US small ship cruise line, Grand Circle, heading down under

#expeditioncruising

The former Orion II, now with Grand Circle Cruises as Corinthian

[Cruise Weekly] US TRAVEL group Grand Circle Corporation is set to expand its cruising operations into Australasia, with a new vessel to be based in southeast Asia, Cruise Weekly can exclusively reveal.

From next year, the vessel will be based in SE Asia, operating cruises to northern Australia as well as Borneo and Vietnam.

The company is seeking to appoint a “regional manager - small ships” for the region.

“We are also keen to hear from prospective Australian vendors and experienced expedition team
members who are interested in being considered for positions onboard the new ship,” Grand Circle Cruise Line vice-president small ships Joel Katz told CW.

Grand Circle Travel was founded in 1958, and is a large US operator, offering “distinctive international vacations for older Americans”.

It’s a family of brands, including Grand Circle Cruise Line which runs river cruise and small ship voyages via a fleet of 50-250 pax vessels either fully owned or privately chartered and operated exclusively for the company.

Other brands in the family include Overseas Adventure Travel, Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises and the philanthropic arm Grand Circle Foundation.

The new Regional Manager - Small Ships - SE Asia/Australasia role will be responsible for the development of “new programs for our new South-East Asia based small ship operation,” working with regional managers to deliver day-to-day land operations and create a team of on-board program directors.

The company is seeking someone with a strong Asian travel or tourism background, ideally in small ships or expedition cruising.

The company’s Sydney based regional general manager David Thomas confirmed that the expansion would involve a small ship to operate in northern Australia, also cruising into PNG and Indonesia with itineraries commencing from next year.

He said the operation would be primarily targeting Grand Circle’s strong base of US clients.

Further details of the ship and itineraries are expected to be released in the coming months.

Source: Cruise Weekly

Related story: Arrest of MV Yorketown

APT wants expanded expedition product

#expeditioncruising 

Source: Travel Daily Cruise Update

APT Caledonian Sky

APT would quadruple its fleet of expedition vessels if the company’s owner and director Geoff McGeary had his way. “We’ve been buying up Renaissance ships, we own two at the moment, but we’d love to own all eight,” he said. Asked by TD Cruise Update if a third purchase was imminent, to add to its collection of the MS Caledonian Sky and Island Sky, McGeary said: “We hope to own more.”

The industry veteran, who was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours List this year, explained that expansion in expedition cruising was a slow process. “Growth will always be constrained, as there are a lot of inhibiting factors, and it can never compete with large ship pricing,” he said. “It will always be a boutique market segment, I don’t believe there will ever be growth like in river cruising,” he added.

McGeary said the benefit of expedition cruising over traditional river cruising was the greater potential for new itineraries in different destinations. “You are more likely to see growth in expedition cruise routes [than rivers],” he added.

APT started offering expedition cruises last year after it acquired a near-50% stake in UK cruise company Noble Caledonia, which owns and operates two small ships and charters five others. MEANWHILE, APT has provided TD Cruise Update with the first look at its latest television advertising campaign, which hits free-to-air TV channels this Sun.

The campaign focuses on river cruising in Europe, and proactively includes a call to action for pax to book through a travel agent. Exclusive APT inclusions as well as exciting destinations visited will heavily feature in the campaign.

From aboard SeaDream II in Asia

As published in Cruise Weekly today.


From aboard SeaDream II

Location: Yangon, Myanmar

Vessel: SeaDream II, launched 1985, refitted 2002, 4260 tonnes, 105m, 112 passengers

SeaDream Yacht Club (SYC) [www.seadream.com] knows exactly what they’re about. The company launched with two identical vessels just a couple of weeks before the calamitous 9/11 event and founder, Norwegian-born entrepreneur Atle Brynestad, thought he was doomed. But against all predictions, not only did SYC survive, it flourished.

I’ve had my eye on these ships (whoops, ‘yachts’) for years and when their ground-breaking Asian itineraries were announced, I pounced. It was a bit of a risk for the regular Mediterranean and Caribbean-operating line, which had come under increasing (gentle) pressure from their growing legion of repeat guests to find new playgrounds to explore. Long time SYC Club Director, now Business Development Director, Asia, Thailand-based Richard Jones, was behind the push and with his extensive knowledge of the region, oversaw the 13 new itinerates that include major ports such as Yangon, Singapore, Hong Kong, Phuket, Langkawi, Bali, Bangkok and Cairns. After this exploratory season, SYC will return to Asia for the 2015-16 southern summer, but will only travel as far south as Bali.

Constantly lauded by the cruise industry’s independent arbiter, the Berlitz Guide, SYC has consistency ranked at or near the top of the tables for ‘Boutique Ships’ category (50 – 250 passengers) against some pretty stiff competition.

Champagne and caviar in the surf. A SeaDream institution.(R Eime)

Chatting to some of the repeat cruisers, many of whom count their days aboard in the hundreds, it keeps coming back to service. Being treated like royalty with your every need predicted, without being fawned over or stifled. Our sommelier, Frank, a dashing and lively Hungarian of some ten years standing with SYC, would address us cheerfully with ‘How ya going mayte?” then proceed to elaborate on the salubrious wine list for this evening’s fine dining menu.

Another of the things that topped many repeat cruisers’ favourite things, was the all-inclusive beverages. Super quality wines, aperitifs and spirits are there for the asking. Okay, if you want Dom Pérignon, there’s a surcharge but the included drinks would satisfy most discerning tastes and many a late night was had at the Top of the Yacht Bar in entertaining company.

SYC might sound like a retirement plan for well-heeled and sozzled seniors, but my experience did not support that myth. Most passengers were middle-aged or older couples, some with tight families in tow enjoying some true luxury time together. Active types can utilise the water sport ‘toy box’ with jetskis, snorkelling, kayaks or hobbycats and when aboard, there’s a golf simulator to keep you swinging, although the a/c needs a tweek to keep it comfortable.

