3D Destinations

Facts and Figures
Gross Tonnage 90,000
Length 964.5 feet (294 metres)
Width 106 feet (32.3 metres)
Draft 25.9 feet (7.9 metres)
Height 179 feet (54.5 metres)
Guest Capacity 2,014
Guest Decks 12

Passenger Accommodation
1,007 staterooms
86% of staterooms are outside
71% of staterooms feature balconies

Cunard Queens enjoy many Cunard fleet exclusives, and Queen Victoria will be no exception. But she will also offer some innovations of her own…

Holland America Line is proud to announce the launch of the newest member of our world-renowned Vista-class ships - the ms Noordam. Sailing from the new homeport of New York City, the 1,918-passenger ship will sail a series of 10- and 11-day Caribbean cruises which began with a maiden voyage on February 22. Summer cruises will operate in Europe and the Mediterranean before the ship returns to New York and the Caribbean in the autumn of 2006. Presenting ms Noordam.

The ms Noordam, which is the first ship to be launched with the full complement of Signature of Excellence enhancements, exemplifies the classic style of the golden age of ocean travel with contemporary amenities and modern enhancements. In addition to excellent service and an incredible range of elegant dining choices, the ms Noordam has over 50 scheduled shipboard activities allowing you to do as much or as little as you please.

The ambiance of the elegant new ms Noordam will provide a comfortable, spacious and relaxing backdrop as you sail to the sunny Caribbean. Highlight features aboard the ship include:

As Holland America Line's fourth Vista-class ship, ms Noordam joins her sister ships ms Westerdam, ms Oosterdam, and ms Zuiderdam, to deliver the ultimate onboard experience for your cruise vacation.

Holland America Line will call its recently announced pair of new-builds the Signature Class, taking the name from an integral component of the premium line’s branding and the current US $225 million Signature of Excellence initiative.

With a firm order for one ship due in summer 2008 and an option for another in spring 2010, the Signature Class marks Holland America Line’s latest class of new build vessels and the largest ever constructed for the premium line. Previous new-build series include the four-ship Statendam Class group, four-ship Rotterdam Class, and four-ship Vista Class. The line also owns and operates the 793-passenger Elegant Explorer, the ms Prinsendam. With an estimated all-in cost of $450 million each, the new 86,000-ton Panamax Signature Class vessels will be built at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard. The vessels are unnamed at this time.

“With innovative design and guest offerings, the Signature Class ships will continue the evolution of Holland America Line’s sophisticated mid-sized ships and further our premium leadership position,” said Stein Kruse, president and chief executive officer. “The two 2,044-passenger ships represent a 22 percent increase in our capacity and will allow us to achieve a greater share of the growing premium cruise market.”

The ships of the Signature Class will evolve from the line’s Vista Class ships and further define and expand the Holland America Line premium brand with new concepts such as an innovative topside 144-seat restaurant and 50-seat lounge surrounded by panoramic views overlooking the ocean expanse and the Lido pool. Other additions are an Explorer’s Lounge Bar, a premium wine-tasting lounge, an elegant luxury jewelry boutique, new atrium bar area, enhanced and reconfigured show lounge, and a new photographic and imaging center.

The Signature Class goes beyond the Vista Class, adding decks and 63 new staterooms. Forty-seven will be verandah cabins and ten will be a new style of stateroom with ceiling-to-floor and wall-to-wall panoramic windows. Total, the new Signature Class will carry 1,022 double occupancy staterooms, with 67 percent featuring verandahs and 86 percent outside.

Staterooms will spotlight all the Signature of Excellence premium amenities of plush Euro-top Mariner’s Dream Beds, deluxe waffle/terry cloth robes, Egyptian cotton towels, flat panel TVs, dvd players, make-up mirrors with halo lighting, massage shower heads, professional grade hair dryers, fresh flowers and complimentary fruit baskets.

The Signature Class will continue several much-admired Holland America Line features, including outside-view, glass elevators at midship; the Explorations Café — a cyber-coffee house powered by The New York Times; the Pinnacle Grill and Pinnacle Bar; the innovative Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine Magazine, where culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and intimate classes in a state-of-the-art onboard show kitchens; an expanded Greenhouse Spa and Salon with thermal suites and hydro-pool, the largest gymnasium ever built for Holland America Line; and a youth facility that includes the teens-only Loft.

On the technical side, Signature Class ships will feature the latest state-of-the-art navigation and safety systems including dynamic positioning abilities to hold the ship in a precise position. The vessels will be powered by six diesel generators and propelled by the latest Azipod propulsion technology.

“This new class of ships demonstrates the strength of our brand, the loyalty of our guests and the dedication of our more than 15,000 employees worldwide,” said Kruse. “The added capacity will provide greater opportunities for our guests and employees alike.”

On Sunday, February 19, Pride of Hawaii was floated out of Meyer Werft’s roofed building dock and is now berthed at the shipyard’s outfitting pier where all remaining work will be completed. The 93,500-ton Pride of Hawaii, which is the sister ship to Norwegian Jewel, is scheduled to transit the river Ems passage to Emsehaven on March 11 where she will undergo sea trials March 15 through the 19th.

