Voyages of Discovery has launched a debut programme of cruises in South and Central America for winter 2010/11.
It includes the cruiseline’s first-ever circumnavigation of South America as well as a collection of Caribbean and Latin America cruises that will give passengers a taste of the region’s history and culture.
The move to South and Central America comes just a year after Voyages of Discovery switched from sailing in Antarctica in winter to offering a debut Far East programme in 2009/10.
Sales and marketing director Geoff Lawrence said it was based on feedback from clients and agents, rather than poor sales.
He said: “It has been hard work but we’re reasonably happy with sales for the Far East. But we are always looking for new horizons. Our passengers and agents were telling us these are the places they are interested in.”
The brochure features three long cruises – the 77-night Grand South America Discovery, a 30-night Grand Caribbean Odyssey and a 33-night Grand Voyage from the New World – that are also available in shorter sectors of between 14 and 19 nights.
Prices start from £1,699 per person including flights, transfers and gratuities for a 14-night Colonial Trails of the Caribbean cruise from Barbados to Havana in Cuba from December 4-18 2010 that visits Grenada, Tobago, Trinidad, Curaçao and Santiago de Cuba.
The Grand South America Discovery cruise sails roundtrip from Barbados between January 3 and March 22 2011, and costs from £7,499 per person including flights, transfers and gratuities.
Lawrence said: “The new brochure will be with agents the first week in January, but the grand voyages are on sale and we are already getting bookings for the cruise around South America. It’s much easier to see the continent on a cruise and passengers have the reassurance of coming back to the ship at night.
He added: “Our challenge has been to make sure the prices are value for money and I am confident we have achieved that.”
A 16-night Discovery of the New World transatlantic crossing from Malaga to Barbados from November 18 to December 5 2010, that follows in the footsteps of Columbus and includes calls at Cadiz, Antigua and St Kitts, costs from £1,399 per person including flights, transfers and gratuities.
The brochure also includes a selection of pre or post-cruise overland tours, including a three-night excursion to the Iguazu Falls from Buenos Aires and a two nights visiting Machu Picchu from Callao in Peru.
Clients can also take a day trip to the Galapagos from Manta in Ecuador for £489 per person or a three or four-night cruise around the islands on the 100-passenger Galapagos Explorer II from £1,599 per person.