New Reduced Fares from Regent Seven Seas

Another day, another round of great cruise fare savings! Here's one from the ultra-deluxe Regent Seven Seas, with new low prices on several Caribbean cruises:

Western Caribbean, round-rip Fort Lauderdale, Seven Seas Navigator, 10 nights:  Departures: February 27, March 19; £2,984 per person based on two people sharing an H category Ocean View suite. Itinerary: Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize City, Santo Tomas, Roatan, Costa Maya, Fort Lauderdale.

Eastern Caribbean, round-trip Fort Lauderdale, Seven Seas Navigator, 11 nights: Departs: March 8; £3,242 per person based on two people sharing an H category Ocean View suite. Itinerary: Fort Lauderdale, Grand Cayman, San Juan, St Thomas, St Barts, Saint Maarten, Tortola, Cayo Levantado, Great Stirrup Cay, Fort Lauderdale.

All fares include FREE flights and transfers, FREE unlimited shore excursions (choose up to 37 on these voyages), all-inclusive onboard, fine dining, premium spirits and fine wines, gratuities, taxes and entertainment.

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

Set Sail For Alaska In 2012!

We know we are often ahead of trends (as well as creating them), but it seems our big Alaska feature in the Winter edition (see it online on this link on pages 19-30) has created real cruise demand in 2012.

So much so, in fact, that several cruise agents have dubbed this year 'The Year of Alaska,' highlighting all the great quality, style, wildlife opportunities and value of cruising in America's 49th state.

Chief among them are The Cruise Line Ltd, who have even published their own brochure with all the best cruises, land tours - including the amazing Rocky Mountaineer train - excursions, sights and extra options for sailing in this magnificent part of the world. Choose from the large-scale experience of Princess Cruises, Holland America and Celebrity or the small-scale, deluxe style of American Safari Cruises, Regent Seven Seas or Silversea.

We have been big fans of Alaska and the benefits of cruising here for many years and our editor also highlighted the region in a feature three years ago (see it on this link), but it remains true that a cruise is the ideal way to see what is genuinely the Big Country.

For more booking details, be sure to contact The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677 or www.cruiseline.co.uk.

Amazing Prices With Regent For 2012

For travellers looking for a truly all-inclusive cruise at unbelievable value in the Mediterranean next spring, Christmas may well have arrived early as six-star ultra-luxury Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced some extraordinary fares on three voyages in 2012.

Sailing on the line’s all-suite, all-balcony vessels Seven Sea Voyager and Mariner, the cruises include free flights and transfers, overnights in ancient cities including Safaga, Haifa and Istanbul, as well as all onboard dining, beverages and gratuities.

And, with the privilege of unlimited shore excursions in every port, these itineraries boast up to 38 free excursions for guests to choose from to further enhance their cruise experience. The fares for a Deluxe Balcony Suite on a 10-night Med cruise now start from just £2,153 per person.

Details of the three voyages are: Seven Seas Voyager, Dubai to Athens (17 nights), departing March 30 and calling at Muscat, Salalah, Luxor (from Safaga), Petra, Sharm El Sheikh, Cairo, Ashdod and Haifa; Seven Seas Mariner, Barcelona to Istanbul and Tarragona to Istanbul, departing April 2 and 30 (10 nights) and calling at Monte Carlo, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Capri/Sorrento, Taormina, Santorini and Ephesus.

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

Luxury Goes Exploring With Regent

Demonstrating the line’s claim that ‘luxury goes exploring’, Regent Seven Seas Cruises has revealed their new programme from November 2012 to June 2013 featuring new ports of call, new itineraries and unique and adventurous sailings as they launch the latest edition of their impressive Cruise Atlas.

Regent is once again raising the bar on its already extensive all-inclusive offering, adding a 1-night pre-cruise hotel package on ALL of its 2013 cruises. The new 2012/2013 itineraries can be viewed online now at www.rssc.com and are already available to book as of this month. All past guests will automatically also receive a copy of the new Atlas.

Highlights of the programme include:

· Seven Seas Voyager sailing a new 17-night cruise from Hong Kong, with visits to Hiroshima (Japan) and Inchon (S Korea), as well as overnight stays in Keelung, Osaka and Beijing and a two-night overnight stay in Shanghai, departing February 27, 2013. Fares for a Deluxe Balcony suite start from £7,679 per person.

