Shake those January Blues with a cruise… from only £699pp

10 night Canary Island & Morocco Cruise on Norwegian Spirit from £699pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers 10 nights on ‘Norwegian Spirit’ from Barcelona calling at Casablanca, Funchal, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Arrecife and Granada. Prices are per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes flights from London Gatwick and resort transfers. Offer is subject to availability and includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Based on departures 15 Jan 2015.

12 night Orlando Stay and Bahamas Cruise on Caribbean Princess from £1,099pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers seven nights at Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando on a room only basis, before joining ‘Caribbean Princess’ for five nights from Fort Lauderdale calling at Princess Cays (Bahamas). Price is per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes Virgin Atlantic flights from London Gatwick and car hire. Offer is subject to availability and includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Based on departure date 19 Jan 2015.

Seven night Dubai and The Emirates Stay and Cruise on MSC Orchestra from £1,299pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers two nights at Atlantis, The Palm on a half board basis, before joining ‘MSC Orchestra’ for seven nights from Dubai calling at Abu Dhabi, Khor Al Fakkan, Muscat and Khasab. Price is per person based on two adults travelling, sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes Virgin Atlantic flights from London Heathrow and transfers. Offer is subject to availability and includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Based on departures 07 Jan 2015.

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Winter Cruises from Broadway Travel from £299pp

Set sail with Broadway Travel this winter. They are offering a Belgium Christmas Market cruise from £299pp and a 12 night Atlantic Coast Cruise from £539pp.

£299pp - Five-Star Queen Victoria Belgium Christmas Market Cruise with Balcony Cabin

Bruges, Belgium: Spend three nights, full board, exploring Belgium this Christmas.

The Queen Victoria offers a range of dining options to suit every guest and also offers two swimming pools, a spa and four whirlpools. Guests can explore the cities of Bruges and Ghent – perhaps the best preserved medieval cities of Northern Europe with their cobbled streets, medieval edifices, glassy canals and of course their magical Christmas markets.

Ship departs and returns from Southampton from 16 December 2014.

Prices based on two sharing.

P&O Oriana, Iberian Cruise

£539pp - Four-Star 12 Night Atlantic Coast Cruise 

Spain & Portugal:  Beat the post-Christmas blues with a 12 day full-board winter cruise. Relax on board the P&O Oriana around one of the pools or the ships own spa. The ship will set sail to destinations across the Atlantic including Casablanca, Malaga, Cadiz and Lisbon (above).

Ship departs and returns from Southampton on  11 January 2015.

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Virgin Holiday Cruises winter late deals from £699

10 night Canary Island & Morocco Cruise on Norwegian Spirit from £699pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers 10 nights on Norwegian Spirit from Barcelona, Casablanca, Funchal, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Arrecife and Granada (Málaga). Prices are per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes flights from London Gatwick and resort transfers. Offer is subject to availability and includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Based on departures 15 Jan 2015.

Seven night Orlando Stay and Bahamas Cruise on Carnival Sensation from £799pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers three nights at Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando on a room only basis, before joining Carnival Sensation for four nights from Port Canaveral, calling at Freeport and Nassau. Price is per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes Virgin Atlantic flights from London Gatwick. Offer is subject to availability and includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Based on departure date 27 November.

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Spend Christmas at sea on a Saga cruise

Forget the cold winter and the cooking over Christmas and the New Year on a sunshine Saga cruise. There are still a few cabins available on Saga Sapphire or Saga Pearl II.

Christmas in the Canaries

Have yourself a merry little Christmas on Saga Sapphire’s (above) 20-night Christmas in the Canaries cruise. This special sailing includes a chance to spend the night in Marrakech and watch the fireworks over Madeira on New Year’s Eve.
Cruise on the chic and friendly Saga Sapphire from Southampton on 21 December with further ports of call including four of the Canary Islands, Agadir, Casablanca, Lisbon and Gibraltar.  Price from £3,699

A Mediterranean Christmas

Saga Pearl II will be sailing into the sunshine on a Mediterranean Christmas cruise which will give passengers time to explore the glorious historic cities of Rome, Nice, Florence and Barcelona, as well as the contrasting islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily.
Christmas Day will be spent at sea so passengers can get into the full Christmas spirit and on Boxing Day Saga Pearl II will sail in to Almeria, just the place to walk off the excesses!

