on the Zuiderdam or Zaandam and also see Sawyer Glaciers, the fjords of Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Add 4 or 5 more days of cruising the Pacific Coast and end in Los Angeles or San Diego, starting at $799.

CRUISE RIVERS IN PORTUGAL & SPAIN -- Amadeus Waterways has a new itinerary for 2008 aboard the Amadouro. The cruise explores the Douro River Valley, beginning with Porto, the capital of North Portugal, continues inland to the countryside of the Tr?s-os-Montes Region, then enters Spain and visits Salamanca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located at the center of the Castilla y Le?n Region, returning to Portugal to the ancient city of Lamego.

SHARPEN YOUR PHOTO SKILLS ON A CRUISE -- Cruise West and Pentax have partnered to bring Pentax photography experts onboard six Cruise West itineraries in 2008.Guests will receive hands-on instruction on equipment use, digital image management and composition. The cruises offering this program are: Whales & Wildlife in the Sea of Cort?s Jan. 19; Alaska Whales & Wilderness cruise May 23 and July 4 from Juneau; the Pacific Northwest Coastal itinerary from Seattle April 27; and Panama Canal and Costa Rica March 26 and Dec. 2.  There is a photo contest for a free cruise at pentaxphotogallery.com until Jan. 31.

WIND SURF -- From November 25 to March 30 they will have specials on 7-day cruises from Barbados. Northbound cruises to St Kitts, Nevis, St. Martin, St Barts, BasseTerre, Iles des Sintes and Pigeon Island start at $1,489. Southbound to Bequia, Roseau, Pigeon Island, Mayreau, St. George’s and Tobago starts at $1,389. Or combine them for a great 2 weeks.

AFRICA AND THE ARABIAN PENINSULA -- In February Silver Cloud has a 9-day voyage from Mombasa to Mahe with calls in Lamu, Zanzibar, Dzaoudzi, and the Seychelles islands of Farquhar and Desroches, starting at $2,747 (50% savings). A 14-day voyage goes from Mahe to Dubai with calls in Oman's ports of Salalah, Muscat and Khasab; Fujairah and Abu Dhabi in the UAE; the Seychelles island of Praslin; Doha, Qatar; and Bahrain.

ANTARCTICA -- You can sail aboard a Russian research vessel with the opportunity to kayak on Akademik Sergey Vavilov and Akademik Ioffe in December at discounted prices from $6,760 for 13 days. Or go on the Polar Star for 11 days with 5 days in Antarctica and Shetland Islands $3,960-$7,376.  Orion has several Antarctic expeditions starting from New Zealand, venturing further south, crossing the Antarctic Circle to the Ross Sea and Commonwealth Bay. The 318-berth Fram has 12 departures from November to February combining an Antarctic voyage with other days in Santiago and Ushuaia.

QE2 TO BECOME A HOTEL -- Dubai is buying the QE2 cruise ship to turn it into a floating hotel at a pier on a man-made island in 2009.

2-FOR-1 IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC -- Archipels Croisi?res offers one passenger free for one paying passenger on cruises in November and December for 6-night cruises of Bora Bora, Tahaa, Raiatea and Huahine.

NEW SHIP FOR AMERICAN CRUISE LINES -- Next year their new 218-pasenger ship marketed under the name Pearl Seas Cruises will have cruises in the Canadian Maritimes, St. Lawrence Seaway, Great Lakes, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New England, Caribbean and Mexico Riviera.

NEW CRUISE LINE -- Royal Caribbean has launched a new luxury cruise brand called Azamara Cruises. The first ship Azamara Journey holds 710 passengers. Fares start at $895 per person.

SPECIAL OFFERS ON AMERICA RIVERS -- Majestic America Line is offering a variety of incentives on holiday cruises aboard the American Queen, Queen of the West and Empress of the North. There are some 2-for-1 fares on Mississippi River cruises from New Orleans and children cruise free when staying in the same stateroom as their parents. Fares start at $895 per person. In the Pacific Northwest, the Queen of the West and Empress of the North have roundtrips from Portland on the Columbia and Snake rivers in November and December with a free night's hotel stay in Portland before or after the voyage.

NEW BOAT ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN -- Moonlight Lady will debut in 2008 on Lake Champlain. Built in a classic 1920's style, it will offer excursions for 16 passengers on one to three-night cruises of Lake Champlain and the Richelieu River.

OCEANIA 2-FOR-1 -- There are 2-for-1 specials on their South America cruises this winter.

GAMBIA -- For the first time, the Bremen is sailing to Gambia, located on the west coast of Africa. The cruise starts in October in the Canary Islands, followed by the Cape Verde Islands, Gambia and the Gambia River, disembarking in Dakar, Senegal. Ideal for nature lovers, bird watchers, and the adventurous.

THOUSAND ISLANDS -- The 78-foot Georgian Clipper, with its home port now in Kingston, Ontario is offering cruises in the Thousand Islands/Bay of Quinte region of Canada, stopping at Picton, Brockville and Gananoque. The 4-night itinerary goes from now through October.

LUXURY BARGES -- French Country Waterways has increased its Oct. 21 and 28 discounts on cruises in Alsace-Lorraine, Burgundy, Champagne and the Upper Loire Valley. The six-night cruises on 8 to 18-passenger barges are now $3,495 to $4,595.

GALAPAGOS 20 % OFF -- AdventureSmith Explorations is offering 20% off its 11- day cruise for travel this December aboard a luxury 40-passenger motor yacht.

IRELAND GOLF CRUISES -- There are seven-day golf barging charters available on the Shannon Princess II on Ireland's Shannon River through September. Golfers play on five courses -- Lahinch Golf Course, Portumna Golf Club, Galway Bay Golf Course, Athlone Golf Club and Glasson Golf and Country Club. The barge holds eight-passengers.

SKI SOUTH GEORGIA -- Pelagic Australis has two 28-day cruises to South Georgia in October, November and December in which skiers can ski the snowline often down to the beach. Guests must be strong skiers with mountaineering experience.

Note that fares quoted come from the cruise companies and are for limited times and certain dates.

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