Expedition cruise in the Atlantic provinces of Canada

kylefoto.com

Polar expedition experts One Ocean Expeditions are introducing a new 10-day cruise in the Atlantic Provinces of Canada visiting Nova Scotia, Quebec and Newfoundland and  the French territory of Saint Pierre et Miquelon in July 2015.

Starting in Louisbourg on the southeast coast of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, the journey will showcase the beauty, rich marine life, fishing and Celtic cultures of otherwise inaccessible outports and islands of the Maritime East Coast. 

Highlights of the voyage will include the shipwrecks and wild ponies of Sable Island and Canada’s newest National Park, Bird Island; Quebec’s Magdalen Islands, the iconic Bonaventure Island, and the culturally rich Gaspe Peninsula and Anticosti Island.  This departure will also take guests to the spectacular Gros Morne National Park and the isolated marine community of Francois, as well as crossing the French border at St-Pierre et Miquelon, before returning to Louisbourg.

The East Coast Wildlife Safari takes place from 7 to 16 July, 2015.  Prices start from £4,450 per person sharing a twin cabin including all meals and accommodation on board, Zodiac excursions and landings, ship transfers and foul weather gear. Flights are not included.

Subscribe to World of Cruising magazine here          Follow us on Facebook 

Adventure Cruising blog

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.

Fred. Olsen's British Bonanza

Fred. Olsen’s 2014/15 cruise programme will see it sailing from an amazing variety of UK ports, with all of Southampton, Dover, Harwich, Liverpool, Newcastle, Rosyth (for Edinburgh), Greenock (for Glasgow), Belfast and the newly-added ports of Tilbury and Avonmouth now on their Brit-list, further enhancing the line's reputation as the ‘local, global cruise line.'

In 2014/15, they will also be making even more overnight stops in spectacular cities worldwide, in response to guests’ desire to spend more time ashore in the ports they visit. Fred. Olsen will also be working with destination ports to create an even greater link between its cruises and local events, such as the Baltic Festivals of Kieler Woche in Kiel, Germany, and the world-renowned Jazz Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Highlights of the new cruise season include:

• The Undiscovered Adriatic from Avonmouth, a 28-night cruise departing on May 17, taking in Sicily, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Hvar and Koper (Slovenia), as well as Venice and Athens.

• A 32-night Canada & New York cruise, departing from Southampton on September 1, visiting Canada’s eastern seaboard when the Fall foliage will be at its best, with overnight stays in Quebec, Boston and New York.

• A very different Caribbean cruise, of 34 nights, with an overnight stay in Havana, Cuba, as well as stopovers in Bermuda, the Bahamas and Grand Turk, plus plenty of other favourites.

• Two fabulous 28-night Black Sea cruises, one from Liverpool in October and the other from Southampton in June, both with visits to Athens, overnight stays in Istanbul, and cruising deep into the Black Sea and the Crimea.

• Five ‘In Search of the Northern Lights’ cruises to Norway in February and March, and Fred. Olsen’s first winter season in its historic homeland, in November and December, to give guests the chance to marvel at one of Nature’s most awe-inspiring phenomena, the Northern Lights.

Fred. Olsen will be offering many new destinations in 2014/15, which promise a wealth of unforgettable holiday experiences. For instance, there will be an impressive 13 maiden calls on Balmoral’s Asia Grand Voyage in 2015: Galle (Sri Lanka), Ujang Pandang (Indonesia), Naha (Okinawa, Japan), Tokyo, Nagasaki, Jeju City (South Korea), Dalian (China), Nha Trang (Vietnam), Nathon (Thailand), Malacca (Malaysia), Hambantota (Sri Lanka), Utheemu (North Thiladhunmathee Atoll, Maldives) and Uligamu (Ihavandhippolhu Atoll, Maldives).

More info: www.fredolsencruises.com for full terms and conditions.

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!

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.

Crystal's New England Golf Bonanza

For the first time in three years, Crystal Cruises’ popular Golf-themed cruise is revisiting New England/Canada, with a new itinerary and new courses along the way. From Boston to Montréal, golf enthusiasts can relish the New England Indian Summer while playing at premier clubs and gleaning tips from golf legend Billy Casper and PGA coach John Clark.

The 10-night cruise aboard Crystal Symphony departs September 16 and features maiden visits to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and Baie-Comeau, Québec, plus overnight stays in Boston and Montréal. 

Guests can practice their swing at:

• NEW: The Algonquin at St. Andrews-by-the-Sea (New Brunswick) – A historic course with a back nine waterfront sequence that has been challenging golfers of every skill level for more than 100 years.
• NEW: Le Blainevillier (Montréal) – Set in dense forest, with each of the 36 challenging holes isolated from each other.
• NEW: Chester (Lunenburg, Nova Scotia) – A classic New England par 70, where golfers tee off right on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
• Granite Links (Boston) – One of Golf Digest’s “50 Best,” with rolling fairways and greens elevated to nearly 300ft above sea level, providing impressive views.
• La Tempête (Québec City) – Québec City’s first metropolitan world-class course, spanning 200 picturesque acres.
• Kebo Valley (Bar Harbor) – A haven for precise golfers, with small greens and long terrains, right by Acadia’s Cadillac Mountain.

The full scope of Crystal’s theme programme is available for guests purchasing three or more rounds of golf and includes a VIP Golfers welcome cocktail reception; welcome kits with course info and gifts; complimentary storage and cleaning of clubs and shoes; and private group clinics with the golf pro. 

