Winter Cruises from Broadway Travel from £299pp

Set sail with Broadway Travel this winter. They are offering a Belgium Christmas Market cruise from £299pp and a 12 night Atlantic Coast Cruise from £539pp.

£299pp - Five-Star Queen Victoria Belgium Christmas Market Cruise with Balcony Cabin

Bruges, Belgium: Spend three nights, full board, exploring Belgium this Christmas.

The Queen Victoria offers a range of dining options to suit every guest and also offers two swimming pools, a spa and four whirlpools. Guests can explore the cities of Bruges and Ghent – perhaps the best preserved medieval cities of Northern Europe with their cobbled streets, medieval edifices, glassy canals and of course their magical Christmas markets.

Ship departs and returns from Southampton from 16 December 2014.

Prices based on two sharing.

P&O Oriana, Iberian Cruise

£539pp - Four-Star 12 Night Atlantic Coast Cruise 

Spain & Portugal:  Beat the post-Christmas blues with a 12 day full-board winter cruise. Relax on board the P&O Oriana around one of the pools or the ships own spa. The ship will set sail to destinations across the Atlantic including Casablanca, Malaga, Cadiz and Lisbon (above).

Ship departs and returns from Southampton on  11 January 2015.

Subscribe to World of Cruising magazine here          Follow us on Facebook 

Adventure Cruising blog

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.

Hit The Dance Floor On A Saga Voyage

Stop, Look, Listen – to Motown music as you sail away on the Portugal, Madeira and the Azores cruise with Saga Cruises this winter. 

Sandy beaches, lush landscapes, wine-tasting and dolphin-spotting will fill the day and, in the evening, gusts can dance to the best sounds from Berry Gordy’s Motown music machine. Better still, this cruise is all-inclusive. Priced from £1,899 for the full 15 nights, it departs from Southampton on November 8.

Saga Pearl II

There will be a Venetian masked ball on the "Adriatic Homecoming" all-inclusive classic cruise. Saga Pearl II (above) sails from Southampton and, on this melodic voyage, there will be plenty of star names, including soprano Hayley Westenra, The Operababes, The Three Tenors tribute act and The Gondolier Trio. The cruise itself visits the ancient ruins of Cartagena, Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, mythical Corfu, historic Split and, of course, the beautiful city of Venice. There is also the option to take an 11-night outward journey or 13-night return.

Prices start from £1,679 for 11 nights (Nov 22-Dec 3), £1,999 for 13 nights (Dec 3-16) or £2,749 for 24 nights. There is an optional three-night stay in Venice from £399, including breakfast.

Saga Pearl II also celebrates the magic of Motown with a cruise through the Norwegian Fjords next year. Guests can hit the dance floor when they hear tracks by Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Five and the Temptations, plus celebrate Berry Gordy’s record label in style when a Supremes tribute band brings those memories flooding back. Priced from £909 for 7 nights, it sets sail from Dover on May 1, calling at Bergen, Geiranger, Skojolden and Haugesund.

Saga Sapphire

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Dance ‘til you drop to the sounds of the 60s on the four-night "A Taste of the Continent" cruise to Guernsey, Belgium and Holland. Tribute band the Mersey Beatles will be topping the bill on what promises to be groovy long weekend. Priced from £519, it departs from Southampton on May 2.

Or smooch to the laid-back sounds of The Rat Pack while on the "Fjordland Gems" cruise on the chic Saga Sapphire. Visit Olden, Flam and Stavanger by day and in the evenings sing along and dance to the Kings of Cool. Priced from £876 for seven nights, it departs from Dover, on May 6 and July 1.

All holidays include UK door-to-door travel service, all meals, entertainment, gratuities, room service and travel insurance and cancellation cover. All-inclusive cruises also include house branded alcohol and cocktails and soft drinks.

To book, call free on 0800 056 8986 or visit saga.co.uk/cruises.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

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.

European Waterways New Brochure

Luxury hotel barge operator European Waterways has launched its 2013 Brochure – and accompanying UK price insert – featuring cruises along the magical canals, rivers and lakes of Europe, aboard a fleet of hotel barges, ranging in size from 6 to 20 guests.

Since 1974, European Waterways has been providing high-quality barging cruises on its fully-crewed ‘floating hotels’ to a discerning clientele wishing to enjoy wonderful scenery, stimulating history and local culture and, of course, fine cuisine and wines.

New highlights introduced in the 2013 programme are: 

• Cruises along the picturesque Canal de la Marne au Rhin in Alsace-Lorraine aboard the newest addition to the fleet, the 12-passenger Panache.
• A new feature on the evocative French region of Champagne, offering cruises aboard three hotel barges at various times of the year.
• Longer Waterway Journeys, or ‘voyages of exploration’ of varying duration through several countries.

Traditionally 6-night cruises, operating from March to October, these relaxing holidays in France, Italy, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, England, Scotland and Ireland, include: accommodation in air-conditioned, en suite cabins; all gourmet meals on board; selected domaine and château wines; open bar; daily escorted shore excursions; local transfers; and the use of all barge facilities such as bicycles and spa pools.

With the fully-crewed luxury vessels accommodating between 6 and 20 guests, clients can choose to either charter a whole boat with family and friends or join a small group of like-minded travellers on an individual cabin basis. The average crew ratio is one crew member for every two passengers and includes Captain, Chef, Tour Guide and Hostesses, ensuring an extremely high level of service.

Also on offer is a range of themed charter cruises, which can be organised for special interest parties, featuring activities such as golf, walking and wine appreciation.

