Treasures Of Costa Rica & Panama 25% discount on all cruise fares
- 25% reduction on all cruise fares in DBL occupancy
- NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT for single travellers
The Early Booking Discount is valid only for the following cruise dates:
From Puntarenas Port , Costa Rica to Colon, Panama : February 14, 21 & March 6, 2016
Seychelles Cruise – 25% discount -7 nights from £950
Save up to £860 per cabin!
25 % discount on all cruise fares DBL occupancy – On board the 20 cabin Mega yacht «Pegasus»
| Category C | £950 | |
| Category B | £1050 | |
| Category A | £1290 |
Port Charges £264pp
Flights & Transfers From £779
Cruise Highlights: Mahe, Praslin, Curieuse, Aride, La Digue & more
NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT for single travellers
Please call 0208 324 3117 to speak to one of our specialist for more information regarding this special offer
Classical Greece Cruise Summer Special Offer 20% discount on MAY, JULY & AUGUST departures 2016
- 20% discount on MAY, JULY & AUGUST departures 2016
- 10% on all other departures 2016
Embarkation : Athens (Marina Zea)
Ship : M/Y Harmony V
M/Y Callisto
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Yacht Specifications |
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| Launched: | 2000 |
| Refurbished: | 2015 |
| Length: | 52.00m |
| Draft: | 3.29m |
| Cabins: | 17 |
| Crew: | 16 – 18 |
| Passengers: | 36 |
The elegant Motor Yacht Callisto recently joined the VARIETY CRUISES fleet and is true to her name: Elegant, classic. She was fully refit / rebuilt in 2000 and renovated in 2005 and between March-July 2015. This classy Motor Yacht has performed several Atlantic Ocean crossings, and has also sailed along the most interesting coastal sites of Europe, North and West Africa. The M/Y Callisto is of the “boutique” category of cruiser, and offers the highest standard of accommodation, comfort and safety.
The yacht’s public areas are cozy and generous, decorated with rich fabrics, handsome woodwork, gleaming brass, antiques and fine works of art. During the day, life on board centres around the indoor and outdoor areas including the Upper deck lounge/bar and dining room as well as the cosy Library located on the Sun Deck.
The lounge/bar and dining room on the Upper deck are connected by the gallery, displaying exquisite art and adding to the overall feeling of elegance and style. In the evening you can relax in the ship’s lounge, enjoy a drink overlooking the stars or relax with a book in the library with its wraparound windows.
The spacious lounge and bar area on the Upper Deck is surrounded by large picture windows and opens onto the Sun Deck. The yacht features two broad Sun Decks for sunbathing and the swimming platform on Callisto’s stern enables you to swim off the ship when in sheltered bays. Service on board is provided by your Captain, the Cruise Coordinator and your experienced Marine and Hotel crew members.
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Lower Deck (Twin Beds)
The category C cabins are located on the lower deck featuring port holes.They all have marble-appointed en suite bathrooms with showers. Cabins have individually controlled A/C and fitted with TV, CD/DVD player, telephone (for internal use), hairdryers, mini-fridge, central music, public address system and safe boxes.
Lower Deck (Twin Beds)
The category B cabins are located on the lower deck featuring port holes.They all have marble-appointed en suite bathrooms with showers. Cabins have individually controlled A/C and fitted with TV, CD/DVD player, telephone (for internal use), hairdryers, mini-fridge, central music, public address system and safe boxes.
Main Deck (Twin or Double Beds)
The category A cabins are located on the Main deck featuring large windows. Category A cabins at the bow section of the Main deck are equipped with Double beds, while all other Category A cabins are equipped with Twin beds.They all have marble-appointed en suite bathrooms with showers. Cabins have individually controlled A/C and fitted with TV, CD/DVD player, telephone (for internal use), hairdryers, mini-fridge, central music, public address system and safe boxes.
Main Deck (Twin or Double Beds)
The category P cabins are located on the Main deck featuring large windows. Category P cabins located at the bow section of the Main deck are equipped with Double beds, while all other Category P cabins at the Main Deck are equipped with Twin beds.They all have marble-appointed en suite bathrooms with showers. Cabins have individually controlled A/C and fitted with TV, CD/DVD player, telephone (for internal use), hairdryers, mini-fridge, central music, public address system and safe boxes.
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5 Small is Beautiful Tips for more Cultured Cruising
If you’re after a cruise with cabaret, disco, casino and 16 meals a day don’t read on. With no disrespect to our ‘floating resort’ style cruising cousins that’s simply not what we’re about. For sure cruising should be about a little bit of luxury, good food and excellent company – but for us it’s also about a cultural journey and the opportunity to experience some of the world’s great places in relative peace and quiet. If that sounds like you then these five top tips might help you find the cultured cruising you’re looking for:
- Big ship cruising means big crowds. If you’ve ever been in a port ‘when the boat comes in’ you’ll know just what we mean – loads of coaches on the quayside full of loads of people off to see the local sights. We have no problem with that – but we’d rather be there when the sights are a little more empty, take our time and go by taxi.
