Contest: Win Charlie's Truffled Popcorn

Ready for another contest giveaway? Here it is. Do you love truffles? How about popcorn? Well, Susan Rice Truffle Products has found a way to combine the two in a salty gourmet snack called, you guessed it, truffled popcorn.

Charlie's Truffled Popcorn is available at the Susan Rice Truffle Products website and select Whole Foods stores (call 512-477-4455 to determine the store nearest you). A 1-ounce bag costs $5 and a 3-ounce bag is $8.

This snack starts with air-popped white corn and then it's sprinkled with black Perigord truffles (fungi). While most Perigord truffles grow in France, Susan Rice is actually growing them right here in America on a farm in North Carolina. Rice, owner of the Black Diamond French Truffles, Inc., in Pinehurst hopes to make the truffle a less expensive and more mainstream food experience. French Perigord truffles can cost $90 an ounce. With U.S. cultivation, Rice hopes to bring that cost down so more Americans can enjoy these aromatic delicacies.

In addition to Charlie's Truffled Popcorn, other products available for purchase include truffle oils; salts and seasonings; truffle pasta; fresh, frozen, and canned truffles; and gift baskets.

Enter to Win Charlie's Truffled Popcorn

• One lucky reader will be randomly chosen from all entries to win Charlie's Truffled Popcorn.
• Contest starts midnight May 4 and ends Tuesday, May 19 at 11:59 pm.
• Contest is restricted to residents of the United States.

How to Enter
There are three ways to enter to win:

1. Simply subscribe to the e-mail feed of this blog by typing your e-mail address in the 'Subscribe' box at the upper right of this blog's homepage. (You must confirm and activate your subscription in order to be considered a "subscriber.") OR...
   
   
2. Add a comment to any post. If you decide to leave a comment, you'll need to include your e-mail address so I may make contact if you are the winner. OR...
   
   
3. Follow me on Twitter: @luxcruisebible
   

So, take a chance and enter today! I'll remind you to enter again between now and the contest end date of May 19 at 11:59 pm. Good luck!

And, if you just can't wait to see if you're a winner, you can order Charlie's Truffled Popcorn now.

—Andrea M. Rotondo

Photo courtesy of Susan Rice Truffle Products

Do you love cruising? Share your luxury cruise review at LuxuryCruiseBible.com. Submit your cruise review here.

Video: Active Cruises for Nature Lovers

When I think back on my favorite vacations, most tend to be the ones that focused on viewing animals or enjoying the great outdoors. Yet, if you know me, you know I'm a "princess" type that—when traveling—requires fairly spacious accommodations and excellent meals that end with a slice of chocolate cake.

It's lucky for me then that so many luxury cruise lines offer adventures that get up-close to wild animals—safely and comfortably.

Here are some videos that show off just a few luxury cruise options with a focus on nature:

American Safari Cruises
Sailing Alaska's Inside Passage and Mexico's Sea of Cortez

Lindblad Expeditions with National Geographic
Sailing Alaska, Antarctica, Artic, Baja California, Egypt's Nile River, Europe, Galapagos, and the Mediterranean

Orion Expedition Cruises
Sailing Antarctica, Australia's Kimberley Region, Melanesia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Southeast Asia

If any of these cruises piqued your interest, talk with your travel agent or call the cruise line. Do not be afraid to go out there and experience nature and far-flung destinations. You will not be disappointed!

—Andrea M. Rotondo

Silversea Expands Its $1000 Onboard Credit

Despite all the hullabaloo about pirates in the Indian Ocean, I have a strange compulsion to visit the exotic and beautiful Seychelles. Silversea is making it really tough to resist its December 13, 2009 Mahe to Mahe itinerary. That's because the cruise line has expanded its onboard spending credit of $1,000 per cabin and it's stacked with the 50% cruise fare savings. This unusual itinerary is going for less than $2,500 per person.

Silversea had previously announced its $1000 (per cabin) onboard credit for certain summer sailing but they added an additional 37 itineraries today. They include:

• Silver Cloud: Voyages 1924, 1926–1931
  
  
• Silver Wind: Voyages 2927, 2929–2931, 2934–2938
  
  
• Silver Shadow: Voyages 3924–3931, 3933
  
  
• Silver Whisper: Voyages 4920–4923, 4925, 4927, 4928, 4933, 4934, 4936–4938

For more information, visit the "Enticing Offers" page at Silversea's website. From there you can learn about the onboard credit and 50% off promotions.

—Andrea M. Rotondo

Photo courtesy of Silversea


Win a 33oz Tortuga Rum Cake. Simply comment on any post in this blog (include your e-mail address) or subscribe to have blog posts delivered directly to your e-mail in-box. Learn more about the contest here.

Do you love cruising? Share your luxury cruise review at LuxuryCruiseBible.com. Submit your cruise review here.