· Seven Seas Voyager sailing a new extended ‘World Voyage’ from the Mediterranean through the Indian Ocean, Asia and Australia, exploring the wonders of Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea. Ranging from 7 to 143 nights, guests can choose an individual sailing, an extended combination of sailings, or construct their own combination. Fares for a Deluxe Balcony suite on a 54-night sailing from Bali to Singapore start from £20,239 per person.

· Seven Seas Mariner returning to South America, offering a selection of single voyages of 12, 14, 22 or 24-night voyages that can be combined to create longer cruises or a 72-night full circumnavigation of the continent.

For the latest info and to book, see this link with luxury cruise experts The Cruise Line Ltd.

Regent's Dining Enhancements

Express breakfast and lunch options, new wine additions and improved menus are just a few of the latest enhancements to be made to the already all-inclusive food and drink offerings with Regent Seven Seas Cruises.



The line continually strives to find new ways to improve and enhance its onboard offering to further benefit guests’ overall experience and these are the latest initiatives to be rolled-out across the fleet.The new updates include:



· New Canyon Ranch Balanced Menu Selection

The award-winning legendary spa experience, Canyon Ranch, on board all Regent ships, provides a spectacular setting for passengers to restore resilience, serenity and feel fantastic. Guests can now discover just how good ‘Good For You’ tastes with the line’s delicious, healthy cuisine – the Canyon Ranch Balanced Selection available at each meal, in The Compass Rose restaurant.



· New Express breakfast and lunch options

In Alaska and the Baltic, with so much to see ashore, Regent’s new “express breakfast” and lunch options enable guests to eat well before heading off into ports with lots of shore excursions.

· New dishes to reflect the destination during key regional seasons

Ingredients sourced locally that typify the country being visited that day have seen introduced to the menu during sailings in the Mediterranean, Baltic and Alaska.



· New wines added to the complimentary wine selection and Connoisseur wine list

Sancerre, Pouilly Fuissé and Chateau Neuf-du-Pape are a few of the new wines the line is adding to their complimentary pouring wine selection. Other French wines are also being added to the complimentary list in The Compass Rose. The Connoisseur wine list, a selection of wines available to purchase, has also been enhanced.



· Expanded lunch and dinner menus in the main dining room, The Compass Rose

An additional appetizer, two main courses, side dishes and three-course vegetarian option have been added to the lunch menu while an appetizer, side salad, main course and side dishes are being added to the dinner menu.



Other new enhancements include freshly-prepared smoothies and milkshakes by the pool, individual teapots for afternoon tea, new varieties of breads, bagels and muffins available at breakfast and new Kosher food and wine selections.



For more details, visit www.rssc.com or contact the luxury cruise experts of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Regent Offer Four New Early Winter Voyages

Regent Seven Sea’s free and unlimited shore excursion programme is designed to bring out the best of each destination and provide a carefully considered and safe way to explore off the beaten track destinations. Sailing on the all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Voyager, where guests are one of only a few hundred, the line has announced four new cruises taking in the best of the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, enabling guests to experience free excursions to some of the world’s holiest and most ancient cities.



The four new itineraries include calls to fascinating ports such as Ephesus, Safaga and Haifa as well as a transit of the Suez Canal and extended overnight stays at Ashdod and Petra, to provide an unforgettable east-meets-west experience. Choose from:

Luxor to Limassol: 8 nights, Nov 12

Calling at Petra (overnight), Sharm El Sheikh, transit Suez Canal, Ashdod (overnight), Haifa, Limassol. Balcony Suite from £ 2,675 per person.

Limassol to Barcelona: 8 nights, Nov 20

Calling at Alanya, Rhodes, Ephesus, Valletta, Barcelona (overnight). Balcony Suite from £2,350 per person.

Barcelona to Ashdod: 8 nights, November 28

Calling at Barcelona, Valletta, Rhodes, Limassol, Haifa, Ashdod (overnight). Balcony Suite from £2,330 per person.



Ashdod to Dubai: 13 nights, Dec 6

Calling at Suez Canal (transit), Luxor (overnight), Petra (overnight), Cruise the Red Sea/Arabian Sea, Salalah (Oman), Port Qaboos (Oman), Dubai. Balcony Suite from £3,343 per person.



