Which cruise ships are 5 star?
sunr...@concentric.net
nicole
Peter Angus wrote:
> I have found the Crystal ships are 5 star and would like to know which other
> ships have this rating.
> Thanks
> Peter
Gadge...@webtv.net
Acording to Berlitz, Seabourn, Silverseas, QE II, and the Hansetic are
the only 5 star ships.
Other rating services call all the new ships 5 star and the small luxury
ships 6 star.
Premier calls itself 7 star, but " self-praise is no praise at all".
Inspector Gadget
Gadge...@webtv.net
don't sailon ships with two sittings!
Peter Angus
JCrui0922
Costa but most say Costa is probably 4 1/2. If a 5-star (as opposed to 6-star
a la Crystal, Seabourn/Cunars, Silverseas, Radisson-Seven Seas) is the best fit
for you, you'll be happy with any of the three although HAL has probably pulled
ahead of CCC and PCL in some respects. Your T/A should spend quite some bit of
time learning about you and what your expectations are before making a
recommendation. Be cautious if your T/A either maeks recommendations before
learning about you or simply overwhelms you with a stack of brochures. Neither
practice works to your benefit.
Art
"JCrui0922" <jcru...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000513222517...@ng-fb1.aol.com...
Raoul Fiebig
Hi Gadget!
I'm pretty sure the new "Europa" will also be awarded five stars by Douglas
Ward.
And concerning Premier, remember that it's seven-star *service* only... :-)
Regards from Germany,
Raoul Fiebig
E-Mail: <firstname>DOT<lastname>@gmx.net
------------------------------------------------
"Das Ruderhaus": http://www.ruderhaus.de (in German)
Ken Stutt's "Wheelhouse": http://www.stutt.com/wheel/home.htm
JCrui0922
Charlie
Where would the RCCL Visions of the sea fit in this category?
Howard Baldini
cruise on Crystal, where a very well-off retired couple (homes in Palm
Springs, England, etc.) were our tablemates.
Talk got around to previous cruises. I bravely mentioned that I
had once done a Carnival cruise (first & last, that's another story).
To my surprise, they said "we just did, too, it was horrible."
I couldn't imagine this couple on Carnival, so I asked which
ship. They replied "the QE2!!!"
<the rest of us rolling on the floor laughing>
They said although they preferred the single-seating dining, the service
was spotty, the housekeeping poor, and the ship seemed to be getting a
bit worn. (And they were in "Grill Class", which I assume is the high
rent district of the ship).
HB
Dave Rabinowitz
>ships have this rating.
Who awards these ratings, and what are they based on?
luvto...@webtv.net
Is it possible that they thought that you said, "Cunard"?
j coulter
merit and never subject to hype? Well maybe a little hype and no merit ;-)
All I know for sure is that a 5star cruise line isn't always as posh as a 4star
hotel. (And just remember that the Big Red Boats have 7 *SEVEN* Star service so
mayhaps we should just say Crystal is generally regarded as a step above the
Princess/RCI/Celebrity/HALs of the cruise world and leave it at that.
Robert Linde
as many stars as you like but in general these are considered the best ones out
there.
Bob
Luxury cruising can be a great choice if you are searching for an
upscale getaway with white-glove service and pampering every moment. Many of the
luxury cruise ships are small ships. They usually go to exotic ports of call and
feature five-star cuisine on fine china, have open-seating dining, and offer the
exceptional amenities that a person would expect from
a five-star resort, often including unlimited caviar and champagne, butler
service, and a full-service spa. The ship is tastefully and richly decorated.
Evenings tend to be dressy with at least one formal night (although the new
Seabourn Goddesses dress code will be resort casual with no formal nights at all).
What luxury ships don’t have is a regimented schedule or crowds. Days on
board are quiet and there is plenty of space to find a corner all your own and
read a good book or gaze at the sea without being disturbed.
But so many ships have so many amenities these days that it is sometimes
difficult to determine just which ships should be called "luxury ships". The
following are small ships that most people consider luxury ships.
HEBRIDEAN PRINCESS
Scotland, Ireland, England, Norway
HEBRIDIAN PRINCESS
Passenger Capacity: 48
Built: 1964; rebuilt as cruise ship 1989
Length: 236 ft.
Officers: British
Staff and Crew: 35, British
Itinerary: There are 6,7,9, 13, 14, and 15-night cruises going to lochs,
estuaries and islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides on Scotland’s west coast,
usually including Iona, Rhum, Muck and Eigg, Lewis, Skye, Staffa and Orkney
Islands. Most departures are from Oban with a coach connection from Glasgow. There
are a variety of itineraries depending on whether you want to visit towns,
castles and gardens or to visit the remoter parts of the western isles, such as
St. Kilda, home to a wide variety of seabirds. Garden cruises are in May and
September. Other itineraries combine Scotland, England and Ireland or Norway. One
15-night combination cruise goes from Inverness to Bergen, exploring fjords of
Norway’s west coast (including the famous train ride to Flam with its midway stop
to see the waterfall), and returning by way of the Shetland Islands down Scotland
’s west coast to Oban.
Cabins: 29. Cabins range from 112 to 367 sq. ft. There are 23 outside cabins, 6
inside, 11 single, and 4 with balconies. There is one two-room suite. Cabins have
refrigerator, tv (some with vcr), radio, coffee and tea-maker and an ironing
board/trouser press. Each cabin is individually designed and there are a range of
configurations with
single, double or twin beds. All except two have a private bath, some with
shower, others with tub. Most have one or
more windows of different sizes (the suite has three large windows and a
sitting area). Some cabins have portholes
(portholes can be opened).
