Silver Shadow in Shanghai's city center. © Ralph Grizzle

It often pays to plan ahead, and for those who heed such advice, now may be a good time to begin planning for 2013. One compelling reason is a new offer by Silversea Cruises. Make a deposit on a 2013 sailing by February 15, 2012, and save an additional 10 percent on a selection of 2012 voyages. On top of this are attractive savings incentives in 2013 that include almost double the number of Free Air gateways available (on select sailings) to travelers departing from the U.S and Canada, and Onboard Spending Credits of up to $1,500 per suite on all voyages (with the exception of Silversea Expeditions).

Join Ralph Grizzle here on our Facebook page as he begins reporting for Cruise Specialists from Silver Shadow beginning January 20, cruising from Sydney to Auckland.

In 2013, Silversea’s six ships will offer more than 200 voyages, visiting more than 450 destinations on seven continents. Highlighting the program is Silver Whisper’s 115-day World Cruise, Silver Spirit’s inaugural calls in Hawaii (last visited by Silversea in 2010), and Silver Explorer’s new expedition cruises to Canada’s beautiful Hudson Bay.

Also noteworthy are Silversea’s 32 new ports of call, which include 21 just for Silver Explorer alone. Collectively, the line’s other ships will offer 11 new destinations: Soller de Majorca, Spain; Sabang (Pulau Weh), Indonesia; Port Arthur, Australia; Liverpool, U.K.; Klaipeda, Lithuania; Saaremaa, Estonia; Baie-Comeau (Quebec), Canada; Chios, Greece; Portsmouth, Dominica; Fanning Island, Kiribati; and Fukuoka, Japan.

“For the discerning luxury traveler, our 2013 schedule, with over 30 new ports of call, offers unparalleled opportunities for unique and life-enriching journeys to all corners of the globe,” said Steve Tucker, Silversea’s vice president of field sales for North America. “With almost double the number of Free Air gateways and generous Onboard Spending Credits now available, this is the perfect time to finalize your travel plans for next year — and enjoy an affordable luxury vacation exploring the world with Silversea.”

Click for 2012/2013 pricing and details on Silversea Cruises.

Here’s a snapshot of Silversea’s 2013 schedule:

WORLD CRUISE 2013. An epic 115-day journey from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale awaits guests when they board Silver Whisper on January 5. Crossing the equator four times, the World Cruise itinerary will follow the tropical belt to 52 destinations in 28 countries with overnight stays in several key ports. The warm-weather journey will explore an array of far-flung cultures and scenic wonders including New Zealand and Australia’s remote west coast; the idyllic isles of French Polynesia; fascinating Asian cities of Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore; and Africa’s rarely seen western coast. Guests may choose to extend their voyage an additional three days to disembark in New York, or 15 days to disembark in Southampton.

Suite With A View: Situated midship on Deck 7, Silver Cloud's Owner's Suite measures 587 square feet for the one-bedroom configuration or 827 square feet for the two-bedroom configuration. The veranda is accessible from both the living room and bedroom. © Ralph Grizzle

SILVER CLOUD. Silver Cloud begins her 2013 season exploring South America and then crosses the Panama Canal to the Caribbean to offer a series of convenient roundtrip voyages from San Juan. After spending May in the Mediterranean, she’ll venture to Northern Europe for a summer season that includes calls in the British Isles, Iceland, the North Cape and remote Russian ports in the White Sea. Silver Cloud heads south to the warmer Mediterranean in the fall and come November, crosses the Atlantic to South America where the highlights include a 17-day Amazon adventure and cruising the majestic Chilean Fjords at year’s end.

Silver Wind & Silver Cloud meet up in Helsinki, Finland. © Ralph Grizzle

SILVER WIND. For Silver Wind, the New Year begins in South Africa with three 10-day roundtrip sailings from Cape Town, followed by an 18-day cruise along the exotic west coast of Africa and two voyages in the Canary Islands. Silver Wind then repositions to the Mediterranean for an extended summer program filled with mostly seven- and nine-day voyages exploring the Mediterranean. Highlights include a three-day extended visit in Monte Carlo for the Grand Prix during the May 23 cruise from Barcelona to Rome, as well as calls in Egypt and the Holy Land. Silver Wind then heads south along Africa’s west coast to conclude the year back in Cape Town.

