MAY 2013
AAA MOTORIST
PAGE 7
Set sail on a repositioning cruise this fall Changes in latitude bring changes in attitude
C
ooling fall temperatures can signal some hot cruise deals. Cruise ships, like migratory birds, tend to follow the sun, and in the fall many ships return to the Caribbean from Europe, Alaska, and New England. Since no cruise line wants to sail without passengers, they offer a variety of special off-season and promotional rates, all of which make these repositioning cruises a particularly fine bargain. Many cruise lines also use additional sea days to enhance onboard activities with special themes and out-ofthe-ordinary entertainment. This rare combination of exotic, off the beaten path locales, leisurely days at sea, and incredible value means they often sell out early. If there’s a downside it’s that these cruises begin and end in different ports and that can mean buying two, one-way plane tickets. Celebrity Cruises’ 14-night Spanish Serenade repositioning cruise departs Barcelona onboard Celebrity Equinox October 27. Ports include of Palma De Mallorca; Valencia; and Malaga, Spain; Lanzarote, and Tenerife, Canary Islands; and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Often referred to as the Hawaii of the Atlantic the Canary Islands’ seven major islands are all remnants of extinct volcanoes. The French poet André Breton called them “a surreal paradise” where
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admire the breathtaking scenery along Madeira’s southern coast. The Madeira Islands are famous for their strategic location along the old trade routes between Africa and the Americas, and the wonderful Madeira wine produced here. From the time of Vasco Da Gama, to the age of the steamship, the Madeira Islands served as a supply and fuel stop for countless sea voyagers. George Washington is said to have loved Madeira wine and drank a pint of it daily. Today’s Madeira wine comes in a range of varieties — from young, light and dry, to the rich, honeyed vintages over one hundred years old. Visitors also come to the islands for their remarkable natural beauty, the beaches, golf, hiking, deep-sea fishing, and old world charm.
WISH YOU WERE HERE — Repositioning cruises offer one-of-a-kind ports like Funchal, Madeira. snowcapped mountains loom over lush tropical lagoons. Lanzarote, the northernmost of the Canary Islands, was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1993. Arrecife, the island’s capital presides over a smiling crescent of beach with a broad, palm-lined promenade. Mount Teide, a dormant volcano and the tallest mountain in Spain, dominates Tenerife, the largest of the islands. Princess Cruises is sailing 15-night Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale Transatlantic Cruise onboard Ruby
Princess November 29. Ports include featuring Barcelona; Toulon, France; Florence/Pisa (Livorno), and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; and Madeira (Funchal), Portugal. Located 750 miles southwest of Lisbon, about 300 miles from the west coast of Africa, the “Islands of Eternal Spring” are nature’s very own botanical garden overflowing with frangipani, bougainvillea, hibiscus, orchids and azalea. Home to some of the world’s highest volcanic cliffs, from Cabo Girão you can
NO SHAGGY DOG STORY
Contrary to popular belief the Canary Islands’ name has nothing to do with the colorful songbird. The name derives from Latin term Insularia Canaria, or Island of the Dogs, referring to the fierce packs of wild dogs that once roamed Grand Canaria. FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please see your AAA Departures Guide or log on to AAA.com/cruises for special values on cruise vacations.
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