Getting Ready For A Ventura Adventure!

From our special guest blogger, Danielle Fear, aka, Cruise Miss.

Well there are just 5 more days to go before I join P&O Cruises' Ventura for a 2-week Mediterranean cruise and, after all the sun we have been having in the UK, I can’t wait! (Slogan pun not intended but pretty hard to avoid). The good weather at home always makes me think more about cruising and this time it has made my mind go non-stop about a sunny and warm sail-away.

The last time I sailed out of Southampton on a sunny day was in July 2011. Since then, it has either been pouring with rain or dark. All I want to do is sit on the Lido Deck with a cocktail and feel the sun on my face. It would also be nice to be able to see Southampton and the Isle of Wight as we leave for a change. Recently they have been obscured by fog or it’s been so dark only lights were visible ashore. These little things make a big difference, so someone have a word with Mother Nature for me, please!

With regards to pre-cruise preparation, this time I am failing miserably. I mentioned a few days ago on Twitter I had started packing. What I actually meant was I had removed the luggage labels from my bags that were left on from my Caribbean cruise. I know it’s pitiful, but I keep getting side-tracked by a dozen other things. I will say proudly, though, that yesterday I managed to pack my shoes. That’s it! I am sure I will unpack and re-pack them again between now and Friday but, for the time being, as far as I am concerned they are packed.

One thing I did start and have completed is the printing of all the cruise documents. I suppose that’s because I press buttons and the printer then does all the work. I have my e-ticket, luggage labels, insurance info and coach transfer ticket. Seated neatly on top is my passport so, in that sense, you could say I am all ready to go!

I shall finish this preview by saying I can’t wait to be back on board Ventura. My friend is already having fantasies about the Pizza from Frankie’s and I can’t stop thinking about the Chicken Sizzler with Rice from the Beach House. Usually, I don’t think too much about the food before a cruise but boy do I love that Sizzler dish - and it must be with rice, never with chips.

It’s probably a good thing we only decided to book this cruise 17 days before it sailed. I dread to think the state we would be in by now if we had booked months earlier...!

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Jenkins Spices Up P&O

Glamorous Katherine Jenkins, the classical crossover artist, will be performing as a special guest on P&O Cruises' Oriana for two short cruises later this year.

Both cruises are now on sale, and the details are as follows:

• Departing Oct 31, a four-night cruise calling at Zeebrugge (for Bruges) and Amsterdam, from £399 per person for a Vantage Fare.
• Departing Nov 27, a four-night cruise calling at Zeebrugge (for Bruges) and Amsterdam, from £399 per person for a Vantage Fare.

Oriana, which is exclusively for adults, has three pools, the Oasis Spa, gym, theatre, cinema, sports court, plus numerous restaurants and bars, including the Ocean Grill by celebrity chef Marco Pierre White.

P&O managing director Carol Marlow said: “These short breaks provide the opportunity for an indulgent weekend of fine dining, pampering in the spa, time to explore the ports, rounded off by a very special performance from the world’s most prolific classical crossover artist Katherine Jenkins.”

Since launching her career in 2003, the Welsh star has sold in excess of seven million albums, which has made her the fastest selling soprano ever. Katherine has become a premier ambassador of bringing classical music to a mainstream audience.

Vantage Fares benefits include a choice of cabin, the flexibility to make amendments to, or even change, the choice of cruise or cabin up to 90 days prior to departure, plus one of the following; on board spending money, car parking in Southampton or return coach travel to Southampton. It also features P&O's Price Promise protection, which ensures that should the price of the Vantage Fare reduce; the difference will be awarded in on board spending or a cabin upgrade.

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

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Welcome, Cruise Miss!

Time Spent At Sea is delighted to welcome a new blogger to our cruise fold, Danielle Fear - otherwise known as Cruise Miss from her own blog and Twitter accounts - who will be providing periodic thoughts and reviews from her own travels.

Danielle, a keen twenty-something cruiser from England, became a convert to cruising in 2007 when she took her first voyage with P&O Cruises on their venerable Oriana. From there she has both worked in and written about the cruise business and has become a noted authority on the subject, especially when it comes to cruising for younger people. She says: "My first cruise was the complete opposite to everything I had imagined a cruise to be. It was lively, fun, full of energy, the average age was definitely not 80 and I didn’t have to wear a dress every evening as I had expected. 

