Lindblad Open Up Prime Time Visits To Galapagos

In today’s travel world, savings never go out of season. And, with its equatorial temperatures and year-round wildlife, neither does the Galápagos experience. New for 2012, Lindblad Expeditions (with National Geographic) is offering lower seasonal rates to those who travel during less traditional vacation periods. 

The beauty of this special opportunity lies in the true year-round appeal of one of the world’s most magical destinations. The Galápagos Islands are defined by consistency, a place where the sun rises and sets at the same time, and where the temperatures stay in the same range, year-round. The only reason for labels such as “peak” and “off-peak” is the fact more people travel at peak periods because of traditional holiday times. 

Now, thanks to Lindblad, Galápagos Prime season rates begin at just $4,750 per person for a 10-day voyage on the 96-passenger National Geographic Endeavour, or $5,450 per person on the 48-passenger National Geographic Islander (based on double occupancy in a Category 1 cabin). Both are expedition ships equipped for genuine exploration, and add yet another layer of discovery with kayaks and Zodiacs that carry guests even closer into this world of natural wonder. 

And, to make travel there even more affordable, those who book an expedition before March 31 will receive complimentary flights on select 2012 departures from either New York or Miami, or receive upgrades to business class on the New York/Guayaquil flights for only $500 round-trip. This offer is limited to new bookings only and subject to availability.

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

New for 2012/13 With Bales Worldwide

Bales Worldwide has launched its new 2012 Escorted Small Groups and Tailor Made Holidays programme for 2012/13. The new brochure covers 40 countries (with an additional 10 included online) throughout Asia, Africa, the Far East, Latin America, Egypt and Arabia, India, Canada, Alaska and Australasia. There are a few countries making a welcome return, as well as an increased offering in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Peru, Morocco and throughout Africa.
River cruises are offered on the Nile (several options), Yangtze, Ganges, Mekong, inland Borneo and the Galapagos Islands.
And, book before 30 September and you can save £100pp

For more information, visit www.balesworldwide.com  or The Cruise Line.

New Luxury Catamaran From Haugan Cruises

Regular readers will know we are big fans of the adventure-cruise style of travelling and avidly follow a number of high-quality expedition-style cruise companies, like Nomads of the Seas, Pandaw Cruises, Aqua Expeditions, Orion Expedition Cruises, Lindblad Expeditions, and others.

Head out to the specialist world of the Galapagos Islands cruises and you find another of our favourite lines, Haugan Cruises, and their latest news is definitely one to make us sit up and take notice. See what you think:

The brand new Cormorant from Haugan Cruises incorporates the very best of Galapagos Catamaran design. The modern and ample accommodation includes Jacuzzi, huge sun deck and a private balcony for each of the spacious staterooms. The Cormorant catamaran combines high quality with high value making your Galapagos experience an affordable luxury.
Key Features: Private Balconies (all staterooms), The Newest Galapagos Boat, Large Suites Available, Excellent Itinerary, High quality, high value and Assistance at the airport.

For further information, contact Haugan Cruises or, in the UK for bookings and travel packages, contact the adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Galapagos Islands with Haugan Cruises

Here's a very timely reminder of a great way to visit the Galapagos Islands with one of our favourite adventure cruise specialists.

With six superb state-of-the-art luxury catamarans operating in the islands, Haugan Cruises is owned and managed jointly by experienced personnel from both Ecuador and Europe. Their aim is to give guests a great Galapagos experience at extremely competitive prices and always in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

The pricing includes ALL of the following:

• Top quality bilingual local guide throughout the cruise:

• Dedicated onboard cruise manager
• All meals on board
• Bottled water & sodas
• Welcome cocktail
• Snorkelling equipment
• Free use of all amenities on board (laptops, etc)
• Free trip and planning service for all your needs in the region
• Free airport assistance - Mainland Ecuador (Quito & Guayaquil)
• Free airport assistance - Galapagos Islands
• Free use of airport VIP lounges (Quito & Guayaquil)
• Free transfers between boat and airport
• Free 24-hour helpline for personal assistance for your entire time in Ecuador
• Free International flight confirmation service
• Wetsuit use

For more information, visit www.haugancruises.com or contact the UK's leading adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line.

(Photo courtesy of GalapagosIslands.com)

The Gap Adventures Difference

The line-up of 4 exclusive yachts in the Galapagos, combined with thousands of happy visitors each year speaks for itself. Gap Expeditions are one of the largest operators in the Galapagos, directly managing or operating all aspects of their tours, which enables them to control the quality from start to finish. Their fleet of yachts are fully controlled and operated, meaning you are not being sold on to someone else's ship - it is all Gap Adventures.

