SeaDream Taps Into The Hippocrates Health Institute

SeaDream Yacht Club is taking wellness and well-being holidays a step further with a unique programme in conjunction with The Hippocrates Health Institute, introducing the first of its kind at sea, a “Raw Food” menu option. 

A once-radical form of vegetarianism called the “raw foods” or “living foods” movement is creeping into mainstream. Now, aboard the twin mega-yachts, SeaDream I and SeaDream II, gourmet raw food is offered in addition to the regular menu.

The Hippocrates Health Institute was created over five decades ago. Over the years, it has developed the Life Transformation Programme into the definitive blueprint for transitioning to a healthier lifestyle. SeaDream’s Corporate Chef, Sudesh Kishore (above) shares dishes and beverages such as Watercress Tang (a liquid mélange of watercress, Anjou pear, lime and pineapple) and the Blood Apple Blaster (a blend of apple, ginger, red beet, lime juice and agave). Salad options include Asian-style Cashew Curry Salad (crunchy and slightly spicy) while an entrée such as Vegetable Lasagna uses pasta-like noodles made from spinach leaves and coconut meat, layered between a spicy cauliflower mash topped with a sun-dried tomato marinara.

A sample 7-night Mediterranean voyage aboard SeaDream I (including the new Raw Food menu options), sailing May 12 from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Monte Carlo now costs from $3,999, representing a saving of 55%.

A sample 7-night Caribbean voyage aboard SeaDream II (also including the new Raw Food options), sailing March 31 from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, now costs from $2,899, a brochure saving of 58%.

These cruise-only fares include: accommodation, all meals, onboard gratuities, wine with lunch and dinner, a complimentary open bar and use of the yachts' “water toys” and Marina (weather permitting).

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

Silversea's Monaco Grand Prix Experience

Guests sailing on the nearly sold-out Silver Spirit voyage on May 24, 2012, are in for a special treat. Silversea is offering an optional two-day "70th Grand Prix de Monaco" land package. Spirit guests will have the opportunity to experience the thrill of a Formula One race at Europe's most glamorous motor-race during the ship's overnight visit on May 26.

On Saturday, guests will enjoy witnessing the time trials (practice runs for the drivers and their cars) from Tribune K reserved seats. From this section of the grandstand, guests will see cars racing towards them at tremendous speed, slow down and then accelerate, before making the next turn.

In the evening, guests attend an invitation-only cocktail reception hosted by the ship's captain and a former Grand Prix driver, followed by a themed dinner of Mediterranean and Monegasque cuisine served in La Terrazza. On Sunday, guests return to their same reserved seats for the exciting race itself. The tour includes escorted transfers and a gift package of spectator essentials featuring Bushnell binoculars, an official "70th Grand Prix de Monaco" programme, souvenir drawstring bag, hat, seat cushion and protective earplugs.

Priced at $1,799 per guest, this special two-day, mid-voyage land adventure is only offered on Silver Spirit's May 24 voyage (No. 5213), sailing from Barcelona to Rome. It requires advance booking through Silversea's reservations department by January 24. However, since space is limited, the tour may sell out before the booking deadline.

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

Unleash Your Inner Picasso on Star Clippers

Tall ship specialist Star Clippers (www.starclippers.co.uk) is offering novice and experienced artists alike the chance to express themselves and refine their technique in the most inspiring of settings, the Mediterranean, on board the 170-passenger Star Flyer, one of the world’s most beautiful and graceful tall ships.

The voyage will be escorted by Suffolk-born Richard Nichols (above), a successful artist who specialises in seascapes and coastal scenes. Richard will run workshops on board the seven-night cruise in anything from sketching to watercolours, aimed at all levels of experience.

Included in the cruise price is a special artist’s backpack that converts into a seat for sitting and sketching on location. The backpack contains sketchbooks, paper, watercolours, brushes and pencils, so guests do not need to supply any equipment.

The cruise departs Cannes on September 24 and calls at Corsica, Elba, Portofino and the Hyeres islands, ending in Monaco – all perfect settings for capturing the colour and vibrancy of the Mediterranean, from the ochres and terracottas of Portofino to the jagged mountains and bottle green pines of Corsica.

The 7-night cruise costs from £1,469 per person, including return flights from London, transfers, seven nights’ full board accommodation on Star Flyer, daily art classes, the artist’s backpack and port charges. Single travellers pay just £1,659.

To book, visit www.starclippers.co.uk or specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

Star Clippers New 'Rail & Sail' Offers

Star Clippers has new `Rail & Sail’ departures this summer, allowing guests to take the train directly from the UK to the south of France and join one of its magnificent tall ship sailings, completely avoiding airports and flying.

