Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has announced a brand new 82-night “Discovering Asia with the Holi Festival” Grand Voyage timed to coincide with the Holi Festival.
Martin Lister, head of Itinerary Planning and Destination Experience at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “This Grand Voyage has been curated especially with guests enthusiastic about cultural travel in mind. Those joining us aboard Balmoral can discover more about many fascinating ancient civilizations, with chances to visit many impressive religious buildings, monuments and places of worship.
“Those looking to seek out native wildlife will have the opportunity to seek encounters with endemic and migratory species, such as birds, monkeys and dramatic displays of illuminated fireflies, with Borneo a particular highlight.
“Of course, a real pinnacle will be our call into Mumbai, timed especially to coincide with the traditional Hindu festival of Holi, where guests can experience the bonfires of Holika Dahan followed by the joyous throwing of Gulal.”
The voyage aboard the Balmoral includes the exploration of Myanmar and Cambodia and their rich histories, including visiting the temples of Angkor Wat from Siem Reap and Myanmar’s ancient city of Bagan.
Travelers will have the chance to observe endemic species in Borneo or visit Sri Lanka’s Udawalawa Elephant Park. Wartime history enthusiasts can explore the Củ Chi tunnels, during a call into Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.
The highlight of the journey will be in India where travelers can explore the monuments and temples of Mahabalipuram, created by the Pallava dynasty while in Mumbai, guests can experience the annual Hindu Holi Festival.
Guests who book the Grand Voyage will receive up to £500 per person to spend onboard the Balmoral, as well as free door-to-door transfers within 250 UK mainland miles to the port.
The ‘Discovering Asia with the Holi Festival’ cruise departs from Southampton on January 18, 2025 and includes calls in Gibraltar, Gibraltar; Valletta, Malta; Alexandria, Egypt; Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt; Safaga, Egypt; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Hambantota, Sri Lanka; Port Klang (for Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia; Kota Kinabalu, Borneo; Muara, Brunei Darussalam; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Sihanoukville, Cambodia; Singapore, Singapore; Yangon, Myanmar; Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; Kochi, Kerala, India; Mumbai, India; Muscat, Oman; Salalah, Oman; Aqaba, Jordan; Asdod, Israel; Haifa, Israel; Heraklion, Crete; Catania, Sicily, Italy; Cartagena, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Lisbon, Portugal.
Prices start from £8,999 per person.
