Three Voyages, Three Lines, Three Delights!

Here's a great three-way offer to tickle the tastebuds of most cruisers - something from Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises, each one with a separate offer - and tempting extras - to make your next booking a winning one. here's what they say... 

 

Family fun in the Med with Royal Caribbean

 

Families can catch up on the latest movies at the outdoor cinema screen, tuck into yummy treats at the cupcake cupboard or scale the rock-climbing wall onboard Adventure of the Seas (above) on a 15-night Central Mediterranean cruise-only from £1,149 per person (based on two people sharing an interior stateroom). The price includes a 15-night cruise departing from Southampton on May 8 and calling at Cadiz, Barcelona, Villefranche (for Nice and Monte Carlo), Livorno (for Florence/Pisa), Civitavecchia (Rome), Cagliari on Sardinia, Gibraltar and Lisbon before returning to Southampton, plus meals and entertainment on board and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

 

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

 

Discover the Norwegian Fjords with Celebrity

 

Explore the beauty of the Norwegian Fjords and the idyllic surrounding towns and villages on board Celebrity Eclipse on an eight-night cruise from just £845 per person (based on two people sharing an interior stateroom). The price includes an eight-night cruise departing from Southampton on May 2 and calling at Bergen, Flam, Geiranger, Alesund and Stavanger before returning to Southampton; plus meals, entertainment and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

 

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

Tribal dancing, stunning gardens and local delicacies with Azamara

 

Step back in time at the Wirikuta botanical desert garden in Mexico and enjoy an exclusive evening complete with local coffee, beer and wine followed by a procession of indigenous dancers as part of the Azamazing Evenings event onboard Azamara Quest on a 14-night Route of the Americas fly/cruise from £3,749 per person (based on two people sharing an interior stateroom). The event is included in the cruise price, as well as flights from London Heathrow and transfers; selected standard spirits, wines and international beers; complimentary bottled water and soft drinks; speciality teas and coffees; all meals and dining gratuities; and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. The 14-night voyage departs from Los Angeles on february 18 and calls at Cabo San Lucas, Manzanillo, Zihuatanejo (for Ixtapa), Huatulco, Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala) and San Juan del Sur (Nicaragua) before arriving into Caldera (Costa Rica) 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.

More Disney Magic, Pt 2 - It's Child's Play!

Continuing our exclusive look at "the newly re-imagined" Disney Magic of Disney Cruise Line on a recent short cruise from Miami...

There is a lot to admire about the new-look Disney Magic fresh from the biggest refit since she was launched in 1998, and much of it is geared around the children.

Disney has obviously long had the market cornered for family-friendly holiday options, and their cruise line is no exception. What they have achieved with the ship's upgrade, though, is quite remarkable.

The clear headline additions are the eye-catching AquaDunk water-slide (getting ready to drop - above) and the extensive water-play facilities on Deck 9 (see Part One of the blog for more on that), which consist of the AquaLab - an interactive water playground and pool (below) - and the Nephews Splash Zone, an under-cover area of more small-scale fun for younger

kids.

These are the real attention-grabbing enhancements, and it's hard to imagine children not having an absolute ball with all of these (although they may find fairly long queues for the AquaDunk on sea-days).

Passengers without children (or those just not paying attention) will miss out on some of the other amazing improvements in the kids' facilities, though, as they are all confined to Deck 6 (along with the unique Lake Buena Vista Theater, which is the ship's purpose-designed cinema).

First off, the old Flounder's Reef nursery (which was makeshift at best as it wasn't part of the original design but a hastily-added extra after the first 8 months) is now the fully-themed It's A Small World nursery, with all manner of toys, playthings and (most importantly) cots

for the youngest cruisers. It is wonderfully provisioned and is guaranteed to give mum and dad a welcome few hours off from baby-minding duties.

Next up, the Oceaneer Club has been transformed into something closer to the expansive model achieved with the new Disney Dream and Fantasy. Now divided into four main sections (and fully open to the 3-12-year age group), it is designed like a library, where each of the 'books' becomes a new section and a new play area.

