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ABERCROMBIE
& KENT
Antartica, Amazon, Caribbean, Latin America, Iceland, Greenland, Britsh
Isles, French Rivers
ACTIEF
England
Passengers: 11. This 100 ft. hotel barge, built in 1907, cruises the River
Thames between Windsor and Oxford. There are three suites, two twin cabins,
and one single cabin, all outside, with central heating and private baths with
shower. There is a crew of four plus the owners. Double occupancy per person
ranges from $1,090 to $2,890, and for the single cabin ranges from $1,840 to
$2,490. To charter for six nights is $21,500 to $26,900. Six-night family departures
in July and August are $2,290 for adults and $1,374 for children under age 14.
There are also three-night cruises. Theme cruises include antiques and English
gardens.
EXPLORER
Passenger Capacity: 100
Built: 1969, refurbished 1997
Former Names: Society Explorer, Lindblad Explorer, World Explorer
Length: 239 ft.
Beam: 46 ft.
Draft: 14 ft.
Decks: 6
Elevator: None
Officers: European and Filipino
Staff and Crew: 71, American, European and Filipino
Wheelchair Access: No
Itinerary: The ship goes to Antarctica (she has been to Antarctica
more than 150 times) and the Falkland Islands and to the Amazon. One 10-12 day
Amazon cruise is of the upper Amazon from Iquitos to Manaus; the other is a
16-18 day cruise that traverses the 2,000 mile length from the Atlantic Ocean
at Belem to Iquitos in Peru. Antarctica cruises are 14 to 19 days from November
through March, with some including the Falkland Islands, South Orkney Islands,
Elephant Island and South Georgia. A 33-day trip in October and November goes
from Belem in the Amazon on an itinerary that includes Fernando de Noronha,
Ascension Island, St. Helena Island, Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale Island,
Gough Island, South Georgia Island, Bleaker Island and the Falkland Islands.
A new two-week itinerary is to destinations in the Caribbean and South America
including Suriname, Guyana and Venezuela, including Devil’s Island and the Orinoco
River, and Tobago, Tortuga, Bonaire and Curacao. Other new itineraries go to
the North Atlantic, calling on Iceland, the Orkney, Shetland and Faroe Islands,
Scotland and Spitsbergen, and to England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Inner
and Outer Hebrides.
Cabins: 50. The cabins are small and utilitarian, ranging
from 69 to 162 square feet, all outside, and with National Geographic maps on
the walls. All are air-conditioned and have a private bath with shower and hairdryer.
Most have twin lower berths (no doubles), and some have bunks or are triples.
There are eight single cabins. Suites have several portholes, a separate sitting
area, a queen bed, a sound system and a refrigerator. One suite has a tub. Electricity
is 220.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with one seating.
New chefs with new menus were recently brought aboard. On-deck barbecues and
ethnic theme meals are sometimes offered depending on weather and availability
of local produce. Cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres and late night snacks are
offered daily. The service is friendly, but casual. Lunches are buffet-style.
There is no smoking in the dining room. Vegetarian, low fat and low salt menus
are available with three weeks notice before sailing.
Dress: Casual at all times. This is an informal relaxed cruise.
On cold-weather trips passengers are provided with parkas.
Facilities and Activities: This is A&K’s expeditionary
vessel, a highly recognizable red ship with a white stripe and an ice-hardened
hull that was designed from the beginning to be an adventure cruising ship.
She has a cruising range of 8,000 nautical miles. The ship has been cruising
Antarctica longer than any other cruise ship. She was the first to transit the
Northwest Passage in the Arctic in 1984, and in 1996 she was the first passenger
ship to circumvavigate James Ross Island. There are expert lecturers and guides.
A large library has books and maps relevant to the areas visited. There is a
lounge, piano (but no pianist), lecture room for films and slide shows, small
pool, exercise room, sauna and laundry service. There is a fleet of 10 zodiacs
for landings. There is no entertainment. Lecturer/guides -- ecologists, oceanographers,
photographers, geologists, zoologists, polar explorers, historians and mountaineers
-- are on board to discuss wildlife, the cultural heritage of the people visited
and the influence of commerce on the environment, and they accompany zodiac
expeditions to identify wildlife. Each evening cruisers gather for a recap of
the day’s events and hear plans for the following day (no smoking in lounge
during lectures and recap sessions). There are medical facilities with a physician
on board. The bridge is open at all times. There can be rough days at sea in
the crossing of the Drake Passage. The Amazon cruises explore small villages,
tributaries and the rainforest with daily zodiac excursions accompanied by ornithologists,
botanists and zoologists. There is also time for swimming, fishing, nature walks
and visiting local tribes and markets where jewelry, masks, wood carvings and
baskets are available. In the Antarctic, groups are divided into small numbers
to avoid disruption of penguins and nesting seabirds. A typical shore excursion
would be to anchor in a remote iceberg-surrounded cove to photograph a colony
of a thousand or more penguins, view slumbering elephant seals or hike up a
hillside for a view. The ship explores the western side of the Antarctic peninsula
as well as rarely visited sites along the eastern side. Landings are by zodiac
landing craft. The expeditions are intended for persons in reasonably good health.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: Cruise-only fares
for Antarctica begin at $5,495 and go to $15,295. Fare is half price for children
between age 7 and 18 on their family holiday cruises (Thanksgiving and Christmas
school holiday times). You can save $1,000-$1,500 on certain dates. The Amazon
cruise begins at $2,495 for adults with half price for children. The upper Amazon
fares range from $2,695 to $7,850 and the longer trips range from $4,950 to
$10,150 (save $400 with early booking). A shorter eight-day itinerary to the
upper Amazon begins at $2,495. Caribbean and South America fares range from
$3,125 to $8,775. Lost Islands of the Atlantic ranges from $3,995 to $14,995.
Most shore excursions and gratuities are included in the fare. There are $500
to $1,500 discounts for booking six months in advance. Two consecutive sailings
bring 20 percent off the second cruise. Trip extensions are available to the
Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, and a five-day pre-cruise jungle camp stay is available
in a Peruvian Amazon camp where there is canoeing with a naturalist guide on
the Tambopata River and trekking through the jungle to study birds, butterflies
and other wildlife. The five-day extension begins at $500. A special amenities
package is given to all passengers with a reading list, flightbag and backpack.
box
CLIPPER CRUISE LINETravel
Reports
Alaska, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Scandinavia, British Isles, Arctic, Antarctic,
Greenland, Iceland, US and Canada Rivers and Coast, Amazon and Orinoco Rivers
, Latin America
Clipper is one of the few cruise lines employing a predominantly American staff
and crew, mostly young men and women just out of college. These ships are for
travelers who like to be relaxed and who like to learn. The lifestyle aboard
the ships is casual and unregimented. Excellent literature, with suggested reading
lists, is sent in advance.
