Our February 2013 Invitations and Announcements

Cruise Holidays of Clarkson’s 2013 announcements

Welcome

Welcome to our February 2013 newsletter!

Here, we would like to tell you of the places we would like to take you in the months ahead and in the upcoming Holiday Season. We also invite you to attend and participate in our upcoming events – as you know we can accommodate up to thirty or so attendees comfortably – so call early to reserve your spot.

Upcoming events – you’re invited!

We invite you to the following four events and ask you to call us at 905 855 1700 to reserve a spot for yourself and any friends you would like to bring along. They are:

Feb 23rd	Voyages to Antiquity Presented by Michael Geske of Exclusive Tours and John Van Driel of the New Classical 96.3 FM starting at 3 pm at our store
Mar 5th	Scenic Tours Presentation by Neil Dudley starting at 7 pm at our store
Apr 2nd	South America  presented by Fernando Urgiles of Gateways International, at 7 pm at our store
May 2nd	Regent Seven Seas Cruises presentation by Beverley Vickers at 7 pm at the Mississauga Golf Club

A word on Voyages to Antiquity

Voyages to Antiquity operates the Aegean Odyssey, a premium class ship that carries an average of 350 guests passionate about history, art and cultures of the ancient world. We sailed the Aegean Odyssey on our Treasures of the Adriatic cruise in May 2011. Many of you travelled on this spectacular itinerary that traversed the sparkling waters alongside the Croatian Adriatic coast. This spring we will sail from Rome to Cannes and we will be accompanied by John Van Driel of the New Classical 96.3 FM. Join us—space is truly limited.

A word on Scenic Tours

Scenic Tours is a privately held Australian company and has been in the tour business since 1987. The company provides a truly all-inclusive river cruise experience; they have opted to differentiate themselves based on unexpected quality rather than replicating the service of their competitors. Please call to reserve a spot.

A word on South America

South America is a feast for the senses with something to fascinate and entertain all travelers. This time we have partnered with Gateways International and Oceania Cruises to present you with an intriguing itinerary visiting the ancient site of Machu Picchu, and sailing on the beautiful Regatta from Lima to Buenos Aires. Join us and learn about this fascinating winter destination.

A word on Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC)

Beverley Vickers of Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) will describe the amenities of the RSSC all-suite fleet. At one of Beverley’s presentations she said “The bathrooms and walk-in closets are oftentimes more elegant that those at our homes!” And Beverley should know, as her husband deals in real estate. No surprises await you in your statement of account at the end of the voyage – actually, there is no statement at all!
We plan to escort RSSC’s voyage in Australia and New Zealand next January. Please call to attend.

2013 River Cruises

Travelers’ interest in river cruising remain high; across the board availability is limited for the rest of 2013 and fellow travelers have started to book 2014 voyages. Good news for 2013 travelers, though! We have reserved cabins on specific 2013 departures and outline them below.

Port wine and Flamenco on the Douro River. This cruise tour travels between Lisbon, Portugal and Madrid, Spain, has hotel accommodations built-in at both ends and a seven-day cruise between Vega Terron and Porto. The ship, AMA Waterways newest, the AMAVida, will be launched this April. We hold space on the June 8^th departure from Madrid. Joe and / or Zaneta will escort the October 4^th voyage from Lisbon. Join us!

HURRY! We have one cabin left on “Magnificent Europe” departing Amsterdam for Budapest September 15^th. All 14 days are aboard AMA Waterways luxurious AMACerto. Victoria De Wildt will be escorting this voyage.

Europe’sRivers and Castles” from pristine Prague to romantic Paris is another enjoyable and emotionally fulfilling travel experience on which we hold space. This voyage departs September 23^rd and sails on the AMADolce.

Burgundy and Provence from scenic Arles to charming Lyon, sailing on September 29^th on the elegant Uniworld-River Royale.

2013 Ocean Cruises

We are really excited about our selection of voyages for the balance of this year and hope you will be too! In this newsletter we focus on near term departures – from April to July; we also include two very special destinations that need to be considered now as they fill early. These and 2014 voyages can be found on our “Value-Added Promotions” web page – we have selected this page heading as there is something extra included in each voyage. Please check them out.

These are the places we would like to take you this year. As mentioned each has some added value and we encourage you to contact us for details or to make a reservation.

April 7^th to April 23^rd: Joe and Zaneta will be escorting the “CanaryIslands Classic” on Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity. The itinerary includes Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
Alexa Petrenko of the New Classical 963FM will be accompanying us and has planned a couple of fun sessions on board. The shore excursions are exclusive to Clarkson and we are proud of what we have been able to organize. Come with us, you’ll love it! 

April 22^nd to May 10^th: “PanamaPassage” on Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Navigator travels from Miami to San Francisco. Enjoy the Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ all-inclusive hospitality on board where you can relax – no chits to sign.  Limited availability, savings are being offered; please call.

May 6^th to May 15^th: “Aegean Gems” on Oceania Cruises’ Riviera sails from Venice to the picturesque Dalmatian Coast, with stops at Kotor and Dubrovnik to name a few, disembark at Athens.

