Luxury Cruising - At A Bargain Price

Today's latest offer needs no real introduction - it is just a chance to sample sea-going luxury at a great price as Seabourn has released a selection of eye-catching offers for those seeking some excitement this summer. 

Take your pick from:

7-Day Adriatic & Greek Isles, departing August 23: A 7-day cruise on Seabourn Odyssey from Venice to Athens calling at Sibenik, Kotor, Bay of Kotor, Corfu, Fiscardo, Gythion, and Rethymnon on Crete. A complimentary upgrade is available from Ocean View to Veranda stateroom.

Prices start from £1,899pp for cruise only, with fly/cruise prices from £2,619, based on two people sharing a suite, fully inclusive of all tips and gratuities, fine dining, open bars and fully stocked mini bar.

7-Day St. Petersburg & The Baltic departing June 29: A 7-day cruise on Seabourn Quest from Copenhagen to Stockholm, calling at Tallinn, St Petersburg and Helsinki. Again, a complimentary upgrade is available from Ocean View to Veranda stateroom.

Prices start from £1,999pp for cruise only, with fly/cruise prices from £2,429, based on two people sharing a suite, fully inclusive of all tips and gratuities, fine dining, open bars and fully stocked mini bar.

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

The next edition of World of Cruising will be out on March 17, and you can see the current version online on our home page at www.worldofcruising.co.uk. To subscribe at our special offer rate for 2014, see this link.

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.

Three More Of A Kind!

It's another three-for-the-price-of-one in today's Special Offer category, with each of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises featuring some great deals, for the short-term only.

Take your pick from:

Family fun in the Fjords with Royal Caribbean

Get active next summer by exploring the Norwegian mountains as well as scaling the onboard rock-climbing wall, enjoying a round of golf and hitting the basketball court on Adventure of the Seas on a week-long Norway cruise (above) from £749 per person (based on two sharing an interior stateroom).

The price includes the seven-night cruise departing from Southampton on May 23 and calling at Kristiansand, Alesund, Flam and Stavanger before returning to Southampton; plus all meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

More info: call 0844 493 2061 or visit www.royalcaribbean.co.uk.

Discover Scandinavia & Eastern Europe with Celebrity

Join Celebrity Cruises and explore the beauty of the Baltic's most renowned capital cities on board Celebrity Eclipse on a 14-night cruise from only £1,421 per person (based on two sharing an interior stateroom).

This price includes meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees, while the voyage departs from Southampton on June 7 and calls at Copenhagen on an overnight stay, Stockholm, Tallinn St. Petersburg on an overnight stay, Klaipeda (Lithuania) and Gdansk (for Gdynia in Poland) before returning to Southampton.

More info: call 0845 456 0523 or visit www.celebritycruises.co.uk.

Italian festivities with Azamara

Guests will be treated to a private “Festival Piedigrotta” at the Agrumeto Gardens in Sorrento, with singers, actors and musicians bringing old Naples to life as part of the Azamazing Evenings event on Azamara Quest's 11-night Mediterranean Easter fly/cruise from £2,735 per person (based on two people sharing an interior stateroom). The event is included in the cruise price.

The price also includes flights from London Heathrow, transfers and selected standard spirits, wines and international beers; complimentary bottled water; soft drinks; speciality teas and coffees; housekeeping and dining gratuities; the bespoke AzAmazing Evenings event; and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. It departs from Nice on April 11 and calls at Civitavecchia (for Rome), Sorrento, Siracusa, Valletta, Trapani and Livorno (for Florence and Pisa) before returning to Nice for the flight home.

More info: call 0844 493 4016 or visit www.azamaraclubcruises.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!

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.

Great Late Deals From Holland America

Holland America Line is offering exceptional value on 2 no-fly cruises this May, with prices starting from just £399 per person for seven nights in the Norwegian Fjords, and £799 per person for 14 nights cruising the Baltic Sea, based on two sharing. These round-trip cruises from Dover depart on May 11 and 18 and include full board accommodation on the 1,260-passenger MS Ryndam, plus a free upgrade to an Ocean View Stateroom.

The seven-night Viking Sagas cruise

This round trip departs from Dover on 11 May and takes in some of Norway’s most spectacular scenery and fascinating ports. Sail right into the scenic capital of Oslo to experience ancient Viking culture and the paintings of Edvard Munch. Visit pretty Kristiansand, one of Norway’s “White” towns, with traditional wooden houses, then Stavanger, in a gorgeous lake-land setting, and pretty Ulvik. While onboard, guests can also enjoy scenic cruising of Oslofjord, Lysefjord and beautiful Hardangerfjord from the decks of the ship. Prices start from £399 per person for seven nights’ full-board accommodation in an inside stateroom, based on two sharing. Free upgrades to Ocean View Staterooms are also available.

