Crystal Cruises: the Ultimate Cruise Vacation

After much anticipation, Crystal Cruises launched its 20th Anniversary promotion at the end of September. The promotion brings Crystal in line with other luxury lines, if not providing it with a competitive advantage over its more inclusive rivals in the luxury market, such as Silvesea and Regent Seven Seas.

In conjunction with the promotion, we launched our own promotion this month focusing on Crystal. We believe in the product. After all, a pretty strong indication of Crystal's position in the market is born out by the distinction it has earned for 15 years running as the "World's Best Cruise Line" by reader's of Conde Nast Magazine. Our promotion is included in this month's Sherman's Travel Luxe 15.

What we have discovered from the calls we have received in response to our promotion, however, is that many people who have never sailed on Crystal do not know the line, and what distinguishes it from others. Many have sailed on the premium lines, such as Holland America and Princess, and some mistakenly believe that all cruise lines are created equally, with the only thing separating them being price. The truth is, Crystal excels above all other cruise lines, rivaling even the finest land-based resorts. Just as there is a commonly-reconized difference in appointments, service, and amenities associated with Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons Hotels, the same is true among cruise lines. Think of Crystal as the Madarin Oriental Hotel of the seas.

The accolades don't end there. In addition to being the top rated cruise line, Crystal also has the two highest-rated cruise ships in the world, large or small. The Crystal Serenity tops all other ships in ratings by readers of Conde Nast magazine, and the Crystal Symphony is second only to the Serenity. Pretty impressive for a cruise line that sails only two ships.

It is hard to condense all that separates Crystal Cruises into a blog post, and keep the post to a reasonable length. The truth is, Crystal is something one must experience to truly understand the difference. Some of these distinguishing characteristics are almost intangible -- the professional European-trained staff who instinctly anticipate your needs; the space ratio that gives you the sense that you are sailing on a ship with far fewer passengers than the ship's capacity; the sensation of total relaxation without the hurried feeling inherent in ships carrying three or four times the passenger load.

Other things are much more concrete. For starters, Crystal is far more inclusive than any premium line. All non-alcoholic beverages -- from soft drinks to bottled water to specialty coffee drinks -- are complimentary. Enrichment classes, which you would pay extra for on most cruise lines, also are complimentary --things like language classes offered by Berlitz; keyboard classes offered by Yamaha; and wellness classes such as Yoga and Pilates offered by the Cleveland Clinic. There is also the famous lecturers. On every sailing, Crystal offers lectures by prominent and distinguished men and women in their field -- from famous newscasters to sports legends to noted authors, movie producers, and acclaimed entertainers. Every sailing also offers a destination expert for travelers who truly want to immerse themselves in the places they will visit.

On top of all else, Crystal offers arguably the very best cuisine at sea. One of the most renowned chefs in the world, Nobuyuki Matsuhisa (known worldwide simply as "Nobu") brings his culinary talents to sea. Crystal Cruises' Silk Road restaurant in fact is the only Nobu restaurant at sea. Take a look at Nobu's menu at his Dallas restaurant, and you'll immediately recognized the value of dining at his restaurant onboard Crystal where your only expense is your waiter's gratuity. Prefer Italian? Then dine in Crystal's other speciality restaurant, Prego, with menus designed by legendary restauranteur, Piero Selvaggio. Of course, Crystal's complimentary main dining room also offers divine dining culinary choices. Want to please the wine connoisseur? Then dine in Crystal's exclusive Vintage Room. Limited to just 24 guests per seating, the experience is extraordinary, pairing some of the world's finest (and most expensive) wines with carefully selected menu choices. It is an experience not to be missed for those who love wine.

Of course, there is much more Crystal offers. From its Feng Shui-inspired spa, daily afternoon tea, and professional ballroom dance instruction, to world-class entertainment including lavish, Broadway-style and musical theater productions in the Galaxy Lounge.

Staterooms aboard Crystal are all luxuriously appointed, and all feature at least an ocean view; there are no interior staterooms. All staterooms feature a minimum of more than 200 square feet, with in-room refrigerator, seating area, DVD/CD players with flat-screen TVs, and a favorite feature among guests -- a full bathtub/shower combinations (beating the small stand-up showers offered on most cruise lines). Penthouse staterooms and suites add personal butler service, full Jacuzzi tub and separate shower, and walk-in closet.