NCL America welcomes the new Pride of Hawaii to its U.S. Flagged fleet in April 2006. She is the largest U.S. flagged passenger ship ever built, and joins Pride of Aloha and Pride of America offering seven-day, inter-island cruises visiting the beautiful 50th state’s four main islands. Pride of Hawaii departs Honolulu on Mondays and features the line’s extremely popular itinerary with a full day in Hilo, Hawaii; two days in Kahului, Maui; a day in Kona, Hawaii and two days in Nwiliwili, Kauai.

Purpose built for NCL’s signature Freestyle Cruising, Pride of Hawaii features a vast array of accommodations including two luxurious Garden Villas with their own private gardens and sun decks, 10 Courtyard Villas sharing a private courtyard, pool and sundeck on deck 14, and a spectacular top-of-the-ship Owner’s Suite. The ship features multiple lively public rooms, 10 restaurants and impressive onboard amenities.

Viking River Cruises will inaugurate another jewel in their European fleet; the brand new 198 passenger Viking Helvetia II.

The Viking Helvetia II state-of-the-art passenger vessel cruises through the heart of Europe along the "Old Father Rhine." Discover the most scenic landscapes and places of cultural heritage, proud fairy-tale castles that inspired artists of the Romantic Age, centuries-old towns that bear witness to the glory and wealth of times gone by, steep vineyards and traditional villages producing great wines. Experience the fascinating contrasts that make any passenger's heart beat faster: from the excitement of a big city to the dreamy half-timbered villages.

Viking Helvetia II features a continuous sun deck. bar, restaurant, souvenir shop, and 99 comfortable outside cabins, each with a telephone, television, air conditioning and safe. The ship's excellent amenities make it the perfect choice not only for cruising but also as a charter ship for conferences, seminars, group incentive tours, or festive occasions.

Some reasons to consider Viking River Cruises:

The most “incentive-friendly” luxury river vessels
Guaranteed USD $$ pricing for your programs (average nightly net rates $175-225 per person!)
Shore/land programs available at all ports
Customized itineraries on charter programs
The most experienced and knowledgeable staff to help with all of your programming

And now in addition to our other 7 night European options, the Viking Helvetia II will offer 3 and 4 night cruises on the magnificent Rhine River between Basel, Switzerland and Dusseldorf, Germany beginning in 2007.

Celebrity Cruises exercised its option to order the second 118,000 gross-registered-ton ship, reaffirming its commitment to innovative products and high guest satisfaction. German shipbuilder Meyer Werft will build the new tonnage, with delivery of the first ship planned for Fall 2008 and the second ship in Summer 2009.

The first new ship will be called Celebrity Solstice, and the second ship will be named Celebrity Equinox. The new series of ships will be known as the Solstice class. Both new ships will be 2,850-guest vessels measuring 1,033 feet in length and 121 feet in width. Their added size will allow Celebrity to offer larger standard staterooms, a higher percentage of balconies and an exceptional range of guest-inspired
services and amenities.

“The Solstice-class ships accelerate the tremendous growth and excitement that continues to build with this brand,” said Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO of parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “We owe a lot of our inspiration to guests and travel partners, and we think they will be enormously pleased with this collaboration. We also thank our shipbuilding partner, Meyer Werft, for working with us to produce so many of our beautiful ships.”

“Meyer Werft is proud to be a part of Celebrity Cruises’ continued growth,” said Meyer Werft Managing Partner Bernard Meyer. “These new ships demonstrate Celebrity’s tradition of breakthrough design and leading innovations.”

“Freedom of the Seas will be the most head-turning, most innovative and most forward-looking ship in the cruise industry,” said Richard D. Fain, Royal Caribbean Chairman and CEO. “Its name was chosen deliberately to convey the enormity of features and amenities offered on this extraordinary ship.”

“Freedom of the Seas is really all about freedom of choice. Freedom to explore. Freedom to relax. Freedom to make one’s own vacation plans reflective of one’s own tastes and interests,” he added.

Royal Caribbean’s newest ship again elevates cruise-ship design and innovation to new levels. Freedom of the Seas builds on the line’s popular Voyager–class ships, so once breakthrough, now signature, elements such as the Royal Promenade, rock-climbing wall and ice-skating rink are standard on Freedom of the Seas. The company will reveal this ship’s major new features as she takes shape in drydock.

One feature the company will share now, in keeping with its “freedom” theme, is the great freedom of space planned for the new ship.

Freedom of the Seas will have some of the largest guest staterooms and the most spacious balconies in the industry. One reason for the roominess? Freedom of the Seas will have full-size, yet space-saving, flat screen TVs in 100 percent of the guest staterooms and public areas.

The first-in-the-industry flat screen TVs dovetail with other technologies onboard, earning Freedom of the Seas the distinction of being the most digitally-advanced cruise ship at sea. The new ship will be free of wires by having extensive WiFi capabilities and connectivity for regular cell phones. Other functions will enhance the ship’s security, navigational and environmental-management systems.

Freedom of the Seas will be the world’s largest cruise ship when she enters service in April 2006 at 158,000 gross registered tons. The 3,600-guest ship (double occupancy) will sail year-round, seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami.

In shedding its old name for its new brand identity, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises is not just becoming Regent Seven Seas Cruises, "Our acclaimed cruise line is evolving to a new higher level," said Jay Witzel, president and CEO of Carlson Hotels Worldwide and Carlson Cruises Worldwide.

