Voyages Of Discovery Go Musical In St Petersburg

Enjoy a free exclusive musical excursion in St Petersburg with Voyages of Discovery next summer on a Baltic cruise overflowing with fine art, architecture and history. As an alternative to the Mediterranean, it’s no surprise this destination is emerging as the new must-see holiday hotspot.

With a rapidly growing choice of sailings, Voyages of Discovery also make this part of Northern Europe hard to resist with amazing fares and now a free excursion to the world-renowned Hermitage in St Petersburg.

Now included in the price is a magical evening in St Petersburg at the Hermitage for a musical reception reminiscent of a performance during the reign of the Tsars. Whilst the museum is closed, guests are invited to enjoy an in-depth guided tour, a champagne reception and an exclusive performance from the State Hermitage Orchestra concert.

This exclusive offer is now available on the following cruises: Baltic Treasures (from £1,649 per person in an outside cabin), 15-day voyage departing from Harwich and calling at Kristiansand, Copenhagen, Tallinn, St Petersburg (overnight x 2), Gdynia, Szczecin, Sassnitz and transit through the Kiel canal before returning to Harwich. Price is based on June 28 departure.

Timeless Baltic (from £1,599 per person in an outside cabin), 15-day voyage departing from Harwich and calling at Copenhagen, Saaremaa Island (Estonia), Tallinn, St Petersburg (overnight x 2), Gdynia, Szczecin, Sassnitz and transit through the Kiel canal before returning to Harwich. Price is based September 3 departure. Prices for all cruises include meals, entertainment and gratuities on board and all relevant cruise taxes/fees, plus onboard lectures from a team of renowned Guest Speakers.

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

P&O Double Ex-UK Winter Sailings

P&O Cruises has doubled its ex-UK capacity next year from one ship to two as both Oceana and Oriana will sail from Southampton throughout winter 2012/13 on cruises of two to 35 nights in duration.

Oceana’s second year of winter cruising from Southampton also includes, for the first time, two short cruises for Christmas and New Year. These voyages offer the chance to spend Boxing Day in Copenhagen or New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam, for some authentic festive celebrations whilst being away for only four or seven days.

Oriana will offer seven ex-UK sailings, including a 10-night Baltic cruise in December calling in at popular Christmas market destinations such as Copenhagen and Hamburg; and a 12-night Canary Islands cruise in late January to ports including Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Casablanca.

This is in addition to the four grand winter World Cruises from January to April 2012, round-trip from Southampton, including Azura’s maiden world cruise.

For more details and booking info, be sure to check out the P&O Cruises section of leading UK cruise agents, The Cruise Line Ltd, on this link.

Coffee And Football In Inuit Greenland

Fancy a coffee with an Inuit in their home? Or how about a game of football with the locals? Or the chance to meet local school children? Getting closer to the traditions and culture of the people who live in Greenland is a core focus on a Hurtigruten voyage to Greenland.

Greenlanders refer to their island as ‘Kalaallit Nunaat’ - the land of the people. And, in 2012, Hurtigruten will bring its guests closer to both the locals and the townships for the ultimate cultural experience. In turn, it also aims to give something back by offering the Inuits contact with the wider world, which for some is otherwise unobtainable.

Hurtigruten voyages include visits to Greenland’s small townships and the rare opportunity to gain a first-hand insight into the everyday life of the Inuits. Inuit houses are open for Hurtigruten guests and they are invited by local families to partake in a traditional ‘kaffemik’, the Greenland version of a cup of coffee and learn more about their way of life.

In Uummannaq, there is a welcome by local school children and the chance for them to mingle with guests. When the ship docks in the Ittileq township, guests, crew and locals join together for a traditional football match that sees sport bringing together different cultures.

Hurtigruten offer a selection of voyages to Greenland during the summer months. For example, The Heart of Greenland (from £4,117pp), a nine-day expedition along Greenland’s west coast visiting small settlements accessible only by boat. Available on June 10, 17 and July 1, the voyage includes seven nights full board on the ship, return flight from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq, transfers and lectures by the expedition team. Flights from UK to Copenhagen are extra and can be booked by Hurtigruten. Price based on two sharing and valid if booked by 31 December 2011.

