Odyssey magazine. - Noble Caledonia

autumn/winter 2011-2012 www.noble-caledonia.co.uk 

Odyssey 

20th 

A N N I V E R S A R Y 

1991-2011 

we celebrate 20 years of noble caledonia 

& our 20th issue of odyssey

20 -20 VISION 

CRUISING FROM 1991 TO 2011 

WELCOME to our 20th 

anniversary issue of 

Odyssey magazine. 

We’re delighted to 

have you onboard 

once again, and we thank you for your 

interest throughout the years. 

Anniversaries are the usual time when 

plans for the future are made. In Noble 

Caledonia’s 20th year it is no exception 

as we look to the next ten years. The 

economies of the Western world may 

be in a state of fl ux but, in the travel 

industry, optimism about the future is 

an integral part of any company. 

Noble Caledonia was founded in the 

aftermath of the fi rst Gulf War, when 

most of the world stopped travelling. 

It was an interesting time to start a 

new travel venture, and having to 

face the realities and reluctance by 

many to travel, we believe made us a 

stronger company. Now, the challenges 

are different but we stand by our 

commitment to small ship cruising – a 

commitment that has been recognised 

with fi rst place in the Telegraph Travel 

Awards for Favourite Small Cruise Line. 

From the beginning, our intention was 

to create a company that would offer 

expedition cruising, but not to limit 

our horizons with regard to other types 

of trips. So, within our fi rst weeks we 

were creating river trips in Russia and 

along the Danube, guest lecturer tours 

to Jordan, Syria and North Africa and 

the Near East, in addition to specialised 

tours for august bodies such as the Royal 

Academy of Arts. 

The MS Caledonian Star was the most 

important factor in our initial success. 

Many clients will remember her with 

great affection as we operated cruises as 

far away as the Russian Far East, New 

Zealand and the South Pacifi c. 

Every year we re-invent our long 

list of trips, keeping some of the most 

popular routes but always offering 

something new – small ship cruising, 

cruises under sail, river cruising, unusual 

land tours, rail journeys and themed 

trips such as our music ventures. 

All this has been possible due to the 

unfailing support of our regular travellers. 

Thousands of you have completed 

between three and fi ve trips – and 

considerable numbers have travelled ten 

to 30 times in the past 20 years. 

It has been a delight to create a 

privately-owned business operated 

by seasoned travel professionals, with 

the freedom to create and operate 

great voyages. We are driven by our 

excitement for travel and, when 

devising a new trip, we always take a 

sense of discovery into consideration. 

So, what of the future? Our ambition 

is to continue in the same vein. Our 

fi rst love is small ship cruising, and 

we continue to seek out suitable 

vessels all around the world. As we 

have demonstrated with the recent 

refurbishing of the MS Island Sky, we 

like to use stylish small vessels, not big 

impersonal ships. They chime with our 

destinations: intrepid, cultural, personal, 

utterly memorable. 

There are very few cruise companies 

left that are not owned by large 

corporate entities. Such is the way 

of business today. We value our 

independence and, as we look to the 

future, our intention is to remain a 

family-run business and build upon the 

values that have brought us to where we 

are today. 

The loyalty of our past passengers 

is not something we take for granted. 

In the past seven years Island Sky has 

built a truly remarkable following and

now, with the addition of Caledonian 

Sky, we hope to be equally successful. 

The correspondence we regularly 

receive from past passengers is truly 

heartwarming and, where possible, we 

implement any suggestions that can 

improve your well-being on board. 

In this commemorative issue, we take 

you back to our fi rst-ever trip: the cruise 

around the British Isles. We also let 

journalist Simon Hoggart be our guide 

on one of our most popular cruises – 

through the Baltic Sea to St Petersburg. 

There’s a trip on the previously 

untameable upper Mekong, and a 

perambulation down the mighty Rhine. 

We cross from Scotland to Norway, hear 

the classicist Tom Holland interpret 

Britain’s role in Crete’s astonishing 

archaeological complex Knossos, and 

join Ewen Southby-Tailyour in the 

Falkland Islands where, 30 years ago 

next year, he fought as a young offi cer. 

If you are reading this 20th issue 

of Odyssey the chances are that you 

have travelled with us in the past fi ve 

years. We thank you for your support 

and hope to have the pleasure of your 

company again in the near future. 

We hope you fi nd Odyssey as exciting 

as our itineraries, and we invite you to 

join us in a toast to the next 20 years. 

Yours aye, 

Andrew Cochrane 

Founder and managing 

director, Noble Caledonia

Noble Caledonia 

2 Chester Close, Belgravia, London SW1X 7BE 

Tel 020 7752 0000 

odyssey@noble-caledonia.co.uk 

editor Oliver Bennett 

Art director James Houston 

sub editor Carli Allan 

designer Gemma Hancock 

Advertising Lisa Martin (0207 487 8405) 

lisamartin@theoldie.co.uk 

Published by James Pembroke Publishing, 

90 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG 

Tel 01225 33 7777 

www.jppublishing.co.uk 

“The facades of houses 

and palaces slid by gently, 

their pastel reflections 

in the water” 

16 

50 

22 26 

58 

4 odyssey autumn/winter 2011-2012 www.noble-caledonia.co.uk

Contents 

autumn/winter 2011-2012 

Upfront 

2 our birthday it’s 20 years since 

the very first noble caledonia 

cruise, so join us as we celebrate 

our anniversary, and look forward at 

adventures to come… 

6 Noble news desk our special 

birthday cruise along the iberian 

coast to barcelona, plus why our 

speciality cruises – focusing on 

wildlife, music, local cuisine and 

more – are such a hit 

8 The bigger picture autumn along 

the Hudson: why newYork State’s 

most famous river is best enjoyed 

draped in reds and golds 

10 View from the bridge meet 

Vasily mariceanu, captain of the 

mS Johann Strauss, as he shares 

his favourite destinations on the 

danube and the rhine 

12 The joy of private flying noble 

caledonia has teamed up with 

the captain’s choice tour to offer 

exclusive tours flying from the uk 

by private charter. Here’s why… 

14 It’s time to… plan your next 

holiday, whether you like it hot 

(the call of africa leaves 22 march) 

or cold (Quest for the antarctic 

departs 23 February) 

simon hoggart 

is a parliamentary 

sketchwriter. On page 16 

he revisits St Petersburg to 

find a much-changed city 

ian belcher 

has crossed many world 

rivers as a travel writer – 

but few measure up to the 

Mekong. See page 22 

Discover 

16 Russian quest Simon Hoggart 

takes a baltic cruise to the historic, 

endlessly fascinating St Petersburg 

22 Wonders of the Mekong it’s one 

of the world’s most otherworldly 

rivers, and now you can explore its 

rarely visited upper reaches… 

26 sister ships what a year – as 

well as celebrating our 20th 

anniversary, we reunite the much 

loved mS island Sky with her sister 

ship, mS caledonian Sky 

32 Ten degrees of latitude Sail from 

Shetland to the isles of Scilly, and 

find the astonishing beauty 

in britain’s coast 

35 The most romantic river enjoy 

the majesty of the rhine as it 

sweeps past fairy-tale towns and 

mighty mountains 

38 Noble Caledonia: 20 amazing 

years Personal memories of two 

decades of small-ship cruising. 

Plus: our 20th anniversary book, 

my Passion for water 

42 The great Nordic voyage From 

Scotland to Spitsbergen in the 

company of whales, dolphins, and 

sea eagles 

46 Bull market crete has long 

been a playground for men and 

Gods: Zeus was born here and the 

minotaur patrolled its labyrinth. 

classical scholar tom Holland 

unpacks the myths 

50 Pearls of the ocean From the 

natural wonders of the Falklands 

to the allure of the beautiful but 

remote tristan da cunha 

In focus 

56 on trial we bring you the odyssey 

pick of beauty travel packs 

58 Five of the best… the world’s 

most stunning cathedrals, from 

moscow to monreale, Sicily 

60 Introducing Travel Post How to 

use noble caledonia’s travel Post, 

our new community website 

62 Games & gains challenge 

your travel knowledge with our 

crossword, and win an amazing 

birds and wildlife cruise 

64 Book club Great travel-based 

holiday reads: explore russia, 

rome and more 

66 Me & my travels richard ingrams, 

satirist and editor of the oldie, tells 

us that his favourite holidays are 

remote, inactive, and literary 

Our contributors 

the leading travel writers who have authored our features this issue 

gavin bell 

discovers an untamed 

wilderness on his North 

Atlantic journey to 

Norway, on page 42 

laurence 

mitchell 

shares his love for slow 

travel as he explores the 

British Isles, see page 32 

tom holland 

is a classical scholar. He 

unravels the legends of 

Crete, birthplace of the 

Gods, on page 46 

A FAMILY REUNION 

to celebrate noble caledonia’s 20th 

anniversary, cruise critic Sue bryant reports on 

the reunion of our two sister vessels. see page 26 

ewen southbytailyour 

is a war veteran. He 

writes about the allure of 

the Falklands on page 50 

Look out for 

these quick 

reference 

icons 

From top 

to bottom: 

www.noble-caledonia.co.uk autumn/winter 2011-2012 odyssey 

wine & food 

lovers 

Special 

wildlife 

interest 

History buffs 

Fans of the 

natural world 

william cook 

is a British writer who 

cruises the Rhine to 

unravel Germany’s 

historic sagas, on page 35 

5

Noble news desk 

A collection of the latest news from Noble Caledonia 

Music & Gardens on the Dalmatian 

Coast is one of many themed cruises 

DISCOVER THE BEST 

SPECIALITY TOURS 

FROM WILDLIFE TO MUSIC, gardens to 

gastronomy – Noble Caledonia’s themed 

cruises and trips are growing in popularity. 

These specialist experiences celebrate 

hobbies and passions, helping to bring 

together travellers with common interests. 

There are lectures onboard by special 

guests, allowing travellers to interact with 

leading experts in a particular area – these 

have included Kate Adie, Humphrey Burton 

and Toby Musgrave. Themed itineraries can 

also include performances by entertainers, 

and related shore excursions, as well as 

studies of classical composers, architecture, 

history, famous people, birds and more. 

London Festival Opera joins passengers 

for Noble Caledonia’s range of musicthemed 

hotel stays and cruises – 

destinations include the Italian Lakes, 

Budapest and the Danube – with 

performances taking place both onboard 

and ashore. New for 2012 is Music & 

Gardens on the For information 

Dalmatian Coast – a on any of the 

seven-night stay at destinations or 

the fi ve star Grand cruises mentioned 

on these pages 

Villa Argentina 

visit www.noble- 

in Dubrovnik 

caledonia.co.uk 

with London 

Festival Opera. 

For culinary connoisseurs, 

food writer Elisabeth Luard entertains and 

educates on the diversity of Mediterranean 

food, while Roger Preece brings his 

expertise to devise itineraries to sample 

local food and wine. Other special interest 

cruises include a ten-day river journey 

through the Netherlands to enjoy the spring 

fl owers; an exploration of the bird islands of 

Britain and Ireland; and wildlife-spotting 

aboard the MS Quest from Scotland to the 

Norwegian Fjords (see page 42). 

Visit www.noble-caledonia.co.uk for more 

information, and click ‘By theme’. 

Family reunion 

Noble Caledonia welcomes a new vessel to 

its fl eet – the sister vessel to MS Island Sky. 

Formerly known as Renaissance VI, and more 

recently Hebridean Spirit, the 114-passenger 

vessel will be named MS Caledonian Sky 

when she is launched by Noble Caledonia in May 

2012. The vessel is ultimately bound for South 

America, Australasia and the Pacifi c Rim, and will 

be in British and Arctic waters for much of 2012, 

before heading to South America and beyond. 

Visit www.noble-caledonia.co.uk for full 

itinerary details. 

‘Now, what did I come up for...?’ 

SEE PAGE 

26 FOR 

THE FULL 

STORY 

TOP WORLD RANKING 

FOUR SHIPS in Noble Caledonia’s fl eet have 

been rated as some of the best boutique cruise 

ships in the world. 

Our very own MS Island Sky together with 

MS Bremen and MS Hanseatic – owned by our 

associates Hapag Lloyd – and Sea Cloud, which 

we charter each year, have all earned top 

honours in the 2012 Berlitz Complete Guide to 

Cruising & Cruise Ships, the leading authority 

on cruising and cruise ships. 

The ships all feature in the Top Ten for the 

Best Boutique Cruise Ship category, which 

judges ships that can accommodate between 

50 and 200 passengers. Island Sky, Bremen, 

Hanseatic and Sea Cloud were all rated on 

criteria including accommodation, food, 

service, entertainment, cleanliness, excursions 

and general value. 

The world-renowned Berlitz 2012 guide is 

available now from book stores. 

6 ODYSSEY AUTUMN/WINTER 2011-2012 WWW.NOBLE-CALEDONIA.CO.UK

Happy birthday to us! 

A SPECIAL cruise travelled 

from Portsmouth to Barcelona 

to celebrate Noble Caledonia’s 

20th anniversary. We ran a 

celebratory eight-day cruise 

aboard MS Island Sky – which 

was also celebrating its 20th 

birthday – in September. 

The journey went around 

the Iberian peninsula and into 

the Mediterranean, calling 

into Lisbon, Cadiz, Cartagena 

and Valencia before ending in 

Barcelona. To make the most of 

the time onboard the Island Sky, 

there was a gala programme 

of talks, receptions, informal 

gatherings and music. 

Cruise director Jannie Cloete 

said: “There was excitement 

in the air as we welcomed 

guests onboard the Island Sky 

Destination guide 

START PLANNING your next voyage with a visit to 

The Telegraph Cruise show, where Noble Caledonia 

staff will be on hand with advice on everything from 

no-fl y cruising to choosing a cabin. There will also be 

informative talks on river cruising and Latin 

American small ship cruising. The event takes place 

at Olympia, London, from 24-25 March 2012. 

Discover more about Noble Caledonia’s off-thebeaten-track 

experiences at The Telegraph 

Adventure Travel Show. The event, which is bursting 

with inspirational ideas and travel advice, will be 

held at Olympia, London, from 28-29 January 2012. 

PORT OF CALL 

in Portsmouth for our special 

anniversary cruise. So many 

familiar faces and smiles 

ensured right from the start that 

this was going to be a special 

time onboard. 

“Our guest speakers kept 

everyone busy while at sea 

and some fun activities were 

arranged to add to everyone’s 

enjoyment. London Festival 

Opera added to the festive 

feeling with their two very 

captivating performances. 

The highlight was a special 

anniversary quiz where a cruise 

onboard the Island Sky was up 

for grabs.” 

Due to the popularity of the 

cruise, Noble Caledonia will 

be repeating the Celebration 

Cruise in 2012. 

Simply 

the best 

This autumn, Noble 

Caledonia was voted 

Favourite Small Cruise 

Line by Telegraph readers. 

QUOTE, UNQUOTE 

Melvyn Bragg, PD James and Ruth 

Rendell were among the line-up of 

speakers at the fi rst Soho Literary 

Festival. The event, sponsored by 

Noble Caledonia, covered a wide 

spectrum of literature and the arts, 

as well as writing workshops and 

cabaret evenings. Held at the Soho 

Theatre, London in September, the 

Festival included discussions on 

travel writing by Sara Wheeler, and 

on fi lm-making with Ken Loach. 

Online community 

FROM CAPTAINS’ LOGS to travellers’ 

blogs, from city guides and maps to 

Q&A forums and reviews – Travel Post 

is Noble Caledonia’s new community 

website. This exciting website is 

designed to keep travellers in touch 

with like-minded passengers, 

informed about our cruises, and 

inspired to visit new destinations. 

Travel Post will be launched at 

travelpost.noble-caledonia.co.uk 

in December 2011 (see page 60). 

TO RECEIVE FREE TICKETS for the Cruise show, 

quote ‘ODYSSEY’ when calling 0871 620 4024 or 

booking at www.cruisingshow.com. 

FOR DISCOUNTED TICKETS of £4 for the Adventure 

Travel Show, saving £6, quote ‘ODYSSEY’ when calling 

0871 230 7159 or booking at www.adventureshow.com 

MS EXPEDITION became the fi rst ship to call into Bygstad in Norway earlier this year. The 120-passenger ship 

visited this pearl in the inner Dalsfjord during the Norway, Heading North tour. See page 42 for more about cruising 

around Norway. 

NOBLE NEWS DESK 

Experts 

for all 

seasons 

Guest speakers will 

accompany many of our 

tours, with their knowledge 

helping you to make the 

most of your journey. 

Here is a selection of the 

onboard experts you could 

meet on your cruise… 

A writer, lecturer and consultant 

on political risk issues, Paul Harris 

is aboard MV Harmony on the 

Lost Empires cruise from 

Athens to Venice. Paul 

has worked for 12 

years as a journalist 

specialising in 

military and 

defence matters, 

and is author 

of 42 books 

including a number of 

photographic titles. 

Lost Empires 

29 April – 10 May 2012 

War veteran Ewen Southby- 

Tailyour served with the Royal 

Marines in the Falkland Islands 

in 1977, and has returned: 

to study the wrecks, to take 

part in the 20th anniversary 

commemorations, and to 

navigate a yacht into previously 

unvisited anchorages. He will be 

aboard our private jet trip across 

South America, operated by The 

Captain’s Choice Tour, to offer a 

memorable and emotive tour of 

the Falklands (see page 50). 

Magic of South America 

27 March – 15 April 2012 

Humphrey Burton has been 

a key fi gure in many of British 

television’s infl uential arts shows, 

such as Arena and Omnibus, 

and he made his orchestral 

debut at the Royal Albert Hall. 

Humphrey will share his passion 

for music aboard MS Johann 

Strauss en route to Bavaria. 

Mozart on the Danube 

5 – 13 September 2012 

WWW.NOBLE-CALEDONIA.CO.UK AUTUMN/WINTER 2011-2012 ODYSSEY 

7

upfront 

the bigger picture 


upfront 

the bigger picture 

shades of autumn 

the magnificence and natural beauty of the hudson River is at its prime in autumn – 

or fall as the americans would say – when the banks of the deep-blue river are ablaze 

with oranges and reds. set against a spectacular display of colour and light, these 

are the sights that explorer henry hudson first experienced in 1607. 

Autumn Colours on the Hudson 2012; 7 to 21 october 2012 

mother nature unveils one spectacular vista after another on your journey from 

the historic hudson River through the erie Canal and into Canada’s st Lawrence 

and saguenay Rivers. as well as exploring historic river towns, dramatic mountain 

ranges and majestic fjords, you’ll also discover seals, birds and whales. 

Autumn Colours in North America; November 2012 

noble Caledonia’s new ship, ms Caledonian sky, will be cruising from halifax to 

Yorktown in september 2012, exploring the hudson River en route. details will be 

available mid-november 2011. 

www.noble-caledonia.co.uk 


9

VIEW FROM THE 

BRIDGE 

Captain Vasily Mariceanu 

“I’VE BEEN CAPTAIN of the MS 

Johann Strauss since 2004. Before 

that I worked for 16 years on cargo 

boats and also on Ukrainian and 

German cruise ships. Next year, I’m 

sailing to all our destinations on the 

Danube, the Main and the Rhine, but 

the Danube is my favourite: it’s where 

I feel most at home. 

Our passengers always tell us 

how much they like the ship and 

our itineraries. I’m delighted to say 

that they’re always very interested 

in the technical aspects of the 

ship, the engine, as well as general 

navigation. It is always nice to see so 

many passengers returning to us, 

especially when they say that they 

feel ‘at home’ on board. 

While in the USSR [Soviet] Navy 

for three years I sailed mainly around 

the Baltic and the North Sea. The 

oddest trip I’ve made was the Rhine- 

Main-Danube Canal, about three 

years ago. We had very high water 

on the Danube and we couldn’t sail 

under one of the bridges. After two 

days we continued on our journey 

and, to make up for lost time, we 

stopped in the middle of nowhere to 

link up with coaches. We managed to 

complete the itinerary without losing 

any of the tours and destinations. 

The cruise became an adventure for 

Questions, answers and amusing 

stories from ship to shore 

Captain’s log 

In this issue we hear about 

the joys of piloting the MS 

Johann Strauss along 

Europe’s great rivers 

VASILY MARICEANU 

has been Captain of 

MS Johann Strauss 

since she was 

commissioned in 

2004 – and has been 

sailing the Danube 

since 1978 

our passengers, who enjoyed 

every moment with good spirit 

and humour. 

On another occasion, the 

opposite became the case. We 

had very low water on the Danube 

between Bulgaria and Romania. 

We reached a remote area with 

other ships and barges in front 

of us waiting for the water to rise. 

Somehow I knew we would make it 

– and that’s one of the reasons why I 

like the Danube so much. When I look 

at the surface of the water, how it 

moves and changes colours, it’s 

as if it is speaking to me. After a 

while I realised that we had an 

alternative channel and off we went. 

It was a great feeling. 

When dealing with this everchanging 

means of transport, you 

need a combination of knowledge, 

intuition, adventure, and calculated 

risk. If one of the ingredients is 

missing, it doesn’t really work. Every 

country is interesting in its own way 

although my favourite is arriving in 

Budapest. This, in my opinion, is the 

real Queen of the Danube. The fi nal 

approach involves sailing through the 

whole city, when all passengers are 

called to join us on the sun deck. It’s 

magic and, for many, it becomes one 

of the true highlights of their cruise. 

‘It’s an electoral registration form’ 

There’s a huge difference between 

river and sea cruising. I prefer 

the river: it’s more challenging and 

gives me the satisfaction of doing 

something that needs great skills. 

Sometimes the waterway is narrow, 

the traffi c busy. Nothing is automatic 

so you need all your senses alert 

while navigating. 

When I have spare time I try to 

play some sports, listen to music and 

read my favourite poets. If we are in 

port, like in Budapest, I try to visit 

the Turkish baths. They recharge my 

batteries and leave me feeling new 

again. My home is Izmail, Ukraine, 

which is on the Danube Delta – one 

of my favourite places. When I am not 

on board I pursue one of my favourite 

activities here: hunting with my best 

friend, my dog. It’s wonderful in the 

early morning, when the sun rises 

and nature is at its most pure. 

Because Noble Caledonia always 

brings nice passengers on board, I 

want to go to all the destinations they 

offer. We have a new set of itineraries 

on the Upper Rhine for 2012, and 

I’m sure that new programmes and 

adventures will appear in 2013 and 

beyond. Join us.” • 

Read more about Captain’s Vasily’s 

adventures on the Danube in My 

Passion for Water (see page 40). 


