Save £7 on tickets for January's Telegraph Cruise Show in London

Meet over 80 cruise lines, river specialists and tour operators, enjoy free food and wine tasting sessions from chefs James Martin, Eric Lanlard, Atul Kochhar and Olly Smith courtesy of P&O Cruises Food Heroes, be inspired by TV travel presenter Simon Reeve who will take part in a Q&A session on the Saturday, get the insiders' guide to destinations from Telegraph Travel journalists and cruise experts and much much more.

The show is packed with deals and competitions including £325 off a Fred Olsen cruise booked at the show, £100 off a Saga Cruises cruise, get a bottle of champagne with every £50 deposit placed with Cunard plus multiple competitions to win holidays, Kindle Fires, hampers and other treats.

The show is also running a daily prize draw* to win over £30,000 of holidays including a a 12 night Norwegian fjords voyage, a 7 night Caribbean or Mediterranean cruise and a 3 night break in Dubai.

Special offer: World of Cruising readers can save £7 on tickets!**
Get £13 adult tickets (£20 on the door) by quoting WOC. Book your tickets today here or call 0800 542 5859.

Find out more at www.telegraph.co.uk/cruiselondon

* See full competition details on the Telegraph Cruise Show website. **Applies to adult advance tickets for a limited time only. Booking fee applies.

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Grand Fromage joins the Food Heroes on board P&O's Brie-tannia, heading for Port Salut

P&O Cruises have added a big cheese to their brigade of Food Heroes on board Britannia. He is Charlie Turnbull, who runs a delicatessen in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and is described as an "international cheese judge and expert."

He will be advising P&O on the range of cheeses to be stocked in Britannia's Market Café at the heart of the ship's atrium, and in the fine-dining Epicurean restaurant.

Turnbull is also planning to travel several times a year to present cheese tastings and  to host cheese-related shore excursions.

He will be joining James Martin, Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar, "Cake Boy" Eric Lanlard and win expert Olly Smith who have all signed up to contribute to Britannia's food offerings.

Marketing Director Christopher Edgington is promising that the ship will have a real emphasis on authenticity. "Details such as cheese are no exception and in Charlie Turnbull we have a recognised master cheesemonger.

"The Market Café will be the social hub of the ship with an informal café style atmosphere. Whether it is patisserie from Eric Lanlard, a plate of British charcuterie or a tasting selection of artisan cheeses chosen by Charlie, paired with a local British beer, we will showcase the best of the best from the best."

Turnbull added: "I am very excited about choosing a team of the best British and European cheeses for Britannia ... the sailing ambassador of the best of British food.

"I am delighted to be the shepherd of her cheeses as she travels the world. I will also be taking advantage of ports of call in the Mediterranean to guest some local cheeses, as well as getting on shore and seeking out local specialities to compare with our own."

The Market Café will offer tasting notes for all the cheeses and suggestions to pair with wines and beers, while cheese will also be served in the Epicurean restaurant, high up on deck 16.

Britannia, currently being built in Italy, will join the P&O fleet next March. Carrying 3,600 passengers, it will be the biggest cruise ship built for the UK market.

One thing's for sure - passengers on Britannia will never be allowed to get cheese-bored.

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Food Heroes - The Video!

You've seen our blogs this week about the  'Food Heroes' promotion for P&O Cruises' forthcoming new flagship Britannia, now here is the video explaining more about it - and the great chefs involved.

The new onboard culinary programme features restaurants and hands-on programmes created by the likes of James Martin, Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar and 'Cake Boy' Eric Lanlard, as well as wine expert Olly Smith.

See yesterday's Time Spent at Sea blog for more on Britainnia, and just enjoy the video for the chefs in question...!

PS: Don't forget to check out our Saga Week online at the World of Cruising website, on this link: http://www.worldofcruising.co.uk/news.html

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Britannia Assembles 'Food Heroes' For Debut Season

Hot on the heels of the announcement of Royal Caribbean's debut Southampton season for new ship Anthem of the Seas next year (see our blog on Monday on this link) comes P&O Cruises and their full programme for spectacular new ship Britannia.