CLIPPER ADVENTURER
Passenger Capacity: 122
Built: 1975 in Yugoslavia, acquired by Clipper in 1997, renovated 1998
Former Names: Alla Tarasova; Admiral Lazarev
Length: 330 ft.
Beam: 54 ft.
Draft: 16 ft.
Decks: 4
Elevator: None
Officers: Scandinavian
Staff and Crew: 60, American and Filipino
Wheelchair Access: No
- Itinerary: The
ship has cruises in Antarctica and the Falkland Islands in December. In the
spring it cruises in the Mediterranean and Western Europe. In June the ship
cruises from Great Britain, in June, July and August goes to Greenland and
Iceland, and in September cruises the U.S. east coast. The ship has a 16-day
cruise to the Orinoco and Amazon River and a 20-day cruise to ports of South
America and the Falkland Islands.
- Cabins: 61.
Cabins are refurbished throughout. All cabins are outside and have lower beds,
private bath with shower and individual temperature control. Some have pullmans
to accommodate a third person.
- Dining: The
dining room is lined with windows and will accommodate all passengers at one
seating. Cuisine is American and Continental, and regional foods are incorporated
into the menus to make dining a part of the sense of places visited. Breads
and pastries are freshly baked. Every afternoon without fail there are freshly
baked chocolate chip cookies, called Clipper Chippers. Low-fat and vegetarian
menus may be arranged and special diets are accommodated.
- Dress: Casual
and comfortable. Slacks, sports shirts and comfortable shoes are worn during
the day. At the captain's party men usually wear sports jackets, and women
pantsuits or long skirts. Cold-weather gear is issued on Arctic and Antarctic
expedition cruises.
- Facilities and Activities:
This is an expedition vessel and can navigate in rugged environments, having
an ice-hardened hull, classified A-1 ice class. It formerly was a Russian
research vessel. There is lots of varnished wood and brass throughout the
ship. There is a main lounge and bar that seats 130, a separate lounge and
bar for 45, and a library/card room. A covered promenade with a wooden deck
of varnished pine provides an area for walking or sightseeing while sheltered
from the weather. There is also an observation platform built directly below
the bridge. Typical daytime hours on board are spent in a lounge chair, covered
with a warm blanket, sipping steaming bouillon or a hot toddy while taking
in the scenery. There is a gymnasium, sauna, beauty shop, library, an infirmary
with full-time physician and laundry service. The ship has an open bridge
policy to give passengers an opportunity to observe and ask questions. Historians,
naturalists and other experts usually accompany the cruises. The cruise line
has recently announced a policy of no smoking in the ship’s interior, only
on outer decks. There are 10 motorized landing craft for exploration. Passengers
often go by zodiac to small islands and nature preserves with on-board naturalists
or local guides. There are seldom called on ports interspersed with more well-known
stops. Along the Norway coast passengers go ashore to the scientific research
center in the high Arctic to see unique birds and other wildlife. On the Greenland
and Hudson Bay cruise the passengers visit Inuit communities, see the ruins
of the settlement established by Erik the Red and later a settlement established
by his son Leif Eriksson, and view polar bears and walruses as well as whales.
In the Antarctic zodiacs take passengers to ice floes and deserted beaches
where they come face to face with thousands of seals, penguins, petrels and
albatross.
- Typical Rates and
Special Deals: Fares vary greatly for different cruises because of the
uniqueness of the destinations. Fares include port charges. Shore excursions
are optional and most are at an additional cost. All Zodiac exploration is
included in the cost of the cruise. Clipper can arrange air transportation
upon request.
CURNOW SHIPPING
United Kingdom, Africa
RMS ST. HELENA
Passenger Capacity: 128
Built: 1989
Length: 105 meters
- Itinerary: The
ship usually travels between Cardiff, Tenerife, Ascension, St Helena, and
Cape Town, sometimes stopping at Vigo, One trip per year goes from Cape
Town roundtrip to Tristan da Cunha.
- Cabins: 49.
The cabins are air-conditioned and have one, two, three, or four berths. Some
have private bath.
- Facilities:
This is a working cargo liner, making deep-sea voyages to deliver crucial
supplies to remote islands in the tropical south Atlantic. RMS stands for
Royal Mail Ship, and that is the official duty of this ship … it is
probably the last of the long distance mail ships and goes to remote islands
in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. There is a small pool, library,
two bar lounges, exercise equipment, disco, and a free self-service
laundry. There are optional shore excursions at all ports. Deck tournaments
include quoits, shuffleboard, deck tennis, and clay pigeon shooting.
Sometimes there is a crew-versus-passengers cricket match. Passengers may
make and receive telephone calls, email, telex and fax messages. English is
spoken. Children are welcome, and there is an indoor play area and early mealtimes
for young children.
Typical Rates and Special Discounts: There is a choice of 16 different
fly/cruise options which can include a sailing plus a stay on the island of
St Helena of between 2 and 15 nights. Fares range from UK£2141 to £8364.
Most passengers take a fly/cruise package that includes flights between UK and
Cape Town and hotel accommodation in Cape Town and St Helena. There is a 10
percent early booking discount for certain cruises.
DE ZEILVAART
Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Spitsbergen, England, Scotland, France,
Channel Islands, Balearic Isles, Corsica, Elba, Malta, Sicily, Greece, Canary
Islands, Azores, Caribbean, transatlantic
BALTIC, BARABAH, BOR, ENGELINA, ESTHER JENSEN, GALANT, GALLANT, JANTJE, LINDOY,
NOORDERLICHT, PASSAAT, TRINTEL, TWISTER, ZEPHYR, ZUIDERZEE
Passengers: 8-22
Built: 1883-1961
Itinerary: There are trips that are mostly at sea, sailing several days
and nights in a row, and there are trips that combine sailing with port stops
or hiking. The Bor makes a four day sea trip from Medemblik, Einhuizen to Bergen
followed by a two week trip along the coast of Norway. The Noorderlicht goes on
to Spitzbergen. A popular trip is a seven or eight-day “sailing ramble”
from Zwartsluis or Enkhuizen or Hoorn through the Ijsselmeer and Frisian Sea.