A highlight of this festive 23-night cruise will be the spectacular fireworks over the harbour in  Valletta, in Malta, on New Year’s Eve. Price from £4,099, departing Southampton on 21 December

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Virgin Cruises New Year break from just £569pp

10-night Canary Island & Morocco Cruise on Norwegian Spirit from £569pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers 10 nights on Norwegian Spirit from Barcelona, Casablanca, Funchal, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Arrecife and Granada (Málaga). Prices are per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes flights from London Gatwick and resort transfers.  Based on 25 Jan 2015 departure.

16-night San Francisco Stay & Hawaii Cruise on Star Princess from £1,6499pp

One-night room only at the 4V Holiday inn Fisherman’s Wharf before joining Star Princess for 15 nights from San Francisco, calling at Maui, Honolulu, Kauai (Hawaii) and Ensenada (Mexico). Price is per person based on two adults travelling, sharing an outside cabin on a full-board basis with Virgin Atlantic flights from London Heathrow.  Based on 26 November departure.

14-night Orlando Stay and Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Disney Fantasy from £1,799pp 

Seven nights at the 3V+ Disney’s Caribbean Beach resort on a room only basis, before joining Disney Fantasy for seven nights from Port Canaveral calling at St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay (Bahamas). Price is per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes Virgin Atlantic flights from London Gatwick, and car hire. Based on 22 November departure.

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A Transatlantic Odyssey Under Sail

Avast there, me hearties! Get ready for a look at luxury cruising under sail this week as here at World of Cruising we've had a couple of stories from companies who specialise in sail-cruising.

Want to climb the mainsail or sit on the bowspit? Read on...!

With their teak-lined decks and billowing white sails, luxurious amenities, gourmet cuisine, exceptional service and only 150 to 300 guests on board,thet  here ships of Star Clippers allow you to soak up the ambience of almost owning your own private yacht. Passengers can even help the crew hoist the sails or learn their knots.

There is even more chance to experience the full majesty of these traditional vessels on a transatlantic voyage and Star Clippers are offering a special early-booking deal on one of their autumn sailings that make the opportunity more appealing.

The unique five-masted Royal Clipper (left, above) has a typical transatlantic cruise from Europe to the Caribbean, when she departs Lisbon on November 6, calling at Casablanca, Safi and Tenerife before arriving in Barbados on November 22. Early-booking fares are from just £1,540 for the 16-night voyage (with flights extra).

More info: call 0845 200 6145 or visit www.starclippers.co.uk.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a very special, limited-time offer to save 50% off a full year's subscription, which includes six issues PLUS our new year-end Cruise Directory. That means a year's worth of Europe's leading cruise publication will be only £15. Check out the special rate on this link!

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MSC’s Canaries Winter Warmer

We are very aware how miserable the UK's weather has been recently, hence when we see news of a great deal on a winter sunshine cruise, we are very keen to pass it on!

And MSC Cruises might have just the idea this winter, with the choice of two well-priced cruise itineraries from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on board MSC Armonia  with the opportunity to relax from the word go and explore the various ports of call by pre-booking MSC's shore excursions.

With calls in Santa Cruz de La Palma, San Sebastian, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and an overnight stay in Funchal, Armonia's first itinerary from Las Palmas is a perfect way to explore the breath-taking landscapes of the Canary and Madeira Islands. Her second itinerary not only takes in all of the natural beauty of the Canary Islands, but also visits two much-loved destinations in magical Morocco, with a full day in Casablanca plus a call in Agadir.

