Celebrate the Festive Season with Silversea

Silversea Cruises is inviting travellers to wrap themselves in pampering luxury this festive season with a collection of enticing voyages that span the globe from Africa and the South Pacific to the Caribbean and South America.



This year, the all-suite, intimate ships of the Silversea fleet offer an elegant way to revel in the joy of the festive season with cruises ranging from 14 to 17 days. Designed to be a "home upon the oceans of the world," the all-inclusive vessels feature spacious ocean-view suites, most with private veranda, and the highest level of personalised service.



Highlighting the onboard ambiance for these voyages will be festive decorations, parties, menus and entertainment. With the exception of expedition cruises, clergy will be on board to conduct religious services, including a rabbi for Hanukkah. Plus distinguished guest lecturers and destination experts will also be on hand to host enlightening presentations.



And with "Passport to Luxury" Onboard Spending Credits of up to $1,000 per suite offered on these festive voyages, guests might choose to indulge in a little extra pampering in the spa or use their credit toward a host of other options, including any Silver Shore excursions (none are excluded), premium selections from the Connoisseur's List of wines and spirits, speciality restaurant dining fees, and/or purchases in the Internet Café and onboard boutiques.



Choose from this luxury collection:



VOYAGE 4137: Valparaiso (Santiago) to Fort Lauderdale, Silver Whisper, 17 Days, Dec 20-Jan 6. Calls in Coquimbo, Arica, Matarani, Callao (Lima), Salaverry, Manta, Puerto Limón and Key West. Highlights include $1,000 "Passport to Luxury" Onboard Spending Credit, a crossing of the Panama Canal and overnight stay in Callao. Guest Lecturers: Adrian Sindall, former British ambassador, and Dr. Carolyn Dudek, associate professor of political science. Fares start at £5,403.



VOYAGE 5138: Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale, Silver Spirit, 14 Days, Dec 20-Jan 3. Calls in Grand Turk, St. John’s, Bequia, Bridgetown, Castries, Gustavia, Spanish Town and Key West. Highlights include $500 "Passport to Luxury" Onboard Spending Credit. Guest Lecturers: Rick McKay, award-winning filmmaker, and Dr. Jay Wolff, historian and destination expert. Fares start at £4,623.



VOYAGE 3134: Sydney to Auckland, Silver Shadow, 15 Days, Dec 21-Jan 5. Calls in Melbourne, Hobart, Stewart Island, Dunedin, Picton, Napier and Tauranga. Highlights include $1,000 "Passport to Luxury" Onboard Spending Credit, overnight stay in Melbourne and cruising through the Milford and Dusky sounds. Guest Lecturers: Richard Tallboys, former British ambassador, and Dr. Lew Deitch, destination consultant. Fares start at £5,378.



VOYAGE 1131: San Diego to Fort Lauderdale, Silver Cloud, 16 Days, Dec 22-Jan 7. Calls in Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Puntarenas, San Blas Island and Cartagena. Highlights include $1,000 "Passport to Luxury" Onboard Spending Credit and a crossing of the Panama Canal. Guest Lecturers: Lawrence Rudner, former professor and aerospace engineer, and Michael Freedland, journalist, broadcaster and author. Fares start at £4,068.



NB: Fares listed above are cruise only, per person based on double occupancy for a Vista Suite and include port charges and handling.

For more info, visit www.silversea.com or consult the UK's leading luxury-cruise specialist agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Crystal Cancels Mazatlan

Amidst increased reports of violence in Mazatlán, Crystal Cruises are the latest line to cancel calls to the Mexican port town, scrapping its scheduled 4th April visit there on Crystal Symphony. The round-trip Los Angeles “Treasures of Mexico” voyage will now adjust its itinerary to allow guests more time in other ports of call.

The new schedule switches travel days so guests will now have an overnight call in popular Cabo San Lucas, with Crystal being the only cruise line in town for those two days. Subsequent days will provide travellers with a full day in Loreto and a half day in La Paz. Full days in Puerto Vallarta and San Diego are still on the schedule.

“The safety and security of our guests and staff is always our top priority,” says Crystal’s International Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Philip Ordever. “After monitoring the situation in Mazatlán for weeks, we simply feel far more comfortable with other ports of call in Mexico.”

The “Mind, Body, and Spirit” theme of the 31st March to 10th April sailing will remain unaffected, with numerous complimentary classes and presentations still being offered on board throughout the 10-night cruise.

For more information, visit http://www.crystalcruises.co.uk/

Oceania Cruises' New Ship Marina Christened In Miami

Oceania Cruises’new upper-premium cruise ship Marina was Christened in Miami last Saturday. The ship’s godmother, Entertainment Tonight host Mary Hart, named the ship at a lavish, invitation-only gala ceremony, which culminated with a 15-litre Nebuchadnezzar of champagne, custom-made by Armand de Brignac, crashing against the hull. Among the ceremony highlights were inspirational performances by the Marina Choir, assembled for the event, and the appointment of Master Chef Jacques Pépin as honorary commodore of the Oceania Cruises’ fleet.

Marina is a ship of firsts, featuring the first Bon Appétit Culinary Center, Master Chef Jacques Pépin’s first namesake restaurant at sea, Ralph Lauren Home-furnished Owner’s Suites, luxurious accommodations by Dakota Jackson, a Wine Spectator wine program and a Lalique grand stairway.

The new vessel arrived in Miami after her maiden voyage from Barcelona. Following a short preview cruise, she departed on the first of two 18-day Panama Canal transits that visit San Francisco and San Diego, both new ports for Oceania Cruises. Marina then operates a 12-day Caribbean cruise, round-trip from Miami, departing March 16, before sailing along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard and on to Europe to begin her inaugural Mediterranean season.

Marina has been purposefully designed to carry guests to the world’s most alluring ports in elegance and style. She is full of rich woods, marble and granite, fine wool carpets and lustrous leathers which adorn public rooms. Facilities include 10 dining venues six of which are open-seating gourmet restaurants, an array of bars and lounges, a full-service Canyon Ranch SpaClub and fitness centre, swimming pool and hot tubs.

She joins current fleet-mates Regatta, Insignia and Nautica, which have taken guests around the world since 2002. Her sister ship Riviera will be christened in April 2012. A leader in destination cruising and defining the upper-premium market, Oceania Cruises offers gourmet cuisine, gracious service and award-winning itineraries at an exceptional value.

For more information, visit www.oceaniacruises.com/ or the uxury cruise experts of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Beat the Winter Blues with Azamara

By guest blogger Steve Newman

With the temperature in Mexico averaging 21°C in January, leave the cold weather behind and head to sunnier climes with Azamara Club Cruises A 12-night Sea of Cortez fly/cruise onboard Azamara Journey (Above) costs from £1,804.00 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

Price includes return flights from London Heathrow, one-night pre-cruise hotel accommodation and an 11-night cruise departing San Diego (California) and calling at Mazatlan (Mexico), La Paz (Mexico), Topolobampo (Mexico), Guaymas (Mexico), Loreto (Mexico) and Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), before returning to San Diego (California); meals and room service; destination-influenced entertainment and enrichment programmes; housekeeping and dining gratuities; bottled water throughout the voyage; house wines with meals; specialty coffees and teas; and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

Price is based on 18 January 2011 departure.
For more information visit http://www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/ or visit cruise specialists The Cruise Line