Silver Wind anchored in Saint Tropez. © Ralph Grizzle

SILVER SHADOW. Silver Shadow opens the year voyaging around Australia and New Zealand. Then in late February and March, she’ll offer a series of itineraries focused on Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand before journeying north to China and Japan for the spring. Summer findsSilver Shadow in Alaska for a series of mostly seven-day cruises between Seward and Vancouver. During October and November, she’ll offer cruises focusing on China and Vietnam, before heading south to celebrate the holidays with a 15-day voyage between Sydney and Auckland.

Silver Shadow in Shanghai's city center. © Ralph Grizzle

SILVER WHISPER. Silver Whisper begins 2013 in grand style with a World Cruise. Over the course of four months, she’ll journey west from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale, visiting 52 far-flung destinations across Oceania, Asia and Africa. From mid-May through August, she’ll explore Northern Europe offering primarily seven-day Baltic cruises with extended stays in St. Petersburg. A grand transatlantic crossing from Southampton to Montreal will reposition Silver Whisper to offer a collection of fall foliage cruises through Canada and New England before heading south to the Caribbean in November. Following a 16-day holiday cruise through the Panama Canal, she’ll wrap up the year where she started, in Los Angeles.

Opening The Middle East: Silver Spirit in Muscat, Oman. © Ralph Grizzle

SILVER SPIRIT. For Silver Spirit, 2013 arrives in the sunny waters of the Caribbean. Then in February, after a crossing of the Panama Canal to Los Angeles, she repositions for a 31-day grand voyage through the glistening Pacific Ocean, highlighted by calls in French Polynesia, Kiribati and the major islands of Hawaii. Throughout summer, seven- and nine-day sailings focus on the eastern Mediterranean and Greek Isles. Other highlights include three seven-day Black Sea cruises. In late November, Silver Spirit arrives in Fort Lauderdale for a series of roundtrip Caribbean cruises culminating with a 14-day holiday cruise.

Silver Explorer seeks adventure at the poles and in between. © Ralph Grizzle

SILVER EXPLORER. The luxury expedition ship Silver Explorer sails into 2013 at the bottom of the Earth, offering a series of cruises to Antarctica, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Spring and summer are highlighted by adventures along the west coast of Africa, western Europe, the British Isles, and Svalbard’s frozen Arctic landscapes. First-ever expedition voyages in Canada’s Hudson Bay highlight August. In September, Silver Explorer heads south to offer a series of Caribbean and Central America explorations before arriving in Ushuaia in November to conclude the year with Antarctic expeditions.

Click for 2012/2013 pricing and details on Silversea Cruises.

An unforgettable sunset on seldom visited Bequia

By WALLACE IMMEN for The Avid Cruiser

All right, so you’re an experienced Caribbean cruiser.

You’ve docked in places like Phillpsburg and Bridgetown so many times you qualify for frequent visitor status. You’ve slathered yourself in sun lotion on more palm-lined beaches than Columbus ever claimed. But I bet there are still big gaps in your Caribbean life list; places that hardly ever show up in cruise itineraries. Maybe it’s time to look into some islands off the well-churned cruise routes that are places that can only be visited by smaller ships. The experience is sure to be one that won’t have our friends saying “been there, done that.”

BEQUIA BECKONS

There are some that say Bequia (pronounced beck-way) lost its innocence 20 years ago when they built a little airport on this green dot in the southern Caribbean that previously was being visited by only a handful of sailboats at a time. But compared to many other islands in the southern Caribbean it’s still pristinely authentic, with its restaurants serving freshly caught fish and lobster and locals who have plenty of time to strike up conversations with cruise visitors. The beaches are gorgeous and expansive as well. Only small ships can get into shallow Admiralty Bay, so even at the odd time when two ships arrive on the same day and set up beach barbecues, there’s no sense of crowding.