Golfing excursions include round-trip transportation to each course accompanied by a Crystal escort or pro; 45-minute warm-up; golf carts or caddies (where available); and pre-/post-round refreshments and cocktails. Casper also plays with all guests, speaks about his life and career and hosts a final awards party. Practice putting greens, driving ranges, golf clinics and private lessons are available on every Crystal cruise.   

All-inclusive fly/cruise fares for the New England cruise visiting Boston, Bar Harbor, Saint John, Lunenburg, Baie-Comeau, Saguenay, Québec City and Montréal, start at £3,492 per person if booked by June 28. Fares for the golf club Crystal Adventures start at $291 per person (cruise price includes £545 saving per person if booked by June 28).

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

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.

Cunard's Grand New Programme

With three ships now in the fleet, Cunard Line has announced its widest ever range of voyages for 2012, with 84 voyages visiting 129 ports and 48 countries around the world. The launch is supported by a comprehensive range of Early Booking incentives including, for the first time, an additional 10% saving on all voyages booked before May 31.

Cunard Line will celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and Her Majesty’s long association with Cunard, with a unique Three Queens Event in Southampton on June 5, 2012, the Bank Holiday Jubilee Celebration.

Queen Elizabeth will spend the first half of the summer sailing out of Southampton before setting off on her inaugural Mediterranean Fly-Voyage season from Venice, Civitavecchia (Rome) and Athens on a series of 12-night voyages. In early 2013 she will embark on a new Pacific Islands voyage, offering a 91-night sailiing from Southampton or a 36-night voyage from Los Angeles.

Queen Victoria has developed a very loyal following and will spend the summer sailing out of Southampton to the most popular Northern Europe and Mediterranean destinations. A new feature will be overnight stays in Amsterdam, Hamburg, Istanbul, St Petersburg, Madeira and Venice – giving guests more time to experience the destinations.

Queen Mary 2 goes from strength to strength on her unique Transatlantic Voyages and will cross the Atlantic 20 times during 2012. She will also offer voyages to Northern Europe, Canada and New England and a new 16-night Central Mediterranean voyage. The Transatlantic is fast becoming a ‘must do’ choice for regular cruisers.

The programme goes on sale worldwide on April 4. Other highlights include:

Value for Money - This year, Cunard is offering exceptional savings to those booking prior to May 31. For example, Early Booking Savings of up to £900 per couple are available on a typical 12-night voyage. There is also complimentary onboard spending available of between $40 and $1000 per couple on Mediterranean fly-cruises and transatlantic crossings. And complimentary car parking is available to guests booking 2012 Southampton round-trip voyages with durations of five nights or more (excluding round-trip transatlantic crossings and World Voyages).

Overnight Stays – Feedback from passengers has shown that they would like to spend more time in big-hitting destinations, so all three ships will now offer overnight stays that include Amsterdam, Venice, Rome, Hamburg, St Petersburg, Boston, Quebec, Madeira and Barcelona.

Traditional Values – As the pace of life accelerates, the values, traditions and White Star Service experienced with Cunard are gaining more and more recognition, both from loyal Cunarders and with first-timers to the brand. For example, on many cruise lines shorts can often be seen in dining rooms. This would never happen on a Cunard ship. Dancing is going through a renaissance through high-profile television programmes in many countries. With state-of-the-art ball rooms, the biggest dance floors at sea, big bands and dance hosts, Cunard is setting the standards and attracting many passengers who hanker for a taste of tradition and class.

For more information, visit http://www.cunard.co.uk/ or contact the specialist agents 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.

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

Crystal Cruises + Canada/New England = Cruise Perfection

We are just back from a truly sublime 12-day voyage with Crystal Cruises from Montreal (above) to New York, taking in large parts of the late Fall Foliage scene through Canada and New England.

This was a brand new area for us, cruise-wise, and came as quite a revelation. In company with Crystal's peerless style, it makes for an absolute stunner of a cruise, with plenty of captivating ports of call, superb onboard ambience and an almost non-stop backdrop of eye-catching scenery.

The ports were the Canadian quartet of Montreal, Quebec, Halifax and St John, followed by Portland (Maine), Boston and Newport (Rhode Island). Each one offered a level of interest and diversity that can usually only be found in the most port-intensive of Mediterranean or Northern Europe itineraries, and there was much that came as a real surprise in terms of the activities, sight-seeing, history and, most importantly, the food en route.

We'll try to provide a few more details here on Time Spent At Sea in the coming weeks, but look for a BIG feature focus on this cruise, and the region as a whole, throughout 2011 in World of Cruising.

It is almost 15 years since we did a full cruise with Crystal and it certainly served to underline that nobody does it better in terms of big-ship deluxe voyaging, with the food and service quite superb. The onboard entertainment was first class and the relaxation factor was also noticeable in the comfort of one of their Penthouse deck staterooms (well worth paying the extra for, in our opinion) and we left with that rare feeling of real regret at the end of the 12 days!

Crystal Symphony may be 15 years old these days but her classic styling still make her seem new, she has been wonderfully well maintained and her 2009 refurbishment added a real touch of class to many staterooms and the Lido Deck.

We'd also have to say that this is a real thinking person's cruise. It is not an all-action, non-stop barrage of sunshine, beaches and activity, but it IS an absolutely fascinating look at a part of the world that is not too busy at this time of year (late September and October) and offers a lot to enchant and beguile in a subtle, sophisticated manner.

Standout ports were the UNESCO world heritage city of Quebec, the two-day visit to brilliant Boston, and the small-scale charm (and opulence!) of Newport, but every single stop included something new, vibrant and attractive, and that is a rare commodity these days.

The real test of any cruise is usually the question - would we want to go back? If it was the exact same voyage, and with Crystal - indisputably!

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.