Treasures of China and the Yangtze with Titan/Uniworld

This cruise through China from Titan/Uniworld will carry you from the ultramodern high-rises of Shanghai to the ancient Great Wall, revealing the great diversity of the country along the way.

Sailing on the Century Paragon with its two restaurants you follow the Yangtze into the heart of China, with mist-shrouded shrines and weather-shaped rock formations of the Three Gorges.

This holiday provides insight into the marvels of old and new China. Visit Beijing’s Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square and walk along the Great Wall, one of the wonders of the ancient world. 

Voyages from 14 April 2015 through to 20 Oct 2015 from £4,249. Includes flights and Titans VIP door to door pick up service.

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Sail the Mekong with Uniworld saving up to £1400

Titan Uniworld are offering a Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & The Mekong cruise for 17 days from £4,229. There is a saving of £1,400 on this cruise with limited avaibility.Offers end 30 November 2014

Visits Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Campong, Siem Rep  Two days are dedicated to exploring the Angkor Wat complex (above) but also included are Titan’s VIP Home Departure Service from your front door for any address in mainland UK, scheduled direct flights and 7-night full board cruise on the River Orchid.

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Titan Travel Launches Its 2013 Preview Brochure Of The 'World's Best River Cruises' In Partnership With Uniworld

Titan Travel (0800 988 5867, www.titantravel.co.uk ) has unveiled its brand new 2013 preview brochure of award-winning river cruises for independent travellers in an exclusive partnership with Uniworld. This special preview brochure, which is out this week, has been rebranded as the 'World's Best River Cruises' and showcases eight outstanding river cruise itineraries for 2013 aboard Uniworld's fleet of floating boutique-style hotels to some of the grandest and most scenic waterways of Europe. The new branding recognises the supreme quality of each ship with their sumptuous interiors, award-winning service, spacious and beautifully appointed staterooms, fine cuisine (including complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner on the majority of the cruises) and choice of shore excursions included at every major port of call plus the range of splendid on-board amenities available on each vessel. One of Titan's long standing principles is that early bookers get the best holiday prices. Therefore the preview brochure offers the opportunity to take advantage of the lowest guaranteed prices on 2013 cruises with savings of up to £500 per person for bookings made before 30th June 2012. The brochure features one brand new itinerary with an 8-day 'Venice and the Po River' itinerary on the newly refurbished River Countess. This is the first time that Uniworld has featured Italy in its programme and following a stay in Venice the trip continues along the River Po to include visits to Bologna for a pasta making workshop, as well as a city tour of Verona and a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Ravenna. The 8-day cruise costs from £1,999 per person (if booked before 30th June 2012) and includes flights, 7-nights full board cruise, excursions, transfers and the unique VIP Home Departure Service. In addition the brochure introduces a brand new vessel - the Queen Isabel which will be launching on the Douro River in Portugal from March 2013. Offering two itineraries, the 11-day 'Lisbon and the Beautiful Douro River' and the popular 8-day 'A Week on the Douro River' itineraries, the new vessel is set to be the most luxurious river cruise ship on this majestic river next year. With a unique boutique feel its elegant suites and junior suites will have full balconies and the restaurant will have panoramic windows to admire the scenery whilst enjoying the sumptuous dinners. There will also be an area for Al Fresco dining and a small pool on the sundeck. Prices for A Week on the Douro start from £1,699 per person (for bookings made by 30th June 2012) and include flights, 7-nights full board cruise, excursions with English speaking guides, transfers and the VIP Home Departure Service. The brochure leads in with a £1,599 (if booked before 30th June 2012) for an 8-day 'Enchanting Danube' cruise from Budapest to Passau including flights, 7-nights full board cruise aboard the sumptuous River Beatrice, excursions, transfers and the VIP Home Departure Service. For details or to book call Titan Travel on 0800 988 5867 or visit www.titantravel.co.uk

Uniworld announces a new ship - The Queen Isabel - on Portugal’s Douro River Valley

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection is excited to announce that it will introduce a new ship, The Queen Isabel, on the Douro River in Portugal. The new ship will have its inaugural sailing in 2013 and will replace Uniworld’s current vessel the Douro Spirit which was inaugurated in 2011.