Crystal's 20th Anniversary promotion brings its luxury cruises in reach of more people perhaps than ever before. The promotion begins with 2-for-1 cruise fare, meaning that 2 people sail for the same rate as the per person brochure rate. Add to that complimentary economy roundtrip airfare (available on most sailings) for guests booking ocean view and balcony staterooms, and complimentary business class airfare for guests booking Penthouse staterooms and suites, and Crystal's rates offer an extraordinary value. Then, to top that off, factor in shipboard credit of $500 to $1000 per person (that's $1,000 to $2,000 per stateroom based on double occupancy) and Crystal's offer is unbeatable. The shipboard credit is like cash onboard the cruise; it will defray guests' shipboard account. Finally, sail over your birthday, and you'll enjoy a 50% reduction on your next Crystal Cruise when booked by December 31, 2009.

We have enhanced the Crystal promotion for our clients. On select Europe sailings, and a special 2010 Thanksgiving sailing of the Mexican Riviera, our clients also will enjoy prepaid gratuities. When combined with Crystal's generous shipboard credit offer, our client's Crystal experience will likely be an all-inclusive vacation experience. A list of these select sail dates is located here.

For additional information about Crystal, please contact Cruise Holidays toll free at (866) 368-7327.

Should You Buy Cruise Line Air?

Yesterday, I read a blog posting that strongly urged readers to book their air directly with the cruise line. The author based the recommendation on several assertions: (1) that the cruise line assumes responsibility for ensuring you arrive to the ship on time; (2) that the cruise line will delay the ship's departure if a group of people on the same flight arranged through the cruise line is delayed; and (3) that the cruise line will pick up the costs travelers incur as a result of flight disruptions and cancellations for air purchased through the cruise line.

I agree that many cruisers pay a premium to purchase airfare through the cruise lines believing that everything the author said is true. Unfortunately, the author could not be more mistaken. Cruise lines will virtually never delay a ship's departure because of flight delays or cancellations, no matter who arranged those flights. The cruise lines have designated dock times for which they pay substantial sums, and incur large fines if they overstay their designated departure time. Besides, do you really believe that a ship will inconvenience perhaps as many as 4,000 other guests simply because some on the cruise are delayed en route?

In addition, good luck trying to address flight delays and interruptions with the cruise lines directly, especially if you are traveling at odd hours (e.g., Sunday morning, late at night, etc.). We've had this issue, and the cruise lines are not staffed or equipped to address them in a efficient manner. What's more, I would be very surprised if the cruise line agreed to pick up substantial incidental costs (such as hotels) because of air delays, disruptions, or cancellations. They are simply booking agents and will place the blame where it belongs: with the airlines.

This is all to say that there is no substitute for purchasing travel insurance to protect yourself against air delays, disruptions, and cancellations. Skip purchasing the cruise line's insurance; if you don't take their airfare, then their insurance most likely will not cover your airfare. Instead, buy your insurance through a reputable travel insurance company. We use, and highly recommend, Travel Guard insurance. Travel Guard has a dedicated flight desk that is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have called on their services numerous times for our clients, and they have immediately stepped in, rerouted our clients, and, if necessary, picked up the costs incurred by our clients as a result of flight delays, interruptions, and cancellations.

In addition, there are many reasons to buy the airfare separately from your cruise line. First, the air is likely to be cheaper, perhaps as much as 1/3rd less. Second, and for some more importantly, you have control over your air schedule. If you purchase cruise line air, you will not know your airline or air schedule until well after your cruise final payment date, and you may not have the most direct route to your destination. By purchasing your own air, you can pick your airline and your flight schedule. Third, you will avoid any deviation charges the cruise line may impose. Cruise lines often post "deviation fees" -- as much as $100 per person -- if you choose to fly to your destination a day or two before your cruise departure, or stay later than the end of your cruise. By arranging your own air, this is an added cost you will not incur.

Finally, a word about "air included" cruise rates. Some cruise lines include airfare with their cruise fares. These lines include Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises, and Crystal Cruises, among others. When booking one of these cruises, always ask about what the air credit would be if you were to arrange your own air. You might be surprised that, even with included air packages, the combination of airfare and air tax credit you receive off the quoted fare is more than the cost of what you would pay by arranging your air independently. To save even more, ask your travel professional to quote your air rates. Travel professionals, including us, work with a number of air consolidators that purchase airfare in bulk and sell it at a discount. You will travel on a major air carrier in a regular seat aboard the air craft; the only difference is that you might pay hundreds less for the same ticket than the guy sitting next to you on the same flight who booked directly with the airline.

New Choices on the Horizon for Alaska in 2011

Currently, two luxury cruise lines sail Alaska: Regent and Silversea. That is about to change in 2011. Crystal Cruises will return to Alaska for the first time since it retired the Crystal Harmony from its fleet. Disney Cruise Line also has announced plans to sail Alaska in 2011, giving families a welcome (and fun) alternative to the current offering of contemporary family-oriented ships. Finally, rumor has it that with the introduction of a 4th ship to its fleet, Oceania Cruises for the first time will be sailing Alaska in 2011. These will be in addition to the mainstays in Alaska: Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity Cruises.

