Sunset at Juhu Beach, Mumbai

Juhu Beach is the sprawling beach in Mumbai city. It is situated on the shores of Arabian Sea.

Click on the image for the bigger view.

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Embarkation Day Aboard Celebrity Equinox

Embarkation day is always such a rush for the passenger who's revving up for an extended holiday but at the same time it's usually an incredibly long and stressful day for a ship's crew. Since today is embarkation for Celebrity Equinox's pre-inaugural sailing, I thought the scene would be a bit harried, but that's definitely not the case.

Celebrity executives and the crew of the Equinox have planned this event for many months and I haven't noticed a hint of last-minute jitters. Everyone aboard is simply excited to be here to commemorate the launch of this gorgeous and modern cruise ship.

If you've sailed Celebrity Solstice, you already know a lot about Celebrity Equinox. She's the latest in Celebrity's series of five Solstice-class ships. Solstice celebrated her maiden voyage in 2008, Equinox launches this month, Celebrity Eclipse goes online in 2010 and the fourth and fifth ships debut in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

I'm onboard for two days and am running around trying to see and do as much as possible. The naming ceremony starts in a few hours so I'll be getting ready shortly for this black-tie gala.

The Internet is being finicky today but I'll try to post more as soon as I log on to a stable connection. Happy sailing!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com from Southampton, U.K.

Off to Meet Celebrity Equinox

We're leaving for the airport in a few minutes and are heading to the United Kingdom to meet Celebrity Equinox. This will be a short two-day pre-inaugural event so travel agents and members of the media can get to know the ship.

We'll be blogging live from Celebrity Equinox starting with her naming ceremony on Wednesday, July 29, 2009. This will be a very different experience for us. We tend to sail very small yachts and ships. Celebrity Equinox will carry nearly 3,000 passengers!

Also, unlike last week's cruise aboard Seabourn Odyssey, which was a paid vacation, this is a media event meant for magazine, newspaper, and website editors. The vibe will be very different but there's no doubt we'll enjoy all of the planned events!

Stay tuned for more details!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo of Celebrity Solstice, sister ship to Celebrity Equinox, courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

Ganesh Shrines, Hampi

Hemakuta Hill is one of the tallest hills in Hampi. There are large number of temples, archways and pavilions on this hill. The climb to this hill is not as steep as the nearby Matunga Hill. The Hemakuta Hill top is almost a flat expanse of rocky sheet with occasional ups and downs. From the top it offers splendid view of ruins all around the Hampi. The most of the temples in this area are dedicated to Lord Siva, the major one being the Virupaksha temple at the north of this hill. All the images can be clicked for bigger view.

The two most important shrines on this hills are dedicated to Lord Ganesha.

Sasivekalu Ganesha

Located on the Southern foothill of the Hemakuta Hill, the giant monolithic Ganesha statue is locally called Sasivekalu Ganesha. The name is due to its resemblance to the sasivekalu (mustard seed).

The monolithic statue is carved out of a huge boulder measuring about 2.4 meters (8 feet). On the statue around the tummy the snake is carved. The three hands hold the goad, pasha (noose), and his broken tusk. The fourth hand which holds modak (sweet ball) is broken and not reconstructed.

An open pavilion is build around the statue. According to inscriptions found nearby this pavilion was built by a trader from Chandragiri in 1506 AD, in memory of one of the Vijayanagara king – Narasimha II (1491-1505 AD).

Kadalekalu Ganesha

On the northeastern slope of the Hemakuta Hill is another giant statue of Ganesha, called The Kadalekalu Ganesha. The name is due to its resemblance to the kadalekalu (Bengal gram). This also happens to be north of Sasivekalu Ganesha.

Even this giant statue of Ganesha was carved out of a huge boulder. This statue measures 4.5 meters (15 feet) tall. A sanctum is built around the statue. The pillared hall in front of this sanctum is as charming as this giant statue itself. The open hall constructed by unusually slender and tall pillars. Each of them is highly ornate with mythical themes.

Really? We Actually Need to Disembark Seabourn Odyssey? Are You Sure?

It's been a fabulous week aboard Seabourn Odyssey and the days just flew by. This morning we must muster our courage and actually disembark the ship. If I wasn't so anxious to go home and visit my Mom, I'd be begging to stay aboard for another week!

Today is a full travel day and as soon as we land at home I need to hop on another plane to get to my Mom while my dear husband goes home to do the laundry and repack our bags for our London trip. We leave Monday night to rendezvous with Celebrity Equinox in Southampton for a two-day pre-inaugural cruise.

Thank you for sharing our Seabourn Odyssey Eastern Mediterranean voyage! Stay tuned for more information and photos and a special edition four-color glossy magazine devoted to Seabourn Odyssey's maiden season.

