SOUTHLAKE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Feb. 13, 2006–Budget and destination are top of mind for most travelers, but Travelocity’s team of cruise experts aim to make planning a vacation at sea more wallet-friendly with the extension of the Seventh Annual Cruise Super Sale. Further easing the vacation planning process, Travelocity(R) editors scoured the seas to find five destinations that offer cruisers an alternative to the traditional cruise.
Making these offbeat locales even more alluring with newly added cruise deals and offers for all cruise lines and destinations, Travelocity extended the Cruise Super Sale through Feb. 28, further strengthening the offerings with an exclusive deal of up to $500 back when using a MasterCard(R) and a free Kodak(R) EasyShare 4.0 megapixel digital camera for booking a qualifying cruise on Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises using a MasterCard(R). In addition, cruisers can continue taking advantage of other bonus offers such as free shore excursions, free stateroom upgrades and onboard credits up to $600 across all 13 of Travelocity’s featured cruise lines.(1)
“Early indications from the first month of our cruise sale show the popularity of unique and distinctive destinations,” said Michael Dauberman, vice president of cruises for Travelocity. “Because of this, we have decided to extend our Cruise Super Sale through the end of February, offering cruisers a variety of new deals that surpass our initial offerings.”
Last year, more than 40 percent of all cruise itineraries sailed to the Caribbean, according to Cruise Line International Association. With the growth of the cruise industry over the past decade, more ships are sailing to more destinations than ever, tempting travelers with themed cruising and more unique locales.
“Many travelers link cruising with only a few destinations,” said Jennifer Gaines, a Travelocity editor. “Yet cruise lines offer an amazing range of itineraries with stops in places such as the Galapagos Islands and Mombasa, giving travelers a range of destination options.”
For an adventure at sea that is a bit out of the ordinary, Travelocity editors recommend these off-the-beaten path cruise destinations:
Australia and New Zealand
Sail “down under” for vistas of valleys, glaciers and fjords, as well as human-made marvels like the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge. From Auckland to Sydney (or vice versa), the more unusual itineraries feature stops in Tasmania, known for its fields of lavender and cool-climate wineries, and New Zealand’s spectacular Fjordland National Park, where chances of spotting bottlenose and dusky dolphins, as well as shimmering forests of silver beech are pretty high. Editor’s tip: Sail aboard Radisson’s Seven Seas Mariner to enjoy plenty of private space and relish scenic views of the Australian shore, all while sipping high tea or savoring a glass of wine.
East Asia
Some of the world’s most ancient shipping lanes for silk and spice lie in Asia, and today’s cruise ships can ply the same paths–with a lot more modern accoutrements. Hong Kong, Beijing and Bangkok all serve as departure ports on sailings that stop in Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, even South Korea. Shore excursions include visits to the Great Wall, sacred temples and incredible markets selling everything from embroidered kimonos to electronics. Editor’s tip: Oceania’s Nautica features the Tranquility Bed(SM) and operates itineraries ranging from 15 to 24 nights during winter and early spring. For added scenery, visit during cherry blossom season.
Galapagos Islands
The group of 60-some-odd islands and islets that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is so fragile and rich with wildlife that the Ecuadorian government will not allow anyone to tour them without an official guide. Take a cruise to satisfy this requirement, and visit several islands with widely varying landscapes during the same journey. For nature enthusiasts, this is the ultimate adventure, with the chance to see everything from rare blue-footed boobies to sea tortoises more than 100 years old. Editor’s tip: Cruise aboard Celebrity’s Xpedition. The naturalists onboard escort guests during each shore excursion (included in the cruise price), providing in-depth information on geography and animal life.
South Africa
Take your safari to sea during a sailing from Kenya to Cape Town. By night, enjoy shipboard dining and dancing. By day, explore exotic ports along the Indian Ocean. An overnight in Mombasa usually allows time to head inland to the wild trails of Bamburi, where you might see antelopes, elephants and leopards. Other stops might allow you to sample the spices of Zanzibar, snorkel Madagascar’s coral reefs, and see Portuguese-influenced architecture in Durban. Editor’s tip: Marco Polo, operated by Orient Lines, is particularly strong in the area of guest lecturers who provide deep destination insight that can’t be found in the guidebooks.
Tahiti and Marquesas
Glowing lagoons, jagged mountains and a rich island culture satisfy the beach lover who wants to stray beyond Hawaii. A twist to the typical Tahiti cruise entails stops at the less-visited Marquesas, which were featured on a recent season of Survivor but are better known for archaeological finds such as carved stones and tiki figurines. The Marquesas also serve as final resting place for famed artist Paul Gauguin. Editor’s tip: The intimately-sized (and apropos-named) Paul Gauguin offers a decadent Radisson Seven Seas luxury experience and features its own troupe of Polynesian storytellers and dancers onboard.
Visit http://www.travelocity.com/cruisedestinations for more cruise destinations, and for full details on the cruise sale, please visit http://www.travelocity.com/supersale or call Travelocity’s cruise experts at 1-800-222-3690.
Cruise Deals
-- 9-Night Alaska (Vancouver to Los Angeles) from $784 on Royal
Caribbean International's Vision of the Seas. Date: Sep. 15,
2006. Receive a Kodak(R) EasyShare digital camera with
qualified booking.
-- 7-Night Hawaii (Maui Round-Trip) from $749 on Norwegian Cruise
Line's Pride of Aloha Dates: October/November. Receive a free
upgrade and onboard certificate booklet.
-- 15-Night Asia (Hong Kong to Bangkok) from $3,299 on Oceania
Cruises' Nautica. Date: Feb. 5, 2007. Receive up to $500 back
and 2-for-1 pricing and free airfare.
-- 14-Night Australia / New Zealand (Auckland to Sydney) from
$1,999 on Holland America Line's Statendam. Date: Nov 24,
2006. Receive up to $500 back and a $400 onboard credit.
-- 7-Night Tahiti (Papeete Round-Trip) from $2,004 on Radisson
Seven Seas Paul Gauguin. Date: Dec 13, 2006. Receive up to
$500 back and $400 onboard credit.
For deals on even more destinations, including the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Europe and more, visit Travelocity’s Cruise Super Sale at http://www.travelocity.com/supersale.
(1) Offers vary depending on cruise lines, destination, length of cruise and travel dates. See site for details.
About Travelocity
Travelocity is committed to being the traveler’s champion – before, during and after the trip and guarantees everything about a customer’s booking will be right. If it’s not, Travelocity will work with its partners to make it right, right away. This customer-driven focus, backed by live 24/7 phone support, great prices and powerful shopping technology has made Travelocity the fifth largest travel agency in the U.S. – booking $7.4 billion in travel worldwide in 2005. Based in Southlake, Texas, Travelocity also owns and operates Travelocity Business(SM) and GetThere for corporate travelers, lastminute.com, a leader in European online travel and ZUJI, a leader in Asia-Pacific online travel. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings Corporation (NYSE: TSG), a world leader in travel commerce.
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Amanda Borichevsky, 972-488-4790
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SOURCE: Travelocity
