Cruising offers a whole world of possible destinations – but, the time of year that you plan to cruise may narrow the possibilities just a bit.
    
Some cruise destinations, such as the Caribbean, are available all year long because the weather is almost always balmy. Others are available only in certain seasons. For example, watching an Alaskan glacier calve new icebergs into the ocean is thrilling in July, but would be much less pleasurable in the Arctic cold and darkness of January. However, January is the ideal time to cruise to South America and Antarctica (remember, it’s summer there).
    
Different cruise lines may have slightly different seasons for specific destinations, but the following is a general guide to when ships sail where:

Africa – October through March
Alaska – May through September
Antarctica – November through February
Asia – September through April
Australia – October through March
Bahamas – All year long (peak hurricane season is August to November) – keep in mind that cruise ships can easily navigate away from severe storms, including as hurricanes
Bermuda – April through October
Caribbean – All year long (peak hurricane season is August to November)
Hawaii – All year long
Indian Ocean – October through April
Mediterranean – All year long (peak season May through September)
Mexico – All year long
New England and Canada – April through October
Northern Europe – May through September
Panama – October through April (some itineraries available all year)
South America – October through April
South Pacific – All year long
    
For seasonal cruise destinations, the best pricing is usually available at the beginning and end of their seasons (one exception is New England and Canada, where late-season cruises offer spectacularly colorful leaf-peeping).
Some year-round cruise destinations don’t really have an off-peak time – still, your personal cruise expert can work with you to find the cruise that best matches your available time and budget.

Carnival Cruise Lines, will introduce the first year-round cruise schedule from Charleston, S.C., with the deployment of the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy in May 2010.

Carnival Fantasy will operate five-, six- and seven-day voyages to The Bahamas and Key West, Fla., from the Passenger Terminal in historic downtown Charleston beginning May 18, 2010.

Carnival will begin accepting reservations on the Carnival Fantasy’s new year-round departures from Charleston on Thursday, September 17.  For additional information and reservations please call us at 1-800-720-2745(sail).

Disney Cruise Line is set to double in size soon with the addition of two new ships. The Disney Dream is scheduled to set sail in 2011 and the Disney Fantasy in 2012.  Disney has stated that the 2 new ships would be built along the lines of  their two existing ships the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder however the new ship are expected to be quite a bit larger  with 1250 staterooms and coming in at an estimated 128,000 GRT as opposed to 877 staterooms and  83,000 GRT for the existing ships.

The larger ships will of course necessitate the expansion of Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. Disney has announced that Castaway Family Beach will be extended by more than 700 feet  along with the addition of new island buffet, sand bar, and shops. Disney will add 2 new 2400-square foot water/play features, "Pelican Plunge" and "Spring-a-Leak", as well as a new water play area at "Scuttle's Cove" for the younger set.

A new game pavilion is being added as well a a new teen retreat "Hide Out". Disney is also adding 20 private rental cabanas and adding 3 massage cabanas to the adults-only Serenity Bay Beach. The additional island amenities are scheduled to be complete by summer 2010

With the addition of 2 new ships what will Disney do with their existing ships? Well for starters, Disney will reposition the Disney Wonder to the west coast out of the port of Los Angeles for a series of 7 night Mexican Riviera cruises. But the BIG NEWS is that for the 2011 summer season the Disney Wonder will be heading to Alaska! Departing out of Vancouver, the Disney Wonder will sail a total of 18 seven-night cruises to Alaska for the 2011 summer season, calling on Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan.

The Disney magic is already scheduled to return to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe for the summer of 2010 and in 2011 she will once again return to Europe for the summer season for a series of 10 and 11 night cruises out of Barcelona.

Please call or email us if you would like more information regarding Disney' ships or sailing schedules or to book your next Disney cruise.

Have you ever gazed at a port of call over the railing of a cruise ship and wished that you could really experience the culture – the sights, smells, textures, sounds and flavors – of the place you are visiting? The Excursion Society makes that kind of experience possible.

Three years ago, Cruise Holidays launched the Excursion Society, a unique shore excursion program. This popular program offers unusual, complimentary shore excursions exclusively to it members – cruise guests who seek truly memorable, distinctive experiences while on shore. The Society’s excursions are available on selected Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean cruises.