The company’s tall ship cruises from Cannes or Monaco operate between June and October and new rail-cruise packages cost from £1599 per person, including all meals, return rail travel from London, a night’s B&B pre-cruise accommodation in a 4-star hotel in Monaco or Nice, non-UK transfers to and from the ship and all port taxes.

The sailings are on board Star Clippers’ four-masted Star Flyer, departing from Cannes or Monaco on June 4, September 10 and October 1.

For the June and October departures, the ship sails from Cannes to Calvi (Corsica), the Costa Smeralda (Sardinia), Giglio (Italy) and Lerici (Italy), returning to St. Tropez and Monaco 7 nights later.

In September, Star Flyer departs Monaco for a 7-night sailing to L’Ille Rousse (Corsica), Portoferraio (Elba), Portofino (Italy), Hyeres Island and Sanary-sur-Mer (France) and St. Tropez beach and town, returning to Cannes on September 17.

Find out more by visiting www.starclippers.co.uk or the UK's leading adventure-cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

More Big Savings With Oceania

Oceania Cruises is offering savings of up to 57% off selected cruise departures in spring and summer, including sailings on board new Marina, with an onboard credit of $1,000 per stateroom. All prices include all meals and complimentary bottled water and soft drinks but exclude flights.

Route of the Vikings: 14 nights from £1,399 saving £1,829 PLUS $1,000 on board credit.

Departing July 1, Oceania has a 14-night sailing from Copenhagen to London on Marina, crossing the North Sea and Atlantic through Norway, the Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands, Iceland (above) and Ireland before disembarking in London.

Greek Isles Odyssey: 12 nights from £1,499, saving up to £1,235pp PLUS $1,000 on board credit.

Departing July 9, this cruise sails from Istanbul to Athens through some of the Greece’s most beautiful and historic islands on board the mid-sized Nautica, with with savings up to £1,235 per person for an Outside ocean-view stateroom, based on two sharing.

Myths and Legends: 12 nights from £1,199, saving up to £1,160pp PLUS $1,000 on board credit.

Departing July 21, this magnificent sailing from Athens cruises the Greek Islands, Montenegro and Croatia before disembarking in Venice on Nautica, now from £1,199 per person for an Inside stateroom.

Majestic Inspiration: 14 nights from £1,399, saving up to £1,529pp PLUS $1,000 on board credit.

Departing August 2, cruise through the magical Aegean Sea on a 14-night cruise on board Nautica and save up to £1,529pp for an Inside Stateroom, based on two sharing, with a $1,000 credit/stateroom. The sailing departs from Venice and continues into the Aegean Sea cruising through Croatia, Greece, Italy, Monaco and France before disembarking in Barcelona.

For more info, visit www.oceaniacruises.co.uk or luxury cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

Tall Ship Cruise Offers Classic Yacht Race Action

This September, tall ship specialist Star Clippers is offering guests a chance to follow the action of the Voiles de St Tropez, one of the world’s most glamorous classic yacht regattas, from the comfort of the historically styled, square rigger, Star Flyer.

Les Voiles de St Tropez is one of the principal events in the classic yachting race calendar, bringing together magnificent racing boats with world-class crews from all over the world. The regatta runs this year from September 27 to October 2 and the 170-passenger Star Flyer will be in the bay of St Tropez on September 30, perfectly situated for guests to view the racing and admire the yachts from the heart of the action.

Later, the ship moves to St Tropez port, where it will remain until late at night, giving guests the chance to soak up the festive post-race atmosphere, with unrivalled opportunities for boat-spotting and people-watching.

Star Clippers’ Voiles de St Tropez sailing departs Cannes on September 24, calling at some of the Mediterranean’s finest yachting harbours: L’Ile Rousse and Bastia in Corsica; Portoferraio in Elba; Portofino in Italy; and Iles d'Hyères and Sanary-sur-Mer in France, as well as St Tropez for the racing.

The ship will also operate a seven-night Monaco to Cannes sailing, departing October 1, which coincides with the last two days of the Voiles de St Tropez, ideal for anybody wanting to overnight in or near St Tropez to watch the racing prior to joining the ship.

Both sailings cost from £1,295 per person, including full board on the ship and port taxes. Flights are extra.

