“Quark’s family-focused Arctic expedition takes advantage of a kid’s natural curiosity and sense of adventure,” stated Hans Lajerweij, President of Quark Expeditions. “The Arctic trip especially, is a great way to combine activity and learning; to spot polar bears and other wildlife, and come away with a deeper understanding of the history, nature and importance of these incredibly unique areas of the world.”

In addition to the educational experience aboard a unique “polar classroom”, there is also plenty of adventure to keep everyone happy and active, including shore landings in Zodiacs, snowshoeing and camping available on all of Quark’s Arctic expeditions.

Quark is also offering an 11-day, December holiday season Antarctic Explorer expedition with family-friendly pricing. This is the classic Antarctic Peninsula trip and also explores the South Shetland Island visiting penguins and seals along the way.

Reservations

Quark Expeditions is offering two upcoming family-friendly priced departures. Children travel at a 15% reduced rate in the Arctic on the Polar Bear Safari and in the Antarctic on the Antarctic Explorer. Enter the code KIDSP for online reservations.

Please note, as part of Quark’s commitment to only the highest safety standards, children must be at least 12 years old to participate on an expedition.

Polar Bear Safari: Spitsbergen Family Adventure: August 2-9, 2012 prices from $3,690 per person.

Family-Friendly Antarctic Explorer: The Classic Adventure: December 25, 2012 – January 4, 2013 prices from $6,995 per person.

To book your trip, call a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 888-892-0171 or visit www.quarkexpeditions.com.

Since 1991, Quark established a tradition of firsts in polar expedition travel. The company was first to transit the Northeast Passage with commercial passengers; the first to take travelers to the “Far Side” of Antarctica and the first to circumnavigate the Antarctic continent with guests. Quark is recognized for its diverse passenger fleet – including the only polar-class icebreaker operating as an expedition ship in Antarctica. In 2011, Quark was named a recipient of National Geographic Traveler’s “50 Tours of a Lifetime” for their “Three Arctic Islands” voyage.

The promotion comes as the Norwegian Jewel is set to make its inaugural debut in Alaska on May 19, joining Norwegian Pearl and marking the first time that two Jewel-class ships will sail in Alaska.

Norwegian Jewel’s weekly Sawyer Glacier cruises will depart on Saturdays from May 26 to Sept. 8 to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, B.C.

The 2,394-passenger Norwegian Pearl will return to Seattle sailing weekly seven-day Glacier Bay cruises departing on Sundays from May 13 to Sept. 9, 2012 to Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria.

Crystal Cruises is offering a spring NFL-themed voyage that will feature Don Shula, Larry Csonka and other football legends.

The cruise is the May 8 trans-Atlantic sailing from New York to Dover.

Guests include Shula, the Hall of Famer who holds the most wins in National Football League history as coach of the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Colts — two teams that won Super Bowls under his leadership. Other speakers will include Csonka, a Super Bowl MVP and Hall of Fame All-Pro running back for Shula’s undefeated Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants; Jim Tunney, who spent 30 years as a professional football official; and Dick Vermeil, a former Rose Bowl- and Super Bowl-winning head coach of UCLA, the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles and St. Louis Rams.

The trans-Atlantic itinerary, which has only three of its 16 days at sea, overnights in New York before sailing to Newport, R.I.; Boston; St. John’s, Newfoundland; Reykjavik and Heimaey (maiden call), Iceland; Tórshavn, Faeroe Islands, Denmark; Ålesund, Hellesylt/Geiranger and Bergen, Norway; and London/Dover. Until Feb. 28, per-person fares start at $5,055.

January – Dry season for gorilla tracking in Uganda

Where better to be based for gorilla tracking than Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest? This UNESCO World Heritage site in Uganda is home to half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas and recently welcomed two new gorilla families in June 2011.

This has allowed an increase in the number of daily gorilla tracking permits for guests, although due to the luxury camp’s unique location, many guests encounter the gorilla families without even leaving the grounds!

February – Celebrate Valentine’s Day with sky beds & star baths

The five suites at the intimate Sanctuary Baines’ Camp in Botswana all have private viewing decks where an intimate bath for two can be arranged. Guests also have the option to roll out their four-poster bed for a night under the stars, overlooking the shimmering waters of the Boro River.

March – First waters start to flood the Okavango Delta in Botswana

The Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland delta, formed by the flooding of the Okavango River in the Kalahari Desert.

In March, guests at Sanctuary Chief’s Camp witness the first waters pushing through the Delta.

April – Celebrate Easter on the Yangzi in China

Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer offers the finest and most personalized service on the river, carrying just 124 passengers. Easter cruises include special activities like Easter Egg painting, an Easter Egg hunt and dinner with the Easter Bunny!

May – Marvel at the Victoria Falls in full flow
Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and rightly so! Spray from the falls typically rises to a height of over 400 meters, sometimes surpassing even that. It is visible from up to 50 kilometers away, hence the local name for the falls and the surrounding national park, Mosi-Oa-Tunya, “the Smoke that Thunders.”

