CLASSIC INTERNATIONAL CRUISES
The five older, refurbished Classic liners of this Portuguese-owned company sail for various full-ship UK charters during the spring, summer and autumn to northern Europe (many from British ports), the Med and Middle East, with longer voyages to Australia and back, plus a new winter Far East series in 2010/11 from Singapore and Hong Kong on Princess Daphne. Arion also offers a rare Eastern Med programme out of Turkey to Syria, Egypt, Cyprus and Lebanon. All five vessels are genuine old-time world travellers that have been well maintained and feature a more gracious and traditional onboard style. Most cabins are surprisingly spacious and there is a decent choice of public rooms, while cuisine and entertainment are tailored to UK tastes. With Portuguese officers, international crew and British tour staff and entertainers, they feature friendly service and a real throwback to the more traditional yesteryear of ocean cruising, and at great value, too. Gratuities not included.
http://uk.cic-cruises.com
Ship Arion Athena
Princess Danae Princess Daphne Funchal
Rating Type
3-Star Classic 3-Star Classic 3-Star Classic 3-Star Classic 3-Star Classic
CELEBRITY CRUISES
One of the most refined of the mainstream brands, offering more choice for those willing to pay a little more. Standard accommodation is bigger than most, decor is chic and the ambience cosmopolitan. Excellent spas, good entertainment and choice of facilities for children. Dining is good and the alternative restaurants on the Millennium and Solstice-class ships are one of their strongest features. The all-new Solstice vessels (2008-11) enhance the line’s excellent range of onboard facilities and style still further and have sparked a refit of the Millennium class vessels through 2010 and ’11. In the Caribbean year-round; Mexico, Panama, South America in winter; New England and Canada in the autumn; and summering in the Med and Northern Europe, Alaska and Bermuda. The small-scale Xpedition operates exclusively to the Galapagos year-round. Gratuities not included.
www.celebritycruises.com/co.uk
Ship
Celebrity Xpedition Century Mercury
Millennium, Infinity, Summit, Constellation
Celebrity Solstice, Equinox, Eclipse, Silhouette
Rating Type SR Dining Tonnage P / C
4-Star Adventure 40.30 Open 2,842 5-Star Resort 5-Star Resort 5-Star Resort
5-Star Resort 98/45
40.30 Two 70,000 1750/843 41.50 Two 77,000 1900/908 46.60 Two 91,000 2100/999
42.80 Two 122,000 2850/1271 SR Dining Tonnage P / C 18.40 Two 5,888 320/120
29.24 Two 16,144 552/260 29.10 Two 16,531 568/240 33.05 Two 15,833 479/225 20.30 Two 9,563
COMPAGNIE DU PONANT
This French line features an increasingly varied fleet offering a wide range of cruise experiences, all with a distinctly upmarket flavour. Original sail-cruiser Le Ponant created a niche style in small-scale, deluxe sailing in the Caribbean and Med, with high- quality cuisine and a wonderfully laid-back onboard ambience, with few amenities but fabulous service. The addition of Le Levant (1999) created a new style, a sleek adventurer in boutique fashion, while ‘old-timer’ Le Diamant (formerly the chic Song of Flower of Radisson Seven Seas) adds a more traditional feel. The line took another step up in 2010 (and 2011) with Le Boreal and L’Austral, featuring a more expansive style, more onboard choice, more luxury but the same distinguished service and cuisine. Enhancements include a state-of-the-art Spa, salon and fitness facility. Gratuities not included.
http://en.ponant.com
Ship
Le Diamant Le Ponant Le Levant
Le Boreal, L’Austral 471/155 Rating Type SR Dining Tonnage P / C
5-Star Boutique 36.64 Open 8,282 5-Star Boutique 22.22 Open 1,489 5-Star Boutique 38.88 Open 3,500
COSTA CRUISES
The most recent vessels – Atlantica (2000) to Favolosa (2011) – give Costa real state-of-the-art, Resort-style ships. Lively and contemporary, Costa is part of the Carnival family but with a more European flavour (albeit with Carnival styling on the newest ships) and offering great value for all ages. Generally weak alternative dining on older vessels but good alternatives on newer ones. Their cruise range continues to grow each year, with year-round Mediterranean itineraries, plus northern Europe in summer and Caribbean in winter, plus the Middle East (based on Dubai), New England and Canada, Far East, Canaries, South America and the Indian Ocean/Mauritius. Gratuities not included.
www.costacruises.com/co.uk
Ship
Costa Marina Costa Allegra Costa Classica Costa Romantica Costa Victoria
Costa Atlantica, Mediterranea
Costa Fortuna, Magica
Costa Concordia, Serena, Pacifica, Favolosa
Costa Luminosa, Deliziosa
Rating Type SR Dining Tonnage P / C
3-Star Classic 33.49 Two 25,558 763/393 3-Star Classic 36.47 Two 28,597 784/466 4-Star Resort 40.64 Two 52,926 1302/590 4-Star Resort 39.47 Two 53,049 1344/596 4-Star Resort 38.98 Two 75,166 1928/790 5-Star Resort 40.50 Two 85,619 2114/897
5-Star Resort 37.77 Two 102,587 2716/1027 5-Star Resort
38.11 Two 114,500 3004/1100 5-Star Resort 41.01 Two 92,700 2260/900 CRUISE & MARITIME VOYAGES
This classic ship operator sets sail in April 2010 with two well-known former ships, the original and highly popular Marco Polo (herself converted from classic Russian liner Alexandr Pushkin) of Orient Lines and the former Cunard Countess of Cunard, now refurbished and revived as Ocean Countess. Sailing purely from seven UK ports on a series of voyages year-round to northern Europe, the Canaries and Mediterranean, with longer cruises to the Caribbean, Amazon and Orinoco, plus a popular round-Britain series. Full British onboard style, cuisine and entertainment, with stylish alternative dining on Marco Polo and good choice of public rooms, all with a more traditional feel. Marco Polo also boasts Zodiac inflatable boats for more expedition-style shore excursions, notably in the Amazon. Gratuities added to onboard account.
www.cruiseandmaritime.com
Ship Marco Polo Ocean Countess Rating Type
4-Star Classic 4-Star Classic
SR Dining Tonnage P / C
26.92 Two 22,080 820/356 21.99 Two 17,593 800/350
Winter 2010 / 2011 I WORLD OF CRUISING 87
226/140 67/30 90/50
6-Star Boutique 47.76 Open 10,700 224/139
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