CHANCES ARE YOU MAY NEVER HAVE HEARD OF KLAIPEDA. That’s because Lithuania’s oldest city was closed to tourists until Soviet occupation ended in 1990. Since then, Klaipeda has been quickly modernizing — all while keeping its heritage and beauty intact.

Klaipeda is an up-and-coming, quaint and charming seaside city that presents opportunities to explore cultural, historical and natural attractions. The region bills itself as “One port, three destinations,” and cruise ship visitors who have time will want to explore Klaipeda itself as well as nearby Nida and Palanga. Combined, the three destinations are “the jewels of Lithuania,” and all are worth a visit.

Klaipeda. From the new cruise ship terminal, the historical city center is only a few steps away. Visit the Old Town for glimpses of Germanic architecture (Klaipeda was occupied by Germany from 1939 until 1944) and half-timbered, lattice-work buildings that reflect the city’s Prussian past. Stroll through Drama Theater Square, where Hitler incited fear into Lithuanians in 1939, or visit some of the city’s many museums.

Take a break at any of Klaipeda’s 300 restaurants and cafes. Adjacent to the terminal, the Castle Museum opened in 2002 on the foundation of an old castle. The museum features authentic 16th and 17th century exhibits. Throughout Klaipeda are reminders of the Soviet occupation that visitors may find interesting.

You’re likely to see antique automobiles from Russia and former East Germany. Venture out into the country side to experience Village Life Lapiai, a preserved collective farm where traditional ways are maintained.

Nida. You’ll want to ferry across the Curonian Lagoon to visit the National Maritime Museum and make your way 30 miles south to the seaside resort of Nida. The drive itself is spectacular, as most of the route takes you through the Curonian Spit National Park, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site just five years ago.

A ribbon of blacktop rolls over and along sand dunes, the highest in all of Europe (stop to walk out on the dunes and admire the views), to Nida and Lithuania’s border with Russia.

The German writer Thomas Mann lived here in a house commanding a view over the lagoon, and today, his home serves as a museum. Along the way, stop in the resort town of Juodkrante for a stroll up the Hill of Witches, where Lithuanian folklore and fairy tales are depicted through wooden statues.

Palanga. Lithuania boasts more than 60 miles of sandy seashore exposed to the open water. Evenings in the resort town Palanga, throngs of people amble along wide pedestrian promenades, with cafes and attractions on each side, that lead out to the sea for spectacular sunsets.

You’ll want to amble over to the Amber Museum, housed in the 19th century mansion of Count Tishkevichius. There, you’ll learn that there are seven shades of amber ranging from white to black.

Millions of years ago, forests wept resin into the sea, giving birth to the amber that visitors today still find in galleries and museums. It boggles the mind how you can leave Lithuania clutching a piece of amber 40 million to 55 million years old, with “inclusions” of insects or even reptiles that were caught in the resin millennia ago.

No place in the Baltic values amber more than Lithuania. Steeped in national folklore and fairy tales, “the gold of Lithuania” is much like Klaipeda itself — lovely to look at and so special that you’ll want to take a piece home.

Klaipeda is a member of Cruise Europe.

Costa’s Massimo Masso, master of five languages and ready to serve you.

On board Costa Deliziosa en route to Naples, Italy.

After 24 hours on Costa’s brand new Deliziosa, two things become apparent:

1. Deliziosa feels like a Carnival Corporation ship, which, of course, it is. Those who have cruised Carnival Corp.’s other brands, particularly Carnival Cruise Lines or Princess Cruises, will feel at home on Deliziosa.
2. There are about 1,000 people, or a little more than half of the population on this preview cruise, who look as though they’ve just stepped off a Milanese catwalk and onto the ship — and perhaps they have.

That’s because Deliziosa (is it just me or does the name sounds like a cocktail or an entree at Olive Garden?) is an Italian ship through and through. On board, it’s not unusual to see people wearing sunglasses, indoors and in winter, mind you; or skirts so short, and with so little material, that it makes one wonder if the seamstress was fired before finishing her job.

There is a style and finesse that is indisputably Italian and all the things that Italy represents to the rest of the world, concisely characterized perhaps in the phrase, la dolce vita. Deliziosa, in fact, could well be just another small town in Italy.

“With Costa, there is a natural continuity between being on the water and being on land,” says Costa President and CEO Maurice Zarmati, explaining that Costa’s on board experience is similar to the experience guests might have if they were touring Italy.

Yes, there is the pizza and the pasta, the busy coffee shop, an appropriately ornate chapel, and the language. Filipino crew members greet you with Bon Giorno! Presented in six languages, the muster drill is agonizingly long but handy if you’re attempting to master various European languages.

Customer service staff wear pins with flags depicting the languages they speak. I saw no one behind the desk with fewer than five flags, and one staff member proudly waved six from his lapel.

