Veranda Suite upgrades on Seabourn sailing with Troubleshooter Lord Digby Jones

Seabourn is offering Veranda Suite upgrades on its 16-day Jewels of India and Arabia sailing in March 2015.   As part of the Seabourn Conversations enrichment programme, guests onboard will be joined by Lord Digby Jones who will be sharing his insight and knowledge during a series of talks.  Lord Jones will be sharing anecdotes from his career in business and politics, spanning several decades. Guests onboard the 16-day sailing will also visit the lively island of Phuket, tropical Goan beaches and cosmopolitan Dubai.

Sailing

Join Seabourn Odyssey (above) on a 16-day Jewels of India and Arabia fly/cruise from £5,009 per person (based on two people sharing a Veranda suite upgraded from an Oceanview suite).

Price includes flights from London Heathrow, transfers and a 16-day cruise departing from Singapore and calling at Phuket, Cochin, Marmagao, Mumbai, Muscat and Khor al Fakkan before arriving into Dubai for the flight home.  Price is based on 23 March 2015 departure.

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Voyages to Antiquity discovers ancient Burma

Voyages to Antiquity offers travellers the chance to discover ancient Burma, a remarkable country which continues to captivate visitors today as it did in Rudyard Kipling's time.

Explore historic Malaysia, relax amid beautiful scenery in Thailand and delve into Singapore on this 16-day Southeast Asian odyssey aboard Aegean Odyssey. Departs 27 February 2015  with prices  from £3,350pp

Sail up-river to berth in the heart of Yangon, Burma for two nights and discover the colonial heritage of Malacca and Penang in Malaysia as well as spending two nights at the Regent Hotel in Singapore.

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Cunard packages shorter worldwide cruise sectors

Cunard has shorter worldwide cruises available and reveals its new Flagship Collection of premium hotel stays which can be combined with these departures to make cruise and stay holidays.

Sectors of the full World Cruises enable passengers to create shorter holiday options that take in key destinations of interest.  Featured durations range from 8-42 nights.

The new Flagship Collection offers a premium selection of pre and post-cruise hotel stays enhanced with special benefits, and features properties in Auckland, Cape Town, Dubai, Fort Lauderdale, Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore and Sydney.

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Great world cruise offers from Planet Cruise

Planet Cruise are highlighting a range of Cunard & P&O Cruises 2016 World Cruises. The offers include lots of free spend and other available gifts.  

Amongst the cruises on offer are:

Southampton to New York. 

Up to £260 spend and £86 Bon Voyage gift pack. Transatlantic crossing on Cunard's Queen Mary 2.  Departs 10 January 2016, for eight days; from £1,079 pp

Hong Kong to Singapore

Free Bon Voyage gift worth £125 on P&O's Aurora. Departs 12 March 2016 for eight days; from £1,549. Ports  of call include Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam

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TBE Holland America Line announces free Emirates flight on Asia cruise specials

Holland America Line has announced it is partnering with Emirates Air to offer a free flight to guests who book select segments of ms Rotterdam’s 88-Day Passage to the Far East Voyage before 16 October 2014. Sectors which include a free flight between London and Singapore start from £2,499pp whilst the full voyage, a roundtrip ex-UK cruise from Southampton, departs on 8 January 2015 with prices starting from £4,999pp

Guests who book the 40- or 54-night segments, departing 8 January 2015, from Southampton to Singapore will receive free return air on Emirates Air from Singapore back to London.  Guests who set sail from Singapore to Southampton on the 48-night segment, departing 17 February 2015, or the 34-night segment, departing 3 March 2015, will receive this fly/cruise special on flights to Singapore.

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A fascinating insight into the religions of Indonesia on a Voyages to Antiquity cruise in south-east Asia

Toraja Land, Indonesia, where the local people worship animals and plants

• The second in a series of guest blogs by Zoe Bromley-Fox, Land Programmes Manager of cruise line Voyages to Antiquity. The line’s one ship, Aegean Odyssey, returns to south-east Asia this winter for the first time since the winter of 2012-13. Zoe looks forward to the forthcoming visit by recalling highlights of the journey two years ago.

