Hurtigruten's Rare Port Calls

Have you ever wanted to sail along the coast of France, or call at Agadir in Morocco onboard a ship with a relaxed and informal atmosphere? Hurtigruten is offering guests the chance to do just that when it takes its unique sailing experience outside  its traditional destinations on a host of special European voyages in 2012.

The one-off sailings onboard Hurtigruten’s expedition ship, MS Fram, will take place during the spring and autumn and incorporate some of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

With six voyages to choose from, the schedule will include the south-western coasts of Portugal, Spain and France, the eastern Baltic coastline and St Petersburg in Russia, and will extend to the far north of Europe to Scotland, Iceland and Greenland. There is also a spring voyage around Norway’s fjord area for those who would like to see a little more of this beautiful landscape.

For booking details, be sure to see this link with the UK's leading adventure-cruise specialists, 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.

SeaDream Honoured By Cruise Critic

In the first annual Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards, SeaDream Yacht Club's SeaDream I has been placed as No 1 for Service in the Small Ship category.



Cruise Critic Editor-In-Chief Carolyn Spencer Brown explained: “Cruise Critic members who have reviewed the ship are clearly very happy with their cruise experience. SeaDream I gets excellent ratings for service, which is attentive and formal, without being fussy or intrusive.”

Cruise Critic-issued awards are based entirely on reviews/ratings submitted by cruisers when they posted a review. Cruise Critic, the online guide to cruises, is one of the most influential travel sites on the web. With a world-renowned editorial staff, it provides objective cruise reviews, features, ports-of-call profiles and destination information.

Acknowledging the award, Bob Lepisto, President of SeaDream, said: “The crew aboard SeaDream I & SeaDream II are to be thanked for their tireless efforts to ensure each guest is well taken care of. Independent reviews like this reaffirm our claim of providing unbeatable service.”

Just last month, SeaDream I was showcased in London, at Tower Bridge, to over 400 UK travel industry professionals and the media, with a series of exclusive invitational events. Following her first visit to London, the ship sailed to Hamburg for a 20-day dry-dock and now, for the first time, is positioned for her northern-summer season in the Baltic, Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Together with sister vessel, the ships are rated the ‘World’s Best Small Ship Cruise Line’ (source: the Berlitz Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships). The expression “yachting” is not only a statement about size, it describes a lifestyle aboard the intimate vessels. Chic and stylish, SeaDream’s 56-stateroom vessels are favoured for their elegant informality, personal service provided by a crew of 95, state-of-the-art facilities, inclusive open bar and gratuities, ocean-view accommodations, luxury spa and world class cuisine. Itineraries include the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Amazon.

For more information, visit www.seadream.com or contact the luxury-cruise experts of booking agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

SeaDream's Small Ship Luxury

Those looking for a true small-ship experience, as well as genuine luxury at sea, should definitely make sure they have SeaDream on their Wish List.

SeaDream are a rarity in today's cruise world, visiting the yachting playgrounds, intimate harbours and ports where larger ships cannot go and providing an in-depth port experience along the way, often with overnight stays to enjoy the evening entertainment.

The two ships, SeaDream I and SeaDream II spend May-October in Northern Europe, the Baltic, Norwegian Fjords, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, and reposition to the azure waters of the Caribbean in the winter and spring.

With only 112 guests being pampered by an award-winning crew of 95, they ensure some of the most personable and distinctive cruising on the high seas, including new, specially-designed exclusive voyages to the Amazon from Barbados (above) to Iquitos, Peru, in 2011/12.

For more info, look up www.seadream.com or visit the UK's luxury cruise experts of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Serenity's Big Makeover Complete

One Hamburg shipyard, two weeks, several talented designers, 500-plus+ international staffers, 606 crew and $25 million. Such are the ingredients for the ultra-luxurious redesign of Crystal Cruises’ largest ship, Crystal Serenity. Just completed after a round-the-clock remodel at Germany’s Blohm + Voss shipyard, the dry dock was the company’s longest ever. All 535 staterooms, retail centres, outdoor pool deck, corridors and other spaces received a dazzling facelift, in addition to general sprucing of the entire outside and inside of the vessel.

Interior designer, Keith Rushbrook, principal at the Toronto-based II BY IV Design Associates summarises the vision: “We wanted modern classic elegance. We wanted Fifth Avenue – crème de la crème New York-inspired living and retail spaces that people love and look forward to spending time in.”

Sophisticated Stateroom Remodel

All of Serenity’s luxury accommodations received new appointments. While Crystal Penthouses were refreshed with new soft goods, Deluxe Staterooms, Penthouses and Penthouse Suites were completely transformed with new, floor-to-ceiling tufted headboards, bedside cabinets, sofas, curtains, pillows and custom carpets in contemporary lines and classic stone, silk, velvet, leather and crisp linen textures. The new sofas also offer more third berths – a nice feature for Crystal’s growing family clientele. Blu-ray players and flatscreen TVs were added and new modern lighting, plus an electronic “do not disturb” doorbell system, allowing guests greater personalisation of their chic accommodations.

Remarkable Retail Space Re-Do

The Apropos boutique was redesigned into three dramatic shopping spaces against a backdrop of rich Zebrano wood and herringbone rosewood, arresting black-plum-magenta carpeting and tufted leather seating. A new area is dedicated to Christian Dior cosmetics. The Dior shop is exclusive to Crystal and is the largest of its kind that isn’t land-based. Not be outshone, the Facets fine jewellery store also received a new, private sales area and a new, overall look mirroring a jewellery box, with mother-of-pearl feature wall and bevelled chrome display cabinets.

