Holland America's Med Bargain

Holland America Line is offering an 11-night luxury Mediterranean fly/cruise from just £659 per person this spring. Departing from Barcelona on April 23 and disembarking in Dover on  May 4, this wonderful voyage includes full board accommodation on the mid-size, 1,260 capacity MS Ryndam, an outbound flight to Barcelona and transfers.

 

From Barcelona, the cruise sails to Palma de Mallorca in the sunny Balearic Islands before heading to the beachside city of Alicante.  Ryndam then sails to Motril for the fascinating Moorish city of Granada, before spending a full day exploring at Gibraltar. Portugal awaits next and the pretty fishing port of Portimao on the Algarve coast, before heading to the lively capital of Lisbon. The final stop on this voyage is La Coruña on Spain’s Atlantic coast, before sailing back to home turf and disembarking in Dover.

 

Whilst at sea, guests can take advantage of the Culinary Arts Centre, which features cookery demonstrations, as well as sampling Ryndam’s choice of elegant restaurants and lounges in addition to being pampered at the Greenhouse Spa & Salon.

 

This offer is based on two sharing an inside stateroom on HAL's 'European Splendour' fly/cruise sailing April 23.

 

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

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Discover Med History With Voyages Of Discovery

Set sail to Turkey and Greece with Voyages of Discovery on a history-themed cruise exploring the birthplace of civilisation.

Visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World in Kusadasi (Turkey); learn about the Monastery of St John in Patmos (Greece); discover a variety of historic landmarks in Athens, including the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora and the Theatre of Dionysos.

Prices start from £1,449 per person (Saver Fare price, based on two people sharing an inside cabin), with the the 13-day cruise on new ship MV Voyager departing on October 21 from Istanbul (after an overnight stay) and calling at Canakkale (for Gallipoli), Dikili (for Pergamum), Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Antalya (overnight), Patmos, Kavala, Thessaloniki and Piraeus (for Athens, overnight).

NB: Saver Fares are payable in full at the time of booking, 100% cancellation fees apply. Cabins will be allocated just prior to departure. Saver Fares do not include gratuities, UK coach transfers or car parking at the port and are not protected by the Voyages of Discovery Price Promise.

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

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New Offers From Oceania

Regular readers of Time Spent At Sea will know we are big fans of Oceania Cruises and their wonderful foodie style on board, with a magnificent choice of dining, all with a gourmet style and for no extra supplement. So, when the cruise offers role in, we like to highlight some of the best, and these latest ones from Oceania really take some topping.

Take your pick from:

March 28, 10-night Caribbean cruise, saving £959:
Oceania is offering a big saving on this voyage on their newest mid-sized luxury ship, Riviera. The 1,250 guest veseel will depart a round -rip cruise from Miami and call into the British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia and St Barts. The price of £1,809pp (was £2768) also includes return flights from London, a $300 per stateroom onboard credit, all meals, and complimentary bottled water and soft drinks. 

May 5, 10-night Mediterranean cruise, saving £1,419:
This voyage also has a $300/stateroom onboard credit as it sails from Venice on Riviera. The ship will cruise down the west coast of Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Greece, calling into Santorini and Kusadasi, before cruising the Aegean sea back to Athens. The sailing now costs £1,319pp (was £2,738).

June 28, 7-night Alaska cruise, saving £731pp:
Oceania is offering a $500 onboard credit per stateroom with all Alaska cruises this summer on board 650-guest Regatta. This departure also has a big saving off its 'Coastal Alaska’ itinerary, taking in the region’s most spectacular fjords and glaciers, including the Inside Passage from Seattle. The price of £1,569pp (was £2,300) again includes all meals, no supplement for speciality dining and complimentary bottled water and soft drinks. 

August 10, 14-night Baltic cruise, saving £2,465:
Embark the luxury 1,250-guest Marina in Southampton for an ex-UK cruise through Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden) and the Baltics (Estonia and Latvia), with a full three days (two nights) in Russia. The voyage is now  offered at £1,929 (was £4,394), plus a $200 per stateroom on board credit, and with a return flight from Stockholm. 

August 16, 10-night Mediterranean cruise, saving £1,594:
Take the family on an educational cruise during the school summer holidays, spending three full days (2 nights) in Haifa, and an itinerary that starts in Athens and also visits Crete, Limassol, Rhodes, Kusadasi (Ephasus), arriving into Istanbul, for a final day in the city. The cruise on Riviera now costs £1,319 (was £2,913), including a $300 per stateroom credit. 