Cruise prices start from just £549 per person, including flights, for a seven-night cruise departing from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, via Funchal, on January 30. A seven-night cruise via Casablanca and Agadir starts from £599 per person, including flights, from February 21. Flights are available from London Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow. Excursions start from £28 for adults and are designed to make each cruise an even more exciting and memorable experience.

More info: call 0844 561 1955 or visit www.msccruises.co.uk.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this month ONLY - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

 

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A Tall Ship, Yoga - And Barbados

Yoga and cruising together increasingly well in our hell-conscious world, hence we are always keen to bring you news of new options that feature these kinds of opportunities. It is something we have featured in the World of Spas section of the magazine, and it will be very much on our agenda as we go to SIX editions in 2014 (so look out for more news of that in the near future!).

In the meantime, Star Clippers are featuring TWO of their signature Yoga-At-Sea programmes next year, and we're keen to highlight them here at Time Spent At Sea.

Free daily yoga and meditation classes will be the order of the day on both the spring and autumn 2014 transatlantic crossing of the line’s flagship, the 227-passenger Royal Clipper. With nothing but the vast, open ocean as a distraction, yoga classes will take place in the open air, on the ship's classic teak decks, under 56,000sq ft of sails – the ultimate relaxation for body and soul.

 

Qualified yoga teacher Christel Vollmer, back on board by popular demand, will be holding the daily sessions of Astanga yoga, also known as power yoga, on deck in the cool morning on the 16-night spring  crossing, from Barbados to Malaga, departing April 12 and arriving April 28, from £1,420 (flights extra). She will then join the autumn transatlantic sailing, when Royal Clipper departs Lisbon on November 6, calling at Casablanca, Safi and Tenerife and arriving in Barbados on November 22. Prices are from £1,540 for 16 nights, with flights once again extra.

More info: call 0845 200 6145 or visit  www.starclippers.co.uk.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this month ONLY - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

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MSC Introduces The Canary Islands

As the British winter slowly settles in, why not escape to sunnier climes with MSC Cruises? The Mediterranean cruise line is now offering the choice between two itineraries in the Canary Islands departing from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the largest island in the archipelago, from just £449pp for a seven-night cruise, including flights. And now is the time to book to benefit from this incredible offer - and ensure some vital vitamin D!

With calls in Las Palmas, San Sebastian, Funchal and Santa Cruz de Palma, MSC Armonia's (above) first itinerary explores the best of the Canaries, including great shopping and beach opportunities as well as blissful encounters with nature at its best. Highlights include the National Park Caldera de Taburiente in La Palma, home of one of the biggest craters in the world, and Las Cañadas, the famous circular mountain range in Tenerife.

In addition to ports of call in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Palma and Lanzarote, Armonia’s second itinerary also includes stopovers in two of Morocco’s iconic cities, Casablanca and Agadir, where guests will be able to visit sacred mosques and magical souks but also take the chance to travel further afield to the vibrant city of Marrakech. In Agadir, Morocco's surfers' paradise, pleasure seekers can relax on the beach whilst the more adventurous can venture off into the region's stunning surroundings, the majestic Anti-Atlas mountains and awe-inspiring Sahara desert.

The two itineraries can also be easily combined to offer guests an exceptional 14-night voyage.

More info: visit www.msccruises.co.uk or call 0844 561 1955. 

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

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Ponant's 25th Anniversary Special

 
Deluxe French boutique cruise line Compagnie du Ponant are celebrating their 25th anniversary with a special 25 per cent discount offer on a special Spring voyage with a Mediterranean flavour.

Atlantic/Mediterranean cruise on April 4

Take a luxury 10-day yacht cruise from Las Palmas (Canary Islands) to Malaga (Spain), sampling the best of western Mediterranean flavours on the way, including sailing along the Moroccan west coast of Africa and up the River Guadalquivir in Spain. Book now to celebrate with Ponant and enjoy 25% off – a saving of more than £500.

The voyage now costs from just £2,288 per person, based on double occupancy, cruise-only. The full itinerary includes Santa Cruz (Canary Islands), Funchal (Madeira), Casablanca (Morocco), Tangier (Morocco), sailing the Guadalquivir to Seville (Spain), Cadiz and Malaga.