Indonesia is certainly a land full of mystery and intriguing ancient customs. One of the excursions that Voyages to Antiquity includes in the Southern Sulawesi area gives passengers a somewhat other-wordly experience. I will never forget one of the Indonesian bar waitresses staring at me fearfully wide-eyed as we headed off with the passengers to visit Toraja Land where the people practise a form of animism known as Aluk To Dolo.

The belief that animals, plants and inanimate objects possess a spiritual element is so fundamental to this region that many indigenous languages don’t even have a word for it. Operated from the slightly closer port of Palopo this season, but still with a scenic drive through the mountainous countryside, it also provides a fascinating insight into daily life as you pass through numerous rural villages.

From a more archaeological perspective, the UNESCO tongue-twister site of Borobudur on the island of Java is equally as captivating and compared in brilliance to the Parthenon by Arnold Toynbee. We visit the complex from the port of Semarang, and I also remember that the police escort service that cleared the Javanese roads to ensure the coaches arrived in good time was probably as impressive as the temple complex itself!

For details of Voyages to Antiquity’s cruises visiting Indonesia this winter, see here. Fares from £3,495 pp.

Click here to read Zoe's blog in full, with details of Aegean Odyssey's voyages and the excursions available.

The UNESCO-listed Borobodur on the Indonesian island of Java

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Voyages to Antiquity Unveil Burma & Malaya

When it comes to the Far East, the countries of Burma and Malaysia remain some of the most unknown territory, with an exotic, almost mysterious side to them.

The best way to see as much of possible in a short time is by cruise, which is why Voyages to Antiquity are currently highlighting their voyage to "mysterious Burma & the Malay Peninsula" in January next year.

Cut off from the rest of the world for decades, Burma’s unique culture has been preserved; its incredible landscapes remain unspoilt, the golden temples and pagodas intact.

Much of this will be on display as the Aegean Odyssey will berth in the heart of Yangon for two full nights. With good quality hotels in short supply, the ship offers the perfect base for a full exploration. The voyage also takes in Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Malaysia before disembarking in the dynamic city of Singapore for a 2-night hotel stay.

Prices start from £3,995 per person for this remarkable 21-day cruise-tour, departing January 4, 2015.

More info: call 0845 437 9737 or visit www.voyagestoantiquity.com.

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Crystal's Overland Gorilla Adventure

Locking eyes with an almost-500 pound silverback mountain gorilla, with just a few feet of African forest standing in between, might not the thing most people would expect from a luxury cruise.

But Crystal Cruises are increasingly pushing back the boundaries of what's possible on a voyage, and the Gorilla Adventure is the latest possibility in their impressive Overland Adventure portfolio.

With just 600 mountain gorillas left in the world, and only a handful of active guests permitted on the excursion, Crystal’s new “Bwindi Forest Gorilla Tracking Experience” is an ultimate bucket list trip. The five-night journey is available only to guests sailing back-to-back on two of Crystal Serenity’s 2014 World Cruise segments: an 18-night March 10 voyage from Singapore to Cape Town and the following 21-night March 28 cruise from Cape Town to Southampton. From South Africa’s port of Durban, outing participants will travel deep into Uganda, then re-join the ship in Cape Town.

On non-tracking days, the group will also learn about Uganda’s wetland, savannah and forest eco-systems at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, and participate in a mock Batwa Pygmy (considered the “keepers of the forest” for more than 5,000 years) hunting party, including tribal singing and dancing. Luxury accommodation includes two nights at The Lake Victoria Serena Resort, set on the world’s largest tropical lake, and three nights at the silver-service Sanctuary Gorilla Camp.

The Bwindi Forest Gorilla Tracking Experience costs from $11,676 per person. The combined, 39-night cruise itinerary calls in Singapore (overnight); Jakarta, Mauritius/Port Louis, Durban, Cape Town, Walvis Bay, Luanda (maiden call), Bom Bom Island/São Tomé, Takoradi, Dakar, Agadir, Lisbon and Southampton.

