It is no secret among my close friends that I am a country music fan. I love all that mooning and crooning. So when I hear about a country music cruise I am excited.

Here’s the scoop:

The Grand Olee Opry Country Classics Cruise sails Jan. 30 – Feb. 6, 2011. With a recently updated itinerary, the music-filled adventure will now take guests to the Eastern Caribbean aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas.

Grand Ole Opry stars Charley Pride, Jim Ed Brown and Jeannie Seely are set to entertain during the seven-night voyage. Additionally, newcomer Chris Young, nominated for the Top New Solo Vocalist award by the Academy of Country Music, will be part of the line-up along with special guest Helen Cornelius. This marks the Opry’s 14th annual cruise and its first on Royal Caribbean International.

“We always have the time of our lives meeting the fans and enjoying our fellow artists’ music on board the Opry Cruise,” Pride said. “It looks like the 2011 cruise is going to be better than ever.”

Fans of the classics will experience private shows by the artists performing their own hits in addition to all-time country favorites throughout the week. Additional musical fun onboard will include classic country karaoke with celebrity guests and an exclusive cocktail party with fellow Opry Country Classics Cruise guests. Departing from Port Canaveral, guests will visit three ports of call: St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island destination in the Bahamas.

For more information on each artist on the cruise, details about ports of call, on board activities, and more, visit oprycruise.com. Prices for the Opry Country Classics Cruise start at $1,158 per person, government taxes and fees are additional. To book this cruise and participate in all the private Opry functions, contact Corporate Travel Service Inc. at (866) 653-OPRY (6779).

Most people believe that Charles Darwin developed his theory of natural selection in the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. In fact, he previously spent nearly two years in Patagonia, the southernmost portion of South America, on the H.M.S. Beagle, an experience that greatly influenced his work and his ground breaking first book “Origin of the Species.”

 In celebration of Darwin’s birth 200 years later, Cruceros Australis is now offering two unique cruises based on that voyage with well-known Darwin scholars John Woram, lecturing in English, and Gerardo Bartolome, lecturing in Spanish.

From October 16 to 19, 2010, the Via Australis will cruise for three nights from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas and from October 19 to 23, 2010, four nights from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia. Rates range from $1,050 per person for the first itinerary and $1,400 per person for the return.

Passengers are immersed in an itinerary mirroring Darwin’s original adventure to the end of the Earth. Visiting a number of ecologically diverse locations, they sail through the Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel and the famous Glacier Alley, explore Wulaia Bay and not-to-be-missed Mount Darwin. The pinnacle of the trip is a visit to the legendary Cape Horn.

Unlike his comparatively short visit to the Galápagos Islands, Charles Darwin spent approximately two years in Patagonia, including more than three months in Tierra del Fuego where he had contact with the indigenous people of the region, an experience that greatly influenced his famous first book.

While sailing through rocky fjords and vast wilderness, passengers will be treated to several enriching and educational lectures from the onboard experts. Each of these specialized guests will also be available for one-on-one discussion or to answer specific questions as the tour progresses.

All rates are based on double occupancy and include accommodation, sea transportation, meals, open bar (when on duty), shore excursions and on-board entertainment. Optional tours and transportation are not included. Both tours can be combined for an extended seven-day cruising opportunity. Built in 2005, the modern Via Australis is a five-deck ship offering 64 cabins with private facilities and panoramic views.

With more than 17 years of experience, Cruceros Australis owns and operates the Mare, Via and Stella Australis (debuting this year) which navigate the waters and fjords of Tierra del Fuego and its archipelagos in Southern Patagonia. Australis offers high-quality and enriching learning experiences combined with unique cruising itineraries to discover the cultures and destinations at the end of the Earth.

For more information, visit www.australis.com, email australis@bellsouth.net or call (877) 678.3772.

Although I have not had the pleasure of a hotel barge cruise, for some reason,  I am fascinated by the thought of one. 

