Experience Christmas with a difference with Fred Olsen

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has launched a new Christmas mini-brochure for December. ‘Fred’s Festive Cruising’, features 13 cruises, including winter sun escapes, Christmas market city breaks and four brand-new festive sailings from Liverpool. There is also the chance to see the  Northern Lights  on a winter sailing to Norway aboard Black Watch.

The newly-launched cruises on Boudicca are two two-night Dublin mini-breaks, departing on either 10 December 2014 or 12 December 2014, a four-night Irish Christmas Markets’cruise, departing on 14 December, and the chance to attend a Christmas party with a difference on 18 December.

In addition, Fred. Olsen is offering guests the opportunity to upgrade to its all-inclusive drinks package for £10 per person per night. Solo travellers can also take advantage of no single supplements on a selected range of cabins across the fleet.

Each of Fred. Olsen’s ships – Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch – will be decked out in Christmas decorations, and guests can look forward to a traditional Christmas dinner during their cruise. There will also be Christmas-themed shows from the entertainments team on board, a carol concert, Christmas arts and crafts classes and a seasonal quiz.

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More Norway From Hurtigruten

Norway continues to be a popular and highly aspirational cruise region for British holidaymakers (hence our big feature on Norwegian cruises in the current issue of World of Cruising).

And those looking for more options should definitely check out Hurtigruten’s new preview brochure for 2015/16 that showcases key Norwegian and Explorer voyages and includes more direct flight charters as well as a new coastal itinerary and ex-UK ‘Fjord Highlights’ Explorer Voyage.

Discounts of up to 25% are available on selected Coastal Voyage bookings made by September 30 and Explorer Voyages made by June 30.

Coastal Voyages

Voyage-only prices start from just £819 per person for the six-day Classic Voyage South for departures from January to March 2015, on a full board basis.  

A number of new regional flying options have been added to the programme, with direct charters to Norway now offered from five new regional airports: East Midlands, Cardiff, Newcastle, Dublin and Jersey. Additional charters have also been included from existing regional departure airports, with 69 planned in total for 2015.

Explorer Voyages

A one-off ‘Fjords Highlights’ has been added to the programme, departing from Dover on May 1, 2015. The unique 10-day trip on MS Fram sails over to Norway visiting some of the most beautiful fjords, including Lysefjord, Hardangerfjord and Sognefjord, before returning to Dover. Prices start from £1,949 per person on a full board basis.

More info: call 020 3582 6642 or visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk.

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Crystal's New Wine & Food-Themed Cruises

Crystal Cruises has set four new Wine & Food-themed luxury cruises for 2014, to include new guest chef-prepared Vintage Room dinners on each of the four sailings - in Asia, the South Pacific, Trans-Atlantic and the US/Caribbean – as well as a new microbrew theme on the last of the voyages.

All of Crystal’s culinary Experiences of Discovery voyages include complimentary hands-on cooking classes, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, mixology lessons and a guest chef dinner for all guests in the Crystal Dining Room. 

In addition, in 2014, each culinary-themed cruise will feature an optional intimate, guest chef-created dinner for 12-14 in Crystal’s Vintage Room, with seven courses featuring local flavours of the region and extraordinary wine pairings selected by the guest wine expert. Building upon the success of Crystal’s recently-added Connoisseur Beer menu, the new microbrew-themed cruise will offer beer pairings, instead of wine, for the dinner, as well as craft beer enrichment and sampling throughout the voyage. 

Held on both Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, the cruises will feature local tastes of:

• The South Pacific: Sailing 20th January from Papeete to Bora Bora, Rarotonga, Tonga, Fiji and Auckland (overnight).
• Asia/China: Sailing 9th April from Hong Kong (overnight) to Xiamen, Shanghai (two overnights) and Dalian, with three days ashore in Beijing included.
• Atlantic, including Iceland and New England: Sailing 5th September from Southampton to the Channel Islands, Waterford, Dublin, Belfast, Reykjavik (overnight), Halifax, Bar Harbor and Boston.
• The US East Coast & Caribbean: Sailing 5th November from New York (overnight) to Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston, Turks & Caicos, Curaçao, Aruba and Miami.

