All Aboard For Saga’s New Antiques Seashow

Calling all fans of BBC's Antiques Roadshow - you can take to the sea with Saga Cruises AND enjoy your favourite TV show on a special voyage to northern Europe this May.

In keeping with Saga's style of adding onboard value to the entertainment and lecture programmes, Roadshow presenters Paul Atterbury and Ian Harris (above) will lead a fascinating series of talks, master-classes and valuations on board the Saga Sapphire's sailing to the Baltic.

They will be joined by valuer Clive Steward-Lockhart, who is also a familiar face on the show, and archaeologist and antiquities lecturer Dr Ann Birchall, who will give fascinating talks on underwater archaeology and life in the classical world.

Guests will also be able to join a hosted antique-hunting shore excursion, where the experts give hints and tips along the way during this new A Voyage the Baltic cruise.

Saga Sapphire will sail from Dover on May 19, heading to the Baltic via the Kiel Canal,  a 60-mile channel through the German countryside. The journey ends when passing the Canal lookout station, which uniquely plays the national anthem of each ship as it passes.

Blending the imposing grandeur of St Petersburg with the refined grace of Helsinki and the stylish allure of two ports in Sweden, Stockholm and Gothenburg, this cruise celebrates northern Europe's great maritime heritage, as well as that of the the new Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which have each celebrated more than two decades of independence.

Tallinn in Estonia is acclaimed for its fairytale skyline of turrets and spires, while there is great shopping in Latvia's Ventspils and, from the Hansa port of Klaipeda, in Lithuania, passengers can visit the 13th century Memelburg Castle.

The 14-night cruise costs from £2,368 per person, with the price including VIP door-to-door chauffeur service, all meals and snacks, 24-hour room service, welcome cocktail party, entertainment and lectures, all gratuities, porterage, travel insurance and cancellation cover.

More info: call 0800 056 8986 or visit saga.co.uk/cruises.

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It's Saga Week On World of Cruising!

By Editor Simon Veness

Get ready for a full week of Saga Cruises here at World of Cruising this week, with a whole range of stories, insight and special offers from Britain's classic cruise line.

Starting tomorrow (Feb 11), we will have a new story each day on an aspect of the Dover-based company, who operate two ships - Saga Pearl II and Saga Sapphire - on a series of extensive voyages that appeal to the serious cruiser.

Taking it day by day, we will devote our new-look main website - www.worldofcruising.co.uk - to the full Saga story, with an in-depth look at what they do and a full week's worth of special offers, with follow-up stories here at Time Spent At Sea and our Twitter account, @WorldofCruising.

Both Saga ships offer a contrasting experience and a tempting programme of voyages, varying from 3 days to extended 20 and 30-day grand voyages to the Black Sea, Caribbean and further afield, with most setting sail from Dover but many from Southampton as well. There are themed cruises and Christmas cruises, plus special guests like Dame Stella Rimington (ex-MI5) and Dr Ann Birchall of the Antiques Roadshow and a 100th anniversary commemoration of the Gallipoli campaign in April 2015.

Intimate and casual, the 18,591-ton Saga Pearl II (left) is small enough to go where many big ships can't and features more off-the-beaten-track ports of call as a result, but still with a full array of amenities and facilities on board, including excellent dining, a choice of bars and lounges, plus an indoor pool, sauna and the latest fitness equipment.

The 37,301-ton Saga Sapphire (below) is the former five-star Europa of stylish Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, fully renovated and redesigned internally for British guests and maximum comfort, with a rather more contemporary style but still carrying only a maximum of 720 passengers. The vessel boasts spacious cabins, a state-of-the-art Spa, full promenade deck, three dining venues and a great range of public rooms, including the classic Britannia Lounge for afternoon tea.

All Saga dining is fully open seating (although there are fixed-seating tables if you prefer),

meaning you can dine when you like with whom you like, and it all comes with a friendly, efficient service that marks Saga out as one of the true individuals in the cruise world today. All cruises also feature a specialist lecture programme into the areas and ports visited by the ships, with expert guests to add real depth to the voyage.

Other Saga extras include:

• Door-to-door chauffeur service
• Travel insurance and additional cancellation cover
• All onboard gratuities
• 24 hour room service
• Free shuttle bus to take you to the nearest town centre
• Porterage of luggage

Now, be sure to tune in to Time Spent At Sea every day this coming week for more great news and offers on Saga cruises, and see more on our main website. And get ready to set sail!

More info: call 0800 096 0074 or visit http://travel.saga.co.uk/holidays/ocean-cruises.aspx.

The new edition of World of Cruising is now out, and you can see the digital version online on our home page at www.worldofcruising.co.uk. To subscribe at our special offer rate for 2014, see this link. 

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Back In Time With Fred. Olsen's Antiques-Themed Cruise

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is offering a special antiques-themed cruise in autumn 2013, through its acclaimed onboard enrichment programme, Vistas. This 14-night ‘The Art of the Mediterranean’ cruise aboard Balmoral departs from Southampton on September 27 and will be accompanied by Lars Tharp (above), the Danish-born historian, lecturer and broadcaster, as the onboard antiques expert.

Lars is one of the longest-standing experts on the ‘Antiques Roadshow’ and this enticing Mediterranean cruise calls first at Malaga, the wonderfully warm and inviting capital of the Costa del Sol. Balmoral then continues to Palamos, a historic Spanish fishing village which dates back to the 12^th Century, and Ajaccio on the exotic island of Corsica, overflowing with reminders of its most famous resident, Napoleon. 