One ship has 10 and 12-day trips of the Balearic Islands on northern and southern
routes from Palma de Majorca that can be combined. Others sail the Baltic in 7
and 14-day trips from Germany to Sweden and Denmark or sail between France, Belgium
and the east and south coasts of England, or between Enkhuizen and Cherbourg,
or in Scotland from Oban through the Hebrides. Voyages go in the Mediterranean
from Malta to Sicily and the Lipari Islands, and there are voyages to the Canary
Islands and the Azores. The Passaat sails in the Caribbean between Martinique
and Union Island on a one-week southern route and one-week northern route that
can be combined.
Cabins: There are various mixes of two, four and six-berth cabins with
shared showers and toilets.
Facilities and Activities: These are traditional sailing vessels, such
as clippers, schooners, luggers, tjalks and barques, old fishing and cargo vessels
that have been converted to passenger vessels. Passengers usually help sail, but
no experience is necessary. Usually a cook is on board, but not always. Sometimes
linens are furnished, at other times you are expected to bring a sleeping bag.
On the Frisian Sea the ships sail to islands and also sail between sand banks
at low tide to see birds, seal and marine life. There are youth sailing trips,
senior sailing trips for those age 50 or older, painting trips supervised by two
Dutch artists, family trips, nature trips with naturalist or ranger guides, yoga
sailing, competition sailing and trips for mentally handicapped.
Typical Fares: Most trips are for one or two weeks, but in some areas there
are also weekend and mid-week trips. A seven-day voyage in the Netherlands is
typically 660 NLG, painting trips are 955 NLG (more if you want a guaranteed two-berth
cabin), 11 to 15-day Channel Island trips are 1,095-1,570 NLG, eight-day sails
in Greece are 495 to 795 NLG. Groups of 10 or more can charter a vessel, with
crew or bareboat if they are experienced..
EUROPA, OOSTERSCHELDE
Passengers: 50, 24
Itinerary: The ships sail from Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Scheveningen and
sail everything from one-day charters to transatlantic crossings and trips around
the world. Voyages include trips to the English coast and trips to the Kiel Canal
to the Baltic Sea and Denmark. The Europa makes a voyage from France, around England
and Scotland to the Baltic Sea, then spends a week sailing the Baltic. The Oosterschelde
sails to North and South America, makes trips to the Antarctic, then to the Galapagos
Islands, then through the Panama Canal to Miami and up the North American coast,
then racing in the Tall Ships Race from Halifax to Amsterdam.
Cabins: There are two, four and six-berth cabins. Europa cabins have private
shower and toilet; on the Oosterschelde, facilities are shared.
Facilities and Activities: These are authentic tall ships, both three-masted
sailing ships with a combination of square and traditionally rigged sails. The
Europa is Holland’s largest square-rigged sailing ship, with more than 1,000 square
metres of sail. Passengers on transatlantic crossings are expected to stand watch
through the night and can expect high winds and rough passage. Passengers can
accompany the tall ships in the Cutty Sark Tall Ship Race, and other races, competing
against other tall ships.
Typical Fares: Five days on the Baltic Sea in a tall ship is 660 NLG. The
11-day Cutty Sark Tall Ship Race from France to Scotland is 1,500 NLG.
SAEFTINGHE
Passengers: 12
Itinerary: From Oban through the Hebrides.
Cabins: There are six two-berth cabins, with four showers and four toilets.
Facilities and Activities: This is a new ship, a two-masted clipper ship.
Typical Fares: Two-week cruises in Scotland and the Hebrides are 1,755
to 2,135 NLG.
GUIDELINER CHARTERS
Scotland
GUIDELINER
Passenger Capacity: 10
Built: 1964
Former Names: Eillean Na Hearach (Island of Harris in Gaelic)
Length: 57 ft.
Beam: 15ft.
Draft: 6 ft.
Crew: British Skipper, 1crew
- Itinerary: Wildlife
cruises around the Western Isles, Hebrides and St Kilda (Scotland) of
either 6 or 12 days.
- Cabins: There
is 1double cabin, 2 twin cabins, and 1 cabin that can be used for two,
three or four persons. All cabins have opening windows. The bath is shared.
- Dining: Food
is organic and fresh, with a Scottish emphasis, and includes local seafood.
Meals are served on deck whenever possible. Vegetarian food is a specialty.
- Dress: Bring
warm outdoor clothing for walks ashore.
- Facilities and Activities:
The ship cruises around the islands looking at whales, dolphins and seabirds,
and passengers go ashore each day to explore the islands and see wildlife.
Excellent birding sites are visited such as St Kilda, Treshnish Isles, anad
Shiants. The ship tends to anchor overnight in isolated bays and inlets, in
places where it is common to see otters and deer. There are conducted walks
ashore every day with the skipper who is a qualified naturalist, writer and
photographer. There are slide and video show in the evenings.
Some special photography trips are available. Although there are no special
wheelchair facilities, the vessel has taken disabled clients who have been
pleased.
Typical Costs and Special Deals: Per person costs are £500 for
the six-day trip, and £1000 for the 12-day trip. This is all inclusive
except for drinks from the bar. (It’s okay to bring your own if you wish.) There
is a 10 per cent discount on trips before mid- April and after mid-September.
Despite the name ‘charter’ individual bookings are the norm. Whole boat rate
is £4000 for six days.
HEBRIDEAN ISLAND CRUISES
Scotland, Ireland, England, Norway
HEBRIDIAN PRINCESS
Passenger Capacity: 48
Built: 1964; rebuilt as cruise ship 1989
Former Names: Columba
Length: 236 ft.
Beam: 46 ft.
Draft: 10 ft.
Decks: 5
Elevator: None
Officers: British
Staff and Crew: 35, British
Wheelchair access: No
Itinerary: There are six, seven, nine, 13, 14 and 15-night cruises going
to lochs, estuaries and islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides on Scotland’s
west coast, usually including Iona, Rhum, Muck and Eigg, Lewis, Skye, Staffa and
Orkney Islands. Some also include St. Kilda, an isolated island west of the Outer
Hebrides and home to a wide variety of seabirds. Most departures are from Oban
with a coach connection from Glasgow. There are a variety of itineraries depending
on whether you want to visit towns, castles and gardens or to visit the remoter
parts of the western isles. Garden cruises are in May and September. Other itineraries
combine Scotland, England and Ireland or Norway. One 15-night combination cruise
goes from Inverness to Bergen, exploring up the Sognefjord, Naeroyfjord and Aurlandsfjord
into the interior of Norway’s west coast (including the famous train ride to Flam
with its midway stop to see the waterfall), and returning by way of the Shetland
Islands down Scotland’s west coast to Oban.
