Antarctica truly is the last frontier. The lure of the White Continent has called to explorers and adventurers; whalers and furriers; scientists and conservationists.

During the past thirty years tourists have also ventured beyond the notorious Drake Passage to explore Antarctica with its smoldering volcanic beaches, islands filled with squawking penguins and magnificent blue tabular icebergs. Most of those tourists arrived by ship. Due to the increase in ships of various size and shape, and the environmental threat they pose, in 2011 the Antarctica Treaty Organization started to regulate tourism by prohibiting in Antarctic waters any ship that burns “heavy fuel.” (See my blogs of 2010-07-30 No more big ships in Antarctica after August 2011 and 2010-02-20 Antarctica tightens restrictions on cruise ships.)

The new regulation excluded all but small, expeditionary-type vessels and larger ships that can burn lighter, cleaner fuel. In response to the demand for Antarctic itineraries Crystal Symphony will be returning to Antarctica in 2013/2014, as will Azamara Quest, Holland America’s Prinsendam, Princess’s Star Princess, and last but not least, the Seabourn Quest will make its inaugural cruise. Though most of the larger ships will do only “scenic sailing” (no landings allowed for ship carrying over 400 passengers) Crystal does advertise that it includes “a boots on the ground experience” which looks to be a flight and landing.

While onboard the Crystal Symphony I had the opportunity to ask Captain Egil Giske how the Symphony will comply with the new environmental regulations. He explained that the new Antarctic requirements are exactly the same as those imposed upon ships in the State of California. I had a chance to look into those requirements and it looks like the switch to a lighter, cleaner, more eco-friendly fuel requires no alteration to the engine department however it is more expensive. According to the number of ships back in the market looks like the cost of the expense can be off-set by the demand for the destination.

I have not heard of any immediate plans for Regent’s return to Antarctica but all I can is, I’m ready!

On September 18th, I was invited by Karl Storch, of Sun Tours, Albuquerque to do an introduction to Alaska for one hundred of his clients interested in the destination. The event held a the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center was co-hosted by Oceania Cruises.

Sun Tours offers a selection of cruise departures in 2013, including one on Regatta to Alaska, July 12 - 22.

I was told about Karl and Sun Tours by Regent guests who were on with me last year in South America. As a local Albuquerque company I was anxious to meet Karl and Linda (who is charge of all the cruises.) After learning more about their programs I was so impressed I was ready to sign-up especially for a Mystery Tour. That’s right - a Mystery Tour! You sign-up not knowing where you are going nor what you will do; you only know the travel dates and price — the rest is left up to faith and Karl! According to the people in attendance at the presentation, these are Sun Tours’ most popular offerings!

Next time you are up for an adventure, check ‘em out: http://www.suntoursus.com

Our day in Hoonah started out in pea-soup fog. The fog horn sounded regularly as we dropped anchor in Port Frederick. The tenders puttered off into the fog heading in faith toward Icy Strait Point. Directly overhead there was a hint of blue indicating the prospect of a better day. After hours of laboring under the drone of the fog horn, the fog, just as Carl Sandberg’s described it on little cat’s feet, rolled back revealing a truly glorious, crisp, early-fall day. It was breathtaking. From the ship to the north you could see across Icy Strait toward the Chilkat Mountains; to the west every peak on the Fairweather Range was identifiable. It seemed as though you could not ask for more.

As planned I was to go to the bridge to watch for whales. Just as we pulled the anchor and headed out of the bay we were escorted by four humpback whales. They rose and dove gracefully as if in a choreographed farewell. Off in the distance was the Diamond Princess, it was heading east. The pilot on-board radioed to our pilot alerting him that they had seen lots of whales. This is a common courtesy to let the guests on other ships enjoy what they had seen, so after hearing this, I passed on the word to our guests. In the back of my mind I wondered if the little farewell delegation we had just seen was what the pilot was referencing.

Out on Icy Strait we continued to the west. Far, far off in the distance I saw several cottonball-esque clouds on the horizon; these “clouds” were too big and too far away to the the blow of whales. I grabbed binoculars. I could not believe my eyes. The horizon was filled with blow after blow of whales and the cottonbal-esque clouds were the splashes of whales breaching everywhere - again and again. Their bodies silhouetted again the setting sun looked like jumping beans popping up out of the water. It was insane! I was so excited I asked Cruise Director Ray Solaire to make a general announcement throughout the entire ship - this could not be missed!

