Darts & Football Stars Aboard Fred Olsen

Guests joining award-winning Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ 35-night Caribbean voyage aboard Boudicca in January will find themselves in the prestigious company of three major celebrities from two of Britain’s favourite sports, darts and football.

The stars are ex-footballer and former manager of both Spurs and Arsenal, Terry Neill, along with former darts champions, Keith Deller and Cliff Lazarenko, who will be entertaining guests throughout this cruise as part of the exclusive onboard enrichment programme, Vistas.

Boudicca departs from Southampton on January 19 for an Atlantic crossing broken by a call into the Canary Island of Tenerife before beginning her odyssey of the Caribbean islands. Her ports of call are a roll-call of idyllic destinations – the islands of Barbados and Curaçao, then Cartagena in Colombia, and Colon in Panama, before reaching Montego Bay on the colourful reggae island of Jamaica.

The next port is a highlight of the cruise – an overnight stay in Havana, Cuba, a port steeped in history and romance. Two more Caribbean islands complete this part of the itinerary – Turks & Caicos, and the tiny island of St Maarten – before Boudicca begins her return voyage to Southampton, broken by a last call into Ponta Delgada in the Azores.

Prices for this star-studded Caribbean voyage start from £3,479 per person, based on two adults sharing an outside twin cabin, Grade ‘D’, including all meals and entertainment on board, as well as port taxes. There is no extra charge for taking part in the Vistas programme.

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

Beat The Winter Chill With Fred Olsen

An ideal post-Christmas getaway is Fred Olsen's Braemar’s 15-night Caribbean fly-cruise, departing on January 5, 2012, an exciting itinerary that includes a late-night stay in the colourful and vibrant Cuban city of Santiago de Cuba. You also fly from London Gatwick or Manchester to Barbados on exclusive, fully-escorted Fred Olsen charters.

The cruise starts with an overnight stay in Barbados (above), then visits Bonaire and Aruba, Montego Bay in Jamaica, and on to Santiago de Cuba, the island’s former capital. The cruise also visits the Turks & Caicos Islands, Tortola and Antigua, with a scenic journey through the Grenadines, en route back to Barbados for the return flights.

Prices start from £1,394 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade I, and include flights and transfers, all meals and entertainment on board, and port/airport taxes. Olsen is also offering some attractive Canary Islands cruises this winter, representing excellent value.

One such cruise is Balmoral’s 13-night cruise departing from Southampton on December 8. The cruise first visits Madeira, calling at the capital Funchal, then visits the Canary Islands of La Palma, Tenerife, La Gomera and Gran Canaria. The final port of call is Portugal’s vibrant capital city, Lisbon.

An additional attraction on this cruise is a theme of ‘History of the British Royal Family’ as part of the line's award-winning onboard enrichment programme, Vistas. The programme covers a comprehensive range of topics, from wine-tasting and gardening to antiques and photography, hosted by experts in their relevant fields. The expert hosting the Royal Family theme is David V. Thomas MVO, the former Crown Jeweller, who was responsible for the care and conservancy of the Crown Jewels from 1991 to 2007, as well as the personal collections of Her Majesty the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.

Prices for this cruise start from £737 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin, Grade I, and include accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes.

Find out more at www.fredolsencruises.com or contact the UK's leading cruise specialist agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Enjoy a Nine-Day Caribbean Voyage with Silversea Cruises

Join ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises on a nine-day Caribbean trip from just £2,303 per person on an all-inclusive basis this autumn.

Departing October 30 from Bridgetown (Barbados), the beautiful Silver Whisper calls at Bequia (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), Roseau (Dominica), Basseterre (St. Kitts), Gustavia (St. Barts, for an overnight stay on board), Philipsburg (St. Maarten) and Grand Turk (Turks & Caicos Islands) before arriving in Fort Lauderdale (Florida).

All prices are per person, based on two people sharing a Vista Suite and include port charges, government fees and taxes. A $500 'Passport to Luxury' onboard credit is also offered per suite, based on two people sharing, for use towards additional benefits such as shore excursions, spa treatments, boutiques, or select restaurants. Economy air fare is available from £399 per person.

For more information, visit www.silversea.com or contact the luxury cruise experts of The Cruise Line Ltd.

South America with Noble Caledonia

By guest blogger Steve Newman

In 2012, Noble Caledonia are repositioning MS Island Sky to South America and have just launched the new brochure which features itineraries from the tip of Patagonia up to the West Indies.

From January to April 2012 she will operate a number of cruises throughout Latin America, up as far as Central America and through the Panama Canal to little known areas of the Caribbean.

Having been involved with many small ships in South America and the West Indies, Noble Caledonia know this area to be ideally suited to expedition cruising. The wild, open spaces of Patagonia and the dramatic coastal scenery of the Chilean fjords make for an unforgettable trip particularly if you prefer the cooler temperatures.

Alternatively, Chile’s lake region and northern territory with its magnificent national parks combines well with the natural and cultural wonders of Peru. Continuing north along the Pacific coastline, there is the chance to explore Peru, Ecuador and Costa Rica, including the remote Cocos Island, a mini Galapagos located some 300 miles out in the Pacific and an area much favoured by Jacques Cousteau, known for its sea turtles, rays, dolphins and hammerhead sharks.

Later in the season finds Island Sky exploring the little known but remarkably beautiful islands of the southern Caribbean Sea as well as the Caribbean Coast of Panama and Costa Rica. There will also be the opportunity to visit Cuba, the Southern Bahamas, Turks & Caicos islands and the pristine waters of the British Virgin Islands.

Why not join them for the Island Sky’s maiden visit to these endlessly fascinating waters and explore the wonders of nature and man with our accomplished expedition team and guest speakers?

For more information, visit http://www.noble-caledonia.co.uk.