Blount Small Ship Adventures’ Spring Cruises

Watch The Southern Flowers Bloom

While cold air may be spreading throughout the country, spring is on the horizon, and there’s no better way to experience the season’s beautiful weather and blooming flowers than onboard a small ship river cruise.

This spring, Blount Small Ship Adventures will bring back two of its most popular itineraries that explore the charming port towns of the South, ‘Southern Antebellum’ and ‘Mississippi & Tenn-Tom Waterway.’

The 8-day, 7-night ‘Southern Antebellum’ cruise showcases some of the South’s most iconic port cities, including Savannah, GA, Charleston, SC, and Amelia Island, FL. Highlights of the itinerary, which has departures on the Grande Mariner May 1, 11, 20 and 29, include onboard presentations on Savannah’s rich history and diverse local bird population, and Jekyll Island’s coastal wildlife and regional conservation.
To further entice travelers to see the blooming flowers along the Atlantic Coast, guests can save 40 percent on spring sailings of the ‘Southern Antebellum’ itinerary, with savings of up to $1,440 per person.

For travelers seeking a longer introduction to southern hospitality, the 16-day, 15-night ‘Mississippi & Tenn-Tom Waterway’ cruise begins and ends in New Orleans, with stops in some of the most historic and culturally rich ports of the South, including Mobile, AL, Columbus, MS, Memphis, TN and Baton Rouge, LA.
Guests can enjoy an authentic local musical performance in Columbus, dance to the spirited tones of a bluegrass band in Pickwick, TN, and learn the secrets to making a great southern meal from a chef at the world renowned New Orleans School of Cooking, who will offer an onboard culinary demonstration. Sailings depart April 10 and 27 onboard the Grande Caribe, and travelers who book now can save 30 percent, up to $1,980 per person.

All Blount cruises include three meals daily with menus that are fresh, creative and often reflect the local cuisine, refreshments and snacks 24 hours a day, with complimentary wine and beer during lunch and dinner. Blount cruises also feature a BYOB policy, with mixers and set-ups for cocktails available throughout the day.

(www.blountsmallshipadventures.com)

Rolling on the River with Blount

Blount Small Ship Adventures offers Intimate Cruising Experiences and Unique Itineraries

Blount Small Ship Adventures

The megaships are moving aside and a smaller, more intimate way of cruising is taking over.
River cruising is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing trends of the U.S. cruise industry, and Blount Small Ship Adventures, which features the best value in small ship cruising, is known for visiting destinations that larger ships cannot though an array of unique itineraries for the river cruising enthusiast.
According to a recent American Express Travel agent cruising survey, 27 percent of respondents noted a demand for river cruises and 38 percent are seeing an increase in requests for small ships as a result of their unique features. Consumers are seeking more intimate ship experiences, choosing to explore unexpected locales, and Blount provides guests the opportunity to do just that.
Blount Small Ship Adventures has been cruising America’s waterways for over 47 years; our vessels are proudly built in the United States, fly the American flag, and are operated by an all-American crew.
With itineraries that slip under the low bridges and navigate the narrow locks of the Erie Canal, the only overnight cruise line able to do so, Blount cruises offer a unique chance to experience waterways and ports that only small vessels can access throughout the United States, Canada, Central America and the Caribbean.
Along with the intimacy of a smaller cruising experience comes a more personalized experience for guests onboard. Blount offers an array of activities for guests to embrace the local culture and immerse themselves in the destinations visited.
Onboard, guests will find destination experts, welcome cocktail parties, live musical entertainment, an assortment of guest speakers and more. Unlike the megaships, Blount also offers a variety of early arrival packages which allow guests to arrive in port one day ahead, spend the night onboard and explore the attractions of the embarkation port before cruising.
With fewer than 90 passengers per ship, Blount guests will avoid waiting in long lines to embark and disembark. The Grande Caribe and Grande Mariner ships are equipped with Blount’s patented bow ramp, allowing passengers to disembark directly from the ship to secluded beaches and the heart of small ports and destinations.
Guests will also avoid the hassle of waiting in line for meals, and can escape the crowds that can often be found overwhelming in ports.
All Blount cruises include three meals daily with menus that are fresh, creative and often reflect the local cuisine, refreshments and snacks 24 hours a day, with complimentary wine and beer during lunch and dinner. Blount cruises also feature a BYOB policy, with mixers and set-ups for cocktails available throughout the day.

Blount Offers Discounts on Fall Foliage Cruises

Blount Small Ship Adventures is offering a 25 percent discount on two autumn Northeast itineraries booked by July 31. The cruises operate in September and October.

The 12-night “Hudson, Erie Canal, St. Lawrence Seaway: New York to Montreal” departs on both the Grande Mariner (Sept. 10) and Grande Caribe (Sept. 6 and Oct. 18) ships. This cruise navigates New York Harbor, the Hudson River, and the Erie Canal. Rates start at $2,999 per person with the discount.

The nine-night “Fall Colors on the Hudson & Coastal New England” itinerary, between Boston and New York, will depart Oct. 8 and Oct. 19 aboard the Grande Mariner ship. Ports of call include Newport, R.I.; New London, Conn.; and Catskill, N.Y. Discounted rates start at $2,249 per person.

Blount cruises include three meals daily, refreshments and snacks 24 hours a day, and wine and beer during lunch and dinner. Blount cruises also feature a BYOB policy, with mixers and set-ups for cocktails available throughout the day.

 

Blount Small Ship Adventures Reports Record Bookings

Blount Small Ship Adventures said bookings have increased 23 percent this year over the same period last year. “Travelers in 2011 are searching for a great value and an even better experience,” said Nancy Blount, president of Blount Small Ship Adventures, “and we’re giving it to them in the form of great base prices paired with more included excursions, live entertainment, guest lecturers, and onboard workshops than ever before. I think it’s safe to say that small-ship cruising has arrived.”

Blount offers North American and Caribbean cruises from homeports that are less expensive to fly to than European destinations. “Our guests don’t have to spend half their vacation budgets on airfare,” Blount said. “They can embark near their home, sometimes even in their own city.”

The company is offering couples a chance to save up to $1,200 per couple on 2012 sailings when booked by Aug. 1. This early booking discount supports the launch of the company’s 2012 catalog, featuring eight new itineraries to destinations including the Galapagos Islands, Canada’s Bay of Fundy, and the Mississippi River.

Blount offers commissions on the cruise, protection plans, pre- and post-cruise stays and extensions, and special promotions.

The company’s most popular cruise itineraries include the 10-day “Gems of the Virgin Islands”; the 12-day “Best of Belize, the Barrier Reef and Guatemala”; the 16-day “Great American Waterways”; the six-day “Islands of New England”; and the eight-day “Magical Lake Michigan.” For more information, call 800-556-7450, email info@blountsmallshipadventures.com or visit www.blountsmallshipadventures.com.