To book, visit www.starclippers.co.uk coontact adventure cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd

Sailing to Monaco Grand Prix

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Boutique cruise operator Star Clippers, who offer fully crewed sailings on board the world's most spectacular tall ships, has a new 16-night land-cruise package for 2011 that takes in not only the Cannes film festival, but both the time trials and the race itself at the Monaco Grand Prix, combined with 14 nights sailing on the magnificent Star Flyer.

The experience begins on May 19 with two nights at the 4-star Cannes Riviera Hotel, during the final days of the 2011 Cannes film festival, when this stylish resort will be patronized by the rich and famous.

On May 21, guests embark the magnificent Star Flyer en route to 11 different ports during a 14-night sailing that takes in the Monaco Grand Prix on the weekend of May 28-29.

The price of £3,399 per person includes return flights from the UK, transfers, two nights B&B accommodation at the Cannes Riviera Hotel, 14 nights on Star Flyer, with all meals, 'N' Grandstand tickets for the Monaco Grand Prix and a sailing itinerary that includes the French Riviera, Corsica, Sardinia's Costa Smeralda and the north-west coast of Italy.

For more information, contact http://www.starclippers.co.uk/ or check with the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Yachts Of Seabourn Offer ends 30th October

By guest blogger Steve Newman

BOOK BY 30th OCTOBER 2010 AND EXPERIENCE SEABOURN FOR JUST £1,999pp

Ultra-luxury cruise line, The Yachts of Seabourn is offering air-inclusive fares from just £1,999 per person on European itineraries on board Seabourn Legend in 2011. For guests who love to experience the enchanting history and culture of Europe, the 7-day itineraries are the perfect introduction to the luxury and adventure that awaits onboard Seabourn.

Itineraries priced from £1,999 per person:

Florence and Bella Italia
Monte Carlo, Monaco – Rome, Italy
Seabourn Legend
7 Days, departures: 10th April and 1st May 2011

Yachtsman’s Riviera
Rome, Italy – Monte Carlo, Monaco
Seabourn Legend
7 Days, departures: 17th April and May 15th 2011

To book, visit http://www.seabourn.co.uk/ or call cruise specialist The Cruis Line on 0800 008 6677.

Sails in St Tropez

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Ever felt like being part of the jet-set, even if only for a short while? Perhaps after playing a few chukkas in Berkshire, why not nip down to St Tropez for a bit of lazy beach wallowing, followed by watching some top-notch sailing sipping a gin and tonic on your own deck?

Well, thanks to Star Clippers now you can mingle with the A-List by picking up your ship at Monte Carlo and sailing on her to do some serious celebrity watching in St Tropez.

One of the classic events in the international racing calender, Les Voiles de St Tropez, hosts some of the most beautiful yachts in the world and can be seen this year from the deck of your own sailing ship the chic Star Flyer (above). If you're so inclined, you can even help the crew with the rigging.

The 170-passenger square rigger has teak decks, a swimming pool, informal dining and a convivial tropical bar. What you get here is 19th century tall-ship sailing with 21st century luxury.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that if you take the inclusive flight, there's a Eurostar option too, while from the UK you get a helicopter transfer to Monaco (Star Clippers call in here when the Grand Prix is on as well).

The ship sails from Monte Carlo on September 29, calling at L'Ile Rousse in Corsica and returning to Cannes (for more people watching - or maybe they're watching you by now?) on October 2.

For more information, go to http://www.starclippers.co.uk/

The Joys of Sail Cruising

By guest blogger Steve Newman

To be on the deck of cruise ship at dawn as the sun paints the sails in a wonderful orange light is one of the joys of cruising. Add to this the sight of dolphins ridng the bow waves as there is no engine noise to frighten them and you really start to peel away the stress of modern living.

Welcome, then, to the world of Star Clippers, a company that takes you back to the golden age of sailing with five-star luxury and modern technology to make your cruise so memorable.

Star Clippers have three ships in the fleet at the moment - they do have engines but they are used only if the captain deems it necessary - and for most of the time you have only the wind singing through the sails and frigate birds calling to distract you.

Their shallow draft allows them to visit islands and ports that the bigger cruise ships simply can't get to and, with a relaxed dress code, an elegant Edwardian decor and a sit-where-you-like dining policy, the atmosphere amongst the passengers is always friendly and cordial.

All the amenities of a modern cruise ship are here but there is no glitzy broadway entertainment; the social life generated by everyone having a good time and the excellent excursions provided by the ship's tenders more than make up for this.

The company sail to the most exotic locations, from the Caribbean to Thailand, from Monaco to Tahiti, and, if you wish, you can even help the crew with setting the sails and other ship's tasks.

More information can be found on http://www.starclippers.co.uk/