As the most all-inclusive luxury cruise line, fares include: free return flights on every cruise (or free Business Class flights on all Med sailings in suites C-MS), free unlimited shore excursions in every port, transfers and government/port taxes, concierge amenities, all fine dining including speciality restaurants, all drinks and beverages including fine wines, selected Champagnes, premium branded soft drinks, all onboard activities, 24-hour room service and in-suite dining.

For more info, visit www.rssc.com or contact the UK's specialist luxury-cruise agents 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.

Regent's New Eastern Med Voyage

This summer, travellers looking for a short, all-inclusive cruise with a difference will like Regent Seven Seas Cruises' new 7-night cruise which, in a first for the line, will be disembarking in Limassol, Cyprus.

Taking in the best of the eastern Mediterranean, guests can gain a real east-meets-west experience when the voyage sails from Athens to Limassol, Cyprus, calling at Aghios Nikolaos in Crete as well as Haifa, the port for Jerusalem, and Ashdod in Israel for the UNESCO World Heritage town of Tel Aviv.

As the world’s most inclusive luxury experience at sea, the lead-in fare of just £2,208 per person represents fantastic value as it includes return flights and transfers, onboard beverages, all dining (included speciality restaurants), unlimited shore excursions, gratuities, in-suite dining, 24-hour room service and more. The new cruise departs Athens on June 17 on board Seven Seas Mariner (above).

For more info, see www.rssc.com or the UK's leading luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Regent's New Fleet Upgrades

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced additional upgrades as part of its multi-million dollar, fleet-wide Seven Seas Signature initiative.

The first phase of the programme, completed last year, featured a $100million enhancement of all three vessels. Almost every area of the ships was refurbished, with public rooms being substantially redesigned by the renowned architectural firm of Yran & Storbraaten of Oslo, Norway. The updates resulted in a new look that is fresh, elegant and luxurious yet retains the warmth and charm for which Regent is rightly lauded.

Last October, the company added to this luxury refresher approach when ‘Coffee Connection’ was added to all ships for refreshing drinks and pastries, and exclusive Suite Slumber Beds were added to all suites. In addition, L’Occitane® bath amenities and Hermès amenities are now featured in Penthouse suites and higher (above).

The third phase of the Seven Seas Signature programme includes the renovation of select public rooms and suites and equipping Penthouse and higher-category suites with iPads. Beginning with the 2012 summer season, guests in concierge-level suites and higher will enjoy a range of benefits, from priority online shore excursion and restaurant reservations to upgrades and complimentary amenities.

Enhancing the culinary experience, menus in the Compass Rose and La Veranda restaurants will be expanded with a greater emphasis placed on showcasing specialties from the regions visited.

Regent president Mark Conroy explained: “We are pleased to continue enriching guests’ experiences with the third phase of our Seven Seas Signature initiative. This is an ongoing plan to elevate our ultra-luxury brand and long-term value proposition. More updates and enhancements will be announced in 2012.”

Regent is widely recognised - including by us at World of Cruising magazine - as the world’s most inclusive ultra-luxury cruise line, with prices inclusive of flights, unlimited shore excursions, fine dining, premium spirits and fine wines, gratuities and taxes, as well as all-suite accommodations and live entertainment.

To receive a brochure or for more information, visit www.rssc.com or contact the UK's leading luxury cruise specialists, the Cruise Line Ltd, on 0800 008 6677.

Regent's Mediterranean Discoveries

Why not take a cruise on Seven Seas Voyager with luxury line Regent Seven Seas from May 17 for seven nights? They now have balcony suites on this sailing from a bargain £2,435 per person (with alternative suite categories also available). Highlights of this voyage include Cairo (Port Said), Ashdod (overnight, for Jerusalem), Haifa, Capri (Sorrento) and Rome (Civitavecchia). They also include Regent's trademark unlimited FREE shore excursions. Take a look at this range of examples from the Voyager cruise:

Tel Aviv Orientation & Jaffa, Ashdod; originally £66, now FREE; Jerusalem Old City, Ashdod; originally £86, now FREE; Panoramic Jerusalem, Haifa; originally £86, now FREE; Nazareth & the Sea of Galilee, Haifa; originally £86, now FREE; Scenic Riviera & Taste of Sorrento; originally £66, now FREE. Total saving: £390pp (or£780 per couple!)

