The Pandaw Cruises Charity

With the appointment of a new CEO for Pandaw Cruises comes news that Founder Paul Strachan is stepping aside to focus on the Pandaw Cruises charity projects.

Pandaw Cruises and their passengers have been actively involved in a variety of community, humanitarian and cultural projects since 1995.

Some of the countries highlighted in the the unique Pandaw Cruises itineraries are amongst the poorest in the world and passengers want to give something in return for the wonderful travel experiences these places offer.

There are a number of ongoing projects like a school construction programme in Burma and support for orphanages in Cambodia, and even protection for threatened cultural artefacts.

Pandaw Cruises are also ready to move fast in the event disaster strikes, as their teams did in Burma after the May 2008 Cyclone Nargis hit the Delta area. The Pandaw Floating Clinic continues to operate in this devastated area thanks to the support of old passengers, known as 'Old Pandaw Hands'.

Passengers can donate after visiting these projects on board whilst on a Pandaw cruise or they may donate after returning home.

For more information about these projects visit http://www.pandaw.com/pandaw-charity-c-104.html or to make a donation tothe cyclone appeal, visit https://www.pandaw.com/cyclone_appeal_burma.php/cPath/104_103

New Destination Cruise Line, Voyages to Antiquity Launches With Generous Incentives to Explore the Mediterranean.

The new cruise line Voyages to Antiquity, founded by Gerry Herrod, founder of Ocean Cruise Line and Orient Lines, is set to showcase the cultures and people who created the "cradle of civilizations" of the Mediterranean.

Cruises on the Aegean Odyssey will begin in May 2010.

Offers include:

NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS on most sailings, in selected stateroom categories

$1,000 OFF PER STATEROOM (double occupancy) on May 31, June 28, July 26 & August 9 departures from North America

$500 OFF PER STATEROOM (double occupancy) on May 3, May 17, June 14, July 12 & August 23 departures from North America *The No Single Supplement offers do not apply to "Time Fears The Pyramids" itinerary departing on November 12.These Special Launch Offers are strictly capacity controlled, not combinable and may be withdrawn from sale at any time.

For more information about the new cruise line take a look at the Prow's Edge news item at http://www.prowsedge.com/cruises-news-271109-voyages-to-antiquity.html or visit the official Voyages to Antiquity web site at www.voyagestoantiquity.com

THE MAGIC OF THE WOODEN SHIPS

Following on from our news about the Maine Windjammer Association being featured in Patricia Schultz's NYT bestseller 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, here is a wonderful video by Eniko 1 at You Tube which gives a great taste of the magic of the oldest fleet of historic vessels offering sailing vacations in America.

Drydock Journal shares Transformation of Tahitian Princess into Ocean Princess

For those of you who enjoy all the behind the scenes details of the cruise lines and their cruise ships, Princess Cruises is again offering an opportunity to follow a vessel through the renovation process.

In the newest installment of the Princess online drydock journal, the current Tahitian Princess will not only undergo a makeover, but also get a new name. The vessel, one of the small ships of Princess, will be transformed into Ocean Princess during the two-week process, giving her a new moniker reflecting her global range of fascinating itineraries.

The fifth in this unprecedented series, the Ocean Princess Drydock Journal will run through December 2 on www.princess.com, and will be updated regularly with photos as the ship progresses through its drydock at Keppel Shipyard in Singapore. Viewers can follow along as the ship’s name is removed and replaced on the bow and throughout the vessel – including on equipment such as the lifeboats. The journal will also chronicle changes as the ship is lifted from the water and receives a new coating of energy-efficient silicone paint, plus the interior refurbishments, with new upholstery, carpet and flooring.

“Response to our drydock journals has been remarkable – passengers love to see what’s done to the ship and how much work is involved in such a short time,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “This latest journal will give cruise fans yet another insiders’ peek behind the scenes, with the added interest in seeing the name change.”

The Ocean Princess Drydock Journal follows the enthusiastically received online journals chronicling work on Golden Princess, Dawn Princess, Sea Princess and Coral Princess. The journal can be found on the Ocean Princess page in the website’s “Ships” section, and it will be updated throughout the ship’s two-week drydock.

After the drydock the newly named Ocean Princess will set sail on a 16-day Treasures of Southeast Asia cruise from Singapore to Shanghai, beginning a season of unique Asia, India and Africa sailings, followed by a summer of European voyages.

THREE NEW CRUISE LINE PROFILES TO WET YOUR APPETITE

Most cruise magazines bring you endless news of fun on cruises with Carnival Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and all the other major cruise lines. No doubt there is fun to be had on board all these major cruise ships, but there are quite a number of other cruise lines, small and large that offer some unique experiences. At Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine we aim to give you the whole picture.

To that end, three new cruise line profiles have been added to the Prow's Edge web site at http://www.prowsedge.com/cruise-lines.html and they are, Aqua Expeditions, Avalon Waterways and Oceanwide Expeditions.

