small ship

Alaska’s Frontier and Wilderness Quest Cruise on board the Chichagof

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Well, of course I’m excited. I’m preparing to go on Alaskan Dream Cruises Chichagof this coming week. And though I’ve traveled to 90 countries, I’ve never been to Alaska. When asked by friends why I haven’t been before, I usually respond with, “I’m saving the easy trips for when I get older.” To which a friend (?) replied, I don’t think you should wait any longer. Harumpphhh! I live in Hollywood, Florida (the OTHER Hollywood), and one …

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Scenic announces world’s first discovery yacht

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Scenic has announced the launch of the world’s First Discovery Yacht, the Scenic Eclipse. Three years in planning, Scenic’s recently-established Ocean Cruising Line heralds a new direction for the award-winning luxury travel operator, currently celebrating its 30th anniversary. The Scenic Eclipse will embark on her maiden voyage on August 31, 2018, sailing from Istanbul to Venice, followed by discovery voyages to The Americas; Antarctica; Europe and the Mediterranean; and the Arctic and Norwegian Fjords. The Ultimate in …

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Breezing into a larger fleet of small ships on Windstar Cruises

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With two additional ships in the Mediterranean Sea after major drydock renovations this spring, the course is clear for expanding Windstar Cruises. At a time when many lines are building bigger cruise ships, Windstar intends to be the leader of the world’s small ship fleets. Windstar now owns and operates six small vessels, ranging in passenger capacity from 148 to 310. Three are predominantly sailing ships, though they use engines as well. Three are motor yachts, with …

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S.S. Legacy magnet board keeps track of passengers ashore, aboard

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ABOARD THE S.S. LEGACY – In keeping with its 1900s theme, the S.S. Legacy has a simple way to keep track of passengers who are ashore and those who are aboard. Each time we leave the Legacy for a shore excursion, we look for our cabin number on a large magnetic board and move our little magnet from the “aboard” column to the “ashore” column. If there are two of us sharing a cabin, there are, of …

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Star Clipper Med Ports: La Dolce Vita

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This is a whirlwind tour of some of the Mediterranean ports, visited by Star Clipper. The Star Clipper is a four masted barquentine. It is 111.57 m (366 ft 1 in) long and accommodates 170 passengers if full. Its weight is 300 metric tons.

Star Clipper Sails the Med: Going with the Wind

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This is a “slice of life” on board the Star Clipper, as it sails in the Mediterranean. The Star Clipper is a four masted barquentine. It is 111.57 m (366 ft 1 in) long and accommodates 170 passengers if full. Its weight is 300 metric tons. I recently came upon this quote, comparing sailing to motoring: “People with motor boats get on their boat to go somewhere. People with sailboats get on their boat and they are …

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Puttering around Europe, cruising on Windstar’s new Star Pride

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When I ask well-traveled, non-cruisers what kind of ship they would consider for their first voyage, most say “small” and “casual.” Yet if a company proposed to start a cruise line with new, small ships for 300 or fewer passengers, investors would be hard to find. Why? Because cruise experts say that they could not charge a rate high enough to pay for the cost of building a small ship. So, there is irony in one of …

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Heading to Louis Cristal cruise of Greece & Turkey

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When I was in grade school, I was always the kid who eagerly awaited the newest issue of National Geographic magazine. I remember devouring each story, especially when it involved one of my favorite destinations – Greece. Reading about the Greek islands and historic sites such as the Christian catacombs, city of Ephesus and temple of Poseidon was thrilling.  For a while, I had a bookmark with a photograph of the Parthenon in Athens. Such treasures seemed …

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Un-Cruise Adventures releases new 2015 brochure of adventure cruises

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Small ship cruise line operator Un-Cruise Adventures has released a new printed brochure detailing adventures through April 2016 in Alaska, Mexico’s Sea of Cortés, Hawaiian Islands, Columbia & Snake Rivers, coastal Washington and British Columbia.   New on the horizon are cruise adventures in the Galápagos Islands and Costa Rica/Panama. The 72-page brochure may be ordered online and is currently being mailed out to requestors and travel agent partners.  The line’s fleet of seven adventure vessels carries 22-84 …

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New off-the-beaten-path tours highlight Silversea’s 2015 voyages

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Eleven new overland adventures in some of the world’s most exotic locales are among more than 60 extended mid-voyage excursions ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises will be offering in 2015. Unlike a partial-day shore tour, single- or multiple-day inland adventures offer a more intimate, in-depth and personal encounter with the local people, history, wildlife, and natural attractions that lie just beyond the ports of call. “We always strive to offer fresh, innovative programs that provide a variety of authentic …

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