Silversea Announces Extraordinary Savings on Select Cruises.

Today, we received word from Silversea Cruises about select 2010 voyages that we can offer at huge savings rates.  Silversea is a trul luxury line, sailing smaller ships rich with luxurious appointments and amenities.  All gratuities, non-alcoholic, and most alcoholic beverages are included, and many promotional rates include roundtrip airfare from major North American gateways.  Here are just a few examples:

• Silversea Cruises Below $3,000 per person (including alcoholic beverages and gratuities):
• April 21-28, 2010, San Juan to Fort Lauderdale, visiting St. Barts, Antigua, Tortola, and Turks and Caicos, $2,758, including airfare! (compared to brochure rate of $6,895).
• December 21-28, 2010, Barbados roundtrip, visiting Dominca, St. Barts, Tortola, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, from $2,798 (compared to brochure rate of $6,995)
• Silversea Cruises Below $4,000 per person (including airfare and gratuities):
• June 17-24, 2010, Stockholm roundtrip, visiting Szczecin (Poland), Ronne (Denmark), Gdynia (Poland), Riga (Latvia), and Mariehamn (Finland), from $3,638, including airfare! (compared to $9,095 brochure rate).
• July 16-23, 2010, Copenhagen roundtrip, transiting the Kiel Canal and visiting Hamburg (Germany), Kristiansand, Oslo (Norway), and Skagen (Denmark), from $3,638, including airfare! (compared to $9,095 brochure rate).
• July 18-24, 2010, Rome to Barcelona, visiting Porto Vecchio (Corsica), Portoferraio (Italy), Livorno (Italy, overnight), Cannes (France), and St. Tropez (France), from $3,758, including airfare! (compared to $9,395 brochure rate).
• July 25-August 1, 2010, Barcelona to Lisbon, visiting Formentera (Balearic Islands), Valencia (Spain), Cartagena (Spain), Malaga (Spain), and ending with an overnight in Lisbon, from $3,758, including airfare! (compared to $9,395 brochure rate).

All of these rates are for at least ocean view suites, boasting tremendous square footage and luxurious appointments.  There are a number of other departures at similar savings.  Should you like to experience these departures, we can also secure for you some additional amenities.  At these rates, factoring in the included gratuities, soft drinks, wine and other alcoholic beverages, and airfare, cruisers can experience Silversea Cruises at an overall cost that rivals some of the mass market and premium lines.  Visit our website at http://www.LuxuryCruiseCounselors.com, or give us a call toll free at (866) 368-7327.

Azamara "Club" Cruises: More than Just a Name Change.

Fledgling Azamara Cruises recently changed its name to Azamara Club Cruises.  Although some may question the wisdom of Royal Caribbean's struggling upper premium cruise brand changing its name just as it is trying to develop brand recognition, the name change actually marks more significant changes.

Royal Caribbean International founded Azamara Cruises 2 1/2 years ago, in May 2007.  It took aim squarely at Oceania Cruises, sailing identically-sized ships that, like Oceania's, were formally part of the defunct Renaissance Cruises' fleet.  Unlike Oceania, however, which proved an instant success, Azamara  struggled to develop its own niche in the upper premium market.  Many found it difficult to distinguish Azamara from Royal Caribbean's other premium brand, Celebrity Cruises.  The two brands were supported by the same sales and management staff, and the same rigid rules that governed Celebrity's business applied to Azamara.  The result was that the type of business Azamara attempted to attract -- upscale and sophisticated -- found Azamara to be simply inferior to other offerings in the market, most notably Oceania.

In an effort to stem declining revenue and boost per-passenger rates, Azamara determined it needed to implement drastic changes and travel in a new direction.  It brought on Larry Pimentel, formerly of Cunard Line, Seabourn, and SeaDream Yachts, to head up the effort.  In announcing the brand's new positioning, Pimentel noted earlier this year "This isn't a strategy from going 'from good to great.'  This is about taking an already great product and making it exceptional."

Azamara immediately separated itself from Celebrity.  It brought on some of the best business development managers in the industry, creating a whole new sales and support staff.  In addition, it announced drastic changes that push Azamara Club Cruises to the edge of the upper premium market, bordering on the luxury market.

