Star Clippers' new sailings for 2015/16

Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers has launched its 2015/16 programme, featuring cruises from three to twenty four nights on its three square-riggers, with sailings up to March 2016.

The three ships will sail in the Caribbean in winter (Star Clipper from St Maarten, Royal Clipper from Barbados and Star Flyer from Cuba) and in the Mediterranean and Aegean in summer. In addition, there are one-off sailings between Barbados and Panama (on Star Flyer); transatlantic crossings on all three ships in spring and autumn; and mini-cruises in the Mediterranean from three to five nights in addition to the longer sailings.

Taster cruises from £522

Once again, Star Clippers will be offering mini-cruises, for those who would like a taste of life on board a square rigger. Choose between three nights round-trip from Venice; four nights round-trip from Rome; or five nights from Malaga to Rome, all on Royal Clipper. Star Flyer, meanwhile, offers three- or four-night sailings from Cannes; and a four-night one-off cruise, taking in the practice day of the Monaco Grand Prix. From £522 plus £65 port taxes for a three-night cruise from Cannes on Star Flyer, calling at L’Ile Rousse in Corsica and St Tropez, departing  23 September.

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Star Clippers Feature Panama Canal Transit

We have already noted this year is the 100th anniversary of the great Panama Canal, and various cruise lines are featuring special opportunities to enjoy a Canal transit to honour the occasion.

The latest comes from tall-ship sailing specialist Star Clippers, who are offering two opportunities to sail through what’s been designated one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Both sailings will be on the four-masted Star Flyer (above) as part of either a 14-day or a nine-day Caribbean cruise, in November.

The two Panama Canal voyages are as follows:

• Star Flyer sails from Barbados to Balboa on November 9, calling at the Grenadines, Grenada, Venezuela, Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba, Cartagena and the San Blas archipelago, before entering the Canal as far as San Cristobal. The cruises costs from £2,795 for 14 nights, including full board on the ship and port taxes. Flights are extra.
• Star Flyer then returns to her winter cruising base of Cienfuegos, Cuba, departing Balboa on November 23, sailing into the Canal and then calling at ports in Colombia and the Cayman Islands as well as Casilda in Cuba (for the historic city of Trinidad). This voyage costs from £1,765 for nine nights, including full board on the ship and port taxes. Again, flights are extra.

More info: call 0808 231 4798 or visit www.starclippers.co.uk.

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Star Clippers Return For Monaco Grand Prix

Tall-ship specialist Star Clippers is offering the chance to take in the thrills of the legendary Monaco Grand Prix in 2014 as part of a nine-night cruise-and-stay holiday on the 170-passenger tall ship Star Flyer. Hear the roar of the cars and the cheers of the crowd, smell the burning rubber and soak up the electric atmosphere of the most glamorous date on the Formula 1 calendar!

Star Clippers is offering a one-off voyage incorporating this thrilling event, departing on May 24, 2014, and boarding the ship in Cannes. On May 25, the ship will be anchored off the harbour at Monte Carlo for the day, with general admission tickets included for all guests.

Star Flyer then departs on a voyage around Corsica and the French Riveria, calling at L'lle Rousse, St Florent, Figari Beach, Bonifacio, Porto, Scandola Nature Reserve, Porquerolles, Sanary-sur-Mer and St Tropez, returning to Monaco on May 31, after which two nights at the four-star Hotel Port Palace is included. This is the ideal opportunity to enjoy Monaco after the excitement of the Grand Prix has calmed down and guests will be given a 'Passport to Monaco', offering access to museums, sights and attractions. The adventure ends on June 2 with a transfer from Monaco to Nice airport by helicopter.

Prices are from £2,599 per person, including flights from London to Nice, transfers, full board on the cruise, bed and breakfast in the hotel, Grand Prix general admission tickets, helicopter transfer to Nice, Passport to Monaco and port taxes.

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

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More Cruise Yoga From Star Clippers

Tall ship cruise specialist Star Clippers has added four new dates to its programme of yoga and meditation-themed sailings for this summer, highlighting the popularity of this unique opportunity for cruise well-being.