Uniworld’s new Queen Isabel will be a new build ship and will carry 118 passengers, a slightly smaller capacity than the Douro Spirit which will allow Uniworld to offer more suites comprising 18 junior suites at 215 sq. ft. and two larger suites at 323 sq. ft. with the top deck featuring full balconies. 

Uniworld named the ship Queen Isabel after one of Portugal’s most beloved queens from the late 13th - 14th century. “It’s only befitting such a splendid and regal destination is named after one of Portugal’s well-loved queens. I am quite confident the Queen Isabel will be very well received when she launches in spring of 2013,” continues Young.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection offers itineraries across Europe, Egypt, Russia and China and Vietnam and Cambodia, along the Mekong River. Each Uniworld ship offers guests luxury accommodation with sumptuous interiors, fine dining and unique facilities and has the same philosophy towards guest service as sister company Red Carnation Hotels, where “no request is too large, no detail too small.”

Uniworld operates two itineraries on the Douro River; Douro River Valley Discovery and Portugal, Spain & the Douro River Valley.

For more information and to book please visit www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk or call 0845 678 8311.

Gems of Germany, Belgium & the Netherlands with Floriade via Uniworld River Cruises

Uniworld have announced first details of their Gems of Germany, Belgium & the Netherlands with Floriade Cruise.  Floriade, the World Horticultural Expo is held every ten years in Venlo, The Netherlands, runs from 5 April until 7 October 2012 and is where visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the world’s most exquisite and exceptional flowers, plants, trees and fruit and vegetables, with countless exciting, innovative and educational attractions and activities.

As part of the Cruise Uniworld's Luxury River Cruise visits Cologne  where guests can enjoy a guided tour of Cologne’s Old Town, you’ll see Romanesque churches, the Renaissance City Hall, Medieval houses, and UNESCO-designated Cologne Cathedral—one of the tallest Gothic buildings in the world. Guests can also enjoy a guided tour of the fascinating Roman-Germanic Museum, including the beautiful Dionysus mosaic.

Afterwards, mingle with the locals at a tavern and join in an exclusive tasting of Kölsch, the popular local brew served in test tube-like glasses. Stop off at the quaint village of Königswinter, which lies at the foot of the Siebengebirge. Guests will experience an exclusive visit to Castle Drachenfels, which boasts a stunning panoramic view of the Rhine Valley. Brussels highlights include a local expert city tour, exclusive chocolate demonstration, and tasting at Planet Chocolate Factory; Antwerp, enjoy a local tour, followed by an afternoon at leisure to allow guests explore Antwerp’s fine shopping and museum collections, an exclusive Belgian brewery and beer tasting; walking tour of Maastrict; full day at Venlo for Floriade;

For more info and booking details, check out www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk

Uniworld is launches 14-night itinerary – Vietnam, Cambodia and the Mekong

In January 2012, Uniworld is launching a new and very exciting 14-night itinerary – Vietnam, Cambodia  and the Mekong. The NEW River Saigon cruise ship has a limited capacity of just 60 guests, ensuring each will receive an intimate and personalised experience in pure luxury.

The comprehensive itinerary starts at Ho Chi Minh City where guests will stay for three days exploring the city and visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels. From there guests sail down the narrow canals of the Mekong River stopping off for excursions at small towns and visit floating markets and homes. From there the cruise continues down to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, where guests learn about the Khmer Rouge violent regime, as well as a visit to the National museum. Guests continue then on their cruise up the Mekong towards Siem Reap, stopping off at small towns along the way. At Siem Reap, two days are dedicated to exploring the UNESCO heritage site of Angkor Wat. A short flight from Siem Reap to Hanoi where guests will stay in the luxury of the Inter Continental Hotel before departing for home.