Fascinating facts about… 

Venice’s Grand Canal, the world’s ritziest waterway 

Although Venice is full of 

01 canals, the Grand Canal is by 

far its largest: a sinuous S-shaped 

spine running through the city. It is 

approximately two miles long, about 

350 feet wide at its widest, and 

around 16 feet deep. It’s thought that 

it traces the route of an ancient river. 

Home to about 170 lavish 

03 properties – which were 

built between the 13th and the 18th 

centuries – the Grand Canal has 

traditionally been the smartest 

district in Venice. 

The highlight of the year is 

05 the Regata Storica (historical 

regatta) held on the fi rst Sunday of 

September. The races are heralded 

by a stunning fl otilla led by the 

Serenissima, a sumptuously decorated 

boat – it’s also Venice’s nickname. 

The great icon of 

07 the Grand Canal is 

the Rialto Bridge, built to 

link the two sides of the 

Canal at the busiest site 

of commercial activity 

in Venice: there’s still a 

thriving market here. 

The great art collector 

08 Peggy Guggenheim 

was one of the Canal’s most 

fl amboyant 20th century 

residents. Her collection 

can be seen at her old villa 

Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, 

overlooking the Canal. 

The Ca’ d’Oro is 

09 perhaps the most 

famous Venetian palazzo of 

all, after the Doges’ Palace 

on St Mark‘s Square. A 

shining example of the 

decorative style known as 

Venetian Gothic. It’s now a 

museum and art gallery. 

02 There are just four bridges across 

the Grand Canal, and one, the 

Ponte della Costituzione, was built in 

2008 by Spanish architect Santiago 

Calatrava. It has been controversial 

among traditionalists – as are current 

plans to replace the Ponte dell’ 

Accademia, where doubts about its 

safety have mooted a replacement – 

possibly also by Calatrava. 

Unlike some of the 

04 other canals, due to 

its wealth the Grand Canal 

has few public fondamente, 

or canal-side pavements. 

It’s best seen from a boat. 

The Canal’s fondaco 

06 houses combine a 

warehouse and merchant’s 

residence. They usually have 

a fi rst-fl oor loggia, defensive 

towers and storerooms – 

examples include the 13thcentury 

Fondaco dei Turchi 

and the Fondaco dei Tedeschi. 

On one side the Grand Canal 

10 ends in the Venice lagoon (near 

Santa Lucia) and on the other it opens 

up into St Marks’ basin, which is near to 

St Marks’ Square. 

WERE YOU 

THERE? 

UPFRONT 

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE 

From our maiden voyage in 1991 

through to the present day, here is 

a snapshot of your lasting memories 

and adventures 

We were on what I believe was the 

fi rst cruise on MS Caledonian Star 

in 1991, sailing across the Indian 

Ocean to the Seychelles; our fi rst 

landing was in the Maldives. 

Bernard Walker 

Caledonian Star – that 

great little ship fondly 

nicknamed ‘Calstar’ – made an 

unscheduled stop on Christmas 

Day in 1995, allowing guests to land 

from Zodiacs at Sacrifi ce Rock off the 

Malabar Coast, Northern Kerala. 

Joan and John Wrigley 

Villagers welcomed guests arriving at 

Sawa during our Voyage to the Spice 

Islands aboard ‘Calstar’ in May 1993; 

we, like many others, remember the 

vessel with great affection. 

David and Jenny Holmes 

My wife Jennifer and I 

joined one of the very early 

trips on Caledonian Star from 

Singapore, up the Malaysian 

coast, across to Sri Lanka and on 

to the Maldives before fi nishing 

in the Seychelles. I believe the 

ship had just completed cruising 

in Vietnamese waters – the fi rst 

cruise ship to do so. 

Gerry Watson 

Our lecturer Peter Warwick and 

the maître d’hôtel got into the 

spirit of St Petersburg by sporting 

their Russian hats, aboard the 

Island Sky from Gothenburg to 

Leith in summer 2009. 

Isabel Wilson 

Pictured is ‘Calstar’ in heavy seas 

approaching Norfolk Island on Lost Islands 

of the South Seas, 16 to 30 December 

1996. Breakages in the galley and rough 

sea reduced dinner to fi sh and chips on 

plastic plates for those not seasick. 

Malcolm Dove 


11

UPFRONT 

THE CAPTAIN’S CHOICE TOUR 

A bird’s eye view 

This year, Noble Caledonia teamed up with private plane operator 

The Captain’s Choice Tour. Here, Australia-based director Phil Asker discusses 

the romance of private fl ying – and why it’s a perfect fi t with a small cruise 

“MY HOBBY has long been trains, 

ships and planes – so I’m very lucky 

to do this job. It started in 1994, when 

I chartered a Qantas 767 to take 189 

guests to iconic destinations in Asia 

and Africa. Since then, the company 

has chartered numerous Qantas 

767s and 747s, and in 1997 we started 

chartering smaller aircraft with parties 

of 46 guests aboard a Fokker F28 

fl ying from Cape Town to Cairo –a 

tour we still do every September. 

We now have four small plane 

programmes: Cape Town to Cairo; 

Around Australia aboard a 34-seater 

Dash 8; tours from the UK to India and 

South America aboard a 92-seater 

all business class Boeing 757; and an 

expanding programme on a 44-seater 

all business class Airbus A319. 

JUST LIKE A SMALL SHIP, a 

private plane with 34 to 92 guests is 

an intimate, easy and exciting way 

to travel, with personalised service. 

Guests get to know our crew who 

stay with us on tour and join us on 

excursions and at many meals. A 

camaraderie develops onboard and 

guests look forward to returning 

to the aircraft for the next fl ight. 

We specialise in remote, exotic 

destinations, particularly Latin 

America, India and Africa. With 

our own plane we take the 

pain out of travelling and avoid 

formal and frustrating airport 

procedures. India is probably my 

favourite country and I also enjoy 

South America with its incredible 

European-style cities contrasting with 

mountain scenery, lakes, jungles and 

waterfalls. A great benefi t is speed. 

Most guests are amazed at how much 

we fi t into a short time. 

THE MAIN DIFFERENCE with 

commercial fl ying is the lack of hassle. 

After checking in at the fi rst port – 

London or Sydney – our guests never 

need to go to another counter. This is 

particularly benefi cial in India, where 

our tours are able to pass queues 

500 to 800 people long and walk 

straight to a private lounge, then the 

aircraft. One boarding pass covers 

“India is 

probably 

my favourite 

country – 

a unique 

destination 

that can be so 

rewarding” 

Phil Asker, director, 

The Captain’s Choice Tour 

the whole fl ight. Our staff handle the 

luggage and, normally, guests don’t 

even need to touch their bags 

at airports. We arrive at the 

airport 40 to 50 minutes 

READ 

MORE 

about trips with 

The Captain’s 

Choice Tour. Visit 

www.noblecaledonia.co.uk 

before departure, pass 

through security and 

out to the aircraft. 

Onboard crew 

welcome guests 

back and usually have 

their favourite drink 

ready soon after take-off. 

Our fl ights are very sociable. 

Guests walk around the aircraft and 

talk to fellow travellers. 

WE’VE BEEN to some odd 

spots but probably Mopti in Mali – 

the gateway to Timbuktu – was the 

most intriguing. There’s a sealed 

runway here so that a Boeing 757 

can make a perfect landing and stop 

outside the airport terminal – a tin 

shed. Staff are sent from the capital 

Bamako but there’s no customs 

or immigration. We simply walked 

through the tin shed, shuffl ed through 


“We may do a 

figure of eight 

above Iguassu Falls 

in Brazil or Mount 

Kilimanjaro” 

the dust outside and joined three tour 

buses. our passports were stamped 

in one operation at the local police 

station. then we visited timbuktu 

on a smaller aircraft – and what an 

incredible destination it is. 

Where possible we do scenic 

flying over spectacular areas. we may 

do a figure of eight above iguassu Falls 

in brazil or mount kilimanjaro, do a 

lap around easter island for a taste of 

the stone moai statues from the air, 

circle the domed bungle bungle range 

in north western australia, or view 

the muddy brown amazon and its 

tributary, the jet black rio negro. 

it’s highly reassuring. our 

british, australian and South african 

airline colleagues are meticulous 

operators, and a huge amount of 

planning and local knowledge goes 

into our charter flights. most guests 

prefer flights of around three to four 

hours to give time to socialise and 

have a good meal with fine wine. we 

normally spend two or three nights 

opposite page: 

the hilltop 

amber Fort 

in Jaipur can 

be explored 

on our exotic 

india tour 

this page, top: 

iguassu Falls 

in Brazil, one 

of the largest 

waterfalls in 

the world 

left to right: 

the captain’s 

choice 

tour offers 

personalised 

tours aboard 

private jets; 

the Bungle 

Bungle range 

is one of 

Western 

australia’s most 

fascinating 

landmarks 

in each destination and stay at the 

best available accommodation. 

Sometimes we can use our private 

plane like a tour bus, stopping at 

iguassu Falls or easter island for a 

short six-hour visit. 

We’re alWays seeking new 

destinations. in march next year our 

boeing 757 tour from the uk visits 

the Falkland islands for the first time 

as part of our tour of South america, 

we’re also taking our first 757 tour 

from the uk to india – frankly, there’s 

probably no other destination in 

the world where a private plane is 

so beneficial. we’re also looking 

forward to touring the islands of 

indonesia, returning to madagascar 

and timbuktu, spending more time 

in cuba and combining other out of 

the way places. we also operate three 

sightseeing flights to antarctica from 

australia every Southern summer. 

i’ve done it over 50 times as flight 

manager and still look forward 

to seeing the world’s last great 

wilderness from the air.” l 

uPFront 

the captain’s choice tour 

off the beaten track 

Experience of a lifetime 

by luxury private jet 

noble Caledonia is working with the 

captain’s choice tour to offer three 

exclusive tours from the uk by 

private charter.these tours 

offer the opportunity to visit 

iconic destinations while 

enjoying the ease and comfort 

of travelling aboard a private jet. 

Wonders of india is an 

incomparable treat. on this 

unique tour, travel aboard an all business class 

airbus a319 – and experience india in the most 

luxurious way. Soak up the sights, 

sounds and smells of the taj 

mahal, the red Fort, the burning 

ghats on the Ganges and the 

great Palaces of rajasthan. our 

private jet takes just 44 guests 

to experience the highlights of 

india – north and south – while 

staying in some of india’s most 

luxurious hotels. we also visit chennai, kerala, 

Goa, delhi and Varanasi. 

we invite you to join us for an unforgettable 

journey on exotic india and Magic Kingdom. 

take a tour of discovery through ancient oman, 

colourful india and mysterious nepal on a 

private 757 jet.travel in style and comfort – with 

all business class seating, plenty of space and 

the finest onboard food and wine including 

champagne – as you visit the spectacular lakes 

of udaipur, the Pink city of Jaipur, kathmandu 

and the majestic Himalaya, and the legendary taj 

mahal and agra Fort. 

unmissable for the adventurous traveller is 

the Magic of south america. Fly by private 

jet from london to rio de Janeiro, one of the 

world’s most spectacular cities.admire the 

majestic iguassu Falls, experience the ancient 

incan capital, cuzco, and unwind at a jungle lodge 

on the amazon river. undoubtedly 

the most luxurious tour of South 

america, highlights include a 

visit to the azores, and a tour 

of the Falkland islands with war 

veteran ewen Southby-tailyour 

(see page 50). 

Wonders of india, 15 nights, 

16 to 31 March 2012 

exotic india and Magic Kingdom, 19 nights, 

29 October to 15 November 2012 

the Magic of south america, 19 nights, 

27 March to 15 April 2012 


13

It’s time to... 

enjoy these winter 2011 and Spring 2012 highlights from noble caledonia 

december 2011 – january 2012 

february – march 2012 

Jungle book 

travel in quest for tigers 

through a true wilderness, 

appreciate the colourful 

culture of india and nepal, 

feast on indian cuisine under 

starry skies, and visit the erotic 

temples of khajuraho – a 

world Heritage site. 

march 2012 

november-december 

atacama desert in 

chile, one of the 

world’s driest regions 

Tour: Tiger Quest. Departs 

1 February 

reef to rainforest 

a journey under sail exploring 

the island territories of 

colombia and Honduras, as 

well as visits to amazing reefs 

and atolls of belize and ancient 

from cardamom to 

turmeric, sample spices 

at an indian market 

on the trail of 

saint nicholas 

experience the holiday season 

across central europe with 

visits to the christmas markets 

in Vienna and Salzburg, a 

‘mozart tour’ in Salzburg, and 

a day in the lovely wachau 

Valley. other highlights of the 

january 2012 

fire and ice 

From the towering snowcapped 

andes to barren 

coastal desert, explore the 

natural world of the Pacific 

shores of South america, from 

chile to Peru. a trip that’s rich 

in geological, archaeological 

and cultural interest, with key 

mayan sites of mexico. 

Tour: Rainforests, Reefs and 

Lost Worlds. Departs 

5 February 

Polar exPedition 

keep an eye out for the first 

sightings of icebergs, whales, 

polar bears and albatross – 

flying first class 

an exclusive business class 

private jet tour that takes 

just 44 guests to experience 

the highlights of india – from 

kerala and Goa to Jaipur and 

the taj mahal – while staying 

in some of india’s most 

luxurious hotels. 

april – may 2012 

discover middle euroPe 

marvel at the dramatically 

changing landscape along 

the elbe, from luther’s home 

town of wittenberg and the 

porcelain-producing town 

of meissen to culturally rich 

dresden and the magnificent 

elbsandstein mountains. 

week will include a full day and 

two evenings in budapest, a 

visit to the Hungarian palace of 

Godollo and a tour of the scenic 

danube bend and Hungary’s 

second city of esztergom. 

Tour: Christmas on the 

Danube. Departs 21 

December 

highlights including an optional 

visit to the atacama desert. 

Tour: Passage of the Condor. 

Departs 17 January 

natural beauty 

our tour of new Zealand by 

road, rail and sea zigzags its 

way through the country – the 

Tour: Wonders of India. 

Departs 16 March 

emperor 

penguins in 

antarctica 

Jungle of mirrors 

an unforgettable journey 

exploring the wilderness of 

the amazon rainforest and 

enjoying the rich and varied 

wildlife of the Pacaya Samiria 

the albrechtsburg 

castle in meissen 


celebrate christmas in france 

perfect way to explore this 

land of spectacular vistas and 

breathtaking contrasts. 

Tour: New Zealand at its 

Best. Departs 14 January 

up close and personal 

limited to just six guests, this 

exclusive trip offers a first class 

Tour: From Berlin to Prague. 

Departs 7 April 

the loW countries 

explore the canals and 

waterways of belgium and 

the netherlands on a cultural 

journey that showcases 

historic sites and magnificent 

Winter Wonderland 

if you are looking for a seasonal 

break to end your year, treat 

yourself to a very special 

christmas on this festive cruise 

along the rhone. relax aboard 

the mS rembrandt as it cruises 

through the lovely Provencal 

countryside, visiting avignon, 

introduction to St Petersburg, 

with in-depth knowledge of her 

home city by host elena Spiro. 

Tour: The Glories of St 

Petersburg. Departs 20 

and 27 January 

discover assam 

during your journey along the 

hippos in botswana – the 

third largest animal on land 

cities, including the medieval 

bruges, the ‘Golden age’ city 

of amsterdam, and cologne. 

Tour: Life and Art in the Low 

Countries. Departs 1 May 

russia by rail 

a journey on the legendary 

trans-Siberian railway through 

uPFront 

CALENDAR DATES 

For comprehensive details of all tours visit www.noble-caledonia.co.uk 

arles and chateauneuf du 

Pape. enjoy delicious food, 

admire idyllic scenery and visit 

historic towns and villages. 

Tour: Christmas in Provence. 

Departs 23 December 

time to relax 

Soak up northern cyprus’ 

rhino in kaziranga 

and encounter ice-filled fjords 

and inspiring scenery during 

your adventure to this remote 

corner of the world. 

Tour: Quest for the Antarctic 

Circle. Departs 23 February 

memorable mekong 

discover the diversity of 

national reserve, the largest 

protected flooded forest in 

the world. 

Tour: Amazon Adventure. 


call of the Wild 

this african adventure takes 

explorers on a wildlife tour of 

the great Wall of 

china at sunset 

wonderfully tranquil and 

peaceful atmosphere, its quiet 

beaches and ancient sites, and 

welcome 2012 with a forest 

walk and mountain bbQ on 

new Year’s day. 

Tour: New Year in Kyrenia. 

Departs 28 December 

mighty brahmaputra river in 

northern india’s assam region, 

you’ll witness diverse cultures 

and marvellous wildlife. also, 

explore kaziranga, where the 

world’s largest population of 

rhino reside. 

Tour: Passage through 

Assam. Departs 26 January 

the most exciting river in 

Southeast asia, from angkor 

wat, one of the greatest 

buddhist sites in asia, to the 

charming luang Prabang, a 

former royal city and now a 

uneSco world Heritage site. 

Tour: Cambodia and Laos 

Exploration. Departs 1 March 

Zimbabwe and botswana, 

including a river safari along 

the chobe river aboard the 

Zambezi Queen. it’s a true 

haven for wildlife, from buffalo 

at the water’s edge to hippo, 

crocodile and otters. 

Tour: The Call of Africa. 


fascinating china across 

Siberia to the heart of russia. 

this is one of the epic travel 

adventures of the world – and 

travelling this route aboard a 

private train offers the ultimate 

sightseeing experience. 

Tour: Beijing to Moscow by 

private train. Departs 13 May 


15

diScoVer 

st petersburg 


BALTIC 

BONANZA 

After an inauspicious visit in the 1980s, political sketchwriter 

simon Hoggart cruised back to St Petersburg to find it renamed 

and revived – but still with its salty Russian humour 

diScoVer 

st petersburg 


17

diScoVer 

st petersburg 

simon Hoggart is parliamentary 

sketchwriter for the Guardian. He 

is also wine correspondent for the 

Spectator. He has written 18 books 

St PeterSburg iS, for most 

passengers, the highlight of a 

Noble Caledonia cruise in the 

baltic. it’s romantic, historic, 

stupendously beautiful yet with 

a lingering memory of death. 

it was built by Peter the great 

on marshland, and 40,000 people are said to 

have died in its construction. the Siege of 

Leningrad, which lasted nearly three years 

from 1941 to 1944, killed a quarter of the 

population, as the rest survived on dogs, cats, 

rats, roots and even wallpaper paste. When the 

germans were finally defeated they left large 

parts of the city in ruins – Hitler had vowed to 

obliterate it from the face of the earth – but an 

enormous and remarkable feat of restoration 

now sees most of the finest palaces and 

galleries looking as glorious as they ever did. 

Of course this came at a price. On our 

cruise aboard the island Sky, the lecturer and 

antiques expert Nicholas Merchant, while 

describing the breathtaking jewellery and 

artefacts commissioned and owned by the 

tsars, showed us a slide of a peasant, a serf, 

shackled to his wheelbarrow. the fabulous 

wealth that we see was acquired at a terrible 

price for millions. No wonder there was a 

revolution; the tragedy for the russian people 

was that one despotism was replaced by 

another, in many ways worse. 

ONe Of tHe MaNy jOyS of our visit was 

hearing people tell anti-Soviet jokes, of which 

our guide had plenty. Pointing out the old 

Kgb headquarters, she said it was known 

as the tallest building in the city – ‘because 

as soon as you go in you can see Siberia.’ 

and the other great source of jokes are the 

nouveau riche, or what we call the oligarchs. 

these are deemed to be stupid and vulgar. 

they allegedly love dog fighting: hence, one 

oligarch takes his dachshund to a fight. the 

other men laugh at him but his dog literally 

Clockwise from top: 

tallinn is a blend of medieval 

and modern, with cobbled 

streets set beneath the spires 

of 14th-century churches; 

drying the linen on the street 

of old riga, Latvia; a garlic 

field in bornholm, Denmark; 

and the Church of our 

saviour on spilled blood in st 

petersburg, by night 


chews up the competition. He’s asked how 

much it cost. ‘A thousand euros for the 

crocodile, and 10,000 for the plastic surgery.’ 

With its broad network of canals lined with 

fabulous buildings, St Petersburg is often 

compared to Venice. It would be wrong to say 

it is as welcoming as the Italian city, though 

things have improved hugely since my first 

visit in 1984 when the city was still called 

Leningrad (the name was changed in 1991). 

Then I was reporting on an official visit by 

the then Labour leader Neil Kinnock. We were 

fêted and feasted everywhere, with caviar 

dished out as liberally as blackcurrant jam. But 

if you wanted a snack or a coffee on your own, 

you could forget it. Waiters, such as they were, 

seemed to regard customers as an outrageous 

intrusion on their day. 

The windows of shops alleged to be the 

Soviet Fortnum & Mason were crammed 

with tinned herring and pickled cabbage. 

Department stores sold musical instruments, 

plus shaving cream, and little else. Now streets 

such as the Nevsky Prospekt could slot into 

the shopping district of almost any European 

capital – with added heritage and architecture. 

Perfect for a long stroll, and our Island Sky 

shuttle bus made it easy to get back to the ship 

more or less whenever we wanted. 

BuT you DoN’T go to St Petersburg for 

the shopping. our cruise offered three 

onshore tours included in the price, with 

several optional extras – including the ballet, 

now no longer known as the Kirov (Sergey 

Kirov was mayor of the city until he was 

murdered). our first trip took us round the 

city, visiting the extraordinary Church on 

Spilled Blood, where Tsar Nicholas II was 

assassinated, and the Peter and Paul fortress. 

one of the pleasures of cruising on a 

small ship is the fact that all the passengers 

can fit onto three buses, and at most need 

six tour guides. We had to fight our way 

past much larger groups who had come 

off the giant cruise ships – one bunch were 

following a plastic flag marked ‘49’. It’s as if 

the population of a market town were to be 

crammed into a single building. These hyperliners, 

which tend to look like chain hotels 

upended with a funnel bunged on top, are fine 

if you want a shopping mall, swimming pool, 

bowling alley, casino, spa and beauty salon, 

diScoVer 

st petersburg 

which many people do. our fellow passengers, 

however, seemed content with a small and 

cosy library, plus a convivial bar. 

