Showing posts with label Cruise News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cruise News. Show all posts

Saturday, February 18, 2012

5 Cruise Stories You Don't Want To Miss

Here's a quick look at some of the best cruise writing on the web this week...


Avid Cruiser correspondent Wallace Immen on AMA Waterway's new southern Africa itineraries


Writer Liz Fleming writes about one of my favorite Caribbean islands, Guadeloupe, for Cruise and Travel Lifestyles magazine


Cruise Critic announces the winners of the 2012 Cruisers' Choice Awards


Editor Paul Motter's step-by-step guide at CruiseMates for complaining to a cruise line and getting results


Cruise Diva, Linda Coffman, talks about new muster drill policies


What travel stories did you bookmark this week?


—Andrea M. Rotondo for Luxury Cruise Bible

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Has Costa Concordia's Accident Changed How You Think about Cruising?

I cruise a lot; it's one of my favorite ways to travel. Over the years, I've sailed on many ships, including intimate yachts, masted sailing ships, and mid- to large-size cruise ships. Some itineraries were ultra-popular routes in the Mediterranean and Caribbean while some—like our recent Borneo cruise—were definitely off the beaten path. I never once questioned my safety and instead put my trust in the ships' officers and crew and the cruise lines as a whole.


Today, with the sad news that several passengers and crew of Costa Concordia have been lost at sea, I must reexamine the faith I put in others while traveling.


I am saddened by the Costa tragedy and all the families of those lost and those who survived a horrific experience are in my thoughts.


It's difficult to second-guess the situation when hard facts are still being determined but these questions definitely come to my mind...

  • Why did the captain wait so long before issuing a mayday?
  • Why didn't the captain and executive officers communicate more effectively with fellow crew and passengers in the early moments of the disaster?
  • Why didn't the captain order all passengers to go to their cabins to put on warm clothes, grab their passports and medication, and then head to their muster stations?
  • Why did the crew seem less than prepared for evacuating the vessel?
  • Why did the captain leave the boat before making sure all passengers and crew had been evacuated?

We'll learn more in the days and months ahead, but how will this accident change the way you think about cruising?


As I said earlier, I love this method of travel and it would take a lot for me to shun the industry. Despite this accident, cruise travel is historically a very safe way to travel. (Check out Cruise Junkie's excellent website that details cruise ship accidents and illness reports.)


However, I will think more carefully about the cruise lines that I trust my safety to and why. I'll also be more cognizant of my own personal emergency plans (i.e., always carrying a copy of my passport on my person along with some cash and a credit card).


It's troubling that this incident causes us to question the faith we put into our ship's captain, executive officers, crew, and cruise line home office. There are so many well-trained and caring cruise ship employees.


I can only hope that this incident sparks conversation and that cruise companies make a renewed commitment to ship safety and training protocols. What happened aboard Costa Concordia is a wake-up call and it's up to each of us to press cruise lines to improve safety practices.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for Luxury Cruise Bible

Monday, November 28, 2011

Luxury Cruise Bible’s Gift Guide for Cruise Travelers


This time of year, every blogger posts his or her own “gift guide” for the holidays. Here’s my take on fun—and useful—gifts for cruise travelers…


Must-Have Memberships


Global Entry
My best investment of the year was enrolling in Global Entry. This is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that allows members to speed through Customs when returning to the United States from overseas. Simply apply, pay a $100 fee (which will be refunded if you use your American Express Platinum card), and attend a short interview at your local airport. After that you’ll spend far less time in line when returning from a cruise. In fact, on our last trip from Singapore, we spent a mere 45 seconds at the U.S. Customs kiosk when we returned to Newark Liberty Airport!


MedjetAssist
I’ve renewed my annual MedjetAssist membership every year for the past five years. Access to competent global travel assistance and medical evacuation gives me peace of mind at a very affordable price. (I had to medevac my father from Jacksonville to Boston last year and it cost $16,000. How I wish I had gifted him a MedjetAssist membership before he went on that trip.) Annual MedjetAssist memberships start at $250 and short-term memberships start at $95. This is the perfect gift for a loved one who travels.


