The Affluent Travelers

Deep Water Flight

Be among the first in the world to experience a totally new dimension of flight…underwater. Hundreds have traveled to space. No one has yet experienced the incredible thrill of a Deep Flight Adventure. The  Aviator is a new class of hydrobatic submersible craft, built to fully explore underwater flight.  It can even barrel roll with dolphins!

The Aviator is unlike anything in existence, and the underwater experience is unparalleled. In conventional subs, you perch on a seat; in the Aviator, you strap tightly into the same five-point harness restraints used by Indy car racers.

Traditional submersibles are noisy and lit up like Christmas trees. Any organism that can flee, does. The Deep Flight Aviator combines the freedom of scuba and the depth capability and underwater viewing of a submersible with the low intrusiveness of a stealth submarine. The deep ocean is a truly alien world. It has the infinite vastness of outer space, but unlike space, it is heavily populated with alien creatures, geologic features, and ancient shipwrecks awaiting discovery. Sound like an out of this world adventure? You bet it is! 

The Most Lavish Suites Afloat

Jutting out at each side of the Queen Mary 2 at the stern are the Balmoral and Sandringham Grand Deluxe Apartments. Each is often combined with  the neighboring Penthouse to make  well suited  accomodations for the family. 

If you are in a particularly expansive mood, you can reserve both Grand Duplexes with the 3 Deluxe Apartment in between to create a  8,288 sq palazzo

Here your concierge and a personal butler anticipate your needs and comply with the utmost speed and efficiency. Lavish amenities include marble baths with whirlpool tubs, towel warmers, walk-in closets, en-suite bars stocked with selected spirits or wine and soft drinks, fresh flowers and pre-dinner canapés.

The enormous Grand Duplexes include sweeping living quarters - an expansive balcony downstairs, a luxurious master bedroom upstairs, and two marble bathrooms (one with a whirlpool tub and one with a separate shower). There is also an additional guest bathroom with a shower located downstairs.
info: theAffluentTravelers@mindspring.com

The Crystal Cage -- The Ultimate Wildlife Adventure

The chance to observe and interact with a Great White shark -- a fish that has been described as "the perfect hunting machine" and "evolution's masterpiece" -- brings with it a sense of awe and wonder that few, if any other animal encounters can possibly match. And if getting close to a great white shark is one of life's magical experiences, it is doubly so when conducted from the interior of the  "Crystal Cage."

It is the brainchild of South African Kim "Shark Lady" Maclean, an oceanographic expert widely credited with introducing the practice of recreational cage-diving to South African waters in the early 1990s.

The cage is a 6 foot x 3.5 foot diameter tube made of Lexan, a transparent, high-resistance polycarbonate plastic with 250 times the impact strength of glass. Lowered into the water inside this protective sheath, the diver experiences a feeling of complete oneness with the shark's natural habitat, his view unhindered by bars or other obstructions.

More important, the transparent Lexan blends completely with the surrounding ocean, making the diver's presence in the water far less disruptive to the shark and its environment.

"For the diver it is an awesome experience," says Maclean. "You feel there is no barrier between you and the shark, that you are completely part of their world. It is the closest you can get to actually swimming free with them.

A day of diving in the crystal cage costs $1,800. Nowhere else will you get the chance to observe at close quarters, and with no visual obstruction, one of the most ancient, majestic and awe-inspiring creatures on the planet.

SuperYacht "My-Jo"

Designed, built and equipped to impeccable standards as a sleek, modern super-yacht.  Jo's classic interior, spacious decks, wide range of activities and professional crew offer the perfect environment for relaxation and entertaining.

With a dark blue hull color Jo is a refined version of the six Golden Bay series yachts with naval architecture from Benetti. The exterior style is from Stefano Natucci, while the interior is a François Zuretti concept modified by the owner's individual family style. The decorative theme is colonial, with painted cherry wood.

Spacious reception areas and decks provide for ease, comfort and stylish entertaining at sea or in port. MY-JO is designed to fit perfectly with the requirements of both family and charter use, easily accommodating up to 12 guests in 6 cabins - the owner's suite, 2 double cabins and 2 twin cabins (with Pullmans) and a multipurpose cabin, with accommodation for up to 12 crew in 6 cabins.

The owner's bedroom extends across the yacht's full beam with a king sized bed in the center, facing aft. As in the main saloon, the satin-finished cherry wood is set off with light colored fabrics, with a more lavish look and feel. Over the bed is a large button packed panel that controls everything. A small adjacent area is furnished with a mini bar, a desk and a plasma television screen. The vast area in the owner's suite is a lavishly decorated oasis of marble and wood, flanked on either side by walk through dressing rooms.

Activities:

Dinghy Sailing
Feel the freedom and get in touch with your soul under the power of wind and sail alone on our Laser Pico sailboat.

Jet Skis
Boost the adrenaline rush as you fly across the waves on our two Kawasaki jet skis. Extraordinary maneuverability, yet rock steady stability will make this the ride of your life.