"Those 12 days on board really were amazing and it is fair to say I definitely caught what is often referred to as 'the cruising bug' (and, no, I don’t mean norovirus!)."

Danielle is frequently quoted in the media, including the likes of Travel Mole and Cruise Industry News, about various cruise issues and will be undertaking her next voyage with MSC Cruises this week when she will report back on the experience of sailing with the world's third-biggest line (at least until Norwegian Cruise Line launch their new Norwegian Breakaway at the end of the month) in due course.

You can also look up more of her cruise thoughts at www.cruisemiss.com and you can follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cruisemiss.

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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P&O's New Fly-Cruises For 2014/15

P&O Cruises has launched a new programme of holidays for 2014/15, including new fly-cruise holidays in the Mediterranean for the first time.

The new broader programme of great value holidays on offer for 2014 is available to book from April 8. Highlights include:

• Some 269 cruises, visiting 218 places (including 17 new destinations) in 77 countries, with itineraries to Norway and Iceland, the Baltic, Iberia, Canary Islands, Mediterranean and Caribbean, plus three world cruises.
• The first P&O fly-cruise summer holidays in the Mediterranean.
• More short cruise breaks than ever before - 35 in total.
• Unique itinerary cruises, including ‘discovery ship’ Adonia’s river cruising into the heart of Seville and Bordeaux, a visit to Kiel during the Kiel Week Festival and a cruise around Britain, plus Arcadia’s cruise to the USA and Canada.
• Expanded Northern Lights cruises on Oriana in 2015, and a sailing to the Arctic Circle.
• More cabins for solo travellers, including the first single balcony cabins on newly refitted Arcadia.

There will also be more themed cruises, following on from the success of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing series, and cruises with celebrity chefs and wine experts, plus 2014 celebrates the 30^th anniversary of P&O's Music Festivals at Sea.
 

The onboard dining choices have also been broadened, with the Freedom Dining option available across six ships. There are Vantage Fares with enhanced appeal, backed by a strengthened Price Promise offered on all cruises, plus early-booking savings on all cruises.

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

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P&O's 2013 Wave Promotion

P&O Cruises is offering exceptional value cruises during the traditional "wave" peak booking period from December to February, with its best-ever value holidays from only £599 per person for a seven-night Vantage Fare, to include a Price Promise protection and a low deposit of 10% for bookings until February 28. Designed to give added peace of mind to holidaymakers, especially to those booking early to secure the cruise of their choice, Vantage Fares have a range of benefits, including choice of cabin, flexibility to make amendments to or even change the cruise or cabin up to 90 days prior to departure, and one of the following; onboard spending money, free car parking in Southampton or return coach travel to Southampton. The Price Promise protection ensures that, should the price of a cruise reduce, passengers will be awarded the difference in price with onboard spending money or a cabin upgrade. If, however, the price of a cruise should rise after the booking has been made, passengers are assured they have received excellent value by booking early. A low deposit offer of 10%, down from the usual 15%, also applies to Vantage Fare bookings made by February 28. These offers include: Best value cruise: A seven-night European cruise break on Oriana departing April 14. Vantage Fares from £599 per person. Departing from and returning to Southampton, ports of call are Vigo, Lisbon, Oporto and La Coruna. NEW Classic FM music-themed cruise: A 14-night Iceland cruise with Classic FM on Aurora departing June 4. Vantage Fares from £1,499 per person. A repertoire of opera, operetta and recitals will be hosted by acclaimed Classic FM presenters, and passengers can enjoy interviews and musical quizzes, along with the usual high-quality mix of entertainment. NEW food and wine themed cruise: A 28-night Caribbean cruise with Marco Pierre White (pictured, above) and Eric Lanlard on Adonia departing November 22. Vantage Fares from £2,439 per person. This brand new food-and-wine-themed cruise will be joined by celebrity chef  White and master pâtissier and 'Cake Boy' legend Lanlard. Together they will offer their expertise and provide on board demonstrations, private master-classes, hosted dinners, book signings and Q&A sessions in the theatre. They will also host a range of shore excursions to restaurants and markets. As ever, for bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's cruising specialists.