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

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Sushi Maestro On Board With Crystal

One of the world’s greatest culinary artists, Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, is visiting his luxury cruise partner, Crystal Cruises, this summer to teach, mingle, dine and cook for guests. The famed sushi maestro, and mastermind behind the line’s exclusive Silk Road and The Sushi Bar restaurants, will join Crystal Symphony’s 12-night Rome to Istanbul Black Sea voyage beginning July 13. 

Accompanied by Fumio Hazu, the Sake Master behind Nobu’s exclusive, 140-year-old sake brand, the two will showcase their expertise during several intimate gourmet experiences, including:

• Two Omakase or Chef’s Choice dinners in Silk Road, limited to just 70 guests and featuring some of Nobu’s finest dishes and connoisseur items such as white sturgeon caviar and Hokusetsu “Musical Sake”.
• Sake tasting sessions, including insight into Hazu’s unique “live” sake brewing processes which include playing Japanese music to bottles for three years to create a smoother taste from vibrations.
• Live cooking demonstrations during which Nobu will share the secrets behind his renowned dishes.
• Silk Road and The Sushi Bar appearances during regular dinner hours to welcome guests and enhance the enjoyment of their meal.
• Cookbook signings and photo opportunities throughout the voyage.

Crystal’s Nobu-cuisine restaurants, the only ones of their kind at sea, feature his personally-trained chefs, signature dishes, Nobu sake and his own line of dinnerware. Complimentary and open almost every evening of every cruise, the restaurants offer mouth-watering dishes that are also available via room service in Crystal’s butler-serviced Penthouse accommodations.

The 12-night “Bounties of the Black Sea” itinerary starts in Rome’s port of Civitavecchia and visits Sorrento, Sicily, Constanţa, Odessa (overnight), Yalta and Sochi before finishing with an overnight in Istanbul. All-inclusive “Book Now” fly/cruise fares start from £4,148 per person, if booked by February 28. 

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

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More Discounts From Holland America

With the winter weather still biting, Holland America Line is offering up to £1,750 off the brochure price of sunshine cruises this Spring. Luxury Mediterranean fly-cruises start from less than £58 per person per night, whilst Caribbean fly-cruises are on offer from less than £155pp per night, each including flights, transfers and full board accommodation.

11-night Mediterranean fly cruise from just £629:

This cruise on board MS Ryndam in April includes an outbound flight from London Heathrow to Barcelona with British Airways, transfer from airport to ship and an 11-night full board cruise. After setting sail from Barcelona on April 23, the ship calls at Palma de Mallorca in the sunny Balearics and then on to historical Alicante in Valencia. The next highlight is Motril and the Moorish city of Granada, then a full day to explore Gibraltar. The ship then continues to the bustling fishing port of Portimao on the Algarve, cultural Lisbon and then La Coruna on Spain’s Atlantic coast, before sailing back to British shores and disembarking in Dover. This price is based on two sharing an inside stateroom.

9-night Eastern Caribbean fly-cruise from just £1,393:

HAL is offering this fly-cruise on board the elegant MS Eurodam this March from just £1,393 per person. Departing from London Heathrow on March 8, this price includes return flights with British Airways, a pre-cruise hotel night in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, transfers and a seven-night Caribbean cruise on a full-board basis. Departing from Fort Lauderdale, the cruise calls at Grand Turk, with its glorious beaches and diving, the old-fashioned Spanish style San Juan in Puerto Rico, St Thomas (home to the famous pirate Blackbeard and the attractive pastel hued capital of Charlotte Amelie) and Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Holland America’s very own private island before returning to Fort Lauderdale. This price is based on two sharing an inside stateroom (upgrade to ocean view for just £20 per person).

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

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Try A Spanish Spring With Fred Olsen

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has some lovely spring cruises in 2013, visiting attractive Spanish and Portuguese destinations, with departures in April, from a choice of southern UK ports. The perfect time to visit the Iberian Peninsula, April is warm and sunny and many lovely cities and beaches beckon.

