The all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Voyager of Regent Seven Seas Cruises has been voted the cruise ship with the best food and dining room service by members of the prestigious World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society for the second year in a row.

According to the society, when choosing a cruise, “the category of food is often at the top of everyone’s list of importance.” When voting, their members considered food taste, quality and presentation.

Equally important is dining room service. Ships were considered based on the following six criteria (1) ample staff to ensure that there are no long delays in serving, (2) promptness in responding to special requests, (3) ability of the staff to communicate and explain the menu, (4) the staff’s ability to remember guest preferences, (5) promptness in serving, replacing utensils as needed, and (6) general attitude and friendliness of the staff.

“All of us at Regent Seven Seas Cruises share this tremendous accomplishment with the officers and crew of Seven Seas Voyager,” stated Mark Conroy, president, Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “We work hard every day to exceed our guests’ expectations and our food and service is the very best at sea.”

Seven Seas Voyager, which recently emerged from a multi-million dollar refurbishment, carries 700 guests. Suites range in size from 356 to 1,403 square feet. Cruise fares are inclusive and include fine wines and premium spirits, a selection of shore excursions in all ports, onboard gratuities and air transportation from 23 gateway cities.

Guests can choose from four open-seating, gourmet dining venues, including Compass Rose, the ship’s main restaurant, serving Continental fare, American favorites and Canyon Ranch Spa Cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Signatures specializes in inventive, award-winning French cuisine. Seven Seas Voyager and her sister ship, Seven Seas Mariner, are the world’s only ships with a restaurant operated under the auspices of the legendary Le Cordon Bleu® of Paris.

A contemporary interpretation of a traditional American steakhouse – Prime 7 - offers eight USDA Prime, dry-aged steaks to choose from, as well as lamb, pork, poultry and seafood selections.

La Veranda offers both indoor and al fresco seating. Elaborate breakfast and lunch buffets are complemented in the evening by regional specialties from the destinations visited.

Seven Seas Voyager visits Scandinavia and Russia from June through August before sailing Southern Europe in September and October. In fall and winter, the ship sails the Caribbean and Panama Canal.

The 30-year-old World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society is comprised of travelers with an impressive cruising pedigree. Members who participated in the survey have sailed on 37 cruises, typically two or more voyages per year. Consequently, their voting reflects first-hand experiences, rather than general opinions about ships they have not traveled on.

For more information on Regent Seven Seas Cruises or to receive a 2011 brochure, see a professional travel agent, visit www.RSSC.com or call toll-free (800) 285-1835. Great rates on RSSC cruises can also be obtained through www.cruisecompete.com.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is giving customers an extra hour to book a cruise vacation before the line implements its largest rate increase in company history with prices going up by as much as seven percent fleet-wide on Friday, April 2.

The company’s call center will stay open until 1 a.m. the morning of the increase giving everyone a last chance to book current pricing on the line’s 10 Freestyle Cruising ships along with its newest and largest ship, Norwegian Epic.

Price increases will take effect on more than 125,000 rates across the fleet on every ship and every sail date through 2012.

For more information on Norwegian or to book a cruise now, call (866) or go to www.ncl.com. You can become a fan of NCL on Facebook at www.ncl.com/facebook to receive the latest news and inside information, as well as updates on Norwegian Epic.

Star Clippers is offering free air and $1,000 savings on seven 14-night sailings aboard Star Clipper and Star Flyer in the Mediterranean from May through September.

Eligible for the promotion are two 14-night “Grand Mediterranean” voyages between Monte Carlo and Rhodes on the Star Flyer. Departing July 3 from Monte Carlo and Aug. 21 from Rhodes, the cruises call at less-visited destinations in Turkey, Greece, Italy, Sicily and Corsica. Fares begin at $3,285 per person, double, which includes free air and $1,000 off the brochure rate.

Also eligible are two 14-night cruises by the Star Flyer — a roundtrip from Monte Carlo departing May 29 and a voyage from Monte Carlo to Cannes departing Sept. 11. These cruises explore the French and Italian rivieras with a call every day to ports in Corsica, Italy, Sardinia and France, and a maiden call at Lerici, Italy.

Also included in the offer are three 14-night Star Clipper cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean round-trip from Athens. Departing May 22, June 19 and Aug. 7, the ship calls at seven additional Greek ports and three ports in Turkey, including three maiden calls. Fares for the 14-night sailings begin at $3,570 per person, double, which includes free air and $1,000 off the brochure rate.

For more information, call (800) 442-0551 or visit www.starclippers.com.

The Yachts of Seabourn has opened its 2011-12 cruise season for sale with two-for-one cruise fares plus value-priced air add-ons on all Seabourn voyages through fall 2011.