InterContinental Ambassador Membership
We find this annual membership quite useful since we often stay at InterContinental hotels pre- and post-cruise. Benefits include guaranteed room upgrades (no matter what rate code you book), fresh fruit and mineral water upon arrival, one complimentary weekend night (buy one, get one), 4pm late check-out, complimentary pay TV film per stay, instant check-out, and a bonus points “accelerator” (earn 20,000 bonus points for every 15 qualifying nights). Ambassador membership costs $200 per year (or 32,000 Priority Club points).




Just for Fun


Scratch-Off Map of the World
I’ve already ordered a bunch of these from Uncommon Goods for my friends with wanderlust. This 32-by-22-inch world map has a “scratch off” component so you can scratch off the areas you’ve visited in order to “color in” the globe. I've never seen this particular item in stores before so I thought it would make for an unusual stocking-stuffer. $24


Vintage Cruise Ship Posters
Art.com has a nice selection of vintage-style cruise ship posters. I’ve got several of these in my office and they look fantastic.


Cruise Ship Ornament from Kyle Design
This is a nice-looking two-sided, engravable holiday ornament with a cruise-ship motif. This would be a great way to invite a loved-one on a Christmas cruise! $19.95




Cruise-Inspired Jewelry


Sextant Pendant from Dolphin Designs
This sextant pendant with an 18-inch box chain can be made with a variety of semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli (shown), amethyst, turquoise, amazonite, malachite, aventurine, rose quartz, mother of pearl, onyx, and jade. $113.99


Propeller Cuff Links from Cuff Daddy
These three-blade propeller cuff links come in a variety of finishes, including sterling silver and gold. $28.99–$119.00






Have you stumbled upon any cool gifts for cruise travelers? Let me know! I've got many of them on my holiday shopping list this year!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for Luxury Cruise Bible

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Seabourn Sale with Per Diems from $182 to $442 Ends 10/31

Seabourn runs some pretty decent sales on a regular basis and they've currently extended their "one week" sale, which now expires on Halloween (October 31). Per diem fares for cruises between November 2011 and May 2012 range from $182 to $442 and even includes Quest's World Cruise segments.


Take a look at the chart below, which lists all of the sale fares. Per diems under $250 per night are highlighted in green.


I just got back from Indonesia, a destination that Leonard and I first fell in love with during a visit in 2010. If we had the time, I'd book Seabourn Legend's Borobudur, Bali & Orchid Isles voyage in January or February 2012. Alas, time isn't on my side and if we book a Seabourn cruise it will have to be a 7- to 10-day itinerary...tops.






See Seabourn's complete list of sale fares. For more information, talk with your travel agent or contact Seabourn.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for Luxury Cruise Bible
Photo courtesy of Seabourn

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Orion II Cancels Two Sailings

We're back from our fantastic Borneo voyage with Orion Expedition Cruises. I'll post more photos and info about our final few days at sea once I'm over my jet-lag. 

Our time in Bali, across Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo, and Singapore was jam-packed and we feel we did as much as we could in a short ten days. If you love wildlife, especially orangutans and proboscis monkeys, this cruise should be on your must-do list.

For now, however, I need to share the news that Orion II has cancelled two sailings. Here's information from Orion...

Due to a number of latent defects that are adversely affecting our guests' comfort (including air conditioning) and limited availability of suitable technicians and specialists, it has become necessary to cancel the Orion II 10 October and 17 October 2011 sailings. While cancelling a cruise is always the last resort, we do believe that these works are necessary to be able to provide our passengers with the level of product that they have come to expect from Orion Expedition Cruises.

Recognising the last minute inconvenience of these cancellations, we are reimbursing all substantiated non-refundable travel expenses not covered by travel insurance. There is also the opportunity to transfer to a similar 7 night itinerary on a future date.