Aqua Expeditions, the brainchild of Francesco Galli-Zugaro, is entirely unique to the Peruvian Amazon, offering trips for discriminating, adventurous travelers exploring the more remote and pristine areas in the upper Amazon River and its tributaries.

The award-winning small ship cruise company Avalon Waterways is part of the Globus family of brands and is making waves in river and small ship cruising by offering travelers the newest, most luxurious ships in Europe, China, Egypt and the Galápagos.

And last, but not least, Oceanwide Expeditions is a pioneer and one of the market leaders in the Polar Regions and has – since 1996 - been offering expedition-style cruises to the Arctic and Antarctic regions with chartered ice-strengthened Russian vessels, very suitable to offer exploratory voyages with passengers.

Prow's Edge offers profiles of more than 60 cruise lines, and reviews of more than 40 of those cruise lines in the Cruise Review section at http://www.prowsedge.com/cruises-reviews.html

MAINE BY SCHOONER - ONE OF THE 1,000 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE

It's not often that a vacation idea like cruising is named as of the 1,000 places to see before you die - but that is just the honor awarded to the offerings of the Maine Windjammer Association in Patricia Schultz's NYT bestseller 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.

On page 640, the introductory heading states: "The Greatest Sailing on the Eastern Seaboard" followed by a nice write-up and photo by Fred LeBlanc.

"Quite a few of our guests," says the Maine Windjammer Assocoiation, "found out about us through this book."

The oldest fleet of historic vessels offering sailing vacations in America was established in 1936 and has been the cornerstone of the industry for over 60 years.

The schooners offer an opportunity to cruise among the spruce-clad islands of Maine in a convenient, exciting, and historic way. They sail with no inboard power, as they did a hundred years ago, with wind and canvas still providing this unique way to travel in the 21st century.

The authentic turn-of-the-century coastal cargo schooners, Grace Bailey & Mercantile, have been lovingly restored and recognized as National Landmarks.

Maine Windjammer Cruises offers a variety of weekend cruises and 3-, 4-, and 5-day cruises from through October. There are also pre-season cruises and Fall Foliage cruises.

For more information see the Prow's Edge cruise line profile of Maine Windjammer Cruises or visit the official Maine Windjammer Association web site at www.sailmainecoast.com

Photo courtesy Maine Windjammer Cruises

Aqua Expeditions among 26 travel and tourism companies recognized as "World Savers."

In honoring those companies that are "turning travel's enormous potential to improve the planet into reality", Condé Nast Traveler has listed Aqua Expeditions among 26 travel and tourism companies that it recognizes as "World Savers."

Nominations were made for excellence in the areas of education, poverty, wildlife, preservation, and health. Aqua Expeditions, however, was honored to find itself on the "doing it all" list, reflecting its efforts in every one of the above categories.

"The day we decided to operate the M/V Aqua in a fragile nature reserve, we knew that the social component of our programs would be just as important as the wildlife component," notes Francesco Galli-Zugaro, Founder and CEO of Aqua Expeditions.

"From day one, our journeys into Amazonia -- including the remote Pacaya Samiria Reserve -- have involved active participation with some 14 native river communities," Galli-Zugaro adds, noting that these visits are unstructured, and place a strong focus on relationship building.

"Given that we have only been operating for 18 months, we are thrilled to have been nominated for this "World Saver" award," Galli-Zugaro says. "Even though our sustainability efforts are only in their initial stages, we see this as an indication that we are on the right track."

Aqua Expeditions is dedicated to delivering a world-class Amazon experience, in an environment of comfort and safety. Its team onboard the M/V Aqua equals that of the finest small ship operators, anywhere in the world. Management has a total commitment to excellence.

For more information about Aqua Expeditions visit: www.aquaexpeditions.com

WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT ZAGAT? AND WHAT'S THAT TO DO WITH CRUISES?

Zagat Survey is the world's most trusted source for information about where to eat, drink, stay and play around the globe, and as such has become a symbol of quality.

Zagat Survey rates and reviews airlines, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, movies, music, golf, resorts, shopping, spas and a range of other entertainment categories in more than 100 countries and has been lauded as the “most up-to-date, comprehensive and reliable guides ever published” and as “a necessity second only to a valid credit card.”

Cunard, Regent and SeaDream are top rated, respectively, in the Large, Mid-Size and Small Ships categories, while Royal Caribbean, Crystal and Windstar are Most Popular in Each Size Category.

Carnival Wins for Budget Travel and Singles, Disney for Families, Nightlife and Entertainment, while when it Comes to Top Itinerary Choices, Romance, Shopping, Spas and Casinos, Cunard Sweeps the board.

For full details and results of the survey see the Prow's Edge News page about the Zagat survey at http://www.prowsedge.com/cruises-news-191109-zagat-survey.html

Zagat content is available in print, on the web, on the mobile web, iPhones, BlackBerry and on TV. For more information, visit ZAGAT.com.