OC UK Newsletter May 2016

VTA UNIQUE EXCLUSIVE VOYAGES

newsletter issue 10

Letting off steam in 2017 • Meet the talented Mr Mawby • Travelling in the footsteps of the stars

v o y a g e s

t o

a n t i q u i t y

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P a s t

P a s s e n g e r

c l u b

Dear Odyssey Club Member welcome to the 10th issue of the odyssey club newsletter. it certainly marks a very exciting time here at voyages to antiquity, and i am delighted to enclose our full 2017 brochure with this newsletter. our new and diverse programme has been selling extremely well, in fact our no-fly iceland cruise in august has proved so popular that we have now added a second date in June. i strongly encourage booking early to ensure you don’t miss the availability, cabin choice and launch savings of 10% odyssey club discount which expire at the end of July 2016. in other news, Aegean Odyssey has been through a successful planned dry-dock in april and is looking wonderful. ere is more detailed information later in the newsletter.

lastly, i am very proud to announce that we are now members of the prestigious corporate circle of the world-famous ashmolean Museum right here in oxford. Dr Paul roberts, a curator there, will be joining our cruise to sicily in May next year. i hope you enjoy reading this newsletter and the enclosed brochure and i look forward to welcoming you on board again soon. yours sincerely,

Jos Dewing Managing Director, voyages to antiquity Don’t forget, as an Odyssey Club member, you will receive the following benefits:

• 5% discount off future bookings • Free internet and laundry services on board* • Exclusive offers with additional savings • Future cruise credit of £50 per new passenger referred to Voyages to Antiquity • Complimentary bottle of wine and petit fours in your cabin on arrival • Exclusive reception on board hosted by the Captain • Luggage identification tags, sent with your second cruise documents • On-board Odyssey Club cruise card • Odyssey Club bag presented on your second Voyages to Antiquity cruise • Complimentary Molton Brown bathroom amenities • Free bottled water delivered to your cabin daily * Please note: one laundry bag per cabin per cruise, bag will be supplied in cabin

Smeralda Coast, Sardinia

we are also delighted to have won another high-profile industry award. e wave awards ceremony took place in london on the 18th February and in spite of fierce competition from larger cruises lines we were honoured to be nominated for 4 awards, and winning “best cruise line for enrichment”, a category that acknowledges our lecture programme and other areas that make us unique.

TOP DESTINATIONS

What’s new for 2017 From classical greece and the magic of the Mediterranean to the edge of the arctic circle, our 2017 cruise programme is packed with new and exciting holiday options.

OVER 25 NEW PORTS OF CALL we’ve added new ports in the Mediterranean like olbia in sardinia and the beautiful smeralda coast; visits to remote scottish isles and irish cities, the isles of scilly and the channel islands; plus the extraordinary landscapes and wildlife of iceland and the arctic circle.

NEW NO-FLY CRUISES FROM LONDON with Aegean Odyssey now spending more time in northern waters, we are delighted to be able to offer no-fly cruising. you can board ship in tilbury and sail all the way to iceland and back, or cruise from edinburgh to london via the glorious west coast of ireland.

SAME EXCEPTIONAL VALUE as with all voyages to antiquity cruises, so much is included in the price. Flights, shore excursions, hotel stays, all meals on board and wine with dinner, gratuities for cabin and restaurant staff and an enriching guest speaker programme.

For a limited time only, we are also offering odyssey club members 10% off all saver fares so once again these journeys offer outstanding value. book soon to reserve your favourite cabin, but hurry as this offer ends 31st July 2016.

TOP TEAM

“In all my travels I have not seen anywhere to

Iceland’s

rugged

iaftern the18 month i reached my 60th birthday i retired happy years as head of lancaster royal grammar school. two years later, after fronting a successful million pound appeal to restore the historic Mawson gardens at rydal Hall near ambleside, the lake District provided a further challenge.

MEET PETER MAWBY Ornithologist, Research Ecologist, Concert Cellist and Iceland expert

i was walking with cambridge friends in borrowdale when one told me that cruise ships were seriously short of scientists who could lecture. i was encouraged to apply and for the past eight years have travelled the world. what had not occurred to me was that i would also be rescuing gannets from the bows of a ship with an audience of passengers, attacked by terns doing my duty as an escort or embarrassed by my futile attempts to identify a visitation of american warblers which fell out of the sky onto the deck as we sat having tea.

