Seabourn's Free Upgrades On Select Cruises

Ultra-luxury cruise line Seabourn has welcomed in the New Year with the offer of free upgrades on selected popular European cruise-only and fly/cruise itineraries. For UK travellers seeking a luxurious ocean-bound adventure, before the height of summer, Seabourn’s early-season fully inclusive cruises offer exceptional value and variety.

Whether guests opt for the charm and style of the chic 208-passenger ships Seabourn Legend and Spirit or the sleek design and modern comfort of the larger, 450-passenger Seabourn Odyssey, the luxury and comfort of a Seabourn voyage is hard to beat.

All itineraries listed below offer the free suite upgrade:

10-Day Italy & Adriatic, April 5; Seabourn Spirit - ports of call: Malaga, Menorca, Naples, Lecce, Dubrovnik, Sibenik, Pula and Venice. Prices: £1,999pp cruise only, £2,419pp fly/cruise.

9-Day Mediterranean, April 11; Seabourn Legend - ports of call: Athens, Cesme, Mykonos, Corfu, Crotone, Messina, Naples and Rome. Prices: £1,799pp cruise only, £2,189 fly/cruise.

12-Day Atlantic Odyssey, March 21; Seabourn Odyssey - ports of call: Fort Lauderdale, transatlantic, Funchal and Lisbon. Prices: £1,699pp cruise only, £2,499pp fly/cruise.

Prices are all per person, based on double occupancy and fully inclusive of all tips and gratuities, fine-dining, open bars and a fully stocked mini-bar in each suite.

For booking details, see this link for UK's luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Put Your Best Foot Forward In 2012 With Swan Hellenic

Did you over-indulge during the festive period? Then put your best foot forward in 2012 with Swan Hellenic and resolve to spend more of 2012 outside enjoying the natural world courtesy of their invigorating voyages.

Embrace the great outdoors on Vintage Iberia and Italy this spring and mark your first milestone with a Levada hike. Take in the best views of Madeira from the eastern flanks of the Paul de Serra plateau as you walk along the island’s unique irrigation channels. Go on to enjoy the rest of the cruise seeing more of Europe’s finest landscapes and landmarks on other guided city walks visiting Seville, Tangier and Malaga. 

This cruise costs from £1,495 per person and includes return flights from the UK, transfers, a 14-day voyage departing from Funchal (Madeira) and calling at Cadiz (Spain), Seville (Spain), Tangier (Morocco), Malaga (Spain), Palma de Mallorca (Spain, above) and Livorno (Italy) before arriving at Livorno (Italy); meals, entertainment and gratuities on board and all relevant cruise taxes/fees, plus onboard lectures from a team of renowned Guest Speakers. Price is based on a March 16 departure.

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

PS: For more info and insight on Swan Hellenic, be sure to check out this feature in the Winter edition of the magazine.

Costa's First World Cruise In 17 Years A Deliziosa Success

Rounding off a successful 2011 for Costa Cruises, the Costa Deliziosa (above) has embarked on the first Around-The-World Costa cruise in 17 years.

 

With the 2011-2012 tour fully booked months in advance, the European cruise giant is now preparing to offer the itinerary again in 2013.

 

The 100-day historic cruise that departed Italy on December 28 will tally up 37 calls and 250 excursions to some of the world’s most fascinating locations across five continents, following the routes of the great navigators of the past.

 

The journey is split into three segments, named in tribute to great explorers – Christopher Columbus: Savona to France, Spain, Madera, Antilles, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Panama Canal, Mexico and California; James Cook: California to Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore; and Marco Polo: Singapore to Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, the Arab Emirates, Oman and the Red Sea.

 

Those interested in the progress of the Costa Deliziosa can connect live with two webcams installed on board the ship by visiting Costa’s website, www.costacruise.com.

 

Five theme-oriented celebrations will be held on the seas during the journey with a total of 2,300 passengers onboard to join in the festivities and special shows.

 

Costa also has two other epic cruises on offer for 2012 for travellers looking to explore the world from a unique viewpoint. The Great Cruise to Four Continents on Costa Victoria will set sail on March 7, and the Great Cruise to the Other Side of the World departs on September 19.

 

The 2013 Around-The-World tour will depart Savona, Italy, on January 6 and return on 16 April, once again aboard the Costa Deliziosa.

Listen Very Carefully, I Will ‘Sail’ This Only Once!

Two stars of the BBC’s much-loved Second World War comedy, ’Allo ’Allo!, Herr Otto Flick of the Gestapo (Richard Gibson) and Private Helga Geerhart (Kim Hartman), are to join two Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ voyages in 2012. Both actors will be lecturing and performing on the theme of ‘Comedy’ as part of the line’s award-winning cruise enrichment programme, Vistas.

