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Travelers find unique itineraries
Travelers find unique itineraries, leisurely journeys as cruise ships
reposition to warmer waters Cruise ships, like birds, migrate each spring, redeploying to new destinations and offering travelers unique cruise experiences in the form of "repositioning" cruises, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Each spring, a wide variety of cruise ships relocate from their wintertime departure points in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, sailing to their summer "homes" in Alaska, Bermuda, the U.S. East Coast, Hawaii and other parts of Europe. Repositioning cruises offer guests a variety of unique and unusual itineraries, including transatlantic crossings and transits of the Panama Canal, as well as stops in rarely visited ports and more relaxing days at sea. "Repositioning cruises are one of the cruise industry's best-kept secrets," said Terry L. Dale, president and chief executive officer of CLIA, the non-profit marketing and training association representing the North American cruise industry and nearly 16,000 travel agencies. "In addition to visiting some of the world's most exotic locations, guests can use the additional days at sea to enjoy and appreciate all the luxuries, programs, entertainment and amenities available on today's cruise ships." "Plus, travelers who are able to take advantage of these itineraries often find these unique sailings are available at rates that represent significant value," said Dale. Following is a sampling of 2004 spring repositioning cruises offered by CLIA-member lines: Carnival Cruise Lines offers one repositioning cruise this spring. The Carnival Spirit sails March 30 on a 16-day Panama Canal cruise from Miami to San Diego. Ports include Cartagena, Colombia; a Panama Canal transit; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; and Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Celebrity Cruises' Constellation departs San Juan on April 24 on a 24-night itinerary to Dover, England. Ports of call include St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.; Funchal, Madeira; Lisbon, Portugal and Le Havre, France. Galazy departs Baltimore May 7 on a 14-night cruise for Civitavecchia, Italy, with calls at Ponta Delgada, Azores; Funchal, Madeira; Gibraltar, U.K.; Malaga, Spain; and Villefrance (for Nice/Cannes/Monaco). Each voyage features up to eight days and nights at sea. Mercury presents a rare six-night cruise departing San Francisco May 24, with two days and nights at sea, a cruise through Alaska's Inside Passage, visits to Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska, and concluding in Vancouver. Costa Cruises offers transatlantic voyages on the Costa Mediterranea and Costa Atlantica. Costa Mediterranea departs Fort Lauderdale April 11 on a 16-night voyage to Genoa, Italy, with port calls in Nassau, Bahamas; St. Maarten and Antigua, Leeward Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands; Casablanca, Morocco; and Barcelona, Spain. Costa Atlantica departs Fort Lauderdale April 18 on a 17-night cruise including such ports as Gibraltar and Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Crystal Cruises' Crystal Serenity departs New York May 5 on an eight-day transatlantic cruise to London. The sailing features a Big Band-themed cruise with music by The Ted Herman Orchestra and is host to Crystal's Creative Learning Institute complimentary enrichment program at sea. Crystal Harmony hosts a 15-day Wellness at Sea themed cruise departing May 16 from Tokyo to San Francisco, featuring Tai Chi instruction and a variety of wellness programs and enrichment opportunities, including Feng Shui, writing, Berlitz foreign language instruction and Yamaha keyboard lessons. First European Cruises' European Vision sails eastbound April 11 on a 13-night transatlantic cruise from Santo Domingo to Genoa via Tortola, Antigua, Barbados, Tenerife, Malaga and Marseilles. Hobbies are the theme of this sailing, with special classes in fitness, food and beverage preparation, table decoration, dance, photography and video editing. Holland America Line's Noordam departs Tampa April 15 on a 14-day cruise that features the swinging big-band sounds of Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians orchestra. The itinerary includes seven consecutive days