Crystal Offer Free Regional Flights

Crystal Cruises is making ultra-luxury cruising even more affordable with the offer of complimentary regional flights from selected airports on all of its 2014 European voyages when booked by February 28. 

These free regional flights are available from Aberdeen, Belfast City, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle with the purchase of Crystal’s regular fly/cruise package. These flights are in addition to the flights from London that are included in all European fly/cruise packages. 

About Crystal Cruises: In 2014, the 922-guest, 50,000-ton Crystal Symphony and the freshly re-firbished 1,070-guest, 68,870-ton Crystal Serenity (above) cruise through the Middle East, Africa, Caribbean, South America, Antarctica, Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Black Sea, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, South Pacific, British Isles, Baltic Sea, Arctic Circle and New England/Canada. 

More info: call 020 7399 7601 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk. 

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Introducing CroisiEurope

It's not often we get the chance to introduce a brand new cruise line to our readers, but here's one we are definitely keen to share, especially as it adds significantly to the options for European river-cruising.

CroisiEurope is a 37-year-old French family-run business, building, owning and operating 28 elegant ships, with an average capacity of 100 to 180 passengers. Offering excellent value for money, these smart river-cruise ships are designed to sail in any water conditions, to fit under low and narrow bridges and navigate challenging rivers and canals.

CroisiEurope also seeks out creative itineraries and often operates on rivers where nobody else cruises, such as the Guadalquivir and Guadina rivers in Spain, the Tisza in Hungary, Venice lagoon and the Po in Italy, in addition to rivers such as the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Rhone, Saone, Gironde, Garonne and Douro and the canals of France. There is also a selection of coastal cruises in the Adriatic and Mediterranean on 100-cabin M/S Belle de l'Adreatique, which can reach small ports and harbours inaccessible to large cruise ships.

Unique itineraries are available on most European rivers, ranging from three nights in Paris to 12-night transcontinental cruises all the way to the Black Sea. Prices start from just €300 per person for three nights full-board on a 'Paris Taster' mini-cruise. CroisiEurope also offers a number of themed cruises, including lifestyle gourmet & wine cruises; cruise & hike for active guests; classical music cruises; harvest festival cruises; and Christmas markets and New Year cruises.

The fleet, with 50 to 90 cabins on each ship, offers excellent onboard facilities, combining sophisticated "Francophile" lifestyle with insightful itineraries and panoramic views from cabins, lounges and sundecks. All cabins are outside with panoramic windows, fully equipped with bathrooms, TVs, hair dryers and air conditioning.

What’s New…. 

• In August 2012, CroisiEurope acquired La Jeanine, a 12-cabin hotel barge that will sail on the Alsace canals and in Burgundy, offering bespoke experiences with English-speaking commentaries between May and October.
• Following unprecedented success and continued demand for five, six, seven and eight-night Gironde & Garonne river cruises from Bordeaux, there will be more Bordeaux departures when the brand new MS Cyrano de Bergerac joins MS Princess d'Aquitaine in May.

For more info on European river-cruising, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's specialist for deluxe river cruise options.

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Reignite Olympic Passion With Voyages of Discovery

Still missing the likes of Tom Daley and Victoria Pendleton taking over your TV screen? Join Voyages of Discovery’s MV Discovery and visit the home country of the 2014 winter Olympics.

The 12-day Black Sea Explorer cruise, which costs from £1,299 per person, calls at Sochi in Russia, which offers the opportunity to visit the neighbouring town Krasnaya Polyana, the host of the next winter Olympics and popular with skiers and snowboarders from around the world.

Non-sports enthusiasts can explore the rich culture of Odessa (Ukraine), which is known as the St. Petersburg of the south. Take in the iconic Odessa Opera House and the Uspensky Cathedral before visiting the home of Russian poet, Alexander Pushkin.

The Black Sea Explorer departs from Istanbul on October 19 and calls at Trabzon, Sochi (overnight), Novorossiysk (Russia), Yalta, Sevastopol and Odessa (Ukraine) and Nesebur (Bulgaria) before returning to Istanbul (overnight).