Dining: The dining room has one seating and is non-smoking. Fresh produce is
purchased locally. There is traditional
Scottish fare, such as venison, pheasant, rainbow trout, gooseberry and pear
crumble, with a variety of choices with
each meal. Passengers traveling as singles are seated together and are hosted
by an officer. Tea, coffee and fresh fruit
are available all day.
Dress: Casual during the day. After 7 p.m. men wear jackets, women wear
dresses or pant suits. Captain’s night
and at least two other nights per week are dressy, and men usually wear
dinner jacket, tuxedo or kilts. It is often cold
and damp in the Scottish islands so take warm clothing.
Facilities and Activities: The ship was originally built as a passenger
ferry, then was redesigned to resemble a
country hotel. The passengers are mostly British, one-third singles,
two-thirds couples. There are several lounges for
viewing (one especially for cigar and pipe smokers), a conservatory, a
mini-gym and a library. Guides are on board
to answer questions and lead excursions, but not to lecture. The ship can
carry private cars, allowing guests to
disembark with their vehicles to explore for themselves. There are deck
games, fishing trips, clay pigeon shoots and
explorations by motorboat. There is an open bridge policy. Passengers report
that the engine is noisy, but the ship
anchors at night so sleep is not bothered. Children under age 9 are not
allowed. There is no smoking in the restaurant,
library, conservatory or the port side of the main lounge. There is no
air-conditioning, but the ship cruises in cool
weather regions, and all outside rooms and public rooms have portholes or
windows that open. There are bicycles,
fishing gear and small boats for passenger use. There are usually two shore
visits by tender or zodiac-style landing
craft at different locations each day. Shore excursions are mostly hiking and
exploring wildlife with guides, but
sometimes to castles, gardens, deserted beaches or towns. On itineraries
involving hiking in the hills, there are
separate excursions for hill-walking and low-level walking with guides for
each.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: The per person fares range from $1,895 to
$4,050 for six-night cruise up to
$23,325 for a 15-night cruise in the biggest suite. Shore excursions and
entrance fees are included in the fare as well
as use of the small boats, speedboat, ship’s bicycles and fishing tackle.
There are discounts for cruises in the early
spring and autumn, for early booking and for a repositioning cruise from
Scotland along the coast of England and
through the English Channel in October. Single cabins have no supplement.
There is a no-tipping policy. Some cruises
include air or rail fare to and from a UK airport.
RADISSON SEVEN SEAS CRUISES
Worldwide, including U.S., Bahamas, Mediterranean, Baltic, Greece, Caribbean,
South Pacific, Latin America, Africa,
Seychelles, Amazon, Antarctica, Canary Islands, Arctic, Iceland, Greenland,
British Isles, Scandinavia, Alaska, Russia,
Asia, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand
HANSEATIC
Passenger Capacity: 170
Built: 1993 in Finland
Length: 403 ft.
Elevator: 2
Officers: German
Staff and Crew: 125; European
Wheelchair Access: Yes
Itinerary: The ship cruises in both hemispheres and from pole to pole, and is
especially equipped to cruise the Arctic
and Antarctic. Cruises, from 8 to 24 nights, include a cruise of England,
Ireland and Scotland, cruises between
Hamburg and Lubeck in the Baltic, a cruise of the Norwegian fjords and the
North Cape, another of Newfoundland,
Labrador and Greenland, a 24-night cruise through the Northwest Passage to
Nome, cruises of Alaska, the Russian
Far East, Central and South America, Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, and an
Indian ocean trip from South Africa to
the Seychelles.
Cabins: 92. All cabins are outside with large windows, have individual
temperature control and have a tv/vcr, radio
and a refrigerator stocked with complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. Cabins
have either double bed or twin beds
and bathrooms have shower/tub, terry cloth robe and hairdryer. There are four
deluxe two-room suites that include a
walk-in closet. Bridge Deck suites have butler service and in-cabin dining
offered. Cabin current is 220; converters
are available. There are two wheelchair-accessible cabins.
Dining: The dining room, at the stern and with windows on three sides, has
open single seating. The menu is
European with varied menu selections at each meal plus a self-service salad
bar. There is a main dining room (with
Rosenthal china) and an alternative ala carte dining room. Casual breakfast
and lunch are served in the lounge with
indoor/outdoor seating. English tea with scones is served in the afternoon.
There is a light late-night buffet and room
service served course by course. There is sometimes a limited amount of fresh
foods when the ship travels to remote
locations. Smoking is allowed in the dining room.
Dress: Casual during the day. Smart casual at night with jacket and tie
expected of men two nights.
Facilities and Activities: This is an expedition ship having a 1A1 super ice
classification and is capable of handling
serious ice. It is larger and more spacious than most expedition ships. There
is a hair salon, fitness center, sauna,
pool, whirlpool, massage, and medical facilities. There is an observation
lounge with a library, ocean charts, maps and
a radar monitor to follow the progress of the ship. There are cabaret shows,
an orchestra for dancing in the afternoon
and before and after dinner. Documentary and feature films are shown. A
pianist is in the lounge. There is an open
bridge. There is a lecture program featuring naturalists and anthropologists.
Life on board is casual and unregimented
with no organized games. There is a high percentage of Europeans aboard,
mostly German-speaking.