Sketching out developments over the next 18 months, including the upgrading of suite design, décor, amenities and technology plus the roll out of innovative new product offerings and services, Witzel also laid out the vision in aligning Regent Seven Seas Cruises with Regent Hotels under the unifying theme of The Regent Experience.

But for the new Regent Seven Seas Cruises, he stressed, "some things will not change." Building on the finest accommodations at sea, with the world's only all-balcony suite vessels, intimately small and mid-sized ships, award-winning cuisine, celebrated itineraries to over 300 ports worldwide and an elegant ambience with gracious service guests rave about, "the line is evolving naturally to its next logical step," Witzel noted.

Since its inception in 1992, Radisson Seven Seas has won acclaim in the luxury category as one of the "World's Best Cruise Lines." Having raised the bar on luxury through its ownership of the all-balcony suite concept, and partnerships with famed Le Cordon Bleu® and Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society, the re-branding from Radisson to Regent Seven Seas Cruises "keeps pace with valuable insights gained from guests, prospective affluent travelers and our extensive proprietary research," said Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

The Regent Experience
Built around the customer, the Regent Seven Seas brand is focused on imparting personalized experiences. Its new Regent Travel Concierge program will give guests the tools to customize their travel programs based on their personal interests and preferences. Through new partnerships with Travel + Leisure magazine and Fodor's, Regent Seven Seas will offer guests exclusive access to "insider tips" and the latest editorial insights about the worldwide destinations visited by the luxury fleet. Special "à la carte" tour and hotel arrangements can be pre-booked through a dedicated toll-free number, or guests may select from a wide array of exclusive Concierge Collection land adventures - ranging from multi-night overland journeys to ultra-deluxe pre- and post-cruise hotel extensions.

Giving them new flexibility in planning their cruise experiences in advance, guests may also pre-register for a wide range of shore excursions or pre-book dinner reservations in the line's specialty restaurants via its website. Guests confirmed in suites with butler service can email any of their special requests ahead of time.

Another way Regent Seven Seas is empowering its guests - by giving them the ability to select their own customized cruise experiences - is through an expanded Circles of Interest enrichment program, featuring ten exclusive "Circles" on select sailings, with ship and shore activities linked by theme. Guests may enhance itineraries with a tailored program of onboard lectures and workshops combined with specially crafted excursions and events led by guest experts. This enables them to adjust and fine-tune their experiences from place to place while immersing themselves in local cultures and building camaraderie with like-minded guests.

In 2006, they can step into the "Circle" that interests them most through ten "passion points" or lenses: food and wine; performing arts; photography; history, archaeology and literature; the environment and marine life; antiques, jewelry and shopping; active exploration and wellness; art design and museums; families and friends, and romance. Stepping into their own Circle of Interest enables them to shift the personal lens through which they can discover the worlds revealed on every cruise.

"Our guests are seeking unique experiences and access, and are motivated by the opportunity to explore destinations and cultures through their own lens", said Sophie Vlessing, vice president guest strategy and marketing for Regent cruises and hotels. "We have created The Regent Experience in response to insights provided by our guests and other luxury travelers. We are tailoring experiences both on board and on shore, and we will be innovating with new partnerships on an ongoing basis," she added.

Redesigned Suite Life
Over the next eighteen months, Regent Seven Seas will make a multi-million dollar investment to upgrade the fleet's soft furnishings in all private guest accommodations and public areas. With luxury that appeals to all the senses, matched by service in the rich tradition of world-class hospitality, the look of all staterooms and suites will be re-designed and upgraded. Exquisite down comforters and pure Egyptian cotton percale Anichini brand linens with satin-stitch embroidery will hug new mattresses. Plush bedding will match, with fine cashmere throws, perfect for lounging en suite or on private balconies throughout the fleet. Soft bathrobes and towels will await guests in their bathrooms, which will also feature new Regent luxury bathroom amenities.

State of the art technology will upgrade every stateroom and suite, from the installation of flat screen TVs, DVD players and new clocks, to iPod® music systems with Bose® speakers in upper category suites pre-set with music content. High-speed wireless Internet access and cell phone service will also be available on all ships.

Physical changes on board the ships will commence with the Seven Seas Mariner on April 18 in San Francisco. A celebration of Regent Inaugural Season sailings on the Seven Seas Voyager will start July 1st in Scandinavia and Russia and run through the final Mediterranean cruise in October, and will feature unique programming and offers.

In one of the biggest renovations in the history of the cruise business, Celebrity will lay out approximately $55 million to transform the 1995-built Century into a more modern, amenity-filled vessel, one that is much more in line with the line's newer Millennium-class ships. The cornerstone of the program is the addition of 325+ new balconies, totally changing the make-up of the ship, which was completed just prior to the big balcony craze that transformed cruising over the past decade.

And these will be good-sized verandas: at 1.75 meters deep (or just under six feet) and about 4.7 square-meters in all, they'll extend even deeper than those on the new Millennium-class ships (which generally run about 1.4 meter deep or less). The balconies will be built out from, not into, the staterooms, and the size of the staterooms themselves will be expanded by one meter due to the overall change in design.

At a press briefing in Miami, Celebrity President Dan Hanrahan emphasized that the revitalization program for Century extends beyond normal renovations. "The difference is this time we're going to be adding 314 balconies to the sides of the ship, bringing us to just about 400 balconies overall," he says. "We'll also be adding 24 new staterooms up on the back of deck 12 — all the way from suites to a couple of insides — as well as some more verandas."

