Visit Antarctica and South Africa with Seabourn

Seabourn have two cruises visiting South Africa and Antarctica later on this year.

21-day Ultimate Antarctica and Patagonia sailing 

Join Seabourn Quest on a 21-day Antarctica and Patagonia cruise-only from £6,299 per person (based on two people sharing a Veranda Suite). Price includes a 21-day cruise departing from Buenos Aires and calling at Montevideo, Stanley, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, the Chilean Fjords, Castro, Puerto Montt and Valparaiso.  Price is based on 29 November departure. 

  

14-day South Africa Christmas sailing 

Join Seabourn Sojourn (above) on a 14-day South Africa Christmas cruise-only from £4,499 per person (based on two people sharing a Veranda Suite). Price includes a 14-day cruise departing from Cape Town and calling at Port Elizabeth, Durban, Richards Bay, Maputo, East London and Mossel Bay before arriving back into Cape Town.  Price is based on 21 December departure.

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Grand voyages to the Far East with Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced its 2015-2016 Winter Collection, revealing a line-up that features a variety of destination-rich itineraries in Asia, Africa, South America, Europe, the Caribbean and Alaska.  In total, the Regent Seven Seas Cruises fleet will visit more than 150 ports in 50 different countries with its Winter Collection, including several overnight stays.

For sailings in the Mediterranean, Asia and Africa, the company is introducing new options for its complimentary pre- and post-cruise land programmes which include a free three-night hotel stay, complemented by guided tours.  For example, guests booked on voyages beginning or ending in Bangkok or Singapore can discover the ancient temples of Angkor Wat and explore the jungle while enjoying the comforts of six-star hospitality. 

The line has also introduced eight new Grand Voyages, ranging from a 35-night Cape Town to Miami sailing, all the way up to a 72-night South American roundtrip Miami cruise.  The 49-night Singapore to Tokyo Grand Voyage introduces two new ports of call for Regent Seven Seas with: Boracay Island, known for its award winning beaches and Jeju, South Korea, home to Hallasan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   

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Aurora Expeditions to visit Africa and the Zambezi

Aurora Expeditions will be adding Africa to their expedition program in 2015 with a brand new, 14-day ‘African Cruise Safari’. Showcasing the best of Southern African, the expedition will travel by boat, bus and jeep to showcase some of the greatest nature and wildlife experiences throughout South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Starting in Cape Town, passengers will experience the city’s rich history, Table Mountain and its nearby wine regions before flying to Victoria Falls and delving deep into the heart of some of Africa’s greatest wildlife convergences.

From lodges in Hwange and Chobe National Parks, passengers will enjoy safaris, dusk and dawn, to observe some of the largest populations of elephants, giraffes, antelopes like kudu and puku, bathing hippos, lions, cheetahs and leopards stalking their prey.

The main highlight of the expedition is a three-night river cruise along the Chobe River, the natural boundary between Botswana and Namibia, on board the Zambezi Queen. Here, wildlife viewing opportunities are endless as wildlife comes to the river to drink and feed, day and night. Small excursion vessels allow for discreet water-based game viewing, or sit back and enjoy the show from the comfort of shaded decks or the air-conditioned, mosquito-screened lounge.

Aurora Expeditions will run two departures in 2015, departing 16 April and 23 April. The all-inclusive expedition includes all accommodation, transport, excursions and most meals, and starts from £4,392 per person, twin share.