Cabins: 29. Cabins range from 112 to 367 square feet. There are 23 outside
cabins, 6 inside, 11 single and 4 with balconies. Cabins have refrigerator, TV
(some with VCR), radio, coffee and tea-maker and an ironing board/trouser press.
Each cabin is individually designed and there are a range of configurations (with
single, double or twin beds). All except two have a private bath, some with shower,
others with tub. Most have one or more windows of different sizes (in the largest
suite there are three large windows and a sitting area to enjoy them). Some cabins
have portholes (portholes can be opened). There is one two-room suite.
Dining: The dining room has one seating and is non-smoking. Fresh produce
is purchased locally. There is traditional Scottish fare, such as venison, pheasant,
rainbow trout, gooseberry and pear crumble, with a variety of choices with each
meal. Passengers traveling as singles are seated together and are hosted by an
officer. Tea, coffee and fresh fruit available all day.
Dress: Casual during the day, wear non-slip shoes on board. After 7 p.m.
men wear jackets, women wear dresses or pant suits. Captain’s night and at least
two other nights per week are dressy, and men usually wear dinner jacket, tuxedo
or kilts. It is often cold and damp in the Scottish islands so take warm clothing.
Facilities and Activities: The ship was originally built as a passenger
ferry, then was redesigned to resemble a country hotel. The passengers are mostly
British, one-third singles, two-thirds couples. There are several lounges for
cozy viewing (one especially for cigar and pipe smokers), a conservatory, a mini-gym
and a library. Guides are on board to answer questions and lead excursions,
but not to lecture. The ship can carry private cars, allowing guests to disembark
with their vehicles to explore for themselves. There are deck games, fishing trips,
clay pigeon shoots and explorations by motorboat. There is an open bridge policy.
Passengers report that the engine is noisy, but the ship anchors at night. Children
under age 9 are not allowed. There is no smoking in the restaurant, library, conservatory
or the port side of the main lounge. There is no air-conditioning, but the ship
cruises in cool weather regions, and all outside rooms and public rooms have portholes
or windows that open. There are bicycles, fishing gear and small boats for passenger
use. There are usually two shore visits by tender or zodiac-style landing craft
at different locations each day. Shore excursions are mostly hiking and exploring
wildlife with guides, but sometimes to castles, gardens, deserted beaches or towns.
On itineraries involving hiking in the hills, there are separate excursions for
hill-walking and low-level walking with guides for each.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: The per person fares range from $1,895
to $4,050 for six-night cruise up to $23,325 for a 15-night cruise in the biggest
suite. Shore excursions and entrance fees are included in the fare as well as
any use of the small boats, speedboat, ship’s bicycles and fishing tackle. There
are discounts for cruises in the early spring and autumn, for early booking and
a low fare for a repositioning cruise from Scotland along the coast of England
and through the English Channel in October. Single cabins have no supplement.
The vessel maintains a no tipping policy. Some cruise fares include air or rail
fare to and from a UK airport.
MARINE EXPEDITIONS
Antarctica, British Isles, Iceland, Greenland, Northwest Passage, Arctic, Amazon,
SouthAmerica, South Pacific, Asia
MARINE DISCOVERY
Passenger Capacity: 120
Built: 1976; refurbished 1992
Former Names: Alla Tarasova
Length: 328 ft.
Beam: 53 ft.
Draft: 16 ft.
Officers: Russian
Staff and Crew: 84, Russian and North American
- Itinerary: From
November through March the ship goes to Chile, Antarctica and the Falklands.
In April the ship cruises the Amazon between Belem, Manaus and Iquitos in
7 or 12-night cruises. From June through September it cruises Great Britain,
Iceland and Greenland, the Northwest Passage, and Newfoundland in 6 to 11-night
cruises. A seven-night trip goes to the Arctic.
- Cabins: 50.
All cabins are outside and have a private bath with shower. Deluxe cabins
(175 sq. ft.) have two lower berths; double cabins (120 sq. ft.) have two
lower berths, and quad cabins (112 sq. ft.) have two lowers and two uppers.
- Dining: There
is an open-seating dining room with one seating.
- Dress: Casual
during the day and evening.
- Facilities and Activities:
The ship has an ice-strengthened hull. There are zodiacs for shore exploration,
some wet landings. Naturalists are on board for lectures and guiding shore
excursions. Passengers visit remote small communities, archeological sites
and marine and wildlife areas. The zodiacs are used for shore excursions.
An optional flight is available to Iguazu Falls.
- Typical Rates and
Special Deals: Trips to the Antarctic or to the Antarctic and Falkland
Islands per person double occupancy range from $4,295 to $7,995. Trips to
Chile and Antarctica run from $7,370 to $7,995. Airfare for Antarctica expeditions
is included from New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Toronto, or Montreal. Amazon
trips range from $3,295 to $5,395 including airfare from Miami. If you book
at least six months in advance you can get an early bird discount. Shore excursions
are included in the fare. Single shares are available, and you get the room
alone if they do not have another single person to share with you. Family
rates are available. Port taxes and local airport taxes are not included.
RADISSON SEVEN
SEAS CRUISES
Travel Report
United States, Bahamas, Mediterranean, Greece, Caribbean, South Pacific, South
America, Africa, Seychelles, Amazon, Antarctica, Canary Islands, Arctic, Iceland,
Greenland, United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Alaska, Russia, Asia, Middle East, Australia,
New Zealand
HANSEATIC
Passenger Capacity: 170
Built: 1993
Length: 403 ft.
Beam: 59 ft.
Draft: 15 ft.
Decks: 7
Elevator: 2
Officers: German
Staff and Crew: 125; European
Wheelchair Access: Yes
- Itinerary: The
ship cruises in both hemispheres and from pole to pole in 8 to 24-night voyages.
Typical itineraries: Arctic, Antarctica, Iceland, Greenland, England, Ireland,
Scotland, Baltic, Norwegian fjords, North Cape, Newfoundland, Labrador, the
Northwest Passage to Nome, Alaska, Russian Far East, Central and South
America, South Africa, and the Seychelles.
- Cabins: 92.
All cabins are outside with large windows, have individual temperature control
and have a VCR, radio, and refrigerator. Cabins have double bed or twin beds,
and bathrooms have shower/tub. There are four two-room suites with a walk-in
closet. Bridge Deck suites have butler service and in-cabin dining. There
are two wheelchair-accessible cabins.