Yoga expert Christel Vollmer will offer free daily yoga and meditation sessions on board the 170-passenger Star Flyer on cruises in the Baltic and the Mediterranean, with all sessions taking place in the open air, under thousands of square feet of billowing sails – the ultimate relaxation for body and soul, enhanced by the fresh sea breezes. 

 

Each cruise will begin with an Introduction to Yoga class and feature two daily classes thereafter: 60 minutes of power yoga in the morning and a 40-minute wind-down class at sunset, followed by meditation. All classes are completely optional; the ships will continue their normal progamme of activities and ports of call and guests are welcome to do as many or as few classes as they like.

For those who want to follow a healthy or vegetarian diet during the cruise, Star Clippers also offers excellent breakfast buffets, piled with fresh, seasonal fruits, plus magnificent arrays of salads at lunchtime, as well as vegetarian choices at dinner.

Star Flyer’s new yoga cruises for 2013 include:

Stockholm to Travemunde, seven nights, departing July 27 and calling at ports in Finland, Estonia and Denmark; from £1,490 per person, cruise only.

Travemunde to Hamburg, six nights departing August 18, calling at ports in Denmark and Sweden; from £1,280 per person, cruise only.

Two Malaga round-trips, each seven nights, departing October 5 and 12, calling at Casablanca, Tangier, Cadiz, Gibraltar and Motril (for Granada); from £1,435 per person, cruise only

All prices include full board on the cruise, all yoga and lectures and port charges. Flights are extra.

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

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Star Clippers Sets Sail For Cuba

Tall ship specialist Star Clippers is to sail to Cuba in 2014 for the first time, offering a spectacular series of itineraries exploring the island in depth, visiting stunning beaches and anchorages, colonial towns and villages and with a pre and post-cruise option to stay in historic Havana, famous for its cigars, nightlife, architecture and the legacy of Hemingway.

The Cuba programme will be offered on the 170-passenger Star Flyer (above), which will split the winter of 2013/14 between Costa Rica, where the ship has already operated two highly successful seasons, and the Caribbean. She will sail four itineraries taking in Cuba, as follows:

February 2, 2014: 14 nights, Costa Rica to Cuba via the Panama Canal, calling at Drake Bay and Golfito (Costa Rica); Isla Gamez, Isla Iguana and Balboa (Panama); San Andres and Providencia (Colombia); George Town and Little Cayman (Cayman Islands) and Casilda (Cuba). From £2,440, plus £245 port charges, cruise only.

February 16 and 23 and March 2, 9 and 16, 2014: Seven nights Cuba and Cayman Islands, departing Cienfuegos and calling at Cayo Blanco; Casilda (for the historic town of Trinidad, rich with colonial architecture); Little Cayman and George Town, capital of Great Cayman; Cayo Largo (Cuba), Archipelago de los Canarreos; returning to Cienfuegos. From £1,185, plus £120 port charges, cruise only.

March 23: Six nights round-trip from Cienfuegos, calling at Archipelago de los Canarreos; Punta Frances; Cayo Largo; Casilda; and Cayo Blanco, from £1,015, plus £105 port charges, cruise only.

March 29: Cuba to St Maarten, departing Cienfuegos and calling at Montego Bay and Port Antonio (Jamaica); Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic); the British Virgin Islands; and Philipsburg. From £1865pp, plus £190 port charges, cruise only.

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

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Short Breaks With Star Clippers

Not enough time for a full week’s holiday? Tall ship specialist Star Clippers has launched a series of short-break holidays for 2012, with a chance to experience life on board an elegant clipper ship and explore some of Europe’s most beautiful and romantic ports, as well as themed 'extras'.


Mediterranean Treasures, April 23, 2012
Experience the joys of daily yoga and meditation on this well-being themed voyage from Malaga to Rome on the 227-passenger Royal Clipper. Experienced yoga teacher Christel Vollmer, back on board by popular demand, will offer daily classes on the warm teak decks, while as usual, guests can follow a healthy or vegetarian diet if they wish. The ship sails from Malaga to Palma, Mallorca and Mahon in Menorca and the voyage includes two days at sea for maximum relaxation in the spring sunshine. From £999 per person including full board on the ship, all yoga classes, flights and transfers.

