Cruising Supplement 2012

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All About

Cruising June 2012

Your one-stop guide to all the latest news and developments in Cruising

Produced by

www.travelbulletin.co.uk

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Agents News to Use! Message from Wendy Lahmich – Director of Sales, UK & Ireland Here’s some 2012/3 news and sales tips from Holland America Line!

For 2013, we have more itineraries and fabulous cruise destinations than ever before, including more from the UK! Further afield, popular exotic cruises include Australia, New Zealand, Asia & Pacific and South America, and the most comprehensive Alaska programme available anywhere – so get your clients to book these “once in a lifetime” holidays early to ensure the best accommodation and fares!

2013 NOW ON SALE Simply visit www.hollandamerica.co.uk to see the huge choice of destinations and itineraries on offer:Alaska • Australia & New Zealand • Asia & South Pacific • Canada & New England • Caribbean • Mediterranean & Black Sea • Northern Europe & Baltic • Hawaii • Mexico Panama Canal • South America & Antarctica • Grand Voyages

MORE CRUISING FROM THE UK FOR 2012/13 WENDY’S TIPS ON HOW TO SELL PREMIUM…

Holland America Line now offers:• Voyages from Southampton: – 32-night Caribbean Odyssey departing 03/11/12 – 88-night Passage to Asia departing 10/01/13 • Cruises from Dover: – 7-14-night Norwegian Fjords, Arctic & Baltic cruises from May to August • Round Britain cruising from Tilbury onboard our “elegant explorer” ms Prinsendam.

HAL ACADEMY – HAVE YOU SIGNED UP YET? • Designed to provide YOU with the tools and sales techniques you need to achieve greater sales success.

• Utilizing video and the latest interactive technology, HAL Academy is conducted completely on-line at the student’s own pace.

• Subjects covered include:– An introduction to premium cruising – Identifying Holland America Line and cruise prospects – Destination overview – Sales support overview – An introduction to Group sales ALL AGENTS: Log onto www.halacademy.co.uk, no passwords required!

ACE MEMBERS: Log onto www.cruiseexperts.org and receive extra rewards!

Holland America Line is the acknowledged leader in “Premium” cruising, offering all those special touches and services that your customers will love. Just look and see how much is included in our cruises and how much value we offer our guests; - Modern ships feature intimate, elegant lounges adorned with beautiful antiques, paintings and fresh flowers - Staterooms that are 25% larger – even standard staterooms measure 197 square feet - against the industry average of 147 – and sea-view accommodation offers both tub and shower, as well as hairdryers, fresh fruit, twice daily ice service and bathrobes.

- Complimentary extras – hot and cold hors d’oeuvres served at cocktail hour, lemonade and iced tea on deck mid-afternoon, fruit baskets, terry robes and twice daily ice service in staterooms, handdipped chocolates after dinner in the Explorer’s Lounge - Enrichment programmes – like our Culinary Arts programme and our Digital Workshops powered by Windows!

- Longer time in port – full days ashore and leisurely overnights in cities like Venice, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, Sydney and Shanghai - SELL UP... Sell in the bonuses of superior accommodation. Ensure your customer knows the advantages of having a balcony or sea view. And make sure they know it’s only xx per person per day to upgrade! (work this out according to the cruise itinerary and fare).

MEET THE HOLLAND AMERICA LINE SALES TEAM Our new and expanded sales team is available to help you!

• Wendy Lahmich - Director of Sales: wendy.lahmich@hollandamerica.co.uk • Dani Scannella - Business Development Manager South: dani.scannella@hollandamerica.co.uk • Vikki Courtman - Business Development Manager Midlands: vikki.courtman@hollandamerica.co.uk

• Rebecca Skipp - Business Development Manager North: rebecca.skipp@hollandamerica.co.uk • Lucy Morris - Business Development Representative North: lucy.morris@hollandamerica.co.uk • Katie Brickell - Business Development Representative South: katie.brickell@hollandamerica.co.uk

Send us an e-mail SALESSUPPORT@hollandamerica.co.uk

Verandah Suite

Call Holland America Line Reservations on 0844 338 8600 www.hollandamerica.co.uk

Thermal Suite, Greenhouse Spa

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All About

Cruising

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his year is a significant one for cruising for many reasons, not least because P&O Cruises celebrates its 175 years of heritage. ‘The Grand Event’, as it’s called, will see the complete P&O Cruises’ fleet of seven ships coming together in Southampton for a day of celebrations which includes a sail-away when the fleet will steam in convoy down the Solent. I’m sure it will be a tremendous illustration of the modern cruise industry and a spectacle that will capture the imagination of travel agents and consumers alike.

175 years is a long time. Over these decades we have seen cruising change and adapt. It has faced many challenges and issues during these years, as it continues to do so today, but the progress the industry has made demonstrates that cruising is a great way to take a holiday. The level of investment in technology and ship building has created a modern industry that bears little resemblance to the early years. There is no comparison to the destinations now featured or the on-board entertainment and activities, the kids’ facilities, the dining options and amazing enrichment and wellness programmes. The speed of change within just the past decade has been quite phenomenal.

CONTENTS What’s new - 4

Family cruises - 9

Ex-UK sailings - 12

Keeping potential customers up to speed with these dramatic changes and developments is vital to ensuring that we continue to attract those essential new-to-cruise guests.

As agents we are aware of the range of ships, destinations and experiences available - but we are closer to the industry than our customers will ever be and sharing our knowledge is the only way of keeping cruising front of mind in our customers’ holiday plans.

There are still some lingering misconceptions about a cruise holiday and it’s vital that we talk cruise to the non-cruising fraternity as one industry, with a combined voice so that we continue to see a whole new audience trying cruising for the first time. And one thing is clear, that once people have cruised they will be back.

To get the nation talking cruise, ACE is encouraging all member travel agents to hold an Afternoon Tea event in September during National Cruise Week. This will provide a great opportunity to talk to potential cruisers and dispel the myths. The more events, the more potential cruisers we can encourage on board – and for the next 175 years.

Andy Harmer Director Association of Cruise Experts All about Cruising

River cruises - 16

Niche cruises - 21 Published by

Lower Ground Floor, University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London SW1W 0EX Tel: 020-7834 6661 Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe Written and researched by: Angela Cronin Email: angelacronin2003@yahoo.co.uk Design/Layout: Genaro Santos Printed by: Wyndeham Grange Limited Cover Picture: Hurtigruten ISSN: 0956-2419

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What’s new New destinations, refurbished ships and new innovations set the standard for 2012/13 as the cruise industry continues to go from strength to strength

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he sinking of the Costa Concordia at the beginning of the year focused everyone’s minds on safety at sea, and while there may have been a ripple effect on consumer confidence, it was only temporary.

Bookings bounced back quickly and 2012 is back on course for the cruise industry, with the wet weather and great-value packages presenting us Brits with the perfect excuse to escape for a week or two. This All About Cruising supplement kicks off with a look at what the major cruiselines have planned for this year and next.

Thomson Cruises Thomson Cruises is refurbishing Thomson Celebration and Thomson Dream to bring the two ships into the Thomson Platinum four-star rated collection.