All of this raises the question, of course, of whether the Alaska market (which proved soft in 2009) can fill all these new beds. What do you think? Will the return of Crystal and the introduction of Disney and Oceania merely service a segment of the market that previously was underserved in Alaska, or will their introduction lead to market over-saturation?

Some of the Best Promotions in the Luxury Market

Here is a rundown of some of the better promotions going on right now in the luxury cruise market.

This week, Crystal Cruises announced its 20th Anniversary Celebration. Its offers throughout 2010 are some of the most extraordinary out there, especially for the luxury market. The offers includes fares that are lower than comparable 2009 fares on many itineraries, offering better than 2-for-1 rates, free roundtrip economy class airfare for guests booking an ocean view and balcony (remember, Crystal has no interior staterooms) and free business class air for guests booking suites and higher, and up to $2,000 "As You Wish" spending credit onboard. This is in addition to Crystal's price guarantee, which means that should you book and your fare goes down before sailing, Crystal will rerate your cruise to the lower rate automatically. These fares are enough for us to decide to host a Thanksgiving Cruise Holidays of Alexandria cruise aboard the Crystal Symphony roundtrip Los Angeles. Sail with us November 21-28, 2010, and you'll enjoy the extraordinary rate of just $2,165 for a Category E stateroom, plus prepaid gratuities and a $500 "As You Wish" spending credit.

Oceania also has released its 2010/2011 Winter Collection. It's entire collection (as in years past) includes free roundtrip airfare and up to $3,000 off 2-for-1 rates. A first for Oceania is its new pricing structure. No longer do guests have to add air and cruise taxes, which in previous years could add as much as $1,000 to the rate. Now, the rates include all taxes, lending themselves to no surprises. The only additional costs to the guest are transfers and of course the onboard expenses, such as gratuities and beverages. But these too are minimized. First, Oceania has begun to include non-alcoholic beverages free-of-charge on board its ships. Second, the largest Oceania travel partners, like Cruise Holidays of Alexandria, have negotiated pre-paid gratuities for their guests onboard, saving them hundreds of dollars additional on their cruise.

Finally, Silversea has offered an array of incredible opportunities to sail one of its luxury ships. Silversea still is offering up to 60% off numerous itineraries. This puts Silversea within reach of many people who in the past could not afford to travel aboard. When you consider that Silversea is all-inclusive, and therefore guests will not face a large bill at the end of the cruise for such things as beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcholic) or for gratuities, Silversea absolutely is worth considering. But don't wait; Silversea already has announced plans to discontinue its 60% off rates beginning in early October.

For these or any other cruise offers, contact Cruise Holidays toll free at (866) 368-7327. You never pay more with us than booking directly with the cruise line, and frequently pay less.

Marseilles: Gateway to Provence

Marseilles, located in the South of France on the Mediterranean Sea, is a popular stop on a Western Mediterranean cruise. Founded in the 6th Century by the Greeks, Marseilles today is France's oldest and third largest city behind Paris and Lyon. If you visit here by cruise ship, you will dock in the New Port, one of Europe's largest cruise ports. Last year alone it hosted more than 600,000 cruise visitors. The New Port is situated north of Old Port (Vieux Port). Vieux Port is a major commercial port also teaming with restaurants, shops, galleries, and boats of all sizes, and the place where visitors to Marseilles often find themselves. Walking into the city or Vieux Port from the cruise terminal is not feasible; plan to take a cab or an organized excursion during your stay.

Although many who visit Marseilles find it to be a city of little charm, it serves as the gateway for Provence and for this reason, it is a wonderful launching pad to explore the magnificent countryside of Southern France. We recommend using your day in Marseilles to tour the ancient city of Avignon and the famous wine region of Chateauneuf-du-Pope.

Avignon has a rich history. Here, the famous Pope's Palace stands. Overlooking the scenic Rhone River, the Pope's Palace is an imposing structure that dates to the 14th Century. Its history is a fascinating lesson in the Papacy. In 1307, the first non-Italian -- Clement V, a Frenchman -- was elected Pope. Clement V left Rome shortly after his ascendancy and took up residence in Avignon to escape the continuing conflicts in Rome. A succession of French Popes thereafter eventually led to a schism in the late 14th Century within the Catholic Church, with the Pope (Italian) and Anti-Pope (French) both claiming their status as Pope of the Catholic Church.

