| WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING DEPOSITS AS OF AUGUST 20, 2001. TO SIGN UP, CONTACT GEORGE WELLER at 281-480-1988 or 800-929-9004 or wellerg@carlsontravel .com |
This is the best cruise deal of all! Spend
30 days cruising--relaxing, visiting exotic ports and seeing the total eclipse
of the sun--all this for as low as $3410. This price is only available
until January 31, 2002 or until all cabins at this rate are filled.
If you want to take advantage of this deal, sign up immediately.
The NASA Johnson Space Center
Astronomical Society's third cruise tour for this eclipse will be
led by a guest astronomer to be named soon. This cruise will be
aboard the modern, fast vessel the Royal Olympic EXPLORER that carries
a maximum of 836 passengers. The cruise is being undertaken
only because we feel that the odds of maneuvering to achieve clear
skies is likely to be higher on the ocean than on land during the
rainy season in southern Africa where the eclipse would normally be
best seen. The prospects also are better than any land expedition to
Australia, where the totality duration is low and elevation of the
sun equally lower. The ship will maneuver to a spot where we expect
to see up to 1 minute 40 seconds of totality. All meals are included
while you are on the cruise.
*PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE HUGE SAVINGS IF YOU BOOK IMMEDIATELY!
SEE PRICE TABLE BELOW.
ITINERARY November 11-December 11, 2002:
November 10 Sunday - You must arrive Athens, Greece no later than this date. We will be pleased to make your international air reservations and also hotel arrangements. YOU MAY ALSO USE YOUR FREQUENT FLIER MILES for this program! Note: The prices listed here do not include airfare and hotels before/after cruise. These items are at additional cost.
November 11 Monday - Board the ship at Piraeus harbor by noon. It is home base for Greek shipping. You can hike up to the Acropolis and get a great view of the port area if you arrive early enough. Ship sails at 5pm.
November 12 Tuesday - Arrive Alexandria, Egypt's main port at 230pm. It was the site of the Lighthouse, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world and is a notable summer resort for Middle East vacationers. Overnight Alexandria.
November 13 Wednesday - Depart 930am for Port Said, Egypt. Arrive Port Said 7pm. Depart Port Said at midnight for a trip through the Suez Canal.
November 14 Thursday - Sail during the day through the incredible man-made Suez Canal. Connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, the Canal is 101 miles long and allows passage for more than 25,000 ships annually. It was completed in 1869 after 10 years. Leave the canal at 7pm for Safaga, Egypt.
November 15 Friday - Arrive Safaga at 6am. Time for optional excursions. Safaga has several tourist villages specializing in diving holidays and features unspoiled beaches, and stiff breezes. One of Egypt's best kept secrets. Depart Safaga at 10pm for Eilat, Israel.
November 16 Saturday - Arrive Eilat, Israel at 7am. Time for optional excursions. Depart Eilat at midnight for Aqaba, Jordan
November 17 Sunday - Arrive Aqaba, Jordan at 7am. Time for optional excursions. With clean beaches and pristine waters, this Red Sea port is famed for its red coral reefs and sea life. The Mameluk Fort is the main historical landmark and was originally a Crusader castle. Depart Aqaba at 10pm for Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.
November 18 Monday - Arrive Sharm el Sheikh at 6am. Time for optional excursions. Sharm has over 1000 species of fish in its waters. The main industry is tourism and it is one of the best dive sites around. Sharm is located at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula where the Gulf of Aqaba meets the Red Sea. Depart Sharm at 6pm
November 19 Tuesday - All day at sea.
November 20 Wednesday - Arrive Djibouti at 2pm. Composed of Somali and Ethiopian people, this small country is largely a stony desert with isolated plateaus and highlands. Lake Assal, the lowest point in Africa is in its center. Spend 5 hours in the port town of the same name before departing at 7pm.
November 21 Thursday - All day at sea.
November 22 Friday - All day at sea.
November 23 Saturday - Arrive Praslin, Seychelles Islands at 8am. The Seychelles are reputed to have the most beautiful beaches in the world. For honeymoons, the romance of the Seychelles is unique. 115 islands make up the Seychelles with upscale resorts and fine dining being the rule. Overnight Praslin.
November 24 Sunday - Depart 4am for Mahe, Seychelles. Arrive Mahe at 8am. On Mahe you can do bird watching, fish, scuba diving, hiking and walking. Depart Mahe at 3pm.
November 25 Monday - All day at sea.
November 26 Tuesday - Arrive Mombasa, Kenya at 7am. All day free for optional tours. Overnight Mombasa.
November 27 Wednesday - All day free in Mombasa for optional tours. Overnight Mombasa
November 28 Thursday - Mombasa, Kenya. Actually an island about 500 km from Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Mombasa is Kenya's second largest city based on Arab and Asian influence. We will board our ship at Mombasa port in the afternoon for the eclipse portion of the cruise. Depart Mombasa at 10pm.
November 29 Friday - At sea.
November 30 Saturday - Mayotte, Comoros Islands. We arrive here at 7am. Located at the north end of the Mozambique Channel. Mayotte is French administered territory as part of the Islamic Republic of the Comoros. The republic is composed of 4 major islands featuring the Kartala Volcano. Among the Comoros natural wonders is the Coelacanth, a fish thought to be extinct for millions of years which populate the waters. Also Livingstone's Flying Fox, a fruit bat with a wing span of 3 meters is found nowhere else in the world. Depart Mayotte at 5pm.