Announcements and daily agendas are in both English and German. This is a
destination-intensive expedition cruise
ship that focusses on nature and culture. There are four tenders and 14
zodiacs for landings. Naturalists accompany
passengers on shore trips and recap upon their return. Parkas and rubber
boots are loaned to passengers in the
Arctic and Antarctic; snorkel equipment is provided in the tropics. There
often are wet landings from zodiacs in
remote areas, inappropriate for people who are not physically fit. Antarctic
trips that traverse the Drake Channel
often encounter a stretch of quite rough water.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: Average rate per day for cabin is $820, for
a suite is $1,190. If you book at
least six months in advance you can get their early bird discount of $500 per
person. Two or more cruises combined
saves an additional $500. Past passengers receive discounts. A third person
is half price. There is a 50 percent
surcharge for a single. Most shore excursions are complimentary. There is no
tipping. Alcoholic beverages are not
complimentary on this ship as they are on the other ships of this line.
Packages include round trip airfare, one
precruise hotel night.
PAUL GAUGUIN
Passenger Capacity: 320
Built: 1998 in France
Length: 513 ft.
Elevator: 2
Officers: French
Staff and Crew: 197; European and American
Itinerary: Named after the artist who spent so much time painting the people
and life of Tahiti, the ship sails the
South Seas out of Tahiti year-round with seven-night cruises to Rangiroa,
Raiatea, Bora Bora, and Moorea.
Cabins: 160. All staterooms are outside and 50 percent have private
balconies. Others have windows or portholes
(the lowest deck). Most cabins range from 200 to 249 sq. ft.; seven suites
are 300 to 457 sq. ft. Staterooms have
queen or twin bed (a few king), marble-appointed bath with full-size
tub/shower, terry cloth robe, hairdryer, personal
safe, tv/vcr, direct dial phone, individual temperature control and a
refrigerator stocked with complimentary soft
drinks and mineral water.
Dining: There is single open seating with complimentary wine served with
dinner. The menu is continental with
French-accented selections along with the accent on French throughout the
ship. The alternative restaurant operates
on a reservations-only basis. There is a casual outdoor bistro grill by the
pool for dinner that serves fish, steaks and
Tahitian specialties. There is 24-hour room service and complimentary juice,
mineral water and soft drinks throughout
the day. There is no smoking in the dining room.
Dress: Casual during the day. Resort wear or jackets for men at night, no
ties required. One formal night.
Facilities and Activities: There is a retractable watersports platform aft
for swimming, kayaking, windsurfing,
diving, and snorkeling. A French spa has massage, thalassotherapy,
aromatherapy, body wraps, facials, a steam
room, and hair salon. An orchestra plays swing and big band music. There also
is Tahitian entertainment. There is an
observation lounge with a piano bar, a main lounge/conference center with
entertainment and lectures, a card room,
small casino, connoisseur club that offers fine wines, liqueurs and cognac,
fitness center, and outdoor pool. A library
has books and videos about the art, history, geography, and culture of the
islands and the life and work of Paul
Gauguin. There is original art by Gauguin on board as well as historic
photographs and papers about the regions
visited, and videos for private en suite viewing. Lectures feature
naturalists, artists and experts on Polynesia, and
island women demonstrate how to tie a pareu and make a flower lei. You can
visit the bridge at any time. You can
swim in blue lagoons, feed swarms of fish while snorkeling over coral reefs,
wander around villages and old native
ruins, take a helicopter tour, go on jeep safaris into mountains, or explore
islands by bicycle. Scuba excursions are
available.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: Fares range from $3,295 (cabin with
porthole) to $9,695 for suites with
verandahs. Gratuities are included in the fare. Pre and post-cruise stays are
available in Tahiti, Bora Bora and
Moorea.
RADISSON DIAMOND
Passenger Capacity: 350
Built: 1992
Length: 420 ft.
Elevators: 3
Officers: European, American
Staff and Crew: 191; International
Wheelchair Access: Yes
Itinerary: There are seven-night cruises in the Mediterranean, Baltic and
Aegean Seas to Spain, France, Italy,
Malta, Monaco, Greece and Turkey. In the Caribbean there are three to
seven-night cruises to San Juan, Barbados,
Bequia, Grenada, Martinique, St. Kitts, St. Barts, St. Maarten, St. Thomas,
Iles de Saintes, Antigua, Virgin Gorda,
St. Lucia and the Bahamas (Nassau and the Abacos). A transpanama 10-night
cruise calls at Ft. Lauderdale, Key
West, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, San Andres, and Puerto
Caldera. Transatlantic cruises between
Lisbon and San Juan and between Las Palmas and Barbados run 9, 11 and 14
nights. A 19-night cruise goes from
Rome to San Juan.
Cabins: 177. Of these, 121 have balconies overlooking the sea and 54 instead
have a sitting room. All cabins feature
an ocean view and have queen-size beds that can be converted to twin size and
have a tv/vcr (featuring CNN), a
complimentary mini-bar with beer, soft drinks, liquors, and bottled mineral
water, a bathroom with shower and very
small tub, direct-dial phone with ship to shore capabilities, a private safe
and individual temperature control. Two
owner suites each feature a king-size bed, whirlpool tub and separate shower,
balcony, and large bay window.
Amenities include terry bathrobes and a hairdryer. CD players are available
to passengers to use. Most cabin
stewards are European women. There are two wheelchair-designed staterooms.
Elevator doors are 39.97 inches
wide. Outside decks can be reached without assistance. Handicapped persons
must be accompanied by a
non-handicapped adult.
Dining: The dining room has a sweeping view across the stern of the ship
(jacket and tie required in the evening)
with open dining. The menu features mainly European dishes as well as
homemade breads, homemade ice cream, and
freshly ground coffee. House wine is complimentary. There are diet specials.
Servers are waitresses, rare in cruise
ships. The grill, seating 50, has buffet-style breakfast and lunch and at
dinner features northern Italian specialty dishes
and frequent table-side dessert flambeaus, with violin and accordion music
while you dine. Make your reservation
early in the cruise since the grill is very popular. Any dining room meal can
be served in your stateroom during dining
room hours, and there is also a 24-hour room-service menu. Afternoon tea is
served in the lounge. Special diets can
be arranged.
