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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday July 29, 2006 - 11 Looking for a holiday bargain? Consider a cruise When you are searching around looking for the best holiday bargain for the whole family don't overlook cruising. You unpack once, and often see a different country every day. Just think, you can sleep in the same bed every night and enjoy the same service. Cruising meets a number of different needs; families with a wide variety of interests can do their own thing and meet up for meals. People who prefer to do their own adventuring can do just that and strike off on their own in every port. Other passengers like to stay on board when the ship is making a port call: they can have its facilities all to themselves. And for the little ones there are supervised kids clubs. Some people like to choose a shore excursion every day, others prefer to explore on their own. But just as you choose anything else, choose the right product. "Cruises are this summer's best family vacation value," according to Terry L. Dale, president and CEO of the cruise lines International Association (CLIA). In addition to a sea of destinations to choose from, today's cruise ships offer a mindboggling variety of amenities and activities for passengers of all ages. For this summer, destinations include of course ports in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean as well as lesser-known destinations in Scandinavia, Russia and Iceland. Cruises appeal to kids because ships combine facilities and amenities for toddlers, young children and teens with a total program of supervised, age-appropriate activities plus the excitement of traveling from port to port on the high seas. And you can have "togethertime" and "alone time." Aside from the organized stuff, the kids can enjoy Internet access, water parks and video jukeboxes in private clubs just for them. And in the meantime you can stretch out in adults-only sundecks, relaxing hot tubs, have a couples' massage or take a class and learn something new. There are babysitters available so you can have a romantic evening. According to a National Geographic Kids survey, 35 per cent of children said cruises were their most popular choice. Summer camp got two per cent. You can pile the kids into the van the magical Greek isles and lesserknown ports like Valletta, Malta, and Kusadasi, Turkey. If that is too long, Carnival Cruise Lines has new four and five-day cruises from Port Canaveral aboard the Sensation. Four-day cruises call at Nassau, and Freeport or Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. Five day cruises sail to Grand Turk as well. Windstar Cruises are offering seven-day cruises in the Western Mediterranean this summer aboard the 308 guest motor sailing yacht Wind Surf. An intimate sailing experience for families. Windstar offers open seating dining and a casuallyelegant atmosphere with no ties or sequins required. Older children enjoy the line's complimentary water sports activities. Royal Caribbean has sent its largest-ever ship to Europe. Till mid August, the Voyager of the Seas sails on seven-night itineraries roundtrip from Barcelona. Ports of call include Marseille, France; Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy: Naples, Italy: Valletta, Malta and Palma de Mallorca, Spain. I've sailed on this ship, gone ice skating, passed on the wall climbing, but thoroughly enjoyed the spa. It has the coolest teen area, a club just for them, a deck exclusive for their sunning, and a nightclub. The other kid's programs are great too. Norwegian Coastal Voyage offers a whole different experience. Midway between Norway and the North Pole lies Spitsbergen, land of the Midnight Sun. In summer, Norwegian Coastal Voyage's Nordstjermen and Polar Star cruise amid cliff-lined fjords and massive glaciers. Zodiac expedition boats are used for shore landings to view the amazing wildlife, including reindeer, Arctic foxes, seals and walruses. Costa Cruise Lines offer 11 and 12 nights to the Canary Islands, with a roundtrip from Savana or Genoa. Ask your travel agent to check out Holiday House cruise brochure, or look at Transat Holidays cruise brochure. You'll get the same choices and cruise ships, and have the backing of Canadian Wholesalers. Why do you need an agent? Well because an experienced cruise agent can help you choose the best cabin for you. You won't be right over the engine, or under the disco. They'll also recommend the best product for you. Happy sailing! -- Sam Ion can be reached at Sion10@cogeco.ca. and drive to the ship in many cases, leaving enough time to overnight at the port. Of course most of us think of Disney, and, yes, Disney Magic does alternate Western Caribbean itineraries every fourth week, including a new port of call, Costa Maya. Holland America has debuted a new 20 Eastern and Western Mediterranean sailing about its brand new 1,918-passenger Noordam. It has a great itinerary mixing chic resorts like Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Monte Carlo; Mountsberg holding annual Bat Night Did you know that bats could save the rainforest? That crops such as bananas, avocados, vanilla and peaches rely on bats for pollination? Bats are beautiful -- and beneficial -- to humans. Join the staff of the Mountsberg Wildlife Centre for its annual Bat Night on Saturday, Aug. 5 from 7-9 p.m. Watch as dozens of bats drop from their daytime roost to begin their nightly hunting for insects. Get up close with a live bat. This family event also includes a puppet play, storytelling, and games. Cost is $12 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under. Call Mountsberg at 905-854-2276, advance registration only. Mountsberg is on Milburough Line, west of Guelph Line in Campbellville. SURVEY SAYS ... You would expect that when cruise experiences are rated that the luxury lines would come out on top, the premium lines in the middle and the contemporary lines last. No surprise, the luxury lines do occupy the top slots. After that, there is a real surprise: Royal Caribbeanís Radiance of the Seas and her sisters, Brilliance, Jewel and Serenade, score out of their league. They are rated higher than EVERY class of Oceania, Princess and Holland America ships. Here's the passenger satisfaction rate chart . . . SHIP CLASS(# OF SHIPS) Crystal (2) Regent (3) Silversea (4) Seabourn (3) SeaDream Yacht Club (2) Celebrity ­ Millenium Class (2) Celebrity ­ Century (1) RCCL ­ RADIANCE CLASS (4) Oceania (2) Windstar (3) RCCL ­ VOYAGEUR CLASS (5) Princess ­ R Class (2) Holland America ­ Rotterdam Class (4) Disney (2) Holland America ­ Vista Class (2) OVERALL SCORE 95.6 92.9 92.4 92.1 90.2 88.7 84.9 84.7 84.5 84.0 84.0 83.9 83.2 82.5 82.5 Visit McTavish At: www.mctavishtravel.com The Lodge at Pine Cove 40 litres of ga s FREE ! "... offers wilderness elegance in a Group of Seven setting." 705-898-2500 www.frenchriver.com MARC ATCHISON, Toronto Star Visit McTavish At: www.mctavishtravel.com TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS Your guide to local travel experts and the best deals to your perfect getaway! Voted Best Travel Agency Hopedale Shopping Centre 1515 Rebecca Street, Oakville Glen Abbey Travel Inc. 2441 Lakeshore W. Bronte Village Mall Oakville, ON 1 Convenient Location in Oakville: Relax... you're with us (905) 827-1100 fax: (905) 827-4982 e-mail: travel@mctavish.com 905-827-7272 www.uniglobeglenabbey.com 146 Lakeshore Rd. E. 905-842-4999 lakeshore@travelchoice.ca 221 Lakeshore Road E. wwwhookedoncruising.com 905-337-2228