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New Short Cruises From P&O

P&O Cruises has added nine short cruises, ranging from two to five nights, to their impressive line-up for 2013, visiting the Channel Islands, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Classical singing sensations Jonathan Antoine and Charlotte Jaconelli, who shot to fame in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, will appear on Azura’s four-night cruise on April 18. Their first album is now certified gold and was the highest ever entry by a classical album into the main album chart. This cruise provides an opportunity to see them before the start of their UK tour next summer.

Available on a choice of family-friendly large and mid-sized ships from April to July 2013, all short break cruises conveniently depart from and return to Southampton, available to book from today. Prices start from £199 per person for a two-night cruise on Azura in April. The full line-up of short cruises is as follows:

April

• Departing April 16, a two-night cruise on Azura calling at St Peter Port, from £199 per person for a Vantage Fare.
• Departing April 18, a four-night cruise with opera duo, Jonathan & Charlotte from Britain’s Got Talent on Azura stopping at Zeebrugge and St Peter Port, from £319 per person for a Vantage Fare.
• Departing April 22, a three-night cruise with a special celebrity guest on Azura calling at Zeebrugge and St Peter Port, from £249 for a Vantage Fare.
• Departing April 25, a two-night cruise on Azura calling at St Peter Port, from £199 for a Vantage Fare.

May

• Departing May 27, a four-night cruise on Ventura calling at Zeebrugge and St Peter Port, from £349 per person for a Vantage Fare.
• Departing May 31, a three-night cruise on Ventura calling at Zeebrugge and St Peter Port starts from £249 for a Vantage Fare.

June

• Departing June 3, a five-night cruise on Ventura calling at Amsterdam and St Peter Port, from £449 per person for a Vantage Fare.

July

• Departing July 14, a two-night cruise on Oceana calling at St Peter Port, from £249 for a Vantage Fare. 
• Departing July 16, a three-night cruise on Oceana calling at Zeebrugge and St Peter Port, from £349 per person for a Vantage Fare.

Added due to an increasing demand for shorter cruises, these escapes are an ideal introduction to a cruise holiday for couples, families, groups or even single travellers as some of the ships have sought-after large single cabins. They also make an ideal Christmas present or value for money alternative to a city break.

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

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Russell Watson Hits High Note With P&O

Classical singing star Russell Watson is to perform on two short break cruises with P&O Cruises in 2013. The world famous tenor will appear on new three and four-night sailings from Southampton in May and June.  The first departure is a three-night cruise to Belgium and Guernsey departing on Aurora on May 18, with prices starting at £299 per person.

The second sailing will see Watson perform on superliner Azura on a four-night cruise departing on July 5, calling at the same destinations. Prices are from £399pp. In addition to the performance, passengers on Azura can book pre or post-performance dinner in celebrity chef Atul Kochhar’s Sindhu restaurant, or Marco Pierre White’s Cafe Bordeaux on Aurora. 

The first port of call at Zeebrugge gives passengers the day to explore the city of Bruges, with the possibility of travelling further afield to visit Brussels, Ghent or Ypres. The second call in St Peter Port provides a gateway to the island of Guernsey. 

Watson has been in the spotlight since 1999 when his performance of World Cup anthem “Nessun Dorma” at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium received a standing ovation. The Russell Watson cruise itineraries, on sale from November 1, are: 

• A three-night cruise on board Aurora (R305), departing May 18. Itinerary: Southampton, Zeebrugge, St Peter Port, Southampton. Prices from £299 per person.
• A four-night cruise on board Azura (A316N), departing June 5 Itinerary: Southampton, Zeebrugge, St Peter Port, Southampton. Prices from £399 per person. 

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

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New Vantage Pricing From P&O And Cunard

P&O Cruises and Cunard Line are introducing “greater trust and reassurance” in pricing with the introduction of new Vantage Fares backed by a Price Promise.

Launched on July 23, and covering cruises departing from April 2013, the initiative leads a new long-term approach to pricing by the two companies designed to give added peace of mind to holidaymakers, especially to those booking early to secure the cruise of their choice.

