Hebridean Island Cruises set for Glasgow Cruise Show

Hebridean Island Cruises, operator of the renowned small cruise ship, Hebridean Princess, will be on hand to showcase their 2012 itineraries and talk about the launch of their new dedicated river cruises programme on the Rhine and Danube rivers at The Daily Telegraph Cruise Show, being held at the Glasgow SECC, from 22 to 23 October 2011.

The much anticipated exhibition is designed to showcase the range of different cruises available with Hebridean Island Cruises offering a unique cruise experience on board a ship often compared with an opulent country house. Representatives at the show will be distributing current brochures for both Hebridean Princess and the new Hebridean River Cruises programme. With the recent announcement that Hebridean River Cruises inaugural season will see sailings on the Rhine and Danube rivers during June and September 2012 there is sure to be a lot of interest in stand E7.

For more information visit www.hebridean.co.uk or small ship specialists The Cruise Line.

The Princess Royal

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Well, if it's good enough for Her Majesty the Queen to sail around the Western Isles on, then the Hebridean Princess must be highly worthwhile having a look at.

The point is, though, that a lot of people are under the illusion the waters of western Scotland are the only area the company (Hebridean Island Cruises) features but, in fact, MANY more destinations are on offer for 2011.

These include Scotland's east coast, Northern Ireland, northern France, the Channel Islands and the Isles of Scilly. Of course, you don't have to stay on board, but be aware it's difficult not to with this lovely five-star, luxury vessel.

As well as ports of call, there is the company's excellent Footloose guided walks programme, which lets you take in some spectacular hill walking, loch and mountain trails and, of course, this wouldn't be Scotland if there wasn't a nip of malt whisky and a hearty meal waiting for you on your return.

Indeed, the inglenook fireplace and the herringbone brick-work at times enhance the Scottish appearance and you could almost be the laird settling down in your big, comfortable armchair at night. It is this ambiance of the Scottish country house and the lack of organised entertainment that makes it impossible not to relax on this vessel.

With just 50 cabins - of which 10 are dedicated for single travellers - and a crew of 38, it's no wonder Hebridean Princess has such loyal repeat business. Most of the cruises of four and ten nights depart from Oban, reaching destinations as far as St Kilda and the Shetlands.

Each all-inclusive cruise is carefully researched and planned by the company to make sure you get the best out of each port of call and its surrounding area. There is a range of privately escorted tours, often visiting places uniquely open for ships guests, and, if that doesn't appeal, why not borrow one of the ship's bicycles or arrange a fishing trip?

The elegant dining room has large windows to watch the scenery as you enjoy your meals - using the freshest local produce where possible, such as cheese from the Isle of Mull and, of course, the wonderful haggis. Whether, like me, you prefer to pour a wee dram over your haggis on the plate is entirely up to you.

But, just like the Hebridean Princess herself, I'd thoroughly recommend it.

Set Sail for Adventure!

Adventure cruising is promising to become one of the big, growing options for savvy cruisers in the near future, with various types and levels of this expedition-style of voyaging.

The All Leisure Group, who operate Swan Hellenic, Voyages of Discovery and the boutique little Hebridean Island Cruises, have recently taken ownership of the 15,000-ton MV Alexander von Humboldt (originally the Crown Monarch of Crown Cruise Line) , which has recently been sailing or German operator Phoenix Reisen. And, while they have yet to indicate which of their brands it will sail under, it is clear ALG have significant plans to grow this 'niche' market into something not-quite-so-niche.

When you also look at how other adventure/expedition companies continue to do well, the likes of Norwegian Hurtigruten, Abercrombie & Kent, Noble Caledonia, Hapag-Lloyd, Lindblad Expeditions and many more, there is clearly a keen and expanding appetite for this type of holiday.

And now comes a new Dutch operation which promises to add still further to this highly enticing array of cruise choice. Oceanwide Expeditions is offering more small-ship adventuring specialising in polar expedition voyages using the 110-passenger MV Plancius. here's what they say:

MV Plancius – Oceanwide Expeditions’ new Polar expedition vessel is now afloat

This is the start of a new Era in polar expedition cruising: the Dutch flagged expedition vessel Plancius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions from Vlissingen, the Netherlands, is almost ready to set sail to Antarctica, offering the maiden voyage on 8 January 2010. Plancius shall be christened on 14 November and will depart on 5 December for her ocean voyage to Ushuaia in Tierra Del Fuego , Argentina , the starting point of Antarctic voyages.

Oceanwide Expeditions: the pioneer in the Polar regions

Oceanwide Expeditions is the pioneer and one of the market leaders in the Polar Regions and has – since 1996 - been offering expedition-style cruises to the Arctic and Antarctic regions with chartered ice-strengthened Russian vessels, very suitable to offer exploratory voyages with passengers. However, in order to increase comfort-standards, Oceanwide Expeditions decided to build its own vessel, complying with the latest safety regulations and technology.

Oceanwide Expeditions: World’s Leading Polar Expedition Operator 2009

We proudly announce that Oceanwide Expeditions has won the World Travel Award 2009 in the category World’s Leading Polar Expedition Operator. The presentation of this international prize took place during a gala performance in London on Sunday 8 November. It was the second time that this prestigious award was categorized by the World Travel Awards Committee. The first time was in 2005 and Oceanwide Expeditions was also the winner of the contest.

MV Plancius: Setting new standards in expedition cruising

Plancius will set new standards to the world of expedition cruising: spacious yet small ship character, comfort & style, modern technology and safety appliances. A base camp for active, adventure and wildlife minded modern explorers, including hiking trips, kayaking, overnight field camping and even scuba-diving.

Plancius was built in 1975 as an oceanographic research vessel for the Royal Dutch Navy and was named Hr. Ms. Tydeman. The ship sailed for the Dutch Navy until June 2004 and was finally purchased by Oceanwide Expeditions in December 2006. The vessel was completely rebuilt and converted to a 110-passenger vessel which complies with the latest SOLAS-regulations (Safety Of Life At Sea) and is classed by Lloyd’s Register in London . The ship sails under the Dutch flag.

It’s a small ship operation: Plancius can accommodate 110 passengers in 53 passenger cabins with private toilet and shower in 4 triple private cabins, 39 twin private cabins (ca. 15 square meters ) and 10 twin superior cabins (ca. 21 square meters ).

The vessel offers a restaurant/lecture room and a spacious observation lounge (with bar) with large windows, offering full panorama view. Plancius has large open deck spaces with full walk-around possibilities, giving excellent opportunities to enjoy the scenery and wildlife. The vessel is comfortable and nicely decorated, but the ship is not a luxurious vessel. Voyages in the Arctic and Antarctic regions are primarily defined by an exploratory educational travel programme, spending as much time ashore as possible.

The vessel measures 89 meters in length (267ft), has a breadth of 14.5 meters (43ft) and a draft of 4.8 meters (15ft) and is equipped with a diesel-electric propulsion system which reduces the noise and vibration of the engines considerably. The 3 diesel engines generate 1.230 horse-power each, giving the vessel a speed of 10-12 knots. The vessel is ice-strengthened and was specially built for oceanographic voyages.

Plancius is manned by 17 nautical crew, 18 hotel staff (6 chefs, 1 hotel manager, 1 steward-barman and 10 stewards/cabin cleaners), 8 expedition staff (1 expedition leader and 7 guides-lecturers) and 1 doctor.