Who visits: Seabourn Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Star Clippers, Windstar Cruises

On Carriacou you can have the beach to yourself

CARRIACOU CALLING

Carriacou is definitely a connoisseur’s stop, with miles of uninhabited white sand beaches and gorgeous coral reefs for those who can get to the island in the first place. It’s only accessible to relatively small ships because the water around the island is shallow — which makes the sea gorgeously blue because the sunlight reflects from the white sand on the bottom. Some passengers doing a port stop in Grenada take a catamaran water taxi to the island and it can be a bumpy ride because the current sweeps around an undersea volcano aptly nicknamed “Kick Em Jenny” that makes the water choppy.

Who visits: Sea Dream Yacht Club; local sail boats and motor launches from Grenada

GOOD MORNING MONTSERRAT

Montserrat is a lush green island in the northeastern Caribbean that was an up and coming cruise port attracting a well-heeled clientele of vacationers when its Soufriere Hills volcano erupted in 1995 and again in 1997. Fortunately the resiidents had been evacuated to the other side of the island or to nearby Antigua before the capital city of Plymouth was buried by ash like a modern-day Pompeii.

Two thirds of the island remain a no-go zone for tourists. But, the island is attracting tourists again to its unique black sand beaches and divers to its reefs. There’s a lot of development happening around Little Bay Town, where the few ships that have the island on their itineraries now pull in.

Who visits: Sea Dream Yacht Club, Silversea Cruises

STEEP & SUBLIME SABA

Saba is really rare on cruise itineraries because the Dutch Antilles island is literally a steep-sided volcanic peak. It’s such a long way to the bottom that ships can’t anchor so they have to drift offshore while passengers go in to the island by tender. But those who do make it in will be amply rewarded. There’s no traffic on the roads and only a handful of people hiking the nature trails. Scuba divers are attracted to the off-shore marine park that’s a sanctuary for endangered turtles. There are four villages with a scattering of tiny wooden houses and the laid-back residents see so few outsiders that they are eager to find out where you’re from. It’s definitely one to put on your life to do list.

Who visits: SeaDream Yacht Club; Seabourn Cruises; Star Clippers

There are no traffic jams on Sint Eustatius

SENSATIONAL STATIA (Sint Eustatius)

If you get an opportunity to add St. Eustatius to your life list, it will put you one up on almost everyone. It’s not on itineraries of the major cruise lines because it’s difficult to reach and there’s no shopping to be had ashore. Its few inhabitants are living a life virtually unchanged from the time when sails were the only source of power for ships. Arriving by tender at its ramshackle and quiet dock today, it’s difficult to believe that 250 years ago, this was one of the most bustling ports of the Caribbean, with 20,00 residents, many make rich by being willing to trade whatever anybody needed—slaves, guns or duty free tea and sugar.

A major trading center for the Dutch East India Company in the 1700s, the coast of Oranjestad was lined with docks and warehouses. It was in the right place at the right time to help the rebellious colonies in North America in their dispute with Britain. The Dutch traders could sail around the British navy, and they provided weapons and even mail service to Europe for Americans. Those were glory days, but unfortunately they couldn’t last. Statia’s support of the rebellion ultimately led to bad blood between Great Britain and the island’s Dutch masters, and the British admiral George Rodney decided to sack the port in 1781.

Perhaps fortuitously, the robber barons decided to move on rather than rebuild, leaving Statia as a haven of quiet and unspoiled nature. There are no big hotels here, no chain restaurants, no traffic, just a remarkable historic fort, flocks of birds and a small population of people who consider everyone who finds their way to their shores friends. That’s the original Facebook.

Who visits: Grand Mariner (Great Lakes Cruise Co.); live-aboard dive boats.

Temple of Dandara 28, originally uploaded by Ralph Grizzle.

“Tourists have been coming back to Egypt since early March,” our tour guide told Silver Spirit guests as we began the “Splendors of Luxor” tour from Safaga. “We appreciate you and those of you who are coming back. We really need visitors to return.”

Our fist stop: The Temple of Dandara, a well-preserved temple complex, about two hours from Safaga, Egypt, where Silver Spirit is docked. Building began by Ptolemy XII and was dedicated to the goddess Hathor, commonly depicted as a cow goddess with headdress of horns and a sun disk.

Entering the grand hypostyle courtyard through large columns topped with carvings of Hathor.

The temple is one of only a few in Egypt with an accessible roof. We entered the grand hypostyle courtyard through large columns topped with carvings of Hathor.