- Dining: The
main dining room, at the stern and with windows on three sides, has open single
seating. The menu is European. There is also an alternative dining room. Casual
breakfast and lunch are served in the lounge with indoor/outdoor seating.
English tea is served in the afternoon. There is a light late-night buffet
and course by course room service. Smoking is allowed in the dining room.
- Dress: Casual
during the day. Smart casual at night, jacket and tie expected of men on two
nights.
- Facilities and Activities:
This is an expedition ship with a 1A1 Super ice classification. There
is an observation lounge with a 180-degree span of windows that has a library,
ocean charts, maps, and a radar monitor to follow the progress of the ship.
There is a hairdresser, fitness center, sauna, pool, whirlpool, massage, and
medical facilities. Evening programs include cabaret shows, an orchestra for
dancing, a pianist, documentary and feature films, and lectures by naturalists
and anthropologists. There is an open bridge visitation policy. Announcements
and daily agendas are in both English and German. This is an expedition cruise
ship that focusses on nature and culture. There are four tenders and 14 zodiacs
for landings. Naturalists accompany passengers on shore trips and recap upon
their return. When needed, parkas and rubber boots are loaned to passengers
in the Arctic and Antarctic; snorkel equipment is provided in the tropics.
There often are wet landings and climbing in and out of zodiacs in remote
areas, inappropriate for people who are not physically fit. Antarctic trips
that traverse the Drake Channel often encounter a stretch of quite rough water.
- Typical Rates and
Special Deals: Average rate per day for cabin is $820, for a suite is
$1,190. If you book six months in advance you can get an early bird discount
of $500 per person, and two or more cruises combined saves $500. Past passengers
receive additional discounts. A third person is half price. Most shore excursions
are complimentary. There is no tipping.
SONG OF FLOWER
Passenger Capacity: 172
Built: Built as a container ship in 1974, rebuilt in 1986 as a cruise ship
Former Names: Explorer Starship, Begonia
Length: 407 ft.
Beam: 52 ft.
Draft: 16 ft.
Decks: 6
Elevator: 2
Officers: Norwegian
Staff and Crew: 144; European, American, Filipino
- Itinerary: There
are departures from Bombay, Dubai, Aqaba, Athens, Istanbul, Venice, Monte
Carlo, Lisbon, Rouen, Edinburgh, Stockholm, London, Copenhagen, Singapore,
and Darwin. Major cruise areas are India, Scandinavia, Russia, the Red Sea,
Mediterranean, and Baltic.
- Cabins: 107.
Cabins range from 183 to 398 sq. ft. All cabins are outside, 10 have balconies,
some are non-smoking. There are 10 suites. Beds can be converted from twins
to queen-size. All have air conditioning, TV/VCR, telephone, and refrigerator.
Most have picture windows, but some have only portholes. All have private
bath with shower; some have small tubs.
- Dining: There
is open seating, with dinner service from 7 to 9:30 PM on most nights. Breakfast
is in the dining room or on deck. There is also an outdoor cafe and grill,
afternoon tea in the lounge and 24-hour room service. All alcoholic and non-alcoholic
beverages are complimentary throughout the ship except for premium wines.
There is traditional cuisine and specialty Asian foods with hot-spiced soups
for those who dare and vegetarian selections.
- Dress: Casual
during the day. Resort wear or jackets for men at night. A tux would be appropriate
on formal night.
- Facilities and Activities:
Popular spot is the observation deck with floor-to-ceiling windows. There
is a show lounge, pool and whirlpool, fitness center, sauna, and small casino
with slot machines, roulette, and blackjack. Services include massage, hairdresser
and a library with 600 videos and 2,000 books. Entertainment includes a jazz/dance
band, nightly cabaret shows, and a pianist. There is a guest lecturer on each
cruise. There are golf cruises with a golf pro on board who conducts golf
clinics and passengers play courses in ports. Children under age 12 are not
accepted. Watersports facilities include jet skis, snorkel equipment, waterski
boat, and windsurfers. The bridge is open to guests during daylight hours.
There is a medical clinic with a doctor and nurse. A 120-passenger tender,
Tiny Flower, has bow landing capabilities for shore landings.
- Typical Rates and
Special Deals: On Asia itineraries, airfare, shore excursions, pre and
post-cruise stays, beverages, and gratuities are included. In Europe, shore
excursions are extra. Special savings are available on an 11-day all-inclusive
Burmese cruise in November with fares from $4,645 to $7,325. You can save
$250 to $1,050 by booking at least 120 days before departure, $1,000 per person
if you combine two or more cruises, and $1,500 per person if you combine two
or more cruises totaling at least 15 nights.
SEABOURN CRUISE LINE
Worldwide, including Mediterranean, Baltic, Scandinavia, Asia, US, Canada, Caribbean,
Latin America, South Pacific, Africa, Seychelles, Australia
SEABOURN LEGEND, SEABOURN PRIDE and SEABOURN SPIRIT
Passenger Capacity: 204
Built: 1988, 1989, 1990
Former Names: Seabourn Legend was the Royal Viking Queen, then Queen Odyssey
Length: 439 ft.
Beam: 63 ft.
Draft: 17 ft.
Decks: 6
Elevator: 3
Officers: Norwegian
Staff and Crew: 150, American, European. Filipino
Wheelchair Access: Yes
- Itinerary: These
three sister ships cruise in the Mediterranean, the Baltic, in Europe, Scandinavia,
the Americas, southeast Asia, the Orient, India, the South Pacific, Africa
and the Seychelles on voyages ranging from 6 to 23 days. The Seabourn Pride
and the Seabourn Legend in the Caribbean often sail the same itinerary together.
Ports of call on various cruises include many unique destinations throught
the world. These ships are truely worldwide cruises.
- Cabins: 100.
All cabins are outside, with air-conditioning, walk-in closets, and a private
bath with shower, or tub and shower. Most staterooms are 277 sq. ft. with
separate sleeping and sitting areas. By 2001 there will be 36 with French
Balconies. (Pride has these now), and the rest will retain a picture window.