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Three night `Winelands & Wildlife’ land-stay in Cape Town with Oceania

Oceania Cruises has added a new 3 night pre- or post- cruise and stay option that includes three nights’ B&B hotel accommodation in Cape Town, a welcome dinner, a tour of the Winelands with a visit to two wine estates, with lunch and a wine tasting. a hosted game drive through one of Africa’s most pristine wildlife reserves and transfers between Cape Town International airport, hotel and ship. The add-on costs just £187pp, based on two sharing, and guests will have the opportunity to discover South Africa’s oldest city, the second oldest city of Stellenbosch, view some of  Africa’s “Big Five” animals in their natural habitat and spend free time in Cape Town, with an optional city tour. The Winelands & Wildlife land-stay can be combined with one of the following three cruises, on board two of Oceania Cruises’ mid-sized, upper premium ships, with a capacity for just 684 guests, ensuring high standards of service and an elegant and intimate ambience on board. 22 December 2014, Cape Town to Cape Town, `South African Holiday’, 15 nights from £4,709pp 20 January 2015, Bridgetown to Cape Town, `Atlantic Ocean Odyssey’, 26 nights from £4,459pp 15 February 2015, Cape Town to Singapore, `Indian Ocean Exploration’, 35 nights from £7,479pp Subscribe to World of Cruising magazine here          Follow us on Facebook  Adventure Cruising blog

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Oceania unveils line-up of winter cruises from South Korea to South America

Oceania Cruises reveals its 2015-2016 Winter Collection,with a lineup that features a variety of longer, destination-rich itineraries travelling to ports in South America, Asia, South Africa, the South Pacific and Caribbean.   Of the 42 itineraries, 32 are voyages of two-weeks in length or longer and 27 sail on unique itineraries never before offered by the upper-premium line.  Among the winter itineraries are 12 new exciting destinations not previously visited by Oceania Cruises ships, including Jeju, South Korea and Luderitz, Namibia.

The Winter Collection will see the Oceania Cruises fleet travel to all four corners of the globe, including two Amazon River voyages in South America, six transits of the Panama Canal, a roundtrip Cape Town sailing exploring the southern tip of Africa and multiple overnight stays in dream destinations across Asia.

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Cunard packages shorter worldwide cruise sectors

Cunard has shorter worldwide cruises available and reveals its new Flagship Collection of premium hotel stays which can be combined with these departures to make cruise and stay holidays.

Sectors of the full World Cruises enable passengers to create shorter holiday options that take in key destinations of interest.  Featured durations range from 8-42 nights.

The new Flagship Collection offers a premium selection of pre and post-cruise hotel stays enhanced with special benefits, and features properties in Auckland, Cape Town, Dubai, Fort Lauderdale, Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore and Sydney.

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Epic 12,000-mile voyage to Australia with Cruise and Maritime's Astor

Cruise & Maritime Voyages  is offering the opportunity to sail down to Fremantle, Australia this coming November at a much reduced price. ASTOR departs from the London Cruise Terminal at Tilbury on 5 November and sets off on a 12,000 mile epic voyage of 38 nights, visiting many interesting ports on the way including Cape Town and Durban, South Africa. 

CMV has reduced the prices this week so now starts from £2,799pp for the first passenger with the second passenger travelling at HALF PRICE. Plus there is an air travel credit of £200pp. Air travel credits increase up to £750 depending on cabin grade booked.

The 20,606-ton ASTOR joined the CMV fleet last year and has undergone a number of refits including a £14 million upgrade in 2010. She has 289 cabins including 42 suites, and 70 per cent of accommodation has an ocean view.

ASTOR Australia voyage Itinerary

Sails from London Tilbury on Wednesday 5 November, visiting Le Havre for Paris, Lisbon, Tenerife, Cape Verde Isles, Ascension Islands, St Helena, Cape Town, Mossel Bay, Durban Mauritius, Reunion, Fremantle (Perth).  CMV offers a good selection of optional sightseeing opportunities throughout the voyage.

Travellers can also take a shorter journey on ASTOR from London Tilbury to South Africa Cape Town (21 nights) from £1,164pp or the sector from Cape Town down to Freemantle (17 nights) from £944pp.

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Crystal's Overland Gorilla Adventure

Locking eyes with an almost-500 pound silverback mountain gorilla, with just a few feet of African forest standing in between, might not the thing most people would expect from a luxury cruise.