Don't miss our Seabourn Odyssey blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo

Very First Marina Day Aboard Seabourn Odyssey

Marina Day was called off yesterday in Mylos, Greece due to slightly rough seas. Everyone was so disappointed—especially the crew since it would have been the very first time the Marina was used.

However, the crew of Seabourn Odyssey really came through and deployed the Marina today in Navplion. The water was like glass and dozens of people showed up the moment the Marina opened at 1:30 pm (closed at 4:30 pm).

After you signed a liability waiver, you could swim in the Marina's pool or sign up to enjoy one of the boating activities such as:

• wind surfing
• water skiing
• "banana boat" rides
• pedal boating
• kayaking
• "donut" rides

The Marina, on Deck 2, is generally open one afternoon per cruise. To get to the Marina, walk through The Club on Deck 5 and follow the sign to the Marina (down an elevator or stairs). Don't miss it!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com from Navplion, Greece

Seabourn Odyssey's Wine Connoisseur Table

If you're a wine lover, you'll be interested in hearing about the Wine Connoisseur Table aboard Seabourn Odyssey. The exclusive event is limited to 14 guests and is hosted by Sommelier Florian Winkler and Assistant Sommelier Tilmar Pfferkorn.

You must reserve early to take part in this gathering and the cost is $75.00 per person. Meeting one afternoon in The Restaurant on Deck 4, you'll sample five wines.

During our cruise, the selected wines included:

• Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California—2007
  
  
• Sancerre, Le Chene Crochet, Loire Valley, France—2005
  
  
• Aloxe Corton Les Brunettes et Blanchots, Burgundy, France—2006
  
  
• Williams Salysen, Pinot Noir, Russian River—2006
  
  
• Opus One, Mondavi & Rothchild, California—2007

This event is ideal for you if you enjoy fine wines and getting to know other connoisseurs. Space is very limited so sign up at Seabourn Square as soon as you board the ship.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com from Navplion, Greece

Friday Aboard Seabourn Odyssey: Navplion, Greece

We've been onboard the Seabourn Odyssey for almost a week now and we've discovered just one small problem. The ship is such an inspiring destination unto itself, it's sometimes tough to want to actually leave it to see a port of call!

We really enjoyed yesterday's sea day but I think we can tear ourselves away from the yacht for a few hours to see Navplion. We honestly have no plan of action today. We want to wander and let the wind take us where it will.

We'll report back later and let you know where we ended up. Don't miss our Seabourn Odyssey blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo of Venetian castle in Navplion, Greece

Ballroom Dancing Aboard Seabourn Odyssey

Someone e-mailed me to ask about ballroom dancing aboard Seabourn Odyssey. I thought I'd post the information here in case others had the same question.

On this particular cruise, there are two professional ballroom dancers:

Bryony Fielding
Bryony is a world champion ballroom dancer from Sheffield, United Kingdom. She began dancing when she was four, as her parents were dance teachers. She trained in Liverpool at Crown dance Studios and she also teaches up to the championship level while also holding the title of British Champion.

David Barnes
David is from Hull, United Kingdom and started dancing at nine years old. He attended Hull University and studied contemporary dance. He recently studied Latin American dancing at Team Diablo Dance Academy in Bologna, Italy and is thrilled to be aboard the Seabourn Odyssey as Bryony's dance partner.

Throughout the cruise, Bryony and David have hosted "Dance Club" at The Club on Deck 5. (Sunday, July 19 at 10:30 am; Tuesday, July 21 at 4 pm dancing the Jive; Wednesday, July 22 at 4:30 pm dancing the Rhumba; Thursday, July 23 at 10:30 am dancing the Waltz).



The Club, located on Deck 5 aft, is a warm and inviting lounge with a small dance floor and stage featuring a piano. It's where you'll head for afternoon tea time as well as Dance Club and evening entertainment.



Leonard and I did not attend any of the Dance Club sessions but we did pass by once while it was in session and it looked like a nice group. Everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com from Mylos, Greece

Photos by Andrea M. Rotondo

Vidhana Soudha Central Dome, Bangalore

Vidhana Soudha houses the State Legislature for Karnataka, and is the largest Secretariat in India. Below is the picture of the huge central dome of the building.

Thursday Aboard Seabourn Odyssey: Change of Plans—Anchoring Off Mylos

Today Seabourn Odyssey was scheduled to anchor off Armogos Island. Instead, we're at Mylos. Tenders ashore are available and this will also be our Marina day. A galley tour is also in our future this afternoon.

More updates will follow later today.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com in Mylos, Greece

Thursday Aboard Seabourn Odyssey: Our Sea Day & Send Your Good Thoughts, Please

Life always sends you a curveball when you least expect it. Right as we were leaving for our Seabourn Odyssey cruise, we found out my mother would need to undergo surgery. It was, of course, scheduled for while we're overseas.