Cruise fares start at $3,250 per person, and round-trip, add-on airfares from 40 North American gateways begin at $499 for economy and $1,999 for business class. A complete 24-month listing of itineraries and fares is available at www.seabourn.com.

“With the addition of Seabourn Sojourn this June, and Seabourn Quest in 2011, travelers can book now to travel well and save well, on six intimate Seabourn yachts sailing to every corner of the world,” said Seabourn President and CEO Pamela Conover.

To qualify for the two-for-one promotional fares, 2010 and 2011 cruises must be booked by May 31. Both the cruise fare and airfare promotions are capacity controlled and subject to space availability. For more information, call (800) 929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com.

Paul Gauguin Cruises, operator of the luxury cruise ship in the South Pacific, is waiving single supplement fees for seven sailings this spring. The offer is for stateroom categories B through F when booked by April 30.

Eligible sail dates are April 6, Cook & Society Islands, 11 nights; April 17, Society Islands, seven nights; April 24, Society Islands, seven nights; May 8, Fiji Westbound, 13 nights; May 22, Fiji Eastbound, 15 nights; June 12, Society Islands, seven nights; and June 19, Society Islands, seven nights.

For more information, call 800-848-6172 or visit www.pgcruises.com.

Compagnie du Ponant, a French company that recently opened a U.S. office, is introducing a new $150 million mega-yacht, the 264-guest Le Boréal, this spring. The 466-foot mega-yacht was built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. A sister ship, L’Austral, will debut in spring 2011.

Le Boréal will have a staff-to-guest ratio of 1:2. Public spaces include a theater for performances and lectures, the Main Lounge with a dance floor and live music, the Panoramic Lounge for live entertainment and Internet access, a library, two open-air bars and two restaurants. Serving French and international cuisine, La Licorne will offer three meals a day in an elegant setting. At the more casual La Boussole, guests can dine inside or in the open air on lighter meals for breakfast, buffet lunch and themed dinners. The yacht also provides 24-hour room service.

The vessel will have a Carita spa with a hammam and a hydrotherapy room. The fitness center will be equipped with treadmills, bicycles and kinesis equipment. The ship also has an expansive Sun Deck with a swimming pool and terrace with panoramic views. Le Boréal has will carry a fleet of Zodiac rubberized rafts that allow guests to explore as well as a marina platform that allows access to the water for swimming or water sports.

All but eight of Le Boréal’s 132 suites and staterooms have verandas. Measuring between 484 to 200 square feet, the suites and staterooms have king or twin beds, bathtubs or showers, L’Occitane amenities, flat-screen satellite TV, DVD, CD and iPod players, satellite telephone and Wi-Fi. Suites also have Nespresso machines and Carita amenities. Le Boréal has the flexibility to reconfigure 40 staterooms into 20 suites, making a total of 24 suites and 88 staterooms. Read the rest of this entry »

NCL has owned a private island since 1977 when it became the first cruise line to offer an uninhabited tropical island experience exclusively for its guests. Great Stirrup Cay offers magnificent white sand beaches, majestic palms and calm, pristine waters where an abundance of colorful marine life inhabits the surrounding coral reefs.

Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Pearl regularly call on Great Stirrup Cay throughout the year.

Now, Norwegian Cruise Line Plans to Significantly Enhance Its Private Island Great Stirrup Cay – Company plans in excess of $20 million in improvements with completion by late 2011

Norwegian Cruise Line announced   that it will make major enhancements to its private island, Great Stirrup Cay, located 120 miles east of Ft. Lauderdale in the Berry Island chain of the Bahamas. The 250-acre island will undergo a two-phase renovation, totaling in excess of $20 million, spanning 22 months and scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.

“We have one of the best private islands, particularly for swimming and snorkeling. With these improvements, we can provide an even more enjoyable island experience for the more than 9,000 guests who visit Great Stirrup Cay weekly during the height of the season,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “Highlights of the enhancements include an expanded beach front, exciting island excursions, additional dining facilities, private beachside cabanas and a new kid’s area.”

The first phase of improvements to Great Stirrup Cay is already underway. This includes the excavation and formation of a new entrance channel for tenders marina basin and arrival area with welcome pavilion that will be the site for new tender landings and docks. Once this is complete, the island’s current beach front will be expanded significantly to accommodate more guests.

New infrastructure and landscaping to enhance the guest experience is planned in the second phase including new dining and bar facilities; several comfort stations; a band stand; cruise program activity area; private beachfront cabanas; a kid’s play area; straw market; and beach volleyball courts. Several new island activities and shore excursions will be added including wave runners, a floating Aqua Park with a variety of water toys, kayak tours through man-made rivers within the island, an eco-cruise, and a stingray encounter experience. These are in addition to the existing snorkeling; floats; inflatable hippo slide; and parasailing that are currently offered.