While exact programming details are still being finalised, food experts scheduled thus far include Thrainn Freyr Vigfusson, recent Icelandic Chef of the Year and Bocuse d’Or finalist; Stephen Beaumont, co-author of The World Atlas of Beer; Aldo Sohm, Wine Director at New York’s Le Bernadin restaurant and the first-ever representative from America to win “Best Sommelier in the World”; Shailesh Naidu, the only native five-star executive chef in Fiji; and Serge Dansereau, Australian celebrity chef, fresh food movement pioneer and owner of the iconic Bathers’ Pavilion restaurant in New South Wales. 

“Book now” fares for the Wine & Food cruise series start at £2,461 per person cruise only and are only guaranteed until October 31.

Extraordinary culinary experiences are a hallmark of every Crystal holiday. Crystal’s extensive, innovative choices for dining include the ultra-luxury line’s coveted cheese and wine cellars overseen by onboard sommeliers (Court of Master Sommeliers-certified); fresh, cocktails served by certified mixologists; and gourmet dining options at every meal, whether in the Crystal Dining Room, at afternoon tea or in Nobu and Piero Selvaggio’s specialty restaurants.

More info: 020 7399 7601 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

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Milford Haven's Princess Debut

The Princess Cruises ship Ocean Princess makes her debut in Pembrokeshire today as she arrives in the Milford Haven Waterway, where the fast-growing Port of Milford Haven has been busy preparing to host the arrival of around 680 passengers on a cruise around the coasts of Ireland, Wales and Scotland. 

One of Princess’ smaller ships at 592ft long and 30,000 tons, Ocean Princess has sailed around some of the world’s most exotic destinations and will be at the Port from 8am to 5pm before moving on to Dublin and Rosyth.

Cruise Development Officer at the Port of Milford Haven, Sue Blanchard-Williams, is looking forward to welcoming passengers. She said: “Pembrokeshire is a fantastic port of call with its world famous coastline and some of the richest cultural landmarks in Wales. The ships come because the port is perfectly located for the best that West Wales has to offer. Historic castles, long sandy beaches, wildlife or retail, it’s all right here on our doorstep.”

The Port of Milford Haven is leading the promotion of Pembrokeshire as a cruising destination, providing a fantastic boost to the local economy. In 2012, almost 3,000 cruise passengers came ashore, spending more than £200,000 in Pembrokeshire alone.

Paul Ludlow, Princess Cruises UK director, said: "Princess is known for its great destinations so we’re thrilled we’ve been able to add Milford Haven, another fantastic British port, to our holiday offering. With more than 150 different itineraries to choose from, Princess passengers can cover the globe, with sailings to all seven continents that call at more than 300 ports and destinations around the world.”

The next cruise call at Milford Haven will be on August 7 before the return of Ocean Princess on August 28.

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More Boutique Adventures From Crystal

Crystal Cruises is expanding its exclusive collection of intimate “Boutique Adventures” during summer Northern Europe cruises with two new experiences in Belfast and Berlin. The shoreside outings – none of which are available on any other cruise lines – offer intimate access to Northern Ireland’s political leadership and Germany’s Soho House, along with visits to film locations around the city. 

The excursions are limited to 15 guests max and will take place during five of Crystal Serenity's cruises between June and August:

• Belfast: Go behind the closed doors of Stormont, the seat of Northern Ireland’s governing Legislative Assembly and symbol of hard-won peace solidified by 1998s Good Friday Agreement. A friendly three-course lunch with an Assembly member follows at a 200-year-old Georgian manor and working farm.
• Berlin: From the port city of Warnemünde, travel to Berlin to be led by a local film expert through the city’s most famous movie locations, from films such as The Bourne Supremacy, Inglourious Basterds and Run, Lola, Run. A champagne “wrap party” and private screening of Billy Wilder’s One, Two Three will be held in the stylish Red Room inside members-only Soho House, formerly the home of the Soviet Politboro.

Launched in the Mediterranean this spring, Crystal’s new “Boutique Adventures” are crafted just for Crystal guests and provide opportunities for deeper cultural experiences when visiting key destinations.