Today I'll be thinking about my Mom and would appreciate it if you also sent your positive thoughts in the direction of my family. It's a sea day and that should make it easier for me to stay in touch with my family, at least via e-mail. I look forward to disembarking on Saturday and heading home to visit with my Mom.

Today's slower schedule will allow us to really enjoy the ship and take lots of photos and videos. We promise to share as much information with you as soon as was can. All the best!

Don't miss our Seabourn Odyssey blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo

The Spa at Seabourn

We visited The Spa at Seabourn aboard Seabourn Odyssey today and took some photos. What you'll see here are my photos from my Canon PowerShot. I'll upload some of Leonard's pro shots upon our return to the States.

I've also included the spa price list below. I'll add descriptions of the spa treatments to LuxuryCruiseBible.com in the near future.

Seabourn Odyssey
Thermal Suite/per day = $30.00
Cruise Pass = $180
Couples Cruise Pass = $300.00

Spa Villas
Below package pricing accounts for two guests. Pricing for larger parties and customized packages will be determined upon booking.
Seabourn Sanctuary (2 hours and 30 minutes) = $650.00
Sweet Surrender (3 hours) = $799.00
Body Worship (4 hours) = customizable
Custom Retreat = customizable



Facial Therapies
Seabourn 24 Karat Gold Facial (75 minutes) = $325.00
Elemis Oxydermy Facial (50 minutes) = $175.00
Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial (50 minutes) = $135.00
Elemis Skin Specific Facial (50 minutes) = $129.00
SkinCeuticals Regenerating Facial (50 minutes) = $135.00
SkinCeuticals Firming Facial (50 minutes) = $125.00
SkinCeuticals Gel Peel Treatment (35 minutes) = $115.00
Elemis Skin IQ for Men Facial (50 minutes) = $124.00
Elemis Urban Cleanse for Men Facial (50 minutes) = $129.00



Massage Therapies
Thai Herbal Poultice Massage (75 minutes) = $213.00
Thai Massage (75 minutes) = $213.00
Elemis Aroma Stone Therapy (50 minutes) = $159.00
Elemis Aroma Stone Therapy (75 minutes) = $213.00
Elemis Face and Body Sensation (50 minutes) = $169.00
Bamboo Massage (50 minutes) = $169.00
Elemis Deep Tissue Muscle Massage (50 minutes) = $141.00
Couples Massage (50 minutes) = $242.00
Couples Massage and Bathing Ritual (75 minutes) = $339.00
Swedish Massage (50 minutes) = $132.00
Elemis Absolute Spa Ritual (100 minutes) = $287.00

Body Therapies
Ionithermie Cellulite Reduction Program (50 minutes) = $160.00
Elemis Seawood Wrap and Massage with half body massage (75 minutes) = $213.00
Elemis Seawood Wrap and Massage with full body massage (100 minutes) = $283.00
Elemis Body Sculpting & Colon Therapy (50 minutes) = $135.00
Ionithermie Cheek Lift (50 minutes) = $160.00
Ionithermie Revitalizing Leg Therapy (40 minutes) = $85.00
Elemis Exotic LIme and Ginger Salt Glow with half body massage (50 minutes) = $171.00
Elemis Exotic Lime and Ginger Salt Glow with full body massage (75 minutes) = $216.00



Fitness Center
Individualized Personal Training (60 minutes) = $100.00
Nutritional Consultant (60 minutes) = $100.00
Metabolism Test (30 minutes) = $40.00
Kinesis Personal Training (60 minutes) = $100.00
Kinesis Group Training (45 minutes) = complimentary
Pathway to Yoga (45 minutes) = complimentary
Pilates (45 minutes) = complimentary
Tai Chi (45 minutes) = complimentary



Seabourn Salon
Elemis Frangipani Conditioning Hair and Scalp Ritual (25 minutes) = $35.00
Fire and Ice Manicure (50 minutes) = $60.00
Fire and Ice Pedicure (60 minutes) = $80.00
Elemis Sole Delight Foot Treatment with Pedicure (55 minutes) = $74.00



Hair Styling
Style Dry or Roller Setting = from $40.00
Trim or Restyle and Style Dry = from $69.00
Cleanse, Style Dry & Hair Up = from $61.00
Hair Up (without cleanse and dry) = from $49.00

Nails
Elemis Exotic Hand Ritual with Manicure = $53.00
Traditional Manicure = $34.00
Traditional Pedicure = $53.00
Acrylic Nails Full Set = $100.00
Scrylic Refills = $53.00
Paraffin Wax = $15.00



Hair Color
Semi Permanent color = from $65.00
Full Head Color Change = from $111.00
Regrowth Tinting = from $85.00
Hi-Lights/Lo-Lights = from $106.00
Partial Hi-Lights = per foil $3.00

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com from Santorini, Greece

Wednesday Aboard Seabourn Odyssey: Santorini, Greece

Today is going to be a hot one (nearly 95 degrees!), but we'll do our best to stay cool as the Seabourn Odyssey anchors at Santorini, Greece.

