Tony Soper Joins Fred. Olsen

Expedition leader, naturalist and veteran broadcaster, Tony Soper, will be joining guests aboard Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Braemar cruise to the North Cape in June 2012. Appearing as part of its Vistas cruise enhancement programme, Tony’s expert topic will be ‘Flora and Fauna’.

Tony Soper started his career as a trainee with the BBC and is a co-founder of its Natural History Unit. His many TV credits include BBC2’s ‘Nature’ and the film series ‘Discovering Birds’ and ‘Beside the Sea’. A renowned bird watcher, he is also an accomplished expedition leader, having led wildlife safaris to both the Arctic and the Antarctic, and is a pioneer of expedition cruising.

Many people will have fond memories of his time on the classic children’s nature programme, ‘Animal Magic,’ which he co-presented with multi-voiced Johnny Morris. The much-loved series ran for 21 years, from April 1962.

The cruise also lends itself perfectly to Tony’s subject. Setting sail from Dover on June 14, the first port of call is Ijmuiden (for Amsterdam), then Braemar cruises north to Leknes, in the Lofoten Islands, inside the Arctic Circle. The wild landscape, with jagged peaks and white sand, is visually stunning, and one of the most picturesque in Norway.

Next port is Tromsø and from there the classic ship travels right up to the North Cape, to Honningsvǻg, Norway’s most northerly village, framed by rugged mountains and the Arctic Ocean. At this time of year, there is daylight around the clock, so the sightseeing is unparalleled. On the return journey, Braemar visits Trondheim, then Ǻlesund, with its strikingly pretty ‘Art Nouveau’ architecture, and, finally, the bustling port of Bergen, with its cobbled streets and quaint wooden buildings. The cruise then returns to Dover on June 27.

A North Cape cruise offers many opportunities for spotting birds and wildlife, including reindeer, whales and many species of seabird, and no doubt the guests’ enjoyment will be greatly enhanced by Tony Soper's fascinating and well-informed talks.
Prices for this cruise start from £1,529 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes, and there is no extra charge for the Vistas activities.

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

Silversea Adds More Relais & Chateau Voyages

Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises is pleased to announce that four additional voyages this year will feature the exclusive "Relais & Châteaux L'École des Chefs" interactive cooking school.

"Our L'École des Chefs cooking school is proving extremely popular with guests and we're pleased to roll it out to more voyages this year," said Rudi Scholdis, Silversea's director of culinary development.

The new L'École des Chefs voyages for 2011 are:

NORTHERN EUROPE

Voyage 4122: Silver Whisper departs Stockholm July 23 on a seven-day sailing to Copenhagen with calls in Tallinn, St. Petersburg (three-day/two-night stopover) and Helsinki. Silver Savings fares start at £3,068.

Voyage 1121: Silver Cloud departs Copenhagen July 30 on a 17-day round-trip sailing, with calls in Alesund, Geiranger, Helleysilt, Lofoten, Tromso, Honningsvag (North Cape), Murmansk, Archangel (overnight visit), Hammerfest and Kristiansund. Silver Savings fares start at £5,583.

FAR EAST

Voyage 3126: Silver Shadow departs Incheon (Seoul) September 23 on a 12-day sailing to Hong Kong, with calls in Qingdao, Shanghai, Jiangyin, Nanjing and Xiamen. Highlights include cruising the Yangtze River and overnight stays in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Silver Savings fares start at £3,968.

Voyage 3127: Silver Shadow departs Hong Kong October 5 on a 12-day sailing to Singapore with calls in Chan May, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Ko Samui, and Kuantan. Highlights include overnight stays in Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. Silver Savings fares start at £3,968.

Through its exclusive partnership with Relais & Châteaux, the distinguished international association of charming properties and gourmet restaurants, Silversea enjoys the privilege of featuring the only Relais & Châteaux L'École des Chefs cooking school at sea. The innovative programme offers guests a special culinary curriculum, including hands-on instruction, and entertaining events hosted by Silversea culinary trainer David Bilsland. Educated in classic French cooking, Bilsland's career includes several years as a chef instructor at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in London. He presents a programme developed in collaboration with Jacques Thorel, the owner of L'Auberge Bretonne and a consulting Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux.

The curriculum for each of these cruises is carefully designed to celebrate the cultural flavour of the ship's itinerary. Highlights include specialised workshops covering a range of topics from basic knife skills and kitchen terminology to sauces and baking; cooking demonstrations with wine pairings and interactive Q&A sessions; lively cooking competitions between Chef Bilsland and the ship's own culinary team; a "Lunch and Learn" event offering small groups of guests a chance to sample a delicious meal of specially prepared dishes; and inspired "Take It Home" recipes that will give guests an edge when entertaining at home.

Also offered on certain voyages, when the itinerary permits, is a "Market to the Plate" experience that provides an escorted tour of a local market followed by a cooking class, and a "Culinary Outing," an instructor-escorted excursion to a local restaurant, hotel or other venue where guests can enjoy a unique culinary exploration.

All prices are per person, based on two people sharing a Vista Suite and include complimentary return economy class air, port charges, government fees and taxes. The $500 (V4122 and V1121) and $1,000 (V3126 and V3127) Onboard Spending Credit is offered per suite, based on two people sharing, for use towards additional benefits such as shore excursions, the spa, boutiques or the wine restaurant.

For more info, visit www.silversea.com or contact the UK's leading luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd at 0800 008 6677.

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.

Luxury amongst the Fiords

By guest blogger Steve Newman

If you like to think about quality and unashamed luxury when you’re choosing a cruise, then there is one company you simply must look at. With their unmatched sense of style, elegance and grace, The Yachts of Seabourn offer a sophisticated and luxurious journey that’s right up there at the top of the tree.

From the acclaimed culinary delights served up in a choice of dining venues to the wonderfully appointed all-suite accommodation, you will encounter services and luxuries that would normally be experienced only on a private yacht.

The smaller trio of sisters carry just 208 passengers and, at three times the size, the new Seabourn Odyssey and Sojourn carry just 450, all five pride themselves on visiting locations inaccessible to larger vessels. The professionally trained staff (at more than one per suite) not only knows you by name, but knows your personal preferences as well.

Of special note, from the 15th of September the brand new Sojourn will be visiting the majesty of the Norwegian Fjords for a 12-night voyage. Starting at Copenhagen, she will visit Bergen, the wonderful port of Alesund with its Art Nouveau architecture and the incredible Geiranger Fjord (above, and this link will take you to a revolving webcam).

If you’ve not visited the Geiranger before, you have a treat in store. When you travel down the 10 miles of the fjord that leads to the World Heritage site of village of Geiranger, you pass cliffs that are thousands of feet high with waterfalls cascading down almost the same distance, glowering over you and dwarfing any ship beneath them. All this against a backdrop of blue sky and white clouds whilst Sea eagles drift nonchalantly past to keep you company. If this wasn’t enough, the voyage also visits Amsterdam before culminating at Dover.

As well as visiting those destinations larger vessels simply cannot reach, each yacht offers all-suite accommodations, Seabourn's signature water-sports Marina, an open-bar policy serving premium wine, champagne and spirits, and menus by renowned celebrity chefs.

Yachts of Seabourn are exhibiting at the Cruise Show in Birmingham's NEC in October and you can see some more latest deals for this excellent company here on this link: Late Deals.