In fact, I have spoken several times with the owner of European Waterways, his name is Derek and we will soon be on one of the barges so I will be able to properly write about this type of cruise.   (I cannot wait to share this experience with you!)  This is what I do know right now………..

European Waterways, the lovely hotel barge line that visits Europe’s castles, ancient monuments and historic sites, has announced the re-launch of one of its ships, the hotel barge Rosa.  Rosa has undergone a dramatic new refit and will begin cruising again on August 29^th, 2010.

The ship, popularly known for its appearance on Rick Stein’s TV series “French Odyssey”, will once again be joining him on a televised journey between Agen and Toulouse.  This journey will constitute part of a new route that extends from Agen to Montauban on the Canal des Deux Mers.  This delightful voyage features Gascony’s best, including private wine, Armagnac and foie gras tastings, scenic French countryside and captivating shore excursions.

All-inclusive rates for this sailing aboard ‘Rosa’ are from $3,850 per person sharing a double cabin.  For a more private experience, the line offers an exclusive charter of the entire vessel for$26,800.

European Waterways is also promoting a wonderful romantic honeymoon option: a river cruise aboard the Nymphea.  Couples can create lifetime memories while cruising through the Loire valley past vineyards and chateaux, sipping champagne and enjoying fine cuisine.    This honeymoon cruise also features fantastic shore excursions, including a spectacular hot air balloon ride and dinner at a renowned Michelin starred restaurant ashore.  A honeymoon charter cruise aboard Nymphea starts at $15,800 for two people.

These hotel barges are quite lovely and provide a quintessential experience.  Find out more about European Waterways.

Ever contemplated a trip down under?  This is the time to do it.  Adventure lovers will not be able to resist the packages Orion Expeditions is offering this year, especially with Orion’s bonus of two or three nights of hotel accommodation at no extra cost!

Explore the beauty of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, with time on the pristine white sandy beaches and vibrant coral reef…or take a Tasmania coastline voyage, visiting rich forests, rugged mountains and sparkling highland via Zodiak…

These voyages, scheduled for November and December 2010 (the late spring/early summer season in Australia, by the way) offer a once-in-a-lifetime Australian adventure, along with a selection of the finest hotels and resorts; packages include accommodations, meals, transfers, and private tours.

Itineraries and accommodation options are as follows:

• November 2, 2010 – Great Barrier Reef – Cairns to Sydney: Accommodations available at qualia or Pullman Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns; Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort or Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney
• November 9, 2010 – Australia’s Wild South-East – Sydney to Melbourne: Accommodations available at Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort or Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney; Chateau Yering or Crown Metropol Hotel in Melbourne
• November 24, 2010 – National Parks & Tasmania – Melbourne to Hobart: Accommodations available at Chateau Yering or Crown Metropol Hotel in Melbourne; Saffire Freycinet in Great Oyster Bay or Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart, Tasmania
• December 1, 2010 – Wild Tasmania  – Hobart round trip: Accommodations available at Saffire Freycinet in Great Oyster Bay, or Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart, Tasmania

Prices for all Orion Expedition Cruise packages start at $5,135 per person based on a twin share in a Category A stateroom.

The Norwegian fjords, a highlight of Hurtigruten’s Coastal Voyage, have had awards and honors bestowed on them over the years, most recently by National Geographic Traveler which named it the world’s most celebrated and iconic travel destinations. And Hurtigruten is making it easier to take in these Norway treats (and many others) this fall, offering its 12-day roundtrip Norwegian Coastal Voyage for the price of the seven-day northbound portion – five nights free with the purchase of six.

The special, amounting to a 30 percent discount, must be booked by Sept. 30 and is available for cabins on select sailings — 22 to be exact — that depart between Oct. 5 and Dec. 31, 2010. Solo travelers get the same opportunity as there are no single supplement charges for singles cabins during this time period. The voyage takes in Norway’s scenic 1,250-mile west coast between the charming Hanseatic port of Bergen and the near-Russian border town of Kirkenes. Further savings are offered to AARP members — on board cabin credit of up to $100 — and a 10% fare savings for passengers who sailed on any Hurtigruten ship in the past three years. As comparison, regular 12-day fares range from $2,190 to $3,057 per person, double.

