Travel Times
By Sean Eastwood
Staff Writer

Delta Queen announces new 7-night itinerary
Delta Queen Steamboat Company, Inc. has announced a new 7-night land and riverboat package for 2004. On 3- and 4-night departures from New Orleans, passengers will receive a 3- or 4-night New Orleans vacation for free. Guests will stay at a deluxe hotel, dine at famous restaurants, and see the most exciting sites. Before or after their hotel stay, they’ll embark on a riverboat adventure on the grand American Queen. The floating resort will journey to the moss-draped South, complete with plantations, Civil War battlefields and Cajun country. Here’s your chance to listen to the sultry jazz on Bourbon Street, enjoy spicy gumbo and jambalaya. For more information, call the Travel Desk, (408) 723-0283

Queen Mary 2 inaugural sailing discounted
Cunard’s newest ship the Queen Mary 2 (QM2) being readied for its inaugural from the US port, Ft. Lauderdale. Now you can be one of the first aboard and save with discounted fares starting at $1,599 per person on two Caribbean inaugural season cruises in March of 2004, subject to availability. Luxury cruise lines normally charge at least $200 per day, so the discounted rate of $160 is a bargain. The new ship will depart March 6 or 16 and sail round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. Ports-of-call include Cristobal, Panama; Cartagena, Columbia; Oranjestad, Aruba; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. The ship includes 10 restaurants, a planetarium, and offers balconies in 75 percent of its staterooms. The ship employs one staff member per couple, offering a classic cruise experience. For more information, call the Travel Desk, (408) 723-0283

New disembarkation system launched
A new hassle-free disembarkation system is being launched by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise lines. For passengers flying home on the cruise line air program on Alaska cruises disembarking in Vancouver, passengers’ luggage is taken from their staterooms, placed directly on the plane, and then presented at baggage claim when the passenger arrives home. Passengers are also presented with their airline boarding passes as they leave the ship. The cruise lines hope to have some version of this new system in operation for all ships in the near future, but this will require further evaluation of the system and also the approval of the Transportation Security Administration. For more information, call the Travel Desk, (408) 723-0283