Get A Balcony Upgrade With Celebrity

The offers are coming in thick and fast this week - and some more pre-Christmas cheer! How about this one: join Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Eclipse on a 14-night Iceland and Fjords cruise from just £2,473 per person (based on two people sharing an oceanview stateroom) this summer.

This price includes a free upgrade from an oceanview to a balcony stateroom (if booked by January 31) and a 14-night cruise departing from Southampton and calling at Reykjavik (Iceland), Akureyri (Iceland), Klaksvik (Faroe Islands), Geiranger (Norway), Molde (Norway), Flam (Norway) and Bergen (Norway) before returning to Southampton; all meals and entertainment on board and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

Plus, guests receive FREE car parking in Southampton port or a complimentary coach transfer to the port, if booked by January 31. Price is based on a July 7 departure.

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

A True Voyage of Discovery

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Cruise passengers are fast becoming ever more adventurous with their destination choices and the latest cruise announced by Voyages of Discovery is in this vein. The 'Norwegian Explorer' cruise will take their boutique little MV Discovery across the whole coast of Norway on a 13-day voyage beginning 30th July 2011.

July is the perfect time to experience the rugged coastal landscapes of Norway at their most tranquil and beautiful. Travelling by sea is also the best way to reach its many remote islands, inlets, coves and giant fjords. And the 650-passenger, 4-star Discovery is the perfect vessel for these waters.

Small enough to reach out-of-the-way ports, yet large enough to make light work of crossing the North Sea, Discovery avoids the hustle and bustle of today’s larger liners. Instead ,she has been expressly conceived for the company’s special brand of discovery cruising to create an atmosphere on board that is friendly and relaxed.

The cruise is also renowned for attracting budding historians, wildlife lovers and walkers who know Voyages of Discovery will take them closer to the incredible landscapes and wildlife that thrives in these challenging but often magical environments, including the breathtaking Geiranger Fiord.

Onboard, there will be two inspirational guest speakers. Greg Neale, the founder of the BBC's History Magazine, will be on hand to discuss the rich heritage of this enchanting region. Alongside him, Dr Mark Baldwin, the UK’s leading speaker on WWII code breaking, will bring a 1944 Enigma – the original code breaking machine - onboard to discuss its dramatic influence on the course of the War.

With convenient road and rail links to the port of Harwich, joining Discovery’s range of no-fly cruises is made even easier. You can find out more at http://www.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk/

Voyages of Discovery are also among the lines exhibiting at the Cruise Show in Birmingham in October.

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.

That Viking Spirit

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Hurtigruten. The very name has a viking ring to it and this cruise has been called the most beautiful on earth. Well that may not quite be true but, if it isn't, it comes a very close second. Norway's coastal scenery is simply breathtaking and, what's more, is ever changing as you soak up this marvellous country.

If you're a dedicated cruiser, though, you are going to have to get into a different mindset. This isn't a cruise about destinations, this is a cruise about being absorbed into a way of life. The Hurtigruten is a cruise line with all the modern amenities but, at the same time, it is an expedition ship and local bus service.

Calling at over 30 ports on its seven day journey, the ship becomes a bus and ferry service for the local communities. People hop on and off to see their relations, carry out business trips or visit the dentist. As the result, the ambiance of the ship changes every day to complement the scenery.

At times, the ship goes through some incredibly narrow passages where you can almost touch the walls of the cliffs either side and your journey will take you from the lush woodlands and pastures of the south to the frozen wilderness of the Arctic. Indeed, you must expect a visit from King Neptune if you have never crossed the Arctic Circle before and be baptised with ice cubes!

The Hurtigruten is a wonderful experience and, depending on when you go, the Northern Lights or the Midnight Sun will stay with you for ever. Anyone who takes the ten mile trip down the Geiranger Fjord, where the cliffs tower thousands of feet above you with waterfalls cascading down the same distance and Sea Eagles wafting nonchalantly by, will tell you they simply can't put it into words.

The company don't just specialise in hugging the fjords, either, as you can visit Antarctica, the amazing wilderness of Spitsbergen and many other places associated with viking adventure. Their website at http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/ is mouthwatering and the pre-cruise information you're given is some of the best I have ever received.