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| << February03, 2004 - 7 Seas Cruise News |
February16, 2004 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
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Greetings, Cruise Fans ? Welcome to another edition of the 7 Seas Cruise News. Pat's had a busy week helping people with great prices on great cruises to a world of exciting places. He booked his first cabins on the new Queen Mary II-and we can't wait to hear what passengers think about her. The reviews are mixed, with most people loving her, and the only negatives being small portions in the main dining room and the need to "dress" for dinner. With these first cruises at least, even 'casual' means a coat for gentlemen. Interesting that as many cruise lines seem to be dressing down-with alternative dining available for people who don't want to dress up-there is a new ship dressier than ever. ? We've spotted some excellent prices and great air deals for Hawaii this spring and fall. Air add-ons are only $99 from the west coast, $299 from places like Cleveland, Indianapolis, Dallas, Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis, and $399 from the east coast. Cruises are 10 or 11 days and depart March through May and September to December on Royal Caribbean ships including the Legend of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Vision of the Seas. Call Pat if you'd like to know more. 1-866-424-1090 or write him at cruiseplanners7seascruises@ msn.com ? Speaking of Royal Caribbean, on February 2, the cruise line announced that Nordic Empress will undergo extensive renovations before arriving this spring in the New York City metro area to begin unique six- and eight-night Bermuda cruise vacations from the newly named Cape Liberty Cruise Port. To reflect the magnitude of the revitalization, the line will officially rename the ship Empress of the Seas, bringing her in line with the remainder of Royal ? Caribbean's fleet, which all feature "of the Seas" names. ? Renovations on the 1,602-passenger Nordic Empress will extend to every area of the ship, and are designed to further enhance the onboard experience. A main focus is providing guests with additional dining, entertainment and fitness areas. All work will be completed by May 2004. Increased dining options are in high demand among cruisers, and the renamed Empress of the Seas will feature a new specialty restaurant, Portofino, serving Italian cuisine, in addition to an upgraded Windjammer Cafe and refurbished main dining room. In between meals, guests can enjoy specialty coffee drinks from Seattle's Best Coffee or indulge a sweet tooth with 16 different flavors from Ben & Jerry's at a new, combined Latte'tudes coffee bar and ice cream scoop shop. ? Guests who take advantage of Empress of the Seas' ShipShape Fitness Center and Day Spa will be treated to more than a great workout or spa treatment. The expanded spa and gym complex will be on two levels, including a fitness center overlooking the Viking Crown Lounge, perched at the top of the ship, offering spectacular, panoramic sea views. In addition, the ship features the line's signature rock-climbing wall, installed in late 2003. ? Vacationers looking for high-quality entertainment will find plenty to choose from. The former High Society Lounge on Deck 6 now will be Royal Caribbean's Latin-themed bar, Boleros, offering specialty tequilas and cocktail favorites like mojitos, as well as outstanding live entertainment. Empress of the Seas also will feature the line's popular Schooner Bar, a nautical-themed lounge with sing-along piano entertainment, which replaces the mid-ship Carousel Bar on Deck 5. The ship's casino will be moved to Deck 6, and a new card room will be created off the Centrum. In addition, the main theater, the Strike Up the Band Showroom, will be updated with new carpet and upholstery. Guest staterooms will receive new and upgraded bathrooms throughout all categories. In addition, some staterooms, including the Royal Suite and Superior Ocean View staterooms, will feature new decor, while others accommodating third and fourth guests will be fitted with modified wardrobes offering increased storage. Empress of the Seas' Owner's Suites will be completely redesigned, with new furniture and finishings. Other refurbishments include general facelifts to the lobbies, elevators, landings, corridors and restrooms, and enhancements to the shopping areas and Pool Deck. ? Empress of the Seas will offer alternating six- and eight-night Bermuda itineraries from May through October from the New York City metro area. She will be the first Royal Caribbean ship to sail from Cape Liberty Cruise Port, in Bayonne, New Jersey. Located across the New York Harbor from lower Manhattan, just 15 minutes from the Newark airport and right off the New Jersey Turnpike, the new port is a convenient departure point for both drive-market guests and those arriving by air. ? The six-night Bermuda itineraries depart on Sundays and include stops in King's Wharf and