Two MacMania options to spice up your 2012 travels!

Neil Bauman, InSight Cruises’ CEO. Greetings from the Kennedy Space Center. (Pssst. Book MacMania 15 by September 15 and deduct $200 from your conference fee.)

Macworld_logo

Two MacManias —
An Amsterdam/Germany/Paris adventure, and
an epic journey through The Land Down Under.

On a MacMania cruise event, you’ll translate your interests to meaning, learn new skills, bond with the Apple community, and get a fresh appreciation of the world’s cultures. Take a look inside MacMania, with an assortment of videos taken during a recent MacMania cruise-conference.

Please join us on the Rhine River for MacMania 14 (details just below) or MacMania 15 to Australia (details further down). We’ll look forward to hearing from you!

All the best,

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MacMania 14
Post-cruise Options

ONE NIGHT IN PARIS
Includes dinner and a cabaret
April 19, 2012
($899 pp, based on double occupancy; $1,399 for singles)

The morning of April 19 we transfer from the vessel in Basel to Paris (via bus then high-speed train). We arrive at our hotel, Le Meridien Etoile (or equivalent) mid-afternoon. You will be accompanied by both AmaWaterways and InSight Cruises representatives throughout the day. This evening we will leave our hotel at 7:30pm for an authentic Parisian Cabaret.

Synonymous with Paris, the cabaret is one of the most popular entertainments the city offers. Parisian Cabaret is a variety performance of song and dance, jugglers, acrobats and comedians. This excursion is a traditional Parisian Cabaret show, with dinner and drinks, and includes escorted transfer to and from the hotel. (7:30pm – midnight; one hour bus time, 3.5 hours cabaret and dinner)

TWO NIGHTS IN PARIS
Includes everything in the one-night package plus Paris City Tour and an evening in the Montmarte including dinner
April 19–April 21, 2012 ($1,399 pp, based on double occupancy; $1,999 for singles)

Enjoy Paris’ famous sights during this morning’s guided tour. Start with a panoramic tour where you will see the Champs Élysées, Place de la Concorde, and the Eiffel Tower. End your tour with a visit to the famous Notre Dame Cathedral (pictured below). The afternoon is free for you to explore the “City of Lights.” (April 20: 9am – 1pm; 2.5 hours on a bus, 1.5 hours walking)

This evening, Montmartre (pictured above)! Situated in the north of Paris, the “Hill of Martyrs” became renowned in the latter part of the 19th century as the home to the burgeoning Parisian artist community. The village-like nature of this suburb attracted painters, sculptors and many others from across Europe. Montmartre’ center, Place du Tertre, still has the vibe of the Belle Epoque era with street artists, restaurants, and a cosmopolitan area with a vineyard — and a Bohemian atmosphere. Dominating the whole area is the huge white church of Sacré-Coeur, from which the view of Paris below is breathtaking. (6:30pm – 11:30pm; 2.5 hours on a bus, one hour walking, two-hour dinner)

THREE NIGHTS IN PARIS
Includes everything in the two-night package plus Seine cruise and Eiffel Tower tour
April 19–April 22, 2012 ($1,599 pp, based on double occupancy; $2,399 for singles)

Take in Paris from two different and unique angles. Begin with a cruise along the banks of the Seine River, the heart and soul of Paris. All the highlights of Paris can be seen, from the Eiffel Tower, the Place de la Concorde, the Louvre, L’Institut de France, and Notre Dame Cathedral (pictured above) on the Ile de la Cité, the old center of Paris. Following our Seine cruise, experience Paris from above from the 2nd level of the Eiffel Tower. From here, the whole of Paris is laid before you in panoramic view. (April 21: 9am – 1pm; one hour on the bus, one hour walking; 1.5 hour cruise on the Seine River)

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MacMania 14

April 12–19, 2012
Amsterdam • Cologne, Germany • Kolbenz, Germany • Rudesheim, Germany • Worms, Germany • Speyer, Germany • Strasbourg, France • Breisach, Germany • Basel, Switzerland • Paris or Geneva post-cruise options

AmaDolce Figuring out how new features can help you tell your story and share your experiences? Maybe looking to lose some of your piles of paper without losing your marbles? Or just tempted to stay in your Mac comfort zone and knowing it’s not really an option? MacMania 14, April 12–19, 2012 aboard AmaWaterways’ Amacello, gives you tools to ace the Apple learning curve.

Immerse yourself in Chris Marquardt’s 4-part photography course and get the tools and views to bring your photos alive. Color outside the lines with Joe Kissel, mastering the nuts and bolts of the iPad, then learn what serious geeks know about the iPad. Tune in to Josimar King, as he’ll share how to seamlessly sync your iDevices, demystify media formats, and get you to elicit the best from iPhoto and iMovie. MacMania 14 is a savvy community of experts and users with the latest how-tos, a love of learning, and a playful approach to serious business. MacMania 14 has Mac veterans who are masters of Apple technology, full of tips and tricks, taking their skills up a notch as well as newbies who have the basics but looking to streamline workflow, get their devices in harmony, and enjoy life.