Thomson Dream’s first sailing as a Platinum ship will be the Transatlantic Sunset cruise on 9 December, beginning in Lisbon and finishing in Barbados. Thomson Dream will then cruise around the Caribbean for the winter. Thomson Celebration will go Platinum from 6 May 2013 and will cruise around the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea. Thomson Spirit will be returning to the UK again next summer, sailing out of Newcastle and Harwich on its Baltic Explorer itinerary on 9 May 2013, while Thomson Majesty will start its Adriatic Explorer cruise on 3 May 2013.

Hurtigruten Hurtigruten has introduced a new Taste of the Arctic short-break cruise for 2013. The five-day cruise travels south from Tromsø in the Arctic Circle to Bergen or in reverse with prices from £1,080 per person, including flights, on selected departures.

The Norwegian cruiseline has also rolled out a new flexible pricing system that will provide agents with an incentive to drive early bookings. For 2013, Hurtigruten has 52 charter packages – 12 more than this year. The charters are available on the Arctic

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Highlights Voyage from Tromsø to Kirkenes and back and the Classic Round Voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. Also, savings of up to £1,000 are available on selected departures of its Classic Expedition voyage to Antartica with prices from £4,305.

Holland America Line The US cruise giant has expanded its South American programme for autumn 2012 and spring 2013, with Veendam, Maasdam and Prinsendam, based in the region sailing 13 different itineraries.

The cruises will visit a number of vibrant destinations, from the frozen glaciers of Chilean Patagonia, to the tropical Amazon Jungle in Brazil, with itineraries ranging from 13 to 68 days.

Prices lead in at £999 per person for the 13-day sailings.

Windstar Cruises Windstar Cruises has introduced seven voyages for 2013 with cruise-only fares starting at £1,199 per person. These include two 11-night voyages, Footsteps of Faith, exploring origins of world religions between Athens and Alexandria, and Scandinavian Tapestry, which visits the Norwegian Fjords and Stockholm Archipelago. The cruiseline has recently completed an $18 million renovation of its three yachts.

The cruise stats 1.7 million cruises were taken by British passengers in 2011 Cruise passenger numbers increased by 5% on 2010 figures ● Ultra-luxury cruises saw an 8% yearly increase ● Four out of every 10 passengers were on their first-ever cruise ● UK departures were up 15% to 753,000 in 2011 ● One in 8 overseas package holidays booked is now a cruise ● ●

www.discovercruises.co.uk

All about Cruising

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THERE ARE AS MANY

BEAUTIFUL

STORIES

AS THERE ARE DROPS IN THE OCEAN.

BEGIN A NEW STORY.

T BES R U K O BOO S R E E EV FAR NOW JUST M F R O 9 pp £86 on

ok 1st u bo n yo ugust 3 e h W A e r efo or b

There has never been a better time to enjoy a better time

We invite you to discover some of the most fabled destinations on Earth with some of the best fares in history. Book any of these 2012 Crystal Serenity Mediterranean voyages by August 31st, 2012, to enjoy limited-time Book Now Fares.

Sailing Date

Itinerary

Duration

Outside from (pp)

Balcony from (pp)

Penthouse from (pp)

1 Aug 25 Aug

Cannes to Rome Barcelona to Rome

5 Nights 5 Nights

£869 £869

£1,007 £1,007

£1,532 £1,532

30 Oct 22 Nov

Athens to Istanbul Casablanca to Lisbon

6 Nights 6 Nights

£1,046 £1,046

£1,210 £1,210

£1,840 £1,840

18 Aug 17 Oct

Rome to Barcelona Haifa to Venice

7 Nights 7 Nights

£1,218 £1,218

£1,410 £1,410

£2,147 £2,147

5 Jul 17 Jul 22 Sept 30 Sept 5 Nov 1 Dec

Athens to Monte Carlo Barcelona to Lisbon Athens to Venice Venice to Istanbul Istanbul to Rome Tenerife to Barcelona

8 Nights 8 Nights 8 Nights 8 Nights 8 Nights 8 Nights

£1,392 £1,392 £1,392 £1,392 £1,392 £1,392

£1,612 £1,612 £1,612 £1,612 £1,612 £1,612

£2,455 £2,455 £2,455 £2,455 £2,455 £2,455

To make a booking or for more information please call 020 7287 9040 Fares are per person, cruise only in UK sterling based on double occupancy for the first two full-fare guests in stateroom and include port, security and handling charges which vary by departure. Fares are valid until 31st August 2012. All other stateroom grades are available on request. All sailings include select fine wines, premium spirits, beers and all non-alcoholic beverages such as bottled water, soft drinks and specialty coffees plus pre-paid gratuities for housekeeping, dining and bar staff. Bookings made on these sailings will not be combinable with or eligible for any promotion including, but not limited to, Crystal Society discounts or benefits, onboard booking discounts, Share the Experience and Bonus Share the Experience. All fares, offers and itineraries are subject to change and availability and can be withdrawn at any time. The above fares are available to new bookings only and only available to UK & Eire residents. Restrictions apply. See crystalcruises.co.uk for complete terms and conditions of all offers. (c)2012 Crystal Cruises, Inc., Ships’ registry: The Bahamas.

BEGIN A NEW STORY

ABTA No.V8548

www.crystalcruises.co.uk

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Regent Seven Seas has teamed up with Canyon Ranch to supply SpaClub facilities on board its ships

Voyages to Antiquity Voyages to Antiquity will be sailing to Southeast Asia, India and the South Pacific for the first time this winter.

The new programme features nine new itineraries. Cruises start at £2,845 for an 18-day Hong Kong to Bali sailing, which visits Manila, Philippines; Sandakan, Malaysia; Pare Pare, Ujung Pandang, Lombok and Bali in Indonesia. Meanwhile, new destinations have been added in the Mediterranean for 2013, including Carcassonne, Palma, Barcelona, the Island of Elba, Izmir and Jerusalem.

Cruise and Maritime Voyages CMV has launched its 2013 programme, featuring eight new departures from Bristol Avonmouth on Ocean Countess.

Departures will start in February with a 28-night voyage to the West Indies followed by a 15-night cruise up to the Norwegian Arctic region. During Easter there is an eight-night cruise to Spain and Portugal and during April there is a choice of five cruises including a special Springtime Gardens cruise to Dublin, Guernsey, the Isles of Scilly and Falmouth. Finally, a 10-night cruise taking in Treasures of the British Isles. Prices start at £399 for the five-night Springtime Gardens cruise.

There is a choice of 60 cruises from, London Tilbury, Hull, Newcastle, Leith and Liverpool in addition to Bristol Avonmouth on both Marco Polo and Ocean Countess.

Early-booking offers include savings of up to 25% on reservations made before 31 July.

Royal Caribbean International Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas has entered service again following a $48 million refurbishment.

The refit included new dining venues, a new nursery, wifi and a outdoor cinema . The ship will spend the summer offering a variety 6

of Mediterranean itineraries from Venice, Italy and Provence, France, before heading to the southern Caribbean for the winter.

Meanwhile, the cruiseline has teamed up with Sport England and Run England to introduce a new running programme on Independence of the Seas.

Celebrity Cruises The cruiseline has introduced a new wine holiday, hosted by wine connoisseur Oz Clarke and Vinopolis’s resident expert Tom Forrest.