Built during the reigns of Popes Benedict XII & Clement VI, the Pope's Palace is amazingly well preserved. It is the biggest Gothic structure built in Europe. During its time, the Palace was adorned with elaborate frescoes on the walls and beautiful hand-painted tile floors. Today, much of this is gone with a few exceptions. For example, the original frescoes in Benedict XII's bedroom are still visible, and the Pope's private office, called the Deers Room, is painted with elaborate hunting and fishing scenes with the deers on the walls symbolizing Christ. Also gone from the Palace is the original Popes' furniture, sold in the late 19th Century after the French Revolution. Nevertheless, a walk through the amazing structure, with its towering ceilings and room-after-room of living space, is more than worth the visit.

After touring the Pope's Palace, Avignon itself deserves a tour. Avignon is surrounded by walls constructed during the reign of Pope Innoncent VI, also in the 14th Century. In June and July, the international theater here attracts 60,000 people. Avignon offers a plethora of outdoor cafes and restaurants, and shops galore famous for table linens, French soaps, and other items unique to Provence. Before moving on, dine here in one of the many fine offerings and simply watch the scenes unfold around you. For budget conscience travels, find a cafe that offers carry out, choose one of the many delicious sandwiches available on a French beget, and park yourself on a bench or under a tree to enjoy simply being in this ancient city.

Once you are ready to leave Avignon, a short ride will take you to the famous wine-growing region of Chateauneuf-du-Pope. The region served as the summer residence for the second French Pope, John XXII, which led to its name. There are 220 winery owners in Chateauneuf-du-Pope. The average vineyard size here is 20 hectares, and all of Chateauneuf-du-Pope combined comprises 3,200 hectares (approximately 780 acres). The wine production in the region consists of 90% red wines and 10% white wines. The vineyards' soil is covered completely with rocks; these rocks take the heat of the sun during the day and return it to the vines at night. The grapes are all picked by hand, one of the many rules that govern the production of wines in the Chateauneuf-du-Pope region.

There are many fine wineries to visit in the region. All offer stunning vistas overlooking the rolling hills of this beautiful countryside. We visited Mousett, a very old winery in the region. Its grounds and structure offer a uniquely French experience, with a large onsite tasting bar. Here, we tasted five of the winery's excellent offerings, along with a selection of light foods and olives, another major commodity of Provence.

When the day was over and we returned to the ship, we all felt like we had gotten a true taste of Provence, and look forward to our visit here next year. If you would like to join us on next year's wine cruise aboard the River Royale of Uniworld along the Rhone River, please click here for information. Then give us a call for additional information.

Travel Insurance: Some Real Stories from Real Clients

We often have clients ask whether travel insurance is really necessary. Our answer is always and unequivocally yes! To underscore our point, we thought it would be insightful to offer some real stories from our own travels and our clients where the return on investment for travel insurance paid off handsomely.

• 2006 Mediterranean Cruise. We led a small group of 10 people aboard a Princess Cruise sailing Venice to Rome in late October/early November. We were all booked to travel aboard Alatalia (our mistake -- don't recommend flying Alitalia). Altalia changed our flights repeatedly. Long story short, rather than our original direct flight to Milan with a short connection to Venice, we were routed instead and at the last minute through Paris on United, with a connection to Air France to Venice. The connection time: only 45 minutes. Needless to say, we missed our connection and Air France had no available flights to Venice the rest of the day. We ended up flying to Bologna, Italy, about 2 hours drive from Venice. In Paris, we quickly had to arrange a private large van to transport us from Bologna to Venice in order to make our cruise. When our flight arrived in Bologna, our luggage did not. Travel insurance paid for our transfer from Bologna to Venice (flight delay and interruption coverage) and provided us a daily allowance for our delayed luggage.
  
  
• South America 2007. Our clients had booked a cruise aboard Holland America Line with another couple. Both couples purchased travel insurance. Sadly, 8 days before the trip sailed, the wife of the other couple passed away. The three remaining travelers/clients were able to cancel their cruise and receive full reimbursement for the expensive cost of their cruise. In 2008, another woman who had not booked her cruise through us but had booked through another agency on Holland America Line also sadly lost her husband days before the cruise, but had not purchased travel insurance. She lost the entire cost of her cruise, but is now a client of ours and purchases insurance on every trip.
  
  
• Mediterranean 2008: Our clients booked airfare through an online provider. The airline, Austrian Air, required paper tickets. Our clients did not have them when they arrived at the airport on a Saturday evening, and Austrian Air remarkably refused them boarding and offered no alternative solution. They watched the plane depart from the gate. Travel Guard insurance has a dedicated flight assistance department. Travel Guard stepped in, immediately went to work, and rerouted our clients to get them to Europe and their cruise, one of the many supplemental benefits to buying travel insurance through a company like Travel Guard.
  
