Tauck's New Seine Sensations

Highly-rated escorted tour and river-cruise specialists Tauck have two new-for-2014 itineraries on the Seine. in the shape of the "Cruising the Seine Plus Versailles, Paris & London" tour and a fabulous new "Rendezvous On The Seine" option.

The former costs from $6,790 per person (plus airfare) and is a comprehensive two-week journey that begins with an included two-night stay in London at the landmark Savoy, featuring guided sightseeing plus a Tauck-exclusive lecture by Winston Churchill's biographer and grand-daughter Celia Sandys. After travelling via high-speed train beneath the English Channel to Calais, guests will board the MS Swiss Sapphire in Caudubec-en-Caux for a nine-day cruise along the Seine.

Highlights along the river will include an excursion to Normandy's D-Day beaches, an exclusive dinner with music at a private chateau in Rouen, and private tastings of absinthe in the Absinthe Museum in Auvers-sur-Oise and Calvados at Chateau du Breuil, a distiller of the spirit since the 1500s. The journey continues in Paris, where the Swiss Sapphire will dock for three nights to allow guests enjoy an in-depth exploration of the city with included sightseeing. The 14-day itinerary concludes with a two-night stay in Versailles at the Trianon Palace Versailles, a Waldorf Astoria property, highlighted by an exploration of the Chevreuse Valley and a visit to the 12th-century Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay.                    
 
Tauck's second new French itinerary, "Rendezvous on the Seine," (10 days from $4,590 per person, plus airfare) also begins with an included two-night stay in Paris, at the Hotel Pullman close to the Eiffel Tour. A subsequent seven-day cruise on the Seine includes ports-of-call at Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Giverney (where guests will visit the home and gardens of Impressionist painter Claude Monet), Vernon, Les Andelys and Rouen. Highlights include a farm visit and tasting of local farm-to-table specialties in Étretat, a visit to the seaside town of Honfleur, a lecture on the events of D-Day followed by a tour of Normandy's iconic beaches, and guided visits to historic abbeys and chateaux.

For more info, see Tauck's website at http://www.tauck.com/.

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The Romantic Viking Cruise!

This Valentine's Day, Viking River Cruises is offering the perfect trips for anyone who wants to surprise their partner with a romantic river cruise in 2013. The Danube and the Seine are known for their prestigious beauty and illustrious history and, with Viking, the rivers will also offer the perfect route to a memorable Valentine's gift. The Romantic Danube This 8-day journey on board one of Viking’s stylish Longships travels through the heart of Germany, Austria and Hungry on the international waterway of the Danube. Sail between the divided city of Budapest (above) and under the grand Chain Bridge, take a half-day city tour of Vienna, visiting the quaint village of Passau and cruise between the soaring gorges and take in the stunning scenery through the Wachau Valley. The eight-day itinerary costs from £1,245 per person, based on two people sharing. This price includes return economy flights, all meals on board, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, six guided tours (visiting four UNESCO World Heritage Sites), a Hungarian evening show, a classical music performance and all port charges, airport taxes and transfers.

Paris & the Heart of Normandy On this 8-day journey, the Viking Pride sails from the ‘city of love’, Paris, and through breathtaking Normandy visiting the likes of Rouen, Les Andelys, Giverny and Conflans before ending back to picturesque Paris. Itinerary highlights include the Gothic architecture of Rouen, exquisite gardens of Giverny and the historic shoreline of the Normandy beaches. It costs from £1,195 per person, based on two people sharing. This price includes return economy flights, all meals on board, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, six guided tours (visiting three UNESCO World Heritage Sites), French lessons, wine-making demonstrations and tastings, plus all port charges, airport taxes and transfers. For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury river-cruise specialists.

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The Romantic Seine With APT

Eight-Day Tour: Paris - Vernon - Giverny - Rouen - Pays d’Auge - Les Andelys - Conflans - Paris

Departs: August 2, 2013  Priced: from £2,395

The Seine has been an important waterway since Roman times, with a place at the heart of the histories of French cities such as Paris, Rouen and Le Havre. With APT River Cruises eight-day ‘The Romantic Seine’ Platinum River Cruise, guests can experience the beauty of this gently flowing river in luxury, whilst taking the opportunity to explore some of the history along the way.  

