Vietnam, anyone? How about cruises on Russian lakes and rivers between Moscow and St. Petersburg? Or sailing into the capitals of the new Baltic States?
These are alternatives to the three favorite May-September cruise routes- Alaska (second most popular after the Caribbean), the New York-Bermuda run and the return of major cruise lines to the Mediterranean, all but blown out of the water by last year`s Persian Gulf war.
Upcoming international cruise events include `92 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and the quincentennial commemoration of Columbus` odyssey.
Your choice depends on your finances and personality.
”Cruise ships have personalities too, and travelers should look for one that fits their special needs,” said James Godsman, president of Cruise Lines International Association. ”This cruise season brings with it the widest selection of cruise experiences ever offered, with 124 ships in the 34 CLIA member line fleets visiting approximately 400 ports of call in almost 100 countries.”
Examples: Pearl Cruises, the only cruise line in the Far East year-round, offers Vietnam CruiseTour July 11, from Hong Kong to Manila with stops at Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and Nha Trang. The cruise came about because of the U.S. Treasury Department`s relaxation of the trade embargo against Vietnam. SeaQuest Cruises` Caledonian Star also is headed there. Classical Cruises will follow in 1993. Call 305-764-3500.
AHI, which has marketed cruises on such European waterways as the Elbe, Dneiper, Main, Neckar and Danube Rivers, and through its subsidiary, French Cruise Lines, on the Seine, Rhone and Saone Rivers, now offers 10-night summer cruises in Russia in conjunction with Russian Cruise Lines. Beginning June 23, cruises sail from Moscow to St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) with two nights docked in both cities. The ship is a floating hotel. The itinerary includes the Volga, Svir and Neva Rivers as well as Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega, the two largest lakes in Europe. Call 800-222-8664.
Alaska waters will be flecked with at least 23 ships in the May-September season. Princess and Holland America fleets have the most ships in the region. Cunard`s Sagafjord and Seven Seas Cruise Line`s Song of Flower are probably the most luxurious ships in those waters. Regency Cruises is among the lowest priced (under $1,000 for seven days). World Explorer Cruises is known for the quality of its lectures and hands-on field trips exploring plant life.
Ships cruising New York-Bermuda include: Crystal Cruises` Crystal Harmony, Chandris Celebrity Cruises` Horizon and Meridian, Holland America`s Noordam, Royal Caribbean`s Nordic Prince, Cunard`s QE2 and Norwegian Cruise Line`s Westward. Sailing from New York to New England and Canada: Crown Cruises` Crown Jewel and Crown Monarch, Regency Cruises` Regent Sun, Royal Cruise Line`s Royal Odyssey, Princess Cruises` Royal Princess, Royal Viking`s Royal Viking Sun and Cunard`s Sagafjord.
Some of the more exotic destinations: Ships such as Ocean Pearl, Oceanic Grace and Renaissance will sail to previously closed ports in Soviet East Russia-including the cities of Vladivostok and Korsakow. Windstar will cruise from Nice under computer-driven sail. All-suite Royal Viking Queen, billed as the most luxurious cruise ship ever built, has its inaugural March 25, sailing from Palm Beach to San Francisco via Panama Canal, with Africa, India ahead. The Island Princess will sail to India, Singapore, Malaysia, Turkey and China. Regency`s Regent Sea will circumnavigate South America. New CostaClassica, Epirotiki, Star Clipper and twin-hulled Radisson Diamond (to bow in May) will be among ships retracing the route of Christopher Columbus, visiting Europe, Mediterranean, Caribbean and America. Regent Sun will be among cruise ships celebrating Columbus Quincentenary by providing ringside seats to July 4 festivities in New York Harbor. Royal Cruise Lines` Golden Odyssey will be among ships with cruises that begin or end in Barcelona, Spain, during the Summer Olympics.
Princess will be big in the Pacific, India and China. SeaQuest`s innovative Frontier Spirit, featuring Anarctica and South America, will sail to Europe for the first time in June and July in a program highlighted by voyages to less-visited areas of Baltic, Scandinavia and Greenland. Eurocruises will sail to the capitals of the Baltic states. Almost every major cruise line will be in the Mediterranean again.
The Caribbean remains the world`s most popular cruising destination, with more than 7.45 million passengers sailing into Caribbean ports last year. Guadeloupe, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, the British Virgin Islands and Curacao registered the largest increases, while the Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico remained the three largest cruise destinations in the region. –
