NOW’S THE TIME TO TAKE A LUXURY CRUISE
By Paula Hughes Court
We’ve all seen the ad. A tuxedo-clad waiter wading through crystal clear
water, delivering a plate of caviar and chilled vodka to a lucky woman
lounging on a float. Here’s a little known secret. That lucky woman could be
you. And for probably no more money than you’re paying for cruises now.
If you’re tired of being “nickel and dimed” to death, which seems to be the
norm on most cruises today, consider a luxury cruise where everything is
included in the cruise fare. No more $3 a bottle for water, $6 for wine or mixed
drinks, $25 and up for reservations in the “specialty restaurant”, extra fees for
exercise classes, etc. These charges can add up to several hundred dollars,
resulting in quite a shock upon receipt of the final bill.
When considering a luxury cruise, look at the value and costs of all of the
extras included in the cruise rate. Add them up and luxury cruises are an
excellent value. The following three luxury cruise lines, Seabourn, Silverseas
and Radisson Seven Seas, are where you’ll find the best values.
Each cruise line is unique, but all three offer the following complimentary
amenities: personal bar setup upon embarkation with 2 bottles of your
favorite wine and premium spirits, designer soaps and toiletries, daily
newspaper, daily fruit basket, robes and slippers, Italian linens, twice daily
suite service, all non-alcoholic beverages, fine wine with dinner, high crew-to-
guest ratios, open seating at all restaurants, gourmet meals to rival any 5-
star land-based restaurants and all gratuities.
SEABOURN CRUISE LINE
Seabourn’s 208-passenger all-suite cruise ships visit unique ports that are
inaccessible to larger ships. The rooms with private balcony or 5-foot-wide
picture windows measure a large 277-575 feet or more.
Seabourn’s rates include a complimentary bottle of Heidsieck French
champagne upon arrival and personalized stationary. Fine wine is also
included at lunch and champagne flows freely throughout the day.
Seabourn also offers a complimentary shore excursion on every cruise. Often
the cruise highlight, the excursion might include the famous “caviar in the
surf” and silver service beach barbeque, a gala dinner at St. Peterburg’s
Yusopov Palace, or a tropical garden party in Nevis. Free wine tastings are
offered on sea days by the wine sommelier. Guests lounging on-deck receive
complimentary mini-massages, frozen towels and fresh fruit sorbets.
Romantic course-by-course in-suite dining is available during dinner hours.
For golfers, Seabourn offers the opportunity to play at over 100 of the world’s
most beautiful (and difficult to reserve) golf courses.
www.seabourn.com
How to Save
Seabourn offers early booking savings of 25-50% on every cruise in 2004.
Seabourn Club Members, who have sailed on Seabourn or any of the World’s
Leading Cruise Line” sisters are offered 50% saving on some cruises. Some
recent cruise fares on Seabourn’s website include, $1995 for a 7-night Ft.
Lauderdale to Barbados cruise.
SILVERSEA CRUISE LINE
Serving from 295-392 guests, Silverseas offers all ocean-view
accommodations, 80% with balconies. The Vista suites, measuring 240-287
sq.ft, are furnished with large picture windows and marble bathrooms with a
full-sized tub. The Veranda suites at 295-345 sq ft. feature floor-to-ceiling
glass doors and teak wood verandas.
Cruise fares on Silversea include everything except spa and hair
appointments, some shore excursions, and special wines (which few people
order because of the 50 complimentary fine house wines).
A complimentary shore excursion, “Silversea Experience”, is offered on
select voyages. Sample excursions include a private ballet performance in St.
Petersburg, a wedding in Turkey, or a private wine tasting in Bordeaux.
Silversea also offers complimentary transportation to and from port towns. On
regular shore excursions, Silversea limits the number of passengers to 20-
25 on each bus, instead of 50.
How to Save
“Silversea’ position is to offer the best price to those who book early,” says? .
Silversea introduced a promotional pricing program “Silver Sailing Savings”
with savings up to 50% on select cruises in 2004. “Our all-inclusive cruise-
only fares make cruising in a Silversea suite a better value than an upper
category accommodation on a premium or contemporary line.”
Recent sample fares include $1967 for a 6-night Caribbean cruise Barbados-
Barbados, $1700 for a 6-night Meditterean cruise Villefranche-Villefrance and
$ 1700 for a 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise Antigua-Barbados.
www.silversea.com
RADISSON SEVEN SEAS CRUISE LINE
Radisson Seven Seas was the first cruise line to offer all-suite, all-balcony
ships. The 700-guest Seven Seas Mariner became the world’s first all-suite,
all-balcony ship on her debut in 2001. The line’s second all-suite, all-balcony
cruise ship, Seven Seas Voyager, entered service in April 2003. Suites
measure 301-2,002 sq. ft.
Radisson Seven Seas is one of the rare luxury lines offering a children’s
program. The Club Mariner is available on select cruises during the summer
and holidays. Spotlight cruises are another unique feature of Seven Seas.
Showcasing antiques, wine, chocolate, the Oldies, and even the famous
Captain Dag. Explore French antique markets with cast members of the
Antiques Roadshow or dance to the Oldies performed by Sonny Turner’s
Platters Tribute Group.
How to save:
Radisson Seven Seas offers extremely low prices for a luxury cruise. Sample
fares include $998 for a 4-night cruise San Juan-San Juan, $1248 for a 5-
night cruise San Juan-San Juan, $1498 for a 6-night Caribbean cruise Ft.
