Available itineraries range from five to 14 days, all departing between November 2009 and March of 2010, and the sale is based on double occupancy for a 277-square-foot ovean view stateroom. Of course, Seabourn’s personalized service, complimentary open bars throughout the voyage, fine dining in an open-seating restaurant and, on many itineraries, free watersports from the yacht’s unique Marina.

The voyages included in the one-week sale are:

Seabourn Legend

• 11/23/2009 14 days Ft. Lauderdale to Caldera, Costa Rica from $3599
• 12/07/2009 14 days Caldera, Costa Rica to Ft. Lauderdale from $3599
• 03/20/2010 5 days St. Thomas to St. Thomas from $149
• 03/25/2010 7 days St. Thomas to St. Thomas from $1999

Seabourn Spirit

• 11/15/2009 12 days Lisbon to Ft. Lauderdale from $2765
• 12/16/2009 5 days St. Thomas to Ft. Lauderdale from $1349

Seabourn Pride

• 02/13/2010 14 days Singapore to Hong Kong from $4999
• 02/27/2010 14 days Hong Kong to Singapore from $5249
• 03/13/2010 14 days Singapore to Hong Kong from $5249

Seabourn Odyssey

• 11/28/2009 12 days Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Lauderdale from $3999

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.
Cruises in the South Pacific feature a multitude of destinations that are a study in contrasts. Each region has its own distinct cultural appeal.

Though there are nuances among itineraries, most run 12 days or longer, and nearly all include a mix of cruising Australia’s east coast and Tasmania (the Australian island state) with New Zealand’s North Island and South Island. Some extended itineraries, often more than 30 days in length, also feature Asia.

A continent and a nation, Australia features the desert expanses of the Outback, where you’ll find kangaroos, koalas, wombats and the platypus. Equally stunning is the Great Barrier Reef, an underwater wonderland teeming with marine life.

Australia also boasts breathtaking cities, such as Sydney and Melbourne. Often called the most spectacular harbor in the world to enter via a cruise ship, Sydney’s famed Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge await guests on deck and evoke the spirit of “G’Day!”

Cruisers also have a chance to explore inland. Cruisetours, which are tours offered before and after cruises, typically are offered only in Australia and allow passengers to get deep into the Outback to admire the giant red monolith known as Ayer’s Rock and the ochre domed rocks known as the Olgas. Other cruisetours take pre- or post-cruisers to the Great Barrier Reef.

Passengers on a South pacific cruise can opt for flight-seeing excursions that afford stunning views of the Daintree Rainforest, Tasmania’s Mt. Wellington, and the Great Barrier Reef.

Southeast of Australia is New Zealand, comprised of the South Island and North Island. New Zealand boasts an abundance of natural attractions and recreational opportunities hard to rival. Only in Auckland, for example, can cruise passengers board an America’s Cup yacht to sail past the America’s Cup Village, with its super yachts. Cruise passengers also can retrace the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, visiting some of the best-known sites from the film.

Since the first sailing ships from Europe dropped anchor among French Polynesia’s lagoons and coral atolls, the magical islands have symbolized romance and natural beauty. Vacationers on South Pacific cruises can take in volcanic peaks shrouded in wispy clouds, mysterious rainforests, white-sand beaches, a profusion of flowers, including Tahiti’s spectacular black pearls.

Remember, with seasons reversed in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, the major cruise lines typically operate “Down Under” from November through March.

For her first world voyage, Queen Elizabeth will offer a complete 103-day circumnavigation of the globe from her home port of Southampton, crossing the Atlantic en route to New York. U.S. and Canadian guests may choose to join the cruise in New York, Fort Lauderdale or – after the ship transits the Panama Canal – Los Angeles.

From the west coast, Queen Elizabeth will continue her westward journey to the ever-popular city of Sydney, where she will be docked overnight, and then the South Pacific and New Zealand. From there, it’s on to the exotic ports of Asia, including Singapore, Bali, Vietnam and Thailand as well as another overnight stay in Hong Kong. Then the ship sails on to Malaysia and India before calling on Dubai, also an overnight, followed by a visit to Oman for a Suez Canal transit. This will be followed by visits to the wonders and antiquities of Egypt, Greece, Italy and Portugal en-route back to Southampton. From Southampton, North American guests can rendezvous with the Queen Mary 2 and take in a legendary Transatlantic crossing to complete their personal circumnavigation of the globe.

Segment voyages of 12 to 25 days are also available if it seems too difficult spending more than three months living in luxury on a gleaming, new ocean liner. Of course, these segments can also be combined.

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.

Despite the global economic slowdown, nearly 20 million people chose to cruise in 2008, a healthy increase of 7.9 percent growth over 2007 that contributed to the five-year growth rate of 6.9 percent, according to reseach by Shippax Information.