Sail from Southampton, May 5, 2012
Join the head-turning Star Flyer on her maiden call to Southampton for a five-night sailing to Hamburg, via Amsterdam, with two days at sea. The ship, with its four masts and graceful lines, is bound to attract a lot of attention in two such important seafaring cities. This package includes five nights’ car parking in Southampton; five nights’ full board on the ship, flight from Hamburg to London and transfer back to Southampton, from £1,045 per person.

A Taste of Italy, departing June 4, 2012
Make the most of Britain’s extra bank holiday for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and take to the seas on Royal Clipper on this four-night sailing from Civitavecchia, the port for Rome. The five-night break includes one night in the heart of Rome at the four-star Marcella Royal Hotel, with a welcome bottle of wine and a tour of the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. The following day, Royal Clipper sails to Bonifacio in Corsica; Sardinia’s ultra-glamorous Costa Smeralda; pretty Portoferraio in Elba; and back to Civitavecchia. From £1,275 per person, including B&B accommodation in Rome, full board on the ship, flights and transfers.

Venetian Romance, departing July 27, 2012
Enjoy an evening in Venice after the crowds have departed, staying the night before your cruise at the four-star superior Liassidi Palace Hotel, within walking distance of the Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square. The holiday includes entrance to the Doge’s Palace and a bottle of wine on arrival. Then, sail in style along the spectacular Giudecca Canal on the magnificent, four-masted Star Clipper, heading out across the lagoon and into the Adriatic, for a four-night adventure exploring some of Croatia’s most fashionable anchorages: Mali Losinj, Hvar and Rovinj. From £1,195 per person, including B&B accommodation in Venice, full board on the ship, flights and transfers.

For more information and booking offers, use this link to visit luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Star Clippers New Cruises from Malaga

Here's an exciting new itinerary series from our favourite sail-cruise operator Star Clippers next year.

In the autumn 2012, the eye-catching four-masted Star Flyer (above) will operate five 7-night cruises round-trip from Malaga between September 15 and October 13, exploring the Moorish heritage of Andalucia and the North African coast.

The ports of call include Casablanca and Tangier in Morocco, and Gibraltar, Cadiz and Motril, for Granada, setting of the magnificent Alhambra Palace. It is priced from £1,370pp, excluding flights.

And be sure to check with adventure-cruise specialist The Cruise Line Ltd for any special booking offers on this link.

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Star Flyer's Big Southampton Date in 2012

In 2012, as part of a maiden summer season of Baltic tall-ship cruises, Star Clippers will offer a sailing from Southampton on the 170-passenger, full-rigged tall ship Star Flyer, the first time one of the Star Clippers’ tall ships has been in British waters since the ship’s launch in 1991.

To celebrate the occasion, the line is offering a voyage that includes five nights’ full board on the ship; five nights’ parking at Southampton; port transfers to Hamburg airport; a return flight to Heathrow; and a private taxi transfer back to Southampton to collect parked vehicles. Prices start from just £999 per person.

Star Flyer will depart from Southampton on May 5 on this epic one-off voyage between two of northern Europe’s greatest maritime cities, Southampton and Hamburg, sailing via Amsterdam, which has a great sailing heritage of its own, prior to cruising Baltic waters in Summer 2012. The ship will be the most head-turning in port and is guaranteed to draw much attention when she arrives in the Solent from a transatlantic crossing earlier in the day on May 5.

The five-day sailing offers plenty of time at sea to learn about sailing a tall ship, navigation and operating the sails or simply relaxing on the teak decks or in the al fresco Tropical Bar.

For more info, see www.starclippers.co.uk or contact the adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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Early Christmas Presents with Star Clippers

Tall-ship sailing specialist Star Clippers is offering an early Christmas present for those booking a cruise along the coast of Costa Rica over Christmas on the graceful, four-masted, 170-passenger square rigger Star Flyer.

