AmaWaterways, Crystal Yacht Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, SeaDream Yacht Club and Windstar Cruises have all announced new itineraries scheduled for their upcoming cruise seasons. Some plan to head to popular destinations, while others are sailing the waters less traveled or embarking on new food and wine tours.
Crystal Yacht Cruises Explores the Adriatic Coast
Crystal Esprit is sailing to the Adriatic Coast next spring, summer and fall on more than 30 combinable 7-day itineraries in Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Slovenia and Cyprus. The 62-passenger luxury-yacht’s ports of call in Western Europe range from bustling cities in well-traveled locales to remote destinations including Piran, Slovenia, where narrow cobblestone streets wind around outdoor markets, crowded cafes and seafood restaurants in the historic Old Town; Kaş, Turkey, a storied town replete with ancient walls, ruins and rock tombs; and Limassol, Cyprus, an outdoor playground featuring Byzantine castles, rugged landscapes and diverse dining options that reflect the area’s Greek and Turkish influences. For more information and rates, call (888) 799-4625 or visit crystalcruises.com/agent/login.aspx.
Windstar Cruises Takes a Bite Out of Europe
Windstar Cruises is partnering with the James Beard Foundation to present a top-notch culinary experience aboard three themed cruises in 2016. The small ship cruise line’s The James Beard Foundation Collection voyages are designed to immerse guests in the culture of the destination. Each sailing features a James Beard chef, who will offer cooking demonstrations, special culinary preparations, and opportunities to interact with guests one-on-one. The 8-day James Beard Foundation Culinary Cruise of Southern Spain & Morocco sailing, departing April 24 aboard the Wind Surf, explores the local food and culture from Lisbon to Barcelona with ports of call in Tangier, Morocco; and Malaga, Granada, Cartagena, Ibiza, and Tarragona, Spain. Along the way, guests can taste Spanish tapas, jamon Serrano (Serrano ham) and Moroccan tagines, as well as tempranillo (black grapes) and wines from the Rioja region.
The 10-day James Beard Foundation Culinary Cruise of Spain & France, departing June 10 and Aug. 9 aboard the Star Legend, sails from Dublin to Lisbon in June and from Lisbon to Dublin in August with ports of call in Saint-Malo, La Rochelle and Bordeaux, France; Gijon and El Ferrol, Spain; and Porto, Portugal. In Galicia, guests can sample fresh seafood, while France offers port wine tasting in Porto and cognac sampling in La Rochelle. For more information, call (800) 258-7245 or visit windstarcruises.com/specials/james-beard-foundation.
SeaDream Yacht Club’s Themed Cruises
SeaDream Yacht Club recently unveiled eight new wine voyages for its 2016 cruise season. The voyages, designed by wine director Ida Donheim, take place from May 7 through Nov. 5 in the Mediterranean and pair onboard wine experiences with offshore wine-related excursions. In addition to having the opportunity to participate in rare wine tastings, guests are also invited to a wine pairing dinner, where a local grower or winery samples top cuvees and select wines from their personal cellars.
SeaDream Yacht Club’s wine voyage line-up begins with a 7-day Barcelona to Nice Wine Voyage departing May 7, 2016 aboard the SeaDream II. Featured ports and harbors include Monte Carlo, Monaco; St. Tropez, France; Sanary-sur-Mer, Sete, Cannes and Nice, France; and Barcelona and Roses, Spain. The season ends with a 7-day Cannes to Malaga Wine Voyage departing Oct. 29 with stops in Cannes, St. Tropez; Cassis and Collioure, France; and Barcelona, Valencia, Cartagena and Malaga, Spain. Rates start at $4,199 dbl. For more information, call (800) 707-4911 or visit seadream.com/voyages/travel_agents.
AmaWaterways Safaris in Africa
AmaWaterways debuted its 2016/2017 Africa Brochure last month and introduced new land programs and one-of-a-kind experiences unique to the river cruise line. The 10- to 19-day itineraries feature game drives, visits to Victoria Falls and stays at luxurious safari lodges. For instance, the 28-passenger Zambezi Queen will revisit the Chobe River in south-central Africa on its popular 9-day Discover Africa itinerary, starting at $8,499 pp, which combines wildlife sightseeing and land safaris with first-rate accommodations in Cape Town, Victoria Falls and Johannesburg. Guests will also make a special visit to the township of Soweto to view the former home of political prisoner and Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela. Additional cruises include the 12-night Rivers & Rails of Africa, starting at $12,695 pp, which includes a 4-night wildlife cruise and a 3-night Rovos Rail luxury train trip from Victoria Falls to Pretoria; and the 14-night Stars of South Africa itinerary, from $11,695, where guests spend three nights driving through Cape Town’s wine country, four nights on a wildlife cruise and three nights at a luxury safari lodge in Greater Kruger National Park. For more information, call (800) 626-0126 or visit amawaterways.com/agent/login.aspx.
Disney Cruise Line Heads to the Caribbean
Disney Cruise Line’s bookings are now open for early 2017 cruises to ports of call in the Caribbean and The Bahamas. The cruise line’s family-friendly ships will sail out from Port Canaveral, Miami, San Juan and Galveston for 3- to 7-night itineraries featuring sun-kissed beaches and charming island paradises. The Disney Fantasy is returning to the Eastern and Western Caribbean on a 7-night voyage from Port Canaveral. Guests can choose between 3- and 4-night cruises to Nassau on the Disney Dream, or embark on a similar 3- or 4-night itinerary on the Disney Wonder beginning Jan. 29, 2017. Every sailing departing from Port Canaveral includes a day at Castaway Cay—Disney’s private island in The Bahamas.
Meanwhile, the Disney Magic will continue sailing from Miami on 3-, 4- and 5-night voyages to The Bahamas, as well as a limited number of 5-night itineraries to the Western Caribbean through March 31, 2017. Ports of call for The Bahamas cruise include Nassau, Key West and Castaway Cay, while Western Caribbean itineraries include a port of call in Grand Cayman or Cozumel. The Disney Magic is also sailing from San Juan on four 7-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean departing April 9, 16, 23 and 30. These select cruises include ports of call in Barbados, Saint Lucia, Martinique, Antigua and St. Kitts. On Jan. 6 and 13, the Disney Wonder departs Galveston on two 7-night voyages to Key West, Castaway Cay and Nassau. Later in the month, the ship embarks on a 6-night journey to San Juan with stops in Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Falmouth, Jamaica. The Disney Wonder will end the month with a 3-night cruise Jan. 26 from San Juan to Port Canaveral. For more information, visit disneycruise.disney.go.com or disneytravelagents.com.