Hamilton, Bermuda. The eight-night cruises depart Saturdays and visit King's Wharf, Hamilton and St. George's, Bermuda.. In late October, Empress of the Seas will reposition to San Juan, where she will offer guests a choice of four Southern Caribbean adventures. The highlight is the 11-night Exotic Caribbean itinerary that takes guests to St. Maarten, St. Barts, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Margarita Island, Aruba and Curacao. ? Empress of the Seas also will sail three-night St. Thomas/St. Maarten and St. Kitts/St. Maarten sailings, as well as four special, four-night Dominican Republic cruises, with stops in Santo Domingo and Catalina Island, on Oct. 25, Nov. 1, 8 and 15. ? ? Celebrity's Constellation has teamed up with Bon Appetit Magazine to offer some really different shore excursions for those who love to cook-and eat. The ship sails from San Juan on a nice 7-day itinerary, calling at the Dominican Republic, Barbados, Grenada, Antigua, and St. Thomas. The sail away party is hosted by Bacardi. There are a couple of other events also open to all passengers, but the really unique ones are extra-cost excursions while in port. These include??¦ Consider a stroll through the charming village of Altos de Chavon in the Dominican Republic as an appetizer to what follows. Enjoy a private cooking class at Lago Grill led by Chef Philippe Mongereau who's known for blending his French flair with traditional island cuisine. Then follow it up with early dinner. Capacity: 50 guests ? In Barbados, ? you have a choice-at the Treasure Beach Hotel, learn the secrets of creating some of the most mouthwatering dishes in the West Indies as you join Chef Jeffrey Hyland for an intimate cooking lecture. Then lunch at the very place where Chef Hyland prepares his masterpieces, the Treasure Beach Hotel. Capacity: 25 guests or visit the Mount Gay -Sunbury Plantation: Raise a glass on this tour of the Mount Gay Distillery. Follow the step-by-step distillery process and taste the end result award-winning spirits. High Tea at Sunbury Plantation awaits you afterward. Capacity: 50 guests ? In Antigua, you can visit Harmony Hall: Wake up to a morning culinary class at the picturesque Harmony Hall Inn. Husband and wife owners Riccardo and Marilisa Parisi will show you how to prepare some of their signature Italian dishes. Before a light lunch, you'll have the opportunity to relax on the private beach or swim a few laps in the pool. Capacity: 25 guests ? Or, on St. Thomas, Villa Norman/Blackbeard's Castle: Caribbean cuisine with a Latin flair is what's cooking at a private class held in Villa Norman. Top the day off with lunch and a stroll around the grounds of Blackbeard's Castle, one of only four National Historic Sites in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Capacity: 50 passengers. ? Call Pat for a run-down of the dates now through April when these special Bon Appetit cruises are on the menu. ? Meanwhile at Norwegian Cruise Line??¦ SuperStar Leo will spend this summer in Alaska as part of NCL's popular Alaska Inside Passage program. The 77,000-ton ship will take over Norwegian Sky's previously published seven-day itinerary from Seattle. The move comes in response to Norwegian Sky' s early transfer to Hawai`i as Pride of Aloha. After a multi-million dollar remodeling in May, Pride of Aloha will be reflagged into the U.S. registry to assume Pride of America's seven-day inter-island itinerary. SuperStar Leo, first introduced in Singapore in 1999, was the very first purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ship and is one of Star's two most modern ships outside North America. Leo is an exciting, high- quality modern ship with vibrant colors, exceptional public areas and well-appointed cabins. ? The 2,000-passenger SuperStar Leo was built by Meyer Werft, Germany and was Star Cruises' first newbuild and largest vessel. SuperStar Leo features Freestyle Dining with seven restaurants including two main restaurants, three alternative restaurants -- Maxim's (a French restaurant); Shogun (a Japanese restaurant) and Tai Pan ( a Chinese restaurant), -- the Raffles Lido Cafe and the popular 24-hour Blue Lagoon. Like her big sister Norwegian Star, which begins her first Alaska season in May, SuperStar Leo is a family-friendly ship with a wide choice of interconnecting cabins perfect for multi-generational families of all sizes. All staterooms are richly appointed with each containing a much larger bathroom unit than other ships, with separate WC, shower, and washstand compartments separated by sliding doors. The ship also boasts an expansive children and teen facility, and together with Norwegian Star, they have the largest dedicated children's areas in Alaska cruising. ? That's about it for this week. Until next week, hope it's all smooth sailing for you! ? Teri |
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| << February03, 2004 - 7 Seas Cruise News |
February16, 2004 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
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