Celebrity Constellation will embark on a 12-night tour of vineyards in France, Spain and Portugal, with introductions to wine tasting, wine and cheese pairing, wine master classes on the regions visited and blind wine tasting.

Oceania Cruises Oceania has launched a fly/cruise ‘free-air’ programme offering complimentary flights for all of their European and worldwide itineraries from London airports, with regional airport departures and business-class upgrades available at an additional cost.

Reservations can be made through Oceania’s online booking engine and Amadeus Cruise as well as Oceania’s recently expanded Southampton-based reservations office.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Regent Seven Seas Cruises has teamed up with health and wellness group Canyon Ranch to develop wellness tips culled from ports around the world to help travellers maintain their health and wellbeing while at sea.

Canyon Ranch has a SpaClub facility on board Seven Seas Navigator, Seven Seas Mariner, and Seven Seas Voyager and will be offering treatments inspired by ports of call in the Mediterranean, northern Europe and India.

All about Cruising

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What’s New Ace Update

Seabourn The luxury cruiseline Seabourn has a packed schedule of cruises for winter 2012/13 with some new additions to the programme.

Seabourn Spirit will operate two new seven-day voyages between St Martin and Barbados which can be combined into a 14-day in-depth Southern Caribbean experience, while Seabourn Legend will offer round-trip cruises Fort Lauderdale later this year followed by round-trip sailings from St. Thomas in early 2013.

Seabourn Odyssey will head down under in the winter to operate a wide array of cruises to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand into the first quarter of 2013.

Seabourn Sojourn will return to Canada and New England with new 10-day itineraries between Boston and Montreal and Seabourn Sojourn will sail two new Amazon itineraries. The cruiseline has scheduled in more calls at UK ports than ever before for winter 2012/13. These itineraries will include a15-Day Route Of Britannia on Seabourn Pride, which calls in at London and various ports in Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Falmouth.

Silversea BBC TV journalist Michael Buerk and former hostage Terry Waite lead the line-up of speakers for Silversea’s 115-day World Cruise, which sets sail from LA to Fort Lauderdale on 5 January 2013.

Some 32 new ports feature in Silversea’s 2013 programme.

These include Soller de Majorca, Spain; Sabang (Pulau Weh), Indonesia; Port Arthur, Australia; Liverpool; Klaipeda, Lithuania; Saaremaa, Estonia; Baie-Comeau (Quebec), Canada; Chios, Greece; Portsmouth, Dominica; Fanning Island, Kiribati; and Fukuoka, Japan.

Crystal Cruises Luxury cruiseline Crystal Cruises has 12 new Mediterranean voyages ranging from five to eight nights with prices starting at

All about Cruising

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The Association of Cruise Experts has added five new modules to its new website which was launched at the Selling Cruise conference in Southampton last month. The five new modules include sections covering the on board and destination experiences together with choosing the right room on board and tips on the best places to cruise at certain times of the year. For further information visiting www.cruiseexperts.org

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ACE has revealed details of its first ever Expedition Expo which includes agents visiting Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic while it’s moored on the River Thames on 18 September. The ship, with up to 184 guests, visits remote regions of the world. The Expo will also include a destination expert, companies specialising in expedition cruising together with representatives from various destinations. Places are limited.

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To mark National Cruise Week, which takes place from September 15 to 23, ACE is urging agents to take part in its Afternoon Tea Challenge by holding afternoon tea in their agencies on September 20, giving them the opportunity to talk to customers about cruising over a cup of tea, making talking about cruises a sociable affair.

£869 per person for a five-night Barcelona to Rome sailing in August on Crystal Serenity .

Virign Holiday Cruises The company has introduced a 14-night Mexico Cruise and Stay holiday for 2013, which includes six nights at Occidental Grand Flamenco Xcaret on the Maya Riviera before joining Norwegian Star for a seven-night sailing. The ship visits Cozumel, New Orleans, Costa Maya, Belize City and Isla Roatan. Prices start at £1,686 per person including flights.

Meanwhile, Virgin Holidays Cruises has become the latest travel agency to sign up to the Association of Cruise Experts.

Voyages of Discovery The small ship cruiseline will kick off the winter season with the launch of its new ship, the 550-passenger Voyager.

The cruiseline bought the ship back in 2009 and since then, the vessel has undergone an extensive refurbishment. Voyager will commence its maiden voyage in November with a full Caribbean, Central and South American programme including a cruise of the Amazon. At the same time, Discovery will start its three-month stint in dry dock for a refit.

Costa Cruises The Italian cruiseline has launched its latest ship, the 3,780passenger Costa Fascinosa, bringing the total number of ships in the fleet to 16.

The cruiseline is increasing its offering in South America in 2012 and 2013 by assigning four ships to the area, including Costa Favolosa and Costa Fascinosa. Costa neoRomantica will set sail from Savona for a new 122-day Around the World Southern Cruise on 21 September 2013. Meanwhile, Costa 7

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What’s New Fascinosa will spend winter 2012/2013 in South America, before heading back to the eastern Mediterranean in summer 2013. A new ship is due for delivery in October 2014, which will accommodate up to 4,928 guests, making it the largest Italian cruise ship.

Travelsphere Travelsphere has launched its 2012/13 Holiday Collection with early-booking savings of up to £200 per couple on selected departures and a new tour along the Panama Canal.

The brochure covers European and Worldwide destinations, including city breaks, river and coastal cruises, rail holidays, wildlife, and walking holidays. Prices start at just £399 per person.

The Panama Canal Adventure is a 19-day tour cruising east or west along the iconic waterway with prices from £2,795 per person, including flights and transfers. Travelsphere still has some availability on summer cruises including a 14-night Budapest to the Black Sea cruise on Serenade, which departs on 28 July 2012.

Prices start at £2,019.

P&O Cruises P&O Cruises is offering a series of themed cruises in its 2013 brochure, which features 200 new cruises and seven new ports of call including Ceuta and El Ferrol in Spain, Saaremaa Island in Estonia and Holyhead in Wales.

The programme features a collection of Strictly Come Dancing cruises, a new partnership with Classic FM to host Music Festivals 0at Sea, and new food and wine themed cruises with Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar and Olly Smith.

Meanwhile, 18 new single cabins are being added on Ventura and there has been a cabin regrade for all ships.

P&O has also introduced 12

New Ships ●

MSC Divina features an infinity pool in the aft, a total redesign of decks and restaurants, an enlarged MSC Yacht Club, a redesigned, casino, disco, theatre and MSC Aurea Spa and fitness centre.

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Carnival Breeze, part of the Dream class, set sail on its inaugural voyage from Venice to Barcelona earlier this month. The ship features all of the entertainment elements of the line’s ‘Fun Ship 2.0’ enhancement initiative, along with new features such as the Thrill Theatre, improved WaterWorks area and SportSquare.

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Luxury French cruise line Compagnie du Ponant will welcome its newest addition, Le Soleal, next month. The yacht-style cruise ship will have 132 staterooms and suites and will spend its inaugural season in the Arctic.

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Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ newest ship Europa 2 will take to the high seas in May 2013 with a maiden voyage from Hamburg to Lisbon. The ship will feature eleven decks, allsuites with their own outdoor verandas.