On either the Christmas departure, a ten-night voyage departing Puerto Caldera on December 18, or the 11-night New Year sailing, which departs on December 28, the following special offers apply:

• In all double cabins, there will be a €300 per person onboard credit towards drinks in the restaurant and Tropical Bar, shore excursions, purchases in the Sloop Shop and beauty and massage treatments.
• In triple cabins, the third person sails free (port taxes still apply) and the first two occupants qualify for onboard credit of €300 per person.
  
• For single travellers, there will be no single supplement in cabin categories 2 to 6.

In the New Year departure only, these additional offers apply:

• Children only pay 50% of the published fare.
• Repeat Star Clippers passengers qualify for a loyalty discount of 5%.

The Christmas cruise includes calls at San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua; Costa Rica’s Playa del Coco and National Park Santa Rosa; the gorgeous beaches and rainforest walks of Quepos, Isla del Cano and Drake Bay; and the desert island paradise of Isla Tortugas. Christmas day is spent anchored in Golfito, a lush bay surrounded by mountains and known for its wildlife refuge, orchid garden and jungle canopy expeditions. From £1,770 per person, excluding flights.

On December 28, Star Flyer departs Puerto Caldera once more for the New Year cruise, which includes all of the ports above and in addition, Panama’s Isla Gamez, with superb snorkelling and palm-fringed sandy beaches. New Year’s Eve will be spent in Playas del Coco, sailing overnight to toast the New Year in the Tropical Bar, where there will be dancing until late, and recovering on the beach the following day at Santa Rosa National Park. From £2,051 per person, excluding flights.

To take advantage of these fantastic deals, see www.starclippers.co.uk or the adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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New 'Chill and Cruise' Yoga Sailings

Tall ship specialist Star Clippers has added two new dates to its programme of yoga and meditation themed cruises this summer. Yoga expert Christel Vollmer will now be on board the head-turning tall ship Star Flyer this October in the western Mediterranen as well as August, when cruising the Greek Islands and Turkey’s coastline.

The two new yoga cruises are the `Tyrhennian’, departing Monte Carlo on October 1 and calling at Calvi, Bonifacio, Costa Smeralda, Giglio (Italy), Lerici (for Florence) and St Tropez, ending in Cannes. And `Spain and the Balearic Islands’, departing Cannes on October 8 and calling at Mahon, Pollenca, Formentera and Cartagena. This itinerary includes two days at sea for extra relaxation and contemplation.

Prices for all four yoga cruises are from £1,295 per person, including port taxes, all yoga classes and all meals on board. Prices exclude flights.

All four cruises include free daily Astanga (power) yoga and meditation sessions on deck in the cool morning air, with a second session just before sunset, including meditation. They are hosted by Christel Vollmer, who will also deliver lectures on the philosophy of yoga and advice for practice at home. For those on a diet, Star Clippers’ sumptuous breakfast buffets, piled with fresh fruits, and magnificent arrays of salads at lunchtime will be available, as well as vegetarian choices at dinner.

Astanga yoga is a dynamic and powerful style of yoga based on a sequence of easy-to-learn movements called asanas. Christel’s classes, which take place in English, will be suitable for all levels and no prior experience is required. There is no upper age limit for practicing yoga; Christel herself is in her fifties, with many years of teaching experience, having trained under West Coast-based Bryan Kest, yoga guru to stars including Madonna, Cindy Crawford and Sting.

Look up more at www.starclippers.co.uk or the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Win A Star Clippers Cruise with Silver Travel Advisor

Over-50s website the Silver Travel Advisor, which features the experiences and recollections of older holidaymakers, is offering a magnificent tall-ship cruise in a prize draw this month for posting a travel or holiday review.

Silver Travel Advisor offers mature travellers free travel advice from travel industry professionals and hosts impartial travel, restaurant and days-out reviews from its thousands of members, all of whom are aged 50 or older.