Dress: Casual during the day. Evening resort wear for women and jackets for
men most nights. One formal evening
per week with most men wearing tuxedos and women wearing cocktail dresses.
Facilities and Activities: The Radisson Diamond is the first major cruise
ship to utilize the submerged twin-hull
principle, called SWATH (small waterplane area twin hull). Engines are in the
hulls beneath the waterline so engine
noise and vibration are greatly minimized. Stabilizer fins on the front and
back of each submerged hull reduces
pitching and heaving. There is a five-story garden atrium, an outdoor pool, a
lounge at the bow for daily lectures and
for evening dancing, concerts, and cabaret shows, a casino with blackjack,
poker, roulette and slot machines, a
fitness room where you can work out while looking out at the sea, outdoor
jogging track, a hair salon, laundry, dry
cleaning, a book and video library, and an art gallery with international
artwork. There are steam rooms, sauna,
whirlpool, massage, and herbal wraps in the spa. A retractable marina
platform between the hulls creates shelter for
swimming, snorkeling, sailing, and windsurfing when the ship is anchored. The
ship is frequently used by corporate
and group charters in addition to regular cruising. There is a business
center especially designed for corporate groups
with audiovisual equipment, publishing facilities, fax and satellite
communications services, and personal computer
hook-ups. There are medical facilities with a doctor and a nurse on board.
There is a golf driving range with nets and
a putting green and occasional lectures on topics of educational and cultural
interests. A grand piano is in the club
room and a band for dancing in the lounge. Film can be developed on board.
There is an open bridge policy. In June
and July the ship has music festival cruises that go from Rome to Cannes,
Edinburgh to Copenhagen, or Copenhagen
to Stockholm with passengers attending concerts and music festivals in ports
along the way. In May there are golf
cruises with a golf pro on board who conducts golf clinics, and passengers
play courses in ports. A nice touch:
bottled water and umbrellas near the gangway to ensure your comfort ashore.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: Back-to-back cruises can be combined with a
50 percent discount on the
second week. No tipping. Pre and post cruise packages are available.
Discounts for past passengers and for early
bookings at least 120 days ahead. Some Caribbean cruises and Panama
Canal-Costa Rico cruises offer two-for-one
specials.
SONG OF FLOWER
Passenger Capacity: 172
Built: Built as a container ship in 1974, rebuilt in 1986 as a cruise ship,
refurbished 1990
Former Names: Explorer Starship, Begonia
Length: 407 ft.
Elevator: 2
Officers: Norwegian
Staff and Crew: 144; European, American, Filipino
Itinerary: There are 6 to 14-day cruises of India, Arabia and the Red Sea,
and cruises of the Mediterranean, Baltic,
Scandinavia, and Russia from April to October. Departure ports are Athens,
Petra, Dubai, Bombay, Rangoon,
Singapore, Hong Kong, Bali, Saigon, Bombay, Istanbul, Venice, Barcelona,
Lisbon, Rouen, Edinburgh, Stockholm,
London, and Copenhagen.
Cabins: 107. Cabins range from 183 to 398 sq. ft. All cabins are outside, 10
have balconies, 10 are non-smoking,
10 are suites. Beds can be converted from twins to queen. All cabins have air
conditioning, tv/vcr, telephone, and a
refrigerator stocked to your request. Most have windows, but some only
portholes. Cabin current is 220. All have
private bath with shower, hairdryer, and robes; some have small tubs. There
are two non-smoking cabins on each
deck.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room. Breakfast is in the dining room
or on deck. There is also an outdoor
cafe and grill, afternoon tea in the lounge and 24-hour room service. All
alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are
complimentary throughout the ship except for premium wines. There is
traditional cuisine and specialty Asian foods
with hot-spiced soups for those who dare and vegetarian selections.
Dress: Casual during the day. Resort wear or jackets for men at night. The
ambiance is luxury without pretension,
but a tux would be appropriate on formal night.
Facilities and Activities: Popular spot is the observation deck with
floor-to-ceiling windows. There is a show
lounge, pool and whirlpool, a fitness center, a sauna, and a small casino
with slot machines, roulette, and blackjack.
Services include massage, hairdresser and a library with 600 videos and 2,000
books. Entertainment includes a
jazz/dance quintet, nightly cabaret shows, and a pianist during afternoon tea
and dinner. There is a guest lecturer on
each cruise. In May there are golf cruises with a golf pro on board who
conducts golf clinics and passengers play
courses in ports. There are no youth activities or special facilities for
children; in fact, children under age 12 are not
accepted. Sports facilities include jet skis, snorkel equipment, a ski boat,
and windsurfers. The bridge is open during
daylight hours. There is a medical clinic with a doctor and nurse. A
120-passenger tender, Tiny Flower, with bow
landing capabilities is used for access to shore. Passengers explore Buddhist
and Hindu temples or Muslim mosques,
ride in a trishaw, see kick-boxing, or enjoy beaches, golf, horseback riding,
or parasailing. One land excursion is to
Pagan, Burma’s ancient spiritual capital
Typical Rates and Special Deals: On Asia itineraries, airfare, shore
excursions, pre and post-cruise stays,
beverages and gratuities are included. In Europe, shore excursions are extra.
An 11-day all-inclusive Burmese cruise
in November is $4,645 to $7,325. On most cruises you can save $250 to $1,050
by booking at least 120 days
before departure, $1,000 per person discount if you combine two or more
cruises, and $1,500 per person if you
combine two or more cruises totaling at least 15 nights.