Boudicca’s cruise ‘Portugal & Spain with Barcelona’ departs from Portsmouth on April 6 for 14 nights. This port is easily accessed by road or rail, and the cruise includes two of the most popular and vibrant Iberian cities, Barcelona and Lisbon. First port of call on leaving Portsmouth is Gibraltar, where a trip to the top of the famous Rock gives stunning views while next is vibrant Barcelona, with its colourful street life and the arresting Gaudi architecture to enjoy. Boudicca then visits Palamos on the Costa Brava, a fishing village since the 12^th century, and a popular and attractive holiday resort. 

The pretty island of Menorca is next, with a call at capital Mahon, then it’s on to Portugal, with a call into the lovely Algarve port of Portimăo, with great beaches and fresh sardines at every café. The final call is into Lisbon, cosmopolitan and colourful capital of Portugal, before Boudicca returns to Portsmouth. Prices for this sunny, spring cruise start from just £799 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin. 

Braemar also offers a spring cruise to Iberia, of 14 nights, departing from Dover on April 8.  The cruise ‘Spain & Her Islands’ calls first into Lisbon, before moving on to a lovely selection of Spanish ports. First of these is Malaga, on the Costa del Sol; from here, guests can enjoy an optional tour to the magnificent Alhambra Palace in Granada. Next is the ancient port of Cartagena, which has been an important port for over 2,000 years and has some fine Roman remains. 

The island of Mallorca is next, with Braemar calling into the capital, Palma. The old city is dominated by the cathedral, with attractive cobbled streets and narrow alleyways to explore. Don’t miss the Museum of Spanish Contemporary Art, with a superb collection of works from Picasso to Dali. Vibrant Barcelona is the next port, a destination that never disappoints, before Braemar begins her return voyage. She calls into Gibraltar, then finally La Coruna, where guests can marvel at the ‘Torre de Hercules’, the world's oldest lighthouse.  The cruise then returns to Dover. 

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

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Star Clippers Offers Med History

Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers has announced a series of lectures on Mediterranean history that will take place on two Cyclades voyages on their majestic 170-passenger Star Clipper this summer.

Dr Renate Scheiper, a qualified archaeologist and expert in the Mediterranean region, will be on board on August 17 and 24 to give talks to guests in both English and German. Her lectures will be specific to the ports to which the four-masted clipper ship will be sailing, bringing each destination alive. Subjects on the August 17 departure, which sails to Rhodes, Bodrum, the Dalyan River, Santorini and Hydra, include archaeology, medieval history, mythology and the legend of Atlantis. Prices are from £1,435pp, including full board on the ship, all lectures and port taxes (flights are extra).

On the August 24 departure, which calls at Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Patmos, Amorgos, Mykonos and Monemvasia, Dr Scheiper will discuss the history of Ephesus, St John the Apostle and the monastery on Patmos, and the temples of Delos. Prices are from £1,435pp, including full board on the ship, all lectures and port taxes (flights extra).

As well as Dr Scheiper’s historical lectures, Star Clippers will be offering yoga and culinary-themed cruises this summer in the Mediterranean and the Baltic.

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

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Saga's New Offerings

Visit glorious horizons this spring or summer and save up to 30% on a range of exciting itineraries with Saga Cruises, onboard the stylish Saga Sapphire or Quest for Adventure. Voyage to the breathtakingly tranquil Fjordlands, to the Mediterranean’s treasured gems, the Baltic’s fairytale cities or to Ireland’s cherished landscapes. 

Save £1013 per person on the Sapphire’s Wonders of the Mediterranean:

Cruise departs from Southampton on April 14 for 22 nights, starting from £2,399 per person, on a voyage through thousands of years of civilization. Discover the treasured cities of Lisbon, Hvar and Valletta, bask in the sunshine paradises of Corfu and Gibraltar and sail on to explore the unforgettable 'floating city' of Venice. This voyage also visits Santiago de Compostela and Cartagena in Spain, Majorca and Minorca, and Sibenik in Croatia.

Save £355 per person on the Sapphire’s Fjord and Splendours:

This cruise departs from Southampton on May 21 for 7 nights, starting from £899 per person, to discover the tranquillity of Norway’s legendary and breathtakingly beautiful Fjordlands. Cruise right into the heart of the fjords, revealing picture-postcard views of lakes, glaciers, waterfalls and mountains, and discover the beautiful village of Flam, the port town of Stavanger, the lesser known village of Skjolden and the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bergen.

