The small ship cruise line Hurtigruten has been an active participant in many of the remote areas it visits on its Expedition Voyages and often raises money for needy causes.

A new fundraiser to begin in early summer on the MS Fram’s Arctic and Antarctica sailings focuses on helping to “Save the Albatross,” (a project of the Bird Life International Foundation), a much treasured bird that faces extinction mainly due to industrial long-line fishing. “These animals are incredibly elegant when they move. To me, they are one of the most impressive bird species in the world,” said expedition leader Karin Strand, “able to fly thousands of miles.” For further information on the “Save the Albatross” project, please visit http://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/albatross/.

This is one of several fund-raisers initiated by Hurtigruten and funded by both the company and its Expedition guests – where guests bid on company items that include the unique nautical chart of the respective voyage and signed by the captain, a Hurtigruten flag, and expedition team jackets.

“We want to give something back to the regions we visit, after the great pleasure of experiencing these magnificent and remote areas,” is expedition team leader Karin Strand’s explanation of the idea behind the fundraising campaigns. “Our guests recognise the privilege of being able to travel to the Antarctic, Greenland or Spitsbergen – and as a thank-you they would like to contribute to the future of these regions.”

Ongoing fundraisers include campaigns run by Antarctica South Georgia Heritage Trust and the Ocean Foundation. A very popular and successful fundraiser is the one focusing on raising funds for the “Association of Greenlandic Children” – yielding more than €140,000 in its first four years solely through the crew-run auctions and generous guests on board.

Hurtigruten is a world leader in expedition cruising, sailing to the most remote of destinations including Antarctica, Greenland and the Arctic’s Spitsbergen as well as year round along Norway’s coast and Europe in the spring. The company’s fleet of 14 intimate ships, carrying 100 to 646 guests, allows travelers to enjoy unique destinations in a relaxed atmosphere.

Additional information, as well as brochures and reservations, can be obtained from travel agents or Hurtigruten’s  web site, www.hurtigruten.us; or by phone: (877) 301-3117; fax (888) 524-2145; for brochures (800) 582-0835, 24 hours a day.

What did in the Minoans? That is a great debate among academics today. It’s a conundrum that may not be solved in a lifetime.

The Bull of Minos was central to the Minoan civilization

Today, April 21, Voyage to Antiquity cruisers have been visiting the most important archeological site on the island of Crete, the Palace of Knossos, center of the Minoan civilization.

All were happy to be here. Yesterday we were supposed to have visited Monemvasia, another Greek island featuring another Venetian fort. However rough seas made a landing impossible and the port was closed.

Thus the Aegean Odyssey made an unscheduled sea day. It was an unsteady ride at times, but everyone seemed to make the most of it. Indeed, many cruisers were happy enough to take a break from traipsing around castles and forts, and were also grateful for the ship’s stabilizers.

In my case, I had taken ill and probably would not have been able to land anyway. I was not “seasick,” I hasten to add. It was a biological bug I apparently brought from home. In any case, it threatened to inconvenience my experiences on a port-intensive cruise such as this one.

Knossos Palace on Crete

This entailed an introduction to the ship’s medical officer, an avuncular Greek, Dr. Panagiotis Tsironis, who is licensed in a number of countries. For the next several days I tried to follow his treatments and advice, which included, but were not limited to, doses of Bactrimel, an antibiotic.

The rough ocean also threatened our tour of the Palace of Knossos. We could not on land at Rethymno, the preferred port on Crete. But Capt. Roland Andersson deftly swung us around to the lee side of the island to land instead at Heraklion. Arrangements were quickly made so that all tours might be made from that port instead.

Dr. P fixed me up so Sara and I could join the tour. As a youth, at least 50 years ago, I had read much about the Minoans and was fascinated by tales of archeologists who weathered so many difficulties in order to discover much about the lives of these ancient peoples. Two books are classics, “Gods, Graves and Scholars,” and especially “The Bull of Minos,” describing the efforts of Sir Arthur Evans to uncover and partly reconstruct the palace of these Bronze Age people.

Dr. Panagiotis Tsironis

The Minoans would have seemed ancient even to the ancient Greeks. The times under consideration were likely contemporary to that of the Battle of Troy as described by Homer at least 1,000 years after the event itself. Indeed some of the events in the Iliad and the Odyssey seemed to relate to the people now known as the Minoans.

