Aqua Expeditions to launch third vessel on Amazon

#expeditioncruising

In line with its aggressive growth strategy, Aqua Expeditions will start construction in December 2016 of a third vessel to sail on Peru's Amazon River, it was announced by Francesco Galli Zugaro, the company's Founder and CEO. The third all-suite vessel will be a joint cooperation between Noor Designs of Vietnam and Jordi Puig of Peru, and will mostly resemble the company's newest boat, the award-winning Aqua Mekong, with twenty 320-square-foot suites, a spa, a gym, a pool and a fleet of four customized tenders for intimate daily explorations.

Aria Amazon launched in 2011 (supplied)

Scheduled to launch in early December 2017, the third boat is an answer to a growing demand for luxury cruising experiences in the Peruvian Amazon. With this third boat, Aqua Expeditions will elevate yet again the level of accommodation and service and offer a wider selection of expeditions in the high-end category sailing in the Pacaya Samiria Reserve.

Since its inception in 2007, Aqua Expeditions has become known for its exclusive, luxury cruising experiences that allow special insider access to Amazonian communities, remote areas of the reserve, and world-class naturalist guides. The vessels are renowned for their expansive design suites and for world-class cuisine curated by some of the world’s top chefs. In Vietnam and Cambodia, guests visit local villages, temples and markets as well as various silk and silver craftsmen.

"We are excited to be expanding our product in the Peruvian Amazon and maintaining our position of market maker," said Galli Zugaro, "and are pleased that our product has become synonymous with luxury river cruising." The extraordinary demand demonstrated by our past guests and trade partners has only fueled our expansion and growth in the small ship expedition segment. We have some exciting new destinations we will be announcing this summer to complement our current destination offering.

The new vessel will be called Aqua Amazon and the existing Aqua Amazon will be re-named Aqualina and offered as a wholesale charter-only vessel. All three cruisers will continue to navigate into the reserve, offering varying options to discerning soft adventure seekers.

www.aquaexpeditions.com

Founding director of North Star Cruises Australia, Craig Howson, awarded OAM

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NORTH STAR FOUNDER AWARDED MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

The founding director of North Star Cruises Australia, Mr Craig Howson, has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to tourism in Western Australia.

Craig Howson (L) and co-director Mark Stothard receiving another award. (FILE IMAGE)

The award was announced in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Mr Howson first offered adventure-cruises along Western Australia’s Kimberley coast in 1987 and, in 2017 North Star will celebrate 30 years of successful operations.

Responding to the award Mr Howson said “It is very humbling to receive this recognition. It makes me realise how fortunate I was to pioneer adventure-cruising in the Kimberley. To see what has evolved from those early days is also very rewarding and I am extremely grateful to those who joined me along the way.”

An adventure on North Star’s adventure-cruise ship, the TRUE NORTH, has become one of Australia’s most desirable holiday experiences and the offering is also developing an equally revered reputation in international markets.

Mr Howson explained that the focus at North Star had always been on giving guests greater opportunity to experience the destination.

“We are very different to a big ship holiday. Our itineraries are always activity-based and much more suited to travellers who are looking for a holiday that is also a rewarding experience.”

Mr Howson added that “Life at North Star had not always been plain sailing.”

“There have been some tough times. It certainly wasn’t easy getting everything up and away and just when we started to gather some momentum – the global financial crisis took the wind out of everyone’s sails. Fortunately we had already developed a loyal following and we never lost sight of making sure that a holiday on the TRUE NORTH was the best holiday that you could ever have!”

“Currently we are experiencing another strong sales period and everyone at North Star is looking forward to growing the company.”

Small Ship Expedition Cruising, an Adventure Like No Other

#expeditioncruising

Small Ship Expedition Cruising, an Adventure Like No Other There is something so wonderful about getting on board, being able to unpack and then see something new every day. At Active Travel, we especially love small ship expedition cruising, because it offers an intimate way to sail the seas in style. Whether you’re already experienced or brand new to Ocean Cruise Experiences, there is always something new to explore. Our once-in-a-lifetime small ship cruises take you to some of the world’s most unique destinations, including Iceland, Antarctica, North America, the magnificent islands in the Asia Pacific and beyond. Small ship vessels offer the perfect way to explore these regions. They offer access to remote islands and bays that the big ships simply cannot get close to. In this way, Small Ship Expedition Cruising really is an eye-opening experience. To find the perfect cruise for you, contact Active Travel and speak with one of our specialist consultants today.