The renovation will take place over a thirty-day period in April 2006 at an as yet to be determined shipyard in Europe. Approximate cost will be $55 million.

Senior VP Fleet Operations Dietmar Wertanzl reports that a lot of the features of Millennium-class ships will be added to the Century, ranging from a Cirque du Soleil shop to a permanent space for acupuncture treatments.

Starting at the top of the ship, a brand new sports deck will be added on deck 14 — complete with basketball court and table tennis. "While modeled after Millennium class, the location is actually better than the sports deck on Millennium-class ships, because on Century it will look right down to the pool area and have a beautiful view," says Wertanzl.

Moving down from the top, changes on Deck 12 involve several new dining choices, including the addition of a Sushi café and an alfresco dining area. Other dining changes on the ship include adding a Spa café adjacent to the spa, which itself is being expanded (new features will include a Persian Garden).

An attractive but not particularly utilized bar will be replaced at the aft end of Deck 12 with 14 Sky suites, two of which will be handicapped accessible. Celebrity will also be adding four aft verandah staterooms, two ocean view staterooms and four inside staterooms on this level.

The major balcony additions will take place on decks 8, 9, and 10, and there will be other stateroom changes as well. For instance, many of the staterooms will have interconnecting doors, aimed at the family market. "Also, when there are interconnecting doors between existing staterooms, we will place an interconnecting door on the verandah partition," reports Celebrity's Sr. Naval Architect Joseph Miorelli.

Moving down to Deck 7, the sports bar will be transformed into a martini bar. The computer station will be become a "High Seas Computing" area learning center with newly dedicated space offering guests Internet access and courses ranging from basic computer use to website creation to digital photography.

On Deck 6, the Cova Café area will be expanded to include pastries and chocolates, such as found on Millennium-class vessels.

One of the biggest projects is on Deck 5, where Celebrity will add a Millennium-class type specialty restaurant. "The theme has yet to be determined, but it will feature tableside cooking, with an atmosphere that's both very classy and romantic," reports Wertanzl. "Michel Roux will be designing the menu."

On Deck 4, six cabins will be removed so the children's area — called Fun Factory — can be enlarged. Separately, brand new teen facilities will be developed next to the showroom.

Comments Miorelli: "The existing showroom is very large, and we are taking a portion of it, which has poor sightlines to the stage, to create a teen area and also a video arcade."

He explains: "We've seen in the comments that Century needs to accommodate the youth a little better, so we're taking steps to accommodate kids at all age levels."

The only Cirque element on the "new" Century will be a Cirque du Soleil boutique shop in "The Boulevard" boutique shopping area on the ship. There will not be a bar/lounge or entertainment concept, as there is now on Constellation and Summit.

Overall, about 200 tons of steel will be added to the ship. "Even so, we'll only lose about 0.1 knot in overall speed," reports Miorelli.

Windstar Cruises is launching a new initiative called Degrees of Difference, featuring added amenities and enhancements to the line’s three motor sailing yachts – the 308-guest Wind Surf and 148-guest Wind Star and Wind Spirit. The Degrees of Difference initiative encompasses the five areas that anchor the line’s overall guest experience—dining, accommodations, service, destinations and activities—with new amenities and enhancements to further Windstar’s position as 180 degrees from ordinary. The initiative will be completed in stages and will be finished in summer 2006.

“It’s the little details – or the ‘degrees of difference’ – that add up to the Windstar experience, which is 180 degrees from ordinary,” says Diane Moore, Windstar Cruises’ vice president, marketing and sales. “Degrees of Difference continues the tradition and romance of a sailing ship, but with cutting edge amenities and a casual elegance relevant to today’s traveler.”

High-Tech on the High Seas
To address the needs of today’s traveler, Windstar is adding a host of high-tech amenities including Apple iPod Nanos, Bose SoundDock speakers and personal laptops plus wireless connectivity in public areas on all three ships. The Wind Surf also features an onboard Internet Center with desktop computers for guest use.

Enhanced Signature Cuisine
Building on an industry-leading relationship established more than ten years ago, Windstar is introducing 100 new menu items in collaboration with acclaimed celebrity chef Joachim Splichal of the Patina Group. Chef Splichal created Windstar’s initial Signature Cuisine and has now created an array of new dishes to be served aboard all three ships. The new menu includes such items as spicy tomato soup and fried crab beignets, lamb rack with short-rib-mushroom-risotto stuffed onion, minted zucchini and roasted carrots; and seared snapper with oven dried tomatoes, caperberries, nicoise olives, roasted fennel and creamy rice.

The menu in the Wind Surf’s Bistro has changed. Splichal has created a steak house menu with entrees such as Grilled Marinated Hanger Steak, Crispy Skin Half Chicken rubbed with French mustard and Grilled Herb Marinated Atlantic Salmon. In addition, the Bistro will offer Italian, French and Indonesian menus on rotating nights.

