Islands made for cruising. Réunion for dramatic scenery

Snapshots of the world's best island cruising destinations.

By Roderick Eime

Characterised by an aggressive, still active volcanic landscape, Réunion is the Hawaii of the Indian Ocean with towering, thickly wooded peaks and a couple of decent beaches.

Almost overlooked by its better publicised Indian Ocean neighbours, Mauritius and Madagascar, Réunion is small enough to be romantic and civilised enough to offer a comfortable, European style experience. After all, it is part of France, yet with a sultry and tropical Creole flavour.

Réunion's interesting, predominantly French colonial history, serves as a fascinating counterpoint to the jaw-dropping terrain on this 2500 square kilometre island. A 'must-do' among the serious trekking community, it is mentioned in the same breath as the Himalayas and New Zealand, with the three "cirques" (natural amphitheatres) providing stunning venues for energetic strolls. The Cirque de Salazie, the Cirque de Cilaos and the Cirque de Mafate each evolved from the original Piton des Neiges volcano (3000m) that formed the island. There is also fascinating hiking around the still-active Piton de la Fournaise, a shield volcano on the eastern end which rises more than 2631 metres.

Most of the population is arranged around the coastal perimeter, but three tiny villages form superb little micro-destinations on their own; Cilaos, Salazie and La Nouvelle (in the Cirque de Mafate), which is only accessible only by foot or helicopter.

There are around thirty cruise visits to the island annually with P&O, MSC and Silversea the most regular. The main port is Pointe des Galets.

Official tourism site: www.reunion.fr/en/

Islands made for cruising. Sicily for food and wine.

Palermo market

Snapshots of the world's best island cruising destinations.

By Roderick Eime

Sicily is one the best Mediterranean island destinations, even if you don't consider it a gastronomic attraction. You'll enjoy fabulous food with lashings of rich history and culture against a stunning natural backdrop. Strolling through any of the local food and produce markets is an experience in itself as you are confronted with beautifully presented fish, fruit, vegetables and even packaged delights. Sicilians love their food and wine and you'll find their passion translates into the many restaurants, cafes and bars.

Acclaimed food and wine author, Sally Hammond, author of "Just a Little Italian" explains why she loves Sicily.

"Sicily has been over-run and colonised by many nations over its long history. Ancient Greeks and Romans, Goths, Vikings, Turks, Spanish and North Africans have all had a hand in the mixing pot which now constitutes Sicilian cuisine.

"So in western Sicily you'll see signs announcing couscous is being served that day, in the south, it's almond granita (a flaky ice) and a sort of brioche for breakfast, and some of the best chocolate, while everywhere there are food markets that would be at home in the Middle East.

"In the countryside expect to see prickly pear laden with red fruit on the roadside and olive and orange groves. Sicily is a fragrant, colourful, absolutely delicious island."

Palermo and Messina are the popular ports, but cruises also stop at Catania. Well serviced by all the major cruise lines like MSC, Costa Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, and NCL.

Official tourism site: www.italia.it/en/discover-italy/sicily.html

Port Review: Penang, Malaysia

Originally published in Cruise Weekly

“The Pearl of the Orient”

 

History

Known in British colonial times as “The Pearl of the Orient”, Penang was founded in 1786 by a an English sea captain and entrepreneur, Francis Light, who persuaded the local Sultan of Kedah to grant him the entire 285 sq km island of Pulau Pinang and create a trading port. Located on the Straits of Malacca, it later formed part of the so-called 'Straits Settlement' along with Malacca and Singapore, flourishing into a multicultural hub and centre for such commodities as tea, spices, porcelain and cloth. Indian, Malay, Chinese, British, Portuguese and Dutch inhabitants and traders all made their presence felt in the culture and religion with many architectural remnants left to explore. Within this multiracial melting pot a unique culture developed. The so-called Baba-Nyonya culture of “peranakan” grew from the many Chinese-Malay intermarriages, spawning its own food, costume and rituals. A dedicated display can be found in the Penang State Museum.

In 1957 the British Colonial rulers granted Malaysia independence and in 2008, the historic district of George Town was inscribed by UNESCO onto their World Heritage list.

Who Goes There?

Penang's deepwater, century-old Swettenham Pier is frequented by local cruise lines like Star Cruises who offer 3-night Phuket/Krabi trips, but also others who choose this colourful metropolis for its vibrant shore attractions. In the last 12 months, Penang has seen visits from RCCL, Cunard, Princess, Costa, Oceania, Ponant, AIDA, Silversea, Seabourn, Seven Seas and P&O (UK). Azamara joins this list from 2013 with the newly refurbished vessel, Journey. Peak arrivals are in January and December, with total cruise ship movements expected to be around 100 for 2013. 115,000 passengers arrived in Penang last year (3% up from 2011) with the vast majority from Singapore and India. Australian arrivals are declining, down to just 6500 last year from a peak of 12,400 in 2009, but expect that number to trend upward again as new and larger vessels find their way into the region.