15th December 2011—Thailand, Temples and the Mekong
22nd December 2011—Gulf of Siam Explorer
27th February 2012—Gulf of Siam Explorer
5th March 2012—Thailand, Temples and the Mekong
  
While we were on board there were problems with some air-conditioning systems, a transformer blew between two cabins, the elevator broke down, and one of the ship's industrial washing machines needed repairs. The crew masked these issues well and most did not cause any concern or alarm among guests.

I feel badly for those who've had to put their holiday plans on hold. I hope everyone is able to reschedule their vacations.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for Luxury Cruise Bible

Photo © Leonard Hospidor
(Tom, the orangutan, at Camp Leakey)

Monday, October 10, 2011

Two Island Hideaways: Pulau Senua and Pulau Bawah


Since our original itinerary shiftedonce we got on board Orion II, our last two days in Borneo were spent as beach bunnieson the Indonesian islands of Pulau Senua, in the Riau Islands Province, andPulau Bawah, at the southern tip of the Anambas Islands (approximately 150nautical miles northeast of Singapore).

Orion II operated in “expedition mode”on both days, which means Zodiacs ran continuously from the ship to the islandwhere guests enjoyed swimming, snorkeling, and a BBQ on Pulau Bawah. We even got to release some baby turtles into the sea!


Disembarking in Singapore
It’s safe to say that Orion’s “CampLeakey: Faces in the Forest” itinerary gifted us with experiences that we neverexpected to have. I knew we’d get close to orangutans, but I had no idea I’d beable to cradle a little baby in my arms or roughhouse with a juvenile! 

Sailingthe rivers of Borneo also put so much into perspective with regard to how theIndonesians and Malays live and how conservation can fit into their frameworkfor the future. Many of us talk about planning a “trip of a lifetime” orputting a destination on our “bucket list.” If you haven’t yet researchedBorneo, do it now. Orion makes it possible for average travelers to easilyaccess this enchanting region of Borneo in style and comfort. This cruise is your chance to make close contact with thegreat red ape!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Tripbase Names Luxury Cruise Bible Best Cruise Blog of 2011

Thank you, Tripbase, for naming Luxury Cruise Bible one of the Best Cruise Blogs of 2011! I'm thrilled to get this prestigious nod. I've been blogging about cruises since August of 2006 and it's rewarding to know that others enjoy the content that I provide all year round.


Other sites that also received a Best Cruise Blog designation include:


As the end of the summer nears, I'll be celebrating five years of cruise blogging with some special content, a website redesign, and a few fun giveaways. In the meantime, stay tuned for a new trip report coming next week from the Italian Riviera.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Silversea Surveying Their Fans

If you're on Silversea's email list, you probably received a request recently to take a survey. If you haven't yet clicked on the link, do so. There are only seven questions and the survey will take just a minute to complete.

I tend to participate in these types of feedback requests because it's always interesting to find out what the cruise lines have on their minds. Question #2 in the Silversea survey was particularly thought-provoking:

2. Which offer would you most likely book for a 7-day Mediterranean cruise?
  • All-Inclusive - Brochure Fare $14,498 - Now Special 2-for-1 plus Free Air, Free Unlimited Shore Excursions, and Free One Night Luxury Hotel (estimated value $1,800) for $6,299 per person

  • All-Inclusive - Brochure Fare $13,095 - Now Special 60% off plus - Free Air (value $900), and a $500 per person shipboard credit offer $5,238 per person

It makes me think that Silversea may be entertaining the idea of going the way of Regent Seven Seas Cruises in offering complimentary shore excursions. Generally speaking, I'm not so wild about included land tours since we prefer planning our own days ashore. However, this option is ideal for many travelers. It will be interesting to see if these survey questions hint at things to come for Silversea.

For more information about Silversea, talk with your travel agent or contact Silversea.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Monday, June 6, 2011

Seabourn's Dream Comes to Fruition; Takes Delivery of Quest

A dream has become a reality for Seabourn. Years ago, Seabourn decided to build a trio of new ships...450-passenger, all-suite mega-yachts that would sail the globe offering the same exceptional service as was available on the line's smaller ships (Legend, Pride, and Spirit).

