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February03, 2004 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
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Greetings, Cruise Fans, Welcome to another edition of the 7 Seas Cruise News, brought to you by Pat Crane, my better half, and your best friend if you're interested in a great price on any cruise, anywhere, any time! Write him at cruiseplanners7seascruises@msn. com, visit us at www.7seascruises.com or give Pat a call almost anytime at 1-866-424- 1090. That' s toll-free in the U.S., Canada and a few other places. This will be a brief newsletter today. Sorry about that, but I brought home a briefcase full of writing to do for my "day job," and I have about four more hours of work to finish today. So, we'll just let the cruise lines speak for themselves today. And with the tragic partial sinking of the new Pride of America (still in dock in Germany), there is plenty of news this week! Friday, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced the early introduction of the new Pride of Aloha. The ship will take over the Pride of America's published program of seven-day inter-island Hawai`i cruises, commencing July 4th of this year. It is still too early to know the new delivery date of Pride of America following the January 14th incident at Lloyd Werft in Germany; however, after two days of investigation it is now clear that there will be a substantial delay - months rather than weeks. "This unfortunate event has certainly challenged us and there is a great deal to be done to ensure our passengers receive the vacation they have planned in spite of what has happened," said Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL. "While this is certainly a hurdle in the process, we will not be deterred from launching our U. S. Flag operation this year and ensuring the continued employment of the 1,000 plus U.S. seafarers who have already been hired. Reversing the order of the two ships allows us to do this. "We have been working closely with Senator Inouye since the incident and have been greatly encouraged by his strong support for this realignment of our plans. We are also grateful to Congressman Abercrombie for his active engagement, as well as to the other members of the Hawai`i delegation, Senator Akaka and Congressman Case. And the statement of support from Governor Lingle's office reinforces for us the importance to Hawai`i of introducing our U.S. Flag operations on schedule - albeit with a different ship than we had first announced," Veitch added Pride of Aloha, currently sailing as Norwegian Sky, will undergo a multi-million dollar remodeling in May and be reflagged into the U.S. registry to assume Pride of America's itinerary. The 2,000-passenger state-of-the-art ship begins in early June in California and culminates with an inaugural celebration and ship christening on July 4th in Hawai`i when she will then begin seven-day inter-island Hawai`i cruises. Guests booked on Pride of America will be rebooked on Pride of Aloha. Full details will be announced next week. Norwegian Sky passengers booked in Alaska will be similarly accommodated with full details available next week. Important- As of March 1st 2004 All persons entering Barbados from the United States will be required to carry a valid passport. A birth certificate along with a photo id will no longer be accepted at port of entry. This is just the first nation to announce this requirement. Expect more nations to fall in line. Might as well go ahead and get yours. Visit your local Post Office or Passport Office for an application. Winter is off- season for most international travel, so this is the right season to apply for your passport! Celebrity Cruises is taking guests to the farthest corners of the world, and treating them famously all the way. The launch of Celebrity Xpeditions, a series of exotic experiences and exceptional excursions, was announced this week. Subject to closing of a pending acquisition, including regulatory approvals, the first in the Celebrity Xpeditions program will begin June 11, 2004, with a series of seven- to 10-night journeys in the Galapagos Islands, on a ship to be aptly named Celebrity Xpedition. The 296- foot vessel, which resembles a luxurious private yacht, accommodates 100 guests, and with 64 crew members, exceeds Celebrity's fleetwide 2-to-1 guest-to-staff ratio. Additional 'over-the-top' Celebrity Xpeditions in Antarctica, the Arctic, Alaska, Florida, and elsewhere will be announced later this year. After guests snorkel, hike and explore the pristine Galapagos Islands, they will return to one of the 47 staterooms and suites on Celebrity Xpedition. They can dine in the outdoor grill or the elegant main restaurant serving Celebrity's five- star cuisine, enjoy enrichment lectures, or visit the gym and spa, library, and lounge area featuring live music. In the Galapagos, guests can mingle with sea lions, chat with environmental experts and enjoy dinner and dancing under the stars, all in one day. On future Celebrity Xpeditions, guests might scale glaciers on an ice-breaking ship in Antarctica, drive Hummers through the Alaskan woodlands, sport-fish in British Columbia, and rev up their engines at a race car driving school in Florida. Each Celebrity Xpedition will be offered in addition to current Celebrity itineraries, or as individual journeys. Meanwhile, over at Carnival??