For the North American market, Costa may just be the least appreciated cruise line sailing Europe. We North Americans simply don’t think of Costa. The concept of “Cruising, Italian Style” just never quite caught on, despite years of marketing to us. Does Costa deserve a second look for Americans considering cruising in Europe?

In answer to that, Zarmati asks rhetorically, “Is it better to sell an American on an American ship to a European destination, or could it be more attractive to sell an American on a European ship to a European destination?” Obviously, he believes Americans could be better served by fully immersing themselves in European culture by cruising on a ship where they don’t represent the majority.

Now, it’s your turn to join the conversation. What do you think?

On February 1, I’ll board Costa’s Deliziosa, along with other members of the press, for a short preview cruise from Venice to Savona.

Deliziosa’s diversions include a 4D cinema; a roller-skating track; golf simulator with outdoor putting green; a Grand Prix race car driving simulator; the Samsara Spa and PlayStation World.

The new ship underscores Costa’s commitment to taking travelers to the safe regions in the Middle East. Beginning in February, Deliziosa will launch a series of weeklong cruises from Dubai.

In the spirit of such exploration, please enjoy The Avid Cruiser’s list of the top 10 Middle East destinations for historical interest, lovely landscapes, super shopping, spectacular cities and village life experiences.

Be sure to tune in February 1 for a preview of the new Costa Deliziosa.

Beautiful Norway: Made For Cruising

I cruised with my family last summer aboard the Costa Atlantic round-trip out of Copenhagen to the Norwegian fjords. In a word: ohmygod.

My boys were six at the time, and the stunning scenery even kept their attention on all-day bus tours and long hikes. The 7-night itinerary called on five ports, with a convenient sea day at the start of the trip. We called on Flam, Hellesylt /Geiranger, Bergen, Stavanger and Oslo, with long 9- to 12-hour stays in each port, with the exception of a five-hour stay in Stavanger.

Who’s responsible for obtaining visas and proper paperwork for your cruise?

We all like to think that if we, as Swedes, Americans, Italians or Germans, book a cruise, the travel agent or the cruise line we book with will let us know everything we need in order to get on the ship and into the destinations where we’re sailing.

But in fact, that’s not the case. Passengers are always responsible for securing their own visas and passports. As Europeans and Americans, given the luxury we have in being able to visit so many parts of the world without a visa, we sometimes forget to do this.

I have received quite a few letters from angry passengers who have been left behind because they failed to get the proper documentation to enter ports on their cruises.

In a case publicized earlier this year, 109 people were left at the dock in Fort Lauderdale watching the Carnival Splendor set sail, because they hadn’t secured visas for a port call in Brazil.

For Americans, this happens far too often on itineraries that include Brazil, one of the few in South America that demands a visa of Americans.

There have also been mishaps that have led to court cases filed by people from other parts of the world who didn’t know that almost any cruise to Alaska originating in the United States will include a stop in Canada. Those who fail to obtain a visa for Canada won’t be able embark the ship. (Note that U.S. citizens aren’t required to have visas to enter Canada.)

Passengers generally have no recourse in a U.S. court of law. They are reminded that the responsibility to get the right visa or passport falls on them. This is indicated in every cruise line’s contract. Passengers will often be asked to sign or initial those documents, indicating that they know this – so read the small print.

The reason cruise lines insist on the passenger being responsible for their own paperwork is that they say it would be difficult to keep up with the ever-changing policies of nations vis-a-vis other nations.

And as people from all over the world take cruises all around the world, the lines would have trouble knowing the multitude of visa rules they would have to comply with.

What do you think? Should cruise lines be responsible for their passengers visas and passports?

AMA WATERWAYS to launch second Mekong ship

Just four months after introducing its first Mekong River cruise, AMA WATERWAYS already has plans to launch a second ship on the Mekong next summer.

The new ship, which is not yet named, will be larger than the first ship, the 92-passenger La Marguerite (pictured), which launched on Sept. 1.

Single Supplement Waived For Solo River Cruisers, But Book Now

Avalon Waterways is removing its single supplement on select departures throughout Europe in 2010.

“We’re opening the door to savings for solo travelers on several river cruises and tours,” said Steve Born, vice president of marketing for the Globus family of brands, which owns Avalon. “Travelers going solo will not pay a single supplement for their own room.”

The recent launch of two new cruise lines tied to the former Orient Lines brands, which operated one small, upscale cruise ship and focused on culture and history, suggests that there may be room to expand the niche cruise market.

Gerry Herrod, the founder of Orient Lines, is behind the launch of Voyages to Antiquity, a cruise line centered on Mediterranean history and culture. Herrod purchased a 1973-built ship, the Aegean Odyssey, to launch Voyages to Antiquity, a line that is focused on cruisers more interested in culture than caviar, and less about hardware than hard facts.