Odyssey launched in June 2009, Sojourn premiered the following summer, and Seabourn just took delivery of Quest at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy.

Seabourn is known for throwing amazing christening celebrations. Barcelona is the location of Quest's upcoming sunset ceremony on June 20th and actress Blythe Danner will serve as godmother. After the ceremony, the ship will depart on a 14-night maiden voyage to Athens, stopping at idyllic seaside villages in France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey.

According to Richard Meadows, Seabourn's President, "We are very pleased and excited to take delivery of Seabourn Quest. She is a beautiful vessel, and I have no doubt she will earn as much praise from the experts, and as much affection from our guests as her two sister-ships.  Her officers, staff and crew are ready to welcome travelers on board to experience Seabourn-style cruising on our newest ship."

Congratulations to everyone at Seabourn and T. Mariotti who worked so hard to bring this dream to fruition! Seabourn Odyssey is one of our favorite ships and we hope to sail aboard Quest soon!

To learn more about Quest, talk with your travel agent or contact Seabourn at 1-(800) 929-9391.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Monday, March 21, 2011

Reminder: American Safari Cruises Twitter Party Today at 7pm EST

Don't forget about today's Twitter/blog party with special guest American Safari Cruises!

REGISTER NOW to win one of six Frommer's Hawaii 2011 guidebooks by Jeanette Foster or a Barnes & Noble Wi-Fi-enabled Nook ereader! (Prizes can only be shipped to addresses in the United States or Canada.)

Tuesday, March 22, 2011
7 pm Eastern Time

(6 Central | 5 Mountain | 4 Pacific)

We're looking forward to chatting with all of you and giving away some very cool prizes. You'll learn about American Safari Cruises and its yacht vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, and Alaska.


—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo © Leonard Hospidor



Twitter Party Tips: How to Attend the Luxury Cruise Bible Chat on 3/22 @ 7pm EST. Win Prizes!

Are you planning on attending the Luxury Cruise Bible Twitter party with special guest American Safari Cruises on Tuesday, March 22nd at 7pm EST (4pm Pacific)? I hope so!

Twitter parties are a lot of fun but they can move FAST. Here are the three ways in which I suggest you virtually "attend" the party.

Attend Via TweetGrid.com—
Recommended Method

1. Make sure you have your Twitter.com login credentials handy. If you don't already have a Twitter account, sign up for one now.
 
2. Go to TweetGrid.com and click on the "Party" button (circled in red above).

3. Fill out the requested information as follows:

Party Hashtag: #LCB #AMSAFARI

Party Host(s): @luxcruisebible, @americansafari
(be sure to include the comma separating the two Twitter handles above)

Your username: [ fill in your Twitter handle here ]

4. Then click "Join the Party!"

5. Okay, you should now see the TweetGrid panel from which you'll attend the party. All party messages will scroll on the far left panel. Messages from the party hosts — @luxcruisebible and @americansafari — will scroll down the middle panel, and your own messages will scroll down the far right column.

IMPORTANT: Check to be sure that there is a # sign in front of the #AMSAFARI hashtags on the right and left of the screen. (See red arrows. Click on the above image for a larger view.) If the # sign is missing, insert it manually.

You'll now be able to follow the party messages easily.

6. When you wish to tweet, type your message into the white text box at the top of the page (see red arrows above). TweetGrid will automatically append the hashtags #LCB #AMSAFARI to all of your tweets so you don't have to.

Remember, in order to be eligible to win the door prizes you must append #LCB #AMSAFARI to all of your tweets.




Attend Via Twitter

1. Go to Twitter.com a few minutes before the party begins at 7pm EST (4pm Pacific).

2. Log in to your Twitter account, or register for an account if you don't already have one. (See the sign in panel above, circled in red.)

3. Type the party's hashtags — #LCB #AMSAFARI — into the search box at the top of the page (circled in read in the above image, click for larger image).

4. Once you've entered the hashtags and have hit "return," click where it says "Save this search" (see the red arrow).


5. Go back to the Twitter home page and click where it says "Searches" (circled in red above). You'll see the #LCB #AMSAFARI search that you saved. This will make it easier for you to quickly refresh messages during the party.