Save £422 per person on the Sapphire’s The Emerald Isle:

Departing from Dover on July 27 for 8 nights (from £999 per person), this action-packed cruise around Ireland reveals many of the Emerald Isle’s attractions. Enjoy the ‘craic’ in Dublin and discover this vibrant city’s historic buildings and famous Ha’penny Bridge before stopping off in Belfast to explore the sights and walk along the mysterious Giant’s Causeway. Soak-up the rugged landscapes of Sligo, Glengarriff, the charming fishing port of Killybegs, and immerse yourself in the lively character of Cork.

Save £663 per person on the Quest for Adventure’s The Cities of the Inland Sea:

This cruise departs from Dover on June 9 for 15 nights, starting from £1949 per person. From the resplendent architecture of St Petersburg’s buildings and palaces to the cultural offerings on show at the revived and unified Berlin, it journeys to the Baltic’s most fascinating and diverse cities. Discover the colourful metropolis of Amsterdam, Stockholm’s immense history, the fairytale streets of medieval Tallin and the inspiring spires and architecture of Copenhagen. This voyage also explores the historic and breathtaking cities of Helsinki, Visby (Estonia) and Oslo. Depart from Leith on June 7 for an extra two nights free of charge.

With so many great value extras included in the price of a Saga cruise, savvy travellers can set sail for less. All cruises include travel to and from the port, travel insurance, port taxes and visas, all meals, including 24-hour room service, and all gratuities on board. Travellers on the Saga Sapphire will also benefit from VIP chauffeur service. 

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

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Holland America's Dover-Bound Special

                     

Holland America Line is offering an 11-night luxury Mediterranean fly/cruise from just £685 per person this spring. Departing from Barcelona on April 23 and disembarking in Dover on May 4, this cruise includes full board accommodation on MS Ryndam, an outbound flight from London to Barcelona and all transfers. 

From Barcelona, the voyage sails straight to Palma de Mallorca in the sunny Balearic Islands, before calling at Alicante and Motril, from where guests can explore the beautiful Moorish city of Granada. Next stop is a full day in Gibraltar, before the ship heads to Portugal and calls at the fishing port of Portimao and then the capital, Lisbon, teeming with museums and culture. Finally, the cruise calls at La Coruna on Spain’s Atlantic coast, before heading back home and disembarking in Dover.

While at sea, guests can take advantage of the Culinary Arts Centre, which features cookery demonstrations, as well as sampling the Ryndam’s choice of elegant restaurants and lounges and being pampered at the Greenhouse Spa & Salon.

This offer is based on two sharing an inside stateroom on Holland America’s European Splendour fly/cruise. 

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

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Yoga In The Med With Star Clippers

Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers is offering a springtime yoga and meditation-themed cruise on its flagship, the 227-passenger Royal Clipper, under the tuition of acclaimed expert Raphaella Rose.

Departing Lisbon on April 28, the seven-night voyage includes calls at Portimao, Tangier, Cartagena, Ibiza and Palma, ending in Barcelona. The yoga programme will include two daily sessions out on the ship’s sun-warmed teak decks under thousands of square feet of billowing sails – the ultimate relaxing environment for body and soul, enhanced by the fresh sea air and the spring sunshine.

Each class is open to all guests and suitable for all levels, with no prior experience required. All classes and lectures are optional and run alongside the ship’s regular activities. For guests who also want to follow a healthy or vegetarian diet during the sailing to complement their yoga practice, Star Clippers’ breakfast buffets feature an abundance of fresh, seasonal fruits, and guests can select from a variety of salads at lunchtime and vegetarian options at dinner.

Raphaella’s classes are suitable for all levels of experience. Her speciality is Ishta style yoga, a highly personalised form of yoga that embraces Hatha postures and Tantric and Ayurvedic philosophy. Tantra offers specific meditation techniques and tools to calm the mind, while Ayurveda with posture modification aims to rebalance the individual mentally and physically.

Australian-born but currently based in Barcelona, Raphaella has practiced yoga for 16 years and taught regular classes since 2005 in the USA, Britain and Spain, running regular retreats alongside her class schedule. Prices are from £1,590, cruise-only, including full board, all yoga classes and all port taxes.

