More ships, more
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from March 1983.
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As the cruise industry sails into the 1982-83 season, those with a sea holiday in their travel horizons have an unprecedented choice of options.
The expanded fare includes six new liners, several refurbished ships sailing under new names and owners, new itineraries, additional less-costly voyages of a week or less, and an expanded lineup of adventure-oriented journeys.
A partial list of the major lines with their upcoming cruises in alphabetical order would include: - American Hawaii Cruises operates the twin 30,000-ton liners Constitution and Independence on week-long voyages around the Hawaiian Islands from Honolulu throughout the year. - Astor United Cruises is a new entry in the American market with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The line's new 18,000-ton Astor will do 10- and 12-day Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, Puerto Rico from October through next March.
- Bahama Cruise Line offers week-long sailings aboard the 700-passenger Veracruz from Tampa, Fla., to Mexico's Yucatan and Key West from October through next May:
Carnival Cruise Lines has added the new 37,000-ton Tropicale to its fleet of "fun ships" it has based in Los Angeles. Now, through spring, the liner will do seven-day cruises along the Mexican Riviera to Puerto Vallarta.
Commodore Cruise Line operates the 11,000-ton Boheme on seven-day sailings from Miami to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, San Juan and Cap Haitien in Haiti.
Continental Waterways Ltd. has expanded the fleet of river barges it operates in France and England. These week-long journeys usually operate from April through November, but we include them on this listing because reservations several months in advance are normally required.
Costa Cruises offers three- and four-day trips to the Bahamas from Miami and Fort Lauderdale as well as seven-day visits to the lower Caribbean from San Juan using the Amerikanis and other of its own ships as well as such vessels as the Danae leased from other companies.
Cunard Line Ltd. got back its Queen Elizabeth 2 after service in the Falkland Islands and spent $10 million giving the 67,107-ton superliner new facilites as well as a new look. QE2 has resumed Atlantic crossings as well as scheduled cruises from New York and Port Everglades to Bermuda, the Caribbean and California via the Panama Canal. A 61-day "Circle Pacific and Orient Odyssey" will start in Los Angeles on Jan. 31, 1983, with two- and three-week segments available for those with limited time.
Delta Line Cruises offers the only scheduled service around South America from the West Coast. It's four 20,000-ton passenger and cargo vessels, the Santa Maria, Santa Mariana, Santa Magdalena and Santa Mercedes, sail every two weeks and feature the transit of the Panama Canal and the Strait of Magellan in their full 52-day itineraries from Los Angeles. - Delta Queen Steamboat Co. has included special Thanksgiving and Christmas cruises from New Orleans in the winter schedule for its famed Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen riverboats.
Before and after the holidays, both vessels sail on Mississippi River journeys ranging in length from two to nights. loating Through Europe, Inc. has added a new passenger barge to the vessel fleet with which is cruises along the of Belgium, Britain, e and Holland. The runs from May through October, but you book months ahead to your choice of dates accommodations.
Holland American reports only a few rooms remain available for the full 82-day voyage round the world that depart from New York Jan. 8, 1983. Because of heavy demand for the complete cruise aboard the ton Rotterdam, reservations for the 14-day, and four-week segments being offered will be on an "as available" basis. Home Lines launches series of Caribbean cruises from Florida using its new 38,000-ton Atlantic and the 39,000-ton Oceanic. The former will voyages of nine to 11 while the latter will 1 week-long trips.
Norwegian American operates the only ships to receive the highest rating "Five-Stars" from the revered "Fielding's World Guide to Cruises" by Arnette DeLand. Currently cruising European African waters, the elegant Vistafjord will re- to Port Everglades next year for Caribbean and other sailings. while, Sagafjord continues until December its current series of six-night Mexican cruises between Los Angeles and Acapulco interspersed with 11-night Panama Canal sailings between Acapulco and Fort Lauderdale.
Norwegian Caribbean sends its five liners variety of cruises to Bahamas and the Caribbean, none longer than a from Miami. One of the 69,500-ton Norway gives its passengers a on the line's own un- ited Bahamian isle.
Pearl Cruises of Scandinavia makes its debut summer with a series 14-day visits to the People's Republic of China from Hong Kong and on aboard the refurb- 12,456-ton Pearl of Scandinavia. From November through May, when Chinese trips will re- e. the ship will sail on a variety of two-week cruises around the South China Indonesia and the ippines.
Princess Cruises of- a host of Caribbean, ican and trans-Panama Canal sea holidays aboard its three Princess s, the Island, Pacific Sun. Now through ing, Island Princess on 14-day cruises be- in Los Angeles and San through the Panama al; Sun Princess is ing in early November s winter base at San for weekly Caribbean ings. and Pacific Prin- resumes its seven-day ico sailings from Los eles in November.
Royal Caribbean se Line has revamped schedules and the itin- ies of its ships The Song of Norway, Sun Viking and Nordic Prince - to offer what it claims is the largest number of 10- and 14-day Caribbean cruises as well the widest choice of ports on week-long voyages from Miami. Joining the fleet on Dec. 5, the new $140 million Song of America will sail year-round from Miami on seven-day cruises to Nassau, San Juan and St. Thomas.
Royal Cruise Line brings its new 25,500-ton Royal Odyssey from Europe to Florida in December for the start of a series of 12-day air-sea cruises between Acapulco and Miami through the Panama Canal. Meanwhile the line's Golden Odyssey will do four 12-day cruises between San Juan and Acapulco starting Dec. 16 and five 10-day voyages around the Caribbean from San Juan beginning Jan. 29.
Royal Viking Line this winter introduces five- to eight-day cruises from California to Mexico aboard the 28,000-ton Royal Viking Star. Also new are five two-week China-Orient journeys which, while starting next April, those interested should consider now as most RVL sailings are usually rapidly booked.
Sitmar Cruises has added several new stops to the itineraries of its Fort Lauderdale-based 25,000-ton Fairwind and has increased the number of those 10-, 11- and 14-day Caribbean sailings. Meanwhile, the same-size Los Angeles home-ported Fairsea continues its current series of seven, 10- and 11-day voyages to the Mexican Riviera.
Others would include Seattle-based Society Expeditions, whose 120-passenger World Discoverer was specially designed for exploration of such regions as Antartica and New Zealand's fjords; the Caribbean cruises aboard Stella Solaris and Stella Oceanis under the Sun Line banner; the three- and four-night mini-cruises from Los Angeles to Ensenada on the Azure Seas of Western Cruise Lines; the new four- and five-night cruises along Panama's Atlantic and Pacific coasts aboard the 92-passenger Great Rivers Explorer operated by Seattle-based Explorations Cruise Lines; the new three- and four-night sailings from Miami to the Bahamas offered by Paquet French Cruises on the Dolphin as well as the Caribbean cruises on the renowned Mermoz, and the new sea link for passengers and cars between New York and Florida via Grand Bahama Island provided by the new $100 million Scandinavia of Scandinavian World Cruises.
A lot of choices indeed. But with the counsel of a professional travel agent who can answer the where, when and how much factors inherent to any journey, selecting the cruise that is right for your taste and pocketbook should be as easy as enjoying life at sea.
