Titan HiTours reveals 2011 Cruise & Tour programme

Titan HiTours, the escorted tours specialist, has unveiled its brand new Cruise & Tour brochure for 2011. The programme encompasses an extensive selection of ocean cruises combined with imaginative, land-based touring packages that takes in every possible point of the compass from Alaska to Antarctica.

With highlights ranging from the splendour of a stylish cruise around the British Isles on the new Queen Elizabeth to a passage through the Panama Canal – as well as a wide choice of no-fly cruises with direct departures from UK seaports - the Cruise & Tour programme presents an unrivalled choice of exciting holidays afloat combined with the quality, high standards and value for money for which Titan HiTours is renowned.

A particular high point of the Cruise Collection is the introduction of no less than 14 brand new itineraries that have been added to the brochure for the first time. The most accessible of these is the 17-day Rocky Mountaineer and Deluxe Alaskan Voyage, which has a total of 14 possible departure dates between May and September, 2011. The journey begins with an overland adventure through the Rocky Mountains via scenic Lake Louise and Jasper National Park, before boarding the Rocky Mountaineer train service through the pristine Canadian wilderness to the vibrant and cosmopolitan city of Vancouver. From here, the journey continues aboard the deluxe MS Zuiderdam along the Alaskan seaboard, with plenty of opportunities to spot whales, eagles and glaciers along the way during the seven-night voyage. This holiday costs from £2,845 per person to include flights, transfers, some meals (full-board on the cruise), sightseeing tours as detailed in the itinerary, port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service.

The popular VIP Home Departure Service, which collects customers from - and returns them to - their own front door was previously only available to clients based in mainland England and Wales but has now been extended to cover mainland Scotland, The Channel Islands and Northern Ireland and allows for every client to be picked up from their home address, transferred to their departure point and returned to their own front door at the end of their holiday at no extra cost. With those in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Channel Island entitled to a home pick-up and door-to-door transfer to their nearest regional airport, plus free domestic flights to the London airports to connect with any international departure (or free onward connections to the major seaports for clients taking an ex-UK cruise).

Another new addition with plenty of possible departure dates (11 in total) is the 8-day Dubrovnik & the Dalmatian Islands itinerary, which incorporates a brief stay in this fabled city (known romantically as the Pearl of the Adriatic) with a voyage along the stunningly beautiful Dalmatian coastline. A particular highlight of this holiday is the ship's small size; the MV Adriatic Queen only carries a maximum of 25 guests on each sailing, with the ship being chartered exclusively for Titan HiTours customers. This ensures an intimate and relaxed onboard ambiance, allowing passengers to savour the natural beauty and rich history of the coastline and its many islands in the uncrowded company of like-minded travellers. The holiday costs from £995 per person, to include flights, transfers, half-board accommodation, sightseeing tours as detailed in the itinerary, port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service.

Perhaps one of the most exciting experiences of any voyage will be the journey between two oceans along The Awe-Inspiring Panama Canal, which is another new addition to the 2011 brochure. Starting with a brief stay in Miami's iconic South Beach, the cruise ship Coral Princess departs from nearby Fort Lauderdale and continues through the Caribbean Sea to Cartagena and onwards for a daytime transit through the Panama Canal. Emerging in the Pacific Ocean, the adventure continues along the Mexican coastline until finally ending in Los Angeles. There are a total of eight departure dates for this cruise, with prices starting at £2,395 per person, to include flights, transfers, most meals (full-board on the cruise), sight-seeing tours as detailed in the itinerary, port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service.

Those looking to avoid the cost and hassle of jetting away on their holidays might prefer the brochure's wide selection of no-fly cruises, which involve direct departures from the UK's major seaports. There are a total of five brand new no-fly cruise itineraries in the brochure, of which the closest to home is the 11-day Queen Elizabeth Maiden Around the British Isles cruise, which has to be booked by 30 November 2010 for a departure from Southampton on 2 September 2011. Circumnavigating the British mainland aboard Cunard’s latest ship with stops along the way include Edinburgh, Invergordon, Glasgow, Liverpool, Dublin, Cork and St Peter Port with a full programme of excursions being available at each port of call. Prices start from £1,645 per person for a standard inside stateroom and include 10 nights full-board accommodation, all port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service.

Also priced from £1,095 per person is the 9-day Fjordland Adventure cruise, which departs from Dover on 1 July, 2011 for a crossing of the North Sea and exploration of Norway's stunning coastal fjords. The first port of call is the historic town of Stavanger before the ship continues in its discovery of the majestic and seemingly pristine fjords. Highlights include an optional excursion aboard the Flam railway, which climbs nearly 3,000 feet to the village of Myrdal via mountain tunnels and thundering waterfalls. The price includes full-board accommodation on the Black Watch, an excursion in Stavanger, all port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service.

Customers in need of a sunshine fix after the long, cold winter might opt for one of two cruises to Iberian destinations, the first of which is the 13-day Canary Islands Easter Cruise which departs from Southampton on 15 April, 2011 (from £1,195 per person). Taking in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon and the sunshine islands of Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Madeira, this leisurely cruise also includes five full days at sea, giving guests plenty of time to relax and take advantage of the ship's many facilities. This is closely followed by the 11-day Springtime Iberian Sunshine itinerary (from £995 per person), which departs Southampton over the Easter weekend on 23 April with stops in Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Gibraltar. Both prices include full-board accommodation, all port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service.

Commenting on the launch of the brochure, Marketing Director Dan Whitehouse said, "Our Cruise & Tour programme offers one of the most comprehensive selections of cruise holidays on the market, with incredible value for money guaranteed. What's more, with our peerless Home Departure Service and our professional and knowledgeable Tour Managers on hand to facilitate guests for the duration of their holiday on the majority of the tours, our customers are able to sit back, relax and enjoy a hassle-free experience throughout - and the holiday of a lifetime, every time."

For details or to book, visit the website: titanhitours.co.uk