Variety Cruises Offer "Kids Cruise Free" Deals

Deluxe small-ship company Variety Cruises are not renowned for their family style, but here's a new offer that may make people think again - special "Kids Cruise Free" cruise deals throughout 2014. 

By the terms of this rare and very alluring offer:

• Single parents traveling with 1-2 children in one cabin pay an adult cruise fare, plus single supplement; 1-2 children cruise for free.

• Couples with 1 child sharing the same cabin pay two adult cruise fares. The child cruises for free.

• Couples with 1-2 children in two separate cabins pay two adult cruise fares, plus two single supplements; 1-2 children cruise for free.

• Children receive a 25% reduction on all shore excursions.

Families can take advantage of the offer by calling (in the US) 1800 319 7776 and mentioning "Kids Cruise Free" at the time of booking. The offer is valid for all Variety Cruises programmess and applies for children aged 7-12. Children 12-16 pay the child fare. The offer is available for a limited number of cabins on each sailing and on a first come, first served basis. Port charges must be paid for all participants, including children. Variety's small ships are not recommended to children under 7 years of age.

For those unfamiliar with Variety Cruises, they are the world's largest small-ship cruise company, who have been offering a total yachting experience since 1949. Their fleet of 11 fully-owned vessels varies in size from 4 to 36 cabins while their yachts and staff provide an intimate and relaxed environment.

They feature a comfort-filled starting point for discerning travellers as they visit well known and unique ports of call, notably around Greece and the Greek islands, southern Italy and Malta, the Seychelles, and Costa Rica and Panama. Fine locally-flavored cuisine, exciting itineraries and personalised service are also key features.         

More info: visit www.varietycruises.com. 

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.

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Try A Gulet Cruise With Saga

Gulet cruising is a signature Turkish experience and features small-ship style with a real up-close-and-personal taste of the local culture and cuisine.

And now you can unwind on an authentic gulet cruise, passing beautiful bays and golden beaches, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast with Saga Holidays this summer.

 

Their holidays travel in a flotilla of up to three boats, where life on board is friendly and relaxing, with the captain and two crew taking care of guests.

Gulets are two-mast wooden sailing boats, refined for modern holiday-makers’ comfort by providing eight en suite cabins with air-conditioning. The former fishing or sponge diving boats each have a different character and décor to make the sailing experience totally unique.

Mealtimes are a special experience on this all-inclusive option. Guests can tuck into local produce, in Turkish meze style, while dining on the deck overlooking the sea. A free bar is open from 9am to midnight, serving local alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

The round-trip from Marmaris via Ekincik Bay allows plenty of time to explore towns and villages or join walking tours. Of course, for those who would prefer to laze on the beaches, they will be spoilt for choice.

The 7-night gulet cruises cost from £949 per person, departing Gatwick from May to June and September and October. The price includes travel insurance and cancellation cover, return flights, full board, free bar open 15 hours a day, two excursions and a Saga tour manager.

More Info: call 0800 0923082 or visit www.saga.co.uk/turkey

The new edition of World of Cruising is now out, and you can see the digital 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.

Second Ship For Pearl Seas?

The new Pearl Seas Cruises, who are due to debut their first ship, the Pearl Mist (above) in June, have revealed plans for a second ship in the fleet for 2016. Sort of.

The follow-up ship will, apparently, be slightly slightly larger than the 8,700-ton, 210-passenger Mist, carrying around 245, company chief executive Charles Robertson said, although he would not say (to Seatrade Insider) where the second vessel would be built, and added that no official announcement is planned until mid-summer.

Pearl Mist is currently undergoing final outfitting at Chesapeake Shipbuilding in Salisbury, Mrayland, having been built at Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was originally due to enter service in 2009 but a dispute arose between the company and shipyard that was only settled in early 2013 with the intervention of American Cruise Lines.

Its inaugural season begins on June 25 with an 11-night cruise from Baltimore to Halifax, followed by a series of Canadian waterways and Great Lakes sailings, with Pearl Mist then moving to the Bahamas and Caribbean from spring 2015.

Meanwhile, American Cruise Lines is also constructing four ships of its own at Chesapeake Shipbuilding, two paddlewheelers to enter service in 2015 (one on the Mississippi in March and the other on the Columbia and Snake rivers later in the year), while details of the other two have yet to be disclosed. 

 

The Mississippi riverboat will have a similar capacity to the luxurious Queen of the Mississippi - which we featured in a big blog series in October 2012 - at 150 passengers, while the Columbia boat will be slightly larger, taking 175 passengers.
More info: call (in the US) 1800 981 9146 or visit www.pearlseascruises.com.

The new edition of World of Cruising is now out, and you can see the digital 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.

Free Alaska Shore Excursions With American Cruise Lines

Wildlife, history and native culture all meet in south-east Alaska; it is an amazing area of scenic beauty and cultural experiences unlike anywhere else of earth (hence our feature on it in the current issue of World of Cruising - check out the digital version online on this link). 

And American Cruise Lines are offering a real bonus on their 8-day round-trip cruise from Juneau this summer, discovering areas like Petersburg, Tracy Arm and Sawyer Glacier. Visitors get to see incredible natural beauty, majestic wildlife and experience first-class onboard service on one of ACL's small ships.

For a limited time only, guests who reserve a stateroom on this Alaska cruise will receive FREE shore excursions AND a Pre-Night hotel stay in the magnificent city of Juneau.

Once on the cruise, you will be able to watch humpback whales frolic in the cool waters of the Gulf of Alaska as you cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage. The pristine coves and inlets offer superb opportunities to view sea lions, orcas, harbour seals and porpoise in their natural habitat. The 94-passenger American Spirit is also ideal as a viewing point for the array of breathtaking sights, from orcas surfacing alongside the ship to Tlingit totem poles pointing to the skies with astonishing mountain peaks behind them.

This unforgettable, personalised cruise experience starts at only $5,350 per person with Free Guided Shore Excursions and a Free Pre-Cruise hotel night in Juneau.

For even more of the south-east Alaska charm, American Cruise Lines also offer an 11-night Alaska Inside Passage cruise, from Seattle to Juneau. 

This unforgettable journey cruises the protected waters of the Inside Passage while docking regularly to explore the natural scenery, historic treasures and local communities along the way.

Early Bird Discount: Book early and Save $400 or more per stateroom on this cruise.

More info: call (in the US) 1800 460 4518 or visit www.americancruiselines.com.

The new edition of World of Cruising is now out, and you can see the digital 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.