Voyages to Antiquity discovers ancient Burma

Voyages to Antiquity offers travellers the chance to discover ancient Burma, a remarkable country which continues to captivate visitors today as it did in Rudyard Kipling's time.

Explore historic Malaysia, relax amid beautiful scenery in Thailand and delve into Singapore on this 16-day Southeast Asian odyssey aboard Aegean Odyssey. Departs 27 February 2015  with prices  from £3,350pp

Sail up-river to berth in the heart of Yangon, Burma for two nights and discover the colonial heritage of Malacca and Penang in Malaysia as well as spending two nights at the Regent Hotel in Singapore.

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Taj Mahal is the finest of all the architectural wonders on Aegean Odyssey's 2015 cruises to India

Taj Mahal: the epitome of wonder and an extravagant declaration of love

• This is our final guest blog post by Zoe Bromley-Fox, Land Programmes Manager of cruise line Voyages to Antiquity. The line’s one ship, Aegean Odyssey, returns to south-east Asia this winter for the first time since the winter of 2012-13. Zoe looks forward to the forthcoming visit by recalling highlights of the journey two years ago.

When thinking about the key attractions of our upcoming Asia season, our classic introduction to India’s Golden Triangle cannot go unmentioned. In 2015 the tour will feature an extra day, making it a 5 day adventure to the sights of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur either before or after your cruise. You’ll have the chance to explore both Old and New Delhi, the highlight undoubtedly being the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Qutub Minar – a masterpiece of Islamic architecture at over 236 feet tall. The theme of fascinating, architectural wonders continues throughout the tour as you visit the 17th Century Amber Fort in Jaipur, then Fatehpur Sikri – an architectural blend of Hindu, Persian and Indo-Muslim heritage, and of course the epitome of wonder and extravagant declaration of love – the Taj Mahal.

I’ll be off shortly on my final inspection trip to make sure everything runs smoothly in the New Year when we visit the region again – and I must say I can’t wait to see these wonders again!

More details of Aegean Odyssey’s cruises visiting India in 2015 on Voyages to Antiquity's website. Which is also where you can read Zoe’s blog in full, together with her pick of the top excursions in south-east Asia.

Many thanks to Zoe for her contributions over the past five days. For any readers who wondered that's her on the right, in the picture below, with two colleagues.

Zoe Bromley-Fox (right) and colleagues in Indonesia

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Arts and crafts are the big draw on an excursion to Cambodia's National Museum with Voyages to Antiquity

Cambodia highlight: the National Museum in Phnom Penh

• Our latest guest blog by Zoe Bromley-Fox, Land Programmes Manager of cruise line Voyages to Antiquity. The line’s one ship, Aegean Odyssey, returns to south-east Asia this winter for the first time since the winter of 2012-13. Zoe looks forward to the forthcoming visit by recalling highlights of the journey two years ago.

Calling into the Cambodian port city of Sihanoukville, some passengers opted to head off on a full day excursion to explore the capital Phnom Penh, still boasting evidence of the French Colonial times. We visited the city’s main attractions – the National Museum and the Royal Palace with an inside visit to the Silver Pagoda.  The National Museum was the highlight for many passengers with one of the world’s largest collections of Khmer art, including sculptural, ceramics, bronzes, and ethnographic objects.

The exterior of the museum was as much of a draw as the artefacts inside – inspired by ‘traditional Khmer’ architecture, it is also described as a building enlarged from Cambodian temple prototypes seen on ancient bas-reliefs and reinterpreted through the eyes of George Groslier (1887-1945). A historian, curator and author, he was responsible for the revival of interest in traditional Cambodian arts and crafts and designed this quintessential building.

More details of Aegean Odyssey’s cruises visiting Cambodia in 2015 on Voyages to Antiquity's website. Which is also where you can read Zoe’s blog in full, together with her pick of the top excursions in south-east Asia.

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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Conversation-piece war museum and countless motor scooters charm cruise visitors to Ho Chi Minh City

Conversation piece: the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City

• Third in a series of guest blogs by Zoe Bromley-Fox, Land Programmes Manager of cruise line Voyages to Antiquity. The line’s one ship, Aegean Odyssey, returns to south-east Asia this winter for the first time since the winter of 2012-13. Zoe looks forward to the forthcoming visit by recalling highlights of the journey two years ago.

Anyone who travels to South East Asia has Vietnam high on the list – and Voyages to Antiquity gives you a chance to visit one of Asia’s greatest cities – Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

The excursion in Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon) was probably one of the most moving experiences for some passengers who were on board for our Vietnam cruise. The tour visited various city highlights, but the focus was the War Remnants Museum. Some argue that it is a one-sided propaganda attraction with the sentiment still being overwhelmingly anti-American.  The visit was extremely thought-provoking and prompted heart-felt debates over dinner for days after. This tour will feature again this year as part of our ‘choice of’ excursions programme operated in Ho Chi Minh.

