The World's Largest - Together!

We have just been on board Royal Caribbean's stunning new Allure of the Seas (the 'world's largest cruise ship,' being 5cm longer than sister vessel Oasis, last year's BIG cruise news), and the highlight (among very many) was a rare sea rendezvous of the two leviathans of the seas outside Port Everglades last night.

Captain Hernan Zini of the Allure positioned his ship - on a two-day travel trade preview cruise - a few miles out to sea off the south Florida port for Fort Lauderdale and waited for the line's other big ship, which was on her way out on her regular Saturday sailing to the Caribbean.

The two unmistakeable vessels then met up at almost 6.30pm as darkness fell, and each launched a small boat to offer a special commemorative gift to each other.

Passengers thronged the rails on both ships and lightbulbs flashed madly as most people tried to snap a memorable photo of the event. Finally, after nearly an hour in close proximity, the two ships went their separate ways.

It may also be a long time before they meet up again as the Allure will begin her regular 7-day Sunday cruises on December 1, so the two colossi will only cross paths as they go hither and thither on either eastern or western Caribbean routes in future.

We will have a LOT more to say about Allure - both here on Time Spent at Sea and in the Winter edition of World of Cruising magazine - in the near future, but suffice it to say for now she is easily an equal technological marvel to her sister but the addition of new entertainment options really marks her out as THE cruise ship to see in 2010/11.

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Sri Lanka First Time Visit

By guest blogger Steve Newman

In 2011, Zegrahm Expeditions will visit the country of Sri Lanka for the first time in its 20-year history. Famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, coconuts, rubber and cinnamon, Sri Lanka has long been on the path of major sea routes and today is an emerging adventure travel destination.

Graced by lush tropical forests, white-sand beaches, and rich biodiversity, it’s no wonder it was once lauded by Marco Polo as the “finest island of its size.” In addition to Sri Lanka’s unspoiled natural beauty, the country has a fascinating cultural history over 3,000-years old, which is also one of the longest documented histories in the world, and is one of the few remaining centres of the Buddhist religion and culture in South Asia.

The Bay of Bengal & the Andaman Sea (Jan17-Feb 6, 2011) and India and the Maldives with Sri Lanka & Lakshadweeps (Dec 17, 2011-Jan 3, 2012) voyages explore three World Heritage Sites during the two days spent in Sri Lanka.

Visits include 1,000-year-old Polonnaruwa (and nearby Minneriya-Giritale National Park, which is home to bears, crocodiles, leopards and its most famed resident, wild elephants!); the Golden Temple of Dambulla, which is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka; and the Temple of the Tooth, which houses the tooth of Bhudda encased in gold caskets. These expeditions both overnight in the quaint village of Habarna.

Travellers aboard Splendors of India with Sri Lanka (Feb 1-17, 2011) and Southern India by Sea with Sri Lanka (Dec 7-21, 2011) enjoy a full-day exploration of Galle, including its Dutch colonial era fort—a World Heritage Site—Wickramasinghe Folk Art Museum and Poorvarama Temple.

Travellers spend a second day in the Sri Lankan highlands visiting the Temple of the Tooth, one of the holiest places of worship and pilgrimage for Buddhists around the world; Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, which provides care and protection to the many orphaned elephants found in the jungle (above); and the Botanical Gardens. On the Splendors of India voyage, travellers get the added benefit of an overnight in Kandy, the laid-back capital of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country.

To learn more about Zegrahm’s time in Sri Lanka and to review full itineraries for each expedition, visit http://www.zeco.com/ or call the UK's adventure cruise specialists 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.

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Churchill and Seabourn

By guest blogger Steve Newman

"Chasing Churchill" Seabourn Cruise On The French Riviera With Celia Sandys, Allen Packwood, Minnie Churchill & Special Guest Lady Soames; September 9-16, 2011

Celia Sandys, who accompanied her grandfather Sir Winston Churchill on some of his later travels, is leading a wonderful tour with the Yachts of Seabourn in September next year, along with Allen Packwood, the Director of the Churchill Archives at Churchill College, Cambridge. The cruise will retrace Churchill's footsteps in the South of France and Italy.

Using the luxurious Seabourn Legend as a floating hotel, the tour will visit places he liked the best and where he painted many of his most renowned pictures.

This is an exceptional opportunity for anyone who loves to travel and is interested in the life and paintings of Winston Churchill to indulge both passions at the same time. Churchill loved visiting the Cote d'Azur, where he found many places that were "paintable and batheable."

The cruise will start in Rome and spend a week sailing along the Riviera, giving guests the opportunity to visit, among other places, the Pope's Palace at Avignon, the beautiful Fontaine de Vaucluse, La Montagne Sainte Victoire (a favourite subject of Cezanne's paintings), Aix en Provence, Cannes and Monte Carlo, where the final day will be spent touring Eze Village, Roquebrune and Cap d'Ail.

7 night Chasing Churchill CruiseTour
Suite Categories
Deck 4 - A £3659
Deck 4 - A1 £3799
Deck 5 - A2 £3959
Deck 6 - A3 £4089
Balcony - Deck 5 £4389
Balcony - Deck 6 £4559

(Prices subject to availability; terms & Conditions apply; single supplement available on request)

What's Included

Five fully escorted private tours from the ship with lunch. The cruise is inclusive of all meals, drinks & gratuities.

For more details, visit http://www.seabourn.com/ or call the luxury cruise specialists 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.

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Spend Christmas on a tall ship

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers is offering 25% off spectacular Christmas cruise itineraries, with no single supplement on each of its tall ships, two of which will be in the Caribbean and one in Costa Rica.