The prize draw is for a week-long cruise of the Greek islands and Turkey on board the magnificent Star Clipper, one of three historically-styled full-rigged tall ships in the Star Clippers fleet. Passengers enjoy all meals, a week-long itinerary of sailing to some of the least visited ports in the Med - many inaccessible by larger cruise vessels - and the thrill of cruising on board one of the most head-turning ships on the sea.

Every member posting a review at http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/ will be automatically entered into the prize draw for two, travelling in August, and every additional travel review entitles the member to another entry into the draw.

Silver Travel Advisor’s managing director Debbie Marshall explained: “We’re really delighted Star Clippers are partnering us in this exciting prize draw. Silver Travel Advisor recognises the value of older travellers’ experiences by offering a forum for people to share their travel recommendations and reviews. We’re constantly surprised to read of how adventurous our members are with their holidays and we know they’ll love the idea of a tall-ship cruise.”

Visit http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/ for more info, or for more on Star Clippers or cruising in general, go to The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Tall Ship Cruise Offers Classic Yacht Race Action

This September, tall ship specialist Star Clippers is offering guests a chance to follow the action of the Voiles de St Tropez, one of the world’s most glamorous yacht regattas, from the comfort of the historically styled, square rigger, the 170-passenger Star Flyer.

Les Voiles de St Tropez is one of the principal events in the classic yachting calendar, bringing together magnificent racing boats with world-class crews from all over the world. The regatta runs this year from September 27 to October 2 and Star Flyer will be in the bay of St Tropez on September 30, perfectly situated to view the racing and admire the yachts from the heart of the action.

Later, the ship moves to St Tropez port, where it will remain until late at night, giving guests the chance to soak up the festive post-race atmosphere, with unrivalled opportunities for boat-spotting and people-watching.

Star Clippers’ Voiles de St Tropez sailing departs Cannes on September 24, calling at some of the Mediterranean’s finest yachting harbours: L’Ile Rousse and Bastia in Corsica; Portoferraio in Elba; Portofino in Italy; and Iles d'Hyères and Sanary-sur-Mer in France, as well as St Tropez for the racing.

The ship will also operate a seven-night Monaco to Cannes sailing, departing October 1, which coincides with the last two days of the Voiles de St Tropez, ideal for anybody wanting to overnight in or near St Tropez to watch the racing prior to joining the ship.

The sailings cost from £1,295 per person, including full board on the ship and port taxes, excluding flights. For more details, visit www.starclippers.co.uk or contact the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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Free Flights With Star Clippers

Niche tall ship cruise operator Star Clippers is offering free flights up to £400pp with bookings for tall-ship cruises from Athens, through the Greek islands, this August. Sailings include all meals and a choice of two superb itineraries, the Southern Cyclades (August 6 and 20) and the Northern Cyclades (August 13 and 27), on board the 170-passenger, 4-masted Star Clipper.

The cruise costs from £1295 per person, based on two sharing, for bookings made by June 30. Guests on the August 6 and 20 departures can also enjoy complimentary instruction from yoga teacher Christel Vollmer who will be holding daily sessions of Astanga yoga on deck in the cool morning air, with a second session just before sunset, including meditation. Christel will also deliver lectures on the philosophy of yoga and advice for practice at home.

The Northern Cyclades itinerary departs from Athens and calls into Camlimani and Kusadasi (for the antiquities at Ephesus) in Turkey, and Patmos, Amorgos, Mykonos and Monemvasia in Greece. The August 13 departure has a qualified yoga teacher on board and also offers complimentary talks, classes and guided meditation.

The Southern Cyclades itinerary is a round-trip from Athens, calling at Rhodes; Bodrum and Dalyan in Turkey; and dramatic Santorini and Hydra, haunt of many artists. The August 6 departure has a qualified yoga teacher on board and also offers complimentary talks, classes and guided meditation.

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

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Star Clippers New 'Rail & Sail' Offers

Star Clippers has new `Rail & Sail’ departures this summer, allowing guests to take the train directly from the UK to the south of France and join one of its magnificent tall ship sailings, completely avoiding airports and flying.

