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


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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

Sailing Eastbound from Honolulu

Hawaii is always a popular cruise destination, even better when you can spend a few days relaxing on the islands at either end of your journey.

In this blog post, I will focus on EASTBOUND Transpacific sailings FROM Honolulu.

If you missed it, I recently wrote about sailings in the opposite direction from Hawaii, and you can read it here: WESTBOUND Transpacific sailings FROM Honolulu

Radiance of the Seas in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii
creative commons image prayitnophotography on Flickr

Eastbound sailings from Honolulu

Imagine one of these sailings following a few days or weeks in whatever your perfect Hawaii paradise may be (quiet beach, luxury resort, budget-friendly condo)...

April 19, 2017
11-Night Hawaii Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Vancouver, British Columbia
Carnival Cruise Lines - Carnival Legend
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=761804

April 23, 2017
7-Night Hawaii Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Vancouver, British Columbia
Holland America Line - ms Noordam
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=729611

May 5, 2017
12-Night Hawaii Repositioning Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Vancouver, British Columbia
Royal Caribbean International - Radiance of the Seas
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=725004

May 7, 2017
10-Night Hawaii Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Vancouver, British Columbia
Celebrity Cruises - Celebrity Solstice
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=725309

March 29, 2018
24-Night Panama Canal Repositioning Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Miami, Florida
Oceania Cruises - Regatta
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-US/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=830962

April 20, 2018
11-Night Hawaii Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Vancouver, British Columbia
Carnival Cruise Lines - Carnival Legend
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=825612

April 28, 2018
8-Night Hawaii Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Vancouver, British Columbia
Holland America Line - ms Noordam
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=801158

April 29, 2018
12-Night Hawaii Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Vancouver, British Columbia
Celebrity Cruises - Celebrity Solstice
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=761282

May 3, 2018
10-Night Hawaii Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Vancouver, British Columbia
Royal Caribbean International - Radiance of the Seas
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=806612

Other ways to carve the Hawaii cruise pineapple

Norwegian Cruise Lines' Pride of America sails a
circle Hawaii cruise weekly from Honolulu

Of course, there are other ways to cruise Hawaii:

• WESTBOUND sailings from Vancouver or other West Coast ports (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco) to Honolulu
• ROUNDTRIP sailings from Vancouver or other West Coast ports
• Weekly ROUNDTRIP 7-night sailings from Honolulu on the Pride of America - open for bookings through May 2019
• TRANSPACIFIC crossings that spend a few days in the Hawaiian islands in transit

If you have Hawaii on your mind, I'd be happy to help you plan a cruise and/or land itinerary that suits you to a tee!

Please contact me for more information.

Roberta

Sailing Westbound from Honolulu

The Hawaiian Islands from space

Hawaii is always a popular cruise destination, even better when you can spend a few days relaxing on the islands at either end of your journey.

In this blog post, I will focus on WESTBOUND Transpacific sailings FROM Honolulu.

ms Amsterdam Hawaii sailings

I'm inspired by these 2 lovely sailings on the ms Amsterdam that caught my eye, as they are truly unique. Both are possible as they are segments of a 112-night World Cruise that Holland America has opened for booking.

January 26, 2017
35-Night Transpacific Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Holland America Line - ms Amsterdam
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=754779

January 26, 2017
18-Night Transpacific Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Osaka, Japan
Holland America Line - ms Amsterdam
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=754778

If you're interested in either, please contact me as soon as possible.

The Golden Princess in Honolulu in 2011

Other Westbound sailings from Honolulu

While we are in the Hawaiian spirit, here are a few other Hawaii sailings to tempt you:

September 19, 2016
19-Night South Pacific Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Sydney, Australia
Celebrity Cruises - Celebrity Solstice

September 20, 2016
19-Night South Pacific Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Sydney, Australia
Royal Caribbean International - Radiance of the Seas

January 28, 2017
25-Night South Pacific Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Auckland, New Zealand
Oceania Cruises - Insignia
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-US/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=748699

September 19, 2017
19-Night South Pacific Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Sydney, Australia
Royal Caribbean International - Radiance of the Seas
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=805829

October 2, 2017
18-Night South Pacific Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Sydney, Australia
Celebrity Cruises - Celebrity Solstice
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=760039

October 5, 2017
17-Night Transpacific Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Sydney, Australia
Holland America Line - ms Noordam
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=801137

October 5, 2017
32-Night Transpacific Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Auckland, New Zealand
Holland America Line - ms Noordam
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=821204

October 13, 2017
12-Night Tahiti Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Papeete, French Polynesia
Norwegian Cruise Line - Norwegian Jewel
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=834718

30-Night Transpacific Cruise
From Honolulu, Hawaii to Sydney, Australia
Norwegian Cruise Line - Norwegian Jewel
http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/Cruise/en-CA/RobertaWestwood/Itinerary?item=848108

Imagine one of these sailings paired with a week or 2, or 3, or 4... in whatever your perfect Hawaii paradise may be (quiet beach, luxury resort, budget-friendly condo)...