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

Free return Economy flights & transfers on every cruise; unlimited FREE shore excursions in every port; exquisite choice of fine dining, with no extra charge for speciality restaurants; fine wines, premium spirits, cocktails and selected Champagnes; speciality tea, coffee, afternoon snacks and light refreshment at any time of the day; exceptional personal service, with all gratuities included; and 24-hour room service & in-suite dining served course-by-course.

Fares are guaranteed until March 31 (terms and conditions apply). Please see www.rssc.com or visit the luxury cruise experts of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Regent's New Med Offers

FREE FLIGHTS - FREE SHORE EXCURSIONS - ALL-INCLUSIVE

And Now: FREE Business Class Air on Penthouse Suite and higher!

Regent Seven Seas has the following new deals for select Mediterranean cruises this year:

ROME TO ATHENS
Seven Seas Mariner June 7, 10 nights; highlights, Rome (Civitavecchia), Monte Carlo, Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Amalfi/Positano, Taormina (Sicily), Valletta, Monemvasia, Santorini, Ephesus (Kusadasi), Athens (Piraeus); D Balcony Suite was £5,129pp, NOW £3,334pp.

ISTANBUL TO VENICE
Seven Seas Mariner July 16, 10 nights: highlights, Istanbul (overnight), Ephesus (Kusadasi), Santorini, Athens (Piraeus), Zakinthos, Corfu, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Venice (overnight); E Balcony Suite was £5,249pp, NOW £3,412pp.

ATHENS TO BARCELONA
Seven Seas Mariner August 24, 10 nights: highlights, Athens (Piraeus), Ephesus (Kusadasi), Santorini, Zakinthos, Taormina (Sicily), Amalfi/Positano, Rome (Civitavecchia), Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Monte Carlo, Provence (Marseille), Barcelona; F Balcony Suite was £4,999pp, NOW £3,255pp. Alternative suite categories available.

All-inclusive with Regent are FREE return flights & transfers, FREE unlimited shore excursions, ALL fine dining, ALL drinks & beverages, ALL gratuities & ALL activities onboard. Fares guaranteed until March 31. Terms and conditions apply. Please see http://www.rssc.co.uk/ or call the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Regent's BIG Caribbean Discounts

Some heavily discounted cruise fares are on offer from Regent Seven Seas on two sailings in April in the Caribbean.

WESTERN CARIBBEAN, 8 April 2011 | 7 Nights, Seven Seas Navigator

Highlights: Fort Lauderdale, Key West, Cozumel, Belize City, Santo Tomas de Castilla, Costa Maya, Fort Lauderdale

Balcony Suite (E) NOW..... £2,264pp (was £3,019pp); Penthouse Suite (C) NOW..... £2,399pp (was £3,199pp)

BERMUDA & COLONIAL SOUTH, 15 April 2011 | 10 Nights, Seven Seas Navigator

Highlights: Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, Charleston, Hamilton (2 overnights), St. George, Nassau, Fort Lauderdale

Ocean View Suite from £3,329pp, Balcony Suite from £3,769pp

ALMOST EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED...
FREE flights & transfers
FREE unlimited shore excursions
ALL fine dining
ALL drinks & beverages
ALL gratuities & ALL activities onboard

FREE SHORE EXCURSIONS EXAMPLES

KEY WEST: Glass Bottom Boat; originally £60.................now FREE
HAMILTON: Horse & Carriage Ride; originally £53.................now FREE
CHARLESTON: Magnolia Gardens; originally £100.................now FREE

Book by March 31.

All fares are based on lowest available lead-in fare for destination and are subject to availability. Alternative suite categories available. Prices are per person based on double occupancy. Further terms and conditions apply. Please see www.rssc.co.uk/ or call the luxury cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Legendary Journeys (At Discount Prices!)

Here's something to make us sit up and take notice here at Time Spent At Sea - exceptional cruises to inspirational destinations with Regent Seven Seas, including....FREE flights, shore excursions and all-inclusive on board.

