Showing posts with label Portsmouth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Portsmouth. Show all posts

Friday, 23 January 2015

Boost for Greenock Cruise Terminal

Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 at Greenock Ocean Terminal

Greenock Ocean Terminal is predicted to handle 108,866 passengers during the course of 2015, making it the first Scottish port to handle in excess of 100,000 passengers. This is a dramatic increase from the 20,253 passengers that passed through the port back in 2007.

The port benefits from a convenient location in western Scotland. It offers easy access to Glasgow city centre and can be found on many itineraries calling into ports around the British Isles and Northern Ireland.

A total of 56 cruise ship calls have been scheduled in for the port between May and September 2015. Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Cunard Line, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Holland America Line, Azamara Club Cruises, P&O Cruises, CDF Croisières de France, TUI Cruises, Saga Cruises, AIDA and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines all have vessels scheduled to call into the port during the year.

Notable larger vessels scheduled to visit the port include Royal Princess, Queen Mary 2, Celebrity Silhouette, Britannia and Regal Princess.

It is also set to be a busy year for English ports too with ABP Southampton currently expecting at least 117 cruise ship calls, Liverpool Cruise Terminal expecting 54 cruise ship calls and Portsmouth International Port expecting 38 cruise ship calls throughout the year.

In Wales, Holyhead Port in Anglesey is also expecting a bumper year with 23 cruise ship calls totalling in excess of 14,000 passengers. Celebrity Silhouette will be the largest passenger cruise ship expected in the port this year, standing at 122,210 gross tons.

(Photo credit to Peel Ports)

Monday, 15 December 2014

£6m investment in Southampton terminal as UK ports prepare for a busy 2015


An artist's impression of the re-designed Mayflower Cruise Terminal
The Mayflower Cruise Terminal in Southampton is to get a £6 million regeneration in preparation for the arrival of P&O Cruises' Britannia and Princess Cruises' Royal Princess next year.

The work includes a complete re-design of the departure, check-in, security and passenger lounges as well as drop-off and pick-up areas.  The construction work will see 100 tonnes of block-work walls and floors removed and 500 tonnes of new steelwork frames installed. A team of 200 will be involved in the project and it is scheduled to be completed in April

Nick Ridehalgh, director of ABP Southampton, said: “The benefits of the improvements will affect a much wider group than just those heading off on cruises. Businesses across the city, such as taxis, hotels and restaurants for examples, all benefit from the cruise industry. We must ensure we continue to work with the cruise lines and their guests to ensure Southampton remains the UK cruise port of choice.” According to ABP each cruise ship turnaround is worth £2 million to the local economy.

Liverpool Cruise Terminal is preparing itself for a busy 2015 with 54 cruise ship visits planned, welcoming in excess of 80,000 international visitors to the city over the year. The port will also host two landmark events to celebrate Cunard Line’s 175th anniversary. All three Cunard Line vessels – Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria – are scheduled to call at Liverpool on 25 May and on 4 July Queen Mary 2 will return to the city to commemorate the transatlantic departure of RMS Britannia from the port exactly 175 years ago.

Portsmouth International Port is also preparing for the new year with 38 ship visits scheduled so far between March and November. The first cruise liner to call into the port next year will be Voyages of Discovery’s Voyager on March 1. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ luxury vessel Europa 2 will also be calling into the port in June. Europa 2 is one of the most modern vessels to dock at the port and at 225 metres is also one of the longest. The visit has been made possible by investment in new berthing facilities.

(Photo credit to Associated British Ports)

Monday, 13 January 2014

Portsmouth Prepares For Record Year

We have been consistently tracking the amazing growth of ex-UK cruises in recent years and this looks like being a continued trend in 2014. And, to confirm it, the latest news from the port of Portsmouth suggests they are already looking at a bumper year before the cruise season has really got under way.