When Holland America’s Zuiderdam stops in Oranjestad, Aruba, on November 6, for her 10-DAY PANAMA CANAL SUNFARER cruise, Excursion Society members will have the opportunity to experience the island’s artistic side. First up is a visit to Fort Zoutman, which dates from 1796 and is among the island’s oldest structures. The fort’s restored tower, the Willem III Tower, now houses the Fort Zoutman Museum. The museum has a fascinating collection of artifacts from the early days of civilization on Aruba.
From this immersion in Aruba’s past, the group will transition to the island’s vibrant present with a visit to the Access Art Gallery in the heart of Oranjestad. Here, Excursion Society members will not only browse the gallery’s works – they will have the opportunity to talk with local artists during a lecture and reception. A lunch of delicious local specialties will follow.

The group will top off its excursion with a tour of Aruba’s Numismatic Museum, which has coins from more than 400 countries. The amazing 40,000-piece collection was assembled by three generations of an Aruban family.

If you would like to experience this and other shore excursions that go beyond the ordinary, ask us how you can join the Excursion Society.

•  Ease of planning.  We can provide all the information you need about cruise lines, ships and specific itineraries that match the needs and interests of your group.  Some amount of discussion among group members – and perhaps a use of the democratic process – may be required to decide on a cruise itinerary and ship.  But, once that decision is made, no one in the group has to organize meals or entertainment – it's already done.  If you want to organize a special party or event on board just for your group, we can help you coordinate with the ship's guest relations staff.  We can also arrange flights to and from the port of embarkation through the cruise line's air department, ensuring that group members fly together when possible.

• Special amenities.  When we help you make reservations as a group, you may qualify for special amenities, upgraded accommodations, onboard credits or discounted shore excursions.  Larger groups (about 30 people or more) may even qualify for a free cabin, which could be used by the organizer or a group member who couldn't otherwise afford the cruise.  Large groups can also request a hospitality desk on board, which gives group members a place to meet and make plans for shared activities.

Seattle, April 14, 2009 - Holland America Line is introducing a new 14-day Alaskan Adventurer cruise itinerary in 2010 to complement its extensive selection of seven-day itineraries and departures. The Alaskan Adventurer increases the choice of Holland America itineraries to a total of four, joining the popular Alaskan Explorer, Glacier Discovery and Glacier Bay Inside Passage itineraries.

Holland America's schedule features eight ships offering 149 total departures from May 3 through September 24, 2010. The Alaskan Adventurer cruises will sail roundtrip from Seattle on flagship ms Amsterdam and call at Anchorage, Homer and Kodiak for the first time. Seven-day cruises will sail from Seattle, Vancouver and Seward.

"Drawing on more than 60 years of Alaska experience, Holland America Line has introduced this new 14-day Alaskan Adventurer itinerary to expand guests' cruising options," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales, and guest programs. "It is a major addition to our 2010 Alaska cruise schedule, which continues to offer the widest selection of seven-day itineraries and departures of any cruise line in Alaska."

Holland America is featuring a wide range of seven-day cruises, both roundtrip from Seattle and Vancouver and one-way between Vancouver and Seward. As a longtime tour operator, Holland America continues to be awarded the most permit entries of any major cruise line to Glacier Bay, a 65-mile long fjord with spectacular tidewater glaciers.

"Holland America's itineraries also continue to feature the best glacier viewing," said Meadows. "Every cruise visits massive tidewater glaciers."

Many roundtrip Seattle cruises feature Alaska's immense Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay, the largest tidewater glacier in North America. Some cruises visit College Fjord with 10 large tidewater and valley glaciers named after Ivy League colleges. Others sail by the twin Sawyer Glaciers in the narrow, 26-mile Tracy Arm fjord.

Alaska Travel Guides sail on board every Holland America ship in Alaska and share their knowledge of local culture, history, art and flora and fauna with guests. In addition to the Alaska Travel Guides, Native interpreters board the ships in Glacier Bay and by Hubbard Glacier to explain the origins of the Huna and Yakutat people.

14-day Alaskan Adventurer Cruises
The 1,380-guest Amsterdam will homeport in Seattle to sail the 14-day Alaskan Adventurer cruises departing roundtrip May 17 through September 6, 2010. The Amsterdam will be the first cruise ship of a major cruise line to call in Anchorage, providing guests with a full day and evening in Alaska's major city.

The flagship will also call at the new ports of Homer and Kodiak. Homer features a breathtaking location at the tip of the Kenai Peninsula, the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center and the famous Homer Spit in Kachemak Bay. Kodiak, home of the famed Kodiak bear, reflects both 7,500 years of native Alutiiq heritage and Russian fur trading influence since 1792 as the first capital of Russian America.