The Caribbean continues to be the largest market for cruising, representing one-third of the passengers who cruise. However, the European cruise destinations, particularly the Mediterranean but also the Baltic and Northern Europe, showed some nice growth and may be overtaking the Caribbean.

The economy did have an impact on orders for new ships, which were low at just seven. However, with annual and long-term growth trends such as these, it would seem that the cruise lines are being understandably cautious and will probably place orders for magnificent new ships once the economic picture appears more stable.

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.

The line has been offering 50 percent savings on more than 50 worldwide voyages. Also, the cruise line has recently expanded their popular $1,000 Onboard Spending Credit offer. For example, the $1,000 Onboard Spending Credit is available on Silver Whisper’s September 12, sevven-day cruise from Istanbul to Athens with calls in Marmaris, Symi, Volos and Nafplion.

The recent flurry of activity may indicate that travelers are feeling more confident about committing to a luxury vacation. Alternatively, it could be a sign that advance-booking trends are growing shorter and shorter.

Silversea’s onboard spending promotion allows guests to use the Onboard Spending Credit as they choose — without limitations. The credit can be applied toward any shore excursions or onboard services including spa treatments, dinner in the Relais & Châteaux Wine Restaurant, rare wines, premium spirits, boutique and Internet Café purchases. In addition, the offer can be combined with other available discount promotions, including Early Booking Incentive, Advance Payment Bonus, Silver Sailing, and Free Air programs.

The booking deadline has been extended to July 31, and it applies to itineraries on the all-suites ships Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Whisper and Silver Shadow to the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Seychelles, South America, the Far East and the South Pacific. Of course, Silversea is an innovator in the ultra-luxury cruise vacation business, having won numerous awards and earning top ratings from several publications.

Titled “Voyages of the Great Explorers,” because it will retrace the major routes of icons such as Marco Polo, Odysseus, Leif Eriksson, Christopher Columbus, James Cook, and Ferdinand Magellan, this epic voyage is a collection of 24 individual itineraries within six themed “chapters” that reflect the exploits of the legendary seafarers. Each distinct voyage, ranging from nine to 18 nights, will offer historical insights into the sea commanders who first made history along the same routes.

The itinerary will touch on 85 UNESCO World Heritage sites while crossing 14 seas and oceans, transiting three canals. There will also be a segment to the famed Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Scotland’s colorful military musical spectacular.<.p>

The all-suite Spirit of Oceanus is a small cruise ship capable of entering harbors, ports and waterways that large-scale cruise ships can’t get close to, which will give the trip an up-close-and-personal look at many of these fascinating places.

Further exploration and access will be enabled by Zodiacs, and included “Ultimate Explorer “ experiences will bring guests even closer to spectacular natural and historical wonders. A hallmark of the Cruise West experience is engaging and thought-provoking presentations aboard every sailing. These cruises will boast renowned guest lecturers, local experts and onboard Exploration Leaders who will expand upon the significance of the cultural and historical highlights as well as the explorers who left their mark.

We suspect that several volumes of memories will be created throughout this amazing trip.

Princess Cruises has grown increasingly exotic or, to put it more precisely, is offering more opportunities to cruise Tahiti while creating new Asia and Australia itineraries as part of its 2010-11 “exotics” program.

The Princess worldwide cruising program will touch all seven continents, and passengers will be able to explore the charm of the South Pacific with an extended series of sailings to romantic Tahiti and French Polynesia.

Other intriguing options include a number of new routes in Australia, China, the Indian Ocean, Middle East, and a new world cruise itinerary. In addition, world explorers can take in the spectacular scenery of South America and Antarctica, or the jungles of the Amazon River.

In total, eight Princess ships will sail to Africa, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti & South Pacific, India and South America.

• Diamond Princess returns to Australia and Asia and features a new Australia & China itinerary sailing from Sydney to Beijing.
• The intimate Ocean Princess also sails throughout Asia with some intriguing longer routes, including a new holiday sailing from Singapore to Bangkok, and the opportunity to travel to India and Africa.
• Star Princess explores South America featuring a new holiday voyage to Antarctica sailing from Rio de Janeiro, while the intimate Pacific Princess explores the vastness of the Amazon River.
• Royal Princess offers more Tahiti and Hawaii sailings while Golden Princess explores the Hawaiian Islands from Los Angeles.
• For world travelers, Pacific Princess offers a new 107-day world cruise route featuring Western Australia and Cape Town via West Africa.
• Dawn Princess and Sun Princess continue year-round Australia-based cruising throughout the region.