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

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Holland America’s 140th Anniversary Specials

To celebrate Holland America Line’s 140^th anniversary, the cruise line has announced the MS Rotterdam will be sailing eight brand new itineraries this autumn, including a new ex-UK trip departing from Harwich.

The 1,404 capacity ship will offer a mixture of 10, 11 and 14-night cruises through Spain, Italy, the French Riviera, Dalmatian Coast, Turkey, Greece and the Holy Land. Cruise-only prices start from just £669 per person, with fly/cruise prices starting from £1,039pp for an inside stateroom.

The new itineraries include overnight stops in a multitude of exciting cities, from Istanbul and Lisbon, to Barcelona and Venice. Whilst on board, guests will also be able to benefit from Holland America’s wealth of restaurants, cooking classes in the Culinary Arts Centre, IT classes in a Windows Digital Workshop or the blissful Greenhouse Spa & Salon.

Some of the new itineraries are:

14-night Iberian Explorer
This round-trip from Rotterdam departs on September 14 and calls at La Coruña in Spain, Leixoes (Porto) and Portimao in Portugal, Gibraltar, Malaga and Cádiz, as well as stopping overnight in Lisbon. The cruise then pays one last stop in Vigo before returning to Rotterdam. Prices start from £893 cruise only or £1,363 including return flights to Athens, transfers and 10 nights’ full board accommodation.

10-night Western Europe Adventure

Departing from Harwich on September 29, this voyage calls at La Coruña before heading to Leixoes and making an overnight stop in Lisbon. The cruise then heads to Cádiz, Gibraltar and Malaga, before docking in Barcelona. Prices start from £999 cruise only or £1,239 including a flight back to London from Barcelona, transfers and 10 nights’ full board accommodation.

11-night French Riviera and Italian Adventure

Starting with an overnight stop in Barcelona on October 9, this cruise visits Marseille (for Provence), Monte Carlo, Ajaccio in Corsica, Livorno (for Florence and Pisa), La Goulette (for Tunis and Carthage) and Valletta in Malta. Passengers are then Italy-bound, with stops in Messina and Naples, before disembarking in Civitavecchia (for Rome). Prices start from £999 cruise only or £1,499 including an outbound flight to Barcelona and return from Rome, transfers and 11 nights’ full board accommodation.

11-night Dalmatian Coast and Greek Explorer

This voyage departs Civitavecchia (Rome) on October 20 and heads straight to Dubrovnik before stopping for a leisurely overnight stay in Venice. The cruise then journeys to Ravenna (for San Marino), Split in Croatia and Kotor in Montenegro. After that, the last few days are spent in Greece, exploring Corfu, Katákolon (for Olympia) and Nafplion, before disembarking in Piraeus (Athens). Prices start from £999 cruise only or £1,591 per person including an outbound flight to Rome and return from Athens, transfers and 11 nights’ full board accommodation. 

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

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Grab A Crystal Deal

Between now and February 28, savings of up to £1,629 per person are available on a selection of Crystal Cruises’ 2013 itineraries, with prices starting from just £1,918 per person for a seven-night all-inclusive luxury cruise in northern Europe. These savings are available on the following 12 cruises:

• April 21: 11-night cruise from Barcelona to Venice on Crystal Serenity visiting Monte Carlo, Florence, Rome, Sorrento, Sicily and Trogir. All inclusive prices from £2,825 per person (saving up to £1,151).
• May 2: seven-night cruise from Venice to Rome on Crystal Serenity visiting Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Taormina and Sorrento. All inclusive prices from £2,128pp (saving up to £627 per person).
• May 9: nine-night cruise from Rome to Istanbul on Crystal Serenity visiting Sorrento, Taormina, Santorini, Kusadasi and Canakkale. All inclusive prices from £2,437pp (saving up to £1,029).
• May 23: 12-night cruise from New York to Reykjavik on Crystal Symphony visiting Newport, Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax and St John’s. All inclusive prices from £3,332pp, including one-night pre-cruise hotel stay in New York (saving up to £1,482).
• June 8: seven-night cruise from Dover to Copenhagen on Crystal Serenity visiting Zeebrugge, Amsterdam, Oslo and Helsingborg. All inclusive prices from £1,918pp (saving  up to £932 per person).
• June 24: 10-night cruise from Stockholm to Copenhagen on Crystal Serenity visiting Tallinn, St Petersburg (2 nights), Helsinki and Berlin. All inclusive prices from £2,893pp (saving up to £1,629).
• July 6: seven-night cruise from Istanbul to Rome on Crystal Symphony visiting Kusadasi, Mykonos, Sicily and Sorrento. All inclusive prices from £2,050pp (saving up to £923).
• July 20: 10-night cruise from Stockholm to Copenhagen on Crystal Serenity visiting Tallinn, St Petersburg (2 nights), Helsinki and Berlin. All inclusive prices from £2,890pp (saving up to £1,629). 
• July 25: nine-night cruise from Istanbul to Rome on Crystal Symphony visiting Canakkale, Kusadasi, Valletta, Sicily and Sorrento. All inclusive prices from £2,680pp (saving up to £1,015).
• July 30: 10-night cruise from Copenhagen to Stockholm on Crystal Serenity visiting Berlin, Helsinki, St Petersburg (2 nights) and Tallinn. All inclusive prices from £2,890pp (saving up to £1,629).