With the new Price Promise, passengers can now secure their booking knowing if the Vantage Fare for their holiday were to be reduced, they would automatically receive a complimentary benefit such as onboard spending money or an upgrade, to the value of any reduction in price

The new Vantage Fares include a choice from a range of benefits such as onboard spending money, car parking at Southampton, return coach transfers and airport parking. Vantage Fare passengers will also be able to select the cabin of their choice and have the flexibility to alter their cruise up to 90 days before departure. A low deposit offer of 10%, down from the usual 15%, also applies to Vantage Fare bookings made by August 31.

Vantage Fare benefits offer:

• Great Value Fares 
• Price Promise Protection 
• Priority access to and choice of cabin type, location and number 
• Priority access to family and single cabins  
• Flexible cancellation and amendment terms 
• Access to family and share saver reductions 
• Low deposit of 15% (Reduced to 10% for bookings made by August 31) 
• Choice from a range of added value benefits: 

- On board spending money
- Car parking in Southampton 
- Return coach travel to Southampton 
- Or Airport parking on selected fly/cruises

On occasions, P&O and Cunard may introduce a more restricted fare type on selected cruises closer to departure – ‘Getaway Fares’. If these fares are offered, they will come with less flexible terms (100% deposit and 100% cancellation charges), will not be backed by the Price Promise and will not include any of the benefits or flexibility of the Vantage Fares.

P&O's 2013 programme features a wide variety of cruises with great-value fares starting from £199 per person:

• Cruise Break - 2 nights from £199pp
• Fjords - 7 nights from £599
• Western Mediterranean - 14 nights from £999

The Cunard 2013 programme on Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria features a wide range of destinations with great value fares starting from £269 per person: 

• Short Voyages - 2 nights from £269
• Fjords Voyage - 7 nights from £799
• Baltic Voyage - 14 nights from £1,399
• Transatlantic Voyage - 7 nights from £1,139

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

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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P&O and Cunard Get Sporty This Summer!

P&O Cruises and Cunard will be showing live coverage of the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship and London 2012 Olympic Games on board all ships within their fleets this summer.

Passengers will be able to watch these popular sporting events from the comfort of their ship, ensuring that enthusiasts don’t miss out on any of the action by taking a cruise holiday this summer.

All 31 Euro 2012 matches being held in Poland and Ukraine between June 8 and July 1 will be live in the public rooms on board.

The Olympics, being held in London between July 27 and August 12, will also be given extensive coverage on board, with programming including rowing, athletics, diving, gymnastics, cycling, swimming and basketball being shown, in addition to the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

For booking details, follow this link to the Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's cruise-agent 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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P&O Launches New Loyalty Scheme

The New Edition of World of Cruising Magazine is now on line. Follow this link to read it and enjoy cruising even more!

P&O Cruises has launched its new loyalty scheme, the Peninsular Club, this month, with a variety of exciting new features. The new club, which launched first on board Ventura on April 1, has six distinct tiers; Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Baltic and Ligurian, along with some significant new benefits.

The Peninsular Club will cover the whole P&O fleet by April 27, with points from the previous loyalty scheme, which had three ‘tiers’ - ruby, sapphire and gold - being automatically transferred to the new Club.

The wide range of benefits of the new club vary by tier, and include an onboard discount ranging from 5-10%, a complementary pressing service and discounted laundry, as well as early embarkation, an exclusive travel insurance offer, early booking offers and early cabin access. 

In the new scheme, the Baltic and Ligurian tiers will be exclusive to the most loyal passengers who have a total points value of more than 2,500. Entry to these tiers is not only reliant on points but also on a requirement for the passenger to have spent more than 80 nights on board any P&O ship within the three years prior to the start of their cruise.

For more info on the Peninsular Club, see here. For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading cruise agent specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Cunard's March Cabin Upgrade Offers

Cunard have a series of offers with outstanding value for money this month to sample their classic ocean liner travel.

Destinations include a short break where you can join Queen Victoria on May 5 or Queen Mary 2 on November 16 for a four-night long weekend for an introduction to Cunard’s legendary lifestyle. Sail from Southampton and call at Zeebrugge (for Bruges) and Le Havre (for Paris) before returning home. On offer are outside stateroom fares at inside prices, starting from just £399 per person for Queen Victoria and £499 on QM2.

