Cape Town to Malaga
30 days
1-night hotel stay in Marrakesh
from $5,750 pp
New special offer prices
Excellent cruise choice for nature enthusiasts
Limited Availability: Book Now. All special offers are capacity controlled and may be removed at any time. Details of our Shore Excursions Program are being finalized and may be subject to change.
AEG190316SP
This carefully designed voyage from Cape Town to Malaga explores the wilderness of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, including the once-thriving diamond town of Kolmanskop and Sandwich Harbour Lagoon, plus the beautiful Atlantic Ocean islands of Cape Verde and Gran Canaria. Aegean Odyssey then sails to the enchanting shores of Morocco to discover the highlights of Agadir, Casablanca and Tangier before this incredible adventure comes to an end in Malaga.
Guests using Voyages to Antiquity's air program may depart one day earlier due to air schedules, and will have an overnight hotel stay post-cruise before their flight home. Please call for details.
Please note: all activities, guest lecture topics and other day-by-day events listed as taking place on-board Aegean Odyssey are subject to change and may be rescheduled or cancelled at any time.
Kolmanskop is Namibia's most well-known ghost town, situated in the Spergebiet or “forbidden territory”, just a few kilometers inland from Luderitz.
In 1908, the railway worker Zacharias Lewala found a sparkling stone amongst the sand while he was working in a railway maintenance team near Kolmanskop. His supervisor, August Stauch, was convinced it was a diamond, and when this was confirmed, the news spread like wildfire, sparking a “Diamond Rush” which caused fortune hunters to converge on the town in droves.
Kolmanskop soon became a bustling centre providing workers with shelter from the harsh environment of the Namib Desert. Large, elegant houses were built and it soon resembled a German town, complete with an impressive array of amenities including a hospital, ballroom, power station, school, 2-lane skittle alley, theatre, sports hall, casino, ice factory, butchery, bakery and the first x-ray station in the southern hemisphere.
The development of Kolmanskop reached its peak in the 1920s, with approximately 300 German adults, 40 children and 800 Ovambo contract workers living in the town. The drop in diamond sales after World War I, as well as the discovery of richer deposits further south at Oranjemund, resulted in the decline of Kolmanskop. Within a span of 40 years, the town lived, flourished and died.
Today the ghost town's crumbling ruins bear little resemblance to its former glory. The stately homes have been nearly demolished by the wind and are gradually becoming enveloped by encroaching sand dunes.
The area creates the perfect backdrop for good photographic opportunities, and film enthusiasts may be interested to know, that in 2000, the film The King Is Alive was filmed in Kolmanskop, with the town being utilized as the film's main setting. The town was also used as one of the locations in the 1993 film, Dust Devil.
During your tour, you will be given a short introduction covering the history of the town as well as the diamond industry today, and you’ll also visit some of the town’s more important buildings including the old hospital, post office and school. There will also be time to explore on your own.
Your destination is the Namib Naukluft National Park that encompasses part of the Namib desert (considered the world’s oldest) and the Naukluft mountain range. The park covers over 19,000 square miles and is the largest game reserve in Africa. On the way you’ll pass by endless waves of sand dunes, and when you think of Africa and the desert, this is the scene that comes to mind.
As you enter the Namib Naukluft National Park, you’ll turn onto the Welwitschia Drive where the landscape becomes dotted with the extraordinary Welwitschia Mirablis plant. Unique to Namibia, these prehistoric plants have adapted to their harsh habitat. Resembling a large wilted lettuce, Welwitschias only produce two leaves in their lifetime and can live for over 500 years. The locals in this area have dubbed the plant “two-leaf can’t die”. After stopping to view and discuss these amazing and resilient desert plants in their dramatic landscape, this tour continues to the ‘lunar landscape’. In this vast area of eroded valleys you can almost imagine you’re on the moon. Different species of lichen grow here, thanks to the sea fog, which rolls up to 20 miles inland and provides moisture for these desert-dwelling plants.
Take in the breathtaking views of the “moon” landscape before arrival in Swakopmund. Known as Swakop in Namibia, Swakopmund is the country's biggest coastal town and a mecca for Namibians on holiday. The city's German origins are quite pronounced in the beautiful old German Colonial buildings throughout the city, making an even starker contrast for this town sitting at the edge of the Namib Desert. One artefact of the German colonisation includes an old museum/store, selling genuine artefacts from the 19th century. Enjoy an orientation tour of the town, with its many beautiful historical buildings dating back to the turn of the century and built in the Art Nouveau style.
You will also have the opportunity to browse through the “Brauhaus” Gallery, which is a small shopping arcade in the centre of town. Return to Walvis Bay via the coastal road, passing sand dunes on one side and the sea on the other
Sandwich Harbour is a part of the Namib-Naukluft Park that many have heard of but very few have ever visited. Giant sand dunes run straight into the ocean, creating breathtaking sceneries and a unique off-road driving experience. Land Rovers take you to beautiful lookouts where you can feel the isolation for which Namibia and the Skeleton Coast are so famous.
The Sandwich Harbour Lagoon is a highlight of the Sandwich Harbour area with its large natural tidal lagoon. The lagoon is completely surrounded by large sand dunes and is only accessible by 4x4s - even this relies largely on the tides. The lagoon area is fed with fresh water seeping through the sand dunes, and contributes to the beauty and natural diversity of the area. The water plays a fundamental role, as it feeds the plants on the shores of the lagoon, which in turn stabilize the dunes, preventing them from silting up the area.
