Travelocity Announces Exclusive Cruise Deals and Recommends Offbeat Destinations for Cruisers; Editors Suggest Unique Itineraries and Planning Tips with the Cruise Super Sale Extension

SOUTHLAKE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Feb. 13, 2006–Budget and
destination are top of mind for most travelers, but Travelocity’s team
of cruise experts aim to make planning a vacation at sea more
wallet-friendly with the extension of the Seventh Annual Cruise Super
Sale. Further easing the vacation planning process, Travelocity(R)
editors scoured the seas to find five destinations that offer cruisers
an alternative to the traditional cruise.

Making these offbeat locales even more alluring with newly added
cruise deals and offers for all cruise lines and destinations,
Travelocity extended the Cruise Super Sale through Feb. 28, further
strengthening the offerings with an exclusive deal of up to $500 back
when using a MasterCard(R) and a free Kodak(R) EasyShare 4.0 megapixel
digital camera for booking a qualifying cruise on Royal Caribbean
International or Celebrity Cruises using a MasterCard(R). In addition,
cruisers can continue taking advantage of other bonus offers such as
free shore excursions, free stateroom upgrades and onboard credits up
to $600 across all 13 of Travelocity’s featured cruise lines.(1)

“Early indications from the first month of our cruise sale show
the popularity of unique and distinctive destinations,” said Michael
Dauberman, vice president of cruises for Travelocity. “Because of
this, we have decided to extend our Cruise Super Sale through the end
of February, offering cruisers a variety of new deals that surpass our
initial offerings.”

Last year, more than 40 percent of all cruise itineraries sailed
to the Caribbean, according to Cruise Line International Association.
With the growth of the cruise industry over the past decade, more
ships are sailing to more destinations than ever, tempting travelers
with themed cruising and more unique locales.

“Many travelers link cruising with only a few destinations,” said
Jennifer Gaines, a Travelocity editor. “Yet cruise lines offer an
amazing range of itineraries with stops in places such as the
Galapagos Islands and Mombasa, giving travelers a range of destination
options.”

For an adventure at sea that is a bit out of the ordinary,
Travelocity editors recommend these off-the-beaten path cruise
destinations:

Australia and New Zealand

Sail “down under” for vistas of valleys, glaciers and fjords, as
well as human-made marvels like the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor
Bridge. From Auckland to Sydney (or vice versa), the more unusual
itineraries feature stops in Tasmania, known for its fields of
lavender and cool-climate wineries, and New Zealand’s spectacular
Fjordland National Park, where chances of spotting bottlenose and
dusky dolphins, as well as shimmering forests of silver beech are
pretty high. Editor’s tip: Sail aboard Radisson’s Seven Seas Mariner
to enjoy plenty of private space and relish scenic views of the
Australian shore, all while sipping high tea or savoring a glass of
wine.

East Asia

Some of the world’s most ancient shipping lanes for silk and spice
lie in Asia, and today’s cruise ships can ply the same paths–with a
lot more modern accoutrements. Hong Kong, Beijing and Bangkok all
serve as departure ports on sailings that stop in Taiwan, Japan,
Vietnam, even South Korea. Shore excursions include visits to the
Great Wall, sacred temples and incredible markets selling everything
from embroidered kimonos to electronics. Editor’s tip: Oceania’s
Nautica features the Tranquility Bed(SM) and operates itineraries
ranging from 15 to 24 nights during winter and early spring. For added
scenery, visit during cherry blossom season.

Galapagos Islands

The group of 60-some-odd islands and islets that inspired Charles
Darwin’s theory of evolution is so fragile and rich with wildlife that
the Ecuadorian government will not allow anyone to tour them without
an official guide. Take a cruise to satisfy this requirement, and
visit several islands with widely varying landscapes during the same
journey. For nature enthusiasts, this is the ultimate adventure, with
the chance to see everything from rare blue-footed boobies to sea
tortoises more than 100 years old. Editor’s tip: Cruise aboard
Celebrity’s Xpedition. The naturalists onboard escort guests during
each shore excursion (included in the cruise price), providing
in-depth information on geography and animal life.

