Cruise Ex-UK In 2012 With Oceania

Oceania Cruises will be offering four ex-UK cruises and three cruises returning into the UK during 2012, enabling guests to combine no-fly cruising or cruises with a simple ferry crossing or single outbound flight to join the line’s luxurious, mid-sized ships.

Oceania's first new-build luxury cruise ship Marina will offer two ex-UK sailings in June, a 12-night round-trip from Dover (embarking June 6), calling into Scotland, the Orkney Islands and Skye, four port calls in Ireland and returning to Dover via Fowey (Cornwall); and a voyage from London to Copenhagen, via Ireland, Iceland, Faroe Islands and Norway (embarking June 18). 

British guests will also be able to disembark in the UK following a 12-night sailing on board Marina from Copenhagen to Dover, boarding in Denmark’s capital on August 31 and calling into Norway, the Shetland Islands, Scotland, three ports in Ireland (including an overnight in Dublin), and returning to Dover via Falmouth (Cornwall).

Oceania's smaller 650-guest Nautica will offer two ex-UK sailings, a magnificent 21-night round trip from Dover, departing on July 3, that calls into Scotland, Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, the Isle of Skye, Belfast and Dublin, Falmouth, Cherbourg and Zeebrugge, before returning to Dover. Nautica will also sail a 12-night cruise around the British Isles, departing from Dover on July 24, calling into Scotland, the Orkney Islands, Skye, four ports in Ireland, Fowey and Le Havre.

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

Gerald Scarfe Joins Fred. Olsen

As part of its growing cruise enhancement programme, Vistas, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is delighted to announce that the artist and satirical cartoonist, Gerald Scarfe, CBE, RDI, will be joining Braemar’s cruise to the Atlantic Islands next April.

Best known for his biting and highly individual political cartoons, as well as his collaboration with Pink Floyd on their epic production of The Wall, Scarfe was born in St. John’s Wood, North London, in 1936 and started to draw and create models as he recovered from bouts of asthma as a child.

He started drawing cartoons for national newspapers and magazines, including the Daily Sketch, Evening Standard and Punch magazine and was one of the early contributors to Private Eye. His work is also familiar from the opening credits of the 1980s TV series ‘Yes Minister’ and ‘Yes, Prime Minister’. From drawing, he moved into creating papier-mâché models of politicians, and gradually into television, film and other areas of the arts.

Scarfe was awarded the distinction of ‘Royal Designer for Industry’ in 1989, in recognition of his talents as an illustrator. He was then awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2008, remarking: “I am pleased, but surprised, since I’ve spent so much of my professional life being rude to people.”

He will host a ‘Drawing’ theme on Braemar's M1208 cruise to the Atlantic Islands, a 14-night voyage that departs from Dover on April 14, 2012, calling at Lisbon and visiting the islands of Lanzarote, Tenerife and La Palma in the Canaries, and two ports in the Azores, Praia da Vitoria and Ponta Delgada, before returning to Dover.



Prices start from £1,429 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘I’, and includes accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes. There is no extra charge for taking part in Gerald’s Vistas workshops.

Find out more about by visiting www.fredolsencruises.com or the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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.

Fred. Olsen's Eagles Tribute Cruise

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is pleased to announce a very special mini-cruise in 2012, which will be a real treat for rock fans. Black Watch’s mini-cruise, W1206, to Antwerp and Amsterdam, will play host to ‘Talon, the Best of Eagles’, who are celebrating their 15th anniversary in 2012.

The band will be joining guests embarking on this attractive cruise of three nights, which departs from Dover on June 21, 2012. The cruise visits the diamond centre of Antwerp for a full day, then spends a half day in vibrant Amsterdam, where guests can discover the historic buildings and galleries which line the many picturesque canals, as well as visiting Ann Frank’s House.

Talon formed in September 1997 and played their first gig in January 1998. The band celebrated their tenth anniversary in September 2007, and have been going from strength to strength ever since.

The band’s unusual name comes from the word for an eagle’s claw, and was suggested by Paul Outen, a drummer and colleague of band members Chris Lloyd and Peter Anderson from their cruising days. When choosing the name, they felt it was important to give the band its own identity, and did not want to play on the word ‘Eagles’ or use an Eagles song title.

During this exclusive mini-cruise, Talon will perform three shows, including ‘Acoustic Collection’, ‘The Best of Eagles’ and ‘The Talon Factor.’ Additional musical entertainment will include ‘Jazzlines’ – late night jazz with Chris Lloyd, and ‘Jam House’ jamming sessions with the band, as well as the Talon Quiz.

Prices for this unique musical mini-cruise start from £299 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. This price includes accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, including the full Talon programme, and port taxes.

For further info, visit http://www.fredolsencruises.com/ or the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Windstar Unveils New 2012 Collection

Windstar Cruises, operator of a three-ship fleet of luxury yachts, has unveiled its new 2012 collection of luxury voyages in the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Baltic, Italy, Mediterranean and Greek Isles, with nine new itineraries and the lowest introductory pricing in years.

In addition, guests who book by June 30 will receive a $200 shipboard credit per cabin. Windstar’s Foremast Members receive an additional 5% discount on all itineraries.

The 2012 programme features a unique collection of islands, highlighting diverse countries, styles, landscapes and cultures of the Caribbean. For example, seven-night sailings on Wind Surf round-trip from Philipsburg, St Maarten, visit Le Marin, Martinique; Pigeon Island, St Lucia; Roseau, Dominica; Falmouth Harbour, Antigua; and Gustavia, St Barts, with cruise-only prices from £1,577 per person.