But Crystal Cruises are increasingly pushing back the boundaries of what's possible on a voyage, and the Gorilla Adventure is the latest possibility in their impressive Overland Adventure portfolio.

With just 600 mountain gorillas left in the world, and only a handful of active guests permitted on the excursion, Crystal’s new “Bwindi Forest Gorilla Tracking Experience” is an ultimate bucket list trip. The five-night journey is available only to guests sailing back-to-back on two of Crystal Serenity’s 2014 World Cruise segments: an 18-night March 10 voyage from Singapore to Cape Town and the following 21-night March 28 cruise from Cape Town to Southampton. From South Africa’s port of Durban, outing participants will travel deep into Uganda, then re-join the ship in Cape Town.

On non-tracking days, the group will also learn about Uganda’s wetland, savannah and forest eco-systems at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, and participate in a mock Batwa Pygmy (considered the “keepers of the forest” for more than 5,000 years) hunting party, including tribal singing and dancing. Luxury accommodation includes two nights at The Lake Victoria Serena Resort, set on the world’s largest tropical lake, and three nights at the silver-service Sanctuary Gorilla Camp.

The Bwindi Forest Gorilla Tracking Experience costs from $11,676 per person. The combined, 39-night cruise itinerary calls in Singapore (overnight); Jakarta, Mauritius/Port Louis, Durban, Cape Town, Walvis Bay, Luanda (maiden call), Bom Bom Island/São Tomé, Takoradi, Dakar, Agadir, Lisbon and Southampton.

Crystal is also offering 10 other Overland Adventures (shore excursions where guests stay inland overnight during a cruise) in Africa next year, taking guests to Nelson Mandela’s former home, through the countryside by Victorian-era railcar and on multiple safaris in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.

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

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Crystal's New 'Extreme Thrill Seekers'

'Extreme Thrill Seekers' and 'Luxury Cruising' don't usually go together, but don't tell that to Crystal Cruises. They have put together a unique onboard programme that promises to deliver 'virtual' thrills while also delivering their usual deluxe cruise style.

During an 18-night segment of Crystal Serenity's World Cruise next year, the line will feature an onboard line-up of special guest speakers who will deliver lots of excitement and stories that all have a thrilling edge and background.

This unique line-up features:

British Round-the-World yachtswoman and adventurer Rona Cant, whose inspiring story takes her from being a middle-aged secretary and single mother to sailing the world’s most difficult yacht race, the BT Global Challenge, to trekking Vancouver’s West Coast Trail (one of the world’s 10 toughest trails).

Shark diver Chris Fallows, who will discuss his thousands of encounters with Great White Sharks around South Africa’s Seal Island and other breeding grounds throughout the world, in an effort to not only capture their striking images on camera, but also to educate others about the realities of the creatures and their conservation.

And “Crocodile" Mick Pitman, considered a real-life Crocodile Dundee, who will share his 30-plus years of dynamic Aussie outback experiences, hunting and capturing crocodiles.

Sailing from Singapore to Jakarta, Mauritius/Port Louis, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town on March 10, Serenity will also deliver dozens of trademark Crystal Adventures ashore, allowing guests to explore wild – and not so wild – life in the destinations, from big game safaris to food and wine. 

All-inclusive fly/cruise fares start from £6,344 per person if booked by January 3, with shorter “Getaway” cruise legs also available from Singapore to Mauritius and Mauritius to Cape Town.

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

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More Voluntourism Chances With Crystal

Crystal Cruises’ guests and crew will have twice as many more opportunities to give back locally during the line's 2014 World Cruise, with an expanded You Care, We Care programme during Crystal Serenity’s 89-night, Los Angeles to Southampton global journey (departing January 18).