Included in the cost of the cruise are return scheduled flights, overseas transfers and accommodation in a deluxe stateroom with picture window with all meals and soft drinks, selected alcoholic beverages, port taxes and gratuities.

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

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Free Wi-Fi With Regent

Among the welter of deals in what is called the 'Wave' season for cruise bookings in the early stages of the New Year, there's a really interesting one that caught our eye from the all-inclusive luxury line of Regent Seven Seas.

Regent have already published some pretty eye-catching savings for a number of cruises this year and, as they already come with free flights, shore excursions, gratuities and most drinks on board, it is hard to imagine what else they could add to make themselves more attractive. But they have.

So, just in time for the 'Wave' season promotions, guests making a brand new booking on any of Regent's selected voyages from today through to March 31 will receive FREE INTERNET access for the entirety of their voyage. The special promotion is valid on the following 2013 sailings on two of their ships:

Seven Seas Mariner 
24 April: Mediterranean Odyssey, Istanbul to Barcelona, 10-nights 
1 June: Italian Interlude, Venice to Rome, 10-nights 
28 June: Aegean Sojourn, Venice to Athens, 10-nights 
29 August: Venetian Dreams, Rome to Venice, 10-nights 

Seven Seas Voyager 
6 October: Mediterranean Melody, Rome to Monte Carlo, 7-nights 

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

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A Royal Treat For Kids

Even the youngest passengers will enjoy the many special features aboard Princess Cruises new Royal Princess when the ship debuts in June, as the line has now revealed the amenities just for kids and teens that will wow younger cruisers aboard the new ship.

Royal Princess will offer expanded space for the kids and teens centres that add a new level to the onboard experience for young passengers. All age groups will find more space with dedicated outdoor areas, including a new teen lounge. Toddlers can also join the fun with a special area just for the under threes.

Some of the fun children will find includes:

Princess Pelicans (ages 3-7): The youngest age group will enjoy a great space for group activities like movie nights, a new mini air hockey table, a special area for arts and crafts, and a new indoor play area. In addition, they’ll have a new outdoor play space, which includes toys, games, tricycles and a new playground. These features add to the line-up of popular activities that kids love on Princess ships, including Jr. Chef@Sea, educational workshops, pyjama and ice cream parties, and a kid's Fun Fair.

Shockwaves (ages 8-12): Children in this age group will now have their own dedicated outside area complete with a variety of fun games. Shockwaves kids will really get into games and activities geared for their age, like air hockey, skeeball and exciting game stations. They’ll also find their own lounge with a giant TV, a DJ Booth and arts and crafts tables. Plus kids can hang out and enjoy their own pizza and ice cream parties or kids-only dinners.

Remix (ages 13-17): The Remix area for teens will feature a Princess DJ booth loaded with cutting-edge music where music lovers can create their own playlist, relax or dance to the latest club mix. In addition, there’s a new lounge area, perfect for meeting new friends, with games like table football, skeeball and the latest video games. A brand new outdoor lounge fulfills a request from teens, and offers cool club lighting, contemporary seating, a great new wading pool and, of course, music perfect for parties under the stars. Teens will also enjoy activities specially designed for their age group, including sports competitions, late night movies, hip hop dance classes, teens-only ‘mocktail’ party, formal dinners and the ever-popular video game tournaments.