Some of the changes Azamara Club Cruises announced include:

• Slowing down the ships.  Azamara will focus on quality over quantity, visiting fewer ports but spending longer in the ports visited.  Placing the emphasis on destination immersion, Azamara Club Cruises will offer more overnights and more in-depth shore excursions.
• Included gratuities, wine and water.  Beginning in April, guests on Azamara Club Cruises will enjoy included gratuities and complimentary wine, bottled water, and a selection of coffees at lunch and dinner.
• Complimentary self-serve laundry.  Guests will enjoy free use of laundry machines onboard their ship.
• Free Shuttle Bus Service.  Often, ships dock just far enough outside of the city to make walking into town difficult if not impossible.  Azamara joins some other upscale lines in offering free shuttle bus service to guests in many of its ports of call.
• Butler Service.  Azamara's previous claim of offering universal butler service for all stateroom categories was widely panned by guests, who considered their "butlers" no different from regular stateroom attendants.  To address this concern, Azamara Club Cruises has eliminated calling stateroom attendants butlers, and will be offering true butler service in all suite-level accommodations.

These changes come with a price.  Since announcing the changes, Azamara Club Cruises has significantly increased rates, anticipated to rise by as much as 30% or more.  It also has indicated that the days of slashing rates to fill ships is over.

For guests who would like to experience Azamara Club Cruises at pre-price-hike rates, however, Cruise Holidays Luxury Cruise Counselors secured spaced on five European voyages at previous pricing.  On the following five itineraries, our clients will save as much as $1,000 per stateroom.  The five cruises are:

• 7-Night Mediterranean, Barcelona to Rome, Sept. 12-19, 2010.  Click here.
• 10-Night Greek Isles, Athens to Istanbul, July 24-Aug. 3, 2010.  Click here.
• 14-Night Western Europe, Copenhagen to Barcelona, Aug. 29-Sept. 12, 2010.  Click here.
• 12-Night Iceland & Fjords, Copenhagen Roundtrip, July 12-24, 2010.  Click here.
• 12-Night Holy Land, Athens to Rome, October 12-22, 2010.  Click here.
  

For more information on these cruises, or on Azamara Cruises generally, contact Cruise Holidays toll free at (866) 368-7327.

Holland America's Alaska: Top Notch

Alaska is one of my all time favorite cruise destinations, perhaps because parts of Alaska can only be experienced from a Cruise Ship:  The Inside Passage, Glacier Bay National Park, and Juneau, just to name a few.  Combining a cruise with a land tour, however, is the ultimate Alaska experience, and nobody does that better than Holland America Line.

Holland America is the leader in the Alaska market.  It has been sailing Alaska for 60 years, longer than any other cruise line, and has more unique offerings.  In 2010 alone, it is sailing 8 ships offering six distinct cruise only itineraries and an astonishing 31 combination cruise and land-tour options.  Guests have the choice of sailing cruise only roundtrip from Seattle or Vancouver, or, if they prefer, sailing one way between Vancouver and Seward.  Guests also can choose a cruise tour that combines a 3, 4, or 7 night cruise with up to 11 nights on land.

When choosing among the plethora of options, I strongly recommend that my clients rule out any itinerary that does not include Glacier Bay National Park.  Glacier Bay is a national treasure, and for that reason, only 2 ships per day are allowed in the park.  Nevertheless, it is one of the most magnificent glacier formations, making it a must-see for many.  More Holland America itineraries include Glacier Bay than any other cruise line, including a 7-night cruise offering that sails roundtrip from Seattle.  For guests who have more time to spend, I strongly recommend choosing a cruise tour.  It is the best way to see the inland sights of Alaska, including Denali National Park and Mt. McKinley.

Among the many unique cruise tour options Holland America offers is its Klondike, Denali, Kluane, & Glacier Bay National Parks cruise tour.  This cruise tour spends just 4 days on the cruise ship, but during those four days guests will visit the best of any Alaska cruise: Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park, Ketchikan, and the Inside Passage before debarking in Vancouver.  The land portion of this cruise tour, however, is beyond compare.  During 11 days on land, guests will visit Anchorage, travel the famous McKinley Explorer Rail to Denali National Park to spend 2 nights at a Denali lodge, then travel via rail for an overnight in Fairbanks, followed by stays in Tok, 2 nights in Dawson City (a Klondike Natinal Historic Site), and 2 nights in Whitehorse (a World Heritage Site).  Along the way, guests are treated to a 6-to-8 hour Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali, a tour of the TransAlaska Pipeline, the opportunity to pan for gold, a series of optional hikes to soak up Alaska's incomparable scenery and wildlife, and a ride on the famous and historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad.