For many people the centre of a St 

Petersburg trip is the Hermitage, one of 

the world’s most fabulous art galleries. It’s 

packed with works by Leonardo, Rembrandt, 

Gaugin, Picasso, Matisse and thousands of 

other treasures. It is very, very crowded. My 

strategy would be this: fight your way past 

the Leonardo-lock on the ground floor, where 

hundreds of tourists make progress almost 

Speaker’s corner 

moscow-based Professor 

Ludmilla selezneva is a 

prolific writer, a graduate of 

rostov State university and 

a professor of history and 

politics at the university of 

the Humanitarian education in moscow. Her 

regular speaking engagements on noble 

caledonia’s St Petersburg cruises are always 

well received. Here, she outlines the eternal 

appeal of the great imperial city... 

“The people that I meet on noble caledonia’s 

cruises are always well-informed and very interested 

in St Petersburg, and russia in general.they want 

to know about the history of this incredible city, from 

the romanov dynasty to the days of Perestroika and 

beyond; indeed, it is a fascinating tale with lots of 

british links. For example, when the russian imperial 

family was arrested in 1917 they were offered refuge 

in england, but then the british changed their minds. 

today, the romanovs are scattered across western 

europe and the uS and, now that communism is a 

memory, they sometimes return to russia for events. 

Moscow is the capital of russia, but St Petersburg 

is the cultural capital. it is one of the most beautiful 

cities in the world, on a par with Prague,Venice and 

Paris, and where you’ll find the best ballet, opera and 

artistic treasures in the country. it has a mighty but 

difficult history, and we discuss its origins with Peter 

the Great and catherine the Great, when the city was 

built by millions of unpaid serfs. 

British people are particularly interested in the 

Soviet era when much renovation work was done 

to St Petersburg (or leningrad as it then was), while 

many people remained very hungry.this highlights 

the depth of feeling towards the city.today, private 

russians as well as the russian state are helping 

to fund restoration work in the city, keeping its 

treasures alive for new generations to discover.as to 

the future: guests are always keen to find out what 

the tomorrow holds for russia and, although no-one 

knows, i always reply that i am a cautious optimist.” 


19

DISCOVER 

ST PETERSBURG 

“If the sun is shining you can be 

enveloped by a great orange mist 

as if you were being lowered into 

an air-conditioned volcano” 

impossible, then go up to the third fl oor for 

the sensational collection of Impressionists. 

Here you will not be alone, but at least you 

won’t be struggling to keep upright, and you 

will be able to enjoy the paintings. 

There is, frankly, far too much to see and 

do in St Petersburg. We took trips to the 

Peterhof palace with its Grand Cascade, an 

astonishing display of fountains. The original 

palace was gutted by the Germans, who blew 

the rest up as they retreated in 1944. It took 

several decades to restore, but the work is 

now complete and you would need to be 

a considerable expert to see the difference. 

Every morning the fountains around the 

park and up to the front of the palace start 

a breathtaking aquatic display. If the sun is 

shining you can be enveloped by a 

great orange and yellow mist as if you were 

being lowered into an air-conditioned 

volcano; quite unforgettable. 

And another day we were at Tsarskoe Selo 

with its superlative gardens, and its cluster of 

gilded onion domes, almost impossible to look 

at when the sun is gleaming off them. The 

highlight here is the reconstruction of 

the Amber Room, a chamber almost entirely 

lined with panels made of the fossilised tree 

resin. The original – or at least the precious 

panelling – was stolen by the Germans, 

and nobody knows what happened to it, 

though it’s widely believed that it was stored 

in Konigsberg and destroyed in a bombing 

raid. The replacement is a meticulous copy, 

right down to the different shades between 

brown and yellow. I found it breathtaking, 

but somewhat over the top, even kitsch – you 

might want to show it off, but it wouldn’t be a 

snug place to watch TV. 

On our last afternoon we took a canal tour. 

It was a hot day and the iced Russian sparkling 

wine put us in even better spirits. The facades 

of more houses and palaces slid by gently, 

their pastel refl ections in the water, as we 

sipped the generous refi lls. 

That evening the Island Sky left for Helsinki. 

As the ship glided down the Gulf of Finland, 

there was a farewell to the Russian party 

onboard. There was plenty of vodka, and 

everyone had to wear something Russian. 

Some wore military kit – real and mock – and 

fur hats, mostly made of rabbit or cat, I fear. 

My wife wore a pair of (purloined) polythene 

slippers they make you wear to protect fragile 

palace fl oors. 

But St Petersburg was not the only delight 

on this tour. The cruise – 12 nights on board 

in all – took in nine different ports of call 

including Copenhagen, where we boarded; 

Gdansk with its superb housing and memories 

of the Solidarity movement; the three small 

Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and the 

prosperous Estonia; Finland; and the Åland 

islands, a collection of several thousand 

islands with a population of just 24,000. Here, 

we learned, people have died while rowing 

between the islands and colliding with a 

passing moose. 

FINALLY WE SAILED through the wondrous 

Swedish archipelago towards Stockholm. 

This is a cluster of 24,000 islands, on which 

people have built thousands of houses. These 

ranged from sheds to small mansions, almost 

every one built above the shoreline with 

steps down to the sauna hut, from which you 

could plunge into the sea. It was tempting to 

leap overboard and join them – but not too 

tempting. The Baltic is never warm. 

Altogether this was a fi ne cruise. What made 

it even more special for my wife and I was not 

just seeing places we had never seen before 

and probably won’t again, but the warmth 

and helpfulness of the Island Sky team, from 

the captain down. As different from those 

Communist era staff of 1984 as ever you could 

hope to fi nd. • 

GREAT 

CITIES 

Experience the cities of the 

Tsars on our St Petersburg 

to Moscow cruise aboard 

the Volga Dream. Visit 

www.noble-caledonia. 

co.uk 



riksdagshuset, similar to the House 

of Commons, as seen from the Vasa 

bridge in stockholm; yachts on the 

Fontanka Canal in st petersburg; 

the tower of Kuressaare Castle in 

estonia; the Finnish archipelago 

landscape in bomarsund Åland 

Ready to go 

everything you need to know 

diScoVer 

st petersburg 

Summer in the Islands and Cities 

of the Baltic 

22 July to 3 August 2012, 12 nights from £3895 

> Aboard Ms Island sky 

discover the rich history and beautiful scenery of the baltic, 

including three days to explore the treasures of St Petersburg. 

In the spotlight 

broadcaster Mark Corby, who has a special passion for military 

matters, and Professor Ludmilla selezneva, a recognised 

authority on 20th-century russia, will share their expertise and 

knowledge as we travel from St Petersburg to Sweden. 

Excursion highlights* 

Hermitage Museum: escape the crowds with an exclusive tour at 

night of this spectacular landmark – a work of art in itself. 

*Almost all excursions are included in your tour price. A few are optional, which 

will need to be paid for if undertaken. Check when booking for full details of 

all excursions. 

Similar tours of interest... 

scandinavian and Baltic odyssey uncover the heritage and 

traditions of the baltic, 1-14 July 2012, 14 nights from £4295. 

Hanseatic odyssey explore eight diverse and historic nations, 3-17 

august 2012, 14 nights from £4195. 

For full details go to www.noble-caledonia.co.uk 


21

DISCOVER 

MEKONG 

MIGHTY 

MEKONG 

The northern stretch of Asia’s great artery makes for 

one of the most glorious and otherworldly cruises in 

the world, writes Ian Belcher 

It’s the green that strikes you most. 

Fifty, perhaps 100 shades. An 

intoxicating palate – everything 

from emerald to petit pois to a rich 

Farrow & Ball tone – blending with 

the muscular goulash of surging 

water and tropical breeze to induce 

deep serenity. A cruise along the Mekong in 

northern Thailand and Laos is more than 

simply relaxing: it is decompression from our 

manic, over-stimulated 21st-century lives. 

The Mekong deserves an air of hushed 

reverence. The tenth-longest waterway on 

earth, it’s immortalised in literature – notably 

John Swain’s River 

of Time – and 

worshipped as 

‘the mother of 

rivers’. A major 

south-east Asian 

artery, it’s a font of trade, food, bathing and 

legend including the Ngeuak serpent who 

feasts on drowning victims. 

After a dramatic week in western China – 

Kunming’s Stone Forest of limestone karsts, 

ancient monasteries and the world’s deepest 

river gorge – the tour reaches the Mekong. 

We’re in the heart of the Golden Triangle, the 

cloud-shrouded peaks linking Laos, Thailand 

and Burma, long associated with poppy 

farming. It’s our chance to visit the Hall of 

Opium, the educational arm of a campaign by 

the Thai royals to promote less controversial 

crops and handicrafts, the fi rst memorable 

excursion during this seven-night cruise. 

In the Hall’s extraordinary 137m-long 

entrance tunnel, ghastly faces reminiscent 

of Edvard Munch’s Scream, agonised 

skeletons and grimly contorted torsos set a 

suitably hallucinogenic tone. For the next 

two hours a series of fi lms and stunning 

interactive exhibits take me on a wild trip 

with drug-addicted Roman nobles, American 

intellectuals and stoned Indian war elephants. 

It’s a quite brilliant, bizarre, dizzying museum. 

But surreal sights aren’t limited to the Hall 

of Opium. Across the water from our launch 

point near Chiang Saen, a massive golddomed 

Chinese casino resembles a little piece 

of Shanghai plonked in the jungle. And just 

a short while later at Ban Huay Xay – the 

Laos port on the border with Thailand – stalls 

groan with bottles 

containing snakes 

and scorpions 

pickled in bottles 

of murky whisky. 

According to their 

labels they’re an antidote to ‘rheumatism, 

lumbago and sweating of limbs’, not a claim 

you’re likely to hear from Glenfi ddich. 

It’s pretty strange at water level too. The 

river is famed for giant catfi sh up to four 

metres long. Some tourists are donning 

motorcycle helmets before climbing onto 

long-tail speedboats. These motorised 

surfboards with seats have a terrible 

safety record and whine like high-decibel 

mosquitoes… but they’ll complete our mellow 

three-day journey in six buttock-numbing 

hours. No, thank you. 

Other Mekong traffi c is a little less Top 

Gear. Traditional wooden slow boats, with 

long shady cabins, are crammed with locals, 

chickens, backpackers and sacks of cargo. 

Boys stand on their prows with long 

Travel writer IAN BELCHER has fl oated 

along many of the world’s rivers in his time, 

but rates his trip down the Mekong as one 

of the highlights of his working life 

WANT 

TO SEE... 

more photos of the Mekong 

Sun and the dramatic 

scenery you could admire 

from the top deck? Visit 

www.noblecaledonia.co.uk 



The traditionally-styled mekong Sun masters the upper 

mekong with flair and grace; a ‘wat’ or temple in Laos; 

The national museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh houses 

one of the world’s largest collections of khmer art; 

Saffron-robed Buddhist monks 

discover 

mekong 

bamboo poles probing a route through 

the shallows looking for the safety of deeper 

channels. For 200 miles that’s as congested as 

it gets. After a couple of hours, Laos assumes 

ownership of both shores of the Mekong, the 

cultivated fields of Thailand vanish and dense 

forests swaddle both banks: the Great Green 

rather than the Big Blue. 

Time slows to match the water’s meditative 

current. It’s tailor-made for contemplation. 

We spot figures hunched over the muddy 

sediment, panning for gold, fishermen 

checking nets strung between rocks and 

bamboo poles, and buffalo motionless 

on sandbanks. 

“The soupy light of 

dawn sees columns of 

saffron-robed monks 

on their daily shuffle 

through town” 

EvEry so oFTEn we stop at villages, tiny 

stitches in the complex quilt of ethnic groups 

spread across Laos. Children rush out to meet 

us – ‘Pringles, Pineapple. very Good!’ – before 

we’re left to wonder at the everyday rhythm 

of rural life. The village of Gon Dturn, whose 

stilt houses contain families of weavers, 

happily mixes old and new. A shrine to pre- 

Buddhist deities with rough ladders for the 

river spirits to ascend to the stars, exists beside 

an explosion of rooftop satellite dishes with 

plastic bottles for antennae. Chillies are drying 

in the sun, old men are smoking home-made 

tobaccos and a new corner shop does a roaring 

trade in everything from plastic robots to 

washing powder. “It’s run by the Chinese,” 

sighs Toua, our first mate. “They’re opening 

all over Laos.” 

At Pak Beng, where we anchor for the night 

before waking to a misty, pink-grey dawn, 

life’s a little busier. There are market stalls, 

shops and houses perched on missile casings, 

the legacy of America’s covert war in the 1960s 

and early 1970s when their bombers dropped 

more than two million tonnes of ordinance 

on Laos. It’s hard to imagine. We cruise on 

next morning in near silence, mesmerised 


23

discover 

mekong 

Conquer the mighty Mekong 

since 2006, a small cruiser called the Mekong sun has allowed us to 

navigate the notoriously difficult upper reaches of this astonishing river 

In the 19th century the upper reaches of the 

mekong represented one of the world’s great 

navigational challenges. the French were 

keen to find a trade route between 

their indochinese colonial holdings, 

and the rich hinterland of china. 

However, there was a problem. 

as the river went upstream, it 

became narrower and more 

treacherous. deep eddies 

gave way to sandbanks, 

sharp bends and rapids in 

gorges. undeterred, French 

pioneer Francis Garnier bravely 

went up the mekong as far as 

china. now, noble caledonia guests 

can all but complete Garnier’s journey in 

our sacred rivers & Holy mountains itinerary. 

The ship we use, the mekong sun, was built 

five years ago to sail these waters. now it is 

one of the only ships to navigate the mekong’s 

difficult upper stretches. operated by mekong 

river cruises for noble caledonia, the southeast 

asian style can be seen in the mekong 

sun’s wooden construction. it has 11 twin cabins 

on the main deck, all featuring waterside views 

and sliding windows that open to a French 

balcony. there are three superior cabins – two 

twins on the upper deck with private French 

balcony, and a further cabin in the bow, again 

with a panoramic lookout. 

These views are significant, as the mekong 

sun passes outstanding river landscapes on 

its 450-mile journey, including world Heritage 

sites such as luang Prabang, and authentic 

villages. this is not a ship with lengthy 

captain’s dinners – rather, it’s about discovery. 

the 28 guests go on offshore excursions and 

enjoy programmes with speeches and films, 

including presentations on Garnier’s mekong 

expedition of the 1860s, buddhism and the 

regional plant life. 

But guests should realise that a journey 

on the mekong is still quite an adventure. 

they’ll see the world’s third-largest waterfall, 

experience rapids and deep canyons. at night 

the mekong sun anchors in a harbour or tucks 

into the riverbank, reminding guests that this 

astonishing river is still a force to be reckoned 

with: just as it was in Francis Garnier’s day. 

by the water’s endless dance. Rocks, 

honey-coloured sandbanks and lethal 

shallows demand some experienced and 

cautious navigation. 

There are further relaxed stops. Lathan 

has shaven-headed young monks and a 

wat (a Buddhist temple) splattered with 

images, including an incongruously 

gruesome dissection. It’s more famous, 

however, for its whisky. Distiller Ton 

Chin explains the process of fermenting 

rice cakes in oil drums – we’re a long 

way from Speyside – before boiling 

the creamy residue and collecting the 

alcohol from a bamboo still. “It’s from 

the wall near my house,” she says, 

pointing to the scorpion immersed in 

the firewater whisky. “It will make you 

more of a man.” I’m not sure I agree. I 

sip. It’s awful. 

A final stop at the Pak Ou Caves, 

opposite a wide river mouth with 

towering limestone cliffs, reveals 2,000 

Buddha statues cooling in the darkness 

– and we putter gently on to our final 

anchorage at Luang Prabang. Could 

there be a more glorious end to a cruise? 


This UNESCO World Heritage town, 

dubbed the ‘refuge of the last dreamers’ 

by the Edwardian French explorer, 

Marthe Bassenne, is pinched like a 

delicate morsel between the tweezers 

of the Mekong and Khan Rivers. 

WiTH TRadiTiONal wooden houses, 

French colonial streets dotted with 

cafés and no fewer than 32 wats – from 

a distance their ornate tiled roofs peak 

above the lush trees – it’s perfect for 

chilled meandering. The soupy light 

of dawn sees columns of saffron-robed 

monks on their daily shuffle through 

town collecting alms from locals and 

tourists – a photographic highlight of 

any visit – and a food market that’s not 

for the squeamish with moles, frogs, 

wasp larvae, snakes and river moss 

piled on pavement stalls. 

it’s compelling, otherworldly theatre. 

But, remarkably, luang Prabang is 

even more exotic in the evening when 

floodlights pick out hilltop Wat Chomsi. 

The temple appears to float above town 

in the evening sky, a fairy tale guardian 

watching over the night market of 

clothes, crafts and lamps, all made in 

surrounding hill villages. 

luang Prabang would make a 

gloriously mellow finale, but the 

tour offers one more exquisite shot 

of South East asian balm. angkor’s 

ruined city in north-west Cambodia, 

the zenith of Khmer architecture, 

contains a mesmerising web of temples 

scattered through dense forest and rice 

paddies, their ancient walls coated with 

quite brilliant carvings, sculptures and 

bas-relief. 

its main temple is awe-inspiring in 

scale and setting, while Ta Prom, with 

gnarled tree roots forcing apart massive 

stones, is straight out of Hollywood. 

But my favourite features in the whole 

complex are the giant faces on the 

temple of Bayon which are haunting, 

ethereal, serene, unforgettable. Perfect 

symbols, in fact, for our cruise down 

the mighty Mekong. • 

For details of all Mekong Sun cruises, go 

to www.noble-caledonia.co.uk 

Ready to go 


discover 

mekong 

opposite page: Bayon Temple is the spectacular central temple of 

the ancient city of Angkor Thom 

This page, clockwise from top: A monk seeks solace by the stunning 

Tat kuang Si waterfall; Pak ou Buddha Caves is one of the highlights 

of the mekong River; Wat Xieng Thong’s sloping roof and glass murals 

epitomise the Luang Prabang style of temple architecture 

Sacred Rivers and 

Holy Mountains 

9-29 september 2012; 7-27 october 2012; 

4-22 November 2012, 20 nights from £5395 

> Aboard RV Mekong sun 

embark on a unique adventure along the mekong, 

with its ancient cities, temples and natural wonders. 


visit the ancient khmer city of Angkor Wat, arguably 

the world’s greatest temple. then, explore Lijiang old 

Town, one of the best-preserved ancient towns of the 

minority ethnic people of china. 


a taste of the excursions available on this tour… 

Golden Triangle at Chiang saen: visit the Golden 

buddha of sop ruak and the Hall of opium museum. 

Pak ou Caves: see thousands of small buddha 

statues inside the caverns. 

*Check when booking for full details of all excursions. 

Similar tours of interest... 

A Passage Through Indochina discover the 

cultures, histories and landscapes of vietnam and 

cambodia as you cruise this unique corner of south 

east asia. departs on 17 and 31 January 2012 aboard 

rv amalotus. Prices from £3995. 



25

DISCOVER 

THROUGH THE PORTHOLE 

SISTERS AT SEA 

More social event than cruise, MS Island Sky embodies the 

spirit of Noble Caledonia. Here, the UK’s most seasoned cruise 

critic Sue Bryant reports from the deck and, overleaf, we hear 

about the ship’s reunion with sister vessel, MS Caledonian Sky 

LAUGHTER AND NOISY BANTER drifts 

up from The Club, where the afterdinner 

crowd looks ready to dance, 

if Alwin on the piano can step up 

the pace from his usual gentle Cole 

Porter. He does, and they do. But I’ve slipped 

out onto the teak deck, still warm from the sun, 

even though it’s long after nightfall. The ship’s 

foamy wake is almost phosphorescent in the 

moonlight and the sky is carpeted with stars. 

Island Sky is steaming across the inky-black 

Mediterranean to her next port. I’m all alone up 

here, and incredibly content. 

A voyage on Island Sky is as far removed from 

the traditional concept of big ship cruising as it’s 

possible to get. Imagine a sleek little ship like a 

gentleman’s yacht, all brass and polished wood 

inside, with a cosy bar where the bartender 

knows exactly how many slices of lime you 

prefer in your gin and tonic. 

WITH ONLY 114 GUESTS on board who eat, 

drink and explore ashore together, the ship 

exudes a country house atmosphere – complete, 

I might add, with the kind of good-natured 

intrigue and gossip you’d expect at a large 

house party, as friendships are formed and life 

stories exchanged. 

Because Island Sky is so small, the ship can 

call at exquisite smaller ports overlooked by 

bigger ships; Chania in Crete, with its Venetian- 

inspired architecture, or Delos in the 

Cyclades, steeped in mythology. Or it can 

go island-hopping through the Azores, or drop 

anchor in the sheltered bay of Iles des Saintes 

in the Caribbean. 

Wherever in the world the ship is sailing, 

life on board quickly settles into a civilised and 

unhurried pattern. Days begin with breakfast on 

deck in the early morning sunshine. When the 

ship is in port, guests set off on tour together. 

Often, visits to more popular sites are timed so 

that Island Sky’s guests arrive before the hordes, 

or stay long after they have departed. Full-day 

excursions include a magnifi cent lunch in a 

local restaurant and a chance to sample regional 

specialities and wines. 

Much later, back on the ship, everybody 

miraculously manages to fi nd room for 

afternoon tea, a decadent affair with a different 

variety of hot scones every day topped with 

huge dollops of jam and cream, and tea served 

from an ornate samovar. Some days on my 

Eastern Mediterranean voyage brought special 

treats; the chef whipped up a cinnamon and 

rum concoction of Bananas Foster on deck as 

we transited the Suez Canal, while on another 

occasion, we tucked into crêpes suzettes as the 

anchor was hauled in the late afternoon. 

Early evening is a time for reading in one 

of the deep, squashy chairs in The Club, the 

ship’s convivial bar, or listening to Alwin at the 

piano, or soaking up the last of the sun’s rays 

PASSION 

FOR 

WATER 


celebrates 20 years of 

small ship cruising – 

page 38 


Above: Island Sky is a 

small ship that offers a 

high level of luxury 

Left: Relish the flavours 

of the lands you explore 

in the classic dining 

room 

Right: Five decks of 

spacious cabins recall 

the steamship cabins of 

yesteryear 

Bottom left: Enjoy the 

ancient landscapes and 

marine horizons from 

up on deck 

Bottom right: The 

finishing touches 

complete the Island 

Sky experience 

discover 


“Visits to more popular sites are 

timed so that Island Sky’s guests 

arrive before the hordes, or stay 

long after they have departed” 


27

discover 


on deck. Some days, we’d attend a lecture 

before dinner. Guest speakers accompany every 

voyage and there were two on mine: Dr Alan 

Borg, librarian of the Order of St John, who took 

us on a fascinating voyage back in time through 

the Crusades; and veteran Middle East news 

correspondent Robert Fox, who spoke about the 

complex political situation in the region. 

