Winter cruises for under £500

Winter cruises

Fred. Olsen has launched winter cruises around the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and West Africa departing from Santa Cruz, Tenerife, where 929-guest ship Braemar is based between this month and May next year.

The winter getaways are excellent value, with prices from £49 per person per night (cruise only) and you can upgrade to Fred. Olsen’s “all-inclusive” drinks package from £10 per person, per night.

During its 2014 fly-cruise season, Braemar will be visiting Tenerife, El Hierro, La Palma, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Portugal, Morocco, Madeira, Azores, The Gambia, Senegal and Cape Verdes.

Braemar is a stylish ship and has plenty of outdoor space for strolling or relaxing, with an attractive ‘cascade’ of decks at the stern and a light-filled atrium that creates a sensation of space.

Nathan Philpot of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “Guests can escape the British winter for the sun-drenched islands and tropical beaches of the Cape Verdes; explore the volcanic peaks and botanical gardens of the Canary Islands; or soak up the atmosphere of traditional West African villages in Senegal and The Gambia.”

Cruises include: 10-night ‘Undiscovered Islands of the Canaries’ departing on January 7. Prices start from £490 per person (cruise only). Return flights and transfers are £250 per person. The first port of call, after departing from Santa Cruz in Tenerife, is La Estaca, on the island of El Hierro. It may be the smallest of the Canary Islands, but it is one of the most beautiful, with its mixture of lava fields, dense woodlands, fertile fields, vineyards and volcanic peaks.

The next stop is the greenest of the Canary Islands, La Palma. The historic capital, Santa Cruz, is compact enough to explore on foot. La Gomera is the next port and its capital, San Sebastian, is well worth exploring, with dramatic mountains and deep ravines. After calling at Funchal (Madeira), Braemar makes her way to Agadir (Morocco), a beautiful beach resort that offers guests plenty of relaxation. The final call is to Arrecife in Lanzarote, before Braemar returns to Tenerife.

For this and other cruises, see www.fredolsencruises.com