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October27, 2003 - 7 Seas Cruise News >> |
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Greetings, Cruise Fans, Welcome to another edition of the 7 Seas Cruise News. It's always my pleasure to bring up-to-date cruise news, timely bargains and opinions to you-assuming your spam-blocker will let me through! Right now, Pat is pleased to announce that there is still some space available for the holidays. If you are interested, step lively. As for Alaska for summer 2004, it's time to start thinking about summer vacation next year. If Alaska is interesting, let Pat get a price for you now when you can choose a balcony or outside cabin. If prices go down, Pat will be happy to get you the lower price! NCL is adding an interesting new 8-night cruise to their catalog next fall and winter. Beginning September, 2004, the Norwegian Star will be round-tripping from L.A. down the Mexican Riviera, but since the Star is a speedy little ship, it will call not just in Cabo and Puerto Vallarta, but also in Ixtapa and in Acapulco. Prices are excellent- especially for you west- coasters. Call Pat at 1-866-424-1090 to discuss this or any other cruise you have in mind. You can also write him at cruiseplanners7seascruises@msn.com or drop by the web site, www.7seascruises.com, anytime. Radisson Gets Raves. They have been voted the World's Best Small-Ship Cruise Line for 2003 in the 16th Annual Readers' Choice Poll from Condé Nast Traveler. Not only did they win the small-ship category, but we received the highest marks (93.8 out of a possible 100) of any cruise line, large or small. (Please note: These are expensive cruises. An excellent splurge. Not for every cruiser.) Royal Caribbean has announced "major changes afloat" for 2004, and they aren't kidding. Many ships are moving around and changing cities and cruise lengths. Here's a sample: o The line's summer Bermuda ship, the Nordic Empress, will offer six- and eight-day alternating Bermuda cruises (instead of the typical seven-day voyages) and will call at King's Wharf and Hamilton, and at St. George's on the eight-day itineraries. (Note: St. George's is a terrific port call. Take the 8- day!) o The Nordic Empress' winter program also is new: the ship will do 11-day southern Caribbean voyages from San Juan beginning November 2004. o Grandeur of the Seas will sail from Baltimore from July through October and offer a seven-day Bahamas/ Florida itinerary, as well as 10- and 11-day cruises and two Canada/New England trips. o The Jewel of the Seas, which debuts next spring in Europe, will make its U.S. debut in Boston in September. o The Splendour of the Seas will cancel its long-cruise program from Galveston, Texas, to offer four- and five-day cruises from the Texas port in March and April, before it repositions to Europe. In November, the ship heads to Tampa, Fla., to do seven-day western Caribbean voyages. o The new Serenade of the Seas will sail to Alaska next summer; the Legend of the Seas, meanwhile, will stay south and offer seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises from San Diego. Another Royal Caribbean switcheroo brings one of its most action-packed ships to New York City in May 2004. Voyager of the Seas charted new waters in active vacations when it first debuted as the world's largest cruise ship in 1999, with the first rock-climbing wall and ice-skating rink at sea, as well as an in-line skating track, and the Royal Promenade - an interior shopping, dining and entertainment boulevard. Voyager of the Seas will sail alternating five- night Canada/New England and nine-night Western Caribbean itineraries from May through October 2004. In addition, a new Royal Caribbean ship, Jewel of the Seas, will make her U.S. debut in Boston in September/October 2004 to offer 10- night Canada/New England cruises. Three Royal Caribbean ships will sail seven- night Alaska voyages throughout the summer of 2004, including two of the cruise line's Radiance-class ships. Radiance of the Seas, and the new Serenade of the Seas, which debuted in August 2003, are designed to bring the sea, sun and coastal scenery of Alaska indoors with nearly three acres of exterior glass. Both ships sail roundtrip Hubbard Glacier itineraries, while Vision of the Seas offers open-jaw cruises between Vancouver and Seward with stops in an exciting new destination - Icy Strait Point, a historic area located on a picturesque Alaskan bay ideal for wildlife spotting. Royal Caribbean will return to Europe full force in spring 2004 with three ships. The new Jewel of the Seas debuts in May 2004, when she begins sailing 12-night Scandinavia/Russia cruises, as well as two special British Isles/Norwegian Fjords sailings. Brilliance of the Seas will sail alternating 12-night Mediterranean and Mediterranean/Greek Isles itineraries. In