Asia & Australia - Seven Seas Voyager (above)

Free Flights, free transfer and free unlimited shore excursions on every cruise; Combine cruises to create longer voyages and benefit from preferential cruise fares; free Business Class flights on selected combination cruises and suite categories. Choose from:

Dubai-Singapore December 19, 18 Nights; Balcony Suite from £7,429pp, with complimentary 3-night pre or post-cruise stay

Singapore-Sydney January 6, 2012, 17 Nights; Balcony Suite from £7,149pp, with complimentary 3-night pre or post-cruise stay

Sydney-Auckland January 23, 2012, 15 Nights; Balcony Suite from £7,269pp

Auckland-Sydney February 7, 2012, 15 Nights; Balcony Suite from £7,269pp

Sydney-Singapore February 22, 2012, 19 Nights; Balcony Suite from £7,799pp, with complimentary 3-night pre or post-cruise stay

Singapore-Dubai March 12, 2012, 18 Nights; Balcony Suite from £7,039pp, with complimentary 3-night pre or post-cruise stay

South America - Seven Seas Mariner

Free flights, transfers and unlimited shore excursions on every cruise; combine cruises to create longer voyages and benefit from preferential cruise fares. Choose from:

Fort Lauderdale-Lima January 6, 2012, 14 Nights; Balcony Suite from £5,669pp

Lima-Buenos Aires January 20, 2012, 24 Nights; Balcony Suite from £9,949pp

Buenos Aires-Rio De Janeiro, February 12, 2012, 12 Nights; Balcony Suite from £5,489pp

Rio De Janeiro-Fort Lauderdale February 25, 2012, 22 Nights; Balcony Suite from £7,679pp

For more information, visit http://www.rssc.co.uk/ or contact the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

New Year Offers from Regent Seven Seas

FREE FLIGHTS FREE SHORE EXCURSIONS ALL-INCLUSIVE

Now you can explore the small harbours of the Mediterranean or the western Caribbean with some amazing offers from Regent Seven Seas.

ALMOST EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED...

* FREE flights & transfers

* FREE unlimited shore excursions

* ALL fine dining

* ALL drinks & beverages

* ALL gratuities & ALL activities onboard

WESTERN CARIBBEAN

Sail Date Nights Itinerary WAS pp NOW pp

12 March 2011 7 Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale £2,519 £1,637

08 April 2011 7 Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale £2,519 £1,889

MEDITERRANEAN

Sail Date Nights Itinerary WAS pp NOW pp

07 June 2011 10 Rome to Athens £4,189 £2,723

16 July 2011 10 Istanbul to Venice £4,499 £2,924

12 Aug 2011 12 Istanbul to Athens £4,499 £3,464

24 Aug 2011 10 Athens to Barcelona £3,569 £2,855

9 Oct 2011 10 Monte Carlo to Athens £3,879 £2,909

10 Oct 2011 14 Athens to Rome £5,129 £3,847

19 Oct 2011 10 Athens to Istanbul £3,879 £2,832

10 Nov 2011 10 Venice to Rome £2,939 £2,351

To take advantage of these great special deals, book by March 31, 2011.

For more information, visit www.rssc.com or the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line

Rail Cruise to Alaska and the Rockies

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Discover a wonderful land-cruise opportunity to the Canadian Rockies and British Columbia with Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2011.

This unique land programme features one of the most iconic train journeys in the world, the Rocky Mountaineer, followed by an all-inclusive Alaskan cruise on board the intimate yet spacious Seven Seas Navigator.

Chhose from the following selection:

16 June 2011 13 Nights (6+7)
Canadian Rockies & Alaskan Cruise from £6,142pp (H)

30 June 2011 13 Nights (6+7)
Canadian Rockies & Alaskan Cruise from £6,655pp (H)

25 August 2011 18 Nights (6+12)
Canadian Rockies & Alaskan Cruise from £7,349pp (H)

What’s included:
 All inclusive cruise
 3 nights at the Fairmont at Banff Springs Hotel
 2 days GoldLeaf Service® aboard Rocky Mountaineer®
 2 nights hotel stay at Fairmont Waterfront, Vancouver
 1 night in Kamloops Hotel
 National Par Tour & Gondola tour up Sulphur Mountain
 Tours of Lake Louise & Columbia Icefield including the Ice Explorer
 City tour of Vancouver & Capilano Suspension Bridge
 Return flights & transfers
 Free unlimited shore excursions in every port
 Luggage handling

For more information, visit www.rssc.co.uk/ or check out the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Regent Seven Seas Autumn Sunshine

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Five nights of Autumn sunshine are now possible with Regent Seven Seas Cruises on their new Barcelona cruise this November. The voyage includes Valencia and Funchal (Madeira) on Seven Seas Voyager (above), departing November 8, with 5 nights in a balcony suite from £1,499 per person.