Or how about the Treasures of Northern Europe? Discover six of the region's most captivating countries with 11-night sailings on Wind Surf between Lisbon and Oslo, visiting Le Havre, Dover, Antwerp and Amsterdam and cruise-only prices from £2,376 per person.

Windstar’s 2012 voyages are available to book now. For more info, visit www.windstarcruises.com or contact the adventure-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.

OperaBabes Set Sail With Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

As part of the popular ‘Music and Laughter’ programme of cruises, with high quality, live entertainment, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is delighted to welcome back, for a second season, The OperaBabes.

Rebecca Knight, soprano, and Karen England, mezzo soprano, were discovered by a talent scout in 2001 when they were busking in Covent Garden. Their first big break came when they were booked to perform at the FA Cup Final, giving them a worldwide audience of 500 million people, and they have never looked back.

Their first album was launched to great critical and popular acclaim and reached Number 1 in the UK Classical Charts, selling over a million copies, and also reaching Number 4 in the USA chart.

They entertained guests aboard a Fred. Olsen cruise last October, to enormous acclaim, and will now be cruising once more and delighting guests with their special style of opera and glamour.

The cruise featuring this high class headline act is Braemar M1123, to Iberia, an 11-night voyage departing from Dover on October 28. The OperaBabes will join the cruise to entertain guests from November 3-8. The ports of call visited are Motril (Spain), Ibiza (Spain), Cartagena (Spain) and Lisbon (Portugal) before returning to Dover.

Prices start from £948 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘I’, and include accommodation, all food and entertainment on board, and port taxes.

Find out more at www.fredolsencruises.com or contact specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

Ken Barlow's Fred Olsen Cruise

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is delighted to announce a treat for soap fans. The legendary Coronation Street actor William Roache, MBE, who has played Ken Barlow ever since the long-running soap first aired in 1960, and is the only member of the original cast still starring in the programme, will be joining a Braemar cruise to the Western Mediterranean in June, travelling as a VIP guest.

During the cruise, William will be giving a special talk and holding a separate Question and Answer session, which guests on board are invited to attend at no extra charge.

William will be aboard Braemar’s 14-night ‘Captivating Cities of Iberia’ cruise M1113, departing from Dover on June 19. Ports of call are Gibraltar, Cartagena, Barcelona, Seville – where William will leave the cruise – Portimao and Lisbon, before returning to Dover.

As Ken Barlow, William has become something of a national treasure, and there will be numerous fans on this cruise who will be thrilled to meet their favourite soap star, and gain an insight into his varied and fascinating career.

Prices for this cruise start from £1,049 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. £100 per cabin free onboard spending is available on this cruise, and free parking. The price includes accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes.

Find out more at www.fredolsencruises.co.uk or contact specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Enjoy Free Taste of Holland America

A complimentary three-course lunch and free reign to explore one of Holland America Line’s luxury cruise ships is being offered by silvertraveladvisor.com, the new `over 50s’ travel review and advice website.

Regular cruisers and first timers alike can choose from nine dates and visit one of three of the line’s ships, Eurodam (May 22, June 3, July 9 and August 12), Ryndam (May 21, July 24 and August 7) and Rotterdam (May 31 and September 20).

The day also includes free parking at the port of Dover, with embarkation at 9.30am, a morning spent exploring the ship and a special three-course lunch on board, followed by a presentation before disembarkation at 2pm.

The offer is open to all Silver Travel Advisor members. To join this growing travel forum for over 50s, simply visit www.silvertraveladvisor.com and register, then e-mail service@silvertraveladvisor.com, stating which date and ship visit you are interested in, and the number of places required.

For more info, www.silvertraveladvisor.com or, for Holland America cruises, check with specialist cruise agents the Cruise Line Ltd.

Sail ex-UK with Oceania Cruises in 2011

Following her debut in January, Oceania Cruises’ first new-build luxury cruise ship Marina will offer two ex-UK cruises in summer 2011 as part of her inaugural European cruise season, before returning to her current winter destination of the Caribbean for winter 2011/12. The company will offer a further three ex-UK cruises, from Dover and Greenwich, on board their two mid-sized luxury cruise ships Regatta and Insignia.

Regatta will cruise a 12-night sailing from Greenwich through the North Sea to call into ports along Norway’s west coast and down to Copenhagen, with fares from £2,421pp, departing on June 11.

Insignia sails from Dover on July 11 and August 8, offering cruises to ports in Belgium, Holland, the Baltic States, Russia and Scandinavia, with fares from £2,790pp.

The beautifully appointed 1,250-guest Marina will sail from Dover on July 15 on her 14-night 'Northern Knights' round-trip cruise off the coast of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, also calling into Norway, the Shetland Islands and the Isle of Man, with fares from £3,102pp.

Marina's second ex-UK ‘no-fly’ departure, on July 29, leaves Dover for Amsterdam, Bruges and a cruise of France's Atlantic west coast, down to Santander in Spain and returning to Dover 12 nights later. Fares are currently on special offer from just £1,199pp, including a saving of up to 50%, PLUS $1,000 onboard credit per stateroom.

Oceania Cruises voyages include all meals (including speciality restaurants), complimentary soft drinks and bottled water.

To find out more, visit http://www.oceaniacruises.co.uk/ or contact the luxury-cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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.