- Big ships can’t get into small harbours. If you truly want to see the unspoilt sights and sites small ships get you close up and personal to the sort of cultural places big boats only dream of.
- Big ships can’t get to hidden beaches. For sure they may have 4 or 5 swimming pools on board but for us that simply can’t compare with the experience of mooring up in a shallow cove and jumping off the swimming platform into the warm waters.
- The company on small ships is more cultured – you get to know the crew and other passengers by name and vice versa. It’s like a wonderful grown up country house party that lasts 7 nights but where you wake up every morning to find they’ve changed the scenery – such a clever idea!
- Small ship cruising is kinder to the environment. One of the greatest conundrums in travel is that the more beautiful the place the more people want to go there, but the more people the go there the more quickly the true culture gets swamped by commerce. Small is beautiful.
The fact is there are still so many brilliant cultural places in antiquity and so many sites of natural beauty are hidden away not far from a coast and can best be reached and seen by boat. It’s up to you how you want to see them but we would argue small ship cruising is a much more cultured experience.
Join the Cuban Culture Club before the Americans arrive!
Nowhere is hotter this winter than Cuba. What’s more there is no better way to see it than on a cruise. The roads there are not great, the cars not reliable and most of the interesting cultural stuff is most accessible from harbours around the coast.
Take our Sights and Sounds of Cuba 7 night cruise and immediately we’re talking colonial Spanish sugar settlements like Trinidad and Sugar Mills Valley – both now UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a brilliant day out. Next day we visit the Sea Turtle Breeding Centre at Cayo Largo and the 140 aboriginal archaeological sites at Guanahacabibes National Park.
Naturally you’ll want to see Havana, founded by the Spanish in 1519 and another UNESCO heritage site. Alternatively you have the option of the old coffee plantation at the UNESCO designated Biosphere at Las Terrazzas. Then we’ll end the holiday with one final excursion to yet another UNESCO site – the Valley of Vinales, full of dramatic rock formations that surround the ancient 18th century city.
All this takes place on the stunning 25 cabin motor-sailor Panorama II – a truly luxurious vessel that has 17 crew for only 50 passengers. Alternatively, if you think small is beautiful, we can show you the culture of Cuba on a 12 berth luxury Dream Yachts catamaran. Then again if you prefer to ‘large it’ you have the option of seeing the island from the decks of the Star Flyer, an old fashioned tall ship.
All in all if you want to cruise Cuba (and you’d be mad not to) and see the culture you’ll need to see our website. This is a good place to start
But remember the Americans are on their way and the culture of the island will quickly change. Anchors aweigh!
The Seychelles Cruise Winter 2016 – 2017 Early Booking Discount
The Seychelles Cruise in the Garden of Eden
Winter sailings (November 2016 – April 2017) save up to £396 per cabin – 7 nights from £1260pp*
*Flights and transfers from £795pp – Port charges & taxes £264pp
Please call 0208 324 3117 to speak to one of our specialists for more information regarding this special offer
The Culture of the Canary Islands – forget the package image and enjoy the quality with FREE excursions.
The Canary Islands, put on the ocean-going traveller’s map by a certain C. Columbus in 1492, have sadly become somewhat besmirched by the image of package tourism. But the fact is that this group of volcanic islands, situated in the warm waters of the Atlantic off the coast of Africa, is every bit as rewarding to cruise as Greece or the Caribbean.
So the first thing is we promise we’ll give a big swerve to any of the ‘bucket and spade’ resorts beloved by the young crowd. Actually most of them don’t have much of a harbour even for the small luxury Mega Yachts like the stunning 25 cabin Harmony V.
There really is a lot to learn and enjoy about this Spanish archipelago 100kms off from Morocco with a wonderful sub-tropical climate that makes it the ideal choice for short-haul winter cruising – winter temperatures average the low 20s centigrade.
Little known facts include the geological anomaly that Mount Teide, the volcano that dominates Tenerife, is the world’s third largest volcano when measured from its base on the ocean floor. And that on the almost unknown and little visited island of La Gomera the locals still communicate using a bizarre whistling language.
There’s a heap of history here since the Portuguese tried to colonise the islands in 1336. The famous Prince ‘Henry the Navigator’ became Lord of Lanzarote in 1448. Later the islands became part of the Kingdom of Castile. It’s a chequered history – the Dutch laid a claim, the Ottomans had a go, Algerian pirates took slaves, and even Nelson was here attacking Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1797.