I didn’t want to miss a minute of the tour. The tour was especially good for me since I saw the ruins I read about so long ago. The guide was okay, but I got more out of the memories of reading about this place long ago.

Without going into detail, Dr. P made it possible.

April 21, 2012

Photos by Robert W. Bone

For a long time I have known the people who represent Travel Guard, the folks who sell travel insurance. They have long been supporters of an organization that I am very involved in, the Society of American Travel Writers.

Recently, Travelguard published a list of handy travel gadgets that I would like to share with you. Whether you are a gadget guru or just want a more convenient way to travel, here are a few of the latest travel gadgets that may come in handy on your next trip.

SteriPen Ultraviolet Bacteria / Pathogen Killer: If you’ve ever been to a third world country, you know that the water supply can often be contaminated. That’s why there’s the SteriPen. Hold this ultraviolet “magic wand” in a 16 oz glass of questionable liquid for 48 seconds and the water is then considered safe to drink.

The Clear Card: Ever wish you could skip the security line at the airport? You can. It’s called having a “Clear Card”. While it’s only used at 20 airports around the U.S., flashing the card allows you to rush right by the security lines and onto your plane or into the waiting area. Click here to learn more.

Stash Sandals: Picture this: you are on a family vacation and want to do some sightseeing or take a trip to the beach and stop for a bite to eat. What do you do if you don’t want to carry a purse or wallet with you? Purchase a pair of Stash Sandals! These handy sandals have a secret compartment that slides out to stash your cash, hotel key or other personal items.

Powerbag Sling: Smartphones, tablets, laptops… on-the-go gadgets take a lot of power. Fortunately, the Powerbag Sling can charge up devices quickly while you are literally on the move. It’s a sling with an internal battery that charges gadgets on the go. Need a variety of USB or other connectors? No problem. This device has them all.

Swiss Army Knife with USB Drive: So you can’t take this one on a plane, but it’s still perfect for traveling if you are planning a road trip to your travel destination. Even more perfect if you are a tech junky who also likes to get a camping fix. This gadget lets you have a flashlight, USB drive, scissors, pen, knife, nail file and screwdriver all in one.

Hmmm…surely I need one or two of these items!

Viator, a leading resource for researching and booking tours and activities around the world, has unveiled a new website specifically designed to help cruise passengers find and book shore excursions with savings up to 60 percent off typical rates offered by cruise lines.

The new website – shoreexcursions.viator.com – features more than 500 shore excursions in over 80 of the most popular ports around the globe, including new destinations Juneau, Monaco and Mykonos.

The site has been designed for the complex nature of shore excursion bookings and will offer only relevant tours and activities, based on the specific itinerary of the cruise ship, with itineraries available from the world’s leading cruise companies including Carnival Cruises, Costa Cruises, Holland America, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean.

All passengers need to do is select the cruise line, ship name and departure date, and Viator will instantly load the cruise ship’s itinerary and present only those excursions that can specifically work for each port of call based on arrival and departure times, and availability.

Specific features of the Viator Shore Excursions website include:

Easy search and booking, based on cruise ship’s itinerary. Just select a ship’s itinerary from thousands of options, and Viator will instantly sync and reveal only available shore excursions in their ports-of-call that match allowed shore times. For travelers who haven’t chosen their cruise yet, Viator enables searches by region and port as well.

Unique and more personalized experiences. Small group and private options or skip-the-line privileges, as well as exclusive, customizable tours led by Viator Private Guides let cruise travelers bypass large throngs of their shipmates and enjoy more private and customized experiences.

Multiple unique itineraries for a single group. Perhaps your parents would like a different experience than scuba diving – no problem. You can now create and book multiple itineraries for each member of your group – adults, kids, etc. – tailored to their interests in one transaction.

Viator’s Worry-Free bookings. Worried about missing your ship if you don’t book your excursion directly with the cruise line? Don’t be. If a passenger misses the ship because of a Viator excursion, Viator will transport them to the next port of call at no cost to the traveler.

Guaranteed best prices in multiple currencies. In addition to savings up to 60 percent off, all shore excursions qualify for Viator’s low price guarantee. If you find a lower price, Viator will refund the difference. All tours can be booked in USD, AUD, CAD,  GBP, and EUR.

Last minute availability. Whether from an estate room on an iPad or a mobile phone call to Viator’s call center, many of Viator’s excursions are available for purchase as late as the night before arrival in port.

