January to December 2012 SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS EDITION 2 SAVE up to RIVER CRUISE River £150 Per couple see inside for Cruise details Three easy ways to book… Call 0844 874 7788 Visit www.shearings.com/rivercruises EDITION 2 JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2012 EDITION 2 JANUARY Or see your local travel agent DISCOVER THE WORLD OF SHEARINGS Call Cruise.co.uk’s dedicated River Cruise team on 0800 408 6202 Join by coach, rail or air • Sightseeing shore excursions • Exclusively chartered ships Great destinations, River Cruises superb choice and fantastic value. Contents easy ways MPS Rotterdam Dutch Bulbfi elds & Belgian Delight • Dutch Gardens Extravaganza • German & Swiss 16 to book Rhine • Scenic Switzerland, Alsace & Rhine Valley • Rhine Valley Explorer • The Magical 3 Moselle • Moselle Valley Explorer • Romantic Rhine & Moselle Melody • Rhine in Flames Extravaganza • Colours of Autumn • Festive Markets of the Rhine & Moselle Christmas on the German & Swiss Rhine • New Year on the Swiss & German Rhine MPS Da Vinci Welcome to our new 2012 River Cruise brochure Romantic Rhine & Main Valley • Main Valley to the Blue Danube 42 which is packed with a huge range of ideas for Danube Symphony Cruise • Main Danube Canal Explorer Historic Towns & the Loreley Valley fabulous river cruises. 1 MV Virginia Floriade, Holland in Bloom • The Classic Rhine • The Classic Moselle 54 Whether this is your fi rst time holidaying with us or Valleys of the Rhine & Moselle • Rhine in Flames • Autumn on the Rhine Call our friendly Rhine Inclusive Cruise you’ve travelled with us before, in 2012 you’ll fi nd and helpful team MV Esmeralda even more amazing river cruises and itineraries 0844 874 7788 Great Cities of the Danube 68 brought to you by Shearings Holidays. MS Michelangelo Venice & the River Po 72 With return transport, excursions, meals, MS Belle de Cadix Andalucia Inclusive 74 accommodation and entertainment on-board all MS Fernão de Magalhães included in the price, it’s great value for money too! Discover the Douro 76 2 MS Renoir / Boticelli / Seine Princess Paris & the Valley of the Seine 78 We have over 100 years’ experience in organising Look and book at your convenience MS Princesse d’Aquitaine holidays for our customers, offering a wide choice of on our website Bordeaux & The Dordogne Rivers 80 destinations and creating lots of special memories. www.shearings.com Lord of the Glens Spring & Autumn in the Highlands • Summer in the Highlands 82 Heart of the Highlands We hope you enjoy reading through this brochure as MV Chernishevsky our Shearings cruise experts have worked really hard Russia’s Imperial Waterways 86 to handpick a selection of holidays that will provide MS Belle de l’Adriatique you with a truly memorable river cruise. Croatia and the Adriatic Coast • Secret Islands of the Aegean 88 3 Treasures of the Aegean & Croatian Coast Viking Princess We look forward to welcoming Classic Nile Cruise 92 you on board in 2012. MV Century Star Visit your China & the Mighty Yangtze River 94 Warmest Regards, local travel agent MS La Marguerite Wonders of Indochina & the Mekong 96 The Team at Shearings. Important Information 98 2 Cover main image: The Classic Rhine – see page 58 3 12RIVERCRUISE_2Ed_p2_p11.indd2 The 2 UK’s largest cruise information website 24/11/11 14:55:17 12RIVERCRUISE_2Ed_p2_p11.indd 3 24/11/11 17:41:08 Great destinations, River Cruises superb choice and fantastic value. Contents easy ways MPS Rotterdam Dutch Bulbfi elds & Belgian Delight • Dutch Gardens Extravaganza • German & Swiss 16 to book Rhine • Scenic Switzerland, Alsace & Rhine Valley • Rhine Valley Explorer • The Magical 3 Moselle • Moselle Valley Explorer • Romantic Rhine & Moselle Melody • Rhine in Flames Extravaganza • Colours of Autumn • Festive Markets of the Rhine & Moselle Christmas on the German & Swiss Rhine • New Year on the Swiss & German Rhine MPS Da Vinci Welcome to our new 2012 River Cruise brochure Romantic Rhine & Main Valley • Main Valley to the Blue Danube 42 which is packed with a huge range of ideas for Danube Symphony Cruise • Main Danube Canal Explorer Historic Towns & the Loreley Valley fabulous river cruises. 