FTB51: The Best of British

ISSUE 51 AUTUMN 2017

from the

Best of British

Embrace tradition on Columbus

Road to Mandalay

River cruising at its best

Stars rock the UK

Big voices on UK music cruises Culinary heaven

Fine dining on the high seas

PRESENTED WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF:

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A revamped Columbus will grace the seas in 2017

THE BEST OF

BRITISH There was a time when Britannia ruled the waves and Cruise & Maritime Voyages is revisiting it with a fleet of convivial small and mid-sized classic cruise ships.

WORDS: RODERICK EIME

See Iceland’s brightly coloured puffins

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ometimes it seems our world is obsessed with great, big, shiny new things.

Towering skyscrapers, super-jumbo airliners and giant resort-style cruise ships have all conspired to make our world appear smaller.

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) has turned away from such temptations with a fleet of mid-sized liners that embrace tradition instead of excess—in a very British way.

Typified by their 1250-guest flagship, Magellan, CMV caters to a market less

impressed by gaudy and glittering decor and more in tune with restraint and relaxation.

Extra effort is placed on developing enriching itineraries that capitalise on a smaller ship’s ability to access ports inaccessible to today’s massive cruise ships.

CMV’s fleet of five classic, modestly sized ships—which range in capacity from 600 to 1,250 guests—has continually expanded its global reach, with itineraries all over the globe and spectacular scenery and uplifting

Two heated pools are yours to enjoy

Cruise Line Profile | FROM THE BRIDGE

Relax in front of Columbus’ outdoor screen

experiences on every journey. In June this year, CMV will welcome Columbus as its new flagship. Currently sailing as Pacific Pearl for P&O Cruises Australia, it will soon become the newest and largest ship in the CMV fleet.

Three-quarters of all of Columbus’ cabins have an ocean view

Size matters

What if you could have all the luxury of a grand cruise liner, but in a fleet whose largest capacity ship is only 1,400 guests?

That’s what CMV likes to offer its guests.

Columbus’ first voyage for CMV will start at Tilbury in the UK. The ship was upgraded in 2015 but will receive a further revamp in April 2017 when child and teen areas will be converted into a library, card room and arts studio. Guests can rest assured that Columbus will be sparkling for her maiden season.

Even though Columbus represents an increase of around 10 per cent in guest capacity over CMV’s Magellan, there will be no reduction in the services or facilities CMV guests have grown to love. Instead, it’s an opportunity to expand those amenities so more like-minded cruisers can enjoy the fascinating destinations onboard a ship tailored to their preferences.

For example, Columbus will have 64 balcony cabins, previously in short supply on the rest of the fleet. Also, in response to guest requests, 150 cabins have been set aside for exclusive use by solo travellers and 75 per cent of all cabins have an ocean view.

A large, two-tiered Palladium Show Lounge, plus two specialty restaurants supplementing the main dining room and seven bars and lounges, ensure there is ample space to relax and enjoy the company of your companions.

Currently sailing as Pacific Pearl for P&O Cruises, Columbus will become the newest and largest ship in the CMV fleet.

Even as your group grows during the journey, there is always room to invite new friends to the table. Grab a round of ales at the British-themed Taverner’s Pub or, for something stronger, visit one of the cocktail bars centred around the threedecked central atrium.

Like Columbus, Magellan is a classic contemporary cruise ship, although much smaller than those that currently occupy that category. Geared to adult comfort, it has

ample public spaces and leisure facilities for its guests.

It might lack rock-climbing walls, water slides and ice rinks, but its extensive facilities and many bars with plenty of outdoor deck space make Magellan an easy choice for sophisticated travellers.

Great northern lands

To kick-off CMV’s northern season, Cruiseco’s exclusive 12-night Iceland & Northern Isles > AUTUMN 2017 9

Traditional maritime culture can be discovered at Eskifijördur

The authentic Icelandic village of Eskifjördur is overlooked by the Eskja and Hólmatindur mountains. itinerary on Columbus is a great option for guests wanting to explore the lesser-visited regions of the UK. The cruise also takes in four intriguing ports of call as part of the circumnavigation of Iceland, the so-called ‘Land of Fire and Ice’.

The remote and seldom-visited Faroe Islands, Shetland and Invergordon complete this northern adventure.

To paint the picture: the authentic Icelandic village of Eskifjördur in the middle of the east fjords is overlooked by the Eskja and Hólmatindur mountains, setting the stage for an exploration of the traditional culture and maritime industry of this trading post. In Skjalfandi Bay, Husavik—with its trademark wooden church—has earned a reputation as one of the premier whale-watching locations in Europe. Minke and humpback whales are often seen here. The itinerary also includes (of course) a visit to the spectacular Godafoss, waterfall of the Gods, a scenic icon in Iceland.

In Invergordon, guests can visit Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. ‘Nessie’ may or may not

Cruise Line Profile | FROM THE BRIDGE

Dine in style while cruising northern waters

oblige you with a sighting. On the return leg, the ship will visit Lerwick, where the rich Norse heritage and traditional crafts of Shetland still flourish.

While it’s possible to sail this itinerary with Magellan and Marco Polo, Cruiseco has packaged an exclusive 14-night itinerary to complement the June 29 sailing of Columbus.

This one-off combo comes complete with airfares and two nights at the boutique Radisson Blu Edwardian Berkshire, London before 12 nights sailing onboard the new flagship to and from Tilbury.

It’s a perfect opportunity to build this into a wider vacation or even take another cruise on any of Cruiseco’s vast offerings in the region. n

CRUISE ITINERARY Cruiseco’s 12-night Iceland & Northern Isles roundtrip itinerary on Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ ship Columbus departs London (Tilbury) on June 29, 2017. Ports of call include Invergordon, Kollafjordur, Seydisfjordur, Akureyri, Isafjordur, Reykjavik and Lerwick. Package fares start from AU$4,495 per person, twin share and include return Economy Class international airfare from Australia and a 2-night pre-cruise stay at Radisson Blu Edwardian Berkshire, London.

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