The Cruise Report With Cruise Specialists Cruise Reporter Ralph Grizzle

Lion Pavillion

Long known as the gateway to the mysteries and the abundant riches of the Orient, Hong Kong is one of those special places that lives up to its reputation for dramatic and romantic images. My travels there have always made me enjoy a small fantasy in which I’m a bit of a player in a movie, but the thing is I can never decide whether that film is set in the 1930s or contemporary times.  Read more... (1495 words, 5 images, estimated 5:59 mins reading time)

If you’ve been contemplating a luxury cruise but haven’t quite pulled the trigger, this may just decide the issue. The Yachts of Seabourn, recently recognized by readers of Conde Nast Traveler as the Best Small-Ship Cruise Line, is in the middle of a weeklong sale on 10 itineraries this winter and next spring. To qualify for fares from $1,349 per person, travelers must make reservations by the end of next Monday, July 20.  Read more... (248 words, estimated 60 secs reading time)

Cruises in the South Pacific combine cosmopolitan cities with lush jungles, exotic wildlife, snow-capped mountains and fjords, plus white-sand beaches and coral reefs. It’s no surprise that explorers, artists, writers and visitors have been coming here to cruise the south pacific since at least the 18th century, when Captain Cook and his colleagues first arrived.  Read more... (445 words, 2 images, estimated 1:47 mins reading time)

The new Queen Elizabeth will make her maiden world cruise for Cunard in 2011. Cunard’s 2011 world cruises — on the Queen Elizabeth as well as the flagship Queen Mary 2 — go on sale next week, and Cunard is offering some significant early-booking incentives.  Read more... (271 words, estimated 1:05 mins reading time)

It appears that what you’ll pay for a cruise vacation has reached bottom and is slowly trending upward. The upshot: Book now for the best deals.

In a conference call to Wall Street analysts Carnival Corporation CEO Micky Arison said, “We have started tweaking pricing on a variety of brands.”

Read: Prices are increasing. However, some incredible deals are still to be found.  Read more... (199 words, estimated 48 secs reading time)

Windstar already provides a luxury cruise vacation that is at least partially organic, if you consider the wind power that fills the ships’ sails organic. Now, Windstar has a spa partner providing certified-organic products and treatments.

OnboardSpa Co. is a new partner with Windstar Cruises, providing a full menu of products and services through the spas, salons and fitness centers aboard the Windstar ships.  Read more... (299 words, estimated 1:12 mins reading time)

The fantastic incentives that luxury cruise lines are offering appear to be having the desired impact, which may be a signal to the cruise lines that they don’t have to be so generous.

Silversea Cruises is reporting that last week it set a corporate record for daily call volume, part of a three-week surge when bookings exceeded the same period of 2008 by nearly 150%. Silversea, like most cruise lines, particularly in the luxury segment, has been sweetening the pot to attract more guests.  Read more... (314 words, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

Most of us understand that you get what you pay for in life. If, for instance, you find something in the bargain bin, you are not entirely surprised if it doesn’t stand up to hard scrutiny or use. Well, times being what they are, we have had to readjust some of our thinking on the values that are now available in the luxury cruise market. We would never equate a vacation with Regent Seven Seas Cruises with a found item from the bargain bin, but we would say that the incentives that Regent is offering are some of the most attractive we’ve ever seen for a luxury cruise.  Read more... (537 words, 1 image, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)

While we probably won’t have the time to sign up for this particular global tour with Cruise West, we can’t help feeling a large twinge of envy for up to 120 lucky souls who will be departing with the Spirit of Oceanus from Singapore on March 6, 2010. What a wonderful trip it’s going to be: 242 ports, 59 countries, all part of a 335-day circumnavigation, returning to Singapore on Feb. 3, 2011.  Read more... (314 words, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

With such modern cities as Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore, vibrant village markets, stunning natural landscapes and fascinating cultures, few destinations are as exotic as Asia.

Cruise lines skirt the Asian coast, with popular itineraries calling on Vietnam, Thailand, Burma and Malaysia, a mix of destinations and diverse ports where the settings range from bustling cities to bucolic rural countryside.  Read more... (225 words, 1 image, estimated 54 secs reading time)