The small ship cruise line Hurtigruten has been an active participant in many of the remote areas it visits on its Expedition Voyages and often raises money for needy causes.

A new fundraiser to begin in early summer on the MS Fram’s Arctic and Antarctica sailings focuses on helping to “Save the Albatross,” (a project of the Bird Life International Foundation), a much treasured bird that faces extinction mainly due to industrial long-line fishing. “These animals are incredibly elegant when they move. To me, they are one of the most impressive bird species in the world,” said expedition leader Karin Strand, “able to fly thousands of miles.” For further information on the “Save the Albatross” project, please visit http://www.rspb.org.uk/supporting/campaigns/albatross/.

This is one of several fund-raisers initiated by Hurtigruten and funded by both the company and its Expedition guests – where guests bid on company items that include the unique nautical chart of the respective voyage and signed by the captain, a Hurtigruten flag, and expedition team jackets.

“We want to give something back to the regions we visit, after the great pleasure of experiencing these magnificent and remote areas,” is expedition team leader Karin Strand’s explanation of the idea behind the fundraising campaigns. “Our guests recognise the privilege of being able to travel to the Antarctic, Greenland or Spitsbergen – and as a thank-you they would like to contribute to the future of these regions.”

Ongoing fundraisers include campaigns run by Antarctica South Georgia Heritage Trust and the Ocean Foundation. A very popular and successful fundraiser is the one focusing on raising funds for the “Association of Greenlandic Children” – yielding more than €140,000 in its first four years solely through the crew-run auctions and generous guests on board.

Hurtigruten is a world leader in expedition cruising, sailing to the most remote of destinations including Antarctica, Greenland and the Arctic’s Spitsbergen as well as year round along Norway’s coast and Europe in the spring. The company’s fleet of 14 intimate ships, carrying 100 to 646 guests, allows travelers to enjoy unique destinations in a relaxed atmosphere.

Additional information, as well as brochures and reservations, can be obtained from travel agents or Hurtigruten’s  web site, www.hurtigruten.us; or by phone: (877) 301-3117; fax (888) 524-2145; for brochures (800) 582-0835, 24 hours a day.

For a long time I have known the people who represent Travel Guard, the folks who sell travel insurance. They have long been supporters of an organization that I am very involved in, the Society of American Travel Writers.

Recently, Travelguard published a list of handy travel gadgets that I would like to share with you. Whether you are a gadget guru or just want a more convenient way to travel, here are a few of the latest travel gadgets that may come in handy on your next trip.

SteriPen Ultraviolet Bacteria / Pathogen Killer: If you’ve ever been to a third world country, you know that the water supply can often be contaminated. That’s why there’s the SteriPen. Hold this ultraviolet “magic wand” in a 16 oz glass of questionable liquid for 48 seconds and the water is then considered safe to drink.

The Clear Card: Ever wish you could skip the security line at the airport? You can. It’s called having a “Clear Card”. While it’s only used at 20 airports around the U.S., flashing the card allows you to rush right by the security lines and onto your plane or into the waiting area. Click here to learn more.

Stash Sandals: Picture this: you are on a family vacation and want to do some sightseeing or take a trip to the beach and stop for a bite to eat. What do you do if you don’t want to carry a purse or wallet with you? Purchase a pair of Stash Sandals! These handy sandals have a secret compartment that slides out to stash your cash, hotel key or other personal items.

Powerbag Sling: Smartphones, tablets, laptops… on-the-go gadgets take a lot of power. Fortunately, the Powerbag Sling can charge up devices quickly while you are literally on the move. It’s a sling with an internal battery that charges gadgets on the go. Need a variety of USB or other connectors? No problem. This device has them all.

Swiss Army Knife with USB Drive: So you can’t take this one on a plane, but it’s still perfect for traveling if you are planning a road trip to your travel destination. Even more perfect if you are a tech junky who also likes to get a camping fix. This gadget lets you have a flashlight, USB drive, scissors, pen, knife, nail file and screwdriver all in one.

Hmmm…surely I need one or two of these items!