For more info and booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's adventure cruise specialists, 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.

Regent's 'Build Your Own Cruise' Formula

In a first for the world’s most all-inclusive cruise line, Regent Seven Seas is offering guests the exclusive opportunity to create their own, longer voyages with the new ‘Build Your Own Cruise’ concept. And, in addition to the usual all-inclusive benefits included on every Regent cruise (free return flights and transfers; unlimited shore excursions; food, drink and gratuities), guests combining cruises totalling 90-nights or more will enjoy further additional benefits.

Launched this month, guests will be able to personalise their own adventure with sailings onboard Seven Seas Voyager across Asia, Australia and Europe in three ways:

· Combination cruises over 90-nights embarking in either: Auckland, Sydney, Singapore or Dubai and disembarking in either: Rome, Barcelona, Southampton, Reykjavik, Copenhagen and Stockholm.

· Combination cruises from 50-71 nights between November 2011 and March 2012

· Creating their own cruise by choosing from 18 individual segments (ranging from 7-21 nights) sailing across Asia, Australia and Europe from November 2011 to July 2012

The line is also offering guests the opportunity to create their own adventure in South America, onboard Seven Seas Mariner, combining segments or cruising the full 72-night circumnavigation of the continent. Guests sailing the full 72-nights will also enjoy additional benefits including: private care transfer pre and post cruise, free internet access, complimentary phone usage and $600 per person onboard credit.

For more info, visit http://www.rssc.com/ or contact the luxury cruise experts of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Azamara's 'Extended Voyages'

Azamara Club Cruises has launched 'Extended Voyages' which allow guests to join two, three, four or more consecutive cruises into one experience. By combining select consecutive cruises onboard Azamara Quest or Azamara Journey guests can embark on a holiday of a lifetime, ranging from 11 to 78-nights without repeated ports of call.

In addition, guests booking consecutive cruises will receive £200 per cruise, per stateroom for cruises of eight days or less and £300 per cruise, per stateroom for voyages of nine days or more for greater value. Savings double on sailings between October 1 and December 31 this year, if booked by July 31.

Guests wanting a longer adventure can book Journey's 77-night cruise from Stockholm to Civitavecchia (for Rome). Departing June 27, 2012, the sailing features 25 overnight stays, four being two consecutive nights, where guests can experience the nightlife of Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris and Seville. This Extended Voyage features the Norwegian Fjords itinerary, which highlights the North Seas Jazz Festival, one of the world's premiere musical festivals.

For those keen on exploring the Far East, Journey's Piraeus (Athens) to Hong Kong cruise departs on October 26, 2012. This 72-night cruise, combines six cruises - Holy Land, Egypt & Suez Canal; Luxor, Petra, Sinai & Eilat; Luxor, Petra & Sinai; The Spice Coast & Ceylon; Burma & Andaman Sea Islands; Vietnam & Thailand, Christmas and New Year - for an in-depth exploration of the region, plus an opportunity to spend Christmas and New Year in Hong Kong through a Land Discoveries excursion.

Quest departs Singapore on February 29, 2012, on a 78-night cruise, sailing from Singapore to Piraeus. This combines six cruises - Trade Routes to the Orient; Japan & Taiwan; Manila, Sabah, Borneo, Komodo & Bali; Spice Route; Petra, Sinai & Luxor; Holy Land, Egypt & Suez Canal.

For more info, look up http://www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/ or contact the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Fred. Olsen's Worldwide Voyaging

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has launched its new worldwide brochure for 2012/13, detailing a comprehensive programme of ex-UK cruises aboard classic ships Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch. All the new cruises feature Fred. Olsen’s ‘No Fuel Surcharge Guarantee’.

