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| << March24, 2003 - 7 Seas Cruise News |
April09, 2003 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
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Hello, Cruise Fans. Welcome to another edition of the 7 Seas Cruise News. And a hearty welcome aboard to all of our new subscribers. Pat and I are delighted that you have chosen to receive this weekly (mostly) newsletter and that you share our enthusiasm for cruises! Pat asked me to remind all of his clients (and potential clients) that when he gives you a cruise quote, he can't guarantee how long that price might be good for. Sometimes it is days or weeks. Often, unfortunately, it may be only hours. The best way to ensure the best price is to book quickly. And here is the part where Pat is unique-if your price goes down, Pat will get the new price for you! It can happen. Just this week, a big family group from Oregon got the news that their cruise price dropped and family members saved $1000 on their cruise. When you need a quote or want to talk about your next cruise, give Pat a call at his toll- free number, 1-866-424-1090, or drop him an e- mail at cruiseplanners7seascruises@msn.com (And by the way, tomorrow, April 1, is Pat's birthday. If you'd like to send him a Happy Birthday e-mail, that would be terrific!!) And now, a special offer??¦Take in the pleasures of Hawaii aboard the Norwegian Wind sailing from Honolulu to Vancouver, 10-days, April 25, 2003. Best Available Ocean View up to category CC for only $699! Request program code SD1. 10-days!?! I can hardly believe it! Now, here is the news??¦ Cunard's 1132-foot-long QUEEN MARY 2 was floated out of the building dry dock at Alstom' s Chantiers de l'Atlantique at St Nazaire in France this week. Assisted by 8 tugs, the liner was moved to her fitting-out berth for completion. The original "launch" date of March 16th was dropped after it was revealed that more dredging was needed at the fitting- out dock to accommodate the ship. QM2 is expected to commence trials in September, with a naming ceremony at Southampton in January 2004. Lost amidst the hoopla of Queen Mary 2's higher profile features is the cruise ship's interactive television system, which offers two pretty unique services. First: While the ship most certainly has a "Computer Centre" where passengers can surf the web and send and receive emails, all staterooms come with a wireless keyboard that communicates to the television. Think of it as a WebTV kind of thing -- and passengers can send and receive emails from their staterooms. Cunard has not yet established an in-cabin outgoing message charge, but there will be no charge for receiving emails. All passengers will also -- and this isn't new but is still not a wide cruise industry practice -- receive their own Queen Mary 2 email addresses to use while onboard. The stateroom TV, in addition to doubling as a computer terminal, also will have a musical component and act as a stereo system. The ship will compile hundreds of tunes, ranging from classical and Broadway to country and easy listening. Otherwise, the in- cabin televisions will handle the usual gamut of services (in addition to simply offering programming). These include shore excursion information and sign-up, ordering and viewing movies, setting wake-up calls, browsing (and making purchases) from shipboard boutiques, viewing daily restaurant menus, ordering wine and reviewing shipboard tabs. Royal Caribbean announced this week it plans to introduce its signature Voyager-class rock climbing walls across the fleet. Interestingly, though, the size and location of each ship's new wall will vary. All will be somewhere between 8 - 10 meters high (Voyager-class rock climbing walls are 10 meters high). A Royal Caribbean spokeswoman says the rock climbing walls will not replace any features, but will necessitate a varying degree of relocations of other shipboard features -- on Sovereign-, Monarch- and Majesty of the Seas, for instance, ship architects will move the basketball court a deck below to make room. On Grandeur- and Enchantment of the Seas, the rock-climbing wall will be located behind the "shipshape center." Celebrity Cruises will present the industry's first cruises from Jacksonville, Florida, to the Southern and Western Caribbean beginning this fall, from the Jacksonville Port Authority's (JAXPORT's) Dames Point Marine Terminal. The new series of 13 "Exotic Caribbean" cruises aboard Celebrity's 1,374- guest Zenith range from 11 to 14 nights in length and will depart Jacksonville on varying dates from October 27, 2003 through April 22, 2004. Among the highlights of Zenith's Western Caribbean itinerary are Celebrity's first calls on Roatan, the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands, surrounded by coral reefs and offering superb diving and fishing opportunities; a transit through the historic Panama Canal, and a visit to private island, Labadee, Hispanola. The ship's Southern Caribbean itinerary includes an overnight stay in exotic Barbados, as well as visits to Tortola, B.V.I., and Grenada, a volcanic island widely known for its picturesque villages, dense