Spring sunshine with Royal Caribbean International

By guest blogger Steve Newman

With the average temperature at 23°C in the Canary Islands in May, guarantee yourself some sunshine and join Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas (above) on a 10-night Canaries cruise from just £931 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

The price includes a 10-night cruise-only departing Southampton and calling at Funchal (Madeira, Portugal), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Las Palmas (Gran Canaria), Lanzarote (Canary Islands) and Vigo (Spain) before returning to Southampton; meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

Independence of the Seas is brimming with 15 decks of activities, including a Flowrider surf park at sea, an onboard ice-skating rink, rock-climbing wall, a children’s water park, a teen-only nightclub, mother and daughter/father and son spa facilities, basketball and volleyball courts, miniature golf course and shopping.

Price is based on a departure of May 4, 2011.

For more information, see http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/ or talk to the cruise specialist agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Costa Starts Cruising The Red Sea

Here's an interesting press release from Costa Cruises this week, with news of new destinations:

Two Costa ships to depart weekly from Sharm El Sheikh in a first for the cruise industry

Costa Marina and Costa Allegra have new departures from Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, visiting Cairo, the Negev Desert (Israel) and Petra (Jordan) for the first time in an exclusive winter 2010/2011 itinerary.

Costa Cruises is offering new one-week cruises in the Red Sea departing from Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, for the entire 2010/2011 winter season. The Red Sea, along with the Far East, the Arab Emirates and the Indian Ocean, will become yet another destination where Costa offers a regular cruise service.

Costa Marina (25,600 gross tonnage and a capacity of 1,000 guests) and Allegra (28,400 gross tonnage and a capacity of 1,000 guests) will depart from November 25, 2010, to February 17, 2011 and November 29, 2010, to March 21, 2011, respectively. The unique itineraries include Egypt, Israel and Jordan, and call at Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), Eilat (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan), Luxor-Safaga (Egypt) and Cairo-Sokhna (Egypt).

Both ships will call weekly in Sharm el Sheikh, making a total of 38 calls and transporting a total of 60,000 passengers over the winter months.

The itineraries of Marina and Allegra combine both relaxation and culture from one shore of the Red Sea to the other. Passengers on the Red Sea voyages can expect to experience incredibly beautiful sea vistas and cultural and archaeological treasures.

From Eilat, guests can take Costa excursions to a natural oasis in the Negev Desert , the fortress of Masada or the incredible landscapes of the Dead Sea . At Aqaba, guests can visit the pink city of Petra, carved into the mountains. In Safaga there is the option to enjoy excursions to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, visit the tombs of the Pharaohs, observe the natural wonders of Hurghada and visit the crystalline waters of the island of Mahamya. From Sokhna, excursions visit the grand pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.

With spectacular architecture, Costa Marina and Allegra are ideal for Red Sea cruises, as the beautiful panoramic circular glass wall of the stern allows for breathtaking sea views. Onboard, guests can enjoy a myriad of facilities including restaurants, bars, wellness and fitness centres, treatment rooms and saunas, swimming pools, outdoor jogging tracks, theatres, casinos, discotheques, shopping centres and internet access points.

For more information or to book, go to www.costacruises.co.uk or call 0845 351 0552, or try the specialist cruise travel agents of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 7766.

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New Brochure for Star Clippers

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Niche saling cruise specialist Star Clippers, who operate fully crewed sailings on board its four and five-masted tall ships, has launched a new brochure for 2011 and winter 2012 featuring new destinations and maiden calls in Central America and the Mediterranean.

All itineraries are also featured on Star Clippers’ new-look, re-designed website, dedicated to UK guests. Visitors to the site can take virtual tours of the ships and look at detailed maps and satellite images to see exactly where each itinerary goes. There’s extensive detail on ports of call and beautiful new imagery to depict in clear detail the pleasure of sailing on a genuine tall ship.

New itineraries an entire maiden season in Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua, where the 170-passenger Star Flyer will sail six, seven, 10 and 11-night cruises out of Puerto Caldera to explore the bays and inlets of the Pacific coastline, with visits to lush rainforests and hidden lagoons. Priced from £1,065 for a six-day cruise in March 2011, including port charges and all meals on board (excluding flights).

Sister ship Star Clipper returns to the Caribbean island of St Maarten for 2011, with regular seven-night departures to either the Leeward Islands (Nevis, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Iles des Saintes, Antigua, St Barths) or the British Virgin Islands on the Treasure Islands cruise (Anguilla, four calls in the BVI, St Kitts and St Barths). Six and eight-night sailings are also available. From £980 for six nights in December 2011, including port charges, cruise-only.

Also new for 2011 are the 228-passenger Royal Clipper’s itineraries from Barbados to the British Virgin Islands, with calls at Norman Island, Soper’s Hole, Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda, some of the finest sailing areas in the Caribbean. From £1,940 for 10 nights, departing December 17, 2011 (a special Christmas sailing), including port charges and all meals on board (excludes flights).

For further information, visit http://www.starclippers.co.uk/ or contact the UK cruise specialist agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

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Morocco, The Azores and The Alhambra

By guest blogger Steve Newman

May 4, 2011 • 17 days
Aboard Clipper Odyssey

Charming villages, wine tastings, volcanic hikes, camel rides, stunning scenery, colourful markets, superlative birding, and the list goes on — Zegrahm Expeditions’ Azores voyage aboard the Clipper Odyssey has it all.

