From the hidden wonders of Myanmar and wild islands of Indonesia, to the tropics of the Amazon and bright lights of New York, more and more people are looking for incredible destinations to uncover on their next break. But did you know one of the best ways to visit these magical places is on a cruise?

Cruising doesn’t have to all be about cocktails, learning to dance and topping up your tan on a sun-lounger round the pool, as lovely as that is of course. Instead there is a great emphasis on enriching your on-board experience and discovering new destinations, whether its summer camps for the kids and luxurious cooking lessons or visiting far-flung parts of the world only accessible by ship, and expeditions to exotic and mystical lands. Cruising also means you have the privilege of seeing more than one main stop on your travels, opening up a vast array of places to enjoy, explore and experience.

The London CRUISE Show at Olympia on 18-19 February 2017 will be packed with information and inspiration allowing you to uncover a whole world afloat. To whet your appetite, we asked our exhibitors to come up with a selection of their NEW voyages for 2017 that will be available at the show and the amazing places they will take you:

Enjoy a Voyage of Discovery in Myanmar
This new 17-day Hidden Wonders of Myanmar cruise will take you on a voyage of discovery between Mandalay and Yangon calling at Inwa, Salay and the ancient city of Bagan onboard APT’s new ship, the RV Samatha. As part of APT’s exclusive ‘Signature Experiences’, passengers can cruise alongside the famed U Bein Bridge near Amarapura, view the famous Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset, sample a local cigar or ‘cheroot’ at a workshop in Danuphyu and visit Yoke Sone Kyaung, the region’s oldest surviving wooden monastery. Guests can even save up to £850 per person on the new 17-day cruise with APT’s Fly Free offer when booked by 28 February 2017.
APT: Hidden Wonders of Myanmar, from £4,345pp based on 6 September 2017 departure
 
Set Sail to Indonesia
Sail with Star Clippers on a journey that will be reminiscent of adventures embarked upon by Robinson Crusoe, with port calls to many tiny jungle-and-sand islands. One of the many highlights of this itinerary will involve being able to see Komodo Dragons in their natural habitat on the Indonesian islands. The small size of the vessels provides a unique opportunity to visit smaller islands that larger ships are unable to reach. As well as visiting remote islands and cultural landmarks, passengers onboard the cruise will be able to delve into Hindi culture and explore bustling streets and exotic markets.
Star Clippers: Bali Stay & Indonesia Sail, from £1,999pp, departing 28th June 2017
 
Get the Kids Creative with Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises has announced new onboard programmes for its 2017 European sailings that will delight families. They will be introducing their exclusive“Summer Camp at Sea” on all European sailings, allowing children to enjoy a holiday that moves beyond entertainment to also deliver enriching and inspiring activities. New options include the “Creation Station” programme that allows children to express themselves creativelyand the opportunity to put their chef skills to the test with a cooking at sea programme, all ensuring children aged 3-17 have a range of one-of-a-kind educational activities at their fingertips.
Celebrity Cruises: Best of Western Mediterranean, from £1,299pp

Journey Along a Legendary River

Enjoy something a bit special for Christmas and New Year, and follow the Caribbean and Atlantic to the legendary Amazon during an exciting 22-day cruise. From San Juan, sail to Barbados and the Îles du Salut of French Guiana. Then cruise along the Amazon, calling on historic riverside ports along the way. Return to the Caribbean, where you can explore the lush tropical splendour and colonial histories of Tobago, St. Lucia, Antigua and St. Thomas. This cruise departs on 16th December 2017 and includes 11 guided tours.
Viking Cruises: From the Caribbean to the Amazon, from £5,640pp
 
Oceania Cruises Takes Manhattan
Oceania Cruises will be homeporting in New York City, with more than 20 planned voyages beginning in 2017. Sailing from Manhattan’s convenient west-side cruise terminal at 48th street, the intimate and luxurious Insignia will offer an intriguing array of round-trip and open-jaw voyages to New England, Canada, Bermuda, and even Greenland and Iceland. On-board you will find an acclaimed culinary experience that rivals the best restaurants ashore as well as an irresistible blend of culturally rich and fascinating destinations.
Oceania Cruises: Voyages begin from 2017
 
Cruise Europe Onboard New Luxury River Yachts
Crystal Bach and Crystal Mahler are set to embark in June and August 2017 and will set a new standard of luxury river cruising experiences. The two new river yachts will have 55 suites for 110 guests and will offer Crystal guests luxurious amenities that surpass the comforts of home, including Crystal’s acclaimed butler service for every suite. Additional enticing features include Crystal’s highly-acclaimed cuisine in multiple eateries and in order to give guests the best possible experience, the new river yachts will offer all-suite accommodations that are located entirely above the waterline, providing spectacular and unobstructed views through the panoramic balcony-windows.
Crystal Cruises: Crystal Bach, 14-night sailings starting 18th June 2017. Crystal Mahler 16-night cruises starting 29th August 2017
 