According to their latest figures, the number of ships coming to Portsmouth for “port of call” stops will rise by 28% in the coming year compared to 2013. Last year, 14 cruise ships arrived for day visits while this year's number will be 18. The rise is in addition to a large number of companies that will start and finish their itineraries in Portsmouth.


The growth in the number of visiting ships comes as the Waterfront City establishes itself as a major UK tourist destination. The recently opened Mary Rose Museum has been a great hit with visitors, alongside the ever popular HMS Victory and HMS Warrior in the Historic Dockyard. Seventy years ago, the docks were the focus of preparations for the D-Day landings, and this year many ships are visiting with this anniversary in mind
. 

During the first week of June, there will be eight cruise ships coming and going from Portsmouth, the majority making the crossing to the Normandy Beaches. Among them will be Fred. Olsen’s Braemar, a new visitor to the port, and Cruise & Maritime’s Marco Polo. Customers will visit the D-Day Museum and see other key sights relating to the invasion that started on June 6, 1944. Swan Hellenic will also be starting and ending its special D-Day cruise in Portsmouth. 

Captain Rupert Taylor, Portsmouth International Port Harbour Master said: ”Just three years ago we had six tourist calls, now we have 18. This increase is great news for Portsmouth. Each liner loaded with tourists means a boost for the local economy, starting with jobs at the Port. As passengers make their way through our award-winning terminal, others feel the benefit too. Taxi and transport companies, tourist attractions, restaurants and shops can all take advantage of this rise in visitors. 

Among many new visitors this year will be MS Serenissima, a classic small luxury ship with a unique Swedish country house style interior. On a larger scale, the 900-berth Greek cruise ship Louis Aura is also booked to call. Le Boréal, the beautiful mega-yacht operated by Compagnie du Ponant, will glide into Portsmouth Harbour in early June, along with German ship Amadea.

More info: visit www.portsmouth-port.co.uk.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a very special, limited-time offer to save 50% off a full year's subscription, which includes six issues PLUS our new year-end Cruise Directory. That means a year's worth of Europe's leading cruise publication will be only £15. Check out the special rate on this link!





Monday, 6 January 2014

Fred Olsen Commemorate D-Day With Help For Heroes


We are always keen to hear about charity initiatives here at World of Cruising, and this year is especially relevant as it marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day.
 
With that in mind, we think the latest news from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will be of great interest to many as they will welcome Captain Tony Harris, Official Ambassador for the ‘Help for Heroes’ charity and motivational speaker, on its special seven-night ‘D-Day Anniversary Cruise’ aboard Braemar on June 1.

Sailing from Harwich, it calls first at Zeebrugge (for Bruges), where guests can visit the poignant Tyne Cot Cemetery – the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the world – and Memorial, to remember those who lost their lives during the First World War. Located in the famous Cloth Hall, visitors will discover the In Flanders’ Fields Museum, which presents the story of the First World War in the West Flanders front region.

From Zeebrugge, Braemar returns briefly to the UK, to Portsmouth, to pay respects to those who gave their lives at the tranquil war memorials, before stepping back in time and visiting the D-Day Museum. Then it's on to Cherbourg, which was part of the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War, before cruising on to Le Havre for an overnight stay, providing the opportunity to take a tour to the Allied landing areas on the Day of Remembrance.

Dunkirk is the last port of call on this epic cruise holiday, with time to visit the Dunkirk War Museum, which tells the story of the Allied evacuation from the town, before the ship returns to Harwich.


Prices for this commemorative cruise start from £629 per person, based on two adults sharing a twin cabin, Grade 'I', and include accommodation, all meals and entertainment, and port dues.

More info: call 0800 0355 242 or visit www.fredolsencruises.com.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a very special, limited-time offer to save 50% off a full year's subscription, which includes six issues PLUS our new year-end Cruise Directory. That means a year's worth of Europe's leading cruise publication will be only £15. Check out the special rate on this link!