Price includes return flights from a major UK airport, transfers, all on board gratuities, service charges and port/airport taxes, a comprehensive Guest Speaker programme and all meals and entertainment on-board. Plus, passengers can take advantage of reduced single supplement on all categories.

For bookings, follow this link to the Cruise Line, the UK's adventure cruise specialists. 

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Fred Olsen Go Dancing!

Dance fans are in for a treat on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ 28-night Black Sea cruise on board Black Watch this autumn. This exotic voyage – departing from Dover on September 25 – will feature the talents of professional dancer Debbie Snashall and dance duo Joanne Almond and Leighton Jones (above), as part of the cruise line’s award-winning Vistas onboard enrichment programme.

Black Watch calls first in Almeria (Spain), before visiting Malta’s lively capital, Valletta. Next stop is Piraeus, for tours to historic Athens, followed by the Black Sea ports of Varna (Bulgaria), Odessa, Sevastopol and Yalta (in the Ukraine). The ship then makes for Turkey, where she stays overnight in Istanbul. Here, guests can choose to stroll around the Sultanahmet, take in the mosques, museums and the Great Bazaar, or explore the Galata Bridge and enjoy the many restaurants and shops of the modern city.

The cruise then continues to Çanakkale before returning to Greece, with a day in Iraklion, capital of the island of Crete. On the return journey, the cruise visits Palma de Mallorca and Gibraltar, where guests can visit the world-famous Rock with its popular Barbary Apes, or take advantage of the excellent Duty Free shopping, before returning to Dover on October 23.

Prices for this cruise start from £3,149, for two adults sharing a twin-bedded cabin, Grade ‘E’, and include all meals and accommodation, entertainment – including the Vistas ‘Dance’ theme – and port taxes.

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

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Save On Luxury River Voyages With AmaWaterways

It's always great to start the week with some major cruise savings - and these are especially noteworthy from AmaWaterways, for their grand Mekong River voyages in Vietnam and Cambodia, the wine regions of France and the Danube:

19^th March: Mekong cruise, £1,295pp, saving £328pp

From exotic floating markets to bustling cities, AmaWaterways’ cruise from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City meanders along Asia’s magnificent Mekong, taking in life along its banks with daily included excursions to temples, markets, cities and riverside villages. A week's stay on board the majestic La Marguerite, the most luxurious ship on the river, now costs £1,295pp on March 19, a saving of £328pp. The price includes all meals on board, complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks with dinner, daily excursions and nightly entertainment on board.

29th March: Wine-themed cruise with £389pp saving
 
Take a wine-filled voyage from Arles to Lyon through some of France’s most renowned wine regions, inclusive of complimentary wine-themed shore excursions and winery visits; onboard lectures, wine tastings and wine pairings at meals. Highlights are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Arles and Avignon; the beautiful villages of Viviers, Tournon, Vienne and Trévoux and excursions to the Beaujolais wine region. The week-long cruise now costs from £1,265pp (a saving of £389pp), including all meals, wine, beer and soft drinks with dinner, complimentary daily tours, free wi-fi and complimentary use of onboard bicycles.

 
13^th April: Black Sea cruise, £1175, saving £479pp

Cruise from Budapest along the Danube through Romania, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria to the Bulgarian port of Rousse, including passing through the 'Iron Gates’, the narrow divide between the Balkans and Carpathian mountains, to conclude the cruise with an excursion to Bucharest. The week-long luxury voyage costs from £1,175 per person (was £1654pp), with all meals, free wi-fi, free use of onboard bicycles, daily tours and excursions and all port taxes.

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

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Oceania's 2012 European Collection

Oceania Cruises, the distinctive premium line that operates four mid-sized luxury ships with a strong culinary emphasis, has launched its 2012 European Collection offering 7 night voyages for the first time.

The Collection features more than 40 cruise itineraries in the Mediterranean with 13 new port calls, in the Black Sea, Scandinavia, Russia and the British Isles, and inaugural European itineraries from the company’s new ship, Riviera, due to launch next April.

Special launch offer cruise-only fares start from £348 per person, based on two sharing an inside stateroom on the company’s Aegean Marvels voyage, sailing November 1 from Istanbul to Athens onboard Marina.

