Enjoy A Red Sea Winter With MSC

Escape to warmer climes this winter, and embark on a seven-night cruise to the Red Sea with MSC Cruises from just £689 per person – including return flights. On board MSC Armonia, guests will be able to explore the rich history and culture of this ancient region. Be it cultural enlightenment, relaxation or adventure, all shore excursions are tailored to encourage guests to discover this beautiful region at their own pace and according to their taste.

From November 10 to March 16, the ship has a full schedule of 19 cruises, departing every Sunday from Sharm El Sheikh, with scheduled stops in Sokhna and Safaga (Egypt), Aqaba (Jordan) and Eilat (Israel).

Itinerary highlights include tours of the Dead Sea incorporating a clay bath; visits to Bedouin settlements; trips to southern Jordan’s timeless and stunning Wadi Rum valley (above) and drive and fly-tours through the wildly beautiful landscape of the Negev desert.

MSC Armonia features 777 beautifully appointed cabins. Its luxurious facilities include four restaurants - offering excellent Mediterranean and international cuisine - several bars and lounges, the incredible MSC Aurea Spa, a mini-golf course, numerous boutiques, casino, theatre, nightclub and children’s club.

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

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Costa Introduces Voyager In Red Sea

Costa Cruises has announced the arrival of a new ship in the Costa fleet - the Costa Voyager. She will offer guests 416 cabins in total (accommodating 927 guests), including 16 panoramic suites and 12 suites with private balconies. Relaxation and fun will be guaranteed by three restaurants, four bars, a theatre, wellness centre and gym, treatment rooms, sauna and Turkish bath, swimming pool, disco, shopping centre and children’s club (the Squok Club).

Her arrival enhances the Italian company’s versatile fleet of ships, with a range of dimensions and differing characteristics, offering customers a series of brand new itineraries. More specifically, the technical characteristics of Costa Voyager (the former Olympic Voyager of now-defunct Royal Olympic Cruises, and more recently of Pullmantur) make her especially suitable for cruises to the Red Sea, a relatively new destination for Costa and one that will be offered throughout 2012.

Voyager's first cruise was a 15-day journey from Savona earlier this month and, from December 5 to the end of 2012, she will be offering week-long cruises in the Red Sea, departing on Mondays from Sharm el-Sheikh and calling at Eilat (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan), Safaga and Sokhna (Egypt).

For booking details, be sure to check this link for the UK's leading specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Costa Starts Cruising The Red Sea

Here's an interesting press release from Costa Cruises this week, with news of new destinations:

Two Costa ships to depart weekly from Sharm El Sheikh in a first for the cruise industry

Costa Marina and Costa Allegra have new departures from Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, visiting Cairo, the Negev Desert (Israel) and Petra (Jordan) for the first time in an exclusive winter 2010/2011 itinerary.

Costa Cruises is offering new one-week cruises in the Red Sea departing from Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, for the entire 2010/2011 winter season. The Red Sea, along with the Far East, the Arab Emirates and the Indian Ocean, will become yet another destination where Costa offers a regular cruise service.

Costa Marina (25,600 gross tonnage and a capacity of 1,000 guests) and Allegra (28,400 gross tonnage and a capacity of 1,000 guests) will depart from November 25, 2010, to February 17, 2011 and November 29, 2010, to March 21, 2011, respectively. The unique itineraries include Egypt, Israel and Jordan, and call at Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), Eilat (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan), Luxor-Safaga (Egypt) and Cairo-Sokhna (Egypt).

Both ships will call weekly in Sharm el Sheikh, making a total of 38 calls and transporting a total of 60,000 passengers over the winter months.

The itineraries of Marina and Allegra combine both relaxation and culture from one shore of the Red Sea to the other. Passengers on the Red Sea voyages can expect to experience incredibly beautiful sea vistas and cultural and archaeological treasures.

From Eilat, guests can take Costa excursions to a natural oasis in the Negev Desert , the fortress of Masada or the incredible landscapes of the Dead Sea . At Aqaba, guests can visit the pink city of Petra, carved into the mountains. In Safaga there is the option to enjoy excursions to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, visit the tombs of the Pharaohs, observe the natural wonders of Hurghada and visit the crystalline waters of the island of Mahamya. From Sokhna, excursions visit the grand pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.

With spectacular architecture, Costa Marina and Allegra are ideal for Red Sea cruises, as the beautiful panoramic circular glass wall of the stern allows for breathtaking sea views. Onboard, guests can enjoy a myriad of facilities including restaurants, bars, wellness and fitness centres, treatment rooms and saunas, swimming pools, outdoor jogging tracks, theatres, casinos, discotheques, shopping centres and internet access points.

For more information or to book, go to www.costacruises.co.uk or call 0845 351 0552, or try the specialist cruise travel agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 7766.

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