First-hand experience as a teacher i knew the importance of careful research and i am especially grateful now to have the excellent resources of lancaster university with its world-class environment centre near to hand. However nothing

compare with of the yorkshire Dales, the physical challenge was considerable and was exacerbated by appalling weather. it was little wonder that i was not keen when my wife-to-be suggested iceland for our honeymoon. instead we spent three weeks on the Faroe islands.

Many years later i did agree to return to iceland where i found a very different country with much-improved infrastructure. e ords of the north-west enabled me to see arctic seabirds such as the tiny little auk for the first time and visiting the famous Myvatn volcanic lakes i found several species of birds seldom seen elsewhere in europe such as the harlequin duck and barrow’s goldeneye. right in the centre of the capital reykjavik is a lake called the tjörn which regularly hosts the arctic whooper swan.

landscape”

Reykjavik resident

Peter’s evening job

Harlequin Duck, Iceland

Galapagos adventure

i was hooked and today iceland has become my cruise destination of choice. i always hope to include a return visit to iceland into each year’s programme, between concert performances with two orchestras (i have played the cello since the age of 10) and my own research programme conducted in association with the staff and students at the university in lancaster where i live.

quite compares with first-hand experience so i am fortunate to have visited some of the most remarkable wildlife locations in the world from the northern wastes of the greenland icecap to the game parks of south africa and from the Pacific islands of tahiti and the Marquesas to the indian ocean islands of seychelles, Maldives, reunion and Mauritius. wildlife highlights have included the orangutans of borneo, the lemurs of Madagascar and, most recently, the extraordinary flora and fauna of the galapagos islands.

ICELAND, my favourite cruise destination i am regularly asked to nominate my favourite cruise destination and the answer is always “iceland”. as a schoolboy, two years before i embarked on a natural sciences degree at cambridge university, i joined a brathay exploration group expedition to iceland. one of our objectives was to visit a remote, and in those days quite inaccessible, part of south-east iceland where local ornithologists believed that the then rare great skua was nesting in substantial numbers. even for a fit 17-year-old used to running over the hills

Looking forward to Summer 2017 in all my subsequent travels i have not seen anywhere to compare with iceland’s raw landscape, majestic scenery, unique wildlife and resilient, self-sufficient people. i can’t wait to return there on board Aegean Odyssey in 2017 and share my enthusiasm with my fellow passengers on deck, on tour and in the ambassador lounge. My illustrated talks will describe how the natural history of iceland has developed over time and explain why iceland, the Faroes and the shetlands boast huge colonies of breeding seabirds. as we cruise into the arctic circle i shall be telling the story of qalupalik and the problems which face plants, animals and Man as they fight for survival in the High arctic. so next summer i look forward to returning to iceland and, despite the threat of gannets and arctic terns, i shall do my best to make it your favourite destination too.

Join Peter on board Aegean Odyssey for our inaugural sailing to Iceland on June 29, 2017. Our second departure leaves London on August 8, 2017. Book your cabin soon - Iceland is proving very popular and cabins are going quick!

FROM THE BLOG

Walk in the footsteps of the stars It’s surprising just how many of our cruise destinations have been made famous through the silver screen.

Film and TV is a great way to inspire, motivate and bring to life many of the places that we visit and you may well find yourself “on-set” during your next Voyages to Antiquity cruise.

Mamma Mia – Skiathos Mamma Mia was filmed on the beautiful greek island of skiathos and became an instant hit at the box office. it’s also one of the destinations on our itineraries where we recommend guests enjoy a leisurely stroll. sophie has just one wish to make her wedding perfect and that is to have her father walk her down the aisle… now she just has to find out who he is. Meryl streep leads an all-star cast in this musical celebration. based on the broadway smashhit and filled with the abba songs you know and love, it’s a true feel-good movie experience. visit the beautiful Mamma Mia island on Classical Greece & Aegean Islands september 2 and 13, 2016 or october 5, 2017.

game of rones – Dubrovnik

gladiator – Rome one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2000, gladiator brought to life the fictional character of the roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when commodus, the ambitious son of emperor Marcus aurelius, murders his father and seizes the throne. ultimately, he is reduced to slavery, but Maximus rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murders of his family and his emperor. although this incredible movie was not actually filmed on location, it gives a grand sense of what rome’s colosseum was like in its prime. visit rome and all it has to offer on Historic Spain, Sicily & Italy departing May 11, 2017.

e talented Mr. ripley – Venice e talented Mr. ripley was filmed in various locations in rome and venice including, cafe Dinelli, which was the terrace café where ripley arranges for Meredith, Marge and Peter smith-Kingsley to meet up; Piazza Mattei where Matt Damon and gwyneth Paltrow ride across on a scooter; and Hotel europa & regina, Mr. greenleaf’s hotel during his time in venice, which was filmed in san Marco 2159, venice. walk in the footsteps of film starts on Italian & Adriatic Highlights departing september 13, 2017.