Guests can watch the exceptional landscapes, get off the ship to explore some hidden gems along some spectacular coastlines and relax in style onboard L’Austral, one of Ponant’s ‘super yachts’ with 132 staterooms and suites (95% of which have a balcony), two restaurants and a full Spa.

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

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P&O Double Ex-UK Winter Sailings

P&O Cruises has doubled its ex-UK capacity next year from one ship to two as both Oceana and Oriana will sail from Southampton throughout winter 2012/13 on cruises of two to 35 nights in duration.

Oceana’s second year of winter cruising from Southampton also includes, for the first time, two short cruises for Christmas and New Year. These voyages offer the chance to spend Boxing Day in Copenhagen or New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam, for some authentic festive celebrations whilst being away for only four or seven days.

Oriana will offer seven ex-UK sailings, including a 10-night Baltic cruise in December calling in at popular Christmas market destinations such as Copenhagen and Hamburg; and a 12-night Canary Islands cruise in late January to ports including Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Casablanca.

This is in addition to the four grand winter World Cruises from January to April 2012, round-trip from Southampton, including Azura’s maiden world cruise.

For more details and booking info, be sure to check out the P&O Cruises section of leading UK cruise agents, The Cruise Line Ltd, on this link.

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Jilly Goolden Joins Fred. Olsen's Vistas programme

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is delighted to announce that wine expert Jilly Goolden (above) will be joining a Balmoral cruise to Iberia in 2012, hosting a theme of ‘Wines of Iberia’ as part of its cruise enhancement programme, Vistas. The 10-night cruise departs from Southampton on October 3, 2012, and visits Lisbon and Portimao (both Portugal), then Casablanca (Morocco), Cadiz, and La Coruna (both Spain), before returning to Southampton.

Goolden will host wine-tastings and give talks during the cruise, specialising in wines from the region, so the theme dovetails perfectly with the very attractive cruise itinerary.

Prices for this cruise start from £1,049 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes. There is no charge for attending Jilly’s talks, as part of the Vistas programme, but there may be a small charge for wines used in tastings.

For more details, visit www.fredolsencruises.com or contact the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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40,000 Free Nights With P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises is giving away 40,000 free cruise nights on cruises of seven nights or more when booked in June or July 2011.

All cruises of seven nights or more, departing between August 1 and December 31 are eligible for one free cruise night when booked by July 31.

A nine-night cruise on board Oceana departing October 17, 2011 (E128) is priced from £761 per person including a one free night saving of £95 per person. Departing from and returning to Southampton, ports of call include Vigo, Lisbon, Cadiz, Casablanca and Oporto.

For bookings throughout June and July, P&O Cruises is also offering complimentary three night pre or post-cruise city hotel stays on selected exotic cruise holidays.

Aurora’s San Francisco to Sydney cruise is a 22-night cruise from January 26 to February 18, 2012. Ports of call include San Francisco, Hilo, Honolulu, Apia, Pago Pago, Port Denarau, Auckland, Bay of Islands and Sydney. Prices start at £2,086 and include three free nights in a Sydney Hotel but do not include flights.

All prices are per person and based on two adults sharing on a full board basis including all main meals, entertainment and most facilities.

All bookings must be made before July 31, 2011. More info at www.pocruises.com or, to book, contact the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Costa Pacifica and Mediterranea To Sail New Routes This Autumn

Costa Pacifica (above) will return to Israel and Costa Mediterranean will cruise to Lisbon/Casablanca the Canary Islands and Western Mediterranean instead of the Eastern Med this autumn as Costa Cruises announces new routes for the duo.

Costa has reinstated calls to the Israel ports of Ashdod and Haifa on Costa Pacifica itineraries, where they were previously removed. On seven cruises, from September 12 to November 17, Costa's clients will once again be able to experience the unique charm of Israel.

