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Win an eight-night luxury ocean cruise for two with Explora Journeys worth £13,000

Win an eight-night luxury ocean cruise for two with Explora Journeys worth £13,000

Times20-07-2025
Explora Journeys is one of the newest ocean cruise lines, with a fleet of ships designed to resemble boutique hotels at sea. And they really do, with sleek interiors, chic bars and swish restaurants that run the gamut from French fine dining to a pan-Asian spot with its own saké sommelier. Even better, you'll find multiple heated pools and a spa on board, with tip-top treatments and all the extras like a sauna, steam room and hydrotherapy pool.
This fantastic prize gives you and a guest the flexibility to choose your own eight-night itinerary on board either Explora I, Explora II or Explora III (launching in summer 2026), subject to availability. Perhaps you've always wanted to see the white-sand beaches of the Caribbean? Then you can opt for a Puerto Rico to Miami sailing where you'll get to spot both the cerulean lagoons of Tortola and the sandy shores of Antigua. Or maybe you've always talked about going on a Greek island-hopping adventure? You'll want to choose an Athens to Venice sailing that takes in underrated Paros and history-filled Rhodes before making a beeline for Corfu and its remarkable views. Or is a fabulous fjord expedition calling your name? You can sail from Southampton to Copenhagen, marvelling at Olden's fjords and Bergen's seafood along the way. The list goes on . . .
Whichever you choose, you'll stay in an Ocean Terrace Suite, meaning stellar views at all times, on an all-inclusive basis, and enjoy champagne on arrival. The trip must be booked within 12 months of the winner being announced, and excludes Monaco GP journeys, journeys over Christmas, and Thanksgiving. Excursions and spa treatments are extra.
For more information, click here.
For your chance to win, simply vote in each category in this year's Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards. There are 17 categories in total.
Click here to vote.
For the full list of prizes, see here.Promotion closes at 23.59pm on August 31, 2025. Open to residents of the United Kingdom who are aged 18 years or older, excluding employees and agents of the Promoter and its group companies, or third parties directly connected with the operation or fulfilment of the Promotion and their affiliates, and their immediate families and household members. One entry per person. Winners will be selected at random from all valid entries. No cash alternative and prize is non-transferable. Prize is a voucher valid for an 8 (eight) night stay for two on board EXPLORA I, EXPLORA II OR EXPLORA III (launching in summer 2026) and return economy flights from the UK to Europe only, and return economy class transfers (from the destination airport directly to the port). Prize is valid for travel within 12 months from the end of the Promotion Period, and blackout dates apply including Monaco GP journeys, journeys over Christmas and Thanksgiving. Winner and his/her guest(s) must travel on same itinerary. All parts of Prize must be used in conjunction with same booking. Winner and his/her guest(s) are solely responsible for ensuring they are available to travel and have a full valid passport (with validity for six months or more beyond the date of travel), obtaining adequate travel insurance and appropriate vaccinations/inoculations for foreign travel at their own expense. Cancellation is allowed until 90 days before the journey. Within 90 days, cancellation will cause the loss of Prize voucher validity. Travel insurance, food and drink (outside what is previously declared in the board basis), spending money and all incidental expenses are the responsibility of the Winner. Prize is subject to Explora Journeys terms and conditions. Your information will be used to administer this Promotion and otherwise in accordance with our privacy policy at newsprivacy.co.uk and those of the partners. Promoter is Times Media Ltd. Full T&Cs apply — see thetimes.com/traveltermsandconditions.
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Ditch the Caribbean for UK islands with white sand beaches that are just a 20-minute ‘Skybus' from the mainland
Ditch the Caribbean for UK islands with white sand beaches that are just a 20-minute ‘Skybus' from the mainland

Scottish Sun

time20 minutes ago

  • Scottish Sun

Ditch the Caribbean for UK islands with white sand beaches that are just a 20-minute ‘Skybus' from the mainland