While each area will appeal to children of the right age and interest, the Marvel Avengers Academy is probably the most timely, with the provision of Iron Man and Captain America sections as a high-tech command post for "special missions and operations training." Here, kids will get the chance to see Iron Man's suit, Captain America's shield and become Avengers 'recruits' with a fully immersive entertainment experience guaranteed to unleash

their inner super-hero!

Andy's Room is a two-level adventure playroom of toys, climbs and slides, with all the characters of the Pixar Toy Story films being on parade. Pixie Hollow caters to fans of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends, with a costume closet and other playthings in keeping with the impish pixie dust creator, while the Mickey Mouse Club (below) rounds out the offerings, an arts-and-crafts space with tables, play-stations and more energetic, interactive fun and games.

The Oceaneer Lab (formerly open to the 3-8-year age group but now linked via a secure passageway to the Oceaneer Club) is a pirate-themed journey of discovery in different sections, with all-new theming, decor, games, video walls and digital stations. An animator's studio will appeal to budding artists while the Navigator Simulators allow young buccaneers to take the wheel of their own ship.

Sadly, the only ones left out here are the parents, who may well feel that all this amazing creativity and activity is WAY too good to be the exclusive preserve of their kids!

Just to make sure older children are not forgotten, the hideaway teen lounge of The Vibe has been spruced up with new furniture and fittings to make it a true get-away-from-it-all venue just for their age group and the Senses Spa & Salon has even been enhanced to provide a Chill Spa with treatments especially for the 13-17 age group.

More tomorrow...!

More info: Look up Disney Cruise line at http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ or, in the UK, see Virgin Holidays Cruises on www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk, or 0844 573 4398.

 
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.

Fred. Olsen's British Bonanza

Fred. Olsen’s 2014/15 cruise programme will see it sailing from an amazing variety of UK ports, with all of Southampton, Dover, Harwich, Liverpool, Newcastle, Rosyth (for Edinburgh), Greenock (for Glasgow), Belfast and the newly-added ports of Tilbury and Avonmouth now on their Brit-list, further enhancing the line's reputation as the ‘local, global cruise line.'

In 2014/15, they will also be making even more overnight stops in spectacular cities worldwide, in response to guests’ desire to spend more time ashore in the ports they visit. Fred. Olsen will also be working with destination ports to create an even greater link between its cruises and local events, such as the Baltic Festivals of Kieler Woche in Kiel, Germany, and the world-renowned Jazz Festival in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Highlights of the new cruise season include:

• The Undiscovered Adriatic from Avonmouth, a 28-night cruise departing on May 17, taking in Sicily, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Hvar and Koper (Slovenia), as well as Venice and Athens.

• A 32-night Canada & New York cruise, departing from Southampton on September 1, visiting Canada’s eastern seaboard when the Fall foliage will be at its best, with overnight stays in Quebec, Boston and New York.

• A very different Caribbean cruise, of 34 nights, with an overnight stay in Havana, Cuba, as well as stopovers in Bermuda, the Bahamas and Grand Turk, plus plenty of other favourites.

• Two fabulous 28-night Black Sea cruises, one from Liverpool in October and the other from Southampton in June, both with visits to Athens, overnight stays in Istanbul, and cruising deep into the Black Sea and the Crimea.

• Five ‘In Search of the Northern Lights’ cruises to Norway in February and March, and Fred. Olsen’s first winter season in its historic homeland, in November and December, to give guests the chance to marvel at one of Nature’s most awe-inspiring phenomena, the Northern Lights.

Fred. Olsen will be offering many new destinations in 2014/15, which promise a wealth of unforgettable holiday experiences. For instance, there will be an impressive 13 maiden calls on Balmoral’s Asia Grand Voyage in 2015: Galle (Sri Lanka), Ujang Pandang (Indonesia), Naha (Okinawa, Japan), Tokyo, Nagasaki, Jeju City (South Korea), Dalian (China), Nha Trang (Vietnam), Nathon (Thailand), Malacca (Malaysia), Hambantota (Sri Lanka), Utheemu (North Thiladhunmathee Atoll, Maldives) and Uligamu (Ihavandhippolhu Atoll, Maldives).

More info: www.fredolsencruises.com for full terms and conditions.

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.