The 2012/13 programme includes an enormous choice of destinations, varying in duration from a mini-cruise of just two nights to an epic world voyage of 112 nights. The itineraries feature new and exciting destinations, along with many old favourites, with departures from convenient regional British ports, Dover, Southampton, Portsmouth, Newcastle, Greenock (Glasgow) and Rosyth (Edinburgh).

Highlights include:

- A ‘Christmas Markets’ cruise aboard Black Watch, travelling to the Baltic and calling at Warnemünde (Germany), Tallinn (Estonia), St Petersburg (Russia), Helsinki (Finland), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Kiel (Germany).

- The chance to sail over 50 miles up the Guadalquivir River to Seville, in Spain.

- A return call to the newly-accessible Banjul Harbour in The Gambia, on Balmoral’s 21-night ‘West Africa and Cape Verde’ cruise.

- Three brand new destinations on Canada’s east coast – Port Saguenay, Trois Rivières and Havre St. Pierre.

- Some enticing longer cruises in 2013 – Balmoral’s new ‘Around the World’ itinerary and Black Watch’s epic cruise, down the West Coast of Africa and into the Indian Ocean.

- Another opportunity to take a Winter cruise to Norway, ‘In Search of the Northern Lights’, with Boudicca in February 2013, or to cruise into the heart of the mighty Amazon River, also aboard Boudicca, on a long (35-night) cruise in early 2013.

- Christmas 2012, when both Balmoral and Braemar will be visiting the Cape Verde Islands, as part of their festive itineraries, while Black Watch offers a real getaway, with her ex-UK ‘Caribbean Christmas’ cruise of 25 nights.

Fred. Olsen also continues to make regular enhancements to its fleet. Boudicca benefitted from a major refit in January 2011, allowing for extra cabins, smart new shopping outlets and a top-deck fitness centre. The onboard experience continues to benefit from an ever-increasing choice of activities and interests for guests to pursue. The cruise enrichment programme, Vistas (formerly The ArtsClub), has been re-launched and reinvigorated, with many distinguished new names joining the panoply of on-board experts, covering an even wider range of subjects.

Other additional attractions, on selected cruises, include ‘Flagship Golf‘, boasting even more top courses in 2012/13, and, for the best in entertainment, Fred. Olsen’s ‘Music and Laughter’; programme. This gives guests a wonderful opportunity to enjoy live music and comedy in an intimate setting, from some of the top names in the business, and all at no extra cost. Past favourites include the Divas of Motown, The Drifters and Lulu, and big names lined up for this season include The Operababes – back by popular demand – The Sounds of Boney M, featuring Sheyla Bonnick, and The Tornados – the first UK group to top the US charts, with ‘Telstar’, and original backing group to 60s legend, Billy Fury.

For more info, see www.fredolsencruises.com or contact the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

More Big Savings With Oceania

Oceania Cruises is offering savings of up to 57% off selected cruise departures in spring and summer, including sailings on board new Marina, with an onboard credit of $1,000 per stateroom. All prices include all meals and complimentary bottled water and soft drinks but exclude flights.

Route of the Vikings: 14 nights from £1,399 saving £1,829 PLUS $1,000 on board credit.

Departing July 1, Oceania has a 14-night sailing from Copenhagen to London on Marina, crossing the North Sea and Atlantic through Norway, the Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands, Iceland (above) and Ireland before disembarking in London.

Greek Isles Odyssey: 12 nights from £1,499, saving up to £1,235pp PLUS $1,000 on board credit.

Departing July 9, this cruise sails from Istanbul to Athens through some of the Greece’s most beautiful and historic islands on board the mid-sized Nautica, with with savings up to £1,235 per person for an Outside ocean-view stateroom, based on two sharing.

Myths and Legends: 12 nights from £1,199, saving up to £1,160pp PLUS $1,000 on board credit.

Departing July 21, this magnificent sailing from Athens cruises the Greek Islands, Montenegro and Croatia before disembarking in Venice on Nautica, now from £1,199 per person for an Inside stateroom.