The cruise goes on to visit Mahon (Menorca), famous for its Xoriguer Gin Distillery, and Cartagena, an important port for over 2,000 years, before reaching Portugal’s lively capital, Lisbon. Here, guests can take in the delightful mix of palaces, churches, Art Nouveau cafés, museums and splendid bridges. Balmoral will then have a relaxing day at sea before returning to Southampton on October 11.

Prices for this cruise start from £1,459 per person, based on two adults sharing a twin-bedded ‘Inside’ cabin, Grade ‘I’, and include accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, plus port taxes. Guests can join Lars’ fascinating talks free of charge. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's cruise-agent experts.

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It's The Antiques Cruise Show With Fred Olsen

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is offering three cruises in 2012 with ‘Antiques’ as the special topic, through its acclaimed onboard enrichment programme Vistas. On each cruise, there will be celebrated experts from the world of antiques, sharing their knowledge and passion with like-minded guests. 

Each of these experts appears as an appraiser on the BBC’s celebrated and long-running Antiques Roadshow. Antiques-collecting is one of the UK’s most popular pastimes; the popularity of antiques fairs and auctions continues unabated, with TV shows like the Roadshow, Cash in the Attic and Flog It all going from strength to strength. So, what better way to indulge an interest in antiques than taking a cruise to some of Europe's most interesting cities, brimming with a wealth of art and antique collections, in the company of the most knowledgeable experts in the field?

The Fred. Olsen experts are:- Lars Tharp, Will Farmer, Marc Allum, Clive Stewart-Lockhart and Paul Viney, and guests can join these fascinating experts free of charge on the following Fred. Olsen cruises in 2012:

Black Watch, 13-night ‘The Baltic with Norway’ voyage, departing Dover on June 24 and calling at Kiel (Germany), Tallinn (Estonia), St. Petersburg (Russia, overnight), Helsinki (Finland), Turku (Finland), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Kristiansand (Norway), before returning to Dover. Prices start from £1,699 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin Grade E. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes. The Vistas theme on this cruise is hosted by Lars Tharp and Clive Stewart-Lockhart.

Boudicca, 12-night ‘Stockholm & St. Petersburg’ cruise, departing Newcastle on September 14 and calling at Stockholm (Sweden), Tallinn, St. Petersburg (overnight), Ronne (Denmark) and Kalundborg (Denmark), before returning to Newcastle. Prices start from £1,559 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade E. The antiques experts on this cruise are Marc Allum and Will Farmer.

Braemar, 12-night ‘St. Petersburg, Helsinki & Stockholm’ voyage, departing Dover on September 22, calling at Warnemünde (for Berlin), Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg (overnight), Rǿnne, Copenhagen and Oslo before returning to Dover. Prices start from £1,519 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin, Grade I. Hosting the Vistas ‘Antiques’ theme will be Lars Tharp and Paul Viney.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Fred Olsen - Road Show Cruise

By guest blogger Steve Newman

The Danish-born historian, lecturer and broadcaster, Lars Tharp – who is also one of the longest running experts on the BBC’s ‘Antiques Roadshow’ – will be one of the special guest speakers aboard Fred Olsen’s 23-night Black Watch cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean in May 2011.

A regular with Fred Olsen, Lars speaks on antiques-collecting, as part of the cruise line’s onboard programme of special interests, The ArtsClub. Originally trained as an archaeologist, Lars was a Director of Sotheby’s, where he specialised in European ceramics and oriental works of art. In 2008, he was appointed the Director of the Foundling Museum in London, and Visiting Professor at De Montfort University, Leicester. On this cruise, Lars will give some highly entertaining and informative talks, and will also offer to value small items brought on board by guests, in true ‘Antiques Roadshow’ style.

Lars will be on board as far as Istanbul, where he will disembark, and the ship will be joined by his ‘Antiques Roadshow’ colleague Will Farmer. Will specialises in 20th Century decorative arts, covering ceramics, glass and furniture. He studied at the Birmingham School of Jewellery, undertaking a combined BA Hons in Silversmithing and Fine Art History. Will has featured as an expert on the BBC’s ‘20th Century Roadshow’, and is now in his fourth season as an expert with the Roadshow.

This cruise also offers a wealth of opportunities to explore the Ancient World, as it visits some of the great classical cities of Greece, Turkey and Tunisia. Black Watch departs from Dover on May 18 and ports of call include Cagliari in Sicily, Kalamata (anchor port) and Piraeus (the port for Athens) in Greece, Canakkale in Turkey, with tours to the fabled city of Troy, as well as Istanbul, Valletta – capital of Malta – and La Goulette for Tunisia’s capital, Tunis.

Highlights of this cruise include the chance to explore the remains of ancient Troy, a full day to take in the sights of historic Athens, and another day in Tunis, where French colonial architecture sits cheek-by-jowl with ancient Moorish buildings.

This classical cruise is a history-lover’s dream, and the additional ArtsClub ‘Antiques’ theme, hosted by Tharp and Farmer, is especially well-suited to this itinerary.

Prices start from £2,279 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes.

If you would like to join Tharp, Farmer and other history-lovers on this cruise, find out more by visiting www.fredolsencruises.co.uk or call specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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