Costa Introduces Voyager In Red Sea

Costa Cruises has announced the arrival of a new ship in the Costa fleet - the Costa Voyager. She will offer guests 416 cabins in total (accommodating 927 guests), including 16 panoramic suites and 12 suites with private balconies. Relaxation and fun will be guaranteed by three restaurants, four bars, a theatre, wellness centre and gym, treatment rooms, sauna and Turkish bath, swimming pool, disco, shopping centre and children’s club (the Squok Club).

Her arrival enhances the Italian company’s versatile fleet of ships, with a range of dimensions and differing characteristics, offering customers a series of brand new itineraries. More specifically, the technical characteristics of Costa Voyager (the former Olympic Voyager of now-defunct Royal Olympic Cruises, and more recently of Pullmantur) make her especially suitable for cruises to the Red Sea, a relatively new destination for Costa and one that will be offered throughout 2012.

Voyager's first cruise was a 15-day journey from Savona earlier this month and, from December 5 to the end of 2012, she will be offering week-long cruises in the Red Sea, departing on Mondays from Sharm el-Sheikh and calling at Eilat (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan), Safaga and Sokhna (Egypt).

For booking details, be sure to check this link for the UK's leading specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

Ponant Cruises' New Summer Brochure

The new Summer 2012 Cruises brochure published by Compagnie du Ponant, is now available to the UK marketplace featuring over 80 sailings, from 4-14 nights, operating between March and October next year.

The Art of Yacht Cruises is elegantly reflected in the contemporary, 130-page brochure, promoting an alternative lifestyle of discovery, enjoyment, subtlety and relaxation, which has been the philosophy of Compagnie du Ponant for over 20 years. A range of magical destinations are on offer and also a choice of themed cruises from music and golf, to gastronomy, family and soft expedition.

With moorings inaccessible to larger ships, unusual itineraries and high standards of personal service, Compagnie du Ponant, the only French cruise line, now operates a fleet of five, individual ships of character: Le Ponant (64 passengers), Le Levant(90 passengers), Le Diamant (226 passengers) and Le Boreal and L'Austral (264 passengers).

Voyage-only fares include: The cruise with all meals, from dinner on the day of embarkation to breakfast on the day of disembarkation; Welcome aboard and captain’s cocktail parties, gala dinner; Mineral water, tea, filter coffee, white, red and rosé wines served with meals; 24-hour room service; Evening entertainment and events, and/or organised shows; and porterage from the quayside to the ship and vice versa.

For more information visit http://www.ponant.com/ or contact the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Costa Starts Cruising The Red Sea

Here's an interesting press release from Costa Cruises this week, with news of new destinations:

Two Costa ships to depart weekly from Sharm El Sheikh in a first for the cruise industry

Costa Marina and Costa Allegra have new departures from Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, visiting Cairo, the Negev Desert (Israel) and Petra (Jordan) for the first time in an exclusive winter 2010/2011 itinerary.

Costa Cruises is offering new one-week cruises in the Red Sea departing from Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, for the entire 2010/2011 winter season. The Red Sea, along with the Far East, the Arab Emirates and the Indian Ocean, will become yet another destination where Costa offers a regular cruise service.

Costa Marina (25,600 gross tonnage and a capacity of 1,000 guests) and Allegra (28,400 gross tonnage and a capacity of 1,000 guests) will depart from November 25, 2010, to February 17, 2011 and November 29, 2010, to March 21, 2011, respectively. The unique itineraries include Egypt, Israel and Jordan, and call at Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), Eilat (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan), Luxor-Safaga (Egypt) and Cairo-Sokhna (Egypt).

Both ships will call weekly in Sharm el Sheikh, making a total of 38 calls and transporting a total of 60,000 passengers over the winter months.

The itineraries of Marina and Allegra combine both relaxation and culture from one shore of the Red Sea to the other. Passengers on the Red Sea voyages can expect to experience incredibly beautiful sea vistas and cultural and archaeological treasures.

From Eilat, guests can take Costa excursions to a natural oasis in the Negev Desert , the fortress of Masada or the incredible landscapes of the Dead Sea . At Aqaba, guests can visit the pink city of Petra, carved into the mountains. In Safaga there is the option to enjoy excursions to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, visit the tombs of the Pharaohs, observe the natural wonders of Hurghada and visit the crystalline waters of the island of Mahamya. From Sokhna, excursions visit the grand pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.

With spectacular architecture, Costa Marina and Allegra are ideal for Red Sea cruises, as the beautiful panoramic circular glass wall of the stern allows for breathtaking sea views. Onboard, guests can enjoy a myriad of facilities including restaurants, bars, wellness and fitness centres, treatment rooms and saunas, swimming pools, outdoor jogging tracks, theatres, casinos, discotheques, shopping centres and internet access points.

For more information or to book, go to www.costacruises.co.uk or call 0845 351 0552, or try the specialist cruise travel agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 7766.

From the Nile to Damascus

By guest blogger Steve Newman

The Middle East has long been a magnet for those who wish to combine cruising with the study of ancient civilisations. Take this tradition with a combined land-and-cruise journey and you really have the chance to get under the skin of these places and their cultures, both past and present.

In March next year, discerning travellers have the chance to take a six-night cruise in the Red Sea combined with land elements to visit some of the most impressive ancient ruins on Earth for an amazing 17-day journey.

Organised in typical exemplary style by Noble Caledonia, the trip starts with three nights in Cairo with trips to the Pyramids and other famous historical sites before you board the MS Island Sky for the cruise from Suez to Aqaba. The ship underwent a complete refurbishment in May and I can thoroughly recommend her as a superb vessel for this type of cruise having sailed on her myself recently.

Calling in at Safaga, a journey through the desert brings you to Luxor for a two-day excursion that also includes the Valley of the Kings. Amazingly, the best is yet to come as, after disembarking at Aqaba, the wonder of the orange and red sands of the desert of Wadi Rum are visited in Jordan, followed by a two-night stay at Petra (above) the "Rose red city, older than time."

Floating in the Dead Sea at its marvellous resort that drips luxury and exclusiveness, walking through Amman and sitting in wonder on the steps of the theatres in the ancient Roman city of Jerash are all followed by the fascination of the Mosques and Orthodox churches of Damascus.

How's that for true Middle Eastern magnificence?

For more information, look up http://www.noble-caledonia.co.uk/