If the lagoon is not accessible, you will get a chance to see the lagoon area from one of the lookout spots. Depending on the tides and the swell, we will try to reach the Sandwich Harbour Lagoon along the beach. Alternatively, you will take an exciting dune ride to the lookout dune to get an aerial view.
Stop along the way to enjoy refreshments and, depending on weather conditions (wind), this will either be on top of a high dune overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, on the beach, or amongst the dunes. The route homewards will test the power of the vehicles on the dunes, the highlight being the 65m high roaring dune and its amazing views, giving you exceptional viewpoints on the return to Walvis Bay.
Take a short drive from the harbour to the jetty, where you board an open ski boat for a three-hour cruise on the Walvis Bay Lagoon. The water here is usually very calm and abundant with bird and marine life.
The boats depart the jetty and cruise around the harbour area, from here they cut across the lagoon to the moored Russian trawlers, where “inquisitive” seals will swim up to the boats hoping for something to eat. For the more adventurous passenger, there is the opportunity to feed fish to these playful animals.
Continue to Pelican Point, where a large seal colony and schools of dolphins, which swim alongside the boats, provide entertainment. Dolphins sighted are the Heavy Side and Bottlenose.
For bird lovers, apart from seeing many pelicans and cormorants, there are also common sightings of the White Chinned Petrel, Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Cape Gannet, Black Oystercatcher and more. Back at the jetty, re-board the coaches, and head back to the quayside.
Please note: this optional excursion can be booked using the signup sheet and paid for on-board the ship (all prices for purchases on-board Aegean Odyssey are listed in US dollars).
Located on the west coast of Southern Africa, Angola was under colonial rule until November 11, 1975, the date when it became an independent nation. The Angolan Civil War began after the end of the war for independence from Portugal in 1975. The war featured conflict between two primary Angolan factions, the communist MPLA and the anti-communist UNITA. The 27-year war was formally brought to an end in 2002, and since then Luanda has undergone a renaissance of epic proportions, driven by the natural resources that the country has in abundance – oil and diamonds. Its people are determined and committed to turn around its fortunes, and rebuild a strong and united Angola.
You will witness this transformation as you leave the quayside and drive along Marginal Bay, with the commercial part of the city on one side, and views across the bay on the other. Continue past the Igreje de Senhora de Nazare – a small, beautiful church famous for its beautiful altar made of Italian rose marble. Then visit the old Iron Palace “Palacio de Ferro” designed by the famous architect Gustav Eiffel, of Tower fame, whose work also features in other African cities.
There will be photo stop at the Gothic-style Church of Los Remedios that was built by the Portuguese in 1719 as a chapel. The church had to be restored in 1798 at the hands of Francis Xavier who managed to accomplish the work with donations from the faithful. Currently, Los Remedios is considered one of the most beautiful and best-preserved churches of San Luis. Then visit the Angolan National Museum of Anthropology, that features an array of traditional masks along with indigenous art, sculptures, tools, weapons, jewellery, clothing and musical instruments.
Next is the Fortaleza de Sao Miguel (San Miguel Fort) built in 1576 to guard the entrance to the bay from the marauding French, Spanish and Dutch forces. This it did successfully until 1641 when the Dutch finally seized the fort and Luanda. Arriving in Luanda, it is impossible to miss the towering obelisk-like structure rising above the city. This is the mausoleum dedicated to Augostinho Neto, the first president of Angola. Having very strong communist affiliations, Neto died in 1979, and it is said that this was erected as a gift from the Russian government.
Please note this tour is audio guides only.
Heading out of Santiago’s capital of Praia into the centre of the island, this scenic tour of the island’s most stunning scenery also showcases the flora and fauna of the Botanical Gardens at Sao Jorge dos Orgaos.
The day begins first though with a visit to the village of Saint Domingos, home to a thriving arts and crafts cooperative in a nation famous for its pottery, weaving and embroidery, traditional crocheted blankets, batik dying and wood carvings. Here, you’ll have a chance to shop for some souvenirs and gifts before heading further inland to the small settlement of Sao Jorge dos Orgaos on the edge of the Orgaos Mountains, where the Jardim Botanico Nacional Grandvaux Barbosa is the only Botanical Garden in the country.
Created in 1986, the garden is named after the 20th-century Franco-Portuguese botanist Luis Augusto Grandvaux Barbosa, and features several different plants listed as endangered, as well as many ornamental species. After a tour here, we will take a scenic drive, stopping for photo opportunities along the way, to Santiago’s second largest city, Assomada, which plays an important commercial role in Cape Verde’s economy and is a pleasant combination of urbanity and nature.
The city centre of Assomada features many Portuguese-style colonial buildings, churches, banks and several town squares, while the market is one of the largest on the island, with a large variety of products to peruse before our return to the port of Praia and Aegean Odyssey.
With a name meaning “beach” in Portuguese, the capital of Cape Verde, located on the island of Santiago, offers a great opportunity to learn more about the history of the nation and “feel the flavour” of its many traditions.
A drive to the historic Plateau Quarter, in the centre of the city, leads to a guided walk to the neoclassical-style Catholic Cathedral, Nossa Senhora de Graca, or Our Lady of Grace, that was built in the early 20th century. We will also pay a visit to the city’s emblematic main square, Praca Alexandre Albuquerque; the Palace of the President; and the Statue of Diogo Gomes, who discovered the islands for Portugal in 1460.