And Britain's oldest cruise line is pulling out all the stops by assembling the cream of culinary talent as the new ship’s 'Food Heroes' - an unprecedented line up of the country’s celebrity chefs.

The country’s favourite TV chef, James Martin (above), will develop The Cookery Club, the first cookery school on board a British cruise ship. He joins award winning master patissier ‘Cake Boy’ Eric Lanlard, in his first venture at sea, a patisserie range in the Market Café at the heart of the ship’s spectacular atrium.

Established P&O favourites Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar and Olly Smith will lend their expertise to the varied culinary options on board ranging from speciality restaurants and wine bars through to gala dinners in the main dining rooms.

Passengers will be able to participate in hands-on cookery tuition under the expert guidance of P&O's 'famous five' culinary giants. Guest chefs will also be on board in this state-of-the-art cookery school, which can hold classes of up to 24 people at a time and there will be a Chef’s Table to allow passengers to experience world class cuisine in an intimate space.

When the biggest ship built for the British cruise market sets sail on its maiden voyage from Southampton to the Mediterranean on March 14, 2015, it will mark a step change in holidays at sea. As well as the new Cookery Club, passengers taking a cruise on board Britannia will experience:

·       Dedicated supervised children’s club for ages 2-17, with dedicated teens area.

·       Three-tier feature atrium with Eric Lanlard patisserie, a charcuterie and gelataria as well as spectacular starburst sculpture.

·       13 bars and 13 different places to eat.

·       Oasis Spa and open deck Retreat.

·       Sports arena.

·       Al fresco dining.

·       Four swimming pools including a Serenity “quiet zone” pool and bar.

·       Art collection in excess of £1million.

·       1,837 cabins – all outsides have a balcony, including 64 suites and 27 single cabins.

·       Library.

·       Dedicated wedding venue.

·       936-seat state-of-the-art theatre with LED screen.

·       The Studio – multi-purpose “tv studio” for guest speakers, talks, demonstrations, cinema screenings, radio plays and game shows.

·       The Crystal room – dedicated to all types of dance.

·       The Limelight Club – entertainment and dining.

·       Sindhu from Atul Kochhar and Olly Smith’s The Glass House.

Britannia’s maiden season will see the ship sail from Southampton to the Mediterranean, Norwegian Fjords, Canary Islands and the Baltic Sea, as well as offering a range of short breaks and a special round-Britain cruise. The ship will then transfer to the Caribbean for the winter season sailing a range of 15-night fly/cruise itineraries from Barbados.

More info: call 0843 374 0111 or visit www.pocruises.co.uk.

For the full range of Britannia's cruises, be sure to see Time Spent At Sea tomorrow. 

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Valentine's Day - Love It Or Hate It

Love it or loath it, Valentine’s Day is less than a month away. So, whether cupid gets you hot under the collar or leaves you completely cold, the holiday companies are keen to grab your attention with fun St Valentine's ideas at this time of year.

 

And clever old P&O Cruises have come up with  a choice of holidays, whether you love the idea of celebrating the occasion - or simply want to avoid it all costs! On the one hand, you can jet away and sip cocktails with your loved one in the Caribbean or skip the date entirely by crossing the international dateline.

 

Here are P&O's ideas for lovers and haters.

Love it: Swap the dreary local restaurant and spend February 14 with your loved one toasting mojitos in St Maarten and relaxing with a couple’s massage on an island-hopping adventure round the Caribbean. It’s the winter sun holiday, which can be renamed as the most romantic gesture ever!

A 14-night Caribbean cruise departing February 7 on Azura starts from £1,399pp for a Getaway Fare with return flights. Starting from and returning to Barbados, ports of call include Grenada, St Lucia, Dominica, St Kitts, St Maarten (for Valentine’s Day), Tortola, Curacao and Bonaire. For added romance, book a couple’s massage in the Oasis Spa or sample British/Indian fine dining in Sindhu restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar (cover charge applies).

Loath it: if the mere mention of Valentine's Day triggers cold sweats, red vision, nausea or fits of rage, then just skip the date. That’s right, omit the date entirely. Go to bed on February 13 and wake up on February 15. P&O has a cruise which crosses the international dateline on February 14 so it fast-forwards a day and doesn’t happen!

