Crystal’s European season runs from May through November, with seven-day voyages including:

Crystal Symphony

• May 26, Mediterranean, Athens to Rome – Mykonos, Rhodes and Santorini, Greece; Kusadasi, Turkey; and Sorrento, Italy
• June 14, British Isles, Roundtrip London – Guernsey, Channel Islands; Dublin, Waterford and Belfast, Ireland; and Liverpool, England
• August 7, Scandinavia, Copenhagen to Stockholm – Tallinn, Estonia; and St. Petersburg, Russia (double overnight)

Crystal Serenity

• May 11, Mediterranean, Rome to Athens – Sorrento and Sicily, Italy; Crete and Mykonos, Greece; and Kusadasi, Turkey
• May 18, Mediterranean, Athens to Venice – Sanotrini and Corfu, Greece; Bodrum, Turkey; and Dubrovnik, Croatia
• June 18, Mediterranean, Athens to Venice – Mykonos and Corfu, Greece; Split, Croatia; Kusadasi, TurkeyCCrys

In addition to new 2-for-1 fares and $500 per person All Inclusive – As You Wish shipboard credits for seven-day European voyages, the line also recently introduced complimentary roundtrip air transportation from more than 20 North American gateways – even Business Class for penthouse guests.  Fares for Crystal European seven-day voyages start at $3,680 per person, double occupancy.

With many combination options that don’t repeat ports, seven-day voyages can be taken back-to-back with various cruises for longer vacations, and additional savings.  Along with the shorter European voyages are a seven-day, roundtrip Miami, Caribbean cruise and three roundtrip Los Angeles, Mexican Riviera cruises.  Two fall nine-day options in the Mediterranean are also available.

The brands of Royal Caribbean are expanding their e-doc program, and Celebrity is rolling out a seasonal wine program.

Carnival is considering a return to Europe and Princess may be getting ready to order a new ship…

Port Everglades is welcoming 4 new ships in the coming months – 3 in the next few weeks alone…

Princess looks for new acts…

Juneau moves forward with pier expansion plans that the cruise lines aren’t interested in, and a line returns to Alaska for the first time in 40 years – with an Alaskan itinerary that departs from Southampton!

Look for Sailor Mickey in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

A quick reminder for you as well – there won’t be a show next week or the week after as we’ll be onboard Holland America’s Westerdam.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

It takes about 14,000 cubic feet of helium to inflate Sailor Mickey – dressed in his signature red shorts and yellow shoes, nautical blazer, sailor’s cap and perched atop a larger-than-life ship’s anchor. When inflated, the balloon stands approximately six stories tall. The Sailor Mickey balloon will be a part of the Macy’s Parade through 2011.

Sailor Mickey will also be Macy’s official holiday ambassador this year. Available exclusively as a collectible talking plush at all Macy’s stores across the U.S. and online at macys.com, Sailor Mickey will be on sale beginning Nov. 8 and through the holiday season.

The Sailor Mickey balloon and plush are being introduced as Disney Cruise Line prepares for the highly-anticipated launch of its Disney Dream cruise ship.

The Disney Dream is the first of two newly designed Disney Cruise Line ships that will join the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, providing families with more options to sail with Disney Cruise Line and explore more places around the world. Guests can book sailings aboard the Disney Dream beginning Nov. 9, 2009.

The Disney Dream captures the spirit of innovation, magical family entertainment and incredible experiences already found on the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, but with several new and exciting enhancements sure to delight guests – including the first-ever shipboard water coaster.

“Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with family and friends is an American tradition,” said Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz. “We are thrilled to have the Sailor Mickey character join this iconic event and share our excitement about Disney Cruise Line and the new Disney Dream cruise ship joining our fleet in 2011.”

“Mickey Mouse has always been a cherished character in Macy’s Parade history,” said Robin Hall, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “From the very first Mickey Balloon that Walt Disney himself helped design to our brand new giant Sailor Mickey setting sail this Thanksgiving, Mickey Mouse is truly a Macy’s Parade star. To top it all off, Sailor Mickey will be Macy’s official holiday ambassador this year, with an exclusive special-edition plush of the navigator on sale at Macy’s that is sure to be a hit with our customers from coast-to-coast.”

The 83rd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade steps off on Thursday, Nov. 26. Sailor Mickey Balloon

Fun Facts • Mickey Mouse was last seen in the Macy’s Parade in 2000 as Bandleader Mickey. • The Sailor Mickey balloon is approximately 61 feet high, 33 feet wide and 48 feet long. That’s more than six stories tall! • It takes about 14,000 cubic feet of helium to fill the Sailor Mickey balloon. • It will take about two hours to fully inflate and secure him under a Macy’s balloon net. • The Sailor Mickey balloon has 52 handling lines and will be guided by a team of 70 volunteers. • The parade route is approximately two-and-a-half miles long.

