NO FLY CRUISING... THE NEW WAY TO TRAVEL BY KIRSTY JOHNSTON
8 CRUISE NEWS
Windstar Cruises has announced that it is
offering up to $1,000 onboard credit per stateroom on all bookings made before 15th October 2022, valid on all departures through 2024. Solo travellers will receive 50% of the onboard
credit. For further information visit
windstarcruises.com.
Silversea Unveils New Voyage Collection
SILVERSEA Cruises has unveiled its new 2024-2025 voyage collection, comprising 341 new sailings that will unlock 695 destinations in 120 countries between March 2024 and May 2025 - bringing the total number of destinations in Silversea’s portfolio to over 900. The expansive offering is the largest in the cruise line’s history, with
more options for guests thanks to a 56% increase in capacity by 2024 when compared to 2020.
Explore A Beyond Ordinary Paradise
DID you know you can sail the islands of Tahiti? Windstar has been sailing in Tahiti for over 35 years, so no other cruise line knows the islands like they do. Northern Ireland
Travel News
takes a look at the 148-guest Wind Spirit and 312-guest Star Breeze, two ships tailor-made for cruising Tahiti’s islands. A graceful yacht is the perfect way to experience the true wonders of Tahiti year-round, and Windstar has two yachts for you to choose from to fit your travel style. The 148-guest Wind Spirit features wide teak decks and billowing white sails that are tailor-made for cruising Tahiti’s islands, while the newly transformed 312-guest Star Breeze features all ocean view spacious 277 square feet suites, all new bathrooms in all suites, two
primary dining venues. Amphora restaurant offers gourmet, course- by-course cuisine in the evenings and
Veranda restaurant offers
casual buffet and full-service dining for breakfast and lunch. All dining is open seating. And, for dining under the stars, make a reservation for Candles which features steaks and skewers. Wind Spirit amenities
include: World Spa by Windstar, Watersports Platform,
Library, Pool, and Hot Tub. Star Breeze is large enough to pamper and entertain you, yet small enough to tuck into delightful tiny harbours and hidden coves that others can’t reach. This all-suite yacht completed
renovation as part of the $250 Million Star Plus Initiative with new
Lounge,
A cruise is one of the most hassle-free ways to explore the world... especially so if you have a fear of flying or a health restriction which prohibits you from taking to the skies. Our Editor Kirsty Johnston takes a look at no-fly cruising, a growing trend among travellers who are keen for a gentler, more relaxing way to see the world...
BY KIRSTY JOHNSTON
kirsty@nitravelnews.com
I’VE travelled to many places during my time as a travel journalist. From European hotspots such as Malaga, Munich, Budapest, Paris and Norway to more exotic destinations such as Egypt and Beijing. I’ve been on several cruise ships and enjoyed many an airport Prosecco... however now I prefer things to be a little more relaxed. Due to various circumstances I no
longer like to fly. Not that flying isn’t enjoyable, it is! There’s nothing better than looking out your cabin window as you drift effortlessly through the clouds, cool beverage in hand. It’s just that now I have more... let’s say ‘baggage’, than before.
It’s a much more enjoyable
experience flying as a solo traveller with nothing to worry about, than it is lugging along a husband and a baby. However I still have a few wanderlust destinations
on my bucket-list
new restaurants, the new World Spa by Windstar, a new infinity pool, new engines and so much more.
