Week-Long Cruises Along Unspoiled Dalmatian Coast

New for 2014 from AdventureSmith Explorations -
Week-Long Cruises Along Unspoiled Dalmatian Coast
Aboard 50-Suite Corinthian from May through October

Aficionados of small ship cruising can now partake without excursion fee add-ons the culture and landscape of a coastline that has escaped the machinery of mass tourism -- the Dalmatian coast embracing Croatia and Montenegro.
 Expedition small ship cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorations announces 8-day/7-night cruises in 2014 on the luxurious 50-suite Corinthian beginning May 1 and continuing weekly through end October from Venice to Dubrovnik or Dubrovnik to Venice. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/the-idyllic-islands-majestic-shores-of-croatia-montenegro

“We choose to respect the regions we visit. This stunning coastline is best appreciated when accessed from the sea. But it matters a lot upon which ship you cruise. This is not an area for today’s mega-sized cruise ships. The small islands and ancient villages just can’t accommodate large crowds of tourists,” underscores Todd Smith, AdventureSmith Explorations (http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/) director and visionary founder. Conservation and sustainable travel are important tenets to this award-winning company.

The rate is from $4,890 per person double (single and triple occupancy rates are available as well as share options). This includes suite accommodation (all suites face outside providing views of sea and  landscape); on-board meals including house wine and beer served with lunch and dinner; welcome and farewell cocktail receptions; all tours and excursions; enrichment program of lectures and private classical music concerts on some departures; comprehensive pre-departure materials; transfers and baggage handling abroad on designated arrival and departure dates; gratuities to porters, guides and drivers; and the services of a professional Travel Dynamics International tour staff.

Feeling more like a private yacht than a cruise ship, Corinthian offers expansive open deck areas, a gym, spa, library (with Internet access), beauty salon, two lodges, a sun deck with Jacuzzi and outdoor café. An elegant dining area accommodates all guests in open, unassigned seating. An elevator serves all decks. A resident physician attends a well-equipped infirmary. Sixty-five seasoned officers and crew attend to details.  The ship is equipped with retractable fin stabilizers and a fleet of Zodiac inflatable crafts for forays ashore.
 Examples of 12^th century architecture, the Palace of Diocletian built in AD 295-305 in Split, stately homes along the palm-lined harbor of Vis Town in the Hvar and Vis Islands, the old Turkish houses of Mostar, the home of Marco Polo in Korcula, and the port town of Kotor, one of the most striking and best-preserved towns along the Adriatic coast and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (one of several visited on this journey), are visited between Venice and Dubrovnik. Optional extensions at additional fees include Venice, Dubrovnik, and Sarajevo.

In addition to guided in-depth excursions included in the cruise rate, the yacht remains in many of the ports until late evening, offering opportunities to explore narrow lanes, sample native fare and libations, meet the locals and shop. At no additional cost guests may pedal and paddle thanks to the ship’s own fleet of bikes and kayaks, and swimming takes place from the swimming platform on the ship’s stern.

Every cruise will have an expert on board to explore this region. These include professors from, among others, Dartmouth College and Purdue University, a former diplomat who speaks Serbo-Croatian and a principal with Heritage Consulting Services. Their lectures will be woven into themed cruises on specified departures: Photography, Gastronomy, Gardens & Botany, Classical Chamber Music, Arts & Architecture and Contemporary Events & History.

AdventureSmith Explorations also offers small ship cruising to other enticing destinations in the Mediterranean including Greece and its islands, Turkey, Italy, Croatia and the Dalmatian Coast. See:
http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/mediterranean.

Founded in 2003, AdventureSmith Explorations is based in Tahoe City, CA, along the northern shore of Lake Tahoe. In 2012, owner Todd Smith joined the ranks of Conde Nast Traveler's prestigious 14th Annual Travel Specialists List as the world’s expert on small ship expeditions. A distinction he received again in 2013. For information, availability and 2013 reservations Phone: 800-728-2875 toll-free, visit www.adventuresmithexplorations.com.