We'll start our day by taking the cable car to Fira. I'm really dreading seeing those poor donkeys making the trek up all those stairs. I know many tourists love the novelty of the donkey trek up to town, but it can't be easy to be a pack mule. Maybe I'll sneak the donkeys some apples and carrots.

Once we reach Fira, we'll probably head directly to Oia on the other side of the island. We're touring on our own, although I found some enticing private tours from MySantorini.com and Emver Santorini Tour Guide Service.

We'll post more upon our return to the ship later today. Don't miss our Seabourn Odyssey blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo of Oia village on Santorini

Seabourn Odyssey WiFi Packages and Rates

A reader asked about wifi aboard Seabourn Odyssey. Wifi is available throughout the public areas of the ship as well as in the suites. If you don't bring your own laptop, you may use one of the computers in Seabourn Square on Deck 7.

Here's the current price list but this is, of course, subject to change.

30 minutes = $13.50

1 hour = $24.95

2 hours = $47.95

4 hours = $89.95

8 hours = $167.95

16 hours = $287.95

32 hours = $479.95

Each Internet package is for the shipboard cardholder only and can only be accessed on one computer at a time. Make sure to unblock the pop-ups preference on your laptop since you'll need that function in order to log off the Internet at the end of your session.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Tuesday Aboard Seabourn Odyssey: Bodrum, Turkey

This morning Seabourn Odyssey arrives at Bodrum, Turkey. We're going to take it easy today and knock around town on our own. We will, of course, visit Bodrum Castle. Sometimes called the Castle of St. Peter, this medieval structure is strategically located where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean.

We'll post more later. Don't miss our Seabourn Odyssey blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Yesterday at the Acropolis and Asclepion (Dikili, Turkey)

Yesterday Seabourn Odyssey visited Dikili, Turkey and we went on a tour to the ancient ruins of Pergamon, which include the Acropolis and Asclepion (hospital). I highly recommend visiting these locations. It was deserted when we arrived and we were able to take some amazing photos. (You'll see a full photo album upon our return to the States.)

Seabourn used ITS touring company for this shore excursion and our guide was very knowledgeable and spoke clear English. The busses were well air-conditioned, clean, and comfortable. In addition, Seabourn didn't pack the busses full of tourists. There were plenty of empty seats so we could all spread out.





The only thing that marred this wonderful excursion was the fact that it was a hot day… a really hot day. We were told it hit 100 degrees. And, did I mention it was sunny… intensely sunny? Well, here's a little tip if you go on this excursion. Bring some hard candies or some Gatorade. A hat, umbrella, and sunscreen wasn't enough to keep the sun from hitting me hard. Toward the end of the tour I blacked out. Luckily, a doctor was in our group and he kindly sat with me for a few minutes while my pulse got back to normal and I was able to get up and walk again.





Talk about embarrassing! I was so sorry to hold everyone up but everyone was so caring. Several women stopped the tour to sit with me for about ten minutes and made sure I was drinking water. When our bus got back to port, they got me on the first tender back to the ship. Today, everyone checked in to make sure I was doing well. Seabourn travelers are certainly caring and understanding people!



Once I got back to Seabourn Odyssey and had a cold shower and lunch from the Patio Grill (excellent cheeseburgers), I was fine. But, lesson learned. I'm going to take it a bit easier at the first sign of sunstroke and I'll be more prepared for tours like this (lots of walking in direct sun) on super hot days.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Luxury Cruise Ship Seabourn Odyssey is a Chameleon; Find Out Why

If you really want to know what Seabourn Odyssey is all about, I'll let you in on a secret: she's like chameleon, easily becoming exactly what each individual passenger desires and requires at any particular moment in time.

Since we boarded Seabourn Odyssey on Sunday, I've talked with previous Seabourn triplets fans, multigenerational families onboard for summertime reunions, retirees who've been cruising for years, and honeymooners new to this intoxicating mode of travel—everyone has reacted enthusiastically to Seabourn Odyssey.

Some of you have worried that—with a 450-passenger capacity—she's just too large. Yes, this is a much larger ship than the triplets but I think you'll find that she feels spacious but never empty.

Others worried that the intimacy of the triplets would be lost. Well, of course it will be nearly impossible to meet and get to know each guest aboard this vessel. But, you'll find plenty of time to mix and mingle and you'll see the same faces around the ship each day.

As far as the crew goes, they take the Seabourn spirit to a new level and seem to have memorized everyone's names and preferences. We are thrilled that Barry Hopkins is the Cruise Director aboard Odyssey. We've sailed with him previously when he was with Regent Seven Seas and he is one of those passionate Englishman that always has a story to tell or some advice to share. He's helped put together a knockout entertainment team and the musicians onboard Seabourn Odyssey are the best I've encountered on any cruise ship ever. Kudos to Barry and the entire entertainment department for pulling this off!