The new-look voluntourism offers can help underprivileged children, the eco-system or a local memorial in places like Hawaii, Asia and Africa, with Crystal handling all costs and logistics. Crystal offers one complimentary voluntour per cruise, always aiding a small, local organisation. However, the five segments on next year’s World Cruise boast seven unique excursions in seven ports. Assistance opportunities include:

• Gardening and weeding Honolulu’s Makapu’u Beach to help preserve dwindling native plant life.
• Helping build structures and clean playgrounds at Father’s Home Care Ministries’ home for disadvantaged children in Takoradi, Ghana.
• Reading to underprivileged children to improve literacy as part of Singapore’s LIFE programme (offered on two World Cruise segments).
• Teaching, singing, gardening and playing with orphans in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
• Preparing meals, babysitting or reading to the abandoned, abused, neglected or orphaned children of Baphumelele Children’s Home near Cape Town.
• Crafting the commemorative candles to be lit at Nagasaki’s annual Peace Ceremony, in remembrance of the lives lost to WWII’s atomic bomb.
• Engaging in the day-to-day programmes (knitting, gardening, schoolwork etc) of the orphaned children raised and cared for by families in Durban’s SOS Children’s Village.

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

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Crystal's Grand Far East Land Programme

Crystal Cruises is offering a new, complimentary inclusive three-night Extended Land Programme to Thailand and Cambodia with its March Asia-to-Africa World Cruise segment.

Prior to sailing from Singapore to Cape Town onboard Crystal Serenity, guests will embark on an exotic overland journey, first exploring Bangkok’s energetic markets, nightlife and heavenward temple spires, and then flying to Siem Reap, Cambodia, where they will visit some of the world’s most awe-inspiring spiritual monuments and landmarks such as:

• Angkor Wat – the world’s largest religious monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to the 12th century.
• The Grand Palace – a vast complex of buildings, pavilions and gardens, the palace has been the primary residence and official ceremonial site for Kings of Siam since 1782.
• Temples of the Emerald, Golden and Reclining Buddhas – the most sacred temple in Thailand, the world’s largest solid gold statue and one of the largest overall Buddha statues in the world, respectively.
• Angkor Night Market – open until at least midnight with more than 100 shops and merchants, the market sets the perfect scene for post-dinner shopping.
• Khmer Ruins – an array of ancient Cambodian architectural masterpieces, from Bayon Temple, known for its forest of heads and maze of dark rooms and galleries, to Ta Prohm, an Indiana Jones-like lost temple in the jungle, entwined in massive tree roots.
• Apsara Dance Performance – prima ballerinas from the Royal Ballet of Cambodia will perform this elaborate traditional dance exclusively for Crystal guests.

Included for guests sailing on the single “Temples & Safaris” itinerary (the fourth segment of Crystal’s 2014 World Cruise), the land programme begins on March 7 and features meals, inter-Asia transportation and a night at the Peninsula Bangkok, followed by two nights at the five-star Sokha Angkor Wat Resort. The cruise voyage begins March 10 with an onboard overnight in Singapore, then sails to Jakarta, Mauritius, Durban and Jakarta before finishing with an overnight in Cape Town.

With £452 per person in savings if booked by October 31, prices for the 21-night land/cruise itinerary start from £5,129 per person.

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

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Archbishop Tutu Aboard Holland America

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the former archbishop of Cape Town and Nobel Peace Prize winner, is scheduled to lecture on a segment of Holland America Line’s 2014 Grand World Voyage on MS Amsterdam, sailing March 28 to April 2 from Durban to Cape Town in South Africa.

Tutu will address guests at two speaking engagements on board about his role as the first black African to serve as archbishop of Cape Town and about his work forging racial equality throughout the world. Guests will also be able to gain a personal insight into his remarkable life through an open question and answer session with the archbishop.

The full Grand World Voyage lasts 113 days or, for those unable to travel for the full length, guests can book segments of the cruise that range from 20 to 86 days. Cruise prices for segments of the Grand World Voyage start from £2,430 per person, and the full voyage begins at £12,470 per person, both based on double occupancy of an Inside Stateroom.