Going Ashore

Offered excursions will almost certainly include tours of the many heritage buildings, places of worship and sites such as Fort Cornwallis, City Hall and State Museum, but Penang is also renown as a confluence of food cultures. On every street corner and down every tiny lane there seems to be a row of little food carts offering everything from coconut, rice noodle and bean desserts (cendol) to more spicy offerings such as nasi lemak, nyonya kuih, prawn noodle, apom balik and the famous asam laksa acclaimed by CNNGo as one of the world's 50 most delicious foods. If the timing is right, cruises may arrive during any one of the almost monthly festivals and celebrations such as Chinese New Year (January) and the bizarre Hindu event, Thaipusam (February).

Staying on

If you are fortunate (or clever) enough to arrange extra time in Penang by starting or ending your cruise there, the obvious accommodation option is the magnificent 1885-built Eastern & Oriental Hotel, [www.easternandoriental.com] located in the heart of the historic district and recently renovated to its full glory.

Flying there

Malaysia Airlines flies regularly from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Penang (PEN). www.malaysiaairlines.com || www.tourismpenang.net.my

More Info: www.malaysiatourism.com.au

Not So Subtle Seattle

Proposed upgrades to Seattle waterfront

Port update by Roderick Eime

I last visited Seattle in May 2009 when the city was on the verge of a major overhaul and it was interesting to see one of the world’s Top 50 most livable cities transform in this short time.

The new light rail was under test along the waterfront ahead of its official opening last December and I had the chance to test it on my trip to Hotel Five on Fifth Ave near the Seattle Center. Up until 2005, historic ex-Melbourne trams ran along the waterfront but plans for their return are unclear.

The biggest news from the home of Starbucks is the demolition of the unsightly Alaskan Way, a 60-year-old overpass that rang along the waterfront much like Sydney’s Cahill Expressway. The heavy machinery moved in last October and reduced the quake damaged roadway to rubble to make way for a massive rejuvenation project along the waterfront from Century Link Stadium, past the aquarium and Pike Place to the Bell Harbour cruise terminal.

According to the developers, www.waterfrontseattle.org, the waterfront program will include ‘continuous’ and ‘event-based’ activities. Strolling, jogging, biking, driving, and parking are supported along the entire length of the waterfront, whereas event-based programs will happen in strategic locations to maximize synergies with existing destinations. Pier 62/63 will be the focus of much activity including rollerskating, sun bathing, concerts, ice skating, swimming, events, market and views to the bay. See the website for comprehensive details of the development.

All this refurbishment will hold the city in good stead as it continues to win more business from its nearby rival port, Vancouver, across the border.

Brad Jones, director of tourism development for SCVB, tells me Seattle now has more sailings than its Canadian rival and has essentially captured the market for Alaskan cruise departures. This is due, Jones says, because of the perception that it is easier for US citizens to use a domestic port and the relative cost of airfares to Seattle.

This year, the Port of Seattle expects in excess of 200 ship visits delivering more than 430,000 passengers, a number that seems set to rise. This year and next, new and returning ships to include Seattle in their itineraries are Celebrity Cruises' 2850-passenger Solstice, Oceania’s 684-passenger Regatta, Norwegian Cruise Line adds a third vessel while Disney returns to Seattle after two seasons in Vancouver. The famous Rocky Mountaineer railroad also begins routes to Seattle in 2013.

Port of Seattle spokesman, Peter McGraw, added that “because the Port of Seattle also includes Sea-Tac International Airport, we are able to provide the added convenience of boarding passes for passengers disembarking from cruise vessels along with handling their baggage. Furthermore airfares into Sea-Tac (SEA) tend to be lower than at our competitor’s closest airports.”

Australians wishing to reach Seattle will need to fly into either Vancouver (eg Air Canada), San Francisco (eg United) or LAX (eg Virgin, Air NZ or Qantas) then connect with a local airline, probably Alaskan, which hubs out of Seattle.

Seattle, I’ve found, is an Aussie-friendly city with familiar transport systems, like-minded and enriching tourism attractions in, or close to the city centre and excellent quality accommodation at reasonable prices.

Stay: www.hotelfiveseattle.com More Info: www.VisitSeattle.org