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Of the islands, only five are actually inhabited - St. Mary's, Tresco, St. Martin's, Bryher, and St. Agnes. And many people who head to the isles, choose to hop between them via a 30-minute boat ride connecting them all. But the biggest benefit of the islands making them a great alternative to the Caribbean, is that they have their own microclimate. Caused by the North Atlantic Drift, the islands have flourishing palm trees. This climate also means the islands rarely see cold weather, consistently staying several degrees hotter than the UK mainland - adding to the overall Caribbean feel. The easiest way to get to the islands is via the 'Skybus', which you can do from Land's End Airport, Newquay Airport or Exeter Airport. From Land's End Airport it takes just 20 minutes to reach St. Mary's and if you don't want to leave your furry friend out, the flight even allows dogs. Return flights cost £65 per person, or £52 for children under 11-years-old. Alternatively, for a cheaper option hop on the ferry from £35 per adult and from £17.50 per child. The Spanish region undiscovered by Brits despite seaside views and ancient Roman cities St Martin's St Martin's measures just two miles long and a quarter of a mile wide but is home to scenic footpaths, clear waters and white beaches. On the island, is one of two vineyards in the Scilly Isles. At the vineyard, visitors can wander through the woodland trail before joining one of the tours. The tours are self-guided and guests will learn about the 'viticulture' and wine making that happens at the site. There is no need to book and a combined tasting and tour costs just £10 per person. ​St Martin's is also home to some of the "finest beaches in the British Isles", Visit Isles of Scilly states. And just moments away from the vineyard, is Par Beach. The beach boasts crystal clear waters and sandy dunes. 8 The islands are home to a wealth of things to do including seal spotting Credit: Getty When the tide goes out some small rockpools emerge, as does the long stretch of golden sands. Also noticeable from the beach is the island's red and white day mark that stands 40 feet tall. Only around 120 people live on the island, so it makes the ideal quiet spot to visit with beaches just like you are in the Caribbean. St Agnes Over on St Agnes, there is the second vineyard - Holy Vale Winery & Vineyard on St Mary's. Whilst not much else to do on the island, you should make sure to head to Troytown Farm Ice Cream - the only dairy farm in Scilly. One recent visitor said: "The taste and texture of this homemade ice cream is so good that it stays with me all year around and I miss it." 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Thousands of BA customers urged to check holiday vouchers now – or lose them for good
Thousands of BA customers urged to check holiday vouchers now – or lose them for good

The Sun

time21 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Thousands of BA customers urged to check holiday vouchers now – or lose them for good

BRITISH Airways customers are running out of time to use millions of pounds worth of vouchers for travel. The airline gave out e-vouchers to travellers who had a flight or holiday disrupted during Covid. 1 As part of the small print on the vouchers, you needed to initially use the vouchers by the end of April 2022. However, this date was extended by the airline multiple times into 2023, 2024, and now finally to September 30, 2025. This means there is little more than a month to book and complete a trip with the vouchers if you have some left to use otherwise they'll expire completely. British Airways' parent company estimates there are still around £420million worth of unused flight vouchers. This figure also includes vouchers that have not been used with other airlines owned by the company including Aer Lingus and Iberia. You could have a voucher from BA if your flight was cancelled by the airline during the pandemic. 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I sold everything I own to go travelling, now I see the world for £35 a day – my lesser-visited cheap spots in Europe
I sold everything I own to go travelling, now I see the world for £35 a day – my lesser-visited cheap spots in Europe

The Sun

time21 minutes ago

  • The Sun

I sold everything I own to go travelling, now I see the world for £35 a day – my lesser-visited cheap spots in Europe