Over the years, we have seen a number of new ports develop. Enterprising folks in various countries have seen the opportunities to bring cruise ships to their area by developing cruise facilities.

Oftimes, these port ventures put new money into struggling communities. A recent new port development was in Falmouth, Jamaica.

Another such port is Icy Strait Point, Alaska. It was a small village and its main business was a cannery. When the cannery went out of business, the town was on the ropes. The native Alaskans in the area pulled together. Located 50 miles west of Juneau, today Icy Strait Point is a privately owned destination for cruise ship passengers and independent travelers.

Just over a mile from the native village of Hoonah, the wilderness port allows guests to experience Tlingit culture, Alaska-sized adventures and unspoiled wilderness.

This summer Icy Strait Point is planning a series of events to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Hoonah Packing Co. cannery, located at the heart of the Alaska Native-owned cruise ship destination.

A few special treats are in store for guests each day that a cruise ship is in port – that’s 46 days between May and September. The 100th guest to disembark the cruise ship in the morning will receive a prize. Later in the day, Icy Strait Point historian Johan Dybdahl will lead a complimentary tour of the cannery. Guests also will find salmon specials on the Cookhouse Restaurant menu. This is the same eatery that served Hoonah Packing Co. cannery workers as far back as 1912.

Celebratory events will take place on Icy Strait Pont’s Neighbor’s Days, offered twice a season to encourage Juneau or Gustavus residents and other locals to visit. On those days, Icy Strait Point offers packages that include transportation from Juneau or Gustavus and one excursion.

• The 100-year celebration kick-off event will take place on Saturday, June 23, which corresponds with the traditional start of the fishing season and will focus on the fishing history of the Icy Strait Point site and cannery. Many of the fishermen who delivered fish to the cannery or utilized the maintenance facility at the cannery will be on hand to share stories about their experiences.
  

• A second event on Saturday, August 18, will focus on the history of the cannery itself and the people who worked there. Many Hoonah community members had family who worked at the patch table, slime line or fish house, and most love telling stories about their experiences around the cannery grounds. The cannery was key in helping the community of Hoonah after the devastating fire of June 14, 1944, that destroyed most of the village.
  

Once the economic engine of the nearby village of Hoonah, the cannery is no longer used to process fish. Its facilities have been fully restored and guests can now take tours to find out how it operated in 1912 and enjoy a free museum that offers a historical look at the area and the commercial fishing industry in Southeast Alaska. Visitors can learn about the canning process from beginning to end through interpretive displays and may even “can” a souvenir. (Items are vacuum-sealed and then canned to mail home or to friends and relatives. Many of the original canning labels are on display.

The cannery is also home to 11 Alaskan-owned shops, offering a carefully curated selection of Alaska Native art and crafts, wild Alaska salmon, handmade soaps, candles and beads, local Native remedies and Icy Strait Point logo items. The shops are staffed by Alaskans, many of whom are from Hoonah, and the products are locally sourced.

For a look at the cannery today, please view Icy Strait Point’s video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax1s-u25deA&list=UUPeQJGQZ2corR9vQX4HBI1A&index=22&feature=plcp

Icy Strait Point is owned by Huna Totem Corporation, the Native village corporation for Hoonah. For more information, visit www.icystraitpoint.com.

We at AllThingsCruise have received many calls and queries and requests for interviews since the Costa Concordia accident in Italy. So we put our heads together to and came up with this report:

1.      Bookings are still pouring in at a “Wave Season” Rate.  Our sister site, CruiseCompete, has encountered very few cancellations and we believe those that wish to travel via cruise ship will continue to do so.  Those we may be missing are those consumers new to cruising that this may affect as they may choose another type of vacation as they have in the past.

2.      Cruise prices may go down.  Not seeing that currently, but they may fall in the short term.

3.     Smaller ships and river ships, those that tend to hug the coastline, will become even more popular. Some cruisers will prefer sailing in vessels where they can “see the shore” most of the time.

