“Bucket List” travel is becoming more and more popular, as people race to see how many places they can visit before they die. Sometimes travel is all about bragging rights, and the Travelers’ Century Club is a worldwide group for globetrotters who like to tally up their travels.

View/Read more on this group and their drive to visit every corner of the world.

Below is a letter from Sven-Olof Lindblad concerning the January 7, 2010 Antarctica departure aboard National Geographic Explorer featuring reknown astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

For more information on this very limited offering, visit the Antarctica – The White Continent itinerary page on our website.

Dear Traveler,

As you know, we have a long tradition of sending our guests out on expeditions accompanied by some extraordinary travel companions. Perhaps you’ve personally traveled with one of the leading lights who’ve enhanced our voyages in the past.

This season is no exception, and frankly, even more exceptional.

Buzz Aldrin, PhD, NASA astronaut and historic moonwalker will join our January 7, 2010 Antarctica departure aboard National Geographic Explorer.

Now, there are many people on our roster of Global Luminaries that I would profoundly enjoy meeting and getting to know over the course of a voyage. Buzz Aldrin is at the top of my list.

His achievements alone would qualify him in my estimation — as a person I’d relish spending time with. And then there’s his personality.

I spoke with him at length while developing our Global Luminaries program, and it is obvious that he will be a great traveling companion. He is affable, welcoming, not at all standoff-ish, and a terrific storyteller with, needless to say, some pretty astounding stories to tell.

In addition, Dr. Aldrin is traveling to Antarctica for the first time, so he’ll be discovering it for himself — as he celebrates a milestone birthday on board. And since he is actively involved in the formulation of the current Administration’s space exploration plans, his onboard talks will be relevant to our future, as well as our past.
How interesting and fun might it be to share the discovery of Antarctica with “Rocket Hero” Buzz Aldrin — one of the world’s most acclaimed space explorers? It will undoubtedly be an experience to value. And speaking for myself, I’d definitely want the Video Chronicle of the voyage in my library!

This is a unique opportunity — to explore Antarctica with one of the world’s greatest explorers — and I’d hate you to miss it. So, I’m writing to let you know that we only have 12 cabins remaining, so only 24 more people will get the chance to join this voyage. If you’re interested in taking advantage, I’d suggest you call immediately to speak with an Expedition Specialist.

I hope you will choose to join the voyage. I know you’ll have an otherworldly experience.

Best regards,

Sven-Olof Lindblad

Itineraries will include no ports of call, only adventures.

The owner of luxury line American Safari Cruises has announced a new brand, InnerSea Discoveries, that will focus on adventure-minded vacationers.

InnerSea Discoveries is designed as a less expensive alternative to 12-year-old American Safari Cruises. The new line will operate two ships that have been out of commission for several years, the 80-passenger Wilderness Discoverer and the 66-passenger Wilderness Adventurer, which formerly belonged to Glacier Bay Cruise Lines. The vessels will undergo a top-to-bottom renovation before setting sail for the new line.

InnerSea Discoveries will offer seven-night voyages between Ketchikan and Juneau, but in an unusual twist, the sailings won’t include a single port call. Instead, the ships will spend the entire week exploring the tree-lined fjords and inlets of the mountainous Southeast region in search of wildlife and natural beauty. Nature guides stationed on the vessels will take passengers on frequent off-ship excursions on inflatable boats and kayaks to explore glaciers and icebergs, look for wildlife such as whales, bears and sea lions, and make landings for hikes through remote forests. Other adventure activities will include paddle boarding, snorkeling, “polar bear club swims,” fishing, birding and glacier walks. The line even plans optional overnight backpacking and kayaking outings from the ships.

Stay tuned for details on these itineraries.

Kapitan Khlebnikov

Polar adventure specialist Quark Expeditions announced last week that its flagship Kapitan Khlebnikov will retire as an expedition vessel in March 2012.