SEVEN SEAS NAVIGATOR
Passenger Capacity: 490
Built: 1999
Length: 560 ft.
Elevator: 3
Officers: European
Staff and Crew: 325. European
Itinerary: Nice, Venice, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, transatlantic, Bermuda,
around South America, Ft. Lauderdale/
Los Angles, Panama Canal/Costa Rica.
Cabins: 206. All suites, ranging from 301 to 1,173 sq. ft. (including
balcony). All cabins are outside, 90 percent
have balconies. All have individual temperature control, king-size beds (can
convert to twins), walk-in closets,
full-size bathtub and separate shower, bathrobes, hairdryer, tv/vcr,
refrigerator stocked with soft drinks, safe, and
telephone. Four cabins are wheelchair accessible; 19 cabins are
interconnecting.
Dining: There is a dining room and a grill. There is open, single seating.
Complimentary wine at dinner, mostly Italian.
There is 24 hour room service.
Dress: Casual during the day. Resort wear or jackets for men at night. The
ambiance is luxury without pretension,
but a tux would be appropriate on formal night.
Facilities and Activities: The two-tiered lounge has walls of glass
overlooking the water and the look of a 1930's
night club. There is a piano bar, a Connoisseur Club with cigars, and a
library with books, videos, and three
computers that access the internet. There is an electronic and radar display
to track ship position or you may visit the
bridge. A spa has aromatherapy, seaweed and mud wraps, massages, herbal,
thalasso and hydrate therapies, steam
rooms, sauna, a juice bar and beauty salon services. There are golf cruises
with golfers offered greens privileges and
with a golf pro, driving cage and putting green available. There is an
outdoor pool and two whirlpools.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: Gratuities are included in price. Save
$1,500 per person if you combine two or
more cruises totaling at least 15 nights, $1,000 if fewer nights. Past
travelers save an additional 5 percent. Prices start
at $4,595.
SEABOURN CRUISE LINE Click here to visit their website
Worldwide, including Mediterranean, Baltic, Scandinavia, Asia, US, Canada, Latin
America, South Pacific, Africa,
Seychelles, Australia
Seabourn Cruise Line has merged with Cunard, but the lines will operate
separately.
SEABOURN LEGEND, SEABOURN PRIDE, SEABOURN SPIRIT
Passenger Capacity: 204
Built: 1988, 1989, 1990
Former Names: Seabourn Legend was the Royal Viking Queen, then Queen Odyssey
Length: 439 ft.
Elevator: 3
Officers: Norwegian
Staff and Crew: 150, American, European. Filipino
Wheelchair Access: Yes
Itinerary: These three sister ships cruise in the Mediterranean, the Baltic,
in Europe, Scandinavia, the Americas,
southeast Asia, the Orient, India, the South Pacific, Africa and the
Seychelles on voyages ranging from six to 23
days.
Cabins: 100. Most of the cabins are 277 sq. ft. All cabins are outside, with
air-conditioning, a sitting area, stocked
bar/refrigerator, walk-in closets, a window, a marble bath with shower or tub
and shower. Cabins also have a
hairdryer, personal safe, tv/vcr, cd, radio, direct dial phone, chronometer
and barometer. Beds are twin or queen.
Suites are 400 to 575 sq. ft., and have a private verandah; some also have a
dining area that converts to a second
bedroom, and some have two baths. One owner’s suite has curved sofa and a
forward-facing verandah. Youth beds
and rollaways are available. There are four wheelchair-accessible cabins
(handicapped person should be
accompanied by a non handicapped adult). Financial news is printed daily and
delivered to your cabin. Cabin
amenities include handout crystal, fresh fruit, flowers, bon voyage
champagne, personalized stationary, terry robes
and blackout shades.
Dining: There is an open seating dining room and passengers can dine at any
time during the meal hours. The dining
room has portholes, not windows. The cuisine is international. The service is
as polished as the silver. There is a cafe
for informal breakfast, lunch, and some dinners. Barbecues are sometimes
served on a beach, with china and crystal.
Room service is available, including the full restaurant dinner menu during
dinner hours. There are complimentary
house wines with lunch and dinner. Caviar is available on request. Special
diets are accommodated with 30 days
advance notice.
Dress: Casual during the day. There are two formal evenings each week, with
tuxedo or dark suit for men and
evening gown or other formal attire for women. Gentlemen are expected to wear
a jacket and tie on other nights.
Facilities and Activities: These are three sister ships that have luxury
service and an upscale environment. There is
a main show lounge with cabaret programs as well as a lounge for dancing. A
pianist plays at cocktail hour and later
in the evening. Speakers include well known personalities as well as experts
on wine, cuisine, world affairs, and the
arts. There is a pool, two whirlpools, and a health spa with massage, sauna,
steam room, herbal body wrap,
hairdresser, and gym. A casino has blackjack, slot machines, and roulette.
There is a business center and a
self-service launderette. A water sports platform is lowered at the stern for
swimming and water sports, including
windsurfs, water skiing ,and two zodiacs. There is a library with movies on
video for en suite viewing. Music and
dance performers are brought on board at local ports. Nine different cruises
calling on the eastern US, Ireland,
Sweden, Estonia, Finland and Norway are golf related, with a golf pro on
board who conducts golf clinics and
passengers playing courses in ports. There are medical facilities. Portions
of public rooms are non-smoking. Two
tenders are used for shore excursions. On shore excursions you might ride a
camel in the Canary Islands, learn to
dance the minuet or be serenaded in a gondola in Venice, check out Monaco by
helicopter, drive a formula 3 race
car, meet a Ukrainian family in their home, hear a concert performance in
Odessa, visit the studio of Edvard Grieg
outside Bergen, float over Stockholm in a hot air balloon, have dinner in a
castle in Dublin or in a palace in St.