More info: contact Holland America in the UK on www.hollandamerica.co.uk or call 0843 374 2300.

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Saga’s 3-in-1 Voyage To The Cape

Saga Cruises have lined up a spectacular voyage to Africa's southern Cape that can be undertaken in any one of three voyages, of 48 nights, 26 nights or 24 nights, and is customisable to suit most diaries and budgets.

Cosmopolitan Cape Town, Ghana’s tropical rainforest and Senegal’s Salt Lake are just three of the highlights on the "Voyage to the Cape" cruise, which also visits many lesser-known ports along Africa’s dramatic west coast.

Guests can sail on Saga Pearl II from Southampton on January 7 for 48 nights or consider two shorter options – a return from Cape Town on February 2 or flying out to Cape Town on January 31 and then return to Southampton on February 24.

Better still, it is possible to book the shorter voyages with the option of a three-night stay at the four-star Winchester Mansions, Cape Town's iconic beachfront hotel on the Sea Point Promenade, from £399 half board.

Cruise price: 48 nights from £6,263; 26 nights from £3,827; or 24 nights from £3,653.

All three options include return chauffeur service to the airport, travel insurance, all meals, 24-hour room service, entertainment, all gratuities and unlimited luggage allowance.

Ports of call: Funchal, Madeira; Las Palmas, Gran Canaria; Freetown, Sierra Leone; San Pedro and Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Takoradi and Tema (for Accra), Ghana; Cotonou, Benin; Sao Tome, and Principe; Luanda, Angola; Walvis Bay, Namibia; Cape Town; Saint Helena; Cadiz; and Lisbon.

For more info, look up this link; for more on adventure cruising and other cruise bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's leading cruise-agent specialists.

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Regent's New Exotic Options

Regent Seven Seas has announced changes to its autumn 2014 itineraries for Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Voyager, with 10 new cruises that include sailings to sought-after destinations such as Tahiti and South Africa. 

It has been four years since a Regent ship called in South Africa and almost three since one of its ships visited Tahiti, hence this represents a great opportunity to visit (or re-visit) some of the most exotic p[arts of the cruise world.

The new sailings on Seven Seas Mariner include an 18-night Los Angeles to Papeete trans-Pacific cruise; a 10-night round-trip Papeete voyage; and a 17-night Papeete to Auckland sailing. This will be the first time in the company’s history that Mariner will conduct a turnaround in Tahiti.

For Seven Seas Voyager, the company has added a 30-night Dubai to Cape Town cruise where guests will enjoy breathtaking scenery, discover big game on guided safari tours and relax on luxurious beaches. This exciting itinerary includes overnight calls in Mumbai; the Maldives; the Seychelles; and Cape Town, with other calls at Mombasa, Zanzibar, Maputo, Richards Bay and Durban.

Regent has also created a number of Mediterranean sailings that have a similar itinerary as previously offered. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury cruising specialists.

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Silversea's Relais & Châteaux Style

Acclaimed culinary trainer David Bilsland, a former instructor at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in London, is again set to host Silversea's exclusive "Relais & Châteaux L'École des Chefs" interactive cooking school in 2013. Chef Bilsland will present a programme developed in collaboration with Jacques Thorel, a consulting Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef, on 14 ultra-luxury voyages across the globe.

Silversea enjoys the privilege of featuring the only Relais & Châteaux cooking school at sea. The innovative programme, which is offered free of charge, provides guests with a special culinary curriculum, including hands-on instruction and entertaining events and has been carefully designed to celebrate the cultural flavour of the itinerary. Also offered on certain voyages, when the itinerary permits, is a "Market to Plate" experience that provides an escorted tour of a local market followed by a cooking class and a "Culinary Outing," an instructor-escorted excursion to a local restaurant, hotel or other venue where guests can enjoy a unique culinary exploration.

