Cruise

I read the item about Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the September ’10 “Boarding Pass” column. While on a Holland America Line cruise in mid February ’09, I was one of about 12 passengers who took the ship’s four-night Australian Outback excursion, which included Uluru (Ayers Rock).

We flew from Adelaide to Alice Springs (two hours), staying in a nice motel across the Todd River, which was as dry as a desert. We walked around town (pop., 25,000) in the more than 90-degree weather.

by Larry Hughes, Houston, TX

Long cruises have a certain appeal, and Holland America Line offers several. Labeled “grand,” these voyages are in excess of a month in length — some lasting as long as 100 days.

I took a trip aboard the Aranui 3, Sept. 24-Oct. 9, 2009. This is a passenger/cargo ship that stops among some of the Marquesas and Tuamotu islands dropping off supplies and tourists.

There are over 100 cruise lines, with more than 450 ships, listed in the bible of cruising, Kay Showker’s “The Unofficial Guide to Cruises,” 11th edition (2010. John Wiley & Sons. 690 pp., $23.99). And even Showker doesn’t list all the ships or lines, nor does she critically review some of the smaller ones of note.

Walt Huse’s story “Cruising Portugal’s Douro River” (Aug. ’10, pg. 6) brought to mind an observation I wish to share.

Combine picturesque Dutch cities, luxuriant waterlands, acres of bulb farms and the famed Keukenhof garden in full splendor with a witty guide, skilled barge pilot, master chef and 16 compatible travelers and you have yourself a fine vacation. That is what my friends Bernadette, Karen, Marian and I came away feeling about our May 2-9, 2010, bike tour aboard the canal barge Elodie.

A group of us decided to take the cruise “Brazil and Argentine Discovery,” offered by Holland America Line (HAL), March 11-25, 2010. Starting and ending in Rio de Janeiro, the Veendam would go as far south as Buenos Aires, with stops at several ports in Brazil and Uruguay.

We booked a pre-cruise extension offered by HAL in which we would arrive in Rio on March 7, spend the night, fly to Iguazú Falls for two nights, then go back to Rio for one night before boarding the ship the next day.

Reading Patricia Russell’s letter about a foreign-transaction fee (May ’10, pg. 14; also see July ’10, pg. 11) triggered my writing about my experience.

The Betty James Travel Insurance Strategy! What is it? Briefly, it’s a strategy to get economical, high-limits, overseas medical coverage and emergency medical evacuation coverage.