 |
Maris Freighter Cruises |
|
There is a definite air of history about the Norwegian Coastal Voyage. For more than 100 years it has always been a part of coastal life, always arrived at the port and always been relied on. The ships bring children to their christenings, newlyweds on their honeymoons and carry milk and vegetables to remote island communities. Furthermore, works by recognized artists have helped the new ships gain renown as floating galleries. The Norwegian Coastal Voyage is a unique combination of cruise and travel, passenger ship and working ship. The fleet is comprised of 11 vessels, two mid-generation ships (built in the 80s), six contemporary ships (built in the 90s) and three millennium ships. Enjoy the panoramic views of an unforgettable treasure trove of landscapes, scenery and sights, as well as the sounds, from the comfort of an armchair or a deck chair. There is always something happening ... without much really happening at all! The ships travel at only 16 knots so you have time to enjoy the voyage, to make new friends and to just relax and take in the wonders this most beautiful voyage in the world offers. Daily departures are available year-round. Each one-way voyage calls at 34 ports. Those called at during the day on the northbound voyage are called at during the night on the southbound voyage, and vice versa. Stops vary in duration from anywhere between 45 minutes up to 6 hours. You can choose from: |
| 1) A Cruise-Only option from a 6-day one-way southbound voyage from Kirkenes to Bergen, $688 - $2,125 double pp, depending on the cabin and season; a 7-day one-way northbound voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes, $838 - $2,588; a 12-day roundtrip voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes and back, $1,250 - $3,863. All voyages include accommodation in a select cabin category on board, three meals daily shipboard: buffet breakfast, buffet lunch, and set menu dinner. |
 |
|
2) An Independent Vacation, any of the three voyage versions packaged with economy overseas flights between New York and Norway on SAS, Continental or Finnair, air taxes, first class hotel with buffet breakfast, transfers, Oslo transit and museum passes and the Bergen Railway, which offers you one of the top 20 rail experiences in the world: Norwegian Holiday - $2,780-$4,140 Highlights of Norway - $2,795-$4,320 Grand Norway - $3,085-$5,115 3) An Escorted Vacation on select departures only, March through September, includes the independent vacation program, plus extensive sightseeing, private motorcoach and service of an english-speaking tour director and local guides. These are available on certain dates, millennium ship sailings and better cabins only, they take a day or two longer than the Independent Vacation Packages, and cost approx. 30% - 80% more. Upgrade to economy extra class on SAS transatlantic flights is available for only $800. |
 |
Rates vary from an inside cabin in the low, winter season to an outside cabin in the high, summer season. A limited selection of double cabins is available for single occupancy; a supplement is applied in high season only. Senior citizens (67+) enjoy a reduction of $95 - $170, plus AARP or CARP discounts on most sailings. Shore excursions during the coastal voyage may be limited in numbers; Please ask for pre-sold packages. Sailings October through March feature onboard presentations on Norwegian culture and history. (Photo on the left: - A double cabin, typical for all ships) |
|
Please call us about Special Christmas and New Year Holiday programs, as well as new, 2005, Special Interest Programs offered by a traditional ship exploring various parts of western Norway. |
 Junior Suite on the millennium ships |
 General Information Climate and Clothing |
 |
The weather can change from day to day, even from hour to hour. In the northern part of the country, winter temperatures are normally between 20F and 35F, summer temperatures between 40F and 60F and between 50F and 70F in the southern parts. Take warm practical clothing to wear on deck and good footwear is vital for excursions ashore. Otherwise, on board the ship, dress smart but casual. |
|
Meal Times The usual meal times in the ship’s dining room are: buffet breakfast from 8:00 to 10:00, buffet lunch at 13:00 and set menu dinner at 19:00. During the peak summer months, there are several sittings, the times of which will be provided upon embarkation. The ships also have cafeterias that are open around the clock and sell drinks as well as hot and cold meals. There is no-tipping policy on all voyages. Elevators All ships have elevators and some cabins have been equipped to accommodate disabled passengers. |
|
Documents & Medical Information US and Canadian citizens need a valid passport to enter Norway. A visa is not required for visits shorter than three months. There is no age limit. Even though the ships carry more than 12 passengers, due to the short distances between the ports of call, there is no doctor on board. |
 A remote farm in northern Norway |
|
Reservations To make a reservation a Maris Registration Form and a $300 pp deposit are required. Checks, money orders, credit cards and wire transfers are accepted forms of payment. Any changes of confirmed reservations are subject to a $75 fee pp. The balance of the fare is due 65 days before departure. Cancellation fees are as follows: more than 60 days before departure, loss of deposit; 30 - 59 days 25%; no refund will be made within the last 30 days. Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is highly recommended. |
| A “Freak” of Freighter Travel |
| While cruising on the Norwegian Coastal, as well as other mail and supply ships, is very popular nowadays, centuries ago these were frequently the only ships offering travel overseas. The following is an old popular story to entertain you this holiday season. |
 The 3,528-ton Warrimoo of the Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steamship Company |
|
Are you one of those people who thinks New Year's Eve is a bit of a bore? If so, why not avoid it? Like the Captain who missed the party! All you need to do is steer a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, close to the International Date Line. This way you can begin the New Year in a hurry, forgetting about New Year's Eve altogether. It’s been done often! ... ... The night was warm and inviting and the stars shone in all their tropical brilliance. Captain Phillips relaxed in a dark corner of the bridge, quietly puffing a cigar with all the contentment that comes to a sailor when he knows the voyage is half over. His ship, the Warrimoo, was gliding through the waters of the mid-Pacific on her way from Vancouver, BC to Australia when the navigator brought him their ship's position. |
 |
It was latitude 0 degrees 30 minutes North and longitude 179 degrees 30 minutes West. The date was December 30, 1899. First Mate Dayldon exclaimed, ‘Captain, do you know what this means? We’re only a few miles from the intersection of the Equator and the International Date Line’. |
|
Captain Phillips knew exactly what it meant, and he was enough of a practical joker to take advantage of an opportunity to achieve the navigational freak of a lifetime. During an ordinary crossing of the Date Line it is confusing enough for passengers, but the possibilities he had before him were sure to confound them for the rest of their lives.