The 13.5-hour shore excursion, called “Splendors of Luxor,” was provided free of charge for Silversea passengers. To view a Flickr slideshow of this morning’s tour, click here.

Orata all Griglia con Anguilla Affumicata, delicious and only 131 calories.

In my quest to quash a few kilos on my Silversea cruise, I have found a secret weapon.

Paper thin Carpaccio di Manzo, with only slightly more calories than paper, 123, but much more tasteful.

One thing that has made my quest easy to swallow (ha!) is Silver Spirit’s Wellness menu. The selections have been delicious, healthy and low-calorie, and I’m not tiring of them yet.

The starter: Minestrone de Verdure, a mere 121 calories

I’ve featured photos from last’s night’s room service in this post. You’ll note that the total consumption was 503 calories for four courses. I’ve not been overly hungry so far on the cruise, although it has been nice to wake up wanting breakfast.

While I have the goal of transforming my lifestyle through proper nutrition and exercise, I don’t want to diminish the joy of cruising. I still enjoy champagne, wine, good food and desserts.

Tomorrow night I’ll dine at La Terrazza, and I know that the food there, while not as low in calories as the Wellness selections, is healthy. Pasta is handmade daily, olive oils are of the best quality, as are the sauces, vegetables, meats and cheeses.

At around 6 p.m. Saturday, Silver Spirit competed its transit of the Gulf of Aden, a region notorious for pirates who attack and hijack ships, with incidents recently escalating.

The International Maritime Organization reported in February that pirates were holding 685 crew and 30 ships for ransom along the Somali Coast. Attacks are becoming more frequent and more violent. Shortly after the IMO issued its report, four Americans were killed aboard their yacht by Somali pirates when military tried to intervene.

As we began our transit of the high-risk area, an Italian cargo liner was captured and crew held hostage, and a South Korean vessel narrowly escaped an attack, according to the Somalia Report. So to say that our transit was uneventful would not be telling the whole story.

There is a serious threat in the region, but how risky is the transit for cruise ships crossing the Gulf of Aden and outlying regions in the high-risk zone?

I’ll answer that question and more about pirates this week. Stay tuned as we make our way up the Red Sea toward Safaga, Egypt, our first port of call since leaving Muscat, Oman.

Geographic and historic background: The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide. Silver Spirit passed through this strait yesterday.

The waterway is part of the important Suez canal shipping route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean with 21,000 ships crossing the gulf annually. The gulf is known by the nickname “Pirate Alley.” The Gulf of Aden plays an important role in the world economy, particularly for transporting petroleum and food.

Muscat, Super Exotic But Comfortable For Westerners

Leaving Port Qaboos, the port for Oman’s capital city, what was the take away on Muscat?

Note the temperature, 39 Celsius, about 102 Fahrenheit

First impression: It was hot, with the heat registering 39 Celsius, or about 102 Fahrenheit, but with nearly no humidity.

Don't forget to pick up - and return - your landing card when visiting Muscat.

Landing cards are distributed when leaving the ship’s gangway and must be returned upon re-embarkation.

Muscat is a relatively modern city, nicely balancing the need to maintain tradition while also keeping pace with the 21st century.

Second impression: Muscat feels safe. For Westerners, Muscat is super exotic but also has the feel of being non-threatening.

Our tour guide remarked, perhaps not as she had intended: “We have no democracy and no thieves.” Even if she failed to adequately express what she was thinking, her remark was food for thought in more ways than one.

Muscat presents a mix of Arabic and non-Arabic culture. Tourists are welcome.

Third impression: Muscat presents a comfortable mix of Arabic and non-Arabic culture. We experienced Arabic culture but had no trouble communicating in English.

Signs are in Arabic and English.

We saw the highlights of Muscat on a Silversea excursion.

Our 4.5-hour Silversea tour, Splendours of Muscat, took us to a mosque, a museum, a market and more.

Palatial: The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. No, that's not the Sultan.

About 20 minutes from the terminal, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is pretty much a show mosque, in that it is not used often for religious services, even though it can accommodate up to 20,000 worshippers. It’s primarily designed for tourists to visit and admire.