Crystal is also offering 10 other Overland Adventures (shore excursions where guests stay inland overnight during a cruise) in Africa next year, taking guests to Nelson Mandela’s former home, through the countryside by Victorian-era railcar and on multiple safaris in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.

More info: call 020 7399 7601 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

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MSC's New Grand Voyage

Asia and the Middle East are increasingly fertile cruise areas in the winter months, and we have just been alerted to another new option in this region from MSC Cruises.

Taking their MSC Orchestra, MSC will be operating a special Grand Voyage in 2015, setting sail from the dazzling deserts of the United Arab Emirates and visiting the iconic sites of south-east Asia before reaching and exploring the enchanting coastlines of Australia. The once-in-a-lifetime 33-night Grand Voyage sets out from from Dubai on February 22 next year and arrives in Perth on 26 March 2015.

During the first part of her journey, Orchestra will call into Mumbai and Cochin, before arriving in Colombo, the gateway to Sri Lanka. She will then visit Phuket, Thailand's most popular and glamorous beach destination, followed by a stop in Langkawi, a true Malaysian tropical gem. Singapore’s skyline will be the ship’s next destination, where she will stay overnight, allowing guests to soak up the charms of this city-state where history and modernity walk hand in hand. Lush Benoa, in Bali, will be the ship’s last stop in Asia, offering travellers the chance to enjoy breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, enchanting temples and white sandy beaches.

Orchestra will continue her journey stopping in Cairns, in Australia’s tropical north, a city renowned for its easy access to the wilderness, romantic Port Douglas and its laid back ambience. The second port of call ‘Down Under’ will be Brisbane, with its vibrant atmosphere and excellent shopping scene. An overnight stay in Sydney will enchant travellers with stunning views of the world-renowned Opera House and the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains. MSC Orchestra will then complete its route to Perth via the state capital of Victoria, Melbourne, and Adelaide, recently named one of the world’s top 10 cities to visit, where travellers can sample some of the world’s finest wines on a wine-tasting tour.

It all adds up to a truly amazing one-off voyage and is sure to have great appeal for those who appreciate these more exotic voyages.

More info: call 0844 561 1955 or visit www.msccruises.co.uk/uk_en/MSC/MSC-Orchestra-Grand-Voyages-2015.aspx.

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Crystal Highlight Best Of Asia By Land

When it comes to destination-focused cruising, here at World of Cruising we like to think we have our finger firmly on the pulse. And it seems several cruise lines share our passion for destinations, judging by this latest idea for Far East touring from Crystal Cruises.

From February through April, Crystal is offering its largest collection of Overland Adventures in Asia. A total of 15 one- and two-night optional, mid-cruise journeys will take guests far from the ports of Yangon, Shanghai, Laem Chabang, Ho Chi Minh City, Xiamen and Chan May for in-depth, intimate explorations of renowned sites, history, culture and nature.

All Overland Adventures include air, shuttle and/or boat transport to and from ports; meals, featuring traditional fare such as Peking Duck or a Myanmar-style royal dinner and show; and luxury accommodations such as Bangkok’s Peninsula, Siem Reap’s Sokha Hotel and Myanmar’s Aureum Palace Hotel.

Next winter, spring and autumn, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity sail through China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and India on 31 five- to 29-night itineraries, including shorter Crystal Getaways and extended combination cruises. Cruise only fares for the 2014 Asia itineraries start from £1,070 per person if booked by January 3. Asian Overland Adventures fares start from $869 per person, double occupancy.

More info: 020 7399 7601 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

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Crystal's New 'Extreme Thrill Seekers'

'Extreme Thrill Seekers' and 'Luxury Cruising' don't usually go together, but don't tell that to Crystal Cruises. They have put together a unique onboard programme that promises to deliver 'virtual' thrills while also delivering their usual deluxe cruise style.

During an 18-night segment of Crystal Serenity's World Cruise next year, the line will feature an onboard line-up of special guest speakers who will deliver lots of excitement and stories that all have a thrilling edge and background.

