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The vessel has been chosen and work is almost complete on the Queens Royal Barge that will be the star of the River Pagent taking place on London's River Thames to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. Our photo of the  'Spirit of Chartwell' below shows how she looks when operating for the Magna Carta Steamship Company Ltd. The artist's impression below is how the vessel will look after her extensive face-lift. 

 

For more information about The Spirit of Chartwell and Magna Carta Steamship Company Ltd please visit http://www.spiritofchartwell.com


Update January 2012

 

Join Voyages of Discovery’s luxury small cruise ship mv Discovery on two new itineraries for 2012 - The Frankincense Trail and Oman to the Holy Land.

Explore the ‘Desert Kingdom’, the Lost City of Ubar and Lawrence of Arabia’s Petra on The Frankincense Trail from £899 per person, based on a 23 March departure (two people sharing an inside cabin).

Price includes return flights from a major London airport, transfers and a 13-day voyage departing from Muscat (Oman) – overnight - and calling at Salalah (Oman), Sharm-el-Sheikh (Egypt), Aqaba (Jordan) and the final port of Safaga (Egypt) – overnight.

Oman to the Holy Land cruises around historical hotspots such as Israel, Cyprus and Turkey from £1,399 per person, based on a 23 March departure (two people sharing an inside cabin).

Price includes a return flights from a major London airport, transfers and a 25-day voyage departing from Muscat (Oman) – overnight and calling at Salalah (Oman), Sharm-el-Sheikh (Egypt), Aqaba (Jordan), Safaga (Egypt) – overnight x2, Sharm-el-Sheikh (Egypt), Sokhna (Egypt), Ashdod (Israel), Haifa (Israel) and Limassol (Cyprus), Fethiye (Turkey), Kusadasi (Turkey) and the final port of Istanbul (Turkey) – overnight.

Price for both cruises includes all meals, entertainment and gratuities on board and all relevant cruise taxes/fees, plus onboard lectures from a team of renowned Guest Speakers.

For more information and to book visit www.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk

Guarantee yourself some early sunshine this year and join Voyages of Discovery’s mv Discovery (0844 822 0820 / www.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk) for a 15-day European Icons cruise from £899 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin).

Discover Istanbul, Rome and Piraeus, also known as the ‘Gateway to Athens’ on this unforgettable cruise through some of Europe’s most beautiful countries including Spain, Corsica, Italy and Greece.

Price includes return flights from a major London airport, transfers and a 15-day voyage departing from Istanbul (Turkey) – overnight, Piraeus (Greece), Messina (Italy), Civitavecchia (Rome, Italy), Ajaccio (Corsica, France), Almeria (Spain) Gibraltar and La Coruna (Spain) before the final port, Portsmouth (UK). Based on 27 April 2012 UK departure.

Price includes all meals, entertainment and gratuities on board and all relevant cruise taxes/fees, plus onboard lectures from a team of renowned Guest Speakers.
 

P&O Cruises has announced the publication of a special book commissioned to celebrate 175 years of maritime heritage. P&O Cruises: celebrating 175 years of heritage, tells the official story of one of Britain’s oldest, yet even today best-loved brands. The cruise line’s ships have seen service in two world wars and the Falklands war, and, in peace time, have inspired loyalty and great affection in their passengers.

The book, by Sharon Poole and Andrew Sassoli-Walker, covers the history of the company since 1837, when the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company won a lucrative mail contract to the Iberian Peninsula. Not long afterwards the concept of cruising was born and since then has evolved into a mainstream holiday choice.

The authors, keen maritime historians give a compelling account of the company’s varied and impressive history, highlighting key milestones in the history of P&O Cruises and intriguing personal stories and anecdotes from the early days of first-class cruises in the nineteenth century to Canberra’s crucial role in the 1982 Falklands war, to the current day logistics and running of a major cruise line, and then on to the future with a new ship planned for 2015.

S.S. Canberra in Ponta Delgarda, Azores
(Photo compliments of Wikipedia)

The anniversary will be celebrated on 3 July 2012, when for the first time in the company’s history, their entire fleet of seven ships will be docked together for the ‘Grand Event’ in Southampton. After a spectacular send-off, the ships will form a procession in the Solent as they depart for seven special anniversary cruises. 

'P&O Cruises: celebrating 175 years of heritage'
by
Sharon Poole and Andrew Sassoli-Walker £25 

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Cruise veteran Nigel Lingard has joined All Discovery Cruising, the trade facing arm of All Leisure Holidays, in a consultancy role as part of the company’s plans to strengthen its relationship with the trade.
 

Nigel Lingard
(photo from Travel Weekly)

Lingard – who recently stepped down from his position as Sales & Marketing Director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines – will help develop trade awareness and sales of Voyages of Discovery, Swan Hellenic and Hebridean Island Cruises, All Discovery Cruising’s three cruise brands.

