Disney Cruise Line reveals ports and itineraries for 2016

Disney Cruise Line introduces two popular Caribbean destinations -- Tortola, British Virgin Islands and Martinique -- into the line-up of favourite tropical itineraries for early 2016. The return to the homeport of San Juan, Puerto Rico brings a new itinerary that includes Martinique.

From the warm Caribbean culture of Tortola, capital of the British Virgin Islands, to theFrench island of Martinique (above) , these destinations provide Disney Cruise Line guests the chance to relax on beaches, discover natural wonders and indulge in local shopping and cuisine.

Bookings opened to the public on 30 Oct. More details on 2016 itineraries can be found on Itineraries and Ports for 2016.

Port Canaveral to Eastern Caribbean, including Tortola

In 2016, Disney Cruise Line will sail from Port Canaveral, Fla. on a seven-night itinerary to the Eastern Caribbean, including a call at Tortola and Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.

Ports: Port Canaveral; Tortola; St. Thomas; Castaway Cay

Departure dates: Disney Fantasy: 2, 16, 30  Jan;    13, 27 Feb;    2, 26 March;    9, 23 April ;  Disney Magic:  3, 17  April

Rates start at £699 per person for seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises for a category 11C standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are not included.

San Juan to Southern Caribbean, including Martinique

Disney Cruise Line returns to San Juan, Puerto Rico in early 2016 as the Disney Wonder sails four seven-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean, including a stop in Martinique on a new itinerary for Disney.

Ports: San Juan; Barbados; Grenada; Martinique; Antigua; St. Kitts

Departure dates: 10, 17, 24, 31  Jan

Rates start at £612 per person for seven-night cruises from San Juan for a category 11C standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are not included.

Port Canaveral and Miami to the Bahamas and Caribbean

In 2016, Disney Cruise Line will sail from Port Canaveral and Miami to the Bahamas and Caribbean on a variety of itineraries. All of these cruises include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

From Port Canaveral, rates start at £234 per person for three-night cruises, £312 per person for four-night cruises and £699 per person for seven-night cruises for a category 11C standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are not included.

From Miami, rates start at £220 per person for four-night cruises and £275 per person for five-night cruises for a category 11C standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are not included.

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Saga's Treasures Of The Caribbean

We're on to Day 4 of our wonderful Saga Week with Saga Cruises, and today's story takes a rather different form, with a fun look at a typical Caribbean cruise...

Sunshine, Moonlight, Good Times, Boogie - the Pirates of the Caribbean party was rocking to The Jacksons’ dance track as Saga Sapphire sailed out of St Lucia.

If ever there was an anthem for our cruise, this was it. With the rum punch flowing, passengers spilled from the deck to the balconies, synchronising dance moves, singing to the music and shimmying under the stars.

We had started the day by gliding through the rainforest canopy on an aerial tram and, as temperatures reached 28C, we cooled off with a swim in Marigot Bay, a picture-postcard cove where filming of the Dr Doolittle movie took place.

Still buzzing from the party, we docked in St Vincent and arranged a trip to the tiny island of Bequia (above). A glistening guard of flying fish raced our speedboat across the 6,000ft-deep rolling sea, only dropping back when we entered Admiralty Bay.

On the waterfront we chose Mac’s cafe for lobster pizza and the pre-requisite rum punch al fresco while midnight-blue hummingbirds hovered within arm’s reach. Our One Day in Paradise was over too soon. We had joined the jet-set for a day by sharing the cost of a speedboat between a group of eight.

Another indulgence was to take a 45-minute helicopter ride from Antigua to Montserrat, the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean before a volcano erupted in 1997.

Next stop was nearby St Kitts, after a gentle overnight sailing we grabbed a cab to tour the island. Other passengers opted for the scenic railway, once the sugar train which transported cane to the mills. We stopped off­ at Ottley’s Plantation Inn, a 15-minute drive from the port. This 35-acre estate was once a haunt of Princess Margaret - and no wonder - with the poolside dining area offering panoramic views over the sea to Nevis. We, too, were treated like royalty at this friendly and surprisingly laid-back retreat. We took a stroll round the estate to walk off lunch to admire the beautiful gardens.

And so on to Martinique (above), with its very French feel. Snorkelling was the order of the day. Prospect, our guide, showed us the way and we jumped into the clear, clear water like a bunch of excited schoolchildren. With beginners’ luck a turtle swam alongside and everyone on the ship heard about it for days.

Saga Sapphire sailed on to Trinidad where we found Port of Spain empty on ‘the morning after the night before’ Fantastic Friday carnival celebrations. We drove past Queen’s Park Oval and talked about the days when the West Indies cricket team were at their peak – and how Brian Lara once scored 375 and 400 against England. Ouch.

Next stop, Grenada, so pretty and relaxed after show time in Trinidad. At Mollinere Beach we snorkelled over James de Caries’ underwater sculptures. The 14ft-deep artwork was thought-provoking and all the better for the vast numbers of tropical fish which proved a delightful distraction.