Prncess will also be calling at six new ports, including Maputo, the capital of Mozambique; Toulon in the south of France, providing access to charming Provence; Jeddah in Saudi Arabia; Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates; Manila, the heart of the Philippines; and Xiamen, a charming Chinese seaport.

A variety of cruisetour packages are also available in Australia, Asia and South America, extending vacations with land portions that explore world wonders such as the Great Wall of China, the Terra Cotta Warriors, Ayers Rock, the Great Barrier Reef, Australia’s Kakadu National Park, Iguazu Falls and Machu Picchu.

In the world-cruise universe, Princess offers some of the most affordable fares, and most of these itineraries can be split up into sections as short as seven days. We’d love to know: Which destinations rank highest on your wishlist?

Thirty years ago, a 21-year-old boy from North Carolina ventured all the way to Los Angeles and hopped a flight to Tahiti. What possessed him to pursue such a notion? Coconuts. I know, because that boy was me. Months before my journey, I had seen a photograph of one of the Tahitian isles — a island characterized by verdant volcanic peaks shrouded in wispy clouds, ocean as blue as Windex and thick groves of coconut palms. I wanted to be there, among the coconut groves, and so I charted a course for this picture-perfect paradise.

I was not alone in falling under the spell of Tahiti. Since the first sailing ships from Europe dropped anchor among French Polynesia’s lagoons and coral atolls, the magical islands have symbolized romance and natural beauty. The descriptions the first Europeans sent home planted the seed for a romantic image of French Polynesia that endures to this day.

That image would not have survived, however, if Tahiti were not such a special place. For Americans and other westerners, a visit to Tahiti and her islands is something like stumbling into a Paul Gauguin painting. The former Paris stock-broker who became one of history’s most renowned artists spent his last years — and did some of his best work — in Tahiti.

Today’s Bounty
Nowadays, a luxury cruise ship bears the artist’s name. The Paul Gauguin, operated by Regent Seven Seas Cruises, was designed specifically for sailing French Polynesia year-round.

The luxury vessel offers an extension of the informal, relaxing environment of the islands, but always with Regent’s superior service and comfort. The vessel’s beloved troupe of Gauguines — part cruise staff, part entertainers, part storytellers — add the unique personality of French Polynesia to every cruise. Life on board is laid back, casual, and pampering, from the bottles of water provided prior to shore trips to complimentary wine or beer pours at lunch and dinner.

The Paul Gauguin, which boasts spacious suites and staterooms, more than half with private balconies, a watersports marina, a choice of three open-seating dining venues and an extensive spa, offers roundtrips from Papeete of varying lengths year-round. Even the shortest of these itineraries, seven nights, includes two days in Moorea and another overnight at Bora Bora.

The ship is a floating tribute to the culture-rich region. Photos of ancient Tahiti line the interior walls while “Fare Tahiti,” a mini museum, holds exhibits of manuscripts and finely carved Polynesian artifacts.

Travelers have several other choices for cruises that focus on Tahiti, including Princess Cruises’ Pacific Princess and the new Silversea expedition vessel, Prince Albert II.

Pacific Princess

Princess provides a leisurely 10-day itinerary that starts and ends in Papeete, the Tahitian capital where the ship spends two days and two nights. While in Papeete, guests can make excursions to Moorea, where they’ll see a clear turquoise lagoon on their way to a private motu (or islet) where Princess hosts a South Pacific party with music. This truly incredible spot is a perfect picture of a “South Seas” paradise. There, you can swim, snorkel or join a local guide as he attracts a school of stingrays into shallow water for you to hand feed.

An intimate ship for a major cruise line like Princess, the Pacific Princess hosts just 670 guests, providing an uncommon sense of space on board. The Pacific Princess itinerary includes only two days at sea while providing access to five other Polynesian ports so that visitors get a full taste of the region.

Silversea’s Prince Albert II

Another option for the luxury traveler is the Prince Albert II, a purpose-built expedition ship that Silversea uses to access remote destinations. With capacity for 132 guests, the Prince Albert II can access shallow harbors and inlets with her eight Zodiac boats for a truly up-close-and-personal look at the Polynesian islands. On board, Silversea always delivers a luxury experience that’s among the best at sea.

This coming spring and summer, the Silversea ship will offer a variety of roundtrips from Papeete, the shortest being 10 nights. These itineraries spend less time in Bora Bora and Papeete in favor of extended visits to the smaller, more remote islets and archipelagos. These unique south pacific cruises will allow travelers to discover the unknown beauties and treasures of all five archipelagoes that make up French Polynesia.

Ships still provide the best overall exposure to Tahiti and her isles, just as they did back when the first Europeans stumbled into this lost Eden. And modern-day travelers to Tahiti no doubt feel what I felt when I stepped off the plane. Paradise, found.