Australia Day Celebrations on special Murray Princess Cruise

Celebrate historic Australia Day on a special four night Murray Princess Australia Day cruise and enjoy Australia Day festivities while discovering the real history of the outback. The four-night cruise departs Monday 23rd January, 2017.

The Australia Day cruise features the popular four-night itinerary combined with Australia Day fun and games including Two Up and thong throwing and a special Captain's Australia Day Buffet Dinner.

On-shore excursions include a guided walking tour of Swan Reach and a visit to the Swan Reach Museum.

Learn about Aboriginal history at the amazing Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Reserve - one of Australia's most significant archaeological sites and enjoy a guided boardwalk tour of ancient rock carvings.

Fall in love with the animals at a visit to a Native Wildlife Shelter and experience a fun and very Australian Woolshed Show.

Experience the excitement of cruising through Lock 1 at Blanchetown and enjoy some cellar door tasting and a tour of the vineyard at Burk Salter Boutique Winery.

Wildlife lovers can spot an abundance of nocturnal wildlife on the riverbank and birdwatchers can spend endless hours spotting a wide variety of river birds.

Plant life is also thriving and led by on-shore guides guests can enjoy nature walks, eco-tours and learn about the thriving ecology of the river.

Guests can sit back in one of two air-conditioned paddlewheel lounges and enjoy the amazing views as the Murray Princess cruises past towering limestone cliffs, and along riverbanks lined with mallee scrub and red gum forests. They can even watch the working paddle wheel through a spectacular two-story glass window in the Paddlewheel Lounge.

Food on board the Murray Princess is a highlight of the cruise. Guests will enjoy a hearty hot buffet breakfast each morning, a two-course or buffet lunch each day and a three-course or buffet dinner each evening. There is a spectacular Captain's dinner and dance, a special Captain's Australia Day Buffet Dinner and even an Aussie-style campfire barbecue dinner and bush dance on the river bank.

The four night Australia Day cruise departs from Mannum at 4.30pm on Monday 23rd January, 2017 and Early Booking Saver fares start from only $1076 per person twin share.

Fares include accommodation, all meals, guided nature walks, eco-excursions, onboard presentations, onboard free Wi-Fi, the Captain's Australia Day Buffet Dinner, live entertainment, use of ship's facilities including a sauna, spa, sun deck, bar, two lounges, restaurant and mini gymnasium with complimentary scenic coach transfers from Adelaide or secure car-parking in Mannum.

For Further information and bookings please contact:

T: 1300 729 938 from within Australia or +61 9 8202 8697 from Overseas

Email: murrayprincess@sealink.com.au

Visit: www.murrayprincess.com.au

SeaDream scores top spots with Berlitz

SEADREAM Yacht Club's SeaDream I and SeaDream II have been awarded  the top two Boutique Passenger Vessel placings in the prestigious 2017 Berlitz Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships – the so-called "bible of world cruising." 

The Guide is researched and written by Douglas Ward who, with more than 1,100 cruises behind him, is considered the world's top authority on cruising and cruise ships. For each year's edition, Mr Ward takes into account hundreds of separate items based on personal cruises, and portside visits and re-visits to ships during the year.

Mr Ward scored SeaDream I a total of 1,754 points out of a possible 2000 points in his year 2017 Guide that's just been published, and SeaDream II a total 1,750 points, and noted the SeaDream twins' reputations for being "beautiful, intimate and with excellent food."

President of SeaDream Yacht Club, Bob Lepisto said the company was honoured and delighted to once again be so highly distinguished in the world-renowned Berlitz Guide.

"We thank Mr Ward and his publishers," Mr Lepisto said. "And I add my own thanks to our colleagues at sea, and those in our offices around the world who have all contributed to our continued success."