The magnificent, five-masted flagship Royal Clipper, which carries 228 guests, will be sailing an eight-night round trip from Barbados, departing December 18 and calling at various islands in the Grenadines, including the beautiful Tobago Cays and pretty Grenada and Bequia, as well as Martinique and Dominica. Christmas Day is spent soaking up the sun in Marigot Bay, St Lucia in the morning, moving on to Soufriere after lunch, returning to Barbados on Boxing Day (from £999 per person, plus £130 port taxes; flights excluded).

The 170-passenger, four-masted Star Clipper sails on December 18 from St Maarten on an eight-day round trip, calling at Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, St Kitts and Antigua, spending Christmas day anchored off the chic little port of Gustavia, St Barths (from £769 per person, plus £130 port taxes; flights excluded).

Meanwhile, the third ship in the fleet, Star Flyer, will be sailing the coast of Costa Rica on a week-long voyage from Puerto Caldera. This head-turning ship will call at out-of-the-way ports and anchorages in both Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Guests will wake up on Christmas Day in the stunning National Reserve of Curu, moving on to Isla Tortugas for a beach barbecue and overnight (from £769 plus, £110 port taxes; flights excluded).

Visit Star Clippers on http://www.starclippers.co.uk/ or call 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.

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Polar Diving Partnership

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Aurora Expeditions new polar partnership with polar dive experts Waterproof Expeditions will offer guests further excitement on adventure cruises. The partnership has plenty of synergy, with Aurora Expeditions having earned their reputation as a pioneer in polar cruising operating professional, high-quality expeditions onboard the Polar Pioneer since 1992 and Waterproof have more than 20-years dive experience in the Polar regions.

Waterproof and Aurora Expeditions are also welcoming renowned underwater photography specialist Franco Banfi aboard for their 'Across the Circle' voyages, departing February 4 and 15, 2011. Aurora Expeditions' passengers can glean expert information from this world champion in underwater photography. His images have been featured in magazines such as BBC Wildlife, GEO, National Geographic, Stern, Scuba Diving, and in countless publications worldwide, making him more than qualified to embark on Waterproof and Aurora Expeditions' new adventure.

For each of these dive and photography expeditions, Waterproof Expeditions will provide experienced polar dive masters, all dive planning and equipment. Divers will be treated to a unique dive container providing comfortable storing space for gear and a heating system for dry suits and BCDs.

There is availability for both divers and explorers on two 12-night departures ("Across the Circle" Voyages) onboard the Polar Pioneer sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina, to the Antarctic Peninsula:

4-15 February 2011
15-26 February 2011

Prices from $6,400 per person, including accommodation, full board and all daily excursions and activities while onboard the Polar Pioneer. The dive package costs an additional $1140 and includes dive compressor, tanks, weights and belts (divers need to bring their own personal dive gear) and leadership by an experienced Polar Dive Master. Flights are not included.

**Special offer - Aurora Expeditions are offering 20% off the 'Across the Circle' voyages until November 30. For further information, visit http://www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/ or try the adventure cruise specialsists 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.

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Louis Cruises in 2011 From Under £42 per night

Louis Cruises’ full 2011 brochure, featuring cruises costing less than £42 per person per night, has gone on-sale.

A three-night Greek Islands cruise out of Piraeus (Athens) on the Aquamarine or Orient Queen starts from £179 in 2011, while a 12-night cruise out of Genoa or Marseille on the Louis Majesty leads in at £499 per person – just £41.58 per person, per night.

“Such outstanding value for a full-board cruise offers agents tremendous sales opportunities for 2011,” says UK General Manager Peter Adamou. “And now that Louis Cruises are available on Amadeus, it’s easy for agents to select our cruise-only offering, then bolt on flights and hotels, using the same GDS, to create a complete package.”

Louis Cruises has just been made available on the browser-based Amadeus Cruise desktop sales solution for travel professionals, and the Cruise Application Programming Interface (API) for online sales.

The new brochure, titled ‘Sea of Memories’, showcases the five Louis Cruises ships available to the UK market: Louis Majesty, Louis Cristal, Coral, Aquamarine and Orient Queen.

All ships sail in what Louis Cruises describe as ‘our home waters’, i.e. the Mediterranean, and the line prides itself on offering itineraries that offer the maximum opportunity for shore visits.

“Our intimate ships – the largest is the Majesty with a capacity of 1,790 – enable us to visit smaller, as well as large ports, with quicker disembarkation times and easy access to the sights,” adds Adamou.

The new brochure features 16 different itineraries, from the three-night ‘Aegean Legends’ cruise around the Greek islands on Aquamarine or Orient Queen to the Majesty’s 12-night ‘Eastern Mediterranean Highlights’ itinerary.

Sample shore excursions are listed for each ship, and the Greek line’s hospitality, or ‘filoxenia’, is also highlighted.

All prices include full board, on-board entertainment, port taxes and charges. Travel to/from embarkation points, shore excursions, drinks and gratuities are not included.

For more info, call 0800 018 3883 or visit http://www.louiscruises.com/.

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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A Corking Offer

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Head to the Emerald Isle next year with Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Eclipse (above) from just £439 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

Eclipse's great range of onboard features include a hot glass-blowing show and studio developed with The Corning Museum of Glass, a real grass ‘Lawn Club’ and the Celebrity iLounge, the Apple-only internet café and Apple reseller.

Price includes a four-night Cork cruise-only departing from Southampton (England) and calling at Cork (Cobh, Ireland), before returning to Southampton (England); meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. Price based on May 3, 2011, departure.

For more information, visit http://www.celebritycruises.co.uk/ or call cruise specialists 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.