DINNERS ARE lONG, drawn-out affairs in 

which everybody dines together and the 

adventures of the day are discussed over delights 

such as honey-glazed duck, or spiced samosas 

with palm heart salad, or fresh fish scored by 

the chef in the local market that day. 

Needless to say, bedtime is most welcome 

after long days ashore and, for some, much 

postprandial merriment in the bar. The 

suites on Island Sky are a joy, adorned with 

sumptuous fabrics and polished wood. Mine 

was furnished in subtle shades of green and 

gold, and the bathroom featured a marbletopped 

vanity unit and walk-in shower. 

The ship’s crew are clearly chosen for their 

powers of recall, as everybody knew me by 

name from the beginning. The lengths that 

crew members would go to never ceased to 

amaze me. When I lost the back of one of my 

earrings and asked my cabin stewardess to look 

out for it, she knocked at the door minutes 

later with a replacement. The mâitre d’ did a 

spectacular job matching people with suitable 

tablemates at dinner, always discreet and always 

professional. Even the welcome back onboard 

every day was thoughtful. We’d be greeted with 

a different refreshment every time we returned 

from a tour; fresh orange juice and ice-cold 

towels on a hot day and hot, spiced apple tea 

when the weather turned cold. Not surprisingly, 

there were more than a few damp eyes among 

the guests as the whole crew lined up on the 

quayside to wave us off on the last day. 

HAPPIly, THERE’S A NEW CHAPTER about to 

start in the story of this wonderful little blue 

ship. Island Sky was originally built in the mid- 

1990s for a cruise line called Renaissance Cruises 

and unimaginatively named Renaissance 

VIII. She was the last in a series of eight small 

ships. Renaissance Cruises didn’t survive and 

all eight sisters were sold off and scattered 

across the world. 

Noble Caledonia acquired Island Sky in 2004 

for long term charter, and in 2010 it bought the 

ship and spent several million pounds on an 

extensive facelift. Now, the company has taken 

over one of Island Sky’s sisters, Renaissance 

VI, which had sailed under various names, 

including Hebridean Spirit and, most recently, 

Sunrise, as a swanky private charter yacht. The 

new ship will undergo a refit this winter to 

bring her into line with the style and quality 

of Island Sky, and will join Noble Caledonia in 

May 2012 as Caledonian Sky. 

Essentially, this doubles the choices for those 

seasoned travellers who have fallen in love 

with this style of small ship cruising. Island 

Sky will sail in Europe, Africa and South and 

Central America, while Caledonian Sky will 

cruise around Britain and north to the Arctic in 

2012, before heading for the Pacific. Here, she 

will explore everywhere from the fjords of New 

Zealand to the smoking volcanoes of the remote 

Kamchatka peninsula in Russia’s Far East – and 

without doubt Caledonian Sky will inspire the 

same devoted following as her sister. • 

Left: After unwinding with a cocktail in the piano bar, 

enjoy dinner in Caledonian Sky’s elegant dining room 

Above (and below inset): Caledonian Sky was formerly 

known as Hebridean Spirit 

Below: Watch the forever changing scenery from the 

comfort of the stylish sun deck 

“Caledonian 

Sky doubles 

the choices for 

those seasoned 

travellers who 

have fallen in love 

with this style 

of small ship 

cruising” 


George Hendry 

CHIEF OFFICER, 

MS CALEDONIAN SKY 

Eight years 

after he 

joined the 

cruise ship 

as a fi rst 

trip offi cer, 

George 

Hendry will return to the decks of 

the Caledonian Sky. 

In November 2003, George 

started his fi rst ship offi cer cadetship 

aboard the ship – then known as 

the Hebridean Spirit – which he 

fi nished in 2005 during the vessel’s 

maiden cruise to South Africa via 

Ascension and Saint Helena. 

George was then offered a 

position as second offi cer onboard 

Hebridean Princess, where he 

spent two years cruising his home 

waters in Scotland. 

He is currently chief offi cer on 

the Island Sky and will move to the 

Caledonian Sky early in 2012 when 

she is ready to sail. 

George says: “After being offered 

the opportunity to continue on 

in my role as chief offi cer, I am 

extremely excited to be involved in 

the project to return Caledonian 

Sky to cruising. I look forward to 

the exciting itineraries planned for 

the coming seasons.” 

The voyage of Caledonian Sky 

Noble Caledonia has reunited two sisters 

after a long separation. The Island Sky and the 

Caledonian Sky were both built in the same 

Italian shipyard in 1991, and were sailed by 

Renaissance Cruises as Renaissance VIII and 

Renaissance VI respectively. They subsequently 

worked as luxurious cruise ships, making the 

same voyages, before Island Sky was bought by 

Noble Caledonia, becoming our only dedicated 

ship. The pair then split up. 

Now, these two fi ne small vessels, which 

appear as similar as you’d expect family 

members to look, will meet again under the 

Noble Caledonia banner – a great reunion for 

these ships that sailed together in the 1990s. In 

2012, the Caledonian Sky will fi rst sail around 

Britain, then north to the Arctic before heading 

for South America, Australasia and the Pacifi c 

Rim – and we’ll keep you up to date with all her 

movements on our website. 

The twin ships’ story goes back two decades, 

when they were built to be part of Renaissance 

Cruises fl eet in Italy. Always lavish and 

comfortable, they also injected a new spirit 

into the world of cruising, with all-suite 

accommodation and an atmosphere designed 

to be more like a private yacht than the kinds 

of impersonal larger ships the industry was 

increasingly launching. 

Indeed, both ships were big enough to 

offer complete comfort and luxury; but 

small enough to operate in maritime regions 

inaccessible to larger ships – perfect for Noble 

Caledonia’s ethos of small ship cruising. Carrying 

infl atable Zodiac landing craft, they could take 

Follow the refurbishment of Caledonian Sky 

at www.noble-caledonia.co.uk 

Vital statistics 

DISCOVER 


passengers ashore in the most remote places. 

The Renaissance VI sailed until autumn in the 

year 2000, when she was acquired by Hebridean 

Island Cruises and sailed as Hebridean Spirit. 

After a successful run, the ship was sold in 2009 

to a Middle Eastern investor with the idea being 

that she would be converted into a private yacht. 

The owner had great plans, lavishing the ship 

with teak decks and stainless steel railings. Still, 

the ship came back onto the market, and was 

then acquired by Noble Caledonia. 

We are refi tting the Caledonian Sky – 

adding extra private balconies, wood panelling 

and brass furnishings to the 57 suites – with 

our intention being to convey the atmosphere 

of a private yacht. If you’ve experienced the 

Island Sky, the Caledonian Sky will feel familiar, 

particularly the dining room, lounge, lido deck 

and bar, but there are a couple of key differences. 

The Club is on the top deck, with wonderful 

views leading from ceiling-to-fl oor windows. A 

library and bar lead out onto a forward deck, and 

great attention has been paid to giving access to 

outside space. 

The Caledonian Sky is spending this winter in 

a yard in Sweden where she is being refurbished. 

She will arrive in London next May and begin 

sailing immediately, allowing Noble Caledonia to 

keep Island Sky in Europe, Africa and South and 

Central America. Caledonian Sky can operate 

in the Pacifi c region from New Zealand to the 

Russian Far East. With these fi ne small ships 

together again, we can continue our mission: 

to take our guests to the most remote and 

fascinating corners of earth. 

WWW.NOBLE-CALEDONIA.CO.UK 

Name: Caledonian Sky 

Built: Carrara, Italy, 1991 

Length: 297 feet 

Beam: 50 feet 

Tonnage: 4,280 

Passenger decks: Four 

Passenger capacity: 114 

Crew: 75 

Suites: 57 suites each with 

sitting room area 

AUTUMN/WINTER 2011-2012 ODYSSEY 

29

discover 


Itineraries 2012 – 2013 

MS Island Sky 

From the once-forbidden north coast of Russia to the near-Antarctic tip of South America, 

MS Island Sky cruises some of the world’s most fascinating, rarely visited waters – as well 

as the more obscure, picturesque nooks and crannies of the British Isles 

The archipelago of the 

Azores is composed of 

nine volcanic islands 

Island Hopping in the Azores 

19 to 29 April 2012 

Ponta delgada, sao miguel – 

Graciosa – Flores & corvo – Faial – 

Pico – sao Jorge – terceira – santa 

maria – Ponta delgada 

Island Hopping in the Azores II 

29 April to 11 May 2012 

Ponta delgada, sao miguel – 

Graciosa – Flores & corvo – Faial – 

Pico – sao Jorge – terceira – tresco, 

isles of scilly – Portsmouth 

Island Retreats 

11 to 18 May 2012 

Portsmouth – Honfleur (France) 

– alderney & Guernsey – sark & 

Jersey – st malo (France) – tresco 

& bryher, isles of scilly – st mary’s & 

st agnes – Portsmouth 

Birds, Bottlenose Dolphins and 

Basking Sharks 

18 to 25 May 2012 

Portsmouth – alderney & sark, 

channel islands – les sep 

iles (France) – lundy island & 

Grassholm – saltee islands (ireland) 

– tresco & bryher, isles of scilly – 

st agnes – Portsmouth 

Island Life 

25 May to 5 June 2012 

Portsmouth – tresco, isles of scilly 

– knightstown & waterville, kerry 

(ireland) – aran islands – tory 

island – staffa & iona (scotland) – 

rum & canna – st kilda – inverewe 

Gardens & summer isles – lerwick 

& Fair isle (shetland islands) – 

stromness, orkney islands – leith, 

edinburgh 

White Sea Odyssey II 

19 June to 1 July 2012 

archangel (russia) – solovetsky 

islands – murmansk – the north 

cape (norway) – tromso – lofoten 

islands – lovunden & traena islands 

– central norway – nordfjorden – 

bergen 

Scandinavian and Baltic 


1 to 14 July 2012 

bergen (norway) – lillesand 

– oslo – marstrand (sweden) – 

copenhagen (denmark) – Gdansk 

(Poland) – klaipeda (lithuania) – 

riga (latvia) – stockholm (sweden) 

– tallinn (estonia) – st Petersburg 

(russia) 

Summer in the Islands and Cities 

of the Baltic 

22 July to 3 August 2012 

copenhagen (denmark) – 

bornholm & christianso islands 

– Gdansk (Poland) – Panga, 

saaremaa (estonia) – riga (latvia) 

– tallinn (estonia) – st Petersburg 

(russia) – Helsinki (Finland) 

– mariehamn, aland island – 

stockholm (sweden) 

Hanseatic Odyssey 

3 to 17 August 2012 

stockholm (sweden) – tallinn 

(estonia) – st Petersburg (russia) 

– Helsinki (Finland) – riga (latvia) 

– klaipeda (lithuania) – kaliningrad 

(russia) – Gdansk (Poland) – 

sassnitz, rugen island (Germany) – 

kiel canal – sylt – tilbury (uk) 

Neptune’s Fountain 

and the 16th-century 

town hall in Gdansk 

Islands on the Edge 

17 to 30 August 2012 

tilbury – whitby – Holy island, 

berwick-upon-tweed and leith 

– leith/edinburgh – stromness, 

orkney – st kilda – dunvegan & 

loch scavaig, isle of skye – staffa 

& iona – rathmullan (ireland) 

– inishmore, aran islands – 

knightstown, kerry – treco, isles of 

scilly – sark & alderney, channel 

islands – Portsmouth 

Island Life – Mediterranean Style 

7 to 19 september 2012 

barcelona (spain) – Porquerolles 

(France) – bastia (corsica) – 

Portoferreiro, elba (italy) – isola 

del Giglio – Ponza & isola d’ischia 

– lipari – taormina (sicily) – ithaca 

(Greece) – itea – Folegandros & 

santorini – tilos & rhodes 

The spectacular 

caldera surrounding 

santorini, Greece 

Aegean Antiquities 

19 to 29 september 2012 

rhodes (Greece) – kastellorizo 

– sitia, crete – Heraklion – Hania – 

monemvasia, Pelopennese – nafplion 

– delos & tinos, cyclades – chios – 

samothraki – istanbul (turkey) 

Passage to Cape Verde 

4 to 16 November 2012 

london to Gibraltar – casablanca 

– safi for marrakech – agadir for 

taroudant – el marsa for laayoune 

(western sahara) – dakla (western 

sahara) – sal, cape verde islands 

– santo antao & sao vincent – 

mindelo, sao vincent – sao nicolau 

– sao tiago 

Exploring the Cape Verde 

Islands 

16 to 25 November 2012 

london to Praia, sao tiago– Fogo & 

brava – santo antao & sao vincent 

– mindelo, sao vincent – sao 

nicolau – sal – maio – sao tiago 

Cape Verde to Ghana 

25 November to 

8 december 2012 

sao tiago (cape verde) – sao 

nicolau – Fogo – dakar (senegal) 

– banjul (the Gambia) – bijagos 


Archipelago (Guinea-Bissau) – 

Freetown (Sierra Leone) – Takoradi 

(Ghana) – Accra 

Ghana to Cape Town 

6 to 24 December 2012 

Accra (Ghana) – Takoradi – Lome 

(Togo) – Cotonou (Benin) – Kribi 

(Cameroon) – Santo Antonio (Principe 

& Sao Tome) – Luanda (Angola) 

– Walvis Bay (Namibia) – Luderitz – 

Cape Town 

Passage to Tristan da Cunha & Beyond 

22 December 2012 to 

15 January 2013 

Cape Town (South Africa) – Tristan 

da Cunha – South Georgia – Falkland 

Islands – Punta Arenas (Chile) 

Patagonia – Land of Fire and Ice 

5 to 26 January 2013 

Santiago – Punta Arenas – Falkland 

Islands – Cape Horn & 

The Beagle Channel – Torres Del 

Paine National Park – The Chilean 

Fjords – Chiloe Island & Islote Pino 

– Puerto Montt – San Carlos De 

Bariloche – San Carlos De Bariloche to 

Buenos Aires 

Passage of the Condor 

22 January 2013 to 

13 February 2013 

Buenos Aires (Argentina) – San Carlos 

de Bariloche – Puerto Montt (Chile) – 

Bahia Corral for Valdivia – Isla Mocha – 

Valparaiso – Puerto de Coquimbo/Isla 

Pajaros – Isla Chanaral – Antofagasta 

– Iquique – Arica – Puerto San Juan for 

the Nazca Lines (Peru) – Isla Ballestas, 

Chincha Islands (Peru) – Callao – Lima 

Wonders of the Ancient and 

Natural World 

9 to 25 February 2013 

Lima, Peru – Salaverry – Lobos De 

Afuera – Manta, Ecuador – Machalilla 

National Park– Cocos Island, Costa 

Rica – Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica – Osa 

Peninsula – Manuel Antonio National 

Park – Puntarenas 

Panama Canal, Corals & Cultures 

21 March to 6 April 2013 

San Jose (Costa Rica) – Isla Cano – Isla 

Coiba (Panama) – Darien – Panama 

Canal Transit – San Blas Islands – 

Cartagena (Columbia) – Bonaire – Los 

Roques (Venezuela) – Los Testigos – 

Grenada & Carriacou – Tobago Cays & 

Bequia (Grenadines) – Barbados 

Itineraries 2012 – 2013 

MS Caledonian Sky 

Spring Garden & Bird Quest 

12 to 20 May 2012 

Tilbury – Honfl eur – Alderney & 

Sark – Guernsey & Herm – St 

Malo & Sept Iles – Lundy Island 

– St Mary’s & Tresco – Bryher – 

Portsmouth 

The Old Man of Storr, 

Isle of Skye 

Sailing to the Isles 

20 to 30 May 2012 

Portsmouth – Tresco, Isles 

of Scilly – Dunmore East – 

Portmeirion & Bodnant 

Gardens – Dublin – Strangford 

Lough & Mount Stewart – Gigha 

& Islay – Iona & Lunga – Rum & 

Loch Scavaig – Isle of Skye & the 

Shiants – Oban 

Hebridean Odyssey 

30 May to 6 June 2012 

Oban – Iona & Tobermory – 

Rum & Skye – Summer Isles 

& Inverewe Gardens – St Kilda 

– Lochboisdale & Eriskay – 

Mingulay, Pabbay & Barra – Oban 

Seydisfjordur: a haven 

for artists 

Circumnavigation of Iceland 

6 to 20 June 2012 

Oban – St Kilda – North Rona 

– Torshavn, Faroe Islands 

– Seydisfjordur – Husavik, 

North East Iceland – Akureyi – 

Siglufjordur & Grimsey Island 

– Isafjardardjup – Flatey & 

Reykjavik – Westman Islands 

– Hofn, South East Iceland 

– Mykines, Faroe Islands – 

Stromness, Orkney Islands – 

Aberdeen 

The Norwegian Fjords 

in Mid Summer 

20 June to 1 July 2012 

(Northbound) 

13 to 25 July 2012 

(Southbound) 

NORTHBOUND: Aberdeen 

– Lerwick, Shetland – Bergen 

– Sognefjorden & Naerofjorden 

– Flâm – Sunnfjord & Bygstad – 

Nordfjord & Olden – Trondheim 

– Torghatten, Bronnoysund – 

Lofoten Islands – Bleiksoya & 

Andenes 

SOUTHBOUND: Tromso – 

Andenes/Bleksoya/Trollfjord 

– Lofoten Islands – Torghatten/ 

Bronnoysund – Trondheim 

– Olden – Sognefjorden & 

Naerofjorden – Flâm – Bergen – 

Kirkwall, Orkney – Holy Island & 

Berwick – Whitby 

Exploring the White Sea 

1 to 13 July 2012 

Tromso – The North Cape – 

Archangel – Solovetsky Islands – 

Dvina River Delta & Severodvinsk 

– Murmansk – Cruising the North 

Cape – Tromso 

Passage to Greenland 

1 to 13 September 2012 

Reykjavik – Prins Christian 

Sund & Nanortalik Greenland – 

Brattahlid – Hvalsey & Qaqortoq 

– Ivittuut – Paamuit – Nuuk 

– Sukkertoppen – Illulisat – 

Sisimiut – Kangerlussuaq – 

Copenhagen 

Viking Trail to the Americas 

12 to 27 September 2012 

Copenhagen – Kangerlussuaq 

– Sukkertoppen – Davis Strait – 

Baffi n Island, Canada – Akpatok 

Island – Torngat Mountains 

– Hebron & Cape Mugford – 

Hopedale – Battle Harbour – St 

Anthony & L’Anse Aux Meadows – 

DISCOVER 


2012-13 

CRUISES 

We are releasing new 

cruises aboard MS 

Caledonian Sky on a 

monthly basis. 

Visit our website 

for details 

St Johns – Cape St Marys – Cape 

Breton Island – Halifax 

South Seas Odyssey 

16 December 2012 to 21 

January 2013 

Santiago – Easter Island – 

Pitcairn Islands – Gambier 

Islands – Tuamotus – Tahiti – 

Society Islands – Cook Islands 

– Niue – Tonga – Wallis Island – 

Futuna Island – Fiji 

White Island volcano 

in New Zealand 

New Zealand Coastal Voyage 

20 January to 9 February 2013 

Hong Kong – Auckland – 

Rotorua – White Island – Napier 

– Wellington – Marlborough 

Sounds and Picton – Kaikoura 

– Akaroa – Dunedin – Stewart 

Island – Fjordland – Milford 

Sound to Queenstown 

SKY’S THE LIMIT 

Soon-to-be released cruises 

aboard MS Caledonian Sky 

include voyages in South 

and Central America, North 

America, Alaska, Japan, the 

Russian Far East and Australia. 


31

DISCOVER 

BRITISH ISLES 

Ten degrees 

of latitude 

The journey from the Shetlands to the Scilly Isles explores pockets 

of great beauty, from isolated craggy islands to villages basking in 

a sunny microclimate, writes Laurence Mitchell 

LAURENCE MITCHELL is a writer with an 

interest in slow travel, minority communities 

and environmental issues. He is a member 

of the British Guild of Travel Writers 

OFF 

THE GRID 

Discover more tours 

for the adventurous 

explorer. Go to www. 

noble-caledonia.co.uk 

to view our range 

of expedition 

cruises 


It was plain that this 

was going to be a busy 

cruise. we had hardly 

left Rossyth docks near 

Edinburgh, close to the 

Firth railway bridge, 

when louis, our tour leader, 

beckoned us back on deck to 

take a closer look at Bass Rock, 

a precipitous rocky mass at the 

mouth of the Firth. Bass Rock is 

a gannet colony of international 

significance and, if there was 

one creature that would provide 

a theme for our nine-day island 

Race expedition cruise aboard the 

Ms Clipper Odyssey, it would be 

this bulky but graceful seabird. 

thanks to Captain peter Fielding’s 

safe hands we even sailed close 

enough to Bass to catch a whiff 

of the ammonia-rich guano that 

150,000 fish-eating birds are 

capable of producing. 

sailing north, we reached the 

Orkneys the next morning. the 

Old Man of Hoy, an improbably 

vertical sea stack of red sandstone, 

challenges any climber but as 

we drew close we discerned two 

figures cheerfully balanced atop 

the column. sailing around Hoy, 

we entered scapa Flow before 

arriving at stromness on the 

Orkney mainland. after a quick 

tour of the town, a bus took us 

off to see a trio of Orkney’s best 

known prehistoric sites – the Ring 

of Brodgar, stones of stenness and 

skara Brae. Equally enjoyable was 

the lovely Orcadian countryside – 

soft and fertile, with plump cattle 

grazing contentedly. 

a HandFul of us rose early next 

morning to catch a glimpse of a 

well-preserved iron age broch on 

the island of Mousa just east of 

the shetland mainland. Brochs 

such as this probably served a 

ceremonial or defensive purpose 

but, strikingly, their shape 

resembles the classic tulip curve 

of a 20th-century cooling tower. 

in shetland’s capital lerwick, we 

were guided by a pilot boat into 

port, where buses were waiting to 

take us to Jarlshof. 

like Orkney, most of the houses 

were grey pebble-dashed affairs 

but on shetland these were 

brightened by clusters of colourful 

scandinavian-style wooden 

houses. Grazing shetland ponies 

and common seals basking on 

a beach came as an unexpected 

bonus. Jarlshof is a prehistoric site 

that has evidence of over 5,000 

years of continuous settlement 

and the resident fulmars gabbled 

away as our guide told us about 

Jarlshof’s history. Back in lerwick 

we visited the museum and 

strolled around the harbour. 