At the Muttrah Souq, indoor market

The Muttrah Souq piqued our visual and olfactory senses. In the sprawling indoor (and cool but open-door) market, we browsed colorful garments, perfumes and jewelry sold by polite vendors hawking in English and Arabic.

The sweet smells of herbs, spices and perfumes.

Shops welcomed us with the smell of incense and exotic fragrances such as jasmine, saffron, herbs and spices.

East meets West in Muscat.

At the Bait Al Zubair, a museum

Our tour included a visit to Bait Al Zubair, a museum showcasing Oman’s traditional crafts and culture.

Al Alam Royal Palace is the official estate of Oman's ruler, meaning no visits inside.

Our guide told us that the monarch is 70 years old and added that he is extremely benevolent. If you (meaning an Omani) want a new house, our guide said, you appeal to the monarch and he builds you a house.

Goodbye Muscat

While there are mosques and palaces aplenty, Oman’s distinguishing feature are its wadis, which are lush oases of palm trees, colorful flowers and green grasses. We saw quite a few of these areas in Muscat. In fact, my first and last sensory perception of Muscat was of the sweet smell of jasmine. That’s an enduring memory, and a pleasant one.

Lots of sea days and two overnights on this 15-day voyage of adventure.

Today, I embark on a 15-day journey on Silver Spirit. From the outset, Voyage 5109 has been the topic of much conversation, as I’ve told friends that I will be sailing in a region that has been making headlines for quite some time now.

Silver Spirit is scheduled to call in Jordan and in Egypt, and on the way, she crosses the Gulf of Aden, notorious for pirates.

Of course, I am aware of the risks that one could encounter on such a journey, but I’m also confident in Captain Angelo Corsaro’s command of Silver Spirit (he’s been with Silversea Cruises since its inception). I expect to emerge two weeks from now at the other end of this cruise enlightened and enriched by experiences that require a small sense of daring.

Live Reports From Silver Spirit

I step aboard Silver Spirit mid-afternoon today and will begin my daily reports at Cruise Specialists’ Facebook Page. There will be days when I will be unable to communicate, so “mind the gap.” I encourage you to participate. Ask questions, and I will answer them.

Silver Spirit overnights tonight in Dubai, setting sail Tuesday afternoon for Muscat, Oman, where she’ll spend the day before setting sail on a long sea journey beginning Wednesday night.

We will be at sea from Thursday, April 21, until Tuesday, April 26, when we call on Safaga, Egypt, overnighting there, then cruising to Aqaba, Jordan, where we’ll spend the day Thursday.

On Friday, we’ll spend the better part of the day in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and on Saturday, Silver Spirit transits the Suez Canal.

Sunday, May 1, we call on Alexandria, Egypt, followed by another day at sea before ending in Piraeus, the port for Athens, Greece.

Getting To Dubai

Cheaper than Business Class: Air France Premium Voyageur class

To get to Silver Spirit, I traveled on Air France from Copenhagen to Paris (1:50 hours) then onto to Dubai (nearly seven hours from Paris).

Being 6’5″ and willing to pay a little extra for legroom, I booked myself in Air France’s Premium Voyageur class, which was very much like Business Class, but with fewer bells and whistles — and a much lower price tag.

In seats that offered 40 percent more space than seats in economy class, we were served champagne, good wine, a tasty dinner and a snack. Cost of my travel from Asheville (NC) – Paris – Copenhagen – Paris – Dubai – Copenhagen – Asheville was $1600, for comfort all the way on that zig-zaggy routing.

Make note avid cruisers: Silversea offers complimentary roundtrip Business Class airfare on select Northern Europe and Mediterranean voyages this summer, plus $1,000 Onboard Spending Credits. Be sure to check out Silversea’s Complimentary Business Class Air to Select Voyages with Cruise Specialists.

Dubai’s Newest Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz-Carlton at Dubai’s International Financial Center had been open only for a few months when I arrived last night. Situated in the heart of the financial district, the hotel is an excellent choice for business travelers or for those with a predisposition to shopping. There is a second Ritz-Carlton property situated in the heart of the marina and on a beach that may better meet the needs of leisure travelers. At any rate, combine Arabian hospitality with five-star Ritz-Carlton service, and you’ve got the perfect seque to a Silversea cruise.

