July 2, 2004

Timestravel

Cirque du Soleil scheduled aboard the Constellation

A Cirque du Soleil masquerade ball and world-class performance will be presented once every week on two Celebrity Cruise ships. The observation lounges aboard Constellation this December, and the Summit in early 2005 will be transformed into mystical-themed lounges called “The Bar at the Edge of the Earth.” For two hours each evening, passengers will be greeted by surreal characters “The Wave Correspondent,” “The Lantern Tuner,” and “Pez Erizo.” Several other characters also are being created by Cirque exclusively for Celebrity, with each designed to “invite guests on a journey to a place beyond imagination,” according to both organizations. “The Bar at the Edge of the Earth” will offer exotic food and beverages available exclusively in that venue. Representatives of Cirque du Soleil will participate in Celebrity’s “Celebrity Discoveries” enrichment lecture series on dates yet to be announced, and the two organizations are designing new Cirque du Soleil boutique spaces for both ships beginning in 2005. The Cirque du Soleil exclusive agreement is in effect for six years. For booking reservations or more information, call Let’s Travel, (408) 972-0773.

Seabourn yachts are wi-fi hot spots

Seabourn cruise ships, which include the Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend, are being upgraded to create one continuous accessible wi-fi “hot zone” throughout each ship, allowing guests to connect to the Internet on their wi-fi equipped laptops and PDAs without plugging in. For booking reservations or more information, call the Travel
Desk in Almaden at (408) 723-0283, or visit their Web site at www.traveldeskonline.com.

Princess Cruises offers nine cruisetours

Princess Cruises is offering nine cruisetours in Europe for 2005 including three new tours: “Under the Tuscan Sun,” “The Ring of Kerry,” and “English Sojourn.” “Under the Tuscan Sun” is available in conjunction with the 12-night Mediterranean cruises of Grand Princess. The four-night tour features two nights in Milan with sightseeing of the Duomo and two nights in Florence, with excursions to the city of Siena and to a Tuscan vineyard for wine tasting and lunch. The tour concludes with first class travel aboard the Eurostar train from Florence to Venice to board the Grand Princess. “The Ring of Kerry” and “English Sojourn” are available in conjunction with Golden Princess’ Western Europe sailings. “English Sojourn,” a four-night trip, includes one night in London, one night in Stratford-upon-Avon and two nights in Bath, tours of each city and visits to Blenheim Palace, Bladon, Warwick Castle, Glastonbury Abbey, Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral. “The Ring of Kerry” is a three-night tour in Ireland featuring Shannon, Killarney, and Kerry. Visitors will get a chance to kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle and enjoy the panoramic views of the Clare coastline from the Cliffs of Mohr. For booking reservations or more information, call the Travel Desk in Almaden at (408) 723-0283, or visit their website at www.traveldesk online.com.

Cruise lines report increased passenger growth

In a continuation of the cruise industry’s strong 2003 performance, the member fleets of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) carried 2,419,921 worldwide guests in the first quarter of 2004, a 9.13 percent increase over the same period in 2003. North American passengers grew 6.8 percent during the same period. CLIA cruise lines also posted a 103.3 percent occupancy factor in the first quarter of 2004, up 2 percentage points from the 101.3 percent occupancy posted one year ago. For booking reservations or more information, call Let’s Travel, (408) 972-0773.

—By Sean Eastwood