Besides seeing many of the celebrated fjords, Hurtigruten guests enjoy a charming portfolio of 34 ports, including Trondheim, one of the country’s oldest cities and a thriving university town; Tromso, Europe’s largest town above the Arctic circle; the Lofoten archipelago, with peaked mountains and villages filled with rust-red fishermen’s cabins; and Alesund, destroyed by fire in 1904 and completely rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style. Those ports that are visited late at night on the northbound leg are visited during the day on the southbound journey – so guests have the opportunity to easily explore every one of them.

Shore excursions range from touring to active explorations: the North Cape, sitting 1,000 feet above the churning Barents Sea and offering a top-of-the-world vista; a visit to the Norway-Russia border station near Kirkenes; a “Taste of Vesterålen” – visits to Harstad, Trondeneshalvoya Peninsula, Hinnoya Island and Sortland; dog-sledding from November on; and a Lofotr Viking Feast with traditional foods, singing and dancing; to name a few. Pre-booking excursions before departure saves guests 5% off the excursion price.

Additional information on all of these adventures, as well as brochures and reservations, can be obtained from travel agents or Hurtigruten’s visitor-friendly web site, www.hurtigruten.us; or by phone: (800) 323-7436; fax (888)-524-2145; for brochures (800) 582-0835.

Carnival Cruise Lines is adding more laughs and upping the fun quotient at sea with the introduction of Carnival Punchliner Comedy Clubs — dedicated comedy lounges rolling out fleetwide on all 22 “Fun Ships” by the end of the year. Building on the tremendous success of its first comedy club, which debuted on the new Carnival Dream last fall, Punchliner Comedy Clubs will feature a wide variety of side-splitting comics.

Located in the ship’s aft lounge, each Punchliner Comedy Club will offer guests loads of laughs with five 35-minute shows on multiple nights during each voyage, with at least two comedians performing each night. The two early-evening shows offer fun for the whole family while the later performances will feature adult-oriented comedy.

Carnival Punchliner Comedy Clubs will feature hilarious, laugh-out-loud performances from established comedians as well as rising stars, with approximately 10 shows per voyage offered on short cruise itineraries and approximately 20 shows per cruise on longer length departures.

While comedy shows have always been part of Carnival’s diverse entertainment lineup, the concept was taken to another level aboard the Carnival Dream, which offered the line’s first dedicated comedy club last fall. Comedy clubs are currently also featured on Carnival Glory, Carnival Pride and Carnival Sensation – with the concept being incorporated into the remainder of the fleet over the next several months. When Carnival Magic enters service in May 2011, a Punchliner Comedy Club will also be featured on the line’s newest “Fun Ship.”

All of Carnival’s aft show lounges will be converted to comedy clubs with a special stage and branded glassware, menus, employee uniforms and other items featuring the Punchliner Comedy Club logo. Guests can learn about the performer lineups and schedules in the ship’s Fun Times newsletter.

For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

At a nimble 345 feet in length, with a capacity to carry 120 passengers, the M/S Expedition is an ideal vessel for plying arctic waters and finding polar bears and other wildlife activity among the ice floes.

This summer, The Great Canadian Travel Company is offering the ship’s 9-day “Realm of the Polar Bear” cruise around Spitsbergen at half-price, as well as a half-price 14-day “Arctic Highlights” cruise that will take you from Spitsbergen to Greenland and Iceland.

Large outside decks offer panoramic views; new cabins are among some of the largest in the industry—all boasting an ocean-facing window or porthole and private en-suite facilities. With a focus on top-of-the-line safety, comfort and the unique demands of polar travel, the M/S Expedition is one of the world’s leading polar expedition cruise ships.