  
• Caribbean 2007. A client booked on a Caribbean cruise. She purchased travel insurance. After final payment but before departure, she broke her arm and was unable to travel. The insurance reimbursed her the full cost of her trip.
  
  
• Baltics 2008. We led a group of about 30 aboard Oceania Cruises on a 14-night Baltic cruise that included three full days in St. Petersburg. On the first day in St. Petersburg, as we were walking along the pier aside the ship to make our way through Russian immigration, a client made a mistake and one of her legs fell through a gap in the pier scraping her skin from her shin and causing significant bleeding. The cruise line's medical personnel escorted her from the line to the onboard medical facilities, baddage her wound, and she was good to go for that day. On day three of our visit in St. Petersburg, the same client fell from a stool the tour guide used to assist people's entry onto our van. This time, she scraped her skin off to the bone, and needed emergency medical treatment to suture her wounds. The ship's doctor stictched her wound and provided her medication for the injury. Travel insurance picked up the entire cost of the medical treatments.
  
  
• Baltics 2008. On the same Baltics cruise, another client lost her wallet with credit cards. She immediatly called Travel Guard, who handled cancelling her credit cards and provided spending cash to assist the client on the remainder of her voyage. Travel Guard, like many independent travel insurance companies, offers remarkable assistance that goes beyond just the basic coverages.
  
  
• Mediterranean 2009: We led a group of 84 on a remarkable cruise of the Mediterranean aboard Oceania Cruises. Much of our group was booked on British Airways, routing through London Heathrow. On the return flight, nearly all of our luggage got left at Heathrow because of a baggage system failure (10,000 bags were left in Heathrow that same day). Because of the enormity of the problem with British Airways, our bags were significantly delayed in being returned to us. Travel Guard insurance offers a baggage tracking service that takes the burden of regularly calling the airline off the traveler. Travel Guard took responsibility for tracking my luggage, and sent me an e-mail every day on their efforts and provided a status update. I received my luggage 5 days later.

These are a sampling of real stories that provide an overview of the many benefits of travel insurance. As these examples show, travel insurance goes well beyond just covering you for the cost of your trip should you have to cancel. Good coverage also protects you against baggage loss and delay, flight interruptions and missed connections, lost wallets, medical treatment, and medical evacuation should that be necessary. The best companies, like Travel Guard, also offer invaluable incidental services like luggage tracking and a dedicated flight department that will assist you 24 hours a day with last-minute flight rerouting if you flights is cancelled or you miss a connection.

Cruise Holidays of Alexandria strongly recommends travel insurance, and offers our clients insurance through Travel Guard, who we firmly believe is the best in the industry.

Livorno: Italy's Gateway

Livorno Italy is a popular port on a Mediterranean cruise. It's no wonder. Livorno provides easy access to so many popular, historic, and famous sites in Italy. Among these are Florence, Pisa, and Tuscany.

For our recent wine cruise with Pearmund Cellars, we chose -- what else -- Tuscany and specifically the Chianti Wine Road. This excursion was perhaps the best excursion I have ever taken in my life. Many of our fellow cruises shared that assessment.

Although the bus ride from the port into Tuscany and the wine region was long -- about 2 1/2 hours -- it was well worth it. Our first stop was Castello Di Verrazzano, a famous winery that sits high atop a hillside. The setting is absolutely picture perfect, with vistas of the rolling hills of Tuscany below, dotted with Cypress trees, wild flowers, and all the colors you associate with Tuscany. The day of our visit was a Sunday, and the winery, normally closed, openned especiallly for us. Filipo, one of the winery's employees, served as our humorous and knowledgeable guide. After a tour of the winery, complete with a look at its 800+ year old cellar, enormous collection of wines, and production facilities, we came to the highlight of our visit -- the lunch.

Oh the lunch! Castello Di Verrazzano has a full restaurant onsite with stunning panoramic views from the windows that line all three sides. What awaited was nothing short of a veritable feast. From 10 courses that consisted of proscetta, brusetta, cheeses, pastas, salads, and desserts, to 5 varities of wine with unlimited supply, it was truly delicious and delightfully unexpected. After lingering over the views and the good company, we reluctantly left more than an hour behind schedule to visit our next winery, Castello Vicchiomaggio.

Regretably, we only had a short time to enjoy our second visit. Nevertheless, we made the most of it. From a quick tour of the stunning grounds, to being served yet more food, to a marvelous tasting of premium wines, our group left full, satisfied, and regretting we had to leave.

