I learned from David Drier, CEO of Clipper, and its parent company INTRAV that Clipper focuses on less visited places of natural beauty and historical interest, offering thoughtful alternatives for those who are looking for a more meaningful travel experience. Clipper's emphasis is on destinations, comfortable accommodations and a casual atmosphere, according to Drier.
From its inception, Clipper Cruises was concerned about the possible impact on the environment by the massive new ships being put into service to accommodate more and more passengers. Clipper anticipated the growing demand for smaller ships. As a matter of fact, the company's two United States flag ships, the Nantucket Clipper and the Yorktown Clipper, were designed with the shallow draft and easy maneuverability necessary to provide access to secluded areas beyond the reach of larger ships and mainstream tourism, I was informed.
Added six years ago was the Clipper Adventurer, an expedition vessel with an A-1 ice rating that offers itineraries in Europe, Iceland, Greenland, North and South America and Antarctica. And five years ago, in 1999, Clipper responded to requests for itineraries further a field with the commissioning of the more luxurious Clipper Odyssey. This ship features voyages in the Pacific - Australia and the Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, the North Pacific, including Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands, Alaska and the islands of the South Pacific with Hawaii, Tahiti and Fiji.
This summer, on July 17, passengers will be cruising Lake Erie and Lake Huron, guests will embark in Buffalo and board the Nantucket Clipper for a leisurely 10-day cruise that is unavailable to larger cruise ships. Ports-of-call will include Windsor, and Goderich, Ontario, as well as Mackinaw City and Port Huron in Michigan. On Aug. 11 and 18, following a route set by early settlers on the Nantucket Clipper, two cruises will follow the route of the traders and explorers for eight days and navigate the Great Lakes coastline from Buffalo to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
As the weather in the Northeast gets cooler, on Oct. 12, the Clipper Adventurer will depart for the southern Caribbean - from Panama to Trinidad and Tobago - along a route made famous by the early Caribbean explorers. They will navigate areas with colorful marine life, lush rain forests and fabulous tropical locales with an extraordinary stop at Angel Falls. This will be a marvelous 13-day sea adventure.
South America, jungle rivers and magnificent birds from the Orinoco to the Amazon will be the sights for the passengers on the Clipper Adventurer for 14 days starting on Oct. 25. They will have the opportunity to explore native villages, see colorful costumes or displays of modest nudity among the various tribes and be enchanted by the exotic flora and fauna of the tropical locales and magnificent jungles.
The Clipper Odyssey will explore New Caledonia and New Zealand starting on Nov. 23 for 15 days. The guests will visit the beautiful South Pacific islands, rich with scenic splendor and cultural significance. After three days in New Caledonia and a full day at the seldom visited Norfolk Island, the passengers will enjoy the natural beauty and friendly people of New Zealand.
For more information about itineraries, rates and accommodations, travelers should contact their travel professional advisors or call Clipper Cruise Line toll-free at (800) 325-0010.
Copyright by Marcia Abramson
E-mail:mascribe@aol.com