They also have 6, 7 and 10-day tours running every week - it could well be said that nobody offers more variety! - and many of their trips can be combined with Peru (for Machu Picchu) and Ecuador tours as well.

They also cater to a wide range of budgets, whether you prefer a more comfortable yachting experience or are on a tight budget. One of their yachts is almost certain to be right for you.

And they take a maximum of 16 people. The company keeps group sizes small for a more intimate experience, so you get the most out of the expertise of their naturalist guides.

For more information, visit Gap Adventures or contact the adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Low-Carbon Cruising, Anyone?

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Sailing ships have a lot less impact on the environment. So, for minimum impact, why not try a low-carbon sailing cruise? Also, with their shallower drafts, these smaller cruise ships can drop anchor off tiny islands and communities unvisited by the larger vessels, thus bringing low impact tourism and economic benefits to the smaller communities.

There are hundreds of unique options, everything from riverboat cruising down the Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia to whale-watching vessels off Iceland. If you get that Columbus feeling, you can even take part in trans-ocean voyages or sail down the Nile on Bales’ six- cabin Edwardian yachts (left).

Bales’ four dahabiyyas are beautifully crafted 19th century-style river sailboats that revive the elegant days when aristocrats and sophisticated travellers cruised the Nile. Fitted out in colonial style with oriental and Egyptian touches, they have six individually designed cabins, thus producing very low impact on the environment and very few carbon emissions.

Bales Worldwide offers luxury holidays to more than 50 countries, including Canada, China, Egypt, Ecuador & Galapagos, India, Jordan, Peru and Tanzania.

For more information on Bales Worldwide, visit http://www.balesworldwide.com/ or for more on Nile cruising, contact adventure cruise specialist the Cruise Line Ltd.

Cruise the Galapagos with Celebrity Cruises

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Celebrity Cruises is the only major cruise line that offers cruises around the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos Cruises take you right up to the cluster of islands so isolated that over 1,900 of its creatures cannot be found anywhere else on earth. Observe marine iguanas, flightless cormorants and giant Galapagos tortoises in their natural habitat. And do it all in luxury in Celebrity Cruises’ signature style.

A seven-night Galapagos cruise-only onboard Celebrity's exclusive ship Celebrity Xpedition costs from £2,282 per person (based on two people sharing an ocean view cabin).

Price includes a seven-night Galapagos cruise-only onboard Celebrity Xpedition departing Baltra (Galapagos) and calling at Kicker Rock (San Cristobal), P. Baquerizo (San Cristobal), Punta Suarez (Espanola), Cormorant Point (Floreana), Baroness Outlook (Floreana), Las Bachas, (Santa Cruz), Bartolome (San Salvador), Urvina Bay (Isabela), Punta Espinoza (Fernandina), Puerto Egas (San Salvador), Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz), Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz), Baltra (Galapagos) and North Seymour (Galapagos); meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

For more details, visit Celebrity Cruises or consulta the cruising specialist agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Luxury Cruising in the Galapagos Islands

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Haugan Cruises is pleased to present their new 2011 itineraries for M/C Athala (above) & M/C Nina, the only two luxury catamarans in the Galapagos with state-of-the-art design and technology, making them the fastest, sleekest and most stable catamarans cruising the islands.

They will be one of the first Galapagos Tour Operators to offer a 15-day itinerary with the very best visitor sites and flexible length of cruises. The programme will be divided into two 6-day itineraries and one 5-day itinerary, while 8-day cruises will also be available.

For further information, go ti their website at http://www.haugancruises.com/ or call the UK's adventure cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Day Trips to Antarctica and Galapagos Islands

By guest blogger Steve Newman.

Setting foot on the wild and rugged Galapagos Islands and exploring the Antarctic base on foot are just two of the many unforgettable experiences awaiting guests aboard Seabourn Odyssey during its 73-day South America circumnavigation in 2011.

The Yachts of Seabourn is offering a choice of more than 120 optional shore excursions during the journey around South America, providing guests with numerous opportunities to see, hear, touch, taste and feel the amazing diversity of environments, historic and modern cultures, and the breathtaking natural scenery of the continent.

