Azamara 2017 itineraries announced

Azamara Quest

It may only be 2014 but luxury cruise line Azamara Club Cruises is already looking forward to 2017 and has unveiled its itineraries for the year. During 2017 they will offer a total of 65 voyages to 203 ports spanning 68 countries. New ports of call for the cruise line include Kaikoura, New Zealand; Mahe, Seychelles; Yucatan, Mexico and George Town, Grand Cayman.

The itineraries planned include a selection of brand new voyages such as from Australia to Asia, Southern California to Miami via the Panama Canal, and the "Pearls along the Indian Ocean" voyage from Mumbai. Popular itineraries from previous years are also included such as the Monaco Grand Prix voyage and the Normandy, Holland, and Germany voyage.

The cruise line will also offer longer overnight stays in selected ports during 2017. One example of this is the aforementioned "Pearls along the Indian Ocean" itinerary where Azamara Journey remains docked in Mahe (Victoria) in the Seychelles for three consecutive days. Azamara Club Cruises will be complimenting longer port stays through a selection of evening tours and excursions with their Insider Access and Nights and Cool Places programmes. Examples include guided walks around illuminated landmarks at night, an after-hours museum visit, or access to live performances. Evening tours and excursions will vary from port to port and will be tailored around local cultures and events.

In winter and spring 2017, Azamara Quest will sail the West Indies, Panama Canal and Central America. Throughout summer and autumn, the ship will sail across the Mediterranean and Black Sea region. Meanwhile, Azamara Journey will sail around Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Australia and New Zealand during winter and spring 2017. She will then cruise Northern and Western Europe in the summer and autumn seasons.

(Photo credit to Azamara Club Cruises)

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Celebrity Cruises to base a ship in Abu Dhabi for winter 2016

Celebrity Cruises have demonstrated their commitment to the Emirates by basing one of their cruise ships out of Abu Dhabi for winter 2016/17. The cruise line has also announced its new sailings from India, Asia and South Pacific for 2016 and 2017, perfect for those that like to plan ahead!

An aerial photograph of Celebrity Celebrity Constellatio

Celebrity Constellation will be based in Abu Dhabi during the winter of 2016-17, offering a choice of sailings ranging from nine to 15 nights.

The highlights of the new schedule are the 12-night Arabian Sea and India itinerary or the 15 night Suez Canal itinerary.

The 12-night Arabian Sea and India itinerary, sailing from Abu Dhabi (UAE) on 28 November 2016 will call into Dubai (UAE) for an overnight stay before sailing to New Mangalore (India), Goa (India), Mumbai (India) and Khasab (Oman) before returning back to Abu Dhabi.

The 15-night epic departs on 17 April 2017 and calls into ports at Muscat (Oman), Aqaba (Jordan), Athens and Katakolon in Greece and Rome (Italy). It transits the Suez Canal passage which is an incredible experience.

Meanwhile, Celebrity Millennium will be sailing throughout Asia with a variety of itineraries on offer between 11 and 16-nights in length. The 12-night Southeast Asia Immersion cruise, departing on the 12 January 2017 on-board Celebrity Millennium starts with an overnight stop in Singapore. From here the ship calls into Bangkok (Laemchabang), Thailand (two overnight stays); Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam; Hue/Danang (Chan May), Vietnam and finally Hong Kong, China for another overnight stay. Cruise passengers have long been calling for more overnight stops to be made available and this itinerary crams as many in as is possible.

A new itinerary for 2016/7 will be one that encompasses China and Japan. Departing on 8 April 2017 the 14-night cruise begins with an overnight stay in Hong Kong (China) before sailing onto Taipei (Keelung), an overnight stay in Taiwan (China), Okinawa (Japan), Shanghai (China), Nagasaki (Japan), Kobe (Japan) and Mount Fuji (Japan) before arriving into at Tokyo (Japan).

These new 2016/7 itineraries for Abu Dhabi, India, Asia and South Pacific will go on sale on 12 December 2014.