4.     Carnival Corp. stock is taking a beating, but the loss of a large vessel would be damaging to any company, especially because of the deaths associated with it.

5.      Muster drills will be prioritized – Consumers say they will now pay more attention at muster drills, and ships will most probably schedule them immediately after all embarkations.

6.      Cruiser Comments - Very few comments from travelers

7.      Cancellations – Those that were queasy cancelled very quickly, it was a small number

8.      Safer time to travel – These next few months will be the safest time to travel, as all of the officers and crew will be looking very carefully at all policies and procedures.

9.      This is rare - Accidents such as this one are an extremely rare occurrence in the cruise industry, and cruising continues to be one of safest means of travel among all types of vacationing.

10.  Cruise insurance – May become more popular

11.  Cruise line changes to policy – We have not seen any of the lines change cancellation policies. But you can be sure that they will be closely scrutinizing their emergency and evacuation procedures.

12.  Cruise ship design – You can be sure that cruise ship architects will be looking closely at their top-heavy ship designs and the puzzling fact that the ship tilted away from the gash in its side, rather than toward it.

With all of the bad news about the Costa Concordia in the press, it is really nice to hear about something good, really good.

And Disney is good.

Disney Fantasy, Disney Cruise Line’s 4,000-passenger twin to the Disney Dream, which is currently being finished in the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, will be christened during a special ceremony on March 1 in New York City. The choice of a godmother to the ship has not yet been revealed. The first revenue cruise will take place March 31 after a series of preview media and travel agent sailings earlier in March.

Disney Fantasy, the fourth ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, offers many of the same features as Disney Dream with a few twists. First, it will feature a completely different itinerary, sailing on seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises out of Port Canaveral, Fla., in contrast to Disney Dream, which sails on three- and four-day cruises to the Bahamas out of Port Canaveral. Ports of call on the Eastern Caribbean will include St. Maarten and St. Thomas, as well as Disney’s Castaway Cay. The Western Caribbean sailing will include Grand Cayman, Costa Maya and Cozumel. Special Eastern Caribbean sailings in November and December 2012 will stop at St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Disney Fantasy also will have two new 45-minute Broadway-style stage shows in the ship’s Walt Disney Theatre, including “Wishes” and “Disney’s Aladdin a Musical Spectacular,” in addition to “Disney’s Believe.” Shows featuring comedians.

The ship also will feature a completely re-themed adult entertainment zone, now called Europa in contrast to The District on Disney Dream. Europa will feature bars and clubs with a European theme, including La Piazza, a lounge inspired by Italian piazzas; O’Gill’s Pub, an Irish bar with a sports focus; Ooh La La, a French champagne bar; and The Tube, a nightclub with a large dance floor themed along London’s Underground. Like Disney Dream, Fantasy also features the Skyline bar, which has “live” views of famous European cities.

Also new on Fantasy is the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and Pirates League, which will specialize in princess and pirate makeovers during the voyage. The Muppets will also be featured in a new interactive adventure quest for guests nine and older.

On the dining front, Disney Cruise Line’s rotational dining remains with the Royal Court, Enchanted Garden and Animator’s Palate. But Animator’s Palate gets a second show called “Animation Magic,” during which guests will be able to draw their own animated characters and see them included as part of the show with Disney characters. The show, which has already won technical awards, joins “Undersea Adventure,” the show featuring an interactive Crush turtle character. Also featured on Disney Fantasy is Remy, the high-end French restaurant overseen by a two-star Michelin chef, and Palo, Disney’s Northern Italian restaurant, which is now on all four Disney ships.

New on the top decks of the ship is AquaLab, a water play area, which joins the now iconic Aqua Duck water coaster. Also new on what was formerly a sun deck far forward is Satellite Falls, an adult area featuring a small shaded pool with cascading falls. There’s also more shade on all the decks for those who don’t want to spend as much time in the sun.

– Travel Pulse

One of my major volunteer activities each year is to run a Rally for the Cure ladies golf tournament and charity auction to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the foundation dedicated to the eradication of breast cancer. This issue is particularly close to me as my sister is a breast cancer survivor as are my two sisters-in-law.

