Bird (watchers) of a feather cruise together on Hurtigruten

Pack your binoculars and bird books: Hurtigruten is featuring two Arctic Birding Safaris along the gorgeous Norwegian coast in the spring of 2009, when bird-watchers can set their sights on flocks of birds native to Norway, such as kittiwakes and Razor-billed auks. You might also spot Sea eagles and a variety of seabirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, and birds of prey.

If you're really lucky, you might spot the rare Norwegian worm tern. (OK, I made that up, but you never know...)

Far more knowledgeable birding experts than I will accompany the cruises, a 12-day voyage departing Bergen for Kirkenes March 28, 2009, and a six-day voyage departing Kirkenes -- near the Russian border wa-a-a-ay up north and east -- for Bergen April 3, 2009. (For those who haven't figured it out yet, the six-day cruise is actually the return portion of the first cruise.)

In either or both directions, you'll cruise fjords, stop in remote fishing settlements, and sail past the Top of Europe, with snow-capped peaks -- and, one hopes, lots of birds -- in the background.

Besides expert naturalists aboard, the cruise will be accompanied by art and photography instructors, who will teach you how to draw, paint, or photograph your own wildlife scenes.

Double occupancy fares start at $1,099 for the six-day cruise and $1,899 for the 12-day cruise. Fuel surcharges ranging from $36 to $72 per person are not included. These fares apply to North American residents only.

For more information or bookings, go to the Hurtigruten website or call 800/323-7436 or a travel agent.

Photo courtesy of Hurtigruten.

Ladies who launch: cruise Alaska with Red Hat Society

The Red Hat Society, which boasts 1.5 million 50-and-older female members worldwide -- and whose red hats and purple dresses cry out "We're going to have fun!" -- is cruising Alaska's Inside Passage this August on Holland America's ms Amsterdam.

I'm just taking a wild guess at this, but I imagine the Red Hat ladies will be decked out in their finest red and purple plumage in the dining rooms, and, when in port, they'll catch the eye of everyone in Ketchikan and cause everyone in Sitka to sit up and take notice as well. On board, they'll compete for attention with the whales, bears, and bald eagles on view in the Alaskan waters, land, and air.

The fun starts in Seattle on August 1 and proceeds through the Inside Passage to Juneau, Tracy Arm (glacier), Sitka, Ketchikan, and Victoria, B.C., before returning to Seattle.

Advertised rates start at $1,149, double occupancy, including port charges but not including government taxes. However, a limited number of inside cabins were recently made available for $949 per Red Hatter. For more information on booking yourself onto this cruise, click here.

And what if you're female and over 50 but not a Red Hatter? No problem! Click here to join now. Just don't forget to pack your red hat.

Photo of Red Hat ladies by Kevin Farrington, courtesy of Red Hat Society.

Smooth Music Cruise slated for early 2009

If you sign up for the Smooth Music Cruise scheduled to set sail from Miami to the Bahamas January 31 to February 5, 2009, you can be pretty certain all your fellow shipmates will be smooth music fans as well. The entire Celebrity Century ship has been chartered for this five-day theme cruise.

Orchestrated by music industry executive Bob Jamieson, the cruise will feature performers (including Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award winners) such as Nick Colionne, Norman Brown, Boney James, Mindi Abair, and Althea Rene. Day and night shows, autograph signings, interview sessions and late-night jam sessions are all on the bill.

When you aren't grooving to the sounds, you can enjoy port stops at Key West, Coco Cay (Celebrity Cruises' private island), and Nassau, Bahamas. The Celebrity Century has been refurbished to include 314 new private verandahs, 14 new Sky Suites and 174 new Concierge Class staterooms. Rates start at $999 for inside cabins.

For more information, go to the Smooth Music Cruise website. For bookings, call Cruises Only at 877/529-9729 (if you're outside the U.S. or Canada, call 00-1-617-587-6200.

Photo of the Century from Celebrity Cruises.