Rhine River Curious? Please join us on MacMania 14. You can experience everyone’s favorite, Amsterdam, the historical and lovely Rhine Valley, picturesque French Strasbourg, and southwestern Germany, the old country to many Amish and German Americans. The elegant and comfortable riverboat Amacello is the platform for our explorations of the wonders of Mac and Apple devices, and Central Europe. Sign up for MacMania 14, soak in the expertise, commune with the MacManiacs and get an indepth look at image making and story telling. You’ll be humming Danke Schoen in no time. Find the how-tos and details at http://www.insightcruises.com/top_g/mm14_top.html

EASE INTO AMSTERDAM — PRE-CRUISE FULL-DAY TOUR
Includes lunch and “The Masterpieces”

What makes Amsterdam a perennial favorite? InSight Cruises invites you to find out on a private, full-day tour of “the Venice of the North”. Discover the unique charms of Amsterdam as you get oriented with a coach tour of cultural touchstones. Then anchor your vacation album with images from your cruise through the city’s tree-lined UNESCO World Heritage canals, getting a superb view of 17th century gabled homes, old bridges, and bicycles and more bicycles. We focus on the finest, savoring an Old Dutch welcome and contemporary cuisine at one of Amsterdam’s best restaurants, and then paint ourselves into the scene at the Rijksmuseum with a visit to “The Masterpieces” exhibit. Start your MacMania memories and fun and join us! $275 per person and includes local guide for eight hours, one-hour canal cruise, three-course lunch, and entrance fee to the Rijksmuseum and The Masterpieces exhibit.

mm14_pix MAC MANIA 14 ports of call:

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS — Canals, art and design, Dutch hospitality
COLOGNE, GERMANY — Roman and Germanic historical sites plus a vibrant museum scene
KOBLENZ, GERMANY — Ancient history, relaxed atmosphere, wine-making tradition
RUDESHEIM, GERMANY — Rhine vistas, vineyards, a 10th century castle
WORMS, GERMANY — Kings and emperors, Judaism, Lutheranism: the cultural DNA of Worms
SPEYER, GERMANY — Roman and Reformation history, great archaeologic finds
STRASBOURG, FRANCE — A fusion of German cuisine and architecture and French culture
BREISACH, GERMANY — Sunny climate and volcanic soil create a winetasting destination
BASEL, SWITZERLAND — Something in the water: Basel’s home to Paracelsus, Vesalius, Bernoulli, Euler, Jung, and Nietzsche et. al.

The cruise fare starts at $3,498 for a Category B cabin, per person. For those attending our PROGRAM, there is a $1,195 fee. For detailed information and pictures about our ship, please visit CABIN & SHIP INFO page. Additional per-person fees include: government taxes and fees ($199) and gratuities are €15 per day. All prices and fees are detailed on the BOOK NOW page.

For a detailed listing of the cruise itinerary please review our ITINERARY page.

Use our PRICING CALCULATOR for a quick price quote! For questions, please don’t hestitate in calling InSightCruises.com (650-787-5665) or emailing us.

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NEW from InSight Cruises!

We’re starting to make an assortment of InSight Cruises’ classes available online. In addition to what is below, currently you can watch two talks with Space Shuttle astronaut Dr. Guion Bluford from Scientific American’s Bright Horizons 6; eight classes from Bright Horizons 7 and 9, and four classes from Sky & Telescope’s Cosmic Trails #1. Visit our videos page to access them all!

Here are Jason’s slides (1mb pdf)
Here’s the list of “the gems” (also shown at right).

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MacMania #10 Videos Online For the Watching

MacMania 10 departed New York City early May 2010, just days after the iPad was available for purchase ... and not long after Mac OS 10.6 shipped. We covered both products in depth. Watch three sessions taped during our event here:

Mac Gems (Delivered on May 7, 2010)
Speaker: Jason Snell

The Mac world is full of great, low-cost software that can dramatically improve your Mac-using life. The only catch is, they’re generally made by small companies you’ve never heard of. That’s where Macworld comes in. In this session, Jason Snell gives you a tour of great Mac programs that will make you more productive and informed, and make your Mac more fun! We guarantee that when you’ll be done you will have found several programs that you’ll need to add to your Mac right away.

Download the MacMania 10 Program Guide

Services in Snow Leopard (Delivered on May 3, 2010)
Speaker: Sal Soghoian

Without a doubt, the best feature of Mac OS X v10.6 (Snow Leopard) is the newly revamped Services menu. Services are now contextual, convenient, configurable, and customizable, delivering the power of automation to the tip of your mouse cursor. Make your own application launchers, text editing, image manipulating, and audio processing tools that are available when and where you need them. If you want to truly get the most out of Snow Leopard, take this class!