The 14-night Jewels of the Baltic cruise

This round trip from Dover departs on 18 May and heads straight to the vibrant Danish capital of Copenhagen. Guests will then spend a full day exploring the history of Berlin at Warnemunde, before sailing to the picturesque city of Tallinn in Estonia. Ryndam then makes a leisurely overnight stop in St Petersburg, before calling at the elegant Finnish capital of Helsinki. Next, the cruise is Sweden-bound, paying an overnight stop in the trendy city of Stockholm and sailing through the Stockholm archipelago on the way to the medieval World Heritage town of Visby. The ship arrives back in Dover on 1 June. Prices start from £799 per person for 14 nights’ full-board accommodation in an inside stateroom, based on two sharing. Free upgrades to Ocean View Staterooms are also available.

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

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.

Get Ready for National Cruise Week

It's National Cruise Week later this month (next week, in fact; September 15-23) and the first offers are starting to roll in, in advance of the UK's big annual cruise-selling bonanza. Take this one, for example:

Head to the home of the world famous school of ballet in St Petersburg, take in the tranquil beauty of the Caribbean islands or embark on the ultimate pampering holiday - celebrate National Cruise Week with a number of special offers from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises.

Royal Caribbean

To Russia with love: Explore northern Europe taking in the spectacular Scandinavian landscapes and enjoy an overnight in St Petersburg to experience the nightlife in the Russian capital. Join Brilliance of the Seas on a 12-night Scandinavia and Russia cruise-only sailing May 27, 2013, from just £1,849 per person.

This price includes free regional flights, coach or car parking, an upgrade to a balcony stateroom and $100 on board credit in celebration of National Cruise Week. The cruise departs Harwich and calls at Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, St Petersburg, Tallinn and Gothenburg before returning to Harwich and includes meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. 

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

Celebrity Cruises

Springtime sunshine: Join Celebrity Equinox on a 12-night Venice fly/cruise on April 30, 2013, from just £1,649 per person, sailing from Barcelona and calling at Villefranche (for Nice), Livorno (for Florence), Civitavecchia (for Rome), Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik before returning to Barcelona. 

The price includes £49 regional flights, coach or car parking, an upgrade to a balcony stateroom and $100 on board credit in celebration of National Cruise Week, plus all meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. 

For bookings, 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.

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

Seabourn's Summer 2013 Selection

For those looking to plan ahead to summer next year, Seabourn offers extraordinary value on European fly and cruise-only itineraries. The 2013 European Cruise Collection offers 66 hand-picked itineraries on voyages ranging from seven to 21 days in length, exploring all corners of Europe and beyond, with some of the highlight destinations, cruises and fares including:

Mediterranean

7-Day Mediterranean Jewels; Departs June 6, 2013 on Seabourn Legend; Route, Rome to Monte Carlo, calling at Civitavecchia (for Rome), Naples, Trapani, Ajaccio, Cannes, Livorno (for Florence/Pisa), Monte Carlo and Monaco. Fly/Cruise prices start from £2,599pp.

Dalmation coast, Greek Isles & Turkey

7-Day Ephesus and Greek Isles; Departs May 11, 2013 on Seabourn Spirit; Route, Istanbul to Piraeus (Athens), calling at Canakkale, Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Cesme, Mykonos,  Rethymnon (Crete), Miso, Nisos Melos and Piraeus. Fly/Cruise prices start from £2,439pp.

Northern Europe

7-Day Baltic and St Petersburg; Departs June 11 and 25 June 2013 on Seabourn Sojourn; Route, Stockholm to Copenhagen, calling at Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki and Copenhagen. Fly/Cruise prices start from £3,269pp.

Prices include return flights from the UK and are per person, based on two people sharing a suite, fully inclusive, including all tips and gratuities, fine dining, open bars and fully stocked mini-bar.

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.

A Right Royal Celebration with Swan Hellenic

Here's a truly Royal cruise idea - celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on board Swan Hellenic’s newly refurbished ship, MV Minerva from just £2,185 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

Departing from Portsmouth on May 22, passengers on the 16-day St. Petersburg and the Baltic cruise will be able to celebrate the Jubilee by taking part in ‘A Right Royal Quiz’ including musical clues taken from Her Majesty’s 60-year reign. Passengers will also be treated to a special performance of ‘Theatre Royal’ from the Shakespeare Revue Company, enacting some of the Queen’s favourite shows from across the ages, as well as a commemorative meal to mark the occasion.