Prices for 6-night cruises in 2013, based on double occupancy, lead in at £2,250 per person aboard hotel barge Scottish Highlander in the Scottish Highlands, based on double occupancy in an en suite cabin; or at £14,400 for 6 passengers aboard Nymphea in the Loire Valley, on a whole boat charter basis.

For more on river-cruising, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, and, for more information, go to  www.gobarging.com. 

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.

Russell Watson Hits High Note With P&O

Classical singing star Russell Watson is to perform on two short break cruises with P&O Cruises in 2013. The world famous tenor will appear on new three and four-night sailings from Southampton in May and June.  The first departure is a three-night cruise to Belgium and Guernsey departing on Aurora on May 18, with prices starting at £299 per person.

The second sailing will see Watson perform on superliner Azura on a four-night cruise departing on July 5, calling at the same destinations. Prices are from £399pp. In addition to the performance, passengers on Azura can book pre or post-performance dinner in celebrity chef Atul Kochhar’s Sindhu restaurant, or Marco Pierre White’s Cafe Bordeaux on Aurora. 

The first port of call at Zeebrugge gives passengers the day to explore the city of Bruges, with the possibility of travelling further afield to visit Brussels, Ghent or Ypres. The second call in St Peter Port provides a gateway to the island of Guernsey. 

Watson has been in the spotlight since 1999 when his performance of World Cup anthem “Nessun Dorma” at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium received a standing ovation. The Russell Watson cruise itineraries, on sale from November 1, are: 

• A three-night cruise on board Aurora (R305), departing May 18. Itinerary: Southampton, Zeebrugge, St Peter Port, Southampton. Prices from £299 per person.
• A four-night cruise on board Azura (A316N), departing June 5 Itinerary: Southampton, Zeebrugge, St Peter Port, Southampton. Prices from £399 per person. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, 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.

European Waterways Bring in 2012 with Panache!

European Waterways is delighted to announce a new addition to its fleet, the 12-passenger luxury vessel Panache, bringing its portfolio of luxury hotel barges on offer to 21.

The 128ft Dutch hotel barge will embark in April and May 2012 on 6-night round-trip ‘Tulip Cruises’, starting and finishing in Haarlem, visiting the spectacular Keukenhof Gardens with the largest display of flowers in the world, the world-famous Delft pottery and the cheese centre of Gouda. There will also be an optional excursion to the amazing Floriade 2012, World Horticultural Expo in Venlo (April 5 to October 7).

Panache will then reposition via Belgium, Paris and Champagne to cruise the beautiful Canal de la Marne au Rhin from Mittersheim to Strasbourg in Alsace-Lorraine between June and October. This is a region with a unique mix of French and German cultures, Baroque and Romanesque architecture.

The new vessel is a beautifully-appointed hotel barge with spacious public areas and six air-conditioned double/twin en-suite cabins, each bathroom having twin hand-basins and oversize showers with massage jets. There are large panoramic windows in the saloon for viewing the passing countryside and the barge has been fitted out in traditional yacht style with brass and mahogany fittings. A large sundeck and heated spa pool complete the picture.

The on-board crew of six comprise the Captain, Master Chef, Deck Hand, Tour Guide and Hostesses. Their extensive knowledge of the region, escorted private excursions, together with the availability of 12 bikes and even a tandem, combine to ensure passengers will have the opportunity to explore the surrounding areas in detail.

Guests can expect to enjoy regional dishes such as Sea Bass with Cucumber and Smoked Eel and Roasted Duck à l’Alsacienne, accompanied by fine wines such as Gewurztraminer Reboltz and Sylvaner Cuvée Réserve. The all-inclusive prices lead in at £2,790 per person in a twin/double suite and at £25,600 for a whole boat charter.

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

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.

Cruise To Floriade - The World Horticultural Expo

Floriade is an international exhibition of flowers and gardening held every 10 years in the Netherlands, attracting visitors from all over the world, and eWaterways is offering cruises through the Dutch and Belgian waterways that include a visit to Floriade 2012 as a full-day optional excursion.

The voyage is available on the Amadeus Brilliant, Diamond and Elegant luxury cruise ships.

For more details, visit www.ewaterways.co.uk or the UK's river-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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.

Rivers of Holland and Belgium

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Perfect for those who love to explore a number of different destinations at a leisurely pace, here's a river cruise that takes in the unspoilt and picturesque scenery of Holland and Belgium.

Begin your adventure onboard a DFDS Seaways cruise ferry and relax from the moment you step onboard in Newcastle. Enjoy some scrumptious food in one of the onboard restaurants before sitting back with a glass of wine to watch the evening's entertainment. After a peaceful night's sleep in your ensuite cabin, awake refreshed and ready to board your Croisi river cruiser.
Cruising from Amsterdam to Antwerp, you'll enjoy stop-offs on the way, including an excursion to the stunning tulip fields of Keukenhof Gardens (above). You'll also enter the Holland Diep, an inland sea, and go through locks at Volkerak and Kreekak, on the way to Belgium.

Everything is taken care of in this holiday package. All meals and entertainment are included onboard the cruise ferry and Croisi riverboat. In addition, the river voyage offers a variety of activities onboard and ashore, including commentaries and guided tours to historic and cultural sites, local attractions, museums and galleries. Voyages depart April 3, 2011.

To book, visit http://www.dfds.co.uk/

Don't forget to check out the Cruise Show website for all the lowdown and exhibitors at the Birmingham and London shows in October (16-17) and March (26-27).

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.