We will then enjoy a stroll through the colourful Vegetable Market of Sucupira before being heading to the nearby town of Velha and the Fortress of S. Filipe, built by King Filipe I of Portugal and Spain in the 16th century. Velha is also home to the Ruinas da Se Catedral, one of the most impressive buildings of the colonial period, as well as the Pelourinho, or pillory, which is a sombre reminder of the slavery trade.
There will then be time to enjoy some refreshments in Velha’s main square before returning to Aegean Odyssey by way of Rua Banana to see some old stone houses and a traditional handicraft shop, with a drive along the Avenida Cidade de Lisboa in Praia affording more views across the city.
The dramatic geological features of Gran Canaria are breathtaking as you start with a drive up to the volcanic crater of Bandama, an extinct volcano rising nearly 580 metres above sea level, where you will have the opportunity to enjoy the panoramic views over a unique landscape.
After a short photostop, the drive continues to the village of Teror, whose striking site on a plateau 575 metres above sea level has earned it the name of "the village in the air". Here, your guide will show you the most interesting colonial-style buildings culminating with an outside view of the basilica dedicated to the Virgen del Pino (Virgin of the Pine), which attracts a ceaseless stream of pilgrims.
Our next stop is the town of Arucas, a district that offers important architectural and urban assets. The city centre, declared a site of historic-artistic interest, is a place that visitors must not fail to see.
The Parish Church of San Juan Bautista is the leading architectural and social monument in the city. Built entirely in Arucas stone by local master masons, it dates from 1909 and, as well as the wealth of carved stone columns, there are also some beautiful stained glass windows that are the work of Canary Island painter Cristobal Hernandez de Quintana.
The tour continues to the Casa y Jardín de la Marquesa -the Marquise’s Palace and Gardens. This is an interesting architectural and natural site that belongs to the Marquise of Arucas. The house was built in 1880 and the spacious Romantic-style gardens around the house can also be visited. You will also have the opportunity of taste the famous Banana liquor before returning to the pier.
The history of Casablanca has been one of many political and cultural changes. At different times it has been governed by Berber, Roman, Arab, Portuguese, Spanish, French, British and Moroccan regimes. It has had an important position in the region as a port city, making it valuable to a series of conquerors during its early history. Today, Casablanca is more cosmopolitan, and more open to Western ways than other place in Morocco. Casablanca is Morocco’s economic and cultural capital: this is where money is made, where the industry is, and where the arts flourish.
An orientation tour of Casablanca shows us the port, the old medina, the Place Mohammed V – a busy shopping street lined by residential blocks dating from the 1930s – United Nations Square, designed by French architect Joseph Marrast, and the League of Arab States Park. The tour also includes a visit to the impressive Hassan II Mosque. This is the second largest mosque in the world with the tallest minaret in the world
Ladies must wear a headscarf to enter the mosque.
Situated only a short distance across the Strait of Gibraltar from the shores of Europe, Tangier is a gateway to a vastly different culture. This tour is perfect if you really want to discover more of Tangier, and explore the bustling Medina, with its tiny streets lined with shops filled with trinkets and treats.
First head for a photostop at Cape Spartel Lighthouse – more than a century old it shines a warning beacon to ships sailing between the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Arriving back in Tangier, visit the Medina (old town) whose walls mark the line of the Roman defences. The grand Mosque rises on the foundations of a temple to Neptune, and the Petit Socco covers the area of what used to be the Forum. The bustling Kasbah is situated on the highest part of the Medina in an area that has been the preserve of palaces and castles for thousands of years.
Your guide will walk you through the Medina and the Kasbah, allowing you the opportunity to view the fruit and vegetable market and Mendoubia Park where you can explore at leisure, if you wish.
Larry is a commercial photographer and for over 30 years has been working nationally and internationally with a diverse range of clients such as BP, Cunard, NHS, McDonalds, American Express, ChildLine and National Grid amongst many others. He has been featured in, and written for, Professional Photography magazine, his stock photography is represented by Getty images and he is a member of the Association of Photographers.
Larry has directed and taught photography weekends and classes, is self taught, still learning, and has a real passion for what he does. He loves to help others improve and enjoy their photography regardless of the device they’re using, whether its film or digital, a basic compact camera, a phone, an iPad, or the latest high end digital SLR.
Over his career he’s shot architecture and interiors, still life, reportage, sport, industrial, food, landscapes and much more. Larry has had two studios, the second, Brighton one, being the largest in the UK at the time, where he shot everything from cakes and desserts for Greens to room-sets for B&W loudspeakers. In recent years most of his work is on location and involves photographing people from all walks of life, in all sorts of situations, for corporate, advertising and editorial.
Having been involved in photography for so long, Larry started out using film cameras of various types and formats from 35mm to 5x4 and processing and printing in the traditional darkroom. He then moved to scanning the images from film and outputting them digitally. Larry’s first shoot using purely digital was a commission by Canon UK in 1998 to produce a calendar of photographs of London. For the last 15 years Larry has been shooting entirely with digital cameras and has an extensive knowledge of the digital workflow from camera to print. He was asked by Park Cameras, the UK’s largest independent photo retailer, to advise and teach at their School of Photography as well as offering one to one tuition.
Having worked with Cunard for several years, supplying photographs of their ships around the world for brochures, advertising and PR, along with commissions for Seabourn, Larry enjoys being on cruise ships. He particularly likes smaller ships and has given photography talks on Minerva and Voyager, so is very much looking forward to joining Aegean Odyssey.
