From YVR: Volendam, Transpacific, September 27, 2017

My Vancouver sailing posts are written for those who call the West Coast home...

Featured itinerary:

September 27, 2017: 30 night Transpacific cruise sailing
from Vancouver to Shanghai on the ms Volendam

One of the most overlooked cruise itineraries is Pacific Ocean crossings. It's not unreasonable, given that there are not a lot of sailings, and many are not port-intensive, but there are some gems.

Here is a great example next fall:

30-Night Transpacific Cruise
From Vancouver, British Columbia to Shanghai, China
Holland America Line - ms Volendam
Itinerary details

The Volendam in Kobe, Japan

One of the reasons I this sailing is the northern route it is taking on its way to Japan, even making 4 port calls in Alaska along the way (there are not many ships that call on Dutch Harbor!). Most other Transpacific sailings just go straight across the Pacific Ocean.

I also picked this sailing for all the Asian ports it includes:

• Japan - 5 ports: Kashiro, Hakodate, Yokohama, Shimizu, Osaka
• South Korea - 2 ports: Cheju City, Incheon (overnight)
• China - 3 ports: Tianjin (overnight), Qingdao, Shanghai (overnight)

As you can see, there are 3 overnight port-calls on this sailing. These longer stays allow you more time to explore the ports, including being able to enjoy dining or a show in the evening.

You need to like sea days though: there are 12 on this itinerary, giving you lots of time to read about the lands you will be visiting.

If you don't have a month, you can always take the shorter 16 night sailing to Yokohama.*

Tip: these sailings are also referred to as Pacific Rim cruises

Looking for a different Transpacific experience?

Here are a few more Transpacific cruises from Vancouver in 2017. Some are unique sailings, while others are variations with different embarkation and/or disembarkation points.

September 8, 2017
16-Night Pacific Rim Cruise
From Vancouver, British Columbia to Tokyo, Japan
Celebrity Cruises - Celebrity Millennium
Itinerary details

September 24, 2017
28-Night Transpacific Cruise
From Vancouver, British Columbia to Sydney, Australia
Holland America Line - ms Noordam
Itinerary details

September 27, 2017
16-Night Transpacific Cruise* (shorter version of featured sailing)
From Vancouver, British Columbia to Yokohama, Japan
Holland America Line - ms Volendam
Itinerary details

Transpacifics from other West Coast ports:

September 27, 2017
24-Night Transpacific Cruise
From San Diego, California to Sydney, Australia
Holland America Line - ms Maasdam
Itinerary details

September 28, 2017
24-Night Transpacific Cruise
From San Francisco, California to Sydney, Australia
Holland America Line - ms Noordam
Itinerary details

September 28, 2017
39-Night Transpacific Cruise
From San Francisco, California to Auckland, New Zealand
Holland America Line - ms Noordam
Itinerary details

October 1, 2017
31-Night Transpacific Cruise
From San Diego, California to Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Holland America Line - ms Amsterdam
Itinerary details
 

What about other cruises to or from Vancouver?

Did you know you can cruise between Vancouver and Buenos Aires, Fort Lauderdale, Honolulu, Sydney, Tokyo or Valparaiso?

I invite you to check out the Vancouver Cruise Opportunities page on on my website, where I feature some of my top picks of sailings that embark or disembark in Vancouver.

Vancouver Cruise Opportunities

If you would like help finding a different sailing, please contact me. I am always happy to help!

More Pacific Ocean sailings
Sailing Westbound from Honolulu
Sailing Eastbound from Honolulu

More hand-picked sailings
My late picks - October 2016
Long sailing picks - hand picked by me
Unique journeys - sailings with ports you may not otherwise visit
Transatlantic cruises - the best itineraries, picked by me

Related resources
To YVR: Nieuw Amsterdam, Panama Canal, April 9, 2017
Sailing Westbound from Honolulu
Sailing Eastbound from Honolulu
What story do you want to tell post-cruise?
7 comebacks to "I Hate Cruising"

To YVR: Nieuw Amsterdam, Panama Canal, April 9, 2017

My Vancouver sailing posts are written for those who call the West Coast home...

Featured itinerary:

April 9, 2017: 20 night Panama Canal cruise sailing
from Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver on the Nieuw Amsterdam

Many people have the Panama Canal on their bucketlist. What about you?

If you've yet to have the experience, or are ready to enjoy the locks another time, this sailing caught my eye to share with you:

20-Night Panama Canal Cruise
From Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Vancouver, British Columbia
Holland America Line - ms Nieuw Amsterdam
Itinerary details

One of the reasons I like this sailing is that you get the flying out of the way before you sail, so that all you need to do when you disembark is head home.

I also picked this sailing for the ship, the lovely ms Nieuw Amsterdam. One of Holland America's two Signature Class ships (the other is the Eurodam).