HEadinG BRiEFly nORtH once 

more, we passed close to the cliffs 

of noss, the most northerly point 

on our cruise, where gannets, 

guillemots and marauding skuas 

filled the air. Overnight, and 

once around Cape wrath, we 

encountered the calm waters of 

the Minch, reaching loch Ewe 

just after breakfast. Here, Zodiacs 

took us ashore to visit inverewe 

Gardens, an impressive expanse 

of subtropical plants. leaving 

loch Ewe behind, we cruised 

around beautiful loch torridon, 

enjoying intimate views of some 

of the oldest rocks in scotland. 

this dramatic geological setting 

proved the perfect place to spot 

harbour porpoises, and – during 

an afternoon talk on marine 

mammals – we saw bottlenose 

dolphins from the ship. 

the mysterious and isolated 

st Kilda archipelago lies 50 

miles west of Harris in the Outer 

Hebrides and the sea was in a 

serene mood for our overnight 

sail. Because of sometimes violent 

seas it is not always possible 

to approach close to Hirta, the 

opposite page: Clickimin Broch, 

a large, coastal broch in Lerwick, 

Shetland 

Above, from top: St Kilda is 

home to the largest colony of 

puffins in Britain; a traditional 

cottage by the shores of Loch 

Torridon, Scottish Highlands 

diScoVeR 

BRITISH ISLES 

main island, but conditions were 

calm next morning and we took 

Zodiacs ashore to explore. Hirta 

has an eerie beauty and what was 

once the village high street is now 

just a parade of roofless cottages. 

On the hillside behind stand 

dozens of cleits, dry stone shelters 

formerly used for storing the 

carcases of the fulmars that were 

central to the island’s seabirdbased 

economy. 

after a barbecue lunch we 

took to Zodiacs again for a 

tour of the cliffs of dun, where 

puffins clowned on the water. 

the day’s finest moment came 

when another Zodiac pulled 

alongside ours and louis and 

a couple of helpers served us 

hot chocolate with rum. Back 

onboard the Clipper Odyssey we 

sailed around the entire st Kilda 

archipelago. we paused close to 

stac lee and stac an armin: near 

vertical rocks that erupted from 

the sea like enormous monoliths, 

where lives the second biggest 

gannet population in the world. 

pandemonium broke out when 

a great skua swooped to steal a 

gannet’s fish. Calm waters took 

us to Barra at the southern end of 

the Outer Hebrides chain. On the 

jetty, a coach awaited. Our driver 

www.noble-caledonia.co.uk auTuMn/winTeR 2011-2012 odyssey 

33

dIScoVER 

BRITISH ISLES 

“Skellig Michael was once the 

residence of reclusive Irish monks, 

while its neighbour, craggy Little 

Skellig, hosts more gannets yet” 

gave us an entertaining tour of 

the island before taking us to the 

airport in time to see the morning 

flight from Glasgow land on the 

beach. Only in Barra... 

After a tour of Kisimul Castle we 

sailed to uninhabited Mingulay, 

where we explored the island’s 

ruined buildings: like St Kilda, 

Mingulay had lost its population 

in the early 20th century. The 

inhabitants were grey seals, 

guillemots, shags and other birds 

including white-tailed eagles. 

The fOllOwinG MOrninG 

we awoke in irish waters and put 

ashore at Killybegs in County 

Donegal where a tour bus 

transported us to the village folk 

museum at Glencolmcille. Back at 

Killybegs there was time for a stroll 

around town before our overnight 

sail along the west ireland 

coastline. next morning, we 

passed the dramatic island rocks of 

the Skelligs off the coast of Kerry. 

Skellig Michael, now a UneSCO 

site, was once the residence of 

choice for reclusive irish monks, 

while its neighbour, craggy little 

Skellig, hosts more gannets yet. 

Arriving at Glengarriff harbour, 

we were bussed to Bantry house, 

an opulent residence overlooking 

the bay with splendid terraced 

gardens. This was followed by an 

enjoyable exploration of Bantry 

town and its market, where 

relaxed commerce was taking place 

beneath the gaze of a statue of St 

Brendan the navigator, and then 

we crossed the waters of fastnet 

towards the isles of Scilly. 

The islands were glistening in 

Scillonian sunshine next morning 

when we anchored in the sound 

next to St Marys, the main 

island. in Tresco we were given 

a conducted tour of the island’s 

subtropical Abbey Gardens and, 

after lunch, we went to St Agnes, 

where a group of us walked across 

a tidal sand spit to neighbouring 

Gugh on a hunt for Bronze Age 

burial barrows – the isles of Scilly 

are studded with such prehistoric 

monuments. Taking our leave 

we sailed towards Plymouth – 

sadly, our last night aboard the 

Clipper Odyssey. we had covered 

over ten degrees of latitude from 

Shetland in the north to Scilly in 

the south – a trip proving that the 

British isles were bigger and more 

beautiful than any of us might 

have reasonably imagined. • 

Left: Little Skellig, off the coast of 

County Kerry, is best known as the site 

of Ireland’s largest gannet colony 

Ready to go 

Everything you need to know 

Islands on the Edge 

17-30 August 2012, 13 nights from £3995 

> Aboard Ms Island sky 

Enjoy the beautiful, breathtaking scenery of the 

british Isles, renowned for its diverse landscapes that 

are rich in marine and bird life. 


on day 3 we will anchor off Holy Island and go 

ashore by Zodiac. on day 6 cruise through the sound 

of Barra to st Kilda, while day 13 will include a visit 

to the peaceful traffic-free island of sark. 


A taste of the excursions available on this tour… 

Rathmullan: The castle at Glenveagh National Park 

Kirkwall: An early Norse trading town 

Leith, edinburgh: Enjoy a guided tour of the city 

before visiting the Royal Yacht britannia. 

*Check when booking for full details of all excursions. 

Similar tours of interest 

sailing to the Isles Visit some of the finest gardens 

and houses in Wales, Ireland and Scotland, from 

the formal and manicured, to the wilder and more 

natural. A 10-night cruise aboard MS caledonian Sky 

from £2795. departs on 20 May 2012. 


34 odyssey AUTUMN/WINTER 2011-2012 WWW.NoblE-cAlEdoNIA.co.Uk

discover 

the rhine 

a stream 

of stories 

William Cook follows the trail of Germany’s most 

famous sagas along the mighty, romantic Rhine 

william cook has published eight books on 

subjects as diverse as Auberon Waugh and 

Morecambe & Wise. His prizes for travel 

writing include the Johann Strauss Gold Medal 


35

discover 

the rhine 

The British 

journalist Bernard 

levin once called 

the rhine “europe’s 

noblest river” – and 

standing on the sun 0deck of 

my smart cruise ship i could 

see exactly what he meant. it’s 

not the biggest river in europe 

(the Volga is far longer) or even 

the most beautiful – the elbe is 

prettier. But levin was right – 

the rhine has a strange majesty. 

turner painted it, Wagner wrote 

his greatest opera about it and 

schumann tried to drown himself 

in it – and as i joined my fellow 

passengers below for an aperitif, it 

struck me that we were merely the 

latest in a long line of travellers 

drawn by the potent allure of 

being in a place with such a grand 

and bloody past. 

i’d traVelled doWn the rhine 

countless times since my first visit 

as a student – on foot, by bike, 

by road and rail, but never on a 

boat. i’d always wanted to see it 

from the water, and i now realised 

why river cruising feels so special. 

From the bank, you only see the 

other bank – flat and distant, like 

a picture. the only time i’d felt 

like this before was when i swam 

the rhine as a teenager, swept 

along by its savage current. now, 

half a lifetime later, i was happy 

to sit here in a deckchair and 

watch the countryside sail by. 

and what countryside! From 

the swiss alps to the north sea, 

the rhine steers a course through 

some of europe’s most dramatic 

scenery. i’d joined this cruise for 

the most spectacular slice of it, 

past the ruins of redundant castles 

and through the craggy chasm 

of the rhine Gorge. i’d only 

ever seen these castles from the 

shore. i couldn’t wait to see them 

just as the men who built them 

saw them – from the middle of 

europe’s oldest thoroughfare. the 

rhine starts in switzerland and 

ends in holland (with brief forays 

into France and austria) but 

Germany makes up the bulk of it, 

and it remains above all a German 

river – powerful and intimidating, 

but fascinating all the same. 

i came aboard at Cologne, in 

the shadow of its vast cathedral 

(the other passengers had already 

passed through Bruges and 

arnhem, having started their 

cruise at amsterdam). i had a few 

hours free before we sailed, so i 

took a walk around the old town. 

like most German cities, Cologne 

was flattened during the war, but 

there are still some gems set amid 

the bland modern blocks. i started 

at the cathedral where i first took 

communion with my wayward 

German uncle, who made his 

home here after fleeing from the 

east. this magnificent Gothic 

monolith was built to house 

40,000 people, then the entire 

population of Cologne. as we 

sailed away i watched it from the 

deck, still huge and indestructible, 

until we turned a corner and, 

finally, it disappeared. 

there’s something thrilling 

about sleeping on a boat, and 

as i slipped beneath the covers 

i felt like a child again. When 

i woke, before dawn, we were 

in Koblenz, where the rhine 

meets the Mosel. as a schoolboy 

wrestling with German grammar, 

i always struggled to recall that 

the rhine is masculine and the 

Mosel feminine, but once you’ve 

seen them you’ll have no trouble 

working it out. Father rhine is 

broad and fierce, Mother Mosel 

is slim and gentle with tranquil 

villages along its banks. 

i joined an outing to the 

little slate town of Cochem. in 

the Middle ages this was an 

important trading post. ravaged 

by the plague it became a remote 

backwater, and obscurity has 

This page: One of the most 

visited places in heidelberg 

is the Old Bridge with its 

nine elegant arches 

opposite page, from top: 

Cross the hohenzollern 

Bridge to view the biggest 

church facade in the world 

at Cologne Cathedral; the 

rheingau vineyards boast a 

higher proportion of riesling 

than any other German 

wine-growing region 

preserved its quaint appeal. 

its biggest landmark is the 

reichsburg, a knights-in-armour 

castle, but my favourite discovery 

was the local parish church, 

st Martin’s. simple from the 

outside, inside it contained 

some of the most wonderful 

contemporary stained glass 

windows i’d ever seen. it felt 

fitting that their creators were 

english, a sublime symbol of 

Christian reconciliation. 

BaCK on Board, i finally had 

a chance to meet the captain 

and his crew. dutchman theo 

derksen first sailed along the 

rhine over 50 years ago, at the 

age of six, when his grandad 

took him on his barge from 

rotterdam to Basle. half a century 

later, the rhine is still a working 

river, and most of the traffic on 

it is still dutch. ‘What’s your 

favourite destination?’ i asked 

him. ‘home,’ he said, with a wry 

smile. Captain derksen’s crew 

are a rich mix of nationalities, 


from Cesar, the Spanish cruise 

director, to Louis, the Bulgarian 

pianist. Most moving for me, 

being half-German (my father 

was born in Dresden) was to make 

acquaintance with the prolific 

military author Patrick Delaforce, 

who crossed the Rhine as an 

officer in the British Army and 

helped to liberate Bergen-Belsen. 

Twice wounded, twice mentioned 

in despatches, and decorated 

for his brave endeavours, I was 

touched that someone who saw 

so much suffering here should 

spend his holidays on the Rhine. 

Mooring at St Goarhausen 

that evening, surrounded 

by lush vineyards, it seemed 

inconceivable that this peaceful 

stretch of water should have 

endured such a violent past. Only 

the castles all around us hinted at 

this warlike history, and the next 

morning we went to Marksburg 

Castle, the only one that was 

never conquered. You soon see 

why. Perched upon a steep peak, 

high above the sleepy town of 

Braubach, it looks as if it was 

carved out of the cliff face. 

‘The river gives life and the river 

takes life,’ said our German guide 

as we made our way back to the 

boat – and I was reminded of 

Heinrich Heine’s famous poem, 

The Lorelei, about a mermaid who 

lures a sailor onto the rocks. Ships 

have to take great care as they 

navigate the narrow straits of the 

Rhine Gorge. 

THAT nIGHT we DOCkeD in 

Rudesheim. Here the river opens 

out, and sharp cliffs make way 

for softer hills, covered in vines 

and hiking trails. After breakfast 

I made my way uphill to the 

gigantic statue of Germania, built 

in 1883 to celebrate Prussia’s 

victory over France and the 

advent of the Second Reich. It 

fell into disrepair after world 

war II but, since reunification, 

it has been restored as an 

historic monument rather than 

a triumphal icon. On my way 

downhill I passed a humble 

memorial to a local farmer – just 

a few wild flowers in an old wine 

barrel – somehow more stirring 

than the bombastic colossus. 

On our last day we sailed on to 

Mannheim, at the mouth of the 

River neckar, and made a short 

detour to Heidelberg, the seat 

of Germany’s oldest university. 

A cluster of pink sandstone in a 

wooded river valley, this romantic 

city has enticed writers from Mark 

Twain to Somerset Maugham, 

and survived world war II 

unscathed – although its main 

attraction is yet another ruined 

castle. I decided to give the guided 

tour a miss, crossed the river, 

and climbed the Philosopher’s 

way, a celebrated wanderweg for 

Heidelberg’s professors. From this 

hillside path you could see the 

whole city, spread out like a map 

– a fitting fairy-tale stop along 

europe’s noblest river. • 

Ready to go 


discover 

the rhine 

Glories of the Rhine 

1-15 May 2012, 14 nights from £2795 

> Aboard Ms Johann strauss 

From treasured art collectionsto fairy-tale castles and 

medieval villages, this cruise along the rhine to basle is an 

unforgettable journey through time. 


a walking tour of the medieval city of Bruges on 

day 3 explores buildings from the middle ages, 

including the basilica of the Holy blood. on day 10 

visit the 700-year-old Marksburg Castle in Koblenz 

before sailing through the glorious middle rhine 

valley. on day 13, walk around the spectacular 

breisach, gateway to the black Forest. 


a taste of the excursions available on this tour… 

Kinderdijk: Prepare to be overwhelmed by the 18thcentury 

windmills and tour a working windmill. 

Arnhem: discover the famous wwii battle site. 

Heidelberg: a truly picturesque German city. 

*Almost all excursions are included in your tour price. 

A few are optional, which will need to be paid for if undertaken. 

Check when booking for full details of all excursions. 

Pre- and post-tour options 

add on a three-night stay in lucerne at the four-star 

beaux rivages, including guided tour and lake cruise. 



37

history of noble caledonia 

This page: caledonian star, known 

affectionately as ‘the little blue ship’ 


HISTORY OF NOBLE CALEDONIA 

ON A WAVE 

One of Noble Caledonia’s longest-serving colleagues is 

CHANTAL COOKSON who was there at the beginning 

and still works on our expedition team. Here, Chantal 

celebrates 20 years of small ship cruising 

I 

was working at Sotheby’s and 

Chantal 

remember popping round the 

Cookson 

corner to Charles Street in 

Mayfair to see Andrew Cochrane, 

managing director of a new 

company Noble Caledonia. I’d 

worked with Andy previously in 

the travel industry, so was intrigued by his 

Chantal, who 

lives with her two 

black labradors in 

Northumberland 

where her husband 

farms, has been 

associated with 


since the company 

was founded in 1991. 

A consultant for 

Sotheby’s, she still 

manages to work 

for Noble Caledonia, 

enjoying the guests’ 

company and 

indulging in her fi rst 

love: travelling. 

idea of a company that would specialise in 

small ship cruising, and attract an intrepid 

clientele who wanted authentic and 

sometimes out of the way destinations 

– along, of course, with the comfort of 

well-appointed small ships. 

In a rather dark and somewhat 

foreboding basement sat Andy and his 

loyal PA Brenda. Luckily Christer Salen, 

owner of the MS Caledonian Star, was 

enthused by the idea of the new company, 

and backed it both fi nancially and with a 

new offi ce. Noble Caledonia had one ship, 

a lot of ideas and a huge task ahead. 

I was lucky to become part of the fi eld 

staff right at the beginning, when it was 

announced that the Caledonian Star 

would cruise around the British Isles. 

Despite reservations about bringing her 

all the way up from the Indian Ocean, 

the public responded well. They did want 

to cruise around our beautiful coastline 

and this voyage (see page 32) became 

phenomenally successful. 

Indeed, the cruise helped defi ne 

Noble Caledonia’s appeal, which is 

to somehow tease out the British 

adventurous spirit. The excitement of 


39

history of noble caledonia 

My Passion for Water 

A fascinating collection of anecdotes about 

events on and around water, in celebration of 

the 20th anniversary of Noble Caledonia 

JUne Whitfield, anna 

ford, sir ranUlph fiennes 

and other famous names 

from the stage and screen, the 

military and showbusiness 

share memories of their 

favourite oceans, seas and 

rivers in My Passion for Water. 

This beautifully illustrated 

hardback, published in 

celebration of the 20th 

anniversary of Noble 

Caledonia, features a 

collection of adventures 

on or around water. 

Anecdotes include Johnny 

Ball struggling manfully 

with French canal bridges; 

Ann Widdecombe taking 

an impromptu swim during 

a gale-force storm in the 

Arctic; Michael Palin crossing 

the Bay of Bengal in the 

engine room of a battered 

old freighter; and Frederick 

Forsyth’s close – and rather 

enlightening – encounter 

with a shark. Additionally, 

there are extracts from classic 

river and sea stories. 

Noble Caledonia is 

delighted to give the proceeds 

to Just a Drop, the charity 

which helps to provide water 

to undeveloped countries. A 

minimum of £1 per copy sold 

will be given to the charity. 

Just a Drop has undertaken 

over 65 Water Aid projects 

and helped over one million 

children in 29 countries. 

Andrew Cochrane, 

managing director of Noble 

Caledonia, says, “Just a Drop 

has found a place in the hearts 

of many worldwide travel and 

tourism organisations for its 

work, and it is to this noble 

endeavour that we dedicate 

My Passion for Water.” 

HigHligHts 

“I tried to turn, and was 

doing well, until the current 

overtook us and the boat 

slammed – more than a little 

violently – against the bridge.” 

Johnny ball 

“I had to have a different 

evening dress for every 

night. It really was the most 

glamorous time. My Dad... 

felt that I had missed out on 

travel because of the war and 

wanted to make up for it.” 

JUne Whitfield 

“We rushed as quickly 

as we could to our bum-boat. 

We managed to clamber 

aboard despite the churning 

sea, and then became 

aware that Istanbul was in 

complete darkness.” 

peter boWles 

to order copies please 

call 01795 592 893 

price £14.99 including 

postage and packing 

landing on St Kilda, Zodiac rides to 

Fingal’s Cave at Staffa, the stunning 

gardens on Tresco Island… all were 

there for the Caledonian Star’s taking, 

no matter what the weather threw up. 

During the early life of Noble 

Caledonia much of the maritime world 

was inaccessible to larger ships. I spent 

happy weeks in the Indian Ocean as part 

of the expedition team, cruising around 

the Seychelles, landing on exquisite 

islands by Zodiacs, snorkelling and 

bird-watching with Ian Bullock, Adrian 

Skerrett and Guy Esparon. 

The expedition team then, with ace 

Zodiac driver Katarina Salen, Pam 

Kemp and Alexa Peterstam, and led 

by expedition leader Tom Ritchie, were 

happy days indeed. The World Heritage 

site Aldabra was always a focal point 

in our Seychelles cruises; and the 

Caledonian Star was one of the very 

few ships allowed to land there. We all 

experienced the excitement of taking 

a Zodiac through Jonny’s Channel 

into Aldabra’s lagoon. Entering on the 

incoming tide, avoiding the coral rocks, 

we’d spend a few hours watching 

the bird colonies, and the stingrays, 

turtles and sharks skimming below 

the surface of the water. Once, captain 

Ruediger Hannemann – a much 

loved captain of the Caledonian Star 

– edged the ship through a channel 

in to the lagoon: a feat that has never 

been repeated. Then there were the 

Indonesian islands with Dr Morton 

Boyd, the Vietnamese coastline with 

Tony Soper, and Madagascar and the 

Comoros Islands with Hilary Bradt. 

I recall the South Pacific islands where 

they had never seen a white person 

before, and an unforgettable visit to the 

little island of Toli Toli. 

Noble Caledonia quickly became 

leader in the world of adventurous 

cruising; soon, other small ships were 

chartered, ploughing all territories from 

the Arctic to Antarctica. Meanwhile, 

the company built up its peerless 

lecture programme. Major General Sir 

Roy Redgrave was often the lecturer 

on board the Klavdiya Yelanskaya to 

The Forbidden Land, gallantly talking 

over the microphone in force 12 gales. 

Once, a letter was composed on the 

Caledonian Star by Dame Margaret 

Anstee while on an Antarctica cruise, 

signed by all the passengers, and faxed 

1991 1992 2001 

‘The little 

blue ship’ 

The Caledonian Star 

becomes our flagship 

vessel. Originally a 

fishing trawler, she 

could carry just over 

100 passengers. 

Discovering 

new territory 

Noble Caledonia offers 

its first ‘land tour’ – a 

four-night break to 

Hong Kong. 

Making tracks 

to Russia 


introduces the Bolshoi 

Express St Petersburg 

to Tashkent, our first 

holiday in which the 

principal transport is by 

private train. 


“I spent happy weeks 

cruising around the Seychelles, 

landing on the exquisite islands 

by Zodiacs, snorkelling and 

bird-watching” 

to 10 Downing Street. It suggested 

a Millennium tribute: that a bust of 

Ernest Shackleton be erected on 

Elephant Island. Well, it was worth a try. 

There were plenty more heady days 

as the company grew and it became 

apparent there was a niche in a market 

now dominated by large ships. I now 

feel proud to remain part of a company 

where the passengers feel part of the 

family; where those travelling alone 

are scooped up in seconds; where the 

fascination of seeing wildlife – and the 

stars at night – never abates. 

As the years rolled on Noble 

Caledonia began to branch out, putting 

on journeys to Burma, tiger-spotting 

trips to Assam in northern India, and 

other exciting destinations. It began 

putting on an immensely popular 

range of European river cruises: a 

more gentle experience enhanced by 

diversions such as London Festival 

Opera, and including speakers such as 

Humphrey Burton and Godfrey Barker 

to keep everyone amused. 