Norwegian has owned the island since 1977 when it became the first cruise line to offer an uninhabited tropical island experience exclusively for its guests. Great Stirrup Cay offers magnificent white sand beaches, majestic palms and calm, pristine waters where an abundance of colorful marine life inhabits the surrounding coral reefs.

Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Pearl regularly call on Great Stirrup Cay throughout the year.

I was really hoping for sunny, hot, blue sky Key West weather, unfortunately Mother Nature had something else in mind! We rented a Jeep Wrangler, hoping to make the 3.5 hour drive from Ft. Lauderdale down a fun,

Driving through the keys, on the Seven Mile Bridge

open air scenic kind of drive, however due to the cold weather we were forced to leave the top up and just enjoy the view from inside.

I have gone to Key West before as part of a cruise, so I was thrilled at the chance to show Alexander around one of my favorite ports of call. As we drove onto the Key, you start to see small signs of the “conch” lifestyle. Beautiful banyan trees, couples bike riding, motorcycles roaring and the tunes of Jimmy Buffet just easing all your stresses away!

First stop was to get checked in at our hotel, The Pier House, located at the end of Duval on the water. We received a beautiful room in the spa section of the resort, which had a beautiful marble and tile bathroom, nice sitting area and quaint patio. Unfortunately we didn’t have a view of the ocean, but we figured we wouldn’t be spending much time in the room so the upgrade wasn’t worth it this time around! Once settled in, we put on our walking shoes and hit the streets or Duval rather! It was already 1pm so we thought we look for somewhere to eat lunch, Duval is full of choices all with amazing atmosphere and food. We decided on a spot called Fogarty’s, a restaurant across the street from The Whistle Bar. We were craving conch fritters, so of course we ordered them first along with an ice cold beer to cheers are arrival. After lunch, we stuck mostly to Duval St checking out all the sights and shops and such, and headed back to the hotel in the early evening to get cleaned up for dinner and Key West nightlife.

There is definitely no lack of nightlife on this small Key; the streets are alive at night. We made the rounds, stopping at the infamous Captain Tony’s for a glass of pirate punch, then on to Irish Kevin’s for a bit of live 80’s rock music and last stop of course Sloppy Joe’s, Hemingway’s stomping ground.

The next day we were big time tourists, Key West may be a small place, but it’s huge in history, so I had a lot to show Alexander. We started with lunch at Alonzo’s Oyster Bar, under the A&B Lobster house, it was AMAZING. We had the fried shrimp and chips and the lobster sandwich, both were to die for! We did however save enough room to walk down the street after lunch and stop in the Blonde Giraffe for a piece of Key Lime Pie.

Seahorse at the Key West aquarium

With our bellies full we were ready to explore, first stop, the Key West Aquarium. The giant turtles, stingrays, the SHARKS, and all the beautiful sea life were quite interesting. There was also a man offering to let you have your picture taken while holding an alligator, I kindly said NO and ran the other direction, no alligators for me thank you kindly! After walking around Mallory Square we decided it was time to flag down a Pedi-bike to take us to the opposite end of Duval to see the Southernmost point.

Southermost Point in the USA, 90 miles to Cuba

I think everyone hopes for a more dramatic sight, but the buoy is just that, a giant buoy marking the southernmost point of the US, but still a very cool landmark! From there it’s a short walk to the Butterfly and Nature conservatory. It was a nice change from the abnormal chilly weather, to step into the conservatory at a humid 85? a perfect environment for the butterflies and plants. They say if a butterfly lands on you its good luck, well consider Alexander lucky then because he had a beautiful one attached to his arm the entire time inside! We decided to walk back into town so we could stop and see a few more sights, the Hemingway House and the “Little White House”, were just a couple. Our sightseeing made us quite hungry so we decided to go to Kelly’s for happy hour, great wings and cold drinks. It was getting late and we wanted to get down to the pier to watch a famous Key West sunset, so we hurried through our happy hour and followed the crowd down through Mallory Square to the pier. The sunset was incredible!

Key West Sunset

With our time in Key West almost over we made the most with our final night, an amazing dinner and once again taking in all the Conch nightlife had to offer.

Our trip to the Keys was brief, but filled with relaxation, history and amusement. You can go to Key West for 2 days or 2 weeks and never get bored of all that the “conch lifestyle” has to offer!

(Chatsworth, CA.)  Award-winning river cruise line AMAWATERWAYS is proud to announce the addition of the MS AMAKATARINA to its fleet as of May 2011.  The AMAKATARINA will be offered in the popular “Russian Waterways” program.  Her inaugural sailing will take place on May 10, 2011 and thereafter she will sail a total of fourteen 11- night voyages for the 2011 season.