The full itinerary is as follows:

8 November, sail from Barcelona
9 November, Valencia 8am-6pm
10 November, Cartagena 8am-6pm
11 November, Malaga 8am-6pm
12 November, At Sea
13 November, Funchal, Disembark

The generous price includes the 5-night all-inclusive cruise, free return economy flights, free unlimited shore excursions in every port, fine dining including speciality restaurants, all drinks and beverages, all gratuities, all onboard activities and use of luxury amenities, and 24-hour room service and in-suite dining.

For more information, look up http://www.rssc.co.uk/ or visit Regent Seven Seas at the Cruise Show at Birmingham NEC on October 16-17 and at London's Olympia next March (26-27). For more great deals on RSSC cruises, check out top specialist agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

Beijing to Hong Kong via Japan!

By guest blogger Steve Newman.

China is becoming more and more popular these days as a cruise destination and, if you can visit it with one of the most renowned cruise companies around, so much the better. With that in mind, why not have a look at Regent Seven Seas and their 11-night Beijing to Hong Kong voyage departing on October 4th on the lovely Seven Seas Navigator.

Starting at Beijing, excursions showcase The Forbidden City, the best preserved imperial palace in China and the largest ancient palatial structure in the world. Historic Tiananmen Square is the world’s largest city square, and holds about one million people for public gatherings. Around the square, view the Monument of the National Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. Further afield, you can discover one of the great ancient engineering marvels still in existence, China’s Great Wall.

The Cruise also calls at Dalian, Shanghai (three nights in this most amazing of cities), Okinawa, Taipei (with the world's tallest building) and finishes at Hong Kong.

Seven Seas Navigator accommodates 490 guests and is an all-suite vessel with a well-deserved reputation for excellent service and a refined, enjoyable cruise experience. In the six-star tradition of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the ship is destined for distinction occupying one of the uppermost niches in cruising, with an unusual level of luxury and some of the highest space and service ratios at sea. From her all-suite, all-oceanview accommodations with their luxurious marble baths, ro her signature cuisine and the superbly attentive staff, she really is an outstanding ship.

To learn more about Regent Seven Seas in person, they are exhibiting at the big Cruise Show in October at Birmingham, and also at London's Olympis next April.

Tahiti In Focus

Paul Gauguin Cruises, who operate the boutique little Paul Gauguin based in Tahiti (formerly owned by Regent Seven Seas and still one of the most stylish small-ship offerings), have just announced a couple of exclusive photography workshops taking place on two voyages this August.

And, if ever there was a time when I would be keen to take up a serious study of taking pictures, this is it.

Celebrated photographers Jesse Kalisher and Roger Paperno will share their knowledge of the photographic art as they lead a series of photo-expeditions covering everything from flowers, beaches and pineapple fields to magnificent coastal views (definitely take some time to peruse those two website links for the photographers, by the way - just stunning images).

At the same time, they will reveal professional secrets such as when to use a wide-angle lens versus a telephoto lens, how and where to add perspective, how to find the perfect shot, how to capture the majesty of the spectacular landscape and how to control light to create beautiful portraits in this magnificent setting.

As if the lure of the South Seas isn't enough, this adds real appeal to any cruise, to my way of thinking. It's an area I have yet to visit among the 50-odd cruises I have taken, but it is definitely the kind of possibility that would catch my eye these days.

The cost of the photography workshop is $350 per person, including all lectures, exclusive shore excursions, private portfolio review, a hosted dinner and round-table discussions.

The August 7 sailing is a seven-night 'Tahiti & Society Islands' voyage starting in Tahiti and visiting Raiatea, Taha’a, Bora Bora and Moorea before arriving back in Tahiti. The August 14 sailing is a 10-night 'Society Islands & Tuamotus' voyage starting in Tahiti and visiting Huahine, Raiatea, Rangiroa, Bora Bora, Taha’a and Moorea before arriving back in Tahiti.

NB: Prices from £4,116 per person, including return scheduled flights from London (half-price flights between Los Angeles and Papeete), transfers, all meals, soft drinks, selected alcoholic beverages and gratuities.