The icebreaker, which cruises the Arctic and Antarctic, will include special itineraries and guests during its final seasons. Khlebnikov’s last voyage for Quark will be Dec. 6, 2011, to Jan. 5, 2012. Capt. Petr Golikov, the only master mariner to have circumnavigated Antarctica in an expedition vessel twice will be aboard.

The icebreaker will return to Tanquary Fjord in Canada’s High Arctic, northern Greenland and an Emperor Penguin rookery in the Weddell Sea. Kapitan Khlebnikov will circumnavigate the Arctic before sailing one last time to the Ross Sea.

The Voyages of the Great Explorers – the Cruise West yearlong world cruise that launches in March 2010 — will feature lectures and presentations by noted travel experts from the Smithsonian Journeys on select segments of the epic world voyage.

Cruise West and Smithsonian Journeys will develop the lecture series for 10 of the 24 distinct itineraries of the yearlong cruise highlighting such exotic locales as Singapore, Rome, Alexandria, Istanbul and Mumbai. Smithsonian Journeys experts will lead in-depth discussions and presentations on each region’s rich history and culture.

The Voyages of the Great Explorers is a collection of distinct voyages that reflects the exploits of the legendary seafarers. Booked separately or as a complete journey, each segment offers historical insights into the sea commanders who first made history along the same routes.

View details of these world voyages…

This morning’s fog drifted serenely over the Sonoma Marshes. Fishermen cruised by slowly admiring our ship, National Geographic Sea Lion. Following breakfast we made our way to the town of Oxbow to visit their market. There we were enamored by the variety of spices, antiques, chocolates, and local olive oils, as well as interesting variety of fresh produce. Soon the sun burned off the clouds and we knew we would have the perfect kind of Napa Valley weather; light cool winds, warm sunshine, and comfortable temperatures.

As we drove through the gorgeous landscapes we noticed that the grape crops had been mostly harvested, leaving only a few late varietals. We also admired the olive, walnut, and sequoia trees.

Later, we ventured to the William Hill Winery, up the Napa Valley where we were greeted with magnificent Chardonnays and Merlots. We enjoyed one of the best views of the valley, and later sat down to a lesson and lunch on fine eating, given to us again, by Chef Gary Jenanyan. Excellent rib eye and Fresh Alaskan Halibut tantalized our palates. This experience was beyond expectations. Shortly thereafter, we visited a second winery, the Parraduxx, where we saw the installations and enjoyed the pristine red wines produced there. The floral planted arrangements attracted humming birds and other pollinators. Some chose to ride bikes through quiet trails of the valley vineyards. We were in awe of the peace, tranquility, and the magic of the Napa Valley.

Laura Prince, Wellness Specialist

The Antarctic is as far from the familiar as you can get without vertical lift off. And now, you’ll have the chance to explore it with someone who knows all about vertical lift-off: legendary space explorer, Astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

Join our 15-day Antarctica expedition on the January 7, 2010 departure, and you’ll share one of the most exhilarating adventures left on Earth with a space hero — veteran of the historic Apollo 11 moonwalk mission — in the 40th anniversary year of that epic achievement!

Travel to the ultimate explorer’s destination aboard National Geographic Explorer, the world’s ultimate expedition ship, under the command of the top Ice Masters in expedition travel — guided by experts from Lindblad and National Geographic.

View the itinerary: Antarctica – The White Continent

Join Our Live, Online Presentation and Learn About Small-Ship Cruising in Alaska

If you’ve been contemplating a cruise to Alaska or are wondering whether small-ship cruising is right for you then join our live, online presentation to learn more.

Learn about the different cruise styles that are available in Alaska – Soft Adventure, Expedition and Luxury. We’ll also tell you which experiences are a must for any traveler planning a journey to this pristine state. We have vast experience cruising in Alaska and will share the details of our favorite cruise lines and help you decide which small-ship cruise is right for you.

I hope that you will join us for this informative 45-minute presentation followed by an interactive question & answer period.