Petersburg, or ride an elephant in Jaipur. Most shore excursions are included
in the cruise fare.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: Cruise-only fares for a six-day cruise in
the Caribbean range from $2,790 to
$6,560. A 14-day cruise is $7,590 to $26,050. A 23-day Ft. Lauderdale to Los
Angeles cruise runs from $10,990
to $21,590. A special program allows you to purchase 45 days of cruising for
$26,775 and take those segments at
any time you wish in three years. Some shore excursions on some itineraries
are included in the fare. Air/sea
packages are available as well as pre and post-cruise land tours, including
options of flying the Concorde or a private
chartered jet. If that makes you somewhat budget-conscious, you can save with
a 10-30 percent discount for being a
previous guest, or a 10 to 50 percent discount by combining two or more
cruises. Early payment 12 months in
advance saves 10 percent, six months in advance saves 5 percent. Booking two
or more suites saves 5 percent.
There are also discount fares for off-season and repositioning cruises. If
you sail a total of 140 cruising days you are
entitled to a free cruise of up to 14 days on any Seabourn ship. Port charges
are not included. Singles can save from
paying twice the per person double occupancy rate by being flexible and
allowing the ship to assign an available
cabin. A third person in a cabin cruises for 25 percent of the fare. There is
no tipping allowed.
SEABOURN GODDESS I and SEABOURN GODDESS II
Passenger Capacity: 116
Built: 1984, 1985; refurbished 1995
Length: 344 ft.
Elevator: 1
Officers: Norwegian
Staff and Crew: 89; European and American
Itinerary: The ships sail on 4 to 14-day cruises in Europe, the Orient,
Africa and the Caribbean. There are 10 and
11-day cruises between Singapore and Phuket, Bali, Bangkok, or Bombay, 7-day
cruises between Venice and
Piraeus and Istanbul, cruises from Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef of
Australia, cruises from St. Thomas or
Barbados, a transatlantic cruise from St. Thomas to Tenerife, 6-day trips in
the summer between Nice, Venice and
Monte Carlo, and in September 7-day cruises roundtrip from Malaga. Other
trips go to the Seychelles, with an
optional four-day safari before or after the cruise.
Cabins: 58. Cabins, with most at 205 sq. ft., are all outside and have a bath
with shower and tub. All have windows,
separate bed and sitting area, twin beds or queen-size, tv/vcr, stereo, safe,
telephone with worldwide direct dial,
flowers, fruit, and a stocked refrigerator. The coffee table converts to a
dining-height table. Eight pairs of staterooms
can be made into suites by opening a retractable sliding door between two
staterooms.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with one seating. Crystal
glasses, European service and cuisine are
featured. There is an outdoor cafe for casual meals. Personal preference
forms are sent to guests before their cruise
for their favorite beverages and foods. Special diets are no problem. There
is in-cabin dining with course-by-course
service. All beverages, including wines, are complimentary with lunch and
dinner. Caviar is available any time day or
evening. There is no smoking in the dining room.
Dress: The dress code on board the Goddesses is changed and is now resort
casual throughout the cruise. There
are no formal nights at all, and men don’t need a tie. The intent is to
attract an audience who love exquisite service
and cuisine, but who don't like to dress formally.
Facilities and Activities: There is a lounge with a marble dance floor, a
piano bar, a library with 300 movies and
travelogues, a casino, pool, poolside bar, whirlpool, gym, and sauna. There
sometimes is local entertainment from
ports of call. You can visit the bridge at any time, including evening hours.
There are no regimented activities or deck
sports. Watersports facilities include an aft platform for guests to scuba,
snorkel, water-ski, and windsurf, and there
are two zodiacs. Each ship has an extensive spa. Many green plants give an
outdoor feel. Special features: a private
picnic lunch with champagne on an island, a waiter bringing you caviar and
champagne on the beach, a cool
washcloth on your return from the beach, a cocktail party and concert in the
ruins at Ephesus, lunch in a cave in the
Canary Islands. Passengers have the opportunity to visit casinos and
nightclubs in ports.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: Most cabins are priced equally at $5,100 per
person double occupancy for a
one-week cruise. Large suites are more. Shore excursions and gratuities are
included with fare. Port taxes are extra.
There is a discount if you combine two sailings or book at least six months
in advance. Past passengers are often
given complimentary two-night stays before or after cruises or special shore
excursions in addition to a 10-30 %
savings.
SILVERSEA CRUISES
Worldwide, including Africa, Seychelles, Baltic and Mediterranean and Red Seas,
US, Canada, Latin America, South
Pacific, Asia, Amazon, Caribbean
SILVER CLOUD; SILVER WIND
Passenger Capacity: 296
Built: 1994 in Italy
Length: 514 ft.
Elevator: 4
Officers: Italian
Staff and Crew: 185; European
Wheelchair Access: Yes
Itinerary: These ships circle the globe, offering cruises to more than 200
destinations, including Africa, the
Seychelles, the Indian Ocean, the Baltic, the Mediterranean and Red Sea, US
east coast, Canada, South America,
the South Pacific and Southeast Asia. Typical cruises go from Acapulco to Los
Angeles, from Auckland to Sydney,
from Singapore to Mumbai, from Rome to Barcelona, from Barcelona to Lisbon,
from Lisbon to London, from
London to Edinburgh, from New York to Nassau, from Bridgetown to Los Angeles,
from Los Angeles to Papeete,
from Hong Kong to Bali, from Papeete to San Diego, from San Diego to
Acapulco, from Acapulco to Palm Beach,
from Bridgetown to Rome. Their grand cruises run from 24 to 44 days.