To find fault with this well-oiled offering is to appear churlish, but if pressed I would say the bathrooms are a bit tight (especially if you’ve been enjoying the cuisine) and more simple, included shore excursions would be nice, such as a city walk led by one of the crew or staff. The shore-ex on my itinerary were add-ons ranging from Shwedegon Pagoda ($49) to Bagan by air ($795). The only included tour was a tender visit to the Sea Gypsy village.

Voyages are typically 7-days, with some 10 to 14 also on offer. Brochure fares are around $1000pp/day but substantial discounts can be had for early bookings.

For more information and reservations, contact SeaDream specialist:
Cruise Express on 1300 766 537.

Lindblad faces “suspicious” crowd

by Louse Goldsbury, editor of Cruise Weekly

At last night’s brochure launch, past passengers confronted the new owners about changes to the old Orion.

It wasn’t the caged animals at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo that caused a commotion at Lindblad Expeditions’ launch of its 2014 Explorations catalogue – it was loyal fans of the Australian ways of the phased-out Orion Expeditions Cruises.

After an inspiring presentation about the 10 ships’ exotic itineraries, diving program and undersea exploration tools, company founder Sven Lindblad, who flew in from New York, and his Sydney-based son Jeremy were forced to defend the changes to the soon-to-renamed National Geographic Orion.

Some past passengers at the function took the opportunity to ask about the onboard currency, retention of Australian expedition leaders and other alterations.

read the full story in today's Cruise Weekly

Mekong Cruising – For how much longer?

Floating traders in the delta (R Eime)

by Roderick Eime

Just as cruising along the famous Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia is hitting its straps, news is that dams being built further up the river in Laos in a joint project with Thailand seem likely to change the nature of the Mekong forever.

Anyone who has cruised the Yangtze in recent years will know firsthand how comprehensively dams can alter the character of a river. Instead of little traditional villages and subsistence farming and fishing, we have concrete and steel replacing authentic materials as the water rises and the population is relocated to high-rise developments.

Will this happen to the Mekong? The truth is no-one knows. But what is fairly certain is that the river dependent communities in Cambodia and Vietnam who the river cruising tourists visit on a daily basis will face food security threats. Fish migration patterns and the life-giving flood cycles will be seriously impacted.

Worldwide, the Mekong River ranks second in fish diversity after the Amazon, with more than 1000 new plant and fish species discovered in the past decade, according to the World Fish Center. About 60 million people in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia are dependent on the Mekong for their livelihoods, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Mekong fisherman throws his net (R Eime)

"The Don Sahong ... will block migratory fish, which is 70 percent of Mekong fish, from swimming upstream and down on the only channel that allows the fish to reach the upper part of the Mekong," said Ame Trandem, the Southeast Asia programme director at advocacy group International Rivers.

She said the (Don Sahong) dam, which will require 95,000 truckloads of riverbed to be removed, will devastate the region's fish and dolphins, the tourism industry, and the hundreds of thousands of fishermen whose livelihoods depend on the Mekong.

Further north in Laos, the Xayaburi Dam is creating equal if not greater concern. The Mekong Basin Community Council Network (MBCC) has called on the Thai government to step in and help block the construction of both dams on the mainstream Mekong River.

Critics and environmentalists are angry with Laos and Thailand for failing to uphold their pledge to consult neighbouring countries under the 1995 Mekong Agreement, which requires thorough consultation on every project proposed for the mainstream Mekong River. Others are less coy in their objections accusing stakeholders in both Laos and Thailand of putting massive profits before the livelihood and security of the residents all along the Mekong.

Threatened: traditional Mekong fish harvesting (Int Rivers)

One cruise operator spoke to CW on condition of anonymity.

"We just don't know what will happen. All around the world the effects of dams on rivers can be seen and Mekong cruise lines have made massive investments in ships, staff and infrastructure. This uncertainty is not good for anyone's business and clearly the people who stand to suffer the most are those who live along the river. Our guests develop an emotional bond with the families and townsfolk who welcome and host us. Many are distressed that the river communities who have already suffered so much face new and completely avoidable threats."

British-born journalist and filmmaker, Tom Fawthrop, has worked in Southeast Asia for more than 25 years and studied the dam project. "Yes, of course the rural people in Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand have the right to electricity, but they also have the right to fish. You can't eat electricity."

Zodiac 101: Getting ashore

Zodiac cruising in calm Antarctic waters (R Eime)

by Roderick Eime

The vexing question of Zodiac operations is one of the most-asked questions by prospective expedition cruise passengers and one of the common hand-wringing reasons some travellers decide against expedition cruising. What am I talking about? Read on.

Unloading to gangway. Proper handholds are critical. (R Eime)

What is a Zodiac? The trade-marked, patented Zodiac tender is an inflatable rubber runabout powered by an outboard motor and skippered by a single crewmember who steers by a 'tiller' (a throttle/handle attached to the motor). These aren't something you blow up and play with in the backyard pool. They are military-grade boats used by commandos in the worst conditions. They are designed for seriously heavy duty operations, are remarkably stable and virtually unsinkable. For ferrying camera-toting tourists on shore excursions, they are way over-specified.

Almost without exception, any ship you select for your expedition cruise will be equipped with several of these boats to land guests on beaches, rocky outcrops or tiny jetties too small for the ship to tie-up. It's a fact you have to face if you intend to go ashore during your cruise.

I've been in and out of more Zodiacs than I can remember over the last 15 years of adventure cruising and most problems are due to passengers not following instructions or doing something stupid. Operator skill and experience is another factor, although Zodiacs are pretty easy to operate in calm conditions. It's only when things get rough and windy that the best operators are required.