So it was gratifying to learn that the Princess Cruises Community Foundation is going to fund two research projects in conjunction with Komen for the Cure. The monies are raised through on-board deck walks held on each Princess cruises. My husband and I have participated in many of these.

Here are the details:

The Princess Cruises Community Foundation and Susan G. Komen for the Cure® have announced a new three-year partnership for two research projects supporting the fight against breast cancer.

One of the Foundation-supported research grants, at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), will look at the molecular effects of the chemical BPA on breast cancer, while the other, at Stanford University School of Medicine, will study breast stem cell differentiation.

The projects are funded by the Princess Cruises Community Foundation’s On Deck for the Cure® program, which is a 5K fundraising walk for passengers held during the course of every Princess cruise.

At the same time, the Foundation has been welcomed into the Komen Million Dollar Council for surpassing this donation milestone.

“These two research projects are both important steps toward finding causes and treatments for breast cancer,” said Alan Buckelew, president of the Princess Cruises Community Foundation, and also president and CEO of Princess Cruises. “Reaching the million dollar donation level and being able to fund this work underscores our commitment to this cause, and we want to acknowledge the support of our passengers for this important milestone. On every cruise, they take time out of their vacation to circle the decks, raising both funds and awareness to fight one of the leading causes of death for women in the U.S.”

The research supported by Susan G. Komen with funding from the Princess Cruises Community Foundation’s On Deck for the Cure program includes:

• Determining the Molecular Effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) in Mammary Gland Stem Cells and Breast Cancer Proliferation

Headed by Dr. Susan Krum at UCLA, this study will investigate whether a chemical known as Bisphenol A (BPA) – commonly found in plastic containers, ranging from baby bottles to food containers – causes or accelerates breast cancer. BPA is similar to the hormone estrogen, which is responsible for stimulating the growth of a large percentage of breast cancers. Dr. Krum and her colleagues will test whether BPA, acting like estrogen, may also stimulate tumor growth.

• Functional Analysis of the DLK1-GTL2 Imprinted Region in Breast Stem Cell Differentiation and Tumorigenesis

Dr. Michael Clarke heads this Stanford University School of Medicine study to attempt to determine whether small RNA molecules (MicroRNA) from a specific region in breast stem cells can be used to treat or predict breast cancer. The study will also investigate whether restoring irregular MicroRNA in breast cancer cells can prevent tumor growth.

“Princess Cruises Community Foundation is a committed partner in the fight against breast cancer,” said Katrina McGhee, CMO & executive vice president for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “Not only do they raise awareness on board every ship during every sailing, they also raise significant funds to help Susan G. Komen fulfill our promise to end breast cancer forever. We are so grateful to Princess Cruises Community Foundation and the Princess employees and guests for their dedication to our cause.”

Since the On Deck for the Cure program was launched on Princess ships in 2007, thousands of passengers have participated in the fundraising walks held during the course of each cruise. The five-kilometer walks around the ships’ decks always draw an enthusiastic group of passengers who donate a minimum of $15 to participate, and receive a special hat, and a post-walk appreciation reception.

It seems not all that long ago that I was in Port Canaveral watching the christening of the Disney Dream. We then got to sail on a two-day introductory cruise and thoroughly enjoyed this new vessel.

This week we got a first good look at the Disney Fantasy as it was floated out of its enclosed building dock at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. Of course, there was a Disney touch: Fireworks filled the sky.

This symbolizes one of the final stages of this ship’s construction and marks a significant milestone towards the March 31, 2012 maiden voyage.

The Disney Fantasy features many of the innovations found on her sister ship, Disney Dream, with several new guest experiences exclusive to the ship. New experiences found on the Disney Fantasy include two Broadway-style musical spectaculars for the Walt Disney Theatre, a dining experience at Animator’s Palate where guests’ own drawings magically come to life, an interactive adventure quest starring the Muppets, a splashtacular water play area called AquaLab, a sophisticated nighttime entertainment area for adults inspired by European travel and much more .

