New Year, New World of Cruising!

The brand new re-launch edition of World of Cruising magazine is due for publication next week, and it's time to reveal everything in store for Europe's leading and longest-running cruise publication.

First of all, as Time Spent At Sea readers will already know, we have new owners in the shape of Real Response Media, with ambitious plans to take the magazine to a whole new level in terms of profile, design and content. Among their initial innovations are SIX issues a year (instead of four), and a glossy year-end Cruise Directory, which will provide a comprehensive list of every cruise line and every ship, as well as providing a preview of the year ahead.

We also have a sharp new design team, who have revamped the look and style of our pages in keeping with the promise of a New Year. There are new columnists and new features, including some eye-catching destination stories that are sure to have you saying ‘I want to go THERE!’ like our Cover Story on Alaska (above).

We also feature an update on the Queen Elizabeth of Cunard and a full review of 2013's new Europa 2 of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, and take a unique river journey on the Spirit of Chartwell with Titan Tours on the River Douro in Portugal.

For adventure-cruise fans, we travel to Norway with our blogger-in-chief Steve Newman, while for a mouth-watering cruise cuisine feature we feature Windstar Cruises. 

New features include Three Of A Kind - a special look at a trio of regional ports, in this case A Coruna, Bilbao and Santander of Spain's Costa Verde - and Being There, which is a photo highlight of a current 'hot' cruise destination, in this case the Canary Islands. And, following on from there, Where Next is a view of an up-and-coming port of call, with our first one taking a look at Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

For new columnists, we have Andy Harmer, the Director of CLIA UK & Ireland, and Silver Travel Advisor, the essential website for mature traveller advice.
 

Our features line-up is also more obviously demarcated, so readers can immediately see the difference between our Ocean, River, Adventure and Luxury cruising sections, as well as enjoying a new-look News section, which remains the market leader in cruise terms. Our essential Cruise Planner remains a part of the mix, though.

If that is the Big Picture in our wide World of Cruising, there is a huge amount of detail to follow, and we are sure you are going to want to stay with us for the full voyage. More and more people will be seeing our publication as the whole story of cruising goes widescreen and technicolour this year, with new ships, new places to see and new ways to see them.

No-one has our cruise know-how or our depth of cruise knowledge, and no-one provides the unparalleled range of stories and insight that we do. It all starts anew with Issue 61, so make sure you’re aboard! This is your Captain, setting sail…

Simon Veness

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.

Happy New Cruise Year!

By Editor Simon Veness

It's a very Happy New Year to cruise-goers everywhere, and a great new year to be looking forward to, with six new ocean-going ships, a whole bevy of new river-cruise vessels and numerous other milestones, including the 100th anniversary of the Panama Canal.

And it's a very big year for us at World of Cruising, too. With new owners and a new-look magazine set to debut this month, we are ready to take our market-leading coverage to whole new levels in 2014.

Not only do we jump from four to six issues a year, but we also have new art and design, new features, columnists, destinations and ways to be involved. We will continue to provide the best coverage, but we will also be sharper, smarter and more user-friendly.

Regular readers will still get to enjoy award-winning writers like Gary Buchanan, John Honeywell (aka Captain Greybeard), Jo Foley, Andrew Maclear and others - confirming World of Cruising as THE experts in the field of cruising and cruise ships of all types - but we will also be adding new features from the likes of Andy Harmer (the Director of CLIA UK), Sue Parker and Silver Travel Advisor, as well as great new destination features like Three Of A Kind and Where Next.

You will also see more focus on the three main areas of Ocean, River and Adventure cruising, plus a new-look World of Spas section sponsored by Champneys resorts and spas. 

Our January issue also boasts our essential - and exclusive - Cruise Planner, with a ship-by-ship look at ALL the choices of the various cruise lines worldwide. Others have tried to copy our unique formula for providing an at-a-glance guide to the immense array of options on offer, but only World of Cruising has the tried and trusted, reader-approved method.