Here is a representative selection of the L'École des Chefs voyages for 2013:

AFRICA

Voyage 2336: Silver Wind departs Las Palmas December 3 on an 18-day sailing to Cape Town with calls in Porto Novo, Praia, Dakar, Takoradi, Walvis Bay, and Lüderitz. Silver Privilege fares start at £3,450.

ASIA
Voyage 3329: Silver Shadow departs Tokyo September 29 on a 10-day sailing to Shanghai with calls in Hiroshima, Busan, Jeju, and Tianjin (Beijing). Silver Privilege fares start at £3,250.

MEDITERRANEAN
Voyage 2334:Silver Wind departs Rome November 19 on a 7-day sailing to Málaga with calls in Sorrento, Trapani, Valletta, La Goulette, and Cartagena. Silver Privilege fares start a £1,450.

Voyage 2335:Silver Wind departs Málaga November 26 on a 7-day sailing to Las Palmas with calls in Cádiz, Casablanca, Agadir, Arrecife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and Santa Cruz de la Palma. Silver Privilege fares start at £1,850.

NORTHERN EUROPE
Voyage 7309:Silver Explorer departs Lisbon April 29 on a 14-day "Flavours of Europe" voyage to Portsmouth with calls in Oporto (Leixoes), Vigo, Santander, St. Jean de Luz, Bordeaux, Quiberon, Saint-Malo, Guernsey, and Honfleur. Silver Privilege fares start at £4,450.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury cruising specialists.

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Stargazing On St Helena

In a galaxy far, far away...dark skies enthusiasts should set their sights on a new stargazing tour to the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena to marvel at some of the southern hemisphere's most stunning constellations in the company of astronomer extraordinaire, Steve Owens.

A professional stargazer, dark skies consultant and author of the book "Stargazing for Dummies," Steve set up the first International Dark Sky Park in the UK, in Galloway, Scotland, in 2009. Since then he has helped Sark and Exmoor achieve similar status and is working with a growing number of other places, including St Helena, looking to protect their nightscape.

The new 19-day tour departs from Cape Town onboard the RMS St Helena (above), one of the last working Royal Mail ships in the world, following in the footsteps of Edmond Halley (he of comet fame) who set up an observatory on St Helena to catalogue the southern hemisphere's stars. The island's location just 16 degrees south of the equator ensures virtually every constellation in the sky is visible at one time or another during the year, and this is one of the few places where both The Plough and the Southern Cross can be seen in the sky at the same time. Visitors can also marvel at the the Magellanic Clouds and the galactic centre of the Milky Way.

Time on St Helena will include guided tours of Jamestown's historical sites and buildings, visits to local landmarks such as the Heart Shaped Waterfall and Diana's Peak, coastal sightseeing, including seeking out dolphins, and nocturnal sky watching.

The tour, departing Cape Town on April 29, costs from £2,948 per person, including accommodation in a shared two-berth cabin on A deck with private facilities and full board on the ship; in a twin/double room with shared facilities on St Helena at Wellington House Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis; and all tours on St Helena with lunches and evening meals where mentioned. International flights are extra.

For bookings, be sure to check with the Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677, the UK's adventure-cruising specialists.

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Silversea's Expedition Adventures

Adventure-seeking travellers with discerning tastes will be thrilled to discover that Silversea's Expeditions programme offers a range of cruises that are just as exhilarating as they are luxurious, taking in the wonders of Antarctica and the lure of Africa alike. 

Take a look at this small selection for their winter 2012/13 season:

USHUAIA-USHUAIA : Marvel at spectacular iceberg sculptures and calving glaciers, set foot on the continent of Antarctica and encounter gentoo, chinstrap and Adelie penguins. Watch for whales (humpback, Minke, orca, pilot and beaked) and identify seabirds, including Antarctic cormorant, kelp gull, Antarctic tern and cape petrels.

Silversea’s Silver Explorer sets sail December 3 on a 10-day round-trip voyage from Ushuaia in Argentina. Prices start at £5,399 per person, based on double occupancy in adventurer class. It is also available on voyages departing Jan 21 and 31 and Feb 10 and 20.

