A reader reported having been informed on June 12 that their June 17-24 Dalmatian Coast cruise with Elegant Cruises & Tours (Port Washington, NY; www.elegantcruises.com) had been canceled. ITN called the company and was told that all May, June and July cruises of the Monet had been canceled “due to a lack of bookings and interest” but that cruises would be running August to November.
Aurora Expeditions (Level 2, 88 George St., The Rocks, NSW 2000, Australia; phone +61 2 9252 1033, fax 9252 1373, www.auroraexpeditions.com.au), on selected Antarctic cruises, allows passengers to camp under the stars on the ice at no extra cost. Among cruises that offer this is the 12-day “Climbers and Kayakers” cruise, Dec. 7-18, at $6,090-$10,390.
As of Sept. 16, 2009, British-based Saga Holidays (Folkestone, Kent, UK; phone +44 [0] 1303 771 111; www.saga.co.uk) will be a one-ship cruise line.
Saga had planned to acquire Club Cruises’ M/S Astoria, then refit it and name it Saga Pearl II in time to replace the Saga Rose, which will sail its final cruise Sept. 8-16. However, the sale encountered legal snarls and stalled when Club Cruises went into administration (the British equivalent of bankruptcy) in December 2008.
9 days/8 nights, Sept. 4-12, 2009. Highlights: Embark MV Princesse de Provence in Lyon/wine tasting in Burgundy, Beaujolais and at Châteauneuf-du-Pape/six cycle excursions, including Arles, Avignon, Vienne. From $3,467. Bike & Cruise Tours (Naples, FL; 239/431-6219, www.bikeandcruise.com).
You can print the deck plans of cruise ships at www.cruisedeckplans.com. Click on “Pack & Go Decks,” choose the ship and decks from the menu and print.
The Saga Rose, built in 1965 (as the Sagafjord), will depart Southampton, England, for its 44th and final cruise, a 37-night voyage through the Mediterranean, on Oct. 30, 2009. The 587-passenger ship will visit Barcelona, Venice, Rome, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Rhodes, Alexandria and Casablanca.
Highlights include the Pyramids of Giza, a Venetian masked ball and a celebration in Vigo, where the Saga Rose will be joined by her sister ship, Saga Ruby. Fares run £8,999-£16,629 (near $12,260-$22,655).
Couples celebrating wedding anniversaries in multiples of five from their fifth to their 50th receive corresponding discounts of 5% to 50% off the prices of cruises with French Country Waterways (Duxbury, MA; 800/222-1236, www.frenchcountrywaterways.com). Each couple submits a copy of their marriage certificate.
About 21,000 ships a year cross the Gulf of Aden, where there has been a sharp increase in pirate attacks on cargo ships plus four attempts on passenger ships recently.
“Stern’s Guide to the Cruise Vacation” by Steven B. Stern (2009, Pelican Publishing. $26 paperback) covers the history, vital statistics, physical details and price categories of nearly 430 ships from more than 50 cruise lines and rates the ships and lines (1 to 6 stars). Photos of ships, decks and interiors are included.
The guide also gives info and tips on major ports of call, including attractions and restaurants. It is available at bookstores, online or by calling Pelican Publishing (800/843-1724, www.pelicanpub.com).
For travelers with special requirements to accommodate their handicaps, Special Needs at Sea (2860 West State Rd. 84, Ste. 107, Dania Beach, FL 33312; 800/513-4515, www.specialneedsatsea.com) provides equipment to rent or buy, including mobility aides, patient lifts, oxygen equipment, devices for the blind or deaf and even materials for companion dogs.