‘Perseid Meteor Showers

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will be offering guests the chance to take in one of nature’s most spectacular light shows, the ‘Perseid Meteor Showers’, with Braemar’s 13-night M1422 ‘Canaries Meteor Showers' cruise, sailing from Dover on 4^th August 2014.

This exciting 'experience' cruise will give guests the opportunity to view the stunning, multi-coloured ‘Perseid Meteor Shower’ at the optimum time, whilst visiting the beautiful Canary Islands and Portugal. The ‘Perseids’ are so-called because the point from which they appear to come, called the ‘radiant’, lies within the constellation, ‘Perseus’. Referred to by many as 'Nature’s celestial firework display', the ‘Perseid Meteor Showers’ are the result of material falling from the tail of the comet Swift-Tuttle. Best seen during the early evenings and nightfall within the first two weeks of August, guests on board this cruise can channel their ‘amateur astronomist’, as they look out for these 'shooting stars' – which reach a rate of 60 or more per hour at their peak – in stunning surroundings.

This cruise visits Funchal, on the lovely ‘Garden Isle’ of Madeira, for an overnight stay. Compact enough to explore on foot, the island has some fine museums, and its climate and rich soil allow for some exquisite gardens.

Next, Braemar visits Santa Cruz in Tenerife.  Here, guests can discover the wonders of the extinct volcano, Mount Teide, in El Teide National Park, explore the mix of modern and historic buildings, or take a tour to the Pyramids of Guimar. These incredible pyramid-shaped structures date back to the 19th Century and are located in the fascinating ‘Secret Garden’, which contains some of the most dangerous plants in the world.

Braemar then calls at the largest island, Gran Canaria, where the ship docks in Las Palmas. This popular island boasts a fascinating history; in Plaza Santa Ana, there are bronze statues of dogs, referencing the Romans’ naming of the islands after legendary canines.

Arrecife, Lanzarote is the next port of call, a bustling port with two splendid castles overlooking the harbour area, which date back to the 16th and 17th Centuries. The older of the two buildings, ‘Castillo San Gabriel’, houses the Ethnographic Museum, which tells the story of the original inhabitants of the island, the Gaunche. Guests venturing slightly further out of the town can explore the lunar landscape of the Timanfaya National Park.

Lisbon, Portugal’s bustling capital, is the final port of call, a city rich in maritime history. There is much to explore, including monasteries, museums, and Gothic cathedrals. Other attractions include ‘Rossio Square’, the city’s old quarter, and the ‘April 25^th’ suspension bridge, one of the world’s largest. For more adventurous guests, there is an exhilarating Jeep Safari tour in the imposing Sintra Mountains.

Prices for this ‘cruise of a lifetime’ start from £1,099 per person, based on two adults sharing a twin-bedded, inside cabin, Grade ‘I’, and include accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, and port dues.     

To find out more about Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 150 (Monday to Friday, 8am 8pm; Saturday, 9am to 5pm; Sunday, 10am to 4pm, or visit an ABTA travel agent.

European Waterways video channe

European Warerways have recently added a series of new videos to our European Waterways video channel. These videos were filmed aboard the deluxe hotel barge Renaissance during a recent voyage on the Canal de Briare & Canal Latéral à la Loire.

Arguably one of the finest regions in France one could barge through! Across the mighty River Loire on the Canal de Briare, France's oldest canal, completed in 1642 and steeped in history, past beautiful scenery and small country villages. 

Please feel free to embed any of these videos onto your own websites, blogs or social media and, of course, include them in any editorial pieces. To view these videos please click on the images below: 

Cruise the Upper Loire and Western Burgundy aboard Hotel Barge Renaissance

   

The 8 Passenger Hotel Barge Renaissance - Luxury Cruises in Western Burgundy/Upper Loire

To watch more of our videos please click here and to find out more about hotel barge Renaissance please click here.   

We hope you enjoy the videos and we will let you know when more are available to view.