Don’t forget that Aegean Odyssey’s size means that she can sail right up the Saigon River, a truly memorable experience before we even go out on excursion! Anyone on board for this sailing should make sure they spend the morning out on deck. In some parts it is astonishing how close the jungle-like banks are from the side of the ship and as you get closer to the city itself you already start to sense the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City from the water.  But nothing will prepare you for the number of motor scooters in this city …

More details of Aegean Odyssey’s cruises visiting Vietnam in 2015 on Voyages to Antiquity's website. Which is also where you can read Zoe’s blog in full, together with her pick of the top excursions in south-east Asia.

Street life: Never a dull moment in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City

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A fascinating insight into the religions of Indonesia on a Voyages to Antiquity cruise in south-east Asia

Toraja Land, Indonesia, where the local people worship animals and plants

• The second in a series of guest blogs by Zoe Bromley-Fox, Land Programmes Manager of cruise line Voyages to Antiquity. The line’s one ship, Aegean Odyssey, returns to south-east Asia this winter for the first time since the winter of 2012-13. Zoe looks forward to the forthcoming visit by recalling highlights of the journey two years ago.

Indonesia is certainly a land full of mystery and intriguing ancient customs. One of the excursions that Voyages to Antiquity includes in the Southern Sulawesi area gives passengers a somewhat other-wordly experience. I will never forget one of the Indonesian bar waitresses staring at me fearfully wide-eyed as we headed off with the passengers to visit Toraja Land where the people practise a form of animism known as Aluk To Dolo.

The belief that animals, plants and inanimate objects possess a spiritual element is so fundamental to this region that many indigenous languages don’t even have a word for it. Operated from the slightly closer port of Palopo this season, but still with a scenic drive through the mountainous countryside, it also provides a fascinating insight into daily life as you pass through numerous rural villages.

From a more archaeological perspective, the UNESCO tongue-twister site of Borobudur on the island of Java is equally as captivating and compared in brilliance to the Parthenon by Arnold Toynbee. We visit the complex from the port of Semarang, and I also remember that the police escort service that cleared the Javanese roads to ensure the coaches arrived in good time was probably as impressive as the temple complex itself!

For details of Voyages to Antiquity’s cruises visiting Indonesia this winter, see here. Fares from £3,495 pp.

Click here to read Zoe's blog in full, with details of Aegean Odyssey's voyages and the excursions available.

The UNESCO-listed Borobodur on the Indonesian island of Java

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Sunset visit to Rangoon's Shwedagon Pagoda is the highlight of Voyages to Antiquity's Asian Odyssey

Glimmering gold grandeur - the Shwedagon Pagoda is a highlight of Rangoon

• Introducing a series of guest blogs by Zoe Bromley-Fox, Land Programmes Manager of cruise line Voyages to Antiquity. The line’s one ship, Aegean Odyssey, returns to south-east Asia this winter for the first time since the winter of 2012-13. Zoe looks forward to the forthcoming visit by recalling highlights of the journey two years ago.

When remembering our first Asia season, I must start with a personal highlight – the evening excursion in Yangon, Burma (Myanmar), which was included for every passenger

Visiting the Shwedagon pagoda as the sun went down was a fairy-tale experience that our passengers would never forget. Without the heat of the midday sun when most groups visit the pagoda, everyone could really appreciate the unique ambience of this sacred Buddhist site. Not to mention being able to stand on the ground quite comfortably with no shoes on! When on this excursion, admire the glimmering gold as the lights are turned on and ask your guide to show you the unique spot where you can watch the diamond change colour as you view it from different angles…

Aegean Odyssey returns to Burma in January, on a 21-day cruise departing from Colombo, Sri Lanka, and also visiting Chennai (Madras), Phuket in Thailand, and Penang and Malacca, Malaysia, before reaching Singapore.

Fares from £3,995 pp (two sharing) and a single supplement of 20 per cent. Guest speakers include Prof Ian Brown of the London School of Oriental and African Studies; Robert A. E. Gordon, president of the Britain-Burma Society, and Pamela Gordon of the Diplomatic Service Families Association.

The ship returns in March, during a 30-night grand voyage from Bangkok to Singapore with fares from £5,750 pp (single supplement 15 per cent).

Click here to read Zoe's blog in full, with details of Aegean Odyssey's voyages and the excursions available.

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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New Single Cabins With Voyages to Antiquity

With the start of its new Mediterranean Cruise season just two weeks away, Voyages to Antiquity has announced a re-modelling of cabins on its boutique cruise ship Aegean Odyssey to incorporate eight new cabins for single travellers.

