Briefs	E-mail PagePrint Version

HOLLAND AMERICA TO OFFER SAN DIEGO SAILINGS

SEATTLE - Holland America has said it will offer some 60 sailings from San Diego next year making California an important homeport for cruising to Mexico, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, South America and the Pacific Coast.

Through December 31, 2003, the cruise line is also making it easier to enjoy a cruise with a special California resident ocean-view cabin upgrade promotion, as well as up to $2,400 savings off select San Diego cruise departures. All 2004 Winter San Diego sailings depart between the months of January and April.

On select seven-day Mexican Riviera and Sea of Cortez sailings from January 17 through March 27, California residents will receive a free ocean- view stateroom upgrade when booking an inside stateroom. In addition, Holland America also offers savings of up to $2,400 per cabin for select Panama Canal, Hawaii, and 10- to 14-day Mexican cruises through 2004.

With nearly 60 cruises ranging from 7 to 21 days, Holland America Line is also the only cruise line to offer Sea of Cortez itineraries from San Diego and a 21-day Panamerica roundtrip cruise from the "Place Where California Began." Sea of Cortez sailings visit Loreto, Pichilingue, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
 
The exclusive Sea of Cortez cruises feature optional sportfishing in Loreto, snorkeling at Coronado Island and scuba diving at Pichilingue, one of the world's top dive regions. Departing October 15, 2004, the Panamerica cruise calls at Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Santa Cruz Huatulco, Zihuatanejo, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Amador and Panama Canal, Panama; San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; and Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala.

Other cruise destinations feature 15- or 16-day Hawaii cruises with nine days at sea to relax and enjoy the many amenities of the ms Statendam and five or six days visiting the Hawaiian islands of Hawaii, Oahu, Kauai, and Maui.

Panama Canal cruises range from 14 to 16 days and feature departures between San Diego and Port Canaveral, Tampa, and Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Ports of call include islands in the Caribbean, a daytime transit of the Panama Canal in its locks, and various towns along the sunny Mexican Riviera. Longer Mexican cruises of 10 days visit the sun-soaked western coast of Mexico with stops including Manzanillo, Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, and Santa Rosalia.

One 17-day South American explorer cruise departs March 31, 2004, from Valparaiso, Chile, and sails to San Diego. Ports feature Coquimbo and Arica, Chile; General San Marin and Callao, Peru; Guayaquil and Esmeraldas, Eduador; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
 
Pricing for San Diego cruises range from $699 to $2,689 per person, double occupancy. Taxes are additional. Through November 30, this California exclusive offer applies to all 2004 winter seven-day Mexico cruises. Through December 31, 2003, it applies to select sailings.
 
For more information, consult a professional travel agent, call 1-877-724-5425 or visit www.hollandamerica.com.
 
SONY TO SELL PLAYSTATION CONSOLES IN CHINA

TOKYO - Japan's Sony Corp. will begin selling PlayStation2 in China this month, taking the world's most popular video game console to the most populous country.

The Tokyo-based electronics giant plans a limited release of its PlayStation2 in five major Chinese cities -- Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu, said Sony Computer Entertainment official Yoshiko Furusawa.
 
The consoles are expected to be on store shelves starting December 20. The PlayStation2 will be priced at $328 each.

Since it hit the market in Japan in March 2000, PlayStation2 has gone on sale in more than 130 countries worldwide. Sony says it has sold more than 62 million consoles worldwide.

Furusawa refused to offer sales volume targets for China, saying the five cities comprise about 10 million households.

Sony hopes to offer two to three new Chinese-language games each month. But it is wary of its game software being pirated.

"We will continue cooperating with the Chinese government against violators of product copyrights, while upgrading our technology to make it difficult to copy," Furusawa said.

Competition in the video game sector is intense, with PlayStation2 trying to stave off rivals GameCube by Japan's Nintendo Co. and the Xbox from US software firm Microsoft Corp.

Nintendo has sold 10.5 million GameCubes and Microsoft has sold 9.4 million Xbox machines.

Go back, or read the latest briefs:

TRADE

empty