Pay attention to crew instructions or you'll end up
like this dunce. (Mick Fogg/Wallacea Expeditions)

Your selected cruise operator will give all passengers a detailed Zodiac briefing in advance of the first landing, so make sure you are present for that – and pay attention! You'll get detailed instructions on what clothing to wear, use of the special life jacket (which you must wear) and how the specific ships' boarding process works. It could be a step-type gangway from the deck or a stern transom (platform).

There isn't room here to go through the whole operation, but if you are considering an expedition cruise, particularly in the polar regions, you need to be comfortable with this process or you will be a hazard to yourself and the other passengers. Unfortunately not all cruise consultants are able to accurately assess your suitability for Zodiac operations. They are sales people after all and may not have ever been in a Zodiac themselves.

Boarding a Zodiac on shore. This is a wet landing. (R Eime)

In general terms and taking into account the worst possible conditions, passengers with mobility issues should think carefully about their suitability for Zodiac travel. In many cases, you'll need to climb a narrow gangway that could be wet and slippery and moving about slightly, then step onto the pontoon of the Zodiac which could also be moving up and down slightly (or a lot!). Yes, there are always staff and/or ship's sailors on hand to assist you and you should never attempt this without assistance. Even you, tough guy.

When seated around the pontoon (edge) of the Zodiac, you'll be snug against your fellow passengers facing inward. Spray, bumps and splashes are common and depending on your operator, the prevailing conditions and the size of the motor, you could be going fast or slow.

That said, I did witness one determined ship's crew land a wheelchair passenger onto a tiny jetty in Greenland to much applause, so it is possible under the right circumstances for almost any person to get in and out. In the end, only you can decide.

Ponant orders ship for Australia/NZ

as reported in:

Le Soleal delivered last month will have twin in 2015

 by Louise Goldsbury, editor

Compagnie du Ponant is planning a new luxury vessel expected to sail in local waters in 2015-16.

AFTER years of hinting about it, the French cruise line appears to have finally committed to a summer season down under.

According to the Fincantieri shipyard, Ponant has signed the contract to build a 264-passenger sister ship to Le Soleal, which debuted last month.

In a news release issued overnight, Fincantieri said the 11,000 GRT small ship will cruise in Alaska during its summer season and then in Australia and New Zealand.

Ponant has previously included ports in Queensland and Northern Territory on a handful of itineraries, but this would be the first season based in the region.

The unnamed luxury ship is set to have 132 oceanview cabins and suites, and 95% with a balcony.

Ponant is renowned for its sophisticated design, attentive service and fine dining, with destinations including smaller ports in destinations such as the Arctic, Antarctica, Europe, Asia and the Americas.

More details about the local program will be revealed soon.

Fincantieri CEO Giuseppe Bono said the new order and continuing relationship with Ponant indicated that luxury cruising was a “very promising business segment”.

“This encouraging achievement, coming shortly after other new orders, has been realised in a still difficult market and has been possible also thanks to the greater cohesion achieved within the company that bodes well for the necessary improvement in efficiency and competitiveness,” he said.

False pricing in expedition cruising

as reported in

by Louise Goldsbury, editor

Briggs seeks end to false pricing

Coral Princess CEO Tony Briggs is hopeful of more credible pricing for expedition cruising in Australia.

Briggs seeks end to false pricing

The change of ownership of Orion Expedition Cruises has been welcomed by rival operator Coral Princess Cruises as an opportunity to be rid of “false prices” for products such as expedition cruises in the Kimberley region.

As head of the Australian company, Tony Briggs told CW that local ship owners had struggled to compete against international vessels offering large discounts to consumers.

“We pioneered the concept of expedition cruising in the Kimberley in 1995 and we never discounted – only for past guests, groups and charters,” he said.

“ The biggest change in the past six or seven years has been the level of discounting occurring in the market by foreign-owned, foreign-flagged, foreign-crewed ships with a much lower cost base, who don’t employ Australian workers or pay Australian taxes, so it was a challenge for all of us to compete.”

Coral Princess, North Star Cruises, Kimberley Quest and The Great Escape were forced to match the lower fares, Briggs said, which had a dramatic effect on business.

“We couldn’t grow to our full potential, and there was no chance for new local operators to enter the market,” he said.

“Hopefully we’re coming out of that now – we just want a level playing field.”

Briggs said he was “heartened” by recent comments earlier this month by Orion’s new owner Sven Lindblad that he would “restore credibility in pricing” for expeditions in the
region (CW 04 Jun).

“When there’s a false price being set to allow for discounting, it creates a lot of confusion in the market, which is not good for operators or consumers,” Briggs said.

He urged agents to keep in mind the differences between the experiences on itineraries offered by local ships compared to ships owned by foreign companies.

Oceanic Discoverer in PNG. Coral Princess pioneered the return to cruising in PNG in 2006.

“When they put clients on an Australian coastal cruise on an international ship, it’s not an Australian cruise – they have to go to an international port, such as Timor.

“We’re proud to have Australian-flagged and Australian-crewed ships in the Kimberley for six months of the year offering more departures than any other operator,” he said.

Coral Princess, Coral Princess II and Oceanic Discoverer also sail in the Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand, New Guinea, Melanesia, Cape York and Arnhem Land.

Cruise Weekly: Awaken Burma

By Roderick Eime

It seems everyone’s eyes are on Burma as the new tourism destination. But after languishing for years with sanctions and restrictions, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar will struggle to cope with the anticipated influx of western travellers eager to experience this once mysterious destination.

A shortage of hotel beds and other critical infrastructure like air capacity, is set to play into the hands of cruise operators as the ideal means of exploring this newly opened nation. In 2012, Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism released figures that quoted a doubling of arrivals over six years to just over one million. Cross-border arrivals are static, while air arrivals are soaring.

