Forward-thinking cruise ship passengers are being offered the chance to pick their own itinerary with an unusual Fred Olsen package due to set sail in October next year.
Braemar’s 15-night ‘You Choose Your Cruise’ sailing, which departs from Southampton on October 10, 2015, allows guests on board to vote for the next port of call as the cruise progresses, from two choices every 48 hours.
Nathan Philpot, sales and marketing director for Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “This incredibly exciting and innovative cruise gives our guests the chance to ‘steer the ship’.
“I think I can say with some confidence that this is certainly a very different type of holiday.
“And with a host of warm and sunny Mediterranean destinations to choose from, guests will not be disappointed.”
I think that I can say with some confidence that this is certainly a very different type of holiday
The first decision to make is whether to point Braemar towards Vigo in Spain, or Leixoes in Portugal.
Vigo is a fascinating old town where guests can visit the historic quarter, Cidade Vella, with its many narrow streets and quaint, interesting museums.
From Leixoes, passengers can visit Oporto – which was recently voted as the Best European Destination 2014 by European Consumers Choice – famous for its rich Port wine.
Next is a choice between Andalucian Malaga in Spain, where guests can visit the Alhambra Palace and Granada, or indulge in one of the local tapas bars, or they can opt for Gibraltar, with its unique blend of Anglo-Spanish culture and tax-free shopping.
Braemar will then cruise to either the vibrant and cosmopolitan Gaudi-inspired city of Barcelona in Spain, where guests can enjoy some of the local bars and restaurants, or they can choose to visit traditional Palamós, on the Spanish Costa Brava.
The Spanish options continue choosing between cultural Valencia or Mallorca’s cathedral city of Palma; then they must decide between the pleasant, ancient city of Cartagena, or the classic Costa Blanca harbour city of Alicante.
Guests will then pick between Andalusian Cadiz, for tours to beautiful Seville, with its traditional heritage of art and architecture, or opt to visit the Algarve region of Portugal, with a call into Portimão.
In this western area of the Algarve, guests can take in the beautiful beaches or take the opportunity to go shopping at one of the local boutiques.
The final choice for guests on this unusual cruise is the Galician city of Ferrol or La Coruna, both in Spain, with its stunning old town; from here, guests can take a tour to Unesco-listed Santiago de Compostela Cathedral.