But it’s the new ideas and itineraries 

that are the secret to Noble Caledonia’s 

freshness. In 2012, there are trips 

to the mighty Zambezi in Africa, the 

Irrawaddy in Burma, and West Africa; 

and new itineraries such as the White 

Sea sailing to Archangel in Russia, 

Tristan da Cunha in the Atlantic, and 

the Panama Canal. Noble Caledonia 

now also runs exciting train journeys 

from Beijing to Moscow, India and 

Namibia, and a recent innovation is to 

combine cruising with private plane 

journeys (see Phil Asker, page 12) . 

In our 20th year we also welcome 

the MS Caledonian Sky – the sister 

ship of the MS Island Sky – which will 

embark on her maiden voyage in May 

2012 (see page 26). But even as it has 

grown, Noble Caledonia has remained 

true to its founding ethos – to provide 

small, personal and adventurous 

cruises. Long may it continue.” • 

2001 2001 2010 2011 

A very special 

river vessel 

MS Johann Strauss 

becomes our river 

cruise fl agship on the 

Danube, sailing from the 

North Sea to the Black 

Sea and back. 

Leading 

the way 

MS Island Sky replaces 

the MS Caledonian Star 

as our fl agship 

sea vessel. 

Voyages of 

discovery 

MS Island Sky 

undergoes an extensive 

refurbishment. 

Expanding 

the fl eet 

We announce the 

acquisition of MS 

Caledonian Sky, a sister 

vessel to MS Island Sky, 

which will be in British 

and Arctic waters for 

much of 2012. 

HISTORY OF NOBLE CALEDONIA 

THE LITTLE 

BLUE SHIP 

Memories and highlights 

of cruising onboard 

MS Caledonian Star 

“We landed with 

two Zodiacs on 

what appeared 

to be a 

deserted 

beach on 

our voyage 

entitled 

East of Bali. 

Before we had 

dragged the 

Zodiacs ashore we 

were surrounded by a crowd 

of the most beautiful children, all 

chattering excitedly in a language 

we could not understand. David 

Mitchell from Edinburgh Botanic 

Gardens brought out a blow-up 

map of the world, pointed to the 

Indonesian islands and then at 

the children, saying ‘Lambata’. He 

then pointed at us and the map of 

England and said, ‘England!’ It was 

such a simple of way communicating 

without the need of language – and I 

will always remember Lambata.” 

B A R B A R A T Y S O N 

“In the mid-Indian 

ocean, once 

Neptune had 

been welcome 

aboard, 

demanded 

penance 

and given 

permission 

to cross the 

equator, ‘Calstar’ 

hove to and 

deployed shark nets so 

that those who wished could swim 

across the equator behind the ship, 

What an unexpected adventure.” 

JOAN AND JOHN WRIGLEY 

“The Seychelles 

code: take only 

photographs, 

leave only 

footprints.” 

ISABEL 

WILSON 


41

discover 

NORWAY 

into the wild 

Take the mystical North Atlantic journey from Scotland to 

Spitsbergen and you’ll marvel at sea eagles, polar bears and 

whales. Gavin Bell sails into a spectacular Nordic wilderness… 

GAviN Bell 

is a former 

foreign 

correspondent 

and awardwinning 

travel 

writer. He has 

written travel 

books on 

South Africa 

and Polynesia 

The first place in the world 

in most atlases lies at the end 

of a road to nowhere. Beyond 

it lies only dark mountains and 

the cold North atlantic. 

fortunately the old 

Norwegian fishing village that 

goes by the name of Å – pronounced more like 

‘O’ – is a cosy hamlet of wooden houses with 

a café, a gift shop and a couple of museums. 

the arctic cod that once sustained the little 

community no longer comes into its bay to 

spawn, so now tourists are welcome. 

there are not many visitors, because Å lies 

near the southern tip of the lofoten islands 

deep in the arctic circle. When we arrive on 

the expedition ship Ms Quest, on a voyage 

from scotland to spitsbergen, we have the 

place pretty much to ourselves. 

there is an invigorating sense of freedom 

in the wilderness around us, and a short stroll 

leads to a lake framed by saw-tooth mountains 

where sea eagles fly. We see more of these 

magnificent aviators with their distinctive 

white tails on a Zodiac tour of a fjord around 

the nearby village of reine, once voted the 

most scenic place in Norway. this is a serious 

accolade, given the grandeur of mainland 

fjords we have explored on our voyage north. 

Dalsfjord, our first landfall in Norway, is 

known locally as the Viking fjord because 

it was from here that a chief by the name 

of ingolfr arnarson left to establish the first 

Viking settlement on iceland. 


He left behind thickly forested mountains 

and waterfalls plunging into crystal clear 

water, and farmsteads clinging to narrow strips 

of fertile soil. It is a land that has inspired 

stirring music, as we discover on a bus tour 

accompanied by recordings of Greig’s Peer 

Gynt, a male choir extolling the beauty of a 

valley, and a local soprano who is now buried 

in a village churchyard. 

There is no music to be heard on Selje, other 

than a natural symphony of wind, waves, 

and the cries of seabirds. The little island off 

the Norwegian coast is a place of pilgrimage, 

where a 10th-century Irish princess lived and 

died and became Norway’s only female saint – 

Saint Sunniva. We climb a flight of stone steps 

to the cave in which her remains were found, 

and are intrigued by a luminescence in its dark 

recesses created by a quirk of refracted light. 

From this vantage point, high above a 

grassy shore where sheep are grazing on 

a white carpet of Arctic cotton, the island 

is imbued with a profound sense of peace 

and spirituality. Out to sea, a lone eagle is 

wheeling in the sky. English stonemasons 

were imported in the Middle Ages to build a 

monastery here, and its remnants prompt an 

erudite debate among fellow passengers on 

the respective merits of Cumbrian and Welsh 

dry-stone dyking. Sea passages on our cruise 

are enlivened by talks on the birds and beasts 

we are likely to encounter, and tales of the 

old-style hunters who made their livelihoods 

from them. 

discover 

norway 


43

© The Trustees of the British Museum 

DISCOVER 

NORWAY 

PAWNS IN THE GREAT GAME 

It is quite remarkable 

to think that the journey 

described by Gavin Bell was 

probably taken by the world’s 

most famous chess set, 

some 700 years ago. We 

must say ‘probably’, because 

it is unconfi rmed as to whether 

the Lewis Chessmen actually 

did make the journey. 

However, according to most 

sources – most recently, Neil 

MacGregor of the British 

Museum in his History of the 

World in 100 Objects – these 

wonderful pieces are most 

likely to have originated in 

Trondheim, then Norway’s 

capital city and a source of 

many a Viking incursion. 

It is defi nitely known 

where the chess pieces were 

found in 1831: in a stone 

chamber in a small sandbank 

in Uig Bay, Lewis, in the Outer 

Hebrides. Mostly carved from 

walrus ivory, with a few made 

from whale teeth, the 78 pieces 

were a ground-breaking hoard, 

consisting of eight kings, eight 

queens, 16 bishops, 15 knights, 

12 rooks and 19 pawns. As 

soon as they emerged, these 

expressive pieces went 

through various hands. Now 

11 pieces are in Edinburgh 

at the National Museum of 

Scotland, and 82 are in the 

British Museum – a state 

of affairs that rankles with 

Scottish Nationalists, who want 

them all to return to Scotland. 

Why are they so 

venerated? Much is to do with 

their form – after all, these are 

tiny and exquisite sculptures, 

highly valuable then as now, 

that capture the imaginations 

of all who view them. Famously, 

they were featured in the fi rst 

Harry Potter fi lm. They also 

remind us that some human 

leisure pursuits are durable: 

indeed, the Lewis chess pieces 

are said to form the largest 

surviving group of recreational 

objects from the whole 

medieval period. 

The Lewis Chessmen 

also offer a great enigma, 

as tracing their origins has 

been a fascinating riddle. At 

fi rst they were thought to be 

Icelandic, then Irish, Scottish 

or English – indeed, none 

of these interpretations has 

been entirely ruled out. But 

it is generally held that as 

the chessmen are Norse in 

form – similar to mythical 

warriors as depicted elsewhere 

– Norway remains their 

most likely origin. As to why 

they made the passage to 

the Hebrides all those years 

ago, Norway ruled parts of 

Scotland including Lewis at 

that time. So the chances are 

that these wonderful chess 

pieces made exactly the same 

Norway to Scotland journey as 

Noble Caledonia does today – 

albeit in the far less luxurious 

circumstances of a longboat. 

See the Lewis Chessmen 

at The British Museum, 

London, and the National 

Museum of Scotland 

in Edinburgh 

Above: The Standing Stones of 

Stenness, the oldest stone circle 

found in the Orkney Islands 

Left: The elaborate Lewis 

Chessmen pieces, carved from 

walrus ivory and whales’ teeth 

Opposite page, top and far 

right: With its picture-postcard 

fi shing villages nestled in fjords, 

the Lofoten archipelago is often 

described as one of the most 

scenic parts of Norway 

Opposite page, bottom left: 

Norway’s polar bear population 

lives in and around Svalbard 

We learn we are in the domain of orcas, 

apex predators of the seas. Males of this 

killer whale species grow up to 30 feet long, 

weigh up to 10 tons, swim at 30 mph, and 

have around 50 interlocking teeth for tearing 

their prey. If a great white shark tangled with 

this fearsome creature, we are assured ‘Jaws’ 

wouldn’t stand a chance. 

No orcas appear on our passage, but north 

of the Lofoten Islands we sight a couple 

of humpback whales, a mother and calf, 

blowing plumes of spray. Next to surface are 

half a dozen fi n whales, the second biggest 

of the species after blue whales, with a turn 

of speed that has earned them the epithet of 

the ‘Ferraris of the whale world’. As the sun 

begins to set, they are followed by a school 

of dolphins cavorting in our bow wave for 

the fun of it. The wildlife highlight of our 

voyage lumbers into view at our fi rst port of 

call on Spitsbergen, the largest island in the 

Svalbard archipelago. An alert offi cer spots 

him from more than a mile away, a moving 

white dot between patches of ice and snow 

in Hornsund fjord. The Zodiacs are launched, 

and we speed towards the shore and our fi rst 

close encounter with a fully-grown polar bear. 

“The door of the driftwood shack is 

barricaded with stout poles, but bears 

have left their calling cards: great rips 

on its tarred fabric covering” 

CLOSE 

TO HOME 

MS Quest will explore 

England, Ireland and Wales 

for the first time in 2012, to 

discover places rich 

in natural beauty 

and wildlife 

We approach quietly and stand about 

100 yards away as he ambles along towards 

an old trapper’s hut. Occasionally he lifts 

his head and stares at us, then resumes his 

shuffl ing, powerful stride, unconcerned by 

our presence. At one point he climbs a slight 

rise and slides down the other side on his 

tummy, rolls over on his back with his legs 

in the air, then shakes himself like a dog and 

carries on. With the safety of water between 

us, we admire his massive strength and 

Zen-like calm. It might have been a 

different story if he had come along 

half an hour earlier, when we were 

wandering around the trapper’s hut. 

The door of the driftwood shack 

is barricaded with stout poles, but 

bears have left their calling cards: 


great rips on its tarred fabric covering. Inside 

it is surprisingly warm and cosy, with an old 

iron stove, bunk beds, and a visitors’ book 

with comments in several languages. 

The music here is of the avian variety. 

The hut stands at the foot of a towering cliff 

known as the Singing Mountain, because 

of the constant hum of colonies of fulmars, 

kittiwakes, guillemots and little auks. The 

bird watchers among us are enraptured. 

Our next destination on Spitsbergen is an 

old coal mining settlement that is now a 

scientific research station, boasting the most 

northerly post office on the planet. Visitors 

to the community of Ny Ålesund can have 

letters and postcards franked to prove they 

have ventured close to 79 degrees N, a couple 

of hours flight from the North Pole. 

They can also inspect a fragment of 

history – the airship mast from which Roald 

Amundsen and Umberto Nobile became the 

first men to fly over the Pole in 1926. A larger 

than life bust of the Norwegian explorer gazes 

towards the mast, a poignant symbol of the 

end of the ‘heroic’ era of polar expeditions. 

For the modern traveller arriving in 

these regions by sea, there is still a sense of 

adventure and of stepping back in time. It is 

not every day that one walks in the footsteps 

of a female saint, a legendary explorer, and a 

polar bear. • 

Gavin Bell is the author of the acclaimed 

portrait of South Africa: Somewhere Over the 

Rainbow – Travels in South Africa (£8.99, 

Little, Brown and Co) 

Ready to go 

everything you 

need to know 

Norwegian Fjords in 

Mid Summer 

20 June to 1 July 2012, 11 nights from 

£3795 

> Aboard Caledonian sky 

From truly dramatic fjords to magnificent 

mountains and cascading waterfalls, 

this norwegian coastal voyage offers the 

traveller scenery on an epic scale. 


a highlight for many will be the journey 

on the Flâm Railway on day 5. one of 

the most beautiful railway lines in the 

world, this trip takes in some of norway’s 

wildest and most magnificent scenery. 

on day 10, explore the picturesque 

discover 

norway 

villages of the Lofoten Islands, including 

the viking centre at borg and the 

acclaimed kare espolin Johnson gallery 

at kabelva. on day 11, sail past the largest 

concentration of puffins in Norway with 

80,000 pairs. 


a taste of the excursions available… 

Undredal: sample the cheese from this 

idyllic village with a population of 130 

people and 500 goats. 

*Almost all excursions are included in your tour 

price. A few are optional, which will need to be 

paid for if undertaken. Check when booking for 

full details of all excursions. 

Similar tours of 

interest... 

Hebrides to Faroes an expedition 

cruise of the scottish isles and the Faroe 

islands, exploring rugged coastlines that 

are abundant with bird and wildlife. 

a 10-night cruise on ms clipper odyssey, 

from £2695. departs 4 June 2012. 

scotland to spitsbergen 

– A Northern odyssey immerse 

yourself in the ancient history of the 

orkney and shetland islands. sail past 

the dramatic fjords of norway towards 

the immense glaciers of the arctic circle. 

a 15-night cruise aboard ocean nova, 

from £3695. departs 26 may 2012. 



45

discover 

crete 

OX TALE ISLAND 

The stunning island of Crete is home to Greece’s most enduring and 

controversial archeological myths… the bull-cult of Minos at Knossos. 

Classical scholar Tom Holland unravels the legend 

tom holland is author of three 

highly-praised works of history and 

has adapted Homer, Herodotus, 

Thucydides and Virgil for the BBC 


So beautiful, mysterious 

and palpably ancient did 

Crete appear to the Greeks 

that many believed it to 

have been the birthplace 

of the Gods. the island had certainly 

played a key role in the childhood of 

the greatest God of all: Zeus, the king 

of the immortals. 

according to Greek mythology, at 

the time of Zeus’ birth the monarchy 

of the heavens had been held by Zeus’ 

father, Cronus, who lived in terror of 

a prophecy that one of his children 

would overthrow him. accordingly, 

whenever Rhea, his queen, gave birth, 

he would swallow the infant whole. 

Rhea, understandably upset by this 

ongoing loss of her offspring, finally 

decided that enough was enough. 

When she gave birth to Zeus, her last 

child, she did so in a cave on the side 

of Mount ida, the tallest mountain on 

Crete, and hid him in its tenebrous 

depths. When Cronus demanded the 

baby, Rhea gave him a stone wrapped 

in swaddling clothes, which Cronus 

duly gulped down. Meanwhile, on 

Crete, Zeus was growing up. 

When Zeus reached manhood, 

Cronus was brought to vomit up the 

still living children he had swallowed, 

and these joined with Zeus in toppling 

their father from his throne, hurling 

him into a pit of darkness. Zeus, from 

that moment on, reigned as king of 

discover 

crete 

the heavens and earth. 

even though he ruled from Mount 

olympus, in the north of Greece, Zeus 

did not forget his childhood island 

sanctuary. four generations before 

the trojan War, he changed himself 

into a beautiful white bull, abducted 

a princess from Phoenicia, took her to 

Crete and fathered three sons with her. 

the eldest, a boy called Minos, became 

the greatest king of his day, ‘the lord 

of many peoples, a man who holds the 

sceptre of Zeus in his hands’. 

long after Minos’ death, memories 

of the time when Crete had ruled 

the waves, and been mistress of a 

great empire, were still preserved by 

Greek historians. Such had been the 

achievements of Minos’ reign, so 

magnificent his cities, plentiful his 

ships, and imperious his justice, 


47

discover 

crete 

In the lap 

of luxury 

Crete is one of those places that 

benefits from a small ship, and 

the 44-passenger mv Harmony is 

perfect for an adriatic cruise. some 

53m long, she was launched in 

January 2001 and refurbished in 

2009-10 to offer some great cruising 

experiences in the mediterranean, 

where she fits in extremely well 

with the luxury yachts that ply the 

region’s waters. 

the en-suite cabins are on 

three decks, with two junior suites 

featuring Jacuzzi tubs. life on 

board centres around the lounge 

and the bar on the upper deck with 

relaxing couches and comfortable 

chairs. there’s a spacious sun deck, 

an elegant dining room with large 

windows, and a swimming platform 

on mv Harmony’s stern, enabling 

you to swim when weather permits. 

Above: Knossos 

Minoan Palace, 

built from 1700- 

1400 Bc, had over 

1,000 interlocking 

rooms and 

covered six acres 

opposite page, 

top: Ancient 

Heraklian harbour, 

with 16th-century 

Venetian fortress 


bottom right: 

View out to the 

cretan sea past 

the lighthouse 

from rethymnon 

harbour 


bottom left: 

Doorway into a 

monastery 

that after his death he was installed 

by Zeus in the underworld to serve as 

judge of the dead. 

Yet the ancient greatness of Crete, 

so the Greeks believed, had been shot 

through with the sinister. The pinnacle 

of sophistication was also home to 

bizarre and terrifying wonders: of a 

giant bronze figure who patrolled the 

island shallows incinerating unwanted 

intruders; and of a labyrinth so vast 

that anyone who entered it would be 

doomed ‘never to find an exit’. The real 

horror was a hideous monster lurking 

in its depths, a bull-headed devourer 

of human flesh named the minotaur. 

Only Theseus, venturing into the 

labyrinth with a sword and a length of 

twine, had succeeded in dispatching it. 

Glamour and terror: Crete in the time 

of Minos had been the epitome of both. 

“A believer in what 

others dismissed as 

fantasy, Schliemann 

uncovered evidence of 

a vanished civilization” 

But had any of it actually been true? 

Even in classical times, there was little 

to be seen that could confidently be 

dated to the golden age of Minos: no 

palace; no labyrinth; no record of the 

mysterious role played in it by bulls. 

Small wonder, then, that hard-headed 

scholars in the 19th century should 

have dismissed the ancient stories told 

of Crete as mere legend – much like the 

similar stories told of Troy. 

In ThE 1870S, two momentous 

excavations were undertaken by a 

self-made millionaire from Germany 

named heinrich Schliemann. One 

was at Troy itself, and the second at 

Mycenae, a city celebrated in myth 

as the capital of the king who had 

commanded the Greeks in the Trojan 

War. Schliemann, a firm believer in 

what others dismissed as fantasy, 

had uncovered spectacular evidence 

not merely that a war had indeed 

been fought at Troy, but of an entire 

vanished civilisation, a civilisation he 

named Mycenaean. 

So it was no surprise that, in the 

wake of Schliemann’s great finds, 

archaeologists began to turn curious 


GREEK 

GODS 

Discover the islands of 

the Gods and heroes of 

classical Greece on our 

Athens to Athens cruise. 

Itinerary details on 

our website 

eyes in the direction of Crete. 

In 1878, a local merchant, digging 

around on the site of an abandoned 

Roman town named Cnossus (or 

Knossos), discovered the enigmatic 

remnants of a very much older city. 

Eight years later traces of a fabulously 

ancient civilisation were discovered 

in a cave on the side of Mount Ida, 

precisely where tradition claimed that 

Zeus had passed his childhood. In 

1900, the focus of attention swung 

back to Knossos when excavations 

conducted on a massive scale revealed 

extraordinary wonders. 

A vast complex of buildings so 

sprawling and maze-like as to seem like 

a labyrinth was unveiled. There were 

frescoes of young men leaping over 

bulls; pottery and other artefacts even 

older than Mycenae. Well might Arthur 

Evans, the archaeologist responsible for 

uncovering this previously unsuspected 

civilisation, have termed it Minoan. 

Evans himself, an eccentric so 

committed to excavating Knossos that 

he had bought up the entire site, was a 

man of remarkable paradoxes. He was 

a racist who believed passionately that 

the origins of Western civilisation lay in 

Africa; a patriot who saw in the Minoan 

command of the seas a precursor of 

the British Empire, yet who idolised 

the Minoans themselves as pacifi sts. 

He was a buttoned-up Victorian who 

portrayed ancient Knossos as a fabulous 

paradise of mother goddesses, barebreasted 

female athletes, and crossdressing 

priests. Trumping Schliemann, 

he revealed the birthplace of Western 

civilisation to have been, not the brutal 

warrior society of Mycenae, but a 

fairy-tale utopia. The fi rst Europeans, it 

appeared, had been like hippies. 

It is testimony to the potency and 

sheer strangeness of the world conjured 

up by Evans that even now – when 

modern archaeologists have revealed 

the Minoan world to have been in 

truth a deeply brutal one, scarred by 

factionalism and cannibalism – we 

remain so reluctant to let this initial 

impression go. In part, no doubt we 

long to believe that the beginnings 

of the West might indeed have been 

characterised by peace, feminist virtues, 

and a blissed-out hedonism. But it is 

tribute as well to the sheer beauty of 

the island on which Knossos stands. It 

is a beauty that, even today, persuades 

us that it might indeed have been a 

childhood home of Gods. • 

Ready to go 

Everything you need to know 

DISCOVER 

CRETE 

Spring Colours & Ancient 

Wonders of Crete 

20-29 April 2012, 9 nights from £3495 

> Aboard MV Harmony 

Explore the hidden treasures and unspoilt coastline of this 

mountainous archipelago, which boasts some of the best 

archaeological sites in the Greek islands and an incredible 

array of plant and bird life. 


On Day 4, enjoy a scenic drive from the vessel through 

the beautiful countryside of Crete to visit Phaestos – 

one of three towns that were founded by King Minos 

of Crete. Then, on Day 8, explore the fantastic ruins of 

the ancient palace complex in Knossos. 


