Big Fat Cruise Wrap
We thought it was Friday, but our cruise wrap reminded us it was only Wednesday. However we promise it’s good for more than just that.
Royal Caribbean announces new evening shore excursions for first-ever overnight call in Noumea
Royal Caribbean Cruises has announced a series of brand-new evening shore excursions for the cruise line’s first-ever overnight call to Noumea on 17 November 2018.
Quantum Class ship Ovation of the Seas arrives in Noumea at 8am on 17 November and departs at 5pm on 18 November 2018, allowing guests the rare opportunity to explore New Caledonia’s cosmopolitan capital after sunset. The overnight stay is part of a nine-night South Pacific cruise leaving Sydney on 14 November 2018, which also visits Mystery Island in Vanuatu.
New shore excursions include:
- An evening in Lemon Bay
- Discover the south of Noumea
- All-inclusive sunset cruise
Aurora Expeditions announces farewell season of Polar Pioneer ahead of Greg Mortimer launch
Aurora Expeditions, Australia’s leading expedition cruising company, has announced the farewell season for its beloved expedition vessel the Polar Pioneer, which is set to make its final voyage in the 2018 and 2019 Antarctic and the 2019 Arctic season. The announcement comes as Aurora Expeditions prepares to enter a new chapter in its proud history with the launch of the new world-class expedition ship Greg Mortimer in its inaugural 2019 and 2020 polar season.
Originally built as an ice-strengthened research vessel in Finland in 1982, the small and nimble Polar Pioneer was refurbished in 2000 and converted into a passenger ship for expeditions to the polar regions. Since then, the 54-passenger ship has been instrumental in pioneering small group expedition travel to the heart of nature for thousands of likeminded expeditioners.
For a limited time, travellers can save up to $3,000 per person when booking on Polar Pioneer’s 2018 and 2019 Antarctica, or 2019 Arctic and 2019 Scotland departures.
Celebrity Cruises unveils first ever brand designed terminal
Celebrity Cruises celebrates another milestone with the unveiling of the line’s first ever brand-designed cruise terminal, Terminal 25 (T25), located at Port Everglades in Hollywood, Florida. Designed to complement the sophistication of the terminal’s future resident, the industry’s most anticipated new ship, Celebrity Edge, T25 features cutting-edge technology and a sleek design, all crafted to create the ultimate guest experience.
Brought to life in collaboration with Broward County’s Port Everglades and seasoned architectural firm Bermello Ajamil & Partners, Inc., T25 melds a gorgeous, warm design with unique technology, such as ‘Frictionless Arrival’, which will make the check-in process absolutely seamless, and an interactive light wall art installation. T25 will also offer suite class guests a singular experience along the path to ‘The Retreat’, with an exclusive lounge, elevator lobbies, screening areas and even a private rooftop terrace.
Scheduled for completion in late October 2018, T25 will be the new home to many Celebrity ships during their winter deployment, including Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Reflection and Celebrity Silhouette. Along with these ships, the terminal will be LEED certified and able to accommodate up to a 350m long ship. When Celebrity is not using T25, the facility will be open to other cruise lines.
Carnival Spirit returns to Sydney following dry dock in Singapore
Carnival Spirit sailed through Sydney Heads on Monday after a 14-day dry dock in Singapore. Guests on board the 19-day cruise back to Sydney were some of the very first to experience the enhancements and new features added to Carnival Spirit’s onboard experience after its dry dock.
Carnival has invested some 350,000 manhours into the dry dock, boasting new updates and additions to Carnival Spirit’s family-friendly entertainment offerings onboard.
Highlights include:
- A brand new creative studio named SoulPlay, launched specifically for its Australian guests and the ideal space to have fun with the family while participating in creative and trendy craft activities.
- The Warehouse, the highly anticipated video arcade.
- A re-designed retail experience to include an enhanced, state-of-the-art and world class duty-free shopping, offering an ideal mix of local and global sought-after brands such as Seafolly, Quay Australia, Swarovski, Swatch, Lacoste and Clinique.
- The Pixels Digital Photo Gallery has been added to allow guests to view and purchase their photos via their smartphones or on iPads located at the upgraded kiosk.
- An updated fitness centre.
Cruise lovers hoping to enjoy these upgrades can book Carnival’s ‘Shiny Ship Sale’.
Celebrity Cruises offers Trans-Tasman flights from $99
To celebrate the winter solstice, Celebrity Cruises is offering travellers to fly Trans-Tasman from $99.00 per person when they book on select Celebrity Solstice sailings. Guests will fly with Virgin Australia from $99.00 per person, one-way from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne to Auckland or vice versa, when they book a local cruise exploring New Zealand in the upcoming 2018 and 2019 summer cruise season.
This offer is available for Celebrity Solstice’s ‘Fjords Wines and Bays’ voyage, departing Auckland on 20 November, 2018. Sailing on Australasia’s most loved ship, this 12-night cruise will allow travellers to explore New Zealand from a new perspective.
Or sail on an immersive 16-night cruise from Perth to Auckland for a thorough experience of the best of Australia and New Zealand. Departing Perth on February 28, 2019, guests will discover the spectacular nature preserves and quaint townscapes in Esperance, visit the elegant sights of Adelaide, explore Melbourne’s thriving culture, spend a day in cosmopolitan Sydney, witness New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds, Dunedin and Tauranga from an entirely new perspective before arriving in Auckland.
The winter solstice offering is available until 31 July on select Celebrity Solstice sailings.
Fly Free with Bentours & Hurtigruten
Antarctica’s abundance of wildlife and stunning landscape is simply awe-inspiring. Coupled with Patagonia and the Falkland Islands, this truly unique region of the world is on top of the list of many adventurers’ final frontiers.
Experience the natural wonders of Antarctica with Bentours & Hurtigruten’s exciting new offer. Book a selected Antarctica Expedition Cruise on the classic MS Midnatsol or the new hybrid vessel MS Roald Amundsen and receive a flight credit worth $2,345 per person to get you there.
Combine Antarctica with Christmas and celebrate the new year with penguins, seals and whales. Or visit one of the most scenic national parks in the world, seeing the rich wildlife of Patagonia, the Chilean Fjords and Cape Horn before the highlight of the journey, Antarctica. With six exciting expedition cruises to choose from there has never been a better time to visit the incredible frozen continent.
Offer ends on 12 August 2018, for select sailing dates between October 2019 and 31 March 2020.
Lindblad Expeditions announce National Geographic Venture’s inaugural voyages
Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic has announced the inaugural voyages for the newest addition to their fleet, National Geographic Venture, sister ship of National Geographic Quest. Slated for delivery in October, the 50-cabin coastal vessel is the second new build for the line, and has been designed with decades of expedition experience.
Following a series of launch celebrations in San Francisco, National Geographic Venture will depart on two new and unique inaugural itineraries that explore the Pacific coast, giving guests a privileged perspective on the region, before she begins her seasons in Baja, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
The first inaugural voyage, ‘Coastal California By Sea’, flips the California script as National Geographic Venture explores the beauty and the seldom-seen highlights of its coast and islands, joined by Sven Lindblad, CEO and founder of Lindblad Expeditions. The second inaugural voyage, ‘From Southern California To Baja: Sailing The Pacific Coast’ will give guests the experience of the splendid and surprising diversity of the Pacific coast as the National Geographic Venture travels from Los Angeles to La Paz, Mexico on a 12-night adventure.
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