Water Skiing
The Novarania tender will get you up and get you going for a fun whirl off the beach.

Wakeboarding
Hold tight and learn how to master this art. If already proficient try an exhilarating ride along the surf line.

Snorkeling
The gear is on board. Swim over beautiful coral reefs and enjoy spotting different tropical fish.

Donuts
Up for some adventure! Skim across the waves on our inflatable 'donuts' while being towed by the tender.

Kayaks
Enjoy everything the underwater world has to offer from the surface, as you paddle peacefully along in our see-through kayaks.

Sails the Mediterranean/Caribbean -163' long,  12 guests, 6 cabins, $175,000  per week, all expenses and crew. 

Contact: theAffluentTravelers@mindspring.com

Visit the Titanic

‘OPERATION TITANIC 2005’

WildWings, a UK adventure company, has just the thing for you to do this summer.  Travel in the comfort of a submersible to view the Titanic.  The Akademik Keldysh is one of the best known deep diving support vessels in the world. It has a highly skilled, professional team running one of the safest underwater operations in the world.

The Keldysh and MIR I and II have been used for National Geographic photo and film projects, and director James Cameron’s epic motion picture Titanic and subsquent IMAX movie ‘Ghosts of the Abyss’. The BBC Natural History Unit have also shot footage from our subs. By supporting science, DOE provides a unique and very rare opportunity for small groups of the general public to experience and explore hidden depths.

Departing 22ND JUNE – 02ND JULY 2005 (St Pierre, St Pierre et Miquelon / St Johns, Newfoundland) Departing 29TH JULY – 8TH AUGUST 2005 (St Johns, Newfoundland / St Pierre, St Pierre et Miquelon)

Cost for divers: Price including one dive on the Titanic  - just under $40,000 per person.

One-sixth of a mile long the opulent RMS Titanic took the hearts of the world when she sank 12,460 feet  to the bottom of the Atlantic in 1912 taking hundreds of lives with her; now 92 years later her mystique and grandeur still captivates people around the world. Pay your respects to the wreck as you glide over her decks, now encrusted in magnificent soft corals and anemones. There is no more famous shipwreck in the world and once again Deep Ocean Expeditions offers the only chance for the general public to witness and pay respect to this monument.

What's Included: Seat on MIR submersible for scientific expedition tour of the RMS Titanic wreck; accommodations aboard the Akademik Keldysh; one night accommodations in St. John's; orientation meeting; three meals daily  activities within the program: lectures, briefings, slide/film shows; baggage handling, amenities/gifts, personal video.

Not Included: Air transportation to/from port of embarkation/ disembarkation transfers to/from airport; airport arrival and departure taxes; excess baggage charges; personal items such as laundry, bar charges, gratuities to service staff, telephone/fax/cable charges, travel insurance; passport & visa fees; pre or post-voyage arrangements.

Seabourn Spirit #1

The intimate, all-suite Seabourn Spirit is once again the highest-rated cruise ship in the world in the 2005 Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Poll. The ultra luxury ship was awarded the same title in the 2003 poll. Spirit's overall score of 97.7 was bolstered by perfect scores of 100 in the categories of "Itineraries" and "Crew/Service." In addition, the magazine's readers rated the ship's value as "Excellent."

Spirit's identical sisters, Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Legend, shared the spotlight with admirable scores in their own rights. Pride earned a perfect 100 for "Crew/Service" and Legend took the top spot in the small ship category for "Food/Dining," barely edging ahead of second-place Spirit by two-tenths of a point.

Most expensive Sail Boat

There are only a handful of major cruise companies that offer voyages on sail boats, or sailing yachts. Windstar, which is owned by Carnival's Holland America division, offers passengers small ships and a laid-back, intimate atmosphere. And don't worry about getting stuck in the middle of the ocean; the boats have motors as well. A one-week Istanbul to Athens voyage costs $7,094 per person, which stops in Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes and Bodrum. For more information visit WindstarCruises.com.

Adventure on the Seas

New York-based Lindblad Expeditions is the cruise ship company to turn to for adventure and educational cruises. The ships sail all over the world, from the Galapagos and Baja California to Europe and the Azores. Lindblad's 25-day adventure to Antarctica, South Georgia, South Orkney and the Falklands is $25,490 when booking an upper deck suite. The rooms have large windows, as well as separate sleeping and sitting areas. For more information, jo.g@mindspring.com

Private Yacht

The 279-foot Annaliesse is the most expensive private yacht charter in the world, and it's owned by entrepreneur Andreas Liveras. The ship comfortably holds 36 passengers and has one-to-one guest to staff ratio. On board there's a gymnasium, library and a medical center, as well as a spa and cinema. The owner's suite is 1,200 square feet, and the ship is available for  $120,000 a day or $840,000 per week. For more information visit AndreasLiveras.com.