The three dining options are:-

• Classic Main – beginning at 6:15pm
• Classic Late – beginning at 8:30pm
• Open Dining by Reservation – available between 6:15 and 9:15pm

Read further details here

This is a great step forward from Crystal Cruises, and one that their regular guests have been asking for. This will also help with attracting new to Crystal passengers, as the two fixed dining options has often deterred people from booking who are used to open dining on Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. With Crystal’s All Inclusive As You Wish onboard spending credits, and now their Open Dining by Reservation, Crystal Cruises really are raising the bar in 6-Star luxury cruising.

Mention cruising and most people think of the romance of the Caribbean, river cruises in Europe, sailing the Nile or the once in a lifetime experience of a world cruise. Unfortunately for the cruise industry, many more people immediately associate cruising with vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, chills, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and tiredness!

These are the common symptoms of the Norovirus, a group of viruses (previously known as Norwalk-like viruses) that can affect the stomach and intestines. They are responsible for an unpleasant, but rarely serious, gastroenteric illness and are almost exclusively linked with cruise ships in the public imagination. The recently launched Cirrus 3 “Fresh Air Machine” could be just the boost the Cruise industry needs to assuage passenger’s health concerns. It’s an advanced biotechnology product and not just another air filter or purifier. It doesn’t need to process any of the air in a room to decontaminate the environment. The unique technology contained in the Cirrus 3 generates a continual stream of free radicals of oxygen called hydroxyl radicals, exactly as are found in the outdoor natural environment, to destroy any harmful bacteria and viruses in the air or on surfaces.

Cirrus 3 could also be of tremendous benefit to several sectors, such as nursing homes, restaurants, transport termini, schools and colleges or hotels. Cruise ships remain the perceived hotbed of Norovirus infection, even though it’s extremely common (second only to the incidence of the common cold) on land as well as sea. One reason Norovirus may be so associated with cruise travel is simply because, unlike hotels or land-based resorts, health officials are legally required to track illnesses on ships. Outbreaks on board a cruise ship are therefore more likely to be reported and get publicity.

Noroviruses are spread by eating food or drinking liquids prepared by someone infected with the virus, touching contaminated surfaces or objects or having person-to-person contact. The necessarily close living quarters on board a cruise ship may increase the amount of group contact and new passenger arrivals can spread the virus to the other passengers and crew. So it’s not the ships that are “sick” it’s the people on board them. Preventative measures recommended to date have centred on washing the hands often, especially after using the bathroom or before preparing and eating food. Contact with other people is also discouraged during outbreaks.

To that armoury of preventative measures could be added these compact “Fresh Air Machines”, small enough to fit in individual cabins or in dining areas and effective enough to provide complete protection by killing bugs across the entire vessel. Cirrus 3 mechanically recreates the biocide effects of outside fresh air by generating ozone which is then catalysed by UV light and mixed with aromatic hydrocarbons (supplied by plant life in natural fresh air) from a replaceable terpene cartridge to generate a stream of hydroxyl radicals from the device. Cirrus 3 destroys viruses and bacteria using essentially the same mechanism that white blood cells such as neutrophils employ to kill invading pathogens in the body’s immune defence system.

The hydroxyl radicals constantly generated by Cirrus 3 creates a ‘cascade’ reaction in the air that quickly diffuses through the cabin. Any quenched or spent radicals are continuously replaced by the system, providing a constant background protection for any people present. The hydroxyl radical cascade condenses onto particles of mucus ejected when someone sneezes for example and rapidly destroys the virus within minutes. An added bonus is the fact that this same condensation effect takes place on contaminated surfaces, killing bacteria such as MRSA on those surfaces too in a matter of hours.

This device on its own of course is no substitute for the sensible precautions already taken on board most cruise liners, but the addition of a “Fresh Air Machine” in every cabin or in public areas on board a vessel will allow cruise operators to assure their passengers of an even higher level of protection against any illness that might otherwise spoil what should be a dream trip.

Further details can be found here and here

Cirrus 250 Fresh Air Machine

 Sarina Bratton, founder and managing director of Orion Expedition Cruises  invited an audience of the UK’s top cruise specialists to annouce Orion’s plans for 2011 – including the addition of a new ship for the company, and of course White Star Cruises were there.

 Joining Sarina was Captain Mike Taylor, Orion’s Senior Captain with over 9 year experience in expedition cruises, and accompanying him was Mick Fogg, Orion’s expedition leader and marine biologist.

 Orion Expedition Cruises launched in April 2004 after a 2 year search to find the perfect ship  – Orion – and after a very successful start with the original vessel, the company now has such a high repeat ratio that they need to look for new destinations and a new vessel to meet the demand from their regular guests and new clients. Orion currently sails to and around Papa New Guinea, the Kimberley area of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand, Sub-Antarctica, and Antarctica including expeditions to Scott and Shakleton’s huts.