Also during autumn 2011, instead of the previously scheduled Eastern Mediterranean cruises to Greece & Turkey, Costa Mediterranea will cruise to Lisbon and Casablanca, the Canary Islands, or Western Mediterranean, in order to meet the growing demand for these destinations.

From the beginning of October to mid November, five Greece and Turkey cruises will be replaced with three Lisbon and Casablanca and two Canary Islands cruises. Two mini-cruises, sailing November 21 and 26, will be added between the Canary Islands programme and the positioning cruise to Abu Dhabi, where Mediterranea will be deployed during winter 2011/12.

For more info, visit www.costacruises.co.uk or specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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Agatha Christie Meets Fred Olsen!

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Easter cruise to Iberia and Morocco, aboard Balmoral, will be something special. To celebrate the 120th anniversary of the birth of legendary author Agatha Christie, the cruise is being completely themed in conjunction with Agatha Christie Limited.

A highlight of this ArtsClub theme – Fred Olsen’s programme of special interests on board – will be talks and lectures on Christie and her work from exclusive guests, including her grandson Mathew Prichard, who will enthral the audience with personal memories of his grandmother.

Julius Green, producer at the Agatha Christie Theatre Company, will also be on hand to discuss the great crime writer with guests. In addition, there will be live performances of some of Christie’s rarely-heard 30-minute radio plays.

A special extra attraction can now be revealed – the chance to sample the exclusive ‘Delicious Death’ cake. This cake was specially created by Jane Asher to celebrate the 120th birthday and re-creates a deadly cake that featured in Christie’s 50th novel, A Murder is Announced (1950). In this novel, the victim has indulged in a birthday tea that includes the rich and decadent chocolate cake, before she is found dead from poisoning - although, of course, the Fred Olsen version will be entirely poison-free!

The cruise is of 10 nights, departing from Southampton on April 23. Ports of call are La Coruna (Spain), Casablanca (Morocco), Gibraltar, Portimao (Portugal) and Lisbon (Portugal), returning to Southampton. Prices are from £980 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘G’. The price includes accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes. There is no additional charge for taking part in The ArtsClub’s ‘Agatha Christie’ theme.

More details can be found at www.fredolsencruises.com/ or from cruise agent specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Cruise the Moorish Mediterranean and stay in a Moroccan riad

Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers is offering a unique opportunity to explore the history of the Mediterranean, combining the romance of a voyage through the Balearic Islands and Andalucia to Morocco with a stay in a beautiful riad in Marrakech.

This one-off cruise, on the line’s flagship, the five-masted square rigger Royal Clipper, departs Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, on October 15.

After a day exploring the dramatic medieval fortress town of Bonifacio in Corsica, the ship sets a course to Mahon, Menorca (above), Lord Nelson’s chosen base for the British fleet during the Napoleonic wars. There’s a day in Ibiza, best known for its nightlife but actually rich in history, from its Carthaginian origins to 500 years of Moorish rule. Ibiza is especially lovely in autumn, when the summer crowds have left but the sea is still warm enough for swimming.

Royal Clipper next calls at Motril on southern Spain’s Costa Tropical, an easy hop from Grenada and the magnificent Alhambra Palace. Then there’s a day at Safi in Morocco, famous for its pottery, before disembarking in Casablanca and being transferred to Marrakech.

Here, in conjunction with short break specialist Kirker Holidays, guests will spend four nights in the Riad Kniza, an exquisite town house that has been restored by one of the city’s top antique dealers, situated in the heart of the old Medina, just minutes’ walk from the famous Djemaa el Fna Square.

The riad, built around three open air courtyards, has just 11 rooms, as well as a pool, traditional hammam and roof terrace. Marrakech is a wonderful city for browsing the tangled streets of the souks, walking along the massive ramparts, soaking up the carnival atmosphere of the Square, or taking day trips into the Atlas Mountains.

From £2,199 per person, including flights to Rome and from Marrakech; eight nights’ full board on Royal Clipper; four nights’ B&B at the Riad Kniza, a three-hour private tour of Marrakech, transfers and the services of a Kirker Holidays concierge.

