It's The Antiques Cruise Show With Fred Olsen

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is offering three cruises in 2012 with ‘Antiques’ as the special topic, through its acclaimed onboard enrichment programme Vistas. On each cruise, there will be celebrated experts from the world of antiques, sharing their knowledge and passion with like-minded guests. 

Each of these experts appears as an appraiser on the BBC’s celebrated and long-running Antiques Roadshow. Antiques-collecting is one of the UK’s most popular pastimes; the popularity of antiques fairs and auctions continues unabated, with TV shows like the Roadshow, Cash in the Attic and Flog It all going from strength to strength. So, what better way to indulge an interest in antiques than taking a cruise to some of Europe's most interesting cities, brimming with a wealth of art and antique collections, in the company of the most knowledgeable experts in the field?

The Fred. Olsen experts are:- Lars Tharp, Will Farmer, Marc Allum, Clive Stewart-Lockhart and Paul Viney, and guests can join these fascinating experts free of charge on the following Fred. Olsen cruises in 2012:

Black Watch, 13-night ‘The Baltic with Norway’ voyage, departing Dover on June 24 and calling at Kiel (Germany), Tallinn (Estonia), St. Petersburg (Russia, overnight), Helsinki (Finland), Turku (Finland), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Kristiansand (Norway), before returning to Dover. Prices start from £1,699 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin Grade E. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes. The Vistas theme on this cruise is hosted by Lars Tharp and Clive Stewart-Lockhart.

Boudicca, 12-night ‘Stockholm & St. Petersburg’ cruise, departing Newcastle on September 14 and calling at Stockholm (Sweden), Tallinn, St. Petersburg (overnight), Ronne (Denmark) and Kalundborg (Denmark), before returning to Newcastle. Prices start from £1,559 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade E. The antiques experts on this cruise are Marc Allum and Will Farmer.

Braemar, 12-night ‘St. Petersburg, Helsinki & Stockholm’ voyage, departing Dover on September 22, calling at Warnemünde (for Berlin), Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg (overnight), Rǿnne, Copenhagen and Oslo before returning to Dover. Prices start from £1,519 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade I. Hosting the Vistas ‘Antiques’ theme will be Lars Tharp and Paul Viney.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Fred Olsen - Road Show Cruise

By guest blogger Steve Newman

The Danish-born historian, lecturer and broadcaster, Lars Tharp – who is also one of the longest running experts on the BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’ – will be one of the special guest speakers aboard Fred Olsen’s 23-night Black Watch cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean in May 2011.

A regular with Fred Olsen, Lars speaks on antiques-collecting, as part of the cruise line’s onboard programme of special interests, The ArtsClub. Originally trained as an archaeologist, Lars was a Director of Sotheby’s, where he specialised in European ceramics and oriental works of art. In 2008, he was appointed the Director of the Foundling Museum in London, and Visiting Professor at De Montfort University, Leicester. On this cruise, Lars will give some highly entertaining and informative talks, and will also offer to value small items brought on board by guests, in true ‘Antiques Roadshow’ style.

Lars will be on board as far as Istanbul, where he will disembark, and the ship will be joined by his ‘Antiques Roadshow’ colleague Will Farmer. Will specialises in 20th Century decorative arts, covering ceramics, glass and furniture. He studied at the Birmingham School of Jewellery, undertaking a combined BA Hons in Silversmithing and Fine Art History. Will has featured as an expert on the BBC’s ‘20th Century Roadshow’, and is now in his fourth season as an expert with the Roadshow.

This cruise also offers a wealth of opportunities to explore the Ancient World, as it visits some of the great classical cities of Greece, Turkey and Tunisia. Black Watch departs from Dover on May 18 and ports of call include Cagliari in Sicily, Kalamata (anchor port) and Piraeus (the port for Athens) in Greece, Canakkale in Turkey, with tours to the fabled city of Troy, as well as Istanbul, Valletta – capital of Malta – and La Goulette for Tunisia’s capital, Tunis.

Highlights of this cruise include the chance to explore the remains of ancient Troy, a full day to take in the sights of historic Athens, and another day in Tunis, where French colonial architecture sits cheek-by-jowl with ancient Moorish buildings.

This classical cruise is a history-lover’s dream, and the additional ArtsClub ‘Antiques’ theme, hosted by Tharp and Farmer, is especially well-suited to this itinerary.

Prices start from £2,279 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes.

If you would like to join Tharp, Farmer and other history-lovers on this cruise, find out more by visiting www.fredolsencruises.co.uk or call specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.