Thought we’d forgotten to include the Big Fat Cruise Wrap in today’s newsletter? Think again! Check out all of this week’s important cruise industry announcements right here.

Live Fully with APT’s New 2020 Small Ships Brochure

APT has launched its 2020 Small Ships brochure with a fresh new look and feel, making a bold statement that luxury is not just a five-star hotel – it is an all-encompassing experience where everything is all taken care of and all-inspiring, so guests can live fully in each and every unforgettable moment.

To celebrate the launch, APT are offering some incredible Superdeal savings. Book before 30 November 2019 to take advantage of Superdeals including Fly Business Class for $2,995 per person including taxes. This unmissable deal is available on selected Japan trips across 2020 departures and cabin categories. What’s more, when booking selected trips early, take advantage of the Companion Fly Free Including Taxes offer.

Other Superdeals include Fly Free Including Taxes, Air Credits and Save $2,400 Per Couple on select itineraries.

On an APT Small Ship cruise, travel aboard the MS Caledonian Sky, MS Hebridean Sky or MS Island Sky, for an intimate discovery to unique destinations. Each ship carries a maximum of 118 passengers, and includes an onboard expedition team, spacious suites of at least 20 square metres, and a fleet of Zodiacs for shore excursions as well as speedy embarkation and disembarkation at port.

Visit the polar bear capital of the world and circle Newfoundland on new fly, stay and cruise package

Explore the rugged landscapes of Newfoundland on a circumnavigating expedition of the Canadian island before travelling to the ‘polar bear capital of the world’, Churchill, to search for the majestic animals on a new fly, stay and cruise package released by Adventure Canada and Australian small ship specialist, Cruise Traveller.

The 22-night ‘Polar Bear and Canada Fair’ package this September includes a 10-night cruise circumnavigating Newfoundland, three-nights’ pre-cruise accommodation in Montreal and one in St John’s, a four-night Churchill Town and Tundra Adventurer package, as well as two-nights’ post-cruise accommodation in Toronto and two nights in Vancouver.

The package includes free flights from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. This exclusive offer is only available if guests’ book before June 30, 2019.

CLIA LIVE series kicks off this week

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia this week launches its expanded CLIA LIVE travel agent training series, with dozens of CLIA members set to join the first event tomorrow in Perth.

The two-day session is one of six scheduled around Australia and New Zealand this year and the first to be held in Western Australia. It will offer a packed program involving representatives from the world’s biggest ocean, river and expedition cruise lines who will gather in the one forum to share their insight.

The theme of CLIA LIVE content this year will be around matching clients to the brand that suits them best.

With most events either sold out or with limited availability, the CLIA LIVE series is expected to involve more than 600 participants across both countries by the time it wraps up in September – well above the 370 hosted in the inaugural series last year.

Limited places are still available for events in Adelaide next month and in Melbourne in September, with wait lists for all other cities.

CLIA LIVE events will be held this year in Perth on March 12-13, Adelaide April 2-3, Sydney April 9-10, Auckland May 7-8, Brisbane May 22-23 and Melbourne September 18-19.

CLIA members will earn 30 accreditation points for attending and can take part in either one or both days depending on their availability.

Seabourn announces Wellness Cruises with Dr Andrew Weil, bound for Arabia in 2019 and Australia/New Zealand in 2020

Based on the success of its 2018 Wellness Voyages Seabourn, the world’s finest ultra-luxury travel experience, is setting its sights on mindful, healthy living in the year ahead by announcing two content-rich Wellness Cruises bound for Arabia and the South Pacific.

Inspired by the rising interest in wellness that is transforming travel and lifestyles around the globe, each wellness cruise is being fashioned with input from celebrated physician, best-selling author and Seabourn partner Dr Andrew Weil, whose exclusive mindful living program, Spa & Wellness with Dr Andrew Weil is a popular offering on every vessel and every voyage in the Seabourn fleet.

With renowned Seabourn service, diverse itineraries and culturally rich destinations as a backdrop, the Wellness Cruises will be highly informative, enjoyable, and unforgettable.

These specific itineraries will include lectures, discussions, classes, and demonstrations led by Dr Weil and an additional four experts in Integrative Medicine and packed with information on how guests can enrich their lives for better mental and physical health.