Among the amenities of the suite is a bar stocked with spirits or wine as
requested by the guests. Cabins also have a safe, TV/VCR, cd, radio, direct
dial phone, chronometer, and barometer. Beds are twin or queen. Suites range
from 400 to 575 sq. ft. and have a private verandah; some also have a dining
area that converts to a second bedroom, and some have two baths. One owner’s
suite has curved sofa and a forward-facing verandah. Youth beds and rollaways
are available. There are four wheelchair-accessible cabins (handicapped person
should be accompanied by a non-handicapped adult). Financial news is printed
daily and delivered to your cabin. Other cabin amenities include hand-cut
crystal, fresh fruit and flowers, bon voyage champagne, personalized stationary,
terry robes, and blackout shades.
- Dining: There
is open seating, and passengers can dine at any time during the meal hours.
The dining room has portholes, not windows. The cuisine is international.
The service is as polished as the silver. There is a cafe for informal breakfast,
lunch and some dinners. Occasional barbecues are served on a beach, with china
and crystal. Room service is available, including the full restaurant dinner
menu during dinner hours. Complimentary house wines are available in the dining
room with lunch and dinner. Caviar is always available on request. Special
diets are accommodated.
- Dress: Casual
during the day. There are two formal evenings each week, with tuxedo or dark
suit for men and evening gown or other formal attire for women. Gentlemen
are expected to wear a jacket and tie on other nights.
- Facilities and Activities:
These are three sister ships that are for travelers comfortable with luxury
service and upscale environment. There is a main show lounge with cabaret
programs as well as a club with music and dancing. A pianist plays at cocktail
hour and later in the evening. Speakers include well-known personalities and
experts on wine, cuisine, world affairs, and the arts. There is a pool, two
whirlpools, and a spa with massage, sauna, steam room, herbal body wrap, hairdresser,
and gym. A casino has blackjack, slot machines, and roulette. There is a business
center and a self-service launderette. A water sports platform is lowered
at the stern for swimming and water sports, including windsurfing, water skiing,
and two zodiacs. There is a library with videos for en suite viewing. Music
and dance performers are brought on board at local ports. Some cruises calling
on the eastern US, Ireland, Sweden, Estonia, Finland and Norway have a golf
pro on board who conducts golf clinics and passengers play courses in ports.
There are medical facilities. Portions of public rooms are non-smoking. Two
tenders are available for shore excursions.
- Typical Rates and
Special Deals: Cruise-only fares for a six-day cruise in the Caribbean
range from $2,790 to $6,560. A 14-day cruise ranges from $7,590 to $26,050.
A 23-day Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles cruise runs from $10,990 to $21,590.
A special program allows you to purchase 45 days of cruising for $26,775 and
take those segments at any time you wish in three years. Air/sea packages
are available as well as pre and post-cruise land tours, including options
of flying the Concorde or a private chartered jet. If that makes you somewhat
budget-conscious, you can save on the cruise with a discount for being a previous
guest, or by combining two or more cruises. For 2001 there will be savings
of 30 percent for early bookings. This savings does not have a particular
expiration date, but it will be reduced or withdrawn as cruises fill. It is
combinable with the 10% past guest savings. Most shore excursions are not
included in the fare, but on a few itineraries, particularly in Asia, complimentary
excursions are included. There are also discount fares for off-season
and repositioning cruises. If you sail a total of 140 cruising days you are
entitled to a free cruise of up to 14 days on any Seabourn ship. Singles can
save from paying twice the per person double occupancy rate by being flexible
and allowing the ship to assign an available cabin. A third person in a cabin
cruises for 25 percent of the fare. There is no tipping allowed.
Fares for Seabourn Spirit for 10 and 11-day cruises in Alaska start at $6,659,
with early booking discounts bringing that to $3,500.
SILVERSEA CRUISES
Worldwide, including Africa, Seychelles, Baltic and Mediterranean and Red Seas,
US, Canada, Latin America, South Pacific, Asia, Caribbean
SILVER CLOUD; SILVER WIND (not in service in 2002)
Passenger Capacity: 296
Built: 1994 in Italy
Length: 514 ft.
Beam: 70 ft.
Draft: 17 ft.
Decks: 9
Elevator: 4
Officers: Italian
Staff and Crew: 185; European
Wheelchair Access: Yes
- Itinerary: These
ships circle the globe, offering cruises to destinations off Africa, in the
Seychelles, the Indian Ocean, the Baltic, the Mediterranean, and Red Sea,
the coast of the U.S., Canada, South America, and in the South Pacific and
Southeast Asia. Voyages are from seven nights to 18 nights. Grand cruises
run from 24 to 44 days.
- Cabins: 148.
All cabins are outside with floor-to-ceiling windows, and 110 have balconies.
All are air-conditioned, have twin beds that can be converted to queen, and
have walk-in closets, VCR, mini-bar, direct-dial phone, safe, desk,
and a bathroom with shower and tub. Cabins range from 240 to 1,300 sq. ft.
There are two wheelchair accessible cabins on Silver Wind. Five suites have
two bedrooms and CD players.
- Dining: There
is an open-seating dining room with one seating. You can arrive anytime between
7:30 and 9:30. Cuisine is French, Italian and American plus local specialties.
Special diets are accommodated. There is room service 24 hours a day, including
full meals served course by course. Stewardesses deliver canapés to
the suites before dinner. Selected wines are complimentary for lunch and dinner,
as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the ship. There are
buffets in the Terrace Cafe for breakfast and lunch and theme dinners. A
lunch features homeland dishes from each chef.
- Dress: Casual
during the day. Dressy at night, with one to three formal nights in which
most men wear tuxedos and women wear gowns or cocktail dresses.
- Facilities and Activities:
These are two sister ships that are identical. All cabins are located
forward and public rooms aft. There is a side platform for watersports with
kayaks, zodiacs, sailfish, windsurfers, and waterski boats. There is a piano
bar, heated pool, two whirlpools, a fitness room, sauna and steam rooms, massage,
self-service laundry, hairdresser, movie theater, show lounge, forward observation
lounge, library, small casino, and a meeting room with computers. There are
dance hosts on board for longer cruises. A wraparound track offers sunning,
walking and jogging. There is a medical facility with a doctor and a nurse.
Some cruises can be combined with African safaris; golf packages allow guests
to visit golf courses at the ports of call. Other activities include occasional
guest lecturers, language courses, deck games, bridge instruction and tournaments,
dancing, cabaret shows, and folkloric performances. There is an open bridge
policy. One cruise offers instruction in culinary arts by Le Cordon
Bleu Culinary Institute. A financial service gives guests a daily personalized
stock market report on their stocks. National Geographic writers and photographers
are onboard for certain cruises. This is not a ship for children.