Cabins: 148. All cabins are outside with floor-to-ceiling windows, and 110
have balconies. All are air-conditioned
and have twin beds that can be converted to queen, and have walk-in closets,
tv/vcr, stocked mini-bar, direct-dial
phone, safe, a desk with personalized stationery, and a bathroom with shower
and tub, hairdryer and robe. Cabins
range from 240 to 1,300 sq. ft. There are two wheelchair-accessible cabins on
Silver Wind. Five suites have two
bedrooms and cd players.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with one seating. You can arrive
anytime between 7:30 and 9:30 for
dinner. Cuisine is French, Italian and American plus local specialties where
the ship is cruising. Low calorie menus are
available and special diets are accommodated. Room service is 24 hours a day,
including full meals served course by
course. Stewardesses deliver canapés to the suites before dinner. Selected
wines are complimentary for lunch and
dinner, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the ship.
There are buffets in the cafe for breakfast
and lunch and theme dinners most nights (make your reservations early in the
cruise). There are no midnight buffets.
A buffet-style galley lunch features homeland dishes from each chef.
Dress: Casual during the day. Dressy at night, with one or three formal
nights in which most men wear tuxedos and
women wear gowns or cocktail dresses.
Facilities and Activities: All cabins are located forward and public rooms
aft. There is a side platform for
watersports with kayaks, zodiacs, sailfish, windsurfers and waterski boats.
There is a heated pool, two whirlpools, a
fitness room, sauna, steam rooms, massage, a self-service laundry,
hairdresser, movie theater, show lounge, forward
observation lounge, library with books and videos, a meeting room business
center with computers, and a small
casino. A piano bar has music at tea time and cocktail hour. There are dance
hosts on board for longer cruises. A
wraparound track offers walking and jogging (seven times around equals one
mile). There is a medical facility with a
doctor and a nurse. A golf package allows passengers to visit golf courses at
the ports of call. Other activities include
occasional guest lecturers, language courses, deck games, watersports,
aerobic classes, bridge instruction and
tournaments, dancing, cabaret shows and folkloric performances. There is an
open bridge policy. This is not a ship
for children or for those seeking Broadway-style entertainment. Special
sailing offer instruction in culinary arts by Le
Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute. A financial service gives guests a daily
personalized stock market report on up to 30
stocks. There is one surprise shore excursion on each voyage, with such past
events as champagne and entertainment
in a castle in Russia or listening to Scandinavian music in Grieg’s home
outside Bergen. National Geographic writers
and photographers are onboard for certain cruises.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: The cruises are all-inclusive: beverages
throughout the ship and gratuities are
included, and further tipping is not allowed; air travel and precruise hotels
are generally included with the cruise fare,
as well as port taxes, travel insurance and one shore excursion. Typical
fares: 8 days Acapulco to Los Angeles is
$5,695 to 11,895, 14 days from Singapore to Mumbai is $8,795 to $17,495, 11
days from Rome to Barcelona is
$8,995 to $18,295, 14 days from Hong Kong to Bali is $10,095 to $20,095, 14
days from Bridgetown to Rome is
$9,295 to $18,995, and 16 days from Acapulco to Palm Beach is $11,395 to
$24,195. Trips are considerably
cheaper on a cruise-only basis if you can get air cheaper on your own. If you
book at least six months in advance you
can get a 10 percent early bird discount; save $1,750 to $2,350 if you
combine two back-to-back cruises; past
passengers and their companions are offered a discount on some voyages. Rack
up 300 days at sea with Silversea
and you get a seven-night cruise free. On some cruises you also get credit
for others you bring along. Cigarettes are
free, but smoking is restricted to designated areas.
Two new Silversea ships have been ordered and are scheduled for delivery in 2000
and 2001. They will be similar in
design, carry 396 passengers, and an estimated crew of 287. Most staterooms will
have verandas, including two handicap
staterooms. There will be a computer center, conference center and a self-service
laundry.
WINDSTAR CRUISES Click here to visit their website
Mediterranean, Greece, Turkey, Caribbean, Latin America
WIND SONG; WIND SPIRIT; WIND STAR
Passenger Capacity: 148
Built: 1986; 1987; 1988
Length: 440 ft. including bowsprit
Officers: Norwegian and British
Staff and Crew: 91; European, American, Indonesian, Filipino
Itinerary: In the summer all three ships are in the Mediterranean. A typical
cruise goes from Italy on seven-day
sailings with shore excursions exploring Florence and Pisa. Another goes
along the Cote d'Azur with port calls at
Portofino, Corsica, Elba, Florence, St. Tropez and Cannes. There are also
Greek and Turkey itineraries between
Athens and Istanbul. Caribbean seven-day cruises go from Barbados with such
ports as Tobago, Bequia,
Martinique, St. Lucia, Nevis, St. Martin, and Los Roques; and from St. Thomas
roundtrip to St. John, St. Martin, St.
Barthelemy, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, and Virgin Gorda. There are also Panama
Canal cruises and cruises along the
coast of Costa Rica. A repositioning cruise goes between Barbados or St.
Thomas and Lisbon.
Cabins: 74. All cabins (185 sq. ft.) are outside, are air-conditioned, and
have twin beds that can be converted to
queen and have a tv/vcr, cd, radio, refrigerator, international direct-dial
phone, safe, and a bathroom with shower and
robe and hairdryer. Storage space is excellent. Each cabin has large
portholes. Ten cabins offer a third berth. Some
cabins have adjoining doors. There are no verandahs.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with large windows, one seating.