New Dive Wreck off Tivua Island [video]

#expeditioncruising

Captain Cook Cruises Fiji has just launched a new dive wreck, ‘Raiyawa’, situated off the island of Tivua. Raiyawa is being used as a dive site for avid divers to explore as part of the companies popular Tivua Island Day cruise.

Raiyawa was built in 1982 in Fiji and was a government vessel deployed in placing and maintaining Navigational marks around Fiji and also used to carry passengers interisland.

In 2014 Raiyawa was decommissioned and Captain Cook Cruises Fiji took her from government shipping with the intention of sinking her as a wreck.

Extensive work was done on ‘Raiyawa’ to ensure she was safe for diving. Work included opening large swim throughs in her hull and superstructure, as well as removing any hazards to divers such as sharp edges and obstructions. She was extensively cleaned and prepared in line with the environmental guidelines.

According to Jackie Charlton, Managing Director of Captain Cook Cruises Fiji, ‘Raiyawa’ has been turned into a wreck divers dream. The experience of the dive is really exciting. As you descend down through the misty, rich waters, the ship comes into sight like a ghost ship and the yellow and blue hull bursts into sight and looks almost iridescent. It’s very much a dive of discovery as you swim around the superstructure looking at the propellers, peering into the wheelhouse, disturb resting grouper and marvel at the schools of Jacks and small reef fish sheltering all over the ship. “

“The heart pounds throughout the dive and it really is quite eerie down there. For lovers of dive, it is a dive wreck that must be experienced” Continues Mrs Charlton.

The wreck is situated just off Tivua Island, a tropical atoll surrounded by a white sandy beach and 500 acres of coral gardens in the northern part of the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji. Passengers on Captain Cook Cruises Island Day cruise, which spends the day at Tivua, will have the option of diving at the ‘Raiyawa’ wreck.

The Tivua Island Day cruise departs Denarau Marina daily at 10am and returns at 5pm and includes return transfers from Denarau and Nadi hotels, three hours sailing on tall ship Ra Marama, morning and afternoon tea, four hours on Tivua Island, BBQ lunch, beer, wine and soft drink, guided snorkelling tour, volleyball, kayaks, medicine walk, kava ceremony, kids club and Fijian entertainment.

Raiyawa (2008) when in Fiji Gov. service

The Tivua Island Day Cruise is priced at FJ$209 per adult and FJ$138 per child. A special is available where one child aged 3-9 yrs is only FJ$27with every paying adult.

PADI diving at dive wreck ‘Raiyawa’ and Senikai Spa treatments are available to all passengers at an additional cost.

Captain Cook Cruises accommodated cruise ship, MV Reef Endeavour also stops at Tivua Island every Tuesday as part of their four and seven night cruises.

Captain Cook Cruises Fiji is also building a new jetty on Tivua Island which will facilitate faster and safer boarding and disembarkation for passengers and allow access to the island anytime of the day or night for functions and events.

For further information and bookings, please contact Captain Cook Cruises on T: +61 9126 8160 or from within Australia: 1300 To Fiji (86 3454), Email: fiji@captaincook.com.fj or visit www.captaincook.com.fj

Coral Expeditions’ to refit flagship Coral Discoverer

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Coral Expeditions' flagship Coral Discoverer will undergo a refurbishment this November before embarking on its inaugural South East Asia expeditions.

The ship, which will dry dock in Singapore, will receive a multi-million-dollar facelift, incorporating the addition of six Bridge Deck Balcony Staterooms, the first on any Coral Expeditions vessel.  The remaining 30 staterooms will receive full upgrades to bathroom fixtures, soft furnishings and artwork.  The intimate expedition character of the ship that guests have come to love, will be maintained.

Mark Fifield, Coral Expeditions Group General Manager said, 'Our inaugural Asia season will be the perfect opportunity to welcome guests to a new chapter for our company.  The Coral Discoverer was built to very high standards in Australia and this refit will ensure she remains the most comfortable small expedition ship afloat today.'

