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The Old Town of Santa Cruz La Palma- Mount Teide in Tenerife
- A view of Timanfaya National Park Lanzarote
- Lisbon's Alfama district
Christmas in the Canary Islands
Spirit of Discovery departing Portsmouth
from
£6,395 per person
18 nights
19th December 2024
Including optional travel insurance or a price reduction of £87 if not requiredHow our discounts work
Read moreHow our discounts work
On all cruises we set aside a number of cabins within each level at a discounted fare, with the highest discount of 35% for ocean cruises and 25% for river cruises available on selected levels. These cabins are sold on a first come, first served basis. As cabins are sold, the discount begins to reduce, and continues to reduce until those selected cabins are sold.
This means that the earlier you book, the higher the chance of securing a greater discount. Our price panels clearly show the full cruise price, along with the current discount fare.
Please note: During busy periods for holiday bookings, the early booking discount can reduce rapidly. We recommend that you book early to benefit from the best booking discounts and to secure your preferred cabin.
When promoting new cruises for the first time, we contact customers on our Advanced Registration list first, allowing then to secure the cabin of their choice and benefit from the best savings. Our brochures are then sent out to loyalty club members first, followed by past cruise goers and then everyone else.
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No fly
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Christmas cruise
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Chauffeur service
Experience the festive celebrations of the Canary Islands
This all-inclusive cruise to the Canary Islands in 2024 follows the winter sun south to Portugal, Spain, Madeira and the subtropical Canaries. Stop first in Leixoes to explore the UNESCO-listed old town of Oporto, followed by a visit to 3,000-year-old Cadiz.
Enjoy the Christmas celebrations on board Spirit of Discovery before arriving in Gran Canaria. Explore Tenerife, home to 16th-century plazas and an extensive waterfront promenade, La Palma with its Castillian architecture and the volcanic landscapes of Lanzarote.
Ring in the New Year with an overnight stay in Madeira and visit Portugal’s historic capital Lisbon, set at the mouth of the Tagus River.
Your four included panoramic excursions will be in
- Cadiz, Spain
- Santa Cruz, Tenerife
- Santa Cruz, La Palma
- Lisbon, Portugal.
Tornado Pilot, Mandy Hickson
Mandy Hickson has over 30 years’ experience within aviation. She joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 and flew the Tornado GR4 on the front line, where she operated in hostile environments, including patrolling the ‘No Fly’ zone over Iraq. Since leaving the RAF Mandy has served as an Aviation Ambassador for the Department for Transport and is an Ambassador for the Girl Guides.
Mandy is now a highly demanded keynote speaker, where she talks with humour and great passion to inspire those around her. She has been invited to share her insights with some of the world’s most successful organisations, where she describes the strategies and behaviours that can be adopted when the stakes are at their highest. Mandy will give two talks during this cruise.
Itinerary
Portsmouth
Embark Spirit of Discovery.
Depart 1700.
Leixoes (for Oporto), Portugal
Arrive 0800. Depart 1700.
Leixoes offers a gateway to Oporto, which is set beside the Douro River. On one bank lies Villa Nova de Gaia’s port wine lodges, which produce the city’s famous fortified wine, while on the other is the UNESCO-listed Ribeira old town.
Cobbled streets climb the steep hillside which is crammed with historic buildings, including the 12th-century cathedral, neoclassical Stock Exchange and Manueline-style Church of Santa Clara. The wooden Rabelo cargo boats, which once ferried barrels of port now carry sightseers along the river – the Ponte Dom Luis I bridge offers a good vantage point from which to appreciate the entire riverscape.
Optional excursions
Enjoy a memorable wine-tasting session in a traditional bodega.
Cadiz, Spain
Arrive 0800. Depart 1600.
3,000-year-old Cadiz is Western Europe’s oldest continually inhabited city, having been founded by the ancient seafaring Phoenicians. It sits along a peninsula, and was refortified in the 17th-century after the British attacked twice, nearly destroying the city.
Key landmarks include the Baroque and neoclassical cathedral with its yellow dome and the adjoining El Sagrario, the Roman amphitheatre, Castillo de Santa Catalina and the Torre Tavira – one of 129 watchtowers dotted throughout the city. An included panoramic excursion offers a relaxing introduction to the city.
Included excursion
See more of Cadiz and its surroundings during an included panoramic excursion.
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
Arrive 1100. Depart 2000.
Nearly half of Gran Canaria has been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The island is fringed with beautiful coves and sandy beaches to the south and wild mountains to the north. The subtropical capital of Las Palmas is set beside two broad bays and features cafe-lined squares and courtyards overflowing with exotic fruits, flowers and palms.
The oldest sights can be discovered in a trio of historic neighbourhoods: San Antonio, Triana and Vegueta. Discover over 500 years of history in the landmark Santa Ana Cathedral which encompasses Gothic, Renaissance and neoclassical styles.
Optional excursion
Head off into the mountains on a trip to discover villages seemingly lost in time.
Santa Cruz, Tenerife
Arrive 0800. Depart 2000.
Tenerife is crowned by the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mount Teide. Its capital Santa Cruz has a mix of old and new sights, from the central square of Plaza de Espana, which was built in 1929 to the auditorium, an expressionist structure that resembles a wave.
Included excursion
Look forward to an included panoramic excursion, taking in the mountain scenery and pausing in La Laguna for time at leisure.
Optional excursions
Go hiking on Mount Teide with an experienced guide, or visit the botanical gardens. You could also seek out the cannon responsible for Admiral Nelson losing his arm, on display in the Museo Miliar.
