Take A Look At Europa In 2014

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has unveiled its 2014 Europa international brochure, including four exciting itineraries operating in English and German. The highest ranked cruise ship in the world, according to the 2013 Berlitz Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships, the 408-guest Europa is offering itineraries to over a dozen countries in Europe and Northern Africa in its 2014 bilingual brochure.

Hapag-Lloyd also enhances the luxury experience with its travel concierge programme, which assists guests to book individual shore arrangements in advance of their cruise. This advance booking opportunity applies to excursions during the cruise, as well as pre and post-cruise travel options, enhancing the concept of Europa's tailor-made travel experience with private programmes with or without guides, and excursions off the beaten path. There is also an international hostess on all cruises, whether bilingual or not, to ensure English-speaking passengers feel as comfortable as possible.

New for Europa's summer 2013, children 11 years of age or younger, sharing a suite with one or two full-price adult passengers, travel free of charge. Children ages 12-15 sharing a suite with two full-price passengers pay just £39 per night, which includes all meals and soft drinks for lunch and dinner.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury cruising specialists.

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2013 Edition Of Cruise 'Bible' All Set

Despite choppy waters hitting the cruise industry in recent months, it is estimated that more than 20 million people will still be thinking of booking a cruise in 2013 - the majority of them overwhelmed by the number of ships and voyages on offer. 

The 28^th edition of Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships (£17.99) is the only ‘tool’ to provide cruise-goers with all possible criteria with which to help them make their selection. Although the paper edition of this ‘bible’ of cruising will be published on October 1, the digital edition, Berlitz Cruise Ships 2013 App (£6.99), will be arriving in good time for the start of National Cruise Week (September 15-23). In the light of the Costa Concordia disaster, the newly expanded chapter on how safe cruise ships actually are will be of particular interest to readers concerned about safety measures.

This annual best-seller helps many thousands of readers to identify the cruise that best suits them, so their hard-earned holiday represents money well-spent. Completely independent and accepting no sponsorship, this annually updated Guide is the result of painstaking investigation carried out each year by its legendary author, Douglas Ward, the world’s most highly regarded cruise authority.

The 2013 edition of both the book and app will also be more fact-packed than ever before, with 284 candid reviews – that’s virtually every ocean-going ship in the world. So highly regarded is Ward’s work, the Guide sets the internationally recognised ratings system for cruise ships worldwide. Its frank and forthright opinions tell readers everything they could ever want to know about the cruise experience, warts and all.

The beauty of the Berlitz Cruise Ships 2013 App for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch is that with, just a couple of taps, would-be cruise-goers can quickly search through all 284 ocean-going cruise ships according to their needs, whether for family travel, quality of cuisine or accommodation, size of ship and many other criteria, making this the perfect cruise-planning tool. Featured are fully updated ship reviews, an easy-to-use filter for choosing the right ship by preference, plenty of insider knowledge on cruising and cruise lines and lots of new photos. 

WHAT’S NEW IN THE ‘COMPLETE GUIDE’

The new paper edition looks ahead to 2013, rating 11 brand new ships, previewing seven new-builds and identifying nine renamed ships, as well as focusing on the new facilities on board existing ships.

More emphasis has been placed on the following chapters: what the brochures don’t tell you, where to cruise, onboard cuisine, expeditions and nature cruises, around the world cruises, how to choose the right cabin and smaller operators. The majority of images are new and, as experienced cruisers become more adventurous, there is a greater focus on expedition ships, reflecting this expanding area of the industry.

For cruise bookings, be sure to follow this link to our sponsors, The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's leading cruise experts.

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SeaDream Opens for Early 2013 Bookings

SeaDream Yacht Club - with its mega-yachts SeaDream I & II, rated as the top Boutique Ships in the world by the 2011 Berlitz Guide - has released its early 2013 itineraries.

The twin, 112-guest vessels will spend January-April 2013 sailing the Caribbean, visiting the smaller yachting playgrounds and harbours that large ships cannot reach. In addition, SeaDream II will be sailing the Amazon River in February and March.

2013 Amazon Highlights

SeaDream II will sail two 20-night voyages; Bridgetown, Barbados, to Iquitos, Peru, and the return. Ports of call include Devil's Island, French Guiana; Parintins, Brazil; Manaus, Brazil; Panelas, Brazil; Leticia, Colombia, and more.

A naturalist will be aboard the Amazon voyages providing in-depth information about the great river wilderness. Excursions will feature the jungle’s exotic plants and animals, Amazonian tribes, museums and markets. On one of Brazil’s best beaches, in Alter do Chao, SeaDream hosts their Champagne and Caviar Splash™. Optional pre and post-voyage over-land adventures feature one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu.

Voyage-only fares for the two 20-night Amazon voyages, departing Bridgetown on February 10, 2013, sailing to Iquitos, Peru; and departing Iquitos on March 23, returning to Bridgetown, lead in at $16,999 per person with $1,220pp govt/port taxes.