UK prices for this package are still to be confirmed but are being finalised shortly. The package will include:

7 night Mekong River Cruise in a riverview stateroom onboard the beautiful NEW River Saigon, 7 nights in centrally located deluxe hotels featuring luxurious accommodations, buffet breakfast, and all services charges, taxes and porterage, Captivating, fully escorted excursions with English-speaking local guides made up of more than 20 people. Highlights include: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap – getaway to the Khmer Empire, and the Angkor Wat Temple Complex.

14 buffet breakfasts, 9 lunches, and 11 dinners, complimentary wine with dinner onboard, and complimentary coffee, tea, soft drinks, local beer and local spirits are available onboard throughout the day. Domestic flight from Siem Reap to Hanoi or Hanoi to Siem Reap. All transfers on arrival and departure days.

For further information on Uniworld visit, www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk or Luxury river crusie specialists The Cruise Line

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January 2012, Uniworld launching a new 14-night itinerary – Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong.

In January 2012, Uniworld is launching a new and very exciting 14-night itinerary – Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong. The NEW River Saigon cruise ship has a limited capacity of just 60 guests, ensuring each will receive an intimate and personalised experience in pure luxury.

The comprehensive itinerary starts at Ho Chi Minh City where guests will stay for three days exploring the city and visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels. From there guests sail down the narrow canals of the Mekong River stopping off for excursions at small towns and visit floating markets and homes. From there the cruise continues down to Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, where guests learn about the Khmer Rouge violent regime, as well as a visit to the National museum. Guests continue then on their cruise up the Mekong towards Siem Reap, stopping off at small towns along the way. At Siem Reap, two days are dedicated to exploring the UNESCO heritage site of Angkor Wat. A short flight from Siem Reap to Hanoi where guests will stay in the luxury of the Inter Continental Hotel before departing for home.

UK prices for this package are still to be confirmed but are being finalised shortly. The package will include:

7 night Mekong River Cruise in a riverview stateroom onboard the beautiful NEW River Saigon, 7 nights in centrally located deluxe hotels featuring luxurious accommodations, buffet breakfast, and all services charges, taxes and porterage, Captivating, fully escorted excursions with English-speaking local guides made up of more than 20 people. Highlights include: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap – getaway to the Khmer Empire, and the Angkor Wat Temple Complex.

14 buffet breakfasts, 9 lunches, and 11 dinners, complimentary wine with dinner onboard, and complimentary coffee, tea, soft drinks, local beer and local spirits are available onboard throughout the day. Domestic flight from Siem Reap to Hanoi or Hanoi to Siem Reap. All transfers on arrival and departure days.

For further information on Uniworld visit, www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk or Luxury river crusie specialists The Cruise Line

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Stock-up for Christmas with a Christmas Markets Cruise on board the spectacular SS Antoinette

The 8 Day Classic Rhine Holiday Markets itinerary travels through Switzerland, France and Germany.  Guests can begin their journey at Basel ending at Cologne, or vice-versa.

Combine some of Christmas’ most beloved pastimes – shopping, decorations and food - on this enjoyable festive river cruise!  The three countries provide the perfect backdrop for this true connoisseurs Christmas Markets cruise. Visit the delightful Christmas Markets of Basel, Switzerland and Strasbourg, France.  

Then continue to Germany – where many of our signature holiday traditions began – with stops in lovely medieval towns such as Heidelberg, Mainz, Rüdersheim and Koblenz, as well as the majestic city of Cologne, with it’s vast Gothic cathedral. Here you can shop for one-of-a-kind treasures, and unique Christmas presents.  Stock up on hand made Christmas decorations, and soak up the atmosphere as the city is adorned with festive finery such as glittering Christmas trees, bells pealing from cathedral towers and children dressed as angels singing Christmas carols. Feast on gingerbread, traditional stöllen, and warm up with a mug of steaming glühwein (hot mulled wine). 