How couldn’t we be pleased? We had woken up to a different view every day, ate breakfast in the sunshine, explored island after island and spent the evenings getting a taste for fine dining and, of course, dancing the night away.

Sunshine, Moonlight, Good Times, Boogie - and a cruise to remember forever.

Factfile: A similar cruise, Treasures of the Caribbean, departs on January 13, 2015, from Southampton. The 35-night all-inclusive cruise starts from £5,999 per person calling in at Funchal, Madeira; Porto Grande (Sao Vincente, Cape Verde); Scarborough, Tobago; Hillsborough, Carriacou Island; St George’s, Grenada; Kingstown, St Vincent; Bridgetown, Barbados; Roseau, Dominica; Little Bay, Montserrat; Blowing Pint Anguillla; St John’s Antigua; Ponte del Garda, Sao Miguel; Lisbon, Portugal; Southampton.

Price includes VIP door-to-door travel service, all house-brand alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks, all meals, 24-hour room service, entertainment and porterage.

More info: call 0800 096 0074 or visit http://travel.saga.co.uk/holidays/ocean-cruise.

For a longer version of this story see our News pages at the World of Cruising website, presented by Saga Cruises, on this link.

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Swan Hellenic’s Caribbean Lure

Here's a great opportunity to enjoy a couple of distinctive cruises with Swan Hellenic, with their special Saver Fares and NO single supplement this year.

First, they are offering a 17-day "From the Caribbean to the Canaries" cruise, departing March 29, with the chance to explore historic plantation houses in Barbados, breathtaking views of the famous volcanic Pitons in St Lucia before discovering the little visited Iles des Saintes group of islands in Guadeloupe. Other highlights of this voyage include the stunning Fort de France, Martinique, the Cape Verde Islands and the volcanic island of Tenerife. Prices start from £3,800pp for a balcony cabin and £1,999 for an inside cabin if booked by  February 28.

Or you can save up to £200pp on the "Scandinavian Spring" 12-day cruise, departing April 28. This voyage explores Scandinavia in full bloom in partnership with Royal Horticultural Society Holidays, taking in beautiful gardens in Frederiksborg, Gothenburg and Bergen. Taking in the quaint canals and cobbled streets of historic Gothenburg, Minerva then cruises through the beautiful Southern Archipelago before sailing into the heart of the vibrant city of Oslo and exploring smaller fjords such as Akrafjord. Prices start from £1,980pp for an inside cabin. Solo travellers can also benefit from a 0% Single Supplement on standard outside cabins if booked by February 28.

Prices include return flights to/from the UK (for fly cruises), gratuities onboard and ashore, all relevant overseas transfers, meals, a comprehensive series of Guest Speaker talks and selected shore excursions.

More info: call 0844 417 1939 or visit www.swanhellenic.com.

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Sail The Caribbean With John Craven

                          

Countryfile presented John Craven will be the special guests aboard a Star Clippers voyage around the Caribbean next January, when the long-time TV star will be talking about his varied career in the media.

John will join Royal Clipper (above) in Barbados on January 25 for a week-long Grenadines voyage to Grenada, the idyllic Tobago Cays, volcanic St Vincent, Bequia, Martinique and mountainous St Lucia, one of the most lush and beautiful of the Caribbean islands. During the week, he will make two presentations about his life and his long TV career, as well as accompanying guests on two excursions. In Grenada, known as the Spice Island, the tour includes a visit to a nutmeg cooperative to learn about the island’s spice production, as well as a swim at Concord Falls. In Martinique, John will accompany guests on a tour of Fort de France and the Botanical Gardens of Balata. He will be available in the evenings to mingle with guests and answer any questions over dinner or a drink.

John Craven presented Newsround from 1972 to 1989, leaving in 1989 to join Countryfile, which he still hosts, aged 73. He was awarded the OBE in 2000 for services to rural and children’s broadcasting and more recently, in 2011, accepted a children’s BAFTA award for his contribution to Newsround.

Star Clippers is offering this unique voyage as a nine-night stay-and-cruise holiday, departing the UK on January 23 and including two nights at the luxurious Tamarind on the ‘Platinum’ west coast of Barbados before joining Royal Clipper. It is priced from £2,459 per person including flights from the UK, transfers, two nights’ B&B at the Tamarind, seven nights’ full board on the five-masted tall ship, cocktail party, John Craven’s talks, two escorted excursions and port taxes. As a cruise-only option departing January 25, the seven-night voyage costs from £1,455 per person.

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

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Make A Date With The New Voyager

Join Voyages of Discovery’s new ship MV Voyager from just £999 per person this winter with a fabulous opening cruise offer for their latest vessel. With the countdown now well under way to the December launch, the discovery cruise line is also offering a range of special offers across the Winter 2012-13 season, including complimentary shore excursions and reduced flight fare upgrades on selected cruises. Plus all those booking an outside cabin will also receive £50 onboard credit per cabin.