As we continued to approach the area known as Point Adolphus it was evident there were over one hundred whales. They were on all sides of the ship. Thanks to ray’s announcement the decks and balconies were filled with guests and crew armed and ready with cameras and binoculars. Amazingly the advancing ship did not bother the whales, they carried-on as though we were not there. Clusters of up to twenty-five whales rose to the surface in intervals, their blow looking like smokestacks of an industrial city. I stopped trying to make comment as there were too many whales to keep up with. Whales were breaching so close to the ship the folds in their throats were clearly visible as were the knobs on their pectoral fins.

We continued to be surrounded by the whales for well over two hours. I finally called it quits when there were “only” six whales around the ship. I was exhausted. In 23 years I have never seen anything like it. When someone asks,”being out here on the ship for so long, does it ever get old?” My answer is always, “no”, exactly because of days like today.

The following article by Harry Shattuck appeared in the Houston Chronicle.

“Carnival has become the latest cruise line to try out an all-you-can-drink package, with a trial run of its “My Awesome Bar Program,” on its Victory ship.

The world’s largest cruise company is offering passengers the option of purchasing unlimited access to wine, beer, spirits, as well as sodas and non-alcoholic frozen cocktails for $42.95 per person per day, plus an automatic 15 percent gratuity of $6.44, according to USATODAY.com. The package can be used to buy all wines and cocktails priced at $10 and lower. Full bottles of wine and champagne, as well as any glasses of wine over $10, are available for a 25 percent discount, the website reported.

To prevent two people in the same cabin from trying to share a package, the cruise line is requiring that anyone 21 years or older in the same berth to each purchase the option

The decision follows other cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Oceania, that offer similar types of unlimited beverage packages, according to cruisecritic.com.

Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen told cruisecritic.com that the trial has been ongoing since Victory’s Aug. 5 departure from Miami, Fla. He cited convenience and value as the reasons behind the move.

Whether the cruise line extends the package to its other 23 ships remains to be seen. Some online commenters questioned the move, saying it may encourage more drunkenness on cruises.

The cruise line sails the Carnival Triumph from its departure port in Galveston.”

It’s always like this in Alaska - isn’t it?

Well, like any classy lady, you never want it to be obvious that you have had some “work done.” Well, so it is with the Navigator.

The Seven Seas Navigator went into dry-dock in North Vancouver on June 12th and returned into service on June 30th. I have been on this ship since she first came out in 1999, and I have to say, when I returned I could not see what had been done. Before leaving I was told that everything was going to be new from carpeting to wall coverings, etc. So I was excited to see the make-over. Maybe I watch too much HGTV when I am home, because I was ready for this big dramatic “reveal”. Did not happen.

That is not to say that work was not done - it was. Most of the dry-dock experience was below decks. One of the biggest jobs was the removal of the old ballast which was replaced with a solid material. If you come onboard and see these silvery, black blobs on people’s desks that look like a something from a sci-fi film, these are the original pieces of ballast. Franck Galzy, General Manager, gifted all the department heads with their own little piece of the ship!

Like most of you, I was more concerned with the things above decks - new restaurants, cosmetic changes, etc. The most noticeable change is the expansion of Prime 7 and the conversion of La Verandah’s evening offering to what is being called, Sette Mari. Prime 7 looks the same but can now accommodate double the capacity. Sette Mari is an Italian themed restaurant where soup, specialty pastas, main course items and dessert are ordered from the menu. Upon being seated you are served a glass of sparkling Prosecco, a plate of antipasti and various appetizers. It has been so popular I have only been able to sneak in once in the last month.

As for the cosmetic changes, the big surprise is there are none! As promised the carpets were replaced and the wall coverings were refinished, etc. but all with exactly the same thing! As I said, you’d never know she had any work done! I have not seen for myself but I have been told the Master Suites were all redecorated and look great. So, that’s the story on dry-dock!

The cooperative feeding behavior known as bubble-netting is a once-in-a-lifetine thing to see. It doesn’t happen all the time; in fact, marine biologists say that the humpbacks participate in this kind of feeding only a few weeks in the year.

