Any Crystal Symphony Questions?

On Monday evening we're boarding Crystal Cruises' Crystal Symphony at Manhattan's Cruise Terminal to celebrate the cruise line's 20th anniversary and to take a tour of the recently refurbished ship. Crystal spent $25 million while upgrading Symphony during her September 17–October 1 drydock at Boston's Atlantic Marine shipyard.

Enhancements include...

• Prego Italian restaurant
• Lida Cafe
• Penthouse accommodations
• Seahorse and Neptune pool areas
• guest elevators
• digital x-ray equipment installed in the medical center
• and many behind-the-scenes upgrades

We'll be posting photos and video from the ship tomorrow. If you've got any questions, or want us to take photos of specific areas of the ship, let me know before 3:30 pm on Monday, November 9.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo courtesy of Crystal Cruises

An Easy Way to Snag 100,000 British Airways Miles

I've talked about my frequent flyer mile obsession in the past and will admit that my fervor usually peaks this time of year. Year-end is when I review all the miles in each account and create my strategy for the coming year.

A few weeks back I sat down and wrote out my comprehensive plan for 2010, but then today British Airways and Chase made me slam on the brakes.

They've announced what, to me, is an unprecedented bonus mile deal: earn 100,000 miles with a new British Airways Visa Signature Card from Chase.

Card Benefits

• receive 50,000 miles after your first purchase
  
  
• spend $2,000 within three months of opening your card and receive an additional 50,000 miles
  
  
• earn 1.25 miles for each $1 spent
  
  
• earn 2.5 miles for money spent on BA purchases
  
  
• spend $30,000 in a calendar year and you'll receive a 2-for-1 companion award certificate
  
  
• $50 off a British Airways flight if booked before December 31, 2009 (for travel before the end of 2010)

This promo is especially enticing since British Airways offers what they call "Household Accounts." This means you can combine miles with anyone living at the same address. That makes managing miles SO much easier! You'll retain your own Executive Club membership but your mileage balances will be combined.

You may use British Airways miles on any OneWorld airline, including:

British Airways
American Airlines
Cathay Pacific
Finnair
Iberia
Japan Airlines
LAN
Malev
Quantas
Royal Jordanian

Other British Airways partners also include:

Aer Lingus
Alaskan Airlines
Brussels Airlines C
aribbean Airlines
Mexicana

This British Airways/Chase Visa promo is definitely something to look into. I'm already figuring out where we'll travel with our newfound cache of British Airways miles! Apply for the card now.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Save on 2010 Windstar Caribbean Sailings

On October 28, Windstar Cruises launched its “80 Degrees of Sunshine; 180 Degrees from Ordinary” two-week sale on 2010 Caribbean sailings. Seven-night per person cruise fares (based on double occupancy) start at $1,799.

Windstar sails three motor-sail-yachts: the 312-passenger Wind Surf, and the 148-guest Wind Spirit and Wind Star.

This is a great time to book if you've sailed Windstar in the Caribbean in the past. This season, Wind Spirit debuts a new seven-day St. Martin roundtrip itinerary calling on St. Kitts, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda, and St. Barts. Selected Wind Spirit sailings on sale are: January 16; January 23; January 30; and February 6, 2010.

The larger Wind Surf offers weeklong roundtrip sailings from Bridgetown, Barbados calling on a variety of ports on northbound and southbound itineraries. Wind Surf’s northbound itinerary includes St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Martin, St. Barts, Guadeloupe, Iles des Saintes, and St. Lucia. The southbound itinerary includes Bequia, Dominica, St. Lucia, Mayreau, Grenada, and Tobago. Selected Wind Surf sailings on sale are: January 31; February 7; February 14; and March 14, 2010.

The “80 Degrees of Sunshine; 180 Degrees from Ordinary” two-week sale is not combinable with any other promotions/programs. Offer valid on new bookings only from October 28 through November 11, 2009.

For more information, talk with your travel agent or contact Windstar Cruises.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com