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June23, 2003 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
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Hi Everyone, Welcome aboard another edition of the 7 Seas Cruise News. I am pleased to welcome all our new subscribers. Welcome to what we hope is an informative (and maybe even entertaining) newsletter jam-packed with cruise info, industry goings on, and an occasional inspiring price! If you'd like information or a cruise quote for anything in these pages, give Pat a call at his toll-free number, 1-866-424-1090, send him an e-mail at cruiseplanners7seascruises@ msn.com, or just drop by the 24-hour Website, www.7seascruises.com. Ok, here's some news??¦ Carnival Cruise Lines' new Carnival Glory will offer a variety of all-inclusive romantic wedding packages, which are ideal for couples seeking a "destination wedding," where a wedding and honeymoon are held at the same location. Carnival Glory's wedding packages will feature a shipboard ceremony during embarkation day or at various on-island locations in the eastern and western Caribbean. The packages are part of Carnival's popular fleetwide wedding program, which is expected to host 2,200 couples in 2003. Shipboard wedding packages include the popular "Just for the Bride & Groom" package, which costs $750 and includes an official civil ceremony, a champagne toast with keepsake flutes, flowers for both bride and groom, a wedding cake with cake topper, pre-recorded wedding music, a decorated bridal aisle and photographic services. The more elaborate " Welcome Aboard" package costs $1,350 and offers all the amenities of "Just for the Bride & Groom" as well as a reception with one- hour open bar and hot-and-cold hors d'oeuvres, a traditional two-tiered wedding cake and coffee service. Couples may also select the " Deluxe Romance" package for $1,450, which includes a one-and-a-half hour reception and an ice carving, as well as all the features of the other programs. Shoreside ceremonies combining a variety of all-inclusive amenities with a romantic tropical setting are also available in St. Thomas and St. Maarten on eastern Caribbean cruises and Cozumel and Key West on the western route. A wide variety of options such as videography services, live music and tuxedo rental are also available at additional cost. Beginning July 19, 2003, Carnival Glory will operate year-round seven-day sailings from Port Canaveral encompassing alternating eastern and western Caribbean voyages departing every Saturday. Eastern Caribbean cruises call at Nassau, St. Thomas/St. John, and St. Maarten, while western Caribbean voyages include Key West, Fla.; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel and Progreso/Merida, Mexico. Thinking about Alaska? Well, here it is! For seven amazing days you'll be surrounded with grand vistas when you sail on board the Norwegian Wind through Alaska, August 31, 2003. Best Available Ocean View $799 up to category FF or $899 categories E-DD. Call Pat soon and tell him to request program code SD1. Speaking of beautiful places, Bermuda is so charming! Now, Carnival has dreamed up some unique shore excursion options for those sailing to Bermuda. Like these??¦ Eureka Half-Day Deep Sea or Reef Fishing ( Carnival Pride - Bermuda) - After boarding the Eureka, a customized 65-foot fishing vessel with the latest on-board amenities, guests cast their lines and try to "reel in" grouper, snapper and other fish. All fishing equipment and bait are included in the price; only luck and skill can supply the fish! Helmut Diving Adventure (Carnival Pride - Bermuda) - One of Bermuda's most unique underwater adventures, "helmet diving" allows guests to stroll along the sandy bottom in 15 feet of water, exploring coral reefs and feeding exotic tropical fish by hand while wearing a protective helmet that continuously supplies air. No experience necessary, however, guests must undergo a brief training session. On Carnival's New England cruise, there are also some unusual choices??¦L.L. Bean Sea Kayak Adventure (Carnival Victory - Portland, Maine) - Following a scenic motorcoach ride to Freeport, Maine, guests board two-person kayaks and paddle along the region's rugged coastline, meandering through hidden coves and protected waterways, including Casco Bay where seals, osprey and other animals are spotted regularly. Ride the Rapids (Carnival Victory - Saint John) - This excursion takes place at Saint John's legendary Reversing Falls where powerful tides force the river to reverse direction and flow upstream. An exhilarating boat ride provides an excellent vantage point to view swirling whirlpools and 10-foot-high waves. The excursion also includes visits to various local attractions, including Old City Market, Fort Howe and Heritage Preservation Area. Bicycle Touring of Covered Bridges (Carnival Victory - Saint John) - New Brunswick is ideally suited to bicycle touring, with beautiful scenery and an unhurried pace, all enhanced by the largest collection of