¦From an expansive children's play area featuring a computer lab, "video wall" and variety of toys and games to organized teen shore excursions and "kid friendly" dining options, Carnival Cruise new 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle has definite all-ages appeal. The 88,500-ton SuperLiner, currently under construction in Helsinki, Finland, is slated to debut from Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 27, 2004. The amenities featured aboard Carnival Miracle are the latest to "Camp Carnival," the line's fleetwide children's program that will cater to the estimated 450,000 kids expected to sail aboard the " Fun Ships" this year. That translates to roughly half of the children carried by the entire North American cruise industry (CLIA member lines). The focal point of many " Camp Carnival" activities is Pinocchio's Club, a 2,400-square-foot play area that is among the largest in the "FunShip" fleet. Divided into three specific areas - all connected via a series of tunnels, Pinocchio's Club features a computer lab with the latest educational games, an arts and crafts center with spin and sand art and candy-making and other hands-on activities, and an all-ages play room with an of toys and games. There's also a 16-monitor "video wall" continually displaying kids' favorite movies and cartoons. The Club will also serve as the venue for the line's nightly babysitting services, which are available from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. The cost is $6 for the first child and $4 for each additional child in the same family. An outdoor play area with mini-basketball hoops and other playground equipment, along with four swimming pools and a two-deck-high corkscrew water slide, are also featured. Dining is considered a highlight of any "Fun Ship" cruise and kids sailing aboard Carnival Miracle are provided with a wide range of delectable kid-friendly culinary choices. These include an expansive Lido restaurant featuring hot dogs, hamburgers, French fries and 24-hour pizza and ice cream/frozen yogurt, along with a two-level main dining room offering extensive children' s menus with choices such as chicken nuggets, pepperoni pizza, macaroni and cheese and " daily junior special" promising something new each evening. A new kids dining program, during which children can dine with the youth counselors nightly in the poolside Lido restaurant, is also available. Featured items include roasted chicken drumsticks, grilled salmon steak, chicken quesadillas and a 35-item salad bar. Kids also enjoy a turn-down service offering freshly baked chocolate chip cookies on the first and last night of the voyage, as well as the "Fountain Fun Card," which, for a one-time fee, provides unlimited soft drinks throughout the duration of the cruise. The "Fun Ships" are known for having the most spacious staterooms in contemporary cruising and Carnival Miracle continues that tradition. Interior staterooms measure 185 square feet, standard balcony staterooms 240 square feet and penthouse suites 430 square feet, all with ample closet and storage space. Many cabins can accommodate up to four guests and there are 52 interconnecting cabins - perfect for large families or gatherings. Carnival Miracle will also offer stroller rentals for use both aboard ship and during port calls. Single and double strollers are available at a cost of $7 per day and $25 per week. Other kid-friendly features include "Wizards, " a high-tech game room featuring the latest video and arcade games, along with several "just for " activities, including teen shore excursions in which teens get together and select their favorite shore tour and then visit the destination accompanied by a member of the youth staff. Carnival Miracle is slated to debut from Jacksonville Feb. 27, 2004, with a series of 12 three- to six-day voyages through April 17, 2004, marking first time that Carnival has ever operated from that port. The ship will also operate seven-day departures from Baltimore and New York before repositioning to Tampa for year-round seven-day western Caribbean cruises from that port beginning Nov. 7, 2004. Just time to tell you about a couple of really interesting cruises available right now-with great prices! Like the Holland America Ryndam and the fascinating Sea of Cortez cruise round-trip from San Diego. Pat just got word that he can price that cruise ( without air) at $525 per person double occupancy for an inside cabin or $617 per person, double occupancy, for an ocean-view cabin. This is a 7-day cruise and this price includes everything-cruise fare and all taxes and port charges. Sail Feb. 7 at this amazing price and see places most Mexican cruise travelers never see. You'll visit lovely Loreto, cruise the scenic coastline below the towering Sierra de La Giganta, visit La Paz and spend a day a Cabo San Lucas. For anyone needing a refresher geography course, the Sea of Cortez is what' s on the backside of Baja. It's a warm weather winter playground for whales, as well as winter-weary humans! Call Pat for more information, but hurry. This is such an excellent price that cabins won't last long! And for those of you who don't want to cruise without a group of congenial people around them, you are cordially invited to join our ever-growing Friends and Family cruise on the Norwegian Star next December 15. We started by inviting our nearest and dearest and then extended the circle to include some old friends and new ones. And you are invited, too! The cruise is 8-days along the Mexican Riviera, sailing from LA. It's a round-trip cruise, but due to the speed of the ship, we'll go all the way to Acapulco! Plus we'll stop at Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas! Plenty of ship time to enjoy this lovely next-thing-to-new vessel and friendly NCL service. As of this writing, prices are $660 per person, double occupancy for an inside cabin' $790 per person, double occupancy, for an ocean-view cabin; and $915 per person, double occupancy, for a lovely NCL balcony cabin. These prices include all taxes and port charges, so all you need to add is air. And if you live in CA-like so many of our relatives-then all you need to do is drive in and park! Pat is planning a cocktail party for our group early in the cruise so everyone can get acquainted. We have friends and relatives (and congenial total strangers) from 8 months to 80 years going along, so you will definitely fit right in! For information about the Friends & Family or that delicious Sea of Cortez cruise-or any other cruise you can think of-just call or write Pat! And now, I have GOT to get back to work! Yikes! Teri |
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| << January12, 2004 - 7 Seas Cruise News |
February03, 2004 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
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