The Bistro will be redecorated with a new burgundy color scheme including new carpet, curtains, and reupholstered chairs. Dishes and glassware will also be new—Rosenthal china and Schott Zwiesel stemware. Other dining enhancements include the addition of an “Amuse Bouche,” or “little bite” at dinner, compliments of the chef; Riedel stemware to grace the tabletops aboard each ship; Rosenthal china; a new wine list featuring more boutique labels plus the flexibility to purchase wine in ports along the ships’ itineraries; a selection of exotic fine cheeses (many bought fresh in local markets) served tableside from a specially designed cheese cart, and Petit-fours, trays of delicate sweet treats, to be served with coffee at the end of dinner.

More Luxurious Accommodations
Combining the classic luxury of a sailing ship with today’s modern amenities is Windstar’s forte. The sleek yacht-like design of Windstar’s ships feature all outside staterooms, with ample space for rest and relaxation. Additional elements which add even greater comfort to Windstar’s ambiance of casual elegance include custom Sealy Posturepedic Premium Plush Euro-Top mattresses, luxurious cotton bed linens and duvets, Egyptian-cotton towels and waffle terry spa bathrobes. Guests will be treated to Shea Butter bathroom amenities from L’Occitane, maker of fine natural body products manufactured with ingredients from Provence. Amenity baskets include Verbena Shea Butter Soap, Verbena Shower Cream, Shea Body Lotion, Shine Enhancing Shampoo with Shea Extract and Shea Hair Conditioner.

Each stateroom also features flat screen TVs and DVD/CD players. Guests may rent laptops from the reception desk. Apple iPod Nanos fully loaded with a broad selection of music may be checked out from reception complimentary. Bose SoundDocks for use with the iPods will be added to each stateroom. Other new elements include sheer curtains, throw pillows and luggage mats.

Personalized Small Ship Service
Windstar’s international crew specializes in unobtrusive, gracious service with a guest to crew ratio of less than 2 to 1. Returning guests are often surprised to be greeted by name and handed their favorite cocktail—courtesy of a crew member’s memory.

Windstar’s attention to the little details extends to all areas of service. On steamy days, guests may expect to be handed a lemon-scented frozen towel to help keep cool; servers will bring around trays of refreshing sorbet in orange halves for guests on deck. Complimentary 24-hour room service rises to a new level with course-by-course dining. During dinner, guests may elect to dine in the privacy of their own stateroom with each course served separately. This new dining option provides personalized service to couples wishing to maximize their time together.

Relaxation to Exhilaration: Activities the Windstar Way
New hammocks on the flying bridges aboard all three ships will accommodate two for a prime spot to relax under billowing sails. Windstar’s wide, open teak decks serve as guests’ own private verandas to watch the scenery pass, take a nap, or read a book. Further relaxation and rejuvenation may be found in the WindSpa aboard Wind Surf. Trained therapists employ massage techniques from all over the world to ease muscle aches. Other treats include an Aromaspa Ocean Wrap which cocoons guests in seaweed to energize tired muscles, an Oxygen Lifting Facial and an egg-like capsule called the Chakra Balancing Capsule which uses aromatherapy, heat and vibrations to balance the energy center.

At anchor, a water sports platform is lowered from the aft Marina Deck, turning a pristine lagoon into a private water park. Active cruisers can take advantage of Windstar’s complimentary water sports activities: kayaking, sailing, wind surfing, water skiing and snorkeling. Scuba diving adventures are available for both professional and novice divers. Windstar offers a Discover Scuba Diving program for beginners who will then enjoy 30- to 40-foot dives with the onboard dive master, while certified divers join PADI instructors for more challenging excursions.

Diverse Destinations
Windstar is well known for traveling off the beaten path on itineraries from the Mediterranean, Amalfi Coast and Greek Isles to the Aegean Sea, the Caribbean and Costa Rica.

In most destinations, a mixture of non-repeating, seven-day itineraries has been designed to allow for 14-day voyages with no repeating ports of call. Itineraries have also been adjusted for later departures and more overnights in ports, so guests can enjoy more time for shopping, shore excursions and nightlife.

Taking the adventure from ship to shore, Windstar guests may choose to raft down the Corobici River in Costa Rica, take a panoramic flight over Provence, sail a catamaran in the Caribbean, or enjoy a Champagne Sunday Brunch at Caneel Bay Resort, founded by Laurence Rockefeller on the island of St. John.

“At Windstar, our goal is to deliver a cruise experience 180 degrees from ordinary. The Degrees of Difference initiative takes us there by enhancing each of the key areas important to our guests – cuisine, accommodations, service, destinations and activities,” adds Diane Moore. “After all, to be 180 degrees from ordinary, means we must be extraordinary.”

Seabourn Cruise Line continues to redefine the definition of Ultra-luxury cruising and maintain its position as the best of the best in the cruise industry.

Seabourn Signature Delights
Our intimate ships with only 100 all-suite accommodations go to exotic locations other ships can't. With impeccable personal service, gourmet cuisine created by celebrity chef Charlie Palmer and complimentary wine, spirits and in-suite stocked bar, guests enjoy the ultimate dining experience. Relax with complimentary "massage moments" on deck and experience "Pure Pampering" when your stewardess draws you an aromatherapy bath, complimentary of course!

Ship Enhancements
We have just made a significant refit investment in The Yachts of Seabourn. All three ships - The Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend have just completed drydock where the following enhancements were made:

Suite Upgrades
All guest accommodations received flat-screen televisions and DVD players. Mirrors and glass tabletops were replaced, all wood and furniture French polished. Carpets, furniture reupholstering, soft goods and the marble in many of the bathrooms was replaced as needed.

