Dick Strawbridge MBE from TV's Coast To Coast to Join Fred. Olsen Around UK Cruise

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has just announced that Dick Strawbridge MBE will be a special guest speaker aboard Boudicca’s Coastal Britain Around UK cruise (D1022) of nine nights, departing Newcastle on 26th September 2010. There is no better way to see the best of the British coastline than from a ship – and a smaller cruise ship can reach little islands and picturesque ports inaccessible to larger vessels. Dick Strawbridge is the perfect host on such a cruise, having appeared as a guest presenter on the enormously popular series, Coast.

Born in County Antrim in 1959, Dick was the third of seven children and, from an early age, displayed a fascination for machines, and loved taking things to pieces. He spent over 20 years in the Army, rising to Lieutenant Colonel, and also took a degree in Electrical Engineering. He was awarded the MBE in 1993 for his distinguished service in Northern Ireland, and left the Army in 2001.

While he was still in the Army, his family persuaded him to audition for C4’s Scrapheap Challenge, and his ebullient personality and technical know-how revealed him to be an ideal TV presenter. He has since hosted many series of Scrapheap Challenge and Junkyard Wars, as well as numerous other popular TV programmes. More recently, his family was filmed for It’s Not Easy Being Green, showing life on their smallholding in Cornwall, where they try to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Dick has appeared as a guest presenter on both The One Show and Coast. He originally appeared on Coast as a one-off presenter, explaining the workings of the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge. Since then, Dick has become very much part of the Coast team, filming on a large number of episodes, mainly using his engineering and military history experience. His specialist knowledge and great gifts as a speaker will make him a very popular addition to this lovely Around UK cruise.

The itinerary begins from Newcastle (Port of Tyne), and then Boudicca heads south, visiting first Portland on the Dorset coast, then across to the Channel Islands, where she visits St. Peter Port, the bustling port that is Guernsey’s capital. Great tax free shopping, as well as picturesque cobbled streets, make this a delightful port of call. The cruise then takes a Celtic turn, with Milford Haven in Wales the next stop, followed by Dublin, one of the most vibrant and welcoming cities in Europe and home to the famous Irish “craic”. Travelling northwards up the east coast, Boudicca anchors off Tobermory on the tiny Isle of Mull, with its pretty pastel coloured buildings, busy harbour and backdrop of rolling hills. The opportunities for spotting wildlife are wonderful, with otters, seals and dolphins frequent visitors to these waters.

A cruise of the Hebrides and northern coast of Scotland offers some stunning scenery, best enjoyed from the decks of the ship, until Boudicca reaches her last port – Invergordon – before travelling back to Newcastle.

Prices for this cruise start from just £726 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside twin cabin. This represents excellent value for money, when you consider that it includes comfortable en-suite accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, as well as port taxes, and use of a whole host of great facilities – plus, of course, talks from Dick Strawbridge.

To find out more about Fred. Olsen’s Around UK cruises, visit www.fredolsencruises.co.uk To book a cruise, you can go online, call Reservations on 01473 742424 or see an ABTA travel agent.