Cruise Passengers Can Soak Up Pre- and Post-Cruise Cultural Fun in Fort Lauderdale with Riverwalk A&E District Partners' Exciting 'Cruise & Play' Offers

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Pre-and post-cruise cultural adventures in Fort Lauderdale can be the perfect complement to any cruise vacation, and Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment (A&E) partners are offering great values for passengers to soak up the area's renowned entertainment, art, beauty, history and more. As part of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau's "Cruise & Play" promotion, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Florida Grand Opera, Nova Southeastern University's Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, Fort Lauderdale Historical Society and Historic Stranahan House Museum are presenting special values for passengers sailing in and out of Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades.

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To redeem Riverwalk A&E partners' "Cruise & Play" offers, cruise passengers simply visit www.riverwalkae.com/riverwalk-art-entertainment-district-presents-cruise-and-play.

Broward Center for the Performing Arts
Passengers receive 10 percent off any performance of Laffing Matterz at the Broward Center: With A Vengeance at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, now through Saturday, March 22, 2014. Use the code "CRUISE" at checkout.

Named Best Dinner Theatre by Gold Coast magazine and The New Times, and a recipient of the 2013 Certificate of Excellence Award from Trip Advisor, the hilarious Laffing Matterz at the Broward Center: With A Vengeance features a delicious meal and performance of original satirical songs and creative skits. Laffing Matterz at the Broward Center: With A Vengeance plucks topics from today's headlines, and lampoons everything from celebrity misfortune and pop culture to the latest political scandals.

Florida Grand Opera
Passengers enjoy 20 percent off any regularly priced Mezzanine level tickets for any 2013-2014 season performances of Florida Grand Opera, now through Saturday, May 17, 2014. Use the code "SUNNY" at checkout. 

Season highlights include Nabucco, the opera that put Giuseppe Verdi on the map, which follows the plight of the Jews of Babylonia as they are assaulted, conquered, and ultimately exiled from their homeland. Tosca, which for many is what opera is all about, is one of the most famous and beloved operas ever written, highlighting magnificent music and a story that includes torture, murder, and suicide. In Thais, which takes place in ancient Egypt, seduction comes in the form of a beautiful courtesan named Thais. A monk makes it his mission to redeem her, but becomes obsessed with her erotic allure. Redemption or lust – what proves stronger?

Nova Southeastern University's Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale
Passengers who buy one general admission ticket to Nova Southeastern University's Museum of Art ׀ Fort Lauderdale receive one complimentary ticket of the same or lesser value. Museum galleries are open daily 11 a.m.–5 p.m. with extended hours on Thursdays until 8 p.m., and Sundays 12–5 pm. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Nova Southeastern University's Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale features 83,000 square feet containing 29,000 square feet of art exhibition space, and is also home to the 11,000-square-foot AutoNation Academy of Art + Design. The Museum is home to a permanent collection of more than 6,000 works of art. The collection includes significant pieces by the American painter William Glackens, the artists of the Northern European Cobra Movement, and contemporary Cuban artists. There's also always something new and different at the Museum. Exhibitions span time and genre, from the recent Warhol and Cars: American Icons and Wari: Pre-Inca Lords of Peru to Foto Fort Lauderdale, an exciting new series of high-caliber photographic exhibitions that give photography a permanent, year-round home at the Museum.

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens
Through March 31, passengers who mention "Cruise & Play" when they purchase an admission ticket to the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens receive a complimentary Life & Gift book that details the history of this beautiful estate, and depicts its colorful past through recollections and imagery. Bonnet House is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Tour times are at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Gates close at 4 p.m. Bonnet House is closed on Mondays. 

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is accredited by the American Association of Museums. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 and declared a historic landmark by the City of Fort Lauderdale in 2002. In 2004, the National Trust for Historic Preservation included Bonnet House in its Save America's Treasures program. Four years later, due to the threat posed by massive nearby development, the National Trust and Florida Trust for Historic Preservation listed the Bonnet House as one of America's 11 most endangered sites. 

Fort Lauderdale Historical Society
Passengers who mention "Cruise & Play" at the admission desk of the New River Inn Museum receive 20 percent off general admission and complimentary lemonade offered on the porch of the New River Inn. The Fort Lauderdale Historical Society is open Tuesdays through Sundays, noon–4 p.m. Docent led tours are at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Fort Lauderdale Historical Society is closed Mondays.

The Fort Lauderdale Historical Society brings the history of greater Fort Lauderdale to life through education, research and preservation for the enrichment of present and future generations. With an array of events, lectures, tours, permanent and temporary exhibitions, there is always something new to discover. As the only pioneer village in South Florida with the largest collection of historic buildings in Broward County, the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society is a wonderful place for adults and children to learn about the history of Fort Lauderdale, and how this city evolved from pioneer times through today. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Historical Society offers a unique glimpse into the past with guided tours conducted in period costumes.

Historic Stranahan House Museum
Passengers who mention "Cruise & Play" when purchasing admission receive $2 off general admission to guided tours of this historic and charming home. The Stranahan House is open daily for guided tours at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. 

Built in 1901, this historic location on the New River served first as a trading post for pioneers and Indians. Within a decade, it had become a hotel and eatery; a meeting place for the handful of folks that had pulled up roots to begin a new life on the New River settlement. Listed as a National Historic Registry building, Stranahan House features a wide variety of unique offerings throughout the year including River Ghost Tours, Victorian Christmas evenings, Florida Heritage Week, and unique mixers and special events. 

"Fort Lauderdale is a cultural destination unto itself," said Carmen Ackerman, project manager, Riverwalk A&E District. "Before and/or after a cruise is wonderful time to experience the renowned entertainment, art and more that Riverwalk A&E District offers."

To learn more about Riverwalk A&E partners' "Cruise & Play" offers, visit www.riverwalkae.com/riverwalk-art-entertainment-district-presents-cruise-and-play.

About Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District
The Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District is a unique partnership of arts and entertainment organizations located along the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale with the express mission of promoting cultural tourism in South Florida. Presenting over 1,000 individual events each year, the District attracts well over 1 million visitors annually. Partners of the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment Consortium include Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale, Florida Grand Opera, Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, the Historic Stranahan House Museum and Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. It is supported by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. For more information about Riverwalk A&E District and its partners, visit www.riverwalkae.com.

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Contacts:
Carmen Ackerman, Riverwalk A&E District
954-414-6910 / Email

Duree Ross, Duree & Company, PR Consultant
954-723-9350 / Email

SOURCE Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District