You won’t find a casino on board or big Broadway shows. What you will find are wonderful lecturers and lots of opportunity for immersion and enrichment.

Herrod’s inspiration for the line came from a history book, John Julius Norwich’s “The Middle Sea,” that examines the rise and fall of civilizations in the Mediterranean region, from ancient Greece to World War I.

The 42-year-old Marco Polo, the sole former Orient Lines ship, will be used to launch an adults-only, U.K.-based cruise line called Cruise & Maritime Voyages. Cruise & Maritime Voyages will target mature UK cruisers that appreciate being at sea, but are looking for an experience that is both dignified and affordable.

The birth of these cruise brands contrasts with the current trend of building huge floating resorts or very luxurious smaller ships. These new lines focus on culture and enrichment, and deliver it on classic cruise ship experience.

While cruise news headlines focus on the largest ships and their most jaw-dropping, newfangled amenities, there are many people out there who cruise in order to see new parts of the world and understand their significance.

What do you think? Can these classic vessels offer enriching travel experiences while sustaining a financially viable business? Or does dated hardware no longer have a place in the modern cruise industry?

We are at sea off the coast of Mexico, and expecting lots of rain when we get to San Pedro. Depending on where we tie up, getting our baggage to the Limo will be a soggy schlep.

This 16-day voyage aboard Odyssey has been a wonderful experience. What is interesting is, that on a high-end luxury cruise ship, the little quirks are magnified. Some of them are just not what is expected on such a splendid ship, but they happen. It is how, and if they are corrected, that is significant.

When we arrived in Acapulco, The Seabourn Herald gave the money exchange as $1.00 US = 8.34 Mexican Pesos. Actually the rate is around 12.7, and has been in that area for quite a while. Researching the error, it turns out the crew member monitoring exchange rates copied the wrong line on the world exchange list. $1.00 = 8.34 was the quote from Poland.

I brought this to the attention of one of the representatives in Seabourn Square who filter all questions and problems, send them to the proper places, and get you the solutions. Think of them as a terribly efficient purser’s desk, with no lines, and no blank faces when a conundrum crosses their path.

When we arrived in Cabo, the rate was corrected.

On the bow is a whirlpool which had dark sand in it deposited after someone brought beach back to the boat. The water was not hot enough, and the jets were not bubbling. Samantha came out with drinks and I told her the problems. Not her job for sure, but she said, “I’ll contact the bridge.” Less than 30 minutes later, the sand was removed, the heat was increased, and the bubbles were bursting on my sore back.

Something yesterday did surprise me. Colonnade serves lunch until 2 PM. To me this means I can enter at 1:55 and get my meal. By 1:40 yesterday a large tureen was empty of the label described contents. It was not refilled. After a bit, it was removed and an empty space left in the line of tureens.

Another food offering had two empty serving dishes. They were not refilled, and soon just disappeared.

One of the offerings no longer offered was a Filo dough and cheese triangle. Michael who was at the table before i got to the restaurant loved it, and told me i must have one. The last one disappeared onto the plate of a woman in front of me. No more appeared, and I went without. Was this a part of the Spa weight control program?  If I were in charge, the plank would be readied.

It’s difficult not to duplicate superlatives when writing about this ship; the lush and plush robes; french fries beyond compare; the crew from room stewardess, to servers, to Captain, genial and eager to please. High tea, according to Paul Williams, is not to be missed.

Talking about Paul, we had dinner with him and his wife. Strange, as Paul said, we’ve known each other for years but had yet to meet. I am so glad we finally got together.

Is Seabourn Odyssey the best ship afloat? Many think so, but there are competitors that have acolytes of their own. I’ll be writing about this in an upcoming blog. Meanwhile, check out Avid Cruiser for some opinions.

Note: The Kindle is the best traveling companion (except for my wife) you’ll find. Even when we were at sea, we were able to immediately access a book Michael wanted to read.

Any real problems? Yes. Michael told me to hide my Tabasco bottle so room service wouldn’t mistakenly take it for a second time. I hid it.

We are at the end of the cruise. I have no idea where it is.

Sadly, the journey is winding down.

It’s been an ideal cruise. I base this on the fact that last night, Michael and I had a little disagreement over what day it was.

SeaDream Yacht Club docked alongside Oasis of the Seas

During the Christmas holidays, SeaDream Yacht Club President Bob Lepisto sailed with his family in the Caribbean and captured this photo, which shows one of the world’s smallest passenger vessels, SeaDream I, docked alongside the world’s largest, Oasis of the Seas.

When Silversea Cruises’ new Silver Spirit reaches Fort Lauderdale this week, the 540-passenger vessel will show travel agents and media, and ultimately guests, a few things that no other ship of its size has shown before: stateroom televisions hidden behind mirrors and controlled by a single remote; six restaurants (luxury contender Crystal has more, but its ships are larger); service enhancements, including luggage cleaning, complimentary laundry and dry cleaning, and two free hours use of worldwide phone and internet.