Let’s go cruising.

Unfortunately, on the morning we arrived, Disko Bay was not only choked with icebergs but also fog. Still, the transit into the bay was mystical – and memorable. As our ship pierced the fog, I thought of Titanic. Thankfully, we were plodding along slowly.

We waited all day for the fog to lift, but it was persistent. At 4 p.m. the captain announced it was time to call it a day, and we began our transit out of Disko Bay. The fog began to lift, revealing a glorious seascape and slabs of white icebergs that turned blue ice at the water’s surface.

Icebergs Everywhere: Cruising to Ilulissat, Greenland.

Crystal Cruises’ new “Standby” program offers up to 75% off brochure fares on five May-June sailings in Alaska, the Baltic and North Cape, as low as $2995 for 12-day cruises. That’s less than $250 per day on Crystal, an unheard-off per diem on the luxury lines.

Standby fares are based on availability, require a $500 per guest deposit upon reservation, and will be confirmed on a “first requested, first confirmed” basis no earlier than 45 days before departure.

Eligible cruises include:

• 12-day Alaska cruises — round-trip from San Francisco — Departing May 9, 21 and June 2
• 11-day Scandinavia/Russia sailing — Hamburg to Stockholm – Departing May 22: $2995 for Deluxe Stateroom with large picture window, $3995 for a Deluxe Stateroom with Verandah
• 14-day North Cape/Arctic Circle voyage — Copenhagen to Stockholm – Departing June 13: $4995 for Deluxe Stateroom with large picture window, $5995 for a Deluxe Stateroom with Verandah

Standby fares on Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity are cruise-only, for new bookings as of April 7, and do not include air transportation; port, security and handling charges; or “All Inclusive – As You Wish” spending credits. Fares quoted are per person, based on double occupancy accommodations, and other restrictions apply. Final payment is due within three days of confirmation.

“We haven’t offered anything like this in almost a decade,” says Bill Smith, Crystal’s senior vice president, sales & marketing. “There is no doubt that travelers who make their decisions early are rewarded with early confirmation, a greater choice of accommodations, and value-added spending credits. However, there are people making travel decisions closer in, and this is an extraordinary opportunity for luxury travelers who just can’t plan their vacations far in advance.”

A day at the Boardwalk on Allure of the Seas, Ralph Grizzle, editor of Avid Cruisers, with his Avid Cruisers in training, Alex and Britton

In a way, I wish I had waited to cruise with my kids on Allure of the Seas. Had I done so, I would have been tempted to bring along some of their friends, because today Royal Caribbean announced a special offer for families: Book up to three staterooms for summer sailings (June, July and August) and receive a $600 on-board spending credit. That credit could have gone a long way toward paying for shore excursions, spa treatments and the like.

But as it was, I cruised with Alex, 14, and Britton, 15 going on 25, during the Thanksgiving holidays. Rarely have we had such a peaceful and relaxed Thanksgiving. No stress to cook and clean up. And yes, of course, we dined on traditional turkey, stuffing and the trimmings.

Initially, the kids were disappointed when I told them that our stateroom did not face the sea. But when they walked out onto the balcony of our stateroom overlooking the Boardwalk, their disappointed dissipated.

Britton loved the Carousel

Britton enjoyed Johnny Rockets, the Boardwalk Donut Shop, the Carousel and Smile, a novelty photograph shop where we spent at least an hour one evening dressing in outlandish costumes as the photographer snapped away. We laugh a lot as it is, but some of the costumers had us doubling over with laughter.

Alex is the active type, with rock walls to climb, lines to zipped along and waves to be surfed.

Alex loved the Ice Cream Parlor and the Boardwalk Dog House, which specializes in wieners, bratwursts and sausages. But he spent most of his time burning calories boogie-boarding, surfing, ziplining and rock-climbing.

There are, of course, other companies that specialize in family cruising. Disney has its Dream, and Carnival has its Magic (soon), but for us Royal Caribbean had something that went just a little further: Allure. And to think, we had six more neighborhoods to explore. Well, maybe it’s time to take a look at that special offer for summer cruises. I better hurry, though. The offer ends April 13.