The company’s tall ship cruises from Cannes or Monaco operate between June and October and new rail-cruise packages cost from £1599 per person, including all meals, return rail travel from London, a night’s B&B pre-cruise accommodation in a 4-star hotel in Monaco or Nice, non-UK transfers to and from the ship and all port taxes.

The sailings are on board Star Clippers’ four-masted Star Flyer, departing from Cannes or Monaco on June 4, September 10 and October 1.

For the June and October departures, the ship sails from Cannes to Calvi (Corsica), the Costa Smeralda (Sardinia), Giglio (Italy) and Lerici (Italy), returning to St. Tropez and Monaco 7 nights later.

In September, Star Flyer departs Monaco for a 7-night sailing to L’Ille Rousse (Corsica), Portoferraio (Elba), Portofino (Italy), Hyeres Island and Sanary-sur-Mer (France) and St. Tropez beach and town, returning to Cannes on September 17.

Find out more by visiting www.starclippers.co.uk or the UK's leading adventure-cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Baltic Debut for Star Clippers

Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers will offer its first ever season sailing the Baltic in 2012, a unique chance to sail into some of the world’s greatest seafaring ports on a magnificent, fully-crewed square rigger, the 170-passenger Star Flyer.

As well as visiting iconic ports such as Copenhagen, St Petersburg and Stockholm, Star Clippers will sail to destinations with a long-standing love and appreciation of tall ships, including Kiel and Warnemunde/Rostock in Germany, where the vessel’s visit will coincide with the breathtaking annual Sailing Parade, a gathering of some of the world’s most stunning tall ships.

There will also be calls at smaller ports rarely visited by bigger cruise ships, giving guests a chance to appreciate the beauty of the islands and coastlines of the Baltic and Scandinavia without the crowds.

Highlights of the Baltic season include:

A five-night voyage from Southampton to Hamburg, via Amsterdam, departing May 5, 2012, including two full days at sea to enjoy the sensation of sailing on an authentic tall ship. From £1,035 per person, including all meals on board and port taxes (excludes return flight from Hamburg).

A seven-night voyage returning into Southampton, departing Hamburg on August 25, via Amsterdam, Ijmuiden, Antwerp and Zeebrugge, presenting another chance to sail up the Solent in one of the most dramatic-looking ships afloat. From £1,490 per person, including all meals on board and port taxes (excludes outbound flight to Hamburg).

Five, six and seven-night sailings to and from Warnemunde/Rostock, visiting ports in Germany, Denmark and Poland, as well as Sweden and Oslo. The five-night voyage calls at Copenhagen, Ronne/Bornholm and Gdansk, for example, while a six-night sailing from Warnemunde to Oslo on August 12 calls at Ronne-Bornholm, Copenhagen, Halmstad, Goteborg and Marstrand. From £1,035 for a five night round-trip sailing from Warnemunde, departing June 3, including all meals on board and port taxes (excluding flights).

Seven night voyages featuring Olso, situated at the head of a dramatic fjord. Oslo to Copenhagen, for example, calls at Marstrand, Goteborg, Halmstad and Helsingborg in Sweden and Kalundborg in Denmark, finishing in Copenhagen. A seven-night cruise costs from £1,490 pp, departing Oslo May 26, including all meals on board and port taxes (excluding flights).

A highlight of the season will be three ten or 11-night voyages round-trip from Stockholm, with an overnight in St Petersburg. Ports of call on the 10-night sailing departing July 21 include Visby, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki, and two additional ports in Finland, Hanko and Mariehamn-Aaland. Sailing from Stockholm is particularly special and Star Flyer will be a magnificent sight as she leaves the historic harbour of the Swedish capital and glides gracefully through the archipelago of hundreds of tiny islands. From £2,120 for 10 nights, departing Stockholm July 21, including all meals on board and port taxes (again, excluding flights).

For more information, visit www.starclippers.co.uk or contact the adventure-cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Longer Leave with Star Clippers

The extra public holiday for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29, hard on the heels of the four-day Easter weekend break and immediately prior to the public holiday on May 2, will enable holidaymakers to take up to 11 days holiday - but only three days leave from work.