Websites:
www.larrybray.com - people photography
www.larrybrayphotoart.com - landscapes, seascapes and travel photographs
Stefan is currently celebrating thirty years as a cruise ship lecturer to all parts of the world but says that of his many achievements the one of which he is proudest is to have been voted among the one hundred people of Polish descent who have contributed most to the life and culture of Britain - a list on which he appears, alphabetically, between Bonnie Prince Charlie and King Cnut!
Stefan was educated at the Universities of Southampton and Oxford and is a Chartered Biologist and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, a Chartered Horticulturist, a founder Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London and Associate of the Royal Photographic Society. He holds an honorary chair in Biological Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University, honorary doctorates from the Universities of Southampton and Derby and is an honorary fellow of CABI Biosciences International and of Warwickshire College. He is double past-president of the British Mycological Society and holds the Veitch Memorial Medal in gold of the Royal Horticultural Society, the Benefactors' Medal of the British Mycological Society and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Garden Media Guild.
Stefan is probably Britain's most experienced media gardening expert and has published over sixty books on natural history and gardening, many of them standard reference works and most translated into several languages. He is believed to be Britain's second biggest selling gardening author and has also written for most national newspapers and leading magazines. Stefan has used his special expertise in fungi to write the most comprehensive field guide to British fungi ever published. His major natural history book, the encyclopaedic Fauna Britannica described the entire wild animal life of the British Isles and its role in British culture. HRH The Prince of Wales wrote the Foreword and the book was short listed for British Illustrated Book of the Year.
Among his numerous broadcasting achievements, Stefan appeared most famously on BBC Radio's 'Gardeners' Question Time' as panellist and chairman for a unique unbroken run of over 600 broadcasts in twelve years, just part of a portfolio of well over 1,000 radio programmes. For three years he presented 'Classic Gardening Forum' on Classic FM and devised, wrote and presented six series of the hugely successful programme 'The Gardening Quiz' on Radio 4. He has also appeared on or presented around 1,000 television programmes, many featuring his own garden, on every British terrestrial television channel and has presented several series on satellite stations. He is Patron or Trustee of numerous gardening and science-related bodies including the North of England Zoological Society, owners of award winning Chester Zoo and also has over thirty years experience as an expert witness in matters of litigation involving plants.
Stefan has a long-standing interest in modern British political history and is recognised internationally as an authority on Winston Churchill and his social circle. His book 'Churchill and Chartwell' was described by the International Churchill Center in Washington DC as '…a thoroughly indispensable standard work, as important for the library of any serious Churchill student as the memoirs of close associates'. His latest work, a biography of the Hon Venetia Stanley, confidante of prime minister H H Asquith, has already been hailed as 'a masterpiece'.
Website: www.stefanbuczacki.co.uk
Jane teaches exercise and dance in and around Brighton, specialising in teaching the over 50’s, as well as choreographing fashion shows and flash mobs.
Since starting ballet at the age of 3 years, Jane has danced all her life appearing in shows as a child then becoming professional at 16. For 15 years Jane worked in theatres, TV and on cruise ships with famous groups including The Tiller Girls, Black and White Minstrels, The Danny La Rue Show, 2nd Generation and as a Lionel Blair dancer. Jane had a wonderful time appearing in Summer seasons, pantomimes, TV variety shows and travelled abroad including 6 months in Japan, 6 months in Mallorca in the dinner show at the prestigious Sporting Casino, 3 months in Portugal and a month in Malta with the Black and White Minstrels.
After several years travelling Jane settled to work in UK appearing in choreographed fashion shows for Selfridges, Barkers, Pronupture and Wrangler tours and with many appearances in the Liverpool Echo, Manchester Evening Post, Leicester Mercury and Brighton Argus fashion shows. Jane has appeared in TV commercials including Woolworths, Dulux, British Airways, Baileys and Great Mills DIY store.
After marrying photographer, Larry Bray and having 2 girls, Jane turned her attentions to ‘behind the camera’ helping Larry by producing and styling his shoots.
Over the last few years Jane has produced, styled and choreographed fashion shows and street flash mob events for clients including Marks & Spencer, Brighton City Centre and Jury’s Inn Hotel. In 2012-2014 Jane appeared as a guest fashion presenter on QVC shopping TV channel.
Jane had the wonderful opportunity of dancing with The Second Generation again for Dame Vera Lynn’s 100 birthday tribute at the Palladium Theatre in March 2017. The wonderful Dougie Squires directed the show and reformed his famous group for ‘one night only’. The show had the honour of the Queen attending the performance.
Jane’s fitness/dance classes have built up over the last 6 years to near capacity with 9 classes a week. She has thoroughly enjoyed teaching her classes on several cruise ships including the Minerva, Voyager and Saga Pearl 2. Jane is excited to be joining Aegean Odyssey and offering everyone the chance to have fun keeping fit and healthy, moving to popular and catchy music.
Website - www.janebusbyfitness.co.uk
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/janebusbyfitness
Clare was born and brought up in the small and historic town of Youghal, in Co. Cork, in Southern Ireland. She was educated at the Presentation of the Sacred Heart Convent, in Youghal. a traditional Catholic school for young ladies. Whilst receiving the full curriculum of subjects, including Gaelic, Clare’s heartfelt interests lay in other directions.
Her mother was a classically-trained pianist, and her father a fine tenor. Clare and her siblings were all musically inclined from a young age, and Clare formed herself and her three younger siblings (two sisters and a brother) into a harmony ensemble, with their ages ranging from sixteen to just eleven.