Majestic Inspiration: 14 nights from £1,399, saving up to £1,529pp PLUS $1,000 on board credit.

Departing August 2, cruise through the magical Aegean Sea on a 14-night cruise on board Nautica and save up to £1,529pp for an Inside Stateroom, based on two sharing, with a $1,000 credit/stateroom. The sailing departs from Venice and continues into the Aegean Sea cruising through Croatia, Greece, Italy, Monaco and France before disembarking in Barcelona.

For more info, visit www.oceaniacruises.co.uk or luxury cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

Royal Caribbean's Big 2012 Deployment

Royal Caribbean International has unveiled its 2012 Europe cruise and cruise-tour season, upping the ante with no less than 12 ships in the region. This will include two Freedom-class ships, the largest and most ground-breaking in the line’s fleet to sail European waters.

Highlights for the 2012 Europe season include:

Independence of the Seas (above) positioned year-round from Southampton.

New for 2012, Amsterdam will debut as a home port.

New for 2012, Serenade of the Seas will make its European debut from Barcelona.

Brilliance of the Seas will operate a new series of Northern Europe itineraries out of Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

Mariner of the Seas will add new Holy Land cruises and seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises from Rome

Liberty of the Seas will offer new five-night Western Mediterranean itineraries

Maiden calls will be made at Aarhus (Denmark), Klaksvik (Faroe Islands) and Leknes (Lofoten, Norway). Itineraries as short as three nights or as long as 16 will all be available.

For the third consecutive year, Independence will be positioned year-round in Southampton, primarily operating on an alternating series of 14-night “Mediterranean Treasures” and “Italian Mediterranean” programmes, but three 10 and 11-night Canary Islands itineraries will be available in October and November. Independence will also offer one three-night sailing, overnighting in Paris (port of LeHavre) in May and a four-night cruise spending the night in Cork.

For more info, see http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/ or call the UK's cruise specialists, The Cruise Line on 0800 008 6677.

Crystal Expands World Jewish Culture Exploration

With increased participation in Jewish heritage tours, luxury cruise operator Crystal Cruises is expanding its related programming in 2011. Scheduled are over a dozen Crystal Adventures that explore Jewish life, past and present, around the world in or near Mumbai, Miami, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Berlin, Hamburg, St Petersburg, Rome, Dublin, Jerusalem/Ashdod and Odessa.

Each tour gives an overview of a culture within a culture, while also providing intimate connection with spaces, exhibits, artefacts, traditions and people that bring the international Jewish narrative to life. Among the highlights:

· St Petersburg: Discover how this resilient Russian Jewish community survived Communist oppression, war and hardship to flourish today, as demonstrated through its people, community centres, musi, and an intimate home visit.

· Mumbai: Visit three synagogues ranging from Baghdadi to Bene-Israel congregations.

· Copenhagen: Learn how 99% of Denmark’s Jews survived the Holocaust at the Museum of Danish Resistance.

· Dublin: Take in the social, legal and political contributions of the Irish-Jewish community; see the first dedicated day school and home of Israeli ex-President Chaim Herzog.

· German Concentration Camps: Explore Neuengamme, which housed 100,000 prisoners outside Hamburg, and Berlin’s Sachsenhausen, which became the blueprint for all other camps.

· Rome: Walk through the 2,000-year-old Jewish Quarter of Rome.

While most 2012 excursions are still in development, Crystal is planning a Jewish heritage tour of Shanghai for its 2012 World Cruise.

For reservations, visit http://www.crystalcruises.co.uk/ or contact the UK's leading luxury cruises specialist of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Baltic Debut for Star Clippers

Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers will offer its first ever season sailing the Baltic in 2012, a unique chance to sail into some of the world’s greatest seafaring ports on a magnificent, fully-crewed square rigger, the 170-passenger Star Flyer.