This unique line-up features:

British Round-the-World yachtswoman and adventurer Rona Cant, whose inspiring story takes her from being a middle-aged secretary and single mother to sailing the world’s most difficult yacht race, the BT Global Challenge, to trekking Vancouver’s West Coast Trail (one of the world’s 10 toughest trails).

Shark diver Chris Fallows, who will discuss his thousands of encounters with Great White Sharks around South Africa’s Seal Island and other breeding grounds throughout the world, in an effort to not only capture their striking images on camera, but also to educate others about the realities of the creatures and their conservation.

And “Crocodile" Mick Pitman, considered a real-life Crocodile Dundee, who will share his 30-plus years of dynamic Aussie outback experiences, hunting and capturing crocodiles.

Sailing from Singapore to Jakarta, Mauritius/Port Louis, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town on March 10, Serenity will also deliver dozens of trademark Crystal Adventures ashore, allowing guests to explore wild – and not so wild – life in the destinations, from big game safaris to food and wine. 

All-inclusive fly/cruise fares start from £6,344 per person if booked by January 3, with shorter “Getaway” cruise legs also available from Singapore to Mauritius and Mauritius to Cape Town.

More info: call 020 7399 7601 or visit  www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

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Around The World In 180 Days, Part 2

Jules Verne's hero Phileas Fogg may have done it in 80 days but here at World of Cruising magazine, we think there are better ways to go Around The World, and that quicker is not necessarily better. Happily, it seems Oceania Cruises agree with us, with a journey that has a LOT more offer.

Earlier this year, Oceania announced a first-of-its-kind 180-Day World Odyssey in 2015 aboard their mid-sized ship Insignia, departing Miami on January 10 and returning to the Florida port fully six months later (and putting poor old Phileas in the shade!).

Now it seems the idea has proved so popular, they are ready to do it all again, in the second half off 2015.

So, the newly refurbished 684-guest ship will embark on a SECOND Around The World In 180 Days voyage from Miami on July 8, 2015. And, while the first World Odyssey sails south through the Caribbean to South America, then Africa, the Indian Ocean, Far East, Japan (above) and around the South Pacific, returning to Miami via Central America and the Panama Canal, the new 180-day voyage will be completely different.

 

Embarking at the height of summer, Insignia will sail north to Canada and New England and then cross the Atlantic to majestic Greenland and Iceland. She will visit some of the most alluring ports in the Mediterranean before staying for multiple days in magnificent Asian cities, including Mumbai, Rangoon, Singapore and Hong Kong. Guests will explore Africa from Kenya to Cape Town and the continent’s western shores before concluding the voyage with a holiday season of island-hopping in the azure waters of the Caribbean.

 

Reservations for this second World Odyssey are now open and there are early-booking savings of up to 70 per cent if booked by March 31.

More info: call 0845 505 1920 or visit www.oceaniacruises.com.

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Seabourn's World Offers

Here at World of Cruising, we know you like a bit of luxury. After all who doesn’t? So when these two cruises from luxury cruise line Seabourn arrived, with tempting offers for those seeking some excitement this winter, we thought these would definitely be of interest

The first is a 26-Day sector of the World Voyage, departing March 14 on Seabourn Sojourn from Hong Kong to Mumbai. Amongst the ports of call are Halong Bay, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Ko Kood, Bangkok, Singapore, Phuket, Colombo, Cochin, Marmagao and Mumbai (or Bombay as the locals still call it!).

Prices for this cruise start from £6,859pp for the fly/cruise, with cruise-only prices from £5,669pp, based on two people sharing a suite, fully inclusive of all tips and gratuities, fine dining, open bars and fully stocked mini-bar.

If that’s not enough, the line are also offering a 22-Day segment of Seabourn Sojourn's World Voyage departing April 9 from Mumbai to Venice, and calling at Salalah, Aqaba, the Suez Canal with a daylight transit of the Canal, Ashdod, Haifa, Rhodes  Kusadasi, Kerkira, Dubrovnik and Triluke Bay.

 

Prices start from £5,999pp for fly/cruise, with cruise-only prices from £5,049pp, based on two sharing a suite, fully inclusive of all tips and gratuities, fine dining, open bars and the fully stocked mini-bar. 