The 3,600-passenger Royal Princess is a new-generation ship currently under construction for Princess. Among the special features on board will be a greatly expanded atrium, the social hub of the ship; a dramatic over-water SeaWalk, a top-deck glass-bottomed walkway extending more than 28ft beyond the edge of the vessel; private poolside cabanas that appear to be floating on the water; the new Princess Live! television studio; a pastry shop; a special Chef’s Table Lumiere, a private dining experience that surrounds diners in a curtain of light; and balconies on all outside staterooms. The ship’s 2013 maiden season will include cruises on the line’s signature Grand Mediterranean itinerary throughout the summer, followed by Eastern Caribbean cruises beginning in the Autumn. 

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

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‘Sail & Save’ With Holland America

Holland America Line has launched a special ‘Sail and Save’ offer for bookings made by the end of January, meaning now is the time for savvy travellers to snap up their 2013 cruise holiday. The premium cruise line is offering week-long Mediterranean cruises from just £549pp cruise-only and ex-UK cruises from £599pp.

Plus, there are -

• Reduced cruise fares for third and fourth guests sharing a stateroom with two full-fare adults.
• Savings on combined back-to-back itineraries, known as ‘Collector’s Voyages.’
• Free car parking for customers in an ocean-view stateroom or above sailing from Dover.
• A worry-free deposit, allowing changes to ships, sailing dates, promotion codes and staterooms up to 90 days prior to departure or the final payment due date.

Great value cruises for 2013 include:

Mediterranean Glamour from £549pp

This seven-night cruise on Ryndam departs from Barcelona on April 16, calling at Monte Carlo, Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Civitavecchia (Rome), Palermo in Sicily and La Goulette (Tunis) before returning to Barcelona. Ocean view rooms are available from just £549 cruise-only, and third and fourth guests start from just £199 per adult. Fly/cruise fares start from £741 per person, including scheduled flights from London and transfers.

Norwegian Fjords from £599pp

For those wanting to avoid the airports, this seven-night cruise on Ryndam departs from Dover on May 4, calling at Bergen, Flam, Alesund and Eidfjord before cruising Hardangerfjord and then returning to Dover.

Iberian Collector’s Voyage from £1,599pp

This 22-night Mediterranean voyage on Eurodam has a superb itinerary, departing from Civitavecchia on April 29 and calling at Kerkira (Corfu), Katakolon (Greece), Thira (Santorini), Kusadasi (Ephesus) in Turkey and then overnighting at Piraeus (for Athens). The ship then continues to Messina, Naples, Cartagena, Malaga, Cadiz (Seville), Lisbon, Vigo, St Peter Port (Guernsey) and Zeebrugge (Brussels) before disembarking in Copenhagen. Third and fourth guests start from £466 per adult and £266 per child.

Jewels of the Baltic from £1,199pp

Discover more of Europe on a 14-night cruise on Ryndam, departing from Dover on May 18 and calling at Copenhagen, Warnemunde (Berlin) and Tallinn before overnighting in St Petersburg. The ship then continues to Helsinki before overnighting in Stockholm. It then cruises the Stockholm Archipelago and calls at Visby in Sweden before returning to Dover. Ocean view rooms are available from just £1,399 per person and include free parking at Dover. 

All prices include accommodation, all meals, snacks, teas, coffee and water (subject to availability).

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

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Hapag-Lloyd's Big Cabin Upgrade Lure

Guests can save more than £700 with some tempting cabin upgrades on two international Europa 2 voyages in the Mediterranean next summer, with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises announcing UK details of some special offers for her inaugural season.

The Offer: all bookings for a category 1 suite will be upgraded to category 3 accommodation in either a Veranda or Ocean Suite and receive an onboard Connoisseur package of £115 per person towards beverages and Spa treatments. All category 3 suites are located on deck 7. Europa 2 will exclusively offer suites with balconies each measuring at least seven square metres facing the sea. All Veranda/Ocean Suites measure 28sq m and provide the highest standards of suite accommodation from category 1 upwards.

The Voyages:

• Departing Barcelona on June 22 for 7 nights to Monte Carlo, cruise-only fares from £3,481pp in a category 1 suite with an upgrade to category 3 (subject to availability).
• Departing Malta on July 27 for 7 nights to Barcelona, cruise-only fares from £3,791pp in a category 1 suite with an upgrade to category 3 (subject to availability).

