(NAPLES, Fla., Jan. 3, 2012)"”Naples Winter Wine Festival, a top wine and food charity event, has secured an extravagant lineup of cruise and yacht trips to be offered at its 12th annual auction on Jan. 28, in Naples, Fla. Festival patrons will have the chance to bid on exclusive excursions through Central America, Croatia, Northern Europe and Burgundy, by sailboat, yacht or cruise. All of the auction’s proceeds benefit Naples Children & Education Foundation’s mission of supporting charitable programs that improve the physical, emotional and educational lives of underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County.
“Every year people are drawn to Naples Winter Wine Festival for the opportunity to support an important cause, enjoy world-class wine and food, and bid on unique lots and experiences,” said Joan Clifford, NCEF trustee and co-chair of the festival with her husband, Bob. “The yacht and cruise lots tend to generate enthusiastic bidding, with couples getting together ahead of the festival to plan their bidding strategies. And best of all, the money raised will have a direct impact on the quality of life for children in need.”
Following is a sampling of yacht and cruise lots that will be featured at the festival’s auction. Descriptions of all auction lots are available at www.napleswinefestival.com.
“Coasts, Capes and Canals – Oh My!” includes seven nights aboard the 112-foot sailboat, Gitana for three couples. Depending on the dates selected, the trip will take place in Panama Coast, Buzzards Bay/Rhode Island/Massachusetts, or Mount Desert Island in Maine. The Panama itinerary includes two-night accommodations for three couples provided by Trump Panama; Nantucket features an authentic New England clambake with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a lobster and clam dinner, great wines, dessert and after dinner drinks at a private home overlooking Quisset Harbor in Woods Hole, Mass.; and Newport includes a round of golf at the Carnegie Abbey and sunset cocktails and dinner at the New York Yacht Club in Newport.
“A Fortnight Afloat” features 14 nights for two couples aboard The World, a private residential community-at-sea. The two-bedroom, 1,100-square-foot residence includes a private chef for one dinner party with a menu of the winner’s choice and service staff, two, one-hour spa treatments at The World Spa by Banyan Tree, all meals and beverages aboard the ship including select wines, spirits and Champagnes, and all gratuities and port charges. Itinerary options include international or domestic travels to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Kiribati, Hawaii, Mexico, West Coast of U. S., Vancouver, Alaska, Greenland, Newfoundland, Quebec and Montreal, Halifax, East Coast of U. S., Bahamas, New Orleans, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico.
“Krazy for Kroatia, Kruising and Korta Katarina” offers a five-day, four-night cruise in Dubrovnik, Orebic and Hvar, Croatia, aboard the 138-foot Motor Yacht Penny Mae, for four couples. Guests will board the yacht in Dubrovnik, Croatia and cruise the Adriatic Sea towards the Korta Katarina winery in Orebic. The Penny Mae will anchor in front of the winery and couples travel ashore for a private tour and tasting at the winery, and a tour of the towns of Orebic and Korcula. After Orebic, guests cruise to the chic island of Hvar – the “hotspot” of the Adriatic and regarded as one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world – to explore all it has to offer: shopping, dining and nightlife. During the cruise, guests enjoy the many amenities of the Penny Mae, which include a crew of eight, Jacuzzi, jet skis, surf skis, water skiing, fishing, onboard treadmill and the cuisine of the Penny Mae’s private chef. All meals and amenities included. To top things off, winners receive three bottles each of Korta Katarina’s 2006 Reuben’s Private Reserve Plavac Mali, 2006 Plavac Mali, 2008 Posip and 2009 Plavac Mali and Zinfandel Rosé.
“Sensational Scandinavian Seascapes” includes a one-week cruise for six couples aboard the 201-foot Feadship Motor Yacht Majestic in the spectacular Baltic Sea. This Architectural Digest-featured motor yacht with seven ultra-plush staterooms, including a master suite plus two separate VIP suites, combines contemporary style and peerless Feadship quality. Guests will enjoy the many luxuries onboard and the attentive service of Majestic’s 16-member crew including two accomplished chefs catering to every culinary want. To keep guests occupied between ports, Majestic is fully outfitted with a range of tenders and water sports crafts, a well-appointed gymnasium and an array of state-of-the-art technological amenities like full range Wi-Fi, a cinema and a Kaleidoscope system with more than 1,000 movie titles available on each of the many flat screens onboard. Guests will disembark to enjoy Europe’s most remarkable and entertaining coastal cities from Norway’s charming capital of Oslo, through Sweden and to storied Copenhagen, a Danish gem that like other destinations on the journey combines Scandinavia’s unique blend of modern architecture and rich history. Guests will soak in dramatic views of the coastal fairytale landscape including sunken valleys and soaring mountains from the Jacuzzi on Majestic’s top deck. Food and non-alcoholic drinks aboard yacht, fuel, taxes and port charges are all included.
“It’s Perfectly Polite to Barge In” features a six-night barge river cruise for three couples from Escommes to Dijon, France aboard the Fleur de Lys. The trip starts at Escommes in Burgundy. Guests travel to Point d’Ouche for a visit at Château de Pommard, followed by La Bussière sur Ouche where they’ll visit Beaune and experience a private tour and tasting at Camille Giroud, then Gissey sur Ouche for a visit to l’Abbaye de la Bussière, and Fleurey-sur-Ouche for a visit to Clos de Vougeot. The cruise concludes with a visit to Dijon. Business class airfare to Paris for three couples is included.
About Naples Children & Education Foundation
Naples Children & Education Foundation has raised more than $94.5 million at the Naples Winter Wine Festival since 2001 to create and expand charitable programs serving underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County. As a direct result of the investments of NCEF, more than 125,000 children have had their lives improved. The foundation is governed by a nine-person board, representing 69 trustees, and currently supports 23 grantees and long-term strategic initiatives focused on children’s early learning, medical/oral health, out-of-school programs, behavioral health and childhood hunger.
Naples Winter Wine Festival, the most successful charity wine auction in the world, is the primary source of funds for NCEF. Wine Spectator magazine has ranked NWWF as the nation’s top charity wine auction since 2004. The festival is planned and executed by the trustees, foundation staff and hundreds of volunteers.
Festival events span three days, beginning with Meet the Kids Day, during which guests interact with children who have benefited from festival proceeds and witness charitable dollars at work. Guests enjoy wine tastings throughout the weekend and also attend intimate dinners prepared by famous chefs at private homes of NCEF trustees with wines selected and poured by renowned vintners. A festival highlight takes place at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples – a founding sponsor of the festival – with a culinary showcase and live auction of 67 lots. A wine-down party that evening and brunch the next day bring festivities to a close.
Festival ticket packages are $8,500 per couple; $20,000 for reserved seating at the same vintner dinner for two couples. For a schedule of 2012 festivities and more information about the Naples Winter Wine Festival, visit www.napleswinefestival.com or call 888-837-4919.