Much of the romantic allure of Burma was formed during the British colonial era when the country was absorbed into the Empire in the closing years of the 19th century. Of course, life under British rule was not ideal for the devout Buddhist population of Burma, but stories of the steamy, mysterious land by the likes of 1907 Nobel laureate, Rudyard Kipling, set the scene with tales of adventure and derring-do for generations of imaginative English-speaking children.

One of the enduring visions of colonial Burma is that of the many hard-working steamboats of the 1865-formed Irrawaddy Flotilla Company that traversed the Irrawaddy and Chindwin Rivers in the service of the British Empire. When the British recovered Burma in 1945 after Japanese occupation, the IFC was reformed.

 

Original RV Indochina Pandaw

Today the original vessels of the IFC are gone, but their spirit lives on in a new and rebuilt fleet of replica vessels, constructed with absolute authenticity to recapture that romantic colonial spirit. Enter Pandaw.

Building on the overwhelming popularity of the nostalgic river cruising concept established on the Mekong with RV Indochina Pandaw, the company expanded river operations to include the Irrawaddy with an identical sister vessel, the Orient Pandaw.

The name Pandaw derives from the last of the original, Clyde-built vessels recovered and restored to its former glory in the late 1990s, thus reviving the name and the concept of Asian retro river cruising.

 

Orient Express: Road to Mandalay

While pioneering the riverboat trade along the Irrawaddy and Chindwin Rivers, Pandaw’s success quickly attracted new operators. Pandaw continued to profit from their exclusivity and many cruise wholesalers like Cruiseco and Viking employed the classic vessels while others like Orient-Express launched their own. Smaller, local operators like Yangon-based Myanmar River Cruises are also getting in on the action with a fleet of six varied vessels including day boats.

 

Myanmar River Cruises: Irrawaddy Princess

While more and more visitors are arriving in Burma and many looking at the floating option, knowledge within the retail cruise sector is limited to specialist agencies with actual on-the-water experience. A good reason to consult ICCA accredited cruise agents. See cruising.org.au for members.

Lindblad to bring new competition to Kimberley cruises

Expedition cruising in the Kimberley region of Australia is about to get some new, healthy competition, says Sven Lindblad.

Sven Lindblad (file image)

THE founder of Lindblad Expeditions, Sven Lindblad says his purchase of the soon-to-be former Orion Expedition Cruises (CW 07 Mar), will add some new spice to the local market.

Speaking to Cruise Weekly during a visit to Australia last week, Lindblad said he had great respect for other companies operating in the Kimberley region but that his operation brought a new diverse option to the region.

Lindblad praised two particular operators but said he didn’t look at other operations in the same way most would look at a competitor.

“Both Coral Princess and True North are really good companies. They offer something slightly different, True North being much smaller and Coral Princess being in the middle in terms of size and they have different emphasis on price points so that’s good,” Lindblad told CW.

Over the next year, Lindblad says he plans to closely study the Australian appetite for expedition cruising and that if there is a strong response to the products he offers, there was potential for a larger presence down under.

“If we can grow this market significantly, which I believe we probably can, then it would lead to expansion here. But I don’t know yet”.

The Lindblad Expeditions founder said passengers aboard his vessels would be aware of ocean conservation programs he supports along with the National Geographic Society.

“We’re kind of zealous about education, conservation and exploration,” Lindblad added.

Together, the two organisations invest approx $1m per year into a number of conservation activities and educational programs, including a teachers program where educators are invited to join Lindblad ships to participate in research and to learn about the environment.

“The National Geographic Explorer – our flagship – has an ongoing ocean health campaign that we work on and work together with scientists and raise monies towards things that relate to ocean preservation.

“The ocean is in real trouble on a global basis and as far as we’re concerned, people who travel have two ways they can be of value.

“One is, they can understand the challenges better and become part of that conversation and the other is just to help with resources we need,” Lindblad concluded.

Into Africa: Shore excursions on the dark continent

Young woman in Togo (R Eime)

from Cruise Weekly
23 April 2013

As we begin the second leg of the inaugural G Adventures West Africa itinerary aboard MS Expedition, we have already ticked off South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Congo, Sao Tome & Principe, Benin, Togo and Ghana. It's a chance to reflect on some of the favourite shore excursions enjoyed so far. From my own impressions and a most unscientific straw poll of passengers, here are the favourites (in no particular order):

Angola: The instant charm of the people and a quaint train ride in historic carriages along seaside from the port of Lobito to the town of Benguela was great kick-off for what was to follow. Professional ground operation from www.ecu-tur.com enhanced the whole experience.

Sao Tome & Principe: Again, a former Portuguese colony and former slave port, opened their arms to us with this tiny coffee and cocoa producing nation delivering a full and enriching day of cultural and historical insight. Decidedly Caribbean in feel, the people smiled broadly as they sang and danced for us. The doe-eyed and cheery children just melted passengers hearts. On nearby Principe we luxuriated at Mark Shuttleworth's Bom Bom Island Resort where I encouraged our Zodiac driver to drop me at the beach to explore some ruins which turned out to be an overgrown 15th century Portuguese church.

Togo: In the true West Africa of legend and fable, Togo is a nation with a balanced and confident persona. Part of the once notorious 'slave coast' it became a model German colony until 1914, after which Togo developed into a Francophone nation comprising several dominant ethnic groups, all of whom still cling to superstition, animalism and voodoun (aka voodoo). The famous Akodessewa fetish market in Lomé was always going to be a highlight and did not disappoint. Chock full of desiccated animals of all sorts and thronging with hucksters eager to make a meal from the goggle-eyed tourists, we snapped up little nail-riddled tourist dolls and talismen for all kinds of ailments, woes and protection. Some of us ventured to the rear stalls for the “good stuff” and readings by oracles. With the valuable assistance of ethno-historian David Conrad, I left with a genuine, blood-stained sacrificial item from one of the darkened and decidedly spooky back booths. Just exactly what it does, we're not sure yet! The afternoon was a village visit with a twist. We were presented to the local 'king' and feted with more robust song and dance. Here the (post-menopausal) 'power women' attend to the serious affairs of the village and they preside over proceedings from a position of undeniable authority.