 Orion are focused on sustainability, and according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, they have set the benchmark in this area. The ship has 10 zodiacs on board so they can land anywhere, even where there is no infrastructure as they can land on ice, beaches, up rivers etc– the whole Orion experience is learning about where you are going, the sharing in the knowledge, the history, the flora & fauna and culture of the areas you are visiting.

 Your fellow guests will be well-travelled people; who enjoy connectivity with the destinations they are visiting, enjoying the onboard lectures in the dedicated lecture theatre.  Orion Expedition Cruises have won awards for the food onboard and have designed the menus to differ from standard cruise ship fare.  The Restaurant can accommodate all the guests in one sitting, and also offers dining out on deck.

 In April 2011, they will be taking delivery of Orion II. Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou’s father bought the ship for Stelios’ sister for her 30^th birthday – it was a private home for a number of years in Monte Carlo and around the Med operating as private yacht. Orion Expedition Cruises have invested 20 million dollars on updating the systems onboard, adding new satellite communications, storage areas, and of course the zodiacs. The new Orion II will feature 285 sq foot staterooms, along with 2 lounges – a main lounge and Nautica lounge for recaps and destination information. The food onboard will be an Asia fusion, and Orion have been working with leading Australian chefs in creating a unique menu, often relating to the local area the ship is cruising in.

 Based on thorough research, Orion II will be based in South East Asia offering a wide range of expeditions that will include Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, the Indonesian archipelago, Japan, Russia and Borneo.

 Focusing their sales efforts in the UK, Orion Expedition Cruises will now offer brochures in sterling and live reservations in the UK. Contact White Star Cruises for further information or to order a brochure.

Orion II

• Flights on all departures
• All beverages onboard
• All meals onboard
• All entertainment
• Unlimited shore excursions

This really is a strong offering – as the free flights offer extends to World Cruise ports like San Francisco, Auckland, Sydney, Bangkok, Dubai, and Rio de Janeiro to name but a few – this will save the luxury cruiser a lot of money. Plus count in all the free shore excursions, wonderful food and service and a Regent Seven Seas cruise really does offer excellent value for money. Cruise fares for 2011 start at just £2,329 per person for a Caribbean cruise or £2,359 for a Mediterranean cruise. View the Regent Seven Seas Cruises 2011 Preview Brochure - on sale 15th February

So will we be seeing great cruise fares in 2010 like we saw in 2009? Well yes and no. This year the luxury cruise lines are all offering their best prices upfront and early, so yes there are great deals around for 6-star cruising, however book NOW to get the best rates and best choice of suites – prices will go up as the departure date gets closer – I don’t think there will be a flurry of last minute late offers this year. Silversea are reporting that they are already 80% sold for 2010 – proof that their early cruise prices are stimulating the market and people are booking luxury cruises – so don’t delay or procrastinate if you want to go away this year – book now as the rates are great and will go up. View the latest luxury cruise offers from White Star Cruises.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises review

Silversea Silver Spirit

She will then sail to the Mediterranean for a season of cruises, starting from May until October The 36,000-ton ship is the largest member of the Silversea fleet, however despite her size, she will have the intimate, familiar and luxury feel of all Silversea ships, and offers the largest suites at sea, 95 per cent of which will have a private verandah.

Silver Spirit recently hosted a casual three-day preview cruise for trade and media before embarking on the maiden voyage. Trudy Redfern, Silversea’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for UK, Ireland and Middle East Markets, was on board this special sailing and you can view her video and tour of Silver Spirit below

The onboard decor of Silver Spirit has a 1930s Art Deco look and feel in the public areas, highlights of which include an indoor/outdoor spa measuring 8,300 square feet, three whirlpools, The Show Lounge, a choice of six dining venues including a Japanese restaurant called Seishin, and the Stars Supper Club, featuring live music, dancing and nightclub-style entertainment.

Silver Spirit Silver Suite

The accommodation onboard is of course all-suite and the Silver Spirit features the largest suites in the Silversea fleet. Suites range in size from Vista Suites at 312 sq feet up to the amazing Owners Suites that exceed 1,600 sq feet. Each is a sumptuous ocean-view retreat, and 95% of all suites have a private teak veranda. Suite features include a separate sitting area, a walk-in closet, and a marbled bathroom with a double vanity and full-size tub. Silversea’s in-suite dining option invites you to enjoy breakfast in bed, a late lunch or a romantic dinner served course by course. With unobtrusive, attentive skill, your suite stewardess or butler anticipates your every wish – a level of service motivated only by a desire to see you smile, as Silversea fares cover all onboard gratuities.