More Disney Magic – Part One

A short preview cruise to look at the “newly re-imagined” Disney Magic…
 
First impressions of the completely refurbished Disney Magic – the biggest makeover since she was launched 15 years ago – are strong and extremely positive.

This is still the same essential vessel that wowed the cruise industry in 1998, but the improvements and enhancements that we outlined in our preview blog are startling.

At first glance they are definitely impressive; at second glance, they are a triumph of the latest technology and state-of-the art design.

We arrived at mid-day and were conducted straight on to the ship at Miami’s Terminal F. This allowed the chance to grab lunch at the new-look Cabanas buffet restaurant, which is now MUCH bigger and more user-friendly in its passenger flow.

Lunch was followed by a full tour of the Magic, with a chance to appreciate fully all the new

spaces and additions which, while not changing the essence of the ship, distinctly raise the bar for the company’s ability to appeal to both the family and the adult-only audience.

We will provide more details of the new components in the next two instalments, but suffice it so say, after Cabanas, there is a LOT more to see and enjoy.

Past passengers will be amazed at how ‘their’ ship has been refreshed and improved; new passengers will simply be bowled over by the Disney style and imagination.

Just to start with, the 3-storey Atrium (right) – the central repository of the ship’s Art Deco style – has a new look from taking away one of the staircases and moving the Captain Mickey statue to one side. It gives a much greater sense of space and ‘arrival’.

Chihuly fans may not be thrilled that the main glass chandelier has been replaced by a new lighting arrangement (with the main display now provided by a huge three-piece Swarovski

crystal chandelier series spreading out like the rays of the sun), with the Chihuly piece being returned to the main museum in California.

But that is a relatively minor quibble in the overall scheme of things, as the general smartening up of the Atrium, and the addition of new carpeting and a spruce up for the Mickey statue all provide for much more eye drama.

When it comes to big, of course, the most obvious additions are up on the top decks, where the 40ft drop of the spectacular AquaDunk flume ride is truly startling. With a capsule entrance on the side of the forward funnel that then drops riders onto the slide below, it is a true thrill-ride as it zips out over the side of the ship and then into a dramatic splash-down

on Deck 10 amidships.

Continuing aft brings you to the kids' pool area, where the old Mickey Pool has been completely rebuilt and enhanced as the AquaLab for children 3 and older. 

As well as a fabulous array of pop-jets, bubblers and geysers in a totally fun setting with those scamps Huey, Dewey and Louie, there is also a new water slide, Twist 'n Spout (right), that takes riders down through three large loops over more than 250ft of vivid yellow flume. There is also more shaded cover for the little 'uns and a look in keeping with the company's two newest ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy (launched in 2011 and '12).

More tomorrow....

More info: Look up Disney Cruise line at http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ or, in the UK, see Virgin Holidays Cruises on 0844 417 4723 or http://www.virginholidayscruises.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.

MSC Introduces The Canary Islands

As the British winter slowly settles in, why not escape to sunnier climes with MSC Cruises? The Mediterranean cruise line is now offering the choice between two itineraries in the Canary Islands departing from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the largest island in the archipelago, from just £449pp for a seven-night cruise, including flights. And now is the time to book to benefit from this incredible offer - and ensure some vital vitamin D!

With calls in Las Palmas, San Sebastian, Funchal and Santa Cruz de Palma, MSC Armonia's (above) first itinerary explores the best of the Canaries, including great shopping and beach opportunities as well as blissful encounters with nature at its best. Highlights include the National Park Caldera de Taburiente in La Palma, home of one of the biggest craters in the world, and Las Cañadas, the famous circular mountain range in Tenerife.

In addition to ports of call in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Palma and Lanzarote, Armonia’s second itinerary also includes stopovers in two of Morocco’s iconic cities, Casablanca and Agadir, where guests will be able to visit sacred mosques and magical souks but also take the chance to travel further afield to the vibrant city of Marrakech. In Agadir, Morocco's surfers' paradise, pleasure seekers can relax on the beach whilst the more adventurous can venture off into the region's stunning surroundings, the majestic Anti-Atlas mountains and awe-inspiring Sahara desert.