covered bridges anywhere in the world. During their two-and-a-half-hour ride, guests have an opportunity to stop and view the breathtaking country vistas along the way and dine at the charming Broadway Café, which is included in the price. Or if you sail on the Carnival Legend, how about this one? Bioluminescence Bay Kayak Tour (Carnival Legend - San Juan)- On this nighttime tour, guests view luminescent fish and other organisms as they kayak through Bioluminescence Bay - one of only four " glowing bays" in the world. The "enlightening" excursion includes a guided tour through the mangrove channels of "Las Cabezas de San Juan Natural Reserve" and Fajardo Lighthouse. Sadly, as a result of the May 25th accident onboard the S/S Norway, NCL is canceling the ship's sailings through the September 28, 2003 cruise. Access to the boiler room has been difficult and limited, and NCL has only in the past few days been able to develop a fuller picture of the repairs that are likely to be needed. The latest assessment of damage remains consistent with the earlier view that it is extensive but manageable. It will require the boiler involved in the accident ( one of four boilers on Norway) to be completely rebuilt, as well as rebuilding other technical spaces, automation systems, and equipment destroyed or damaged in the blast. It is becoming clearer, with each additional day of inspections, that the repair work is likely to take months rather than weeks. Accordingly, NCL will cancel three months of cruises in addition to the already announced June cancellations. NCL intends to reintroduce the ship on October 5, 2003. At a bash that attracted half of Naples, Costa launched its newest, glitziest and artiest ship ever. The 85,700-ton, 2,680-passenger Costa Mediterranea was launched at sunset. Costa Mediterranea is a sister ship to Costa Atlantica - largely identical save for the interior décor, which was handled by long-time Carnival Cruise Line design maestro Joe Farcus. Farcus, who had traveled to Naples for the festivities, said earlier Saturday in a press conference that his strategy was to use " cruising Italian style as a literal interpretation." He used as his inspiration the palazzi of Italy, incorporating various elements from existing palaces. These ranged from the Baroque Villa la Pietra in Florence to the medieval Pallazzo D'Elci in Siena. The highlight of the day was a an art-and-music show, held outdoors at sunset at the broad pier where Costa Mediterranea was docked. " Allegories of Art and Water," featured some 250 performers, was a Fellini-esque combination of Las Vegas, Cirque de Soleil, Woodstock, opera, Broadway and the ballet. Okay, I haven't seen the ship. I haven't even seen photos of it yet, but if Joe Farcus decorated it, expect way, way over-the-top gaudiness. This is a shame, since the Atlantica is sleek, clean, modern and beautiful. Someone asked Pat the other day, "What is the deal with Seabourn? Why are their cruises so extraordinarily expensive?" In a nutshell, $3287 is the starting point for single fares on Seabourn's incredibly intimate ships. As a passenger, you sail in uncommon luxury with "goodies" like??¦All-suite accommodations, Open Seating Dining, Open bar and complimentary wines and spirits, Exclusive Seabourn complimentary shore experiences, Valet Luggage Service, and Seabourn's Cancel for any reason service. Their itineraries are interesting, too. Such as??¦ Italian Isles & Classical Greece SEABOURN SPIRIT August 3, 2003 ?· 7 days Rome ?· Capri ?· Taormina ?· Katakolon Galaxidhi ?· Navplion ?· Piraeus Meteora, Adriatic Isles & Venice SEABOURN SPIRIT August 17, 2003 ?· 7 days Istanbul ?· Volos ?· Itea ?· Corfu ?· Korcula ?· Venice Dubrovnik & Italian Romance SEABOURN SPIRIT August 24, 2003 ?· 7 days Venice ?· Dubrovnik ?· Fiskardho ?· Messina Amalfi ?· Sorrento ?· Rome Am I suggesting this is the only way to cruise? Of course not! It is, however, one way to cruise, and if you love this sort of exclusivity and you can afford it, then bon voyage! You will love this experience. Call Pat for prices. He will save you plenty! And as for the rest of us, isn't it nice there are some much less expensive alternatives?!? One that comes to mind is our Thanksgiving group cruise to 7 ports in 7 days! Sail from San Juan on Saturday, November 22 and return Saturday, November 29. In between those dates, here's what is in store for you??¦ The lovely Carnival Jubilee. Your choice of an inside or ocean-view cabin. A box of chocolates and a bottle of champagne waiting in your cabin. Three fantastic meals each day ( and as many snacks as you can hold!) Live shows-musicals and singers, dancers, and a live orchestra. Lots of lounges for drinking, dancing and more live entertainment. A casino. A pool. A gym. A spa. (There are extra charges for the drinks and the spa, however all the rest is included with your extremely reasonable cruise fare). So, how much is it, you may ask? In an interior cabin, the cost for cruise fare and all taxes and port charges is $455 per person, double occupancy. If you want to splurge and enjoy a cabin with a picture window view of the blue Caribbean, the price is a reasonable $545 per person, double occupancy. And that's it. All you have to add is airfare from your home city, and Pat can price that for you through Carnival, so your transfers to and from the pier and the airport in San Juan are included right in your air price. Ok, so if you decide to come along, here's where we'll be going??