Monday, 16 December 2013

Swan's New Ex-UK Options

The growth of cruises from UK ports has been a major part of the overall rise in popularity of cruising in Britain, and the good news for those who prefer not to fly is that there are even more of these options ahead in 2014.
 
Swan Hellenic are a notable company to feature this type of voyaging, and their unique little Minerva has two fascinating new cruises from historic Portsmouth to highlight this week.
 
Explore the gardens of Scandinavia at springtime with Swan's ‘A Scandinavian Spring.' After a daytime transit of the Kiel Canal, Minerva sails through the Baltic Sea to explore historic Gothenburg and the friendly city of Oslo before enjoying the panoramic views of Norway’s spectacular fjords. Prices for this 12-day cruise start from £1,775 per person and guests will be joined by a range of inspiring Guest Speakers, including Sir Richard Dales, former ambassador to Norway. The cruise departs on April 28.

The second choice is 'An Icelandic Summer,' which also takes in St Kilda, the most remote part of the British Isles, as well as the rugged, volcanic scenery of Iceland. This voyage offers fascinating wildlife and dramatic scenery, along with invigorating hikes and a full day Golden circle excursion, where guests have the opportunity to bathe in natural hot springs and discover the rugged scenery of the isolated Faroe Islands. Prices for this 16-day cruise start from £2,485 per person and it sails on June 16.

More info: visit 
www.swanhellenic.com or call 0844 488 1048.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this month ONLY - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See
this link!



Thursday, 14 November 2013

Three Cruise Lines, Three Round-Britain Cruises!


Here's a great trio of alternatives for the increasingly popular round-Britain cruises that many lines are now offering. They obviously all come with the benefit of no flights involved, and take in some fabulous parts of the United Kingdom. Here's what they say...

Voyages of Discovery
Departing from Portsmouth, discover the history, heritage and tradition of the British Isles. Around the shores of this island nation, discover stunning landscapes that inspired celebrated artists, and those that played starring roles in stirring epics. Set foot in atmospheric castles that hosted legendary figures, and stately homes where literary heroes penned immortal words. Turn the pages on Britain’s Royal story peopled by famous monarchs, and through great abbeys and cherished cathedrals trace the power of the church.

The 14-day National Treasures of the British Isles departs May 4 and costs from £1,939 per person. 

More info: call 0844 334 8389 or visit www.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk.

Swan Hellenic
Travel from Portsmouth to Edinburgh, Scotland’s dynamic capital, and explore this historic city. Visit Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Hopetoun, Scotland’s finest stately home. Sail to the Caithness port of Scrabster to stand on the most northerly point of mainland Britain at Dunnet Head overlooking the Pentland Firth. Follow Bonnie Prince Charlie as he escaped over the sea to Skye and visit Dunvegan Castle, the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland, built on a rock in an idyllic loch-side setting. Enjoy inspirational scenic cruising as Minerva cruises off the west coast of Scotland, passing islands, glens and bays – including the tiny island of Staffa – en route to Oban, and then on to Liverpool.

This 15-day Treasures of the British Isles cruise departs July 1 and costs from £2,470 per person. 

More info: call 0844 488 0716 or visit www.swanhellenic.com.

Hebridean Island Cruises
A voyage into the unknown - join Hebridean Princess on the annual ‘Surprise’ cruise where the Captain will decide the itinerary. Enjoy the magnificent scenery of Scotland’s west coast and Hebridean islands as the Captain decides on the itinerary day by day. While the itinerary is unknown, the level of comfort and service on board  is assured. The cruise departs from Oban with only 50 guests, fine food and wine with spacious, elegant well-appointed cabins

The 7-night An Island Surprise voyage departs April 1 and costs from £2,660 per person. 
More Info: call 01756 704 700 or visit www.hebridean.co.uk.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!