Unbiased cruise traveler reviews, photos and star ratings. Browse hundreds of cruise traveler reviews and photos from actual Viator users that provide valuable first-person insights like this one from Bo, October 2011, regarding the Civitavecchia Rome in One Day Private Tour, “People on our cruise couldn’t believe all that we were able to do and see. Don’t miss this tour!”

From now through April 30, , all bookings through the new Viator shore excursions website will receive a 10 percent discount off the already low prices. Cruise passengers simply enter the code SHOREX10 at checkout for this special Viator value. For more information, travelers can follow Viator Shore Excursions on the Viator Travel Blog as well as Twitter and Facebook.

The Disney Fantasy, the fourth ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, was christened yesterday (March 1, 2012)  during a star-studded christening celebration at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.

On a night filled with celebrity performances from the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Neil Patrick Harris, Nick Cannon and Heather Headley, it was Disney Fantasy godmother, Mariah Carey, who took center stage for the christening moment. Similar to the famed New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square, Carey led the audience in a countdown that triggered a 6-foot tall bottle of champagne in the Atrium Lobby to erupt and shower onlookers with confetti and streamers as a traditional bottle of champagne broke against the ship’s hull.

“The Disney Fantasy is a spectacular addition to our fleet and builds on the creativity, innovation and artistry that are hallmarks of the Disney Cruise Line,” said Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger. “Like her sister ship, the Dream, the Fantasy will connect guests to iconic Disney characters and storytelling, creating unforgettable, one-of-a-kind vacation experiences for the entire family.”

“At Disney Parks and Resorts, we strive to be the most trusted and highest quality provider of shared travel and leisure experiences in the world,” said Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs. “From stem to stern, the Disney Fantasy was designed and built with the singular purpose of surprising and delighting our guests, helping them make memories to last a lifetime.”

When the Disney Fantasy begins sailing on March 31, 2012, it will continue the innovative approach Disney Cruise line brought to family cruise vacations with a collection of new guest experiences specifically developed for the ship’s seven-night itinerary.

Highlights include:

Technological Wizardry. . .

Animator’s Palate on the Disney Fantasy brings the magic of Disney animation into the dining room with a new show called “Animation Magic.” At dinner, families are encouraged to draw a character of their own on a specially designed placemat. Once the placemats are collected, the magic begins as Mickey takes to the screens and brings the guests’ characters to life as they march across screens around the dining room and even step into scenes from beloved Disney movies side-by-side with characters such as Mickey Mouse, Jiminy Cricket, Cinderella and Snow White.

The Muppets are coming to the Disney Fantasy! Guests can join the world-famous Muppets for interactive adventure quest to find missing show props by uncovering clues via more than a dozen pieces of Enchanted Art around the ship. Guided by a map and holding a unique game card in front of select pieces of Enchanted Art, guests unveil games and clues to find the missing items. “The Case of the Stolen Show” is a self-paced adventure game that features several possible endings and multiple randomized events – so each time a guest plays, they have a different game experience.

Splashtacular Family Fun. . .

Soaring above the upper decks of the Disney Fantasy, guests will find the AquaDuck a 765-foot long, twisting-and-turning water coaster that has been a huge hit with guests sailing on the Disney Dream. Several new water surprises are set to debut on the Disney Fantasy including AquaLab — a water play area on the upper deck filled with a variety of water “experiments,” created by Donald Duck’s nephews, designed to drench, soak and saturate guests. This fanciful 1,800-square-foot space features pop jets, geysers, bubblers, falling water, squirting walls and more.

On Deck 13 forward, guests 18-years of age and older will find a new relaxing respite. Satellite Falls is a circular splash pool with benches and a gently falling rain curtain that provides cool comfort and is surrounded by ample deck space where adult guests can soak up the sun in loungers or relax in the shade under a canopy.

World-Class Entertainment. . .

The launch of a new Disney ship includes the premiere of two new Broadway-style stage spectaculars in the lavish Walt Disney Theatre. The signature show “Wishes” is a 45-minute musical journey about three best friends who discover the secret to being a grown-up is staying connected to their inner child. “Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular” is a fast-paced musical comedy where Aladdin, the “street rat” of Agrabah, meets a Genie who grants him three wishes, battles the evil Jafar and falls in love with Princess Jasmine.

Club Hopping Across Europe. . .