As you sail the legendary Rhine, especially the 40 miles along the Upper Middle Rhine valley, you’ll be captivated by ancient fortresses, medieval castles and half-timbered villages – all set in a winter wonderland.

Uniworld’s 8-day Rhine Holiday Christmas Market Cruises start on November 30^th, December 7^th, 14^th and 21^st and  include: return flights and private door to door transfers on arrival and departure days, a 7-night cruise in a stateroom on the spectacular SS Antoinette, 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners (and complimentary fine wine, beer and soft drinks served with dinner onboard) including Captain’s Welcome Gala and Farewell Dinner, 6 shore excursions, fully hosted by English-speaking local guides, a signature lecture on the ‘Christmas Traditions in Germany’, an experienced Cruise Manager and attentive, all English-speaking staff.  Prices start at £2,075 per person.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises offer cruises in pure luxury with unsurpassed style and elegance.  No detail is overlooked and exceptional service is always at hand.  All rooms are luxurious and decorated by the renowned interior design team of the award-winning Red Carnation Hotel Collection.

For further information on Uniworld visit, www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk

Astronaut Carving in Medieval Cathedral

This astronaut is carved in the doorway of Salamanca's medieval cathedral. Unfortunately it's not some great scientific/historical mystery but a modern edition. During the late 1990s the stone work around the doorway was renovated and the mason asked the Bishop if he could carve something to represent the twentieth century.

This was the result, there's also a lion eating an ice cream further down the screen! We had gone to Salamanca as part of the included excursions in Uniworld's Douro River Cruise in northern Portugal. You can find out more at  www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk or The Cruise Line.

Mist on the Douro River Valley

This is the early morning mist on the River Douro in northern Portugal. The Douro valley has its own micro climate enabling it to grow grapes like nowhere else in the world. Couple this with 17th century British ingenuity and you create Port, that wonderful wine that has graced so many dinner tables.

The picture was taken from the sundeck of the Douro Spirit on a river cruise organised by Uniworld River Cruises who I can heartily recommend. You can see the navigation bouys in the river, at times were in steep barren rock faced gorges with Golden Eagles flying alongside and other times the high open valley with sides covered with vineyards. Try the white port it's amazing!

You can fine out more at www.uniworld.com or The Cruise Line.

The Sphinx is calling again: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises start in September

After a break to avoid the heat of high summer, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises resume their 2011 Egypt itineraries in September, with a new more luxurious hotel partner in Cairo – the Four Seasons Nile Plaza.

Departures for the 12-day Splendours of the Nile experience start on 3 September and will feature two nights in Cairo at both the beginning and the end of the 7 day cruise, staying at the hotel which is located on the Corniche on the banks of the Nile, affording panoramic views across the river to the island of Zamalek and beyond, or towards the 12th-century Citadel. It boasts ten restaurants and lounges offering a variety of international cuisine and also a state-of-the-art spa, the largest of its kind in the city, with 14 treatment rooms including a couple's treatment room, sauna, steam room, whirlpool, cold plunge, a serene relaxation area and indoor swimming pool. It also has three outdoor pools.

The hotel matches the level of comfort and service that guests can expect on board the River Tosca, which is where guests will spend 7 nights of the itinerary, sailing the Nile from Luxor to Aswan. Highlights of the whole itinerary include a visit to the Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the pyramids of Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx as well as the Karnak and Luxor Temples in Luxor, and Temple of Hathor in Dendera, one of Egypt’s best preserved temples. No trip to Egypt would be complete without a visit to the Valley of the Kings and Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple as well as Aswan’s gems such as the High Dam, the Philae Temple and the Botanical Gardens. Throughout all this, you’ll be accompanied by highly skilled and knowledgeable Egyptologists, as well as a host of supporting guides.

