P&O'S Family Appeal

P&O Cruises has announced three new cruises on family-friendly Azura in October 2014, including a six-night cruise break during the half-term school holidays. All cruises depart from and return to Southampton and will be applicable for P&O's new Select Price fare.

The options are:
 

• A two-night short break cruise departing October 13, with prices starting from £199 per person.
• A 10-night Atlantic Coast/Iberia cruise sailing on October 15, with prices from £949 per person.
• A six-night cruise break departing October 25, from £599 per person.

The cruises replace Azura’s planned dry dock for 2014, which has been moved to 2015. The two-night cruise departing October 13, replaces a two-night cruise departing October 29 and customers who are currently booked on the latter are being notified of the change of date and offered the sailing on the 13th, an alternative two-night cruise or cancellation free of charge.

P&O's Select Price fares launched on November 4 and are the new headline fares offering premium value with flexible booking conditions. Customers will be able to specify their cabin number and have the highest priority choice of dining time and table size, as well as cabin upgrades subject to availability. The fare is also inclusive of shuttle buses (where available in ports of call) and a choice of one of the following: onboard credit, car parking or coach transfers to the port of Southampton.

Azura’s facilities include four pools, Oasis Spa with thermal suite, The Retreat open-air spa terrace, large gym, sports court, golf nets, age-specific children’s clubs, outdoor cinema and a variety of restaurants and bars, including Sindhu fine dining restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar and The Glass House grill and bar, with wines selected by TV expert Olly Smith.

More info: visit www.pocruises.com or call 0843 373 0111.

 

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Chimu's Antarctic Adventures

Specialist Antarctica and Latin America tour operator Chimu Adventures have released their new dedicated Antarctica brochure, including sailings from Ushuaia, Hobart and Bluff, as well as fly-cruise departures from Punta Arenas. These wonderful voyages take in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South Shetland Islands, the Antarctic Peninsula, mainland Antarctica and East Antarctica.

The brochure contains numerous trips from South America including Classic Antarctica,Quest for the Antarctic Circle, Falklands and South Georgia and the Weddell Sea Quest, along with Mawson’s Antarctica and Southern Ocean Safari from New Zealand.  

To add to the experience of the white continent, there are numerous excursions available. Clients can take excursions ashore, sea kayak, ski, dive, mountaineer and even camp. Additionally, there are a host of alternative adventure options available, including discovering the South Pole on a ski craft, exploring an Emperor Penguin rookery and expeditions from the remote Union Glacier Camp.

A 9-night Classic Antarctica cruise with Chimu Adventures costs from £2,800 per person.

More info: visit http://www.chimuadventures.com/country/antarctica

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The Andes & Caribbean With Swan Hellenic

               

Destination specialists Swan Hellenic are offering a fabulous chance to explore the Caribbean AND the Andean mountains in one extended voyage in the New Year.

Swan's "Discover the Wonders of the Andes & Atacama" 25-day cruise departs on January 5, taking passengers through the Caribbean and along the Panama Canal to explore the highlights of Ecuador, Peru and Chile. 

Along the way, guests will get to admire the best Pre Columbian and Incan gold and pottery artefacts in Lima’s fine museums; discover the Santa Catalina Convent in the Peruvian ‘White City’ of Arequipa; and savour the fine wines of Chile’s Casablanca Valley. New Saver Fares start from £3,685 per person for an inside cabin and £4,735 for an outside cabin. With limited availability, early booker can now take advantage of fantastic savings of up to £1,015 per person.

Alternatively, the "Caribbean to the Canaries" journey is a 17-day cruise departing on March 29. Passengers will be able to step back in time to explore an historic Plantation House in Barbados; admire the natural beauty of the towering Pitons on the lush, volcanic island of St Lucia; and explore the undiscovered Iles des Saintes. The final port of call on this fascinating itinerary is the volcanic island of Tenerife, where the lava fields of Mount Teide await discovery. As part of an Autumn Sale, prices for this cruise start from £1,734 per person for an inside cabin and £2,256 for an outside cabin if booked by November 11.

Prices for both cruises include return flights to/from the UK, gratuities onboard and ashore, all relevant overseas transfers, meals, a comprehensive series of Guest Speaker talks and selected shore excursions. 

 

More info: visit www.swanhellenic.com or call 0844 488 1048.

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The Joys Of 'Sampler' Cruises

Our Managing Director has just returned from his very first cruise (he IS new to the business, after all) and is raving about the experience - as we expected!

His voyage was a 4-day short-break cruise with P&O Cruises to Gent (and Bruges), and helped to showcase the many attractions of cruising as well as the great value of this 'sampler' type cruise, when people can invest in just a few days to see if it really is for them.

Sailing from Southampton, P&O are a perfect option for this type of voyaging as they can pack a lot into the relatively short time involved and really showcase their highlights, notably with the many entertainment options.