forests and cascading rivers. JAXPORT officials report that they have worked to attract cruise ships to Jacksonville for years; their most recent effort began in 1999, co-sponsoring a cruise study with the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission ( JEDC). The study revealed that Jacksonville had grown in the last 20 years to become a city with the basic criteria needed to attract cruise vessels, including good port facilities, population base, highway connections and airport capability. Following its six-month series of cruises from Jacksonville, Celebrity will assess the potential to base a ship there permanently in 2004. Carnival Corporation's new Long Beach Cruise Terminal at the Queen Mary will welcome its first cruise ship when Carnival Cruise Lines' 70,000-ton Ecstasy sails from the $40 million facility April14, 2003. The new terminal will initially serve as the homeport to two 2,052- passenger Carnival "Fun Ships" - the Ecstasy, which will depart Fridays on three-day voyages to Ensenada, and Mondays on four-day cruises to Ensenada and Catalina Island, and the Elation, sailing Sundays on seven-day voyages to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas (the 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride will assume this route in September 2003). Among the exciting opportunities this move offers is an outdoor plaza leading to The Carnival Lounge aboard the Queen Mary, offering guests an opportunity to check in prior to their cruise and then explore the many features aboard the historic ocean liner. Radisson Seven Seas Cruises has announced it will delay Diamond's European season. Instead of beginning Mediterranean itineraries in April, as previously scheduled, the ship will stay in the Caribbean through July. The revised itineraries include 13 seven-to-14 night voyages will sail between San Juan and Fort Lauderdale and ports of call will include St. Maarten, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Virgin Gorda, Grand Turk, which is part of the Turks & Caïcos, St. Barts, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Key West, among others. And now, some other prices to get you thinking about a fall getaway this year??¦ 5 day Miami (Imagination) $299 Fall 4 day New Orleans (Holiday) $349 5 day New Orleans (Holiday) $349 Fall 4 day Galveston (Celebration/Jubilee) $299 5 day Galveston (Celebration/Jubilee) $299 4 day Tampa (Sensation) $299 5 day Tampa (Sensation) $379 Fall 7 day Miami (Paradise-Smoke-Free) $399 7 day Miami (Carnival Triumph & Carnival Victory) $449 7 day Tampa (Inspiration)$399 Fall 7 day New Orleans (Conquest) $549 7 day Port Canaveral (Carnival Pride) $579 (4/12/03, 4/19/03, 4/26/03) 7 day Los Angeles (Elation/Pride) $499 Fall 7 day San Juan (Destiny) $449 Fall 7 day San Juan (Jubilee) $399 8 day Ft Lauderdale (Legend) $599 8 day Miami (Spirit) $599 Carnival Cruise Lines will operate two round- trip "Fun Ship" departures of the Carnival Spirit from San Diego this fall - a six-day Baja Mexico voyage departing Oct. 18 and an eight-day Mexican Riviera cruise departing Oct. 24, 2003. For the six-day Baja Mexico Voyage departing Oct. 18, Carnival Spirit will operate a six-day Baja Mexico cruise departing San Diego Saturday, Oct. 18 and returning Friday, Oct. 24. Ports of call include La Paz, Baja California's historic capital featuring outstanding beaches, centuries-old landmarks, and numerous sightseeing and shopping opportunities; and Cabo San Lucas, a popular resort destination with beautiful white-sand beaches and some of the world's best snorkeling,scuba diving and watersports For the eight-day Mexican Riviera Cruise departing Oct. 24, Carnival Spirit will depart from the Port of San Diego Friday, Oct. 24 and returning Saturday, Nov. 1, 2003. Featured ports include Acapulco, known for its death- defying cliff divers, magnificent beaches and a diversity of fine restaurants, shops, boutiques and watering holes; Zihuatanejo/ Ixtapa, offering a wonderful contrast of styles - Zihuatanejo, a quaint fishing village with beautiful beaches and crystal-clear waters teeming with colorful tropical fish, and Ixtapa, a cosmopolitan resort area with excellent shopping and dining opportunities; and Manzanillo, site of the hit movie "10" where guests can soak up the sun along miles of gorgeous white-sand beaches and enjoy excellent sightseeing, as well as snorkeling and other watersports. Ready to sail? Give Pat a call. For those willing to travel to Europe this summer, prices are dropping! It seems that most of us would prefer to stay a little closer to home right now. Princess is keeping the Grand Princess in the Caribbean and letting the Golden Princess handle Europe alone for 2003. What this means is bargains in the Med and a wider selection of Caribbean cruises this summer. Great for family vacations! Until next week, let me know what's on your mind. And until next week, pull up a deck chair and let's watch the sun set over the western horizon. Peaceful, eh? Teri |
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April09, 2003 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
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