"No Limit Texas Hold'em" poker tournament on the Island Star

Island Cruises are holding a ‘No Limit Texas Hold’em’ poker tournament* aboard the Island Star on 28th March ’08 with a guaranteed prize fund of £20,000**.

Guests get the opportunity to not only win some cash, but also experience some great ports in the Mediterranean. When departing 28th March ’08 the Island Star will be leaving Palma and visiting Livorno for Florence & Pisa, Genoa for Milan, Marseille, Barcelona and Valencia before returning to Palma.

The player package starts from just £999 and includes all of the following:

7-night Mediterranean cruise
En-suite accommodation in the best available outside cabin
Entry in to the Texas Hold’em tournament
Champagne in your cabin on arrival
Cocktail parties and bridge visit
24-hour dining including one free visit to specialty restaurant
Return flights to/from Palma/Gatwick, other regional airports available at a supplement†
Transfers to/from ship/airport
All tips onboard

Guests can also take along a non-playing guest and they can share a cabin and join in the fun from just £529. This includes all the above except entry into the tournament.

Must be booked by Thursday 31st January 2008.

Find out more about Island Cruises with Hays Travel Cruise - the cruise experts

Independence of the seas nears completion

With only 15 weeks until delivery, Royal Caribbean International’s newest ship, Independence of the Seas, took to the seas for the first time on Friday 11th January having reached an 85% complete build status.

The ship, currently under construction in Turku, Finland at the Aker Yard ship yard, will be the third ship in the cruise line’s world record-breaking Freedom-class of ships.

Large sections of Independence of the Seas are nearing completion as an army of over 1,700 workers is currently working in temperatures several degrees below zero with snow forecast. Areas of the ship currently being worked on include the main dining room, the theatre and the upper deck pool area. The ship will be delivered to Royal Caribbean International in late April 2008, two weeks ahead of schedule.

She will arrive in Southampton in April 2008 for inaugural celebrations in the UK before becoming the first ever newbuild ship in the Royal Caribbean International fleet to be based in Europe.

Royal Caribbean International has also announced that Independence of the Seas will becoming into service two weeks earlier due to works being completed ahead of schedule, meaning an additional two sailings are now available on board the new ship from the beginning of May 2008. The new sailings including a four night Cork cruise that departs on 2nd May, sailing from Southampton to Cork and back to Southampton from £449 per person (based on two sharing an inside cabin), and an 11 night Canary Islands cruise that departs on 6th May, calling at Madeira (Portugal), Tenerife (Canary Islands), Gran Canaria (Canary Islands), Lanzarote (Canary Islands), Lisbon (Portugal) and Vigo (Spain) from £897 per person (based on two sharing an inside cabin).

Activities onboard Independence of the Seas will include the popular innovations already found on her sister-ships, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas, including the FlowRider surf simulator; the wet and wild H20 Zone children’s water park; cantilevered whirlpools suspended 112 feet above the ocean; an ice-skating rink; a boxing ring; and the 1,215-square-foot Presidential Family Suite, which sleeps up to 14 people.

Find out more about the Independence of the Seas with Hays Travel Cruise - the cruise experts

Countdown Ventura - 94 days to go

Ventura’s rooms will be contemporary and stylish, providing you with the ultimate retreat.


Featuring contemporary art on canvas, fashionable bed linen and those all-important designer touches, Ventura’s accommodation will have a boutique hotel feel.

You will find Ventura’s architects and designers have thought of every detail. An in-cabin entertainment system will come complete with a flat panel television. In cabin pamper packs will add to the sense of luxury. While teak balcony furniture will afford a timeless elegance to her 880 balcony cabins.

Even better, your cabin will always be spick and span. Your friendly, yet discreet cabin steward will be on hand to make the bed, keep your private bathroom gleaming and attend to any room service or laundry requests.

Find out more about the Ventura with Hays Travel Cruise - The Cruise Experts.

Silversea announce 2009 worldwide schedule

Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises has announced its 2009 worldwide voyage schedule. The company's four award-winning, all-suite ships are set to visit over 320 different ports in 108 countries on a diverse schedule of over 140 itineraries ranging from seven to 92 days.

Of special note is the company's first-ever Grand Pacific Voyage, a 92-day extended odyssey that explores the azure waters and pristine beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Following a diverse route from Los Angeles to Papeete, Sydney and the Far East, with final stops in Alaska and Vancouver, Silver Shadow will visit 45 ports, 15 countries and both hemispheres on this epic journey.

Other highlights include return visits to Alaska plus 10 new destinations: Szczecin (pronounced Stettin, as it was once known), Poland; Malmo, Sweden; Skagen, Denmark; Gozo Island, Malta; Symi, Greece; Koper, Slovenia; Olhahali Island, Maldives; Nemuro, Japan; Visakhapatnam and New Mangalore, India.