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Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship Norwegian Breakaway will launch in April 2013, boasting a brand new concept – the Waterfront and 678 Ocean Place. This new addition includes an oceanfront boardwalk with shops, restaurants and bars. Norwegian Breakaway will also feature the first Aqua Park at sea and a three-story sports complex.

new cruises on Azura for spring 2013 with prices from 2012.

Cruises range from three to 22 nights in duration and highlight destinations include Barbados, Curacao, Aruba, St. Lucia, Antigua and Guadeloupe.

For Agents ●

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Orion Expedition Cruises is offering agents the chance to win an 18-night Antarctica Expedition on board the five-star Orion worth an £41,730. To be in with a chance of winning this prize, agents have to book a 2012 Kimberley expedition and state in 25 words or under why they want to visit Antarctica. The winner will be announced at the end of the Kimberley season on 20 September 2012. For further information, visit orionexpeditions.com Norwegian Cruise Line is aiming to strengthen its relationships with agents with the launch of Partners First. The new strategy has its foundations in four core areas: education, communication, easy to do business with and reward and recognition. Key to this is the launch of the new Book Norwegian agent booking engine, the implementation of an inside sales specialists team as a new direct contact for agents and regular webinars. Roadshows are also planned along with the relaunch of the NCLU site.

Oceania Cruises is offering a series of seven 15-minute ‘Recipe for Success’ webinars for agents. The interactive sessions will be moderated by Oceania’s UK sales team. All participants will take part in a quiz after each session and the highest scoring agent

will be entered into a draw to win a cruise. Oceania is also holding ship visits throughout July and September when Nautica and Marina visit the UK. For more details, go to oceaniacruises.com/shiptour ●

Titan is offering agents the chance to get their hands on £50 Love2Shop vouchers. Consultants who make any bookings between 1 and 31 July will be able to claim £50 Love2Shop vouchers for departures in 2012.

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Hurtigruten is inviting agents on board its ship Fram when it docks in Leith on 24 September.

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MSC Cruises has launched its online agents’ training website with lots of information about the cruiseline’s ships and destinations and modules for consultants to complete to become MSC Experts. On successfully completing the course, agents will receive a personalised certificate and a letter from MSC Cruises CEO congratulating them. Also, the first 100 travel agents to complete the training will be entered into a draw to win a 2013 cruise for two.

All about Cruising

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Just kidding around From circus workshops, puppet shows and spa treatments, cruiselines are really pushing the boat out when it comes to fun for all the family Noddy puts in an appearance for the children on P&O sailings

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hen was the last time you heard someone say “I thought you had to be over 60 to go on a cruise”?

Thanks to the efforts of the larger cruiselines to attract a younger market, holidays at sea no longer just appeal to the rich and relatively elderly.

Tie-ups with popular film studios (think Dreamworks) and kids’ TV channels (namely Nickelodeon) have really hit the spot with the younger market, and the cruiselines are pulling out all the stops to keep them interested.

From arts and crafts, to theatre shows and football tournaments, here is a round-up of what the major familyfocused cruiselines have planned to keep the tots and teens happy all day long.

MSC Cruises It goes without saying these days that a cruiseline of MSC Cruises’ magnitude that has ships of such formidable size – MSC Fantasia carries 3,274 passengers – boasts a number of dedicated swimming pools and play areas for kids.

Its ships have three different kids’ club: Miniclub for three-tosix-year-olds with activities such as water colors painting work shop, T-Shirt painting and baby disco; Junior Club for seven to 12year-olds offers a number of sport-related activities, treasure hunts, tournaments and disco club; Teen Club for 13-to-18-yearolds focuses on sports during the day, with disco and karaoke in the evening. Other child-friendly facilities on board MSC Divina,MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia include 4D Cinemas, F1 simulators, open-air movie theatre, tennis/basketball courts and water slides.

All about Cruising

Royal Caribbean International Royal Caribbean’s tie-up with Dreamworks to create the onboard Dreamworks Experience is guaranteed to impress the kids.

Currently available on Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas, the DreamWorks Experience features activities and shows that include characters such as Shrek, Fiona and Puss In Boots from Shrek; Alex, Mort, and the Penguins from Madagascar; Po from Kung Fu Panda; and Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon.

They all take part in a special production in the on-board AquaTheater of Let You Entertain Me, an ice skating show of How to Train Your Dragon, a DreamWorks Animation parade down the Royal Promenade and interactive Character Breakfasts.

The cruiseline also has a number of kids’ clubs as part of its Adventure Ocean Youth Programme that cater for children from 18 months to 17 years, along with a fully-staffed nursery.

Other family activities include: the AquaTheatre with theatrical diving performances and water and light shows; Vitality at Sea – specialised spa for kids and teens; and the Adventure Ocean Theater, the first-ever children’s theatre at sea where children of all ages can learn about theatrical productions, take part in talent shows, or sign up for hip hop dance classes Celebrity Cruises A new, interactive programme for children aged three to eight has been rolled out on Celebrity Silhouette starring a puppet called Nerdel that features activities themed around healthy choices. The programme includes live puppet performances, puppet workshops, children's puppet performances, lessons on 9

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Family cruises the art of puppeteering and culinary exploration activities such as healthy pizza making classes.

Disney Cruise Line Every child dreams of experiencing a little bit of Disney magic at some point in their childhood, but most expect that to be on land rather than at sea.

Disney first dipped its toe in the world of cruising back in 1998 with the launch of Disney Magic, and earlier this year, the cruiseline launched its fourth ship, Disney Fantasy.

New features on board Disney Fantasy include Animation Magic at Animator’s Palate. While dining, guests are invited to draw characters that are then animated and become part of the on-screen finale show by Mickey Mouse. Disney Fantasy also boasst the first at-sea Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique that transforms guests into princesses and pirates.

Last year saw the launch of third ship Disney Dream, which has the industry’s first water coaster, the AquaDuck, that stretches 765 feet in length, spans four decks in height, and zips riders over the edge of the ship, 150 feet above the water.

Inside staterooms on the ships feature Magical Portholes that allow guests to view the ocean – along with some popular Disney characters floating by the window.

For 2013, Disney Cruise Line will offer an expanded portfolio of European cruises. Highlights include 12-night Mediterranean sailings out of Barcelona to Venice, Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, Ephesus, Turkey and the Greek Islands.

Disney Dream has the first water coaster at sea

Rates start at $796 per person for four-night cruises, $1,015 per person for seven-night cruises and $2,244 for 12night cruises departing from Barcelona for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

Crystal Cruises The luxury US cruiseline has a considerable number of multi-generational families cruising with them, and as a consequence, it dedicates a lot of time, effort and space to keeping the kids happy;.

The cruiseline has lots of age-appropriate kids’ activities supervised by junior activities directors. These include: scavenger hunts; hide and seek; story times; stretch-ercise; dress-up; bridge tours; cookie and pizza making; fashion shows; karaoke; mini Olympics; shuffleboard; and Volleyball.

For teenagers, additional activities include: late-night pool parties with music; teen discos; Twister; and popcorn parties.

There are also PlayStation® kiosks, large-screen televisions, video arcade, cinema and library.