Friday, 31 May 2013

Swan Hellenic's Norwegian Lure

Join Swan Hellenic on their June voyage to Oslo and the Fjords with a special late price from just £995 per person (Saver Fare, based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

Passengers can experience Minerva’s maiden call to Førde to explore the Black Friday Museum, dedicated to one of the fiercest air battles of World War II or visit the 90-metre-high Huldrefossen waterfall.

The 16-day cruise departs from Portsmouth and calls at Olso, Haugesund, Ulvik, Flåm, Førde, Åndalsnes, Olden and Bergen (above), as well as Aaaolborg in Denmark,  before returning to Portsmouth (UK). 

Price is based on a June 5 departure and includes relevant transfers, a tailor-made programme of shore excursions, talks by eminent Guest Speakers, meals and entertainment on board, all gratuities and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. A supplement for some shore excursions may apply. Cabin numbers may not be allocated at time of booking.

No single supplements are also available on selected cabin grades for solo travellers on this cruise.

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

Saturday, 11 May 2013

Take A Voyage Of Discovery To Chelsea Flower Show

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

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

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

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

Friday, 25 January 2013

Voyages Of Discovery Celebrate Chelsea Flower Show


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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, 29 December 2012

Check Out Voyages Of Discovery In 2013



Discovery-led cruise line Voyages of Discovery has launched new ‘Saver Fares’ with savings of up to £250 per person on selected itineraries. Theyare ideal for customers looking for a great deal and are available on nine cruises within the Summer and Winter 2013-14 programmes. Saver Fares are limited in availability so guests are encouraged to book early to secure the best fare.

Current Saver Fare itineraries include:

  • The 10-day Heritage of the British Isles cruise from £949 per person (based on two sharing an inside cabin), which works out at less than £95 per person per day. The voyage departs from Portsmouth on June 2 and calls at Holyhead, Belfast, Oban and Port of Tyne.
  • The 18-day Indian, Arabian and African Contrasts cruise from £1,149 per person (based on two sharing an inside cabin), or less than £64 per person, per day. Departing from Mumbai (overnight) on March 21, it calls at Porbandar, Muscat (overnight) and Safaga (overnight).
  • The 14-day Springtime European Voyager cruise from £849 per person (again, based on two sharing an inside cabin), or less than £61 per person, per day. Departing from Civitavecchia (Rome), it calls at San Remo (Italy), Valencia (Spain), Cartagena (Spain) and Leixoes (Portugal). Price is based on a 21 April 2014 UK departure.

Offers are also available on the following itineraries: Celtic Treasures, Mediterranean Medley, Adriatic, Aegean and Corinth Canal, In the Footsteps of St Paul, Windows on the Ancient World and East to Myanmar and the Orient.

Saver Fares include return flights from the UK on fly-cruises, all relevant overseas transfers, meals and entertainment and the Guest Speaker programme on board the ship. 

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

Thursday, 27 September 2012

Fred Olsen + Portsmouth = Autumn Bliss

After a summer of wet and windy weather, many of us long for warmer climates, before winter sets in. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has two longer cruises, with some fascinating destinations to explore, departing from Portsmouth this autumn. The smart new terminal building and greatly improved road access – due to the new Hindhead Tunnel – plus excellent rail links, make this a superb departure port. 

The first departure is aboard Boudicca, a 23-night cruise to the Mediterranean, focusing on Turkey. Departing October 12, it sails south to southern Portugal, with a first visit to pretty Portimăo, in the Algarve. Another day at sea brings the lovely island of Ibiza, pleasantly sunny and quieter in October, before moving on to another island – Malta - where Boudicca calls into the historic capital, Valletta. An added attraction on this cruise is the distinguished guest speaker, veteran broadcaster Michael Nicholson OBE (above). Michael will be hosting a theme of ‘Reporting the World’ through Fred. Olsen’s exclusive onboard enrichment programme, Vistas.

Prices for this stunning cruise start from £1,399 per person, based on two adults sharing an outside, twin cabin, with a LateSaver deal. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board and port taxes. There is no extra charge for taking part in Vistas activities. 