at sea before calling on the Azorean ports of Horta and Ponta Delgada. Two more days at sea are separated by a call at Funchal, Madeira. The ship then calls at Cadiz, Spain before arriving in Lisbon. The Prinsendam's May voyage is a 10- to 13-day journey from either Fort Lauderdale or New York, before taking a southerly route to the Azores after five days at sea. A scenic cruise of the Tagus River leads to an extended visit in Lisbon. MSC Italian Cruises offers a 17-night transatlantic cruise aboard its new flagship, Lirica, departing Fort Lauderdale on May 15. Ports of call include San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Croix and St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.; St. Lucia and Barbados, British West Indies; Funchal, Madeira; and Malaga and Barcelona, Spain, before arriving in Genoa, Italy. Norwegian Cruise Line offers several repositioning cruises. Norwegian Majesty departs Charleston April 17 on a 15-day Colonial America cruise, with stops in Nassau, Aruba, Curacao, Great Stirrup Cay, Norfolk, Philadelphia and Newport, before arriving in Boston to begin Bermuda itineraries. Norwegian Sun sails from Los Angeles April 27 on a five-day cruise to Vancouver, with stops in Seattle and Victoria. Norwegian Wind repositions from Vancouver to Hawaii on an 11-day cruise that begins May 8 and includes stops in Hilo, Kona, Lahaina and Nawiliwili. Princess Cruises has four ships repositioning through the Panama Canal to Alaska, while the Grand Princess sails a 17-day transatlantic itinerary. Royal Princess repositions to Europe with a 21-day Amazon River/Africa/Mediterranean cruise from Manaus to Rome that departs April 6. Radisson Seven Seas Cruises offers several spring repositioning cruises. Seven Seas Voyager sails April 27 on a nine-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale, stopping at Hamilton before arriving in Funchal. Seven Seas Mariner repositions from Los Angeles to Vancouver for its Alaska season on a seven-night cruise that departs May 19, while Seven Seas Navigator shifts from the Caribbean to New York, departing Freeport April 28 and calling at Port Canaveral, Savannah, Charleston, Wilmington, Norfolk and Philadelphia. Radisson Diamond departs San Juan April 26 on a nine-night journey to its European home, Funchal. Royal Caribbean International's Splendour of the Seas offers a 14-night cruise from Galveston, with port calls in Key West; Ponta Delgada, Azores; and Cadiz, Spain, before arriving in Barcelona. On the way, guests have the chance to enjoy Sete Cidades Crater Lakes (Ponta Delgada), an extinct crater that is now home to two lakes; the oldest inhabited city in the Western World (Cadiz), which was founded in 1100 B.C.; and the Alhambra Palace in Granada (Malaga), one of Spain's architectural landmarks. Seabourn Cruise Line's Seabourn Spirit sails a 19-day cruise from Mumbai (Bombay), India to Alexandria, Egypt, departing April 17. Ports of call include Muscat, Khasab and Salalah in Oman; Dubai, Safaga (for Luxor) in Egypt; Aqaba (Petra), Jordan; and Sharm el Sheikh on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. The itinerary includes a transit of the Suez Canal. A five-day pre-cruise land extension exploring Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Mumbai is also available. Silversea Cruises' Silver Shadow's 14-day May 23 "Across the Bering Sea" cruise sails from Tokyo to Anchorage, with calls in Hakodate and Otaru (Sapporo), Japan; Petropavlosk (Kamchatka), Russia; and Dutch Harbor, Kodiak and Homer, Alaska. Guests will be treated to a complimentary shore event, Cultural Exposure on Kodiak Island, where they can explore local culture and heritage through music and dance performances by native Alutiiq Dancers, the St. Innocents Academy Band and Choir, and Russian balalaika players. They will also mingle with Kodiak residents and dignitaries and sample Alaska seafood at two cocktail receptions. Windstar Cruises' Wind Spirit and Wind Surf set sail from St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., on 14-day transatlantic cruises to Lisbon this spring. Wind Spirit departs April 3, followed by Wind Surf April 4. Each itinerary includes 12 days at sea. (Source: Cruise Lines International Association - CLIA) Eric I. Anchors Away Cruise Center Rocklin, CA 1 888 516 6306 |
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