Ghana: While in itself Ghana may not have offered the most startling assortment of attractions on first impression, who could not be impressed with the quirky concept of fantasy coffins, where you can have made a casket to represent your wildest desire, be it a beer bottle, bible, boat or movie projector. True. The wild hurly-burly of the craft markets kept most to a few hard-fought trinkets, but David excelled again and returned with an exquisite 19th century Benin bronze figurine easily worth four-figures which he acquired for a song.

We continue on to Sierra Leone and Senegal before wrapping up this time next week.

For more information on this itinerary, see www.gadventures.com > West Africa

Cruise Weekly: Go West Africa

MS Expedition

15th century Portuguese ruins in Principe

Desert ruins at Kolmanskop Namibia

from aboard G Adventures inaugural West Africa voyage on MS Expedition


Once upon a time the post-Antarctic reposition was a mad dash up the
Atlantic with maybe a stop at Tristan de Cunha, Ascension or Cape Verde.
Nowadays, with the pressure on adventure cruise companies to find new
territories for their growing legions of "been-there-done-that" repeat
clients, coupled with the slowly opening doors of West African nations, this
journey is fast becoming a must-do in its own right.

Earlier in CW [www.cruiseweekly.com.au] we examined the various operators
currently executing or planning itineraries along the West African coast
from Cape Town as far as Morocco. Previously unheard of ports and countries
are now appearing on sailing schedules. Angola, Congo, Ghana and Senegal are
just a few of those once forbidden lands now welcoming visitors. CW is
fortunate to be travelling with G Adventures [www.gadventures.com] as their
vessel, the MS Expedition, works its way from stunning Cape Town, all the
way to Dakar over three weeks.

"This is a true expedition," says Lyn Mair, leader of the team of highly
experienced staff who have spent the last two years painstakingly assembling
the itinerary, "even though we believe we've crossed every tee, Africa is
certain to throw up some surprises." And Lyn should know. She's been leading
tours around Africa and the islands for decades.

Reaching the midway point of our journey, we've already moved north from the
relative civilisation of Cape Town, through the desolate wastes of Namibia,
the recovering nation of Angola and today, the suspicious and brooding
former French territory of Congo, where Africa did deal us a few wild cards.

The sturdy, ice-strengthened, 130 passenger MS Expedition is certainly more
at home in polar waters, but shows no reluctance operating in the warmer
climes of equatorial Africa. Okay, the air conditioning is working overtime
and the Zodiacs are still piled on deck, but the 40 year old girl hasn't
missed a beat, cruising effortlessly up to her top speed of 14 knots.

I'm going to go on record and predict this route, with its myriad
variations, will dominate the must-do lists of veteran expedition cruisers
for the next few years. This sold out voyage follows the pattern of other
operators like Hapag-Lloyd, Lindblad National Geographic and Zegrahm who all
report strong demand from clients already bored with the 'ho-hum' Antarctic
Peninsula and Svalbard.

Impressions? So far it's been a remarkable voyage with plenty to keep
restless minds occupied both at sea and on land. The shore excursions have
included cultural experiences, historical sites and a taste of natural
beauty or, in the case of the bizarre Welwitschia plant of Namibia, natural
ugliness. It should be said this is not a voyage for all tastes. It's
unpredictable, uses many untested land agents and operators, a bit expensive
and chock full of surprises. If you are comfortable cruising with a dash of
the unknown and can roll with whatever falls in your lap, then it might be
just your cruise. A fan of midnight buffets, ballroom dancing and Las Vegas
shows? Maybe not so much for you. That said, the likes of Silversea and
Azamara are not unfamiliar with these waters either.

Speak to your ICCA agent about West Africa and follow Rod's progress at
www.expeditioncruising.com

For more detail on this itinerary, see www.gadventures.com > West Africa

More images at www.flickr.com/photos/rodeime



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Cruise Weekly: Small Ship Shuffles

The small ship, expedition and adventure cruise ship fleet is continually on the move. Not just on the world's oceans, but between operators, owners and cruise lines.

Typically a ship is owned by an individual, an investment group or an instrumentality, like the Russian oceanographic ships, and managed by a specialist organisation like International Shipping Partners (ISP) in Miami. Ships are then chartered or leased to a cruise line that will sail it under their brand. Expedition ships, in particular, are a promiscuous variety, hopping from one line to another with new a persona as circumstances change.

Here is a short summary of some of the better known expedition ship movements over the last 12 months.

Corinthian II (one of the eight Renaissance class ships, R7) will conclude eight faithful years with US operator, Travel Dynamics, and be renamed Sea Explorer. She will begin with newbie operator Polar Latitudes in March 2013.

Orion II reverts to Corinthian for 2013

Orion II, once Clelia II (another Renaissance class ship, R4) after a shortened stint with Orion Expedition Cruises, is being returned to Travel Dynamics as Corinthian. She's had a tough life.

Hebridean Spirit (R6) became Caledonian Sky after Australian APT took a strategic stake in high-end adventure company, Noble Caledonia. She's heading to the Kimberley for the 2013 season (CW 02 Oct 12).

Sea Spirit (R5), once Spirit of Oceanus when with failed US cruise line, Cruise West, returns to Quark after a 2012 northern summer season with Dutch line, Oceanwide Expeditions.

