Travel Agent - August 6, 2007 - (Page 28)

Destinations Central & South America guests onboard will in some instances be so close to the canal walls that they can touch them from their stateroom balcony. Canal as the “cherry on top.” Seabourn is more concerned with the ports before and after negotiating the canal. The line’s signature offering is its Caviar in the Surf beach barbecue, which it offers at Hunting Cay in Belize. That doesn’t mean Seabourn sidesteps the canal experience itself; a guide from the Canal Authority gives an onboard running commentary as the ship makes its way through the varying canal mechanisms. Cruising the Panama Canal Lavishly Navigating the picturesque Panama Canal is a breeze with ultra-luxe itineraries BY DAVID EISEN deisen@questex.com Onboard Enrichment All of the luxury lines operate Panama Canal sailings, but there is more to the itineraries than just passing through the canal, such as the many onboard enrichment programs. Regent Seven Seas’ Mariner entered the Panama Canal in May and featured an Ocean Futures Society lecture program along with a Food & Wine Spotlight Series. Silversea is bringing Academy Award-caliber cinema on its Silver Shadow Panama Canal cruise this fall, which will feature Rex Pickett, whose novel, “Sideways,” turned wine snobbery into a major hit film. For golfers, Silversea offers its Silver Links program on two 15-day Panama Canal sailings. The program gives golfers the opportunity to play renowned courses along the way in Mexico and South America. Many of Crystal Cruises’ Panama Canal crossings are themed or specialinterest cruises that include cooking courses, body-wellness classes and wine and food festivals. Several of the luxury lines, such as Regent, include a stop at Gatun Lake, where guests can relax with a drink and take in some sun at the Gatun Yacht Club, or choose from a host of excursions. Of particular note: the Chagres River Eco Cruise and Rain Forest Walk lets guests experience rainforest wildlife up close, such as monkeys and an array of exotic birds. Tip: It’s best to pack a pair of closed-toe, comfortable shoes. Some luxury lines think of the Panama F or luxury cruise lines, the Panama Canal has always meant an expeditious method of crossing from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, or vice versa, in only a matter of hours. Along the way, cruisers are treated to a number of engineering marvels, which includes a series of intricate locks and man-made lakes. The journey through is half the fun of a Panama Canal adventure. A ship sailing from the east will enter the canal at the Gatun Locks, where it will be raised about 85 feet into Gatun Lake. From there, the ship cuts through the aptly named Culebra Cut (culebra is Spanish for “shake”) on its way to the Pedro Miguel Locks. There, the ship is lowered 30 feet. The ship then meanders on until arriving at the Miraflores Locks, the final lock system, where the ship is lowered another 52 feet before pushing into the Pacific Ocean. The entire process takes around nine hours. Along the way, Luxe Lines That Go There Crystal Cruises www.crystalcruises.com Crystal Symphony Nov. 4 and 24; Dec 8 (2007). Jan. 4, 20 and 31; Feb. 11; Nov,10 Crystal Serenity Nov. 19 and 30 (2007). Jan. 4, Dec. 1 and 12 (2008) Cunard Line www.cunard.com, Queen Elizabeth 2 Jan. 13 (2008). Regent Seven Seas Cruises www.rssc.com Mariner: Dec. 21 (2007); April 30 (2008); Voyager: Dec. 21 (2007). The Regent Seven Seas’ Mariner Seabourn Cruise Line www.seabourn.com Seabourn Legend Nov. 21 and Dec. 5 (2007); Jan. 16 and 30, Feb. 13 (2008). Silversea Cruises www.silversea.com Silver Shadow Nov. 23 and Dec. 8 (2007); May 16 and Nov. 18 (2008). Windstar Cruises www.windstarcruises.com Wind Star April 5 (2008) and March 28 (2009) 28. TravelAgent August 6, 2007 http://www.crystalcruises.com http://www.rssc.com http://www.seabourn.com http://www.silversea.com http://www.windstarcruises.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - August 6, 2007

Contents Editor's Letter News You Can Use Cover Story - Passports and Visas: What Clients Should Know About Them EUROPE: Capella Debuts Two Properties This Year LAS VEGAS: The De-Theming of Luxor HAWAII: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea Renovates CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA: Cruising the Panama Canal Lavishly CARIBBEAN & BAHAMAS: Bahamas’ Grand Isle Resort & Spa News and Notes Meet the U.S.V.I.’s Tourism Commissioner CRUISES: Defining Regent Seven Seas HOTELS: InterContinental Harbor Court Baltimore Agent Exchange Luxury Travel Expo Update Ad and Edit Index Classified Marketplace People & Places

Travel Agent - August 6, 2007

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