A Truly Adventurous Collection!

I make no excuses for banging this particular drum again this week, but having been working on this for the past month or so (it just seems longer!), I wanted to be sure to get full value for it here at Time Spent At Sea.

The Adventure Cruise Collection is now out; available; freely on the market; ready to be perused; published!

Having struggled mightily with writing large parts of it and helped in the design and general style (for which all of Robin Maclear, Emma Tilbury and Debbie Belcher at The Cruise Line Ltd also deserve heaps of praise), I can vouch at first hand that this is NOT your average cruise brochure. To start with it is highly selective. Only the creme de la creme of genuine, upmarket adventure-cruising operators are featured; 12 distinctive, unique companies that all have that 'something different' appeal and bags of personal charm and style.

It is not intended to be comprehensive but a well-chosen assemblage of one-off destinations that can all lay claim to a peerless operation in their particular sphere on influence, be it in the North-West Passage, Antarctica, the Chilean fjords and Patagonia or the South Pacific.

Indeed, it will probably not appeal to mass-market sensibilities (and budgets!) as it is a genuine tailor-made collection of excursion-style voyages that eschew the large and formulaic in favour of the truly personal experience, all with a luxurious, creature-comfort-laden approach to providing the very best onboard service and attention to detail.

Take your pick from the following:

• The Galapagos Islands with Ecuador specialists Haugan Cruises
• The rivers of Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar with Pandaw Cruises
• Majestic Chilean Patagonia with the unique Nomads of the Seas
• The wonders of Antarctica with six-star Silversea Cruises
• A crossing of the North-West Passage with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
• The Norwegian Arctic in the company of Hurtigruten
• A journey into the Orinoco with Le Compagnie du Ponant
• Mysterious Papua New Guinea with Orion Expedition Cruises
• The Peruvian Upper Amazon with distinctive Aqua Expeditions
• The South Pacific with epic adventurers Zegrahm Expeditions
• A true Indian Ocean odyssey aboard the chic Le Diamant
• And the small-scale Alaska of deluxe American Safari Cruises

It all comes complete with a level of specialist guides and cultural experience that is second to none and adds up to possibly the most complete and eye-opening collection of aspirational travel ever assembled in one easy-to-digest package.

But don't take my word for it. The Adventure Cruise Collection brochure is free and ready to be ordered by click of mouse or by phone. Just call 0800 008 6677 or go to this link!

Then, just sit back, read and enjoy. I guarantee a wonderful time ahead.......!

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Seabourn Get Smarter

It has been quite a year for the Yachts of Seabourn, with the launch of their much-heralded and admired Seabourn Odyssey and now a major makeover project for their three existing ships, Seabourn Spirit, Pride and Legend.

Never ones to rest on their laurels, it seems (especially with the Seabourn Sojourn arriving in summer 2010), the company has officially kicked off a multi-million dollar renovation of the original trio of its award-winning, small-luxury fleet.

The Spirit has just completed the refurbishment while Pride and Legend will undergo the same treatment in the coming year (January and autumn 2010 respectively), transforming the look and feel of each vessel with open and airy interiors, modern embellishments, and richly-coloured contemporary on-deck furnishings.

It is all in keeping with bringing the overall standard up to the new level which their latest newbuilds have brought about with their arrival this year.

“Seabourn Spirit came out of drydock a couple of weeks ago,” said Seabourn President and CEO Pamela Conover, “and the response of our guests, both multi-repeaters and first-timers, has been unanimous — the Spirit looks absolutely beautiful.”

The renovation programme is being overseen by RTKL Associates Inc. in Miami, an award-winning international design firm recognised for its creative approach to commercial and residential spaces. The extensive work is also being done during regularly scheduled periodic maintenance.

All the enhancements begin in the Reception Lobby with honey-toned wood panelling, two-toned marble flooring and furnishings re-upholstered in rich burgundy. The onboard entertainment spaces also shine, with the main show-lounge transformed with cut-velvet banquettes in muted blues and taupe chairs beneath glittering stars. In The Club, floral-motif carpeting plays off warm reds and burnt oranges while elegantly toned, matte stone panels invoke spaciousness throughout.

That play of colour and comfort continues in the observation lounge, where wrap-around windows illuminate new pale-green accents and soothing creams and beiges with the ever-changing light of sea and sky. New club chairs and sofas of creamy leather are inviting perches for taking it all in, accented with leaf-patterned throw pillows that echo the foliage theme in the carpeting.

In The Restaurant, celebrity Chef Charlie Palmer’s cuisine is now presented in a rich yet understated elegance of handsome toffee-toned woods, creamy caramel accents, dramatic sheer curtains striped horizontally in violet and gold interspersing muted purple drapes, and flooring finished in sumptuous golden stone with sage infusions.

Meanwhile, the open decks are going equally modern, with graceful new furniture of coffee-hued, powder-coated metal and chocolate-toned fabric.

Conover added: “The renovation of Pride, Spirit and Legend ensures guests will be enjoying the Seabourn experience on these unique vessels in a fresh, contemporary style. With our original three yachts scheduled for refurbishment, Seabourn Odyssey enjoying a stellar maiden year, and Seabourn Sojourn scheduled to launch in June 2010, Seabourn can now offer travellers more beautiful yachts in more exciting destinations throughout the year.”

It all serves to underline that the smart deluxe cruise operators are constantly looking to keep their product in that top-of-the-range echelon, and Seabourn will continue to be in the forefront of cruising's leading operators for the forseeable future.

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.

Welcome aboard 'Time Spent At Sea'!

The purpose of this blog is to bring it's readers a regular stream of cruise news and offers whilst throwing in a few articles on specialist subjects from a few guest contributors. We won't ever pretend this is the definitive cruise blog, but hope that you might find something that interests you, particularly if you are deciding whether or not to take your first cruise.

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.