6. This is how your screen should look if you're using Twitter to attend the party. All messages with the hashtags #LCB and #AMSAFARI should show up in your message window.

7. To respond to a tweet or send a tweet, type in the "What's happening?" box... just be sure to append #LCB #AMSAFARI to all your tweets so they appear in the party stream! You're only eligible to win a door prize if you append those hashtags!



Attend the Party Via This Blog
For Those Who Don't Tweet


For those of you who don't "tweet," you can still take part in the Luxury Cruise Bible / American Safari Cruises party. Just return to the Luxury Cruise Bible blog at 7pm EST (4pm Pacific) on Tuesday, March 22nd, and read the blog post devoted to the party.

You won't have access to the real-time Twitter messages, but you'll see information about American Safari Cruises, their new Hawaiian Islands itinerary, photos and videos, and links to articles about small ship cruising.

Answer the posted questions via the "Comment" button for your chance to win a Barnes & Noble Nook e-reader or one of six Frommer's Hawaii 2011 guidebooks by Jeanette Foster.

If you have any questions about the Twitter party, let me know.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Win a Cunard Vacation from The Luxury Cruise Company

The Luxury Cruise Company (formerly White Star Cruises) is running a contest and the prize is a Cunard cruise. Here are the details:

"Win a luxury Cunard cruise for two people with White Star Cruises. Simply tell us your thoughts about any recent luxury cruises you've taken and whether you'd recommend White Star Cruises VIPs to follow in your wake by submitting a luxury cruise review.

The prize is a short round-trip cruise from Southampton on one of Cunard's 5-star liners, departing in 2012 and worth in excess of £2,000. The competition closes on 31 December 2011, so you have plenty of time to add multiple reviews to increase your chance of winning.

The winner will be picked on the number of votes, tweets and likes as well as on the views of our representatives on the White Star Cruises Judges panel. The winner will be announced in January 2012 and notified by email."
 Sharpen those pencils, write your review, and enter to win. Good luck!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Thursday, March 17, 2011

A Look at How Azamara Quest Handled the Crisis in Japan

Arnie Weissmann, editor-in-chief of Travel Weekly, was aboard Azamara Quest in Nagasaki, Japan, when the earthquake and tsunami hit northern Japan. He wrote an excellent and detailed account of how the ship's captain and executive officers handled the crisis along with Azamara's home office.

As Nagasaki is in the southern part of Japan, the ship was never in danger and no passengers or crew were injured.

Read Arnie's minute-by-minute account aboard Azamara Quest here.

And here's his dispatch from March 14 about complications at sea during the crisis. Excellent reading!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Register for Online Cruise Party & Win!

This year Luxury Cruise Bible is hosting a series of online parties with our favorite cruise lines. The parties will be held right here on this blog and at Twitter.

American Safari Cruises is co-hosting our first party on...

Tuesday, March 22, 2011
7 pm Eastern Time

(6 Central | 5 Mountain | 4 Pacific)

We're looking forward to chatting with all of you and giving away some very cool prizes. You'll learn about American Safari Cruises and its yacht vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, and Alaska.

Prizes!



Participants may win one of six Frommers Hawaii 2011 guidebooks by Jeanette Foster or a Barnes & Noble Wi-Fi-enabled Nook ereader! (Prizes can only be shipped to addresses in the United States or Canada.)

There are two ways to "attend" the party: on Twitter and right here at this blog.

Option 1: Attend the Party on Twitter.com
March 22, 2011 at 7 pm EST

This party will primarily take place on Twitter, but we're adding a blog portion for all of you who'd prefer not to join a social networking site.

If you do belong to Twitter, I strongly encourage you to attend the party in real-time. It's going to be a lot of fun!

Here's what you need to do:
  1. RSVP for the party by commenting on this blog post. You must RSVP if you want to be eligible to win a prize!

  2. Go to Twitter.com on Tuesday, March 22 at 7 pm EST and log in. (If you don't already have an account, click on the "Sign Up" button and register.

