Recommend July 2013 - (Page 15)

your clients interested in taking the family on an Arctic journey, the minimum age to travel with Quark is 8 years old. On the 16-day Arctic Quest: Greenland to Churchill journey ($7,995 pp), travelers will visit the UNESCO World Heritage site, Ilulissat, home to the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, known as one of the fastest and most active glaciers in the world; visit Monumental Island for some close encounters of the wildlife kind; zip around the island on a Zodiac ride; and tour the small villages and communities that dot the landscape from Canada to Greenland. Those hoping to break a sweat while vacationing can take optional kayaking and tundra hiking tours. August and September triggers the end of the Arctic traveling season and if your clients want to book a last-minute vacation to Greenland, look into the Greenland Explorer: Valleys and Fjords, which departs Aug. 16 and Aug. 28 (rates start at $6,495 pp). Later this year, as the start of the Antarctic season begins in November, passengers can experience the 22-day Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica via Buenos Aires: Explorers and Kings voyage ($13,995 pp) on the Sea Spirit, which leads passengers from Buenos Aires to islands near the Antarctic Circle. On board, cruisers can sit back and watch a series of documentary ﬁlms as part of the ﬁrst-ever ﬂoating Polar Film Festival, which starts Nov. 2. zegrahm expeditions What’s new for Zegrahm Expeditions? The small-ship cruising company, founded 20 years ago by six seasoned and well-traveled professionals (all friends, too) is also introducing new 2014 excursions. From Madagascar to the Black Sea and the Galapagos Islands, Zegrahm’s lineup includes 14 new excursions for travelers on board the Sea Adventurer, Isabella II, Island Sky and Caledonian Sky vessels, which can accommodate from 40 to 100 passengers and a team of experts from marine biologists and geologists to botanists and historians. For the ﬁrst time, Zegrahm is offering a 7-day Ultimate Aldabra: A Journey through the Seychelles voyage ($12,970 pp) exploring the remote Aldabra Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Additionally, to keep up with today’s trends in travel, Zegrahm’s 17-day Pearls of Polynesia: Fiji and Tahiti ($9,970 pp) is offering travelers a chance to participate in a voluntourism excursion by contributing their time to ecological preservation efforts on Suwarrow Atoll on the Cook Islands; snorkeling, whale watching, and learning about the region’s traditional island lifestyles is also included on the tour. Also worth noting is Zegrahm’s 2-part voyages to the South Paciﬁc, circumnavigating the island of New Guinea on board the 100-passenger Caledonian Sky, which was renovated in 2012. The 16-day Voyage I: Remote Islands of Papua New Guinea has passengers visiting and interacting with villagers living in remote parts of the island. It’s all about experiencing the native cultures, from understanding their spiritual beliefs and ceremonies to appreciating local artwork and crafts. Rates start at $10,970 pp. Meanwhile, the 18-day Voyage II: Raja Ampat and Asmat Villages offers the best in snorkeling and diving tours while introducing travelers to the cultural diversity of Papua and its outer islands. Some highlights include snorkeling/diving the underwater corals of Raja Ampat and Ashmore Reef; searching the treetops for over 500 species of birds; and a 2-day tour in the Asmat to be greeted by vibrantly decorated locals (aka, warriors) while also learning about local culture and woodcarving traditions. Rates start at $12,470 pp. ● Celebrity Xpedition takes travelers to the Galapagos on 7-, 10-, 11- and 13-night cruises.  WHAT TRAVEL AGENTS ARE SAYING... Celebrity Cruises’ 98-passenger Celebrity Xpedition provides travelers all the quality and comforts associated with the Celebrity brand— ﬁne dining, high-end accommodations and service—and transports them to the Galapagos, a bucket list destination among curious active travelers. But for your clients who live and breathe Celebrity, or book only cruise vacations aboard the mega ships, who is ready to transition to Celebrity’s smaller ship? “Well-traveled clients who have cruised before, who like luxury accommodations and inclusions, who like adventure travel, and who can get in and out of a Zodiac,” says Michael Consoli, travel agent with Cruise Planners— American Express Travel. Consoli adds that Celebrity’s 7-day Galapagos Islands voyage is ideal for “multigenerational groups because there are a lot of educational and adventure activities, and it provides great learning opportunities.” Starting rates are $2,899 pp. (800) 647-2251 or celebrity.com Archived related articles (available on recommend.com/magazine/issue-archive): Un-Cruise Adventures in Alaska (March 2013) contact information Hurtigruten: hurtigruten.com Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic: (800) 397-3348; expeditions.com Quark Expeditions: (888) 979-4752; quarkexpeditions.com Zegrahm Expeditions: (800) 628-8747; zegrahm.com july 2013 15 12-15 CR Expedition.indd 15 6/20/13 12:15 PM http://www.celebrity.com http://www.recommend.com/magazine/issue-archive http://www.hurtigruten.com http://www.expeditions.com http://www.quarkexpeditions.com http://www.zegrahm.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend July 2013

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Eleven Experience
Tour Talk: DuVine Cycling + Adventure
Expedition Cruising: Explore the Unexplored
Eleven Experience's Chalet Pelerin
Brazil Travel Planner
Grand Solmar Land's End Resort & Spa
Guatemala Travel Planner
Latin America Specialist Courses
The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs
5 Ways to Adventure in North America
Swain Tours Shines in the Land Down Under
Seeing African Wonders Through a Viewfinder
Trinidad & Tobago
Soaring to New Heights in Saint Lucia

Recommend July 2013