Visit: blog.voyagestoantiquity.com

game of rones is one of the most successful tv shows of recent times and it has some rather impressive filming locations, too. explore the fictional city of ‘King’s landing’ while exploring Dubrovnik’s unescolisted old town. climb the city walls, picturing the bloody battles from the tv series, and visit lovrijenac Fortress whilst on our Dalmatia & Ancient Greece, departing september 27, 2017.

e godfather – Savoca and Forza d’Agro some scenes from e godfather were filmed in the small italian towns of savoca and Forza d’agro. not only does savoca offer some truly breath taking views across the valley below, it is also home to the famous bar vitelli and the church where Michael corleone married his girlfriend in e godfather Part 1. it is a stunning part of the world and can be enjoyed on A Voyage from Rome to the Greek Islands departing July 17, 2016. a camera is a must and don’t forget to stop at the local café for some real italian limoncello.

NEWS

Voyages to Antiquity

Ashmolean Museum’s exclusive Corporate Circle we are delighted to announce that voyages to antiquity has been invited to become part of the ashmolean Museum’s exclusive corporate circle. is is a select group of companies who have a very special relationship with oxford university’s most prestigious Museum, providing financial support as well as exciting opportunities for our customers to interact with the ashmolean’s extensive and diverse collection. as part of our cultural and historical programme, voyages to antiquity is committed to our oxford heritage. after all, not every cruise company is based a stone’s throw away from the oldest english-speaking university in the world, which is why we already have strong ties with the ashmolean.

Many of you will already know Dr Paul roberts from our on-board programme of expert lecturers. aside from his travels with us, Dr roberts is also sackler Keeper of antiquities and a senior curator at the Museum. recently Dr roberts has been assistant curator of the ashmolean’s forthcoming exhibition, ‘storms, war and shipwrecks: treasures from the sicilian seas,’ which is due to open on June 21st – just one of the many reasons why we are thrilled to forge ever closer ties with the Museum.

Wave Award Best for Enrichment’ 2016 Winner we were thrilled to have won the ‘Best for Enrichment’ category at the 2016 wave awards, which took place at the royal garden Hotel in Kensington, london on 18 February. we were also highly commended in the ‘Best digital or web-based service or platform’ category. it has always been at the heart of our product, combining extensive guided shore excursions and land tours with expert guest lecture programmes. with the addition of the highly commended award in the best digital platform category for our VTAExpert website, which has been created to provide the trade with training and support tools, we couldn’t be happier to be recognised at such a prestigious industry event.

Aegean Odyssey Make over our trusted ship Aegean Odyssey was in dry dock for a few weeks in april to allow for some general maintenance and improvements to be made. ere are brand new loungers in the pool area and the pool itself has been retiled. in some cabins, there are new mirrors and new carpets. and last but not least, the air-conditioning system is being upgraded throughout the ship.

reunion 2016 cruise LAST REMAINING CABINS

s u o i r o Gl

GREECE & THE GREEK ISLANDS 15-day Reunion Cruise departing September 2, 2016 FARES START FROM ONLY £2,418pp EXCLUSIVE ODYSSEY CLUB EVENTS INCLUDE Full day excursion to the Archaeological and Benaki Museums with included seaside lunch Morning excursion to ancient Delphi with lunch included and overnight hotel stay in Delphi Full-day excursion to the Akrotiri Excavations followed by a visit to a winery and lunch before returning to the ship Excursion to the monastery at Kera and Avdou village olive oil factory in Crete Full day excursion following the history of Alexander the Great to Pella and Vergina from Thessalonika Full day excursion to the remarkable ‘Monasteries in the sky’ at Meteora

CALL NOW TO RESERVE YOUR CABIN OVER 70 ODYSSEY CLUB MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY BOOKED SO CABINS ARE FILLING FAST We look forward to welcoming you back on board

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Telephone: 01865 410090 www.voyagestoantiquity.com follow us on