Another long cruise promising some wonderful weather this autumn is Boudicca’s ‘Caribbean Voyage’. This 28-night cruise departs  Portsmouth on November 18 and features two relaxing days at sea before visiting Funchal on the pretty ‘Garden Isle’ of Madeira. The ship then makes her Atlantic crossing and her first port of call in the Caribbean is Bridgetown, Barbados, one of the most popular islands with British visitors. Next is the lovely harbour of St. George’s in Grenada – known as the ‘Spice Island’ – then Castries, in lush, green St. Lucia. Other islands visited are Antigua, with its 365 beaches (one for every day of the year), St. Kitts, Tortola and tiny St. Maarten, all with their own personalities and glorious scenery, plus a warm Caribbean welcome guaranteed.On the return crossing, Boudicca calls into Ponta Delgada in the Azores, before returning to Portsmouth.

Prices for this cruise start from just £1,699 per person, based on two adults sharing an outside, twin cabin, with a LateSaver deal (cabin allocated on embarkation).This price includes all meals and entertainment on board and port taxes, representing great value for money.

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

Saturday, 7 July 2012

Hurtigruten Features New, One Off Departure From Greenwich



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

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

Thursday, 7 June 2012

Swan Hellenic's Grand Med Voyage


Join Swan Hellenic’s MV Minerva for a 29-day 'Grand Mediterranean and Adriatic' cruise from just £3,382 per person in August (based on two people sharing an inside cabin) – that’s little more than £100 per person per day.

This epic voyage explores the genuine highlights of the Mediterranean in the height of summer whilst visiting more than 20 different ports of call, including La Coruna, Valletta and Kotor, all with the benefit an ex-UK departure and the benefit of packing and unpacking only once!

The cruise sets sail from Portsmouth on August 1 and calls at St Peter Port (Guernsey), La Coruna (Spain), Oporto (Portugal), Cadiz (Spain), Malaga (Spain), Cartagena (Spain), Palma (Majorca), Cagliari (Italy), Trapani (Italy), Valletta (Malta, overnight), Dubrovnik (Croatia, overnight), Korcula (Croatia), Split (Croatia), Trieste (Italy), Venice (Italy), Pula (Croatia), Kotor (Croatia, overnight), Sarande (Albania), Itea (Greece) and Piraeus (Greece, overnight).
The price includes a tailor-made programme of shore excursions, talks by eminent guest speakers, meals and entertainment on board, all gratuities and all relevant cruise taxes.
 
For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's leading cruise-agent specialists.

Saturday, 2 June 2012

Last-Minute Bargains From Voyages Of Discovery

For those looking for a great last-minute cruise this month, this little offer has just arrived in our Inbox...

Join Voyages of Discovery for a selection of summer cruises from as little as £56 per person per day.

The 9-day 'D-Day, Normandy, Dunkirk and Beyond' voyage starts from just £499 per person, departing from Portsmouth on June 5 and calling at Cherbourg, St Peter Port (Guernsey), Rouen (overnight), Dunkirk, Heligoland and Ijmuiden before arriving at Harwich.

Or how about...

The 'Spitsbergen and North Cape' cruise starts from £999 per person and includes the full 16-day voyage departing from Harwich on June 13 and calling at Trondheim, Leknes, Honningsvag, Magdalenafjord (cruising), Ny-Alesund, Longyearbyen, Barentsburg, Tromso  and Bergen before returning to Harwich.

The prices include all gratuities, service charges and port/airport taxes, a comprehensive Guest Speaker programme, all meals and entertainment on-board and complimentary car parking at Harwich is available (no single supplements apply on both cruises).

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

Friday, 27 May 2011

Fred. Olsen's Worldwide Voyaging


Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has launched its new worldwide brochure for 2012/13, detailing a comprehensive programme of ex-UK cruises aboard classic ships Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch. All the new cruises feature Fred. Olsen’s ‘No Fuel Surcharge Guarantee’.

