Excerpts by ERICA SILVERSTEIN
The Best Cruise Line For Active Travelers
There's never a dull moment on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Its ships, particularly the Voyager- and Freedom-class vessels, offer onboard rock climbing, ice skating, mini-golf, surfing, and boxing. Whether your definition of active is working up a sweat in the fitness center, working out your credit card in the ship's shops, enjoying family fun in a water park, or spending evenings watching Broadway-style shows, Royal Caribbean will keep you busy morning 'til night. Princess may not have the facilities of Royal Caribbean, but its onboard programming is extensive. Taking its cue from reality TV, Princess pits guests against each other in competitions such as the Ballroom Blitz dance competition, Princess Peer Factor team challenge.
The Best Cruise Line For Nontraditional Cruisers
Norwegian's "Freestyle Cruising" concept aims to give cruisers more choices and freedom as to how to structure their time onboard. Dress is always resort casual, and guests can dine whenever they want in about 10 different restaurants. A variety of lounges and bars lets cruisers choose the atmosphere and drinks that suit them, and the ships' funky decor states clearly that these cruises are neither stodgy nor traditional.
The Best Cruise Line For Seniors
Seniors looking for the company of their peers, rather than a boatload of kids, need to be a little more discriminating. Luxury lines have the highest average age, these ships often take cruisers to less traveled destinations and many offer longer voyages. You'll find plenty of seniors on Crystal, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, and Silversea. The exceptional service and spacious cabins on these ships make traveling easy and comfortable, and these small and mid-size ships eliminate the need to walk long distances from your cabin to the dining room or pool. Seniors with less cash to burn should consider Holland America. This cruise line is known for attracting an older audience, and its Alaska cruises are very popular with multigenerational groups. Also longer, more exotic itineraries are ideal for retirees who can take a two- or three-week vacation.
 The Best Cruise Line For Honeymooners
The most romantic for your post-wedding getaway option is Windstar. Unlike typical cruise ships, Windstar's ships are motor-sail-yachts with a full set of sails and teak decks. What could be more romantic than pulling out of port in the Greek Isles or the Caribbean as the sun sets behind the billowing sails of your ship? Honeymooners who like the exotic often choose a Tahiti sailing on Regent Seven Seas' Paul Gauguin. The intimate 330-passenger ship features all oceanview accommodations, more space and higher crew-to-guest ratios, several elegant dining areas, and a retractable water sports marina on the back of the ship. If you'd prefer to tie the knot onboard, book a Princess cruise. It's the only line whose captains are legally authorized to marry guests at sea.
The Best Cruise Line For Solo travelers
Holland America, Cunard, and Crystal do a better-than-average job of welcoming singles. Crystal is known for its reduced single supplements, often as low as 125 percent. Cunard goes further, offering single staterooms on the Queen Elizabeth 2. These rooms are smaller (and therefore priced lower) than their double-occupancy counterparts. Holland America runs a roommate-finding program, so single guests can avoid paying a supplement by agreeing to share a cabin with another solo traveler. All three lines offer gentleman hosts who will chat and dance with single ladies.
The Best Cruise Line For An International Atmosphere
For an International experience book a cruise on Costa or MSC Cruises. Both lines are Italian yet cater to Americans and an international clientele. Instead of spending days in Rome and Venice and nights eating Texas steak and Baked Alaska, you can experience an onboard atmosphere that's truly European. Costa's guests are 80 percent European on its Europe sailings, its restaurants serve Italian-inspired cuisine, and its activities include bocce ball games. MSC Cruises serves up traditional Italian cuisine with a New World flair, and waiters serenade guests celebrating a birthday or anniversary in Italian. If you have time, learn to speak Italian through onboard classes.
Best Cruise Line For Intimate Cruising
If you prefer intimate luxury to overcrowded mega-ships, Silversea and Seabourn are the crème de la crème of small-ship cruising. Both are luxury lines with all-inclusive policies and a high crew-to-guest ratio. Silversea carries between 300 and 400 guests, and Seabourn can accommodate just over 200 passengers. In addition to fabulous service, no lines, and spacious staterooms, these small ships feature all the usual amenities—pools, lounges, theaters, and casinos—but onboard life takes a slower, more relaxing pace.
Best Cruise Line For Glitz and Glamour
If you've always longed for the good ol' days of transatlantic crossings when well-heeled passengers dressed in their finest and danced the night away, Cunard is the only line for you. While other lines are catering to casual cruisers, Cunard upholds its longstanding tradition of elegance at sea.