South Africa

Take your safari to sea during a sailing from Kenya to Cape Town.
By night, enjoy shipboard dining and dancing. By day, explore exotic
ports along the Indian Ocean. An overnight in Mombasa usually allows
time to head inland to the wild trails of Bamburi, where you might see
antelopes, elephants and leopards. Other stops might allow you to
sample the spices of Zanzibar, snorkel Madagascar’s coral reefs, and
see Portuguese-influenced architecture in Durban. Editor’s tip: Marco
Polo, operated by Orient Lines, is particularly strong in the area of
guest lecturers who provide deep destination insight that can’t be
found in the guidebooks.

Tahiti and Marquesas

Glowing lagoons, jagged mountains and a rich island culture
satisfy the beach lover who wants to stray beyond Hawaii. A twist to
the typical Tahiti cruise entails stops at the less-visited Marquesas,
which were featured on a recent season of Survivor but are better
known for archaeological finds such as carved stones and tiki
figurines. The Marquesas also serve as final resting place for famed
artist Paul Gauguin. Editor’s tip: The intimately-sized (and
apropos-named) Paul Gauguin offers a decadent Radisson Seven Seas
luxury experience and features its own troupe of Polynesian
storytellers and dancers onboard.

Visit http://www.travelocity.com/cruisedestinations for more
cruise destinations, and for full details on the cruise sale, please
visit http://www.travelocity.com/supersale or call Travelocity’s
cruise experts at 1-800-222-3690.

    Cruise Deals

    --  9-Night Alaska (Vancouver to Los Angeles) from $784 on Royal
        Caribbean International's Vision of the Seas. Date: Sep. 15,
        2006. Receive a Kodak(R) EasyShare digital camera with
        qualified booking.

    --  7-Night Hawaii (Maui Round-Trip) from $749 on Norwegian Cruise
        Line's Pride of Aloha Dates: October/November. Receive a free
        upgrade and onboard certificate booklet.

    --  15-Night Asia (Hong Kong to Bangkok) from $3,299 on Oceania
        Cruises' Nautica. Date: Feb. 5, 2007. Receive up to $500 back
        and 2-for-1 pricing and free airfare.

    --  14-Night Australia / New Zealand (Auckland to Sydney) from
        $1,999 on Holland America Line's Statendam. Date: Nov 24,
        2006. Receive up to $500 back and a $400 onboard credit.

    --  7-Night Tahiti (Papeete Round-Trip) from $2,004 on Radisson
        Seven Seas Paul Gauguin. Date: Dec 13, 2006. Receive up to
        $500 back and $400 onboard credit.

For deals on even more destinations, including the Caribbean,
Mediterranean, Europe and more, visit Travelocity’s Cruise Super Sale
at http://www.travelocity.com/supersale.

(1) Offers vary depending on cruise lines, destination, length of
cruise and travel dates. See site for details.

About Travelocity

Travelocity is committed to being the traveler’s champion –
before, during and after the trip and guarantees everything about a
customer’s booking will be right. If it’s not, Travelocity will work
with its partners to make it right, right away. This customer-driven
focus, backed by live 24/7 phone support, great prices and powerful
shopping technology has made Travelocity the fifth largest travel
agency in the U.S. – booking $7.4 billion in travel worldwide in 2005.
Based in Southlake, Texas, Travelocity also owns and operates
Travelocity Business(SM) and GetThere for corporate travelers,
lastminute.com, a leader in European online travel and ZUJI, a leader
in Asia-Pacific online travel. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings
Corporation (NYSE: TSG), a world leader in travel commerce.


    CONTACT: VOLLMER
             Amanda Borichevsky, 972-488-4790
             amanda@vollmerpr.com
             or
             Andrea Collins, 212-715-2222
             andrea@vollmerpr.com

    SOURCE: Travelocity