The ship's 1053 cabins include a whopping 602 Veranda staterooms, giving you ideal views right from your stateroom. If you are looking for a more upscale experience, there are 116 suites onboard (2 Pinnacle Suites, 62 Neptune Suites, 52 Signature Suites). The ship has 179 oceanview staterooms, and 155 inside staterooms.

Plus, if you haven't noticed it yet, this sailing calls on Victoria on the last night of the cruise. If you book early, I can make a request - through cruiseline and border services - for you to disembark in Victoria. Just part of the service!

Looking for a different Panama Canal experience?

With more than 100 Panama Canal sailings on my website alone, you can be forgiven for any frustration you've experienced in picking out the best Panama Canal sailing for you.

Here are a few more Panama Canal cruises to Vancouver in 2017, along with the number of balconies on each ship:

Ships sailing the Panama Canal to Vancouver in 2017

April 7, 2017
22-Night Panama Canal Cruise
From Tampa, Florida to Vancouver, British Columbia
Holland America Line - ms Oosterdam
Itinerary details

April 8, 2017
20-Night Panama Canal Cruise
From Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Vancouver, British Columbia
Holland America Line - ms Eurodam
Itinerary details

April 19, 2017
21-Night Panama Canal Cruise
From Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Vancouver, British Columbia
Princess Cruises - Island Princess
Itinerary details

April 20, 2017
17-Night Panama Canal Cruise
From Miami, Florida to Seattle, Washington (close enough!)
Norwegian Cruise Line - Norwegian Pearl
Itinerary details

April 26, 2017
18-Night Panama Canal Cruise
From Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Vancouver, British Columbia
Holland America Line - ms Amsterdam
Itinerary details

What about other cruises to or from Vancouver?

Did you know you can cruise between Vancouver and Buenos Aires, Honolulu, Sydney, Tokyo, Valparaiso, or Yokohama?

I invite you to check out the Vancouver Cruise Opportunities page on on my website, where I feature some of my top picks of sailings that embark or disembark in Vancouver.

Vancouver Cruise Opportunities

If you would like help finding a different sailing, please contact me. I am always happy to help!

More hand-picked sailings
My late picks - October 2016
Long sailing picks - hand picked by me
Unique journeys - sailings with ports you may not otherwise visit
Transatlantic cruises - the best itineraries, picked by me

Related resources
Sailing Westbound from Honolulu
Sailing Eastbound from Honolulu
What story do you want to tell post-cruise?
7 comebacks to "I Hate Cruising"

Solo Travel Flash - October 19, 2016

Can you break away for a great solo deal on the Norwegian Breakaway?

Good morning solo travellers!

This is a quick extra, as I found some exceptional last minute solo fares today:

October 23, 2016: 7 nights to Bermuda roundtrip New York on the Norwegian Breakaway - $496 CAD solo inside

October 27, 2016: 10 nights from New York to Fort Lauderdale on the Regal Princess - $1298 CAD solo inside

October 28, 2016: 14 nights from Boston to New Orleans on the Norwegian Dawn - $1488 CAD solo

October 30, 2016: 13 nights from Barcelona to Port Canaveral on the Norwegian Epic - $496 CAD solo ($1117 balcony)

November 2, 2016: 17 nights, San Diego to Valparaiso on the Norwegian Sun - $718 CAD solo inside ($783 oceanview) **GREAT DEAL**

November 11, 2016: 6 nights, roundtrip Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale on the Empress of the Seas - $615 CAD solo inside ($742 oceanview)

November 12, 2016: 17 nights,  Tianjin to Singapore on the Diamond Princess - $1688 CAD solo inside ($1947 outside)

Plus taxes/fees

All great deals if you can get away last minute. Please contact me for details.

Remember that prices and availability are subject to change. Please act FAST if you are interested!


Cheers,
Roberta - contact me


* Feel free to forward this email to your friends and family who are solo travellers.
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Solo Travel News - October 7, 2016

With so many solo travellers looking for affordable ways to travel, without the dreaded single supplement, I am always watching for specials. Periodically, when I have time, I summarize a few into an email to send to those who may be interested.

Adventure Canada expedition ships are solo-friendly!

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that there are expedition cruises in that have no single supplements? That's the case with Adventure Canada which, for 4 months each year, sails an ice-breaking expedition ship on fascinating itineraries in the Arctic (including the Northwest Passage), as well as a Newfoundland Circumnavigation and a voyage to Sable Island.

The accommodations on the Ocean Endeavour are modest, as the focus is on nature and historic stops along the way. You'll learn from onboard experts (naturalists, anthropologists, archaeologists, culturists, historians, photographers, etc) and your experiences during shore landings via Zodiacs. These voyages are not cheap, but for the intrepid solo traveller, they make these bucketlist destinations possible.

The Ocean Endeavour sails the Northwest Passage

I've included a link to the voyages, but please contact me for more information, as I have access to exclusive offers.
Adventure Canada
Adventure Canada Expedition Leaders

WORLD EXPLORER

We have "the world on sale" during our World Explorer event with exclusive offers from 11 cruiselines.