Other ways to carve the Hawaii cruise pineapple

Norwegian Cruise Lines' Pride of America sails a
circle Hawaii cruise weekly from Honolulu

Of course, there are other ways to cruise Hawaii:

• EASTBOUND sailings from Honolulu to Vancouver or other West Coast ports (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco) - covered in Part 2 of this series
• ROUNDTRIP sailings from Vancouver or other West Coast ports
• Weekly ROUNDTRIP 7-night sailings from Honolulu on the Pride of America - open for bookings through May 2019
• TRANSPACIFIC crossings that spend a few days in the Hawaiian islands in transit

If you have Hawaii on your mind, I'd be happy to help you plan a cruise and/or land itinerary that suits you to a tee!

Please contact me for more information.

Roberta


Related Resources
Sailing Eastbound from Honolulu

Solo Travel News - September 3, 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.

OVATION OF THE SEAS - SOLO CABINS



Solo Balcony Stateroom (category SB)

This week I have been assisting a solo cruiser book some lovely new solo occupancy cabins on the Ovation of the Seas, with no single supplement. This lovely new Royal Caribbean ship (4 months old) has 2 categories of single occupancy cabins onboard. Check these out:

Super Studio Oceanview Stateroom with Balcony (category SB) - available on the Anthem of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas

Studio Interior Virtual View Stateroom (category SI) - available on the Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, and the Quantum of the Seas

Studio "Virtual View" Stateroom (category SI)

As a rule, solo cabins sell out quickly, so it's worth booking early. Add to that a solo special right now, and these Asia sailings on the Ovation of the Seas are worth a closer look if you are planning a trip to the region:

March 29, 2017: 5 nights, roundtrip Singapore: $896 CAD solo balcony

April 10, 2017: 4 nights, roundtrip Singapore: $812 solo balcony

February 18, 2018 - 8 nights, roundtrip Sydney: $1347 CAD solo inside / $2137 CAD solo

April 14, 2018: 12 nights, Singapore to Beijing: $1810 CAD solo inside / $2403 CAD solo balcony

Plus taxes/fees

AFFORDABLE HAWAII

I've yet to meet anyone who hasn't liked Hawaii, and I have to agree, so it's often on the top of my solo travel destinations.

Here are a few Hawaii sailings within reach of the solo traveller's budget:



September 24, 2016: 15 nights, Vancouver roundtrip to Hawaii, on the Star Princess - $2836 CAD solo inside

September 25, 2016: 10 nights, Vancouver to Honolulu on the Noordam - $1195 CAD solo inside

September 27, 2016: 6 nights, Vancouver to Honolulu on the Maasdam - $995 CAD solo inside/outside

April 20, 2018: 11 nights, Honolulu to Vancouver on the Carnival Legend - $2510 CAD solo inside

September 13, 2018: 11 nights, Vancouver to Honolulu on the Carnival Legend - $2615 CAD solo inside

Plus taxes/fees

OTHER DESTINATIONS

As a solo traveller, sometimes serendipity rules, and you never know where you will travel to next. Here's a grab bag of great solo fares I found today:

September 10, 2016: 7 nights, Montreal to Boston on the Veendam - $1297 CAD solo inside

September 18, 2016: 7 nights, Vancouver to Los Angeles on the Crown Princess - $1193 CAD solo inside

September 25, 2016: 7 nights, Caribbean cruise, roundtrip Miami, on the Norwegian Getaway: $744 CAD solo inside

September 26, 2016: 4 nights, Vancouver to San Diego, on the Amsterdam: $397 CAD solo inside

September 28, 2016: 14 nights, Vancouver to Tokyo, on the Volendam: $1817 CAD solo inside

October 9, 2016: 10 nights, roundtrip Vancouver to San Francisco (2 days!), on the Star Princess - $2078 CAD solo inside

October 30, 2016: 13 nights, Barcelona to Port Canaveral on the Norwegian Epic - $1240 CAD solo inside studio

December 3, 2016: 7 nights, Caribbean cruise, roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, on the Eurodam: $933 CAD solo inside

January 29, 2017: 6 nights, Mexico cruise roundtrip Los Angeles, on the Carnival Miracle - $1202 CAD solo inside

March 25, 2017: 20 nights, Port Canaveral to Barcelona, on the Norwegian Epic - $2810 CAD solo inside

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

Plus taxes/fees

DANUBE DREAMING ?

If you are interested in a Danube River cruise from Prague to Budapest, a colleague of mine is organizing an Avalon Waterways sailing on April 15, 2017, and is willing to match up solo travellers who want a cabin mate. There are also a few solo cabins available.

That's it for this time around. I hope you find the information valuable!
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