Vintage Cruise Voyages

Considering some of the negative press cruise ships have been given over what seems like the last year or so, you'd imagine people would be shaking in their boots to hit the high seas, but such is not the case. Travelers are still taking to the ocean's sometimes choppy waters and opting to make more out of their experiences on board rather than when they dock in say, St. Thomas. Least that's what a new cruise liner called Vintage Voyages hopes to encourage on their extreme-theme vintage reenactment voyages. While themes like quilting, jazz, wine and murder mystery tours on deck are nothing new and have been popular for ages, Vintage Voyages has stepped it up a notch, providing a variety of packages catering to more adventure minded travelers with a thirst for history.

Take the Columbus Rediscovery Vintage Voyage for example. Noted as one of the most exclusive cruises, 90 participants set sail much the same way Christopher Columbus did back in 1492 on his way to discover the New World. Interestingly enough the cruise has three ships named after the original Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. Travelers on each ship are required to dress the way Columbus and his crew did and function under the same basic conditions. Meals include bread, beer, hard biscuits, fish and salted meat served nightly. Sleeping will only be allowed on the deck of the ship in cramped, damp conditions much like how the seamen used to rest. The cruise lasts 71 days at sea embarking from Spain and arriving in the Bahamas - where it is said Columbus first saw landfall. Vintage Voyages also prides itself in the cost of the rediscovery voyage asking interested parties to pay only what would be equivalent to what King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella gave Columbus in the 1400's. ($450 USD.)

The company advertises the tour as a perfect event for extended family reunions.

Other packages include:

• Titanic Shipwreck Vintage Voyage - Reenact the entire three hours the Titanic spent at sea. (Must be a certified diver for the ship sinking part.)
• Moby Dick Literary Vintage Voyage - Hunt for white whales on the Pequod.
• Gilligan's Island TV Vintage Voyage - Play your favorite character from the show for the entire first season.
  

Filed under: History, Learning, Scuba Diving, Festivals and Events, Europe, North America, Oceania, April Fools Posts