Beatles cruise promoter asks: “What if Paul or Ringo came along?”

by Chris Owen on

Lately, the focus of themed cruises has been on popular musicians like rock star musician and reality TV star Bret Michaels, Taylor Swift and Kid Rock among others. Themed cruises appeal to groups of people varying from broad interests like “motorcycles” and “rock music” in general to smaller, more specific interests like Harley-Davidson motorcycles or a specific band like KISS. Gaining in popularity, promoters book huge blocks of cabins on existing sailings or charter entire ships to meet the demand and cruise lines are paying attention.

Beatles Tribute Cruise (BTC) 2012 is on sale now and filling up fast. That’s prompting offers from other cruise lines looking to woo the annual event away from Royal Caribbean and a call to invite one of the remaining Beatles along for the ride.

“It’s a bold move….what’s happened is that the cruise’s popularity has initiated some amazing–and I mean AMAZING—offers from other cruise lines to “jump ship” and sign on with them, and they are asking if we could get Ringo or Paul to join us!” BTC promoter Woody Lifton told Examiner.com.

What would cruise lines offer to get the Beatles cruise and Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr on board?”Basically anything they wanted, I suspect” said Lifton adding “With a private ship and (the) high quality cruisers we get on BTC, they would have a really nice time with the ability to interact with fans to the extent they wanted, in a safe atmosphere with whatever security they would need.”

An annual event, the 2011 Beatles cruise was a fundraiser for Thrive/Survive Los Angeles to support young adult cancer survivors. On-board, a raffle was held with close to 100 Beatles-related item given away during the sailing. Beatles Cruise 2012 sails from Ft Lauderdale on 2/4/12 aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and set to coincide with the 48th Anniversary of The Beatles first U.S. Television appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.

Will Beatles Tribute Cruise 2013 or 2014 be able to land the biggest fish of all, Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr?

“Yes we feel we could make this happen” concluded Lifton “and as with all of our past cruises I’m sure we’ll exceed everyone’s expectations”


Flickr photo by bluecherry74

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Photo of the Day: A challenge answered

by Chris Owen on

Today’s Photo of the Day comes from Flickr user Chris Maki who tells us:

“I got an email from a buddy of mine today who mentioned that he’s still following my stream, but he’s not as blown away as he was back in April/May. I took this as a bit of a challenge to go out and shoot something good. Personally I’m actually pretty happy with this one, I think it looks pretty cool. I caught the sole strobe in the frame, but I don’t think it matters nor does it detract from the scene at all.”

We took a look at your stream too and think it looks pretty cool too!

Want to know more about photography? Not sure what ISO, aperture, metering and all that photography lingo means? Gadling’s Dana Murph does and breaks it down for us in a series of Travel Photo Tips.

Submit an image you would like the world to see at the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. It might just get chosen as a future Photo of the Day.

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Mexico’s Sea of Cortes offers unique yachting experience

by Chris Owen on

Baja Mexico’s Sea of Cortes, also known as the Gulf of California, is a secluded and protected UNESCO World Heritage biosphere reserve formed where Baja California broke away from the Mexican mainland about 20 million years ago. One of the most diverse seas and isolated peninsulas in the world it is also a favorite yachting destination.

“Mexico’s Sea of Cortés lies adjacent to the more glitzy and better-known ports of Acapulco, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, which comprise the Mexican Riviera — and let’s just say: It’s a whole other world” says CruiseCritic.com.

American Safari Cruises has a little 22-guest yacht, the Safari Quest, that sails week-long adventure cruises from La Paz. The ship’s smaller size lets it explore many of the hundreds of islands and islets big cruise ships can’t get to. American Safari’s flexible and unhurried cruising philosophy promises time to seek out wildlife including multiple species of whales, dolphins and sea lions all prevalent in the wildlife-rich waters.”The Sea of Cortés is not as well-known as other destinations, but it’s a gem” said Tim Jacox, executive vice president of sales and marketing.

The inclusive cruise itinerary includes exploration of Isla Partida, Isla San Jose, Isla San Francisco and Isla Espíritu Santo. A visit to Bahia Agua Verde includes a mule ride into the arroyos of the peninsula guided by a local ranchero. At Isla Coyote, guests meet the Cuevas fishing family and tour the village and whale bone yard. Snorkeling with playful sea lions at Los Islotes is often a highlight of the trip.