Sold: Le Diamant

Ocean Diamond left service with Ponant Cruises at the end of 2011 where she sailed as Le Diamant. Quark will return her to service beginning this Antarctic season. Built in 1974 as a cargo ship, she was converted for cruising in 1986 and is nearing the end of her service life.

Scrapped: Lyubov Orlova

Clipper Adventurer, an elegant and trusted vessel, if somewhat long in the tooth, became Sea Adventurer in 2012 and will sail for Quark and Zegrahm in 2013. Built in 1975 in the former Yugoslavia, she is a twin of the Lyubov Orlova (sometimes unkindly referred to as 'lube oil all over') which, after languishing for many months under arrest in Nova Scotia, now seems destined for the breakers.

Rescued: MS Andrea

MS Andrea, a delightful little 1960-built former Hurtigruten coastal vessel (Harald Jarl) seemed doomed when her US owners went bust in 2008. Increasingly strict regulations made the cosy cruiser a liability, but it seems she will return to service this year under new Russian owners as MS Serenissima. Find her itineraries with Noble Caledonia.

Vavilov to serve new masters
One Ocean, in 2013

Akademik Sergey Vavilov, one of the most trusted and well-travelled ice-strengthened oceanographic vessels joins Andrew Prossin's One Ocean Expeditions this year after stalwart service with Quark. This writer completed his first expedition cruise in 1998 aboard this vessel while with Quark. The sister ship, Akademik Ioffe, began operations with OOE in 2010.

Le Levant departs Ponant Cruises after entering service with the French-flagged line from new in 1998. The sleek 90-passenger luxury vessel will be operated from this year by Paul Gauguin Cruises in French Polynesia after a comprehensive refit and overhaul.

Marina Svetaeva, the sturdy 1989-built Arctic ferry, bought by Aurora Expeditions founders Greg and Margaret Mortimer in 2008 soon became a burden. After sale to Dutch line, Oceanwide Expeditons, it became Ortelius and just completed its first year of service with new owners.

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You can keep up to date with ship movements and more at www.expeditioncruising.com

Roderick Eime writes regularly on small ship and expedition cruising for Cruise Weekly.

Cruise Weekly: Northwest Passage a Pushover?

From Cruise Weekly 4 Sept 2012

One Ocean's Akademik Ioffe

By Roderick Eime

For the last however-many hundred years, the Northwest Passage has been a largely theoretical shipping route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across the top of Canada. For centuries, mariners, navigators and explorers have have busted their butts to make the journey through the treacherous, ice-choked and labyrinthine waterways. Most ended in failure or disaster, some even trapped in ice for years.

Our ebullient expedition leader (EL), Boris Wise, aboard One Ocean's (OOE) Akademik Ioffe warned us. "We have a daily schedule, but the only thing we guarantee is that we'll get you to Kugluktuk on August 26."

Fair call from any experienced EL. Expedition cruising is all about the unexpected, the ability to exploit opportunities as they arise and avoid adversity when it appears. Most mornings Boris is poring over the ice charts arriving by satellite from Canada's coastal monitoring authority. Red splotches are heavy (10/10) ice, while pale blue is (<1/10) and effectively ice free. While there is plenty of red, ther's also plenty of blue detours and as the journey pans out, our transit through the narrow Bellot Strait, which thwarted so many early explorers, was even conducted in a Zodiac. Boris and the captain scan the horizon with powerful binoculars, not to find a way through, but to actually find some ice.

Inuit welcome at Pond Inlet

Before I rush to join the chorus of climate change alarmists, let's remember climates do change. We have thousands, even millions, of years of evidence, yet it is hard to refute that we (the world) are currently experiencing a period of warmer global temperatures. Certainly the previously impenetrable Northwest Passage (or North-West Passage if you are an English historian) is yielding to more maritime traffic and expedition cruise companies like OOE are taking full advantage of that.

On my previous voyage aboard Ponant, the captain advised guests their inaugural passage in 2013 aboard Le Soleal is already sold-out and wait-listed. Adventure Canada (who absorbed the troubled Cruise North in 2011) and Hapag-Lloyd are also offering NW Passage cruises each year. OOE were running about 85 per cent capacity including a few industry guests like myself, but sell-outs on this historic journey with a narrow window of opportunity (at least until recently) are common.

19th Century map showing early exploration routes

Rest easy, the risk of becoming beset in ice is no more. Even if your expedition finds itself surrounded by a dense pack and unable to proceed, a satellite phone call to the Canadian Coast Guard will have one of their standby icebreakers on the scene in a few hours to escort you through. A handy backup service provided by the Canadian Government, just in case.

The highlights of any NWP voyage are the combined elements of wildlife, nature, culture, environment and history – and there are plenty of all to go around. Each day our squad of naturalists revised the mammal and bird checklist, while others with a penchant for the microscopic updated the plants. Yes, polar bears, walrus, seals, whales and even a rare Peary's Caribou had the animal spotters hopping with delight. See semi-daily reports at www.expeditioncruising.com

Rod travelled as a guest of www.oneoceanexpeditions.com, flying www.aircanada.com with support from www.canada.travel

Rivers of Bliss: River Cruising on a Rocket

Uniworld European River Cruises

By Roderick Eime

Cruise Weekly readers don’t need to be told the benefits of a cruising holiday. Travelling for a week or more without the hassles of check-ins and -outs, packing and unpacking and the stress of tight connections are all avoided, plus you have the advantage of the scenery and attractions coming to you.

Australian cruise fans are well known for their love of the ocean voyage - maybe something to do with how our forebears arrived here? That enthusiasm for fun and enrichment afloat extends beyond the high seas to the tranquil inland waters of the world’s rivers and Aussies are river cruising like never before.