The Belfast excursion is offered during the August 26 seven-night Dublin to Dover British Isles voyage. The excursion from Warnemünde to Berlin is offered on four, 10-night Baltic sailings between Copenhagen and Stockholm departing June 15 and 25 and July 20 and 30. All-inclusive fly/cruise fares for the sailings start at £2,961 per person if booked by June 28 at the latest. Boutique excursion rates vary depending on access fees and distance travelled.

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

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Take A Voyage Of Discovery To Chelsea Flower Show

Here's a great combination of cruise and special event, courtesy of Voyages of Discovery and their garden-themed voyage this month. It is literally the garden event of the century as it is the 100th anniversary of the Chelsea Flower Show, and VoD have exclusive tickets to the occasion. 

Passengers on the 12-day "British Isles & Chelsea Flower Show" cruise sailing on May 14 will have the opportunity to visit the renowned Royal Horticultural Society show during its centenary year as well as visiting other famous houses and gardens, including Le Petite Valley and Candie Gardens (Guernsey). The cruise will also be accompanied by Guest Speaker, Joanne Kidd, an official lecturer for the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts (NADFAS) with over 30 years of experience in designing, organising and running major floral events. 

The cruise departs from Portsmouth and calls at St. Peter Port (Guernsey), Fowey, Waterford, Dublin, Kirkwall, Invergordon, Greenwich and Dover before calling back at Portsmouth. Prices start from £999 for two people sharing an inside cabin (buy one get one free Saver Fare), including £150 onboard credit to spend on the ship, meals, entertainment and the Guest Speaker programme. Cabin numbers will not be allocated at the time of booking. The half-day Chelsea Flower Show excursion is subject to an £89 entry fee per person and places are limited.

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

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Beatlemania With Fred Olsen

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines are well-known for their great choice of convenient regional UK departure ports – no fewer than nine in 2013 – and also for offering a wide selection of mini-cruises. One of these popular sailings, ideal for those who are ‘new to cruising’ and would like an introductory taste of life at sea, is Boudicca’s ‘Liverpool & Dublin Discovery’, a three-night mini-cruise departing from Greenock (Glasgow) on July 14, which also boasts live entertainment from Beatles tribute band Beatlemania.

This ‘Fab Four’ are recognised as one of the UK’s leading tribute bands, and have played to ecstatic audiences all over the world, with many TV and theatre appearances to their name. Formed in the 1990s, Beatlemania have appeared alongside many original bands from the 1960s, including The Merseybeats, The Hollies and The Searchers, and their celebrity clients include David and Victoria Beckham and Sir Richard Branson. Their repertoire covers music from all stages of The Beatles’ career, from the early ‘mop top’ days, right through to Sergeant Pepper and The White Album, with the group changing their outfits to match the music.

This Boudicca mini-break starts with a visit to lively Dublin, for an overnight stay. This is one of the most popular ports, with wonderful sightseeing, great bars, cafés and restaurants, and the overnight stay gives guests plenty of time to sample the famous Irish ‘craic’. As well as its landscaped parks and rich Georgian heritage, Dublin has personality; bursting with culture, landmarks such as the Old Parliament House, Trinity College, Dublin Castle and Christchurch Cathedral, all of which are a must-see. Of course, no visit would be complete without a trip to the Guinness Brewery for a drop of the ‘black stuff’, or a quick ‘snifter’ at the Jameson Distillery! For lovers of the great outdoors, there is also the option to take a hike through the stunning scenery of the Wicklow Mountains.

The next and final stop is Liverpool, a new port for Fred. Olsen’s 2013/14 season, where the line is making a welcome return. Named as the 2008 European Capital of Culture, Liverpool is packed with museums and art galleries. Its historic waterfront – featuring the iconic Liver Building – was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, proving that this warm and welcoming City is more than just the birthplace of The Beatles.

Prices for this special cruise start from £229 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin cabin, Grade ‘I’. This price includes all meals and entertainment on board, including performances by Beatlemania, and port taxes. 

