Day Two In Greenland with Hurtigruten

The joy of the midnight sun is that if you can’t sleep you can go out on deck and watch out for the wildlife. So at three a.m. I found myself looking at Minke Wales and a herd of Greenland Seals feeding off the port bow. The sky and sea were an incredible shade of blue but you are never far away from cold in the Arctic as the wind roaring through the spill holes of the bow reminded me.

Susimiat is small town with vibrant, strikingly coloured buildings. Every house seems either  perched on a cliff face or underneath one with fishing vessels dotted in the harbour. Giant Blue Whales jaw bones mark the entrance to the museum.  From here whilst others took a city tour or went for a hike in the mountains I took a boat trip to the island of Attanatataq. Snow Buntings and Lapland Buntings were hopping about the deserted buildings whilst our guide gave us a fascinating talk about the island's history.

The group after us saw a Bowhead Whale and the group who tried a "A taste of Greenland" also had a great time.  

Sisimiut is the second largest Town in Greenland with its almost 6000 inhabitants. It doesn’t look that big from the harbour but once you're off the ship and walking around  clearly that it isn’t a small town. WE also had our first meeting with the Greenland sled dogs. A separate breed that arrived here with the Inuit some 3000 years ago. More of them as we progress through the cruise!  Tomorrow we are off to Qeqetarsuaq.

www.hurtigruten.co.uk

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Welcome to Greenland care of Hurtigruten

Welcome to Greenland care of Hurtigruten and The MS Fram and this World of Cruising magazine blog. 

Our trip started with a four hour flight from Copenhagen but Hurtigruten had chartered the whole plane so 170 of us nestled comfortably in a space normally full with 350.  A visit to Greenland starts an hour before you land, flying over glaciers and mountain peaks emerging like shark’s teeth from the ice cap so get a window seat if you can!

We were welcomed by the mosquitoes and you do need to think about insect repellent or a net if you are visiting certain parts of the world's largest island. We had a full day of soaking up the stunning scenery in bouncy 4x4 coaches crossing unexpected sand deserts high in the hills, walking up to roaring waterfalls and lakes in front of the huge Russian Glacier and  staring at the ice still formed on lakes and rivers all under a stunning clear blue sky. Ravens and reindeer watched us at lunch which we took in a tiny restaurant in the middle of nowhere with local cuisine and toe tingling blackberry wine.

At the pier we were each issued a lifejacket and shown how to put them on. We hopped in the Polar Cirkel boats and enjoyed a short ride to the ship. Once on the ship we were issued ID cards and then shown to our cabins.

Then it was time for the safety drill outside, in the warm sunshine on deck 5 watching the demonstration for putting on the exposure suit and life vest. 

The Fram is still her warm, welcoming self as are the staff, many of whom recognised me.   Tomorrow we are off to Sisimuit and Assaqutaq if you want to look them up on Google. Either way there's no darkness for the next two weeks as we sail under the midnight sun!!

www.hurtigruten.co.uk

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Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines launches its new ‘Grand Voyages 2016’ brochure – visit 70 destinations in 42 countries

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has launched its new ‘Grand Voyages 2016’ brochure, offering two exhilarating longer cruises in 2016: Boudicca's 76-night ‘Around Africa & the Indian Ocean’ cruise, D1601, departing from Southampton on 5^th January 2016 – the cruise line’s first ever sailing of this kind on board Boudicca – and Black Watch's 115-night 'Around the World with the South Pacific' cruise, W1602, departing from Southampton on 8^th January 2016.

Together, these two epic cruises will take in 70 ports in 42 countries around the globe. There will be an impressive four maiden calls across the two ‘Grand Voyages'. Boudicca will make her first-ever stop in the picturesque destination of Zanzibar, as well as Luanda in Angola and Maputo in Mozambique, whilst Black Watch will call into Tuticorin in India for the first time.

