The Cruising World

Have you “been there, done that” with big-ship cruises in the Caribbean, Alaska and the Mediterranean? Maybe it’s time to try one of the most exotic cruises on Earth, with Zegrahm Expeditions aboard the intimate Clipper Odyssey, from New Guinea to Vanuatu across the southwest Pacific Ocean.

This is the South Pacific at its finest, with gorgeous coral atolls, visits to tiny, isolated villages little changed since the time of Captain Cook, lots of World War II history, and great...

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by Lew Toulmin

Today I’ll try to save you some money on your next cruise. I’ll talk about sources of information on cruises, who to buy from, where to go, and timing your cruise and purchase.

Sources of information and discounts

You are about to buy a big-ticket item, so it pays to do some research. A very useful book is “The Unofficial Guide to Cruises” by Kay Showker and Bob Sehlinger (2005, Wiley. ISBN 9780764578632 — 684 pp., $22). I contributed to an earlier...

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by Lew Toulmin

After suffering a fire in the Bahamas in March 2006, Star Princess recovered in amazing time and is now “the safest ship afloat.” I was on board Star Princess for her first voyage after the repair, and I can report that there is no evidence of fire damage, service is excellent, and safety standards are very high.

According to Cruise Director John Lawrence and other sources, the fire broke out at about 3:10 a.m. on March 23 on a port side balcony amidships, then...

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by Lew Toulmin

Fancy a romantic transatlantic cruise with your sweetheart? How about a nice, relaxing voyage where you row 16 hours a day for 60 days, eat lukewarm freeze-dried food, roll your vessel upside down four times and fend off the amorous advances of a 60-foot whale?

Meet Liz O’Keeffe and Richard Mayon-White, two British adventurers who have done all that and much, much more. I interviewed them at Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua, West Indies.

Q: Tell me about the...

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After years of trying on every ocean, in numerous ships and on dozens of islands, I finally saw it. On Feb. 6 of this year, from the waterfront patio of the Fort Young Hotel in Dominica, I finally saw the fabled “green flash.” It was bright green, sort of twinkly, very surprising and very brief. I was elated.

Some of you know exactly what I am talking about, but for those who don’t, the green flash is a sunset (or sunrise) phenomenon usually observed from ships and sometimes on shore...

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Frederic Jansen is the tall, handsome, energetic and always upbeat cruise director of the Star Clipper, which sails in the western Mediterranean, the eastern Caribbean and transatlantic. He has delightful manners and a charming sense of humor. I interviewed him in January ’06 on board the vessel, which is one of three tall ships in the Star Clippers (U.S. office in Miami, FL; 800/442-0551 or www.starclippers.com) fleet; see last month’s column.

Q: Tell me about yourself, Frederic....

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by Lew Toulmin

Star Clipper is a ship that’s unique — except that she has a twin, along with a new, larger sister, with an even larger sister on the way.

While most cruise ships cruise under power, the focus of Star Clipper, her twin, Star Flyer, and the larger Star Clipper is on cruising under sail, with style and luxury. These ships are perfect for experienced sailors seeking more comfort than what is provided by the typical sailboat or for nonsailors who want to find out...

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by Lew Toulmin

A great ship, a wonderful crew, fabulous food and historic ports of call — cruising doesn’t get any better than this. That was our reaction to a 10-day cruise from Lisbon to Rome aboard the lovely Crystal Symphony of Crystal Cruises (Los Angeles, CA; 866/446-6625 or www.crystalcruises.com).

My wife, Susan, and I boarded the Crystal Symphony in Lisbon, Portugal, for a dramatic evening sail-away past the Prince Henry the Navigator monument. Gracing the banks of the...

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