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

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Voyages Of Discovery Celebrate Chelsea Flower Show

The highlight of the horticultural calendar, the Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show, celebrates its centenary year in 2013 and Voyages of Discovery is inviting passengers to be part of the festivities on the British Isles and Chelsea Flower Show cruise, available from £1,299 per person (based on two people sharing).

The 12-day cruise is in partnership with the RHS and features a full selection of shore excursions to some of the UK's finest gardens including La Seigneurie Gardens (St Peter Port, Guernsey), the Eden Project (Cornwall) and the grounds of Cawdor Castle (Invergordon).

The highlight of the cruise, though, will undoubtedly be the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where green-fingered passengers can explore a wide range of spectacular gardens – including 16 show gardens – and a range of floral exhibits. NADFAS Guest Speaker, Joanne Kidd (Lecturer in Creative Studies, Design and the Historical Background to Plant Materials and Gardens) will also share her knowledge and passion for all things green with passengers on board the cruise.

The British Isles and Chelsea Flower Show voyage departs from Portsmouth on May 14 and calls at St Peter Port, Fowey, Waterford, Dublin, Kirkwall, Invergordon, Greenwich and Dover before returning to Portsmouth. The price includes transfers, all onboard gratuities, service charges and port taxes, a comprehensive Guest Speaker programme and all meals and entertainment.

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

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Atlantic Island Odyssey With Noble Caldedonia

Noble Caledonia is featuring two magnificent British Isles cruises next summer, offering the chance for a unique view of some of the most isolated islands - and rare coastlines - in Europe.

The Exploration of the Shetland, Faroe and Hebridean Islands aboard the Corinithian sails on July 24 and is a chance to see nature in the raw. This expedition cruise will appeal to those who prefer their islands deserted, but with abundant bird and wildlife. Journey along rugged coastlines and onceinhabited islands aboard the 100-passenger vessel, venturing far north to the Outer Hebrides, Faroes, Orkneys and Shetlands and with Zodiacs  to land on remote beaches and cruise close to shorelines and cliffs crowded with birdlife.

Itinerary: Leith, Stromness, Fair Isle, Mousa, Lerwick, Foula, Torshavn, Mykines, Suduroy, North Rona, St Kilda, Barra Islands and Oban. Special offer prices per person based on double occupancy start from £3,200 for a Cat E Suite. Suites for sole use start from £5,100. Price includes 10 nights aboard Corinthian on full board, shore excursions, gratuities, transfers.

Or try Summer in the Isles, a coastal cruise of Scotland, Ireland and England from Oban to Poole aboard Corinthian sailing on August 3-12. This journey will take guests along the edges of the United Kingdom and Ireland and offers a portrait of life in the islands. This is a wonderful opportunity to see some of our most beautiful places, meet some interesting inhabitants as far afield as the Northern Isles to the Isles of Scilly, and learn more about both the past and present of Britain and Ireland. Whether you are an avid gardener, birdwatcher, amateur historian or simply enjoy sailing past and visiting some of the most enchanting places in the world, this trip has it all.

Itinerary: Oban, Canna & Sky, Lunga & Iona, Jura & Gigha, Portrush & Rathlin, Dublin, Lundy Island, Isles of Scilly, Guernsey & Herm and Poole. Special offer prices per person based on double occupancy start from £2,850 for a Cat E Suite. Suites for sole use start from £4430. Price includes 9 nights aboard Corinthian on full board, shore excursions, gratuities, transfers.

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

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Regent's No-Fly Irish Cruise

Regent Seven Seas are offering a rare No-Fly 'Celtic Charms' cruise to Ireland next year, on their deluxe vessel Seven Seas Voyager.

The full round-trip departs from Southampton on September 2, 2013, for 10 nights and features a full round-UK and Ireland odyssey. 

The higlights include calls at Rosyth, Invergordon, Kirkwall, Portree, Belfast, Dublin, Milford Haven and St Peters Port (Guernsey), with fares starting from £4,689 per person (in an H category Deluxe Balcony Suite). 

As with all Regent voyages, the fare also includes FREE unlimited shore excursions and all-inclousive on board, with fine dining, premium spirits and fine wines all at no extra charge, as well as gratuities, taxes, and entertainment. 