The naming ceremony will take place during the ship’s Grand Inaugural cruise, departing from Savona, Italy on February 5, 2010 and calling in Dubai from February 23-26. Costa guests sailing on the first leg of the grand maiden cruise will be able to attend the exclusive inaugural ceremony.

The Costa Deliziosa (92,600-tons; 2,260 dbl occ) is currently being fitted out at Fincantieri’s Marghera (Venice) shipyard and will be delivered on January 29, 2010. Together with her sister ship, Costa Luminosa, christened on June 5 of this year, the Costa Deliziosa will be the most exclusive and innovative ship in the Costa fleet. Both ships will be deployed in Dubai during winter 2009/10, offering 7-night cruises from Dubai, complete with two overnights and visits to other UAE countries.

In an effort to offer guests more information in a visually appealing way with less burden on the environment, all Azamara, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean bookings made on or after December 13, 2009, will generate eDocs as the default format for guest travel documents. eDocs also will be the default format for any bookings made before December 13, 2009, that didn’t include a selection of a hard-copy guest travel documents preference. Guests will access their eDocs via each cruise line’s consumer website: Azamara Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International.

The technology behind the eDocs brings with it various conveniences for the guests and travel partners who use them. Not only do the eDocs give guests and travel partners around-the-clock access to important pre-cruise information, they also offer hyperlinks to all pre-cruise activity reservation opportunities. Additionally, eDocs offer a table of contents with hyperlinks that take the guest to the exact page they’re interested in, the ability to email a copy to friends and family, and the option to print specific pages. As an added bonus, the eDocs that Azamara, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean will offer are visually stunning, colorful and easy to read.

Celebrity and Royal Caribbean will offer guests the option of ordering printed cruise documents, for a fee of $35 per document. The up-market, smaller-ship brand Azamara, however, will waive this fee for its guests who order printed cruise documents.

It is also possible for travel partners and guests to self-print eDocs at no charge using a printer-friendly format; however, this version will lack the interactive qualities of the online eDocs.

For all bookings made through travel partners, the Azamara Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International eDocs will be customized to display the travel agency name and phone number. Travel partners can access eDocs through the three lines’ travel agent portal, CruisingPower website.

Not only will the new eDocs program help travel partners avoid shipping costs by eliminating the need to mail printed documents to their clients, but travel partners also have options around how their clients receive their eDocs. Agents can receive eDocs on behalf of a client, they can give the cruise line the client’s email address or provide the client with the booking number so that the client can self-manage their eDocs (which saves the travel partner valuable administrative time). Alternatively, travel partners can offer their clients the opportunity to purchase a printed document.

A new eDocs luggage tag system designed to save guests time at the pier and streamline the onboard luggage sorting and delivery process is a crucial part of the three cruise lines’ revamped pre-cruise planning and documentation experience. Qualified guests may request luggage tags to be mailed to them by completing the request form available on each brand’s website. With the new program, guests will receive, via mail, a complimentary set of eight pre-printed, self-adhesive, color-coded and personalized luggage tags. Luggage tags can be requested as soon as documents are issued and must be requested no later than 14 days prior to sailing. Alternatively, travel partners can request that a client’s luggage tags be mailed either to the client or the travel agency by providing a mailing address at the time of booking; these will be mailed 13 days prior to sailing.

The new eDocs luggage tag program is already available for Royal Caribbean International’s guests, and will become available for Azamara Cruises’ and Celebrity Cruises’ guests beginning November 16, 2009.

Among the highlights of Celebrity’s Wine Harvest Celebration will be an industry-first unveiling of Beaujolais Nouveau simultaneously across the fleet on November 19. Hosted by a guest speaker and one of Celebrity’s own certified cellarmasters, the event will offer guests the opportunity to sip the eagerly-anticipated light wine from oak casks and commemorative bottles, while enjoying live music and dancing, canapés, a cheese carving station and a roast carving station. Guests with a passion for cool music and rich chocolate are likely to be “seduced” by Celebrity’s “Jazz, Port and Chocolate Tasting Seduction,” with a complimentary glass of port wine and a deluxe chocolate buffet and fountain, all set against a backdrop of light jazz music.

At the “Grand Cru Dinner,” following a sparkling wine reception, Celebrity’s cellarmaster, guest speaker and chef will prepare a top-tier dinner comprised of food and wine reflective of the region in which each ship is sailing. Up to 40 guests can participate in each distinctive dinner in Celebrity’s intimate specialty restaurants.