The completely renovated ship will be the largest and most luxurious vessel sailing the Volga-Baltic Waterway.

The 212-passenger ship boasts 24,025 square feet of space dedicated to 106 cabins.  Seventy-six of those cabins feature balconies.  Passengers can choose from an impressive 10 cabin categories spanning four decks to meet their personal needs.  Four different suite categories offer luxurious accommodations ranging in size from 280 to 432 square feet.  Public areas include a Restaurant, Panorama Lounge, Conference Hall, Sauna, Bar/Nightclub and Solarium.

“From the time that we first launched our Russian Waterways program, it has proven to be one of our most popular and successful itineraries.  Now, we are taking Russian Waterways to the next level of luxury and comfort with the AMAKATARINA.  We are overseeing every detail of the ship’s renovation.  This will allow us to make sure the vessel is perfectly tailored to the high standards that AMAWATERWAYS passengers expect,” said Rudi Schreiner, president of AMAWATERWAYS.

For 2011, the “Russian Waterways” program will feature an 11-night itinerary from Moscow to St. Petersburg, filled with the line’s trademark exclusive features and culturally-enriching tours.  Highlights include two nights on board docked in Moscow, followed by a 6-night cruise along Russia’s colorful and historic waterways.  Passengers will visit the enchanting Golden Ring cities of Uglich and Yaroslavl, then transit across Europe’s two largest lakes, Onega and Ladoga, to one of the world’s most beautiful cities, St. Petersburg, spread over 101 islands and 66 canals.  The tour concludes with three nights on board the vessel in St. Petersburg.

About AMAWATERWAYS

AMAWATERWAYS is the innovative industry leader, offering all-inclusive river cruise vacations in Europe, Russia, Vietnam and Cambodia. It’s luxurious, state-of-the art fleet in Europe consists of the MS Amadolce (2009), the MS Amalyra (2009), the MS Amacello (2008), the MS Amadante (2008), the MS Amalegro (2007) and the MS Amadagio (2006). The MS Amabella will join the fleet in the spring of 2010 and the MS Amaverde in 2011.  The line introduced “Vietnam, Cambodia and the Riches of the Mekong” in 2009, featuring a 7-night Mekong River cruise on the beautiful new MS La Marguerite.  Due to the overwhelming success of the program, AMAWATERWAYS is constructing a new vessel to be introduced on the Mekong in the fall of 2011.

AMAWATERWAYS also offers destination cruises to the breathtaking Douro River Valley in Portugal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the MS Amadouro and a Provencal sojourn on the romantic Rhone River in France aboard the MS Swiss Pearl.

NCL Cuisine – News from the Cruise Shipping Meeting in Miami about the Norwegian Epic’s Freestyle Dining.

A cruise vacation will not only fill your hearts with family time, nourish your soul with relaxation and beauty, your family will be beyond well fed……  Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)

The Norwegian Epic features numerous complimentary Freestyle dining options- 11 out of 21 venues, to be precise.  Here’s what NCL reports are the Freestyle dining options included in the cruise fare:

• Taste, the atrium restaurant serving traditional and contemporary cuisine
• Manhattan Room, reminiscent of an elegant supper club complete with music, dancing and entertainment
• O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill, serving American favorites and comfort food, open 24 hours
• Garden Café, Norwegian’s signature action station casual restaurant
• Great Outdoors, the pool-side grill
• Spice H20, serving Latin and Asian-influenced cuisine in the adults-only complex
• Atrium Cafe and Wine Bar
• Studio Lounge, serving snacks and light fare
• Epic Club, the elegant, exclusive eatery available to Norwegian Epic’s Suite and Villa guests
• Courtyard Grill, the more casual, outdoor area of the Epic Grill, open for breakfast and lunch
• 24-hour room service

For passengers interested in dining at specialty restaurants, the ship provides an additional 10 dining venues at a nominal fee:

• La Cucina, Tuscan-style eatery serving regional Italian specialties, $10 per person
• Cirque Dreams & Dinner, two shows nightly including a three-course meal, $15 for general seating/$20 per person for preferred seating
• Shanghai’s, Norwegian Epic’s new Chinese restaurant serving a delicious mix of Chinese dishes and noodle bar specialties, $15 per person
• Shanghai’s Noodle Bar, a la carte pricing
• Wasabi, expansive sushi and sake bar, a la carte pricing
• Le Bistro, Norwegian’s elegant bistro serving classic French cuisine with an American flair, $20 per person
• Moderno Churrascaria, expansive salad bar and choice of a variety of meats served by tableside passadors, $18 per person
• Cagney’s Steakhouse, the line’s signature American steakhouse, $25 per person
• Teppanyaki, the largest signature Japanese experiential restaurant at sea, $25 per person and
• Pizza delivery, $5, available 24 hours around the ship