The 20sqm balcony rooms will feature double or twin beds, ensuite, a couch, writing desk, and ample wardrobe storage. The rooms will provide coveted indoor-outdoor living spaces with the private balcony opening out from French doors.  Most staterooms can be configured to either junior king or twin bedding and all feature compact private ensuite, outside view, iPod dock, ample storage and Australian toiletries. Bridge Deck Balcony rooms are priced from $12,395 per person for 10 nights Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore and $16,695 for 12 nights Singapore to Yangon or vice versa, inclusive of all meals on board and beer and house wines during lunch and dinner service, off-shore excursions, ground transport and use of on board facilities.

The refurbishment will also extend to common areas including the dining room, deck lounge and the sun deck, which will become the social hub of on-board community living. The sun deck will be converted into an undercover deck area complete with a circular bar, alfresco dining area, cabana chairs and an area for outdoor exercise equipment.

Coral Expeditions' Asia season features nine itineraries exploring unseen small towns and islands of South East Asia including Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand Vietnam and Indonesia normally not accessible to road or large cruise ships.

To download the comprehensive Asia brochure visit https://www.coralexpeditions.com/au/destinations/asia/

Ortelius engine failure in Svalbard

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source: cruiselaw.com

Last weekend, the Artic expedition cruise ship Ortelius (formerly Marina Svetaeva IMO 8509181) experienced an engine failure in Hinlopenstretet, near Vaigattøyane, and had to be towed back to Longyearbyen, according to a newspaper in Norway.

Svalbardposten reports that the Oceanwide Expeditions ship was sailing south through Hinlopenstretet, with 39 crew members and 105 passengers aboard, when it sustained an engine failure.

Engineers from the Netherlands were helicoptered out to the Ortelius on Saturday night in order to work on the ship's engine, and reportedly were working on the engine while it was under tow to prepare the ship for the next trip scheduled this week.

According to the Maritime Executive, the ship was built in Poland in 1989 and originally named Marina Svetaeva and served as a special purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science.

Photo credit: Gatorsaver911 - (taken by passenger Allen Powell of the Marina Svetaeva in Antartica. CC BY-SA 3.0,, commons / wikimedia).

Gáldar, Gran Canaria and the Mystery of the Guanches

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One of the great joys of expedition cruising is meeting new people who share your passion for exploration, discovery and enrichment. Often just sitting at a spare seat in the dining room can yield great rewards and such was the case when I met Tina at dinner aboard MS Expedition. Tina patiently let me reel off some of my own experiences before amazing me with her own. This is just one of them. I thank her for so eloquently sharing it with me here.

- Roderick Eime , editor, Adventure Cruise Guide and expeditioncruising.com

Illustration of Guanches man by Juan Carlos Mora

By Tina Crossfield, May 2016

Most visitors to Gran Canaria are drawn to the sun-soaked beaches and lively coastal towns that are strung together by threads of black asphalt. From the surface, there appears little historical significance other than Christopher Columbus, who landed in Las Palmas in 1492 to repair his ship before heading across the Atlantic. Strolling along the Maspalomas Paseo (boardwalk), we are lulled into thinking that the Canaries have always been Spanish, having arrived in the archipelago in the 1400s. In our haste to photograph the next awesome wave, we might not even notice the small enclosure around a stone dwelling next to the great beach or the sketchy translation on a boring marker that describes the ancients. Indeed, most Canarians do not seem that interested in their own pre-history, which dates back to the 5th Century, but like all good mysteries, this one is thought-provoking.

The remains of their troglodytes, or groups of indigenous dwellings, are dotted around the coast of Gran Canaria, however, the most important archaeological site, called Cueva Pintada, is only a short drive to Gáldar from the Port of Agaete, on the north side of the island. The town of Gáldar is situated at the foot of the mountains, 2 km from the coast and 21 km from Las Palmas. Both ports connect Gran Canaria to the other islands, such as Tenerife and Fuerteventura, making it accessible to travellers on marine expeditions.

Cave murals of the Guanches

Who were the fair-skinned and tall-statured people called the Guanches? How did they come to be in the Canary Islands in 400 AD when Rome was being sacked by the Visigoths? Who dropped them off and for what reason? Were they exiled from Northern Africa? What connection, if any, do they have to the present-day cave dwellers who live in the ravines? The origins and practices of these people remain a mystery and were little studied by historians until the 1970s.