Through “Sabering at Sea,” guests will observe the delicate, age-old art of sabering – uncorking a bottle with saber or knife – while participating in tastings and discussion of sparkling wines including Champagne, Cremants, Spumantes and California Methode Traditional wines. Throughout the course of the celebration, a “Celebrity Wine Harvest Exposition” will be open to all guests on embarkation day. Hosted by Celebrity’s certified cellarmasters and a variety of noted wine authorities from around the world, the event features a complimentary glass of house wine, canapés and hors d’oeuvres, and an overview of the varied wine experiences and packages available for guests, paired with the opportunity to make reservations for limited-capacity events. Additionally, among the wine-focused experiences offered year-round through the Celebrity Life “Savor” series are:

It was a long show with a lot of news so enjoy – and don’t catch whatever we’ve come down with!

New Yorker and mother of three, Harden will officially name the new ship when it makes its North American debut in New York on November 12, 2009. In honor of Carnival Dream’s much-anticipated arrival, the Tony Award-winning actress will unveil Carnival’s Big Book of Dreams – measuring 15.5 feet high by 20 feet wide – in New York City’s Rockefeller Center today and will conduct a special reading of the larger-than-life story to dozens of schoolchildren. Inspired by the imaginative dreams of children who sailed on Carnival Cruise Lines this spring, “The Dream Plucker of Perrysport” tells the tale of a group of young friends who find themselves on a unique adventure after they encounter a furry orange monster in a quest to remember their dreams. The book will remain on display at Rockefeller Center November 6 and 7 as part of a series of free, activity-filled Carnival “Dream Big” events for the whole family.

During the three-year partnership with St. Jude, Carnival Cruise Lines’ goal is to raise $3 million to help achieve the hospital’s mission of finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic illnesses. To support the hospital, under the theme “Care to Play,” Carnival is creating a number of fun, interactive on-board fundraising activities that will involve guest participation. Carnival will also donate hundreds of kid-sized copies of “The Dream Plucker of Perrysport” to the hospital.

Built for world cruising, Amsterdam will sail a 110-day Grand World Voyage in January and a 70-day Grand Asia & Australia Voyage in the fall. Simultaneously, ms Prinsendam will sail a 66-day Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage followed by a 62-day Grand Africa & Mediterranean Voyage.

Grand World Voyage Departing Jan. 5 and sailing roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Amsterdam rings in 2011 with its sixth Grand World Voyage. The 110-day journey is a port collector’s dream that includes 10 overnight calls, visits to an impressive collection of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and three maiden ports of call — Alofi, Niue; Oban, Stewart Island, New Zealand; and Koror, Palau. Several exciting segments ranging from 16 to 48 days also are available.

Sailing westbound, Amsterdam will call on Puerto Limón, Costa Rica, before continuing on its way to a daylight transit of the Panama Canal, one of the most remarkable man-made wonders in the world. Also in store for guests are unforgettable calls at Callao, Peru — the gateway to Machu Picchu — and Easter Island, Chile, known for its famous giant stone statues. As Amsterdam continues its voyage, the ship will journey throughout Australia and Asia, transit the Suez Canal and cruise the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic and heading back to the States.

Grand South America and Antarctica Voyage Also departing Jan. 5 on a Grand Voyage is Holland America Line’s most intimate ship, ms Prinsendam, which is designed to explore the most remote corners of the world in elegance and style. Prinsendam returns to South America, Antarctica and the Amazon on a 66-day Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage that sails roundtrip Fort Lauderdale. The itinerary emphasizes in-depth exploration by offering eight overnight calls, including an overnight at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and a maiden call at Fernando de Noronha, Brazil. Other memorable moments include eight full days of cruising the Amazon River, navigating around Cape Horn and through the Straits of Magellan, a daylight passage through the Panama Canal and scenic cruising in Antarctica. An option for those with less time is a 33-day segment to or from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Grand Africa and Mediterranean Voyage Following its Grand Voyage down south, Prinsendam returns to Ft. Lauderdale March 12 and embarks on a 62-day Grand Africa & Mediterranean Voyage. The roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale sailing takes guests on a journey to West Africa, the Mediterranean and the Holy Lands. Guests will enjoy a call at Haifa (Tel Aviv), Israel, where they may travel to Nazareth and visit the land of miracles: Galilee, the Jordan River, the Mount of the Beatitudes and Tabgha. This exceptional itinerary will especially appeal to guests who have traveled or cruised this region before, as the ship is set to call at many unique ports including Banjul, Gambia; Dakar, Senegal, and Arrecife, Lanzarote, Canary Islands. Four maiden ports of call are scheduled for the Grand Africa and Mediterranean Voyage as well: Havre de Robert, Martinique; Lipari, Italy; Syracusa, Sicily, Italy and Motril, Spain.