The kids will never say “Mum, I’m bored” on a Norwegian ship

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P&O Cruises The cruiseline’s superliners Aurora, Azura, Oceana and Ventura are well equipped for keeping the kids happy all day look with The Reef programme, which is split into four age groups.

On board Ventura, Noddy and Mr Men put in an appearance to keep the children entertained, when they are not in kids’ clubs or making the most of the ship’s bungee trampoline and circus workshop.

All about Cruising

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Children can also have an early tea – think sausages, fish fingers and pizza as well as some healthy options – so they can get back to their reefs at the kids’ club.

Holland America Line Like the other major family-friendly cruiselines, Holland America Line makes child’s play of keeping kids of all ages happy with three different kids’ clubs.

For three-to-seven-year-olds, Club Hal has a myriad of fun activities including pirate treasure hunts, hands-on pizza making, storytelling, arts and crafts, ice cream sundae parties and a farewell pajama party. Tweens for eight to 12-year-olds offers Xbox and Wii tournaments, relay races, scavenger hunts and karaoke disco parties.

The Loft and The Oasis club gives 13-17-year-olds the chance to enjoy mocktail mixology classes, late-night sporting competitions, teen yoga and hip hop classes, guys verses girls scavenger hunts, cooking demos, tech classes and teen only night club events.

Meanwhile, the Kids and Teens Culinary Arts Centre Programme allows children the chance to learn basic cooking techniques, kitchen safety, new ingredients and how to follow recipe instructions.

Norwegian Cruise Line Keeping the kids happy at sea is a big part of what Norwegian does and it is currently investing heavily in its family market by revitalising the facilities on board.

The enhanced youth programme has been renamed to Splash Academy and the teen scheme is now called Entourage. The age

All about Cruising

groups have been redefined and renamed to: Guppies for ages up to 2; Turtles for ages 3 to 5; Seals for ages 6 to 9; and Dolphins for ages 10 to 12, along with two teen groups: 13 to 14 and 15 to 17 years.

The new youth and teen programmes will focus on creative activities, along with more sporting events, through a partnership with King’s Foundation and Camps, a UK-based organisation that provides sport and activity programmes designed to make a positive impact on children.

A highlight of the programme is a circus school in partnership with Hilario Productions Cirque du Jour, a New York-based company that specialises in teaching children real circus skills.

Norwegian is offering circus workshops for the whole family teaching a variety of skills such as balancing feathers, juggling, plate spinning and even stilt walking.

Both Splash Academy and Entourage will feature a different theme every day, such as pirates, space cowboys, jungle fever or circus. A large variety of sports activities and workshops are being offered including football skills; physical challenges; and icebreaker action games.

For teens, bowling tournaments, football challenges and dodge ball under the stars are just a few of the active offerings, along with activities the whole family can get involved in such as a tugsof-war.

There will also be a greater focus on theatre and the arts with puppet shows, mini improvisational acting classes, Superspy Mission Impossible and Desert Island Adventures.

For the under-3s, there will be sensory play classes which include baby art, rhyme time and parent and baby mini workout.

11

S03 Cruise Supp 2012 UK Ports_Layout 1 25/06/2012 15:59 Page 12

Closer to home The demand for the no-fly cruise is on the up and it’s easy to see why. With more and more cruiselines basing their ships in UK ports during the summer season, the choice of sailings is endless Fred Olsen will be operating a number of cruises from Harwich to Norway next year

M

ore Britons than ever opted to start their cruise from the UK last year, with 753,000 – some 100,000 more than 2010 – sailing from a port in Blighty.

As a consequence, the number of cruiselines basing their ships in UK ports is on the up. A report by CruiseBritain has shown that there is likely to be a 17% year-on-year rise for 2012 in the number of cruise embarkations from the UK with a 33% hike on 2011 on Round Britain cruises.

Some 666 cruises are currently scheduled to depart from British shores this year, says Kate O'Hara, chairwoman of Cruise Britain.

“Britain's ports will host some of the world's largest cruise ships from lines such as Royal Caribbean, mid-size vessels from Crystal and Saga, boutique cruise lines such as Silversea and expedition ships from Voyages of Discovery.

“The main departure ports continue to be Southampton and Dover but it is good to see the growth of the profile of ports such as Harwich, Tyne and Portsmouth,” adds O’Hara.

Next year looks set to be a successful year for Dover with Fred Olsen, Saga, Holland America, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Crystal Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Lines all operating cruises out of the Kent port.

We catch up with some of the cruiselines to find out what their ex-UK plans are for 2013.

Royal Caribbean International Summer 2013 will see the Royal Caribbean base three ships in the UK, with Independence of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas all sailing out of British ports.

Commenting on the increase in ex-UK sailings, Jo Rzymowska, associate vice-president and general manager, UK and Ireland says: “2013 is a landmark one for Royal Caribbean International with three ships dedicated to the UK market during the summer. We’ve listened to agents and are offering sailings featuring more popular destinations such as the Baltics and the Norwegian fjords, and old favourites such as the Canary Islands and Mediterranean.”

Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Cruises is introducing a second ship to the UK market for summer 2013.

The recently refurbished Celebrity Infinity will offer a range of 10, 11 and 12-night Norwegian Fjords, British Isles and European wine harvest cruises itineraries out of Harwich next year – the first time the port has been used by the cruiseline for a full season’s sailings.

12

Ex-UK cruising - the selling points

By Lol Nichols, general sales manager, Fred Olsen ● There are several highlights in cruising from UK ports, the most obvious being that it eliminates the need to suffer the hassles of airports before the holiday starts. ● The fact that guests can arrive at the port, drop off their luggage and check in is a more relaxing start to the holiday, which literally starts the moment they step aboard the ship. ● Guests can cruise from a range of UK ports, which means that they don’t necessarily need to have a long journey to a departure port before they join their cruise. ● Cruising from the UK doesn’t mean that the choice of itineraries is restricted, there is an exceptional choice of destinations worldwide that can be visited from the UK.

Celebrity Eclipse will continue to offer its programme out of Southampton in 2013 – its fourth consecutive summer season at the port. “Our decision to base Celebrity Infinity in Harwich affirms our belief in the strength of the UK business and is in direct response to increased demand,” he adds.

Silversea The ultra luxury cruiseline has introduced new ports of call for Ireland and the UK. These include: Foynes and Killybegs in Ireland; Liverpool; St. David’s, Wales; Skomer Island, Wales; Isle of Mull, Scotland; Holy Isle, Scotland and Brodick, Isle of Arran, Scotland. For 2013, Silversea has eight ex-UK departures from Southampton, Tower Bridge, London, Portsmouth and Greenock. The cruiseline’s sailings are to a variety of destinations including Copenhagen, Monte Carlo, Bergen in Norway, round-the-British Isles and Montreal with 10-day all the way through to 18-day sailings.

Crystal Cruises Crystal has five sailings out of Dover for 2013, including a northern Europe sailing, a voyage around the western Mediterranean and a round Britain and Ireland cruise.

The Northern Europe Getaway departs from Dover on Crystal Serenity on 8 June and takes in Zeebrugge, Amsterdam (overnight), Oslo, Helsingborg and Copenhagen with prices from £2,438 per person.