There are attractive savings available in Fred. Olsen’s new ‘Grand Voyages 2016’ brochure, with up to £400 per person free onboard spending credit for Boudicca’s ‘Around Africa’ cruise, with reduced single supplements on selected Outside Twin cabins (subject to availability). There is also up to £550 person free onboard spending credit on offer for Black Watch’s ‘Around the World’ voyage, with reduced single supplements on selected Outside Twin cabins (subject to availability).  

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm; Saturday, 9am to 5pm; Sunday, 10am to 4pm), or visit an ABTA travel agent

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Latest deals from MSC Cruises

High notes: MSC Opera leaves its home port of Southampton for the final time this autumn – say goodbye properly on a 10-night farewell sailing. The great-value East Atlantic itinerary calls at Ijmuiden (Amsterdam), The Netherlands; St Peter Port, Guernsey; Vigo, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Bilbao, Spain; Le Havre, France; and Southampton. Prices start at just £499 per person, plus free car parking at Southampton, based on an August 23 departure. Book before July 31.

October half-term deal: Explore the Western Mediterranean for seven nights of sunshine on MSC Musica during the October half-term holidays. Your fantastic cruise experience departs Genoa, Italy on October 25 and calls at Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; Palermo, Italy; La Goulette (Tunis), Tunisia; Palma, Majorca, Spain; Valencia, Spain; Marseille, France; and Genoa, with prices leading in at £799 per person including return flights (book before July 31).

Hot stuff: Beat the winter blues with a seven-night voyage around the Canary Islands next January. Sailing on MSC Armonia you’ll depart Gran Canaria from Las Palmas, then head for  Casablanca, Morocco for a full day and night. The cruise then takes in Agadir, Morocco; Arrecife, Lanzarote; Santa Cruz, Tenerife; and Las Palmas. Prices start at £599 per person including return flights and transfers, based on January 24 2015 departure.

And remember, with all MSC Cruises, kids under the age of 18 sail free when sharing a cabin with two full-paying adults.

For more information see www.msccruises.co.uk or call 020 3426 3010.

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AZAMARA CLUB CRUISES OFFERS COMPLIMENTARY FLIGHTS ON 2015/16 VOYAGES

 Azamara Club Cruises is taking to the skies this summer with an offer of free flights during 2015/16. Guests booking select European voyages  will enjoy complimentary return flights to their departure and arrival destinations.

Guests simply need to book an Oceanview Stateroom or higher between 1 June – 31 July 2014 to benefit from this offer, for both the first and second full fare paying passenger. What’s more, guests travelling further afield will be offered reduced flight prices on select non-European voyages, starting from £699 per person.

For more information please call 0844 493 4016 or visit www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk.

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Camping Overnight In Greenland!!!!!!

Here's the expedition team from Hurtigruten's MV Fram before setting up camp at midnight in Western Greenland. The company were looking at offering this as an excursion next season and the team were trying it out. I went back to the ship!   www.hurtigruten.co.uk

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10 nights from just £449pp… with Virgin Cruisies

10 night Northern Europe Cruise on MSC Opera from £449pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers 10 nights aboard MSC Opera sailing from Southampton, calling at Ijmuiden , St Peter Port, Vigo (Spain), Lisbon (Portugal), Bilbao (Spain) and Le Havre (France). Price is per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis. Offer is subject to availability and includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Based on a departures 09 July 2014.

 Seven night Mediterranean Cruise on MSC Splendida from £749pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers seven nights aboard MSC Splendida from Genoa, Naples, Messina, La Goulette, Barcelona and Marseille. Price is per person based on two adults travelling, sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis with flights from London Gatwick and transfers. Offer is subject to availability and includes all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges which are subject to change. Based on departures 17 Aug 2014.

 To book: visit http://www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk/cruise-deals/, call 0844 488 3084 or visit one of our 130 stores located in Debenhams and House of Fraser, Tesco or Sainsbury’s stores nationwide.

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