USHUAIA-CAPE TOWN: Follow in the footsteps of great Antarctic explorers, see snow-covered mountains, mighty glaciers and spectacular icebergs. Watch for sea lions, seals, dolphins and whales and identify seabirds including albatross, shearwaters and petrels. Visit the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world and marvel at the dramatic views from South Africa’s Cape Point.

Silver Explorer sets sail on March 2 on a 22-day voyage from Ushuaia, Argentine, to Cape Town, South Africa. Prices start at £6,399 per person, based on double occupancy in adventurer class. 

ACCRA TO DAKAR : Visit a traditional Ewa village and school, Learn of the voodoo culture and contemplate the solemn history of slave trade sites. Admire the fishing skills of the Tofinu people, explore the seldom-visited Bijagos Archipelago and identify rare endemic bird species and wild monkeys.

Silver Explorer sets sail on April 11 on a 12-day voyage from Accra, Ghana, to Dakar in Senegal. Prices start from £4,299, based on double occupancy in adventurer class. 

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

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Complimentary Airfare from Silversea

Leading deluxe cruise operator Silversea, renowned for its ultra-luxurious ships and exotic destinations, has announced a selection of post-Christmas voyages that will include complimentary airfare.

The offer is available on select voyages, including Australian and South African cruises that are sailing in January 2013. These voyages also include generous onboard spending credits of up to $1,000 per suite. The credits can be used towards a wide range of onboard purchases, including shore excursions, spa treatments and premium dining.

Complimentary air fare is offered on the following voyages:

4 Jan, Sydney to Auckland: Silver Shadow (14 days) – From £5,099

5 Jan, Round-trip Cape Town: Silver Wind (10 days) – From £3,799

7 Jan, Valparaiso to Buenos Aires: Silver Cloud (16 days) – From £5,099

17 Jan, Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles: Silver Spirit (15 days) – From £4,599

All-suite accommodation, butler service and all-inclusive indulgences, such as gourmet cuisine inspired by Relais & Châteaux, combine with itineraries to the most vibrant and intriguing of destinations. Silversea’s smaller ships also provide access to rarely seen harbours off the beaten track and can dock right in the heart of a city rather than anchoring offshore, allowing guests more time to explore.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury cruise experts.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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RMS St Helena Benefits From Big Refit

Travellers can set sail for a bygone era in style aboard the RMS St Helena, one of the world’s last working royal mail ships, which has undergone an extensive re-fit to offer increased capacity and an enhanced voyage experience.

Not just a passenger vessel, this working liner acts as the lifeline to the remote island of St Helena in the South Atlantic, sharing a fascinating glimpse into the leisured travel of days gone by. The refresh, carried out in dry dock in Cape Town, includes the addition of seven cabins affording 17 extra berths, and an improved gym with new equipment. The newly positioned gym is located on the top deck and is glass-fronted so passengers can run, row or pedal whilst admiring the ocean view.

This complements the existing facilities, which include two bars, full service dining room, a sun deck, shop, swimming pool and library.  From the attentive staff to the traditional ocean-going pastimes, passengers are assured of a first-class vintage voyage. The RMS St Helena regularly visits the ports of St Helena, Ascension Island and Cape Town. Passengers are made up of tourists and St Helenians, or ‘Saints’ as they are fondly known locally, travelling home.

The ship was built in 1989 specifically to supply the island of St Helena, the British Overseas Territory deep in the tropical South Atlantic. Royal Mail Ships are sea-going vessels that carry mail under contract by Royal Mail. The RMS St Helena is one of last remaining ocean-going vessels in the world still to carry the venerable title, held in the past by so many famous British passenger liners, the original Queen Elizabeth amongst them. She is British registered, 6,767 gross ton and has 56 officers and crew. She also has modern facilities; stabilisers, air-conditioning plus fax, email and satellite communications.

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

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.