The layout of the ship is fantastic and I'll discuss each area in future blog posts. The designers of this ship built in many hideaway nooks that are perfect for sunbathing, reading a book, talking with friends, or simply watching the world go by as you sail from port to port.

Seabourn Square on Deck 7 is the heart of Odyssey and it's a comfortable meeting place where you can check your e-mail, borrow a book, grab a coffee and pastry, find out more about shore excursions, and reserve your next cruise.

I've only been aboard Seabourn Odyssey for three days and she's already won me over. Leonard and I are discussing which cruise to select next. When we're ready to book, we'll just head down to Seabourn Square and make our reservation.

Of course there have been a few tiny missteps here and there (which I'll blog about shortly). After all, this is only Seabourn Odyssey's third ever voyage! But Seabourn has hit the right tone in regard to all things of great importance and those minor missteps will no doubt be corrected shortly.

If you've been on the fence about whether you should stick with the triplets or book Odyssey, I encourage you to give this ship a try. She is elegant and graceful (we haven't been able to feel a difference between when we're docked and when we're sailing!) and she is ready to welcome you "home."

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com from Kusadasi, Turkey

Photo of Seabourn Odyssey sail-away party by Andrea M. Rotondo

Monday Aboard Seabourn Odyssey: Kusadasi, Turkey for Ephesus

This is probably the port I've been most looking forward to since boarding Seabourn Odyssey. We're docking in Kusadasi, Turkey as our home base to visit the ancient Roman ruins of Ephesus.

Here's our game plan for the day: wake up early and enjoy breakfast in our suite (hopefully on our veranda). Then we'll join our Seabourn shore excursion. We booked "Deluxe Ephesus: Terrace Houses & Celsus Library."

The two-hour walk covers:

• Celsus Library facade
• 25,000-seat Grand Amphitheatre
• Temple of Hadrian
• Temple of Artemis
• Terrace Houses, a newly excavated section
• Time to visit Kusadasi for a bit of shopping

We'll return to the ship after the tour and enjoy the pool for a bit before getting ready for our "Exclusively Seabourn" complimentary event: an evening reception at Ephesus. We'll step back into the Roman Empire as we enjoy cocktails, canapes, and classical music during a private after-hours party.

With such a full day, we may not be able to post again until later this evening. Gule gule! ("goodbye", in Turkish)

Don't miss our Seabourn Odyssey blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Temple of Hadrian photo courtesy of iStockPhoto.com

Sunday Aboard Seabourn Odyssey: Dikili, Turkey

Today Seabourn Odyssey visits Dikili, Turkey for Bergama. The main sites to see here include the Acropolis of Pergamon and Asclepion. Pergamon was an ancient Greek city that thrived during the Hellenistic period and was the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon.

We're in port for five short hours and we'll have a lot of ground to cover. There's the Hellenistic Theater carved into the hillside. (It once accommodated 10,000 patrons at a time, despite its super steep seating.) We'll also want to see the Temple of Dionysus, maybe the Roman baths, the Acropolis, and the town of Bergama.

Asclepion is billed as "one of the foremost medical centers of classical times." My interests run a bit afield of ancient medicine, but this is something my husband will probably want to investigate.

We'll log on later to post some pictures and more commentary about our day in Dikili. Don't miss our Seabourn Odyssey blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Temple of Trajan (Ancient Pergamon) photo courtesy of iStockPhoto.com

Virupaksha Temple, Hampi

Hampi has several architecturally beautiful temples. Virupaksha temple is the oldest among them and is located on the south bank of the river Tungabadra. It is principal temple of Hampi as it is believed that this temple has been functioning uninterruptedly ever since its inception in the 7th century AD. The temple can be accessed through the chariot street popularly known as the Hampi Bazaar.

Main entrance tower (click for larger image)

The main entrance tower of Virupaksha Temple is east facing and is a huge 9 storied tower. The lower two tiers of the tower is made of decorated stone work. The tower progressively diminishes as it moves upward and the
structure is made with brick and mortar. From the tower one will enter into two large courtyards, which are linked to each other. The first courtyard has a pillared hall called 100-column hall at the far left corner, Kalyanamantapa at the far right corner. As soon as one enters this place one can to see on the left side Triple headed Nandi (bull statue).

Triple head Nandi

In the open area in the center there is a pillared cloisters leaving gaps at the north, south and east edges for a series of sub shrines. The front portion has a row of decorated pillars. It looks like the lion figure carved at the base of each of these pillars supporting the slender upper portions. The most striking feature of this court is the central pillared hall known as the Ranga Mandapa added to the temple complex in 1510 AD by Krishadeva Raya. Two mythical lion like creatures forms the balustrade for the entrance to this elevated open pavilion. This hall with 5 aisles and 38 pillars is used for temple rituals including the marriage ceremonies. The highlights include rows of pillars shaped with rampant lion like mythical creatures (Yalis) standing on aquatic creatures (Crocodiles).

pillared cloisters (click for larger image)

At the sanctum of Lord Virupaksha there are two 4 armed guardian deities, about 8 feet tall, stand on either side of the entrance to the inner hall. The sanctum contains the idol of lord Virupaksha in the form of a Linga .