And, with that in mind, here are a couple of similar short-break cruises you can still try with P&O in the coming months...

Singer Katherine Jenkins is performing on the Oriana's four-night November 27 sailing, departing from Southampton and calling at Bruges (from Zeebrugge) and overnight in Amsterdam. Prices start from just £349 per person for a Getaway Fare, to include a free upgrade to an outside cabin, full-board meals, daily afternoon tea and entertainment.

Exclusively for adults, Oriana’s facilities include three pools, the Oasis Spa, gym, theatre, cinema, sports court and traditional deck games, plus numerous restaurants and bars, including the Ocean Grill by celebrity chef Marco Pierre White.

To see more about this cruise, follow this link: http://www.pocruises.com/X326

Alternatively, there is a two-night short cruise break to Bruges (from Zeebrugge) on Oriana departing April 18, starting from just £229 per person. The price includes an inside cabin, full-board meals, daily afternoon tea and entertainment.

Link: http://www.pocruises.com/X408.

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New Offerings For Oceania's Culinary Classes

Oceania Cruises has unveiled its new 2014 curriculum for the Bon Appétit Culinary Center on board its mid-sized luxury cruise ships Marina and Riviera. More than 20 different classes are offered, ranging from regional cuisines to the secrets of home-made pasta, with each session expanding guests’ knowledge and appreciation of local flavours.

Take your pick from these five voyages that all feature the new Culinary Center offerings:

French Classics: At the centre of the gastronomic sphere, French cooking methods and techniques are the benchmark for culinary standards worldwide. In this class, gourmands master several fundamental French techniques and prepare elegant dishes that can be recreated at home.

On Riviera, May 5, Historic Holy Lands; 10 Days, Istanbul to Athens

Italian Family Table: This class celebrates the cuisines and speciality dishes of the many regions visited by Oceania Cruises. Students learn techniques and recipes that have been passed down for generations and shared around family tables in the fabulous Italian destinations visited, which include Portofino, Amalfi, Tuscany and Sicily.
 

On Riviera, June 1, Venetian Revelations; 10 Days, Barcelona to Venice

Viva España: Guests are transported to the tapas bars of Spain, learning how to host a tapas party, complete with sangria and delicious, authentic Spanish dishes. Exciting arrays of tapas are prepared with recipes by Oceania Cruises’ chefs discovered on journeys to San Sebastián, Barcelona and Andalucía.

On Riviera, September 1, Flavours of Europe; 7 Days, Rome to Barcelona

Modern Nordic: The fresh, inventive dishes of restaurants including Copenhagen’s Noma and Geranium have changed the way the world views Nordic cuisine. Inspired by Oceania’s Baltic travels, the line’s chefs have developed a class devoted to favourite recipes of the region.

On Marina, June 7, North Sea Coasts; 7 Days, London to Copenhagen

Magical Morocco: With a special emphasis on tagine recipes, this class teaches guests the basics of Moroccan cooking, one of the most popular cuisines today. Highlights are the spices and ingredients of the Moroccan pantry and how to utilise them for flavourful dishes.

On Marina, September 24, Tapestry of Cultures; 10 Days, Lisbon to Rome

More info: www.oceaniacruises.com or call on 0845 505 1920.

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Three More Of A Kind!

It's another three-for-the-price-of-one in today's Special Offer category, with each of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises featuring some great deals, for the short-term only.

Take your pick from:

Family fun in the Fjords with Royal Caribbean

Get active next summer by exploring the Norwegian mountains as well as scaling the onboard rock-climbing wall, enjoying a round of golf and hitting the basketball court on Adventure of the Seas on a week-long Norway cruise (above) from £749 per person (based on two sharing an interior stateroom).

The price includes the seven-night cruise departing from Southampton on May 23 and calling at Kristiansand, Alesund, Flam and Stavanger before returning to Southampton; plus all meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

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

Discover Scandinavia & Eastern Europe with Celebrity

Join Celebrity Cruises and explore the beauty of the Baltic's most renowned capital cities on board Celebrity Eclipse on a 14-night cruise from only £1,421 per person (based on two sharing an interior stateroom).

This price includes meals and entertainment onboard and all relevant cruise taxes/fees, while the voyage departs from Southampton on June 7 and calls at Copenhagen on an overnight stay, Stockholm, Tallinn St. Petersburg on an overnight stay, Klaipeda (Lithuania) and Gdansk (for Gdynia in Poland) before returning to Southampton.

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

Italian festivities with Azamara

Guests will be treated to a private “Festival Piedigrotta” at the Agrumeto Gardens in Sorrento, with singers, actors and musicians bringing old Naples to life as part of the Azamazing Evenings event on Azamara Quest's 11-night Mediterranean Easter fly/cruise from £2,735 per person (based on two people sharing an interior stateroom). The event is included in the cruise price.