As the story goes, in 1873, a farmer was working in his fields when he stumbled into an opening in the ground leading to a small roof above a concealed chamber. Here he discovered the only known cave paintings created by the Guanches. The find was duly recorded, and some researchers visited the site, but it didn’t arouse much excitement at the time. It took another 100 years for it to open to the public and soon after, like the famous cave drawings in Lascaux, in southwestern France, all the foot-traffic and exposure began to affect the original colours. Today, this world-class museum, Cueva Pintada, is entirely covered, and the paintings are strictly protected by glass and from light.


Museo y Parque Arqueológico Cueva Pintada - Gáldar, Gran Canaria from Tomás Correa on Vimeo.

Current scholarship suggests the Guanches were of African-Berber descent, and possibly arrived on Phoenician trading ships. Other historians argue that the Guanches were Celts from Western Europe, who also roamed the Atlantic. They had sheep and goats, and a knowledge of subsistence agriculture, but were Neolithic (locked in the stone age). They were great potters, created stoneware, art objects and "stamped" their skin with designs, but never invented the wheel. They swam and ate fish but never built any boats. Totally isolated, they lived a peaceful existence, developed a hierarchical class structure and practiced spiritual rituals, including mummifying their dead. However, they left no written record aside from the cave paintings, and, as yet, some undecipherable markings. Clearly more research is needed!

By the 15th Century, the Guanches had built 30 villages and lived in other smaller communities making up about 20,000 inhabitants. After the conquest by the Castilians, only about 3,000 survived. Although they were fierce fighters, most had begun to have breakdowns within their own societies, while others were sold into slavery and deported. Despite 50 years of resistance, a few brave Guanches fled into the interior to try and retain their family groups, living in well-fortified caves, some of which can still be seen in ravines that were supported by fresh water. But most were finally beaten down by 1483.

If you can divert your attention away from the crowded beaches to roam among the ruins and hike in the barrancos (ravines), the presence of the Guanches will stick in your thoughts and haunt your conversations when you least expect it.

=========

Tina Crossfield is a scholar with a wide degree of interests. From natural history to science and culture, she has written on diverse topics, and has acted as a book publisher for other authors whose manuscripts would likely never have seen the light. She is a true generalist who loves to travel the unusual and less trampled paths and share her experiences with others. She lives and works in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada. Find out more at Crossfield Publishing

Cruiseco exclusive charter - 40-night Australian circumnavigation voyage aboard L'Austral

Cruiseco, the leading provider of cruising options in Australia and New Zealand, is thrilled to announce the exclusive charter of Ponant's L'Austral for a unique 40 night Australian circumnavigation voyage, departing Sydney on 25 January 2018.  Exclusively designed for Cruiseco, this voyage highlights some of Australia's most breathtaking destinations, outside the capital cities.

Amber Wilson, General Manager, Sales & Marketing at Cruiseco says:

"Travelling around our Island Continent is on every discerning traveller's wish list, and now with the opportunity to sail aboard the magnificent L'Austral, guests are offered an intimate and authentic cruising experience.  As a small luxury, expedition vessel, L'Austral has the capability to dock in smaller ports, providing guests with access to unique destinations and the ability to explore secluded locations via Zodiac."

"To enhance the cruising experience, guests will also be accompanied by a specialist expedition team to provide insights into the history of each port, as well as flora, fauna and landscape of the country."

The 40 night itinerary has been designed to offer guests the option to select from a number of overnight excursions away from the ship.  For example, guests can depart L'Austral in Cooktown and re-join her in Port Douglas, having visited Cape Tribulation and the Daintree National Park.  Additional highlights of this voyage include: marvelling at the 12 Apostles in Port Campbell, Victoria, with an option to view this natural phenomenon from the sky; visiting The National ANZAC Centre in Albany, Western Australia; and exploring Darwin, Northern Territory with optional tours to Kakadu and its surrounds.

Accommodating guests within 132 cabins across nine suite categories, L'Austral remains true to the Ponant philosophy of creating a unique atmosphere, with a subtle blend of luxury and wellbeing.  Guests aboard L'Austral will encounter a chic and elegant yacht-like ambiance, refined and personalised service, as well as gastronomic traditional French and international cuisine.

"Cruiseco was the first to charter an Australian circumnavigation back in October 2005, which sold out in less than a week.  Now with the opportunity to sail aboard L'Austral and experience an expedition style voyage, this package is sure to disappear quickly.  We would encourage anyone who would like to cruise with us to secure their places soon," added Wilson.