If you have a destination in mind that you would like to travel to between now and mid-2018, please let me know and I can provide you some options and tell you what special offers apply. World Explorer ends October 22nd.

A FEW SOLO DEALS AT THE MOMENT

Here are few deals I saw today:

October 19, 2016: 7 nights, Vancouver to Los Angeles on the Star Princess - $908 CAD solo inside

October 24, 2016: 16 nights, Rome to Fort Lauderdale on the Koningsdam (NEW SHIP) - $2077 CAD solo inside ($3177 balcony)

October 30, 2016: 21 nights, Rome to Dubai on the Norwegian Star - $2855 CAD solo inside ($3103 balcony)

December 3, 2016: 7 nights, Caribbean cruise, roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, on the Eurodam - $1141 CAD solo inside

March 25, 2017: 20 nights, Port Canaveral to Barcelona, on the Norwegian Epic - $2876 CAD solo inside

October 15, 2017: 14 nights: Copenhagen to Miami, on the Norwegian Getaway - $1568 CAD solo inside studio

Plus taxes/fees

Please get in touch if something sounds interesting, or if you have a trip idea in mind. Remember that prices and availability are subject to change. If you see something you like, please get in touch as soon as possible.

Looking for something else? While reduced or waived single supplements are hard to find, they do exist, and I can help you find them. A few ships also offer solo staterooms, with no single supplement. I can also assist with tours and land vacations for solos.

Cheers,
Roberta

Want to "SUBSCRIBE" to my periodic solo email updates? Just contact me. 

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cruisetravelbug
"Like" my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cruisewithroberta
Request a quote: https://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/contact

My late picks - October 2016

If you can get away last minute, here are some interesting sailings this month that still have space ~ and good deals!

An opportunity to sail on the brand new Carnival Vista

October 21, 2016 - 13 nights, Barcelona to New York, Carnival Vista

October 21, 2016

13-Nights

Sailing from Barcelona to New York on the brand new Carnival Vista

Carnival's newest ship, the Carnival Vista, sailed her maiden cruise season in the Mediterranean and is on her way back to the Caribbean. You'll have lots of days at sea to explore the new ship, plus some interesting ports.

Ports on this sailing include: Barcelona, Gibraltar, Ponta Delgada, Hamilton (Bermuda, overnight), New York
View the itinerary

If you still want to be part of Carnival Vista's maiden season in the Med, please contact me for a quote.

Great itinerary for a writer's retreat at sea 

October 25, 2016 - 20 nights, New York to Rome, Rotterdam

October 25, 2016

20-Nights

Sailing from New York to Rome on the ms Rotterdam

This leisurely cruise offers 11 sea days, so there's plenty of time to write your book ~ and you'll find plenty of inspiration.

Ports on this cruise include: New York, Fort Lauderdale, Horta, Ponta Delgada, Malaga, Alicante, Barcelona (overnight), Strait of Bonifacio (scenic cruising), Livorno (for Pisa/Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome)
View the itinerary details

There are some great deals on this sailing. Please contact me for a quote.

7 countries in 17 nights on the Diamond Princess

October 26, 2016 - 17 nights, Singapore to Tianjin, Diamond Princess

October 26, 2016

17-Nights

Sailing from Singapore to Tianjin on the Diamond Princess

Imagine sampling 7 Asian countries in just 17 nights on this lovely sailing on the Diamond Princess.

Ports on this sailing include: Singapore, Bangkok, Phu My, Hong Kong (overnight), Shanghai, Busan, Nagasaki, Tianjin
View the itinerary

If you're intrigued by this Asian itinerary, please contact me for a quote.

5+ bucketlist destinations on this 3-week cruise

October 30, 2016 - 21 nights, Rome to Dubai, Norwegian Star

October 30, 2016

21-Nights

Sailing from Rome to Dubai on the
Norwegian Star

If you have Jerusalem, Olympia, Petra, Pompeii and the Suez Canal on your bucketlist, this sailing is for you.

Ports on this cruise include: Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples (for Pompeii), Messina, Katakolon (for Olympia), Piraeus (Athens), Limassol, Haifa (for Jerusalem, overnight), Port Said, Suez Canal, Al 'Aqabah (for Petra), Safaga, Salalah, Muscat, Dubai (overnight)
View the itinerary details
View the 45-night itinerary returning to Fort Lauderdale

Interested? Please contact me for a quote.

==============================================

None of these your cup of tea?

I'm happy to help you plan an adventure wherever you'd like to go.

Please contact me to begin the planning process.



Related resources
Long sailing picks - hand picked by me
Vancouver cruise opportunities - hand picked by me
Unique journeys - sailings with ports you may not otherwise visit
Transatlantic cruises - the best itineraries, picked by me