Gardening expert Tony Russell and ex-The New Seekers Marty Kristian to join Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines in Autumn 2016

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will be pleased to welcome renowned gardening expert Tony Russell and founding member of The New Seekers, Marty Kristian, on board two cruises on Braemar and Balmoral in Autumn 2016, to enrich guests’ experience with a range of fascinating, humorous and informative talks and interviews.

Tony Russell will be sailing on Balmoral’s 13-night L1627 ‘Madeira, Lisbon & the Canaries’ adults-only cruise, departing from Southampton on 30^th October 2016.

Tony’s career with plants and gardens began in 1978, when he joined the Forestry Commission in Snowdonia. He has since gone on to be a successful publisher, editor, writer and broadcaster, publishing sixteen books and presenting popular television and radio shows, including ‘Britain’s Great Trees’,‘Garden Trail’, ‘Forests of Southern England’ and ‘Plant Invaders’.

Tony is also the editor of the annual publication ‘Great Gardens to Visit’. Along with his current roles as a garden consultant for the National Trust and a Trustee for Batsford Arboretum, Tony runs a thriving consultancy, which looks both at promoting British gardens and helping landowners to manage trees, forests and woodland.

On board Balmoral, Tony will be holding two talks for guests to enjoy, entitled 'The History of British Gardens' and 'A Journey Through the Finest Gardens in South East England’.

Cruise details: Prices from £979 per person, based on two adults sharing a twin-bedded Interior Room, and include accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, plus port taxes.

Ports of call: Southampton, UK – Funchal, Madeira – Santa Cruz, La Palma – Santa Cruz, Tenerife – Las Palmas, Gran Canaria – Arrecife, Lanzarote – Lisbon, Portugal – Southampton, UK

For further information: http://www.fredolsencruises.com/places-we-visit/cruise-holiday/madeira-lisbon-and-the-canaries-l1627?referrer=7&isback=1

Marty Kristian will join Braemar’s 14-night M1628 ‘Cape Verde, Canary Islands & Morocco’ fly-cruise, departing from Lisbon, Portugal on 10^th November 2016.

Marty, who is born of Latvian parents, is a singer and songwriter, specialising in 60s and 70s pop and rock music. He was also a founding member of The New Seekers, a vocal harmony group that enjoyed enormous success in the early 1970s. Their biggest hit record was ‘I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony’, which reached Number One across the globe, selling in excess of 7.5 million copies.

On board Braemar, Marty will give a sequence of talks, recounting tales covering over four decades of the music industry and the numerous high-profile personalities he has met. Marty’s talks are entitled ‘Following the Seekers’, ‘In Perfect Harmony or Was It?’, ‘New Seekers, New Horizons’ and ‘60s & 70s Stars’.

Marty will showcase some previously unseen pictures and videos, share his varied insights and humorous anecdotes, and possibly even get the crowd to join in with a sing-a-long!

Cruise details: Prices from £1,099 per person (fly-cruise package) / from £799 per person (cruise only), based on two adults sharing a twin-bedded Superior Interior Room (with limited availability), and include accommodation, all meals and entertainment on board, plus transfers / port / airport taxes, where applicable.

Ports of call: Lisbon, Portugal (overnight stay) – Casablanca, Morocco – Agadir, Morocco – Arrecife, Lanzarote – Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands – Praia, Cape Verde Islands – Las Palmas, Gran Canaria – Santa Cruz, La Palma – Santa Cruz, Tenerife (overnight stay)

For further information: http://www.fredolsencruises.com/places-we-visit/cruise-holiday/cape-verde--canary-islands-and-morocco-m1628?referrer=7&isback=1

Fred. Olsen has been recognised with a number of awards for its commitment to enriching guests’ experience across its fleet of smaller, more intimate ships – Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch – including by readers of Cruise International magazine and influential consumer website, Cruise Critic.

Fred. Olsen prides itself on offering a range of fascinating themed cruises, assisted by some of the best guest speakers available, on itineraries that incorporate world-renowned events, such as the Monaco Grand Prix and the America’s Cup in Bermuda.

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com Book online, call Reservations on 0800 0355 242 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm; Saturday, 9am to 5pm; Sunday, 10am to 4pm), or visit an ABTA travel agent.