SeaDream I and SeaDream II each carries a maximum of just 112 guests in 56 staterooms, served by 95 crew. Included in sailings aboard the mega motor-cruisers are wines with lunches and dinners, premium drinks from the open bars, power and sail water sports where locally permitted, mountain bikes for shore expeditions, an onboard golf simulator and fitness centre, and port charges and taxes

For more information about SeaDream I and II, see travel agents or go to www.seadream.com

Record Breaking Cruise Season Kicks off with the Return of Australia’s Favourite Cruise Ship, Celebrity Solstice

The arrival of Australia's highest rated cruise ship*, Celebrity Solstice to Sydney on Saturday 8 October signals the official start of a bumper international cruise season for Australia and New Zealand, as well as the biggest ever local season for RCL Cruises Ltd with a capacity increase of 15 per cent, year on year for the company's trifecta of cruise lines, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.

"This summer, our three cruise lines and seven ships based down under will sail 101 itineraries, carrying over 300,000 guests who will inject more than $208 million in passenger spend alone in Australian ports," said Adam Armstrong, managing director for RCL Cruises in Australia and New Zealand.

Sydney itself will see an injection of more than $144 million into the local economy, with 76 calls to the port by 6 ships.

With around 15 per cent of the international RCL Cruises Ltd fleet now based in Australia and New Zealand between October and April, this season will see the company introduce two new ships, spend $11.25 million refreshing another, as well as offer a whole host of new and unique itineraries on a range of cruise ships to suit every taste.

"This is undoubtedly our biggest and most exciting season to date.  And nothing will be bigger than the debut of Royal Caribbean's all-new Ovation of the Seas. She represents not only a whole new way to cruise, but a new holiday category entirely – what we've dubbed supercruising. This is truly going to blow Australia away!"

Ovation of the Seas cost USD$1 billion to build, weighing in at 168,666 GRT with capacity for close to 5000 passengers, making her by far the largest, the newest and the most technologically advanced cruise ship to ever call Australia home.

She'll depart Singapore on 30 November and reach the Australian coast for the very first time in Fremantle on 6 December, before calling in Adelaide, Hobart and Sydney. Once she arrives at her new southern hemisphere home port of Sydney on 15 December, she'll offer seven roundtrip itineraries to New Zealand, the South Pacific and Australian destinations, plus a repositioning cruise to Singapore departing in February 2017.

Ovation of the Seas joins the South Pacific Sisters - twin sisters Voyager of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas - along with Radiance of the Seas sailing out of Sydney. Together, the biggest ships in the Southern Hemisphere will offer 65 voyages around Australia, the South Pacific, New Zealand and Asia.

Twin sister megaliners, Voyager of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas will be dedicated to the South Pacific this coming season, offering twice the fun thanks to recent US$180 million revitalisations. Until Ovation of the Seas arrives, Explorer of the Seas boasts the title of largest ship in Australia and both the South Pacific Sisters are packed full of fun for families of all shapes and sizes. They boast an array of features that can only be found on Royal, like the twin FlowRiders, ice skating rinks where the young and young at heart can test their skills and virtual balconies for real time ocean views in interior staterooms. As well as calling to idyllic destinations like Vanuatu and New Caledonia, the South Pacific Sisters will make almost double the calls of any other cruise brand to island favourite, Fiji.

Nicknamed the "culinary ship" for her rich variety of onboard dining options, Radiance of the Seas is set to make waves this season. She'll make the industry's first ever passenger cruise ship visit to Wollongong on the South Coast of NSW on 30 October 2016, plus she will make maiden calls for the cruise line to the idyllic islands of Tonga; Vava'u on 12 December 2016 and Nuku'alofa on 13 December 2016.

Legend of the Seas returns to her Brisbane homeport for her second and final season down under in November. Only two sea days from the South Pacific, she'll primarily offer voyages to Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji, before bidding farewell to Australian waters in February 2017.

After kicking off the 2016/17 cruise season this weekend, Celebrity Solstice, will make her way to Singapore for an extensive $11.25 million revitalisation. Sailing her fifth consecutive local season, the modern luxury ship will return in November with stunning new features including "A Taste of Film" cinema experience under the stars, new Lawn Club cabanas, an authentic Japanese sushi restaurant and an all-new digital photo gallery.