- Typical Rates and
Special Deals: The cruises are all-inclusive: beverages are complimentary
throughout the ship; tipping is not allowed; air travel and precruise hotels
are generally included with the cruise fare, as well as port taxes, travel
insurance and one shore excursion. Eight-day cruises with air start at $5,695..All
trips are considerably cheaper on a cruise-only basis if you can get air cheaper
on your own. If you book at least six months in advance you can get a 10 percent
early bird discount, and you can save $1,000 to $2,000 more if you combine
two back-to-back cruises. Past passengers and their companions are offered
a discount on some voyages as well as unique events on shore. When you spend
300 days on cruises, you get a seven-night cruise free. Smoking is restricted
to designated areas.
SPECIAL EXPEDITIONS
Alaska, Columbia and Snake rivers, San Juan Islands, Baja, Main, Danube and Nile
rivers, Mediterranean, British Isles, Greece, Turkey, Latin America, Suez Canal.
This cruise line was founded by Sven-Olof Lindblad, son of adventure travel pioneer
Lars-Eric Lindblad. The cruise line operates the ships in its own fleet and also
charters other ships and often operates cruises for universities and other groups.
CALEDONIAN STAR
Passenger Capacity: 110
Built: 1966, rebuilt in 1990, remodeling and refurbishing in 1998
Former Name: North Star, Marburg, Lindmar
Length: 293 ft.
Beam: 46 ft.
Draft: 20 ft.
Decks: 6
Elevator: None
Officers: Scandinavian
Staff and Crew: 60, International
Wheelchair Access: No
Itinerary: In April the ship goes from the Caribbean to Bermuda, the Azores
and to England, then in May, June and July cruises Britain, Scotland and Ireland,
and in August goes from London to France, Spain and Portugal. Another cruise goes
between Arctic Norway or Iceland, the Faroe, Shetland and Orkney Islands and Scotland.
A September cruise goes from Lisbon through the Mediterranean to Malta, with stops
at Gibraltar, Menorca, Sardinia, Corsica and Sicily, followed by a cruise from
Malta to Italy, Greece and Turkey. In October a cruise goes from Portugal to Brazil,
including Madeira, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands. There are 12 and
15-day golf cruises in Spain, France, Portugal and Morocco that include nine rounds
on such courses as Vlderrama in Spain and Dar Es-Salam in Morocco, and a 11-day
golf cruise in Scotland and Ireland. A Latin America cruise goes to Brazil, Argentina
and Uruguay and continues on to the Falklands and southern Chile, and another
goes form Buenos Aires up the west coast of South America to Panama.
Cabins: 62. All of the cabins are outside, with air-conditioning, refrigerator,
TV/VCR, radio, private bath with shower. Most cabins have twin beds; in some cabins
one bed folds into a sofa. Some cabins have a fold-away upper berth. Some cabins
have portholes, some have windows. There are three suites on the upper deck with
separate sleeping and sitting areas, a convertible sofa and large windows. There
are cabins for non-smokers. There are 14 single cabins.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with a single sitting. The
cuisine is European.
Dress: Casual. There is no need for formal clothing. Bring walking shoes
and an inquisitive mind.
Facilities and Activities: There is a lounge and bar, a casino, a pool,
a lecture room and a library with videos for in-cabin use, a hairdresser, laundry,
and medical facilities with a full-time physician onboard. There are several naturalist
and history lecturers on every cruise. Nature photographers accompany several
cruises to the Arctic. There is an open bridge policy. There are zodiac landing
craft for excursions and an enclosed tender. Stairways are steep. Emphasis is
on understanding Europe through the ages. Most of the passengers are British.
Smoking is restricted to passenger cabins, outside decks and one section of the
lounge. Passengers explore ruins at Heraklion, Akrotiri and Delphi and later in
Malta on the Red Sea-Mediterranean cruise. A summer cruise visits Fair Isle, the
most isolated settlement in the British Isles with fewer than 100 residents, but
thousands of puffins, kittiwakes and migratory birds, and the Stone Age sites
of Orkney. Other excursions are to fishing villages, castles, abbeys and forts.
Those not snorkeling or diving can use a glass-bottom boat.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: Cruise-only fares for cruise of the islands
of Britain and Ireland range from $6.490 to $11,660 per person. The Norway to
Scotland 18-day cruise is $8,290 to $10,860. A 10-day Spitsbergen cruise
from Oslo is $4,550 to $7,560. A 13 to 15-day cruise of the Red Sea and Mediterranean
or of various itineraries in the Mediterranean begin at $5,290 per person. An
18-day transatlantic cruise from Lisbon to Salvador or a 20-day Caribbean to Dartmouth
begins at $4,980. An 11-day golf cruise in Scotland and Ireland starts at $7,190
for golfers and $5,190 for non-golfers, and the 15-day golfing cruises are $9,290
for golfers and $7,040 for non-golfers. A 14-day cruise from Uruguay to the Falkland
Islands and around to Santiago starts at $7,590, and a 29-day cruise of the west
coast of South America starts at $12,390. Antarctica and the Falklands for 19
days starts at $8,700 and for 25 days starts at $11,580. Discounts are offered
for early booking, and sometimes complimentary air fare is given. There is a 10
percent discount for two consecutive voyages. All shore excursions are included
in the cruise fare.
SQUARE SAIL

Great Britain, Isles of Scilly, France
EARL OF PEMBROKE, KASKELOT, PHOENIX
Built: 1945,1948, 1929
Length: 145 ft., 153 ft., 112 ft.
Beam: 24 ft., 28 ft., 22 ft.
Draft: 10 ft., 12 ft., 7 ft.
Staff and Crew: 15, 18, 10
- Itinerary: From
April to September there are two to six-day voyages, with itineraries from
Charlestown and Padstow, from Charlestown to Paimpol and Cowes, from Cornwall
to France, and roundtrip from Charleston to the Isles of Scilly.
- Facilities and Activities:
The Earl of Pembroke and Kaskelot are three-masted barques. The Earl of Pembroke
was originally a schooner that traded timber in the Baltic and along the British
coast. Kaskelot once supplied remote Greenland settlements and then worked
as a fisheries support vessel. The Phoenix is a two-masted brig that started
life as a Danish Evangelical Mission Schooner, then carried cargo. In 1991
she was converted to a caravel to replicate the Santa Maria for the film 1492
Conquest of Paradise. After several years as a museum she was converted back
into a two-masted brig. Other film credits of the ships include Moll Flanders,
Frenchman’s Creek, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Last Place on Earth, Cutthroat
Island, Swept from the Sea, Treasure Island, Return to Treasure Island, A
Respectable Trade, The Three Musketeers, and Revolution. Passengers are considered
voyage crew and usually actively participate in the sailing of the ship, although
participation is voluntary. On the Cornwall-France voyages the ship usually
calls at the Brittany port of Douarnenez to visit the Maritime Museum.