Minutes away from Victoria Falls, Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma, is a collection of 12 tree houses situated on a dramatic bend in the Zambezi, providing guests with amazing views.

June – A walking safari in Zambia’s South Luangwa

The South Luangwa National Park is the birthplace of the walking safari and home to Sanctuary Retreats’ newest camp, Sanctuary Zebra Plains.

Guests can explore the pristine and unspoiled wilderness with one of the country’s most experienced guides.

The diversity of the surrounding habitat, home to large populations of zebra, elephant, buffalo, crocodile, puku, and over 400 bird species, provides some of the most spectacular walking in Africa.

July – See the Great Migration in the Masai Mara

From July to October, the Masai Mara is the stage for the Wildebeest Migration, one of nature’s greatest shows.

Guests staying at Sanctuary Olonana in Kenya can see millions of wildebeest and zebra journey between the Masai Mara and Serengeti in search of greener pastures.

August – Improve photography skills in the Galapagos

In August, Galapagos hawks court on Espanola and Santiago Islands, migrant shore birds begin to arrive, giant tortoises return to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island and Sanctuary Retreats is hosting a special photography workshop cruise with an award-winning photographer aboard the MV Eclipse!

September – Dry season for superb cheetah viewing in the Serengeti

With endless plains, the wildebeest migration, and countless big cats, the Serengeti is undoubtedly an epic safari destination. Sanctuary Kusini, the only permanently tented camp in the southern Serengeti, is located directly in the path of the seasonal cheetah movement, making it an ideal place to spot cheetah year-round.

October – Experience the Abu Simbel Sun Festival in Egypt

Twice a year, in February and October, the inner sanctum of the temple at Abu Simbel is illuminated by the sun’s rays.

It is believed Ramses II designed the temple to celebrate his ascension to the throne and his birthday. Guests can experience this wondrous sight aboard the Sanctuary Nile Adventurer.

November – Prime bird-watching in Tanzania’s Tarangire

Tarangire, in northern Tanzania, is known for its baobab trees and large herds of elephants. Additionally, the park is home to approximately 550 different types of birds, including many rare species. Sanctuary Swala offers both walking and night drives, providing countless opportunities for bird spotting.

December – Swap tradition for the exotic!
This year, why not celebrate the festive season by dining with elephants in the Okavango Delta? Or with a Maasai celebration in the Masai Mara? Or an exploration of ancient Egypt with a Nile cruise? The options are endless with Sanctuary Retreats.

The Sanctuary Sale:

Book before February 29, 2012 and save 25% in China, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. For more information on travel dates and conditions please visit: www.sanctuaryretreats.com/sanctuary_sale.cfm

About Sanctuary Retreats

Sanctuary Retreats’ collection of luxury safari lodges and explorer ships bring the boutique experience to guests with the added promise of authenticity. Each property is completely individual in its design and operated around the philosophy of “Luxury, naturally.”

All have the same aim: to allow guests to have a “real” experience and enjoy a more natural kind of luxury in properties that have a strong commitment to conservation and responsible tourism. The Sanctuary portfolio includes safari camps and lodges in Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, as well as expedition cruise ships on the Nile, Yangzi and Galapagos Islands.

For more information about Sanctuary Retreats, please visit www.sanctuaryretreats.com,  email info@sanctuaryretreats.com  or call +44 (0)207 190 7739.

Royal Clipper, the 227-passenger flagship, continues to sail two seven-night, roundtrip Barbados itineraries. The Windward Islands itinerary features calls at St. Lucia, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts, Iles des Saintes and Martinique. The Grenadine Islands itinerary includes calls at the Grenadines, Grenada, Tobago Cays, St. Vincent, Bequia, Martinique and St. Lucia.

The 170-passenger Star Clipper sails two seven-night itineraries roundtrip from St. Maarten. The “Treasure Islands” itinerary calls at Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts and St. Barts. The Leeward Islands itinerary visits Nevis, Dominica, Iles de Saintes, Guadeloupe, Antigua and St. Barts.

Star Flyer returns to Costa Rica with seven-night roundtrip Puerto Caldera sailings.

The 170-passenger ship calls at San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; and Playa del Coco, National Park Santa Rosa, Flamingo Beach, and Isla Tortugas/National Reserve of Curu (overnight), Costa Rica. The “Costa Rica and Panama” itinerary calls at Isla Gamez, Panama; and Golfito, Drake Bay, Isla del Caño (evening scenic sailing), Quepos and Isla Tortugas/National Reserve of Curu (overnight).

Two additional itineraries between Balboa, Panama, and Puerto Caldera also call at Isla Iguana, Panama.

Star Flyer will transit the Panama Canal on a 14-night cruise that departs Barbados Nov. 25, 2012. A 14-night transit departing March 30, 2013, sails from Balboa to St. Maarten.