 

Since is its launch in 2010, Voyages to Antiquity has become a firm favourite with single travellers, who like the intimate size of the ship and the all-inclusive tours programme as well as the informality on board, including anytime dining and small tour groups.

 

Commenting on the new initiatives managing director David Yellow said: “We have noticed the number of single passengers sailing with us, many of whom are repeat guests, has increased over the last 12months. To this end, we have decided to remodel our passenger accommodation to include eight new cabins so we can now offer 24 dedicated single cabins spread across seven categories on Aegean Odyssey.

 

“As well as these new cabins, we are also offering low single supplements of just £150 per passenger for selected double cabins on four spring/summer 2012 voyages. This means single travellers are effectively paying no single supplement for the cruise portion and just £150 for sole occupancy at the Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens, where we have included a 2-night hotel stay.

The low single supplement offer is available on the following cruises:

 

The Light of Greece – May 2: prices from £2,500, including single supplement.

God Created the Kornati Islands – May 14: prices from £2,225, including single supplement.

 

Those Who Seek Paradise on Earth Should See Dubrovnik – June 23: princes from £2,045, including single supplement.

Poetry, History, Drama & Mathematics – All These Begin with the Greeks – August 25: prices from £2,220, including single supplement and 2-night stays in Istanbul and Athens.

 

All prices include flights and transfers, as well as sightseeing tours, beer/wine or soft drinks with dinner on board and all gratuities for ship staff.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

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The Med's Top 10

I thought this press release, ahead of the April launch of the new Voyages to Antiquity operation (using the former Aegean I, heavily rebuilt as Aegean Odyssey), was worth repeating for those who like to enjoy the classical side of the Mediterranean.

With the new operation - which is being pioneered by Gerry Herrod, the man who created Orient Lines and Discovery Cruises (now Voyages of Discovery) - now just 2 months away, the company asked its historical advisor and author John Julius Norwich (aka Lord Norwich) to select his Top 10 historical sites from around the Med.

Here's what he said:

“To list one’s 10 favourite places in the Mediterranean and its hinterland is a tall order indeed. No other area on earth possesses a tenth of the quantity of superb historical sites to be found between the Pillars of Hercules and the coast of the Levant; and if we extend our range – as Voyages to Antiquity does – to cover Upper Egypt and St Catherine’s Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai, Petra and Palmyra, the task becomes more difficult still.”

However, Lord Norwich has been able to complete the task, and his 10 ‘never-to-be-forgotten’ sites are listed below. More importantly, all the destinations are offered in Voyages to Antiquity's inaugural season (personally, I'd have Istanbul No 1, but I'm not going to quibble!):

1. Palermo, Sicily - Visit the Sicilian capital to experience the dazzling Palatine Chapel and the Cathedral of Monreale, with its almost unbelievable 12th-century mosaics and equally magical cloister.

2. Cefalu, Sicily - The mosaic of the Pantocrator in the apse of Cefalu Cathedral is among the greatest portraits of Jesus in all Christian art.

3. Istanbul, Turkey - Istanbul is home to the Church of St Sophia, one of the greatest buildings in the world. And don’t miss the Harrowing of Hell fresco in the 14th-century Church of St Saviour in Chora.

4. Venice, Italy - You could single out St Mark’s Square or any one of a number of churches, but the ultimate miracle is the city itself.

5. Petra, Jordan - To come upon the ‘Treasury’ – a spectacular example of rock-cut architecture probably dating from the first century BC – is one of the great coups de theatre that the world has to offer.

6. Palmyra, Syria (pictured above) - The ruined capital of Queen Zenobia, far out in the Syrian desert, is a site as mysterious as it is beautiful.

7. Krak des Chevaliers, Syria - The most complete Crusader castle to be found anywhere, and the most impressive. To step into this fortress atop a 650-metre-high hill is to return to the 11th century.

8. Aphrodisias, Turkey - Thanks to its remoteness in the hills surrounding the valley of the Meander River, this remarkable ancient city is relatively free of tourists and utterly unspoilt.

9. Luxor and Karnak, Egypt - Ancient Egypt exerts an extraordinary spell on all visitors. The temples open at 6am, so get up early and enjoy the cool of the morning. (You will also have them virtually to yourselves.)

10. Leptis Magna, Libya - Roman ruins don’t come more magnificent than these – and they remain utterly unspoilt by the modern world.

Cruise note: The 382-passenger Aegean Odyssey will be sailing around the Mediterranean from May to November 2010. Fares start from £1,995 for a 15-day cruise, including shore excursions, gratuities, wine with dinner and scheduled flights on British Airways.

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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