Refined Verandah Cafe
The Veranda Café was prepared for their nightly transformation into the innovative new dining concept 2 to be introduced in March 2006. The galley in the Veranda Café was enlarged and the sightlines in the indoor dining area improved. New china, table dressings, lighting designs and uniforms for the wait-staff will create a fresh, contemporary atmosphere that will contrast nicely with the venue's popular daytime buffet service.

Refreshing Spa
The award-winning Spa at Seabourn received a thorough refreshing, with upgraded treatment furniture, cabinetry and new beauty salon stations.

Magnificent Marble
Marble floors were replaced in several areas including the lobby atrium, elevator floors, public restrooms, lounges, the Club and the Casino.

Sound Entertainment
Entertainment systems were upgraded, including a new suite of equipment to enhance presentations in the main show lounges, and new stereo systems for the gyms and the popular, outdoor Sky Bars overlooking the pool deck.

Perfect Paint
The ships got the equivalent of a spa peel: exterior teak decks were refurbished and their sleek hulls blast-cleaned and repainted.

Aside from these cosmetic enhancements, the most important element of the Seabourn product is not the hardware onboard. It is the staff and crew that make the Seabourn Experience come alive for guests and makes Seabourn the "best of the best" .

Lavish indoor/outdoor spa treatment suites, a new dedicated space for youth activities, poolside movies on a jumbo screen, and fitness center expansion highlight the enhancements being made to the Disney Magic during dry dock this fall. The work began October 1 when the 2,700-passenger Disney Cruise Line ship journeys to the Norshipco shipyard in Norfolk, Va. for a 10-day dry dock period.

Already known as an innovator in the cruise industry, Disney Cruise Line will introduce another cruise industry first with its Vista Spa and Salon expansion – three specifically designed indoor/outdoor spa treatment suites. The suites, located inside the spa, will feature an indoor spa treatment room that is connected to a private outdoor verandah complete with personal hot tub, open air shower and a luxurious chaise lounge. With beautiful ocean vistas and warm tropical breezes, the new treatment suites provide guests with a romantic getaway into a tranquil oasis without ever leaving the ship.

The fitness area at the Vista Spa and Salon will double in size, providing space for more exercise equipment, an area for spinning classes and a couple of private salons for Pilates instruction and one-on-one beauty and fitness consultations. The Vista Spa and Salon is an area reserved exclusively for adults aboard the Disney Magic and with the 1,700-square foot fitness center expansion, the entire spa will encompass 10,700-square feet when complete.

Adding to the already incredible offerings for children, Disney Cruise Line is transforming three conference rooms on deck 2 of the Disney Magic into a brand new hang-out for kids called Ocean Quest. Ocean Quest will feature a scaled replica of the ship’s bridge, complete with LCD screen “windows” that let children look out over the bridge via live video feed from the actual bridge. Here children can sit in a traditional captain’s chair and participate in a simulation game where they steer a cruise ship in and out of various ports around the world.

With a nautical feel, Ocean Quest provides the perfect location for children to “chill-out” and play computer or video games, participate in arts and crafts, or watch a movie on one of the multiple plasma screen televisions in the room. This expansion gives the Disney Magic a fifth dedicated location for children — existing venues are the Flounder’s Reef Nursery, Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab and The Stack.

Additionally, Disney Magic guests will also soon be able to enjoy poolside movies on a brand-new, state-of-the-art jumbo LED screen on deck 9. Affixed to the forward funnel, the 24-by-14-foot screen will show movies along with major sporting and broadcast events. The enormous screen will also enhance outdoor entertainment and deck parties in and around the Goofy, family pool area.

One of the three main rotational dining restaurants, the tropical themed Parrot Cay restaurant, will undergo refurbishment, creating a restaurant atmosphere that will exhibit subtle changes each evening at dinner.

The Disney Magic resumed seven-night cruise vacations to the Eastern and Western Caribbean on October 15, 2005.

The readers of Travel + Leisure magazine have added their acclaim to the growing list of awards and accolades accruing to Seabourn Cruise Line, ranking its three elegant, yacht-like sister-ships the “World’s Best Small Ship Cruise Line” in the magazine’s 10^th annual World’s Best Awards.

Since the Seabourn yachts also earned the highest score awarded to any cruise line by readers of Departures magazine in its most recent Luxury Survey, the combined honors amount to a Seabourn sweep of readers’ polls sponsored by American Express Publishing Corporation’s upscale travel and lifestyle publications, which reach a combined circulation of over 1.65 million affluent households.

Seabourn’s president, Deborah L. Natansohn, said, “Topping the Travel + Leisure poll is enormously gratifying for all of us. We are extremely proud of the shipboard and shoreside staffs that produce this level of satisfaction on the part of our guests, day after day.”

The Spa at Seabourn, a full-service spa and well-being franchise located only aboard the three all-suite Yachts of Seabourn, was awarded the highest score for a shipboard spa in the 2005 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Poll.

The poll results, published in the magazine’s April issue, reveal that voters cited the line’s menu of European- and Asian-based treatments, as well as exceptional staff, service and accommodations, for raising the Seabourn spa experience above the line’s competition.