Collectively, I believe we all agreed a return visit to Tuscany is high on our agenda.

Portofino, Italy: A Western Mediterranean Port.

Portofino is another stunning port along the Amalfi Coast of Italy. It marked Day 5 of the Pearmund Cellars wine cruise.

As you sail into port, you will be struck by the picturesque harbor that anchors this small town. The quaint setting, with boats of all sizes, serves as a backdrop as you sail close to shore. Tendering into shore is essential here; there is no port to handle any size cruise ship, not even the mid-sized 30,000 ton Oceania Nautica.

Outdoor cafes and restaurants line the horse-shoe harbor. Dining here is definitely for the view and the experience, but be prepared. The cost for a modest lunch can be substantial. We chose instead a small bakery on one of the few side streets for a reasonably-priced slice of focaccia bread followed by gelato at an ice-cream stand.

Portofino requires mobility. There are numerous paths and walkways, steep at times, that take you to vantage points where the views are amazing. There also are numerous small public beaches you can visit along the way. Here again, the beaches tend to be rocky, not the sandy beaches to which many Americans may be accustomed.

A few of the sites to see during your visit to Portofino include the lighthouse, reachable by walking a trail, portions of which are steep. Located about a 15 minute walk from the harbor, the lighthouse, and the route to it, offer excellent opportunities for photographs and simply taking in Portofino's beauty.

Trails from the opposite end of the harbor lead to the lavish Hotel Splendido. One of Europe's premier resorts, the hotel offers incomparable views, with its least expensive rooms starting at about 552 Euro per night (about $811 per night). If you want a taste of the experience, consider lunching at the hotel, or simply walking through its grand lobby.

Perhaps the best thing to do in Portofino, however, is to simply grab a seat, relax, and soak in the impressive scenery. After all, chances are Portofino's landscape and shear beauty are unlike any place you will have visited, and you should make the most of its tranquility and beauty.

Day 2 of Pearmund Cellars Cruise: Amalfi, Itay

On Day 2 of the Pearmund Cellars Wine Cruise we spent the day in what may be my favorite port of any Mediterranean Cruise: Amalfi, Italy. Most likely it is many people's favorite port, with its picturesque setting of steep seaside cliffs overlooking the Gulf of Salerno dotted with historic and colorful Italian homes, lemon trees, and a plethora of colorful flowers.

Amalfi is a UNESCO World Heritage site. As such, you won't find any new or modern-looking buildings here as new construction is prohibited. This adds to the charm of Amalfi, and restricts its growth. It is within easy driving distance from the major city of Naples, situated approximately 22 miles southeast of the city.

Amalfi is one of the few ports where we had not planned an organized wine-themed shore excursion for the wine cruise, leaving us on our own to explore. I chose an Oceania shore excursion of Ravello. [Hint: if you decide to visit Ravello, skip the shore excursion and take the open-air bus. It costs roughly 3 Euros, saving you perhaps as much as $80 off a cruise-shiop offered excursion]. Ravello is a small town located nearly directly above Amalfi, on a cork-screw type road that goes high above the sea. The views from here are stunning. The center of the town is the Duomo, a church built in 1272. Branching from the Duomo are a couple of side streets in either direction. I recommend walking the town from end-to-end; you'll find amazing views, beautful flowers, orchards of lemon trees, and shops galore.

One of the products for which Ravello is famous is pottery. Although I hand't planned to buy any, I ended up with a 4-piece placesetting -- 4 dinner plates, 4 salad plates, 4 bowls, and a serving dish. Here is pays to shop a bit. I received free shipping with insurance, and the entire placesetting cost 250 Euros (about $360). Given my purchase, I do recommend the shop -- it is Ceramiche De' Arte.

Ravello also is famous for its Chamber Music. Yearly, the town offers Chamber Music performances at the Villa Rufulo. The stage here is amazing: set out over the cliffs, the views are infinite. Guests watching the stage have a clear view beyond to the open sea. A schedule of performance is located here.

After lingering in Ravello, we traveled back down the mountain to explore Amalfi. Here, many cafes and restaurants line the streets. The town is bustling, with shops and activity, with a Duome anchoring the town square. While European prices can be steep, Amalfi is more reasonable than many other ports we visited (especially Portofino), and lunch consisting of pizza and a Caprese Salad ran us about $25. Walking back to the ship, we stopped a while at the beach. The beach was lined with bright orange umbrellas and wall-to-wall people, a pretty festive site.

Amalfi is one of the ports of call that, for me, a day was just not long enough. I know that this is a place where I will return in the future.