Wind Spirit is a sleek, 4-masted sailing yacht accommodating 148 guests. With four decks and a gross tonnage of 5,736, Wind Spirit feels like your own private yacht. The yacht features wide open, something quite
teak decks,
unusual for small ships. Onboard you can find hidden nooks for private moments giving you a feeling of being on your own private veranda. All staterooms have ocean views, queen beds, and flat-screen TV with DVD player
while
the Owner’s Suite includes a
sitting area. Wind
Spirit offers two
public areas, including two new dining venues, a new spa, infinity pool, and fitness area. The yacht also boasts all new bathrooms in every suite and a new category of Star suites, featuring a new layout. With ocean views and at least 277 square feet of comfort, Star Breeze is the perfect yacht to watch the islands drift by from the serenity of your suite. Carrying only 312 guests, Star
Breeze still tucks into small ports like Sanary-sur-Mer and Wrangell or narrow waterways like the Corinth Canal and Keil Canal. Both yachts are as at-home
among Tahiti’s deserted motus and shallow lagoons as a tiare flower, and just as beautiful. Bliss knows no bounds. The sand massages your feet, warm water welcomes you like an old friend; ambition falls away as you watch the sun etch palm fronds on the beach. This is a place that is easy to love, difficult to leave, as so many before you have discovered.
still
waiting to be ticked off... but I’ll do them at my own pace, without the plane. Now-a-days I
like to pack up the
car, give everyone their respective entertainment device and set off on a road trip. I’ll quite happily drive the
length and breadth of Europe, caravan in tow. Ferries and the Eurotunnel? No problem! Bathroom breaks? Have as many as you please! You’re hungry? Here, we’ll pull over at for a picnic. Ferry delayed? Grab a pillow, we’ll take a nap! But sometimes I want to sit back and relax and enjoy the scenery. This is where a no-fly cruise comes
in. Sail directly from Belfast. Yes, that’s right, say it with me... sail directly from Belfast. Once you are onboard, you can unpack, relax and unwind. Stroll on the deck, sip a coffee on your balcony or just take a long afternoon nap. A cruise is a great way to visit several places in one trip, it is quite literally, a floating resort. You could go to sleep in Venice and wake up in Dubrovnik. One day you could be exploring the streets of Oslo the next you could be climbing the soaring heights of Pulpit Rock or traversing the b r e a t h t a k i n g fjords, all from the comfort of your floating home from home. So for me, a
no-fly cruise is a hassle-free way to travel the world. There are so many UK ports to choose from (London Tilbury, Dover, Southampton, Liverpool and Portsmouth to name a few), but for me Belfast is the option closest to home. You can also choose from a host of cruise lines that offer no-fly cruise itineraries, such as Celebrity Cruises, Cunard, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines and P&O Cruises. Ambassador Cruise Lines offer several Belfast departures (round trip) in 2022 and 2023. But if you want to travel on a specific cruise that only leaves from Mainland UK... take the ferry. There’s no restrictions with a no-fly
cruise. No baggage allowance, no fear of the dreaded check in scales. You can pack as much or as little as you require...
and bring home plenty of souvenirs from your trip. Fancy that pottery vase? Wrap it up and carry it on and off the ship... no worrying that it will break in your checked-in baggage or that it will be too big for your carry-on. And think of all the time you can
save. The only thing you have to concern yourself with is how busy the traffic will be on your way to the port. No worries about flight delays or cancellations. No worries about lost luggage or long queues at security. If you want you can drive to the port and leave your car parked securely in the port carpark, for a more relaxing time you can get a taxi or private transfer... or just ask your mate to drop you off and collect you.
You can
return the favour on their next trip! A
growing
number of cruise lines are offering cruises from Belfast,
making
it even easier to explore the world without having to fly. In 2019, the city opened a dedicated cruise terminal – the first on the island – which brings dedicated facilities that
ensure Belfast cruises get off to the best possible start. Belfast
cruise terminal is easily
accessible from the nearby motorway network and other local transport links. Fred. Olsen, Oceania and Ambassador
are among the cruise lines that offer no- fly cruises sailing out of Belfast. Embark on a memorable cruise adventure, whether it’s a short journey to
Scotland to revel in the
unspoilt beauty of rugged isles or an exploration of remote fjords in Iceland and Greenland. Speaking of fjords, Belfast is also the starting point for discoveries of
spectacular natural
wonders found deep within Norway’s famous waterways. Northern Europe is also easily accessible.
SAIL BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH... WITHOUT HAVING TO FLY
scenic,
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