Nightlife takes a European twist with Europa – an entertainment district of high-energy, sophisticated clubs and lounges inspired by the night spots of Italy, France, Ireland and London. Europa is a continent of adult nighttime fun without borders. La Piazza is a lounge that draws inspiration from stylish Italian plazas. Skyline is a chic bar that provides ever-changing birds-eye views of European cityscapes. O’Gills Pub is a rollicking Irish bar and Ooh La La is an elegant French champagne bar. The Tube transports guests to a vibrant metropolitan club reminiscent of swinging London.

The Disney Fantasy will sail from Port Canaveral, Fla. on seven-night Caribbean itineraries that alternate eastern (St. Maarten and St. Thomas) and western (Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel). All itineraries will include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can visit www.disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500 or contact their travel agent.

Paul Gauguin Cruises (www.pgcruises.com), operator of the highest-rated and longest continually sailing luxury cruise ship in the South Pacific, the m/s Paul Gauguin, has completed a $7 million renovation – the largest in the ship’s 14-year history.

The renovation took place during the ship’s 10-night crossing from Tahiti to Brisbane, Australia, as well as during the 11-night drydock that followed, when extensive enhancements were made to both the interiors and exteriors of The Gauguin.

Renovations throughout the ship include new flooring and replaced carpeting, elegant new furniture, new window treatments and decorative wall panels, and new signage, providing a lighter, brighter feel.

Additionally, all suites and staterooms feature new teak railings on the balconies and new bathroom flooring. On the culinary front, La Veranda offers guests a redesigned entrance, refinished indoor and outdoor furniture, and solar shades throughout. Le Grill boasts new decorative partitions and divider walls, as well as a new buffet area and new lighting. L’Etoile also features a redesigned entrance in addition to video equipment for conferences.

Promenade Deck 5 boasts a new built-in banquette and expanded casino in Le Casino, and Deck 6 received a new integrated display case for books and art. La Palette features a decorative stone band along the front of the bar and an updated lighting system, as well as new outdoor furniture. Le Grand Salon and La Palette offer refurbished dance floors to provide the perfect venue to dance the night away.

Guests now cruise aboard a vessel that has been thoroughly updated and redecorated for even greater luxury and comfort, reflecting Paul Gauguin Cruises’ level of commitment to the ship and the importance of the overall guest experience.

Over the years, we have seen a number of new ports develop. Enterprising folks in various countries have seen the opportunities to bring cruise ships to their area by developing cruise facilities.

Oftimes, these port ventures put new money into struggling communities. A recent new port development was in Falmouth, Jamaica.

Another such port is Icy Strait Point, Alaska. It was a small village and its main business was a cannery. When the cannery went out of business, the town was on the ropes. The native Alaskans in the area pulled together. Located 50 miles west of Juneau, today Icy Strait Point is a privately owned destination for cruise ship passengers and independent travelers.

Just over a mile from the native village of Hoonah, the wilderness port allows guests to experience Tlingit culture, Alaska-sized adventures and unspoiled wilderness.

This summer Icy Strait Point is planning a series of events to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Hoonah Packing Co. cannery, located at the heart of the Alaska Native-owned cruise ship destination.

A few special treats are in store for guests each day that a cruise ship is in port – that’s 46 days between May and September. The 100th guest to disembark the cruise ship in the morning will receive a prize. Later in the day, Icy Strait Point historian Johan Dybdahl will lead a complimentary tour of the cannery. Guests also will find salmon specials on the Cookhouse Restaurant menu. This is the same eatery that served Hoonah Packing Co. cannery workers as far back as 1912.

Celebratory events will take place on Icy Strait Pont’s Neighbor’s Days, offered twice a season to encourage Juneau or Gustavus residents and other locals to visit. On those days, Icy Strait Point offers packages that include transportation from Juneau or Gustavus and one excursion.

• The 100-year celebration kick-off event will take place on Saturday, June 23, which corresponds with the traditional start of the fishing season and will focus on the fishing history of the Icy Strait Point site and cannery. Many of the fishermen who delivered fish to the cannery or utilized the maintenance facility at the cannery will be on hand to share stories about their experiences.
  

• A second event on Saturday, August 18, will focus on the history of the cannery itself and the people who worked there. Many Hoonah community members had family who worked at the patch table, slime line or fish house, and most love telling stories about their experiences around the cannery grounds. The cannery was key in helping the community of Hoonah after the devastating fire of June 14, 1944, that destroyed most of the village.
  