For many years the islands were huge suppliers of sugar cane. At the beginning of the 20th century bananas were introduced as a cash crop by, amongst others, Fyffes. In 1936 Francisco Franco (later to become Generalissimo Franco) was appointed General Commandant, joining the military revolt of July 17th which began the Spanish Civil War.
So there is no small amount of history in these warm waters. More to the point there is some incredible beauty and most of it, certainly out of the main resorts, is still totally unspoiled.
We’d love to show you Mount Teide and one of the biggest volcanic craters in the world at Ucanca Valley on Tenerife. We’ll also show you Taburiente National Park on La Palma, the Garajonay National Park on La Gomera and Timanfaya National Park amongst the volcanos on Lanzarote where the visit inckudes the salt mines and the lava coast.
La Laguna on Tenerife is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a town hall dating back to 1546. Betacuna on Fuerteventura is the ancient capital of the Aboriginal Kingdom of the Canaries where we’ll share with you the islanders’ passion for goats and the secrets of their Majorero cheeses. We’ll then visit the Aloe Vera farm and talk about its health benefits.
Better still there is so much than this to pack in – and best of all every single excursion is included in the price of your cruise. If it could get any better we can currently also offer you a 20% discount on brochure prices! Don’t hang about – it you’re looking for a winter cruise this is a real delight.
Cruise price deflation at record high this September
This may be a week in which the Bank of England has revealed that UK inflation is at zero percent but one thing Governor Mark Carney failed to mention was the massive deflation in luxury mega-yacht cruising prices for winter 2015-16 and predictions of cruise fans ability to hedge summer 2016 costs with early booking offers.
In places there is still some limited opportunity for Greek Island October 2015 cruising with prices deflated by an incredible 25% off. Rates for cruising in the Canary Islands – that well known tax free holiday zone – have been depressed by 20% throughout the winter season. Equally, further afield, prices have dropped by 25% in the Seychelles over the winter months. It’s a stunning opportunity to cruise these even more stunning waters at an even more stunning price!
Rates for summer 2016 are also subject to some early booking price deflation. In general canny cruisers can expect to save 10% by buying forward against the market.
STOP PRESS – Rates forecast to harden from October
However against this backdrop of deflation cruisers are being advised to book before September 30th. According to a Seafarer spokesman: ‘Rates will mostly go back to brochure prices from October 1st. Anybody looking to take advantage of the current downward price spiral really needs to be decisive and jump in now.’
A Seafarer's Big Day Out
As a rule cruising folk and sailing folk don’t often coincide. But if there’s ever an exception to this rule it’s the Southampton Boat Show, a mega water front event that celebrates seafaring in all its many and various glories. It’s about to take place at Mayflower Park (SO15 1AG) from September 11th to 20th.
It makes for a fabulous day out. You can wander round and look at everything from a rowing boat to a luxury motor yacht and everything in between. At one level it’s a billionaire’s playground, at another it’s a meeting place for ‘Grotty Yachties’ from all over Europe.
You don’t have to buy anything. But if you had the inclination (not to mention the cash) you could buy a boat or just about any bit of a boat and equipment therefore. Naturally you can buy the tee-shirt, the fisherman’s smock, a Breton Cap, and oilskins. The whole world of sailing and cruising is laid out before you both on dry land and on the water.
Most people of course come simply to look, ogle the boats, people watch and enjoy a crab sandwich and a glass of sauvignon. But more than a few drop by the Seafarer stand for a chat about where they sailed or cruised this summer and past summers gone, and where they’re thinking of cruising or sailing next. It’s always good to spend some quality time with our seafaring customers.
The canny cruiser of course also knows that the Southampton Boat Show is the real deal when it comes to getting a bargain. We’re famous for our special Boat Show discounts, not to mention last minute deals for autumn and winter.
This year we’re particularly keen to talk to old friends about our new line in European River Cruises and have some excellent discounts for late 2015 and Christmas departures. River cruising is really exciting us just now in general – we’re working with top cruise line Vantage who have a programme that not only includes some spectacular itineraries but a wonderful cultural programme of events and fabulous food all included in the price.
We’re also excited about the prices we can offer you on winter cruising in the Canaries. And we’d simply love to talk about Clipper ships in the Caribbean and Catamarans in Cuba.
So, if you fancy a day on the waterfront, don’t make the mistake of thinking that a boat show is just for people who sail. We’re all Seafarers at heart and can talk cruising until the cows come home. Please do drop by and see us on Stand Number J083.
Ticket offer for the 2015 Southampton Boat Show
Book your tickets in advance for the Southampton Boat Show from only £13.00* plus 15 years and under go free. Buy now and save visit www.southamptonboatshow.com and quote promotional code EX12.
*A fee of £1.95 applies per transaction. Ticket offer valid any one day between 11 – 20 September and ends midnight 10 September 2015 (includes Preview Day 11 September). Terms and conditions apply for full details see website. E&OE.
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