Step off the dock and into the relaxed, rewarding yachting lifestyle with affordable, hassle-free luxury cruising from The Yachts of Seabourn. The award-winning small luxury cruise line recently unveiled its European schedule for 2010-2011, with plenty of opportunities for friends and family to create lasting memories in every corner of the continent. From new ports of call such as Ponza, Italy, and Trondheim, Norway, to classic itineraries through the historic heart of Europe, guests can expect award-winning service at value-focused rates starting at just $2,499 per person.
With the launch of Seabourn Odyssey in June and Seabourn Sojourn in 2010, the Seabourn fleet has set itself up as the hottest ticket to Europe, able to access hard-to-reach ports on small yacht-style vessels. What’s more, a Seabourn cruise comprises one of the most all-inclusive vacations in the world, with fares including all-suite accommodations, gourmet dining, all beverages including wines and spirits, entertainment, water sports and even gratuities for its renowned service staff.
Additionally, Seabourn encourages travelers to make memories with their “Between Friends” promotion offered on select European itineraries. The promotion encourages groups of three or more couples to travel together with an onboard credit of $1500 per couple. This added incentive invites guests to reconnect on private custom activities, such as a picnic in the gardens of Rome’s Villa Borghese or a breathtaking helicopter ride to lunch at Alain Ducasse’s Moulin de Mougins restaurant in the Alpes de Provence.
New Ports of Call
Step aboard one of Seabourn’s exceptional European itineraries with the opportunity to experience the following new ports of call:
• Argostoli, Cephalonia, Greek Isles – Visit Melissani Lake, formerly a cavern until an earthquake reshaped it, with water so blue that boats appear to be floating on light. Take in stalactite and stalagmite-filled caves, and discover Fiskardho, the last preserve of distinctive Venetian buildings on this Ionian island.
• Heraklion, Crete, Greek Isles – Explore Knossos, the great capital of Minoan civilization, whose Palace dates from the second millennium B.C., as well as the renowned Heraklion Archeological Museum, with artifacts and fresco murals dating from the Minoan age.
• Ponza, Italy – Set on an island in the Tyrhennian Sea, Ponza is as Italian as it gets and yet remains off the tourist trail. Reminisce upon your return with beautiful photos of the pretty pastel-colored cube houses arrayed in tiers like an amphitheatre rising from the sea.
• Szczecin, Poland –Poland’s largest seaport is situated along the southwestern shore of Dabie Lake and is in close proximity to Berlin, one of Europe’s most vibrant cities.
• Torshavn, Faroe Islands – Hailed in a National Geographic Traveler survey as the world’s most appealing islands, the Faroes are the perfect example of how Seabourn takes travelers “off the tourist radar.” The whole group can marvel at the tilted “wedding-cake” isles of basalt that rise from the sea in verdant terraces midway between Scotland and Iceland, each home to abundant avian life and grass-roofed “longhouses.”
• Trondheim, Norway –Medieval architecture abounds in Norway, and the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim is the largest of them all. Enjoy the favored port of Viking King Olav, who on one departure in 1014 pulled down the London Bridge. Make sure that everyone catches the other sites, including a wide assortment of perfectly-tuned ancient instruments at the Ringve Museum of Music, and the wooden bridge collection at the Trondelag Folk Museum.
• Zadar, Croatia – No longer the capital of Dalmatia, today Zadar presents a feast for everyone with medieval architecture, a kinetic sculpture, and an active “sea organ” with pipes played by the waves. An intimate ferry-rowboat ride to the 9th-century St. Donat’s Church is not to be missed.