For more information, please visit http://www.starclippers.co.uk/ or contact the adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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The Azores, Canary Islands and Ceramic Wonders

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Sail in the wake of European explorers to the Atlantic islands that once constituted the western barrier of the known world on a small ship luxury cruise. Zegrahm Expeditions' Azores voyage begins with a visit to Spain’s Alhambra with its amazng carvings and ceramic tile patterns (above) and the famed Rock of Gibraltar. Morocco offers a sensory-filled experience from mosques to souks in the exotic cities of Casablanca, Agadir and Marrakech.

Then spend several days exploring the Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Azores. These dramatic volcanic islands feature historic architecture, lush gardens and vineyards, seabirds, beautiful beaches and colourful markets.

Zegrahm's Clipper Odyssey is also perfect for this style of voyaging, a 110-passenger luxury expedition vessel carrying a fleet of Zodiacs, which allow passengers to land anywhere nature or curiosity dictates. All cabins have an ocean view, safe, minibar, individually controlled heat/air conditioner, in-room music system, and sitting area with sofa.

Dates
May 4–20, 2011

Activities
Archaeology, Birding, Culture, Photography, Sightseeing, Wildlife viewing

For more information, visit http://www.zeco.com/ or try the UK's leading adventure cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Morocco, The Azores and The Alhambra

By guest blogger Steve Newman

May 4, 2011 • 17 days
Aboard Clipper Odyssey

Charming villages, wine tastings, volcanic hikes, camel rides, stunning scenery, colourful markets, superlative birding, and the list goes on — Zegrahm Expeditions’ Azores voyage aboard the Clipper Odyssey has it all.

Make your way from Spain’s famed Alhambra; set foot on the legendary Rock of Gibraltar; get swept away by the romance of Casablanca; sip and savour the Canary Islands; and end your voyage with five days exploring the dynamic islands that comprise the Azores. Travellers will be amazed by the myriad adventures Zegrahm Expeditions can pack into a single voyage and the sheer diversity that the eastern Atlantic has to offer.

This is no ordinary cruise, you’ll be exploring these unique destination in the company of expert leaders who bring each destination to life. Among them are ornithologist and sea bird expert, Peter Harrison; marine biologist and photographer, Jack Grove; and geologist Tom Sharpe.

For further information about Zegrahm Expeditions’ cruises, visit http://www.zeco.com/ or call the AdventureCruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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Cruise the Med for less than £40 a day!

Mediterranean specialist Louis Cruises has cut the cost of four of its late-season cruises on chic flagship Louis Majesty.

For sailings from Marseille, cruises now start at just £319 per person – for a nine-day/eight night ‘Iberian Coasts’ itinerary departing November 30.

That’s a full-scale Med cruise for less than £40 per person per night and includes full board on the ship, on-board entertainment, all port taxes and charges. All passengers have to do is get themselves to Marseille.

The ship calls at Barcelona, Alicante, Malaga, Almeria and Genoa as well as Gibraltar and the North African cities of Tangier and Casablanca.

Other, similarly discounted Louis Majesty cruises out of Marseille are:

· 31 October, nine-day ‘Tunis, Malta & Italy’ itinerary: now from £379, or just over £47 per person per night

· 20 November, 11 day ‘Moorish Coasts’ itinerary: now from £389, that’s less than £40 per person per night

· 8 December, 13 day ‘Canary Islands, Morocco & Spain’: now from £449, also less than £40 per person per night

And once on board, cruisers can save 50 per cent when it comes to drinks, paying just £12.50 per day for an all-inclusive drinks package, with unlimited glasses of beer, wine, cocktails and spirits in the ships’ bars and at meals.

All prices are per person for twin share of a Standard Inside Stateroom: other cabin types are available. Travel to/from Marseille and shore excursions are not included in the price. Marseille is served by both low cost airlines and high-speed TGV trains.

For more information, call 0800 018 3883 or look up www.louiscruises.com.

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