  3. Make sure you follow @LuxCruiseBible and @AmericanSafari.

  4. Click on this link to bring you to the party's homepage. (You'll want to follow all messages with the tags #LCB and #AMSAFARI.)

  5. The party will begin promptly at 7:00 pm EST on Tuesday, March 22nd. Watch for the six questions of the evening.

  6. Tweet your answer to each question and include the tags #LCB and #AMSAFARI for a chance to win a cool prize. (Your tweet would look like this: "This is the first Twitter party I've ever attended. #LCB #AMSAFARI")

  7. Remember to append the tags #LCB #AMSAFARI to all tweets you send during the party. Tweets without those tags are NOT eligible to win a prize! (The tags allow us to see everyone who's "attending" the party on Twitter.)

Option 2: Attend the Party at the Luxury Cruise Bible Blog
March 22, 2011 at 7 pm EST

Have no fear! You don't need to join Twitter to take part in our party. I'll also be posting to this blog during the party. You'll miss all the person-to-person discussion between party-goers, but you will still have access to all of the questions of the evening along with links to photos, videos, and American Safari cruise-related stories.

Here's what you need to do:

  1. RSVP for the party by commenting on this blog post. You must RSVP if you want to be eligible to win a prize!

  2. Watch for the six questions of the evening by returning to the Luxury Cruise Bible blog at 7 pm EST on Tuesday, March 22, 2011.

  3. Comment on the party post on March 22nd between 7–8 pm EST with your answer to the six questions of the day for a chance to win a cool prize. (You need to sign in with your email address. It will not be posted online but will be available to me when I need to contact you if you win.)

Mark Your Calendar & Attend the Party!
Mark your calendar for Tuesday, March 22 at 7 pm EST (6pm Central, 5pm Mountain, 4pm Pacific). This party is going to be a lot of fun and if you've ever wondered what an American Safari yacht vacation is like, we'll answer all your questions. Join us!

You can find more Twitter party tips here.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo courtesy of American Safari Cruises
Prize guidebooks courtesy of Frommers. You may purchase a copy of Jeanette Foster's Frommers Hawaii 2011 here.
Nook prize courtesy of LuxuryCruiseBible.com



We're bringing clean water to a village in 2011.
Learn more about our clean water project.

Monday, February 28, 2011

A Tribute to the Woman Who Sparked My Interest in Cruise Travel

Today I'd like to take a moment to tip my hat to the woman who first sparked my interest in cruise travel: my grandmother Marie Andracchio.

She was born in 1911 into an Italian family in Brookline, Massachusetts. She was one of nine children and learned the value of hard work at a very early age. She was a waitress most of her life but spent her free time volunteering—especially at the Council on Aging in Hudson, MA—to help others. She also created beautiful ceramic designs, which she sold from her own home studio (oftentimes with the proceeds going to charity).

I remember when she retired. She had saved for years to take a cruise—a treat to herself, she had told me, for the good work she'd done to raise a family. I recall the day she left for the trip. She was wearing a beautiful sundress with a matching hat and colorful handbag. I was just a little girl at the time but I remember thinking that my Nana was the most glamorous person ever and I admired the fact that she was going on this trip as a single traveler. Nothing was going to stop her from fulfilling a promise she had made to herself long ago.

My grandmother was an incredibly strong, kind, and generous woman, but she was not wealthy. That was the only cruise she ever took, but she had a wonderful time and relived the high points many times over the years that followed.

She was always—and will continue to be—an inspiration to me and many other people who were lucky enough to have known her. She passed away last week at the age of 100. I can't thank her enough for her love and for helping me become the person I am today.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo credit: Allan Jung. My grandmother always seemed to get her picture in the newspaper for one reason or another. For a long while we joked that she must be dating the paper's photographer! The thing is, my grandmother's smile and personality was infectious; people were drawn to her because she brightened every room she ever walked into. She's pictured here, dressed to the nines, at a Victorian masquerade presented by the Marlboro Chamber of Commerce.