The two itineraries can also be easily combined to offer guests an exceptional 14-night voyage.

More info: visit www.msccruises.co.uk or call 0844 561 1955. 

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 New Destinations With Aurora

Adventure company Aurora Expeditions has released its 2014/15 brochure - Expeditions - featuring an array of brand new destinations that include Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Alaska, Arnhem Land, Cape York, Bhutan and Patagonia. With the addition of a trekking programme to their ship-based expeditions, the new brochure spans 12 exciting destinations across 19 innovative itineraries.

With decades of experience taking passengers to Antarctica via South America, Aurora have introduced a new ‘Ecuador in Depth’ voyage in 2014 exploring the country’s Amazon Basin and the wildlife playground of the Galapagos by small ship. The expedition also incorporates land touring to allow passengers to experience the famed 'Avenue of Volcanoes' and the National Parks of central Ecuador.

In addition to their flagship expeditions to the Polar Regions, in 2014/15 the company will also offer the opportunity to follow migrating humpbacks up Alaska’s Inside Passage or explore Australia’s tropical north, combining the Kimberley Coast, Arnhem Land, Cape York and the Great Barrier Reef in one incredible voyage.

Along with new destinations, the brochure also features a refreshed Antarctic programme including the introduction of a new port and Antarctic Gateway, Puerto Williams, as well as a ground-breaking new activity, Polar Snorkelling, with the opportunity to explore underwater scenery unlike any other place on earth.

Those wanting to put their sea-legs to the test will have the opportunity to witness spectacular mountain scenery on an expanded range of trekking adventures throughout some of the world’s most remote, land-locked treasures including Nepal, Bhutan and Patagonia.

In Nepal, Aurora’s climbing guide and three-time Everest summiteer Tashi Tenzing, leads us deep into the heart of the Mount Everest region, introducing trekkers to Sherpa culture and hospitality. In Bhutan, highlights include sharing mountain trails with Buddhist pilgrims and yak herders across a spiritual and spectacular Himalayan kingdom.

In Patagonia, Aurora Expeditions have developed a 10-day programme of exhilarating walks amongst the pampas and ice-capped peaks of the Andes, the perfect warm-up to an Antarctic cruise. Each ‘Patagonia Adventure Trek’ is timed to depart in conjunction with one of their exciting Antarctic expeditions and travellers can save 20% when they book on adjoining departures.

More info: visit www.auroraexpeditions.com.au or call +61 2 9252 1033 or freecall 1800 637 688 (Australia only). 

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.

Reach The Heart Of Lapland With Hurtigruten

Hurtigruten has launched a new one-off itinerary for those who wish to explore “The Heart of Norwegian Lapland.” in 2014. 

The 12-day tour from March 25 to April 5 combines a Hurtigruten voyage on MS Midnatsol along Norway’s wintery fjord coast with a tour into the interior of Finnmark, the northernmost province of Norway and home to the Norwegian Sami. Highlights include a visit to an Igloo hotel, opportunities to meet the local Sami people and a Northern Lights tour.

The voyage will start in Bergen, the Hanseatic city steeped in tradition, and follows up with a visit to the old royal city of Trondheim, the picturesque Lofoten archipelago and the “Arctic capital” of Tromsø, and on to the port of Alta, the largest city in Finnmark. Weather conditions allowing, the ship will travel off the normal Hurtigruten course around the imposing North Cape Plateau, the northernmost point in Europe.

Passengers will then disembark for a two day land tour of the region. Highlights include a visit to the Alta Museum and its petroglyphs - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - a trip to the impressive Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, a reindeer stew lunch by the open fire on cosy reindeer skins in a traditional Sami tent and a concert by local performers.

The Finnmark region is one of the best places to observe the spectacular Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis. The land-based part of the trip ends with a journey to a winter camp far away from any interfering light sources to maximise chances of seeing this magnificent spectacle.

At the end of the local tour, guests will be transferred back to Alta, from where MS Midnatsol sets off on its southward journey to Bergen.

The trip costs from £1,855 per person for the 12-day trip (based on 2 sharing). Flights are available for an additional £450 per person.

More info: call 0844 448 7601 or visit www.hurtigruten.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.