The price also includes flights from London Heathrow, transfers and selected standard spirits, wines and international beers; complimentary bottled water; soft drinks; speciality teas and coffees; housekeeping and dining gratuities; the bespoke AzAmazing Evenings event; and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. It departs from Nice on April 11 and calls at Civitavecchia (for Rome), Sorrento, Siracusa, Valletta, Trapani and Livorno (for Florence and Pisa) before returning to Nice for the flight home.

More info: call 0844 493 4016 or visit www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk.

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Windstar Cruises Announces 2015 Winter Voyage Collection

Windstar Cruises 2014-15 Winter Caribbean & Panama Canal voyages are now open for sale, with the line's three sailing yachts exploring the warm waters of the islands and Latin America with four unique voyages, including Classic Caribbean, a new seven-day round trip itinerary from St. Maarten. 

The 2015 Winter Collection, showcasing voyages from December 2014 to March 2015, is rounded out with the recently announced South-east Asia & Arabia voyages on the all-suite Star Pride.

Yacht style cruising is the perfect way to explore the pristine beaches of the Caribbean, with every voyage offering Windstar’s signature beach barbecue, an exclusive party on shore in intimate and exclusive style. Guests can also enjoy the tropical waters right from the yacht, with each ship's Watersports Platform, which offers complimentary sailing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kayaking, paddleboarding, and other water games.

The Caribbean & Panama Canal voyages include:

Classic Caribbean
From the stunning drama of the Pitons, to the captivating charm of Les Saintes, this seven-day cruise showcases the best of the Caribbean in one voyage. Wind Surf sails round-trip from Philipsburg, St. Maarten, with visits to Barbuda; Pigeon Island, St. Lucia; Roseau, Dominica; Les Saintes, Guadeloupe; Basseterre, St. Kitts; and Gustavia, St. Barthelemy. Highlights include the pink beaches of Barbuda and scenic cruising past the Pitons.

Jewels of the Windward Islands
Sail to little-known isles off the tourist radar such as the unspoiled Grenadines and the rugged natural beauty of St. Lucia. Wind Star offers seven-day sailings round-trip from Barbados with stops at Pigeon Island; St. George’s Grenada; Mayreau, Tobago Cays, St. Vincent & the Grenadines; Mayreau, St. Vincent & the Grenadines; and Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Highlights include Grand Etang National Park on Grenada and scenic cruise past the Pitons.

Yachtsman’s Caribbean
Experience a yachtsman’s paradise while visiting exclusive ports like glamorous St. Barts and the enchanting British Virgin Islands. Sail on Windstar’s flagship, Wind Surf on a seven day round trip from Philipsburg, calling on Falmouth Harbour, Antigua (overnight); Soper’s Hole, Tortola, B.V.I; Jost Van Dyke, B.V.I. (overnight); Virgin Gorda, Prickly Pear Beach, B.V.I. (overnight); and Gustavia. Highlights include local treasure at Soper’s Hole Wharf and a sail by The Baths.

Passage Through Panama
Explore the natural and man-made wonders of beautiful Costa Rica and the impressive Panama Canal on this seven-day sailing from Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica or Colón, Panama. Wind Spirit will visit Bahía Drake, Costa Rica; Golfito, Costa Rica; Isla de Coiba, Panama; Panama Canal Transit; and San Blas, Panama. Highlights include Corcovado National Park and Golfito’s rainforest.

Star Pride, Windstar’s first all-suite power yacht, will spend its Winter season in South-east Asia & Arabia, sailing the following voyages:

• Wonders of Arabia – From Athens to Dubai, this 18-day voyage showcases the Red Sea, the Nile and the rose-coloured ruins of Petra.
• Pearls of the Indian Ocean – On this 15-day voyage from Dubai to Singapore, guests enjoy everything from India’s colourful cities to the tranquil beauty of Thailand’s beaches.
• Singapore & the Malay Peninsula – long days in port and blissfully beautiful destinations can be found on this 10-day round trip voyage from Singapore.
• Treasures of South-east Asia – This 14-day voyage round-trip from Singapore explores the ancient trading city of Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary, Hue and Halong Bay.
• Vietnam Unveiled – Guests can visit Imperial Hue, ancient Hoi An, breathtaking Halong Bay, and amazing Ho Chi Minh City on this 10-day voyage from Ho Chi Minh City to Hong Kong.

New 2014 Voyage Collection Brochure

Windstar also recently unveiled its expanded, 128-page 2014 Voyage Collection brochure, which features Star Pride’s inaugural season and over 25 exciting itineraries.

More info: call 0207 292 2387 or visit WindstarCruises.com.

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 the free prize draw offer. See this link!

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