“Our river cruise bookings in Australia are currently 40 per cent above this time last year and 2012 has already eclipsed all other sales records in this market,'' said Stewart Williams, md Australasia for Avalon Waterways, to Angela Saurine in a report for news.com.au, “Australians are driving the agenda in river cruising right now.”

Leading the charge is home-grown hero, Glen Moroney, of Scenic Tours whose opulent, company-owned vessels are multiplying on the European waterways in particular. The latest, Scenic Crystal, was launched in May and has already featured on TV shows including Nine’s Getaway.

While the signature voyage for all major operators is clearly Amsterdam to Budapest along the Danube, Scenic Tours have also launched the first new registration for Russian rivers in over 25 years with their totally refurbished, 112-guest Scenic Tsar, which will ply the Volga between St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Down south in the Ukraine, Viking Cruises offer the River Dnieper that leads to the Black Sea from Kiev, via Sevastopol and Yalta.

So you’ve ticked off Danube and Rhine, what other rivers make up the inland cruising ‘world tour?

Amazon with Aqua Expeditions

Amazon: Operating out of Iquitos in Peru, Aqua Expeditions and Delfin are slugging it out on the Upper Amazon with itineraries of up to a week.

Nile: Some mixed advice about this iconic waterway in light of unrest in Egypt. Proceed with caution.

upper Mekong

Mekong: Another destination on a rocket with new vessels appearing annually. The (lower) itinerary runs between the Delta and Siem Reap, but often supplemented by road transfers in the low water months. Cruiseco launch their new Adventurer in late October following other newbuilds from Pandaw and Heritage Cruise Line.

Murray River with Captain Cook Cruises

Murray: Let’s not forget our own historic river which will feature Captain Cook Cruises’ PS Murray Princess running a second 7-night Mannum to Renmark itinerary to take advantage of perfect river conditions.

Ganges and Brahmaputra: These Indian rivers are a whole world away from the crush of normal tourism on the sub-continent; basic but authentic. Ask Active Travel.

Irrawaddy with Pandaw

Irrawaddy and Chindwin: All eyes are on Burma these days and tourism is finally taking off with quality itineraries from experienced operators, Pandaw and Orient Express. Myanmar is now!

Victoria Cruises Yangtze

Yangtze: China’s massive Yangtze is more navigable since the massive Three Gorges Dam. See Uniworld and Helen Wongs Tours.

Congo, Chobe and Zambezi: If you’re looking for something a bit edgy, sub-Saharan African rivers are beginning to feature with the recent (2009) addition of AmaWaterway’s boutique Zambezi Queen.

Did you miss it? Cruise Weekly’s annual river cruise guide was published in June, but you can still get it here

Cruise Weekly 2013 River Cruise Guide

Open publication  

Orion: not for sale and still strong

Source: www.cruiseweekly.com.au

Orion Expedition Cruises has slammed reports that it is planning to sell its 106-guest Orion, saying that the vessel is definitely not for sale.

THE rumor mill went into overdrive last week after an international ship brokerage website posted a listing for Orion Expedition Cruises' (OEC) much loved small ship expedition vessel Orion, with a price tag of $50m.

This week, OEC Founder Sarina Bratton told Cruise Weekly that the company is not selling Orion, and that the website in question had put the photo and details up in the hopes of being able take an offer to OEC and score a commission.

Following a warning from the expedition specialist however, the website has since withdrawn the listing and apologised.

"We have the most coveted and profitable expedition ship in the world," said Bratton.

"There are lots of people who would love to have this ship, but we are not looking to sell," she added.

In fact, Bratton said that rather than looking to sell Orion and change its format, the company is thriving and has more independent cruise bookings now than in any previous year.

In addition, the company has also clocked a 33% booking increase for the next financial year, and is up a whopping 300% for the fiscal year 2014.

"We are seeing significant business coming through," Bratton said, adding that domestic sales are currently at their highest levels post GFC.

Sales are also growing healthily outside of Australia, with American and Japanese cruisers responding strongly to OEC's offerings.

MEANWHILE, the company will hand back Orion II in 2013, meaning that next year it will not be running voyages in Japan, Russia and the Far East, and Vietnam.

That does not however mean that OEC has given up on those itineraries, with Bratton saying that the feedback from passengers who have cruised those voyages has been fantastic, and that when the company acquires a second ship it will look to reinstate these offerings.

As for news on a second ship, Bratton confirmed that the company is still on the lookout for the perfect vessel to fit with the OEC brand, but has not yet found it.

The company is also looking forward to releasing its new 2013 brochure in the next couple of weeks, as well as a brand new website and a new Orion App for iPhone and iPad users.

The new website, according to Bratton, will be more interactive than the current site, and with more maps, satellite images, photos, and video footage, will give viewers a really great insight and appreciation for the expedition cruising experience offered by the company.

"We offer a very different product to traditional cruising," Bratton said.

"We travel to very remote places, and offer in-depth destination experiences, and the new website will help people to understand the value of what Orion stands for," she said.

Aurora Cancels Shokalskiy

Image of  Shokalskiy from Aurora website today.
The vessel, sister ship to well-known Polar Pioneer,
is being withdrawn effective immediately.

Polar Pioneer Schedule Unaffected

QUESTIONS over the continued operation of adventure cruising specialist Aurora Expeditions have been addressed by the cruise line, with a spokesperson telling Cruise Weekly that the company has made an early cancellation of its short term charter of the vessel Akademik Shokalskiy which was due to run until March 2013.

Akademik Shokalskiy joined the Aurora fleet in 2011.

Although the spokesperson did not comment further on the charter, the company did say that despite the cancellation, it will still continue operate its traditional program of voyages to Scotland, the European Arctic, Antarctica, the Kimberley Coast and Papua New Guinea in 2012/2013.