In 1967, they won a grand concours held in Cork City Opera House, and were brought over to the UK on a tour, from which they never returned to Ireland.
They settled in the United Kingdom, married and had families. Clare and her sisters resurrected their musical career in the 1980’s, culminating in national TV appearances and selection for the Golden Rose of Montreux international awards festival, in Switzerland.
Clare went on to become a very successful BBC radio presenter, working for BBC Radio Lancashire, and BBC Radio Merseyside, two of Britain’s largest local radio networks. She had her own magazine-type show, interviewing right across the board, from authors to explorers, and from politicians to pop stars.
As well as musical ability, Clare also inherited from her mother a lifelong love of crafting.
“With six children to look after, my mother saw it as a necessity rather than a hobby,” reflects Clare. “I’ve just taken what I learnt and absorbed from her, and turned it to another use...teaching”.</p>
Clare has spent a lifetime singing and crafting. In 2008, she gained her ‘Fascinator of Excellence’ qualification, and since then has appeared on ‘Crafty Beggars’, a TV show sponsored by Hobbycraft.’
Clare has been singing and teaching her crafts aboard cruise ships for the past seventeen years. Her craft workshops are informative, effective, and great fun.With a unique blend of skill, patience, and humour, she brings to life the adage, “People learn best when they’re enjoying themselves”.
Please note Clare will not be lecturing.
John studied Modern Languages at Exeter and Salford Universities, majoring in French, German, and Spanish. A lifelong thirst for travel was partially assuaged by a stint in America, at the University of Texas, in Austin, followed by a year in the pipeline construction industry, working as a translator/interpreter, in Algeria.
John then embarked upon a working lifetime spent in some of the strangest corners of the travel industry.
At a time when the world was just starting to open up to leisure travel, he was in the vanguard of this revolution as a worldwide tour coordinator, accompanying groups of travellers on trips to a variety of exotic destinations and with a variety of diverse purposes.
From wildlife photo safaris to transatlantic flights aboard Concorde, from the slopes of Macchu Picchu to the outback of Australia, from the gates of Graceland to the Iron Gates of the Danube, John’s life was a kaleidoscope of people, places, and experiences, some exciting, some disquieting, but all memorable.
Smuggling a body across the Iron Curtain, being caught up in a revolution in South America, pinned down by sniper fire in San Francisco...these were just some of John’s experiences as he plied his trade around the globe. He went on to become general manager of one of the UK’s most prestigious independent tour operators.
John’s first experience of ocean cruising was in 1982, around the islands of Indonesia. Since that long-ago cruise baptism, he has sailed the seven seas, as cruise manager, charterer, port lecturer, destinations presenter, and special interests speaker.
A long time Mensa member and four time Brain of Mensa finalist, John’s range of knowledge and interests is as intriguing as it is eclectic.
As a cruise lecturer, John brings to bear all his experience and expertise in a series of scintillating presentations on a- as you might expect - diverse range of fascinating subject matters.
Gareth first became interested in geology at grammar school where he self-taught the A-level course without specialist teacher guidance. He graduated from Swansea University in 1966 with a B.Sc. (Honours Geology) and gained his Ph. D. (University of Wales) in 1970 researching the Upper Carboniferous sediments of SW Wales, under the supervision of Prof. Gilbert Kelling. He began his academic career lecturing in sedimentology and stratigraphy at Sir John Cass College, London and retired in 2004 from the University of Greenwich where he also taught M.Sc. courses in Petroleum Geology.
During his career he tutored and was external examiner for the Open University, teaching a variety of second and third level geology courses and summer schools. In the 1970’s Gareth ran guided walks and lectures for the Pembrokeshire Countryside Unit (later to become the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park), which was established by the well-known pioneering conservationist, author and broadcaster John H. Barrett MBE (1913-1999).
As an oil/gas consultant, employed by UK, Dutch and American companies, he worked on hydrocarbon fields in the UK and Dutch sectors of the Southern North Sea, Libya and Qatar. He has led innumerable field trips to South Wales, other classic areas in the UK and SE Spain for undergraduates, OU and U3A students, the Geologists’ Association, post-graduates and active and retired oil-company personnel. Gareth has written many research papers and has contributed to books published by the Geological Society of London and the Geologists’ Association and has delivered lectures to the petroleum societies of Great Britain (London) and the Netherlands (The Hague).
In 2008 he founded Geoserv Publishing and has since self-published three books: The Geology of South Wales: A Field Guide (1st and 2nd editions) and Aspects of the Sedimentology of South Wales, all of which have been well received, particularly by students studying the rocks of the Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons national parks, the Gower Peninsula and the Vale of Glamorgan. The field guide contains interesting comments and illustrations regarding ‘Stonehenge and the Preseli Bluestone enigma’ and the Iron Age forts/tombs of the area. A further two publications are planned for 2019/20: The Red Rocks of Pembrokeshire with Prof. Brian Williams, and Introductory Geology: an illustrated guide for beginners.
He and his wife Jean have travelled widely, especially to locations with features of geological and geographical interest. These include cruises to the Caribbean, Mediterranean, the Baltic and the coasts of Norway and Alaska and extensive holidays have been spent in North Africa, the Canadian Rockies, USA, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam & Cambodia and, most recently, South Africa & Namibia. These travels have facilitated the opportunity for Gareth to pursue his interest in the photography of landscapes, geological structures and rock-related archaeology.