The Disney Fantasy will sail seven-night alternating eastern and western Caribbean itineraries. All voyages will depart from Port Canaveral, Fla. and include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at 888-DCL-2500.

Some years ago I had the wonderful experience of sailing on the American Queen riverboat when it was still being operated by Delta Queen Cruise Lines. As I recall, we sailed from New Orleans to Natchez, but maybe even further north.

We enjoyed it so much that a year later we bought a trip for my mother-in-law and friend to celebrate her 80th birthday.

Yesterday we received confirmation of what we had been hearing for months, the American Queen will again be sailing the Mississippi River beginning April 2012.

Here are some details:

The Great American Steamboat Company is pleased to announce the return of the reigning queen of the Mississippi river, the grandest and most opulent steamboat afloat, the American Queen. Resumption of fabled river voyages on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee Rivers begins this coming spring, on April 13, 2012.

For the first time in many years, travelers will again enjoy the iconic experience, celebrated by Mark Twain and others, of riverboat cruises on the great rivers of the America’s heartland. Every departure will feature the storied American Queen, the largest, most lavish steamboat ever built. With convenient departures from some of the United States’ most iconc cities such as Memphis, New Orleans, Vicksburg, St. Louis, Louisville, St. Paul, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, this legendary mode of travel will be easier than ever to enjoy.

The American Queen will employ a polished all-American crew that is eager to please. Few things are nicer than mint juleps on deck on a glorious summer afternoon on the Ohio River or morning coffee in the dining room as she steams into St. Paul. With a homeport of Memphis, the American Queen carries with her the same devotion to exceptional dining and entertainment, including Dixieland jazz and gracious southern charm and hospitality.

Inspired by the greatest steamboats of the 19th century, the American Queen offers an opulent two-level ‘Grand Saloon’, an elegant two-deck high Grand Dining Room, lavishly appointed staterooms, many with their own private veranda and all of the modern amenities today’s travelers expect. Personal touches and finite attention to detail abound, from fresh baked cinnamon rolls each morning, to complimentary wine and beer with dinner, and proper evening turn-down service, complete with a praline on the pillow. Of note is the fact that in an age of mega-ships accommodating more than 4,000 guests, the American Queen carries only 436 privileged guests, surrounding them in an atmosphere of rich paneling, crystal chandeliers, period furniture and Victorian elegance.

“While many travelers are familiar with ocean cruising or river cruising in Europe, we believe steamboating on the great rivers of America is distinctive and tantalizingly different. Our guests will experience an America that evokes a simpler time, where an entire town proudly turns out to greet a gleaming white steamboat,” stated Christopher Kyte, president of the Great American Steamboat Company.

A variety of voyage lengths, ranging from three nights to 14 nights, and fares beginning at $995 per guest, offers exceptional value and convenience, with little or no flying required. And with one of the best early booking bonuses in the industry, our ‘Steamboating Plus’ program offers a complimentary luxury hotel stay before or after sailing along with transfers, a welcome brunch and much more.

The Great American Steamboat Company not only has an exceptional management team behind it but exceeds all current federal financial protection guidelines, offering an exclusive ‘Total Financial Security Program’ where 100% of fares paid are held in escrow accounts until the voyage is completed. The Great American Steamboat Company has assembled many of the same talented individuals that made the steamboat experience one of the most successful and acclaimed cruise products of its day. Every one of the senior executives has a total commitment and passion for the very unique niche steamboats occupy in American history and legend.

Given the long absence of steamboats from the great rivers of America, it is anticipated the inaugural season will fill quickly and prompt reservations are encouraged to avoid disappointment. For additional information and reservations, kindly contact the Great American Steamboat Company at 888-749-5280, visit online at www.GreatAmericanSteamboatCompany.com or call your professional travel agent.

I just wanted to let everyone know that my story on Iceland was published yesterday on Princess Cruises’ “50 Essential Experiences.”