¦ Sail from San Juan at 10 p.m. on Satuday evening. San Juan is an excellent sail-out, especially at night. Although I have no idea which way we'll be going, San Juan does a beautiful job of lighting its buildings and monuments, so there is sure to be a fantastic view. On several occasions, we have sailed out past El Morro bathed in amber light. It's a sight you'll never forget. On Sunday, we're in St. Thomas. Adventurers will head out to St. John by ferry for snorkeling and hiking in the national park. Shoppers will head into town or straight over to Havensight Mall for the fantastic jewelry prices at the duty-free shops. The cruise line will provide shopping maps with their picks for good buys. I may just put together one of my own this year! After shopping, how about a side trip to Magens Bay? One of the most beautiful beaches in the world, it's good for swimming or strolling. Walk to your right and toward the end of the beach are some rocks just perfect for sitting and watching the world drift by. On Monday, we arrive in Antigua. Since this is a new port for me, I am excited to see the legendary beaches! They say that there is a beach for every day of the year on this island. Sorry that I will only have time for one! But I also need to make time for Nelson's Dockyard National Park-the only existing example of a Georgian naval base. This was Admiral Horatio Nelson's base from 1784-1787. If you love history, come along! On Tuesday, we're in St. Lucia. This is one of those "too pretty to be believed" islands. Daughter #1 loves the horse-back riding here. Others love the beaches. For shoppers, the ship should tie up at Seraphine Point, which is, conveniently, the best shopping area on the island. Here, you are steps from interesting boutiques, Caribbean record shops, jewelry shops, craft boutiques and liquor stores. For those who want to sightsee, the ship will offer a variety of experiences-golf, horseback riding, or sailing on a catamaran across a pristine bay to Soufriere where a bus will take us for a drive into a volcano. There are plantation visits, a jeep trip, or any number of other choices. Just don't miss the sail-out and your last view of the twin green mountains, the Pitons, as they jut out of impossibly blue water. On Wednesday, it's Dominica. This is one of those islands that few people get to. That makes it very special-if a bit more primitive than most Caribbean ports. The people are friendly. The scenery is unspoiled, and there are more waterfalls than shops. Green, serene and glorious! On Thursday, we arrive in St. Kitts. My first impression of St. Kitts was sun-dappled, gently rolling hills. There's more here than meets the eye, however. The island is long and narrow like a chicken drumstick, dotted with wonderful beaches. Offshore is Nevis, which looks like a pile of mashed potatoes beside the chicken. More good horseback riding, beach trips and sightseeing here, including visits to Brimstone Hill, a British fortress built in 1690. Treat yourself to a bottle of CSR. You won't find any "Ting" to mix it with at home, but you could substitute grapefruit juice! St. Kitts is also home to Carib Beer and green vervet monkeys. On Friday, we stop at Tortola, British Virgin Islands. It's a 5-minute walk into town from the pier. Or take a cab to the legendary Cane Garden Bay-as exotic and tropical as the South Seas-and a serious contender to the fame of Magens Bay. Or take a shore excursion to another of the British Virgin Islands, Virgin Gorda "the Fat Virgin." Here, house-sized boulders are strewn along a beautiful beach, forming saltwater grottoes so nice for swimming at the famous "Baths." On Saturday, we return to San Juan, where if there's time, you can take a ship-sponsored shore excursion that concludes at the airport. You'll get a marvelous taste of San Juan with one of these tours, including a visit to a historic fort and some time in Old Town. Ok, a lengthy description, but I hope it does tell you what's in store for the Thanksgiving trip. And you are most sincerely invited! But don't delay. Pat has held some cabins until the end of June, but those that don't have a deposit on them by then will return to Carnival inventory-and the price will go up. So, come on??¦ That's it for now. Until next week, smooth sailing and favorable winds for all you do. Happy Father's Day to all you Dads! Teri |
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| << June09, 2003 - 7 Seas Cruise News |
June23, 2003 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
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