Gareth and Jean met at Swansea University and have been married for over 50 years, mostly living in Kent with their two children. As a Welshman Gareth is a rugby enthusiast and enjoys a wide range of music from Buddy Holly and Bob Dylan to opera and classical. He enjoys walking, gardening and cooking, and is the head chef of the George residence.
Gillian Mawby read English at the University of Durham and subsequently an MA and PhD in Ruskin Studies at Lancaster University where she also held an honorary research fellowship.
She was born in Devon and is a life member of The Devonshire Association for which she was Recorder of Dialect for twelve years. She was awarded the Voluntary Medical Service Medal in 1981, and has attended sittings in a South African court whilst serving as a Magistrate on the Lancaster Bench.
As an ornithologist and research ecologist Peter has travelled widely and is a regular and highly successful cruise ship lecturer. Peter’s interest in the environment and ornithology in particular was encouraged during his schooldays at Sedbergh. Whilst still at school he was part of one of the first expeditions to visit South-East Iceland to study the breeding distribution of the Great Skua. Subsequently he went on to organise and lead his own expeditions to the Shetland and Faeroe Islands. Whilst an undergraduate at Cambridge University he was awarded a grant to extend his studies of Arctic Scandinavia. Such was his skill and expertise, he received his licence and has been ringing birds for well over fifty years.
He went on to teach, working in England (Marlborough, Shrewsbury and St John’s School, Leatherhead) and Scotland at The Edinburgh Academy, culminating with his final appointment as Headmaster of Lancaster Royal Grammar School, where he spent eighteen very happy and successful years. Peter is currently researching the environmental impact of changing patterns in agriculture on the birds of the Western Dales, working in conjunction with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Environment Agency.
He is now in great demand to speak to enthusiasts from the RSPB, Scottish Ornithologists Club and regional Wildlife Trusts. In common with many teenagers, Peter was faced with choices and although he finally decided to follow a science route into teaching, his other love is music and playing the cello. He has pursued this from his schooldays to playing now with a number of orchestras in North West England.
In recent years Peter has enjoyed sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge with passengers on a range of cruises, vising places as far flung as Polynesia, the Amazon, Central America, New England, the Atlantic Islands, Iceland, Greenland, the White Sea, Baltic and Mediterranean, SE Asia East Africa and the Indian Ocean. His talks include top quality illustrations, sound and video clips, making them both entertaining and informative. When not lecturing Peter welcomes the opportunity to enhance passengers’ experiences of the wildlife around them out on deck, providing on-board commentaries and during tours away from the ship.
Steve has first class presentation and outstanding graphics skills coupled with the enthusiasm and ability to entertain and inform. He has a lifetime’s love of the sea and its history, is RYA Yachtmaster qualified, and has extensive sailing experience, including passages on tall ships, most notably the Bark Endeavour, replica of Captain Cook’s ship. He is proud to be an honorary member of the Merchant Navy Association.
Steve has lectured around the world and has been in demand as a cruise ship speaker for over 10 years, with a growing portfolio of over 60 talks. He also speaks regularly to U3A, NADFAS, Probus, National Trust Associations and many other organisations.
He has worked extensively in local and regional radio as musician, writer and presenter.
A member of the Society for Nautical Research, Navy Records Society and the Captain Cook Society and a regular contributor to its quarterly journal, Steve is continuing research, with members of the society and various museums, into Cook’s world and the characters associated with Britain’s greatest navigator. He has worked in Hawaii on the site of Cook’s 1779 shore base and created models of the site for museum display.
His recent book “Better Conceiv’d than Describ’d: The Life and Times of Captain James King, Captain Cook’s Friend and Colleague”, is a culmination of that work and has been very well received.
With a belief that everyone has a story within them, he worked with the BBC on their “Telling Lives” project in 2004/5, introducing short film making skills to the general public. In addition, he has supported his cruise-based colleagues in improving their own graphics presentation skills.
Before his retirement in 2015 Barry Walsh was a Consultant in Communicable Disease Control (CCDC) and Director of the South West London Health Protection Team, part of Public Health England. For 24 years he worked years in public health in London.
Born in Co Mayo he qualified in medicine at the University of Cork Ireland in 1981. After House Officer roles in Cork he moved to England where he started training in pathology.
He specialised in medical microbiology at St Mary’s Hospital Paddington and then John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford. Barry got his Membership in medical microbiology (MRC Path) in 1991. He took a Master’s Degree in Public Health in 1994.
While specialising in medicine in London he managed to get a BA (2.1) in the History of Art at Birkbeck College in 1989. He focused on Italian Renaissance Art, Roman architecture, and Art of the 20th Century. In 1991 he got a Diploma in the History of Medicine at the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries and won the Osler Gold Medal for his lecture on Anatomy and Art in Renaissance Italy.
Barry qualified as a London Blue Badge Guide in 2000 and now works as a professional tour guide in London specialising in medical and art history tours as well as the Palace of Westminster. He guides at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, National Gallery and Courtauld Institute.
His broad interests and lectures also encompass Science Industry and Technology (Industrial Revolution), Royal Medicine, Art and Medicine, and The Body in the Car Park (the discovery of King Richard III).
Bringing his interest in Western Art together with Art of the East he recently gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art at the School of Oriental and African Art (SOAS) London in 2017. He lectures and guides on Islamic, Chinese, Japanese, Indian art and East meets West in the British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museums.