You can see it here…

http://50essentialexperiences.com/2011/09/26/cynthia-janssens/

September 25, 2011

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – After days and days of cold, chilly weather the sun shone all day in Halifax and temps got up into the 80s which made for a glorious Sunday.

Halifax is such a pretty city. It had been 30 years since I visited here and the waterfront is totally changed. Yes, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic is still the centerpiece but everything around it seems new. It was by far the loveliest waterfront we’ve seen on this trip.

Soldier at the Citadel

The Emerald Princess docked at Pier 22, right next to Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth which was making its maiden call. (More on that later). Silversea’s Silver Whisper and the Seabourn Sojourn were also in port.

From the ship we walked down the waterfront, past several piers, the indoor Farmer’s Market and several new residential/shopping complexes into the center of the waterfront area. It took about 15 minutes. From their we caught the “Deluxe Historic Halifax” tour operated by Grayline/Ambassateurs.

We climbed into the bright blue English-style double-decker bus and thoroughly enjoyed our three hours with our guide Linda and driver Hap. The two main stops on the tour are at the Citadel fort and the Fairview Lawn Cemetery…we saw many neighborhoods but it was the many facts about this historic city that I found so fascinating.

I did not realize that Halifax was the center for three major disaster recovery efforts. First, and best known, was the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Second was the Great Halifax Explosion in 1917 and the third was the crash of Swissair 111 in 1998. In all three cases, it was ships from Halifax that recovered the bodies and brought them back to the city for identification, shipping home to their families or burial here.

121 Titanic victims buried here

This harbor is the second largest natural ice-free harbor in the world and it never requires dredging. Its Bedford Basin was used for staging convoys in both of the world wars. In fact, submarine nets were strung across the entrance to protect the vessels inside. And long, long before that pirates sailed from here as well.

The visit to Fairview LawnCemetary was quite poignant. There are 121 victims of the Titantic disaster buried here and many are still unidentified. All were buried by the White Star Line. There are more victims buried in two other of the city’s cemeteries but this is the largest number of Titanic victims buried in any one place.

There have been many Titanicmoments on this trip, as Belfast is where the ship was built and Halifax is where the dead finally reached shore.

A yummy fresh lobster feast

After our tour we decided to splurge on a fresh lobster dinner and headed to the prominent Waterfront Warehouse where we sampled fresh blackpoint oysters (slurp!) (from Prince Edward Island), yummy mussels with nantua chili sauce (from Nova Scotia) and luscious Atlantic lobsters. Nothing, but nothing, tastes like fresh and this dinner was one of the highlights of our trip. Thanks to a great waitress Liza and the manager Brodie Cook for making it memorable. (www.waterfrontwarehouse.ca)

While we were eating, at about 5 p.m., the Queen Elizabeth came up the river in front of the Museum, blew its horn in a salute, turned around in front of the crowd and sailed out. I later learned that the Cunard was celebrating the legacy of Sir Samuel Cunard, who hailed from Halifax and established the iconic ocean liner company bearing his name more than 171 years ago.

The Cunard statue in front of the Queen Elizabeth

In honor of the maiden visit of Cunard’s newest ocean liner and the recent revitalization of the Halifax Seaport and waterfront, The Halifax Foundation re-dedicated a majestic statue of Cunard which had been re-located last year to a more prominent position, adjacent to the Cunard Centre.

Because we took an hour and a half for this fab meal, we didn’t flock with all the other tourists to Peggy’s Cove. That little fishing village with just 56 residents will have to wait until our next visit when we hope to drive there on a quiet day. And we did not have the time to go through the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic to learn more about the city’s role in the Titanic and Halifax Explosion disasters. (The latter was the largest manmade explosion in history. It occurred when a munitions ship collided with another ship in the narrow part of the harbor and the munitions exploded, killing 2,000 and rendering 25,000 homeless, nearly a quarter of the population.)

There is so much history here — there are 10,000 documented shipwrecks in the area – that it is a rather lot to absorb in a short time. Which means, of course, Halifax well deserves a return visit!

Photos by Chet Janssens

Special thanks to Destination Halifax for our tour arrangements.