Once the economic engine of the nearby village of Hoonah, the cannery is no longer used to process fish. Its facilities have been fully restored and guests can now take tours to find out how it operated in 1912 and enjoy a free museum that offers a historical look at the area and the commercial fishing industry in Southeast Alaska. Visitors can learn about the canning process from beginning to end through interpretive displays and may even “can” a souvenir. (Items are vacuum-sealed and then canned to mail home or to friends and relatives. Many of the original canning labels are on display.

The cannery is also home to 11 Alaskan-owned shops, offering a carefully curated selection of Alaska Native art and crafts, wild Alaska salmon, handmade soaps, candles and beads, local Native remedies and Icy Strait Point logo items. The shops are staffed by Alaskans, many of whom are from Hoonah, and the products are locally sourced.

For a look at the cannery today, please view Icy Strait Point’s video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax1s-u25deA&list=UUPeQJGQZ2corR9vQX4HBI1A&index=22&feature=plcp

Icy Strait Point is owned by Huna Totem Corporation, the Native village corporation for Hoonah. For more information, visit www.icystraitpoint.com.

We at AllThingsCruise have received many calls and queries and requests for interviews since the Costa Concordia accident in Italy. So we put our heads together to and came up with this report:

1.      Bookings are still pouring in at a “Wave Season” Rate.  Our sister site, CruiseCompete, has encountered very few cancellations and we believe those that wish to travel via cruise ship will continue to do so.  Those we may be missing are those consumers new to cruising that this may affect as they may choose another type of vacation as they have in the past.

2.      Cruise prices may go down.  Not seeing that currently, but they may fall in the short term.

3.     Smaller ships and river ships, those that tend to hug the coastline, will become even more popular. Some cruisers will prefer sailing in vessels where they can “see the shore” most of the time.

4.     Carnival Corp. stock is taking a beating, but the loss of a large vessel would be damaging to any company, especially because of the deaths associated with it.

5.      Muster drills will be prioritized – Consumers say they will now pay more attention at muster drills, and ships will most probably schedule them immediately after all embarkations.

6.      Cruiser Comments - Very few comments from travelers

7.      Cancellations – Those that were queasy cancelled very quickly, it was a small number

8.      Safer time to travel – These next few months will be the safest time to travel, as all of the officers and crew will be looking very carefully at all policies and procedures.

9.      This is rare - Accidents such as this one are an extremely rare occurrence in the cruise industry, and cruising continues to be one of safest means of travel among all types of vacationing.

10.  Cruise insurance – May become more popular

11.  Cruise line changes to policy – We have not seen any of the lines change cancellation policies. But you can be sure that they will be closely scrutinizing their emergency and evacuation procedures.

12.  Cruise ship design – You can be sure that cruise ship architects will be looking closely at their top-heavy ship designs and the puzzling fact that the ship tilted away from the gash in its side, rather than toward it.

With all of the bad news about the Costa Concordia in the press, it is really nice to hear about something good, really good.

And Disney is good.

Disney Fantasy, Disney Cruise Line’s 4,000-passenger twin to the Disney Dream, which is currently being finished in the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, will be christened during a special ceremony on March 1 in New York City. The choice of a godmother to the ship has not yet been revealed. The first revenue cruise will take place March 31 after a series of preview media and travel agent sailings earlier in March.

Disney Fantasy, the fourth ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, offers many of the same features as Disney Dream with a few twists. First, it will feature a completely different itinerary, sailing on seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises out of Port Canaveral, Fla., in contrast to Disney Dream, which sails on three- and four-day cruises to the Bahamas out of Port Canaveral. Ports of call on the Eastern Caribbean will include St. Maarten and St. Thomas, as well as Disney’s Castaway Cay. The Western Caribbean sailing will include Grand Cayman, Costa Maya and Cozumel. Special Eastern Caribbean sailings in November and December 2012 will stop at St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Disney Fantasy also will have two new 45-minute Broadway-style stage shows in the ship’s Walt Disney Theatre, including “Wishes” and “Disney’s Aladdin a Musical Spectacular,” in addition to “Disney’s Believe.” Shows featuring comedians.

The ship also will feature a completely re-themed adult entertainment zone, now called Europa in contrast to The District on Disney Dream. Europa will feature bars and clubs with a European theme, including La Piazza, a lounge inspired by Italian piazzas; O’Gill’s Pub, an Irish bar with a sports focus; Ooh La La, a French champagne bar; and The Tube, a nightclub with a large dance floor themed along London’s Underground. Like Disney Dream, Fantasy also features the Skyline bar, which has “live” views of famous European cities.

