This week, Britain’s most iconic and much-loved secret agent returns to the big screen, with the release of Spectre – the latest film in the James Bond franchise. To celebrate this ‘007’ news, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has put together its Top 10 James Bond ‘set-jetting’ cruises for 2016/17; a selection of sumptuous cruise holidays, taking in exotic destinations all over the world, including Paris, Brazil, Italy, Iceland and Spain, with the added bonus of seeing some of ‘Bond…James Bond’s’ most famous filming locations.
Fred. Olsen’s Top 10 James Bond ‘set-jetting’ cruises for 2016/17 are:
1. Balmoral’s 46-night L1602 ‘Rio Carnival & River Plate’ cruise, ex Southampton on 19thJanuary 2016. Prices start from £4,199 per person.
As well as enjoying the party atmosphere of Rio Carnival on this unique cruise, guests can visit two locations of famous scenes from 1979’s Moonraker: Sugarloaf Mountain, where Bond faces an explosive attack from henchman and assassin, Jaws; and the mighty Iguazu Falls, where Britain’s favourite MI6 agent jumps dramatically from a speed boat ‘just in time’!
2. Black Watch’s nine-night W1613 ‘A Taste of Iceland’ cruise, ex Rosyth (Edinburgh) on 25thAugust 2016. Prices start from £1,249 per person.
Experience the icy world seen in Pierce Brosnan’s last film as James Bond – 2002’s Die Another Day – on this adventure to Iceland. Take in the dramatic landscapes, which feature in Bond’s visit to the Ice Palace of fictional British billionaire, Gustav Graves, and spend time exploring Godafoss Waterfall and the Fjardara River.
3. Braemar’s 11-night M1623 ‘French River Cruising’ holiday, ex Southampton on 30th August 2016. Prices start from £1,299 per person.
Set sail on Braemar, taking in the Seine, Garonne and Gironde rivers,and enjoy an overnight stay in Rouen, where guests can take a trip toParis. Enjoy an indulgent dinner at the iconic Eiffel Tower, which was the setting for the meeting between ‘007’, played by Roger Moore, and French detective Achille Aubergine, in 1985’s A View to a Kill.
4. Braemar’s 28-night M1624 ‘The Croatian & Italian Coast with Venice’ cruise, ex Southampton on 10th September 2016. Prices start from £2,899 per person.
Explore the Adriatic on this late Summer cruise and enjoy an overnight stay in beautiful Venice, where guests can picture the dramatic scene in 2006’s Casino Royale where Daniel Craig – in his first Bond outing – pursues his enemy along the winding streets and paths, including through the famous Piazza San Marco.
5. Boudicca’s eight-night D1619 ‘French & Spanish Escape’ cruise, ex Liverpool on 30thSeptember 2016. Prices start from £799 per person.
Visit Spain’s impressive Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, on a tour from Getxo, and think of the opening action scene of 1999’s The World Is Not Enough – where Pierce Brosnan, in his third depiction of ‘007’, defeats a Swiss banker and escapes to London. Guests can also discover El Ferrol in Spain and La Pallice and Lorient in France.
6. Boudicca’s 30-night D1620 ‘Istanbul & the Black Sea’ cruise, ex Liverpool on 8th October 2016. Prices start from £2,299 per person.
On this epic journey of the Black Sea, taking in beautiful destinations, including Odessa in Ukraine, Varna in Bulgaria and Sochi in Russia, guests will also enjoy an overnight stay in Istanbul in Turkey. Here, they can visit the Grand Bazaar, featured in the intense opening sequence of 2012’s Skyfall, which sees James Bond and second MI6 agent, Eve, chasing down their target.
7. Braemar’s 16-night M1626 ‘Barcelona, Monaco & the Island of Elba’ cruise, ex Southampton on 22nd October 2016. Prices start from £1,499 per person.
Visit glamourous Monaco and sip martinis in the Monte Carlo Casino, just as secret agent James Bond does in 1995’s GoldenEye – when he is not searching for classic femme fatale,Xenia Onatopp!
8. Black Watch’s 11-night W1620 ‘Sun, Souks & Sultans’ cruise, ex Harwich on 31st October 2016. Prices start from £999 per person.
Stand on the 25 de Abril Bridge, as George Lazenby did in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – his one and only performance as the fictional MI6 agent – in Portugal’s capital city Lisbon. Plus, enjoy visits to Vigo in Spain and Casablanca in Morocco.
9. Black Watch’s seven-night W1621 ‘European Cities & Waterways’ cruise, ex Tilbury on 11thNovember 2016. Prices start from £589 per person.
See the sights of Bruges, Hamburg and Amsterdam on this European city cruise. Stand on the Magere Brug Bridge, in the heart of Amsterdam, where James Bond meets famous ‘Bond girl’, Tiffany Case, in 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever.
10. Balmoral’s 46-night L1730 ‘Central America & the Mardi Gras’ cruise, ex Southampton on 4th February 2017. Prices start from £3,999 per person.
Relax in the Caribbean, discover Mexico and walk the streets of New Orleans, as Roger Moore did in his first appearance as James Bond in 1973’s Live and Let Die – before he was kidnapped by the film’s ‘baddie’, Mr Big!With three full days in this carnival city, guests can stroll along famous Bourbon Street and party at Mardi Gras!
All prices include accommodation (subject to availability), all meals and entertainment on board, and port taxes.