A taste of the excursions available on this tour… 

Archanes: Admire the colourfully restored 

neoclassical buildings in this picturesque small town. 

Kythira: A less-known island gem, which is a 

paradise for fl ower lovers. 


A few are optional, which will need to be paid for if undertaken. 


Guest speaker 

Journalist and writer Paul Harris will share his 

captivating travel experiences onboard. 



49

discover 

the falkland islands 

a drop 

in the ocean 

The Falkland Islands are still best known for the conflict that took place 

three decades ago but, as sailor and war veteran ewen southby-Tailyour 

explains, this great wilderness casts a natural spell on visitors 

The year was 1976, 

and the Commanding 

Officer of the 

amphibious Training 

Unit in Dorset looked 

at me, a royal Marines 

captain, across his desk. 

“I want you to give a lecture to the 

next Falkland Islands detachment 

when they arrive for their predeployment 

training,” he said. “But I 

don’t know a thing about the Falkland 

Islands, Colonel,” I said. 

“you soon will,” he retorted. 

Neither the Colonel nor I could have 

guessed how prophetic his reply would 

be. as I wandered off in search of the 

Times Atlas of the World, I cursed myself 

for being in the wrong place at the 

wrong time. Then, the royal Marines 

garrison was merely the tripwire 

against a potential aggressor. 

I studied the Falkland Islands, and 

became so fascinated by the place that 

I volunteered to go there myself. Three 

years after that point, including 13 

months spent with my family there, 

I concluded that you either hate the 

Falkland Islands or you love them. My 

wife and I love them and both of us 

have returned, in my case, often. With 

30 years passing since the conflict, I 

shall return again this year. 

So, why the fascination? My career 

in the royal Marines as a landing 

craft officer had long involved me 

in the practicalities of amphibious 

warfare and the use of landing craft 

in particular. It requires a serious 

working knowledge of beaches, their 

approaches, gradients, runnels, sand 

bars, surf, exits and ‘trafficability’, 

as well as adverse weather and 

topographical conditions. Being a 

yachtsman as well as a royal Marine, 

the opportunity to combine my 

military duty with my private hobby 

among the barely-surveyed Falkland 

waters filled me with enthusiasm. 

The Falklands lie in the South 

atlantic Ocean at roughly the same 

distance from the South Pole as 

London is from the North Pole. This 

archipelago of 778 islands totals about 

4,700 square miles with 15,000 miles 

of deeply indented coastline offering 

shelter for ships in any winds. Not all 

made it and, sadly, over 300 wrecks are 

recorded in the local waters. 

Once on the Falklands, you’ll find 

countryside that is hilly rather than 

mountainous, with stone outcrops 

on the peaks, somewhat like the tors 

of Dartmoor. Much of the ground 

is covered with tussock and white 

grass that, from a distance, can paint 


the hillsides a beautiful golden 

colour, particularly at dawn 

and dusk, and an estimated 

85 per cent of the surface is peat. 

Although I’m no birdwatcher, 

there are around 66 breeding species 

with an estimated 90 visitors: figures 

that include five varieties of penguins. 

As a mariner, I’m fascinated by the 

two dolphins in the region: the playful 

Commerson’s, known as the ‘puffing 

pig’, and the more sedate Peale’s. 

It’s A PlACe where the weather 

changes by the minute, and I’ve seen 

it be windy, snowy, calm, sunny, cool, 

warm and damp in the space of one 

hour. Year round, however, it’s quite 

dry. the islands enjoy 200 more sunny 

hours a year than Plymouth and are 

considerably drier than Manchester, 

“You’ll find countryside that is hilly 

rather than mountainous, with stone 

outcrops on the peaks, somewhat 

like the tors of Dartmoor” 

Lt-Col EwEn southby-tailyour obE, 

became UK Yachtsman of the Year in 

1982. His research remains the most 

comprehensive Falklands sailing guide 

and the temperature extremes are less 

too. the only real difference is the 

wind. Plymouth’s average yearly wind 

speed is four knots. stanley’s is 17. 

Winter and summer gales emphasise 

the wind-chill factor, but there are 

many calm periods, and with an 

unpolluted atmosphere, sunburn is a 

threat. But Ibiza this is not. snow has 

been recorded in every month of the 

year and the sea is cool. 

What has changed, and will certainly 

continue to change, is the population’s 

perception of their economy and 

their future. Clearly coupled to those 

variables, is the prolonged and far 

from satisfactory current international 

This page: Cast-iron Cape Pembroke 

lighthouse stands guard over the entrace to 

stanley harbour. it was built to warn ships 

away from dangerous billy rock reef 

political situation with its links to 

the fishing and mineral resources. 

When I first went to the 

Falklands, the colony existed 

entirely on the unstable wool 

market – from the island’s 600,000 

Corriedale cross Merino sheep – 

augmented by very collectable postage 

stamps, which bought in £150,000 per 

annum. the 1,800 inhabitants worked 

ridiculously hard and played even 

harder. life was unsophisticated and 

basic for the Kelpers, as the islanders 

are known. there were no restaurants, 

no television or newspapers. Almost 

every meal was mutton and root 

crops, sometimes enlivened by 

wine made from the local Diddle 

dee berry. Cooking and heating was 

with peat. Fuel for tractors and the 

ubiquitous land Rovers came courtesy 

of Argentina, as did the mail and air 


51

DISCOVER 

THE FALKLAND ISLANDS 

“I was able to visit many 

of the islands, shoals and 

narrow passes of this 

stunning cruising ground, 

a sailor’s heaven” 

A HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE 

Although primarily 

known as a home for 

sheep – there are over 

half a million here – 

the Falkland Islands 

is a wildlife haven of 

international importance. 

Similar to Patagonia 

in Chile in terms of its 

South Atlantic terrain 

and habitats, the islands’ 

natural abundance has 

been eclipsed in the 

public eye by the 1982 

confl ict. But even the 

most fl eeting visitor 

cannot fail to see that the 

Falklands is rich in wildlife, 

and Noble Caledonia’s 

tours help guests get 

close to the fauna. 

The two main islands 

of East Falkland and 

West Falkland are 

abundant enough, but 

the 776 smaller islands, 

many unpopulated by 

humans, are teeming 

in life. There are fi ve 

main penguin species 

in long term residence 

– king, rockhopper, 

magellanic, gentoo, and 

macaroni – with a few 

lesser species that don’t 

breed. In addition, there 

is the largest breeding 

population of blackbrowed 

albatross in the 

world, several species of 

petrel… all in all, around 

230 bird species, over 60 

of which breed here. 

In the sea, on the 

beaches and the tussac 

grass behind, watch 

out for the Falklands’ 

14 species of marine 

mammal, including 

killer whales, Peale’s 

dolphin, fur seal, sea lion 

and elephant seal. The 

breeding site at Volunteer 

Point has over 500 of the 

latter. Small wonder that 

wildlife tourism to the 

Falklands is growing, and 

with it comes a greater 

conservation awareness. 

Sadly, there is one 

animal that you are 

extremely unlikely to 

see, the warrah, or 

Falklands Islands wolf. 

This was the only native 

land mammal found on 

the islands, and the last 

one was apparently shot 

in 1876. Their tameness, 

and their threat to the 

sheep industry, seems to 

have been their undoing. 

Despite the warrahs’ 

demise, what you will 

see in the Falklands is 

remarkably similar to 

what Charles Darwin 

surveyed here over a 

century and a half ago, a 

place where wildlife goes 

mostly undisturbed. 

travel. Thrice a year, a stores ship 

brought heavy goods from the UK and 

took away wool. There was no leisure 

industry, no tourists. The economy 

was declining and, to add salt to the 

wound, the British Government was 

slowly allowing Argentina to believe 

the Falklands were there for the taking. 

From Government House’s drawing 

rooms to remote shearing sheds, 

the question on every Kelper’s lips 

was: ‘When will they come?’. Then 

something did stir when a Foreign 

& Commonwealth Offi ce (FCO) 

department decided that their tripwire 

should become more ‘pro-active’. 

The 44 Royal Marines, with no extra 

weapons and men, were to confront 

any invader on the beaches and 

landing grounds in the expectation 

that three weeks bargaining time 

might be bought in the United 

Nations. My job was to write the 

procedures for buying that time, as 

a precursor to any re-invasion. 

LOOKING FOR the ideal landing site 

gave me the perfect excuse to study 

every beach I could throughout the 

archipelago; paradise for a yachtsman 

and landing craft offi cer. I was able 

to visit many of the islands, shoals 

and narrow passes of this stunning 

cruising ground, a sailor’s heaven that 

is slowly being re-discovered by more 

adventurous yachtsmen and women. 

Then, overnight in April 1982, invasion 

became reality within three hours, not 

three weeks. Martial law was imposed. 

Land Rovers were to drive on the right 

and Spanish was to be spoken. 

The subsequent confl ict was short 

and bloody. Despite the then Foreign 

Secretary and the chiefs of the Army 

and Air Force initially believing that 

once lost the Falklands could not be 

regained, British amphibious forces 

led by the Royal Navy invaded again 

on 21 May. My role was to help the 

commanders choose the invasion 

beaches: a task that continued as we 

fought our way east towards Stanley, by 

land, air and beaches until Argentina 

capitulated on 14 June. By modern 

standards it was an unusual campaign: 

fought cleanly and with a beginning, 

middle and end. Tragically, there were 

nearly 900 casualties, including three 

Falkland Islands women. 

Now we can ask ‘for what?’ For 

Argentina – while losing a war was 

hard to accept – democracy was 

restored. For the Falkland Islands 

the threat of invasion was removed. 

Damocles’s sword had fi nally fallen… 

and missed. 

Thirty years on, walking along 

Ross Road that runs along Stanley 

Harbour’s southern shore, the change 

is glaringly, gloriously obvious. There is 

revenue from fi shing licences, income 

from dozens of visiting cruise ships, 

and – as I write – a local oil company 

estimates that 350 million barrels are 

awaiting from 2016. Oil may not help 

relationships with Argentina now but 

in the late 1970s, when the possibility 

of oil was fi rst suspected, an outline 

plan was for the British to drill it and 

pipe it ashore to Comodoro Rivadavia 

port, where Argentina would refi ne 

it and sell it on the world’s markets. 

Everyone would have benefi ted, 

but unfortunately that convenient 

outcome was forfeited in 1982. 

It’s not the Falkland Islands’ 

new-found wealth that demonstrates 

the greatest change to the colony 

but the remarkable turnaround of 

morale. There is a brilliant future 

here and it shows in the face of every 

Kelper. There is immense gratitude 

demonstrated by the islanders’ to the 

British Government and the men and 

women who fought for their freedom. 

Falkland Islanders are now returning 

with new skills instead of emigrating. 

At least one helicopter pilot is a young 

Kelper woman. For me, returning as 

often as I can, that positive attitude 

continues to make it all worthwhile 

and is part of my love for the Falkland 

Islands. As to the Kelpers, they are 

a canny breed. Why, there are still 

600,000 sheep here used for wool and 

meat. If the money runs out they will 

always have a future. • 


THE REMOTEST ISLAND IN THE WORLD 

The first glimpse of tristan da cunha 

is exhilarating. its 6,760ft volcanic peak 

can be glimpsed on the horizon from 

around 60 miles away, rising from the 

south atlantic like a beacon. indeed, 

travellers might be forgiven for becoming 

overwhelmed by this sight of land, 

coming as it does at the end of a long sea 

passage from south africa that can take 

six days and 1,500 miles, with gulls and 

albatrosses the only company apart from 

the ship’s crew and fellow guests. For 

tristan da cunha is the remotest island in 

the world. 

This winter, noble caledonia 

launches its first expedition cruise that 

takes in this small green pearl of the 

ocean, roughly halfway between south 

africa and argentina. as part of the 

itinerary Passage to tristan da cunha & 

beyond: an atlantic odyssey from cape 

town to Patagonia, the ms island sky will 

stop at tristan da cunha for five days, 

including new Year’s eve. the 2011-12 

cruise sold out very quickly, and travellers 

are urged to book early for the second trip 

in 2012-13 (see ready to Go box, opposite) 

to avoid disappointment. 

It’s a wonderful opportunity to visit 

the island, particularly as you can’t even 

fly to tristan da cunha, and landings are 

seriously limited. as one sails close to the 

island, the largest in a small archipelago, 

ominous black cliffs loom from the 

northern shore until a small plateau 

becomes visible. then, there’s a little 

harbour, guarded with concrete blocks 

to keep out the fierce sea, and suddenly 

you’re on land: a little wobbly perhaps, but 

welcome after the long sailing. 

Tristan da Cunha was discovered 

in 1506 by the eponymous Portuguese 

explorer. it was later annexed by the 

british in 1816, to forestall a possible 

French incursion to rescue napoleon, 

who had been exiled to st Helena, a mere 

1,180 miles away. then british, italian, 

and us settlers began to populate the 

island in the mid-1800s, and it remains 

under uk jurisdiction, with sterling as legal 

currency and extremely collectable royal 

mail stamps. 

That said, there isn’t much to spend 

your money on here, although that’s hardly 

the point. You’ll want to meet some of 

the 270 islanders, called tristanians, who 

share a small handful of surnames; spend 

time on the only flat part of the volcanic 

landmass; and find tristan da cunha’s 

population hub, the romantically-titled 

edinburgh of the seven seas. 

The friendly locals are, as you’d 

expect, a hardy breed. in 1961, half a 

century ago, the island’s volcano erupted 

and the landing area was covered in a 

lava flow. all the tristanians had to be 

evacuated, but returned to populate the 

island once again. 

There are few excursions. one can walk 

around the rugged terrain, and go to the 

Potato Patches, little walled plots where 

the tristanians grow their vegetables. one 

can take fishing excursions, take part in 

climbs and even play golf. You can visit 

other parts of the archipelago such as 

inaccessible island and Gough island, and 

it’s a rare visitor that doesn’t go to the 

Prince Philip Hall and the albatross bar – 

the island’s only pub. 

At the museum and craft centre you’ll 

find out about tristanian history, including 

the reverend erwin H dodgson, brother 

of lewis carroll, who served here as a 

minister from 1881-84. but the greatest 

joy in tristan da cunha is to meet the 

tristanians, who have 

a name for those 

who stay awhile: 

‘station fellas’. 

even a five-day 

sojourn will 

be enough for 

you to join this 

select band. 

discover 

the falkland islands 

Ready to go 


Passage to Tristan da Cunha 

and Beyond 

22 december 2012 to 15 January 2013, 

24 nights from £7995 > Aboard Ms Island sky 

this adventure cruise combines days at sea with calls 

to little visited islands, accompanied by former mP 

matthew Parris and animal ecologist albert beintema. 


From days 7 to 11 stay on the remote island gem of 

Tristan da Cunha, then witness the ‘alps in midocean’ 

during your three-day visit to south Georgia. 


Falkland Islands: spot armies of majestic king 

penguins, as well as nesting albatrosses. 



Similar tours of interest 

The Magic of south America a private jet experience 

with the captain’s choice tour, including a visit to the 

Falkland islands accompanied by ewen southby-tailyour. 

19 nights from £15,950. departs 27 march 2012. 

Patagonia – Land of Fire & Ice a south america 

odyssey that explores the wilderness of chile’s lake 

district,argentina, buenos aires and the Falklands. 

21 nights from £6295, aboard ms island sky. departs 

5 January 2012 and 11 January 2013. 



53

SECTION HEAD 

PAGE CONTENT DESCRIPTION 

Be prepared... 

Whatever your destination or transport, you 

can add glamour and comfort to your journey 

with a simple checklist of toiletries. 

Refresh and protect 

No-hassle wipes go the distance when it 

comes to refreshing skin during a long journey. 

No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes from Boots 

not only remove make-up and impurities, but 

they also tone and moisturise: all in one wipe. 

Home away from home 

Perfect for taking on your holiday, the Body 

Shop Travel Kit is a functional, re-usable clear 

toiletry bag, complete with a selection of 

multi-purpose empty, compact bottles, jars 

and a spatula for decanting all your favourite 

products from home. 

Looking good 

Freshening eye drops are good for tired eyes 

after long fl ights or nonstop sightseeing tours. 

Try Blink Revitalising Eye Drops, or Boots 

Contacts Eye Drops if you wear lenses. 

Sun smart 

Opt for a variety of different SPF creams to 

give you complete sun and wind protection 

during your entire holiday. The Supergoop 

Weekend Away Essentials set includes the 

full spectrum of SPF products to keep you 

protected from head-to-toe – four sunscreen 

wipes, a refi llable SPF spray, MintFusion SPF 

lip balm and an SPF sunstick. 

RéVive Renewal Travel Kit £165 

This beauty kit – the epitome of travel luxury – features an 

array of Renewal skin care bestsellers in travel-size. Delve 

into the chic, compact metallic case to fi nd a luscious lineup 

of anti-ageing treatments: as well as cleanser, toner and 

moisturising cream, there’s eye and neck renewal creams, 

and a cellular repair cream. This stylish travel companion 

from Space NK is the perfect accoutrement to your Chanel 

tote – an expensive but very rewarding treat. 

■ More information: www.spacenk.co.uk 

On trial… 

Maintain your hair, body and skin care 

routine on the move with this range of 

travel beauty packs – the perfect 

companion, wherever you are 

Molton Brown Women’s Traveller 2011 £40 

On any trip away from home, toiletries are obviously a must – and this well-balanced 

selection of six travel-sized body and hair products is ideal for travelling. With all 

your essentials in one bag, this beauty kit contains a body scrub, an invigorating 

shower gel, and body and hand lotions. All smell divine and will keep your skin in 

tip-top condition. From the delicious Paradisiac Pink Pepperpod-scented shower gel 

and body lotion to keep you smelling delicious, to the perfect on-the-move Hydrate 

Desert Bloom hand cream, there is everything you need to stay pampered. Although 

the set would be more complete with a more practical carry bag – rather than a gift 

box and clear airport security bag – the products do come in generous amounts, 

and are ideal for a short break. 

■ More information: www.moltonbrown.co.uk 


Clinique 3-Step Introduction Kit £20 

For beauty on the go, this simple yet effective set is ideal for any woman 

looking to juggle a hectic travel itinerary with a skin care regime. The threeminute 

routine – cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturise – is quick and easy to do 

every morning and night. These introduction kits are not only perfectly sized 

for the suitcase, they are custom-fi t by skin type – from very dry through to 

very oily – to help you target any problem areas. The nifty bottles contain 

more than enough for a ten-day break and, because they are a high quality 

product, a little really does go a long way. 

■ More information: www.clinique.co.uk 

Liz Earle Beauty Travel Essentials Kit £83.75 

You can travel in style with this pampering multi-tasking set for beautiful 

skin on-the-move. Containing handy-sized travel products in a nifty zip-up 

cosmetic pouch, this set from Liz Earle includes everything you need for 

healthy and radiant skin for your whole trip – so there’s no need to scrimp. 

From the Orange Flower Botanical Body Wash to the Instant Boost Skin 

Tonic, the products have a gorgeous smell and are very pleasant to use. The 

Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser with muslin cloths is a real treat for the 

face: however, an SPF suncream would be a useful addition to make this a 

truly exceptional all-in-one beauty package. Expensive, but for those with a 

yen for beauty regimes, this is a good buy. 

■ More information: www.uk.lizearle.com 

Elemis Think Pink Beauty Kit £29.90 

Proof that the best things really do come in 

small packages, this beauty kit includes three 

perfectly proportioned, if not unusual, holiday 

treats for face and body. Acting as an introduction 

to the Pro Collagen body care range, this contains 

a fi rming cream, anti-ageing moisturiser and 

shower cream – it is perfect for popping straight 

in the hand luggage. The pink beauty case is hardwearing 

and stylish enough to want to keep, and 

its contents are the height of travel luxury. While 

this set lacks all those skin and hair care essentials 

– and would certainly need to be topped up with 

other products – it does allow you to streamline 

your cosmetics bag by downsizing some of those 

other beauty faithfuls. 

■ More information: www.timetospa.co.uk 

ONE FOR THE MEN 

Molton Brown Men’s Stowaway 2011 £46 

These six travel-sized men’s grooming products are 

compact enough for travelling, yet ample for keeping 

up appearances. The stylish, fabric travel bag with 

water-resistant lining contains luxury essentials to 

keep men feeling smooth, clean and fresh. Molton 

Brown’s best-loved body, shaving and skin care 

products have been downsized – and with a choice 

of Re-charge Black Pepper, Cool Buchu and Bracing 

Silverbirch, there is a body wash for every mood. 

■ More information: www.moltonbrown.co.uk 


57

SECTION HEAD 


of the best... 

Cathedrals 

Stir the soul with a visit to these 

majestic edifi ces – all world-renowned, 

all on Noble Caledonia itineraries 

ST BASIL’S: MOSCOW 

1 Few cathedrals symbolise the heart of a nation: Saint Basil’s in Moscow is 

one of them. A confection of colourful domes, the fully-named Cathedral of the 

Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, Temple of Basil the Blessed is 

the icon of Russia and the centrepiece of Red Square. First consecrated in 1561 

(it was made secular in 1929), it was built by Ivan the Terrible to commemorate 

the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan, and is known as Russia’s Jerusalem. 

Did you know... unlike many cathedrals, which have lost their original 

colours, St Basil’s has become brighter since it was first built. 

Pay a visit while on: 

• Timeless Russia, a river cruise along the Volga linking the great cities of St Petersburg 

and Moscow (departs 26 July 2012; 8 September 2012; and 30 September 2012). 

• St Petersburg to Moscow (departs 24 May 2012). 

DON’T MISS the historical Rhine – page 35 

2 COLOGNE 

CATHEDRAL 

Perhaps it’s because Cologne was 

so heavily bombed in World War II 

that its phenomenal cathedral – the 

High Cathedral of Saints Peter and 

Mary – is such a high point to the city. 

It was planned in the 13th century 

as a fit place to receive papal visitors 

and to store the reliquary of the Three 

Wise Men. Now the Cathedral is 

renowned as one of the world’s finest 

expressions of Gothic architecture, 

Germany’s most visited attraction 

and, with towers about 157m high, it is 

one of the world’s largest churches. 

Did you know... The Cathedral was 

not considered complete until 1880, 

632 years after building started. 


• Glories of the Rhine, explore the 

waterways of the Low Countries along 

the Rhine to Basle (departs 1 May 2012). 

58 ODYSSEY AUTUMN/WINTER 2011-2012 

HAGIA SOPHIA: 3 ISTANBUL 

The Hagia Sophia was begun when 

Istanbul was called Constantinople 

and centre of the Eastern Church. 