Star Clippers’ head-turning, five-masted flagship Royal Clipper sets sail from Lisbon on April 23 on a seven-night cruise of Portugal’s east coast, through the Straits of Gibraltar, calling at Portimao on the Algarve, Tangier in Morocco, Cartagena, Ibiza and Mallorca, before guests disembark in Barcelona.

The seven-night cruise costs from just £1,259 per person, including all meals and return UK flights, based on two sharing.

The 170-passenger, four-masted Star Flyer departs Lisbon on April 20 on a 10-night cruise along Portugal’s west coast, through the Straits of Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean sea to Monaco. During the cruise the ship calls into Portimao on the Algarve, Cadiz (with an optional tour of Seville), Tangier in Morocco, Motril (optional tour of Granada), Ibiza, Palma and St Tropez.

The 10-night cruise costs from £1,499 per person, including all meals and return UK flights, based on two sharing.

For more info, contact http://www.starclippers.co.uk/ or the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Early Booking Discount with Star Clippers

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers is offering up to 20% off 2011 cruises in the Mediterranean for bookings made by January 31, and 2011 sailings in the Caribbean and Central America for bookings made before April 30.

Save £177 per person on a six-night Caribbean pre-Christmas cruise on the 170-passenger Star Clipper, departing St Maarten on December 17 and calling at some of the smaller, more exclusive Caribbean ports inaccessible to big ships. The itinerary includes either Nevis or Saba (depending on the wind), Iles des Saintes, Falmouth Harbour in Antigua and St Barths. Now from £708 per person (was £895), including all meals and a 6-night sailing itinerary.

Save £206 per person on a seven-night Costa Rica sailing on the 170-passenger Star Flyer, departing Puerto Caldera on December 19, 2011, and exploring rainforested islands, remote bays and beautiful beaches, with plenty of chances to spot the incredibly diverse wildlife of the region. The ship calls at San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; Playa del Coco, Costa Rica; National Park of Santa Rosa; Samara; Puerto Carillo; National Reserve of Curu; and Isla Tortuga. Now from £824 per person (was £1030), including all meals and a 7-night sailing itinerary..

Save £168 per person on a short break, five-night Mediterranean sailing on board Star Clipper, departing Athens on October 8, 2011, and calling at the unspoilt Greek ports of Monemvasia and Pilos; Siracusa in Sicily; and Valletta, Malta. Now from £672 per person (was £840), including all meals and a 5-night sailing itinerary.

For more information, visit http://www.starclippers.co.uk/ or contact the adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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French Riveria and Greek Islands Reductions

By guest blogger Steve Newman

The French Riveria and the Greek Islands have always been major attractions for a cruising holiday, and the chance of late booking reductions can make them even more attractive. With that in mind, why not have a look at two short cruises from luxury Tall Ship sailing company Star Clippers?

Departing from Cannes on 25th September, the company has a 4-night tall-ship cruise along the French Riviera to Calvi, Corsica, Portofino and Cannes for £649pp (was £730), sailing on the head-turning Star Flyer and including all meals on board and free places for up to two children (accompanying two adults) in their own cabin, paying just port taxes of £85 per person.

The Flyer (above) with its four masts and 36,000sq ft of sails is fully stabilised and has two pools; massage and beauty treatments; water sports equipment; library; internet access; indoor/outdoor bar; and a Sloop Shop. The ship has a smart-casual open dining policy and there are seven cabin grades. from the luxurious Owner’s Cabin with whirlpool bath to inside cabins. Fully 81 of the 85 cabins have a porthole or open on to the deck.

The company is also offering a £200 saving off its 3-night 'Cruise & stay’ short break, also on board Star Flyer, departing from Athens on 28th September, sailing the Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini, now from just £799 per person (was £999), including all meals and a night’s B&B accommodation in Athens at the 5-star St. George Lycabettus Hotel on 28th September.

For more information, log on to http://www.starclippers.co.uk/

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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