As well as visiting iconic ports such as Copenhagen, St Petersburg and Stockholm, Star Clippers will sail to destinations with a long-standing love and appreciation of tall ships, including Kiel and Warnemunde/Rostock in Germany, where the vessel’s visit will coincide with the breathtaking annual Sailing Parade, a gathering of some of the world’s most stunning tall ships.

There will also be calls at smaller ports rarely visited by bigger cruise ships, giving guests a chance to appreciate the beauty of the islands and coastlines of the Baltic and Scandinavia without the crowds.

Highlights of the Baltic season include:

A five-night voyage from Southampton to Hamburg, via Amsterdam, departing May 5, 2012, including two full days at sea to enjoy the sensation of sailing on an authentic tall ship. From £1,035 per person, including all meals on board and port taxes (excludes return flight from Hamburg).

A seven-night voyage returning into Southampton, departing Hamburg on August 25, via Amsterdam, Ijmuiden, Antwerp and Zeebrugge, presenting another chance to sail up the Solent in one of the most dramatic-looking ships afloat. From £1,490 per person, including all meals on board and port taxes (excludes outbound flight to Hamburg).

Five, six and seven-night sailings to and from Warnemunde/Rostock, visiting ports in Germany, Denmark and Poland, as well as Sweden and Oslo. The five-night voyage calls at Copenhagen, Ronne/Bornholm and Gdansk, for example, while a six-night sailing from Warnemunde to Oslo on August 12 calls at Ronne-Bornholm, Copenhagen, Halmstad, Goteborg and Marstrand. From £1,035 for a five night round-trip sailing from Warnemunde, departing June 3, including all meals on board and port taxes (excluding flights).

Seven night voyages featuring Olso, situated at the head of a dramatic fjord. Oslo to Copenhagen, for example, calls at Marstrand, Goteborg, Halmstad and Helsingborg in Sweden and Kalundborg in Denmark, finishing in Copenhagen. A seven-night cruise costs from £1,490 pp, departing Oslo May 26, including all meals on board and port taxes (excluding flights).

A highlight of the season will be three ten or 11-night voyages round-trip from Stockholm, with an overnight in St Petersburg. Ports of call on the 10-night sailing departing July 21 include Visby, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki, and two additional ports in Finland, Hanko and Mariehamn-Aaland. Sailing from Stockholm is particularly special and Star Flyer will be a magnificent sight as she leaves the historic harbour of the Swedish capital and glides gracefully through the archipelago of hundreds of tiny islands. From £2,120 for 10 nights, departing Stockholm July 21, including all meals on board and port taxes (again, excluding flights).

For more information, visit www.starclippers.co.uk or contact the adventure-cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Crystal's Northern Europe Sensory Adventures

Feel perfectly-chilled vodka slide down your throat while sitting snugly inside a Scandinavian "ice bar"; smell fresh-cut grass while swinging your 9-iron across championship golf courses in Ireland; hear the Russian Imperial Guard march to symphonic crescendos while welcoming you to the Royal Catherine Palace; taste homemade goat caramel among Norwegian fjords; and view Stockholm by hot-air balloon.

These are but a sampling of the extraordinary "sensory adventures" guests can savour as part of Crystal Cruises’ Northern European voyage collection that begins this May. Other shore-side excursions include:

Pop culture-related destinations such as Stieg Larsson’s Stockholm; the Beatles’ Liverpool; Belfast’s Titanic shipyard; St Andrews University, where Prince William and Kate Middleton met; and the Da Vinci Code’s Rosslyn Chapel in Edinburgh

Historical journeys related to Vikings in Stockholm, Dublin and Roskilde (near Copenhagen); genealogical emigration and the Cold War in Hamburg; and life behind Berlin’s Iron Curtain

Architectural tours spanning the Art Nouveau in Ålesund, Norway to the Modern in Berlin, plus eco-conscious trips like bird-watching in Runde Island (near Ålesund) and Shetland; kayaking the Finnish Archipelago (Helsinki); and exploring the wind-powered town of Paldiski (near Tallinn) by 4x4.

