Avalon Waterways offers high-speed rail connections

Luxury river cruise company, Avalon Waterways has introduced rail travel options to connect with its wide choice of European river cruise packages for 2015 offering customers even more flexibility and choice. 

Customers who prefer not to fly or would like to travel in a more relaxed way can now tailor-make their holiday by choosing train travel or a combination of flight and rail with city stopovers.  An extensive network of rail options is now available to Frankfurt, Munich, Paris, Zurich and Vienna.

Working with e rail operator Voyages-sncf UK, Avalon Waterways is offering high-speed rail options with Eurostar, TGV Lyria and Alleo.  Although Avalon currently works with Eurostar, the rail services from Paris to Basel and Zurich with TGV Lyria as well as from Paris to Frankfurt and Munich with Alleo are completely new to the cruise programme.  Both rail companies offer spacious and comfortable single and double decker trains with Christian Lacroix designed interiors, panoramic windows and a generous passenger baggage allowance.

The 13 day ‘Upper Rhine to the City of Music’ cruise has the flexible option of train travel on the outward journey from London St Pancras via Paris to Zurich with onward coach transfer to join the ship at Basel. The return includes the option of train travel from Vienna via Zurich and one hotel night in Zurich before enjoying the train journey via Paris to the UK.  Prices from £2,943 per person.*

The 13 day ‘European Splendour’ cruise has the similar flexible option of train travel on the outward journey from London St Pancras via Paris to Zurich then overnight in a Zurich hotel before joining a train to Vienna.  The return includes the option of train travel from Amsterdam via Brussels to London St Pancras.

Priced from £2,852 per person.

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New 'No-Fly’ Voyages For Star Clippers

Star Clippers has introduced new travel-inclusive, no-fly holidays in the Mediterranean and the Baltic in 2012 for those tired of airport delays and luggage restrictions. Travelling outbound or return by rail to within a short transfer of the ship, there’s no need to check in hours in advance and there are no restrictions on how much luggage to take.

The new rail-sail combination holidays combine the romance of train travel through Europe with the gentle pace of life on board a genuine sailing ship, where guests can either help the crew hoist the sails and try their hand at mast climbing, or simply soak up the sun and relax in the al fresco Tropical Bar with the cocktail of the day. All packages include train travel to or from the UK to the port, transfers and all meals on board. 

Choose from the following selection of dates:

May 5: Join the head-turning tall ship Star Flyer in Southampton, where the four-masted, full-rigged clipper will be making a rare appearance in 2012, the first time one of the Star Clippers vessels has been in British waters since her launch in 1992. The cruise sets sail from Southampton to Hamburg, with two days at sea to enjoy life under sail, followed by a full day in Amsterdam. The five-night holiday costs from £1,095 per person and includes a transfer from Hamburg port to the station; and rail travel home in an overnight double sleeper from Hamburg to Paris, followed by Eurostar to London. 

May 16, Sail & Rail to Hamburg & Amsterdam: Enjoy the excitement of sailing on Star Flyer as she cruises from one great maritime port to another on a three-day mini-break from Amsterdam to Hamburg. The voyage also includes a day in the Frisian holiday island of Borkum and costs from £945 per person, including three nights on board, with all meals, return transfers to the ship and Eurostar/InterCity rail travel to Amsterdam, via Brussels, and overnight/Eurostar rail from Hamburg to London, via Paris.

July 27: Rail-sail from Venice, the most romantic small-ship port in the Med. Travel by train from the UK to Venice to join Star Clipper, en route to Croatia, exploring Losinj, Hvar and Rovinj, the true yachting ports of the Adriatic, calling at harbours and secluded anchorages inaccessible to bigger ships. The four-night cruise costs from £1,245 per person, including all meals on board, transfers to and from the railway station in Venice, return overnight sleeper train between Venice and Paris, and return Eurostar travel between London and Paris.

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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Rail and Sail!

Here's a great new thought about combining a cruise with a deluxe rail journey, both as a high-quality add-on to the voyage and an alternative means of getting to your cruise (as opposed to flying).

Great Rail Journeys has introduced the ultimate ‘sail-rail’ holiday for 2011, partnering with the unique Star Clippers line to create an exclusive Mediterranean cruise holiday on the world’s tallest sailing ship.

Great Rail Journeys’ carefully-planned First Class rail travel combines scenic journeys with civilised hotel stays in Paris, Venice and Rome, where additional sightseeing and meals are provided.

Dovetailing with these fully-escorted arrangements is a 10-night cruise on the Royal Clipper (above) the world’s largest true full-rigged sailing ship, which offers its 227 guests the ultimate in luxurious, yet laid-back cruising.

On this holiday, the Royal Clipper sails from Venice along the Croatian coast, dropping anchor off Rovinj, Hvar and Dubrovnik as well as Montenegro’s port of Kotor and the islands of Corfu, Sicily, Capri and Ponza before sailing into Civitavecchia for Rome at the end of its 11-day cruise.

Great Rail Journeys’ guests, who will be supported by their own Tour Manager throughout the holiday, can sit back and relax while the Royal Clipper’s crew does all the work, or may choose to lend a hand when it comes to unfurling the ship’s 56,000sq ft of sail.

Facilities include three swimming pools, a three-deck atrium and even crows-nests furnished with comfy sofas for the ultimate mast-head view! The no-tie dress code makes for a relaxed onboard atmosphere, with informal, yet first class dining.

