Cruise Column - August 2008 Cruise Line Spotlight Highlighting Homeports Protecting the Enviroment Think Bermuda

Whether your dream is to watch wildlife in Alaska, visit ancient cities and cultures, sail the blue waters of the Caribbean, or just relax on board we are here to assist you along the way.  Contact one of our experienced cruise agents now to plan your cruise experience!

Cruise Line Spotlight: Holland America Line

Holland America Line began 135 years ago as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company, a cargo and passenger shipping line that sailed between Rotterdam and the Americas. Today, it is one of the world's leading premium leisure cruise lines. Its elegant, mid-size ships sail nearly 500 different itineraries to 314 ports of call on seven continents.

The recent addition of the new ms Eurodam brought the total number of ships in Holland America's fleet to 14. The Eurodam, a 2,104-passenger ship, is the first in Holland America's new Signature Class. The ship was officially dedicated by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands on July 1. After sailing in the Baltic region this summer, the Eurodam will cross the Atlantic to sail the coast of New England this fall.

The Eurodam has a number of luxurious features that are new to the cruise line, such as Spa Staterooms. There are 56 of these special cabins, which vary from inside staterooms to suites with private verandahs. All are located on the top two decks, in close proximity to the Greenhouse Spa and Salon. They also have special spa amenities, such as water features that provide soothing, ambient background sound. Ten of the Spa Staterooms located on the Observation Deck have floor-to-ceiling windows and scalloped verandahs for spectacular views.

Like staterooms across the fleet, those on the Eurodam provide passengers with premium amenities such as waffle weave terry cloth robes, Egyptian cotton towels, flat panel TVs, DVD players, lighted make-up mirrors and massaging shower heads.

The Eurodam also has new dining options, including a pan-Asian restaurant called Tamarind. Lunch at Tamarind features dim sum, the classic Asian dumplings, with fusion sauces for dipping. For dinner, guests can choose one of a variety of Asianinspired entrees or Rijsttafel, a Dutch adaptation of the traditional Indonesian dinner.

Rijsttafel features rice served with a variety of flavorful side dishes, including satay, steamed vegetables, braised poultry and seafood steamed in banana leaves.

While planning and building the Eurodam, Holland America also enhanced the rest of its fleet through its Signature of Excellence initiative. The cruise line invested $425 million in enhancements to the ships' public spaces, accommodations, dining rooms, service programs and itineraries.

To find out more about the features of the Eurodam (ask about the airy new cabanas available for rent on the Observation and Lido Decks) and the rest of Holland America's ships, talk with your personal cruise expert.

Highlighting Homeports: San Pedro

Many people who are considering a cruise vacation are surprised to learn that not all cruise ships depart from Miami. In fact, the U.S. has an amazing variety of homeports dotting the Eastern Seaboard, the Gulf Coast and the West Coast.

Cruises to the Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii and the South Pacific depart from the Port of Los Angeles World Cruise Center, located in San Pedro, Calif. Cruise lines such as Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America and Royal Caribbean have made San Pedro one of the busiest passenger ports in the U.S. If you have some time to explore the area, you'll find fascinating sights, many within walking distance or easy driving distance of the cruise ship dock.

San Pedro's landmarks include the Vincent Thomas Bridge, also called "San Pedro's Golden Gate," the third longest suspension bridge in California. You can tour the SS Lane Victory, a fully operational World War II cargo ship that is now a museum. Or, take a lighthouse tour: Point Vicente Lighthouse sits high above the coast, offering spectacular views; Angel's Gate Lighthouse guards the entrance to the port; and Point Fermin Lighthouse, saved from destruction in 1972, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

San Pedro also has interesting buildings, including the Warner Grand Theater. The Art Deco theater opened in 1931 and is one of the few remaining theaters of its kind. San Pedro is also home to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. If you are interested in modern architecture, you may want to visit Wayfarers Chapel in nearby Rancho Palos Verdes. This lovely "glass church" was designed by Lloyd Wright, the architect son of Frank Lloyd Wright.

