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The Clipper Odyssey: Integral to Our Goals

Scott Fitzsimmons, July 2007

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A goal, without a plan, is just a wish.
-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

It all boils down to this: for Zegrahm Expeditions to realize its future goals in expedition cruising—including offering travelers captivating destination choices in all corners of the globe—access to quality ships of optimal size becomes essential. Such ships must be capable of reaching remote shores with ease of maneuverability, effectively launching and landing Zodiacs, and providing the outstanding onboard service, dining, spacious comfort, and lecture facilities desired by adventure travelers. Truly, only a short list of vessels fitting this description grace the world today and that list contains the Clipper Odyssey.

Recently, when we learned that the ownership of the Clipper Odyssey was nearing a change we quickly crafted a plan to get Zegrahm heavily involved in the ship's future. It was a vital step. That plan culminated with Zegrahm signing a five-year charter agreement with the new owner of the 110-passenger expedition vessel, long considered one of the finest afloat. Thus, a brilliant future era of Zegrahm voyages aboard the Clipper Odyssey was secured, now set to begin in April, 2008 in the South Pacific. We've been overwhelmed with excitement ever since!

Granted, Zegrahm needs more than one ship to execute its varied portfolio of world-wide voyages each year. What this long-term commitment to the Clipper Odyssey provides us is a cornerstone in our planning foundation, allowing us to build an annual schedule of innovative voyages, starting from this solid base. Our history with this ship spans more than eight years—we know what the ship is capable of, and how to maximize those capabilities for the enjoyment of our travelers. We also know that many of you have sailed aboard this vessel, some of you on many voyages, and that your reviews have reflected a deep fondness for the space and the service on board. We plan to deploy the Clipper Odyssey in special destinations at ideal times, while continuing our close relationship with other vessels for complete global coverage each and every year. Most meaningful to travelers in this scenario is the knowledge that a steady stream of remarkable expedition opportunities will come your way regularly. You can count on dynamic itineraries that include long sought-after far-flung places, aboard a ship that has proven extremely popular among our travelers.

The Clipper Odyssey has the make-up of an ideal expeditionary vessel: 338-feet in length, four passenger decks, a fleet of Zodiacs and one glass-bottom boat, ocean-view cabins averaging 190 square feet, lecture facilities, library, gym, bars, elevator, and pool. Built for a maximum capacity of 128 passengers, we generally sail with 110 participants, after accommodating single travelers and our lecture staff. Cruising speeds of 12 to 14 knots allow us to reach distant lands, enhancing our ability to be creative, and even spontaneous, with itinerary planning.

Speaking of planning: at our annual Board of Directors meeting in June, the topic of where to deploy Clipper Odyssey took center stage. Zegrahm's founders and directors, factoring in wants and desires voiced by our travelers over time, worked together to devise a sailing schedule filled with dynamic itineraries throughout the Pacific Ocean region. The schedule for the next year (see destination overview to the right) features several proven and favorite routes, along with exciting new horizons. Likely, the same deployment cycle will be repeated in 2009, to satisfy the strong demand for voyages in the Pacific.

Isn't it grand when a plan comes together, making our goals attainable? We look forward to seeing you on board—again, or for the first time.
The eastern Mediterranean is more or less familiar territory to the experienced traveller: the fabled Parthenon in Athens, the magical island of Rhodes, the Minoan civilization and the Palace of Knossos on Crete, and the wonders of ancient Rome in Turkey—Ephesus, Pergamum, and Perge. They are, literally and metaphorically, well trodden territory. Arguably, too well trodden for those who have visited this region and are ready to extend their explorations farther afield in the Mediterranean...,Paul Harris is an accidental journalist, political risk analyst, author-photographer of more than 40 books, and resident of Malta. A lecturer on our upcoming North Africa's Roman Legacy voyage, Paul gives us a sneak preview of the itinerary's fascinating destinations.