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AirTran Airways has announced a new charge of $5 per segment per seat for reserved seating in coach class. However, due to our status as preferred vendors for AirTran, we can reserve that highly sought after aisle or window seat at no extra charge. Other reasons to use DePrez Group of Travel Companies include:
24/7 Emergency Services – Miss your connection or need a last minute change? Instead of standing in line with the rest of the herd, call us and we will begin working on your itinerary immediately.
Destination Specialists – Our agents possess intimate knowledge for destinations around the world. We encourage continued training and familiarization trips to keep agents current. Also, due to our many years in business we often have inside connections for many destinations.
Lower Prices – With our memberships in consortiums and our volume of sales, we can often offer special perks and lower prices for many cruises and vacation packages.
Convenience – Using our on-line booking tools and "Check My Trip" you receive the same benefits as calling us, also you can book and download your flight information right into your Outlook or Blackberry.
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1. Carnaval de Quebec, Quebec City, Canada -
February 1 to 17, 2008 (400th Anniversary of Québec). Activities include parades, snow sculptures, canoe and dogsled races and more. The Quebec Carnival is the largest winter carnival in the world today.
2. Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy - Skiing - Cortina d'Ampezzo is known for offering the "Best of the Alps", and is one of the most exclusive and well-known destinations in Europe's Alpine countries.
 3. Diving in St. Eustatius, Caribbean. The warm water and underwater volcanic fissures and canyons make this area quite a diversified diving experience. Choose from diving to coral covered walls or tangled shipwrecks. You won't be disappointed!
4. Mardi Gras, New Orleans - Mardi Gras officially starts at Twelfth Night, which occurs 12 days after Christmas. There are several celebrations around the city. The final day of Carnival is the day before Ash Wednesday, also called "Shrove Tuesday". To get in the spirit, try one of these delicious Recipes.
5. Night Kayaking in Bahia Mosquito, Vieques, Puerto Rico - (also known as Bioluminescent Bay or Phosphorescent Bay) Is one of the world's best spots to have a glow-in-the-dark experience with undersea din flagellates.
6. Poas, Costa Rico - Volcano - Poas is a stratovolcano with several eroded calderas, cones, and two crater lakes at or near its summit. The Volcano is in state of nearly continuous mild activity.
7. Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires, Argentina - has been compared to the Pére Lachaise of Paris architecturally. The Cemetery includes ornate graves of some of the most influential and important persons of Argentina. Eva Perón (“Evita”) is one of the best known persons buried in this cemetery.
8. Stargazing Atop Mauna Kea, Big Island, Hawaii - The 4,200 meter high summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii houses the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, the world's largest observatory for optical, infrared, and sub millimeter astronomy.
9. Uluru and Kata Tjuta, Red Centre, Australia - Red Rocks – These red sandstone monoliths Rise 1,100 up to feet above the Australian desert. Also know as “Ayers Rock” and “Mount Olga,” these are the centerpieces of a 330,000-acre National Park.
Kata Tjuta
10. Valley of the Temples, Sicily - The Valley of the Temples includes many temples built in the 5th century BC, and is the most sublime evidence of the Greek civilization in Sicily.
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Columbus Isle, Bahamas
Mid-Week Air-Inclusive Specials
3 and 4 night stays starting at only
$699 Air-inclusive from FLL.
Just picture long white sandy beaches running alongside the turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean Sea - this is the untainted island on which Christopher Columbus first set foot more than five hundred years ago. Columbus Isle, renamed San Salvador Island, is still one of the Bahamas' most precious kept secret.
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Call us to book this special offer at
1-585-442-8900 Option 2
*Available 9/6/07 - 11/11/07
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Friday, June 8th that U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or countries in the Caribbean region, which have applied for, but not yet received passports, could re-enter the United States by air with proof of application. Entry requirements for those countries remain in effect. Americans traveling to those countries must verify the specific entry requirements for that country before departure.
U.S. citizens can re-enter the United States by presentation of a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through September 30, 2007. The federal government is making this accommodation for air travel due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand.
Adults who have applied for but not yet received a passport should present government-issued photo identification and an official proof of application from the U.S. Department of State. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child’s proof of application status. Children traveling alone should carry a copy of their birth certificate, baptismal record or a hospital record of birth in the United States in addition to their passport application status documentation. U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at: travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html.
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The DePrez Group of Travel Companies
DePrez Travel Bureau
Just Cruises, Inc.
Wish Upon A Star Vacations
Charlie Cheap Seats
Precision Planning
DePrez Corporate Services Division
DePrez Certified Convention Management
HBC/DePrez International
• • •
145 Rue De Ville · Rochester, NY 14618
Tel: 585-442-8900 or 1-800-634-5642
www.depreztravel.com
www.justcruisesinc.com
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