He immediately summoned four more navigators to the bridge to check and double-check the ship's position every few minutes. He altered course ever so slightly to bear directly on his mark. Then he carefully adjusted the engine speed so that he would strike it at just the right moment. The calm weather, the clear night and the eager cooperation of his entire crew worked very much in his favor. On the dot of midnight local time, the Warrimoo lay precisely on the Equator, exactly at the point where it crosses the International Date Line! This has a number of very interesting consequences. If the Date Line is crossed just as midnight strikes, December 31 never really happens. The date immediately jumps to January 1. In addition, as with the Warrimoo, once the Date Line is crossed at the Equator, for a moment the bow of the ship is in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is summer, while the stern is in the Northern Hemisphere, where it is winter. On this occasion the ship, was not only on two different days, during two different months and two different years, in two different seasons, it was also in two different centuries - all at the same time!!! Captain Phillips said later: 'I have never heard of it happening before and I guess it won't happen again for another one hundred years.’ And, as far as we know, it hasn’t happened. By travelling the other way, of course, party-goers can enjoy two New Year's Eve Parties ... In looking through various voyage records, we found the following celebrity photo and comment: |
| Opening his around-the-world tour, during which he wrote “Following the Equator”, Mark Twain with his wife Olivia, daughter Clara and their friends Major and Mrs. Pond, aboard the S.S. Warrimoo on the day of departure from Victoria, BC to Australia, August 23, 1895. |
|
| A glance over the Register of Marriages reveals how often during those “days of yore” passengers took the opportunity to celebrate the start of their new lives at sea. And getting married or renewing marriage vows remains a fashionable practice to this day, at least among those people who can afford the time for a freighter cruise. The following pictures are of our members, Mr. & Mrs. Beard, celebrating their 50th anniversary during a recent around-the-world cruise. |
 |
Captain Dieter Zengel officiating the golden anniversary vows between Wally and Christine Beard of Marietta, GA, USA on the German containership P&O Nedlloyd Hunter Valley while traveling around-the-world. |
Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia, March 21, 2004
| |
  |
|
We are most grateful for the support, including comments such as the following, which we have been receiving from our valued customers and club members as well as from the steamship lines and media over the years: |
|
|
||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Become a member of our club or give a gift membership Get a snapshot of the situation existing in the industry today, including answers to the more commonly-asked questions supported with passenger comments. Published monthly, Maris Freighter Cruises' 16-page magazine (5.75" x 8.50") also features news, schedules and firsthand stories with details on specific voyages. It's a well-illustrated, up to date guide which you'll enjoy reading at home at your convenience. |
|
Take advantage of the knowledgeable advice that comes from our vast experience. Find the ship and voyage that's perfect for you and, with each booking, you'll receive our discount bonus of $100 on any roundtrip voyage, $50 on any one-way voyage, or higher cruise discounts when available.
Simply use the short, secure VeriSign™ form by clicking on the rate (optionally Google Checkout button is available for payments from the US), call in, or mail your check. Your first copy of the magazine will be shipped with our next regular mailing at the beginning of the month. We look forward to having you with us. |
|
of Westport, CT
Cruise & Freighter Travel Club Int'l (Since 1958)
www.freightercruises.com
1 800 99-Maris (-62747) & 1 203 222-1500 (-9191 fax)
|
Maris USA 1320 Route 9 Champlain, NY 12919, USA (For USA mail) |
Maris Int'l 2700 Rufus Rockhead 313 Montreal, QC H3J 2Z7, Canada (For Canadian & Int'l mail) |
Office hours: 9am - 5pm
New York-Montreal time, Monday through Friday
________________________
Copyright © Maris