This winter sees Voyager travel to South America, Central America and the Caribbean for her inaugural season, with the 540-passenger ship undertaking its final month-long refurbishment in Portland before sailing to its home port of Portsmouth in early December.

Highlights of the new offers include:

Voyage to the Caribbean, from £999 per person: cruise departs from Portsmouth before calling at La Coruna, Madeira, St. Kitts, Antigua, Martinique and Barbados (overnight). Price is based on a December 4 departure and guests can take advantage of flight upgrades to Premium Economy for just £100 per person when booking a category BC cabin or above.

South America’s Pacific Shore, from £1,999 per person: cruise departs from Manta (Ecuador, overnight) and calls at Santiago de Guayaquil (Ecuador), Salaverry (Peru), Callao (Peru, overnight), General San Martin (Peru), and Arica, Coquimbo and Valparaiso (all Chile). Price is based on a January 21 departure. A complimentary flight is available (on higher cabin grade bookings only), over the Nazca Lines as part of the shore excursion programme in Peru.

Prices include return flights from a major UK airport, relevant transfers, all on board gratuities, service charges and relevant port/airport taxes, a comprehensive Guest Speaker programme and all meals and entertainment on board. Cabins will not be allocated at the time of booking with the fares quoted above.

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

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100 Days To Voyager

To celebrate 100 days to go until the launch of Voyages of Discovery’s new ship, MV Voyager, guests booking an outside cabin on any winter 2012/13 cruise on board will receive £100 credit per cabin on all bookings made by September 30.

Voyages of Discovery announced just last month that the final refurbishment work on the 540-passenger ship will be carried out in Portland Port in the UK by Northern Ireland-based international contracting company, Mivan, before setting sail on its maiden voyage on December 4.

The celebratory £100 onboard credit offer is available on all winter itineraries on the company's new vessel, including:

• Voyage to the Caribbean – 18-day cruise departing December 4 from £999 per person. Departs from Portsmouth before calling at La Coruna (Spain), Funchal (Madeira), St. Kitts (Basseterre/Nevis), Antigua (British West Indies), Martinique (French West Indies) and Barbados (overnight). 

• A Tapestry of Central America – 21-day cruise sailing January 4 from £2,839 per person. Departs from Montego Bay (Jamaica, overnight) before calling at Progreso (Mexico), Belize City (Belize), Puerto Cortes (Honduras), Puerto Limon (Costa Rica), Cartagena (Colombia), San Blas Islands (Panama), Balboa (Panama) and Manta (Ecuador). 

• Natural Wonders of Latin America – 22-day cruise departing February 5 from £3,049 per person. Departs from Valparaiso (Chile, overnight) before calling at Puerto Montt (Chile), Puerto Chacabuco (Chile), Punta Arenas (Chile), Ushuaia (Argentina), Port Stanley (Falkland Islands), Puerto Madryn (Argentina) and Buenos Aires (overnight).

Key additions to Voyager during the refurbishment include the introduction of an explorer theme across the whole ship, a new piano bar – Scott’s Lounge - a new speciality restaurant, a ‘look-out’ lounge and an al fresco dining terrace with all-weather awning. The ship will offer a choice of 270 cabins, 87% of which are outside and 30 of which have balconies.

NB: Price for all cruises includes return flights to a London airport and overseas transfers (where applicable), talks by eminent Guest Speakers, meals and entertainment on board, all on board gratuities and all relevant port and airport taxes/fees. Onboard credit offer is available on outside cabin bookings only.

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

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MSC Cruises Introduces French Antilles

MSC Cruises is delighted to announce the introduction of the French Antilles as a new destination for the 2012-2013 winter season. Complemented by an extensive array of fascinating shore excursions, this is an unmissable opportunity for guests to experience this idyllic region at first hand. 

The inaugural voyage begins on November 30 when MSC Lirica departs from Genoa, Italy, for a 16-day transatlantic cruise, arriving at her new home port in Martinique just over two weeks later.  

Lirica's course will take her from the Mediterranean through the Atlantic and on to the Caribbean, with scheduled stops in Marseilles, Barcelona, Funchal and, after five full days at sea, Bridgetown in Barbados. Scheduled stops then follow in Saint George in Grenada, Basseterre in Saint Kitts & Nevis and Castries in Saint Lucia, arriving in Fort-de-France in Martinique on December 15.

From December to February 16, 2013, Lirica has a full schedule of ten 7-day/8-night cruises, departing every Saturday from Fort-de-France and every Sunday from Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. 

During these Caribbean experiences, guests will discover not only the breathtaking beauty but also the rich history of the islands, with scheduled stops in St John’s in Antigua & Barbuda; Road Town on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands; Santo Domingo and La Romana in the Dominican Republic and Philipsburg in St Maarten. 

The French Antilles will bid farewell to Lirica on February 23, when she starts her 16-day/15-night return cruise to Genoa. Scheduled stops are Pointe-à-Pitre, Castries, Funchal, Malaga, Barcelona and Marseille.

For more information follow this link to the UK's leading cruise agent specialists, the Cruise Line Ltd.

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