Anchoring in quiet coves, the crew brings water toys out to play. The yacht transforms into a waterborne adventure platform for kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, sailing, skiff rides, snorkeling, swimming, swinging off the rope swing and tubing. Expert naturalists lead kayaking and hiking excursions to explore the beauty of the sea, the coastline and into the desert landscape to see giant Cardón cacti, red rock cliffs and white sand dunes.

The 22-guest Safari Quest features a hot tub, Tempur-pedic mattresses, heated tile floors in all bathrooms and upper category balconies. An all-American crew has a low guest-crew ratio of 2 to 1. The inclusive cruise includes all from-the-yacht activities and equipment; transfers; exquisite meals; fine wine, premium spirits and microbrews; and all port charges, taxes and feesYachts can be booked as a private charter or by individual stateroom.

Now through September 30, 2011, American Safari Cruises is offering a $200 per person travel credit for new bookings made on 13 select departures.

Flickr photo by Lime Salt Chile

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ABC to launch “Weekend Adventures” this fall

by Kraig Becker on

The ABC television network has announced a new line-up of weekend programming for the fall, with a host of new outdoor and travel related shows on the docket. This three-hour block of programs will include six new shows that will air under the ABC Weekend Adventures umbrella, immediately following Good Morning America in 95% of the U.S. market.

The six new shows that will each occupy 30 minutes of the time slot, beginning with Jack Hanna’s Wild Countdown. Each week the show’s well-known host will offer a top ten list of animals that occupy a specific category. For example, the top ten fiercest predators or the ten most colorful birds. The aim of the show is to offer insights and images on some of the magnificent wildlife that occupies our planet.

Joining Jack Hanna will be Jeff Corwin who will host a show entitled Ocean Mysteries, which will take us deep under the ocean to explore the amazing plant and animal life that lives in our seas. Mark Koops, the creator of The Biggest Loser, will produce a show called Agents of Change, which will demonstrate the ability for one person to have an impact on the world around them, while The Delicious Adventures of Claire Thomas sends its host, and her kitchen, to a variety of communities looking for inspiration to create tasty and healthy meals.

Perhaps most interesting of all will be Born to Explore, an adventure travel show hosted by explorer Richard Wiese. The show will send Wiese into Australia‘s Northern Territory where he’ll explore the culture and myths of the Aboriginal people, while giving viewers a breathtaking tour of geography and archaeology that exists in the Outback.

The new shows are set aimed at viewers of all ages, although they will have a slant towards the teenage crowd. They are set to begin airing on September 3rd.

What’s next for space travel? Maybe a road trip

by Chris Owen on

While the space shuttle era officially ended early Thursday morning as Atlantis landed for the last time at Kennedy Space Center, the next chapter in American space flight has yet to be written. One vision of what’s next for space travel over the next 20 to 30 years includes an efficient network of refueling stations, communication points and satellites throughout the solar system.

“We’re closing a chapter in the history of our nation,” said astronaut Ronald Garan, a flight engineer stationed on the International Space Station. “In the future when another spacecraft docks to that hatch. . . we are going to be opening a new era and raising the flag on a new era of exploration” reported the Miami Herald.

At Purdue University, one of the most NASA-connected campuses in America, researchers are developing ways to design a galactic gas pump that can move fuel from one tank to another in zero gravity and create a network or “exploration infrastructure” across the solar system.

“The post-shuttle era is not the end of NASA space exploration, it’s just the end of shuttle missions. This is just a transition,” Purdue professor Steven Collicott told JCOnline. Collicott’s research on zero-gravity physics could play a major role in the design of futuristic refueling stations.

In this vision, 30 years from now, astronauts will routinely work throughout the solar system,
stopping at an efficient network of refueling stations, communication points and satellites while gathering samples, running robots on planets, moons and asteroids, and reporting back to Houston.

Developing a system that works for both robotic and manned missions, the “exploration infrastructure” would include outposts dedicated to communications, logistics, repair and resupply.

It does sound a bit like getting ready for a road trip though. “Play your route wisely”, “Prepare your vehicle” and “Pack the right stuff” are recommendations on Gadling’s 20 tips for surviving a summer road trip, courtesy of touring musicians.

One not on our list that NASA could add: Get a guarantee on that funding.

Flickr photo by ksgr

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