Queen Victoria’s Mediterranean 16-night voyage on October 3 starts from and returns back to Southampton visiting Cadiz, Malaga, Split, Corfu, Venice and Dubrovnik. Again, outside stateroom fares at inside prices are on offer from £1,499 per person and Princess Grill fares at deluxe balcony prices from £2,399.

Queen Elizabeth sails from Southampton on July 6 and August 7 for a seven-night voyage along Norway’s scenic coastline, calling at Stavanger, Skjolden, Geiranger and Bergen. A balcony stateroom is the perfect complement to this stunning landscape, with balcony fares now at outside stateroom prices, starting at £1,069 per person.

The Queen Mary 2 then departs Southampton on August 10 for an 11-night voyage to the Baltic cities, including Hamburg, Oslo, Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Stavanger. Outside stateroom fares for the cost of an inside room are now available in March from £1,549 per person.

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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Leap Year Launch For New Caribbean Cruises with P&O

P & O Cruises has announced details of 12 new cruises on board Azura for spring 2013. The cruises can already be booked and are priced from £999. These new itineraries provide a range of four transatlantic cruises, seven fly-cruises and one short city break.

Cruises range from three to 22 nights in duration and highlight destinations include Barbados, Curacao, Aruba, St Lucia, Antigua and Guadeloupe. Example itineraries are:

· 15-night transatlantic cruise, sailing from Southampton on January 10, 2013, and calling in Ponta Delgada, St Maarten, St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia and Barbados, for return flight to the UK. Prices from £999pp, including return flight (equivalent to just £67 per person per night).

· 22-night transatlantic cruise, from Southampton on January 10, calling in Ponta Delgada, St Maarten, St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia, Barbados, Curacao, Aruba, St Vincent, Grenada and Barbados for return flight. Prices from £1,599pp, including return flight (equivalent to just £73 per person per night). 

Fly-cruises are also on offer for those who want immediate sunshine. Prices start from just £67 per person per night including flights, all main meals, entertainment, facilities and child-care for families.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading cruise agent specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

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P&O Offering Free Cabin Upgrades This Month

P & O Cruises is offering FREE cabin upgrades in March on a selection of 67 cruise holidays on all seven ships in the fleet, departing between June and December 2012. The 'Ultimate Upgrade' promotion is valid on bookings made throughout March, and entitles customers to a higher grade cabin at a lower grade price.

For example, a nine-night Atlantic Coast cruise on board Oceana, departing from Southampton on May 25, and calling in Gibraltar, Casablanca, Cadiz, Lisbon and Vigo, now has the following pricing:

Inside cabin: was £949, now £949
Outside cabin: was £1,259, now £949
Balcony cabin: was £1,429, now £1,259
Mini-suite: was £2,339, now £1,429
Suite: was £2,869, now £2,499

All cruises in the promotion depart from Southampton and are between two and 35 nights in duration, to a choice of destinations such as the Mediterranean, Baltic, Canary Islands, Caribbean, USA and Canada, Norwegian Fjords, Iceland, and Around Britain.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading specialist cruise agents, 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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Oriana Returns After Major Refit

P&O Cruises welcomed Oriana back into Southampton recently after a month-long dry-dock refurbishment which transformed the ship so it is exclusively for adults. The refit saw the addition of 27 new cabins and the introduction of an Ocean Grill restaurant by Marco Pierre White, now proving very popular on P&O's Adonia.

The multi-million pound overhaul to the ship named by HM The Queen in 1995, also includes the addition of Sorrento, the new Italian restaurant concept also launched on Adonia, but this time with an outdoor dining area; a newly designed aft deck with bar; refreshed decoration in the public areas and Oasis Spa, which also now features thermal loungers and a dedicated aerobics floor; and a new look to the Al Fresco Mediterranean cafe. Oriana departed on her latest 97-night world cruise yesterday (January 5).

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading cruise agent specialists, 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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Strictly Goes To Sea With P&O

P&O Cruises will have top names from the highly-rated BBC programme Strictly Come Dancing on two Oriana cruises in 2012 to entertain and inform passengers - and fans of the lavish ballroom dance spectacular.