We're bringing clean water to a village in 2011.
Learn more about our clean water project.

We're 73% of the way to our goal of $5,000!
We've raised $3,655 and need $1,345 more by March 31, 2011.

Consider making a small donation to improve the
lives of 250 men, women, and children in an undeveloped country.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Nomade Yachting to Once Again Sail in French Polynesia

If you were to tell me that I could only sail on one more cruise in my lifetime, I'd want the destination to be French Polynesia. While there are dozens of compelling cruise itineraries spanning the globe, I believe there's nothing more inspiring and soul-healing than island-hopping across the South Pacific.

For the past year, there's really only been one luxury cruise option in French Polynesia: the venerable Paul Gauguin Cruises, which sails the 332-passenger m/s Paul Gauguin throughout the Society Islands, Cook Islands, Marquesas, and Tuamotus. (Read my review of a seven-night Paul Gauguin voyage.)

June 27, 2011 marks the return of Nomade Yachting to the equation. Previously the company sailed two intimate yachts in the region. Nomade spent the past year restructuring and will now focus on charters as well as a series of four- and six-night voyages aboard MY Tu Moana. (Nomade sold off sister ship Ti'a Moana, which is now in the Maldives.)

The French-flagged Tu Moana is currently in dry dock. Built in 2003 by Austal Ships/Oceanfast, the yacht is 226 feet with a beam of 45 feet and a draft of 7.5 feet. Her cruising speed is 12 knots.

During dry dock, accommodations on the Bridge Deck and Upper Deck are being completely refitted while general maintenance is performed on the entire vessel. When the yacht goes back into service this June, she'll offer 16 cabins: seven suites and nine staterooms. At capacity, Tu Moana will welcome 32 guests with a crew complement of 35.

The coveted Te Arii Suite (owners suite)—that comes complete with its own dedicated tender—spans the entire Bridge Deck and is a spacious 1,076 square feet. The Upper Deck is home to six suites: two forward Taha'a Suites (about 538 square feet each) and four 323-foot Bora Bora Suites.

The nine regular 172-square-foot cabins on the Main Deck are called Raiatea rooms.

2011 Nomade Yachting Cruise Schedule
June 27–July 3
July 11–15
July 18–24
July 25–29
August 1–5
August 8–14
August 15–19
August 29–September 2
September 5–9
September 12–16
September 19–23
September 26–30

Dates in red indicate six-night itineraries. Dates in black are four-night sailings.

Four-night sailings begin and end in Bora Bora and call upon Taha'a, The Orchid Island, and Raiatea, The Sacred Island.

Six-night sailings embark from and return to The Supreme Island (Bora Bora) and visit Taha'a, Huahine (The Island of Bards), and Raiatea.

This is an ultra high-end, all-inclusive experience. Six-night sailings from 5,950 euros per person (plus 175 euros tax). Four-night itineraries start at 4,000 euros (plus 125 euros tax).

For more information or to book a cruise or charter the entire yacht, talk with your travel agent or contact Nomade Yachting directly at resa@nomadeyachting.com or Tel: +689544505.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo courtesy of Nomade Yachting




We're bringing clean water to a village in 2011.
Learn more about our clean water project.

We're 73% of the way to our goal of $5,000!
We've raised $3,655 and need $1,345 more by March 31, 2011.

Consider making a small donation to improve the
lives of 250 men, women, and children in an undeveloped country.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Crystal Serenity Renovations During May 2011 Dry Dock

Cruise ship dry dock renovations have always fascinated me. Can you imagine making major improvements to a ship under tight time restrictions? It's astounding what these craftsmen and engineers can do.

This May, more than 400 technicians from around the world will converge at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany. Their one and only goal is to work around the clock for 14 days on Crystal Cruises' Serenity.

Crystal is spending $25-million to redesign 531 deluxe staterooms, penthouses, and penthouse suites; the shops; and pool deck.

Let's delve a bit deeper into the upgrades. Stateroom changes include floor-to-ceiling tufted headboards, bedside cabinets, wallpaper, sofas, curtains, pillows, carpet, and lighting. I love the new electronic "do not disturb" and doorbell system.

