TRAVEL: The world between tides. Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

TRAVEL: The world between tides

Cross the oceans to witness the legendary sights of the planet: the statues of Easter Island, the waves of Cape Horn, palm-fringed Polynesian atolls, the Great Barrier Reef, the battle scenes of the Falklands, the playground of St Bart’s in the French Caribbean, penguins on the Arctic ice, breeching whales and great port cities:
all in luxury, all at special Club rates.

IF you have an urge to travel the globe in style this winter, or merely a part of it, here is the answer. Regent Seven Seas Cruises are making a new series of grand world explorations with their luxurious ships Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner.

From January until May 2009, these two six-star 50,000-ton vessels— each carrying only 700 passengers in epicurean, hedonistic style—will sail four of the world’s seven seas and visit 110 ports in 50 countries on six continents, creating 14 separate voyages of from 12 to 24 nights.

We looked closely at the itineraries, and were impressed: they promise mouth-watering adventures. From the best destinations in the Caribbean, South America, the South Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia and Japan, they have combined some of the great port cities of the world with some of the most geographically remote and seldom visited islands on earth, including the Marquesas, the Falklands and Pitcairn.

Travellers will see the Chilean fjords, Andean glaciers, palm-fringed Polynesian atolls, the statues of Easter Island, the waves of Cape Horn, the Great Barrier Reef, the battle scenes of the Falklands, the rich playground of St Bart’s in the French Caribbean, penguins on the Arctic ice, breeching whales, and great port cities—Sydney, Auckland, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo. There will be music and dance in Brazil, New Zealand and the Marquesas; a catamaran adventure in the Chilean fjords; and a visit to the legendary dragons of Komodo Island. This will be the adventure of a lifetime, with none of the associated hardships of attempting to reach these destinations by other means.

Regent Seven Seas are the ultimate in cruise operators, which is why we have chosen them for our members. They are to cruising what Claridge’s is to luxury hotels, winning the most recent Best Small Ship Cruise Line award from Condé Nast Traveler readers, among many other accolades. They have the highest passenger-to-crew ratio of any cruise line, the most spacious, relaxing accommodation, and cuisine so haute it is sublime.

The sister ships Mariner and Voyager are genuinely two of the finest cruise ships afloat. Their cabins are all suites, they all have balconies and gorgeous bathrooms, and dining rooms are all open- seating—vital for a relaxing, away-from-it-all cruise, as there is nothing so awful as being forced to dine with people you do not like.

On these ships, peace and comfort of mind are part of the essential pleasures.
There is no need to worry about money either; it is all taken care of. Fares include all drinks, meals and speciality dining; all onboard activities including guest lectures, fitness programme and entertainment; 24-hour room service and in-suite dining; in-suite films and DVD rental; all gratuities; and airport-ship transfers.

To make the cruise even more special for our Club members, we have arranged exclusive savings of £694 to £1,274 per person, plus special Club benefits, depending on departure date and suite category. Free airfares, and chauffeur service to the airport are provided on selected cruises. All our members receive US$200 shipboard credit per suite and Club fares include not only VAT but also port charges and government taxes, which often add up to more than £200 each per cruise. Time to sit back and see where in the world you can go …

THE OFFERS
Andean Glaciers and Chilean Fjords:
15-night voyage from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Valparaiso, Chile, on Seven Seas Mariner, February 13-28, 2009. Including the Falkland Islands, Uruguay, and Cape Horn. Guest lecturer Jean-Michel Cousteau. Complimentary catamaran trip in Chilean fjords. CCUK Balcony suite from £4,194 per person (RR £5,015). Saving £821 per person.

Easter Island and the Polynesian Playgrounds:
24-night voyage from Valparaiso, Chile, to Sydney, Australia, on Seven Seas Mariner, February 28-March 25, 2009. Including Easter Island, Pitcairn Island, Society Islands, Cook Islands and New Zealand. Guest lecturer Jean- Michel Cous-teau. Maori Bay of Islands cultural tour. CCUK Balcony suite from £4,230 per person (RR £5,072). Saving £842 per person.

South Pacific Passage:
19-night voyage from Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand, on Seven Seas Voyager, January 13-February 1, 2009. Including the Marquesas, Tahiti, Cook Islands. Guest lecturer Terry Waite. Complimentary arts festival in the Marquesas. CCUK Balcony suite from £3,506 per person (RR £4,200). Saving £694 per person.

New Zealand, Land of the Rings:
12-night voyage from Auckland to Sydney, Australia, via Tasmania, on Seven Seas Voyager, February 1-13, 2009. Complimentary French day in Akaroa, New Zealand. CCUK Balcony suite from £3,760 per person (RR £4,503). Saving £743 per person.

FREE FLIGHTS
The following cruises include free flights for Club members from London, and complimentary private car transfer to and from the airport. Flights are with British Airways, Qantas, Japan Airlines, Air Canada or Iberia and are worth £974 to £1,274 per person.

Far Eastern Paradise, Australia and the Orient:
21-night voyage from Sydney, Australia, to Shanghai, China, on Seven Seas Voyager, February 13-March 6, 2009. Including Melbourne, Adelaide, Albany, Freemantle, Exmouth, Bali and Manila. CCUK Balcony suite from £6,193 per person, including free flights (as above).

Grand Orient, China and Vietnam:
12-night voyage, Shanghai, China, to Singapore on Seven Seas Voyager, March 6-18, 2009. Including Hong Kong, Chan May and Ho Chi Minh City. Complimentary event in Hong Kong. CCUK Balcony suite from £4,132 per person, including free flights (as above).

Caribbean & The Brazilian Riviera:
18-night voyage from Fort Lauderdale, USA, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Seven Seas Mariner, January 26-February 13, 2009. Guest lecturer, meteorologist Max Mayfield. Including Gustavia (St Bart’s), Roseau (Dominica), Bridgetown (Barbados), and Fortaleza, Salvador de Bahia and Rio De Janeiro in Brazil. Complimentary Brazilian dance in Fortaleza. CCUK Balcony suite from £4,801 per person, including free flights (as above).

Great Barrier Reef and Bali:
15-night voyage from Sydney, Australia, to Singapore on Seven Seas Mariner, March 25-April 9, 2009. Including Newcastle, Cairns, Cooktown, Darwin, Komodo, Pandang Bay. Guest lecturer Senator Bob Graham. Complimentary excursion to Komodo Dragons in Indonesia. CCUK Balcony suite from £4,463 per person, free air fares (as above).

Far Eastern Promise, China and Japan:
14-night voyage, Hong Kong to Osaka, Japan, on Seven Seas Mariner, April 23-May 7, 2009. Including Shanghai, Tianjin, Nagasaki. Complimentary tour of Beijing. CCUK Balcony suite from £4,919 per person, including free flights (as above).

Alaskan Promise, Pacific Rim:
14-night voyage from Osaka, Japan, to Seward, Alaska, on Seven Seas Mariner, May 7-20, 2009. Including Tokyo, Sendai, Hakodate, Petropavlovsk, Kommandorskiye, Dutch Harbour and Kodiak. Guest lecturer Jean-Michel Cousteau. Complimentary cocktail party in Tokyo gardens. CCUK Balcony suite from £3,595 per person, including free flights (as above).

¶ Your Club rates are the best available anywhere. For more information on all these cruises, and to receive a full-colour bro- chure, call Member Services on 020 7291 8600 or email Member Services. You can also visit the Regent Seven Seas website, rssc.co.uk. If ordering a brochure online, please quote ‘CCUK’ so that Regent can send you your special Club rates.