Guest can choose from a 12-night Canary Islands cruise on May 28 and a 14-night Norwegian Fjords cruise on July 14, when they can learn how to jive, foxtrot, rumba, quickstep and more from the professionals and join acerbic judge Craig Revel-Horwood for a night in the theatre.

As some of Strictly’s most loved professionals show off their award-winning routines, passengers will also be able to see a collection of the exquisitely intricate costumes worn by the celebrities and stars in this series.

Prices for Oriana’s Canaries cruise start at £1,349 per person. It sails round-trip from Southampton and calls at Ponta Delgada, Horta, Madeira, Gran Canaria, Lisbon and Vigo. The 14-night fjords cruise starts from £1,599 per person, again round-trip from Southampton, calling at Stavanger, Alesund, Trondheim, Ny Alesund, Tromso, Bergen, Eidfjord and Hardangerfjord.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading cruise agent specialists, 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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Southampton's £10million World Cruise Windfall

P&O Cruises will boost the local Southampton economy by some £10million in January as around 6,000 people depart on four world cruises from the South Coast port for the first time.
 
Collectively, the four cruises will visit 148 ports of call and highlights include overnight stays in Buenos Aires, New Orleans, Sydney and Cape Town, as well as scenic cruising in the Amazon, Cape Horn, Beagle Channel and the Amalia Glacier in Patagonia.
 
All four ships will be flying the 175th Anniversary flag as P&O kicks off a full year of celebrations to mark the 175th anniversary of the formation of the famous Peninsular Steam Navigation Company.
 
World cruises offer unrivalled value for money with prices for the 2012 itineraries starting at £82 per person per night, including all meals, entertainment and accommodation on board. They are also increasingly seen as the ideal way to travel the world in comfort and style.

The record quartet of 2012 world cruises are:

·        Aurora (pictured, above), 98-night westabout full world circumnavigation, departing January 4
·        Oriana, 97-night eastabout full world circumnavigation, departing January 5
·        Arcadia, 109-night Grand Odyssey, departing January 9

·        Adonia, 87-night South America Grand Adventure, departing January 13
 
A number of cabins are also still available on the full Aurora world cruise, with prices from £8,799 for the 98-night voyage.  A range of shorter sectors of the world cruises are also available and priced from £1,349 for a 17-night voyage from Southampton to Dubai on board Oriana.

For booking details, be sure to check with the UK's leading cruise agent specialist of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Hello everyone and just a few lines to thank you for all your support during the year. Steve has to go in to “Dry dock for refurbishment” over the holiday period and will be back in service on January 2nd.

However, there are loads of goodies already lined up, among which are a stunning safari/wildlife river cruise in East Africa from AMA Waterways, “Strictly Dancing” with P&O and new cruises in Antarctica and The Galapagos.

In the meantime, there are FREE copies of World of Cruising magazine on offer through the The Cruise Line’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TheCruiseLine. All you have to do is ‘like’ the Facebook page and then send your postal address to info@cruiseline.co.uk and they’ll send one out in the post to you. Hurry whilst stocks last!

A very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to you all.

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P&O's 175th Anniversary Sale

P&O Cruises is offering a special 175th anniversary discount of up to 10% on its cruise holidays during the peak “wave” period of December, January and February. Prices will start from just £599 for a seven-night voyage, such as Ventura’s March 25 itinerary to Spain and France, and £949 for a 14-night cruise such as Azura’s November 5 cruise to Gibraltar, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal.

World cruises are also included in the anniversary sale, with onboard credit of up to £1100 available on bookings. Other destinations include the Norwegian Fjords, Caribbean, Canary Islands, Iceland and Mediterranean. Wave prices also start from £349 for a three-night cruise break to Bruges and Le Havre, up to to £3,059 for a 35-night Caribbean cruise.

For more info and booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading cruise specialist agents, 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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P&O To Feature More 'Sampler' Cruises In 2012

P&O Cruises has pioneered a series of two, three and four-night voyages in recent years, and will offer more of these 'sampler' cruises than ever before in 2012.