2013 Caribbean Highlights

SeaDream II offers voyages in the lush & unspoiled Grenadines, including the islands of Mayreau and Bequia.

There are new calls in Puerto Rico to Fajardo Bay (calm, coral-rich water), Ponce (beautiful neoclassical buildings) and Caja de Muertos (superb snorkelling); more calls to Tortola and Norman Island in the British Virgin Islands; visits to the ports of La Samana and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic; and continued overnight stays in St. Barts, where guests enjoy the island’s entertainment after dark.

Caribbean, 7-night voyage-only fares lead in at $3,199 per person, plus $392pp govt/port taxes, sailing round-trip from San Juan, Puerto Rico to San Juan.

These voyage-only fares above are based on two people sharing Yacht Club Deck 2 accommodation and include all meals, onboard gratuities, wine with lunch and dinner, a complimentary open bar and use of the yachts' “water toys” and Marina (weather conditions permitting).

For more information, visit www.seadream.com or the UK's leading luxury cruise experts 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.

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Digital and APP versions of the "Cruising Bible"

By guest blogger Steve Newman

After 26 years' success in print form, the annual Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships is now also available in digital form as the Berlitz Cruise Ships 2011 App. The beauty of the new app is that, with just a couple of touch-screen taps, would-be cruise-goers can search the 284 featured cruise ships according to their needs - whether for size of ship, families, couples, solo travellers or star ratings, among many more.

Available for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, the Berlitz Cruise Ships 2011 App features in-depth searchable cruise ship reviews. For regular cruise-goers and first-time cruisers alike, the App features quick and easy access to Douglas Ward's authoritative and hard-hitting reviews, ratings and statistical information through user-friendly touch-screen menus.

Browse through the ships according to Ward’s world-respected rating system, search by traveller type, ship size or cruise line, and highlight favourite ships for future reference. As the most extensive cruise ship information available anywhere, the App allows users to find out about each cruise ship's accommodation, cuisine, entertainment and fitness facilities, and to see images of every vessel.

Completely independent and accepting no sponsorship, the Berlitz Cruise Ships 2011 App and its author sets the internationally recognised ratings system for cruise ships worldwide. Douglas Ward is recognised as the world’s top authority on cruising and cruise ships, with more than 40 years of experience. He continues to spend up to 200 days a year aboard cruise ships, inspecting and evaluating their facilities.

Berlitz Cruise Ships 2011 App is available now at a promotional price of £9.99 (standard price £12.99). For further information, visit http://www.berlitzpublishing.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.

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Berlitz Cruising

By guest blogger Steve Newman

When it comes to life on the ocean waves, small is beautiful according to the eagerly awaited 2011 Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships, the world’s most trusted guide (published Oct 4, 2010). Having reviewed 285 cruise ships, the new Berlitz Guide names the top-rated vessels for 2011, with the 10 most highly-rated being officially ‘small’ or ‘boutique’, and explains why they scored as highly as they did.

Europa (above), a ‘Small Ship’ of Hapag Lloyd Cruises, is the only vessel to receive the exclusive 5-star Plus rating, scoring the highest with 1,853 points out of a possible 2,000. Although a ship may be the latest, most stunning vessel in the world in terms of design and décor, if the food, service, staff and hospitality are not so good, the scores and ratings will reflect these. In this way, although Europa is now 11 years old, it looks almost new, thanks to the dedication of its crew and owners.

Within Europa’s wake are:

SeaDream II (1,788 points)
Seabourn Odyssey (1,787)
Seabourn Sojourn (1,787)
SeaDream I (1,786)
Seabourn Legend (1,774)
Silver Spirit (1,772)
Seabourn Spirit (1,770)
Seabourn Pride (1,769)
Silver Whisper (1,753)
Silver Shadow (1,750)

Douglas Ward is the world’s top authority on cruising and cruise ships, with more than 40 years of experience. He continues to spend some 200 days a year aboard cruise ships, inspecting and evaluating their facilities.

Commenting on the ratings system, he says: “There really is no best cruise line in the world or best cruise ship – only those that are right for you. With cruise ships, the goal posts keep changing as the industry evolves and matures. Ship owners, cruise operators, wholesalers and tour packagers keep redefining their product, pricing and marketing strategies in order to fill ships and make a profit.”

The fully revised and updated edition of the Guide, now in its 26th year of publication, also previews the 20 new ships set to debut between 2011 and 2014. Among the newcomers previewed is Queen Elizabeth, with a focus on why Cunard’s new liner, set to launch on October 11, should not be seen as a replacement for the much-loved QE2.

Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2011 (£16.99, 720 pages) will be available from all good bookshops from October 4.

For further information, visit http://www.berlitzpublishing.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.