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NEW CRUISE SHIPS & MORE

OFFER ROMANCE AT SEA

Cruise honeymoon (and wedding) options just keep getting bigger and better. New ships, exotic itineraries, enriching theme cruises, and flexible booking options top the list of what’s new in the cruise industry for cruising couples.

"A cruise honeymoon offers memories that won't soon be forgotten," says James G. Godsman, president of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). "Newlyweds can relax and be pampered in a romantic atmosphere, be entertained, and travel--all at a very affordable price."

“Veteran and first-time cruisers will find many new opportunities,” Godsman continues. “Eight new ships provide a wealth of new choices, but the lines are also visiting new destinations, such as Costa Rica, Venezuela, and South Africa, and offering new booking options."

New Ships Set Sail

At least eight new ships and a newly-chartered vessel are new to the sea this year. This comes on the heels of more than ten new ships last year, including Carnival’s Destiny (currently the world’s largest), Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas, Celebrity’s Galaxy, and Costa’s CostaVictoria. This year’s new ships range in size from yachtlike to megaliner, accommodating 230 to more than 2,000 passengers, with amenities like huge and modern fitness centers, youth activity centers, giant casinos, numerous swimming pools, cabins and suites with private verandahs, and cabins that are handicapped accessible.

First to set sail in 1997 was the Nordnorge, one of 11 ships with Bergen Line’s Norwegian Coastal Voyage fleet. The vessel is 11,200 tons, accommodates 490 passengers, and features cabins with two lower berths and private facilities, spacious public rooms, and conference facilities. The Nordnorge made its maiden voyage on April 29th in true Norwegian Coastal Voyage fashion: passenger/cargo steamers working their way along Norway’s scenic west coast from Bergen to Kirkenes. This ship certainly makes for a unique honeymoon option.

Princess Cruises’ Dawn Princess, twin ship to the Sun Princess, set sail for the first time on May 10th, with a Panama Canal crossing. Following the inaugural voyage, the 1,950-passenger vessel is cruising the Gulf of Alaska in the spring and summer and the Caribbean in the fall and winter. Dawn Princess features 410 private balconies and will also be home to a new stunt show called ‘Pirate Island.' The original "Love Boat" is an ideal venue for love.

Next to sail is Holland America Line’s 62,000-ton Rotterdam VI. This 1,320-passenger ship is designed mainly for ‘grand voyages’ of 12 nights and longer and, beginning in October, will visit ports worldwide. The ship features a concierge deck of verandah suites, a specialty restaurant, dance lounge, youth activity room, and 23 cabins to accommodate the handicapped.

Radisson Seven Seas Cruises takes delivery of its newest vessel, the 320-passenger Paul Gauguin, in October. The 18,800-ton ship will be based year-round in Tahiti and French Polynesia, with seven-night cruises from Papeete calling at Rangiroa, Raiata, Bora Bora, and Moorea. The Paul Gaugin will feature the same level of service and amenities (including oceanview staterooms, half with private verandahs) found on other Radisson Seven Seas vessels. If you have the time and money, this romantic cruise interlude is hard to beat.

Celebrity Cruises’ newest vessel, the recently-launched Galaxy, accommodates 1,870 guests. The ship features five guest pools; the huge and modern AquaSpa; Michael’s, the first cigar club at sea; Michel Roux menus in the renowned dining room; a martini bar; and high-tech entertainment and communications by Sony In November, Celebrity will launch a second ship, Mercury, which will also accommodate 1,870 guests.

After launching the popular Grandeur of the Seas last year, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line launched a pair of ships in 1997: the Rhapsody of the Seas, which began sailing seven-night Alaska cruises in May, and the Enchantment of the Seas, which will offer Europe, transatlantic, and northeast U.S. coastal cruises before repositioning to Miami in October for Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Both ships are receiving rave reviews.

Majesty Cruise Line expanded its fleet when it chartered Cunard Line’s Crown Destiny this year. The vessel was renamed the Crown Majesty and will continue its schedule of Panama Canal crossings and Alaska Cruises. The 19,089-ton Crown Majesty features 399 cabins and offers an outdoor swimming pool, wading pool, spa with beauty salon, fitness center, casino, and youth center.

New Ports & Itineraries Diversify the Mix

In addition to another new slate of ships, cruising couples will discover an abundance of new ports and itineraries--several in South and Central America--to satisfy cravings for honeymooon destinations that many may consider out-of-the-ordinary or even exotic.

Regal Cruises’ 53-night ‘Cruise of the Americas’ aboard the Regal Empress, starting October 25th, is a good example. Travelers can choose from six segments of the voyage, among them a 20-night cruise from Port Manatee, Florida to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and an 11-night voyage around South America from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, Chile and through the Straits of Magellan.

Seawind Cruise Line is another line adding South America to its itineraries. The Seawind Crown will dock in LaGuaira, Venezuela, which is just 35 minutes from Caracas. This will give passengers a full day to take in the capital city’s museums, restaurants, architecture, and shopping. Full-day excursions to the mountain village of Colonia Tovar provide another exotic option.

Crystal Cruises has added a roster of new voyages along the east and west coasts of South America, as well as 12-day Alaska cruises roundtrip from San Francisco. Other new features for Crystal include: a return to Canada and New England after a three-year absence; a world cruise with a new southern hemisphere route, including South Africa; and a holiday voyage to Hawaii.

Windstar Cruises has turned its attention to Central America. The line will relocate the Wind Song from Tahiti to Costa Rica in mid-December to sail seven-day voyages along Costa Rica’s Gold Coast. Calls include Isla de Cano, Bahia Drake, Quepos, and Playa Flamingo in Costa Rica and Isla Coiba in Panama.

