NEW YORK -- Scooping up spoonfuls of Ben and Jerry's "Cherry
Garcia" ice cream with Ben and Jerry and sipping a Mondavi cabernet
wine with Marcia Mondavi are two of the experiences offered aboard
Windstar Cruises' Signature Voyages next year.
"Themes draw attention and added value, but what they do for
agents is provide an added hook for attracting clients," a
spokesman for Windstar said.
For example, a travel agent in Baltimore organized a group for a
Windstar cruise with a wine critic from a suburban community
newspaper in the area.
"The critic is going on the sailing as a guest host. The agent
provided accommodations for the critic because the agent received
one berth for every 10 bookings," the spokesman said.
"Local cruise prospects read the column and it created a local
draw," he said.
Windstar has packaged cruise fare, air fare from New York, a
two-day pre- or post-cruise hotel stay and transfers into the
rate.
The Signature Voyages schedule for 1997 is as follows:
* Ben and Jerry (celebrity entrepreneurs), Oct. 30, from Monte
Carlo, Monaco, to Lisbon, Portugal, aboard the Wind Spirit.
From an ice cream shop in a converted gas station in Vermont to
a $100 million-a-year company, childhood friends Ben Cohen and
Jerry Greenfield have proven that good frozen treats, good times
and goodwill can all work together.
Cohen and Greenfield were recognized for their company's
commitment to social responsibility by the Council on Economic
Priorities, which awarded them the Corporate Giving award in
1988.
That year, the company donated 7.5% of its pre-tax profits to
nonprofit organizations through the Ben & Jerry's
Foundation.
The entrepreneur's one question before agreeing to do the
cruise: "Now you do have a freezer on board, don't you?"
Fare: $4,195.
* Graham Kerr (PBS host, chef), April 11, Cadiz to Barcelona,
Spain, and April 23, Rome to Athens, Greece, aboard the Wind
Spirit.
Kerr, who in the 1960s was known for frequent wine sipping as he
prepared dishes on his show, "The Galloping Gourmet," now
specializes in health-conscious cooking on his PBS show.
Fare: $4,395.
* Nick Stellino (PBS host, chef), May 17, a seven-day French and
Italian Rivieras cruise. Stellino is host of "Cucina Amore" on
PBS.
Fare: $3,146.
* Heidi Yorkshire (wine connoisseur), April 23, Rome to Athens,
Greece, aboard the Wind Spirit.
Yorkshire, author of "Wine Savvy: The Simple Guide to Buying and
Enjoying Wine Anytime, Anywhere," will take guests on an
"unpretentious wine adventure" through Italy and Greece with talks
and tastings, according to Windstar.
Fare: $4,395.
* Joe Cochran (chef), April 26, Barcelona, Spain, to Nice,
France, aboard the Wind Star.
Cochran, an executive chef at the celebrated Mission Inn in
Southern California, is known for his eclectic American style and
enthusiasm for light, healthful dishes.
Fare: $4,795.
* Marcia Mondavi (wine connoisseur), Oct. 4, Athens, Greece, to
Barcelona, Spain, aboard the Wind Star.
The daughter of Robert Mondavi, renowned California vintner,
Marcia Mondavi grew up in the world of grapes, growing conditions,
tastings and master techniques.
Fare: $5,095.
* Maria Ford/Elise Palmer Miller (painting instructors), Oct.
18, from Athens, Greece, to Monte Carlo, Monaco, aboard the Wind
Spirit.
Ford paints in an abstract style and is an avid painting
instructor.
"Maria swears she can teach anyone to paint and sketch and bring
home lovely memories of their trip," a spokesman for Windstar
said.
Miller learned to paint and sketch from her artist father and
owns her own gallery in Georgia.
Fare: $4,895.
* Matthew Kenney (chef), Oct. 19, from Barcelona, Spain, to
Lisbon, Portugal, aboard the Wind Star.
Nominated as a Rising Star Chef by the James Beard Foundation,
Kenney is nationally acclaimed for his innovative use of spices and
creativity with Mediterranean cuisine.
Fare: $3,195.
To book, call (800) 258-7245 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and
7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekends, Pacific Standard Time.