December 01 Sunday -Nosy Be, Madagascar. Arrival at 7am. Madagascar is larger than most European countries with millions of acres of uncharted wilderness and few paved roads. Although Madagascar is the largest island east of Africa, it is also composed of many smaller islands. We recommend a great spot for an optional excursion: Nosy Komba (Island of Lemurs) where it is possible to see the curiously amazing creatures known as lemurs up close and personal as shown in the photo below that we took last year. Departure is at 6pm.
Photo Ó 2001 by J. Lynn Palmer
December 02 Monday - At sea. Today we plan to have a presentation by our guest astronomer on the eclipse process and how to properly prepare for the event. Also on other days you will be able to hear other presentations by onboard lecturers.
December 03 Tuesday - At sea.
December 04 Wednesday - ECLIPSE DAY!! We plan to observe the total eclipse from a site nominally near 37 deg. east longitude, 27 degrees south latitude. The sun will be at an elevation of about 50 degrees, azimuth 92 degrees. Central eclipse will occur at 8:35am local time. You should be able to observe the progress of the partial phases leading up to totality and then the gradual uncovering of the sun. Each of these phase periods will last about an hour and a half.
Photo Ó 2001 by Paul D. Maley
December 05 Thursday - Richard's Bay, South Africa. Arrive at 7am. Departure at 10pm. Beginning as a small harbor in the Anglo-Boer war of 1879, Richard's Bay is surrounded by sugar cane, wetlands, and beaches. Local attractions include animal and crocodile farms, bird sanctuaries, and game parks as well as a modern shopping complex.
December 06 Friday - Durban, South Africa. Arrival at 7am. Departure at 7pm.Durban is the "place where the earth and ocean meet" in Zulu language. It is the busiest port in Africa. Attractions include the Dick King Statue, City Hall, Vasco Da Gama Clock. Walking is a pleasure in Durban's sunny and lush environment, and there are many markets in the town as well as game reserves and cultural attractions in the vicinity.
December 07 Saturday - East London, South Africa. Arrival at 8am and departure at 8pm. This is South Africa's only river port. Since 1847, about 150 ships have been wrecked within a 5km radius. It has a fantastic coastline, lush gardens and subtropical vegetation.
December 08 Sunday - Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Arrival at 7am and departure at 8pm. Known for its sunshine and safe, sandy beaches, this is one of the towns along South Africa's famed Garden Route. Attractions include the 5km long Donkin Heritage trail visiting 47 historical sites. Also only 73km away is the Shamwari Game Reserve which is home to the Big Five animals. The area is malaria free. Scuba enthusiasts will note a number of ship wrecks, coral reefs and beautifully colored fish in the warm waters with up to 30m visibility.
December 09 Monday - Mossel Bay, South Africa. Arrival at 7am and departure at 7pm. Tourist attractions include whale watching, the Granary, Maritime Museum, Post Office Tree, Shell Museum and Aquarium, and Munrohoek Cottages.
December 10 Tuesday - Cape Town, South Africa. Arrival at 8am.
Wow! What a place to end this cruise. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The magnificent Table Mountain overlooks this coastal town featuring 19th century landmarks and modern shopping centers. Enjoy a selection of optional tours.
December 11 Wednesday - Cape Town, South Africa. This morning disembark the ship. End of a great cruise.
PRICES:
Prices are discounted nearly 50% (EARLY BIRD PRICE) until May 27, 2002. After this date, the prices jump to the full fare tariff listed in the center column. All prices are specified in US Dollars. Note: outside and inside singles are at the discretion of Royal Olympic.
To see more details on the ship including deck plans, click here: EXPLORER. However, to see the layout of the various cabin styles note the diagrams below:
| CABIN CATEGORY | PRICE AFTER 5/27/02 | EARLY BIRD PRICE |
| SA(DELUX OCEANVIEW SUITE) | $19,885 | $10,937 |
| SB(DELUX OCEANVIEW SUITE) | 16,800 | 9,240 |
| SC(DELUX OCEANVIEW SUITE) | 12,740 | 7,007 |
| TA(DELUX OCEANVIEW ROOM) | 9,720 | 5,346 |
| TB(DELUX OCEANVIEW ROOM) | 9,350 | 5,143 |
| TC(DELUX OCEANVIEW ROOM) | 8,985 | 4,942 |
| A(SUPERIOR OCEANVIEW ROOM) | 8,500 | 4,675 |
| DA(SPECIAL INSIDE ROOM) | 8,040 | 4,422 |
| D(SUPERIOR INSIDE ROOM) | 7,720 | 4,246 |
| F(STANDARD INSIDE ROOM) | 6,695 | 3,682 |
| G(INSIDE STATEROOM) | 6,200 | 3,410 |
| 3RD/4TH ADULT | 5,025 | 2,764 |
| 3RD/4TH CHILD | 3,770 | 2,074 |
| OS(OUTSIDE SINGLE) | 12,750 | 7,013 |
| IS(INSIDE SINGLE) | 10,045 | 5,525 |
TOUR INCLUDES:
NOT INCLUDED:
PAYMENT SCHEDULE:
CANCELLATION PENALTIES:
| WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING DEPOSITS AS OF AUGUST 20, 2001. TO SIGN UP, CONTACT GEORGE WELLER at 281-480-1988 or 800-929-9004 or wellerg@carlsontravel .com |