Adrenalin-fuelled adventures such as racing rally cars in Estonia; cosmonaut training, including zero-gravity weightlessness, near Moscow; and, in Crystal’s most over-the-top excursion of 2011, flying a MiG fighter jet over Russia - for $39,300.

Expanding on its “You Care, We Care” voluntourism initiative, Crystal is also offering a couple of excursions where guests can “give back” by packing and donating food at the Estonian Food Bank or volunteer at the Rostock Zoological Garden. These excursions are complimentary with Crystal Cruises, covering all logistical arrangements and costs.

Prices for Crystal’s Northern European voyages start from £4,207 per person (based on a May 22 departure), including free return economy flights, 11 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window, with all meals, soft drinks and port taxes.

In addition, as part of Crystal's "All Inclusive - As You Wish" promotion, guests on this voyage will also receive onboard spending money of $1,000 per person, which can be spent on shore excursions, spa treatments, alcoholic beverages, purchases in the onboard boutiques, gratuities or Vintage Room experiences.

For reservations, see www.crystalcruises.co.uk/ or contact the UK's leading luxury-cruise experts of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

From Russia With Love - With Royal Caribbean

Head to some of Northern Europe’s most historical ports on Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas (above) this summer, where a 12-night Scandinavia & Russia cruise-only costs from just £1,296.00 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

This price includes a 12-night cruise-only departing Harwich and calling at Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn and Gothenburg before returning to Harwich; meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. Price is based on May 30 departure.

For more information, visit http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/ or contact specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

Crystal Brings Stieg Larsson To Life In Stockholm

Tattoos….murder….secrets….Stockholm. Only one of these things is normally associated with a luxury cruise line, but with Crystal Cruises’ new Crystal Adventure - “Stieg Larsson’s Stockholm” - guests can discover a little Scandinavian intrigue first-hand in 2011.

With more than 46 million books sold worldwide, deceased Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s Millennium book series has made him the biggest novelist to come out of Europe since J.K. Rowling. All three books have been made into films while The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is now getting a big-budget Hollywood remake by renowned director David Fincher, and starring Daniel Craig and Robin Wright.

Crystal’s Larsson-focused shore excursion will take guests to the Stockholm island of Södermalm for a walking tour centred on his novels’ content. Much like the successful real-life Da Vinci Code tours that dot Europe, the tour will be spiced with factual information and intriguing stories that tie the real Stockholm to Larsson’s works of fiction.

This unique city view will be offered on three summer Baltic voyages on Crystal Serenity: May 22, 11-night “Baltic Explorer”; June 2, 11-night “Regal Treasures”; and June 27, 11-night “Jewels of the Baltic.” All three itineraries include overnights in Stockholm, as well as visits to Estonia, St Petersburg, Finland, Germany and Copenhagen.

The cost of the “Stieg Larsson’s Stockholm” excursion is $118 per person, which includes additional panoramic Stockholm highlights.

Prices for these Baltic voyages start from £4,207 per person (based on the May 22 departure) including free return economy class flights, 11 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window with all meals and soft drinks and port taxes. In addition, as part of Crystal's "All Inclusive - As You Wish" promotion, guests on this voyage will also receive onboard spending money of $1,000 per person, which can be spent on shore excursions, spa treatments, alcoholic beverages, purchases in the onboard boutiques, gratuities or Vintage Room experiences.

For reservations, call www.crystalcruises.co.uk or check with the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Cabin Upgrades on Offer

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Want to do something different in 2011 and fancy some extra savings? Hurtigruten has launched a special offer giving free cabin upgrades on selected voyages spread across a wide variety of cabin categories for anyone booking by March 31.

Available on specific Spitsbergen and European voyages, the offer enables you to book and pay for a cabin and then enjoy an upgrade into the next cabin grade for free.