Exactly what is bubble-netting? As a baleen whale humpbacks are filter feeders, so to eat they scoop up thousands of gallons of water in their mouths and strain it through their baleen which acts as a sieve. Humpbacks only feed in the summer so they must eat a lot to bulk up for the rest of the year. When they come upon a school of small fish like herring, they will communicate with one another to surround the herring with a fine net of exhaled bubbles. The herring concentrate toward the center. The whales then, on cue, come up at once with their mouths open scooping up all the fish. They slip back down only to reset their bubble-net and do it again.

Last Saturday in Juneau I was lucky enough to go out on the Evening Whale Watch from Auke Bay where we saw a pod of 14 whales bubble-net feeding. Not only is this rare, seeing a pod of so many members working cooperatively is even more rare. So as they just started, if you are coming up in the next few weeks I would definitely book one of the whale watch programs in Juneau! Photo credit: Peggy Hutchings

Starting May 12, the Seven Seas Navigator will be going into to dry-dock for extensive re-modeling. The ship will be out-of-service until May 30, at which time the regular 7-day Alaska cruises resume.

Though I do not have all the details I do know that preparations are being made for the following:

New Carpeting throughout.
New wall and window treatments in select areas.
Major face-lift for all the suites.
Improvements to the Seven Seas Show Lounge.
Enlargement of Prime 7.
Re-modeling of La Veranda including installation of new menu dinner service.
Remodeling of Pool deck including new decking.
New steam and sauna in Spa.

I can hardly wait to see how it all comes out. As soon as the ship is back in service I will take pictures for all to see.

Upon disembarking the Seven Seas Mariner I was invited to stay an extra day in South Florida. The visit started off poorly as the driver that picked me up dropped me off at the wrong hotel necessitating taxi rides to several other similarly named hotels to finally find my reservation. Not to worry; the place was great located within the tree lined-streets of trendy new Brickell Village. Downtown Miami is a far cry from the place I avoided when I lived in Miami twenty years ago. It is a clean and vibrant urban oasis filled with cafes and bistros frequented by local residents and foreign travelers.

The next morning I headed for the Port to Miami; leaving Brickell Village I was impressed by the parade of health-conscious joggers and downtown dog-walkers. The Port of Miami is under going a major transformation. Though there were seven big ships in port, traffic flow has been streamlined to and from the terminals minimizing congestion. Nice to know as soon Regent will be calling Miami home as well!

I was to meet people on the Marina but as usual, I was early. I used the extra time to explore the ship. I had heard she was beautiful but nothing could have prepared me for the extent to which this ship has been appointed. Last summer I went aboard the Crystal Symphony which impressed me with its spaciousness and class - I could not take my eyes off the white carpeting! I loved the spaces dedicated to learning and study from language skills to music lessons. I thought that was the tops until this January I when I went aboard the Seabourn Soujourn; OMG. How could any ship better its elegance and seamless flow? The spa was like nothing I have ever seen at sea; I only wished I could have curled-up on one of the heated, ergonomic chairs in the relaxation room. Well, after all that along comes Marina and I am in love. What a majorly beautiful ship.

Upon entering the main Atrium you are bedazzled by the magnificent pieces of Lalique crystal that adorn the grand staircase. The necessary offices you would expect to find in the atrium like Reception and Destinations are tucked away unobtrusively giving the impression you are in the gallery of a sumptuous private home. Friends gave me pointers on the things I had to see so I ran about the ship from deck to deck peeking into every possible room. I am not a cruise critic but I have seen my share of ships and this one is truly divine. Here are just some of the high points:

Red Ginger Restaurant

“Red Ginger makes an immediate and powerful statement with its decorative centerpiece: three fabulous, multi-colored Buddha heads, each carved from a single piece of glass and brightly lit from within. Then, with a nod to feng shui, the room unfolds in perfect harmony, the mood a study in tranquility. The décor simply radiates with ebony woods, bronze and hand blown glass light fixtures and eclectic, modern Asian artwork.

To complement the stunning interior, Red Ginger’s chefs have created a striking menu, noted for its contemporary interpretations of Asian classics. You might begin with a Salad of Roast Duck and Watermelon with Cashews, Mint and Thai Basil. Savor a Nutty Braised Beef Malay Curry with Coconut Rice and Paratha Roti. Or Asian-spiced Rack Of Lamb with Kohl Robi, Cream Spinach and Truffle Oil. For dessert, Green Tea Banana Cake with Toffee and Hazelnut Sauce Served with Coconut Ice Cream is the perfect ending. In Red Ginger, the gustatory pleasures are as striking as the visual ones.”