 

More info: call 0843 373 2000 or visit www.seabourn.co.uk.

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Crystal's Exclusive 'Rhino Excursion'

Well here’s another one to tempt you as we know many of our readers are ardent wildlife watchers when you’re cruising. In fact, it’s something we at World of Cruising are increasingly keen to focus on. So here’s what popped into our inbox recently.

Crystal Cruises’ newest Boutique Adventure promises an ultra-intimate and exclusive, hands-on “Rhino Conservation Experience” in Africa. Offered with Crystal Serenity’s March 10 voyage from Singapore to Cape Town, the excursion offers the opportunity to be a part of the vital local tracking and protection efforts aimed at keeping the animal from extinction. From helping locate rhinos to notching their ears while anaesthetised (enabling researchers to identify the animal and aide in the repopulation process), guests will assist the expert anti-poaching team from beginning to end.

The “Rhino Conservation Experience” is available only to guests also participating in Crystal’s mid-cruise, off-ship Overland Adventure to the Phinda Private Game Reserve. The Overland Adventure, which departs from Durban and returns to Port Elizabeth, features two nights of luxury accommodation and game drives in search of lions, elephants, buffalo and leopards. 

The full 21-night sailing departs Singapore for Jakarta, Mauritius, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town (overnight) with a two-night, inclusive pre-cruise programme to Bangkok and Cambodia beginning on March 7.  All-inclusive fly/cruise prices start from £6,344 per person if booked by January 3. The “Rhino Conservation Experience” costs $1,287 per person.

 

More info: call 020 7399 7601 or visit www. www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

 

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More Voluntourism Chances With Crystal

Crystal Cruises’ guests and crew will have twice as many more opportunities to give back locally during the line's 2014 World Cruise, with an expanded You Care, We Care programme during Crystal Serenity’s 89-night, Los Angeles to Southampton global journey (departing January 18).

The new-look voluntourism offers can help underprivileged children, the eco-system or a local memorial in places like Hawaii, Asia and Africa, with Crystal handling all costs and logistics. Crystal offers one complimentary voluntour per cruise, always aiding a small, local organisation. However, the five segments on next year’s World Cruise boast seven unique excursions in seven ports. Assistance opportunities include:

• Gardening and weeding Honolulu’s Makapu’u Beach to help preserve dwindling native plant life.
• Helping build structures and clean playgrounds at Father’s Home Care Ministries’ home for disadvantaged children in Takoradi, Ghana.
• Reading to underprivileged children to improve literacy as part of Singapore’s LIFE programme (offered on two World Cruise segments).
• Teaching, singing, gardening and playing with orphans in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
• Preparing meals, babysitting or reading to the abandoned, abused, neglected or orphaned children of Baphumelele Children’s Home near Cape Town.
• Crafting the commemorative candles to be lit at Nagasaki’s annual Peace Ceremony, in remembrance of the lives lost to WWII’s atomic bomb.
• Engaging in the day-to-day programmes (knitting, gardening, schoolwork etc) of the orphaned children raised and cared for by families in Durban’s SOS Children’s Village.

More info: call Crystal Cruises on 020 7399 7601 or visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk.

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Costa's Viva Victoria!

Costa Cruises will unveil the new-look Costa Victoria next week when she departs from Singapore for her first cruise after an $18million dry-dock upgrade. 

Elegant and totally refurbished with new balconies, terraces and windows, Costa Victoria boasts an unmistakable style that marries traditional nautical elements with essential design, making this ship a refined and stylish work of art (according to the Costa designers). The Italy at Sea concept is translated in every detail of the upgraded ship, from the food to the bright colour tone and the tailored service, making the renewed ship a stronger testament to an authentic taste of Italian fashion.

With an emphasis on fine dining, Victoria will offer its passengers sumptuous meals inspired by a true taste of La Dolce Vita. The ship has several new dining experiences, from a Buffet terrace where passengers can dine al fresco to the relaxed Pizza and Noodle area, which will provide a cosy hangout for family time. There’s even a traditional midnight buffet to be enjoyed after sampling the extensive selection of evening entertainment. 