The route is new for 2013 and highlights include the opportunities to see first-hand how the gardens at Giverny inspired Monet, to be moved by the atmosphere of Rouen where Joan of Arc was martyred, to travel The Cider Route stopping at a Calvados distillery, and to absorb the beauty of the riverside town of Les Andelys with its ruins at Chateau Gaillard. Starting and finishing in the heart of Paris, this river cruise takes in some of the most beautiful sights in France.

As with all APT Platinum Cruises, guests have the ‘Freedom of Choice’ promise, allowing them to tailor the cruise to suit them and enabling all passengers to indulge their own individual sightseeing interests, at no extra cost. Passengers will also find the on-board experience is just as rewarding as the off-shore activities.   

APT has been meeting the high standards of guests for 85 years and this is reflected in the attention to detail. All passengers on ‘The Romantic Seine’ Cruise can expect luxury accommodation, delicious meals, complimentary beverages, experienced tour staff and guides, sightseeing and excursions at no additional cost.

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

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Last-Minute Bargains From Voyages Of Discovery

For those looking for a great last-minute cruise this month, this little offer has just arrived in our Inbox...

Join Voyages of Discovery for a selection of summer cruises from as little as £56 per person per day.

The 9-day 'D-Day, Normandy, Dunkirk and Beyond' voyage starts from just £499 per person, departing from Portsmouth on June 5 and calling at Cherbourg, St Peter Port (Guernsey), Rouen (overnight), Dunkirk, Heligoland and Ijmuiden before arriving at Harwich.

Or how about...

The 'Spitsbergen and North Cape' cruise starts from £999 per person and includes the full 16-day voyage departing from Harwich on June 13 and calling at Trondheim, Leknes, Honningsvag, Magdalenafjord (cruising), Ny-Alesund, Longyearbyen, Barentsburg, Tromso  and Bergen before returning to Harwich.

The prices include all gratuities, service charges and port/airport taxes, a comprehensive Guest Speaker programme, all meals and entertainment on-board and complimentary car parking at Harwich is available (no single supplements apply on both cruises).

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

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Fred Olsen's Summer Sale

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has just launched a special selection of cruises for summer 2012, offering great savings on brochure prices. There are sailings from a range of regional UK ports, to destinations including the Norwegian fjords, the Baltic, the Arctic, Mediterranean and the Canary Islands, as well as several mini=cruises. 

All offer exceptional value for money, with prices starting from £64 per person per night, and savings on brochure prices of up to £1,500 per cabin. Guests booking two or more cabins at the same time may also be eligible for an extra saving of 10% on the ‘Special-saver’ price.

Departure ports include Dover, Southampton, Portsmouth, Newcastle, Greenock (Glasgow) and Rosyth (Edinburgh), with the PortLink coach service available from 42 pick up points nationwide. Some sample cruises include :
 

• Black Watch ‘Majestic Fjords’ cruise, a seven-night cruise from Dover to the Norwegian fjords, on September 2, with ports including Bergen, Stavanger, Flam and Eidfjord. Prices start from £629 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin (brochure price £819). 
• Boudicca ‘Waterfalls & Volcanoes’ cruise, a 10-night cruise to Iceland from Rosyth on July 31 that includes an overnight stay in Reykjavik, the Icelandic capital, and well as a call into the Faroe Islands. Prices start from £849 per person, reduced from £1,169, saving £320 per person.
• Balmoral’s ‘Portugal & Spain with Barcelona’ cruise, a 14-night cruise from Southampton on  August 11, with ports that include Gibraltar and Lisbon as well as vibrant Barcelona. Prices start from £1,079 per person, formerly £1,589.
• Black Watch mini cruise, a three-night cruise departing from Dover on September 9 and calling at Rouen (France) for an overnight stay. Prices start from £229 per person (formerly £339).

All prices are per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin, Grade ‘I’ and include all meals and entertainment on board and port taxes.

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

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Take A World War II Remembrance Cruise With Voyages Of Discovery

Voyages of Discovery is marking the anniversary of the D-Day landings with its "D-Day, Normandy, Dunkirk and Beyond" cruise retracing the steps of the World War II conflict for £589 per person. On the anniversary of the landings, the MV Discovery visit the famous Cherbourg beaches to pay tribute to the brave men that represented their country in military combat.