Serenity emerged from dry dock to begin a series of Baltic, British Isles and North Cape cruises. Come August, the ship sails to the Mediterranean for a variety of late summer and autumn cruises where guests can not only enjoy the resort’s new look, but exceptional value from a huge Autumn Fare Sale, with up to $2,000/couple spending credits and other amenities.

For more info, visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk or contact the UK's leading luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd

MS AmaKatarina's Russian Debut

The newest addition to AMA Waterways’ award-winning river cruise fleet, the 212-passenger MS AmaKatarina celebrated its inaugural “Russian Waterways” itinerary from Moscow to St. Petersburg on May 10 with an 11-night sailing through the heart of Russia. The ship provides the most luxurious and spacious accommodations on Russia’s famed Volga-Baltic Waterway.

Completely redesigned and rebuilt from the hull up, AmaKatarina features outside balconies in 76 of her 106 staterooms and suites ranging up to 432sq ft in size.

The ship's modern, upscale décor is evident in her staterooms, which feature a sitting area, bathroom with separate shower, a refrigerator, hairdryer, safe and telephone (onboard communications). Spacious public areas include a beautiful Panorama Lounge; Conference Hall for onboard entertainment/lectures; Solarium and Gift Shop. An American chef with extensive experience in Russia oversees onboard dining.

AmaKatarina also features two separate dining venues, including a beautiful Main Restaurant with panoramic views of riverside scenery. Complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks are served with dinner, bottled water is replenished in staterooms daily and speciality coffees are available throughout the day. The ship also has Internet access; a fitness centre on the Sun Deck; a hair dresser and masseuse; an elevator reaching all four decks and an onboard physician.

Guests aboard the 11-night itinerary between Moscow and St Petersburg experience an unforgettable cruise into the heart of Russia, from bustling Moscow to the enchanting Golden Ring cities of Uglich and Yaroslavl to the splendours of St Petersburg.

Highlights include visits to the Kremlin, the Hermitage Museum, a day boat luncheon cruise on the Moscow River; an exclusive ballet performance at the Hermitage Theatre and a specially-arranged visit to the home of a local Russian family in Uglich. During the cruise, guests will enjoy onboard music performances and Russian language classes, as well as lectures from experts on topics such as Russia’s history, culture, art, politics and economy.

The Russian Waterways cruise costs from £2,249 per person, including 11 nights’ accommodation; all meals as detailed on the itinerary; wine with dinner; complimentary soft drinks, mineral water and speciality coffee; all shore excursions as featured on the itinerary; and port charges. Price excludes flights and transfers.

For more info, visit www.amawaterways.co.uk or contact the river-cruise specialists at The Cruise Line Ltd.

Island Sky's Refit A Hit With Noble Caledonia

Boutique little adventurer Island Sky underwent a significant multi-million pound refurbishment last year to make her one of the finest small ships in the world. Now, Noble Caledonia are offering a full season aboard this smart vessel, with some 37 cruises across the globe, including visits to the Pacific Coast of South America, Catalonia, Casablanca, The Baltic, The Azores, Cuba and the islands of the British Coast.

With a maximum passenger capacity of only 116, a vessel of her size is usually capable of carrying many more but, instead, the MS Island Sky has the benefit of unusually large suites, luxuriously appointed public areas and spacious outside decks.

Having cruised on her myself, I can vouch for what a luxurious ship she is and her small draft allows her to visit places other larger cruise ships cannot get to.

To find our more, visit MS Island Sky or contact the UK's leading adventure-cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

Latest Offers from Hurtigruten

Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten have announced the following special offers for April and May:

PEARLS OF THE BALTIC SEA VOYAGE – now from £1261pp (save over £975pp) – Depart Oslo on April 25 and take advantage of a great offer from Hurtigruten on an 11 day voyage that departs Oslo and calls at Copenhagen, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Tallinn, Gudhjem and returning to Oslo on board MS Fram. Book either and Inside or outside cabin and take advantage of great savings. Prices now start from £1261 per person for an inside cabin, including 10 nights full board on the ship and transfers. Based on two sharing. Flights to Oslo are extra and can be booked through Hurtigruten.

BIRDWATCHING THEMED CRUISE IN NORWAY - £1043pp – Depart Bergen on May 20 for a six-day birdlife-themed voyage along the Norwegian coast from Kirkenes in the far north to Bergen in the south. May is a time when millions of rare migrating birds return to the Arctic coast during their nesting period. Species like puffins, kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills, cormorants and sea eagles are numerous in this area and the voyage is accompanied by two Norwegian specialists in this field and an RSPB lecturer to give passengers the chance to learn more. Priced from £1043 per person for a six-day voyage including full board on the ship. Flights are extra and based on two sharing.

SPECIAL OFFER ON NORWEGIAN FJORDS OFFER - £655pp – Head to Norway and take advantage of a special offer from Hurtigruten. The ship calls at over 30 ports of call along the way, taking passengers much closer to the heart of the country, with many ports not visited by the larger ships. As the country enjoys the start of Spring and the changing seasons, see the scenery for yourself. Take the Voyage South from Kirkenes in the far north to Bergen in the South on April 22, 25 or 26, which now costs from just £655 per person. This price includes five nights half-board accommodation on the ship in an unspecified cabin (simply choose inside or outside). Flights are extra and can be booked through Hurtigruten. NO single supplements apply. Book by April 20.

For more information, vist http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/ or contact the adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.