Cruise-only fares include accommodation in the category booked; full board on the ship; mini-bar in the suite; a different entertainment programme each day; port fees; travel cancellation insurance; bankruptcy insurance; and share of ship fuel costs.

The 516-passenger Europa 2 will offer an international atmosphere on board, with all the cruises being conducted in German and English. The lecturers also speak English and in addition, English-language excursions will be offered on 10-12 selected cruises each year, including the two Mediterranean voyages listed above. As a matter of course, anyone interested can also enquire about individual excursion arrangements for all the other cruises.

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

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Great Offers From Oceania

If you're looking for the perfect New Year cruise bargain, this latest little selection from Oceania Cruises may be just the ticket.

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND

Feb 26: 16 nights, £3,589, saving £1,975
A $300 per stateroom onboard credit is being offered to guests booking Oceania's `Splendours Down Under’ cruise on the 1,250-guest luxury ship Marina, renowned for its culinary excellence, wine pairing centre and hands-on cookery school. The sailing of New Zealand’s south-eastern coastline concludes in Australia, to call into Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney.

CARIBBEAN

March 28: Caribbean Hideaways, 10 nights, from £1,809, saving £959
Cruise the Caribbean islands of Tortola (above), Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Barts on board new luxury cruise ship Riviera, also with a $300 per stateroom credit to spend in the ship’s bars, spa and boutiques. 

MEDITERRANEAN

July 3: 10 nights, Rome to Venice, £1,339, saving £1,590 
Oceania has a saving of £1,590pp off its `Italian Escapade’ cruise from Rome to Venice, calling into Livorno, Sorrento, Capri, Positano, Sicily, Corfu, Kotor, Dubrovnik and Venice. The cruise is on the line's latest luxury vessel, the 1,250-guest Riviera. 

In all cases, the cruise price includes return UK flights, all meals, no supplement for specialty dining, complimentary bottled water and soft drinks.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury cruising 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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Singles Save With Star Clippers

Tall-ship sailing specialist Star Clippers is offering savings of up to £500 per person for solo travellers booking a double cabin (for single occupancy) on a choice of two escorted art-themed cruises in the Mediterranean in 2013. Guests on the two sailings can enjoy art tuition and the company of like-minded aspiring artists in some of the most beautiful settings of the Mediterranean: the French and Italian Rivieras in April or the coast of Croatia in September.

A cruise on Star Clippers’ graceful tall ships is the perfect holiday for single travellers, due to the friendly, relaxed atmosphere on board. The al fresco Tropical Bar is the ideal place to chat to fellow guests while watching the scenery drift by. Meals are informal, with open seating and the opportunity to sit with other guests, so nobody has to dine alone unless they want to.

On the Art Afloat voyages, the group will have the opportunity to attend daily workshops and spend time sketching and painting ashore together, creating an ideal environment for spending time with people with a shared interest.

Each cruise is escorted by Suffolk-born Richard Nichols, a successful artist who specialises in seascapes and coastal scenes. Richard will run workshops covering everything from sketching to watercolours, aimed at all levels of experience and helping artists to capture the dazzling turquoise of the sea along the Croatian coast, the texture of a cream sail filled with wind, or the ochres and terracottas of the houses lining the chic little bay of Portofino.

Included in the cruise price is a special lightweight artist’s backpack that converts into a seat for sitting and sketching on location. The backpack contains sketchbooks, paper, watercolours, brushes and pencils, so guests do not need to supply any equipment.

The ‘Art Afloat’ cruises are:

Monaco round-trip on Star Clipper, seven nights, departing April 27, and calling at Calvi, Bonifacio, Costa Smeralda, Portoferraio, Lerici and Santa Margarita (for Portofino). From £2,199 per person including flights to Nice, transfers, full board on the ship, sole occupancy of a double cabin, all art equipment, daily tuition and welcome cocktail party. Saving: £170 per person.

Venice round-trip on Royal Clipper, eight nights, departing September 27, and calling at Kotor, Dubrovnik, Hvar, Rovinj and Piran, with a night in Venice before the cruise. From £2,399 per person including flights to Venice, transfers, one night’s B&B accommodation in Venice, full board on the ship, sole occupancy of a double cabin, all art equipment, daily tuition and welcome cocktail party. Saving: £500 per person.

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

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.