The must see part of the temple is at the rare of temple complex. Behind the main sanctum a flight of steps leads to the rear exit of the temple complex. Just before the exit on the right side there is a dark chamber with a slit on the wall. The sun ray pass through this slit forms an inverted shadow of the main tower on the wall. This was designed in those early days and a masterpiece.

Today's the Day! Boarding Seabourn Odyssey

In a few hours we'll finally make the acquaintance of the elegant Seabourn Odyssey, the newest luxury cruise ship from Yachts of Seabourn. We have been looking forward to this for so long! The news and photos from the maiden voyage paint a picture of a gorgeous ship and energetic crew. We can't wait to get onboard and start snapping photos and taking videos.

Think of us at 5:00 pm this evening as we set sail for the first time with Seabourn Odyssey!

Any questions about Odyssey or Yachts of Seabourn in general? Let us know and we'll do our best to track down the answers. Don't miss our Seabourn Odyssey blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Istanbul On Our Own

Our Delta flight from JFK was an uneventful one but I didn't manage one wink of sleep. Still that didn't deter us from trying to see as much of Istanbul as possible today. It is hot and humid (though it cooled off considerably when the sun went down) and we're exhausted!

Our flight actually landed a bit early so we ended up at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet at 11 a.m. We waited a 15 short minutes and our room on the fourth floor, facing the Blue Mosque, was ready.

The lounge at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet.
A good place to relax with a cool drink while your room is readied.

The view from our fourth-floor room at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet with the Blue Mosque in the background.

The Four Seasons is a great home base in Sultanahmet since it's so close to the major tourist attractions like Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Yerebatan Cistern, and the the Grand Bazaar.

Hagia Sophia

The Blue Mosque

We were able to see Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, part of Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. We were shooting to see the Spice Market but a bit of a language barrier brought us to the Grand Bazaar instead. Oh well. It was a great experience strolling up and down the streets with no particular place to go. Many shopkeepers were at afternoon prayer so we didn't encounter too many high-pressured sales pitches.

We spent the hour before sunset at the Blue Mosque and Leonard has some amazing photos that we'll need to download and show you soon. Tomorrow we're going to wake up early (hopefully!) and go to the Blue Mosque again for more photos and then the Spice Market. But, of course, we have a date with Seabourn Odyssey at 2:00 pm!

Any questions about Odyssey or Yachts of Seabourn in general? Let us know and we'll do our best to track down the answers. Don't miss our Seabourn Odyssey blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photos by Andrea M. Rotondo

Checking In: Four Seasons Istanbul, Turkey

This morning we'll be landing at Istanbul Ataturk Airport in Turkey and will then transfer to the Four Seasons Istanbul in Sultanahmet to check in.

We plan to drop our bags and then head out immediately for a long day of sightseeing. We probably won't post to the blog again until this evening but we'll try to tweet a few times.

Stay tuned for photos and details about our first day in Turkey. Don't miss our Seabourn Odyssey blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons

Heading to Istanbul to Join Seabourn Odyssey

Today's the day we leave for Istanbul, Turkey. (Thank goodness for dog sitters and house sitters!)

We'll have one short day to enjoy the city before joining Seabourn Odyssey for a seven-night Eastern Mediterranean voyage.

As long as the Internet is up and running, we'll be sharing information, photos, and videos about this itinerary and the newest luxury cruise ship from Yachts of Seabourn via:

• Daily blog posts
  
  
• Articles at the LuxuryCruiseBible.com website
  
  
• On Twitter
  
  
• At the LuxuryCruiseBible.com YouTube.com channel

Come with us (virtually) as we discover Istanbul, Dikili, Kusadasi, and Bodrum in Turkey and Santorini, Navplion, and Athens, Greece.

And, if you have any questions about Seabourn Odyssey, let us know and we'll try to find out the answer on your behalf.

—Andrea M. Rotondo

At a Glance: Luxury Cruise Ship Seabourn Odyssey

Since we're joining the Seabourn Odyssey this week in Istanbul, Turkey, I thought I'd prepare a quick "at a glance" worksheet to introduce you to this new luxury cruise ship from The Yachts of Seabourn.