An 18-night cruise from Los Angeles to Auckland departing February 2 on Arcadia starts from £1,499pp for a Getaway Fare. Starting from Los Angeles, ports of call include Papeete, Bora Bora, Suva, Bay of Islands and Auckland. Flights and transfers from £1,000pp.

Cruises are based on an inside cabin and include full board meals, daily afternoon tea and on board entertainment.

More info: call 0843 374 0111 or visit www.pocruises.co.uk.

 

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P&O's Big Arcadia Makeover

P&O Cruises recently completed a big makeover for their eight-year-old Arcadia (just in time for Christmas!) and have followed up with an impressive video of all the refurbishments.

The extensive refit is part of a fleet-wide improvement programme, and Arcadia should look quite spiffy as a result. Here's what they have done:

The Crow’s Nest lounge and bar - this has been completely transformed with new flooring, seating areas, partition walls, furniture, colour scheme, bespoke lighting, low level lamps and new-look extended bar.

The shopping area – this has been extended and dramatically reconfigured with open-plan layout, new glass cabinets, display units and LED lights throughout. With a look and feel more akin to a department store, there’s also appropriate luxury new brands on offer such as Givenchy, benefit, Gerry Weber and Ted Baker.

The Globe - this is now closed off and totally encased to provide a new late-night dancing venue. Designed to improve the sound quality inside and also to reduce the level of noise outside, passengers can party without disturbing other guests.

There are 24 new cabins on Sun Deck - 14 deluxe balcony cabins, 4 inside single cabins, 3 larger inside double cabins, 2 new single cabins with balcony (a first in P&O's fleet and unique to Arcadia), and 1 mini suite.

The introduction of East restaurant (replacing Orchid on sky deck 11) with an Asian fusion menu designed by Michelin-star celebrity chef Atul Kochhar. Exactly the same as Ventura, the Indonesian menu has influences from Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese cuisine.

The introduction of Freedom Dining to the upper tier of the Meridian Restaurant. As on other ships, passengers who opt for Freedom Dining can arrive at any time from 6.30-9.30pm, with whomever they wish. The bottom tier of Meridian will continue to operate as Club Dining.

Refreshed cabins – with new carpets, curtains and 32” or 40” flat-screen TVs in all cabins.

P&O marketing director Christopher Edgington said: “This has been a huge project and a lot of hard work has gone in to make this happen. The outcome is nothing short of outstanding. Arcadia looks incredible.”

Do you agree? Are you cruising on Arcadia any time soon? Be sure to drop us a line and let us know YOUR thoughts here at Time Spent At Sea.

More info: call 0843 374 0111 or visit www.pocruises.com.

 

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Russell Watson Hits High Note With P&O

Classical singing star Russell Watson is to perform on two short break cruises with P&O Cruises in 2013. The world famous tenor will appear on new three and four-night sailings from Southampton in May and June.  The first departure is a three-night cruise to Belgium and Guernsey departing on Aurora on May 18, with prices starting at £299 per person.

The second sailing will see Watson perform on superliner Azura on a four-night cruise departing on July 5, calling at the same destinations. Prices are from £399pp. In addition to the performance, passengers on Azura can book pre or post-performance dinner in celebrity chef Atul Kochhar’s Sindhu restaurant, or Marco Pierre White’s Cafe Bordeaux on Aurora. 

The first port of call at Zeebrugge gives passengers the day to explore the city of Bruges, with the possibility of travelling further afield to visit Brussels, Ghent or Ypres. The second call in St Peter Port provides a gateway to the island of Guernsey. 

Watson has been in the spotlight since 1999 when his performance of World Cup anthem “Nessun Dorma” at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium received a standing ovation. The Russell Watson cruise itineraries, on sale from November 1, are: 

• A three-night cruise on board Aurora (R305), departing May 18. Itinerary: Southampton, Zeebrugge, St Peter Port, Southampton. Prices from £299 per person.
• A four-night cruise on board Azura (A316N), departing June 5 Itinerary: Southampton, Zeebrugge, St Peter Port, Southampton. Prices from £399 per person. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's leading cruise-agent specialists.

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