1 MV Virginia Floriade, Holland in Bloom • The Classic Rhine • The Classic Moselle 54 Whether this is your fi rst time holidaying with us or Valleys of the Rhine & Moselle • Rhine in Flames • Autumn on the Rhine Call our friendly Rhine Inclusive Cruise you’ve travelled with us before, in 2012 you’ll fi nd and helpful team MV Esmeralda even more amazing river cruises and itineraries 0844 874 7788 Great Cities of the Danube 68 brought to you by Shearings Holidays. MS Michelangelo Venice & the River Po 72 With return transport, excursions, meals, MS Belle de Cadix Andalucia Inclusive 74 accommodation and entertainment on-board all MS Fernão de Magalhães included in the price, it’s great value for money too! Discover the Douro 76 2 MS Renoir / Boticelli / Seine Princess Paris & the Valley of the Seine 78 We have over 100 years’ experience in organising Look and book at your convenience MS Princesse d’Aquitaine holidays for our customers, offering a wide choice of on our website Bordeaux & The Dordogne Rivers 80 destinations and creating lots of special memories. www.shearings.com Lord of the Glens Spring & Autumn in the Highlands • Summer in the Highlands 82 Heart of the Highlands We hope you enjoy reading through this brochure as MV Chernishevsky our Shearings cruise experts have worked really hard Russia’s Imperial Waterways 86 to handpick a selection of holidays that will provide Call Cruise.co.uk’s MS Belle de l’Adriatique you with a truly memorable river cruise. dedicated River Croatia and the Adriatic Coast • Secret Islands of the Aegean 88 Treasures of the Aegean & Croatian Coast Cruise3 team on Viking Princess We look forward to welcoming FREEPHONE Classic Nile Cruise 92 you on board in 2012. MV Century Star 0800Visit your 408 6202 China & the Mighty Yangtze River 94 Warmest Regards, local travel agent MS La Marguerite Wonders of Indochina & the Mekong 96 The Team at Shearings. Important Information 98 2 Cover main image: The Classic Rhine – see page 58 3 12RIVERCRUISE_2Ed_p2_p11.indd 2 24/11/11 14:55:17 12RIVERCRUISE_2Ed_p2_p11.inddCall Cruise.co.uk’s 3 dedicated River Cruise team on 0800 408 6202 24/11/11 3 17:41:08 “The best holiday we’ve ever had” – Mrs B Minnett, Lymm So many great reasons to Save up to £150 per couple River Cruise with Shearings with our early booking offer Add a touch of We’ve made sure that you’ll be rewarded if you book your 2012 holiday early. Book any river cruise from The Shearings experience this brochure before 29th February 2012 and you’ll enjoy guaranteed savings on the brochure price… luxury with At Shearings we pride ourselves on providing relaxing, friendly Grand Tourer holidays full of entertainment and shared by like-minded travellers. And our river cruises are no exception. Join us on one of our fl agship vessels on Save up to £150 Book more - Save more our Grand Tourer cruises, offering that extra per couple What’s Included touch of luxury to your holiday. Choose from the elegant MPS Rotterdam or the SAVE an extra 5% when you book 2 or on River Cruise holidays * • Convenient, comfortable travel by coach, air or rail charming MPS Da Vinci, both impressive more holidays together! • Full breakfasts, tasty lunches and delicious dinners four-star vessels. • Music and dancing on many ships • Friendly staff on-hand – nothing’s too much trouble Sail on two of the most elegant vessels in Half price Vantage Seats Half price Lounge Pass • Shearings tour manager on many ships Western Europe. The MPS Rotterdam and MPS Da Vinci are decorated with rich on all River Cruises by coach on all River Cruises by air colours and luxurious soft furnishings. Complete peace of mind with You’ll be surrounded by four-star comfort our insurance and style while still enjoying the relaxed, Free bottle of wine per cabin Free included drinks friendly atmosphere of river cruising. From We’ve teamed up with UK General Insurance Ltd to offer you on all May-September River Cruises on on all May to September River Cruises on your welcome cocktail to berths closer great value, comprehensive travel insurance. Unlike many travel board the MPS Da Vinci and MPS Rotterdam board the MV Virginia and MV Esmeralda to village centres (subject to availability) insurance policies, all ages are considered. Our cruise travel to the optional shore excursions with insurance starts from just £35 per person – a small price to pay knowledgeable Shearings drivers, your Save 10% on pre-bookable excursions Great deals for groups for complete peace of mind. See page 98 for more details. Grand Tourer experience is sure to make If over 20 people travel on the same holiday you on selected River Cruises your holiday extra special. £ can take advantage of free places on many tours, with up to four FREE places for groups of over 40! Book with confi dence What’s more, on our MPS Da Vinci cruises Visit www.shearings.com/groups or call 01942 823 447 In these uncertain times, it’s important to travel with a name you we’ve secured the very best berthing can trust. Your holiday will be fully protected by our membership positions in Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava of ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) and the PSA – so you’ll get right into the heart of these Early booking offers are subject to availability and are valid on new bookings only made between 28/12/11 and 29/02/12. Shearings Holidays reserves the right to (Passenger Shipping Association).