Breakfast and lunch buffets are
available on deck, and sometimes there is a casual dinner on deck. There is
24-hour room service. Low calorie
menus are available and special diets are accommodated with advance notice.
Bread is fresh-baked.
Dress: Casual during the day. Jackets for men at night are not required, but
many wear them; ties definitely are not
seen. Ambience is low-key, but luxurious.
Facilities and Activities: These are three identical motorized sailing
ships -- sleek, white, four-masted schooners.
They combine the mystique of the old tall ships, but with luxury
accommodations and modern technology. There are
computer controls at the bridge that furl or unfurl the sails in two minutes.
There is a lounge with live entertainment
nightly (often from the local region), evening dance music and a disco. A
library has books, cds, and videos. There is
a piano bar, laundry, small casino, small pool, hot tub, sauna, massage,
hairdresser and fitness center. There is a
doctor on board. There are no activities or special facilities for children,
and the cruise line discourages passengers
from bringing children. There are a number of theme cruises on such things as
gourmet cooking and wine. There is an
open bridge policy. Smoking is permitted throughout the ship, but no pipes or
cigars are permitted in the dining room.
There is an unobstructed circuit of the ship for jogging (12.5 laps equals
one mile). In the Caribbean naturalists
accompany all cruises and shore excursions. In the Mediterranaean on Bastille
Day, passengers are nestled in the
Nice harbor with hundreds of private yachts to view extravagant fireworks.
The stern sports platform offers water
skis, scuba and snorkeling gear, sailboats, sailboards, sea kayaks, and
banana boats. Scuba is $50 per dive.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: The fare for seven-day cruises is $3,880 to
$4,790 plus port charges. You can
save up to $1,300 with early booking. Rates for the owner's suite are higher.
Single supplement is 150 percent.
Shore excursions are extra. Half-price fares are sometimes offered. There are
special discounts for past passengers.
Two-night hotel packages are available in Istanbul, Athens, Nice and Rome
before or after a cruise for $95 per
person.
WIND SURF
Passenger Capacity: 312
Built: 1990 by Club Med, refurbished 1998
Former Names: Club Med I
Length: 617 ft.
Elevator: 1
Officers: Norwegian
Staff and Crew: 163
Itinerary: The ship sails roundtrip from Nice on seven-day cruises with stops
in Portofino, Portoferraio,
Portovenere, Monte Carlo, Bonifacio, Cannes and St. Tropez, and between Nice
and Rome and Venice and Rome.
Then after a cruise from Nice to Lisbon, she cruises 14 days at sea to
Barbados. In Barbados she sails seven-day
roundtrip cruises from Bridgetown to such ports as Tobago, Grenada,
Martinique, St. Lucia, Nevis, St. Martin,
Barthelemy, Iles des Saintes and Bequia.
Cabins: All cabins are outside, have twin beds that can be converted to
queen, and have a vcr, cd player,
refrigerator, ship-to-shore telephone, and bath with shower. Each cabin has a
large window. There are 30 suites
(376 sq. ft.) that have a living/dining area and some with two bathrooms.
Some cabins accommodate a third
passenger.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with one seating, plus a bistro.
Low calorie menus are available and
special diets are accommodated. There is no smoking in the dining room.
Dress: Casual during the day. Resort wear or jackets for men at night.
Facilities and Activities: There is a spa and fitness program with massage,
aromatherapy, herbal wraps and a
hairdresser. The library has current and classic titles, books about the
regions visited, and videos. A watersports
platform can be lowered for waterskiing, windsurfing, kayaking, sailing,
snorkeling, and scuba diving (if certified).You
can visit the bridge at any time. There is a small casino and a conference
center..
Typical Rates and Special Deals: Rates for seven-day cruises in the Caribbean
range from $3,880 for cabins to
$5,728 for suites. Mediterranean prices range from $4,790 to $7,088. If you
book in advance you can get an early
bird discount, saving up to $1,500 on cabins and $2,200 on suites. Port
charges are extra.
PASSENGER NOMINATIONS FOR OTHER LUXURY SHIPS TO BE LISTED:
Sea Cloud, Marjorie Merriwether Post's luxury sailing vessel given to her by her
husband, E.F. Hutton.
The French luxury vessels, Le Ponantand Le Levant
The Clelia, formerly Renaissance III, a small luxury vessel operated by Classical
Big ships:
Crystal Harmony, Crystal Symphony and the Seabourn Sun, formerly the Royal Viking
Sun.
j coulter wrote in message <39216779...@earthlink.net>...
RJQMAN
on your personality and interests, you may find you have a lot better time on a
lower-rated ship. For example, if you do not want to spend your dinner
discussing your last trip to Europe on the Concorde, and how the class of
people at Cannes has declined, and play Casino games with $25 minimums, you may
find yourself among a lot more earthy and interesting company on the lower
dollar ships with one less star.
No insult of the high-dollar ships is intended, but only trying to point out
that sometimes the rating and cost can put you in an arena where, although your
water glass is always full at dinner, and the food is impeccable, you may not
really have as much real fun.
Howard Baldini
table tried to explain that CCL merely owns an interest in Cunard, HAL,
Windstar etc... but these folks were firmly convinced. It was kind of
cute, really. They're sure that any day now, the Queen will be
remodeled to include a neon-lit atrium...
brendam...@my-deja.com
> No insult of the high-dollar ships is intended, but only trying to point out
> that sometimes the rating and cost can put you in an arena where, although your
> water glass is always full at dinner, and the food is impeccable, you may not
> really have as much real fun.
Unless you enjoy making your own ; )
>
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.