The River Tosca is an intimate all suite ship, with a capacity for 82 guests, blending old world elegance with modern amenities. Each beautifully appointed suite has a French balcony and comes kitted with iPod docking stations, flat screen TVs and both a bathtubs and shower in the private bathrooms. The public areas include a stylish lounge with full-service bar, a cosy library, elegant restaurant, sundeck with cabanas and a swimming pool, plus a fully equipped gym and massage room.

For more information and to book please visit http://www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk/ or call 0845 678 8558

Uniworld Launches NEW ship, the Douro Spirit, in Portugal and Spain’s Breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Douro River Valley

This week, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ new ship, the Douro Spirit, made its debut on the ‘Portugal, Spain and Douro Valley” itinerary.

The Douro Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage region, is being increasingly recognised for its wine making and natural beauty, reflected in an impressive 80% growth in UK river cruisers in 2010 over 2009, according to recent figures from the Passenger Shipping Association. Its Port heritage dates back over 2,000 years with the oldest demarcated wine region in the world. The Douro Valley is also a cultural landscape of exceptional beauty with rambling vineyards and charming quintas clinging to the steep slopes of its valley, creating an incomparable backdrop to one of Europe’s most unspoiled regions. And this is what you can expect to see and experience from the comfort of Uniworld’s new Douro Spirit.

Every riverview stateroom and suite onboard the Douro Spirit features a French balcony, so guests can get closer than ever to the breathtaking scenery of the region’s unspoiled natural landscapes. The Douro Spirit’s common areas provide added comfort with a main lounge featuring a full-service bar and dance floor, a restaurant, a sun deck with Jacuzzi® and small swimming pool, a lovely onboard restaurant with open seating, a fitness room, a massage room, a beauty salon and a boutique. And all of this is presented on an intimate ship built to accommodate a maximum of 128 guests and provide the small-ship boutique ambience preferred by Uniworld’s experienced travellers.

Uniworld’s 11-day Portugal, Spain & the Douro River Valley cruise includes: three nights in Lisbon at a deluxe hotel; a 7-night cruise in a stateroom with a French balcony onboard the new Douro Spirit; all meals with complimentary fine wine, beer and soft drinks served with dinner onboard; 10 fully-hosted shore excursions by English-speaking local guides; return flights and transfers on arrival and departure days. Prices start at £2,499 per person.

For more information and to book please visit http://www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk/

Uniworld's Fabulous New boat

Next to Adventue cruising I am smitten by river crusing. Totally different yet so relaxing and enjoyable. So here's a sample of what's on offer.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises have christened their latest vessel, SS Antoinette at the Port of Amsterdam, bringing a new class of super-ship to the world of river cruising.

In a first for the industry, the Antoinette boasts unique conservatory balconies in its top deck suites and staterooms. Each has a full open-air private balcony that, with a touch of a switch, raises the glass to create a completely enclosed conservatory, ensuring a connection with the open air and the river’s scenery, whatever the weather.

There are many other innovative features designed not only for the guests’ ultimate comfort and enjoyment, but also to ensure it is among the most environmentally friendly ships in river cruising.

The swimming pool, designed with stunning blue mosaic tile, is enclosed and provides the perfect place for a quiet nap, an invigorating swim or a place to simply watch the passing scenery as the entire area is enclosed in glass with floor-to-ceiling windows that open up. On the Sun Deck, guests can enjoy the Leopard Lounge and the elegant L'Orangerie, an indoor/outdoor dining venue. Both venues’ ceilings and windows can collapse on demand if the ship needs to pass under a low bridge. There is also a 22-seat cinema with Dolby Surround sound, the first movie theatre on any river cruise ship.

The Antoinette has just begun her inaugural season on Uniworld’s popular ‘Castles along the Rhine’ itinerary. Prices for this 8-day itinerary start from £1,850 and include accommodation in a category 5 room, shore excursions with local guides, all meals with complimentary European wines, beer and soft drinks during dinner, return flights, UK private car door-to-door transfers, and airport transfers on arrival and departure day.

For more info, see http://www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk/