18 CRUISING SPECIAL Six of the Best for


Equinox at Awards Celebrity ship Cruise Critics’ choice C


ELEBRITY Equinox has been named Best Overall Cruise Ship in the Large designation at the Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Awards 2019. Rankings are based on ratings given by Cruise Critic members in published member reviews - the 2019 awards are based on their 2018 cruise reviews. Fred Olsen’s Balmoral was named Best Overall in the Mid-Sized category and Hurtigruten’s Lofoten in the Best Overall in the Small ship category. Ships must have a minimum number of member reviews and ratings in a particular category in order to be included in that category’s top 10 list. For the purposes of the rates ‘Large ships’ are those carrying 2,000 plus passengers (double occupancy); Mid-size ships: 1,200-1,999 passengers (double occupancy) and Small ships: 1,199 or fewer passengers (double occupancy).


Best for Cabins - Celebrity Equinox (Large); MSC Lirica (Mid-Sized); Silver Muse (Small).


Best for Dining - Celebrity Equinox; Balmoral (Mid- sized); Lofoten (Small).


Best for Embarkation - Sapphire Princess (Large); Marella Explorer (Mid-Sized); Saga Sapphire (Small). Best for Entertainment - Symphony of the Seas (Large); Marella Discovery (Mid-Sized); Saga Sapphire (Small). Best for Fitness & Recreation - Celebrity Equinox (Large); Marella Discovery (Mid-Sized); Viking Sea (Small).


Best for Public Rooms - Celebrity Equinox (Large); Queen Victoria (Mid-Sized); Lofoten (Small). Best for Service - Celebrity Eclipse (Large); Marella Celebration (Mid-Sized); Saga Pearl II (Small). Best for Shore Excursions - Celebrity Solstice (Large); Marella Discovery (Mid-Sized); Lofoten (Small). Best for Value - Celebrity Equinox (Large); Marella Celebration (Mid-Sized); Saga Pearl II (Small). Best For Families - Jewel of the Seas. Best for First Timers - Celebrity Equinox


MSC reveals wellness cruises


ANYONE looking for a sophisticated cruise holiday with a healthy serving of wellness is in for a treat. Following on from the success of four US Caribbean cruises on board the elegant MSC Divina and the revolutionary MSC Seaside, WW (formerly Weight Watchers) has strengthened its partnership with MSC Cruises — the world’s largest privately-owned cruise line and market leader in Europe, South America, South Africa and the Gulf — to launch its fi rst ever cruise in Europe.


Embarking from Barcelona and sailing the Mediterranean in July 2019, guests will have the unique opportunity to experience one of MSC Cruises‘ newest


ships, MSC Seaview, while enjoying the WW wellness programme on board.


Along with a robust itinerary, visiting some the region’s hottest port destinations in Spain, Italy and France, the cruise will feature WW‘s trademark combination of freshly prepared, healthy meals and snacks, holistic wellness workshops and fabulous onboard entertainment – reinforcing that WW’s liveable programme means life doesn’t have to stop if you want to get healthy. The WW Cruise also off ers members the opportunity to meet like-minded people from around the world, allowing them to share their experiences and support each other in their journey.


Looking into the Abyss... on an Alaska cruise (story right)


April/May 2019 Travel News


Celebrity Glacier cruises


WITH glaciers and Alaska going hand in hand, Celebrity Cruises is encouraging travellers to take advantage of the long summer days to soak up the region’s most dramatic natural treasures this summer. From the mighty 13.6- mile long Mendenhall Glacier to the towering beauty of the Hubbard Glacier, the largest river of ice in North America whose icebergs alone can be 10 storeys high, the luxury cruise line off ers four diff erent cruise itineraries, brimming with glacial wonders and local wildlife. Prces for the 7-Night Alaska Northern Glacier Fly/Cruise, departing Vancouver on board Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Millennium on August 2, 2019, start from £2,914 per person including return fl ights from London Heathrow. Travelling through the Inside Passage and calling at Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway before cruising past the Hubbard Glacier and disembarking in Seward, the price includes meals and entertainment on-board the ship and all relevant cruise taxes/fees.