“We are naturally pleased to receive this score from Condé Nast readers,” said Deborah L. Natansohn, Seabourn’s president. “Our spas are intimate and personal, scaled to the size of our ships and our complement of guests,” she continued. “It proves again that it’s not how many guests you serve, but how you serve each guest that counts.”

The Spa at Seabourn provides “Ceremonies,” which are combinations of treatments to be enjoyed by guests on board, similar to what they experience at a spa ashore. The Ceremony of Tranquility, for instance, is a five-hour indulgence that combines Aroma Stone Therapy with Well-Being Massage, Traditional Manicure, an LT Oxygen Lifting Facial and an Aroma Spa Ocean Wrap for detoxification. The line’s signature, free Massage Moments service on deck introduces guests to the pleasures of massage, and may encourage a treatment appointment later.

Now keeping in touch via email while on a Silversea holiday has never been easier with enhanced onboard internet service. The internet enhancements have been made aboard every ship in the fleet.

The Internet Café has been upgraded with new equipment that's more user-friendly and faster so passengers can check their email, stock portfolios or send digital holiday snaps to friends with a minimum of delay.

With the new service, passengers may access their own personal email address when logging on in the Internet Café. For guests currently booked, the email address that they have received with their voyage documents is no longer valid.

The new cost will be a flat US $.75 per minute, with the option to choose one of two discounted-rate packages (100 minutes at US$.55 per minute, 250 minutes at US$.40 per minute). This is billed directly to their onboard account for their convenience.

Passengers may also use their own laptop to access the internet/email at select Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) outlets located throughout the ship.

For 2006, Silversea is once again offering its popular Silver Links 365 golf program. On every day of every voyage, guests cruising aboard ultra-luxury, 382-guest Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper have the opportunity to improve their game with the help of the line's onboard PGA-classed golf professionals.

In addition to organized shipboard activities, Silver Links 365 offers optional golfing excursions, arranged and escorted by the ships' golf pros, to some of the world's most challenging and revered courses. From the gently rolling fairways at the elegant Fairmont Princess Golf Course on Acapulco's Revocadero Beach, to the natural lakes and lush terrain of Shanghai's Silport Golf Club, to the ancient dunes and pine groves at Zeebrugge's Royal Zoute Golf Club, guests will have a chance to perfect their game at acclaimed courses in all four corners of the globe.

"The popularity of golf is increasing every year, and there's a growing segment of golfers looking to score a perfect round on some of the world's more exotic courses," said David Morris, Silversea's senior vice president of sales for North America. "For those affluent world travelers looking for an extraordinary golf vacation where they can polish their game in style, our Silver Links 365 program offers privileged access to some of the most beautiful and challenging courses on six continents this year."

The program's escorted, optional golfing excursions vary in price from course to course and include all transfers to and from the select golf courses, pull or power-drive carts, green and any applicable caddy fees. Should guests choose to leave their clubs at home, the finest Nike clubs, shoes and golf essentials are available for rental, demo or purchase on board Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper. Golf clubs can be rented for as little as $45.

The ships' experienced teaching professionals offer a wide array of activities both on and off the vessels. During days at sea, they provide private instruction in the ships' 22' x 10' custom-built golf cages featuring breathtaking ocean-view backdrops. Scheduled daily events may include complimentary clinics, demonstrations and putting contests suitable for all ranges, levels and abilities.

Golfers have the option to further improve their game by experiencing the latest V1 video-teaching technology, the same digital system utilized by Tiger Woods. The Silver Links 365 golf program affords guests the opportunity to compare their swings to some of golf's greatest legends and the hottest names on tour. Priced at $55 for a half-hour session, $110 for a full-hour session, and a special package rate of $135 for three half-hour sessions, lessons also include a VHS video of the session with custom voice-over by the ship's golf pro.

Silversea Cruises keeps strengthening its reputation for winning top awards and recognition from leading travel publications. According to Condé Nast Traveler, the line's 382-guest, all-suite Silver Whisper offers the very best accommodations at sea — of any ship, large, medium or small — and the line's entire fleet of four ultra-luxury ships is listed among the world's top ten small ships. These achievements are revealed in the magazine's sixth annual readers' survey of "The Best Cruise Ships in the World," appearing in the February 2006 issue.

In addition, Seatrade Cruise Review, a leading maritime trade publication, recently showcased the spacious bathrooms of Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper (which feature a free-standing glass shower stall as well as a full-size bathtub) in its December 2005 cover story "10 of the Best Bathrooms at Sea."

"The fact that our ships continue to receive accolades and praise from our guests and the media is testament to our solid commitment to excellence," said David Morris, Silversea's senior vice president of sales for North America. "This is the second consecutive year that Silver Whisper's suites have been voted the best in the world. While it's always gratifying to receive this type of recognition, you can be sure we're not about to rest on our laurels, but will keep looking for new ways to enhance our award-winning experience."

WORLD'S BEST SUITES BY DESIGN

The key to designing for the ultra-luxury market is space. When the deck plans for Silversea's fleet were under development, the company understood the need to design ships that accommodated far fewer guests than most ships of the same size. The space ratios of the four ships in the fleet are about twice as high as most cruise ships and considerably more than most ships claiming to appeal to the ultra-luxury market. Space ratio is derived from taking the size of the ship (the gross registered tonnage) and dividing by the number of guests it accommodates. For example, the line's Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper are the most spacious ships in the world with a space ratio of 74.0; that equates to 7,400 cubic feet of space per guest.

