Sign me up!

Michelin star-awarded chefs Michael Mina and Heinz Beck, master sommelier Robert Bath and mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim are among the food, wine and spirit experts aboard Crystal Cruises’ 14th annual Wine & Food Experiences of Discovery cruises in 2010.

In addition to the designated Wine & Food cruises, the line’s annual President’s Cruise will feature former White House chef John Hanny aboard the May 3 voyages from Piraeus to Dubai, hosted by Crystal president Gregg Michel.

Among the many Wine & Food guest experts are Michael Mina, creator of a restaurant group including Michelin one-star restaurants; Heinz Beck, executive chef of Michelin three-star La Pergola in Rome; and Tom Aikens, chef and owner of the Michelin one-star Tom Aikens Restaurant in London.

Crystal Wine & Food itineraries are scheduled for March 30, Auckland to Sydney; April 29, London to Rome; May 25, Venice to Barcelona; Sept. 5, Istanbul to Barcelona; Sept. 17, Barcelona to Venice; Nov. 22, round-trip Lisbon; and Dec. 12, round-trip Los Angeles, Mexican Rivera.

Relax your way!

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is allowing passengers to dress more casually for dinner in 2010.

They said the relaxed the dress code as a result of guest feedback "convincingly" in favor of a less formal policy.

Every night, women may wear slacks with a blouse or sweater, or a dress. Men may wear slacks and a collared shirt. Sport jackets are optional. Jeans are still not allowed.

RSSC will have two optional formal evenings on cruises of at least 16 nights, but no such nights on shorter cruises.

Families that vacation together - stay together!

Princess Cruises just added a 12-night cruise-tour designed for families including features that are not usually part of the noraml cruise-tour vacation. You will the opportunity to travel on a jetboat, pan for gold, take an interactive tour of Denali National Park and experience what Alaska is like in the winter.

The ‘Family Fun’ cruise-tour is offered at a 25% discount for all berths, so all members of the family are included in the special pricing.

Program includes a seven-night ‘Voyage of the Glaciers’ sailing plus a five-night land tour featuring one night at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, two nights at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and two nights at Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge.

Extras included in the tour are daily breakfast, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Rail Service with lunch, a Three Rivers Jetboat Tour as an alternative to taking a motorcoach to Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge and the Arctic Blast at Denali where a chamber is chilled to wintertime temperatures (visitors can find out what happens to hot water when it is thrown in the air and whether soap bubbles can survive the cold).

Also part of the program are a musical comedy in Denali telling the legend of the first expedition to Mt. McKinley’s summit, accompanied by a family-style meal; an intimate tour of Denali National Park featuring interactive experiences; a Denali Sourdough Expedition Breakfast with mountain climber Laurent Dick; and, from Fairbanks, a narrated sternwheel cruise and gold panning.

Crystal 2010 World Cruise

And the envelope please -

Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Hugh Downs, baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench and Prince of Tides author Pat Conroy are among the enrichment speakers scheduled for Crystal Serenity’s 2010 world cruise.

Among the numerous other notable presenters are conservationist Bill Tune, an expert in recovering endangered species; Bulent Atalay, scientist, author and Renaissance and Leonardo da Vinci authority; Brig. Gen. Nick Halley, Vietnam, Grenada and Desert Storm commander; and Rick Senat, ‘Batman’ and ‘Superman’ film producer.

Crystal Cruises will have nearly 200 guest presenters offering hundreds of classes and workshops on their voyage that departs from Miami on Jan. 10 and concludes in Southampton on April 29.