His appointment as Business Development Consultant comes as All Leisure embarks on a £35 million investment in its cruising operations during 2012. Initiatives under way include the £10 million refurbishment of Swan Hellenic’s flagship Minerva; the addition of a second ship, Voyager, to the Voyages of Discovery fleet; and a new river cruise vessel Royal Crown, for the Hebridean Island Cruises programme.

Geoff Lawrence, Sales & Marketing Director, explained: “Nigel is such a well-respected and experienced figure in the cruise industry that it is brilliant to have him on-board during these exciting times.”

“All Discovery Cruising has some ambitious targets as we believe that travel agents will play a vital part in our success. We are looking for a very substantial increase in the business we get from our existing trade partners, and hope to get many more retailers working with us in the future.”

“We are committed to stepping up our trade marketing, support and training and are certain Nigel’s expertise will prove invaluable as part of this.”

Refurbishment to Swan Hellenic’s Minerva, which includes the upgrading of cabins and public areas and the addition of balcony suites, is progressing well. The ship is scheduled to re-enter service in March 2012.

Lingard added: “All Discovery Cruising knows that agents have the potential to be its greatest ambassadors and for me that is very exciting. Working with the trade has always been a passion of mine and I am looking forward to using my knowledge to help take these three brands to the next level.”

Head to the Mediterranean aboard Swan Hellenic’s newly upgraded mv Minerva for a 14 day 'Postcard from the Mediterranean' fly cruise from £1,495 per person (based on inside cabin accommodation).

Visit cities rich in history such as Rome, Athens and Istanbul and enjoy the breath-taking views from the ship’s new observation lounge. Guests can discover the delights of Sorrento (Italy), pick up some gems in the bustling medina in Sousse (Tunisia) or learn something new from one of mv Minerva’s experienced Guest Speakers on topics such as wine, music and ancient history.

Price includes return flights from a major London airport, transfers and a 14-day voyage departing from Civitavecchia (Rome) and calling at Naples (Italy) - overnight, Sorrento (Italy), Palermo (Sicily), Sousse (Tunisia), Valletta (Malta) - overnight and Piraeus (Greece) before arriving at the final port of Istanbul (Turkey) – overnight.
 

Price also includes a tailor-made programme of shore excursions, talks by eminent Guest Speakers, meals and entertainment on board, all gratuities and all relevant cruise taxes/fees. Price is based on 29 March 2012 UK departure.

For more information and to book visit www.swanhellenic.com or call 0844 822 0679. Follow Swan Hellenic on twitter - @Swanhellenic

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SeaDream Yacht Club has just released its 2012/2013 voyage schedule.

The newly-designed, glossy, 64-page Brochure reflecting SeaDream’s yachting lifestyle and features destination information, pricing and a comprehensive look at the chic, twin, 344 feet/104 meter vessels, SeaDream I & SeaDream II. For a copy of this brochure please visit  http://www.seadream.com/view-brochure

The ‘yogacruise’ is a magnificent voyage on which you will experience the freedom of practising Yoga in the middle of the enchanting blue waters of the Turkish Mediterranean coast. The beautiful coastline with its pristine beaches, idyllic villages, picturesque coves and remote ancient civilisations more than 5000 years old are waiting to be explored. This is an excellent opportunity to experience a taste of traditional Turkey in the unhurried pace of staying aboard a sailing yacht. Sit back, relax and let our experienced captain, crew and chef take you on an unforgetable journey. The quiet and intimate setting makes the ‘yogacruise’ the ideal location to allow our natural state of peace and inner stillness to emerge. Click Yogacruise for more information.

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With the popularity of river cruises surging, Swan Hellenic is proud to offer a selection of diverse itineraries next spring from as little as £1,525 per person.

The rich mix of culture and history can be easily enjoyed at a leisurely pace on one of the elegant vessels from the A-Rosa fleet. Take your pick between the Rhine or Danube and discover the heart of Europe, visiting its famous abbeys, palaces and cultural hotspots. With plenty to see and do, find out for yourself why river cruising is fast becoming the preferred alternative holiday.

Cruising the Danube – Sail from £1,525 per person. Price includes return flights to Munich (Germany), transfers and a 8-day cruise departing from Passau (Germany) and calling at Melk (Austria), Esztergom (Hungary), Budapest (Hungary), Bratislava (Slovakia), Vienna (Austria) and Durnstein (Austria) before returning to Passau (Germany). Price is based on 29 April 2012 departure.

Cruising the Rhone – Sail from £1,725 per person. Price includes return flights or rail, transfers and a 8-day cruise departing from Lyon (France) and calling at Chalon-sur-Saone (France), Tournus (France), Mâcon (France) - overnight, Viviers (France), Arles (France), Avignon (France) – overnight and Vienne (France) before returning to Lyon (France) – overnight. Price is based on 19 May 2012 departure.

Prices for all cruises include meals and entertainment on board, gratuities and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.

For more information and to book visit www.swanhellenic.com or call 0844 8220679. 