Great Rail Journeys’ exclusive departure dates for The Royal Clipper Cruise are 23 July, 2 and 13 August, 2011.

The 2 August departure adds the extraordinary experience of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express to an already memorable mix. On this date, the Royal Clipper departs from Rome and sails to Venice, visiting the same ports of call along the way, but in reverse. From Venice, Great Rail Journeys’ guests travel overnight on the Orient-Express to Paris before transferring to Eurostar for the last leg of an unforgettable journey.

The 17-day holiday costs £3,595 per person for 23 July and 13 August departures, and £4,475 for 2 August departure incorporating the Orient-Express experience.

The holiday includes First Class rail travel from London’s St Pancras, hotel accommodation en route, the cruise, most meals and the services of a tour manager throughout.

More info: 01904 521 980 or http://www.greatrail.com/.

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First 'All Suite Ship'

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Avalon Waterways is to introduce the very first ‘All Suite Ship’ – the Avalon Panorama – in May 2011.

Featuring in the company’s new European River Cruise brochure (Mar-Nov 2011), the Panorama is the first of its kind in the industry. Offering two full decks of suites with wall-to-wall sliding panoramic windows (above) that are 50% wider than the industry standard, the Panorama Suites are 200sq ft (30% larger than the industry standard) while the Royal Suites will measure an astonishing 300sq ft and feature a king-size bed, full size designer bathroom and separate toilet.

The Panorama will operate the 15-day ‘Magnificent Europe’ cruise (Amsterdam to Budapest and reverse) from May to November 2011, priced from £2,249 in a Panorama Suite and from £4,022 in a Royal Suite; and on the 13-day 'Blue Danube Discovery' (from Budapest to Prague) on 14 November, priced from £1,949 and £2836 .

Cruises offered as ‘no fly’ options and which operate in conjunction with Eurostar departures from London’s St. Pancras or Ebbsfleet include the 8-day ‘Paris to Normandy’s Landing Beaches’ and the 11-day ‘Burgundy & Provence.’

New for this edition is the possibility to book ‘cruise only,’ thus affording additional flexibility pre or post-cruise. Also new is the ability to pre-purchase a drinks package (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) which complements the existing free regional wine, beer or soft drinks served with dinner.

All holidays include a free door-to-door home pick-up service within a 75 mile radius of the chosen airport or Eurostar station. Prices in the new brochure start from £999 per person based on the 4-day ‘Taste of the Danube’ from Vienna to Budapest on board Avalon Tapestry departing on 16 October from London Heathrow or from a range of UK airports at a supplement.

For further information on the full range of itineraries available or to request a brochure, visit http://www.avaloncruises.co.uk/.

Avalon will also be exhibiting at the must-see Cruise Show in Birmingham in October.

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Sails in St Tropez

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Ever felt like being part of the jet-set, even if only for a short while? Perhaps after playing a few chukkas in Berkshire, why not nip down to St Tropez for a bit of lazy beach wallowing, followed by watching some top-notch sailing sipping a gin and tonic on your own deck?

Well, thanks to Star Clippers now you can mingle with the A-List by picking up your ship at Monte Carlo and sailing on her to do some serious celebrity watching in St Tropez.

One of the classic events in the international racing calender, Les Voiles de St Tropez, hosts some of the most beautiful yachts in the world and can be seen this year from the deck of your own sailing ship the chic Star Flyer (above). If you're so inclined, you can even help the crew with the rigging.

The 170-passenger square rigger has teak decks, a swimming pool, informal dining and a convivial tropical bar. What you get here is 19th century tall-ship sailing with 21st century luxury.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that if you take the inclusive flight, there's a Eurostar option too, while from the UK you get a helicopter transfer to Monaco (Star Clippers call in here when the Grand Prix is on as well).

The ship sails from Monte Carlo on September 29, calling at L'Ile Rousse in Corsica and returning to Cannes (for more people watching - or maybe they're watching you by now?) on October 2.

For more information, go to http://www.starclippers.co.uk/

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Louis Cruises let the train take the strain

With a dozen different cruise itineraries sailing from Marseille this year Louis Cruises reports that more of their passengers are choosing the train to reach their embarkation point.

“A London to Marseille journey by Eurostar and TGV can take less than seven hours, making rail a genuine alternative to flying – and a great deal more civilised,” says the cruise line’s Peter Adamou.

Louis Cruises are always sold on a ‘cruise only’ basis allowing travellers to tailor-make their own journey to Marseille, Genoa and Athens – the embarkation points for the line’s variety of Mediterranean cruises.

For example, a seven-day/six-night ‘Mediterranean Highlights’ cruise on the Louis Majesty sails from Marseille on 29 August, 29 September and 10 October (with the option to depart a day earlier in each case from Genoa). The ship visits the islands of Menorca, Malta and Sicily as well as Tunisia during the cruise.

Prices for this cruise start at just £319 per person based on two sharing a Standard Inside Stateroom. This includes full board accommodation, on-board entertainment and all port taxes and charges but not drinks or shore excursions.

Other sailings from Marseille include an eight-day ‘Spanish Odyssey & Tangier’ itinerary on the Louis Majesty (from £349 per person) and an 11-day ‘Adriatic Coast, Italy and Ionian’ cruise on the Orient Queen from £519 per person.

NB: Eurostar.com is currently advertising return travel to Marseille from £119 return.

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