Santa Cruz, La Palma
Arrive 0800. Depart 2300.
La Palma is the greenest of the Canaries and large tracts of its laurel forests have been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
You may like to explore the capital of Santa Cruz which is set in a sweeping natural amphitheatre and was a hub for New World explorers and merchant traders during the Age of Exploration. Its history is reflected in the 16th-century Castilian architecture and the old quarter with its wooden balconies and cobbled lanes is set around the Renaissance Plaza Espana.
The island’s maritime past is displayed in the Naval Museum which is housed inside a replica of Christopher Columbus’ famous vessel, the Santa Maria.
Included excursion
Join an island panoramic tour.
Spend the day at sea.
See what we have to offer at sea.
Arrecife, Lanzarote
Arrive 0800. Depart 1700.
Named in Spanish after the reef that edges its shoreline, peaceful Arrecife has been the island’s capital since it took the title from nearby Teguise in 1852. This relatively sleepy port’s origins can be seen in the whitewashed fishermen cottages and 17th-century church set around the coastal lagoon of El Charco de San Gines.
The 18th-century San Jose fortress now hosts a collection of art by such renowned Spanish artists as Picasso and Miro, while the Science and Art Centre is housed in the 19th-century manor of La Casa de Los Arroyo. From Arrecife, you can also discover the vast lava fields and crater-studded landscapes of Timanfaya National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Optional excursion
Walk across the barren landscapes of Timanfaya National Park and enjoy a memorable barbecue cooked with heat from the volcano.
Funchal ⚓, Madeira
Arrive 1300 on December 31. Depart 1400 on January 1.
Madeira is a verdant, mountainous island formed from a volcanic eruption and known for its namesake wine. Often described as the ‘floating garden in the Atlantic’, the island is home to the world’s largest laurel forest and Botanical Gardens where exotic indigenous plants grow.
Optional excursions
Admire panoramic views across Funchal as you ascend to the suburb of Monte by cable car, before visiting the Botanical Gardens, step out onto the glass-bottomed skywalk at Cabo Girao, over Europe’s highest sea cliff, or join a team of local experts for a RIB ride in search of whales and dolphins.
⚓ Land by launch or tender.
Spend the day at sea.
See what we have to offer at sea.
Lisbon, Portugal
Arrive 0800. Depart 1700.
The sprawling city of Lisbon is spread across seven hills. It boasts two UNESCO-listed sites: Jeronimos Monastery, where Vasco da Gama is entombed and Bélem Tower, built in his honour. An included panoramic excursion is a great way to see some of the highlights.
Included excursion
See some of the city’s numerous attractions.
Portsmouth
Arrive 0730.
Disembark Spirit of Discovery after breakfast.
from
£6,395 per person
18 nights
19th December 2024
Including optional travel insurance or a price reduction of £87 if not requiredHow our discounts work
Read moreHow our discounts work
On all cruises we set aside a number of cabins within each level at a discounted fare, with the highest discount of 35% for ocean cruises and 25% for river cruises available on selected levels. These cabins are sold on a first come, first served basis. As cabins are sold, the discount begins to reduce, and continues to reduce until those selected cabins are sold.
This means that the earlier you book, the higher the chance of securing a greater discount. Our price panels clearly show the full cruise price, along with the current discount fare.
Please note: During busy periods for holiday bookings, the early booking discount can reduce rapidly. We recommend that you book early to benefit from the best booking discounts and to secure your preferred cabin.
When promoting new cruises for the first time, we contact customers on our Advanced Registration list first, allowing then to secure the cabin of their choice and benefit from the best savings. Our brochures are then sent out to loyalty club members first, followed by past cruise goers and then everyone else.
Spirit of Discovery
2019
Year built
987
Guest capacity (maximum)
540
Ship crew
Britannia Lounge
Relax in comfort with a drink, and admire the spectacular panoramic views.
Enjoy fine dining
Enjoy world-class cuisine at no extra cost in a choice of four restaurants.
Spa
Indulge yourself with a spa treatment in one of our six treatment rooms.
The Library
A booklover’s paradise combined with an artisanal coffee-shop, it's the perfect spot to research your next port of call.
Time for you
Take advantage of tailored exercise regimes and bespoke one-to-one fitness sessions with our health and wellbeing expert.
Daily afternoon tea
Indulge with a sumptuous selection of sweet treats at the daily afternoon tea.
The Terrace
This elegant ‘secret’ garden area is the perfect setting to enjoy the fresh air any time of the day.
from
£6,395 per person
18 nights
19th December 2024
Including optional travel insurance or a price reduction of £87 if not requiredHow our discounts work
Read moreHow our discounts work
On all cruises we set aside a number of cabins within each level at a discounted fare, with the highest discount of 35% for ocean cruises and 25% for river cruises available on selected levels. These cabins are sold on a first come, first served basis. As cabins are sold, the discount begins to reduce, and continues to reduce until those selected cabins are sold.
This means that the earlier you book, the higher the chance of securing a greater discount. Our price panels clearly show the full cruise price, along with the current discount fare.
Please note: During busy periods for holiday bookings, the early booking discount can reduce rapidly. We recommend that you book early to benefit from the best booking discounts and to secure your preferred cabin.
When promoting new cruises for the first time, we contact customers on our Advanced Registration list first, allowing then to secure the cabin of their choice and benefit from the best savings. Our brochures are then sent out to loyalty club members first, followed by past cruise goers and then everyone else.