Seabourn’s new shore excursions in South America include:

Galapagos in a Day, Guayaquil, Ecuador: Since their exploration more than 150 years ago, these remarkable islands have not lost their ability to inspire and are home to many unique, indigenous species. Seabourn guests fly from Guayaquil to the islands, visiting the Giant Tortoises Reserve, the Twin Pit Craters and stop at the world renowned Charles Darwin Research Centre.

Antarctic Expedition, Punta Arenas, Chile: From Punta Arenas, guests board a chartered flight due south, crossing the Polar Circle to touch down at Frei Base, maintained by the Chilean Air Force and situated on an ice-free area. Stepping off the plane, guests explore the base and its surroundings on foot. A mile downhill walk on a dirt road brings them to the base and, from here, they board an inflatable boat to visit Ardley Island, a highly protected area occupied by breeding colonies of penguins.

A tremendous variety of excursions are available at the 31 ports of call during Odyssey’s 73-day South America circumnavigation. Capital cities such as Quito, Santiago, Lima, Buenos Aires and Montevideo as well as world class metropolises such as Rio de Janeiro and Salvador de Bahia combine with exotic locations in Patagonia and the Amazon.

The voyage departs January 4, 2011, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. To reserve space on Seabourn’s optional shore excursions online prior to the cruise, guests can visit www.seabourn.com. Fares for the entire voyage begin at £17,998 per person, based on double occupancy. For travellers who are unable to sail on the full 73-day voyage, shorter itineraries are available, starting from £4,999 per person for 19 days.

For more information, visit http://www.seabourn.com/ or check with the luxury and adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

The Galapagos - with the Adventure Cruise Collection

By guest blogger Steve Newman

The Galapagos is a national park and biological marine reserve second only the Great Barrier Reef. Now, cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd have a dedicated section of their Adventure Cruise Collection brochure devoted to these wonderful islands. It includes essential info like the best time to travel (mid-June to early September, and December-January), and the fact your journey will also take you via Quito, the Ecuadorian capital, from where you fly on to the Galapagos themselves.

UNESCO has declared the 12 main islands and dozens of smaller islands and rocks of the protected volcanic Galapagos archipelago a World Heritage Site. The wildlife here has no instinctive fear of humans, allowing you to observe the life-cycles of an incredible range of species, including marine mammals, reptiles, invertebrates and birds, at unbelievably close quarters.

For more details visit The Cruise Line 0r call 0800 008 6677

Celebrity Cruises to Galapagos

Celebrity Cruises to Galapagos

Celebrity Cruise Lines have a special class of ship built for more adventurous travelers called the Expedition class. The only exponent of this class is Celebrity Expedition. This is a much smaller ship, launched in 2001. It is equally elegant and well equipped as any Celebrity cruiser but gives a sense of intimacy to the guests. On a regular cruiser, one may feel lost in the crowd sometimes, but on Expedition this never happens.

Galapagos is one of the interesting places Celebrity Expedition takes its guests to. This trip is a must for everybody who wants to discover the place that inspired one of the world biggest scientific discoveries. Galapagos Island offers the visitors a memorable trip. Celebrity Cruiser line offers the adventurous traveler several alternatives for this voyage. There are 7 to 13 nights cruises, with prices starting from 1800 EUR for 7 nights to 5600 EUR for 13 nights.

New edition now out!

OK, I'm more than a week late with publicising our latest edition, but the Spring issue of World of Cruising magazine is now available to subscribers and online visitors alike.

It is choc-full of great destination features (Singapore, the Pacific North-West, the Maldives and the Aegean Sea, plus river cruising on both the Rhine and Rhone in Europe), ship reviews (the new Silver Spirit, Princess Danae, Majestic Cruises and Royal Clipper), insider news and comment (Aft View, Passenger Perspective and our annual Cruise Planner on every ship worldwide), and our unique regular features like World of Spas, Fashion and The Admiral.

You can see more online at http://www.worldofcruising.co.uk/ - and look out for our all-new website, coming soon!

We are also hard at work on the next edition for June, featuring Nomads of the Seas in Chile; Royal Caribbean's amazing Oasis of the Seas, an Arabian Odyssey around Oman, Abu Dhabi and Dubai; cruising on the Brahmaputra River in India; sailing on the unique Patricia of Trinity House; the amazing Galapagos Islands with Haugan Cruises; a look at how life aboard ship has changed in the past 100 years; a luxury voyage on The Nile; and a special look at 'green' cruising.

It is all in store in the Summer edition of Europe's premier publication on the subject of cruising, so make sure you order your copy now!