Cruise fares for Star Clipper’s Caribbean and Star Flyer’s Costa Rica seven-night sailings begin at $2,075 per person, double occupancy, which includes the advance-purchase discount and free air. Royal Clipper fares begin at $2,195 per person, double occupancy, for the seven-night Caribbean sailings, which also includes the savings of 30 percent and free air.

Port charges of $225 per person are additional. Free air is available from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

The itinerary includes Hanoi, Vietnam, and Cambodia’s Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, gateway to the legendary UNESCO Angkor Wat temples. The 13 included excursions are led by local experts, who guide groups of no more than 20 people. Excursions include viewing stone carvers at work and visits to local schools to learn about ancient customs such as Apsara dancing.

“The success of this program has been overwhelming, and we are so proud to be able to bring people to these amazing countries,” said Uniworld President Guy Young. “Because of the demand for travelers to want to experience these regions, we are going to launch another new ship, the River Orchid, in 2013.”

The 14-night cruise-tour operates includes a seven-night cruise between Kampong Cham in Cambodia and My Tho in Vietnam. For the land portion, guests spend seven nights in five-star hotels, including buffet breakfast, service charges, and porterage. Uniworld’s guests also receive private check-in with welcome drinks and in-room flowers and fruit platter. At the Victoria Angkor Hotel & Spa, each guest receives a monogrammed bathrobe to keep.

The documentary features Americans Sameer and Divya Sharma from Massachusetts, who were celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary, and 18-year-old Amanda Warrick, another Massachusetts resident, who had never been to Europe and was traveling with her older brothers.

“At first there was a tilt and a shake of the ship, that’s when tables and glasses started crashing,” Warrick says. “I was kind of in shock, I remember immediately standing up and looking at my brothers. I was just kind of speechless and silent.”

The show outlines the chaos of the day, including the passengers’ calls to the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard’s calls to the ship, the ship’s response that there was a blackout but that it was under control, and the continued announcements that everything was fine. Nearly one hour after the impact, the captain calls an emergency on board.

On A Spring Break Family Vacation

WATERTOWN, Mass.—Take your family to experience the rich culture of the Andes in Ecuador and the natural history of the Galapagos on this incredible family “Islands And Inca Ruins” spring break adventure by Thomson Family Adventures. The journey begins in the rolling highlands of the Ecuadorian Andes with visits to local villages and artisans, optional horseback riding, rock climbing at Cojitambo Mountain, a hike through Aguarongo Forest, and more.

The journey continues west into the Pacific for a four-night cruise through the Galapagos Islands, one of the planet’s most fascinating ecosystems. Highlights of this portion of the trip include two shore expeditions per day, wildlife viewing, tours led by professional naturalist guides, accommodation aboard the 293 foot Galapagos Explorer II, and much more.Each day we disembark on a different island to explore, swim and view the almost tame wildlife.

Optional extensions to Peru are available. Prices start at $4540. Dates available Feb-December.

Spring break departures are available in March and April.

www.familyadventures.com

Fares start at $2,295 per guest, double occupancy, which includes a pre- or post-cruise hotel stay, bottled water and soft drinks, wine and beer at dinner and complimentary shore adventures in each port of call.

The Aug. 10 to 20 voyage sails from New Orleans and visits Vicksburg and Helena, Miss.; Chattanooga, Memphis and Savannah (for Shiloh National Military Park), Tenn.; Paducah, Ky.; and Decatur, Ala.

The Aug. 20 to 30 voyage between Chattanooga and Vicksburg visits Decatur and Florence, Ala.; Savannah for Shiloh National Military Park; Paducah; and Ashport Landing and Memphis, Tenn.

The Aug. 30 to Sept. 7 voyage between Vicksburg and Louisville, Ky., visits Helena, Ark.; Memphis; and Henderson, and Louisville, Ky.

The Aug. 10 voyage, presented by American Experience and Artful Travelers, will feature Ric Burns, who co-produced the PBS series “The Civil War” in 1990, and Mark Samels, executive producer of “American Experience” on PBS.

The Aug. 20 cruise will feature historian A. Wilson Greene, manager with the National Park Service and founding member of the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites; James I. “Bud” Robertson Jr., executive director of the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission; Barry Meadows, who portrays Gen. Ulysses S. Grant; and Al Stone, who portrays Gen. Robert E. Lee.

The Aug. 30 cruise will feature the Hon. Frank J. Williams, founding chairman of the Lincoln Forum and retired chief justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island, and Harold Holzer, vice chairman of the Lincoln Forum and co-chairman of the U.S. Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

France Cruises’ “Hotel & Tour” offer includes 29 excursions in eight cities. Among them are 11th century medieval castles in Carcassonne, a wine-making lesson in Bordeaux and dining at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Additionally, guests can choose their hotel, or select from the cruise company’s sample list of recommendations, which range from traditional boutique hotels to deluxe chateaux and historic country inns.

The promotion is valid for new bookings only, and is subject to availability. A two-night minimum stay in the hotel is required for full-day excursions; however, a one-night stay may allow for a half-day excursion if available.