Celebrity Solstice will offer a range of new ports and itineraries during her seven month season, including her maiden debut to the tranquil coastal NZ town of Picton on 10 April 2017, as well as a record three overnight calls to the picturesque harbour town of Tauranga in New Zealand.  She will also introduce a new Great Barrier Reef itinerary for the first time, departing Sydney 13 March 2017. 

Rounding out the season will be the maiden arrival of boutique cruise brand Azamara Club Cruises' second ship, Azamara Journey, which will her debut in February 2017, first arriving to Darwin on 8 February 2017 as part of her Asia repositioning and then to Sydney on 20 February 2017. She'll make the cruise company's maiden call to Kaikoura, New Zealand's whale watching capital, on 13 March 2017, and will remain in the region until late March, offering two Australia & New Zealand sailings and a return Asia repositioning voyage.

Fresh from an all-encompassing make over which left no space untouched, Azamara Journey's recent revitalisation saw the addition of new venues and technologies, a beautiful redesign and rework of her suites and staterooms, a complete refresh of all public spaces and pervasive wi-fi throughout.

For more information about or to book a cruise, visit royalcaribbean.com.au, celebritycruises.com.au or azamaraclubcruises.com, call 1800 754 500 or contact your travel agent.

* Celebrity Solstice is the highest rated ship in Australia according to the Berlitz Guide and was awarded Best Cruise Ship – Domestic 2015 at the AFTA National Travel Industry Awards.

 

SeaDream's taste of the Mediterranean's good life

START TO 2017 WILL HAVE YOU SEADREAMING

IF you'll be in the USA come early next January and know you'll have a few spare days up your sleeve, fill them in with an unforgettable 4-day start to 2017 aboard the world's highest-rated boutique motor-cruiser, SeaDream I on a big-discounted round-trip sailing from Bridgetown, Barbados in the Caribbean.

Departing on January 3, the price of this 4-day sailing has been slashed from US$4624pp twin-share to just US$2223pp twin-share.

You'll visit the uninhabited Tobago Cays with their green turtles and coral reefs (and doubtless recognise where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed,) Union Island dubbed "the Tahiti of the West Indies," Port Elizabeth that's home to the famed "Mac's Lobster Pizza," and tiny Mayreau where crew will host SeaDream's exclusive Champagne and Caviar Splash in a picture-perfect secluded bay…

Included will be wines with lunches and dinners, premium drinks from the open bars, power and sail water sports where locally permitted, mountain bikes for shore expeditions, a no-charge onboard golf simulator and fitness centre, and port charges and taxes.

For full details see travel agents or visit www.seadream.com; SeaDream I carries a maximum of just 112 guests served by 95 crew.

[] IT'S unique Champagne and Caviar Splash will be a feature of SeaDream I's 4-day Caribbean sailing from Bridgetown, Barbados next January.

Silver Muse maiden voyage - get aboard

Silversea's new flagship, Silver Muse, is set to redefine ocean travel, enhancing the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodations.  Igniting the start of an exciting 2017 Mediterranean cruising season, Silversea has tailored Silver Muse's maiden voyage to sail one of the most sought-after stretches of the European coastline.

Departing Monte Carlo, Monaco on 19 April 2017, Silver Muse sails west towards Spain.  The vibrant city of Marseille is the first port of call, where guests can be immersed in the countries rich history and culture, before exploring Barcelona, Spain.  Here guests can view ancient and modern architecture and relax on the sun-drenched Mediterranean beaches. Guests also have the option of a variety of shore excursions ranging from a relaxing day of golf, to soaring to new heights on a helicopter tour of the city.

The voyage continues toward Italy's picturesque coast, stopping at the beautiful ports in Sicily, Amalfi, Sorrento and Rome.  Here guests can savour a delightful array of traditional Italian food, and bask under the hot Italian sun.  Guests return to the enchanting French Riviera, disembarking in Nice, on 03 May 2017, where a guided tour of the Old City awaits to conclude the truly luxurious Silversea experience.

Soak up the ambience and award-winning gastronomic pedigree of what is surely the most comprehensive dining experience at sea. Eight superb restaurants mean more choice than ever while our unrivalled culinary excellence raises the bar in offshore dining.