Current half-price programs (with departure dates extending into September) include “Realm of the Polar Bear,” a 9-day cruise around the far northern archipelago of Svalbard which provides close-up encounters with massive icebergs, glaciers and fjords. The archipelago is one of the few places on the planet that offers such a fine bounty of natural and historical sites. Roaming polar bears, lounging seals, grazing reindeer and colonies of birds all coexist in this harsh land. Much of this cruise will be planned to take advantage of local ice and weather conditions.

A late-season, 14-day “Arctic Highlights” cruise has scheduled stops at Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland. Sailing at the edge of the ice, the ship constantly is on the lookout for wildlife. You’ll explore this remote land and seascape not only by ship but also on foot and by Zodiac. The journey highlights the contrast and change in the Arctic environment as you travel from Spitsbergen to the east coast of Greenland and then south to Iceland, dubbed the “land of fire and ice.”

As you travel the Greenland Sea, keep an eye out for whales—orca, humpback and minke, as well as for white-beaked dolphins. As you move slowly south, direct your attention to the eastern coast of Greenland. This remote and virtually untouched landscape is home to walruses, seals, narwhals, polar bears, muskoxen, wolves, foxes, ermine, Arctic hares, lemmings and a variety of birds.

Enriching your trip are daily lectures by expedition experts. Zodiac boats get you a closer look at birdlife; guides will recommend bird-watching walks along the tundra.

“Realm of the Polar Bear” offers departure dates of July 22, 30 and August 7, 15, 23 and 31. It is priced from US$1850 per person (based on double occupancy). Included are 8 nights aboard the M/S Expedition, all meals on board ship, zodiac excursions, lecture and educational programs, and a visit to a local community or research station.

“Arctic Highlights” offers a single departure date of September 8. It is priced from US$2049 per person (based on double occupancy). Included are 13 nights aboard the M/S Expedition, all meals on board ship, zodiac excursions, a visit to a native community, and on-board naturalists.

Reservations and additional information available from The Great Canadian Travel Company, 800-661-3830, www.greatcanadiantravel.com. The URL for the Realm of the Polar Bear program is http://www.greatcanadiantravel.com/spitsbergen-polar-bear-expedition-cruise; for the Arctic Highlights cruise it is http://www.greatcanadiantravel.com/spitsbergen-greenland-iceland-expedition-cruise.

We’re excited to announce the launch of a new question-and-answer web site designed to get you the information you need to plan all of your travel.

Expert Travel Answers is different than other sites because all answers are written by a qualified experts. Each expert’s name–along with a summary of their qualifications–is right there on every answer they post. You know who you’re taking advice from, and why they’re qualified to give it.

So just type your travel-related question into ExpertTravelAnswers.com and get answers you can trust to make your next trip fantastic. You can even turn on e-mail alerts to notify you when new answers are posted.

We hope you’ll give our new venture a try today, and let us know what we can do to continue to shape ExpertTravelAnswers.com into the most useful resource for your travel planning needs

I have not yet been onboard the Epic, but my friend Donna, whom I have known for many years, and is a most discerning cruiser, just returned from a cruise and sent me her notes on her impressions of the ship.  Below are the highlights (Thanks, Donna!):