The new European Collection includes Mediterranean sailings on board Riviera (above), which will spend the entire inaugural season in Europe, and sister ship Marina (launched January 2011), as well as Oceania's R-class duo, Nautica and Regatta. Cruises are 7, 10, 12, 14, 15 and 21 nights’ duration, and guests enjoy complimentary dining in the four speciality restaurants, entry to the renowned Canyon Ranch Spa Club, butler service in all suites and complimentary bottled water and soft drinks throughout the ship.

For some of the best booking offers, be sure to check out luxury cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

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Black Sea Circumnavigation

By guest blogger Steve Newman

In 2011, Zegrahm Expeditions will return to the Black Sea and offer one of the most comprehensive itineraries available to travellers. Their Circumnavigation of the Black Sea visits all six countries that rim this legendary sea - Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria - with the voyage characterised by striking landscapes, stunning historical monuments and the friendly people you meet along the way.

September 13-27, 2011 & September 25-October 9, 2011; aboard the deluxe 110-passenger Clipper Odyssey; a highlight of the journey is a private tour of the Odessa Opera House. Closed and under renovation for seven years, it is now open to the public and a truly grand experience once again.

That's just one of 15 extraordinary days spent exploring the Black Sea. In the company of cultural experts and historians, travellers wander through the ruins of Greco-Roman sites, exquisitely tiled Ottoman mosques, Byzantine basilicas and monasteries adorned in colourful mosaics and charming red-roofed villages laced with cobblestone lanes.

Throughout the journey, Zegrahm guests will also enjoy local dining traditions, discover vibrant bazaars and sample regional wines.

Learn more about the Circumnavigation of the Black Sea on http://www.zeco.com/ or contact the adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Up to £900 off per couple on 2011 River Cruises

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Luxury river cruise specialist Avalon Waterways is offering savings of up to £900 per couple on selected European river cruises during 2011.

Those wanting to enjoy the delights of the River Danube can choose from the 11-day ‘Legendary Danube’ or 13-day ‘Blue Danube Discovery,’ both offering £900 off per couple. The shorter itinerary of the 4-day ‘A Taste of the Danube’ has been discounted by £400 per couple on select dates throughout April, May and November. Even further east is the 13-day ‘Blue Danube to the Black Sea’ on March 30 and April 9 departures, saving £900 per couple.

Discounted river cruises in France include the 11-day ‘Burgundy & Provence’ river cruise or the 8-day ‘Paris to Normandy’s Landing Beaches' with £750 per couple to be saved on both on select April and May departures. Longer itineraries on Europe’s waterways include the 15-day ‘Magnificent Europe’ and 13-day ‘European Splendour,’ both offering £900 off per couple.

For more information, visit http://www.avaloncruises.co.uk/ or check with the cruise specialist agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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Circumnavigate with Zegrahm!

Zegrahm Expeditions Embarks on Five Hallmark Circumnavigations in 2011

SEATTLE, WA, OCTOBER 20, 2010—In addition to their expert leaders and unique expeditionary style of travel, Zegrahm Expeditions has perhaps become best known for their circumnavigations of some of the world’s most interesting, and, often times, obscure, archipelagos. In fact, the 20-year-old company was the first to circumnavigate Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic and New Guinea in the western South Pacific. Zegrahm believes linking together all the fascinating locales within a single destination by small-ship offers travellers an in-depth and uncompromised view of the local culture, history and natural environment. Plus, many of the areas that Zegrahm visits have little to no infrastructure in place, so travelling by small ship is the only way to go.

And, 2011 is no exception. Zegrahm’s travel year commences with the first of the following five highly-anticipated circumnavigations, two of which are brand-new itineraries for Zegrahm:

· Circumnavigation of Sumatra: Zegrahm celebrates the start of the New Year with an inaugural 18-day sojourn around Western Indonesia’s equator-straddling island of Sumatra. Travellers will be amazed by orangutans in Gunung Leuser National Park (above), spectacular Krakatoa Island and stone-jumping super-humans on Nias Island, plus the region’s incredible array of wildlife, unspoiled wilderness and more than a dozen ethnic groups.