As part of Silversea's Early Booking Bonus offer, guests can save 10% on the published fare when booked and paid in full before 31 October 2016. Prices are per person based on double occupancy, in a Classic Veranda Suite:

·         Published fare starting from AU$10,950
·         Early Booking Bonus fare starting from AU$9,855

Silversea fares include: all-suite accommodation with butler service; gourmet menus inspired by Relais & Châteaux; complimentary onboard champagne, wines and spirits; and one hour of complimentary WiFi per day for each guest and unlimited WiFi for the ship's top suites (Medallion and higher categories) and all gratuities.

This voyage is subject to availability.  Terms and conditions apply.  For more information, contact your travel professional or Silversea Cruises on +61 2 9255 0600 or 1300 306 872 or visit www.silversea.com.

Cruise Bites: September 2016

Crystal have added a 3-person submarine to their fleet, so you can now take your cruise underwater. When Scenic and Crystal launch their new state-of-the-art expedition ships, both will feature these craft that can dive to over 100m. True.

The once impassable Northwest Passage welcomed its first full-size cruise ship when Crystal Serenity took a leisurely 32 days to sail from Alaska to New York. It’s on again for 2017.

No longer a best-kept-secret, New Zealand will see a record number of cruise ships including the largest ship to sail there, RCCL’s 167,000 tonne Ovation of the Seas. A total of 33 ships will make more than 600 port calls.

RCCL’s Ovation of the Seas will be the largest ship ever to visit Australia, eclipsing Cunard’s QM2 by 20,000 tonnes. The ship can fit almost 5000 passengers and will homeport in Sydney this summer.

Launched in May this year, the massive, 4000 passenger Carnival Vista will feature not only the first IMAX at sea, but a water park, an aerial bike ride and a brewery located in the onboard Red Frog Pub. Burp!

Passengers aboard the brand new Aranui 5 can indulge in an ancient Polynesian art by having an authentic tattoo by native artists during port stops in the remote Marquesas, considered the birthplace of this unique body art.

CMV’s Columbus to set off around the World

​

And she's coming Down Under on her historic journey

Cruise & Maritime Voyages' (CMV) newest addition to its fleet, Columbus, will embark on a 121-night World journey in January, 2018. This amazing itinerary is the major highlight of CMV's 2017/2018 cruises from Britain.

Columbus, which is part of the same fleet as the premium cruise ship Astor, which will call Australia home this summer for a fourth consecutive season, will depart from London (Tilbury) January 5, 2018.

Announcing the new programme, Grant Hunter, Chief Executive of CMV Australia said: "The success of the Round the World cruise for another of our fleet, Magellan, told us that cruise-goers want these types of amazing itineraries. So, that's what we're providing, with the newest member to our fleet, Columbus. Plus, we're pretty excited to be showing her off at ports around the world."

Columbus will visit four continents, three oceans, 40 ports of call, including Tahiti, Auckland, Sydney, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai and will transit both the Panama and Suez on her world journey.

Sectors of varying lengths will also be available for separate purchase, allowing passengers to select their favourite ports to start and their journey.

Mr Hunter said: "She was built for deep sea ocean cruising and we believe that Columbus is still the ideal ship for this epic circumnavigation of the globe. Her expansive lounge and deck areas offer style and comfort in which to sit back and see the world."

To commemorate the occasion, CMV is offering some amazing fares. Fares for the whole 121-nights start from AUD$13,879pp, which is the equivalent of around AUD$114 per day. Free twin cabin upgrades for early bookers. This fare is based on two people sharing a twin cabin and includes delicious full board cuisine, afternoon teas and late night snacks, Captain's Cocktail parties, deck parties, self-service tea and coffee between 6am and midnight, big show entertainment, cabarets and classical interludes, daytime activities, leisure facilities, guest speakers, arts & crafts, porterage of luggage port to cabin and port taxes.

There are also 150 cabins available on board Columbus for solo travellers, with just a 25 per cent supplement on the equivalent category twin share prices as CMV continue to avoid penalising independent single travellers.

For details of this and other CMV cruises, visit:

www.cmvaustralia.com