Day 1 of Pearmund Cellars Wine Cruise

On the first day of the 2009 Pearmund Cellars Mediterranean Wine Cruise, we visited Sorrento and enjoyed an organized shore excursion to Mastroberardino Winery and Pompeii.

Sorrento is small, stunningly beautiful city in southern Italy. The city itself is just 16,500 inhabitants, but draws thousands of tourists each year attracted by Sorrento's rough terraine. Its steep cliffs ending at waters edge of the Gulf of Naples makes the views impressive, and its close proximity to Pompeii, Naples, and the island of Capri make it a great launching point for exploring southern Italy.

From Sorrento, our private excursion first took us to the Mastroberardino Winery located in Altripalda, Italy. If you visit here, don't expect to find yourself among lush picturesque vineyards. This winery is quite industrial, and vineyards are nowhere to be found. Mastroberardino, however, has a long, distinguished history of producing fine wines. The oldest records found at the winery date to 1170, and it has been producing wines for more than 300 continuous years. It is in fact one of the oldest wineries in Europe, and yet is one of the most advanced wineries in Europe in terms of production techniques. One other interest fact about Mastroberardino is that it is the only winery to grow vines within the city walls of ancient Pompeii, following ancient growing techniques. Among its better wines, its Radica Riserva recently won best red wine in Italy.

The winery offers tours that cater to the layman, not knowledgeable wine enthusiasts. It includes a short videotape covering the basics of wine production, and a guided tour of the barrel rooms. It will prove interesting if you are not especially knowledgeable about wine production, but perhaps too basic for wine experts. Following the tour, we had arranged for a private lunch and wine tasting for our group at the winery. The lunch was typically European, consisting of a selection of hams, cheeses, an interesting but tasty cold bean soup, and a sampling of several wines, both white and red.

From the winery, our next stop was ancient Pompeii. Visiting Pompeii in the afternoon proved beneficial because the crowds (which can be enormous here during peak season) were small. Our licensed guides, who also were historians, offered tremendous insights in this ancient civilization destroyed in 79 A.D. with the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. I had visited here in 2006, but because the ruins are so facinating at more than 2,000 years old, this is a place I could return again and again and not get enough. From the houses of nobility, to the remnants of beautiful mosaics, the numerous bordellas, the baths, the roads designed for chariot passage, and the many storefronts, you can almost image the bustle of this busy city during its hayday.

Following our Pompeii visit, we returned to Sorrento. One of the many benefits of sailing on a line like Oceania Cruises is the long port stays. The ship remained in port until 11 p.m., leaving us plenty of time to explore Sorrento's many narrow streets and shops, and sample one of its many fine restaurants. It also gave us time to sample what Sorrento is famous for -- limoncello, a delicious drink made from lemon rinds, alcohol, water and sugar.

In all, it was a great day, and only a taste of what was to come.

Why we love Oceania Cruises: A Review of our Recent Experience.

Oceania Cruises has been the choice of more clients of Cruise Holidays of Alexandria/Luxury Cruise Counselors than any other cruise line. Having just returned from a 10-night cruise with 84 of our clients aboard, there is no question that Oceania offers arguably the best value in cruising today.

We sailed aboard the Oceania Nautica, June 17-27, 2009, on an itinerary that in itself would offer the vacation of a lifetime for many people. The cruise sailed from Rome to Barcelona, visiting a different port every day along the breathtaking Amalfi Coast and French Riviera. In our upcoming blog posts, we will describe our amazing experiences in each port. Before we do, though, we want to relay our opinions as travel professionals about Oceania Cruises.

Oceania Cruises currently sails with three mid-sized ships: the Nautica, the Regatta, and the Insignia. I have sailed on the Nautica and Regatta, and there is virtually no difference. All three ships are identical, carrying a maximum of just 684 guests with a whopping 400 crew members aboard. That guest-to-staff ratio should tell you something: Oceania’s focus is on guest service. That is apparent from the moment you step aboard their luxury vessels.

As you board the ship, you will immediately be struck by the rich wood and colors that permeate the ship. From the elegant master staircase with its rich red pattern carpeting to the tasteful upholstered furniture and the dark wood paneling, you feel like you are walking into a luxury boutique hotel. The staff greet you by name, welcome you aboard, and offer assistance to find your stateroom. At 30,000 tons, the Oceania ships are easy to navigate; there are no hallways that dead-end mid-ship, or that require walking a mile just to get from one end of the ship to the other. They are manageable sized-ships where getting from the dining room to the show lounge is an easy and short walk; not a trek the equivalent of 5 city blocks.

