Fred. Olsen Launches ‘Captains’ Collection’

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has launched a new brochure of 73 specially-selected, ex-UK cruises for 2012/13, offering exceptional value for money – the ‘Captains’ Collection’. All the featured cruises offer additional savings and selected cruises offer both Double Savings and Free Onboard Spend for selected cabin grades, including both Boudicca and Braemar’s Christmas cruises for 2012, so there are superb deals to be had for early bookers.

The special rates are applicable on bookings made by February 29. Guests booking earlier – by January 10 – can also benefit from free coach travel or car parking, making the offer even better value for money. Fred. Olsen’s ‘No Fuel Surcharge Guarantee’ also applies on all bookings made by January 31, for departures from January 1 onwards, so value for money is guaranteed.

The ‘Captains’ Collection’ brochure includes cruises on all four Fred. Olsen ships: Balmoral, Braemar, Black Watch and Boudicca, sailing from a variety of convenient regional UK ports. Destinations include Norway, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the British Isles, Iberia, Canada and the Canary Islands. Savings can be up to £500 per booking, and discounts vary, depending on the cabin grade and duration of the cruise. On a cruise of 14 nights or more, savings range from £100 on a single cabin to £500 for a suite. 

For example, Braemar’s ‘The Azores & the Canaries’ cruise (M1208), a 14-night voyage from Dover on April 14, visits Lisbon (Portugal), Arrecife (Lanzarote), Santa Cruz (Tenerife), Santa Cruz (La Palma), Praia da Vitoria (Azores) and Ponta Delgada (Azores) before returning to Dover, now has prices from £1,229 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. Prices also include all meals, onboard entertainment and port taxes, representing exceptional value for money.

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

Carnival Day In Tenerife

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Fred. Olsen’s cruise ship Boudicca (above) will be in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, on Carnival Day next year – March 12, 2011. Guests on cruise D1103, departing from Southampton on March 6, will have a unique opportunity to experience all the colour and excitement of the Carnival – the biggest and most spectacular outside Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Tenerife’s Carnival dates back to the 1600s and is a spectacle not to be missed. It begins on the Friday before Shrove Tuesday and ends on Ash Wednesday, and activity on the island centres on the capital, Santa Cruz. The event is one long, spectacular party; there are colourful floats, a Carnival Queen and groups of entertainers: ‘murgas’, comedians; ‘comparsas’, dancers; and ‘rondallas’, singers. Everyone works for months in advance to create this stunning event, which now aspires to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The events open with a procession through the streets of Santa Cruz, with much music and dancing, and end with the ceremonial ‘El Entierro de la Sardina’ – or ‘Burying the Sardine’! Feast your eyes, and join in with the colourful activities of Carnival on this cruise.

The full itinerary is of 14 nights, departing and visits Leixoes (for Oporto) in Portugal, then Arrecife (Lanzarote), Santa Cruz (Tenerife) – where the carnival takes place – San Sebastian (La Gomera), Santa Cruz (La Palma), Funchal (Madeira), and Vigo (Spain), before returning to Southampton.

In addition to the music and colour of the Carnival, this cruise has a musical theme, as it is one of Fred, Olsen’s ‘Music and Laughter’ cruises, with the superb Abba tribute band, Abba Arrivals, performing live. It is also a Flagship Golf cruise, which means keen golfers can opt for an additional package, that combines golf ashore with professional tuition aboard, for an extra £375 per player.

Prices for this very special cruise start at £1,444 per person, based on two adults sharing an outside twin cabin, Grade ‘E’. Prices include all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes.

For more information, visit http://www.fredolsencruises.co.uk/ or call cruise agents The Cruise Line on 0800 008 6677.