Silver Sprit will appeal to Silversea past guests by keeping traditional signature features and public areas that they are familiar with, whilst at the same time attracting new-to-Silversea clients – and possibly a slighter younger crowd too, as Silver Spirit has more public rooms and dining options than her fleet sisters, and she certainly has a young-at-heart ambiance onboard.

View more Silversea Silver Spirit images

Here at White  Star Cruises we have selected our pick of the top 20 luxury cruise offers – hurry these won’t be around for long. Click below for the full list.

White Star Cruises Top 20 Luxury Cruise Offers

The new cruise terminal will be able to dock up to four ships at the same time, and its facilities will include retail outlets, money exchange and a business centre with WiFi access. It will be able to handle 325,000 cruise passengers.

Dubai is an up and coming cruise port and one that the luxury cruise lines are using more and more.

I hope to see Dubai on Crystal Cruises “Singapore to Dubai” cruise – link here

“Scott – initial impressions of their new ship – a class apart, with many thoughtful touches. Will be a true winner with our White Star Cruises VIP’s, whether Silversea afficionados or first timers. Quite what they will make of the enriched spa with the opportunity to botox and whiten those teeth remains to be seen! And a great window panorama from the sauna.”

Pool Deck on Silversea’s Silver Spirit. Thank you ACE for the photo.

Silver Spirit - Pool area on deck 9

Stay tuned for more soon

 Friday 13^th Aswan

We embarked the MS Nile Premium at 12 noon and were welcomed by the hotel manager with a welcome drink and our keys. After quickly locating our cabins, we had a quick buffet lunch and then joined the tour minibus for the short drive to the Temple of Philae for our tour. You first have to embark a small-motorised riverboat that takes you the island where the relocated temple is now situated. It was moved in the 1970’s as it would have been lost forever when the Aswan High dam was built and the valley flooded.

We arrived in the afternoon and the place was virtually deserted – excellent for photo opportunities and for our guide to clearly explain about the temple dedicated to the mother of all Egyptian gods, Isis. Our guide gave detailed and interesting history and thorough explanation about the temple whilst he guided us around. After the tour there was plenty of time for walking around and exploring on your own as well as taking photos.

There is a small café here and restrooms, and of course a souvenir shop.

After we returned to shore it was back on the bus for the short ride to the top of the Aswan High Dam. We had about 10 minutes here to look over Lake Nasser, one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, and to marvel at the incredible feat of modern engineering.

 After the trip to the dam, we returned to the banks of the Nile for a trip on a Felucca up the Nile at sunset and returned to our river cruise boat. The steps from the felucca to the bank were quite steep and a bit rickety – not recommended for those who are not sure-footed.

 Back on board MS Nile Premium and it was time for a quick wash and then down to dinner.

Saturday 14^th Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna Lock 

At about 6am the ship prepared to dock, and pulling back the curtains on the picture window revealed a wonderful scene of the banks of the river Nile bathed in the warm orange glow of the morning sun. After a leisurely breakfast we arrived at Kom Ombo to visit the temple dedicated to two Gods, Haroeris and Sobek, the crocodile Nile God. At this location crocodiles used to sunbathe on the banks of the river Nile, however since the dam was built they are no longer found here. There is a Crocodile Museum here but we did not visit it. Kom Ombo is just a short walk from where the ships are docked and in the November sunshine very pleasant. It’s a great time of year to visit as the temperatures are bearable and not at all over whelming (unlike in the height of summer) and there are less crowds. Our guide gave us a thorough and informative talk, and the coloured carvings that remained were particularly impressive. After our visit it was back to the boat for sail away and lunch.

Cruising up the Nile at his time of year there was quite a breeze on the top deck which made it very enjoyable to watch the scenery pass by.

We arrived at Edfu in the late afternoon and our tour left at 5.15pm. After a short bus ride we arrived at the Temple of Horus, the falcon God, whose battle with his evil uncle, Seth, is told in vivid pictures inscribed on the well-preserved walls. There was virtually no-one there. The afternoon sun lit the massive monument perfectly with warm golden rays that highlighted the carvings and showed off the reliefs.

After our tour we retuned to our boat for the evening meal. We passed through the Esna lock  in the early evening, just before the Galibeya party with optional traditional dress and games and dancing in the main lounge.

