Hurtigruten lines up its new voyages for 2014/15

Norway and Northern Europe specialists Hurtigruten have lined up a tempting array of new itineraries for 2014, with some fabulous one-off opportunities, including Iceland for the first time, and extra voyages to Greenland.

New itineraries include:

ICELAND

THE LAND OF FIRE AND ICE – Circumnavigating Iceland

For the first time, Hurtigruten is offering a voyage that circumnavigates Iceland, taking in its nature and history and learning more about this mystical island with a programme of onboard lectures. For bird lovers, there is a trip to the Hornbjarg Cliff, which is teeming with birds and where the noise can be overwhelming at first, and Vigur with its puffins, guillemots and arctic terns. Vatnajokull is the largest glacier in Europe and a stop is made here, too. This 11-day voyage departs Reykjavik on May 25, 2014, and costs from £3,834pp including full board, 10 nights on the ship and lecture/landings programme. Based on two sharing. Flights are extra.

EUROPE

THE BEST OF THE SOUTH WEST – Islands of Southern Europe

This island-hopping voyage from Las Palmas to Lisbon takes in a carefully selected collection of interesting, warm and sunny destinations in southern Europe. Visit the lesser-visited parts of the Canary Islands such as El Hierro and La Gomera, get to know green and lush Madeira and the contrasting island of Porto Santo, and explore three of the remote islands of the Azores: San Miguel; Pico Isla and Terceira, all in one voyage before finishing in Lisbon. Hurtigruten’s expedition team will give interesting lectures on the history and culture of the places visited. This 12-day voyage departs Las Palmas on April 1, 2014, and costs from £1,643pp including full board, 11 nights on the ship and lecture/landings programme. Based on two sharing. Flights are extra.

GREENLAND – additional departures

Due to the speed in which it sold out for 2013, an additional departure date has been added for the ‘National Park Expedition’ that visits the North East Greenland National Park, the largest in the world and yet one of the least visited. This 15-day voyage from Iceland to Greenland and then onto Spitsbergen departs on August 20 and September 4, 2014, in the Arctic autumn and before the winter closes in and makes this corner of the planet uninhabitable. Prices are from £5,539pp full board, cruise only.

SPITSBERGEN – the return of ‘Polar Bears, Islets and Fjords’

This voyage from Longyearbyen in Spitsbergen to Bergen in Norway makes a return in 2014 after several years, and this time its on Hurtigruten's newest ship MS Fram. En route, there is the opportunity to learn more about the fascinating history of explorers and whalers, and experience the wildlife of the high Arctic and along the shores of Norway. During the voyage the ship will visit small and isolated islands, settlements and charming fishing villages, some of which are only accessible by boat. This 13-day trip departs Longyearbyen on September 17, 2014, and costs from £2,757pp including full board, 11 nights on the ship and one night’s B&B in Longyearbyen. Based on two sharing. Flights are extra.

TRANSATLANTIC – ‘Treasures of the Atlantic Ocean’

Each year MS Fram relocates hemispheres and, unlike previous years, when she simply sailed from Las Palmas to Buenos Aires or vice versa, in 2014 the ship will make several stops along the way. The ‘Treasures of the Atlantic Ocean’ voyage visits five countries and some of the lesser-known islands of the Atlantic, including the fairytale-like island Fernando de Noronha, the St Peter and St Paul archipelago and Sao Vicente and Sao Antao in the North West Cape Verde Islands. Skilled expedition team members will give lectures on various topics and arrange landings in some of the exotic ports of call. Two voyages are available: March 14, Buenos Aires to Las Palmas, and vice versa on October 14. Prices are from £1,635pp including 18 nights on the ship. Based on two sharing. Flights are extra.

ANTARCTICA – voyages extended

Several voyages have been extended to ensure maximum time in Antarctica to explore this fascinating continent. The ‘Land of the Penguins’ itinerary has been extended by 3 days to give more time in Antarctica and the ‘Polar Circle Expedition’ has been extended by two days also.

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

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Stargazing On St Helena

In a galaxy far, far away...dark skies enthusiasts should set their sights on a new stargazing tour to the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena to marvel at some of the southern hemisphere's most stunning constellations in the company of astronomer extraordinaire, Steve Owens.

A professional stargazer, dark skies consultant and author of the book "Stargazing for Dummies," Steve set up the first International Dark Sky Park in the UK, in Galloway, Scotland, in 2009. Since then he has helped Sark and Exmoor achieve similar status and is working with a growing number of other places, including St Helena, looking to protect their nightscape.

The new 19-day tour departs from Cape Town onboard the RMS St Helena (above), one of the last working Royal Mail ships in the world, following in the footsteps of Edmond Halley (he of comet fame) who set up an observatory on St Helena to catalogue the southern hemisphere's stars. The island's location just 16 degrees south of the equator ensures virtually every constellation in the sky is visible at one time or another during the year, and this is one of the few places where both The Plough and the Southern Cross can be seen in the sky at the same time. Visitors can also marvel at the the Magellanic Clouds and the galactic centre of the Milky Way.

Time on St Helena will include guided tours of Jamestown's historical sites and buildings, visits to local landmarks such as the Heart Shaped Waterfall and Diana's Peak, coastal sightseeing, including seeking out dolphins, and nocturnal sky watching.

The tour, departing Cape Town on April 29, costs from £2,948 per person, including accommodation in a shared two-berth cabin on A deck with private facilities and full board on the ship; in a twin/double room with shared facilities on St Helena at Wellington House Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis; and all tours on St Helena with lunches and evening meals where mentioned. International flights are extra.

For bookings, be sure to check with the Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677, the UK's adventure-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.