addition, Splendour of the Seas will sail seven-night Mediterranean vacations from Barcelona. Nordic Empress' new exotic itineraries to the Southern Caribbean, departing from San Juan beginning late November 2004. The unique, 11- night adventures will make stops in St. Maarten, St. Barts, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Margarita Island, Aruba and Curacao. While Britain is considering the national ID card, a lot of travelers on both sides of the Atlantic and saying, "Just get a passport!" Makes sense. It is excellent ID and actually serves another purpose-allowing the bearer to see the world. For those of you who haven't already jumped on the passport bandwagon, here' s how to go about it in the U.S. First, obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate Next, have two passport pictures made at a local merchant (check yellow pages). Walgreen' s drugstores offer the service, for example. It's cheap and quick. Next, download a passport application from State Department website and print out a copy of the application in Adobe format. Complete the application. Go to nearest designated government location to pay and mail. In big cities, there are actual passport bureaus. For the rest of us, there is the post office. Check to see which post office in your area can accept your application-and check the hours they will do so. Most will not mess with passport applications during the peak hours. ( and who can blame them!?) Next, mail the application to the address on the application. The address differs based on where you live. Wait 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the time of year. Remember, if you are willing to pay a premium, you can obtain a passport in much less time. Check at the post office for expediting services. In an emergency, you can present yourself at a passport office in Chicago, New York, LA (and there may be others) and get a passport in a day. But, it's a whole lot better to just apply now while it's not such a busy time and then, this winter or next spring or summer, when you're ready to travel, your passport will be ready to go with you. To wrap up this week, I want to talk about the third port on our terrific Baltic cruise. Thanks for all the comments we're received from readers about the other ports. I'm glad you're enjoying the descriptions. It is good for me, too. With so much changing for us this fall, it is my pleasure to recall that wonderful trip and not let it get lost in a blur with so much going on (the new job and our move down here to sunny southeast Florida.) So, port call #3 was to Visby, Sweden. Visby is located on Gotland, an island off the Swedish mainland. It is a vacation destination for Swedes, but most of them had returned to the mainland-to jobs and school-since our visit was at the very end of August. Visby is called the city of roses and ruins. All that- and more! Visby is still encircled by a medieval wall. It is rumored to be the most intact of any wall anywhere. Towers and town gates are unbelievably picturesque. The city, in fact, looks like the site for any fairy tale you can think of. There are the romantic ruins of a cathedral built about 1200. There are houses and shops. There are rose gardens and cobbled streets (Half up hill. The other half are down hill). We skipped the tours and struck out on foot to explore and each turn was a lovely surprise. Swedish is a gentle language to try to figure out and the city is small enough, that we never worried about getting lost. The best souvenirs of Visby are rams (the symbol of Gotland), little painted horses (a Swedish thing), and the amazing wooden boats for sale in some shops. Pat treasures a wooden fishing boat model he bought. If he could have figured out how to get it home, he would have opted for one of the large sailboat models available for around $90. In the states, especially down here in Florida, they would be $500 models. Alas, how do you carry a 40" sailboat, with 40" of rigging and cotton sails home on an airplane?? As we headed back toward the ship, we discovered a tram available for just a few dollars that would take us completely around Visby-both outside and inside the walls. Although we had seen most of the city on foot, I am delighted that we took the tram. It was a great way to get the big picture-and so beautiful! The only possible downside to a visit to Visby is the need to reach the island by tender. For us, it was a nice, but bouncy lifeboat ride in. Coming back was more exciting with rougher seas and higher winds making the approach and docking against the ship more challenging. As always, able seaman hoisted us back aboard safe and sound. Bottom line: See charming, fairy-tale-like Visby. It is so worth it! Until next week and more news and another port, smooth sailing! Teri |
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