They will be taking centre stage on board Boudicca’s 14-night ‘Canaries & Morocco’ cruise in January and on a 25-night sector of Balmoral’s epic ‘New World’ cruise, in March.

Boudicca’s voyage is a 14-night cruise, departing from Southampton on January 5, calling at the islands of Madeira, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote, then Agadir in Morocco and a final call into Lisbon before returning home. Prices start from £1,189 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘H’, and include all meals and entertainment on board, as well as port taxes.

Balmoral’s cruise is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 9 to Southampton, also calling at Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza and Santarem (all in Brazil), then the Cape Verde Islands and, finally, Funchal, Madeira, before reaching Southampton on April 3. Prices for this exciting cruise sector start from £2,684 per person, based on two adults sharing a superior outside twin cabin, Grade ‘B’, and include all meals and entertainment on board, as well as flights from London to Rio and port/airport taxes. There is no extra charge for enjoying the company of Herr Flick and Private Helga!

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

Cunard's Grand New Programme

With three ships now in the fleet, Cunard Line has announced its widest ever range of voyages for 2012, with 84 voyages visiting 129 ports and 48 countries around the world. The launch is supported by a comprehensive range of Early Booking incentives including, for the first time, an additional 10% saving on all voyages booked before May 31.

Cunard Line will celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and Her Majesty’s long association with Cunard, with a unique Three Queens Event in Southampton on June 5, 2012, the Bank Holiday Jubilee Celebration.

Queen Elizabeth will spend the first half of the summer sailing out of Southampton before setting off on her inaugural Mediterranean Fly-Voyage season from Venice, Civitavecchia (Rome) and Athens on a series of 12-night voyages. In early 2013 she will embark on a new Pacific Islands voyage, offering a 91-night sailiing from Southampton or a 36-night voyage from Los Angeles.

Queen Victoria has developed a very loyal following and will spend the summer sailing out of Southampton to the most popular Northern Europe and Mediterranean destinations. A new feature will be overnight stays in Amsterdam, Hamburg, Istanbul, St Petersburg, Madeira and Venice – giving guests more time to experience the destinations.

Queen Mary 2 goes from strength to strength on her unique Transatlantic Voyages and will cross the Atlantic 20 times during 2012. She will also offer voyages to Northern Europe, Canada and New England and a new 16-night Central Mediterranean voyage. The Transatlantic is fast becoming a ‘must do’ choice for regular cruisers.

The programme goes on sale worldwide on April 4. Other highlights include:

Value for Money - This year, Cunard is offering exceptional savings to those booking prior to May 31. For example, Early Booking Savings of up to £900 per couple are available on a typical 12-night voyage. There is also complimentary onboard spending available of between $40 and $1000 per couple on Mediterranean fly-cruises and transatlantic crossings. And complimentary car parking is available to guests booking 2012 Southampton round-trip voyages with durations of five nights or more (excluding round-trip transatlantic crossings and World Voyages).

Overnight Stays – Feedback from passengers has shown that they would like to spend more time in big-hitting destinations, so all three ships will now offer overnight stays that include Amsterdam, Venice, Rome, Hamburg, St Petersburg, Boston, Quebec, Madeira and Barcelona.

Traditional Values – As the pace of life accelerates, the values, traditions and White Star Service experienced with Cunard are gaining more and more recognition, both from loyal Cunarders and with first-timers to the brand. For example, on many cruise lines shorts can often be seen in dining rooms. This would never happen on a Cunard ship. Dancing is going through a renaissance through high-profile television programmes in many countries. With state-of-the-art ball rooms, the biggest dance floors at sea, big bands and dance hosts, Cunard is setting the standards and attracting many passengers who hanker for a taste of tradition and class.

For more information, visit http://www.cunard.co.uk/ or contact the specialist agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Independence Sails Into 2012 with Great Value

Royal Caribbean is maintaining its attractive pricing for new cruises onboard Independence of the Seas in 2012. The move also confirms that the popular ship will remain sailing year-round from Southampton into next year. With consistently high guest satisfaction rates and very strong sales generated by the trade year-on-year, the ship is set to remain one of the most requested for UK holidaymakers.

Highlights of the new 2012 voyages include:

Two 14-night Mediterranean options (Mediterranean Treasures and Italian Mediterranean), leading in at £1,149. The Mediterranean Treasures sailing has the option of either a Cannes/Monte Carlo or Provence (Toulon) call.

The 11-night Spain and Canary Islands cruises, featuring Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Madeira and La Coruna, start from just £749 per person.

And there is the return of a 10-day dedicated Canary Islands cruise from £849.

Free car parking and £99 regional connection flights are also available on all bookings made before May 31, 2011, on sailings of 10 nights or longer

Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society members – the cruise line’s loyalty club – can make bookings 24 hours before the cruises go on general sale as of 9am on March 15.

