News

The world’s greatest living land explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, is hoping for a smooth sailing when he joins Saga Pearl II’s Jewels of the Canary Islands cruise in November.

Sir Ranulph, the first adventurer to reach both the North and South Poles by surface travel, and the oldest Briton to conquer Everest, says ‘I do get terribly seasick’ when it comes to being on the ocean.

“The first time I experienced seasickness was on expedition ships in the Arctic and Antarctic waters,” he said. “On those vessels it was the crew’s job to take us there, to crash through the ice, and then pick us up on the other side – if we ever got to the other side that is.”

More recently, Sir Ranulph, 73, sailed around Cape Horn with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo non-stop around the world. He said: “Robin is the greatest solo sailor of all time, and I was sick once again. So it hasn’t gone away.”

When Sir Ranulph joins Saga Pearl II for two nights he plans to put on ‘lots of those patches’. He laughs and says: “I’m not sure if they’ll really do the job so I just hope that the waters around the Canary Islands are kinder to me.”

On board the 449-passenger ship Sir Ranulph plans to talk to guests about his
40-plus years of adventure and exploration. He said: “I’ll be covering stories of my life and attempts at breaking world records and I will also show a film of the first vertical journey around Earth, which is narrated by the late Sir Richard Burton.

“I’ll also be there if people want to ask questions, which always makes me happy.”

The all-inclusive Jewels of the Canary Islands cruise features the maiden port of Avilés, in Spain, and calls at Funchal, Madeira; Santa Cruz, Tenerife; Las Palmas, Gran Canaria; Arrecife, Lanzarote; Cadiz, Spain; Portimão and Lisbon, Portugal and La Coruña (for Santiago de Compostela), Spain.

For details visit saga.co.uk/cruises or call 0800 50 50 30

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18 nights from £2,530 departing on November 20, 2017. Price includes UK travel package to and from Southampton, all meals and entertainment, all-inclusive drinks (choice of table wines at lunch and dinner, house-branded spirits, draught beer and lager, all mixers and soft drinks), afternoon tea, 24-hour room service, welcome cocktail party, unlimited tea and coffee in selected venues, free wifi, all on-board gratuities, porterage, free shuttle bus to nearest town centre (whenever possible and when the ship is berthed more than 500 yards away), optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights, or a discount passenger has own insurance.

Price based on two people sharing an Inside Guarantee where you will receive your cabin number shortly before sailing (or at embarkation) and not at the time of booking. Your cabin may be located anywhere on the ship and twin cabins may have two single beds or one double bed. Further terms and conditions apply. Fare was correct at the time of going to print and is subject to availability and change. Please call for details.