Heart of Ukraine river cruise


MUMMIFIED monks and Cossack horsemen feature in Saga’s extraordinary Heart of Ukraine tour which features travel down the Dneiper river from Kiev to the Black Sea.


A wealth of cultural treasures and glorious wildlife await guests aboard MS Dnieper Princess on a round- trip voyage from Kiev to the Black Sea coast which includes city tours of Kiev itself, the southern holiday city of Odessa, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhya and Vilkovo. In Kiev, visit St Sophia’s Cathedral with its golden onion domes and the Monastery of the Caves, founded in 1051, where monks were mummifi ed and entombed after death.


The Cossacks have strong ties to Zaporizhzhya, where guests can see displays of horsemanship, weaponry and dancing on the island of Chortisa. The role of Dnipro in the space race and defence industries is honoured by the missile monuments in Rocket Park, which also houses a science hub and memorials to those who died in war and the Chernobyl disaster. The country’s contrasts are emphasised in industrial Kremenchuk, with an optional excursion to a typical village, and the Danube Delta, a wetland biosphere and a UNESCO World Heritage Site frequented by more than 300 bird species.


The cultural highlights in Odessa, founded by


CRYSTAL Cruises has partnered with British born Chef Jon Ashton to produce a 12-part video series that takes viewers on a delicious journey around the world with Crystal’s culinary team.


Chef Ashton, a celebrity chef who has appeared on cooking segments on NBC’s Today Show and The Tonight Show, has been a returning favourite guest chef on Crystal’s Wine & Food Festival voyages for the past 12 years.


In the series he chronicles his travels through the traditional cuisine in the destinations visited by Crystal Serenity with leading food experts around the world. Beginning in Los Angeles, the fi rst video premiered yesterday and can be viewed on the ‘Crystal Insider’ blog.


The series features local chefs, farmers and expert guides showcasing their signature dishes – and tips for preparing them – in an array of destinations, taking him and viewers off the beaten path into the heart of each place’s culinary spirit. Innovative tacos in Los Angeles, coconut and chop suey in Samoa, fresh poke in Hawaii, the wines of New Zealand, the widely varied cuisine of Australia, prawns in South Africa and much more are on the menu for this series, as well as the globally-


Catherine the Great in the 18th century, include three palaces, a 19th-century Opera House – with an evening performance on off er – the Potemkin Steps, the Tolstoy Mansion, the eerie catacombs used by the Soviet army during the Second World War and the stunning Saint- Transfi guration Cathedral.


Other options are a bus trip to the historic port town of Belgorod-Dnestrovski, known as ‘white rock’ and characterised by a well preserved Byzantine fortress, a concert by the Ukrainian National Choir and a Kiev by Night boat tour with a performance of folk music. On-board, traditional cuisine is served on 260-passenger MS Dnieper Princess and entertainment includes a gala dinner and variety show by the crew. The ship is air-conditioned and has two restaurants, a lounge, sauna and beauty salon, as well as compact, comfortable cabins with large picture windows. Twelve nights cost from £1,399 per person departing from London Gatwick on May 23, June 4 and 16, and August 16 and 28, 2019 with Ukraine International Airlines.


The price includes VIP door-to-door service, return


fl ights and transfers, all meals, welcome cocktail party, porterage, optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights or a discount if passenger has own insurance.


Tour with Crystal’s culinary team...


inspired dining venues aboard the award-winning ship. In each destination, Chef Ashton alongside Crystal’s culinary team will create signature dishes inspired by these travels, shared with guests on board and virtually with viewers.


“Food, drink and the tradition and cultivation that surrounds them are integral to the spirit of a place, which makes cuisine one of the best – and most enjoyable – ways to become acquainted with new destinations and cultures,” said Toni Neumeister, Crystal’s Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations.


“We’re delighted to welcome Jon back onboard to highlight this important element of travel. His engaging personality, together with the enticing fl avours he creates with Crystal’s chefs and the local experts, will almost certainly inspire travellers’ next holiday, or at least their next great feast.”


“It’s an honour to work with the extraordinary culinary team onboard Crystal Serenity. The talented chefs and local food experts are the true stars in this series,” says Jon Ashton. “As a storyteller, I have the opportunity to meld adventurous travel with the universal language of food. Just like the ports we visit, food has no borders or constraints.”


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