Grand Asia and Australia Voyage Amsterdam will wrap up the year with a 70-day Grand Asia and Australia Voyage sailing from Seattle, Wash., to Los Angeles, Calif., departing Sept. 26. Following calls throughout Asia to Indonesia, the itinerary will continue to Western Australia and the South Pacific. This voyage offers extensive time in port to allow guests to take in the wide-ranging history and culture of the region and includes overnights at Beijing and Hong Kong, China, and Sydney, Australia. Guests on board also can enjoy some tropical sunshine with calls at the exotic islands of New Caledonia, Samoa, Fiji and Hawaii.

2011 Grand Voyages open for reservations Reservations are now available for all four Holland America Line 2011 Grand Voyages, and early-booking bonus amenities for full-cruise guests may include prepaid hotel service charges, a shipboard credit, luggage delivery service and an exclusive shore event when booking select stateroom categories; amenities vary by cruise and category booked.

The four Grand Voyages are available to book for the full cruise or in segments as short as 16 days. Cruise fares are per person, double occupancy, and rates start at $16,999 for Amsterdam’s 110-day Grand World Voyage departing Jan. 5, 2011; $10,999 for Prinsendam’s 66-day Grand South America and Antarctica Voyage departing Jan. 5, 2011; $9,599 for Prinsendam’s 62-day Grand Africa and Mediterranean Voyage departing March 26, 2011; and $9,499 for Amsterdam’s 70-day Grand Asia and Australia Voyage departing Sept. 26, 2011.

Oceania Cruises’ three 684-guest vessels – Regatta, Insignia and Nautica – offer a choice of four different dining venues, all of which come under the watchful eye of renowned master chef, Jacques Pépin, who serves as executive culinary director for the cruise line. Guests can choose from The Grand Dining Room, Polo Grill, Toscana and Tapas on the Terrace.

The new online “Dining Reservations Calendar” conveniently includes the times the ship is in port, as well as any pre-reserved shore excursions to assist guests in selecting the ideal dining times. Reservations can be made 90 days in advance of sailing, once final payment has been received, and will remain available until 10 days prior to departure.

Guests may now access the Dining Reservations Calendar beginning with the 2009-2010 Winter Collection voyages of Regatta, Insignia and Nautica to Asia and Australia, South America and the Caribbean. To access the calendar, guests must register in the “Already Booked” section of OceaniaCruises.com.

Legends In Concert

Legends in Concert is a live musical celebration featuring the world’s greatest celebrity tribute artists such as Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Tom Jones, Tina Turner, Madonna, Garth Brooks, Rod Stewart, Cher, Barry White, Tim McGraw and Shania Twain, among many others. Legends in Concert on Norwegian Epic will feature three celebrity tribute performers taking the stage in the Epic Theater for six 45-minute shows over three days during a seven-day cruise. In addition, a cabaret-style show will be performed on three additional nights in the Manhattan Room, the ship’s New York-inspired supper club, providing an unprecedented dining and entertainment experience on Norwegian Epic. The celebrity performers will change every four months, keeping the show fresh and exciting.

Each universally-renowned Legends in Concert performer not only looks and sounds like the star they portray, they transform themselves through hours of practice at their craft. This is accomplished by using their own natural voices and every detail is taken into consideration from choreography, to hair, make-up and mannerisms.

Howl at the Moon

Performing four times per cruise in Headliners, Norwegian Epic’s comedy club, Howl at the Moon is a total entertainment experience where the talented piano players not only entertain the guests; the guests become part of the show. The fun is centered around two baby grand pianos and a full out rock show with Howl’s entertainers playing the best music from 70’s rock to hip-hop for four hours per show. Howl at the Moon, with multiple locations across the United States, encourages people to live out their inner rock star, so guests should be ready to clap, sing, dance and howl.

Carnival is putting a chairlift in Roatan, and Holland America is hosting Windows 7 launch parties.  Holland America’s newest Nieuw Amsterdam was floated out too.

Book a Royal Caribbean cruise with us next week and help support the Fisher House Foundation.

Royal Caribbean took deliver of Oasis of The Seas and check out the daily video we’re getting from the ship too…

Finally, Disney announced a lot of the details about Disney Dream and we’re excited about them.

