Travelling across Europe by river offers an insight that cannot easily be had by more conventional forms of transport. The leisurely pace allows you to enjoy the subtle changes of scenery, the contrasting styles of architecture and allows time to read and digest each region’s history. Embarking in Amsterdam we will have two weeks ahead of us as we make our way along the Rhine, passing some of Germany’s most scenic places, including the dramatic Rhine Gorge. Leaving the Rhine, we begin our journey along the River Main through the lovely Franconia countryside to the Main-Danube Canal. It was the opening of this canal that made this journey possible. A great feat of engineering, it allows our vessel to connect through to the Danube River. From here we will sail along the Danube through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary to our final destination of Budapest. Join us on this river voyage through idyllic rolling landscapes of pastures and vines, past centuries old villages, towns and imperial cities which have witnessed the fascinating and turbulent history of Middle Europe.
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www.noble-caledonia.co.uk/tour
Arabian Odyssey – Save £500 per person
A cruise to the lands of Antiquity aboard the MS Island Sky
22nd November to 2nd December 2009
Come with us to a corner of the world that has fascinated travellers for centuries. Our unique cruise offers a comprehensive look at an area richly influenced by its ancient history and recent wealth. The diverse nature of the people, customs and the landscapes they inhabit, make for an enthralling experience as we venture through the mosaic of lands bordered by vast deserts, through green wadis and pass in the shadow of spectacular mountains. The contrast of old and new is staggering, from the ancient villages and souks of the old towns to the magnificent cities of glass and steel, which include some of the world’s most impressive buildings.
All this will be achieved with great ease aboard the MS Island Sky, an ideal vessel for serious exploration. The shimmering waters of the Gulf should make for a comfortable journey and the obvious bonus of having a ship for our base, rather than a sequence of hotels, leaves us free to relax and enjoy all the marvellous sights that surround us. Before embarking the MS Island Sky we have included a two night hotel stay in Muscat allowing us time to explore the interior of Oman with a full day excursion to the fascinating town of Nizwa.
www.noble-caledonia.co.uk/tour
East of Bali – Save £400 per person
Venture to the little known islands of Nusa Tenggara aboard the MS Island Sky
6th to 21st January & 17th January to 1st February 2010
On our journey ever eastwards, the MS Island Sky will venture to the east of Bali to the islands known as Nusa Tenggara. To many seasoned travellers this chain of islands are the most fascinating in all the Indonesian archipelago. Certainly they are not on the mass tourism circuit and their beauty and customs are relatively unscathed by the modern world.
As we sail from one island to another we enter a timeless world that is blessed with pure white sandy deserted beaches that in turn give way to stunning, beautiful coral reefs in dazzlingly clear water. As we island hop we will encounter many diverse and splendid sights. The awesome Komodo dragons, vast crater lakes with surrealistic hues, lush spice growing islands contrasting with lunar like landscapes and extraordinary islanders. Come with us and be rewarded with the rich experiences that these most beautiful and unusual islands offer to all those who visit their faraway shores. As there are no direct flights from London to Bali our itinerary has been planned to include stops in both Hong Kong and Singapore, ideal places to break the flight, rest and enjoy the sights.
www.noble-caledonia.co.uk/tour
Passage to Libya – Save £300 per person
A cruise of discovery from the Red Sea to Malta visiting Jordan, Egypt and Libya aboard the MS Island Sky
30th March to 15th April 2010
It is difficult to imagine a more culturally fascinating itinerary than this, which takes us through the ancient worlds of the Nabataeans, Egyptians and Greek and Roman Africa. Our journey will include the rose red city of Petra, the deeply spiritual St Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai desert, the great temples of Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza, and in Libya, the Roman city of Leptis Magna. For many, the journey along the Libyan coast will be the highlight as we explore some superb examples of Islamic architecture, gilded Byzantine churches, Kasbahs and ancient sites which testify to the brilliance of the Greek and Roman empires.
www.noble-caledonia.co.uk/tour
New Zealand Coastal Cruising – Complementary two night stopover in Hong Kong
An exploration of New Zealand’s North and South Islands aboard the MS Clipper Odyssey
17th January to 3rd February 2010
If you have promised yourself that one day you will tour New Zealand, but have not been enticed by the thought of touring by coach or self-drive car, then our coastal cruise could be the answer. After all, the islands of New Zealand are perfect for exploration by sea as most of the main scenic attractions are close to the coast.
Our coastal voyage will introduce you to an unspoiled and unpolluted landscape of remarkable natural beauty. There are steep-sided glacial fjords, geysers and boiling mud, coastal rain forests, snowcapped mountains, rolling green pasture lands and enchanting sandy bays and coves. In the cities, towns and villages you will encounter that unique combination of New World and British heritage.
All this will be achieved with great ease. Our voyage around the North and South Islands will allow us to drop anchor in the remote bays, navigate channels, fjords and rivers and call into harbours both large and small. With our Zodiac landing craft we will be able to land in otherwise inaccessible places making the most of New Zealand’s extraordinary natural attractions.
www.noble-caledonia.co.uk/tour
Music of the Danube – Save £300 per person
Celebrate Easter on a river cruise through the cultural Heart of Europe with Humphrey Burton and London Festival Opera aboard the MS Johann Strauss
1st to 8th April 2010
Much of the world’s greatest classical music has originated from a relatively small area in central Europe. Draw a 100 mile radius around Vienna and here you will find the origins of some of the greatest 18th and 19th century composers that have ever lived. Join us for a musical journey down the Danube as we sail from Vienna to Budapest. Enjoy some marvellous music ashore in the great opera houses as well as onboard as we are entertained by the singers of London Festival Opera.
The journey will include two full days in Budapest as well as a visit to the Slovakian capital of Bratislava. During your time in the Wachau Valley, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest we have included a number of guided excursions. There will also be the opportunity to attend a performance at the State Opera House in Vienna or the Volksoper. Other musical options ashore include the Budapest Opera House. At the time of going to press the programmes for the opera houses are not available and they are generally published three months prior to the performance.
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