 Sunday 15^th Luxor

An early start at 7am saw us driving to the Valley of the Kings, about 20 minutes away after a short boat ride to the other side of the river. The valley stands on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Luxor, and is a collection of over 60 tombs all hand carved into the rock with some extending many feet into the ground. This area was fascinating, but no photo were allowed to be taken inside. The preservation of the colours of the hieroglyphics in the tombs was amazing and still as bright and vivid as the day they were painted, some 4000 years ago. We visited 3 tombs and the queues were not too bad, about 10 minutes for each. The last one was very steep with large steps and was very warm and stuffy inside, however well worth it for the engravings and paintings seen inside. You could also visit Tutankhamen’s tomb for additional cost.

After the Valley of the Kings we were transported to see the Temple of Hatshepsut – a magnificent temple carved out the rock face that looks over the valley and faces the Temple of Karnak far in the distance. The Temple of Hatshepsut is the final resting place of the only female Pharaoh, who had to disguise herself as a man to be accepted.

After this visit we drove to the Collossi of Memnon, which are two gigantic statues which are all that remains of the temple of Amenophis III. Just a short stop here for photos, then back to the ship for lunch and a bit of a rest.

After lunch we visited the Temple of Karnak, which is the largest of the Nile temples and is its most impressive, comprising three separate temple enclosures and a sacred lake. This is the largest ancient religious site in the world, dating back to 2000 BC and takes its name from the village of Al-Karnak. The three distinct temples are the Precinct of Amun-Re, the largest, which is dedicated to the god Amon, the Precinct of Montu  and the Precinct of Mut, which is now a dismantled building. The famous Notre Dam cathedral in Paris is based on the layout of his temple, but nowhere near as big of course. Plenty of time here for exploring this vast area, then it was back on the bus for the short ride to Temple of Luxor. 

Dating from the time of Amenhotep  and Ramses II, The Temple of Luxor is dedicated to the god Amon Ra and his wife Mut. You enter it from an entrance facing north, at the point where at one time it would have been connected to the Karnak Temples via a causeway. The causeway is currently under excavation and renovation, and once completed with it’s Sphinx’s lining both sides, will be one of Luxor’s major attractions.

As we arrived the light was fading and it was great to see the temple lit up with the floodlights, highlighting the hieroglyphics and the two remaining 25-metre high obelisks. A third obelisk is on display at the Place de la Concorde in Paris. After our tour and free time to explore, it was back to the ship for our final night on board. 

MS Nile Premium

The MS Nile Premium is rated in the brochure as 5 Star Deluxe however I would rate it as a good 4 star. The cabins are furnished in dark woods and creams (like the rest of the boat) and are a good size. The beds are comfy and the AC is particularly good which is great for when you come back from an excursion.  The sink is in the main room rather than being in the bathroom which is unusual. The room had a flat screen TV, plenty of wardrobe and drawer space, wall safe and large picture window that cao pen.

The bathroom consists of a toilet and bath with shower over it. The water pressure was excellent and provided a nice refreshing shower. The lighting is quite low in the rooms and bathroom.

The public rooms were spacious and decorated in a contemporary style, with dark woods and the same brown/cream palette displayed in the cabins used here again. The main lounge has a nice bar at one end and a small dance floor at the other – used for the Galibeya parties, belly dancing shows and the Nubian show. At the end of this lounge was an open area looking over the stern, ideal for a drink or to watch the world go by. On the top deck there is a pool with wooden loungers covered in thick cushions covering them. Towels are provided for people that want to use the pool or sunbathe. The deck covering in this area is green astro-turf and needed refreshing as it was looking a bit tired. Also on this deck is the pool bar and a covered area with tables and chairs underneath, again with nice wooden deck furniture with comfy cushions. The dining room was laid out with dark wood tables, with red napkins and looked stylish and sophisticated. Breakfast and lunch is a buffet style with a la carte served on most evenings. The ship was very nice and the front desk staff pleasant and helpful, with a good level of English spoken. The dining room waiters did not seem that fluent in English, and there were a few problems, but none that could not be overcome. Bar service in the main lounge could be improved also.

Overall this is a comfortable ship to visit the Nile and Egypt on, with well-designed rooms and a modern design, with good food. Your fellow guests will be Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese and British, which makes for an international ambiance onboard.

Congratulations to Crystal Cruises – a well deserved award as their ships are simply wonderful! What strikes me about both Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity is the amount of space onboard – these are classed as Large Ships but they only carry 900 or so guests – so there is never that crowded feeling onboard – and the service is second to none. And the food – wow-  delicious with plenty of choice and alternative dining too. There are many bars, public rooms and entertainment areas – more than on the smaller upmarket ships, as Crystal have the space to accommodate these extra rooms. So why are Crystal not that well known in the UK? In my opinion they are the UK’s best kept cruising secret – and with their All Inclusive As YOU Wish promotion – offer excellent value for money.

Crystal Serenity

Crystal Symphony