Coral Expeditions launch 14-night Tasmanian Circumnavigation for 2020

Coral Expeditions, Australia’s Pioneering Cruise Line, today announced the launch of an annual 14-night expedition cruise circumnavigating the Tasmanian coastline departing Hobart January 1^st, 2020 onboard Coral Discoverer.

This special 14-night circumnavigation itinerary joins Coral Expeditions’ newly announced 35^th Anniversary circumnavigation of Australia and Sulawesi Circle aboard the new Coral Adventurer, also due to set sail in 2020.

Food, flavours and people: Silversea unveils immersive culinary enrichment programme, SALT

Silversea Cruises today announces an innovative new culinary enrichment programme—S.A.L.T., an acronym of ‘Sea and Land Taste’—which has been crafted with immersive culinary experiences in mind. Designed in collaboration with Adam Sachs, a multi award-winning Journalist and former Editor-in-Chief at a leading culinary magazine, Silversea’s Sea and Land Taste project will enable guests to travel deeper through a range of culinary insights, once it is inaugurated with the launch of Silver Moon in August 2020.

The new S.A.L.T. programme will be tailored according to the sailed region and will incorporate both ship-based and shoreside enrichments, including market trips, winery visits, and dining experiences in regional restaurants and bars; food and wine tastings; special dinners with guest hosts; insightful food lectures; cooking classes and demonstrations from local guest chefs and food experts; and numerous other exciting enhancements.

A dedicated S.A.L.T. Lab will provide the perfect setting for guests to explore culinary cultures from around the world, while a new S.A.L.T. restaurant will serve regional cuisine that will adapt according to the sailed destination.

As the Director of Silversea’s Sea and Land Taste project, celebrated journalist and culinary expert Adam Sachs will use his wealth of experience to help craft guests’ culinary journeys. A three-time winner of the prestigious James Beard Journalism Award, and the recipient of several travel writing awards, Sachs has published his work in many world-leading newspapers and magazines.

U announces two new themed cruises launching in 2019

After launching as the first river cruise line of its kind in 2018, U, the first ever river cruise dedicated to a new generation of travellers, is reinventing the river cruise experience even further with the launch of two new themed cruises in Germany this summer aboard The A.

The new tailored itineraries, Tattoo on U and U in Drag, are themed around topics that emphasise U’s ethos as a fun, never-seen-before cruise experience.

Seabourn to elevate expedition travel to a higher level with new ultra-luxe, purpose-built expedition ships

Expedition travel is on the bucket list of many travellers and Seabourn, the world’s finest ultra-luxury cruise line, is busy creating two new ultra-luxury purpose-built expedition ships sure to take adventurers and the industry to a higher level. To reach some of the most coveted, remote destinations in the world, each ship will be constructed with the hardware and technology necessary to operate capably while delivering a guest experience filled with luxury comforts that leaves travellers wanting for nothing.

The ships will be able to operate with a high level of autonomy, which will allow them to travel farther than many ships sailing today. Both vessels will have global deployment capability, which will see them venturing farther north and south than any ship in Carnival Corporation history, visiting many appealing warm and cool weather destinations along the way.

Aurora Expeditions goes the extra mile to take its customers where they want to go next

Aurora Expeditions, a world leader in expedition cruising, has launched two brand-new itineraries in response to customer feedback on where they would like to go next.

Close to 1,000 people voted, choosing West Greenland Explorer and Iceland Circumnavigation as the top two itineraries to undertake with Aurora Expeditions, securing their spot in its 2020/21 program, which launched in January 2019.

Aurora Expeditions’ Head of Marketing & Product, Victoria Primrose, said the itineraries were a sign of Aurora Expeditions’ commitment to its customers.

Press Release: Crystal Announces Partnership With ORCA, A Leading Marine Conservation Organisation

Crystal has announced a new partnership with ORCA, a leading conservation organisation dedicated to the protection of whales, dolphins and porpoises (collectively known as cetaceans).

ORCA is placing wildlife experts on board Crystal Symphony to train Crystal’s bridge crew in the protocol for collecting scientific data about the animals’ behaviour as well as best conservation practices.

While onboard for the training, ORCA’s Cruise Conservationists will also lead Crystal guests through Q&A sessions, wildlife “deck watches,” interactive data collection and guided excursions ashore.

Following the training, Crystal will continue to support ORCA’s research and preservation efforts, passing along data collected on its global itineraries to the organisation’s expert team as part of the ORCA OceanWatch program.