St Petersburg, Venice & A Total Eclipse With Star Clippers

Tall-ship specialist Star Clippers has launched its 2013/14 brochure, showcasing romantic and exciting sailing voyages in the Baltic, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and Central America on the line’s three head-turning sailing ships, Star Clipper, Star Flyer and Royal Clipper. 

The schedule features St Petersburg in Russia, the classic port of Venice and even a total eclipse of the sun in November, 2013.

Baltic Cruises on Star Flyer

Star Flyer will offer a wide variety of cruises in the Baltic, varying from a three-day taster voyage for the Hamburg Sailing Parade, a spectacular gathering of tall ships, to a 13-night Grand Voyage, from Hamburg to Stockholm, taking in unusual ports around Sweden’s beautiful southern coast. There will be also be six 10 and 11-night round-trip voyages from Stockholm, via St Petersburg, where the ship overnights. 

Prices: from £702pp, cruise-only, for a four-night Northern Europe sample cruise on August 24, Hamburg to Texel (Netherlands), Ijmuiden and Ostend. Or, for a longer, flight-inclusive stay, sail round-trip from Stockholm on July 8 from £2,799pp, including flights, transfers, two nights in a four-star city centre hotel, a Stockholm Pass and 11 nights’ full board on Star Flyer, which sails to St Petersburg for an overnight in port. 

Cuba 
For the second half of the 2013/14 winter season, Star Flyer will reposition to Cuba to offer a series of seven-night cruises from the historic southern town of Cienfueguos, calling at Trinidad, Cayo Largo, Archipielago de los Canarreos and the Cayman Islands.  

Prices: from £1,305, cruise-only, round-trip from Cienfuegos, departing February 16, 2014.

Mediterranean Cruises on Royal Clipper
The 227-passenger Royal Clipper will sail an assortment of western Mediterranean cruises, with a series of seven-night round-trip Rome cruises in May, June and October, calling at romantic and beautiful ports on the Italian mainland as well as Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. In late June, July and August, the ship will operate 10 and 11-night cruises between Rome and Venice, followed by four new round-trip Venice sailings in September, calling at ports in Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia.  

Prices: from £619pp, cruise-only, for a three-night taster cruise from Venice to Rovinj, Croatia and Piran, Slovenia, departing September 4. 

Caribbean

Royal Clipper winters in the warm Caribbean, alternating between Windward Islands and Grenadine Islands itineraries from her base in Barbados. 

Prices: from £1,105pp, cruise only, for seven nights, round-trip Bridgetown, departing December 7 and calling at St Lucia, Dominica, Antigua, St Kitts, Iles des Saintes and Martinique. 

Transatlantic voyages – and a Total Eclipse

All three ships offer transatlantic crossings as they move from one cruising area to the other each season. These represent a chance to escape the stresses of daily life and to commune with the sea and the stars, to read and to mingle with fellow travellers. Take the Westbound crossing on Star Flyer on October 26 from Las Palmas to Barbados for a good chance to viewing the Total Solar Eclipse on November 3, which will be visible in the north Atlantic.  

Prices: from £822pp, cruise-only, 15 nights. 

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

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Star Clippers Sets Sail For Cuba

Tall ship specialist Star Clippers is to sail to Cuba in 2014 for the first time, offering a spectacular series of itineraries exploring the island in depth, visiting stunning beaches and anchorages, colonial towns and villages and with a pre and post-cruise option to stay in historic Havana, famous for its cigars, nightlife, architecture and the legacy of Hemingway.

The Cuba programme will be offered on the 170-passenger Star Flyer (above), which will split the winter of 2013/14 between Costa Rica, where the ship has already operated two highly successful seasons, and the Caribbean. She will sail four itineraries taking in Cuba, as follows:

February 2, 2014: 14 nights, Costa Rica to Cuba via the Panama Canal, calling at Drake Bay and Golfito (Costa Rica); Isla Gamez, Isla Iguana and Balboa (Panama); San Andres and Providencia (Colombia); George Town and Little Cayman (Cayman Islands) and Casilda (Cuba). From £2,440, plus £245 port charges, cruise only.

February 16 and 23 and March 2, 9 and 16, 2014: Seven nights Cuba and Cayman Islands, departing Cienfuegos and calling at Cayo Blanco; Casilda (for the historic town of Trinidad, rich with colonial architecture); Little Cayman and George Town, capital of Great Cayman; Cayo Largo (Cuba), Archipelago de los Canarreos; returning to Cienfuegos. From £1,185, plus £120 port charges, cruise only.

March 23: Six nights round-trip from Cienfuegos, calling at Archipelago de los Canarreos; Punta Frances; Cayo Largo; Casilda; and Cayo Blanco, from £1,015, plus £105 port charges, cruise only.

March 29: Cuba to St Maarten, departing Cienfuegos and calling at Montego Bay and Port Antonio (Jamaica); Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic); the British Virgin Islands; and Philipsburg. From £1865pp, plus £190 port charges, cruise only.

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

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Big Autmn Savings With Crystal

As if Crystal Cruises’ autumn sale wasn’t big enough already, the ultra-luxury cruise operator is offering even greater savings on its 25th October New York to Miami Caribbean cruise with prices for this 12-night voyage starting from as little £3,723 per person – a saving of £498 per person.

Crystal’s “Pink Sands and White Beaches” voyage begins with a scenic sail-away from New York followed by visits to Bermuda, St Maarten, Antigua, Aruba and the Cayman Islands. Throughout, guests will be stimulated and enriched with an array of complimentary workshops and classes:

A “Digital Filmmaking” theme offers camera buffs hands-on tutelage in travel video production from Travel Channel Academy founders throughout the sailing. News junkies will relish insights from Shelby Coffee, formerly editor of the LA Times, president of CNN Business News and executive vice president of ABC News. Veteran US State Department Senior Foreign Service Officer, Robert Warne, will enthral world affairs enthusiasts with his vast experience in international economics. Animal lovers can help care for stray donkeys via Crystal’s free “You Care, We Care” voluntourism excursion in Antigua.

Prices include return scheduled flights, transfers, 12 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window with all meals and soft drinks, port taxes and a $500 per person onboard credit.

For further information, visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk or contact the luxury 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.

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