The Amsterdam's leisurely itinerary features the scenic Inside Passage, highlighted by cruising Tracy Arm fjord with its twin Sawyer Glaciers. The ship also cruises by the Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay. Ports of call include Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka, Anchorage, Homer, Kodiak, Juneau and Victoria, BC.

Alaskan Explorer Cruises
Four ships will be home-ported in Seattle in 2010, sailing a total of 63 seven-day Alaskan Explorer cruises roundtrip. The Amsterdam opens the season with two seven-day Alaskan Explorer cruises departing May 3 and 10 before shifting to the new 14-day itinerary.

From May 9 through September 24, the 1,432-guest ms Zaandam departs Fridays, 1,316-guest ms Rotterdam departs Saturdays and the 1,918-guest, Vista-class ms Oosterdam departs Sundays. The Zaandam and Rotterdam highlight the Hubbard Glacier and the Oosterdam showcases Glacier Bay. All Alaskan Explorer cruises call at the historic ports of Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, plus Victoria, BC, and feature scenic cruising of the Inside Passage and Vancouver Island.

Inside Passage and Glacier Discovery Cruises
Four ships will be home-ported in Vancouver, two of them sailing seven-day Glacier Bay Inside Passage cruises roundtrip. The 1,432-guest Volendam (Wednesday departures) and 1,916-guest Zuiderdam (Saturday departures) sail 39 voyages from May 8 through September 18. They visit Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, Glacier Bay National Park and Tracy Arm fjord.

The 1,270-guest ms Ryndam and the 1,258-guest ms Statendam will offer two more sailings of the Inside Passage-with port and glacier variations-September 12 and 19 to conclude the season.

The Ryndam and Statendam also sail 36 seven-day Glacier Discovery cruises between Vancouver and Seward and reverse with Sunday departures May 9 through September 12. From Vancouver, the northbound itinerary features Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park and College Fjord in Prince William Sound. The southbound route from Seward calls at Haines in place of Skagway.

The Glacier Discovery and Glacier Bay Inside Passage cruises are often combined with a land tour to create a comprehensive CruiseTour. A diverse selection of 31 CruiseTours from 11 to 20 days may include visits to Denali National Park, Fairbanks, the Kenai Peninsula, the Arctic and the Yukon Territory. Many CruiseTours offer two-days at Denali-"Double Denali"-to maximize wildlife and Mt. McKinley viewing.

Shore Excursions
Holland America offers more than 250 optional shore excursions in conjunction with its Alaska cruises. Guests can customize their Alaskan experience with excursions that involve everything from adventure and wildlife watching to history, art and cuisine. They can enjoy active excursions such as sea kayaking, fly or sport fishing, dog sledding and viewing eagles, sea otters and whales. Other exciting excursions feature such attractions as the White Pass Summit Scenic Railway from Skagway, Russian heritage in Sitka, a photography tour in Haines and a five-course tasting meal featuring Alaska seafood prepared by a local chef in Ketchikan.

Azamara Cruises is for travelers who are looking for a deluxe cruise experience with unexpected touches of luxury, such as butler service for every stateroom and suite. In fact, Azamara’s deluxe cruises fit a delightful niche right between two traditional cruise categories: premium and luxury.

At 30,777 tons each, Azamara’s two ships, the Azamara Journey and the Azamara Quest, are able to dock in ports where many larger vessels cannot go. Accordingly, the cruise line can offer unusual ports of call, such as Seoul, South Korea; Cabrits, Dominica; and St. Malo, France.

The smaller size of Azamara’s ships and a high crew-to-passenger ratio create a personalized, attentive level of service. Each cruise also includes an onboard “destination specialist” who provides in-depth information on the itinerary’s ports of call.

In addition to butler service, all staterooms on Azamara’s ships come with a daily fruit basket, fresh flowers, afternoon canapés, and a sweet surprise on the pillow each night. Suite guests enjoy some additional amenities, including complimentary champagne and specialty coffees.

Dining rooms and restaurants feature open seating for every meal, creating a casually sophisticated atmosphere. Alternative restaurants include Prime C, a steakhouse, and Aqualina, which features Mediterranean cuisine. There’s also the main dining room, the Windows Café, the Pool Grill and scrumptious treats at the Cova Café to choose from.  Entertainment on board includes shopping, art auctions, shows, clubs, a casino and a variety of enrichment programs.

Some Azamara sailings now include special incentives, such as shipboard credits that can be used for spa visits and other treats.