The shops, Facets jewelry store and Apropos boutique, will get a facelift and will now offer Christian Dior cosmetic/skincare area.

The pool deck will get a similar treatment as Crystal Symphony's recent upgrade.

All corridors will be updated with new carpeting, artwork, and lighting. Likewise, new lighting will be installed in the Crystal Dining Room and all stateroom verandahs will get new furniture.

There's a lot to look forward to when it comes to these upgrades. I'm looking forward to seeing photos of the ship once the dry dock upgrades are completed on May 22.

For more information, talk with your travel agent or contact Crystal Cruises at 1-(888) 799-4625.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo courtesy of Crystal Cruises

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Windstar Cruises to Spend More Time in the Greek Isles in 2011

What do you think of Windstar Cruises spending more time in the Greek Isles in 2011?

Windstar, which operates three motor-sail-yachts—Wind Spirit, Wind Star, and Wind Surf—announced recently that the 312-passenger Wind Surf will join the 148-passenger Wind Spirit and Wind Star in Greece this summer.

Wind Surf sails six Greek Isles voyages departing July 16; July 23; September 24; October 1; October 8; and October 15, 2011.

Wind Star offers 18 Greek Isles voyages departing May 21; May 28; June 4; June 11; June 18; June 25; July 2; July 9; August 6; August 13; August 20; August 27; September 3; September 10; September 17; September 24; October 1; and October 8, 2011.

Wind Spirit Greek Isles voyages depart May 14; May 21; May 28; June 4; September 10; and September 17, 2011.

Ports visited on these sailings include Athens, Greece; Mykonos, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Rhodes, Greece; Bodrum, Turkey; Kuşadasi, Turkey; and Istanbul, Turkey.

This is interesting. These are gorgeous ports but I would suggest sailing early or late in the season. The last time I visited Turkey and Greece in July, it was unbearably hot and it was exhausting to tour all day.

I'd love to see Windstar sail a Northern Europe itinerary with a stop in St. Malo, France. That's a port on my "must visit soon" list.

For more information about Windstar Cruises, contact your travel agent or Windstar at 1-(800) 258-7245.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo of Santorini, Greece

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Clean Water Project: We're More Than Halfway There—Thanks to You!

I am so pleased to tell you that — thanks to many readers of Luxury Cruise Bible — we are more halfway to our goal of raising $5,000 to build a clean water project in a village in an under-developed country. Thank you all so much!

We've raised $3,005 and need just $1,995 more in the kitty by March 31st. That's when the nonprofit charity: water will take our contributions and select the location of our fresh water project. The village may be located in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, India, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, or Uganda.

While we don't get to select the location ourselves, I do hope the project is located in a country that cruise ships and river boats call upon (like Cambodia, Honduras, India, Kenya, or Tanzania.)

Once the project begins, we'll be able to track the progress through special reports and photos from the field. Learn more about the 18-month charity: water process.

We'll be sure to share this project's progress with you all. And, of course, we'll gladly accept additional donations. Even $5 makes a huge difference and $20 can provide clean water for one person for 20 years.

Visit our website for more information about the importance of clean water for every man, woman, and child on the planet or click here to donate to our charity: water campaign.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com



We're bringing clean water to a village in 2011.
Learn more about our clean water project.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Vote for Me in the LuXplosion Awards


A bit of good news arrived earlier in the week. I've been nominated in the LuXplosion awards. These awards honor journalists who focus on the world of luxury... luxury hotels, cruise ships, retailers, etc.

The voting process is open until February 28, 2011. Please take a moment to click on the link below and vote for me in the category of "Uber Luxury Twitterer." (Just search "Andrea" when you get to the webpage and you'll skip to my category toward the bottom of the page.)

VOTE HERE: http://theluxuryhub.com/luxury-awards-vote-for-luxplosion-2010-nominees/

And, of course, if you're a Twitter user, please "follow" me at @luxcruisebible.

Thanks so much for your support!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

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