SILVER CLOUD
Silver Cloud starts the year exploring South America before heading to the most exclusive destinations of the Caribbean. From late May through to September, the intimate 296-guest ship will be positioned in Northern Europe and the Baltic offering 11 cruises of seven to 15 days, including several voyages featuring three-day, two-night stopovers in historic St. Petersburg. Other highlights include Voyage 1920, offering inaugural calls to Szczecin, Poland, once considered the "Paris of the North"; Sweden's beautiful Malmo, home of famous 15th-century Malmohus Castle; and Skagen, Denmark, a picturesque resort town and 19th-century colony for artists and writers. The ship heads back to the Caribbean and South America for the autumn.

SILVER WIND
The 296-guest Silver Wind begins 2009 with cruises to Africa, the Seychelles and the Arabian Peninsula, highlighted by inaugural calls to the sunny beaches of uninhabited Olhahali Island in the Maldives and India's less-travelled Visakhapatnam and New Mangalore, both gateways to important temple sites.

From mid-April to early November, the ultra-luxury ship will traverse the Mediterranean on over 20 different itineraries ranging from seven to 12 days.

Of special interest to Formula One racing enthusiasts is a Voyage, which overnights in Monte Carlo during the Grand Prix. Other highlights include return visits to Israel's popular coastal cities of Haifa and Ashdod, also on offer is the new destination of Gozo Island, second largest of the Maltese Islands, known for its impressive citadel and the Ggantija prehistoric temples. The ship repositions to Africa's east coast and the Sechelles for the autumn.

SILVER SHADOW
The 382-guest Silver Shadow kicks off the year with a series of mostly 9-day Caribbean voyages before transiting the Panama Canal to Los Angeles to embark on its 92-day Grand Pacific Voyage from March to June. Of special interest to nature-lovers is an inaugural call on May 18 to Nemuro, Japan, home of the magnificent Shunkunitai Wild Bird Sanctuary. On the schedule for the summer is Alaska, with a series of 12 cruises ranging from seven to 12 days, including several round-trip departures from San Francisco and Vancouver. During the balance of the year, Silver Shadow transits the Panama Canal and continues on a course exploring the warm waters and sunny beaches of the Caribbean.

SILVER WHISPER
For the 382-guest Silver Whisper, the year opens with the sights, sounds and flavours of Australia, New Zealand, the Far East and South Pacific featured on eight itineraries, ranging from nine to 18 days. Highlights include extended overnight stays in Auckland, Sydney, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tianjin (Beijing), and Shanghai. On a pair of spring repositioning cruises, Silver Whisper will journey from Singapore to Dubai, with an overnight stay in vibrant Mumbai, followed by a Dubai-to-Athens voyage that overnights in Dubai and includes overnight visits to Safaga and Aqaba, gateways to some of the world's most treasured archaeological sites.

An extended summer season in the Mediterranean offers the opportunity to explore the region in absolute luxury with 22 mostly seven-day voyages, many of which can be combined for a more expansive journey without duplicating any ports. Highlights include two new destinations for Silversea: the Greek island of Symi, renowned for its picture-postcard beauty, and Koper, Slovenia, famous for its medieval architecture and fascinating Postonja Caves.

Silver Whisper wraps up the year exploring the Arabian Peninsula, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Find out more about Silversea Cruises with Hays Travel the cruise experts

Fantastic offers on Nile cruises

Egypt is very much in vogue thanks to London’s Tutankhamun exhibition, but if you want to get a real taste of the country, a Nile cruise is the way to go.

African Safari Club has reduced the price of a 7 night 5* cruise by £100. Flying from Gatwick on 4 February, the price is just £549pp.

The 5* M. S. Da Vinci was completely refurbished in 2006 and carries a maximum of 136passengers in air-conditioned comfort with elegant décor. The light and airy restaurant and lounge offer stunning views and there is a pool with pool bar, parasols and a massage if you need pampering.

From Luxor visit the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, and as the ship sails on to Edfu visit the Temple of Horus then on to Kom Ombo and Aswan where you can see the High Dam and the Aga Khan’s Mausoleum. The ship sails back to Luxor for a visit to the Temple of Karnak.

The price of £549pp is per person based on two sharing a lower deck cabin. Included are return flights from Gatwick to Luxor, local transfers, full board and entertainment on the ship, 10 excursions and all port, airport taxes and fuel supplements.

For more information on African Safari Club visit Hays Travel Cruise - The Cruise Experts.

Visit the seven continents with Crystal Cruises in 2009

In 2009 Crystal Cruises will be venturing to all seven continents, from Antarctica to the Polar Ice Cap, circling the Pacific and featuring new itineraries in South America, Europe and the Middle East.

Sailing to 185 ports in 57 countries on 57 voyages, Crystal Cruises' 2009 programme will focus on more port intensive itineraries with overnight port stays on most cruises. Itineraries range from seven to 106 days, from the exotic to convenient European departures.

Among the 2009 highlights are:

106-night Pacific Circle Celebration World Cruise round-trip from Los Angeles, including the inaugural ports of Rangiroa, French Polynesia; Komodo, Indonesia; Napier, New Zealand; Sihanoukville, Cambodia; and Petropavlosk, Russia. Also featured is the 150th birthday of the Port of Yokohama and a return to Alaska.