David Pogue

iPhone—The Next Generation (Delivered on May 8, 2010)
Speaker: David Pogue

The iPhone is no longer a novelty; with 40 million people multi-tapping away on its touch screen (and the iPod Touch’s), this iPod/cellphone/wireless Internet terminal has become as standard as, well, the iPod.

David Pogue, New York Times tech columnist and author of iPhone: The Missing Manual, will take you through the very latest developments concerning the iPhone, its features, its hidden powers, and its backdoors. This time around, he’ll also introduce you to, ahem, Product X—Apple’s much-awaited iPhone spinoff product.

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Welcome back Leo!

Leo Laporte hosts and produces some of the most popular podcasts in the world including This WEEK in TECH (TWiT), Security Now!, net@nite, The Daily Giz Wiz, Windows Weekly, MacBreak Weekly, and This Week in Google under the TWiT banner.

MacMania 15
Pre- & During-, & Post-cruise excursions

PARKES OBSERVATORY
(details)
MacMania has prepared a pre-cruise expedition that adds a memorable dimension to your experience. If you’d like to get a flavor of elemental Australia, and boldly go where non-Ozzie tourists do not go, join MacMania for a visit to “The Bush” and “The Dish” (Australia Telescope National Facility, Parkes Observatory). After getting a look at the bright lights of Sydney, we head out to the quiet, sheep-studded New South Wales countryside to visit the famous Parkes Dish radio observatory. “The Dish” received and broadcast the first lunar landing, Apollo 11, to 600 million people.

To get a sense of significance of The Dish and the spirit of Parkes, check out the 2000 comedy movie: The Dish.

HUNTER VALLEY EXCURSION
Newcastle is your gateway to the Hunter Valley vineyards and food lovers’ destinations. Join fellow MacMania food & wine buffs on a visit to the Pokolbin area of the Hunter Valley. We’ll visit a choice selection of “cellar doors” (vineyard winetasting rooms) personally screened by InSight Cruises personnel ;-) and indulge in regional cuisine and produce amidst the vine-covered hills.

AFTER MAC MANIA, if you’d like to move on to Uluru, Australia’s awesome national parks, the Barossa Valley wine country, wildlife viewing, and beyond, we can make your vision a reality. MacMania is poised to assist you to extend and customize your journey with pre- and post-packages as you wish.

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MacMania 15

November 7–21, 2012

If Australia’s been on your radar for a while, now’s the time to make your move. MacMania 15 heads to the Land Down Under November 7–21, 2012 sailing roundtrip Sydney to New Caledonia on Holland America Line’s ms Oosterdam. Allison Sheridan, Don McAllister, Leo Laporte, Jason Snell, and Wally Cherwinski share the latest on enhancing your productivity, mastering mobility tools, becoming one with the cloud, and refining your social media contributions and skills.

From the urbanity of Sydney to the glorious exuberance of outdoor Australia, from the culinary delights of the Hunter Valley to the French food and Melanesian culture of New Caledonia, we’ll absorb it all. We’ve organized all the details so you don’t have to. Sydney Harbor, Gold Coast beaches, the Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia’s lush terrain, and a total solar eclipse(!) await you.

Reconnect with MacMania friends, get up-to-the minute iOS developments, linger in the glow of Australia’s spirit, and add an unforgettable chapter to your bio. Join us on MacMania 15. Book before September 15 and take advantage of our $200 conference fee early-bird discount. Contact concierge@insightcruises.com or 650-787-5665 for full details and travel options, pre-cruise excursions, and extensions to your Australian adventure.

MacMania in Australia MAC MANIA 15 ports of call:

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — A breezy melting pot that remembers its history
NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA — Wine and thoroughbred country, and stunning beaches
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — Business and finance meets sun and fun
HAMILTON ISLAND, AUSTRALIA — Water sports, golf and hiking amidst the Great Barrier Reef
SOLAR ECLIPSE, CORAL SEA — An awe-inspiring two-minute glimpse of universal forces
EASO, LIFOU, NEW CALEDONIA — Melanesian culture and superb snorkeling
ÎLE DES PINS (aka Isle of Pines), NEW CALEDONIA — New Caledonian Barrier Reef, rich animal life, “the island closest to Paradise”
NOUMÉA, NEW CALEDONIA — French and Melanesian, verdant mountains, World War II history

Cruise prices vary from $1,899 for an Interior Stateroom to $7,299 for a Deluxe Suite, per person. (Cruise pricing is subject to change.) For those attending our PROGRAM (not all classes posted yet), there is a $1,295 fee. For detailed information and pictures about our ship, please visit CABIN & SHIP INFO page. Additional per-person fees include: government taxes and fees ($246) and gratuities are $11 per day. All prices and fees are detailed on the BOOK NOW page. You can obtain information about the necessary Australian Electronic Travel Authority at http://www.eta.immi.gov.au/

(above and to the right) InSight Cruises’ co-Founders Neil Bauman & Dr. Theresa Mazich. Join us when MacMania 15 will be visiting the Taronga Zoo and The Royal Botanic Garden — both the day before our cruise departs. Details soon.