The boutique shopping area has also been treated to a deluxe upgrade, to ensure those perusing the latest international fashions have the upscale shopping experience they deserve.

With almost all of the ship’s interiors re-styled in a contemporary European flair with the intricate use of colours, ingredients and textures, the new Costa Victoria promises to have all the trappings of an international fashion cruise of the utmost quality.

More info: call 0800 389 0622 or visit www.costacruises.co.uk. 

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Christmas All Wrapped Up With Regent

This December, guests on each of Regent Seven Seas stunning all-suite ships will be able to enjoy both the Christmas and New Year occasions on one sailing. Each of the line's three ships offers a Christmas and New Year sailing, away from Europe, in very different parts of the world.

HOLIDAY SAILINGS Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro - Seven Seas Mariner Dec 20 | 15-nights from £5,359pp • Includes a Pre-cruise Luxury Hotel Stay in Buenos Aires • Overnight stay in Port in Montevideo & Rio de Janeiro Singapore to Sydney - Seven Seas Voyager  Dec 22 | 16-nights from £6,459pp • Overnight stay in Bali on Christmas Day • Opportunity to see the world famous Komodo Dragons Miami round-trip - Seven Seas Navigator  December 23 | 12-nights from £4,959pp

Reflecting the international guests onboard, Regent acknowledge the many different traditions celebrated at this time, from across the world. Children will be able to prepare and decorate Christmas cookies; afternoon tea will feature mince pies and German stolen and special menus will be created to observe Hanukkah and the eight-day celebration of the festival of lights. For Europeans, where Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve, the Compass Rose will invite guests to sample a perfectly portioned European tasting menu complete with roasted goose and traditional French dessert, Bûche de Noël. Christmas Day will see the traditional roast Turkey and American pumpkin pie on the menu in the Compass Rose.

A delectable six-course Gala Dinner usually lasting well into the night and outside for a Deck Party will be served up before a countdown to midnight. Of course, being the most inclusive luxury cruise experience, guests can enjoy as much free Champagne as they wish as well as a midnight snack buffet featuring caviar and chocolate-dipped strawberries!

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

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Crystal's Far East Extravaganza

Crystal Cruises is expanding its presence in the Far East next year, with a choice of some 34 cruises in the region, and a great-value 'Book Now' bonus for early bookings.

The countries of China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Brunei will all be on the Crystal menu in 2014 and the 34 voyages (compared with just four in 2012), varying from five to 29-nights, offer a host of itinerary firsts and varied options. The Book Now bonus savings can be as much as £1,613 per person for bookings made by August 30.

New for the 2014 Asia season are:

• Two ships in the region – Both the award-winning Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity will be sailing the region in winter, spring and autumn 2014.
• New itineraries – Brand new routes include Crystal’s first-ever cruises that begin or end in Bangkok and a two-week voyage round-trip from Singapore. Bali, introduced as a “turnaround” port in 2013, begins or ends four cruises in 2014 (compared with two in 2013).
• New destinations – Crystal will make maiden visits to Malacca, Malaysia; Lombok, Makassar/Ujung Pandang; and Surabaya, Indonesia.
• Return to less visited destinations – The expanded itineraries feature calls in ports visited infrequently or not in several years, including returns to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei; Jakarta and Komodo Island, Indonesia; Yangon, Myanmar; Koh Samui, Thailand; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Okinawa and Tokyo, Japan.
• China & Japan Focus – For the first time in 5 years, two voyages will explore more of Japan, as well as China, like Crystal Symphony’s Beijing-Tokyo voyage including Osaka, Nagasaki and Shimizu; Shanghai and Dalian; and a complimentary Beijing land package.

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

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Tauck’s Treasures of South-East Asia

Tauck has announced a new 16-day land and sea exploration of Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore centered around an 11-day cruise aboard the new luxury small ship, Le Soléal. Scheduled to launch this summer in Italy, the 466ft ship has a capacity of 264 passengers and will also be featured on selected 2013 sailings of Tauck’s cruise exploration of Iceland.