Return to cruising the Amazon for the first time since 2006.
New autumn cruise to Israel and Egypt.

Dubai overnight stays on two cruises.

European maiden calls to Kotor, Montenegro; Lipari, Italy; Patmos, Greece; Sinop, Turkey; Alesund, Norway and Kiel, Germany.

Virtually all Mediterranean cruises feature overnight calls in cities such as Barcelona, Istanbul, Monte Carlo, Venice and/or Sorrento.

Two ships cruising Asia, including cruises in China/Japan, Southeast Asia and India with overnight stays in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Osaka, Kobe, Bangkok and many others.

Baltic cruises of seven and 11 nights with overnight calls in Copenhagen and Stockholm, plus double overnights in St. Petersburg.

North Cape cruise to Spitsbergen and the Polar Ice Cap.

British Isles cruise featuring the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh.

Black Sea cruise with a new overnight stay in Odessa and maiden call in Turkey.

Five voyages starting or finishing in the UK.

26 voyages starting or ending in Europe.

Choice of exotic and tropical Christmas / New Year voyages: South America and Antarctica or Caribbean.

More than a dozen "career-friendly" voyages beginning or ending on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Find out more about Crystal Cruises with Hays Travel the Cruise Experts

Join in the pre-inaugural cruise of MSC Poesia

On 6th April 2008, MSC Cruises most exciting and anticipated ship to date, MSC Poesia will set sail on her pre-inaugural voyage from Dover to Venice.

MSC Cruises is offering a special price to be part of this historic sailing. Currently available are savings of £100 per person on this 13 night cruise – with prices starting at just £858 per person including flights.

MSC Poesia (which translates as poetry) will make her debut in Dover on 5 April 2008, during an elaborate overnight pier side event attended by Mrs Sophia Loren, godmother to the elegant new ship. She will then set sail on her 13 night pre-inaugural voyage, visiting Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Morocco and finally Venice, where she will be positioned for the summer of 2008.

With MSC Poesia, MSC Cruises has combined a wonderful blend of cutting edge technology, elegant surroundings, warm Mediterranean hospitality, exciting entertainment venues and tantalising dining opportunities.

At 90,000 tonnes, accommodating 3,013 passengers, 80% of cabins have external balconies, MSC Poesia will be a sister ship to the popular MSC Orchestra and MSC Musica (launched in 2007 and 2006 respectively).

She will become the 9th ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, which has experienced the industry’s largest fleet expansion in the last 3 years.

Find out more about MSC Cruises with Hays Travel the Cruise Experts.

Countdown Ventura - 101 days to go

Bungee Trampoline & Flying Trapeze Onboard P&O Cruises Superliner Ventura

Passengers on Britain’s largest & newest superliner Ventura will be able to fly high above sea level at Cirque Ventura – the first circus school at sea.

Located high up on deck 19, highly skilled performers will run workshops with a host of exciting activities on offer including tight wire, acrobalance, clowning, break-dancing, juggling and stilt walking. In addition, the area will be equipped with two thrilling centrepieces – four bungee trampolines, which will enable passengers to soar 60 metres above sea level, and a flying trapeze.

Find out more about the Ventura with Hays Travel Cruise - The Cruise Experts.

Countdown Ventura - 102 days to go

There's an exciting new silhouette on the horizon. Come April 2008, Britain's newest superliner will emerge, ready to sail the world's oceans. Unique, imaginative and stylish, Ventura will show you just how inspiring your time away can be.

If you have a sense of wanderlust that is never satisfied, you’ll be pleased to know that Ventura can always offer somewhere new and exciting. But we’re sure you will find plenty of places you will want to return to along the way. The historic cities of Europe and the Mediterranean offering a myriad of attractions. From rolling countryside to beautiful cities bustling with activity and bursting with culture, there is something for everyone here.

Then there’s the sunshine and scenic delights of the Atlantic Isles. The palaces, gilded churches and imperial treasures of the Baltic. The majesty and serenity of the fjords, or the paradise islands of the Caribbean.

Holiday with Ventura and the world’s your oyster. With so many holidays available direct from the UK, you will find cruising with Ventura is the ultimate in relaxation. After all, there is something very appealing about gliding to your next destination without a care in the world.

Plus, with regional flights available on all Ventura fly cruises, it’s never been easier to fly straight for the sunshine. As you arrive relaxed and refreshed on new shores, you will find your feet itching to explore. Each island, bustling city and chic resort brings with it intriguing opportunities and Ventura's optional shore excursions will help you capture the essence of each and every port of call.

Find out more about the Ventura with Hays Travel Cruise - The Cruise Experts.

2008 - The Year of Ventura

2008 is going to be a very exciting year for P&O Cruises as we welcome Ventura, the superliner designed for Britain and the countdown is now on!

There are now only 103 days remaining until she is named in Southampton and embarks on her maiden cruise to the Mediterranean.

During her naming festivities in April The Ventura will be welcoming many potential customers on board for a special preview of her innovative features.

Find out more about cruises on the Ventura with Hays Travel Cruise - The Cruise Experts.