Voyages of Discovery offers discounted insurance, chauffeur service with 2013 bookings

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 16 April 2012 16 April 2012

To coincide with the launch of the summer 2013 brochure, Voyages of Discovery, the UK based destinational cruise brand, says it is offering every passenger a 10 per cent discount on their 2013 summer cruise and free insurance. Plus, every guest choosing a higher grade cabin can enjoy a new complimentary chauffeur service to the airport or port.

The 2013 summer programme sees Voyages of Discovery’s Discovery visit 15 brand new ports of call including Monaco (France), Husavik (Iceland) and St Helier (Jersey). Following an extensive upgrade in December 2012, the summer season will see guests able to enjoy refurbished facilities onboard the 650 passenger ship.Voyager, the second and newly added ship in the fleet will embark on its first summer season with Voyages of Discovery sailing to 12 new ports of call including Dikili (Turkey) and Ostende (Belgium), plus sailing through the Corinth Canal (Greece).

All guests booking a 2013 summer cruise will receive a 10 per cent discount on the cruise price. With fares starting from as little as £799.00 per person (based on the Iconic Iberia 11-day itinerary departing from Harwich on 15 September 2013) guests can sail from just £719 per person, that’s less than £66 per person per day.

Discovery will be departing from Harwich in May – September 2013 and from the Port of Tyne (Newcastle) for the first time in August 2013 offering guests the chance to explore areas such as the Baltic, the Mediterranean and the Faroe Islands. A one-off ‘Baltic Symphony’ cruise designed to provide guests with a comprehensive programme of classical concerts, musical talks and tailored shore excursions is available in May. Guests can meet musical artists including Nicholas Cleobury- the artistic director of Mid Wales Opera and enjoy performances from the Auralio String Quartet. Prices start from £1,499 per person for a 14-day cruise.

 A number of fly-cruises are also available including itineraries that allow guests to explore Turkey, Greece, Ukraine and Russia. Voyager will depart from its new homeport of Portsmouth for a series of five no-fly cruises visiting the Baltic and Norway and will offer two special interest itineraries: The British Isles and the Chelsea Flower Show in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society providing guests the opportunity to visit the world-renowned RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the grand gardens of Ireland’s Powerscourt and the wild flowers on Orkney’s moorland when the ship docks in Kirkwall (Orkney Islands, Scotland) . Prices start from £1,299 per person for a 12-day cruise. The French Connoisseur cruise with wine expert Jilly Goolden visiting Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Nantes and Rouen. The one-off wine appreciation cruise gives all passengers the chance to join bespoke tours to vineyards and wine makers including a visit to the famed Grand Cru Classe Chateaux in Bordeaux (France). Prices start from £1,099 per person for a 10-day cruise.

A number of fly cruises are also available including visits to the Mediterranean and the opportunity to transit the small 70 foot wide Corinth Canal. Due to popular demand the Footloose programme – providing small groups of seasoned walkers the opportunity to get off the beaten track and explore untamed landscapes – will be returning for summer 2013. Available onboard Discovery’s ‘Iconic Norwegian Fjords’ itinerary and onboard Voyager’s ‘Celtic Treasures’ itinerary. Prices start from £999 per person for a nine-day ‘Celtic Treasures’ cruise.

Further highlights of the summer 2013 season for Voyages of Discovery include:

 The Heritage of the British Isles cruise in partnership with the National Trust onboard Discovery. The 14-day cruise allows passengers to explore the Scottish highlands, the Lake District and Snowdonia National Parks through the specially designed National Trust shore excursions programme. Prices start from £1,349 per person for the 14-day cruise.

Gardens of Britain and the Emerald Isles cruise onboard Discovery in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society. The 13-day cruise calls at St Peter Port (Guernsey) allowing guests to wander through the famous Victorian Candie Gardens and Ullapool (Scotland) where garden lovers can head to the Inverewe Garden. Prices start from £1,399 per person for the 13-day cruise.