All about Cruising

S03 Cruise Supp 2012 UK Ports_Layout 1 25/06/2012 15:59 Page 13

Ex-UK sailings

Holland America Line will have a ship sailing out of Dover in 2013

Crystal Serenity will also be embarking on a seven-night Castles and Kilts sailing from Dover to Dublin on 19 August with prices from £2,915 per person, and a 14-night Voyage of the Vikings from Dover to Boston visiting Edinburgh, Lerwick, Akureyri, Reykjavik (overnight), St John’s, Halifax and Bar Harbor. Prices from £3,936 per person.

Crystal Symphony’s 12-night Western Europe’s Colourful Coasts leaves Southampton on 12 June with prices from £3,500 per person, while its nine-night European Embrace sailing from Dover on 2 September visits Guernsey, Bordeaux (overnight), Lisbon and Cadiz and Barcelona with prices from £3,121 per person.

Windstar Cruises The small-ship cruiseline has added two new itineraries around the British Isles.

These include the seven-night Idyllic British Isles on board Wind Surf which cruises between Portsmouth and Dublin visiting Dartmouth, Falmouth, Scilly Isles, Milford Haven/Pembroke, Waterford/Dunmore East and Holyhead.

The Gaelic Explorers seven-night cruise on Wind Surf departs from Dublin and visits the Isle of Man, Portrush, Stromness, Invergordon and Peterhead before docking at Edinburgh. Cruiseonly fares for the Idyllic British Isles sailing leads in at £2,340 per person with the Gaelic Explorers cruise costing £2,340 per person.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines Fred Olsen has shown its commitment to ex-UK sailings for 2013, with a programme that offers departure within 100 miles of 90% of the UK population.

The cruiseline currently sails out of Dover, Southampton, Portsmouth, Newcastle, Greenock and Rosyth. For next year, Harwich, Liverpool and Belfast are being introduced. Cruises from Harwich will start in May and will take in the Baltics, Norway and Lapland, while Boudicca will be offering a wide range of cruise itineraries from Liverpool including a 12-night Canary Islands cruise. Prices lead in at £199 per person for a two-night Liverpool Highlights mini cruise on Boudicca, departing from Belfast on 15 October 2013, visiting Liverpool before returning to Belfast.

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S04 Cruise Supp 2012 River Cruises_Layout 1 25/06/2012 16:01 Page 15

One you can bank on With 12 new ships this year and a plethora of new itineraries worldwide, river cruising is certainly making a big splash

M

ost people’s first experience of a cruise is on an ocean-going sailing, and once they are hooked and have experienced a number of different voyages, they often start to look for something a little different.

That “something a bit different”, it seems, is river cruising.

Figures released by the Passenger Shipping Association show the UK European river cruise market grew by 7% last year to 80,000 passengers.

Combined Rhine and Danube sailings experienced the biggest growth with a 50% increase in the number of British passengers choosing these routes, while the French rivers of the Rhone and Seine saw a combined increase of 28%.

Further afield, the Russian waterways saw an 11% increase while the number of holidaymakers taking river journeys in Asia and China rose by 6%.

The trend for cruising the world’s rivers continued to increase and, with the exclusion of the Nile, saw a 5% rise in the number of UK passengers enjoying a river cruise.

Commenting on the demand for an alternative to ocean itineraries, Viking River Cruises managing director Wendy Atkin-Smith says: “River cruising is continuing to go from strength to strength with more people making the switch from the ocean to the river. It is an exciting time for the industry.”

To meet this demand, the cruiselines are rolling out new ships at an impressive rate, with all-suite vessels boasting floor-to-ceiling windows being a key selling point. This year alone will see the launch of 12 new river cruise vessels, so we catch up with the major players in river cruising to find out about the new ships and the latest itineraries.

Viking Odin is one of the latest additions to the Viking fleet

All about Cruising

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River cruises Viking River Cruises This year has been a busy one for Viking when it comes to new ships. Four new river cruisers launched back in March – Viking Freya, Viking Idun, Viking Njord and Viking Odin, of which Joanna Lumley is godmother – while Viking Embla and Viking Aegir will launch later in the year.

The new vessels include: sun decks; organic herb gardens, aquavit terraces with indoor/outdoor viewing areas at the bow of the ship, observation lounges, bars and restaurants with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Viking has also refurbished its entire Russian fleet.

New cruises: these include the 11-day Burgundy, Provence and Catalonia cruise, which will sail the Saône and Rhône Rivers visiting Viennes, Arles and Avignon before heading down to Barcelona. A new sailing down Portugal’s River Douro has also been introduced. The new itinerary will visit Porto, Salamanca and Lisbon for a two-night stopover.

Avalon Waterways Avalon Waterways launched two all-suite ships in May – Avalon Visionary and Avalon Vista.

Both ships are a new class of river cruisers as they feature two full decks of Panorama suites with wall-to-wall

Amadante has spacious suites with floor-to-ceiling windows

S04 Cruise Supp 2012 River Cruises_Layout 1 25/06/2012 16:01 Page 17

WHAT WHA AT COULD COUL LD YOU DO WITH WIT TH

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panoramic windows that open to create open-air balconies.

The 52-suite Avalon Visionary will sail the cruiseline’s eightday Romantic Rhine cruise with prices leading in at £1,735 per person. Later in the year, the ship will operate several Christmastime cruises on the Rhine and Danube. Avalon Vista will sail the longer 15-day Magnificent Europe cruise with prices from £2,895, the 11-day Legendary Danube from £2,345 and the 13-day Blue Danube Discovery from £2,549.

For 2013, both ships will sail the popular eight-day Tulip Time cruise from Amsterdam with prices from £1,865.

Avalon Visionary will sail the newly introduced eight-day Tulips of Northern Holland cruise from £1,935.

The cruiseline has two new vessels planned for next year Avalon Artistry II and Avalon Expression.

Meanwhile, Avalon Waterways is offering early bookers the chance to save up to £1,200 per couple on its 2013 programme if they book before August 31.

The cruiseline has increased its range of itineraries for next year with four new cruises as well as enhancements to existing itineraries, such as holiday add-ons in Budapest and Vienna for the Taste of the Danube cruise which now makes the sailing nine days in length.

A new culinary themed departure has been introduced. It departs on 29 October and is based on the ‘Paris to Normandy’s Landing Beaches’ cruise with prices from

For agents Viking River Cruises is launching a prize giveaway promotion soon, with agents registered on the cruiseline’s training site being offered the opportunity to win a prize a day.

For more details, go to: www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk/agents All about Cruising

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S04 Cruise Supp 2012 River Cruises_Layout 1 25/06/2012 16:13 Page 18

River cruises £1,829. The on-board chef will prepare regional specialities from northern France as well as cider and wine tastings.

Guests will get the chance to visit a distillery and cheeseproducing farm. Avalon’s Festive cruises for 2013 include a choice of itineraries on board the newly launched Avalon Vista. Prices lead in at £1,239 for the Christmas in Alsace and Germany sailing.