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

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No-Fly Cruising With Silversea

Here's a great opportunity for some luxury cruising next summer with absolutely no airports involved. Ex-UK cruising is increasingly popular, yet six-star opportunities remain relatively rare, which makes these latest offers from Silversea Cruises something of a bargain. Here's what they say. 

Scotland, Iceland & Ireland 

Sail on Silversea's Silver Cloud round-trip from London's Tower Bridge on an 18-day odyssey that takes in the highlands and islands of Scotland, the unique Faroe islands, four ports of call in Iceland, plus Belfast, Dublin and Cornwall.

The voyage departs on July 17, 2013, and also boasts three sea days in which to enjoy the sumptuous features and accommodations of this highly-rated boutique vessel. Prices start from £5,509, based on double occupancy in a Vista suite.

Southampton round trip

Alternatively, Silver Cloud sets sail on August 4, 2013, for a 10-day voyage from London to Southampton. Prices start from £3,799 per person, based on double occupancy in a Vista suite.

Breathe in the sea-salt air from the Moray Firth, explore the streets of Edinburgh's medieval old town and visit the third largest deepwater harbour at Cornwall's favourite, Falmouth. Full itinerary includes: London Bridge, Edinburgh, Invergordon, Portree, Belfast, Dublin, Cobh, Falmouth and Southampton.

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

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Hurtigruten Features New, One Off Departure From Greenwich



This brand new itinerary will for the first time, start from Greenwich and takes in some of the very best of the UK. After sailing down the Thames, MS Fram visits Portsmouth and then the Isles of Scilly with its miles of white sandy beaches. Cobh and Dublin are called at in Ireland before heading to Douglas on the Isle of Man, Iona and Staffa in the Hebrides, Portree on the Isle of Skye, Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands, Leith (Edinburgh) and finally across the North Sea to Hamburg. This 12-day itinerary departing 1 May 2013 costs from £2498pp including full board. Based on two sharing.

For more information follow this link to The Cruise Line. The UK’s leading cruise specialists.

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Hebridean's Irish Odyssey

Hebridean Island Cruises have a wonderful chance to cruise Ireland in style this summer as their small luxury cruise ship Hebridean Princess offers two full voyages that focus primarily on the Emerald Isle.

Perfect for keen walkers, 'Footloose in Ireland' allows guests to discover the island in the best way possible – on foot. Highlights include a visit to Skellig Michael (above), a remote UNESCO heritage site, and a trip to Cape Clear Island, which boasts more than 5,000 years of history.

The cruise costs from £3,960 per person, departing from Oban in Scotland and calling at Dublin, Dunmore East, Castletownbere, Bantry, Valentia Island, Schull and Cobh. The price is based on a July 31 departure.

Alternatively, the 'Gaelic Explorer' starts from £3,960 per person and is ideal for history enthusiasts, with excursions to Dublin Castle and the picturesque town of Kinsale, which was the scene of the end of the Gaelic order.

The voyage departs from Cobh (Cork) and calls at Kinsale and Dublin, Peel (Isle of Man), Strangford Lough, Bangor and Ballycastle (Northern Ireland), Sanda Island, Lochranza and Bute (Scotland) before finishing in Greenock. The price is based on an August 16 departure.

Prices include return flights from a regional UK airport, all meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, shore excursions and gratuities and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

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

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Fred Olsen Goes Bowling!

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ ship Braemar will be carrying a special group of guests on her nine-night ’Around the UK and Ireland’ cruise later this month - indoor bowls fans and World No. 1 Greg Harlow (above).

Harlow, who has seven World Indoor Tour titles to his name and is the only player ever to win the International Open three times in a row, is the special guest speaker aboard the cruise, which departs Dover on May 22.

The voyage is part of a very successful partnership with Potters Leisure Resort in Norfolk, who play host to the annual World Indoor Bowls Championships, which Fred. Olsen sponsored for the first time this year.