Presentation Details
Topic: Small Ship Cruising in Alaska
Date: Thursday, October 15
Time: 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific

Never tried an online webinar?

It’s easy! Register now by clicking on any of the following webinar titles. We’ll then send you a confirmation email with an internet link to the live slide show and a phone number to hear the presenter. The rest is up to you; join or leave at any time, type questions to the presenter or simply sit back and watch.

National Geographic Explorer sailing off the coast of Spain.

Currently, we are floating approximately 2 miles off the coast of Baiona in the northwestern coast of Spain. The water is slightly undulating under our ship with a gentle breeze sweeping off the shore, making our floating office pure heaven to experience. One can’t complain when your days are spent exploring one of the 14 natural parks in Spain called the “Islas Cíes“, meandering through the ancient cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, seeing the internationally renowned Guggenheim at 8am just as the morning light streams technicolored rays across its perfectly curved steel, or floating with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc in hand just off the coast of Baiona, Spain. To put it simply, it would be really difficult to find something to complain about.

For those of you unfamiliar with our current adventure, Ryan and I were invited to be the Iberian sommeliers on a Lindblad Expedition, which is hosted on a National Geographic Cruise ship called the Explorer. The ship is approximately 1 year old and is considered one of their larger ships holding up to 148 passengers and approximately, 100 crew. Lindblad is famous for their expeditions to far off places such as the Gallapagos Islands and the Antarctic, and while this trip is more the exception, rather than the rule, it is clearly well appreciated with the ship packed to the rims. This particular voyage started in Copenhagen and travels for 17 days down the western coast of Europe until it ports in Lisbon on the 13th of October.

Our “official” job is to provide passengers with information not only on Iberian wine, but on culture and gastronomy as well. Up and until this point, we’ve given only 1 tasting on Spanish wine, which consisted of an informal wine tasting with tapas on the aft deck with the 2008 Bodegas Hermanos Lurton from Rueda, alongside the 2005 Liberalia Cuatro from Toro, followed by a “formal” tasting of 3 wines: 2008 Txomin Etxani from Etxaniz Txakolina, 2005 Sant Bru from Portal de Montsant and finally the 2004 Bodegas Guelbenzu Azul.

What’s interesting to note is that although many of the passengers are extremely well traveled with loads of information about wine under their belt, they are an amazingly curious bunch. We’ve received statements such as, “I’ve tasted wines from Argentina, Chile, California, Italy, France and Australia, but Spain?! I have to admit, these wines are really good. Can I find wines like these near me and where can I learn more?” Other people have mentioned, “Boy, I only drink Sauvignon Blanc, but these whites are really fun! When I think of Spain, I think of red wines, but now I can think playful whites too.”

In part, they are also referring to the wines we’ve hosted at each dinner during their trek along the Iberian Peninsula. Many have been fascinated that the wines are both varied and tend to pair well with a wide variety of food. “When I tasted this Quinta da Gomariz [Colheita Seleccion 2006 from Rias Baixes] with the paella, it reminded me of some of my favorite wines at home with just a bit more flair!” Needless to say, the 18 bottles were gone in a matter of 30 minutes.

Tomorrow, we’ll disembark in Oporto and take a tour of Sandeman Port House followed by a Portuguese wine tasting we’ll host on the ship. And if we’re lucky, we’ll convert the 148 adventure travelers into Portuguese wine lovers. With wines such as the 2006 Niepoort Diablo, 2005 Dona Matilde Douro Red and the 2008 Quinta do Ameal Loureiro, I’m confident we’ll win this battle.

If you’d like to see the exact wines of our trip, we’ll be posting them on www.catavino.net/lindblad in a few days time.

Cheers,
Gabriella Opaz

A great article was published recently by The Times describing why all 20 guests of American Safari’s Safari Explorer abandoned activities such as brushing teeth, pouring the first cup of coffee and raced to the bow. Find out why yourself by reading the article.