Voyages to Antiquity sets sights on Asia and Africa
Cultural cruise line Voyages to Antiquity announced an exciting new 2018-19 winter season featuring a return to Asia and Africa (last featured during winter 2015-16).
Cruises in the region will begin in December 2018 and include six new itineraries and five new ports of call including Ain Sokhna in Egypt (for excursions to the 4th century St Anthony’s and St Paul’s, the oldest Christian monasteries in the world); Trincomalee in Sri Lanka; Port Louis in Mauritius; Reunion Island; and Port Kelang (for Kuala Lumpur) in Malaysia. The announcement means that in 2018 Voyages to Antiquity will once again offer year-round cruising.
With very few repeated stops throughout the season, two or more cruises can be easily combined into Grand Voyages. Four cruises can even be combined for the ‘Grand Odyssey’ sailing, a 129-day epic trip spanning half the world, from Athens to Malaga via Egypt, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the islands of the Indian Ocean and Africa.
Experiences on offer range from a desert island beach barbecue in the Maldives to cruising the Yangon River in the heart of Burma, exploring India by tuk-tuk and discovering the Skeleton Coast of Namibia.
The winter 2018/19 programme features 30 per cent more included shore excursions and overland adventures than previous seasons including those to India’s Golden Triangle and Cape Town in South Africa, with up to 12 nights in hotels per cruise.
To celebrate the launch of the new programme, Voyages to Antiquity is offering savings between £500 and £5,000 per cabin on individual sailings and up to an amazing £21,400 per cabin on the 129day ‘Grand Odyssey’. Repeat customers can save an additional 10 per cent on 2018/19 winter bookings until 15 December 2017. In addition, a low supplement, equivalent to just 10 per cent, is available across 36 dedicated solo cabins.
Jos Dewing, Managing Director of Voyages to Antiquity, explains:
“We are incredibly excited about the new winter 2018/19 programme. It marks a welcome return to the exotic shores of Asia and Africa, and invites our passengers to tick off true once-in-a-lifetime experiences – the sailings and included on-land tours are packed with memorable adventures. The new cruises can be combined to create phenomenal trips of a lifetime and have been designed based on passenger feedback on destinations and new voyage highlights. We know that our travellers are always looking for something new, and this immersive season promises to uncover the culturally rich stories, history and nature of these fascinating regions.”
In addition to the new destinations and itineraries, Voyages to Antiquity is also enhancing the onboard programme for passengers during the winter season. This includes guest speakers bringing to life regional food and wine, cookery lessons, local cultural entertainment and a new opera group to entertain passengers. The renowned expert lecture programme unique to each cruise will remain a key aspect of enrichment.
Highlights of the new winter 2018/19 season include:
• The 29-day ‘Golden Triangle to the Strait of Malacca’ cruise-tour, beginning with a five-night land tour to Jaipur, Agra and Delhi (all India) before joining the ship in Mumbai to sail to the Maldives, Sri Lanka and the Malay Peninsula. Departing 1 Jan 2019, prices start at £5,895 per person, based on a standard inside cabin.
• A dedicated Odyssey Club Reunion Cruise for members of Voyages to Antiquity’s past passenger loyalty club featuring an appropriate port of call in Reunion Island. Open to all passengers, the 10 February 2019 ‘Islands of the Indian Ocean & South Africa’ sailing will include special events for Odyssey Club members. This 33-day cruise-tour features highlights such as a special ceremony when the ship crosses the Equator, a Maldives beach barbecue and classic African safari. Prices start from £6,450 per person.
• The 63-day ‘Grand Indian Ocean and Southern Africa’ cruise-tour combines two cruises. Departing from Colombo (Sri Lanka) the sailing invites guests to visit Mauritius, join a three-day safari in South Africa, enjoy a four-night stay in Cape Town (South Africa) and sail to Namibia, Angola, Cape Verde Islands and Morocco for an overnight hotel stay and trip to Casablanca. This 10 February 2019 Grand Voyage is priced from £10,250 per person.
• The 129-day ‘Grand Odyssey’ takes in the travel highlights of three continents and 18 countries, with more than 50 visits and excursions included in the fare. A combination of four individual cruise journeys in one four-month epic sailing, it sails all the way from Athens east to Asia, back across the Indian Ocean to South Africa and the length of Africa back to the shores of the Mediterranean in Malaga. Celebrate Christmas and New Year onboard. Prices start at £21,150 per person.
All prices include return flights, transfers, hotels, excursions, all meals and drinks with dinner onboard and the full Voyages to Antiquity onboard guest speaker programme, full details of which will be released in the coming weeks. The new winter 2018-19 season from Voyages to Antiquity is on sale now and supported by a new preview brochure highlighting the extensive new season.
(Voyages to Antiquity)