With 13 sailings of four nights or less, these breaks provide unbeatable value for money, with prices from just £239 per person. The cruises also enable passengers to visit up to three European cities in one short break.

Each morning provides a new destination and, after a busy day exploring, passengers can enjoy P&O's stylish silver-service dining, West End-style shows and a world class spa, as well as a number of bars, pools, lounges, restaurants and casino. For families, children are also well looked after by the fully-inclusive childcare programme.

A two-night cruise on board Azura departing December 2, 2012, is priced from £249. It departs from Southampton and calls at Bruges (from Zeebrugge). A three-night cruise departing September 15 is priced from £349 and takes in Bruges and Le Havre, while a similar voyage on Oriana (exclusively for adults), departing June 16, is priced from £359.

All prices are per person and based on two adults sharing an inside cabin on a full board basis.

For more info and booking details, be sure to check out this link with specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Now THAT'S How Cruise Awards Should Be Done

Having given the so-called British Travel Awards a major kicking recently for their laughable selection of Cruise Awards, it was refreshing to see the Cruise Critic UK Awards come out this week with a sane, sensible and highly credible approach to pretty much the same thing.

Using their own in-house editorial experts, led by extremely knowledgeable editor-in-chief Carolyn Spencer-Brown, they have 25 individual awards - from the obvious things of Best New Ship and Best For Kids to Best Itineraries and Best Buffet - and all have the ring of authenticity and genuine cruise know-how.

In full, the 2011 award winners are:

Best New Ship - Carnival Magic
Best New River Ship - SS Antoinette (Uniworld)
Best For Luxury - Seabourn Cruise Line
Best for First Timers - Ventura (P&O Cruises)
Best Line for Kids - Royal Caribbean
Best Itineraries - Cunard Line
Best for Adventure - Star Clippers
Best River Cruise Line - Viking River Cruises
Best Value for Money - Voyages of Discovery
Best for Fly-Cruises - Thomson Cruises
Best for Dining - Oceania Cruises
Best Buffet - Marina (Oceania Cruises)
Best Alternative Restaurant - The Verandah (Cunard's Queen Elizabeth)
Best for Entertainment - Cunard Line
Best for Healthy Cruising - Celebrity Cruises
Best Suites - Marina (Oceania Cruises)
Best Cabins - Holland America Line
Best Shore Excursions - Noble Caledonia
Best Guest Speakers - Voyages to Antiquity
Best for Honeymooners - Princess Cruises
Best for Wine Lovers - Celebrity's Solstice-Class
Best Cruise Ship Bar - The Glass House (P&O's Azura)
Best UK Port of Call - Newcastle
Best UK Departure Port - Southampton

All the category winners come fully explained with the 'why' of their choice and some useful info on the award-winner, and categories like Best Value and Best Suites are extremely relevant to today's cruisers (are you taking note, BTA?).

The categories like Best Bar and Best for Wine-Lovers are just plain fun, and the choice of Newcastle as best UK port of call is sure to start some earnest debate on the subject (as well as rewarding a go-ahead port authority - for my money, Lerwick in the Shetlands would be hard to beat as they simply work so hard to attract ships and provide a unique port experience, but that's a very minor quibble).

Do I agree with all the selections? No, but then you probably would struggle to get any two major cruise experts to agree anyway as there is so much that's subjective about these types of awards (as well as so much choice these days).

I probably wouldn't have given Cunard Best Itineraries as their ships are all so big there are many ports they CAN'T visit (unlike, say, Crystal, Silversea or even someone like Orion Expedition Cruises, whose itineraries are truly eye-catching), while I also think there are many other better contenders for Best Alternative Restaurant than QE's Verandah.

Ideally, I'd also like to see more categories to highlight the major differentiation these days between the large mega-ships and the smaller, more boutique types (for instance, how do you compare a new ship like Carnival Magic against the tiny-by-comparison Seabourn Quest?).

But that is really just nit-picking as against the big beefs I have with the comparable cruise section of the BTA. All in all, the Cruise Critic UK awards are a laudable and highly worthwhile exercise, and all the winners are to be congratulated.

For the full story, go to this page on Cruise Critic UK and click on the necessary link to see the Winners.

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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