(Photo credit to Celebrity Cruises)

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Save up to £600 in MSC Cruises turn of year sale

MSC Cruises are offering customers the chance to save up to £600 per cabin in its turn-of-year sales campaign which started this week. The offer is applicable on selected summer sailings around the Mediterranean in 2015 and on selected winter 2015/2016 itineraries.

MSC Preziosa sailing in the Mediterranean

MSC Cruises are known for offering family-friendly cruises that represent exceptional value for money, particularly on fly-cruises. Whilst many sailings are available as cruise-only offers, some allow you to bundle in flights and transfers. These fly-cruises take the hassle out of finding suitable flights and separate transfers between the airport and port. You just pay one price and MSC Cruises sort out all the paperwork.

Furthermore, unlike some other cruise lines who use budget carriers for their fly-cruise offers , MSC Cruises offer return flights from London Gatwick airport flying with British Airways. If you live too far away from Gatwick then MSC Cruises is offering the option of regional flights to Gatwick plus overnight airport hotel stay, or the chance to add car parking and a one-night hotel stay via a new partnership with A2B Transfers. Additional fees apply, and this service is subject to availability.

Discounts apply to selected summer 2015 fly-cruises on six ships. Choose MSC Magnifica and MSC Musica for Eastern Mediterranean itineraries or MSC Preziosa, MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia and MSC Armonia for Western Mediterranean itineraries. All applicable cruises depart from either the romantic city of Venice or the historic port of Genoa.

Summer sale rates start from just £549 per person based on a seven-night MSC Fantasia sailing in April 2015. This offers a discount of £300 per person from the brochure prices. If you would prefer a cabin with a view then upgrades to balcony cabins are available on all seven-night sailings for just £200 per person. Cabin availability and cruise fares are subject to availability.

Promotional fares are also available for a wide range of winter 2015/2016 itineraries sailing in the Mediterranean, The Canary Islands, the Emirates and the Caribbean.

Giles Hawke, executive director UK & Ireland for MSC Cruises, said: “These great offers are sure to be really popular so holidaymakers should get in quickly to ensure they get the sailing and cabin they want."

(Photo credit to  MSC Crociere)

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Holland America Line Opens Bookings for ms Koningsdam

Holland America Line have started to reveal more details about their latest vessel known as ms Koningsdam. This contemporary cruise ship is due to go into service in February 2016 and this week marks the start of bookings being taken for her initial sailings.

A rendering of Holland America's latest cruise ship Koningsdam

Once Holland America Line take delivery of Koningsdam from Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, near Venice, Italy, she will be repositioned to Civitavecchia (for Rome). Her maiden voyage will be a seven-day sailing departing on 20 February 2016 and will see this brand new cruise ship call in at Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kérkira (Corfu) and Katakolon (Olympia), Greece; and Naples, Italy before returning back to Civitavecchia.

Between February and early May she will then sail six 12-day alternating itineraries. The first is called the “Greek & Turkish Treasures” itinerary and this sees the ship call in at Katakolon, Piraeus (Athens), Rhodes and Crete, Greece; Istanbul (overnight) and Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey; and Naples, Italy.

Conversely, the “Mediterranean Mosaic” itinerary calls in at the ports of Naples, Italy; Palermo, Sicily; Cagliari, Sardinia; Gibraltar, British Territory; and Cádiz, Málaga, Cartagena and Barcelona (overnight), Spain.

For clients who wish to experience both itineraries, these can be combined into an epic 24-day back-to-back Collectors’ Voyage covering the Mediterranean and Athenian Seas. Similarly, the maiden seven-day Premier Voyage and the 27 February 2016 12-day Mediterranean Mosaic voyage can be combined to form a 19-day Collectors’ Voyage through a back-to-back cruise.

From the preview of Koningsdam it is very clear that she will be designed as a refreshingly modern and contemporary vessel, whilst retaining the trademark Holland America Line touches. 68 per cent of the cabins will come with a balcony, 32 cabins will be family ocean-view staterooms and there will also be 12 single occupancy ocean-view cabins too.

These initial itineraries went on sale on the 1 December. Details of the vessel’s summer and winter itineraries are being finalised by the line and are expected to be released early in 2015.

(Photo credit to Holland America Line)

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