The staterooms on Oceania, like the public areas of the ship, boast elegant if understated appointments. The beds, billed by Oceania as exclusive “Tranquality Beds,” are in fact very comfortable with Egyptian cotton linens topped with an appealing rich blue patterned duvet. The staterooms, while on the small side for the luxury market, are comfortable with adequate storage space and comfortable seating area, with all the appointments you would expect – flat-screen TV, private bath with shower, telephone, writing desk, and small glass coffee table.

The food on Oceania is a huge bonus. Those who have cruised before on other lines may have realized that the food quality is not always consistent. The dining room fare on many lines can be hit-or-miss, and the specialty dining restaurants offering more consistently good food typically cost $15 to $25 per person. Some cruise lines now are even starting to charge for certain items on the main dining room’s menu. Not so on Oceania. No matter whether you dine in the main restaurant, at the buffet, or at its two specialty restaurants – Toscana and Polo Grill – the food is consistently excellent. In the buffet, the staff members serve guests reducing the risk of germ spread associated with guests handling the serving utensils. What is more, unlike most cruise lines, Oceania charges nothing to dine in the specialty restaurants. They are complimentary. Among our guests, Toscana was the preferred choice, with rich Italian fare, though everyone agreed that no matter where they dined, they were assured a 5 star meal.

Where Oceania truly excels more than anything else, however, is their level of service. From their pre-sail support to the onboard experience, Oceania’s client focus is evident and unsurpassed. When we arrived at the ship, Oceania’s Concierge immediately greeted me and my business partner, invited us to get settled into our stateroom, and then join him and other senior officer staff to discuss our group’s logistics. At our meeting, 7 Oceania officers met with us to discuss the schedule of our events and to ensure that everything was according to our understanding. From that point forward, everything occurred without a hitch.

Ours was a wine-themed group. Accordingly, Oceania offered our group the ability to bring up to 6 bottles of wine per person on board without corkage fee. The Sommelier staff was extraordinarily accommodating, from the Cellar Master Michael Quinn to his entire staff. Michael dedicated his staff to our group for both of our onboard wine tastings and food-and-wine pairing dinner; they performed with the utmost professionalism and without the anticipation of earning any gratuities because we had brought the wine onboard and the corkage fee had been waived.

The other staff were equally superb. Our stateroom attendant was pleasant and efficient. In February when we sailed another line, our stateroom often was not made up until 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Not on Oceania. Leave your stateroom at 8:30 in the morning and you’ll return by 8:45 to a made-up sparking clean room. The cruise director staff also was exceptional. Our group routinely closed down the Horizons Lounge, which featured nightly dancing and occasional karaoke. The assistant cruise director, Ian Needle, was with us every night, interacting with our clients and making each of our guests feel warmly welcomed and ensuring everyone had an extraordinary time.

Oceania offers additional special touches. For example, every afternoon at 4 p.m. is high tea at Horizons, situated at the front of the ship with panoramic views. The high tea is traditional; it features a string quartet, true scones and clotted cream, a selection of teas, and other pastries and small sandwiches. Guests sit at small tables adorned with white linens and fine china. Having been to high tea on another line, Oceania’s is superior. On the other line, high tea was served in the main dining room, with guests having to sit at large tables and hope that the wait staff would eventually find their way to them. That’s just not the case on Oceania; it’s a relaxing truly enjoyable experience and something to look forward to on every day of your journey aboard. Following high tea is nightly happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m. Happy hour features 2-for-1 drinks – all drinks are 2-for 1, whether you choose wine, your favorite cocktail, or a Coca-Cola. There is something truly wonderful about sitting in the parlor-feel Martini Lounge with its rich-wood bar and fine upholstered furniture, meeting other guests and sharing the day’s experiences.

Entertainment onboard Oceania is not the equivalent of other larger-ship cruise lines. There are no glitzy show lounges with big Las Vegas-style productions. Instead, the entertainment is more intimate. Among others, our cruise featured talented guitarist Vincenzo Martinelli. His soothing instrumental melodies proved a huge hit with our guests.

As my comments I am sure convey, we simply have nothing negative to say about Oceania Cruises. They are a top-notch organization. For anyone who does not believe there is a difference among cruise, my challenge to you is to sail Oceania Cruises before you draw that conclusion. While Oceania may cost slightly more, the value is just beyond compare among the premium and upper premium cruise lines. I suggest spending the extra money; chances are you will not sail on a lesser line after you do.

In a future posting, we will describe our experience on our wine cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises that immediately followed our sailing aboard Oceania Cruises. As you will read, the cruise was less expensive and regrettably simply did not rank in the same league as Oceania and, even at its lower price point, did not meet our expectations from a travel professional viewpoint.