To accompany the onboard entertainment, Swan Hellenic offers a programme of shore activities fit for any Queen, visiting the prestigious Mariinsky Theatre to celebrate St Petersburg’s 20^th Music Festival “Stars of the White Nights”, seeing a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Opera ‘Eugene Onegin’, and a behind-the-scenes tour with a curator at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm.

The full voyage sails through the Kiel Canal and then visits Ronne (Denmark), Visby (Sweden), St. Petersburg (overnight), Tallinn (Estonia), Gdansk (Poland) and Copenhagen (Denmark).

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/fees. Special terms and conditions apply.

For booking details, follow this link to the 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.

Maiden Baltic Cruises for Star Flyer

One of our favourite cruise experiences, the blissful tall-ship style of Star Clippers, is branching out in 2012 with their 170-passenger Star Flyer sailing in the Baltic for the first time during summer 2012, offering a wide variety of voyages from two nights to 11 nights.

The highlights include:

· Special offer: A five-night voyage from Southampton to Hamburg, via Amsterdam, departing May 5, from just £999 per person, including five nights’ full board on the ship, five nights’ parking at Southampton, transfers to Hamburg airport and a return flight to Heathrow, with a private taxi transfer from Heathrow to Southampton to collect parked vehicles.

· A series of two and three-night mini-cruises out of Hamburg and Warnemunde, a German port with a great sailing tradition, to coincide with the 2012 Sailing Parade of tall ships. From £465pp for two nights in Warnemunde on August 10, including port taxes (flights extra).

· Seven-night voyages featuring the dramatic Norwegian capital Oslo, which is situated at the head of a long fjord - ideal for sail-cruising. Oslo to Copenhagen, for example, calls at Marstrand, Goteborg, Halmstad and Helsingborg in Sweden; and Kalundborg in Denmark, finishing in Copenhagen. From £1,490 for seven nights, departing Oslo May 26, including port taxes (flights extra).

· Three 10 or 11-night voyages round-trip from Stockholm, with an overnight in St Petersburg. Ports of call on the 10-night sailing departing July 21 include Visby, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki, and two additional ports in Finland, Hanko and Mariehamn-Aaland. From £2,120pp for 10 nights, including port taxes (flights extra).

For more info on Star Clippers or booking details, see this link from the luxury cruise specialists of 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.

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

Silversea Adds More Relais & Chateau Voyages

Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises is pleased to announce that four additional voyages this year will feature the exclusive "Relais & Châteaux L'École des Chefs" interactive cooking school.

"Our L'École des Chefs cooking school is proving extremely popular with guests and we're pleased to roll it out to more voyages this year," said Rudi Scholdis, Silversea's director of culinary development.

The new L'École des Chefs voyages for 2011 are:

NORTHERN EUROPE

Voyage 4122: Silver Whisper departs Stockholm July 23 on a seven-day sailing to Copenhagen with calls in Tallinn, St. Petersburg (three-day/two-night stopover) and Helsinki. Silver Savings fares start at £3,068.

Voyage 1121: Silver Cloud departs Copenhagen July 30 on a 17-day round-trip sailing, with calls in Alesund, Geiranger, Helleysilt, Lofoten, Tromso, Honningsvag (North Cape), Murmansk, Archangel (overnight visit), Hammerfest and Kristiansund. Silver Savings fares start at £5,583.

FAR EAST

Voyage 3126: Silver Shadow departs Incheon (Seoul) September 23 on a 12-day sailing to Hong Kong, with calls in Qingdao, Shanghai, Jiangyin, Nanjing and Xiamen. Highlights include cruising the Yangtze River and overnight stays in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Silver Savings fares start at £3,968.

Voyage 3127: Silver Shadow departs Hong Kong October 5 on a 12-day sailing to Singapore with calls in Chan May, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Ko Samui, and Kuantan. Highlights include overnight stays in Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. Silver Savings fares start at £3,968.