Stay tuned to CW for more Aurora updates next week.

Orion II dumped from 2013 program

Orion II is being sent back to its owner and dropped from 2013 sailing schedule

Source: Cruise Weekly

Orion Expedition Cruises’ troublesome second vessel will be returned to its owners in Nov – but a replacement is on the horizon.

RELEASING its 2013 Calendar of Sailings this week, Orion has revealed that it will not be renewing its lease of Orion II. Citing problems with the ship, the company’s managing director Sarina Bratton said: “We have not been satisfied with some performance aspects, such as the fuel efficiency of the vessel, and therefore have
decided to return the ship at the completion of the first charter term”.

Bratton said she hoped to make an announcement regarding another vessel “soon”, but it was unlikely to operate in 2013. “We have managed to accumulate a great deal of local knowledge and pioneered some remarkable remote destinations across Asia through investments in resource, time and money – this knowledge will see us return as soon as possible,” she said. “In the meantime it is very much business as usual.”

All scheduled 2012 Orion II voyages will go ahead, Bratton confirmed. “But we do not anticipate having a replacement vessel in Asia during 2013, so if planning to visit these destinations, then 2012 is the year to do this,” she said.

Orion II voyages for the balance of 2012 include expeditions to the Yangtze Delta (Kobe to Shanghai) and Shanghai to Tawau (Yangtze, Taiwan, Philippines), Java and the temples of Borobudur.

The original Orion will continue to offer voyages in 2013, in Antarctica, the Kimberley, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, Borneo, New Zealand and the sub Antarctic Islands, with itineraries ranging from five to 20 nights.

There will be 15 opportunities for the 10-night Kimberley voyages (still to include a Bungle Bungle sightseeing flight for all clients), while other one-off expeditions are set to explore the Solomons and the Forgotten and Spice Islands of the Indonesian archipelago.

Prior to general release, the new inventory will be made exclusively to Orion’s past guests until 30 Mar 2012.

2013 pricing has increased by an average 3%, but advance purchase options are available, with savings of up to 40% off published prices.

Additional incentives are offered for back-to-back voyages, see www.orionexpeditions.com.

Adventure Cruising: Into Africa

UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gorée Island, Senegal,
is a monument to the West African slave trade.

By Roderick Eime

With our planet “shrinking” at a rapid rate, expedition cruisers are always spinning their globes in search of new and enriching destinations to add to their adventure CVs. Nowadays, the whole Earth is pretty much fair game and with social and political relaxation on the west coast of Africa several cruise operators are setting out to these once dangerous lands. This is in contrast to the continuing difficulties and the threat of piracy on the eastern coast near the ‘Horn of Africa’ disrupting cruise ship schedules.

Once no-go countries such as Sierra Leone and Angola are now safe for western travellers and these mysterious lands are now gently opening their doors to a trickle of adventurous visitors. If early indications are anything to go by, these groundbreaking itineraries will be a hit with most departures booked out in advance. Here are some of the early-adopters:

Zegrahm Expeditions

This respected, 20-year-old company have been slow to make their mark in Australia, but their African itineraries and new local representation may be just what they need to kickstart them in the Aussie market. From Mauritius to Morocco and everything in between, Zegrahm offer one of the most comprehensive African explorations out there, but this cruiser has his eye on April’s “Tracing the West Coast of Africa” exploring Cameroon to Senegal. Stops include Ghana, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone. Zeco (that’s their industry nickname) operate the stalwart Clipper Odyssey, well known in small ship circles. From US$12,980.00 for 18 days.

Contact: www.smallshipadventure.com


Lindblad Expeditions

Lindblad's West Coast of Africa is a
staggering itinerary (click to enlarge)

Never shy about forging new paths in uncharted territories, Lindblad have been at the forefront of expedition cruising since the 1960s and their comprehensive South Africa to Morocco odyssey is nothing short of staggering. Their itinerary looks more like a quilter’s blueprint as it weaves along the coast and islands over 37 days aboard the 148-guest National Geographic Explorer. Take local boats on Lake Nokoue to the stilt village of Ganvié and visit Gorée Island, a World Heritage Site that was a hub for the slave trade. Annually in March and April, fares begin at US$28,480.

Contact: www.wildearth-travel.com


G Adventures (formerly GAP)

Not to be outdone, this front-running land and sea adventure operator has announced its first ever sailing program in West Africa aboard the 140-passenger M/S Expedition scheduled for April 2013. There are three adventures passengers can choose from which will encompass more than ten nations. A notable highlight is the opportunity to discover the Bijagos Archipelego off the coast of Guinea-Bissau – a rare experience offered by very few operators.

Contact: www.gadventures.com
Silversea

This well known operator adds a touch of glamour and luxury to their expeditions aboard the must lauded 132-guest Silver Explorer. Three itineraries are offered in the region ranging from 10 to 18 days, as the vessel sails from Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands to Cape Town. I’m betting there will be several guests staying on for the whole 45 days. Highlights include UNESCO-listed Goree Island, the seldom visited Bijagos Archipelago and a meet-up with the forest-dwelling pygmy people of Cameroon. Heavily booked, you’ll need to get in early for this. From AU$6699 (10 days)

Contact: www.silversea.com

Those prepared to venture outside the mainstream will find a wide variety of low key voyages on vessels of all descriptions. Old hands in the shipping industry tell us that infrastructure is in place at most of the cargo ports (for vessels that need it) and it’s just a matter of making minor modifications for the small passenger numbers.

“Nobody takes the time to go there and try to work closely with these destinations,” says Luis De Carvalho, an independent shipping consultant now working with these ports to help them accept more passengers. “Africa is learning, but it's the responsibility of the cruise industry to help them grow and to support them.”

That may all be about to change.