Lauderdale-Ft. Lauderdale and $2098 for a 7-night Mexican Riviera cruise
Los Angeles-Los Angeles. These fares are located on the Radisson Seven
Seas website under special 2-for-1 fares.
www.rssc.com
By Paula Hughes Court
We’ve all seen the ad. A tuxedo-clad waiter wading through crystal clear
water, delivering a plate of caviar and chilled vodka to a lucky woman
lounging on a float. Here’s a little known secret. That lucky woman could be
you. And for probably no more money than you’re paying for cruises now.
If you’re tired of being “nickel and dimed” to death, which seems to be the
norm on most cruises today, consider a luxury cruise where everything is
included in the cruise fare. No more $3 a bottle for water, $6 for wine or mixed
drinks, $25 and up for reservations in the “specialty restaurant”, extra fees for
exercise classes, etc. These charges can add up to several hundred dollars,
resulting in quite a shock upon receipt of the final bill.
When considering a luxury cruise, look at the value and costs of all of the
extras included in the cruise rate. Add them up and luxury cruises are an
excellent value. The following three luxury cruise lines, Seabourn, Silverseas
and Radisson Seven Seas, are where you’ll find the best values.
Each cruise line is unique, but all three offer the following complimentary
amenities: personal bar setup upon embarkation with 2 bottles of your
favorite wine and premium spirits, designer soaps and toiletries, daily
newspaper, daily fruit basket, robes and slippers, Italian linens, twice daily
suite service, all non-alcoholic beverages, fine wine with dinner, high crew-to-
guest ratios, open seating at all restaurants, gourmet meals to rival any 5-
star land-based restaurants and all gratuities.
SEABOURN CRUISE LINE
Seabourn’s 208-passenger all-suite cruise ships visit unique ports that are
inaccessible to larger ships. The rooms with private balcony or 5-foot-wide
picture windows measure a large 277-575 feet or more.
Seabourn’s rates include a complimentary bottle of Heidsieck French
champagne upon arrival and personalized stationary. Fine wine is also
included at lunch and champagne flows freely throughout the day.
Seabourn also offers a complimentary shore excursion on every cruise. Often
the cruise highlight, the excursion might include the famous “caviar in the
surf” and silver service beach barbeque, a gala dinner at St. Peterburg’s
Yusopov Palace, or a tropical garden party in Nevis. Free wine tastings are
offered on sea days by the wine sommelier. Guests lounging on-deck receive
complimentary mini-massages, frozen towels and fresh fruit sorbets.
Romantic course-by-course in-suite dining is available during dinner hours.
For golfers, Seabourn offers the opportunity to play at over 100 of the world’s
most beautiful (and difficult to reserve) golf courses.
www.seabourn.com
How to Save
Seabourn offers early booking savings of 25-50% on every cruise in 2004.
Seabourn Club Members, who have sailed on Seabourn or any of the World’s
Leading Cruise Line” sisters are offered 50% saving on some cruises. Some
recent cruise fares on Seabourn’s website include, $1995 for a 7-night Ft.
Lauderdale to Barbados cruise.
SILVERSEA CRUISE LINE
Serving from 295-392 guests, Silverseas offers all ocean-view
accommodations, 80% with balconies. The Vista suites, measuring 240-287
sq.ft, are furnished with large picture windows and marble bathrooms with a
full-sized tub. The Veranda suites at 295-345 sq ft. feature floor-to-ceiling
glass doors and teak wood verandas.
Cruise fares on Silversea include everything except spa and hair
appointments, some shore excursions, and special wines (which few people
order because of the 50 complimentary fine house wines).
A complimentary shore excursion, “Silversea Experience”, is offered on
select voyages. Sample excursions include a private ballet performance in St.
Petersburg, a wedding in Turkey, or a private wine tasting in Bordeaux.
Silversea also offers complimentary transportation to and from port towns. On
regular shore excursions, Silversea limits the number of passengers to 20-
25 on each bus, instead of 50.
How to Save
“Silversea’ position is to offer the best price to those who book early,” says? .
Silversea introduced a promotional pricing program “Silver Sailing Savings”
with savings up to 50% on select cruises in 2004. “Our all-inclusive cruise-
only fares make cruising in a Silversea suite a better value than an upper
category accommodation on a premium or contemporary line.”
Recent sample fares include $1967 for a 6-night Caribbean cruise Barbados-
Barbados, $1700 for a 6-night Meditterean cruise Villefranche-Villefrance and
$ 1700 for a 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise Antigua-Barbados.
www.silversea.com
RADISSON SEVEN SEAS CRUISE LINE
Radisson Seven Seas was the first cruise line to offer all-suite, all-balcony
ships. The 700-guest Seven Seas Mariner became the world’s first all-suite,
all-balcony ship on her debut in 2001. The line’s second all-suite, all-balcony
cruise ship, Seven Seas Voyager, entered service in April 2003. Suites
measure 301-2,002 sq. ft.
Radisson Seven Seas is one of the rare luxury lines offering a children’s
program. The Club Mariner is available on select cruises during the summer
and holidays. Spotlight cruises are another unique feature of Seven Seas.
Showcasing antiques, wine, chocolate, the Oldies, and even the famous
Captain Dag. Explore French antique markets with cast members of the
Antiques Roadshow or dance to the Oldies performed by Sonny Turner’s
Platters Tribute Group.
How to save:
Radisson Seven Seas offers extremely low prices for a luxury cruise. Sample
fares include $998 for a 4-night cruise San Juan-San Juan, $1248 for a 5-
night cruise San Juan-San Juan, $1498 for a 6-night Caribbean cruise Ft.
Lauderdale-Ft. Lauderdale and $2098 for a 7-night Mexican Riviera cruise
Los Angeles-Los Angeles. These fares are located on the Radisson Seven
Seas website under special 2-for-1 fares.
www.rssc.com
FAMILY TRAVEL FUN.COM
LUXURY CRUISES
LUXURY CRUISES
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