For more information, visit www.royalcaribbean.co.uk or contact the cruise specialist agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

The Azores, Canary Islands and Ceramic Wonders

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Sail in the wake of European explorers to the Atlantic islands that once constituted the western barrier of the known world on a small ship luxury cruise. Zegrahm Expeditions' Azores voyage begins with a visit to Spain’s Alhambra with its amazng carvings and ceramic tile patterns (above) and the famed Rock of Gibraltar. Morocco offers a sensory-filled experience from mosques to souks in the exotic cities of Casablanca, Agadir and Marrakech.

Then spend several days exploring the Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Azores. These dramatic volcanic islands feature historic architecture, lush gardens and vineyards, seabirds, beautiful beaches and colourful markets.

Zegrahm's Clipper Odyssey is also perfect for this style of voyaging, a 110-passenger luxury expedition vessel carrying a fleet of Zodiacs, which allow passengers to land anywhere nature or curiosity dictates. All cabins have an ocean view, safe, minibar, individually controlled heat/air conditioner, in-room music system, and sitting area with sofa.

Dates
May 4–20, 2011

Activities
Archaeology, Birding, Culture, Photography, Sightseeing, Wildlife viewing

For more information, visit http://www.zeco.com/ or try the UK's leading adventure cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

Cruising from the UK from £72 per person per night

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Now you can Join Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas (above) for an 11-night Spain and Canary Islands cruise-only from just £792 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

Price includes an 11-night cruise-only, departing Southampton and calling at Vigo (Spain), Lisbon (Portugal), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Las Palmas (Gran Canaria), Funchal (Madeira, Portugal) and La Coruña (Spain) before returning to Southampton; meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

This price is based on a March 14 departure.

For more information, visit http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/ or cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

Spring sunshine with Royal Caribbean International

By guest blogger Steve Newman

With the average temperature at 23°C in the Canary Islands in May, guarantee yourself some sunshine and join Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas (above) on a 10-night Canaries cruise from just £931 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

The price includes a 10-night cruise-only departing Southampton and calling at Funchal (Madeira, Portugal), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Las Palmas (Gran Canaria), Lanzarote (Canary Islands) and Vigo (Spain) before returning to Southampton; meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

Independence of the Seas is brimming with 15 decks of activities, including a Flowrider surf park at sea, an onboard ice-skating rink, rock-climbing wall, a children’s water park, a teen-only nightclub, mother and daughter/father and son spa facilities, basketball and volleyball courts, miniature golf course and shopping.

Price is based on a departure of May 4, 2011.

For more information, see http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/ or talk to the cruise specialist agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Cruising for £88 per person per night

By guest blogger Steve Newman

As the belt tightening continues, the need to discover a good bargain comes more and more into our minds. Now you can cruise from home this winter onboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas (above) from just £881 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

Price includes their 10-night Spain and Canary Islands cruise departing from Southampton, and calling at Funchal (Madeira); Tenerife, Las Palmas and Lanzarote (Canary Islands); and Vigo (Spain) before returning to Southampton, plus meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

Independence of the Seas is brimming with 15 decks of activities, including a Flowrider surf park, an onboard ice-skating rink, rock-climbing wall, a children’s water park, a teen-only nightclub, mother-and-daughter/father-and-son spa facilities, basketball and volleyball courts, miniature golf and shopping.

The price is based on a November 8 departure.

For more information or to book, see http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/

You can also find out more about Royal Caribbean as they will be exhibiting at The Cruise Show in Birmingham on October 16-17 and at London’s Olympia on March 26-27, 2011.

Canary Islands a lot "Cheeper"?

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Many of us prefer to take a cruise right at the end of summer to try to hold off those winter blues for a bit longer. October is becoming an ever more popular month to take a cruise and, if you can get to somewhere warm and get there quickly, so much the better.

So why not think about joining Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas for a 10-night Canary Islands cruise from just £699 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin)? That’s Canary Islands cruising for £69 per person per day!

Royal Caribbean are renowned for their high-quality, ultra-modern vessels and, now you can check in online, it saves time and you don't have to fill in any forms at the pier. When you and your party arrive, all you need is your signed SetSail pass, identification documents, and credit card that you register online.

The price for this voyage includes the full 10-night cruise departing from Southampton and calling at Funchal (Madeira, Portugal), Tenerife, Las Palmas (Gran Canaria), Lanzarote and Vigo (Spain) before returning to Southampton. Meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees are also fully inclusive.

Independence of the Seas is also brimming with 15 decks of activities, including a Flowrider surf park at sea, an onboard ice-skating rink, rock climbing wall, a children’s water park, a teen-only nightclub, mother-and-daughter/father-and-son spa facilities, basketball and volleyball courts, miniature golf course and shopping.

Price is based on 29 October 2010 departure.

Royal Caribbean are also exhibiting at the Cruise Show in Birmingham this October.