Dolphin Cruise Line’s IslandBreeze was refurbished mid-year and sails from Palma de Majorca for a slate of summer European cruises. In December, the vessel will reposition to the Caribbean for seven-night Eastern Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises. In mid-June, the OceanBreeze assume the Island Breeze’s two- and five-night summer/fall itineraries from New York, before repositioning in the winter to Montego Bay for seven-night Panama Canal cruises.

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean, romance-minded cruisers will find several new itineraries with Royal Olympic Cruises. For example, the Stella Oceanis introduced a series of 12-day cruises between Civitavecchia (Rome) and Pieaeus (Athens) this summer. In addition, the Odysseus spent the summer sailing in the Western Mediterranean from Piraeus to Lisbon, to Northern Europe between Lisbon and London, and roundtrip from London St. Petersburg and to ports on the Baltic Sea.

Closer to home, The Delta Steamboat Company offered is first cruise on the Kanawha River in 50 years. Passengers join the Delta Queen in Cincinnati and, during an eight-day cruise, sail the Kanawha to Charleston, West Virginia. The Delta Queen will also take its first voyage on the Illinois River since the 1970s, when it embarks on a six-night fall foliage cruise from St. Louis to Ottawa, Illinois.

New Themes, Lengths, Wedding Options & Guarantee Programs

Along with visiting new destinations comes the chance for couples to try new activities, take part in favorite pastimes, meet people with similar interests, and learn about destinations on a number of theme cruises being offered this year. “Free time is at such a premium these days that people expect their vacations to touch all the bases: rest, excitement, and value,” says CLIA’s Godsman. “Theme cruises do just that.”

For the sports-minded, Norwegian Cruise Line will continue to offer a range of ‘Sports Afloat’ theme cruises, including football, hockey, basketball, baseball, volleyball, and fitness. A new addition for 1997 was a ‘Champions Cruise,’ featuring some of the world’s top Olympians and champion athletes.

If onboard culture is what you’re after, Costa Cruises is offering its ‘Festa Magnifica’ cruises on CostaRomantica. Caribbean cruises feature Italian singers, an Italian wedding, and an Italian fashion show.

Silversea Cruises has teamed up with National Geographic Traveler magazine to offer guests a chance to learn about places they’re visiting. Guests on several cruises can attend lectures given by National Geographic photographers and journalists on topics such as culture, geography, oceanography, photography, and nature. Passengers can also go on shore excursions hosted by experts who’ve visited the regions while on assignment for National Geographic publications.

Additional themes with many cruise lines this year include longer and shorter voyages, casual dress codes, and more booking flexibility. For instance, Seabourn Cruise Line’s upscale passengers can now custom-design their vacation packages, thanks to a new program called ‘As You Like It.’ The program enables guests to plan their Seabourn vacations with separate and independently-priced cruise fares, air travel options, hotel and transfer programs, land excursions, and pre- and post-cruise tours.

Premier Cruise Lines is also offering more flexibility, giving couples with kids from previous marriages ideal options. They’ve expanded land packages from four to five and, as before, passengers can combine cruises with land stays that include hotels at or near Walt Disney World, theme park admissions, and rental cars. New for 1997 is a package that features Universal Studios, Sea World, and Wet ‘n Wild. The Big Red Boat continues its ‘Kids Vacation Free’ offer on all cruises and vacation packages. Of course, Disney Cruise Line will give families even more options.

Orient Lines has introduced casual summer cruises aboard its newly-chartered Ocean Majesty. Ten-day Greek Isles cruise vacations feature a five-day Aegean cruise and two nights of hotel accommodations in both Athens and Istanbul. Passengers can leave their ties and gowns at home, bringing only their spirit of adventure and fun.

Longer trans-Atlantic crossings (six days instead of five) will be the norm on Cunard’s famed Queen Elizabeth 2. All passengers sailing on this vessel can expect a first-class experience throughout the ship, with fewer passenger berths (1,500 instead of 1,750) and single-seating dining throughout the ship.

To make Hawaii cruises and visits more accessible to southern California seniors in search of shorter and less-expensive outings, American Hawaii Cruises is introducing three- and four-day cruise segments. Passengers sailing for three days will embark in Honolulu, sail to Kauai for an overnight stay, and disembark in Maui. Passengers opting for the four-day itinerary will board in Maui, cruise to the Big Island of Hawaii to visit Hilo and Kona, and disembark in Honolulu.

In addition, most cruise lines can help arrange a wedding in port or on-board the ship. Many couples opting for something simple and unique are married in port on-board and then set sail for their honeymoon. Some even take along their wedding parties for the cruise. Most lines can help arrange virtually any possibility, except for having the ship's captain marry you (an old wive's tale).

Finally, in an effort to stress its commitment to customer satisfaction, Carnival Cruise Lines made its ‘Vacation Guarantee’ a full-time offering in 1997. First unveiled as a test last year, the program promises that if a guest is not satisfied with a Carnival cruise vacation and notifies the purser’s office prior to the first port of call, they may disembark at the first non-U.S. port and receive a pro-rated refund and reimbursement for coach air travel back to the port of embarkation. Because of the success of the ‘Fun Ships,’ Carnival hasn’t had (and won’t have) many passengers (particularly honeymooners) that pursue this option.

Thus, from new ships to new ports to newfangled cruise options and weddings, cruise travel is bigger and better than ever. It's the perfect venue for that second honeymoon.