- Typical Rates and
Special Deals: The rates range from 130 to 800 British pounds sterling
and from 2,000 to 6,000 FF.
SWAN HELLENIC CRUISES
Europe, Asia, Middle East, Far East
MINERVA
Passenger Capacity: 300
Built: 1996, in Italy
Former Names: Okean
Length: 436 ft.
Beam: 65 ft.
Draft: 20 ft.
Decks: 6
Elevator: 2
Officers: British
Staff and Crew: 157, International
Wheelchair Access: Yes
Itinerary: The ship operates year-round on cruises ranging
from nine to 25 days. Spring and fall cruises sail the Mediterranean and Black
Seas, and go to Britain, Norway and the Baltic. Late fall and early spring one-way
voyages operate through the Suez Canal to and from Arabia and southeast Asia.
Places visited on various cruises include Jordan, Yemen, Oman, India, Sri Lanka,
Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Egypt, Syria, Cyprus,
Israel, Turkey, Greece, Albania, Croatia, Italy, Malta, Libya, Tunisia, France,
Spain, Portugal, Britain, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Russia, LaTVia,
Poland, Germany, Portugal, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Tunisia, and Lebanon.
Cabins: 194. Cabins range from 140 to 277 square feet.
Most cabins are outside, and 12 have balconies. Cabins mostly have twin beds,
which can be put together, some with sofa and/or chairs. Cabins have a TV (not
VCR), telephone and a fax machine, and a private bath with shower or tub.
There are four single cabins and four wheelchair-Accessible cabins. There are
52 inside cabins.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with tables
for two, four, six and eight, with one seating, and there is an informal indoor/outdoor
cafe for buffet breakfast and lunch and informal dinner where one need not wear
a jacket or tie. Food is continental. Low calorie menus are available and special
diets are accommodated. Room service is available.
Dress: Casual during the day. Jacket and tie for men
are required at night in the main dining room and there are two black tie nights.
Facilities and Activities: The Minerva, originally intended
as a Soviet spy ship, is Swan Hellenic’s replacement for the Orpheus that they
had chartered for many years. Passenger makeup is about 50 percent American, with
the rest mostly European, others from Hong Kong and China. There is a teak wrap-around
promenade deck. There is a heated pool, a fitness center, a hairdresser, a sauna
and a self-serve launderette. There are movies in the auditorium, a wood-panelled
library with lots of travel guides and references and easy chairs to read them
in, a card room and smoking room. There is a four-piece band for dancing in the
lounge, which is also used for lectures, and a pianist on board in the Wheeler
Bar, named after Sir Mortimer Wheeler archeologist and former chairman of Swan
Hellenic. A second lounge is called the Orpheus Room in honor of their former
ship. Original paintings and antique maps line the walls. Children under 18 must
be accompanied by an adult. There is no formal entertainment. Minerva was the
Roman goddess of wisdom, and on this ship several British lecturers accompany
the cruises in cultural enrichment programs exploring the history, art, archeology,
music, wine and other facets of the Mediterranean, northern Europe and Asia. An
artist teaches painting. There is a special smoking room and humidor service.
There is a medical facility with a British physician onboard. The ship is very
British in orientation. Most shore excursions are included in the cruise fare.
Passengers go to cathedrals, museums, castles, gardens and wineries or walk through
historical cities. Other cruises feature a trip to Petra, the city carved in rock
cliffs, a cocktail at Raffles in Singapore, a cruise up the Chao Phraya River
and visits to the palace and buddha temples in Bangkok. A cruise to the Spice
Islands offers komodo dragons, monitor lizards that can grow up to 9 ft. long.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: A nine-day cruise ranges from $4,130 for
an inside to $4,620 for a deluxe outside cabin and $5,800 for the owner’s suite.
Cabins for a 15-day cruise range from $5,020 to $8,450. Shore excursions are included
in the fare, as well as gratuities on board and for tour guides ashore, port charges
and charter flights if applicable between London and the ship. If you book in
advance some cabins have a 20 percent discount; sometimes
there is a discount fare of half price for the second person; there are occasional
two-for-one fares. Triples are available in some cabins at 40 percent of fare.
Air/sea packages are available as well as pre and post-cruise packages.
Swan Hellenic also charters
two ships for river cruises: the Sergey Yesenin between Moscow and St. Petersburg
in Russia and the Rembrandt van Rijn on the Rhine and Danube, and markets Nubian
Sea and Vittoria, river boats on the Nile. These all have fewer than 100 passengers.
Ten and 11-day cruises run from $3,420 to $4,540.
BARGES
THE BARGE BROKER
The Barge Broker has barges in France, England, Holland, Scotland, and
Ireland.
DUKE & DUCHESS
England
Passengers: 10. This pair of narrow boats (70 ft. long and 7 ft. wide)
travels together in the Midlands around Coventry, Milton Keynes and Warwick.
Fare is $620 to $1,208.
.
THE BARGE LADY
The Barge Lady represents 50 barges in France, England, Holland, Scotland,
and Ireland.
BARKIS AND PEGGOTTY
England
Passengers: 5 each. These boats, 11 feet wide, travel as a pair in Cambridgeshire.
Head-room is only 6 feet 7 inches. There is a crew of four plus a dog.
Whole charter is $15,000; the individual rate $1,690.
SHANNON PRINCESS
Ireland
Passengers: 12. This barge, moored in front of a castle in Athlone, floats
through the Shannon River. There is a crew of five. From the salon, stairs lead
down to a suite, four twin cabins and two single cabins, each with private bath
and windows that open. Fare for the six-night cruise begins at $2,290 per person
and includes an open bar, guided excursions and transfers from Dublin. A golf,
gourmet, equestrian, or fishing program may be added at extra cost. Whole boat
charter ranges is $22,900.
SPIRIT OF LOCH NESS
Scotland
Passengers: 8. Charters are available from May to September, with cruises
beginning in Inverness, Scotland, offering golf at Highland’s courses and a
float through Loch Ness where you can view castle ruins or watch for the Loch
Ness monster. Individual fare is $1,990. Whole boat charter begins at $15,000.
BRITAIN
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