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A BAKER'S DOZEN: PAMPERED IN LUXURY AT SEA

DES MOINES, Iowa, May 23, 2006 - Fluffy bath towels, robes and bed turndowns may make the average traveler feel special but, for cruisers aboard ultra-luxury cruise ships, pampering is raised to a new level.

Those travelers who can afford a ship's most opulent suites enjoy a variety of unique amenities and services, according to Bob Levinstein, CEO of CruiseCompete.com, the world's only competitive cruise pricing Web site.

Spacious cabins - some more than 1,300 square feet - with separate living and sleeping quarters, verandahs, walk-in closets and expansive ocean views are standard fare for these travelers, as are personal butlers and concierge services on many ships.

The following amenities and services, however, truly distinguish what makes some voyages true laps of luxury for even the most discerning travelers:

Private elevators transport guests to special ultra-luxury suites aboard Cunard cruise ships.

Seabourn cruise ships offer luxury travelers special "massage moments" on deck, guaranteed to relieve stress and relax sore muscles. Other lines feature lavish health spa amenities including aromatherapy and smoothing seaweed or herbal wraps (Regent); deep-tissue massages, body masks and personal trainers (Windstar).

Guests staying in the penthouse and deluxe suites aboard select Holland America ships enjoy complimentary corsages and boutonnieres on the first formal dinner night.

Guests in Celebrity's concierge class enjoy the scents of fresh cut flowers each day and cool off with chilled washcloths provided poolside by butlers.

Luxury suite guests on the Cunard Queen Mary 2 luxury line dine in the exclusive Queens Grill and have access to a private sun terrace.

Depending on the itinerary, weather and port rules, complimentary watersports activities, including water skiing, board sailing, kayaking, banana boat rides, pedal boats, are available to Seabourn guests.

For those writing to family and friends while on vacation, personalized cruise stationery is provided to suite guests on Holland America, Silversea and Seabourn cruises.

Complimentary aromatherapy bath selections from Molton Brown of London, fine soaps by Hermes, Chanel, Bijan and Bronnely and L'Oreal suntan lotions pamper guests on Seabourn.

Guests aboard the Silverseas Shadow and Silver Whisper and staying in owners, grand and royal suites enjoy their own 200 square-foot teak verandahs with luxury patio furniture.

Complimentary French champagne, fine wines and premium liquors are available to suite guests upon boarding on select Crystal, Seabourn and other luxury vessels.

Premium sound systems, large flat screen televisions, wireless Internet connections and cordless phones are available in the penthouse suites aboard Crystal, Seabourn and Celebrity cruises ships.

Luxurious marble-appointed master bathrooms with Jacuzzi tubs, separate showers and expansive ocean views await guests staying in Crystal cruise suites.

Fresh-baked gourmet dog and cat biscuits for traveling pets on the Cunard Queen Mary 2, in addition to extra comfortable pet beds, fleece blankets, QM2 coat, food dish and scoop, name tags and other pet goodies.

CruiseCompete.com saves consumers time by finding the agent with the best deal for them. Consumers secure quotes for cruise deals from multiple travel agencies without having to contact each one separately. To date, more than 275,000 customers have accessed CruiseCompete.com to request cruise quotes from more than 200 member travel agencies around the country. Agents have provided more than one million quotes to consumers. CruiseCompete, LLC, is an independent company not owned by or affiliated with any travel agency. For more information, visit www.cruisecompete.com.

As reported on CNN.com:

"Using a cruise broker is the most cost-effective way to book a cabin. Rather than shopping around, go to CruiseCompete.com and enter your dates; several brokers will send you their best offers."