Other ports of call on the cruise include Rouen, Heligoland, Ijmuiden and Harwich. Discovery will be accompanied by guest speaker, Brigadier Hugh Willing. From his own military experience, Hugh will offer his commentary on war history and enlighten passengers on his own service at NATO headquarters. Voyages of Discovery will make a donation to Help for Heroes and continue to fund-raise through sales of promotional items.

The cruise costs from £589 per person, based on an inside cabin, and departs on June 5. The price includes the 8-night voyage - departing from Portsmouth and calling at Cherbourg, St Peter Port, Rouen (overnight), Dunkirk, Heligoland and Ijmuiden before arriving at Harwich - and all gratuities, service charges and port/airport taxes, comprehensive Guest Speaker programme and all meals and entertainment on-board.

For booking details, check this link to the UK's leading specialist cruise agents, The Cruise Line Ltd. 

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Sample A 'Mini-Cruise' With Fred. Olsen

The popularity of city breaks and long weekends away has grown enormously in recent years as people have less holiday time, and want to make the most of it. A great value-for-money option in this area is a ‘mini cruise’ - your holiday starts from the moment you embark, and there are no frustrating restrictions on what you can, and can’t, pack in your luggage.

Fred. Olsen has no fewer than 12 mini-cruises in 2012, from a range of regional UK ports, and many of them visit popular European cities, such as Amsterdam, Antwerp or Rouen.

These attractive short cruises offer wonderful value for money, as all your meals and the onboard entertainment are included in the price, and there are excellent onboard facilities, such as heated pools, hot tubs, fitness centres and beauty salons, plus a library, internet room and wi-fi access (so that you can always stay in touch), and spacious lounges and bars. There is also excellent onboard cuisine, and a busy programme of daily activities for those who want to join in. Here are just a few examples of some Fred. Olsen mini-cruise options:

Braemar has a three-night cruise departing from Dover on May 5, 2012, and visiting two lovely northern European cities – Ostende and Amsterdam. The Belgian city is an attractive port and, from here, you can opt for an excursion to the medieval city of Ghent. Amsterdam, of course, is one of the most popular European cities for a short break, with its lovely gabled houses, network of canals, and some of the finest art galleries and museums, alongside cafés and marvellous shops. The cruise returns to Dover, and prices start from £339 per person.

Balmoral has another three-night cruise, this time departing from Southampton, on August 25, 2012. This Bank Holiday weekend break visits the delightful medieval town of Antwerp, in Belgium, for an overnight stay. The cobbled streets and quirky old buildings are truly picturesque, and horse-drawn carriages give rides to visitors around the centre. You can relax at a pavement café, visit one of the many old churches or museums, or treat yourself in some of the exclusive boutiques and stylish shops. Antwerp is the centre of the European diamond industry, so there is no shortage of desirable jewellery on offer! Cruise prices start from £349 per person.

For an early autumn break, join Black Watch’s three-night cruise from Dover, departing on September 9, 2012, and visit the historic French city of Rouen, with its majestic cathedral immortalised by Monet. The city is steeped in history, and the Musée des Beaux Arts is a highlight. Prices start from £339 per person.

All prices are quoted per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. The price includes the accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes.

For more info, visit www.fredolsencruises.com or contact the special cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Swan Hellenic's Summer Bargain

Don’t miss out on Swan Hellenic’s 14-night ‘Rivers and Vineyards’ cruise this summer at the new lower fare of £1,375 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin). If you enjoy a fine glass of wine, then this is the cruise for you: not only does the itinerary offer a superb programme of wine-tasting across some of Europe’s most famous vineyards but guests will also be joined on board by guest speaker Christopher Campbell, Managing Director of Rothschild Waddesdon Wine, who will share his knowledge on wine varieties, regions and much more.

The price includes flights from London, transfers and a 14-night cruise departing Lisbon (Portugal) and calling at Oporto (Portugal), Gijon (Spain), Bilbao (Spain), Bordeaux (France), St Peter Port (Channel Islands), St Malo (France), Rouen (France) before arriving at Portsmouth; meals, entertainment and gratuities on board and all relevant cruise taxes/fees, plus inclusive shore excursion programme and onboard lectures from a team of renowned guest speakers. Price is based on a June 8 departure.

For more information, see www.swanhellenic.com or the adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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