It acted as an Eastern Orthodox 

Cathedral (562–1204, 1261–1453), 

and a Roman Catholic Cathedral 

(1204–1261). In the 15th century 

it became a mosque under the 

Ottoman Empire and now it’s a 

museum, still being restored. Hagia 

Sophia, meaning ‘Holy Wisdom’ in 

Latin, was the largest church in the 

world for nearly 1,000 years. 

Did you know... The Omphalion, 

meaning ‘navel of the earth’, is a 

segment of the main floor where 

emperors were crowned. 


• Crimean Odyssey, from the Golden 

Horn into the great inland sea of myths 

and legends (departs 1 October 2012). 

1 

2 

3

5 

SACRED 

SITES 

Visit Russia’s magnificent 

cathedrals on the 

Passage to Astrakhan 

2012 trip. Full details at 

www.noble-caledonia. 

co.uk 

4 

ST STEPHEN’S: 4 VIENNA 

With its multicoloured, diamondtiled 

roof, St Stephen’s Cathedral is 

Vienna’s centrepiece and Austria’s 

most eminent Gothic edifice. The 

roof was added in 1952, following 

fires in WWII: one of many conflicts 

witnessed by the implacable building. 

First built in 1147, and rebuilt in the 

early 14th century, this is a building 

full of myth and legend. The tower is 

known by the Viennese as Old Steve; 

the main entrance to the church is 

called the Giant’s Door (Riesentor), 

referring to the thighbone of a 

mastodon that decorated it after 

being unearthed in the 15th century. 

Did you know... Mozart was 

married in St Stephen’s in 1782 

and his funeral took place here in 

December 1791. 


• Mozart on the Danube, a river 

voyage between Budapest and Bavaria 

with London Festival Opera (departs 5 

September 2012; 22 and 30 October 2012). 

5 MONREALE 

CATHEDRAL: 

SICILY 

Monreale Cathedral in Sicily 

hosts one of the most exquisite 

expressions of Norman architecture. 

Simple, handsome and fortified, 

Monreale – begun in 1174 by William 

II – represents the pinnacle of the 

Arab-Norman style. The doorways 

and pointed arches are rich with 

carving; extensive mosaic tells of the 

Byzantine influence; and a marble 

fountain is believed to be the work of 

Muslim masons. The cathedral is in 

Monreale (literally ‘Royal Mountain’) 

from where it overlooks Palermo. 

Did you know… There is an image 

of Thomas Becket, the murdered 

Archbishop of Canterbury, 

depicted in a mosaic in the 

cathedral’s main apse – the first 

work of art to honour the saint. 


• Athens to Rome, a Mediterranean 

voyage to Minoan Crete and the treasures of 

Byzantine Sicily (departs 19 March 2012). 

AUTUMN/WINTER 2011-2012 ODYSSEY 

59

SECTION HEAD 


SURF 

YOUR 

CRUISE… 

We’ve done a lot of talking to you, our guests 

and readers and, as part of our desire to bring 

you as much information about Noble Caledonia 

as possible, we’ve developed Travel Post – a 

dedicated website. With the same title as our fi rst 

brochure, Travel Post is packed with information 

about Noble Caledonia and its cruises. Here we 

show you how to use it… 

What is Travel Post? 

TRAVEL POST is a website for guests and clients of Noble 

Caledonia – as well as cruise enthusiasts at large. On it we 

feature sections for: 

• Clients and browsers to receive advice and reviews about 

Noble Caledonia cruises 

• Noble Caledonia to post new articles from writers 

dispatched from our expeditions, plus ships’ logs written by 

our expedition leaders, captains and field staff 

• You, our passengers and friends, to post blogs – that is, 

internet diary entries (see glossary, opposite) – about your 

experiences and wishes, and also have a place to share new 

discoveries and old memories 

TRAVEL POST will also use new methods to describe our 

cruises, including video links and live chats and posts 

from onboard staff. 

Using Travel Post as an online member 

TRAVEL POST will enable Noble Caledonia’s clients and 

other guests to: 

• Meet fellow travellers 

• Post questions 

• Answer questions and give advice 

We hope you will use the site to: 

• Create a virtual profile for yourself 

• Share your travel and cruise photographs and discoveries 

• Search for country and destination information – via our 

interactive map 

• Find out detailed information about our ships 

• Read and rate our articles 

• Experience ‘real-time’ updates and articles – specifically 

Captain’s blogs 

LAUNCHING DECEMBER 2011 • LAUNCHING DEC 

Breaking news: Follow live updates from our ships, or share 

your own adventures simply by completing a blog form 

Stay in touch 

Blogs and ship logs: Browse through our logs for a day-to-day 

account of small ship cruising from the experts or have a look 

at our Captain’s Blog and Field Staff Blog. You can even post 

your own travel diary to our Travellers Blog. 

Information point 

Forums: Got a question about a 

destination or particular cruise? 

Post your query on the Q&A 

Directory and revisit the website 

to read your answers. 

Feedback: Browse the web page for discussion threads about a 

range of subjects – and take part in the online dialogue yourself 


EMBER 2011 • LAUNCHING DECEMBER 2011 • LAUNCHING DECEMBER 2011 

Be prepared 

Country guides and maps: Browse 

our comprehensive destination guides; 

from history to climate, geography to 

social etiquette. 

Get inspired... 

Cruising and land articles: Whether you TAKE 

are interested in Small Ship, Adventure PART 

& Expedition or River cruising, we have 

an extensive collection of articles to & WIN! 

Sign up by 1 January 2012 

inspire your next journey of discovery. for the chance to win one of 

five Amazon Kindles 

courtesy of Noble 

Caledonia 

Read before you leave: Search 

by country name or by world 

region for destination facts, fi gures 

and a currency converter 

Travel 

Post 

travelpost.noblecaledonia.co.uk 

WE AT Noble Caledonia 

hope that the Travel Post 

website will be a primary 

source of inspiration for 

those interested in small 

ship cruising – and an 

enjoyable experience in 

itself. Travel Post also offers 

you a more informal way to 

give us feedback, enabling 

us to continue improving 

as the leading small ship 

cruising company. 

Please note that Noble 

Caledonia will always act to 

preserve our members’ and 

guests privacy online 

in accordance with the 

Data Protection Act 

TRAVELPOST 

NET LINGO 

Internet for beginners: 

a glossary 

BLOG 

Short for ‘web log‘, a blog is a site 

to which one or more people post 

their personal observations on 

particular subjects. 

BOOKMARK 

A fi le within a browser 

in which an internet user 

can save the addresses of 

interesting or frequently 

used websites, so that 

they are readily available 

for re-use. 

BULLETIN BOARD 

An area of a website where 

users can post messages for 

other users to read. In most cases, 

readers can contact the author of 

a bulletin board message by email. 

CHAT 

A feature offered by many 

websites that allows participants 

to ‘chat’ by typing messages 

that are displayed almost instantly 

on the screens of other participants 

who are using the chat room – 

also called an Online Forum. 

Generally, participants remain 

anonymous, using nicknames 

and virtual profi les to identify 

themselves online. 

DISCUSSION GROUP 

OR NEWSGROUP 

An online area where users can 

read and add or post comments 

about a specifi c topic. 

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Pages which list and answer the 

questions most often asked 

about a website, newsgroup, etc. 

The FAQ page often provides 

essential information. 

LINK 

A word, phrase, or image 

highlighted in a hypertext 

document to act as a navigation aid 

to related information. Links may 

be indicated with an underline, 

a colour contrast, or a border. 


61

Games&Gains 

Enter these amazing competitions or relax with the Odyssey crossword… 

Enjoy the wildlife of the Channel 

Islands and beyond, worth £5,190! 

Be the fi rst to experience 

MS Caledonian Sky – one of 

the fi nest small cruise ships in the world 

Spring Garden and Bird Quest 8 nights from £5,190 aboard the MS Caledonian Sky, 12-20 May 2012 

Get 2012 off to a memorable start: be one of the 

fi rst to experience Noble Caledonia’s superb 

new ship – MS Caledonian Sky – as she sails 

around the Channel Islands, Isles of Scilly, Lundy and 

northern France. 

Whether you are an avid gardener, birdwatcher or 

simply enjoy sailing past and visiting some of the most 

enchanting places in the world, this garden and bird 

quest has something for everyone. 

There will be the opportunity to visit some beautiful 

island gardens, including Monet’s garden on the Seine 

at Giverny and Seigneury Gardens on the traffi c-free 

island of Sark. You will also come into close contact 

The prize includes 8 nights aboard 

Caledonian Sky on the Spring Garden and 

Bird Quest cruise, departing 12 May 2012, 

including full board, shore excursions, 

expedition team, port taxes and transfers 

as detailed, but not travel insurance, 

optional shore excursions or gratuities. 

The prize is for two people sharing a Castle 

Standard cabin. The closing date for 

entries is 27 January 2012. The judge’s 

decision is fi nal and no correspondence 

will be entered into. Winners will be notifi ed 

with prolifi c bird life – particularly the puffi ns on Lundy 

– and sail past the rarely visited Les Sept isles, a haven 

for seabirds. 

The cruise visits some of Europe’s most beautiful 

islands, steeped in history, with sights including the 

majestic cathedral of Rouen, the enchanting Mont 

St Michel and the delights of St Malo. And, to make 

your journey of discovery all the more wonderful, our 

expedition staff will be onboard to share their wealth of 

local knowledge with you. 

For a chance to win this great prize, and to spend 

eight nights on the luxury Caledonian Sky, just answer 

the question opposite… 

within 14 days of the closing date, and 

Noble Caledonia will contact the winner 

to discuss the details of the cruise. No 

multiple entries will be allowed, and only 

one entry per household is permitted. No 

cash alternative is available. The prize is not 

transferable to another person, destination 

or date. However, Noble Caledonia reserves 

the right to change the competition prize 

should it no longer be available. The fi rst 

correct entry chosen after the closing date 

will be the winner. 

How to enter: 

Answer the question 

below and send your 

answer, with your name 

and address: 


Spring Garden and Bird 

Quest Competition, 

2 Chester Close, 

Belgravia, 

London SW1 7BE. 

The closing date is Friday, 

27 January 2012 

The name Lundy is 

believed to come from 

the Norse word for 

which bird? 

Terms & conditions apply 

as detailed below 

Winner of Autumn Colours of 

Scotland’s Highlands & Islands’ 

cruise competition last issue: 

Pat Pinfi eld of Purley, Surrey 

Crossword winner, last issue: 

Fay Anthony of Shrewsbury, 

who won £100 Noble 

Caledonia voucher 

MS Island 

Sky photo 

competition 

winner 

The winning entry 

from last issue’s photo 

competition is Bull 

Racing – Madura Style 

by David Pitt. The photo 

was taken at a bull race 

on Madura Island in Java, 

on 7 January 2010, during 

the Passage to Java and 

Beyond cruise aboard MS 

Island Sky. 


Across 

1 You spent them once in Oporto (7) 

5 See 26 across 

9 Wild bit of Ireland for the little girl that finished 

first (7) 

10 Bay all right to the east of settler landing site in 

Carolina (7) 

11 Wot a mess – a scattered Pacific island group 

(4,5) 

12 Vagrant walk (5) 

13 Speak lazily and take out a pound (5) 

15 The right answer is a queen of Egypt: enter if it is 

wrong (9) 

17 Laos is run from it even in a revolution (9) 

19 Smallest island in the Cyclades – I made loss in it 

(5) 

22 New gold docked in southern Pacific republic (5) 

23 Great vans crashed in Norwegian port (9) 

25 Baltic country stone back to front: fish turned 

round too (7) 

26 and 5 Celtic lover of Iseult, all mixed up and 

a chump ( no politician) to remote Atlantic isle 

(7,2,5) 

27 “Murderers were thus condemned,” that ode 

went (2,5) 

28 Joins up points and heels over (7) 

Down 

1 Wed, done, broken up, given money (7) 

2 Card game for basket cases? (7) 

3 Crude gas mask hides artist of the ballet (5) 

4 Old university where Wellington did well (9) 

5 Libyan city in Cyrenaica under national 

transitional council (5) 

6 Accountants are changed, harder, etc (9) 

7 Today’s swastika-waver element I found around 

Arizona (3-4) 

8 London theatre and development by the 

brothers Adam (I’d a help to crack this one) (7) 

14 Reformed, I tail a hun into Baltic state (9) 

16 Left confused roundabout man in Perth’s port 

(9) 

17 Cable at full length (7) 

18 Former spouse in the last edition – rejoiced too 

much (7) 

20 Ambassadors from the French to Bill, the rich 

American (7) 

21 None of these attached if it’s a straightforward 

deal (7) 

23 Ruin tennis shot (5) 

24 Tempest’s spirit: Marie lost her reason 

containing him (5) 

Crossword by: Snail 

Send your answers to: Odyssey Crossword, 2 Chester 

Close, Belgravia, London SW1X 7BE. The closing date 

is 27 January 2012. The winner is the fi rst correct entry 

chosen after this date. Usual T&Cs apply (see left). The 

winner will win a £100 voucher from Noble Caledonia. 

For the answers to the last crossword, email odyssey@ 

noble-caledonia.co.uk, or write to the above address. 

GAMES & GAINS 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 

9 10 

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 

11 12 

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 

13 14 15 16 

17 1 18 1 1 1 1 1 1 

17 18 19 20 21 

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 

22 23 24 

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 

25 29 26 

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 

27 31 28 

Photo 

caption 

competition 

For your chance to 

win a £200 Noble 

Caledonia voucher, 

write a caption for 

the image, right. 

How to enter: 

Send your entries to Odyssey Photo Competition, 

2 Chester Close, Belgravia, London SW1X 7BE. The closing date is 

27 January 2012. The winning caption will be awarded £200 worth 

of Noble Caledonia vouchers. The editor’s decision is fi nal. 

DISCOVER 

the mighty Mekong 

as it meanders 

through Laos. See 

page 22 


63

Let’s go to…. 

ROME 

HISTORY 

By the celebrated Australian art critic 

Robert Hughes, Rome (£25, Weidenfeld 

and Nicholson) is typical of Hughes’ 

swashbuckling style, transforming history 

and art appreciation into a great narrative 

romp. Hughes has been going to Rome 

since 1959 and, while some reviewers 

contested his fact-checking, it’s typically 

pacy, muscular and engaging. 

SIGHTSEEING 

Rome has always attracted British tourists, 

and one of the first tourist guides, James 

Byrne, had an 18th-century itinerary that 

lasted no less than 38 days – well over a 

month. One of his clients was Edward 

Gibbon, and he was followed by Shelley, 

Byron, master architect John Soane and 

many others – leading up to the eight 

million annual visitors that the Eternal 

City receives today. When in Rome: 2000 

Years of Roman Sightseeing by Matthew 

Sturgis (£20, Frances Lincoln). 

WAR 

The last of our picks is an anti-Rome 

book: namely, Ben Kane’s brilliant take 

on Hannibal of Carthage’s revenge 

on the Roman empire. Set during the 

Second Punic War, it narrates Hannibal’s 

life and response to the First Punic War 

when Roman legions defeated Carthage, 

their only serious rival for power in the 

Mediterranean. Fictionalised history is 

Kane’s speciality, as seen in his bestselling 

book The Forgotten Legion Chronicles. 

Hannibal Enemy of Rome by Ben Kane 

(£12.99, Random House). 

Provence – Rome to the Middle Ages 

Discover more about the Roman Empire as 

you cruise along the Rhone. 


BOOK CLUB 

A round-up of the latest ENTICING HOLIDAY READS… 

RUNNING WITH FIRE: 

THE HAROLD ABRAHAMS STORY 

by Mark Ryan 

JR BOOKS £20 

IF YOU’VE SEEN Chariots 

of Fire you’ll know the 

story of how two very 

different young British 

athletes won gold medals 

at the Paris Olympics 

in 1924: Eric Liddell, 

a Sabbath-observing 

Scotsman in the 400 

metres, and Harold 

Abrahams, a determined, near-obsessive 

young Jew in the 100 metres. Abrahams went 

on to be a lawyer, a distinguished athletics 

administrator and radio commentator, and his 

biography is long overdue. 

In The Oldie, Frank Keating thought Ryan 

had produced ‘a monumentally researched, 

riveting biography’. It discloses the full story 

of how, at the Berlin Olympics in 1936, the 

BBC tried to stop Abrahams commentating 

on races involving the great American black 

sprinter Jesse Owens, in case Hitler was upset 

by commentary from a Jew. 

THE GREAT SEA: A HUMAN HISTORY OF 

THE MEDITERRANEAN 

by David Abulafi a 

ALLEN LANE £30 

THE MEDITERRANEAN has been ‘the most vigorous 

place of interaction between different societies on 

the face of this planet,’ declares David Abulafia, 

Professor of Mediterranean History at the University 

of Cambridge. Its contribution to the history of 

civilisation has ‘far surpassed [that of] any other 

expanse of sea’. 

According to the Economist’s anonymous 

reviewer, Abulafia marshals ‘a vast array of intricate 

detail’ in taking the reader ‘from the age of the 

Phoenicians and Trojans to the advent of modern 

tourism’ and distinguishing ‘epochs when the sea 

was kept safe by a single power – the Roman empire, 

the Royal Navy or the Sixth Fleet – from periods of 

intense strategic conflict and from times of free-forall 

between small powers, slave-traders and pirates.’ 

RUSSIA: A 1,000-YEAR 

CHRONICLE OF THE WILD EAST 

by Martin Sixsmith 

BBC BOOKS £25 

‘PUTIN’S RUSSIA 

might bear some of the 

external attributes of a 

democratic state, but 

the exercise of power 

has a lot in common with 

the Russian tradition of 

patrimonial autocracy 

stretching back to 

Stalin and the tsars,’ 

said historian Orlando Figes in the Sunday 

Times. This view underlines Martin Sixsmith’s 

essential thesis that Russia will always be ruled 

by strong men when the nation finds that liberal 

experiments fail or run into the sand. 

Written to accompany the highly praised 

25-part series for Radio 4, Figes found the style 

‘easy and colloquial, not unlike a radio script. 

Iain Finlayson in the Times, admired Sixsmith’s 

approach to this analysis of Russian identity 

that highlights moments of unruly destiny, 

‘when Russia could have opted for liberal 

reform rather than conservative autocracy’. 


Me and my travels 

Richard Ingrams 

the editor of the oldie, and former 

editor and co-founder of Private eye, 

extols the joys of quiet reading and 

avoiding crowds to oliver Bennett 

What was 

your most 

memorable 

holiday? 

Probably the one i made a couple 

of months ago with my son 

louis to uganda. it was so lush 

and tropical. we flew into the 

famous entebbe airport, went to 

the capital kampala, then went 

on a private safari to the Queen 

elizabeth national Park and took 

a little cessna to see uganda’s 

famous waterfalls. Sadly, we 

didn’t see the country’s gorillas 

but it was a great experience. 

What makes a holiday perfect? 

to me, having a lot of peace and 

quiet. this may be because i’m 

old, but i’ve always liked it. earlier 

this year i went to club med in 

mauritius with three boys and 

my new wife, Sara. i particularly 

enjoyed it as the boys were able 

to take off and do their own thing, 

while Sara and i could then read 

books on the beach, which was 

surprisingly quiet, as the people 

there seemed to prefer the pool. 

What do you always take on 

holiday with you? 

Several books. nowadays i tend 

to take books that i’ve read before 

– i can’t remember them so it’s 

like reading them anew. i tend 

to pack thrillers and detective 

stories: i’m a great fan of 

ruth rendell. 

Have you had any 

travel disasters? 

not really – only the normal 

run of delays at airports. 

that’s typical now, isn’t it? 

Are you good at packing? 

i always pack light, of course. 

What activities do you 

particularly enjoy while 

travelling? 

i’m very inactive, and like to relax. 

i do like swimming in the sea, and 

strolls listening to music. i always 

pack an old-fashioned Sony 

walkman for this purpose and, 

of course, i listen to classical 

music, which i consider to be 

proper music. 

What or who do you try 

to avoid when travelling? 

being trapped with bores. the 

answer is to travel in a group 

so that you don’t get stuck with 

someone you‘d rather avoid. i 

usually go on holiday with family 

or a group of friends. 

Where do you like to go 

in your leisure time? 

i live in a very nice place in 

“i always pack an old-fashioned 

Sony walkman and, of course, 

i listen to classical music, which 

i consider to be proper music” 

berkshire and so i don’t tend to 

race about that much. i’m very 

keen on africa and would like to 

return. i also very much like the 

Greek islands. 

Are there any destinations 

that are still underrated? 

what i liked about uganda was 

that it wasn’t at all crowded. 

when we went to see the 

murchison waterfalls, there were 

very few other people there. 

these days, it’s hard to find 

places that aren’t overrun with 

tourists. if you go to St Peter’s [in 

the Vatican city, rome] you 

have to wait an hour and a half 

before you can get in to see it. 

i’d almost rather not, under those 

circumstances. For example, 

although i’d like to see machu 

Picchu [the inca site in Peru], 

i’m not desperate to go as it’s 

so crowded. 

Where are you off to next? 

down the nile with noble 

caledonia. i‘ve only been to 

egypt once and it was quite 

brief, so i’m very much looking 

forward to it. • 


What Noble Caledonia means to me... 

Noble Caledonia cruises are not just a means to access wonderful 

and remote destinations, they offer the chance to learn so much more 

about the people and the places. And it is the Zodiac which is the secret 

weapon of such expedition cruising. 

John Love 

lecturer, the hebrides and natural history 

The calibre of the Noble Caledonia staff and lecturers has remained 

exemplary: enthusiasm and knowledge across such a wide range of 

subjects – always relevant to the itinerary – is second to none, and the 

facilities on the ships get better and better. Here’s to the next 20 years... 

Roger Lovegrove 

wildlife and conservation author 

The arrival at the quayside and then boarding Island Sky feels like 

one is returning home. The friendly staff and the warmth of their 

welcome set the tone for the voyage. It is the guests that make every 

cruise special and Noble Caledonia is very good at creating a convivial 

atmosphere. For the guests, the special atmosphere of a small 

ship at sea encourages relaxation. 

Peter Warwick 

guest speaker, chairman of the 1805 club 

2 Chester Close, Belgravia, London SW1X 7BE 

Tel 020 7752 0000 

odyssey@noble-caledonia.co.uk

Odyssey magazine. - Noble Caledonia

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