The groups who have booked the bowls package on this cruise will be able to enjoy all the usual pleasures of a Fred. Olsen cruise, as well as benefiting from special ‘added extras’ related to their chosen sport. They will be able to play bowls ashore in four ports of call: Dublin, Belfast, Kirkwall and Invergordon, and, because of the generous baggage allowance on an ex-UK cruise, up to 90kgs per guest, they can take their own equipment. 

As well as playing bowls during the cruise, the group will also enjoy an exclusive drinks party on board and will get the chance to listen to Greg's talks on his fascinating and hugely successful bowls career.

For  bookings, follow this link to our sponsors The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's top cruise-agent specialists.

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More Ireland and UK In 2013 For Silversea

Silversea have a wide raft of new calls in Ireland and the British Isles on offer in 2012 and 2013, including the quaint Irish ports Foynes and Killibegs, historic Liverpool, the Welsh duo of St. David’s and Skomer Island, and the Isle of Mull, Holy Isle, Brodick and the Isle of Arran in Scotland.

Silver Whisper departs on an 11-day round-trip voyage from Southampton on May 13 and will call at Foynes, a tiny town steeped in aviation history (the first commercial flight from the US to Europe landed here in 1939) and Killibegs, a rural fishing town from where passengers can set off for the nearby Donegal Town and Castle and the stunning, isolated landscape of the Bluestack Mountains. Fares are from £3,899 per person.

Then, when Silver Whisper  returns to Europe in 2013, her May 16 twelve-day voyage from Southampton to Copenhagen will pay an inaugural visit to Liverpool, a city that revels in a glorious past as a mercantile hub and gateway to the New World and which today is renowned for its thriving culture and heritage, as well as Ireland and Scotland. Fares are from £4,499 per person.

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

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Crystal Tee Off For Top European Golf

Crystal Cruises has lined up 10 of Europe’s most spectacular championship golf courses for exclusive, luxury play during two limited-access “Experiences of Discovery” golf-themed cruises this summer.

Hosted by 51-time PGA tour-winner Billy Casper, travellers can tee off in Spain, Portugal and Monaco during Crystal Serenity’s 13th July voyage or throughout the British Isles on Crystal Symphony’s 25th August sailing.

Courses include:

Edinburgh/Rosyth
· Gleneagles King’s and Queen’s Courses: Overnighting allows for rounds on two aristocratic moorland links.

Barcelona
· Real Club de Golf El Prat: One of Spain’s most exclusive courses, designed by Greg Norman.
· Club de Golf Masia Bach: Challenging and contemporary 18 holes designed by José Maria Olazábal.

Monte Carlo
· Monte Carlo Golf Club: Inaugural Crystal club features sweeping Mediterranean Sea views.

Valencia
· El Saler Golf Course: Pine forests and sea flank this site of several Spanish Opens.

Cádiz
· Valderrama: Voted the 15th Best International Course by Celebrated Living readers.

Belfast
· Royal Belfast Golf Club: Ireland’s oldest fairway, with Belfast Lough and Antrim plateau views.

Lisbon
· Penha Longa Golf Course: This mountainous course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Junior, is considered one of the European circuit’s best.

Dublin
· Kildare Hotel & Country Club: Inland links designed by Arnold Palmer.

Boutique excursions offer socialising during warm-up refreshments, games, lunch and “19th hole” cocktails in legendary private clubhouses, with Crystal also arranging round-trip transportation, team-pairing, carts and caddies (where available) and club and shoe cleaning and storage. 

 

Shoreside activities are complemented by a host of onboard offerings, including parties, awards, golf clinics with PGA pro John Clark, TaylorMade clubs, putting green and two driving ranges for practice-at-sea. Billy Casper will also play and mingle with guests, as well as provide tips and presentations.

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

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Fred Olsen's Irish Touch

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is setting itself up as the real Irish cruise expert in the next year or so as they offer a series of tempting voyages that feature The Emerald Isle, including sailings from Belfast in 2013.

Take Braemar's nine-night voyage from Dover on May 22, for example. The first port of call is vibrant Dublin, the welcoming city with its famous ‘craic’ where guests can delight in the beautiful Book of Kells in Trinity College, indulge in a tour of the Guinness Brewery or enjoy superb shopping, sightseeing, or fine food and wine in the many excellent bars, restaurants and cafés. The ship stays overnight, giving more time to explore and allowing guests the extra pleasure of an evening visit to take in some of the great live entertainment.