Maiden Voyage: June 24, 2009 (Venice, Italy to Istanbul, Turkey)

Cruise Director: Barry Hopkins (formerly of Regent Seven Seas Cruises)

Technicals

• Built by T. Mariotti of Genoa, Italy
• 32,000 tons
• Length: 650 feet
• Beam: 84 feet
• Draft: 21 feet
• Speed: 19 knots
• Twin screw propellers operated by diesel-generated electricity
• Two bow thrusters
• Two stabilizers
• 11 decks
• 450 passengers
• 1-to-1 crew-to-passenger ratio

Accommodations

• 225 ocean view suites
• 90 percent of the suites have a veranda
• Suites measure between 295 and 1,682 square feet
• Five Owner's Suites
• Four two-bedroom Grand Suites
• 22 Penthouse Suites
• Handicap-accessible suites: Category V6, Suites 715, 813, 913; Category PH; Suite 635; Category V2, Suite 519; and Category Suite A, Suite 408

Dining

• The Restaurant—open seating, Charlie Palmer menus
• Restaurant 2—dishes are served as tasting portions
• The Colonnade—open-kitchen indoor/outdoor restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Patio Grill—serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner outdoors
• In-Suite Service—24-hour room service; during the dinner hours you can have your meal served course-by-course in your suite

Lounges

• Observation Lounge
• Sky Bar

The Spa at Seabourn

• 11,400-square-foot two-deck spa
• SkinCeuticals skincare products and treatments available
• Seven private treatment rooms
• Fitness center quipped with cardio, strength, and weight-training gear
• Hydropool
• Two herbal steam rooms
• Private trainers available
• Kinesis Wall
• Full-service beauty salon
• Two 750-square-foot Spa Villas for half-day private spa retreats: two treatment beds, indoor double bed lounger, oversized whirlpool tub and separate shower, separate seating and dining areas, and a private wraparound terrace with outdoor chaise lounges

Marina

• Back-of-ship built-in marina offering swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing, kayaking, and waterskiing

On Deck

• Two outdoor swimming pools
• Poolside massages available
• Six outdoor whirlpools

Daytime Entertainment

• The Retreat, featuring a contoured nine-hole mini-golf course, a giant cheese board, and shuffleboard

Evening Entertainment

• Casino
• The Club
• Movies Under the Stars
• Dessert Under the Stars

Seabourn Square

• Concierge lounge
• Library
• Upscale shops, including a private diamond showroom
• Coffee bar
• Outdoor terrace

Extras

• Apple iPods and netbooks available for loan

We'll be sharing a lot more information about Seabourn Odyssey this week. Don't miss our blog posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos, and LuxuryCruiseBible.com articles.

—Andrea M. Rotondo

I Need Your Help! Which Cruise Directors Are Where?

I'm working on a new feature article for LuxuryCruiseBible.com and I need your help! I'm creating a database of cruise directors (and assistant CDs) and would like your assistance in notating who is working on what ship.

If you've been on a cruise within the last year, let me know who your CD was. I'll upload the list to LuxuryCruiseBible.com as soon as I have a few more holes filled in. (I especially need information for Crystal Cruises and Silversea.)

Add a comment below or contact LuxuryCruiseBible.com privately. Thank you!

—Andrea M. Rotondo

Hampi, Forgotten Empire

Hampi has a history from the epical age of Ramayana, ages before the Vijayanagara Empire was born. This history begins and ends with the Ramayana. To prove this there are plenty of materialistic proofs in Hampi which indicate that it might have been the capital of the mighty kingdom - Kishkindha. We shall not delve much into epical history for now.

Later in the 14th century it has been the capital of Vijayanagar Empire from 1336 to 1565. Art and architecture found its special place in Hampi. The rulers were great patrons of art and religion. The city has tempestuous river Tungabhadra in the north and rocky granite ridges on the other three sides. The demography is abundant with large stones and these stones have been utilized beautifully to make larger than life statues of Hindu deities. In its hay days the place was known for its splendor and fabulous wealth. For the same reason it was destroyed by Muslim Sultans.

The splendid ruins of palaces, temples and gateways of the broken city silently narrate the story of once glorious past and the final senseless destruction. Today the ruins of Hampi lie scattered in about 26 sq. km areas, amidst giant boulders. One can see a structure of historic importance every quarter of a mile. (Click on the image for bigger view)

On 5th December 1986, Hampi was inscribed on the World Heritage List for it represents a unique artistic creation. Currently Hampi's monuments - hundreds of them - are popular among tourists, pilgrims and the area is one of the exotic locations. Some of them which we will cover in subsequent posts are:

• Hazar Rama Temple
• The Kings’ Balance
• Ugra Narasimha Temple
  
• Virupaksha Temple
• Vittala Temple
• Achyutaraya Temple/Tiruvengalanatha Temple
• Zenana Enclosure
• Lotus Mahal
• Stepped Tank
• Akka - Tangi Betta
  
• Yeduru Basava
  
• Hampi Bazar
• Badavilinga Temple
  
• Mahanavami Dibba
• Sasivekalu Ganesha
• Kadalekalu Ganesha
• Balakrishna Temple
• Queen's Bath
• Stone Chariot
  

How to Reach There

From Bangalore it is at a distance of 353 kms. One can travel to this place either by train or road. By road from Bangalore to Chitradurga drive on NH 4. From Chitradurga to Hospet take the NH 13. From Hospet it is at a distance of 12kms. By road it takes 6 to 7 hrs.

