By Judy Newell
Mexico News
Norwegian cruise line restarts cruises to the Mexican Riviera
Norwegian Bliss set sail from Los Angeles on October 24, making her the seventh ship in the company’s fleet to resume operations in what the cruise line calls the “Great Cruise Comeback.”
Sailing from the Los Angeles World Cruise Center, Norwegian Bliss is operating weeklong voyages to the Mexican Riviera. The vessel is the company’s second ship on the Pacific Coast.
Built in Germany, Norwegian Bliss has a capacity for 4,200 guests. Rates for the 7-day cruise start at US$593.29 per person for an interior stateroom.
International News
Sandals and Beaches Resorts
Up to 65 percent off and more
Sandals Resorts: Vacation Assurance, up to 65 percent off plus up to US$635 instant credit plus one free night at luxury-included Sandals Resorts.
Beaches Resorts: Vacation Assurance, up to 65 percent off, up to US$355 instant credit and a choice of Tuck In for Tykes or a 30-Minute couples massage.
Get up to 65 percent off rack rates when you book a minimum of 3 or more nights at select Sandals Resorts for travel now until further notice. Offer is based on double occupancy, minimum 3-paid night’s stay.
Booking Window: Through December 31, 2021.
Travel Window: Through December 31, 2022.
Serengeti named Best National Park
World Travel Awards—a global initiative that recognizes and rewards excellence in travel and tourism—recently unveiled its Africa 2021 winners.
World Travel Awards recognized Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Mount Kilimanjaro among Africa’s leading destinations, making the three Tanzanian national parks claim a spot on the 2021 conservation awards list.
Tanzania won in 10 different categories that included Leading National Park, Leading Beach Destination, Leading Destination, Leading Luxury Island, Responsible Tourism Award, Leading Green Hotel, Leading Private Island Resort, Leading Safari Company, Leading Luxury Safari Lodge, and Leading Hotel Brand.
South Africa’s Cape Town was declared Africa’s Leading City Destination, and its majestic Table Mountain picked “Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction.” The fascinating South African city of Durban was voted “Africa’s Leading City Destination.”
Cruise News
Northern Lights Promise
The beautiful Aurora Borealis is Mother Nature’s ultimate light show. We know that no trip to the Arctic Circle is quite complete without experiencing this highlight at least once on your journey.
If there is no Northern Lights occurrence on your 11- or 12-day Norwegian Coastal voyage with Hurtigruten Cruises, they will give you another 6- or 7-day Norwegian Coastal voyage free of charge.
The promise is applicable on select cruises departing now through March 31, 2022.
Royal Caribbean launches the world’s longest cruise
Royal Caribbean is launching a 274-night cruise around the world to set sail in 2023. Prices start at US$61,000 per person.
The company said the Ultimate World Cruise, set to depart from Miami, would visit more than 150 destinations in 65 countries on all seven continents. Royal Caribbean said stops would include Casablanca, the Great Barrier Reef, Antarctica, Brazil, and Beijing.
The inaugural cruise is scheduled to depart from Miami on December 10, 2023 and return on September 10, 2024.
Passengers would travel on the Serenade of the Seas, which has 13 decks and a mini-golf course, an arcade, a rock-climbing wall, a pool, a theater, and a spa. The ship can accommodate almost 2,500 passengers and more than 800 crew members.
Prices start at US$61,000 for a person in an interior stateroom, rising to US$65,000 for an ocean view stateroom and US$79,000 for a balcony stateroom. A stay in a junior suite starts at US$112,000 per person. Royal Caribbean said passengers would get a 10 percent discount if they pay in full by January 6, 2023.
The Ultimate World Cruise is split into four legs: the Americas and Antarctica, Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East and the Mediterranean, and northern Europe. Passengers can book them individually rather than opting for the full nine-month trip.
Bookings opened on October 27. Royal Caribbean said it would announce prices for the four individual legs of the trip when bookings for them open in December 2021.
Deal of the Week
All-Inclusive luxury Antarctic expeditions
• Free non-stop charter air
• Free pre- and post-cruise luxury hotels
• US$1,000 per guest spending credit
11 to 19 nights, November 2021 to February 2022
Prepare for the adventure of a lifetime and arrive in comfort with free non-stop charter air offered on all 2021-2022 maiden season Antarctica expeditions aboard the brand-new Crystal Endeavor. Fly roundtrip with a complimentary pre-cruise hotel night in Ushuaia and a post-cruise hotel night in Miami.
All-inclusive fares begin at US$9,949 per guest for the November 18, 2021, inaugural voyage to the White Continent, with all expeditions featuring a US$1,000 per guest “As You Wish” shipboard spending credit.
The world’s most spacious luxury expedition yacht features all-suite, all-verandah, all butler-serviced accommodations; Michelin-inspired cuisine; a crew-to-guest ratio of more than 1:1; and an impressive Expedition Team of scientists, glaciologists, ornithologists, ecologists, and guides to host complimentary Zodiac landings and kayaking excursions throughout the season.
Photographers and artists-in-residence engage guests with drawing, painting, and photography to add a uniquely personal dimension to individual experiences.
Book your all-inclusive luxury expedition aboard the German-engineered, PC6 polar class Crystal Endeavor…Where Luxury Roams Freely.
Judy Newell, an international travel consultant for 50 years, heads Perfect Journeys and specializes in unique travel experiences to destinations around the world. She custom designs journeys that are tailored to suit client’s interests, physical abilities and budget. Please contact Judy for further information on Travel News topics and around-the-world travel. Cell phone 415 111 8765, Vonage 949-300-3682; email judynewell@perfectjourneys.net.
Sources: Cruise Hive, Sandals and Beaches, APTA, Hurtigruten Cruises, Insider, Crystal Cruises