San Pedro also has an Old Town, where you'll find international cuisine and lots of shops. Old Town is also dotted with art galleries and studios, many of which participate in an Artwalk event on the first Thursday of each month. You can spend the evening browsing paintings, photographs, sculpture, glass, furniture and antiques.

To find out about more things to see and do in San Pedro - such as the Ports o' Call Village, the Korean Bell of Friendship and the Trump National Golf Club - talk with your personal cruise expert about the variety of cruises that embark from San Pedro.

Protecting the Environment

At a time of when more people are aware of the need to protect the environment, vacationers wonder about the impact cruise ships have on the seas. The truth is that cruise lines have a vested interest in keeping the oceans of the world both clean and beautiful - after all, their livelihood depends on it.

CLIA, the Cruise Line International Association, recently reported that a study of the Baltic Sea conducted by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland showed that cruise ships contribute only a tiny fraction of nutrients - less than one percent - that are released into sea. Terry Dale, president and chief executive officer of CLIA, noted that member cruise lines adopted stringent wastewater treatment practices nearly a decade ago. CLIA members also meet or exceed the discharge standards for sewage set by the International Maritime Organization. Many ships have advanced onboard systems that treat and recycle wastewater and solid waste.

Cruise lines are "going green" in other important ways. These include:

Satellite positioning systems that prevent

· anchors being dropped on delicate sea beds or coral.

· Ships powered with "green" diesel and special seals that prevent engine oil leakage.

· The use of salt water in pools to reduce or avoid the use of chemicals such as chlorine.

· LED lighting that uses 50% less energy than regular lighting.

· Washing machines that use sound waves and less water.

· In-port procedures that reduce air emissions up to 30%.

· Providing containers for glass, plastic and other recyclable materials on board.

If "green" cruising is important to you, talk with your personal cruise expert to find out which cruise lines and ships offer the most advanced equipment and practices for energy conservation and environmental protection.

Think Bermuda

Bermuda has an incredibly high repeat visitor rate of 50 percent. Why do so many vacationers who experience Bermuda choose to come again? It may have something to do with the colors of the islands: cerulean blue water, pink sand and charming cottages painted in a rainbow of pastels. Bermuda also offers sophisticated dining, shopping and entertainment. And, Bermudians don't allow billboards, neon signs or rental cars to spoil their idyllic islands.

While it seems that Bermuda would fit right into the Caribbean, the island nation is actually in the Atlantic Ocean. The nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, N.C., more than 600 miles away. Bermuda is made up of more than 130 islands, but visitors usually spend their time on the eight largest: Bermuda (the main island), Boaz, Ireland North, Ireland South, Somerset, St. David's, St. George's and Watford. Connected by bridges, causeways and ferries, this group of islands is just 22 miles long and barely two miles across at the widest point. The names of the islands, as well as the fact that English is spoken everywhere, are products of Bermuda's status as a British territory.

Bermuda has many small, beautiful beaches; great scuba diving; and the most golf courses per square mile on earth. The islands have lots of family-friendly attractions, such as the Royal Navy Dockyards and Museum and the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo. The capital city of Hamilton offers great shopping, dining and sightseeing.

While rental cars are not allowed on the islands, there's an excellent bus system to take you wherever you would like to go.

High season for cruise vacations to Bermuda is April to late October: perfect for the wearing of Bermuda shorts (knee-length is best, and definitely don't let them end more than 2 inches above your knee). Some cruises are "Bermuda only:" they sail from the East Coast and dock in Bermuda for two to four nights. Other cruises combine a visit to Bermuda with some Eastern Caribbean ports of call. Some trans-Atlantic and repositioning cruises also call on Bermuda.

To find out more about cruising to Bermuda for the first time or for a return visit, talk with your personal cruise expert.

 

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