· Circumnavigation of Sicily: Zegrahm’s first-ever April expedition circling the Mediterranean’s largest island combines visits to amazing archaeological wonders — from the Roman theatres and villas of Taormina and Lipari to the ornate Norman-Arab castles and cathedrals in Cefalu, Palermo and Monreale — with a tasty immersion into the region’s famed viticulture and cuisine.

· Circumnavigation of Iceland: This 14-day expedition reveals the element-sculpted landscapes and volcanic wizardry that have made the Land of Fire and Ice famous. Travellers search for breeding whooper swans; ride snowmobiles across Europe's largest glacier; walk among ruins that recall the heyday of Viking exploration; and explore the fabled Golden Circle — Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall and the Geysir Center.

· Circumnavigation of Ireland: The Emerald Isle truly sparkles on this fascinating August voyage that brings history to life as Zegrahm explores the Neolithic burial site of Newgrange; the Viking legacy of Waterford; and the 18th-century English architecture in Dublin, Cork and Killarney. No less spectacular are the rolling green glens of the Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula's dramatic cliffs and Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway.

· Circumnavigation of the Black Sea: Eurasia’s most intriguing destinations are revealed —Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria — on a 15-day expedition where beautiful landscapes are enhanced only by the stunning architecture and archaeological sites that travellers experience on one of two September departures. This itinerary is a long-time favourite among Zegrahm travellers.

To learn more about each of these itineraries, plus read accounts of past circumnavigation expeditions, visit http://www.zeco.com/. To book in the UK, be sure to contact specialist agents The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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Voyages to Antiquity Sail Into 2011

Voyages to Antiquity, the cruise line that combines cultural travel with a sense of fun and style, has launched its 2011 UK brochure today. The programme offers a host of new features, including pre-and/or post-cruise hotel packages, a variety of shorter cruise lengths, new destinations and great value pricing.

New for 2011:

* As well as two-week voyages, there will now be shorter cruises such as a seven-night sailing around the Greek Islands exploring Greek history from the emergence of the Minoans to the rise of Byzantium. These shorter duration cruises are designed to appeal to a wider audience of travellers.

* The majority of itineraries include pre-and/or post-cruise stays in top-class hotels in Rome, Athens (above), Istanbul, and Cairo with the fare. These provide guests with a chance to relax before their voyage or the opportunity to end their holiday exploring one of these remarkable cities. Guests have the flexibility to opt out of the hotel stays and receive a credit against their fare.

* New destinations include a circumnavigation of the Black Sea visiting ports in Georgia, Russia, Ukraine and Bulgaria in July 2011. New itineraries will also include destinations in Corsica and Sardinia as well as a return to Libya as part of two North Africa itineraries. Another exciting new itinerary from Rome to Limassol explores the legacy of the Crusades.

Voyages to Antiquity also continues its commitment to offering outstanding value, including:

· Scheduled economy class flights, usually on British Airways.
· Shore excursions as detailed in each itinerary
· Selected wine with dinner.
· On-board gratuities for cabin and restaurant staff.

Additionally there are bonus offers for those who book early:

For Southern Med, Red Sea & Middle East cruises
· Free cabin upgrade on board within categories N to G and D to C.
· Low rates for singles in selected categories on selected sailings*.

For our Med, Aegean, Adriatic & Black sea cruises
· Free flight upgrade to Club Europe when booking in Concierge Class (cat A to D)
· Free cabin upgrade on board when booking a cabin in categories N to G.
· Low rates for singles in selected categories on selected sailings.

Commenting on the launch of the 2011 brochure, Managing Director David Yellow said: “Our new brochure not only offers new itineraries, but we have now packaged the product to be more flexible and appealing to a wider range of cruisers who may not have as much holiday time or may be looking for a second holiday experience but are still looking for a trip which is culturally stimulating.”

Great value is a hallmark of Voyages to Antiquity, with fares starting from £1,495/person, including shore excursions, gratuities to shipboard staff, and wine, beer & soft drinks at dinner. Guest lecturers and celebrated speakers will continue to bring to life the art, history and culture of the Mediterranean.

More info: visit http://www.voyagestoantiquity.com/ or call 0845 4379737.

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