May 16^th to May 29^th: Enjoy the “Shoresof the Mediterranean” on Voyages to Antiquity’s Aegean Odyssey with John vanDriel, host of Little Night Music on the new Classical 96.3 FM. Many of you sailed with us on this ship in 2011 and came away full of praises – the itinerary, the quality of the shore excursions, were outstanding! The 2011 voyage was on the east side of Italy on the Adriatic. Our itinerary this May takes us along the western side of Italy – “The Middle Sea” as the Mediterranean is known. We start with two hotel days in Rome before ending in Cannes. Check this itinerary – it is a jewel. Call us to join John on board, or visit our web page at www.clarksoncruises.ca for more details.

May 16^th to May 28^th: Circumnavigate the British Isles on Silversea Cruises’ Silver Whisper from London (Southampton) to Copenhagen. One can kiss the Blarney Stone, absorb yourself in the blood and guts of medieval England’s history, enjoy tastings of Scotch whiskey, be stunned by the surprising landscape of this voyage. Call us, (there are savings available).

May 22^nd to May 31^st: A perfect time to enjoy “Alaskan Adventure” on RSSC’s Navigator as she sails on a ‘round trip voyage – Vancouver to Vancouver. Enjoy all-inclusive small ship travel as you take in the natural beauty of the stunning Alaskan coast. Savings are available – book now!

May 25^th to June 1^st: For a look at our Canadian coastline, and our history, join us on Holland America Line’s 7-DayCanada and New England Discovery onboard ms Veendam. This voyage starts in Quebec City and ends in Boston. A great opportunity to see Canada!

June 15^th to June 24^th: “Russian Reverie” on Crystal Cruises’ Serenity travels from Copenhagen to Stockholm with two full nights in St. Petersburg. We consider this to be amongst the best of times to travel this region – witness the “white nights’ where the sun never fully sets and its refracted light paints the sky like a canvas. If this and Crystal Cruises position as the world’s # 1 cruise line for 18 consecutive years are not sufficiently compelling to venture on this voyage, consider Hermitage, Peterhof, … this period in history and destination should not be missed. 

June 17^th to July 1^st: Care to enjoy opera and a change in pace with the English gentry? Join this Clarkson exclusive tour "Summer Intermezzo" that commences in London, England for two days, moves to Glyndebourne, East Sussex renowned for its lush gardens and Opera Festivals. Then on to Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 that awaits in Southampton for our westbound crossing to New York City. Those of you who have traveled the QM2 would be familiar with its dance floor – the largest on the ocean and courteous hosts eager to twirl with you to wonderful ballroom dance music. And on board, savour excellent lecturers, British fare and traditional cruising at its best.

June 25^th to July 5^th: “BalticOdyssey”: on Oceania Cruises’ Marina from Stockholm to Copenhagen with three days in St. Petersburg. Enjoy famed Jacques Pepin cuisine and a wide variety of restaurants on board. And there is Tallin, Estonia and Helsinki, Finland and Gdansk, Poland. Gratuities are prepaid.

July 4^th to July 22^nd:  “Voyage to the Midnight Sun” on Oceania Cruises’ Nautica from London (Tillsbury) to Copenhagen. Guests on this amazing cruise will experience the Arctic Circle, the lifestyles of the Nordic people – rugged coastline, rugged climate, and its rugged people. Great for history buffs and shoppers – crystals, sweaters, etc. Call us for more information.

November 4^th to November 26^th: Join the Aegean Odyssey again on “Highlights of ancient Egypt and India” from Cairo, Egypt to Delhi, India. This cruise tour has nine hotel nights included along with intra-regional flights. The excursions are out of this world and take us to ancient Egypt, and Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. We delve into India’s spectacularly rich sixteenth century Mughal dynasty. Past travelers on this itinerary (November 2012) have returned full of praise! We advise you to book early!

Ocean cruises over the Holiday Season

December 21^st to January 5^th: A perfect getaway over the Holiday Season for families and close friends. We invite you to Crystal Cruises’ 18-day voyage on Crystal Symphony from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Valparaiso, Chile with boots on the ground in the Antarctic. This needs to be considered now.

About our “Refer a friend” program

We invite you to take advantage of our referral offer. Refer a friend, have your friend book and earn CAD 150 bonus on your next booking. Conditions apply.

Why Cruise Holidays of Clarkson

Store Front 1739 Lakeshore Road West

Cruise Holidays of Clarkson is independently owned and specializes in group and individual leisure travel services. Our business relies heavily on word of mouth and the promise of a lifetime travel experience.

We are part of Travel Leaders Group and benefit from the scale of that operation when dealing with suppliers. This positions us to provide significant value to our clients.

We have qualified for membership in Cruise Holidays’ President’s Circle, i.e. amongst the top 20 stores in North America, for the past four years, and we are a two-time recipient of Royal Bank Insurance’s award for quality business.

For more information on group or individual travel, see www.clarksontours.ca; or call 905 855 1700 or email info@clarksontravel.ca . Or better yet, drop in at our store located at 1739 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga ON L5J 1J4; we have ample free parking at back.