The timely digital documents include a brand-new email series filled with personalized pre-cruise information, a downloadable Princess Countdown ConnectionTM widget that delivers useful and entertaining information to a passenger’s computer, personalized online luggage tags, and customizable shore excursion eBooks. The change from printed information to fully digital documents applies to all North American passengers on voyages departing on or after January 21, 2010.

Princess’ new digital documents include:

Personalized Pre-Cruise Emails

As soon as passengers book their cruise, they will begin to receive a new series of four emails that are timed to deliver just the right information needed for each stage of the cruise planning process. Replacing a printed Cruise Answer Book, the emails include the passenger booking details and interactive content that gives passengers a fun, engaging way to learn more about the signature amenities and activities they will experience on their ship.

The information will be customized to the itinerary and the ship the passenger is sailing, and greetings are featured from some of the senior officers who will be sailing on their cruise. An array of links are also provided to such things as ship videos and virtual tours, bridge cams, dining options, entertainment choices, shipboard features and amenities, travel logistics, weather information, packing tips, frequently asked questions, Captain’s Circle benefits, important notices and reminders, and how to stay connected to family and friends while onboard.

Princess Countdown ConnectionTM

To help passengers anticipate and prepare for their upcoming sailing, the innovative Princess Countdown ConnectionTM widget is an eye-catching online clock that ticks down the days, hours and minutes until their cruise departs. The new application, which can be downloaded from the pre-cruise emails, can live right on a passenger’s computer desktop, and will automatically deliver an array of personalized information to them about their upcoming sailing such as dining, onboard activities, shore excursions and notices.

Personalized Online Luggage Tags

Passengers will also be able to print their own personalized luggage tags from their home or office computer. These new tags not only include the passenger’s name, but also feature their Captain’s Circle membership status, cabin number and embarkation information. Passengers will be able to print as many tags as needed to ensure all their luggage is properly marked prior to boarding the ship.

The printable luggage tags debut for all voyages departing after December 1, 2009, and are accessible through the Cruise Personalizer. They can be printed up to 75 days prior to the sailing date. Generic luggage tags will continue to be available at the pier for passengers who may need them.

Shore Excursion eBooks

Beginning in December, passengers will be able to print their own personalized shore excursion eBook for their cruise. Using this innovative tool, passengers will be able to select their favorite excursions from the wide array offered in each port, and create their own customized eBook of shoreside experiences. Further details will be available next month.

The Costa Favolosa and Costa Fascinosa, (114,500 gross tons with a double occupancy of 3,000 each) will be delivered in summer 2011 and spring 2012 respectively. The two new sister ships, built by Fincantieri at its Marghera shipyard, are part of a major fleet expansion plan for Costa with five new ships due for delivery between 2009 and 2012. This plan includes the launch of the Costa Luminosa the Costa Pacifica (June 2009) and the Costa Deliziosa (set to debut in January 2010) for a total investment worth 2.4 billion Euros. The Costa Favolosa will be the first of the two new vessels to enter service. The laying of the first “building block” is set to take place on Thursday, November 5 at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard.

Many options in Jerusalem explore the Jewish Quarter; the Western Wall, the holiest of Jewish sites; Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes Remembrance Authority, dedicated to the history of Jews during the Holocaust period; and other significant locations.  Additionally, Jewish tours throughout the world include:

Berlin

• Sachsenhausen Concentration camp, a prototype for all the camps that followed.
• Jewish Old Quarter and the New Synagogue, laid in 1988, exactly 50 years after the “Night of Broken Glass.”

Dublin

• The Irish Jewish Museum, formerly a synagogue, opened by President Chaim Herzog, Israel’s Irish former leader, plus a visit to his childhood home.

Montevideo

• The Uruguay city’s historic Sephardic and Ashkenazi synagogues, as well as the Holocaust memorial and a glimpse into modern-day Jewish life.

Mumbai

• An array of Indian synagogues and other important Judaic cultural sites.

Odessa

• Shomrei Shabbos synagogue; the Jewish Cemetery and memorial to Shalom Aleyhem, famed Ukrainian writer of Fiddler on the Roof.

Rome

• The Jewish Ghetto, issued by anti-Semitic Pope Paul IV in 1555, isolated by walls until 1870.

St. Petersburg

• Special concert by the cantor of the Great Choral Synagogue, the second largest in Europe.

Stockholm

• The Great Synagogue, and its memorial to 8,500 Swedish Holocaust victims, plus one of the few Jewish museums in Scandinavia.

The tours are available on itineraries throughout 2010.  For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent, call 888-799-4625, or visit crystalcruises.com.