Thomson Cruises Expands Long-Haul for Winter 2017
Thomson Cruises has unveiled its winter 2017 programme which, due to customer demand, sees a long-haul focus with more ships based in the Caribbean than ever before and exciting new ports of call added. From November 2017, Thomson Celebration will be moving to its new homeport of La Romana in the Dominican Republic, meaning for the first time in its history, Thomson Cruises will have three of its ships based in the Caribbean. All-inclusive ships TUI Discovery and new addition TUI Discovery 2 will join Thomson Celebration and will sail out of Bridgetown, Barbados and Montego Bay, Jamaica respectively.
Thomson Cruises: The winter 2017 programme is on sale now
 
Emerald Waterways Launches New EmeraldACTIVE Excursions
Emerald Waterways is proud to introduce EmeraldACTIVE, a range of activities aimed at more adventurous guests who yearn for the outdoors and to experience the great sites they visit in a different way to a standard tour. Examples of the activities on offer include hikes in Germany’s dramatic Black Forest during the 8-day Jewels of the Rhineand a guided bike tour of the Austrian city of Melk - home to the famed Melk Abbey - on the 8-day Danube Delights.In line with Emerald Waterways’ fully inclusive pricing structure, all EmeraldACTIVE excursions are offered to guests at no additional charge.
 
Emerald Waterways: EmeraldACTIVE available for 2017 cruises
 
Explore the World of French Gastronomy
Explore the delights of French gastronomy like never before, with the new and exclusive Scenic Culinaire experience. Leave an unforgettable trip not just with memories, but with authentic French recipes and the knowledge of how to make them. New for 2017, the on-board cooking schools immerse guests in the culinary wonders of the Rhône and Bordeaux regions. Taught by experts, the classes use the finest in local ingredients so that the epicentre of cuisine and fine dining can be enjoyed like never before. From famed French pastries to the chocolate of Bordeaux; the seafood of the Arcachon Coast or the carnivorous delights of Provence, each class is tailored to the region that the ship is cruising through.                                                                                     
Scenic: Available for Bordeaux, Rhone and Saone River Cruises in 2017
 
Princess Cruises Introduce the Dazzling Majestic Princess to Their Fleet
Princess Cruises are excited to be introducing a new ship to the fleet in spring 2017.  The dazzling Majestic Princess is sister ship to Royal Princess and Regal Princess and will offer many of the special features that made them both so popular and distinctive. These include the over-the-sea SeaWalk – a glass-floor walkway extending 8 metres beyond the edge of the ship and the dramatic atrium, the social hub of the ship with additional entertainment and casual dining options. Majestic Princess has been built specifically for Chinese guests, but will sail the Mediterranean for six weeks following her maiden voyage, with UK guests having a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience all she has offer.
Princess Cruises: 7, 14, 21 and 28 day cruises available, departing throughout April and May from Rome, Barcelona or Athens
 
Discover the Beauty of Kvarner Bay & Istria Aboard the Princess Eleganza
For those who enjoy discovering medieval towns, exploring Roman sites, cruising amongst some of the world’s most beautiful coastal scenery whilst accompanied by a small group of like-minded travellers, Noble Caledonia’s new journey along the Istrian Coast which has been combined with a three night stay in the charming Kempinski Hotel in Portoroz will surely appeal. With just 36 guests on board, the charming Princess Eleganza is able to dock in towns and cities and explore parts of the Istrian coast that passengers aboard the large cruise ships in the region rarely get to visit. During the voyage the passengers will moor each night allowing for the opportunity to experience the atmospheric ports in their evening splendour.                                                                            
Noble Caledonia: Idyllic Istria, from £2,895pp
 
These are only a small sample of the amazing array of cruises that you can expect to find at The London CRUISE Show. In addition to uncovering these and many more exciting voyages, you can meet with the biggest collection or major cruise lines and specialist operators under one roof, enjoy talk theatres that will be packed with FREE informative talks where you can ask those all important questions directly to the cruise lines, discover different ship styles and incredible destinations, and also find out what’s new for 2017/2018! Exhibitors will also be offering wonderful competitions and you could save thousands of pounds with exclusive show-only offers and upgrades.
 
Don’t forget The CRUISE Show is at Olympia London on 18th & 19th February 2017.

Editor’s notes:

We can arrange interviews with experts and exhibitors, special ticket discounts and competitions to win tickets. A selection of photographs and logos are available for press use.For further information please contact Jack Jacobs on 01795 844400

email: jack@escapeevents.co.uk.
Please note, prices shown are subject to change.

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