Make your way from Spain’s famed Alhambra; set foot on the legendary Rock of Gibraltar; get swept away by the romance of Casablanca; sip and savour the Canary Islands; and end your voyage with five days exploring the dynamic islands that comprise the Azores. Travellers will be amazed by the myriad adventures Zegrahm Expeditions can pack into a single voyage and the sheer diversity that the eastern Atlantic has to offer.

This is no ordinary cruise, you’ll be exploring these unique destination in the company of expert leaders who bring each destination to life. Among them are ornithologist and sea bird expert, Peter Harrison; marine biologist and photographer, Jack Grove; and geologist Tom Sharpe.

For further information about Zegrahm Expeditions’ cruises, visit http://www.zeco.com/ or call the AdventureCruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

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All Aboard with the Archers.

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Fans of the BBC's classic long-running radio soap opera The Archers will get a treat in 2011, when Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines hosts two Archers-themed voyages as part of its popular programme of special-interest cruises, The ArtsClub. Archers aficionados will get the chance to mingle with their favourite cast members from the long-running show, whilst cruising around the beautiful Mediterranean.

Various Archers cast members will be on board both cruises. They will be available to chat to at the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail Party and will perform a 'mock' recording whilst on board - complete with all the rural sound effects fans have come to associate with this much-loved show!
Balmoral departs from Southampton on a 10-night Easter cruise on April 23, 2011, calling at La Coruna, Casablanca, Gibraltar and Portimao (where she anchors), before returning to Southampton. Prices for this cruise start at £1,014pp, based on two adults sharing an inside twin-bedded cabin. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board, plus port taxes.

The Balmoral cruise also offers the supporting ArtsClub theme of Wine, where guests can learn more about wines from around the world, and discover the onboard expert’s recommendations.

Black Watch departs from Dover on September 12, 2011 for a 13-night cruise around the Western Mediterranean, taking in Cadiz, Almeria, Ibiza, Mahon, Palma and Lisbon, before returning to Dover. Prices for this cruise start at £1,392pp, based on two adults sharing an inside twin-bedded cabin. The price includes all meals and entertainment on board, plus port taxes.

The Black Watch cruise also offers keen golfers a dedicated package, Flagship Golf, providing the ideal opportunity to play on some of the finest courses in the region whilst relaxing in the comfort of Fred. Olsen's classic liner. The cost for this package is £375 per golfer.

Find out more at http://www.fredolsencruises.co.uk/ or through specialist cruise travel 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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Wilderness Camp with campfires and Huskies

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Fancy experiencing the Arctic wilderness – Norwegian style? Want to try reindeer sledging, snowmobiling or dog sledging deep inside the Arctic interior with nothing but campfires and hopefully the Northern Lights as company? From today, anyone travelling north with Hurtigruten has the option to book a new ‘Camp Tamok’ excursion and, with reliable snow from mid-November, it’s a must for any would-be Arctic adventurer.

Camp Tamok enjoys a stunning location near Høiseth in Finndalen, an offshoot of the Tamokdalen Valley. Made up of Sami tents and log cabins, the camp is the perfect base for adventures in the winter wilderness. There is no water or electricity – this is an authentic camp with an emphasis on activities. The main attractions are dog sledging, reindeer sleigh rides and snowmobile driving, but the increased chance of seeing the Northern Lights (the camp is located miles from artificial light underneath a pitch black sky) and the hot local food served around a warming campfire will make this trip into the wilderness a must for many.

The excursion can be booked when travelling northbound and departs from the port of Finnsnes. A guided bus journey of around 90 minutes will take guests to the camp, where the next four hours are spent experiencing all that Tamok has to offer before re-joining the ship in Tromsø.

This experience is booked on board and costs 2,250 Norwegian Kroner (approx £235) – guests can book one of two options, either Reindeer driving and dog sledging or Snowmobile safari and reindeer driving.

A 6-night Voyage North costs from £1,080 per person (December voyages) including return flights, six nights half board on the ship, transfers and taxes. No single supplements apply.

For more information, visit http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/ or call the Adventure 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.

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Festive Break to Esbjerg and Ribe

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Cruise overnight from Harwich with DFDS and enjoy some delicious food in the onboard restaurant before watching the entertainment or settling down in your ensuite cabin to watch a film on demand. After a peaceful night's sleep, arrive in the quaint city of Esbjerg.

Spend the day exploring the town's boutiques, coffee shops and museums before returning to the cruise ferry for a good night's sleep.

Next morning, enjoy breakfast before a short coach transfer to Denmark's oldest town, Ribe. With its cobbled streets and half-timbered houses, this is the perfect place to enjoy a gentle stroll and soak up the atmosphere. After a full day's exploration, head back to the cruise ferry for your journey home.

What's included:

* 3 nights onboard ship in an en suite cabin
* Dinner on the 5th December
* Breakfast on the 6th
* Transfer to Ribe on the 7th
* Time to explore Esbjerg at your leisure
* Time to explore Ribe at your leisure
* Live onboard entertainment

Departs Harwich on 5th December, from £131pp

To find out more, visit http://www.dfds.co.uk/.

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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