This spaciousness was achieved by enlarging standard shipboard staterooms into suites, ensuring that every guest would have a suite measuring at least 240 square feet with an ocean view. Veranda Suites aboard Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper measure 345 square feet and the largest accommodations range up to 1,435 square feet. Silversea suites are considerably larger than those of earlier ships in the ultra-luxury market and are between two and three times the size of standard cruise ship cabins. Such a high design standard required a rethinking of standard shipboard traffic and provisions flow. Silversea's award-winning suite accommodations were an integral part of the corporate philosophy from the very earliest planning stages.

ALL OCEAN-VIEW ACCOMMODATIONS

Over 80% of Silversea's suite accommodations feature floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto a private teak veranda, while other suites graciously frame the sea with a five-foot panoramic picture window.

ALL-INCLUSIVE SUITE AMENITIES

Silversea's spacious, light-filled Veranda and Vista Suites comfortably accommodate guests in an elegant atmosphere of muted tones and rich, honey-spiced maple cabinetry. There's a separate sitting area that includes two chairs and table for in-suite dining, plus a sofa. A refrigerator (stocked with complimentary beverages, wines and spirits, restocked daily upon request), a writing desk and television with a DVD player (plus VCR aboard Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper) complete the living area.

A luxurious queen-size bed features fluffy goose down duvets, sheets made of 100% fine Egyptian cotton (thread count 320) and a choice of pillows. The line's standard pillow is a soft goose down and feather blend. However, guests may opt for a firmer goose down and feather pillow, or a synthetic one that's hypoallergenic, or even a contour pillow of therapeutic foam.

Additional suite amenities include fragrant Acqua di Parma bath products (shampoo, conditioner, shower and bath gel, body lotion and soap), a large walk-in closet and full-length mirror, plush terry cotton robes and slippers, in-suite personal safe, dressing table and hair dryer, a welcoming chilled bottle of award-winning Pommery Brut Royal Champagne, 24-hour room service (with dinners served course by course) -- and all gratuities included. Complimentary butler service is also provided in the Royal, Grand, Rossellini and Owner's Suites.

Silversea Cruises is recognized as an innovator in the luxury segment, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard four intimate vessels, Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, and Silver Whisper, all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance. For the ninth year, Silversea was named "Number One" small-ship line in the 2005 "Readers' Choice" survey conducted by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. For the sixth time, Silversea was selected "World's Best" small-ship line in the 2004 Travel + Leisure readers' poll.

After the 2006 Europe summer season, the revamped Celebrity Century will handle 5-5-4 sailings out of Miami (the first time Celebrity has had a ship that regularly sails out of Miami). "We're actually excited, because we think this will be the best ship available on short cruises with all the changes," says Celebrity.

Five nights include - Ocho Rios, Jamaica and George Town, Grand Cayman

BACK TO TOP

History. It's everywhere you turn. Down narrow, cobble-stoned streets, atop rugged mountain cliffs just off the decks of your cruise ship. Escape all the pressures of civilization without missing out on any of its pleasures.

Your days ashore are invitations to adventure, education and the pure pleasure of seeing things you've only read about before. Visit castles, museums and galleries. Explore ancient cities through winding canals. From glorious gardens and gilded theaters to famous boulevards and fabled landmarks, you're in for a picture-perfect experience.

Location	Arrival	Departure
Barcelona, Spain	--	07:00 PM
At Sea	--	--
Messina, Sicily, Italy	08:00 PM	06:00 PM
Naples, Italy	07:00 AM	05:00 PM
Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy	07:00 AM	07:00 AM
Nice, France	07:00 AM	03:00 PM
Barcelona, Spain	05:00 AM	--

Voyager of the Seas l Barcelona (rt) l 7 nights l Beginning in July 2006 with two itineraries:

Location	Arrival	Departure
Barcelona, Spain	--	07:00 PM
At Sea	--	--
Palermo, Sicily, Italy	07:00 AM	06:00 PM
Naples, Italy	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
Villefranche, France	08:00 AM	11:00 PM
Marseille, France	07:00 AM	03:00 PM
Barcelona, Spain	07:00 AM

Location		Arrival	Departure
	Barcelona, Spain	--	07:00 PM
	Villefranche, France	10:00 AM	09:00 PM
	Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
	Palermo (Sicily), Italy	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
	Valletta, Malta	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
	At Sea	--	--
	Palma (Mallorca), Spain	07:00 AM	05:00 PM
	Barcelona, Spain	07:00 AM	--

Splendour of the Seas l Venice (rt) l 7 nights l Beginning in July 2006 offering Greek Isles and Greek Isles/Turkey itineraries. Below are a sample of what is available:

Location	Arrival	Departure
Venice, Italy	--	04:00 PM
At Sea	--	--
Piraeus (Athens), Greece	12:00 PM	08:00 PM
Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Iraklion (Heraklion), Crete, Greece

One of the three main rotational dining restaurants, the tropical themed Parrot Cay restaurant, will undergo refurbishment, creating a restaurant atmosphere that will exhibit subtle changes each evening at dinner.

The Disney Magic resumed seven-night cruise vacations to the Eastern and Western Caribbean on October 15, 2005.