Virtuoso Life - July/August 2008 - (Page 42) LUXE REPORT BON VOYAGE DANUBE JEWEL Tauck World Discovery is celebrating the launch of the Swiss Sapphire, which joins its sister ship, the Swiss Emerald, on the Danube River. The 118-passenger river cruisers feature all-exterior cabins with plasma TVs and 14 suites each that offer floor-to-ceiling windows and marble baths. Fall itineraries include 13-day voyages between Prague and Budapest, complete with hotel stays in both cities, medieval castle tours, dinner at a Viennese palace, and a day trip to Salzburg. Multiple departures: July 17 through October 23, 2008; from $3,990. Bohemian elegance: The Swiss Sapphire. Fitness QM2’s sound chamber. French Boston Sea Party Many cruise ships offer chamber music, but few can match the quality on deck for the 3,056 passengers aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 this September. The New York to Southampton crossing features the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, 11 artists including principal players Martha Babcock (cello) and Steven Ansell (viola), along with lectures by the orchestra’s artistic administrator, Anthony Fogg. Performances will likely include works from their 2006 recording of Mozart compositions for winds and strings, the ensemble’s sole CD in the last ten years. Departure: September 4, 2008; from $1,395. Terrain doesn’t get much flatter than a cruise ship at sea, but that won’t stop fitness buffs from cycling steep (albeit simulated) hills on Crystal Cruises’ 940-passenger Crystal Symphony and 1,080-passenger Crystal Serenity. New Tour de Spin cycling programs borrow from the Tour de France with three strenuous workouts, two of which are patterned after alpine climbs on the racecourse. Passengers who complete all three rides on board will earn a donation in their name to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and the great cyclist himself will send them a letter of recognition for their cycling-atsea feats. TABLE FOR TEN Princess Cruises has rolled out its popular Chef’s Table dinners on all but three of its ships (the smaller Royal, Tahitian, and Pacific princesses). The experience is limited to ten diners, who are escorted into the kitchen during the busy dinner service to get a firsthand glimpse of how the kitchen operates. While savoring the spectacle, the party enjoys an elegant multicourse meal prepared by the head chef, with wines to match each course. The Coral Princess at sea. BY JIM GULLO 42 V I RT U O S O L I F E
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