Famous Explorer Aboard Fred Olsen's Arctic Voyage

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines' Balmoral will have a very special guest lecturer aboard the 16-night ‘Arctic Mountains, Fjords & Polar Bears’ cruise, which departs Southampton on July 26 - Sue Stockdale, the first British woman to ski to the North Pole, who will be aboard as part of the Vistas enrichment programme.

After leaving Southampton, the cruise calls first at Ǻlesund in Norway. This pretty town was destroyed by fire in 1904 and completely rebuilt in Art Nouveau style and is one of the most picturesque places in the country. After this call, Balmoral heads north into the Arctic Circle. She calls at Tromsø, surrounded by snow-capped peaks even in summer, then on up to Honningsvǻg for the North Cape – the very ‘top of Europe’. 

The next two ports are even further north. Longyearbyen, Svalbard, enjoys daylight around-the-clock in the summer months. The town has 1,600 inhabitants and reindeer can be seen roaming the streets. Originally a mining town, it has a museum dedicated to its mining and whaling history. Next port, Ny Alesund, is the most northerly permanent settlement in the world and is home to a scientific research centre.

Balmoral then begins her journey south, visiting Kristiansund, famous for its Klippfish (dried cod) Museum, and, finally, the pretty fjord land village of Olden, before returning to Southampton.

Prices for this memorable voyage start from £1,879 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 extra charge for taking part in Vistas activity.

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

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Cunard's Sisters in Norway

Norway saw two of Cunard's liners together in the country for the first time this week as both Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria sailed through the Fjords, and are pictured here at Flaam, near Sognefjord, where they called for a day. In true Cunard style, the sisters saluted each other several times with the echoes of their whistles reverberating through the mountains for long periods after the initial blasts.

Queen Victoria is currently on a 14-night 'Norwegian Fjords and North Cape Discovery' voyage (which will include a maiden call at Ny-Alesund in Spitsbergen and in Trondheim) while Queen Elizabeth completes her one-week 'Fjords and Waterfalls' voyage by returning to Southampton tomorrow.

For more information about Cunard cruises, follow this link to The Cruise Line the UK's cruising specialists. 

 

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Strictly Goes To Sea With P&O

P&O Cruises will have top names from the highly-rated BBC programme Strictly Come Dancing on two Oriana cruises in 2012 to entertain and inform passengers - and fans of the lavish ballroom dance spectacular.

Guest can choose from a 12-night Canary Islands cruise on May 28 and a 14-night Norwegian Fjords cruise on July 14, when they can learn how to jive, foxtrot, rumba, quickstep and more from the professionals and join acerbic judge Craig Revel-Horwood for a night in the theatre.

As some of Strictly’s most loved professionals show off their award-winning routines, passengers will also be able to see a collection of the exquisitely intricate costumes worn by the celebrities and stars in this series.

Prices for Oriana’s Canaries cruise start at £1,349 per person. It sails round-trip from Southampton and calls at Ponta Delgada, Horta, Madeira, Gran Canaria, Lisbon and Vigo. The 14-night fjords cruise starts from £1,599 per person, again round-trip from Southampton, calling at Stavanger, Alesund, Trondheim, Ny Alesund, Tromso, Bergen, Eidfjord and Hardangerfjord.

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

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The Quad Berth Expedition

Following recent reports that the price of cruising in the Antarctic is set to rise, adventure travel specialist G Adventures has announced the introduction of its brand new - and better value - quad berths onboard their M/S Expedition.

The new quad berth cabins will be available for the 2012 Arctic and Antarctic season providing more capacity for travellers onboard, welcome news at a time when industry prices are set to rise, due to the recent introduction of new fuel regulations banning the use of heavy oil in this region.

Here's a typical G Adventures Arctic voyage:

Realm of the Polar Bear

Price: £2269pp; category 1A Quad; departure, July 6, 2012; duration, 8 days.
Description: Spot whales and polar bears, explore incredible scenery, brave the Arctic waters swimming, encounter Ny-Ålesund, birdlife and glaciers, discover breathtaking ice-covered fjords, glimpse herds of Svalbard’s many species of reindeer and take in daily lectures.

For more information, visit www.gadventures.com or contact the UK's adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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The World's Most Northerly Train

(Continuing my day-by-day look at my epic Arctic voyage with Hurtigruten)

Welcome to the world's most northerly settlement at Ny Alesund, with what must be the world's most northerly train. Now just a museum piece, she rusts away quietly after pulling wagons of coal to the port for some thirty years.

Another day of fabulous scenery and fantastic history and wildlife, too. Reindeer, brent goose and ivory gull were all spotted today, with us cruising close to some incredible glaciers.

I wish had more time and space to tell you about this wonderful place but I guess you'll have to wait for it to appear in World of Cruising next month!

This place is surrounded by signs warning you not to go outside the settlement as polar bears are around. All the houses have shovels and skis by the doors, with 4x4s parked outside.

You can find out more at www.hurtigruten.co.uk or, to book, visit the adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Follow Prince Harry, says Hurtigruten

Prince Harry is currently in Spitsbergen preparing to take part in the first section of a charity hike to the North Pole, accompanying four wounded soldiers on a 200-mile (320km) trek aimed at raising money for British veterans' charity. http://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/

Further north than Siberia, Alaska and most of Greenland is the archipelago of Svalbard. Spitsbergen is Svalbard’s largest island. The island is renowned for its magnificent fjords, calving glaciers and impressive mountains.

Follow in Harry’s footsteps with a voyage in Spitsbergen with Hurtigruten and experience a landscape of breathtaking fjords and gigantic glaciers, all set before a magical backdrop of jagged mountain peaks.

A six-day Polar Encounters voyage departs on 27 or 31 July and 7 August on board MS Fram. During the voyage passengers will visit Barentsburg, North West Spitsbergen National Park, Liefdefjorde and the Monaco Glacier, Moffen Island, Ny Alesund (the northernmost permanently inhabited Arctic Research Station on earth) and much more. Landings take place on polar circle boats to get even closer to the nature. Priced from £2,393 per person to include four night’s full board on the ship, one night’s B&B accommodation in Longyearbyen, return flights from Oslo to Longyearbyen and transfers. Flights from Heathrow to Oslo are extra and can be booked by Hurtigruten, with prices from £445pp (includes one night in Oslo hotel).

For more info, visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk or the UK's leading adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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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