Exclusive Voyage Up for Grabs at Telegraph CRUISE Show

Visitors to the Telegraph CRUISE Show at the NEC in Birmingham (20th-21st October) should   steer a course to the St Helena Line stand to be in with a chance of winning a magical voyage aboard one of the world's last working royal mail ships, to one of the most remote, inhabited islands on Earth.

As well as gaining a glimpse into the fascinating history of the RMS St Helena, visitors to the stand (E28) can enter a prize draw to win a holiday for two to the magical island of St Helena aboard this glorious 155-berth passenger vessel. The prize is worth £7,000.

The Royal Mail Ship St Helena was built in 1989 specifically to supply the island of St Helena, a British Overseas Territory which is located deep in the South Atlantic. Having recently undergone an extensive refit, the ship offers passengers an ocean voyage adventure in comfort and style. From excellent cuisine and attentive crew to traditional ocean-going pastimes, passengers are assured of a unique and memorable experience.

The RMS St Helena regularly journeys between the ports of St Helena, Ascension Island and Cape Town. Lying over 4,000 miles from the UK and 1,700 miles off the coast of South Africa and accessed only by sea, the island of St Helena is an unspoilt gem offering visitors a rich heritage and breathtaking natural beauty. This exclusive holiday prize affords a rare opportunity to arrive at this remote idyll before the ship is withdrawn from service in 2016.

About the Competition

The prize consists of a holiday for two to St Helena includes an economy airfare between London and Cape Town, a 10 day sea passage in an A deck grade cabin including all meals on board the RMS St Helena and eight nights' accommodation in St Helena. The hotel accommodation includes bed and breakfast. All applicable taxes will be paid.

The prize does not include meals other than stated in St Helena, accommodation in Cape Town or any applicable visa charges.

Entrants will need to visit the St Helena Line stand at the Telegraph CRUISE Show in either Birmingham or London and complete an entry form.

They must answer two questions about St Helena and the RMS St Helena. All entries will be placed into a draw to be held in May 2013, when the winner will be announced. Full terms and conditions are available by visiting www.rms-st-helena.com

For more information on RMS St Helena, plus a full list of scheduled tours and special offers, visit www.rms-st-helena.com.

For more information on St Helena visit www.sthelenatourism.com

St Helena visitors on the rise with the best yet to come

The remote South Atlantic island of St Helena continues to prosper with visitor figures rising by three per cent in 2011, according to latest statistics released by St Helena Tourism. Overall, 2,177 visitors were brought to St Helena’s shores in 2011 by the 128-berth passenger/cargo vessel, the RMS St Helena, currently the only regular means of accessing the island.

The UK remains the second largest source of tourists (behind South Africa, the nearest mainland to the island), accounting for 33 per cent of all tourists to the destination. With construction underway for the island’s very first airport, expected to be operational by December 2015, tourism is forecast to grow.

In addition to passengers brought ashore by the RMS St Helena, cruise ship arrivals are also rising. Seven cruise ships called at St Helena in 2011/12 bringing over 2,800 passengers ashore, compared to 1,600 passengers in 2010/11.

A recent survey conducted by the tourist board, reported positive satisfaction levels among cruise visitors, with over 90% of visitors rating their visit as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ with people describing St Helena as ‘a place to rival Eden’. An encouraging 92% said they would recommend the island to their friends. Highlights mentioned including Jacob’s Ladder, the Napoleonic sites and Plantation House – residence of the island’s Governor and home to Jonathan the tortoise – reputed to be the oldest living animal in the world.

For more information on St Helena visit www.sthelenatourism.com. Join the official St Helena facebook page at: www.facebook.com/visit.sthelena.  

May voyages to St Helena

St Helena Line is offering a 30% discount on its May voyages to St Helena on board the RMS St Helena, (www.rms-st-helena.com; 020 7575 6480) departing Cape Town on the 7^th or the 27^th May 2012. Visitors can join the 18-day return trip between Cape Town and St Helena from £1,428 return per person, a saving of over £600 per person, based on an A-Deck cabin with en-suite. 

The discount is applicable on the 10-day sea voyage only and includes all food and entertainment on board this 128-berth passenger/cargo vessel. Passengers will spend eight nights on the remote South Atlantic Island of St Helena where there is a wide range of accommodation available. More information on accommodation and bookings can be made through the reservations staff at Andrew Weir Shipping or the Tourist Office (www.sthelenatourism.com/ enquiries@tourism.gov.sh). The 30% discount is valid on all published fares and all cabin grades and is subject to availability.

With the advent of the island’s first ever international airport, due to be operational in December 2015, take advantage of this great offer and set sail on the RMS St Helena to visit this extraordinary island. Currently, getting to the remote, little discovered island of St Helena by sea is as much a part of the holiday. Located 1,500 miles north-west of Cape Town, St Helena boasts stunning natural beauty and is steeped in history – perhaps best known for where Napoleon was exiled. 

Set Sail and Discover the Remote South Atlantic Hideaway of St Helena

A series of new voyages departing in 2012 to the far-flung British Outpost, St Helena, have been introduced by St Helena Line. Lying 1,500 miles north-west of Cape Town, with a rich history and dramatic natural beauty, there’s nowhere remotely like it!

Taking bookings now, the new 18-night Hideaway Tour departs Cape Town on 7 May, 2012 on board one of the world’s last working Royal Mail Ships, the 128-berth RMS St Helena and costs from £2,765 per person. Leading the tour will be Colin Lewis, Professor Emeritus of Rhodes University (South Africa), hugely knowledgeable about St Helena – its history and natural environment. Prof. Lewis will offer a special insight into this British outcrop – the place of Napoleon’s exile.

After a relaxing five-night voyage at sea on board the part passenger, part cargo ship, passengers will arrive on St Helena’s shores on the 12 May, where they’ll be joined by Island residents Basil George and Vanessa Thomas for a fascinating and diverse eight-day itinerary.

Highlights include a trip to Napoleon’s last residence - Longwood House (arguably one of the finest Napoleonic museums in the world), plus other sites of historic importance, including Napoleon’s Tomb. A boat trip, tour of the grounds at Plantation House where the Governor resides, an evening talk from the National Trust of St Helena and a walking tour of the capital, Jamestown, are also included.

A Botanical Day will allow the chance to uncover some of the world’s rarest flora and fauna plus the opportunity to spot the endemic Wirebird. The RMS arrives back in Cape Town on the 25 May.

The Hideaway Tour costs from £2,765 per person based on two sharing an A deck cabin. The price includes eight nights’ B&B accommodation on St Helena, entry fees and guide costs, all meals on the RMS and some meals in St Helena. Return international flights to Cape Town are not included.

For further details visit http://rms-st-helena.com/tours/hideaway-tour or The Cruise Line