Tauck’s new “Treasures of South-East Asia” itinerary will kick-off with an included two-night exploration of Hong Kong featuring accommodations at the Kowloon Shangri-La and guided sightseeing, and it will conclude with a two-night stay in Singapore (also with in-depth guided sightseeing) and accommodations at the Marina Bay Sands.

Between their stays in Hong Kong and Singapore, Tauck guests will spend 11 days cruising aboard Le Soléal with ports of call including Hai Phong, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Throughout their journey, guests will enjoy a wide array of unique experiences highlighting the history and culture of South-east Asia, beginning with a dim sum culinary experience, market visits and other activities in Hong Kong.

In Vietnam, guests will travel on a day trip to explore Hanoi, sail on Ha Long Bay aboard a 

traditional junk, and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of My Son. There will also be a tour of the Cao Dai Temple in Da Nang, an  experience of daily life at a Vietnamese school and a local farmer’s home, and an exploration of historic, sprawling Ho Chi Minh City. Tauck’s guests will also learn about Singapore’s rich multiculturalism during tours of its Chinatown, Little India and Little Arabia neighborhoods, and explore its history during a visit to the Asian Civilisations Museum.

The Treasures of South-East Asia journey is priced from $9,990 per person (double occupancy, plus air), with southbound departures scheduled for October 28 and November 19, and a reverse-itinerary, northbound departure slated for November 8. Each departure is virtually all-inclusive, with all shore excursions, gratuities, port charges, airport transfers, luggage handling, onboard alcoholic drinks and much more built into the price.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, 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.

Ponant's Asian Collection

Boutique French cruise line and five-star expedition specialist Compagnie du Ponant has just opened bookings for its brand new Asian Collection itineraries for the winter season 2013-14. From modern empires to ancient kingdoms, passengers are invited to discover Asia’s treasures and explore the diversity of a mysterious and captivating continent.

For the first time, Le Soléal (132 staterooms and suites), the latest addition to the fleet this July, will be sailing for Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives. During the cruise, Ponant invites passengers to discover Asia in a more intimate way: mooring as close as possible to the shore to grant unrivalled access to protected sites whilst offering first rate comfort, elegance and 5-star service. Guests onboard will include experts, historians and lecturers ready to share their passion with the passengers.

A comprehensive programme of shore excursions will include some of the world most outstanding UNESCO World Heritage sites, and all 17 Asian itineraries promise to offer much more than a cruise: a genuine travel experience. Sample cruises include:

JAPAN 
Leaving Otaru, Le Soléal sets out to discover Japan’s kaleidoscope of traditions, beliefs and way of life. From Kanazawa to Hiroshima via Busan, the 8-day cruise ends in Osaka, the new beating heart of Japan. Departure, October 15, from £1,882 per person. 

VIETNAM
The 12-day Hong Kong-Singapore cruise takes in the most important sites and exceptional landscapes of Vietnam, with excursions including a junk boat trip to the heart of the majestic and mysterious Ha Long Bay, the discovery of Hanoi, Saigon and the Imperial City of Hue, or sailing down the Cai River. Pre and post-cruise excursions are on offer for those who want to explore Hong Kong and Singapore. Departure October 30, from £3,298 per person. 

INDONESIA
Bali, Gili Islands, Komodo, Brunei and Borneo...this 14-day cruise ventures into the very heart of Indonesia, from wild Sarawak to Sandankan, home of large congresses of orangutans, traditional villages and the cosmopolitan port of Makassar. Departure January 4, 2014, from £3,081 per person.

MYANMAR & SRI LANKA 
Departing on a 9-day voyage from Kuala Lumpur to Colombo via Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar, Le Soléal calls at Penang (first British trading post in the Far East in the 19^th century), Phuket, Trincomalee and Hambantota, on a cruise rich in discovery. The itinerary exceptionally includes four days in Yangon to explore the Shwedagon Pagoda, Bagan temples, Mandalay, the cultural capital, and the former royal city of Amarapura. Departure March 14, 2014, from £3,036 per person.

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