For guests who have time only for the cruise itself, one of the best options is the 7-night Glacier Bay Inside Passage cruise.  This cruise visits all the must-see places on an Alaska cruise:  the Inside Passage, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Juneau, and Kethikan.  It also offers the convenience of sailing roundtrip from Vancouver.  Another exceptional option is the Glacier Discovery via Glacier Bay National Park cruise, sailing either northbound or southbound between Vancouver and Seward, and visiting all the same must-see places.  The obvious benefit of the one-way cruise is the opportunity to visit Anchorage and inland Alaska either during a pre or post-cruise stay.  Rates on Holland Alaska cruises are exceptional.  Cruise Holidays of Alexandria currently has an unbeatable offer on an early season, May 23, 2010, sailing Southbound from Seward to Vancouver on the Glacier Discovery cruise.  Rates begin at just $549 per person (double occupancy), plus our guests receive a $100 per stateroom amenity credit, 2 bottles of wine, and a dinner in Holland America's specialty restaurant, the Pinnacle Grill.  Details are found here.

Oceania Marina Debuts

Oceania Cruises last week released its first itineraries for the brand new Oceania Marina.  The Marina expands Oceania's fleet to four, and is the first ship built for Oceania.  Its existing three ships -- the Regatta, Insignia, and Nautica -- were all formerly part of the Renaissance fleet.

Clients familiar with Oceania have lamented the fact that the Marina will carry just under twice the number of guests as its three existing ships.  We believe, however, that guests who like the small-ship feel will be pleasantly surprised with the Marina.  For one, despite catering to 1258 maximum guests (as compared to 684 on the three existing ships), the Marina is more than twice the tonnage resulting in a much greater space ratio.  Though clients on the three existing ships never feel crowded, they will feel even less so on the Marina.  The greater tonnage also carries with it significant other benefits.  Most noticeable to past Oceania guests will be the expanded stateroom sizes.  Balcony staterooms go from 165 square feet on the three current ships to an impressive 282 square feet on the Marina, more than 100 square feet larger.  This allows Oceania to incorporate larger bathrooms with full-size tubs in every stateroom category except for the interiors.

Additionally, the Marina expands on Oceania's culinary choices.  Joining Toscana, Polo Grill, and Tapas on the Terrace, the Marina adds Famous Master Chef Jacques Pepin's signature restaurant, aptly named Jacques, and Red Ginger offering "contemporary interpretations of Asian classics."  The Marina also adds the Bon Appetit Culinary Center, the only culinary center at sea to offer hands-on instruction.  Guests can sign-up to take these hands-on lessons onboard their cruise with leading expert master chefs.

Judging from the recently-released Marina brochure, the Marina also will boast stunning decor in muted and soothing neutral tones, exuding elegance throughout.  Most importantly, Oceania continues its pursuit of service excellence.  The Marina improves Oceania's already impressive guest-to-staff ratio of 1.75-to-1 to a near industry-leading ratio of just 1.57 to 1.

With so much to offer, it is no wonder the Marina's debut generated Oceania's largest single booking day in its history, with the company fielding more than 1500 calls.  One of the first itineraries to sell-out was the Maiden Voyage, a 13-night Transatlantic crossing departing Barcelona on January 22, 2011, sailing to Miami.  No doubt the price contributed to its rapid sell-out:  $1,499 per person, inclusive of roundtrip airfare, taxes, and port charges.  Other itineraries included the Inaugural Passage, an 18-night voyage from Miami to San Francisco through the Panama Canal departing February 8, 2011, offered from $3,799 per guest, inclusive of roundtrip airfare, taxes, and port charges, and Colonial Crossing, a 19-night Transatlantic voyage departing Miami on March 28, 2011, making ports of call in Savannah, Charleston, New York, Bermuda, Funchal, and Malaga before ending in Barcelona.  Rates on the March Transatlantic begin at just $2,499 per guest, inclusive of roundtrip airfare, taxes, and port charges.  Cruise Holidays of Alexandria is holding staterooms for our clients on all three of these sailings, which are available for booking on a first-come, first-serve basis with a deposit of $750 per person.  Our clients also will enjoy additional amenities on board, including prepaid gratuities and $50 per stateroom amenity credit.  If interested, please e-mail, or call (866) 368-7327.

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.