Through its exclusive partnership with Relais & Châteaux, the distinguished international association of charming properties and gourmet restaurants, Silversea enjoys the privilege of featuring the only Relais & Châteaux L'École des Chefs cooking school at sea. The innovative programme offers guests a special culinary curriculum, including hands-on instruction, and entertaining events hosted by Silversea culinary trainer David Bilsland. Educated in classic French cooking, Bilsland's career includes several years as a chef instructor at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in London. He presents a programme developed in collaboration with Jacques Thorel, the owner of L'Auberge Bretonne and a consulting Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux.

The curriculum for each of these cruises is carefully designed to celebrate the cultural flavour of the ship's itinerary. Highlights include specialised workshops covering a range of topics from basic knife skills and kitchen terminology to sauces and baking; cooking demonstrations with wine pairings and interactive Q&A sessions; lively cooking competitions between Chef Bilsland and the ship's own culinary team; a "Lunch and Learn" event offering small groups of guests a chance to sample a delicious meal of specially prepared dishes; and inspired "Take It Home" recipes that will give guests an edge when entertaining at home.

Also offered on certain voyages, when the itinerary permits, is a "Market to the Plate" experience that provides an escorted tour of a local market followed by a cooking class, and a "Culinary Outing," an instructor-escorted excursion to a local restaurant, hotel or other venue where guests can enjoy a unique culinary exploration.

All prices are per person, based on two people sharing a Vista Suite and include complimentary return economy class air, port charges, government fees and taxes. The $500 (V4122 and V1121) and $1,000 (V3126 and V3127) Onboard Spending Credit is offered per suite, based on two people sharing, for use towards additional benefits such as shore excursions, the spa, boutiques or the wine restaurant.

For more info, visit www.silversea.com or contact the UK's leading luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd at 0800 008 6677.

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.

Crystal's Northern Europe Sensory Adventures

Feel perfectly-chilled vodka slide down your throat while sitting snugly inside a Scandinavian "ice bar"; smell fresh-cut grass while swinging your 9-iron across championship golf courses in Ireland; hear the Russian Imperial Guard march to symphonic crescendos while welcoming you to the Royal Catherine Palace; taste homemade goat caramel among Norwegian fjords; and view Stockholm by hot-air balloon.

These are but a sampling of the extraordinary "sensory adventures" guests can savour as part of Crystal Cruises’ Northern European voyage collection that begins this May. Other shore-side excursions include:

Pop culture-related destinations such as Stieg Larsson’s Stockholm; the Beatles’ Liverpool; Belfast’s Titanic shipyard; St Andrews University, where Prince William and Kate Middleton met; and the Da Vinci Code’s Rosslyn Chapel in Edinburgh

Historical journeys related to Vikings in Stockholm, Dublin and Roskilde (near Copenhagen); genealogical emigration and the Cold War in Hamburg; and life behind Berlin’s Iron Curtain

Architectural tours spanning the Art Nouveau in Ålesund, Norway to the Modern in Berlin, plus eco-conscious trips like bird-watching in Runde Island (near Ålesund) and Shetland; kayaking the Finnish Archipelago (Helsinki); and exploring the wind-powered town of Paldiski (near Tallinn) by 4x4.

Adrenalin-fuelled adventures such as racing rally cars in Estonia; cosmonaut training, including zero-gravity weightlessness, near Moscow; and, in Crystal’s most over-the-top excursion of 2011, flying a MiG fighter jet over Russia - for $39,300.

Expanding on its “You Care, We Care” voluntourism initiative, Crystal is also offering a couple of excursions where guests can “give back” by packing and donating food at the Estonian Food Bank or volunteer at the Rostock Zoological Garden. These excursions are complimentary with Crystal Cruises, covering all logistical arrangements and costs.

Prices for Crystal’s Northern European voyages start from £4,207 per person (based on a May 22 departure), including free return economy flights, 11 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window, with all meals, soft drinks and port taxes.

In addition, as part of Crystal's "All Inclusive - As You Wish" promotion, guests on this voyage will also receive onboard spending money of $1,000 per person, which can be spent on shore excursions, spa treatments, alcoholic beverages, purchases in the onboard boutiques, gratuities or Vintage Room experiences.

For reservations, see www.crystalcruises.co.uk/ or contact the UK's leading luxury-cruise experts of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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.

From Russia With Love - With Royal Caribbean

Head to some of Northern Europe’s most historical ports on Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas (above) this summer, where a 12-night Scandinavia & Russia cruise-only costs from just £1,296.00 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

This price includes a 12-night cruise-only departing Harwich and calling at Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn and Gothenburg before returning to Harwich; meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. Price is based on May 30 departure.

For more information, visit http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/ or contact 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.

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