The next visit is to Belfast, a port with which the cruise line enjoys long associations as another part of the Fred. Olsen group, Fred. Olsen Energy, owns the famous Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, where the Titanic was built 100 years ago. Guests here can visit the recently opened ‘Titanic Belfast' exhibition, which tells the whole story of the fateful ship in film, video and archive material. An alternative excursion is a visit to the extraordinary Giant’s Causeway, which never fails to delight visitors.

Fred. Olsen is also pleased to be offering cruises from Belfast starting in 2013. On leaving the port, Braemar heads north, travelling right up to the Orkney Islands, where she visits beautiful Kirkwall. The town has a Scandinavian feel and, in fact, the name ‘Kirkwall’ comes from the Norse for ‘Church Bay’, referring to the 11th Century Church of St Olaf. The most northerly port on this cruise, Kirkwall is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the islands. It is an amazing, haunting place, with over 5,000 years of history and a wealth of wildlife, where you will feel you are in another world.

Braemar also has a final call at Invergordon, a town long associated with the Navy and home to a fine golf course. She then journeys south, returning to Dover. Prices for this cruise start from just £399 per person with a Latesaver deal. This is based on two adults sharing twin-bedded accommodation, and includes all meals and entertainment on board and port taxes. The cabin grade will be confirmed on embarkation. An added attraction on this cruise is a theme of ‘Houses & Gardens’ through the onboard enrichment programme, Vistas. This is hosted by the expert gardening writer, John Negus (pictured, above).

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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Crystal Extend Golf-Themed Cruises

In a real “hole-in-one” for golf fans, Crystal Cruises is adding a golf theme to its 14-night Hawaiian Islands sailing this December. The round-trip from Los Angeles on board Crystal Symphony joins two other golf-themed cruises already scheduled on Crystal Serenity this year: an 11-night British Isles voyage departing July 22 and an 11-night Iberian Adventure around Portugal and Spain departing November 27, with legendary pro golfer Billy Casper headlining all three voyages.

With 51 PGA tour wins, many consider Casper the best putter of his era. On each cruise, guests can absorb stories and tips during informal lectures by Casper and other athletic stars, such as Emmy-winning sportscaster Jim Huber. They can also mingle and play with the PGA pros at some of the most stunning championship courses in the world, including:

· Poipu Bay (Kauai) - top Hawaiian course surrounded by ancient places of worship

· Royal Portrush (Belfast) - designed by course-architect great, Harry Colt

· Carden Park (Liverpool) - Jack Nicklaus/Golden Bear “thinking golfer’s” fairway with spectacular views

· Royal Dublin (Dublin) - Ireland’s second-oldest links

· El Saler (Valencia) - one of Golf Magazine’s “100 Greatest Courses in the World”

· Golf Club Del Sur (Canary Islands) - home to several PGA European tour competitions, surrounded by 8,000 palm trees

· Palheiro (Funchal) - coastal ridge greens on a 200-year-old estate.

Crystal provides transportation, caddies, warm-up time, lunch, ‘19th hole’ get-togethers, TaylorMade club rentals or cleaning of clubs and shoes, team-pairing, parties, awards and private clinics with PGA instructors like John Clark and Bill Stutzer.

Crystal’s Feng Shui spa and gym, personal trainers, nutrition and exercise classes, exclusive workout equipment and dietary choices also offer guests extensive opportunities to enhance their health and fitness regimes on every sailing.

Prices for the 14-night Pacific Cost Holiday voyage around Hawaii (sailing Dec 21) start from £5,783 per person, including return flights, transfers, 14 nights in a deluxe stateroom with all meals and soft drinks, and port taxes, plus $500 per person onboard credit.

Prices for the 11-night Emerald Isles voyage start from £4,266 per person, and for the 11-night Iberian voyage from £3,174, both with $1,000 per person onboard credit.

For more info, visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk or contact the UK's leading luxury cruise agents of 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.