St Petersburg and the Baltic Capitals itineraries onboard Discovery. The cruise has two embarkation ports allowing guests the chance to cruise from either Harwich (England) or the Port of Tyne (Newcastle, England). Ports of call include Scandinavia’s contrasting capitals – Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm. Prices start from £1,499 per person for a 15-day cruise departing from Port of Tyne (Newcastle) on 31 August.

 To match the distinctive range of itineraries Voyages of Discovery offers an unrivalled Guest Speaker programme within the price. New for 2013, Guest Speakers include Hugh Davis – an expert on the SOE and the sabotage agents of WW2, Commodore Peter Swan RN – the ex-director of CIS for the Royal Navy and Robin Oakley – a CNN reporter. Each cruise offers a selection of Guest Speakers who are recognised authorities on the range of subjects relevant to the ports of call visited on each itinerary, the company said in a statement.

 

The 10 per cent discount and free insurance are valid on all 2013 summer cruises booked before 31 May 2012. Complimentary chauffeur service applies when booking a superior cabin (category F) or above on Discovery, or a Deluxe Cabin or above (Category 00) on Voyager.

P&O Cruises unveils first winter cruise to Norway

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 16 April 2012 16 April 2012

P&O Cruises, which is part of the Carnival Corp & plc group, will send its 69,153 gross ton Oriana to Norway in March 2014 on what will be the first winter cruise to that country by the Southampton based company.

The 12 night cruise will start on 13 March and include calls at Bergen, Tromso, Alta and Stavanger. Excursions will include dog sledding, snowmobile safaris and visit to the Igloo Hotel. Northern Lights are an added plus that obviously cannot be guaranteed.

Such winter cruises have become increasingly popular on the UK market and this is the first time that a Carnival group brand will operate such an itinerary. Oriana will also be the largest ship that will have undertaken such a cruise.

Saga Cruises, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and in particular Cruise & Maritime Voyages have operated winter itineraries to Norway.

Engine trouble aborts Saga Sapphire inaugural cruise

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 16 April 2012 16 April 2012

Engine trouble has cut short the inaugural cruise of Saga Cruises 37,000 gross ton Saga Sapphire in Valencia in Spain, media reports say. The 1981 built ship that underwent four month refurbishment prior to entering service with the UK company ship is currently in Valencia, Spain awaiting repairs.  Passengers that were on this cruise will be flown home to the UK on Monday. The cruise was delayed a week because its multi-million pound refit overran.  Passengers that were due to join the next voyage have been told that they will now be flown on April 25 to Marseille.

Costa says Easter cruise bookings exceed year-on level

Details

Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: More News More News

Published: 04 April 2012 04 April 2012

Costa Crociere, which is part of Carnival Corp & plc group, says that bookings over the last two weeks for its Easter cruises in 2012 have exceeded figures recorded over the same period for its Easter cruises in 2011, demonstrating that cruising remains one of the most popular types of holiday this Easter.

 

Costa Cruises has five ships operating in the Mediterranean this Easter offering a variety of itineraries. Costa neoRomantica departed on a nine-day Western Mediterranean cruise on 31 March to Savona, Marseilles, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Cagliari, Malta, Catania and Naples, while Costa Mediterranea departs today, 4 April, on an 11-day cruise to Greece, Israel and Turkey, a route also operated by Costa Pacifica, leaving on 8 April. On 6 April, Costa Deliziosa sets sail on a five-day mini-cruise to Savona, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Ajaccio, while Costa Serena embarks on a one-week Western Mediterranean itinerary on 8 April visiting Savona, Civitavecchia, Palermo, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia and Marseilles.

 

Among the most popular new cruises in the Mediterranean this season are the mini-cruises of Costa Luminosa, Costa Atlantica and Costa Deliziosa, introduced for spring 2012 and especially suited to first time cruisers and people with a limited time frame who want to make the most of their holiday.

 

For those wishing to venture further afield to more exotic destinations this Easter, there are also one week cruises to the Caribbean on Costa Atlantica and Costa Luminosa, one week cruises to the United Arab Emirates and Oman departing from Dubai on the flagship Costa Favolosa, and two weeks on Costa Classica to Malaysia and Thailand, departing from Singapore.