Holland America Line, the leader in Alaska Cruises and Cruise Tours, continues to offer a comprehensive selection of Alaska cruise itineraries and departures, sailing eight ships on 159 cruises in 2006.
Three Vista-class ships, MS Oosterdam and MS Westerdam, roundtrip Seattle, and MS Zuiderdam, roundtrip Vancouver, will be introduced as well as three Seattle-based ships, ten additional cruises to Glacier Bay National Park and unique new port, Icy Strait Point.
Classic rock ´n roll harmonies, swinging Big Band sounds and soulful jazz scatting will be in the spotlight on five MSC Cruises´ sailings during the 2006 Caribbean season.
In addition to a stellar variety of professional entertainers performing nightly in the ship´s´ lounges, these 11-night roundtrip sailings from Fort Lauderdale on MSC Lirica will feature noted Big Band (Jan. 13, March 20 and April 22) and Jazz performers (Feb. 15) as well as the renowned Ink Spots (Jan. 24).
Austin-Lehman Adventures´ popular Galapagos Island program expands for this fall and the coming year with weekly departures every Sunday for 8/day-7/night excursions aboard a fleet of three identical, private, luxury 20-passengar yachts.
The program utilizes three identical sister ships to assure that a cabin is available to fit vacation schedules, says Dan Austin, Director.
Holland America Line´s 793-guest MS Prinsendam embarks in 2006 on a series of 18 innovative itineraries that sail from North America to South America, Antarctica, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
As The Elegant Explorer plies its way across the sea, she will call at 148 intriguing ports of call on the diverse sailings.
Royal Caribbean International and Carnival Cruise Lines altered some of its cruise itineraries to avoid Tropical Storm Rita as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Straits last week.
The Grandeur of the Seas skipped Key West, Fla. on September 20 and headed directly for Mexico´s Cozumel. The Mariner of the Seas substituted a call in San Juan on September 20 instead of calling in Nassau, Bahamas.
Uruguay expects a busy 2005-2006 cruise season with the port of Montevideo operating as the hub but incorporating the Atlantic resort of Punta del Este as a growing calling point. A total of 33 cruise calls with an estimated 25.000 passengers are scheduled to visit Punta del Este beginning next December, according to local tourist industry sources.
Traffic will be mainly concentrated in two companies, Italian Costa Cruises and Mediterranean Shipping Cruises with their vessels “Costa Romantic” and “Melody”, catering mostly for Brazilian, Argentine and European tourists.