The 2012/13 programme includes an enormous choice of destinations, varying in duration from a mini-cruise of just two nights to an epic world voyage of 112 nights. The itineraries feature new and exciting destinations, along with many old favourites, with departures from convenient regional British ports, Dover, Southampton, Portsmouth, Newcastle, Greenock (Glasgow) and Rosyth (Edinburgh).

Highlights include:

- A ‘Christmas Markets’ cruise aboard Black Watch, travelling to the Baltic and calling at Warnemünde (Germany), Tallinn (Estonia), St Petersburg (Russia), Helsinki (Finland), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Kiel (Germany).

- The chance to sail over 50 miles up the Guadalquivir River to Seville, in Spain.

- A return call to the newly-accessible Banjul Harbour in The Gambia, on Balmoral’s 21-night ‘West Africa and Cape Verde’ cruise.

- Three brand new destinations on Canada’s east coast – Port Saguenay, Trois Rivières and Havre St. Pierre.

- Some enticing longer cruises in 2013 – Balmoral’s new ‘Around the World’ itinerary and Black Watch’s epic cruise, down the West Coast of Africa and into the Indian Ocean.

- Another opportunity to take a Winter cruise to Norway, ‘In Search of the Northern Lights’, with Boudicca in February 2013, or to cruise into the heart of the mighty Amazon River, also aboard Boudicca, on a long (35-night) cruise in early 2013.

- Christmas 2012, when both Balmoral and Braemar will be visiting the Cape Verde Islands, as part of their festive itineraries, while Black Watch offers a real getaway, with her ex-UK ‘Caribbean Christmas’ cruise of 25 nights.

Fred. Olsen also continues to make regular enhancements to its fleet. Boudicca benefitted from a major refit in January 2011, allowing for extra cabins, smart new shopping outlets and a top-deck fitness centre. The onboard experience continues to benefit from an ever-increasing choice of activities and interests for guests to pursue. The cruise enrichment programme, Vistas (formerly The ArtsClub), has been re-launched and reinvigorated, with many distinguished new names joining the panoply of on-board experts, covering an even wider range of subjects.

Other additional attractions, on selected cruises, include ‘Flagship Golf‘, boasting even more top courses in 2012/13, and, for the best in entertainment, Fred. Olsen’s ‘Music and Laughter’; programme. This gives guests a wonderful opportunity to enjoy live music and comedy in an intimate setting, from some of the top names in the business, and all at no extra cost. Past favourites include the Divas of Motown, The Drifters and Lulu, and big names lined up for this season include The Operababes – back by popular demand – The Sounds of Boney M, featuring Sheyla Bonnick, and The Tornados – the first UK group to top the US charts, with ‘Telstar’, and original backing group to 60s legend, Billy Fury.

For more info, see www.fredolsencruises.com or contact the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Friday, 1 April 2011

Voyages of Discovery ‘Cruise Party’ to Celebrate Royal Wedding

Millions of Britons are expected to hold street parties to celebrate Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton this year – and guests on board Voyages of Discovery’s 'French and Spanish Sojourn' cruise will be joining in the royal fun, but at a street party with a twist – on a ship! Guests needn’t worry about missing the event as Voyages of Discovery will be televising the wedding onboard the MV Discovery for all to see. Revellers will be commemorating the marital union whilst cruising the picturesque borders of Spain and France from as little as £499 per person.

Price includes a 7-night cruise departing from Portsmouth and calling at Ferrol/La Coruna, Bilbao, Le Verdon, Nantes and St Peter Port, Guernsey, before eturning to Portsmouth; all meals, entertainment and gratuities on board and all relevant cruise taxes/fees - no hidden extras, plus accompanied by expert guest speakers.
Price is based on April 23 departure.

For more info, visit www.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk or the specialist cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.