Jacques
“Enter Jacques, the eminent Jacques Pépin’s first restaurant to bear his name on land or sea, and you will be instantly struck by the sensory pleasures. Luscious aromas waft from the gleaming glass and brass show rotisserie in the room’s heart, where duck, pork, chicken and veal roasts slowly turn, sealing in their succulent flavors. Handsomely decorated with rich fabrics, heirloom antiques, pickled wood furnishings and art from Jacques’ personal collection, it resembles a classic Parisian bistro. Exceedingly comfortable and clubby, the ambiance is pure French, as is the cosmopolitan yet wonderfully approachable cuisine.

Chef Pépin has taken the classics, deconstructed them, and then ingeniously re-created each remarkable dish. This is Coq Au Vin beyond the imagination, as you have never tasted it before. Rotisserie-roasted chicken falls off the bone, bursting with flavor. His Steak Frites pairs the succulence of prime beef with the crisp sweetness of pommes de terre. At Jacques, simple classic French cuisine becomes incredibly elegant and, of course, absolutely magnifique.”

Privée

“Privée stands alone as Oceania Cruises’ most indulgent, one-of-a-kind dining experience. Even superlatives pale when describing Marina’s ultimate venue, which you may reserve solely for exclusive parties of as many as ten privileged guests. Opulently decorated with Ferrari Red carpeting, oversized white baby crocodile throne chairs, ornate Baroque millwork, and flanked by backlit onyx-clad walls, the setting for Privée is absolutely exquisite. A custom-made oval table, illuminated by a white Venini glass chandelier, lies at its heart, accentuating the culinary magic that awaits you.

Guests will be able to enjoy a menu selected from Polo Grill, Toscana or a combination of both. Each guest can select their own menu. Within the sanctum of Privée, dining engages all the senses, leaving you and your guests immensely fulfilled. This dining extravaganza can be reserved for $250 per evening for a party of up to 10 guests.”

La Reserve
“La Reserve by Wine Spectator may be the most inspired wine pairing ever. It’s the brilliant union of La Reserve, Marina’s exclusive domain for bons vivants, with Wine Spectator, the foremost magazine for wine connoisseurs. The resulting La Reserve by Wine Spectator is an industry-first onboard wine-tasting center that offers gourmands the opportunity to enjoy a series of seminars and tastings that will enhance your appreciation of fine wine and perfectly paired cuisine.

During the day, you might sample a flight of regional wines that the head sommelier has hand-selected from Marina’s wine cellar. Evenings are a more exclusive affair - for a maximum of 24 guests - allowing for an intimate, epicurean experience. You will be treated to a seven-course gourmet dinner, where each course is delightfully paired with an appropriate premium wine.

For sailings prior to January 1, 2012:
La Reserve dinners are $75 per guest plus 18% gratuity.

For sailings beginning January 1, 2012:
La Reserve dinners are $95 per guest plus 18% gratuity.”

Canyon Ranch Spa - Thermal Environments, Acupuncture, Ayurveda, Healing Energy, Tanning, Massage, Skin care….

For those of you who enjoy cruising on ships under the banners of Carnival Corporation or Royal Caribbean International here’s some good news. If you own at least 100 shares of Carnival (CCL) or Royal Caribbean (RCL) stock you are eligible for up to $250 in shipboard credit!

As a stock holder of CCL you can use your shipboard credit on any of the Carnival Corporation ships including The Yachts of Seabourn, Cunard, Princess, P&O, Holland-America, Costa, Aida, Ibero, and Carnival Cruises. An onboard credit of $250 USD per stateroom is extended on sailings of 14 days or longer. For sailings of 7 to 13 days the credit is $100 USD. For sailings of less than  6 days the shipboard credit is $50 USD.

Applications to receive this benefit must be made before departure. The benefit is available to holders of a a minimum of 100 shares and is not available to Carnival Corporation employees, travel agents, tour conductors or anyone else traveling on a reduced fare basis.For more information contact: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-sharebenefit
Stockholders of Royal Caribbean International stock are eligible for an identical offer. The onboard credit can be used on Royal Caribbean, Azamara, and Celebrity Cruises.

For more information contact RCL:http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-shareholderbenefit