New cruises: the 13-day Highlights of Germany on the Danube Canal, Main and Rhine rivers, with prices from £2,729 per person; the nine-day Austrian Highlights and Bavaria cruise with prices starting at £1,949 per person and the 10-day Capitals of Central Europe from £2,179 per person. The eight-day Tulips of Northern Holland from Amsterdam is also new, with prices from £1,935 per person.

AmaWaterways The river cruiseline launched its newest ship, the 164-passenger AmaCerto, in May, boasting twin balconies in the majority of its staterooms and suites.

The new river cruiser also features a heated sun deck swimming pool with a swim-up bar; fitness centre and spa; complimentary internet and infotainment system in all staterooms plus wifi. There is also a choice of fine-dining venues on board.

AmaCerto will serve the Dutch and Belgium Waterways and the Danube and Rhine Rivers on nine itineraries: Tulip Time Cruise; The Romantic Danube; Melodies of the Danube; The Legendary Danube; Blue Danube Discovery; Magnificent Europe; Christmas Time Cruise; Legendary Danube Jewish Heritage; and Christmas on the Rhine.

AmaCerto brings the number of ships in AmaWaterways European fleet to 12.

Meanwhile, the river cruiseline has introduced Culinary delights – Sights and Bites to selected cruises. This new addition will include new cooking classes, walking tours, food and wine tastings on select European cruises.

Passengers will be given the opportunity to explore another side of each city they visit with a trip to cooking schools, distilleries and local markets. Additional options on the European river cruises include a hands-on demonstration to prepare Lyonnaise cuisine and Banistra pastry; presentation on how to pair chocolates and wine; demonstration of mustard production; a tasting tour of traditional Dutch foods; and the opportunity to prepare, cook and taste Goulash in the historical city of Budapest.

The River Cruise Line The River Cruise Line launched to the trade last year and is keen to build up its relationship with agents.

They have recently appointed a second agency sales manager, who will be field-based and focused on visiting agents and carrying out training. The operator has a dedicated agents’ site, sellingrivercruises.com, which contains information that aims to enhance agents’ product knowledge by giving them the chance to find out about the destinations, itineraries, ships and rivers it features.

Sales director Steve Goodenough says the most popular cruise is the Rhine to Switzerland itinerary, which covers the full length of the Rhine over 10 days, travelling through the Rhine Gorge of Germany, the Alsace region of France, and the northern mountain slopes of Switzerland.

The company has also expanded its programme for 2012/13 with a number of new cruises and no single cabin supplement on three selected itineraries. These include: Christmas in Venice, Rhine Explorer and Christmas Seine Cruise. The River Cruise Line has also recently launched a cruise on the Yangtze, incorporating a tour of the highlights of China.

Avalon Waterways is offering early booking savings of up to £1,200 per couple on its 2013 programme

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All about Cruising

S04 Cruise Supp 2012 River Cruises_Layout 1 25/06/2012 16:01 Page 19

VIKING RIVER CRUISES THE FUTURE OF RIVER CRUISING IS HERE

Veranda Stateroom

Viking Odin

Aquavit Terrace

The new new Viking Viiking Longships Longsh hips – setting the the standard standard in river rivver e cruising cruising Now sailing Eu Europe’s urope’’s iconic rivers, the six siix new, new w, stateVikin ng Longships are are leading the way in river of-the-art Viking s more cruising. With six more Longships planned plann ned for 2013, there is no more morre luxurious or stylish way way to journey journey there through Europe.

Europe e. through W ith an abunda nce of light and space throughout, throu ughout, the With abundance Longships featur feature re more more Veranda Veranda e Staterooms, Stateroomss, Veranda Veranda e Suites and spacio ous staterooms staterooms with floor-to-ceiling floorr-to - o-ceiling spacious windows. Two Two w sumptuous su umptuous new Explorer Explorer Suites Suittes with wraparound offfer f 270° river views. viewss. wraparound balconies balcconies offer The stunning new w Aquavit Terrace Teerrace is a wonderful wond derful indoor/ enjo oy a meal outdoor space in n which your clients can enjoy alfresco and watch wattch the world pass gently by. by. alfresco great value are looking for a truly special, great If your clients are holiday y, they’ll love lo ove a Viking Viking river cruise on one o of the holiday, Lo ongships. 2013 sailings include incllude the stunning new Longships. itinera l itineraries: i i aries: i Rhine Rhi Discovery, Di Discovery y, Passage Passsage to Eastern Eastern popular Europe, Romantic Roman ntic Danube and Grand European Eu uropean Tour.

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Óä£ÎÊÊ "7Ê" Ê Ê- ÊUÊ- 6 Ê1*Ê/"ÊË£]äää««Ê" Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê ÊÊ ÊÊ 6 Ê " 9-ÊUÊ*, -Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê "7Ê ," ÊËn x«« Ê Ê Call 020 8780 7985 5 or visit ww www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk ww.vikingrivercru uises.co.uk T Travel ravel safe, you are are fully protected protected Prices correct at time of going to print. All holidays subject to availability. avvailability.

S04 Cruise Supp 2012 River Cruises_Layout 1 25/06/2012 16:01 Page 20

River cruises New cruises: Mekong River and Highlights of Vietnam and Cambodia; Christmas in Venice, Rhine Explorer and Christmas Seine Cruise; the Amsterdam and Bulbfields Spectacular; Scenic Rhine and Switzerland; Rhine in Flames; Magical Moselle Christmas Markets; and Twixmas Cruise on the Rhine.

Riviera Travel Escorted tours specialist Riviera Travel has started selling through travel agents following an increase in enquiries from consultants.

The operator is promoting its full ship charter River Cruises programme, which for 2013, includes four river cruises operating a range of itineraries along the Rhine, Moselle, Main, Danube, Elbe and the Rhone. This will include the MS Lord Byron, being built especially for Riviera.

All of Riviera’s ships are exclusive to them and sold in the UK and Ireland only, avoiding potential irritating points such as multi-lingual commentaries.

Riviera pledges to never discount cruises so agents don’t have to. The operator is currently developing online training modules. Online booking is available through www.rivieratravel.co.uk/agents, along with downloadable window posters.

Prices for an eight-day Blue Danube cruise onboard Lord Byron start at £999 per person.

Viking has introduced a raft of new itineraries and new ships

Voyages of Discovery The small ship cruiseline has launched its first-ever river cruising programme, European River Cruises.

The programme includes cruises along the Rhine and the Danube and Russia’s waterway, the River Volga.

Prices lead in at £1,795 per person for a seven-night Grand Danube Journey on board Royal Crown. The ship departs from Budapest and calls in at Bratislava, Vienna, Melk, Linz, Passau, Regensburg and Nuremberg.

The River Moselle is a popular cruise itinerary

20

All about Cruising

S05 Cruise Supp 2012 Niche_Layout 1 25/06/2012 16:02 Page 21

A star-studded line-up From astronomy-themed cruises to voyages to the Spice Islands, cruise lines are pulling out all the stops to cater for clients looking for something a little different Hurtigruten has added more Northern Lights cruises to coincide with the increase in solar activity for winter 2012/13

A

s demand for cruise holidays continues to grow, a consequnce of this is an increase in the number of repeat cruisers; and these clients are looking for new and exciting sailings to embark on. Whether they are themed cruises, or voyages that take travellers more off-the-beaten-track, here is a snapshot of what is on the market for the rest of 2012 and 2013 for you to tempt your clients with.