Sara Withers has been designing and making jewellery for almost all of her working life. Her work concentrates on the use of beads, some self made, some sourced from interesting suppliers. She has taken part in numerous exhibitions and her work has sold in a selection of shops and galleries throughout the U.K., including the British Museum. She is the author of many books of bead jewellery projects. The most recent being ‘The Encyclopedia of Wire Jewellery Techniques’ and ‘A Compendium of Jewellery Techniques’.
Sara teaches bead making and jewellery making in several arts centres in Britain including West Dean College in Sussex and the Oxford Summer School. Four years ago a love of jewellery making and travelling was happily combined when she started to give classes on small cruise ships. Another of Sara’s bead related interests is the Arkell bead collection in the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford, which she has studied in order to communicate her enthusiasm to others. In 2007 she was one of the speakers at the International Bead and Beadwork Conference in Istanbul.
During your cruise Sara will be running jewellery making lessons suitable for complete beginners, or for those who have done some jewellery making, with themes ranging from traditional and contemporary knotting, to bracelets and earrings, beading wire necklaces, and resin pedants.
For more information on Sara’s work and to see more examples of her jewellery, her website can be found by visiting http://www.sarawithers.co.uk
Set in lush, fountained gardens of fragrant herbs, bougainvilleas and a palm-ringed pool, this 5-star palace is impressive in its majesty. Marble columns soaring to sculpted ceilings, traditional zellige tiles and the deep reds and browns of oriental tapestries induce a sense of atmosphere.
The entire resort breathes relaxation and refinement, from outdoor sofas and loungers round the pool to sumptuous rooms, some with panoramic views of the snowcapped Atlas Mountains.
With its splendid public spaces, magnificent outdoor pools and top-class restaurants, the Grand Savoy is an excellent base in Marrakesh. The Grand Spa is the ideal place to relax after sightseeing and shopping. The centre includes giant indoor pools, a sauna, and a Turkish bath. Rooms are, of course, air-conditioned and come with free Wi-Fi connection.
Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a complete vacation package and take advantage of Voyages to Antiquity's low-cost Economy Class airfare add-ons, available from a variety of US gateways.
Voyages to Antiquity’s low-cost Economy Class airfare program uses the world's leading airlines and offers convenient routings and exceptional savings. Upgrade costs for Business Class may be available on request - please call for details.
Sample roundtrip economy airfare add-ons from several US cities are listed below.
Please note: due to air schedules, flights for guests using Voyages to Antiquity's air program may depart one day earlier than the cruise departure date listed on our website. Guests using VTA's air for this voyage will also have an additional 1-night hotel stay post cruise before transferring to the airport for the flight home.
For more information, please contact your travel professional or call our office today.
Sample economy airfare add-ons* | |||
| Atlanta | $995 | Boston | $795 |
| Chicago | $795 | Dallas | $795 |
| Detroit | $995 | Houston | $895 |
| Los Angeles | $795 | Miami | $795 |
| New York | $795 | Orlando | $995 |
| Philadelphia | $995 | Phoenix | $995 |
| Portland OR | $895 | San Francisco | $795 |
| Seattle | $995 | Washington DC | $995 |
*Low-cost roundtrip airfare is economy class only, varies by gateway, and includes all government taxes, fees and airline fuel surcharges, which may change at any time. Airline-imposed personal charges such as baggage fees may apply.
Some restrictions apply. You may not be able to change your confirmed flight arrangements without an additional charge. All air itineraries are subject to change and are not considered final until ticketed at 30 days prior to sailing. Some gateways may require departures 1 or 2 days prior to dates on pre-cruise land programs or 1 or 2 days later than dates on post-cruise programs shown on the website and in the brochure if applicable.
You may wish to make changes to the flight itinerary provided by Voyages to Antiquity.
Your travel agent can make these flight requests on your behalf when you confirm your reservation. For example, you may wish to request travel on a specific carrier, or travel on different departure or return dates. A US$50 per person non-refundable administration fee will be charged for each request, plus any possible fare differential. Any additional costs associated with the change(s) will be added to your reservation once your new itinerary has been accepted. Deposit must be provided before custom requests can be made.
Voyages to Antiquity will request aisle and next seating when making your flight arrangements. Some airlines no longer allow specific seats to be requested for Economy Class travel. You or your travel agent may contact the carrier directly to request any special arrangements once air has been ticketed at 30 days prior to sailing.
You will be able to accrue miles on most carriers we use, but will not be able to use miles for upgrades or any other amenities. Special requests and services should be arranged directly with the airline.
Transfers between airports and Aegean Odyssey while on your cruise-tour abroad are included. You'll be met on arrival at your destination airport and transferred in comfort to the ship. At the end of your cruise, you'll be transferred to the airport for your flight home.
Note: Included transfers are provided only in conjunction with arrival and departure dates of cruise-tours as outlined on the website and our brochure. The included transfers are for guests purchasing Voyages to Antiquity air arrangements.
A550 sq ft staterooms located on Lido Deck. Marble bathrooms, dressing area, separate sitting area and private balcony. Convertible twin beds.
Guests in Balcony Class will also enjoy a welcome bottle of champagne & Petit Fours, refrigerator stocked with soft drinks, complimentary bottled water, robe and slippers and Molton brown bathroom amenities.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
B310 sq ft staterooms located on Lido Deck. Marble bathrooms, walk-in closet, sitting area and private balcony. Convertible twin beds.