Offer applies to:

6-Day Spitsbergen Polar Encounters – 31 July and 4 August – from £2283pp for a voyage around the northwest coast of Spitsbergen. Price includes an upgrade from an N to U cabin worth £110pp, five nights’ full board on the ship and return flights between Oslo and Longyearbyen. Based on two sharing,

9-Day Spitsbergen Polar Encounters – 17 August – from £2830pp for a voyage around the whole west coast of Spitsbergen. Price includes an upgrade from an N to U cabin worth £160pp, seven nights’ full board on the ship, one night’s B&B in Longyearbyen and return flights between Oslo and Longyearbyen. Based on two sharing.

9-Day Spring in Western Europe – 7 April – from £1031pp – calling at Lisbon, Porto, La Coruna, Bordeaux, Sark, Guernsey, Honfleur and Dover. Price includes an upgrade from an N to U cabin worth £240pp, eight nights’ full board and transfer from Dover to London Heathrow. Based on two sharing.

11 Day Pearls of the Baltic Sea – 25 April – from £2511pp – calling at Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Tallinn, Gudhjem and returning to Oslo. Price includes an upgrade from an N to U cabin worth £220pp, 10 nights’ full board and transfer from Dover to London Heathrow. Based on two sharing.

8 Day Climate Voyage – 21 July – from £2603pp – a special voyage, themed around climate change from Iceland to Spitsbergen via one of the world’s most isolate islands – Jan Mayen. Price includes and upgrade from N to U cabin worth £130pp, seven nights’ full board on the ship, return flight from Longyearbyen to Oslo. Based on two sharing,

For more information, visit Hurtigruten's website or call the adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

European Capital of Culture with Celebrity Cruises

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Now you can combine luxury and culture by heading to Tallinn, the 2011 European Capital of Culture onboard Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Constellation (above). A 12-night Scandinavia and Russia fly/cruise costs from £1,575 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

Celebrity also offers a selection of shore excursions, such as ‘Glory of old Tallinn’, a walking tour of Tallinn’s Old Town, and ‘Panoramic Tallinn’, a coach tour that takes in the best sights of the city to ensure guests can experience everything it has to offer.

Price includes return flights from London Heathrow, transfers and a 12-night Scandinavia and Russia fly/cruise departing Amsterdam and calling at Berlin (Warnemunde), Stockholm, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki and Copenhagen before returning to Amsterdam; meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

Price is also based on June 15, 2011, departure. For more details, visit http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/ or call the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Sojourn's Southampton Debut

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Seabourn Sojourn, The Yachts of Seabourn’s newest deluxe ship, is making its debut in Southampton on April 27, 2011. The Port of Southampton will be the second UK port to feature a visit from Sojourn and is the final stop on its 111-day grand World Cruise from Los Angeles.

The ultra-chic vessel also represents the first luxury cruising-yacht to sail into and depart from Southampton in 2011. On the same day it arrives, Sojourn also sets sail on its round-trip Mediterranean Sojourn I & II itinerary, arriving back in the UK on May 14. The following day, Sojourn makes its final departure for the year from the famous south coast port, headed for Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea.

Itineraries including Southampton:

MAIDEN VOYAGE WORLD CRUISE SEGMENT VOYAGE
15th – 27th April 2011; 12 Days
Rome – Southampton
Ports of call: Rome, Barcelona, Valencia, Cartagena, Lisbon, Bordeaux and Southampton;
cruise-only fares from £3,099 per person

MEDITERRANEAN SOJOURN I & II
27th April 2011 – 14th May 2011; 18 Days
Southampton round-trip
Ports of call: Southampton, Vigo, Gibraltar, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Rome, Florence, Alicante, Lisbon, Porto and Southampton; cruise-only fares from £5,399 per person (including car parking at Southampton)

BALTIC SOJOURN
15th – 25th May 2011; 10 Days
Southampton – Copenhagen
Ports of call: Southampton, Stockholm, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki and Copenhagen; cruise-only fares from £3,899 per person

All fares are based on double occupancy and two people sharing a grade A Seabourn suite, including in-resort transfers, fully inclusive cruise, all fine dining, open bar, fully stocked mini-bar, tips and gratuities onboard.

