n AS THE 1585 ton all-weather supply ship Pharos, she used to butt her way through storm-tossed seas around the Scottish coastline delivering provisions and spare parts to lighthouse keepers. Now, renamed Amazing Grace, this 43-year-old Dundee-built vessel noses sedately around the islands of the Caribbean with a cargo of pampered cruise passengers quaffing complimentary Bloody Mary's before breakfast.
The ship was pensioned off from her workhorse duties in the mid-80s and refurbished by her new owners, Windjammer Barefoot Cruises. Carrying 96 passengers she operates island hopping 13-day voyages between Trinidad and the Bahamas, calling at such tiny ports as Bequia - one of the last legal whaling stations in the world. However, as there is claimed to be only one surviving old harpooner on the island the humpbacks are fairly safe.
Cruise-only fares for the trip start at #756 and air fares, obtained separately, will add from around #470 depending on season. Six-day voyages on tall ships in the Windjammer fleet start from #417 cruise-only price. (Info: 01793 762175.)
n A series of specially discounted cruises, including free flights from Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen, has been inaugurated by Fred Olsen Lines. Their ships Black Prince and Black Watch sail from Dover to the Canaries, Mediterranean, the Baltic and North Cape. Flights from the Scottish airports are to Gatwick, and transfers to Dover and provided. Prices start at #1271 for a 14-night cruise to the Western Mediterranean.
The programme also includes a one-off month long voyage on the Black Watch to Norway, The Faroes, Iceland, Greenland, and Canada, leaving on September 1. It will take in the 1000-year-old Viking route of Erik the Red, and the home of Father Christmas in Greenland where the post office answers more than 100,000 letters a year from children. Starting at #3452, prices range up to #8200 for the Premier Suite on Marquee Deck.
n There's no escape for golf widows - or widowers - even at sea. The golf scene is figuring more and more in the pattern of cruise schedules afloat and ashore. Golf pros aboard ship help to perfect your swing; sophisticated computer simulators, as on the Royal Viking Sun, can create all the anguish and occasional elation of a real round of golf - and shore excursions take in top courses.
The P&O ship Victoria on its 13-night Iberian cruise in September carries two teaching professionals, one of whom - Ryder Cup player John Garner - has coached Ian Woosnam. Not a bad act to follow. And on the Norwegian Sea and Norwegian Crown of Norwegian Cruise Line you can take part in free golf clinics in the balmy Caribbean. The luxury six-star Radisson Diamond, where true addicts can subject their swing to computer analysis, has two cruises which each include three rounds of golf at top courses. Green fees are included in the prices, which start at #2375 for a seven-night fly cruise from Lisbon on June 15, and #2645 for a nine-night fly cruise from Dover to Lisbon in August. The good news is that if you don't take the golf package the price drops by #500.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article