Also new on Fantasy is the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and Pirates League, which will specialize in princess and pirate makeovers during the voyage. The Muppets will also be featured in a new interactive adventure quest for guests nine and older.

On the dining front, Disney Cruise Line’s rotational dining remains with the Royal Court, Enchanted Garden and Animator’s Palate. But Animator’s Palate gets a second show called “Animation Magic,” during which guests will be able to draw their own animated characters and see them included as part of the show with Disney characters. The show, which has already won technical awards, joins “Undersea Adventure,” the show featuring an interactive Crush turtle character. Also featured on Disney Fantasy is Remy, the high-end French restaurant overseen by a two-star Michelin chef, and Palo, Disney’s Northern Italian restaurant, which is now on all four Disney ships.

New on the top decks of the ship is AquaLab, a water play area, which joins the now iconic Aqua Duck water coaster. Also new on what was formerly a sun deck far forward is Satellite Falls, an adult area featuring a small shaded pool with cascading falls. There’s also more shade on all the decks for those who don’t want to spend as much time in the sun.

– Travel Pulse

One of my major volunteer activities each year is to run a Rally for the Cure ladies golf tournament and charity auction to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the foundation dedicated to the eradication of breast cancer. This issue is particularly close to me as my sister is a breast cancer survivor as are my two sisters-in-law.

So it was gratifying to learn that the Princess Cruises Community Foundation is going to fund two research projects in conjunction with Komen for the Cure. The monies are raised through on-board deck walks held on each Princess cruises. My husband and I have participated in many of these.

Here are the details:

The Princess Cruises Community Foundation and Susan G. Komen for the Cure® have announced a new three-year partnership for two research projects supporting the fight against breast cancer.

One of the Foundation-supported research grants, at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), will look at the molecular effects of the chemical BPA on breast cancer, while the other, at Stanford University School of Medicine, will study breast stem cell differentiation.

The projects are funded by the Princess Cruises Community Foundation’s On Deck for the Cure® program, which is a 5K fundraising walk for passengers held during the course of every Princess cruise.

At the same time, the Foundation has been welcomed into the Komen Million Dollar Council for surpassing this donation milestone.

“These two research projects are both important steps toward finding causes and treatments for breast cancer,” said Alan Buckelew, president of the Princess Cruises Community Foundation, and also president and CEO of Princess Cruises. “Reaching the million dollar donation level and being able to fund this work underscores our commitment to this cause, and we want to acknowledge the support of our passengers for this important milestone. On every cruise, they take time out of their vacation to circle the decks, raising both funds and awareness to fight one of the leading causes of death for women in the U.S.”

The research supported by Susan G. Komen with funding from the Princess Cruises Community Foundation’s On Deck for the Cure program includes:

• Determining the Molecular Effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) in Mammary Gland Stem Cells and Breast Cancer Proliferation

Headed by Dr. Susan Krum at UCLA, this study will investigate whether a chemical known as Bisphenol A (BPA) – commonly found in plastic containers, ranging from baby bottles to food containers – causes or accelerates breast cancer. BPA is similar to the hormone estrogen, which is responsible for stimulating the growth of a large percentage of breast cancers. Dr. Krum and her colleagues will test whether BPA, acting like estrogen, may also stimulate tumor growth.

• Functional Analysis of the DLK1-GTL2 Imprinted Region in Breast Stem Cell Differentiation and Tumorigenesis

Dr. Michael Clarke heads this Stanford University School of Medicine study to attempt to determine whether small RNA molecules (MicroRNA) from a specific region in breast stem cells can be used to treat or predict breast cancer. The study will also investigate whether restoring irregular MicroRNA in breast cancer cells can prevent tumor growth.

“Princess Cruises Community Foundation is a committed partner in the fight against breast cancer,” said Katrina McGhee, CMO & executive vice president for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “Not only do they raise awareness on board every ship during every sailing, they also raise significant funds to help Susan G. Komen fulfill our promise to end breast cancer forever. We are so grateful to Princess Cruises Community Foundation and the Princess employees and guests for their dedication to our cause.”

Since the On Deck for the Cure program was launched on Princess ships in 2007, thousands of passengers have participated in the fundraising walks held during the course of each cruise. The five-kilometer walks around the ships’ decks always draw an enthusiastic group of passengers who donate a minimum of $15 to participate, and receive a special hat, and a post-walk appreciation reception.