Also new (drumroll, please): Silver Spirit has introduced butler service in every suite. The service is being expanded fleetwide. As Silversea President & CEO Amerigo Perasso stated at a press conference last month, ”Silver Spirit is not a two-class ship.”

Silver Spirit is, however, “an evolution of what Silversea is all about,” says Ken Watson, Silversea’s COO. Certainly, few competitors in the luxury segment have added to their fleet over the past decade as much as this brand. Silversea introduced four ships during that time period, so there are no huge gaps between the newest ships in the luxury line’s fleet and the oldest ones.

Silver Spirit increases Silversea capacity 38% (or 60,000 pax), over the course of the year. Approximately 55% of those guests will be new to Silversea.

And while Spirit could potentially help bring down the average age of the Silversea guest, which is 58 years old, Perasso is quick to emphasize, “We’re not unhappy with our demographics….Our passengers are very passionate; they are truly savvy; they know the world.”

Ambiance & ‘Foodatainment’
Perhaps the most popular public room on Silver Spirit is the Reception/Bar area. On a sailing from Monte Carlo to Barcelona, the room was the hub and meeting point of the ship, and nowhere is the Art Deco design of the ship put to greater effect. Italian architect Giacomo Mortola (think Queen Victoria and several Princess ships) sought to achieve “inspiration from history’s most romantic travel era” by using Art Deco design elements that evoke a sophisticated 1930’s ambiance throughout Silver Spirit.

That’s certainly true of the 1930s-style Stars Supper Club, inspired by Rockefeller Center’s famed Rainbow Room. You’d have to be passing by on a gurney to resist walking into Stars.

Defying categorization as a dining room, Stars is what Silverseas Culinary Director Rudi Scholdis calls “foodatainment.” The entertainment and food concept starts at 9 p.m. and goes into the late hours.

Food is bite-sized flavors representing all of the corners of the world where Silversea sails, but vying to outdo the food is a jazz vocalist known simply as Alfreda. From her soulful rendition of “When You Wish Upon A Star” to her sultry interpretation of “Killing Me Softly,” the Morganton, North Carolina native quickly owns the room.

“We would love for people to go for a fresh pasta dish in Le Terrazza and then come to Stars for some foodatainment to hear some great jazz music with some funky food,” Scholdis says.

Silver Spirit will feature two, reservations-only restaurants that carry a service charge. Seating 24, Seishin (Japanese for “spirit”) carries a $40 cover charge for the 11-course degustation menu that includes such specialties as Beluga caviar sorbet, sushi, sashimi, carpaccio of king scallops and more. Seishin’s main physical feature is the rounded and centered food prep station known as la table du chef.

Adding premium Sakes to the degustation menu is an additional $40 per person, while the wine pairing menu goes for $200 per person each. Also seating 24 and situated across from Seishin, Le Champagne offers dining for only $30 per person and a wine-pairing menu for $200.

Le Champagne represents the “closest a ship can get to a Michelin-starred restaurant shoreside,” Scholdis says. Two years ago, Silversea’s 10-year-relationship with Relais & Chateaux was elevated to that of a full culinary partner, which means that Relais & Chateaux has granted Silversea the privilege of being among Relais & Chateaux’s Grand Chefs, an exclusive group to be sure.

One other venue new to Silversea is the evening Pool Grill. Scholdis created a concept called the Black Rock Grill, which involves cooking on hot lava rocks, at guest tables. “There’s more and more demand from our guests for casual dining,” he says. “The Pool Grill will be casual throughout.”

As for burning off those calories consumed, don’t worry: Silver Spirit also boasts Silversea’s largest spa.

WATCH LIVE WEBCAST OF CHRISTENING CEREMONY

Tune in to the Silver Spirit Blog Thursday, 21 January, at 10:00 a.m. US East Coast time to watch live streaming video of the invitation-only Christening Ceremony for Silver Spirit.

This time-honoured tradition will feature Silver Spirit Godmother Silvia Lefebvre D’Ovidio, the sister of Silversea Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre D’Ovidio, christening the ship with a balthazar of Moët & Chandon (the equivalent of 16 bottles).

A smaller replica of the champagne bottle will be auctioned off as a memento during Silver Spirit’s Grand Inaugural Voyage to benefit the Maruzza Lefebvre D’Ovidio Foundation, a non-profit organisation spearheaded by Silvia Lefebvre D’Ovidio. A major part of its energy and resources is dedicated to the diffusion of palliative care for children, babies and adolescents affected by incurable disease.

Also planned for the Christening Ceremony is a special duet performance of one of the world’s most beautiful songs, “The Prayer,” by two vocalists from the Florida Grand Opera’s Young Artists Program.