Cruising is more popular than ever – and our travel show can help you find a trip that suits your tastes and budget.
The cruise industry continues to defy the economic conditions and grow year
after year. Nearly 1.8 million Britons are likely to take a cruise this year
– climbing to two million by 2012.
According to the Passenger Shipping Association (PSA), it is the value for
money and the range of experiences on offer that explain the appeal. But
more choice – in the form of more ships, destinations, excursions and
onboard activities - makes it harder for the consumer to choose.
The Telegraph Cruise Show taking place at London’s Olympia Hall next weekend
is designed to help you find out everything you need to know about cruising,
from small ships and polar expeditions to Mediterranean breaks and
round‑the-world voyages, to who offers what in the way of service, cuisine
and entertainment.
All the world’s leading lines will be there and Telegraph Travel will present
a range of talks (speakers highlighted below). Away from the stage, you can
speak to our experts directly and browse Telegraph Travel Shop’s selection
of the best holiday offers.
Talking at the show
Saturday 11am
Sue Lawley
Sue is one of Britain’s best-known broadcasters and journalists but is best
known for her 18-year stint as host of Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. She
has written several features for Telegraph Travel and will be talking about
her experiences as a first‑time cruiser.
Saturday Midday
Gavin Bell
Gavin is an author and journalist. He is a former foreign correspondent of the
Times and a regular contributor to Telegraph Travel. He won the Thomas
Cook/Daily Telegraph Travel Book of the Year Award with In Search of
Tusitala: Travels in the Pacific after Robert Louis Stevenson. He will be
talking about his wide-ranging experiences of adventure cruising, from
Antarctica to Zanzibar.
Saturday 1pm
Michael Simkins
Michael is an actor, writer, cricket lover and contributor to Telegraph
Travel. He regularly appears in West End theatre productions (Mamma Mia,
Chicago) and in television series (Doctors and Foyle’s War). His books
include Fatty Batter (shortlisted for Costa’s book prize) and Detour de
France: An Englishman in Search of a Continental Education.
He will be talking about his conversion to cruising: he imagined it would be a
floating nightmare, but a fortnight in the Med made him think again.
Saturday 2pm
Jane Archer
Jane is a Telegraph Travel writer and one of Britain’s leading cruise experts.
She spends much of the year at sea, uncovering the best and worst about
ships big and small, low-cost and luxurious. She will be talking about
what’s new in cruising this year and hosting a question-and-answer session,
offering advice and tips.
Sunday 11am
Sam Llewellyn
Sam is a novelist, columnist, historian and regular contributor to Telegraph
Travel. His sea thrillers have been published in 15 languages. His latest
book is Black Fish. The first volume of his new venture, The Marine
Quarterly: a Journal of the Sea, has just come out (www.themarinequarterly.com).
He will present his unique take on Britain from the sea, a yarn-packed journey
around Blighty by ocean, river, lake and canal.
Sunday Midday
Douglas Ward
Douglas is considered by many to be the world’s leading expert on cruising. To
date he has completed nearly 6,000 days at sea on more than 1,000 cruises.
He is the author of the annual Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise
Ships.
Douglas will be talking about his life in cruising and offering advice on what
makes a perfect ship, and will be on hand to answer all your questions.
Sunday 1pm
Martin Bell
Martin is a former BBC war reporter and foreign correspondent and former
independent politician who, in 1997, became the first successful independent
parliamentary candidate for 46 years. He is now an ambassador for Unicef and
periodically contributes to Telegraph Travel. He will be talking about his
recent experiences on the new Queen Elizabeth, on which he was a lecturer.
Sunday 2pm
Ben MacFarlane
Ben graduated in medicine from Imperial College, London in 1998 and started
carrying out medical repatriations in 2001, writing a book on his
experiences, Holiday SOS. He then spent a year working on the cruise ship
circuit. His latest book, Cruise Ship SOS, documents his travels and
travails as a ship’s doctor.
Ben will be regaling the audience with his dramatic and often eye-watering
tales of his year at sea.
Telegraph readers are being offered the chance to claim two free Cruise Show
tickets, worth £20, by booking in advance (quote 'Telegraph’). Order online
at www.cruising
show.co.uk or call 0871 620 4024. The offer is valid until March 23. A
booking fee of £2 applies.
Tickets on the door Adults £10, Under-16s free
Opening times Saturday, March 26, 10am-5pm, Sunday, March 27, 10am-4pm
Venue Olympia Grand Hall, London W14 8UX.
For full details about the show see www.cruisingshow.co.uk
Win a Mediterranean cruise worth £2,500
Win a 10-night cruise for two on the new P&O Cruises’ ship, Adonia, (www.pocruises.co.uk)
worth £2,500, with calls at Lisbon, Valencia, Barcelona, Marseilles, Monte
Carlo, La Spezia and Savona. The cruise departs from Southampton on October
19 and includes an outside cabin and a return flight.
Runners-up prizes
Twenty Telegraph readers will be given the exclusive opportunity to visit the
Adonia at Southampton’s Mayflower cruise terminal on May 22. The prize
includes a guided tour, three-course lunch and free parking or shuttle from
Southampton Central station. Each winner can take a guest
No comments:
Post a Comment