Guests in Balcony Class will also enjoy a welcome bottle of champagne & Petit Fours, refrigerator stocked with soft drinks, complimentary bottled water, robe and slippers and Molton brown bathroom amenities.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
C275 sq ft staterooms located on Lido & Bridge Decks. Bath/shower or walk-in shower, sitting area and private balcony. Fixed double bed, separate twins or convertible twins depending on cabin selected. Cabins 807, 808 on Lido Deck are smaller and do not have a sitting area.
Guests in Balcony Class will also enjoy a welcome bottle of champagne & Petit Fours, refrigerator stocked with soft drinks, complimentary bottled water, robe and slippers and Molton brown bathroom amenities.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
D275 sq ft staterooms located on Belvedere Deck. Bath/shower or walk-in shower, sitting area and private balcony. Fixed double bed, separate twins or convertible twins depending on cabin selected.
Guests in Balcony Class will also enjoy a welcome bottle of champagne & Petit Fours, refrigerator stocked with soft drinks, complimentary bottled water, robe and slippers and Molton brown bathroom amenities.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
E215 sq ft staterooms located on Belvedere Deck. Private bath/ shower or walk-in shower. Convertible twin beds. Cabins 556 and 563 are smaller but have a fixed double bed and a balcony.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
F170-200sq ft staterooms located on Bridge and Belvedere Decks. Bath/Shower or walk-in shower.
Convertible twin beds or Fixed Double Bed. Cabins 535 and 536 have fixed twin beds only.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
G130-150 sq ft staterooms located on Bridge & Lido Decks. Private shower, fixed twin beds, convertible twin beds or fixed double bed.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
HPremium Outside 130 sq ft cabins located on Belvedere and Columbus Decks. Fixed twin beds with private shower.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
I*130 sq ft cabins located on Bridge Deck. Private shower. Fixed twin beds or fixed double bed.
Views in some cabins partially obstructed by Life Boats.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
J130 sq ft cabins located on Columbus Deck. Fixed twin beds with private shower.
* Please note the photo shows a Category H premium outside cabin. Category J standard outside cabins feature portholes instead of windows.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
K130 sq ft cabins located on Belvedere Deck. Fixed twin beds with private shower.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
L130 sq ft cabins located on Columbus Decks. Fixed twin beds with private shower.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
M130 sq ft cabins located on Belvedere and Columbus Decks. Fixed twin beds with private shower.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
135 sq ft single occupancy stateroom located on Lido Deck (Cabins 809, 810). Walk-in shower and private balcony. Fixed small double bed.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
135 sq ft single occupancy Deluxe staterooms located on Belvedere Deck(554, 561). Shower, European full-size bed and a small balcony.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
GG*Single occupancy Premium outside staterooms located on Bridge and Lido Deck. Private shower and a European full-size bed. Views in cabins 726, 724 on Belvedere deck are partially obstructed by lifeboats.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
HH*Premium outside single occupancy staterooms located on Bridge & Belvedere decks, featuring a European full-size bed and a private shower.
* Please note the cabin plan and photo shows the Category H double occupancy stateroom. Category HH single staterooms are smaller and feature one European full-size bed. Views are partially obstructed by lifeboats in the cabins on Bridge deck.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
II*130 sq ft Premuim Outside staterooms located on Bridge Deck, featuring a double window and a European full-size bed with private shower. Views are partially obstructed by lifeboats.
*Please note the photo & cabin plan show a double occupancy I cabin. Cabins 710 and 712 (Category II, single occupancy) are smaller in size and feature a single European size bed.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
JJSingle occupancy standard outside cabins located on Columbus Deck, featuring portholes in place of windows. A single European size bed with private shower.
*Please note the picture shows a standard outside double occupancy cabin. Single occupancy cabins are smaller and feature a single European size bed and portholes instead of windows.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
KKSelect from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
LLSelect from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
MM130 sq ft Standard inside single occupancy cabins located on Belvedere Decks. A small double bed with private shower.
*Please note the picture shows a double occupancy inside cabin. Cabins MM are smaller and feature a small double bed.
Select from the menu to view different areas of the ship (Takes up to 10 seconds to load)
There is not currently a virtual tour of this cabin. Why not take a look at other areas of ship.
There is a particular pleasure that comes with cruising aboard a smaller ship. Hosting an average of just 350 passengers, Aegean Odyssey is no ‘floating city’. She is small enough to sail rivers and put into the more characterful ports inaccessible to the ‘mega-ships’, the service is more personal and you get plenty of time to interact with the onboard experts.
Yet on the other hand, she is large enough to offer a superb selection of amenities, including two dining venues, several comfortable lounges and bars, a relaxing spa centre and well-stocked library. Cabins are spacious, modern and intelligently designed, and 39 cabins across a range of categories (including balcony) are set aside for solo travellers at low supplement.
Our website does not display live availability. All prices and availability be will confirmed at time of enquiry. The single supplement offers only apply to our single cabin categories. Special Offers are strictly capacity controlled, subject to availability, may be withdrawn at any time and are not always combinable. Please note – while we will do our best to adhere to this full itinerary, there may be changes at the discretion of the captain, due to weather advisories, port traffic and other unforeseeable circumstances. Shore excursions are subject to change. We reserve the right to alter, cancel or substitute an included excursion at any time. Unless otherwise specified, optional shore excursions are priced in US dollars and can be booked using the signup sheet and paid for on-board the ship. Optional shore excursions that are shown in local currency (or where specified for US passengers) must be pre-booked and paid for prior to departure.
Call: 