Azamara Club Cruises The ultra luxury cruiseline will be really getting into the spirit of things in July with its 12-night Castles, Distilleries and Pubs cruise-only on board Azamara Journey.

The ship will call in at Edinburgh for a trip to Edinburgh Castle, Dublin for a visit to Malahide Castle and an Irish pub in the capital and Holyhead for Welsh tea and a stopover at Caernafon Castle. Azamara Journey will also visit Invergordon, Kirkwall, Isle of Skye, the Isles of Scilly, St Peter Port in the Channel Islands and Rouen for a visit to Paris before arriving in Southampton.

The sailing departs on 28 July and prices lead in at £1,999 per person based on two people sharing an inside stateroom.

P&O Cruises P&O passengers will be perfecting their tango and speeding up their quick step next year with the help of the stars from the hit BBC TV series Strictly Come Dancing.

Guests on board Canary Islands and Mediterranean cruises will be treated to performances from the professional dancers from the show and hear first-hand stories about their experiences. There will also be a P&O Cruises Strictly Come Dancing competition judged by the Strictly team, who will join the cruises that depart from Southampton on May 11, May 31, June 18, July 1, August 4, September 1 and October 1.

Prices lead in at £1,299 per person on the 12-night Canary Islands cruise on Ventura departing on July 1.

The cruiseline has also arranged a series of P&O Cruises Music Festivals at Sea itineraries, hosted by presenters from Classic FM. These will take place on a 17-night Central Mediterranean cruise, departing April 28, a 14-night Iceland sailing, departing on June 4, a 16-night Baltics voyage, departing on July 3, a All about Cruising

14-night North Cape cruise departing on August 5, and a 17-night Central Mediterranean sailing, departing September 20. Prices lead in at £1,699 per person.

Meanwhile, P&O Cruises’ new celebrity partners Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar and Olly Smith will be hosting two Food and Wine-themed cruises where they will lend their expertise and local knowledge as they host a range of shore excursions to vineyards, breweries, distilleries, restaurants and markets and also host a variety of activities on board.

Atul Kochhar and Olly Smith are travelling on the 14-night western Mediterranean sailing, departing on April 27, with prices from £1,249, while Marco Pierre White will be on the 28-night Caribbean no-fly cruise, departing on November 22, with prices from £2,649. The three will also be travelling throughout 2013 on 11 different cruises hosting talks and demonstrations.

Star Clippers Tall ship cruise specialist Star Clippers has a yoga and meditation-themed cruise scheduled in for this summer.

Yoga expert Christel Vollmer will be offering complimentary daily yoga and meditation sessions on board the 170-passenger tall ship Star Flyer on an Osle to Hamburg cruise on 18 August.

Prices for the seven-night cruise lead in at £1,490 per person, excluding flights.

Holland America Line Over 60 years, Holland America Line has carved out a reputation as a specialist in cruises to Alaska, with specifically tailored land and cruise tours that give guests the time to explore the country.

Its seven-night Glacier Discovery Cruise gives passengers the opportunity to really get under the skin of Alaska, departing from Vancouver on 9 September and heading straight to the glaciers of the Inside Passage, before stopping at the town of Ketchikan, which is known as the ‘salmon capital of the world’. Next, the cruise will head to the capital of Juneau, which is only accessible by air or water, before moving on to the Gold Rush town of Skagway, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Glacier Bay and the Gulf of Alaska. The cruise ends at Seward, gateway to Alaska’s Kenai Fjords National Park. Prices lead in at £589 per person cruise only.

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Niche cruises Hapag-Lloyd The German cruiseline offers two expedition cruises through Alaska in summer 2013 on board the 184-passenger, five-star small expedition ship Hanseatic and the 164-guest Bremen.

Hanseatic will be setting sail from Kangerlussuaq in Greenland through the Northwest Passage to Nome in August next year.

This popular 26-day cruise will head down the west coast of Greenland, taking in Aasiaat and Disko Bay, before moving to Nunavut and the Northwest Passage from Lancaster Sound to the Beaufort Sea. Prices start at £13,205 cruise-only. Meanwhile, Bremen will set sail for Alaska in June 2013, with a shorter trip through the Inside Passage, highlighting more of the Alaskan islands along the route. Bremen will also get close to the wonders of Alaska, in Amalik and Kukak Bays, the still active Hubbard Glacier and some whale spotting when the ship sails through the Inian Pass. Prices for the 18-day cruise lead in at £5,710.

The five-day Arctic Highlights Voyage sails from Tromsø to Kirkenes and back, staying entirely above the Arctic Circle to give guests the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Prices are from £995 and include direct flights to Tromsø from Gatwick on 27 January, 20 and 27 February and 1 and 18 March.

Hurtigruten When it comes to tracking down the Northern Lights, Hurtigruten is the leader of the pack with a plethora of cruises that take passengers in search of the Aurora Borealis.

Winter 2012/13 is poised to be a busy season for the Norwegian cruiseline with NASA predicting the strongest Northern Lights activity in 50 years due to the Solar Maximum, the period with the greatest solar activity that peaks every 11 to 12 years. Due to demand, Hurtigruten has launched more charter flights than ever before for this period.

The cruiseline has also added more Astronomy-themed voyages with a series of lectures and guided tours of the night sky with expert astronomers from the Royal Astronomical Society.

Astronomy Voyages depart on the cruiseline’s 12-day Classic Voyage itinerary from Bergen to Kirkenes and back on 4 January, 6 February, 3 March, 28 September and 1 November. Prices start at £1,667 per person including 11 nights’ full board on the ship and return flights - based on two sharing.

Orion Expedition Cruises With a strong focus on social responsibility at the heart of this cruiseline’s ethos, Orion has developed voyages that encourage guests to become a part of the region they are discovering.

Orion operates the 106-passenger expedition vessel Orion in the Kimberley region of Australia, the Australian Islands, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and the Sub Antarctic, Melanesia, the Spice and Forgotten Islands and Antarctica.

For 2013, Orion has a number of voyages that will appeal to people who may feel they have “been everywhere”. There is a range of 40 five to 20-night itineraries that will explore the polar reaches of Antarctica to the tropical climes of Borneo, including expeditions to the Kimberley, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, New Zealand and the sub Antarctic Islands.

One-off expeditions explore the Solomon islands and the rarely visited Forgotten and Spice Islands of the Indonesian archipelago.

Highlights include: the 20-night Scott and Shackleton’s Antarctica; the Melanesia and Solomon Islands cruise; and the Borneo Discovery sailing.

Orion will be heading off the beaten track to the Solomon Islands in 2013

Hapag-Lloyd's Hanseatic will be cruising around Alaska in 2013

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All about Cruising

(1) Ponant Bonus fare based on two people sharing a cabin, excluding pre/post transport. Ponant Bonus fare is susceptible to change depending on the availability at the moment of the reservation. For more information see the “Terms and Conditions� section at: www.ponant.com All rights reserved COMPAGNIE DU PONANT. Document and photos are not contractual. Photo credits: COMPAGNIE DU PONANT, Istockphoto. Design: Transparence-Productions

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Another way to cruise‌

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