Sojourn is the second of Seabourn's award-winning Odyssey-class vessels and accommodates guests in 225 spacious suites, 90 per cent of which have private verandas. Top-of-the-range staterooms include the Wintergarden Suites with private solarium and veranda, and Signature Suites with sweeping verandas and unrivalled views facing forward. The two-deck, state-of-the-art Spa at Seabourn features a Spa Villa that can be privately reserved, as well as a Kneipp Walk, herbal bath facility and an aroma steam bath with salt inhalation. The yacht offers four dining venues and six bars and lounges serving a full range of beverages, including fine wines and spirits with Seabourn’s compliments.

For further information, visit http://www.seabourn.com/ or http://www.cruiseline.co.uk/seabourn-cruises/.

Yachts of Seabourn are also exhibitnig at The Cruise Show in Birmingham on October 16-17 and at London's Olympia from March 26-27 in 2011.

Land of the Midnight Sun with Crystal Cruises

In the middle of writing new copy for the next Adventure Cruise Collection, this little press release arrived on my desk this afternoon (well, in my Inbox, anyway), with some great detail on Crystal Cruises' two new North Cape voyages in 2011. Very timely, and well worth considering...

Witness stunning fjords, court adventure on a glacier trek across an ice field or simply enjoy the mystical beauty of the Norwegian archipelago as you sail as far north as possible in Europe in ultra-luxurious style with Crystal Cruises.

Crystal Symphony has recently completed its one 2010 North Cape voyage, with guests experiencing some of the most spectacular sights in the world (see above). Due to popular demand, Crystal Cruises has now announced that it will be offering TWO North Cape voyages in 2011 aboard Crystal Serenity…it’s time to travel beyond the Arctic Circle….

The Copenhagen to Stockholm ‘North Cape Panorama’ sails from 13-27 June 2011 whilst the Copenhagen to London ‘Into the Midnight Sun’ sails 8-22 July 2011.

Both 14-night voyages cruise the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, the North Cape, Bear Island, Polar Ice Cap and the Baltic Sea, with ports of call including Copenhagen and five destinations in Norway including Longyear City, plus Stockholm.

2011 North Cape prices start from £5,019 and include FREE return economy air travel from London, transfers, 14-nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window with all meals and soft drinks.

In addition, as part of Crystal's “All Inclusive – As You Wish” promotion, guests on these voyages will also receive shipboard credits of up to $1,000 per person, which they can spend on shore excursions, spa treatments, alcoholic beverages, purchases in the onboard boutiques, gratuities or Vintage Room experiences. Port taxes are not included.

A Russian Odyssey (plus Scandinavia!)

By guest blogger Steve Newman

After the demise of the Soviet Union there has been a renaissance in the cities of the Baltic and, as such, the area is becoming ever more popular as a cruising destination. From medieval architectural styles to modern, world-renowned museums and theatre to excellent shopping, gentle rolling hills and dramatic towering fjords, an amazing adventure awaits you around every corner.

Now there is the opportunity to see not only these ancient trading cities but explore the famous architecture, winding canals and local Russian culture with Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas on a twelve-night Scandinavia and Russia cruise from just £1,326 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

As a ship, Jewel (above) has a guest capacity of 2, 501 and has a lot going for her. Amongst the spectacular features are the 10-storey Centrum glass lifts facing the sea, and the highest percentage of outside staterooms in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

The cruise begins and ends at Harwich and takes in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki.
A full day is in store at St Petersburg, with famous palaces and museums including The Hermitage, one of the world's greatest treasures, which features more than 3 million exhibits. The most European-influenced city in Russia, St Petersburg is also the most spectacular. Finally, the voyage calls at Tallinn, Estonia, and Gothenburg in Sweden.

Price is based on 23 June 2011 departure. For more information or to book, see http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/

Royal Caribbean are also exhibiting at the Cruise Show in Birmingham in October.