The Cruise Report With Cruise Specialists Cruise Reporter Ralph Grizzle

January marks the month that cruise ships begin their longest sea journeys. While it’s too late to embark on such an epic adventure this year, it’s not too late to begin charting your course for a 2011 world cruise. Even for those who call themselves seasoned travelers, world cruises invariably will open the window to new destinations, new cultures or a new way of looking at the world.

Since the first world cruise in 1922, by Cunard’s Lanconia, the world cruise has been seen as the pinnacle of luxury travel. Traditionally, these voyages circumnavigated the globe, or at least as close as you can come to doing so on a ship.  Read more... (472 words, 1 image, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)

World cruises, once thought of as being beyond the reach of ordinary people, are becoming a lifestyle for a select group of savvy travelers who realize they can cruise the world for less than it would cost them to buy and maintain a second home.  Read more... (906 words, 1 image, estimated 3:37 mins reading time)

Seabourn Odyssey, the new ultra-luxury ship from the Yachts of Seabourn, completed her sea trials last week, and she departed yesterday on her maiden 14-day voyage from Venice to Istanbul.

The first addition to the luxury market for quite some time, the Seabourn Odyssey promises to be quite an elegant experience, with accommodations, cuisine and entertainments to suit its upscale target audience.  Read more... (138 words, estimated 33 secs reading time)

Cunard’s impeccable White Star Service will make an intriguing east-west world voyage aboard the Queen Mary 2 starting January 2011, the fourth world cruise for the line’s flagship. Cunard’s 2011 world cruises — on the magnificent QM2 as well as the newer Queen Elizabeth — go on sale next week, and Cunard is offering some significant early-booking incentives.  Read more... (238 words, estimated 57 secs reading time)

Cruise-ship devotees may want to mark their calendars for Jan. 13, 2011, and make plans to be in New York Harbor that day. That’s because three luxury ocean liners from Cunard Line — Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria — will make their second Royal Rendezvous, three years to the day after the first one.  Read more... (152 words, estimated 36 secs 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)

Spicing up the conversation or adding a note of jazz during the 114-day grand world voyage next January aboard the ms Amsterdam, Holland America Line is bringing some well-known guests on board for segments of the trip.

Cruise lines invite famous guests for portions of extended itineraries such as Holland America’s grand voyage in order to generate stimulating presentations during the cruise. Frequently, the featured speakers will mingle with guests for small-group discussions.  Read more... (357 words, estimated 1:26 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)

A few weeks ago we wrote about Cruise West’s 335-day circumnavigation, a world cruise titled “Voyages of the Great Explorers.” Cruise West has provided us with a link to it eBrochure for the upcoming 2010-2011 cruise. The line is offering savings of up to $9,200 for those who book and pay in full by July 15. For more information, click on this link to view the brochure.

The debut of the Seabourn Odyssey, the first of three new ships rolling out over the next two years for the Yachts of Seabourn, is just a few weeks away, and as with any debut of a new ship, we are eager see and learn more about what promises to be a gorgeous addition to the luxury market.

I’ll be on board a July 25-August 1 sailing, so please mark your calenders to visit this space then.  Read more... (361 words, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)