P&O; Cruises has capped a massive string of “maidens” with a call by Pacific Eden to Honiara in the Solomon Islands this month – the final of 17 maiden calls by the line’s fleet in 2016.
The first was Wewak in Papua New Guinea in February followed by Stewart Island (NZ), Gladstone, Fraser Island (Queensland), Ujung Pandang and Probolinggo (Indonesia), Conflict Islands (PNG), Jakarta (Indonesia), Langkawi (Malaysia), Krabi and Phuket (Thailand), Sebang (Indonesia), Sihanoukville (Cambodia), Ko Chang (Thailand), Koh Samui (Thailand), Gizo Island (Solomon Islands) and Honiara.
P&O Cruises senior vice-president Peter Little said years of planning can go into organising a maiden port call including checks on berthing, local regulations, customs and quarantine requirements, planned infrastructure, weather patterns, tides, currents and navigation hazards. “There is also drafting of the shore tour schedule as well as any need to improve facilities to cope with the influx of visitors from a large passenger ship,” he said.
Explore PNG and the Solomon Islands during a 13-night Pacific Eden cruise, departing Cairns on October 24, 2017. Fares on the cruise, which visits Alotau, Madang, Wewak, Vitu Islands (scenic cruising), Rabaul, Gizo Island and Honiara, start from $1299 a person, quad share, including up to $900 on-board credit a room. Valid until November 30, 2016.
Ph 1300 159 454, pocruises.com.au
LUXURY ON THE RIVER
Sail on Myanmar’s Irrawaddy River aboard the sister property to the famous Strand Hotel in Yangon, The Strand Cruise, which was launched in December 2015. The 28-cabin luxury vessel operates three and four-night itineraries between the ancient cities of Bagan and Mandalay. Three-night departures on December 9 and 16, and the four-night departure on December 19, are on offer with a
30 per cent discount – now $US2268 ($A2981) and $US2514 respectively a person, twin share. The packages also include a night at Strand Yangon, transfers and domestic flight.
FREE FLIGHTS WITH NZ DEAL
Fly free when you book a 15-night Asia cruise to New Zealand on the Azamara Journey. Priced from $4589 a person, twin share, the offer is for one-way trans-Tasman airfares from Auckland to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane if booked by November 30 – upgrade to business class for $199 a person. Departing Sydney on February 19, 2017, cruise south to Melbourne then on for an overnight stay in Hobart, visit historic Port Arthur then cross the Tasman Sea to visit Milford Sound, Dunedin, Akaroa, an overnight stay in Napier and a day in Tauranga before arriving at Auckland. The cruise includes all meals, selected drinks, prepaid gratuities, a complimentary AzAmazing Evening Event and more.
Ph 1300 369 848, ecruising.travel
OPERA ON THE WAVES
Music lovers may be interested in a nine-night Mediterranean opera and music cruise sailing from Lisbon to Nice on the rigged tall ship Sea Cloud II from April 23, 2017. Priced from $9950 a person with no single supplement for limited early bookings, the cruise hosted by ABC Classic FM’s Christopher Lawrence includeson-board opera and music recitals, plus a flamenco performance in Mallorca, concerts by Lisbon’s Gulbenkian Orchestra and the Valencia Symphony Orchestra.
Ph 1300 727 095, renaissancetours.com.au
DISCOUNT TO MOSCOW
Sail between St Petersburg and Moscow staying in a suite next year, discounted to $2987 a person, twin share, for departures in September, $3550 in May, July and August, and $3775 in June. The 11-day cruise on river cruise ship Tolstoy includes shore excursions and drinks with dinner, and calls at Mandrogi, Kizhi, Goritsy, Yaroslavl and Uglich. Valid for bookings until January 13, 2017. The suites have a bedroom with king-size bed and ensuite.
Ph 1300 668 844, eetbtravel.com
WORLD CRUISE TRIFECTA
It’s spring carnival time and Princess Cruises has a trifecta of world cruises on offer for 2017 covering South America, the Arctic Circle and Alaska.
Sea Princess departs Sydney on January 11, 2017, on an 84-night cruise visiting 28 ports across 18 countries and circumnavigates South America. Priced from $15,999 a person, twin share, with up to $2000 on-board credit a room. Sea Princess later departs on a 104-night world cruise taking in the Arctic Circle. Setting sail from Sydney on May 20, 2017, the ship will stop in 26 countries. Roundtrip departures are available from Sydney from $20,499 a person twin share.
Golden Princess leaves Sydney on May 19, 2017, for a 75-night round-trip cruise calling at China and Japan, Alaska, Canada, the US and more. Priced from $20,999 a person.
Ph 13 24 88, princess.com