P&O Cruises can trace its roots back to 1837 and 2012 will mark the 175th anniversary of when the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company was awarded the lucrative Admiralty contract to carry mail to the Iberian Peninsula and beyond. To celebrate, P&O Cruises is offering a special 175th anniversary discount of up to 10% on its cruise holidays during the peak “wave” period of December, January and February.

Prices will start from £599 for a seven night cruise, such as Ventura’s March 25 cruise to Spain and France, and £949 for a 14 night cruise such as Azura’s November 5 cruise to Gibraltar, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal.

World cruises are also included in the anniversary sale with on board credit of up to £1100 available on bookings.

P&O Cruises managing director, Carol Marlow, said: “2012 is an exciting year for us and we can’t wait to celebrate the heritage of our brand on all cruises next year. We are pleased to be offering passengers real value prices from £599 with this special anniversary discount of up to 10%.”

The 175th Anniversary Sale is available for bookings made between December 1, 2011, and February 29, 2012, on 171 cruises* from the 2012/13 brochure, including:

Adonia
17 cruises from Southampton (D203 – D221)
Destinations including Mediterranean, Fjords, North Cape and Caribbean
Wave prices from £1,029 for a seven night Norwegian Fjords cruise to £3,189 for a 21 night Central Mediterranean cruise

Arcadia
17 cruises from Southampton (J202 – J218)
Destinations including the Canary Islands, Iceland, Canada, the Caribbean and Mediterranean. Wave prices from £769 for a seven night Norwegian Fjords cruise to £2,599 for a 24 night USA & Canada cruise

Aurora
18 cruises from Southampton (R202 – R221)
Destinations including the Caribbean, Baltic, Mediterranean, Fjords and North Cape. Wave prices from £239 for a two night cruise break to Bruges, to £2,599 for a 17 night Baltic cruise

Azura
24 cruises from Southampton (A207 – A230)
Destinations including Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Fjords, Black Sea and Caribbean. Wave prices from £239 for a two night cruise break to Bruges, to £2,149 for a 24 night Black Sea cruise

Oceana
30 cruises from Southampton (E205 – E304)
Destinations including the Caribbean, Canary Islands, Mediterranean and Fjords. Wave prices from £239 for a two night cruise break, to £2,799 for a 35 night Caribbean cruise

Oriana
24 cruises from Southampton (X202 – X303)
Destinations including Fjords, Caribbean, Canary Islands, Iceland and Mediterranean. Wave prices from £349 for a three night cruise break to Bruges and Le Havre, to £3,059 for a 35 night Caribbean cruise

Ventura
22 cruises from Southampton and 19 Caribbean fly cruises (N206 – N305)
Destinations include the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Fjords, Iceland and Caribbean. Wave prices from £229 for a two night cruise to Bruges, to £2,179 for a 14 night Caribbean Christmas cruise

2013 World Cruises are also included in the 175th Anniversary Sale. Four ships are offering these cruises in 2013: Adonia (85 nights), Arcadia (99 nights), Aurora (106 nights) and Azura (110 nights).

Up to 10% discount is available and free on board spending money is also offered, of up to £1,100 per person for those booking a suite on the 110 night cruise at £19,649 per person including a 10% discount off the brochure fare.

A total of 92 shorter sectors of these four voyages are also available and included in the promotion. These short, exotic holidays start from just 13 nights in duration and examples include Bangkok to Dubai (13 nights on Aurora), Singapore to Sydney (16 nights on Azura) Rio de Janeiro to Santiago (20 nights on Adonia) and San Francisco to Southampton (22 nights on Arcadia).

“As well as our Grand Event, in 2012 we are also celebrating Oriana being made into a ship exclusively for adults, Marco Pierre White having two new restaurants with us – Ocean Grill on board Arcadia and Oriana, and double the amount of ex-UK capacity for winter with both Oceana and Oriana based year round in Southampton. We truly have exciting times ahead and our 175th Anniversary Sale is one more reason to enjoy a holiday with us 2012.”

For more information or to book call P&O Cruises on 0845 3 554 444 or visit www.pocruises.co.uk

Please note that the 175th Anniversary Sale is available on 171 cruises out of a possible 214 cruises in the P&O Cruises 2012/13 second edition brochure, published June 2011. Not included are 2012 World Cruises, spring Caribbean fly-cruises and cruises E201 – E204 on Oceana between January and March 2012.

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ST.PETERSBURG WITHOUT A VISA?

St. Peter Line recently announced a new ferry service / cruise line operation that connects Helsinki, Tallinn and St. Petersburg onboard their ship Princess Maria.

MV Princess Maria

For EU citizens this is an opportunity to visit St. Petersburg visa free for 72 hours. The vessel leaves Tallinn on Tuesday evenings at 7pm and calls into St. Petersburg the following morning at 9.30am. Passengers can stay on board of Princess Maria and travel back to Tallinn via Helsinki or they can stay in St. Petersburg visa free and return to Tallinn via Helsinki and Stockholm on the line’s other vessel, the Princess Anastasia. For more information on their operation visit http://www.stpeterline.com