Fred Olsen - Road Show Cruise

By guest blogger Steve Newman

The Danish-born historian, lecturer and broadcaster, Lars Tharp – who is also one of the longest running experts on the BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’ – will be one of the special guest speakers aboard Fred Olsen’s 23-night Black Watch cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean in May 2011.

A regular with Fred Olsen, Lars speaks on antiques-collecting, as part of the cruise line’s onboard programme of special interests, The ArtsClub. Originally trained as an archaeologist, Lars was a Director of Sotheby’s, where he specialised in European ceramics and oriental works of art. In 2008, he was appointed the Director of the Foundling Museum in London, and Visiting Professor at De Montfort University, Leicester. On this cruise, Lars will give some highly entertaining and informative talks, and will also offer to value small items brought on board by guests, in true ‘Antiques Roadshow’ style.

Lars will be on board as far as Istanbul, where he will disembark, and the ship will be joined by his ‘Antiques Roadshow’ colleague Will Farmer. Will specialises in 20th Century decorative arts, covering ceramics, glass and furniture. He studied at the Birmingham School of Jewellery, undertaking a combined BA Hons in Silversmithing and Fine Art History. Will has featured as an expert on the BBC’s ‘20th Century Roadshow’, and is now in his fourth season as an expert with the Roadshow.

This cruise also offers a wealth of opportunities to explore the Ancient World, as it visits some of the great classical cities of Greece, Turkey and Tunisia. Black Watch departs from Dover on May 18 and ports of call include Cagliari in Sicily, Kalamata (anchor port) and Piraeus (the port for Athens) in Greece, Canakkale in Turkey, with tours to the fabled city of Troy, as well as Istanbul, Valletta – capital of Malta – and La Goulette for Tunisia’s capital, Tunis.

Highlights of this cruise include the chance to explore the remains of ancient Troy, a full day to take in the sights of historic Athens, and another day in Tunis, where French colonial architecture sits cheek-by-jowl with ancient Moorish buildings.

This classical cruise is a history-lover’s dream, and the additional ArtsClub ‘Antiques’ theme, hosted by Tharp and Farmer, is especially well-suited to this itinerary.

Prices start from £2,279 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes.

If you would like to join Tharp, Farmer and other history-lovers on this cruise, find out more by visiting www.fredolsencruises.co.uk or call specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Cruise and snooze, anyone?

Cruise-and-stay holidays are becoming big business. I know, because Thomson Holidays told me so this week in their latest press release:

Cruise and Stay – The Best of Both Worlds

Thomson Celebration’s New Home Port Increases Cruise and Stay Options

In the past decade. the number of British cruisers has increased by over one million per year, and cruise holidays now account for one in 10 package holiday bookings, according to the 2009 PSA review. When comfort and experiences compete with value for money in the holiday decision making process, Brits are searching for ever more ways to make the most of the holiday budget. That’s why the UK ’s second largest cruise line, Thomson Cruises, has introduced Turkey into its ‘cruise and stay’ programme.

This combination of time at sea with time at a beach resort sees Thomson Cruises not only offer great value on their cruise ships, but to go one better. Teaming a week of cruising around the Med, the Aegean or even the Caribbean on a Thomson cruise ship with a week in a stunning beach resort, quite often on an all-inclusive basis, allows customers to budget for a two-week holiday and get so much more.

For the first time, Thomson Cruises has positioned Thomson Celebration in Marmaris, Turkey. Itineraries sail around the Aegean towards the islands of Mykonos and Santorini as well as the historical ports of Canakkale and Istanbul . The ship being based in Turkey means passengers are able to opt to extend the holiday to two weeks and stay at a selection of 3T to 5T hotels in the beautiful resorts of Olu Deniz, Marmaris or Sarigerme from just £1,171 per person*.

With the rise in people seeking experiences above and beyond traditional ‘bucket and spade’ holidays, Thomson Cruises on board offering of West End-style entertainment, fantastic service from attentive and friendly crew (at no extra charge) and great dining options combine with a fabulous array of destinations to create the very best of both worlds.

OK, I'm definitely prepared to buy into the good-value nature of the cruise-and-stay idea (especially with Thomson's patent charter holiday approach), but unless you do the week's 'stay' part of the holiday first, do you see this being anything other than a 'cruise-and-snooze' on the sybaritic beaches of the Med (or Caribbean)?

To be honest, if I'm going to go away for a full 2-week spell (which, admittedly, is highly unlikely these days; where 'highly' translates to about a 150% chance!), I would much rather opt for a full 2-week cruise which includes some relaxing sea days (and only one set of transfers, packing and unpacking) but still affords the ever-changing scenario that cruising provides par excellence.

But maybe I'm wrong. Is cruise-and-stay the wave of the future; am I in the minority; or am I just wrong? Answers on a postcard, please.....!