WHEN it comes to travelling, Bobby Bolton dived in headfirst with nothing but £600 to his name, his dog, and a truck. Now, he's been through 41 countries, gained a fiancée and has written a book called T r uck It!. 7 7 Talking to Sun Travel, Bobby revealed all about his adventures, from his favourite islands, to affordable stops and the best way to travel on a budget. Bobby Bolton set off to see the world two years ago, explaining: "Before leaving, I was pretty much broke, at one point I couldn't even buy a coffee on my way to work. "I got the idea to travel in the pub after seeing an old Land Rover pull up and four pints later I told my friends 'I'm going to drive to Mongolia '. "And I literally sold my life to be able to afford it." When Bobby left his hometown of Wigan, he had just £600 and a huge truck, which he converted, being a builder by trade. In his very first destination, France, Bobby met Marie - and they travel together with their two dogs in the kitted out truck. By travelling on four-wheels, the pair can see a lot for not a lot of money. They spend cash on necessities, like food and fuel, rather than forking out on all-inclusive hotels and restaurants. Bobby told us: "What we do is a cheap way of travelling because, roughly, we can do it for £35pp per day." The couple have seen a lot of countries, but when it comes to Europe, there's one place that really stood out: Slovenia. Locals share their best tips for Albania from tropical beaches to 40p dishes… and the tourist traps to avoid 7 7 He told us: "Slovenia is definitely an up-and-coming place, and I couldn't recommend it more to anyone who's outdoorsy. "If you love hiking, white water rafting and climbing, it's beautiful. There's a National Park there called Triglav. "Triglav has been described as being in a 'time capsule' because lots of a lot of buildings are preserved in time - it's beautiful. It's a bit more expensive because it's very near Lake Bled which is relatively famous." For any winter sport enthusiasts who love to ski, Bobby has uncovered one country that you might want to consider for your next trip. " Slovakia was fantastic, especially for winter sports, and in the Tatra mountains, we got ski lift passes for just around £10 a day." As for affordability, Bobby narrowed down five countries that stood out for being especially cheap. He said: "The first is Albania which is affordable and has some underdeveloped coastlines that are amazing. "In Georgia, we had the best bread which we bought for 50p from a woman on the side of the road. "I have to mention Kyrgyzstan too and our favourite was Laos in South East Asia - two people can eat all day there for £10. "And a place I actually haven't been to yet, is Morocco. It has so much history, and I know it's very affordable there." 7 The couple have also touched on a few tourist-y spots too. Bobby told us: "We fell in love with the Greek islands. I know they're well-known, but they're beautiful, especially off-season. "We were there in April a few years ago and managed to park on white sandy beaches. "We went spear fishing and cooked them on a barbecue at sunset with some tasty Greek wine. It was a romantic couple of weeks we had island hopping. I think we hit five of the islands in the end, Chios, Leros, Kos, Samos. Another destination that Bobby raved about was Kyrgyzstan - a landlocked country in Central Asia with huge mountain ranges and crystal clear lakes. Bobby told us: "I would describe Kyrgyzstan as being Switzerland 200 years ago, there's not a lot of development there but the scenery is fantastic. "You can hike up the mountains, swim in the Alpine lakes - it's the best place and it's really not touristy because there's no infrastructure. "It's raw beauty, and it's really cheap. It's a third of the price in the UK in terms of food and fuel, which is what we spend our money on." 7 Bobby and Marie have been driving around the world for almost two years - and they love it so much that they are converting another truck to continue their travels. Bobby spoke very highly of driving rather than flying or exploring by boat and would encourage others to give it a go too. He said: "By renting out a four-wheel drive with a roof tent, or a campervan, you save a massive amount on hotels and you get the ability to mingle with the locals too. "Generally, it's easy to park up anywhere too, and there are apps and maps that help with that. But for example in Kyrgyzstan you could park almost anywhere, by beautiful lake, at the foot of mountains. One place that Bobby revealed is especially suited for travellers on the road is Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. He explains that the country itself is very set up for driving and that you can even do a DIY safari. "You can hire a pick-up truck with roof tent and camping equipment and explore the most beautiful places with wild ostrich, giraffe, rhino, to the Skeleton Coast. "It's actually called a self-drive safari and I'd definitely recommend it. My dad isn't very well-travelled but he came to Namibia, hired a four-wheel drive and the week he was there he kept saying 'I'm going to come back here'." Bobby is back in the UK but only for a short while as he and Marie are heading back on the road. "We're doing up another truck, then we're going to the Arctic Circle, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, then Africa on the other side. "Then we'll probably do the Americas, and then Australia to finish - potentially." To find out more about Bobby's book Truck It! head to Amazon. And to keep up with his travels check out his social media account For more travel and money saving tips, Race Across the World winner Alfie Watts gives Sun Travel his best advice. And these are Europe's cheapest places for family holidays this summer – package breaks in stunning locations from £282.

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