DEILMANN'S SOUTH AMERICA CRUISES FEATURE $99 BUSINESS CLASS AIR AND SHORE EXCURSIONS OR $2,500 OFF

Four 13- to 20-Night Sailings Offer the Best Ports and a Visit to Antarctica 

New York, February 2009 -- Peter Deilmann is offering guests who join one of their four South American departures a $99 business class air package that includes roundtrip air from a choice of 73 North American gateways and transfers to and from the vessel, or up to $2,500 off the per passenger price of the cruise.  Each of the four 13- to 20-night voyages, departing in January and February 2010 aboard the company's luxury flagship, MS Deutschland, offers guests something different - whether it is exploring exotic Ecuador, Peru and Chile on the west coast, journeying around Cape Horn, taking in Antarctica's wildlife, cruising the lush Amazon or visiting Rio at Carnival time.  Cruise fares range from $5,205 to $23,760 per person, double.  Passengers must book H-category staterooms or above to qualify for business class or $2,500 off; those booking other categories receive economy class air or $1,500 off.  H-category and above begin at $7,405.  All guests receive a package of complimentary shore excursions valued at $700 per person. 

·         The 17-night sailing, departing Panama on Jan. 4, calls on Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica en route to South America where guests can visit the nearly extinct Ara Macaws volcano of Carara National Park.  Great shopping awaits guests in Guayaquil, Ecuador  before heading off to the cathedrals and fortresses of Callao and General San Martin, Peru.  In Arica, Chile there is the opportunity to walk and shop in its Columbus Square or visit the golden sand beaches; while Coquimbo offers the faster action of casinos.  The cruise ends in Valparaiso, whose historic quarter is a declared  UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Prices are $6,220 to $18,590 per person, double.

·         The longer 20-night adventure, departing Jan. 21, combines the incredible sights of both coasts of  South America - with a trip to Antarctica and Britain's Falkland Islands.  More than any other, this voyage is for the traveler who seeks out exceptional exploration - sailing through the stunning Chilean fjords on the way to Punta Arenas, the Beagle Channel on the way to Ushuaia, Argentina, the world's southernmost city, and around Cape Horn as the MS Deutschland heads across the Drake Passage to explore Antarctica's glaciers and icebergs, penguins, humpback and killer whales and elephant and fur seals.  Cruise past Deception Island, Admiralty Bay and Elephant Island en route to the Falklands Islands, breeding grounds for millions of seabirds and home to King and other Magellanic penguin species.  The end of the voyage is an overnight in Buenos Aires, home to the tango and a mosaic of neighborhoods, waiting to be explored.  Published prices range from $7,460 to $23,760.

·         Departing Buenos Aires on February 10 on its third leg, the ship makes a series of stops that take in many of the colonial-era ports of South America.  Highlights include fun-loving Rio de Janeiro, with its active nightlife and Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking the city; walking along the colonial-era streets of Ciudad Vieja, the old city of Montevideo, Uruguay; relaxing on Brazilian beaches in Natal; taking in the Nazareth Basilica in Belem; cruising along the mighty Amazon river, with its lush tropical forest; and disembarking in Manaus, 900 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean in the heart of Amazonia.  The 17-night departure has published prices from $6,710 to $20,610.

·         The 13-night voyage, departing on Feb. 27, begins with an overnight in Manus using the ship as hotel, and then cruises along the Amazon, where the sounds and sights of monkeys and birds keep guests at the ship's rails.  The adventure continues with stops at the exciting Amazon ports of Alter do Châo and Rio Cajari which  precede the entry into the Atlantic and the port of Royal Island, French Guiana, where sidewalk cafés and shady parks have replaced the penal colony environment for which it was once known.  Next is the Caribbean port of Bridgetown, the capital and commercial center of Barbados, where passengers can visit the many cultural institutions or take in a cricket match.  Also scheduled are stops in Trinidad and Tobago, offering a cornucopia of ethnicities amid a love of music and dance, while the white sandy beaches of El Guamache, Venezuela beckon the passengers for a day of relaxation before heading to the disembarkation port of La Guaira (Caracas), Venezuela, set at the base of the 6,500-foot Mount Avila.  Published fares are $5,205 to $14,365.

The MS Deutschland, with 286 staterooms, is designed in the elegant style of the Edwardian and 1920 eras and provides travelers with a more intimate cruising experience.  Service is highly personalized thanks to a guest to crew ratio of two-to-one.  Features of the nine-deck ship include: three deluxe restaurants, an outdoor dining terrace plus seven diverse bars and cafes, a spacious library lounge, outdoor and indoor pools, three sun decks and an open-air promenade deck, grand ballroom for nightly entertainment and dancing, and a wellness center equipped with fitness and spa facilities.  Smoking is not permitted onboard except in open deck areas, the Old Fritz Pub and one section of the Lili Marleen Bar.

      Port charges are $125 per person on the 13-night voyage and $165 on the longer voyages.  Taxes and air fuel surcharges (currently totaling $435) are additional; cruise fuel surcharges are no longer collected.  Details on the cruises, $99 air/excursion package and other amenities, are available from travel agents or Peter Deilmann Ocean Cruises at 1-800-348-8287 or by E-mail at pdcmail@deilmann-cruises.com.  For reservations, see your travel agent.  Cruises itineraries, deck plans and ship photos are online at www.deilmann-cruises.com. 

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