QE2 Chocolate Trip Is Among Themed Cruises

Many first-time cruise passengers go up the gangway as part of a special-interest or alumni group. This winter, everyone from chocoholics to skiers will find a sailing to suit.

For 1992, several cruises themed around the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ first landfall in the New World are being offered by New York-based Columbus Jubilee Cruises (800-468-1992).

The new Radisson Diamond, the first twin-hulled vessel in transatlantic service, will sail from Genoa Sept. 19 and call at Palma, Malaga, Las Palmas, Barbados and St. Thomas on an 18-day voyage to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A second eight-day itinerary will include departure from San Juan Oct. 10 for an Oct. 12 arrival in San Salvador, in the Bahamas, where Columbus is believed to have made his first landfall. Special ceremonies are scheduled there. The ship will then continue on to Miami. In addition, there will be gala balls in both Genoa and San Juan. Per-person, double-occupancy prices begin at $7,250 for the transatlantic sailing and $3,225 for the San Juan-to-Miami itinerary.

The 768-passenger Majestic, from Premier Cruises, will sail from Port Canaveral Oct. 11 to drop anchor Oct. 12 in San Salvador. The ship goes on to Nassau the next day, then returns to Port Canaveral Oct. 15. Prices begin at $800 per person, double occupancy, for this sailing.

Holland America Line’s Noordam is also cruising around San Salvador on selected sailings. The ship’s 10-day Seafarer cruises will circle the island on the departures Jan. 7 and 27, Feb. 16 and March 7. Another Noordam sailing, departing Oct. 11, 1992, will circle the island of San Salvador on Oct. 12.

Windstar’s 148-passenger Wind Star visits the island of San Salvador on a Nassau-to-Martinique 13-day cruise departing Oct. 26. Seven-day cruises that depart through Oct. 19 from the ship’s Nassau base also call at San Salvador and Little San Salvador islands.

The 50th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor has set off a flurry of activity in Hawaii. American Hawaii Cruises will host two weeks of theme cruises aboard both the Independence and the Constitution, the first sailing Nov. 30 and the second sailing Dec. 7. A 1940s theme, with music, decor and personalities from the era, will include speakers John Costello, a historian and author; James Kimery, ex-commander-in-chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Ken Creese, past president of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Assn.

On Dec. 6, a parade will be held in Honolulu, followed by sunrise and sunset memorial services Dec. 7 at Punch Bowl. Daylong National Park Service commemorations will be conducted at Pearl Harbor and the battleship Arizona Memorial.

Cunard’s Sagafjord will be in port in Honolulu Dec. 7-10 for the commemoration weekend, giving passengers booked on the Nov. 29 Hawaii cruise accommodations on board during the events. But passengers booked on the Dec. 10 cruise can purchase a four-night hotel package for $799 per person, double, for a first-class hotel or $899 for a deluxe hotel.

The Dec. 10 sailing from Honolulu is also a theater festival at sea, with notable Broadway stars re-creating famous roles on the transpacific crossing to Ensenada.

Cunard’s QE2 is making its fourth-annual cruise for chocolate-lovers Sept. 21 from New York to Canada and New England. Chocolate bingo, afternoon ice cream bashes, chocolate bedtime pillow gifts and a champagne-and-chocolate reception are on the agenda, as well as the colorful autumn leaves of New England. Book through Landry & Kling, (800) 448-9002, which offers fares for the six-day sailing as low as $820 for a single or $890 per person, double occupancy, for an inside double cabin.

The QE2 will also welcome the Moscow State Conservatoire for concerts aboard two transatlantic crossings this fall, Oct. 21 from Southampton and Cork to New York, and Nov. 3 from New York to Southampton. The 17-piece orchestra features acclaimed pianist Andrei Diev, soprano Tatiana Korovina and cellist Servei Sudzilovsky.

Dizzy Gillespie and Joe Williams and his Quartet are among the headliners for the Ninth Annual Floating Jazz Festival aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norway. Dates for the two sailings are Oct. 19 and 26 from Miami. Different artists appear on each.

On Sept. 28, also on the Norway, a special Celebrity Ski Cruise sets out with Olympic medalists Billy Kidd and Jimmy Huega, and freestyle champion Suzy Chaffee. A Supersport Fitness and Beauty cruise Oct. 12 stars spa owner Sheila Cluff, NFL Hall of Fame running back Floyd Little, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Eddie Murray, former Boston Celtics star guard Sam Jones, Olympic swimmer Steve Lundquist and several 1992 Olympic hopefuls.

Clipper Cruise Line’s 100-passenger Nantucket Clipper offers golf cruises along the Golden Strand of the South Carolina and Georgia coast Nov. 16 and 30, with tee times at St. Simons Island Club, Port Royal Plantation, Sea Pines Plantation, Wild Dunes Resort and Kiawah Island Resort.

Pre-holiday Christmas shopping sailings are a popular Holland America Line tradition. During November and December, passengers aboard the Rotterdam, Westerdam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Noordam will meet designers and manufacturers’ representatives from companies such as Diane Freis, Lancome, Elizabeth Arden, Calvin Klein and Waterford, who will be on hand to give lectures and shopping tips.

The Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen will celebrate Christmas with old-fashioned holiday sailings from three to seven nights from New Orleans between Nov. 21 and Dec. 29. From Cajun bonfires along the levees to caroling and classes in Victorian parlor crafts, the season is celebrated in a big way aboard the colorful paddle-wheel steamers.

Paquet’s Mermoz will repeat its popular Berlitz Transatlantic Cruise sailing May 2 from Guadeloupe. The 18-day crossing includes optional intensive French conversation classes daily, plus the cuisine, costumes, music and dance of all the provinces of France. Berlitz participants are required to register at least 60 days in advance of the sailing.