The once 570-passenger ship is undergoing a major refurbishment and will emerge with a significantly reduced capacity of just 350 guests – allowing for more than 80 new suites and staterooms. Accompanying each voyage are knowledgeable speakers that engage passengers with fascinating information about each port. Scheduled itineraries include ancient wonders like Pompeii, the Monastery of Osios Loùka, the island of Pátmos, and the volcanoes of Vesuvius.

As part of the inaugural season, Voyages to Antiquity is featuring promotional specials such as free airfare from East Coast cities, no single-traveler supplement, and up to $1,000 off per stateroom on select itineraries. The 2010 odysseys will also include complimentary shore excursions in every port of call, gratuities, and wine with dinner.  Two-week cruises start at $3,495.

For more information, visit www.voyagestoantiquity.com.

I stepped on the gas.

As I approached the port, I could easily tell where the ship was arriving by the herds of passengers gathering on the top decks of other cruise ships trying to get a birds-eye view. I parked the car, hopped out and was immediately hit with the ocean spray from several fire boats escorting the Oasis of the Seas into the United States.

At 20 stories tall, the ship towers nearly half the height of the smokes stacks in the port – easily dwarfing her fellow cruise liners. In fact, I could not capture Oasis in her entirety in my camera lens and had to take a video instead. Take a look, but you have to see it first hand to believe it.

I’ll be onboard next Friday, November 20 to give you a sneak preview inside this floating metropolis.

Despite the fact that Carnival just recently launched its own “Dream” ship, (see Carnival Dream Inaugural) Disney is naming its newest masterpiece the Disney Dream. We’ll let the “pre-used” name slide, after all Disney is known for dreamers and aboard the new ship is no exception. The creative team developed a 3-D digital movie theater, an interactive ocean lab for kids that lets them “navigate” the high seas, and a high-powered water coaster that sends guests soaring through a translucent funnel before making a 150-foot plunge.

Perhaps one of the most original ideas to appear on a cruise ship is Disney’s virtual porthole, which makes a mundane interior cabin blossom into a fun-filled home base by bringing the outside world in.  Families can peer through their stateroom window and see a real-time view outside the ship – with guest appearances from their favorite animated characters to boot.

The whimsical Dream will be sailing a series of three and 4-night voyages in the Bahamas beginning in January 2011.

For more information or to book your Disney Dream cruise, visit www.disneycruise.com.

Carrying a $1.5 billion price tag, the new ship is loaded with innovative entertainment options like an outdoor theater featuring acrobatics and high diving acts, a boardwalk, zip line, carousel, and – in the middle of it all – rests a living garden appropriately named “Central Park”.

The ship is expected to arrive in its home port of Port Everglades on Thursday, November 12 and will embark on a series of inaugural voyages before settling in to its routine schedule in the Eastern Caribbean.

For an up-to-date status of ship’s transatlantic journey, visit www.oasisoftheseas.com.

The houseboats are fully-equipped to sleep as many as ten people comfortably and the 70’ Millennium Houseboat even has a hot tub on the upper deck. Each one is stocked with a kitchen, barbecue grills, and a waterslide, plus for the Thanksgiving holiday you’ll also have a turkey waiting in the ‘fridge. Rates for this package vary on location, but the Lake Mead special starts at $2,038 (normally $5,095). This offer is valid on rentals from November 25 through November 29.

For more information, visit www.foreverhouseboats.com.

After embarking from Barbados on November 14, the 1,260-passenger Artemis spends a day at sea before reaching Aruba, also known as the “playground of the Caribbean” for its tourist-friendly beaches and attractions. Next, the ship heads to Central America for an eco-tourism experience in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica and Colon, Panama before sailing on to colorful Curaçao.

During the time at sea, experience P & O’s personalized treatment with a passenger-to-staff ratio of 2-to-1, elegant formal evenings, and traditional afternoon tea. The Artemis also boasts a theater, casino, numerous lounges, fitness center, and luxurious spa. After anchoring in Curaçao the ship visits a flurry of off-the-path ports including Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Vincent, Tobago, and Grenada before returning to Barbados. Oceanview cabins are priced from $1,609 – that’s 71 percent off rack rates!

For more information, visit www.vacationstogo.com.

This musically-themed cruise embarks from Portsmouth, England on December 6 and spends 3 leisurely days at sea sailing to Funchal, Portugal, the historic capital of the island of Madeira. The ship then calls on La Gomera where towering cliffs and sprawling valleys await adventurous travelers. Next up is Santa Cruz on Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, offering volcanic-sand beaches and snow-capped mountains. The Boudicca then sails on to Las Palmas on Grand Canary Island where passengers can stroll along the charming streets or botanical gardens before visiting Lisbon, Portugal. Here, visitors can explore the city’s many castles and cathedrals prior to a relaxing return voyage to Portsmouth. Oceanview cabins are originally priced from $3,568, but are now selling for just $1,141 – that’s nearly 68 percent off!

For more information, visit www.vacationstogo.com.

Launched this September, the Carnival Dream is the cruise line’s largest creation and it showcases new features like the mid-ship Seaside Theatre, a two-deck mini-golf course, and a laser light show. After embarking from New York City on November 23, passengers will have two leisurely days at sea to try the ship on for size before reaching Port Canaveral, Florida. After that, the Dream will call on both Nassau and Freeport, Bahamas before making its way back to New York. 

Interior cabins on this cruise are priced from just $499 (originally $1,819) for a total savings if nearly 73 percent! Plus, New Yorkers can save even more by sailing out of their home port and avoiding the cost (and hassle) of flying to another embarkation port. Instead, they can take those savings and upgrade to a balcony cabin which are available for just $729.

For more information, visit www.expedia.com.

Despite these cancellations, the Seabourn Spirit is still set to depart from the Mediterranean in November 2010 and will sail through the Gulf of Aden to Dubai and Oman. Controlled zones – such as the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Aden – have driven pirates south and east to the Indian Ocean. According to Seabourn spokesman, Bruce Good, the risk of danger is much less in the Gulf of Aden than it has been in previous months.

Seabourn Cruises will not cancel the Legend’s 2010-2011 season altogether and will instead station the ship in the safer shores of the Caribbean. Guests are discouraged from bringing any pirate paraphernalia due to poor taste.

The 2,100-passenger Costa Atlantica is an entirely modern ship oozing plenty of Italian flavor, with much of the ship’s design and décor drawing inspiration from either the city of Venice or Frederico Fellini films. Expect Mediterranean-influenced cuisine (the menu in the main dining hall changes daily to reflect different regions of Italy), a double-decker nightclub dubbed “Dante’s Inferno,” a charming lounge that’s a dead-on replica for the bellini birthplace of Caffe Florian in Venice, and a trio of pools (including one with a tricked out waterslide; pictured here).

If the October 25 sailing date is too close for comfort, not to despair – the ship will be returning for the 2010 fall season (so mark those calendars!).

Visit www.costacruise.com to book.