So, if you're looking to set sail in 2014, whether for the first time or the 100th (!), be sure to check out all the details, advice and info with us first. And you'll be sure of a VERY happy New Year!

PS: If you like our New Year photo, be sure to see more at Tech Beasts!

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.

Push The Boat Out For National Cruise Week!

It's time to push the boat out again for National Cruise Week this month, with the latest news from the Adventure cruise companies and fantastic offers to exciting destinations worldwide.

The sixth annual National Cruise Week takes place from September 21-29, with the focus this year to get 'Britain and Ireland Cruising' by highlighting the great range of destinations and experiences that cruising offers UK consumers both on board and ashore.

The campaign's aim is to encourage more people to consider a cruise holiday for the first time and highlight the range of cruises available, from river-cruising along the European waterways to ocean cruises that travel to destinations only accessible by sea.

The number of holidaymakers who take a cruise holiday continues to grow, with more than 1.7 million Brits taking a voyage last year. The popularity of a cruise holiday lies in the exciting itineraries, experiences and destinations available from members of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which has 60 cruise line members. Andy Harmer, CLIA UK and Ireland director, said: "This year we will celebrate the sixth National Cruise Week, an event that has gone from strength to strength thanks to the terrific support of travel agents and our cruise line members. More people than ever choose to cruise because of the incredible range of cruises available, the fabulous destinations, some of which are only accessible by sea, and the wonderful value-added experiences that I don't believe are available from any other type of holiday. All-in-all, young or old, solo or family, there is a cruise to suit everyone's taste and everyone's pocket."  One early offer for NCW 2013 comes from Hurtigruten, who are offering some amazing prices on selected Coastal and Explorer voyages during the period. The company currently has early booking discounts of up to 25% off 2013 and 2014 voyages, but is offering those booking from September 21-29 an additional 5% off the reduced prices.   Total savings could amount to more than £3,000 off the standard brochure price, depending on the type of cabin and itinerary booked. The 5% National Cruise Week discount alone could save more than £500 per person. Be sure to check out this link for more details or visit Hurtigruten at http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/. In addition, two Telegraph CRUISE Shows are also taking place in Birmingham (September 21-22) and Glasgow (October 5-6) where visitors are able to meet cruise lines and discover more inspirational travel ideas. The Discover Cruises website www.discovercruises.co.uk is also the home for everything cruise, whether it's for a family travelling for the first time, a couple looking for adventure or a solo traveller in need of a relaxing spa break - all of which can be classed as a great journey. Offering luxury, deluxe, river and specialist collections, Discover Cruises gives visitors access to the latest information on destinations, what's new on-board and a range of exciting and innovative excursions and activities. For further information about the CRUISE Shows visit www.cruisingshow.com - and don't forget, World of Cruising readers can get FREE tickets to both shows this year, at Birmingham and Glasgow. See our blog on the deal on this link. For cruise bookings, be sure to check out this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's leading cruise-agent 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.

Adopt an Orang-utan with Orion Expeditions

By guest blogger Steve Newman

To celebrate “Orange For Orang-utan Day” tomorrow (November 10), Orion Expedition Cruises, the leading operator of five-star expedition cruising in the Australasian region, will be adopting orang-utans on behalf of its guests.

Throughout November, anyone booking a 2011 Orion Expedition Cruises voyage will be helping in the conservation of orang-utans and their habitats as Orion will adopt one of these wonderful creatures in their name. As well as receiving a personalised certificate with a colour photo of their adopted orang, they will also get an orang-utan factsheet, a cuddly toy orang-utan and an update after six months of adoption.

Commenting, Andy Harmer, Orion’s UK Director of Sales & Marketing, said: “The destinations visited by Orion have some of the most pristine and sensitive wilderness areas on our planet and we have a social responsibility to develop a marine tourism blueprint that is sustainable and at the forefront of eco-sensitivity.

"By adopting orang-utans on behalf of our guests, we are not only supporting Orion’s commitment to sustainability but also raising awareness of the plight of some of our planet’s most beautiful creatures.”

For further information, visit http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ or call adventure cruise specialists the Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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.