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Crystal Expands World Jewish Culture Exploration

With increased participation in Jewish heritage tours, luxury cruise operator Crystal Cruises is expanding its related programming in 2011. Scheduled are over a dozen Crystal Adventures that explore Jewish life, past and present, around the world in or near Mumbai, Miami, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Berlin, Hamburg, St Petersburg, Rome, Dublin, Jerusalem/Ashdod and Odessa.

Each tour gives an overview of a culture within a culture, while also providing intimate connection with spaces, exhibits, artefacts, traditions and people that bring the international Jewish narrative to life. Among the highlights:

· St Petersburg: Discover how this resilient Russian Jewish community survived Communist oppression, war and hardship to flourish today, as demonstrated through its people, community centres, musi, and an intimate home visit.

· Mumbai: Visit three synagogues ranging from Baghdadi to Bene-Israel congregations.

· Copenhagen: Learn how 99% of Denmark’s Jews survived the Holocaust at the Museum of Danish Resistance.

· Dublin: Take in the social, legal and political contributions of the Irish-Jewish community; see the first dedicated day school and home of Israeli ex-President Chaim Herzog.

· German Concentration Camps: Explore Neuengamme, which housed 100,000 prisoners outside Hamburg, and Berlin’s Sachsenhausen, which became the blueprint for all other camps.

· Rome: Walk through the 2,000-year-old Jewish Quarter of Rome.

While most 2012 excursions are still in development, Crystal is planning a Jewish heritage tour of Shanghai for its 2012 World Cruise.

For reservations, visit http://www.crystalcruises.co.uk/ or contact the UK's leading luxury cruises specialist 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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Crystal's Northern Europe Sensory Adventures

Feel perfectly-chilled vodka slide down your throat while sitting snugly inside a Scandinavian "ice bar"; smell fresh-cut grass while swinging your 9-iron across championship golf courses in Ireland; hear the Russian Imperial Guard march to symphonic crescendos while welcoming you to the Royal Catherine Palace; taste homemade goat caramel among Norwegian fjords; and view Stockholm by hot-air balloon.

These are but a sampling of the extraordinary "sensory adventures" guests can savour as part of Crystal Cruises’ Northern European voyage collection that begins this May. Other shore-side excursions include:

Pop culture-related destinations such as Stieg Larsson’s Stockholm; the Beatles’ Liverpool; Belfast’s Titanic shipyard; St Andrews University, where Prince William and Kate Middleton met; and the Da Vinci Code’s Rosslyn Chapel in Edinburgh

Historical journeys related to Vikings in Stockholm, Dublin and Roskilde (near Copenhagen); genealogical emigration and the Cold War in Hamburg; and life behind Berlin’s Iron Curtain

Architectural tours spanning the Art Nouveau in Ålesund, Norway to the Modern in Berlin, plus eco-conscious trips like bird-watching in Runde Island (near Ålesund) and Shetland; kayaking the Finnish Archipelago (Helsinki); and exploring the wind-powered town of Paldiski (near Tallinn) by 4x4.

Adrenalin-fuelled adventures such as racing rally cars in Estonia; cosmonaut training, including zero-gravity weightlessness, near Moscow; and, in Crystal’s most over-the-top excursion of 2011, flying a MiG fighter jet over Russia - for $39,300.

Expanding on its “You Care, We Care” voluntourism initiative, Crystal is also offering a couple of excursions where guests can “give back” by packing and donating food at the Estonian Food Bank or volunteer at the Rostock Zoological Garden. These excursions are complimentary with Crystal Cruises, covering all logistical arrangements and costs.

Prices for Crystal’s Northern European voyages start from £4,207 per person (based on a May 22 departure), including free return economy flights, 11 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window, with all meals, soft drinks and port taxes.

In addition, as part of Crystal's "All Inclusive - As You Wish" promotion, guests on this voyage will also receive onboard spending money of $1,000 per person, which can be spent on shore excursions, spa treatments, alcoholic beverages, purchases in the onboard boutiques, gratuities or Vintage Room experiences.

For reservations, see www.crystalcruises.co.uk/ or contact the UK's leading luxury-cruise experts of 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.