Aug 17, 2007
A follow-up to our joyful shout that "Swan Hellenic Lives!," brings more reason to celebrate
It just arrived: the elegant, 50-page, 2008 catalogue of the resurrected Swan Hellenic Discovery Cruises for thoughtful travelers, each cruise accompanied by "eminent lecturers" ranging from Cambridge dons to curators of famous British museums. In the Swan Hellenic tradition, everything is included: roundtrip airfare from London to the embarkation place, daily shore excursions with lunch, all tipping to staff both on board and ashore, all entrance fees to the places visited on excursions. Prices, remarkably, are as little as $280 and $300 a day per person (for all of the above) if you book during an extremely generous advance booking period that lasts until October 31, 2007.
The itineraries start with 15-day sailings of the North and Baltic Seas, the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. They go on to "Grand Voyages" of 20 to 55 days to Africa and the Indian Ocean, the Adriatic, Aegean and Black Sea, and "Cape to Cape," "Four Continents," South America, and "Grand Explorer." They include several cruises of the Antarctic. And the ship is Swan Hellenic's former-but-refurbished Minerva with country-club-style furnishings and amenities. Everything shows the touch of Lord Jeffrey Sterling, former Chairman of P&O Cruises of Britain, who stepped in to save Swan Hellenic and re-start it, after the brainy cruise line had been crudely (and cruelly) terminated by Carnival, its accidental owner.
The new address is: Swan Hellenic Cruises, Lynnem House, 1 Victoria Way, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9NF. The website is www.swanhellenic.com. The British phone number is 01444 462 180, the fax 01444 462 181. When calling from the U.S., precede everything with "011." Though the website may be sufficient for you, I'm glad I wrote away for a printed catalogue that's about as historic as things can get in the world of travel.
Keep in mind that Martin Randall Tours will also be offering similar cruises in 2008, but only on three occasions (he will undoubtedly increase that frequency in 2009).
Write and read comments about this post.
The itineraries start with 15-day sailings of the North and Baltic Seas, the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. They go on to "Grand Voyages" of 20 to 55 days to Africa and the Indian Ocean, the Adriatic, Aegean and Black Sea, and "Cape to Cape," "Four Continents," South America, and "Grand Explorer." They include several cruises of the Antarctic. And the ship is Swan Hellenic's former-but-refurbished Minerva with country-club-style furnishings and amenities. Everything shows the touch of Lord Jeffrey Sterling, former Chairman of P&O Cruises of Britain, who stepped in to save Swan Hellenic and re-start it, after the brainy cruise line had been crudely (and cruelly) terminated by Carnival, its accidental owner.
The new address is: Swan Hellenic Cruises, Lynnem House, 1 Victoria Way, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9NF. The website is www.swanhellenic.com. The British phone number is 01444 462 180, the fax 01444 462 181. When calling from the U.S., precede everything with "011." Though the website may be sufficient for you, I'm glad I wrote away for a printed catalogue that's about as historic as things can get in the world of travel.
Keep in mind that Martin Randall Tours will also be offering similar cruises in 2008, but only on three occasions (he will undoubtedly increase that frequency in 2009).
Write and read comments about this post.
Labels: cruise
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