Crystal Cruises has recently completed a $25 million renovation of the Crystal Symphony cruise ship. The makeover includes completely transformed Crystal Penthouses, Lido Café and pool areas; elegantly redesigned Penthouses and Prego Italian restaurant; and dozens of behind-the-scenes improvements.

I sailed on the Crystal Symphony last spring and loved the interiors and design of the ship. It's difficult to imagine what improvements have been made with this investment, but it's nice to know that cruise lines are constantly striving to make their products better.

Crystal Symphony Gets $25 Million Makeover

Crystal Symphony in Hong Kong (c) Linda Garrison

Isn't this a beautiful setting for a beautiful cruise ship? The Seabourn Odyssey is anchored at Fiscardo on the island of Cephalonia in Greece.

More on the Seabourn Odyssey

Seabourn Odyssey at Fiscardo (c) Linda Garrison

Costa Cruises has announced a big "Moonlight Amore" sale to coincide with the Black Friday sales at all the retail stores. The sale features fares for select 7-night Caribbean cruises from just $199 per person when booking this Friday, November 27, 2009 via the following routes:

• Between the hours of 4-6 a.m. EST on costacruises.com.
• Via costacruises.com or (800) GO-COSTA between 6 a.m.-10 a.m.

Availability is limited so travelers are encouraged to book early! The $199 per person lead rate is for inside cabins, $299 per person for ocean view and $399 per person for veranda. Amazing deals all around!

Image Courtesy of Costa Cruises

Silversea Cruises has announced that all voyages for 2011 are now open for sale and complete day-by-day itineraries are available at www.silversea.com. In the next few weeks, reservations will also open for the expedition ship Prince Albert II.

In 2011, the company's quintet of elegant all-suite ships, Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and the new Silver Spirit, will offer 170 diverse itineraries, visiting over 335 ports in more than 100 countries and island destinations.

From the pristine wilderness of Alaska and the amazing pyramids of Egypt to the ancient castles of Dublin and the sleek yachts of Monte Carlo, Silversea will present a diverse collection of the world's most sought-after destinations. Highlights include Silver Spirit's 119-day Inaugural World Cruise and seven new Silversea destinations: Brindisi, Italy; San Sebastian on the Canary Island of La Gomera; Ballycastle, Northern Ireland; St. Helier on the British Isle of Jersey; Matarani, Peru; Cooktown in Queensland, Australia; and South Australia's Port Lincoln.

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