Oceania launches first cruise to Africa

One of the most successful new cruise companies of the past decade, Oceania Cruises, this week launches its 2010 / 11 Winter Collection.

The company, which focuses on offering worldwide luxury cruises and gourmet cuisine at competitive prices, on board three mid-sized, upper premium ships, has added cruises to Africa and Antarctica for the first time, 17 new itineraries, including in Central America, the Maldives and Seychelles with 30 new port calls and cruise prices from $1249.

Highlights of the new collection are:-

- 30 new port calls*
- 17 new cruise itineraries
- First ever visit to Africa
- New Antarctica and Central and South American cruises
- New cruises in the Maldives and Seychelles
- Complimentary soft drinks and bottled water
- New Canyon Ranch SpaClub treatments and healthy cuisine
- Prices from $1249 for a 10 night sailing, inclusive of a $1000 early booking discount.

For early bookers, Oceania Cruises is offering savings of up to $3,000 per person off standard fares on all bookings confirmed by 31st March 2010. For example, Oceania Cruises’ new 30 night `Enchanted Africa’ sailing from Istanbul to Cape Town on board MS Nautica, departing on 11th November 2010, costs $5,999 for bookings made pre-April 2010, (was $8,999), saving $3000, including all meals, no supplement for speciality dining, and complimentary soft drinks and bottled water.

This cruise is one of two new cruises through Africa and calls at Dakar, Banjul, Abidjan on the Ivory Coast, Bkondi-Takoradi in Ghana, Lomé (Togo), Cotonou (Benin) and Walvis Bay (Namibia). The second new African cruise, ‘Safaris, Sands and Splendors’, also on board MS Nautica, departs from East London in South Africa on 11th December 2010 and visits Durban, Richards Bay, Maputo (Mozambique), Mayotte, Madagascar, Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Zanzibar, Mombasa, before continuing to Mahé (Seychelles)*, Praslin (Seychelles), Malé (Maldives) and on to the Far East. Prices for ‘Safaris, Sands and Splendors’ lead in at $8099, including a $3,000 discount for pre-April 2010 bookings.

Debuting on 14th January 2011 is Oceania’s first Antarctica itinerary, `Antarctica and the Fjords’, embarking in Buenos Aires, returning to Rio de Janeiro 22 days later after taking in Port Stanley (Falkland Islands), Drakes Passage, scenic cruising in Antarctica, Deception Island, Paradise Bay & Half Moon Island, Ushuaia; Punta Arenas and scenic cruising in the Chilean Fjords. Prices from $4799, including a $3000 early booking discount.

Overall, fares for the new collection lead in at $1249, (including a $1000 early booking discount, was $2249) for Oceania’s new `Mayan Mystique’ sailing from Miami on 12th January and 15th February on board MS Regatta, taking in Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize City, Santo Tomas (Guatemala), Roatan, Costa Maya and Key West.

Bernard Carter, Oceania Cruises’ UK Sales & Marketing Director, said “I’m delighted with this exceptional new collection which gives our many loyal cruise clients a choice of numerous new destinations and refreshing new port calls within some of our most popular existing itineraries.”

New clients will find the food on board Oceania Cruises three ships to be of an exceptional standard. Following its launch this month we now have menus from Canyon Ranch SpaClub, Oceania’s new onboard spa partners. Through this partnership, Oceania Cruises will offer a much enhanced spa programme, in line with the world renowned Canyon Ranch ethos.

For further information about Oceania Cruises’ winter 2010 / 11 collection visit OceaniaCruises.co.uk.