Five Things I'd Change About Luxury Cruising

During cocktail parties you'll often find me espousing the benefits of luxury cruise vacations to anyone who'll listen. I'm a die-hard fan who loves falling asleep in one port and waking up in another. But, as with all things, there's always room for improvement. Herein is my manifesto for what I'd change if I suddenly found myself the CEO of a luxury cruise line.

Five Things I'd Change About Luxury Cruising

1. Could we have some more 7-night itineraries, please? I know I'm in the minority here, but I'd love to see more 7-night itineraries from some luxury cruise lines. We'd love to sail with Oceania Cruises, but most voyages are 10- to 14-nights in duration. In our early forties, we're in the midst of our careers and being out of the office for two weeks or more just isn't possible most of the time. This change would go a long way in attracting the young, affluent consumer. SeaDream Yacht Club actually offers several five-night voyages and they seem to be consistently booked solid.
   
   
2. Increase the chocolate quotient. There's never enough chocolate available aboard luxury cruise ships. Seriously. I grew up in the age of The Love Boat television series and everything I heard about cruising included a description of the decadent dessert buffets and chocolate morsels to be had at every turn. I honestly haven't found that. In fact, some luxury ships stock fairly downmarket chocolates, such as those made by Godiva. While that name might have meant something in terms of quality long ago, it certainly doesn't now. I can buy Godiva at K-mart, for goodness sake! If it were up to me, cruise lines would stock higher quality chocolates from purveyors around the world. I will admit, however, that during a Caribbean cruise aboard Windstar's Wind Surf, the pastry chef took excellent care of me and my sweet tooth wanted for nothing!
   
   
3. No pink slips for the ship's photographer, please! I know many of you hate these contrived photo opportunities, but I'm sad that several luxury cruise lines have actually nixed their photography departments. As a photographer himself, my husband is behind the camera more often than not and some of the only pictures of us together have been taken by cruise line photographers. During our Grand Asia voyage with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the ship's photographer took some great candids of us on deck with the volcanos of Kamchatka in the background.
   
   
4. It's 2009. Why is the Internet so slow on cruise ships? I used to give cruise lines a lot of slack on this one. After all, imagine the technical difficulties of wiring a ship for wifi access or upgrading communications packages for super-fast Internet connections. However, there are a lot of new ships coming online and many others being completely refurbished. Upgrading Internet communication should be a priority.
   
   
5. Let's give those single cruisers a break! I've been seeing a lot more special offers that rescind or lower the single supplement cruise fare. That's wonderful and I hope to see even more of it. If a particular voyage is selling slowly, offer a break on the supplement. Single cruisers will be grateful and will book more cruises.

Those are the five things I'd definitely change about the luxury cruise industry. What about you? What aspect of cruising do you think could be improved? Let us know!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Hip Hip Hooray for Delta Award Travel!

Frequent flyer mile junkies have long bemoaned Delta's program saying it's far too easy to amass hundreds of thousands of miles and much too difficult to actually spend them on award travel.

I must say that I agree with part one of that statement. It is very easy to earn frequent flyer miles from Delta but unlike some others, I've had great luck redeeming them for long-haul travel and last-minute getaways.

We were able to book award tickets to Istanbul and back from Athens for our upcoming Seabourn Odyssey cruise. I originally booked a nonstop to Turkey but could only get a connecting flight on the way home from Greece. I kept checking Delta's award calendar and, finally, the nonstop flight we wanted opened up. I called Delta's SkyMiles number and in just a few minutes locked in the better itinerary. Thank you Delta! You just saved us six hours!

Delta SkyMiles reps are terrific and have always been friendly and helpful when I've called. That's why I'm not afraid to continue to build my SkyMiles account.

Here's part of my strategy to keep my Delta SkyMiles balance high:

Register for all promotions. Visit Delta.com frequently and register for all promotions, even if you don't think they apply to you. You never know when a last minute business trip will crop up. (For example, Delta is currently offering 2,500 bonus miles per segment flown between NYC and BOS.) In 2008, I earned over 200,000 bonus miles from these types of promotions.

Apply for the American Express Delta SkyMiles credit card and receive up to 25,000 bonus miles.

Shop at Delta's online mall: SkyMilesShopping.com. This mall tends to have the best deals as far as miles earned per dollar spent. However, I always check several loyalty malls before making a purchase.

By following this simple strategy, you can earn tons of miles in no time. Which frequent flyer program is your favorite and why?

—Andrea M. Rotondo