• Ships Appearance: The Norwegian Epic is by far the prettiest ship I have ever seen. The decor is subtle and well done.
• Cabins/Suites:…I thought they were beautiful.  
  • I have never seen as much storage space ever. ..under the couch, behind the couch, two closets, cabinets and drawers. Very comfortable.
  • The bathrooms are not your basic tiny box bathroom where you cannot get dressed… the toilet has its own room and the shower is separate… I felt the showers were the largest I have seen in a basic balcony room.   
  • Studios….the single staterooms I thought were amazing. I love the idea of the shared living room where singles can meet other singles. There is a bar in there, large screen TVs, snacks. Just perfect. 
  • The Villas complex…just stunning. The suites and villas are beautiful. They have a private restaurant, private bar and private sun deck with Posh a private nightclub. There is also a small gym overlooking the pool.
• Dining:  The food was fabulous. I ate in almost every restaurant.   I love the buffet for breakfast and lunch.  
  • Moderno , the Brazilian Steak House … everyone I ate with raved about the meat. I personally loved the chicken (it was) probably the best I have ever had.
  • O’Sheehan’s, our Irish pub seemed to be a meeting spot since it is central on the ship. Excellent Chicken Pot Pie. (There are also two bowling alleys here)
• Clubs/Entertainment:   The main restaurant, the Manhattan Room, has a show at 9:45…go to dinner wherever and then stop by and see the show…or go to dinner in the Manhattan Room a little later and catch the show.
  • Fat Cats, the jazz club, is always crowded. There is a jazz musician named Slam who has his band in there. First, Slam is a sweetie but he is also puts on a great show. Definitely a crowd favorite.
  • Headliners has a show with dueling piano players who also are comedians. That also was entertaining.
  • Bliss, the nightclub was a hot spot… There are 4 bowling alleys in Bliss.
  • Club H2O…is a south beach sort of atmosphere with a large movie screen and dance floor (which goes over the pool). This is adults only.
  •  The Ice Bar was fun! The bar is made of ice and they have great drinks.
• Sports: The Sports Deck (has) basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice skating, rock climbing, rappelling and bungee jumping on a trampoline. The gym was a hot spot (and) the equipment is the best I have ever seen at sea. The gym is huge and offers spinning, TRX, Kettle Bell and yoga and Pilates classes (and much more)
• Kids: The kid’s areas are top of the line. Smaller kids have a fun area with toys and little area on deck for to play. The teens have their lounge with video games and flat screen TVs.  The top deck is a water park…So much fun! I was right there in line…using the slides. The Epic plunge…made     me feel like a kid again.  

Sounds like a great trip!  Donna also said she felt the most notable thing about this ship was that many multi-generational families were sailing together and the ship seemed to offer something for everyone.  Well done, Epic!

Boarded the Norwegian Epic yesterday morning and have been aboard for about 24 hours. Here are some first impressions:

The decor of the ship of lovely. Very tasteful throughout.

As advertised, there are tons of bars (21 in fact) and restaurants and all seem very popular. They serve sushi, steaks, teppanyaki, Chinese noodles, Irish  fare (O”Sheehan’s Pub is named for the CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line), Italian and even Churrascaria (Brazilian/Portuguese meats). The only thing lacking is an out-and-out Mexican restaurant, but I am sure you can get that in the Lido.

We had a fabulous press lunch yesterday in Cagney’s Steak House, one of the premier specialty restaurants ($25 add-on) and the chopped salad and filet mignon were excellent, as expected.  In the evening, we attended the new Cirque Dreams & Dinner show. The food was ordinary but the show was top-notch with a great series of acts…if you have watched other Cirque shows, you know there is often a lot of drivel between the acts and this was no exception. The whiny, high voice of the leading character was downright annoying…but the acts more than made up for that.

This ship can carry 4,000 passengers and definitely appeals to children. So, I can envisualize a cruise with maybe 300 children aboard. So I am amazed that the outdoor pool facilities are so, so limited. There is an aqua area with lots of splashy stuff and two aqua-tubes (sure to be a big hit), but very little actual swimming space. And, the so called “main pool” is in an adult area and is thumbnail size. It is sure to be invaded by kids looking for more places to swim. There are several hot tubs and the kids seem to fill those up, too. I have to go out this afternoon and take another look at those limited swimming areas. There is very little shade anywhere on the open decks.

Our cabin is a typical balcony cabin featuring those new wavy walls. I really don’t care about the waves one way or another, but I can tell you that this cabin is too small for two people. If one is sitting down at the dressing table to put on makeup or dry hair, the other person cannot walk through.

Heading off for lunch now. We have a group interview with the Blue Man Group this afternoon and get to see their show this evening. I am really looking forward to that.