Prices start from AU$29,000 for a Superior Stateroom per person twin share or AU$26,500 for the Superior Stateroom with the Early Bird Discount, available until 15 May 2016. Price includes: 40 luxurious nights travelling around Australia; all meals aboard L'Austral; house wine, beers, sparkling wine and non-premium spirits throughout the course of the cruise; Zodiac tours in Wineglass, Talbot Bay, Yirrkala, Frangipani Beach, Cape York and Lizard Island; port charges; and gratuities.  

For additional itinerary options or to book whilst cabins are still available, visit www.cruising.com.au or call (02) 9492 8520.

Explore the Galápagos with Silversea’s Early Booking Bonus

Experience the enchanted isles of the Galápagos and discover its exotic and intriguing array of wildlife not found anywhere else in the world, with Silversea Expeditions' round-trip voyages, departing from Baltra, Galápagos.  With two 7-day itinerary options available all year round, aboard the ultra-luxurious Silver Galapagos, each showcases the highlights and unexpected treasures of this unique destination.

Silversea Expeditions' Galápagos itineraries offer guests the opportunity to: climb Prince Philip's Steps through a thriving seabird colony; venture through natural lava tunnels, snorkel in sparkling waters brimming with colourful creatures; or take a Zodiac along the extraordinary Galápagos coastline.

Silver Privilege fares start from AU$9,350per person, based on double occupancy. Fare based on V8637.  As part of Silversea's Early Booking Bonus, guests aboard Galápagos voyages departing from November 2016 to December 2017, will receive 10% off the published fare, when booked and paid in full before 30 June 2016.  Terms and Conditions apply.

Silversea Expeditions' fares include: all shore and Zodiac excursions hosted by an expedition leader; all-suite accommodation with butler service; gourmet meals with menus inspired by Relais & Châteaux; complimentary wines, Champagne and spirits served throughout the ship; an outstanding expedition team of expert guides and lecturers; complimentary WiFi and all gratuities.

These voyages are subject to availability.  Terms and conditions apply.  Diving 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

Diving with Captain Cook Cruises Fiji

#expeditioncruising

by Deb Dickson-Smith - Diveplanit.com

Being natural explorers, divers usually like to discover new places to dive and quite often, a diving holiday will involve lots of transfers, and the schlepping around of dive gear from one resort to the next. Which doesn’t usually leave much time to experience the other aspects of travel – food, culture, wildlife, landscape - and it’s not exactly family friendly either.

However there is a way to combine all of these elements and take the family with you. Captain Cook Cruises’ Reef Endeavour sails through some of the more remote parts of Fiji visiting world-class dive sites, as well as waterfalls, villages, and historic towns.

The ship sails overnight from one destination to the next, on 7 to 11 night cruises, with different itineraries taking different routes through the archipelago, so each day you wake up to a new dive site and a new island to explore.

Glorious Bouma Falls on Taveuni

Every morning you wake up in a different place, have the option to do two dives on remote dive sites, in a small group, in clear warm sunlit waters and the rest of the day and evening you can go ashore, visit natural wonders, share cava with friendly villagers or just sip cocktails around the pool.

And if you brought the kids, they’ll be well taken care of at kids club, or hanging with the new friends they’re bound to have met by at least Day 2.

A typical day starts with a peak out of the window of your air-conditioned en-suite cabin onto the day’s destination, lush Fijian hills sloping gently to a small village and a white sandy shore. The water's flat, the air is warm and the sun shining.

Over a buffet breakfast the dive guide gives us the dive brief, and at 9am we head to the rear of the ship with our basics. The tender pulls around, with gear already loaded, tanks already set up and weights on board.

Checking dive gear aboard Reef Endeavour

The trip in the tender is rarely more than 10 minutes and on board with you are the dive instructor, dive guide, skipper, sometimes Ben the resident marine biologist, and often a spare deck and just to help people get in and out of their gear.

As you arrive at the dive site pinpointed by GPS you have that momentary thought: are we definitely in the right place - there's nobody else here? Before remembering that that's precisely why you’re here.

As you slip beneath the calm clear waters it shows: expenses of unbroken hard coral, great meadows of soft corals, populated by friendly Fijian fish and usually all above the 20m mark giving plenty of dive time and great natural ambient light.

On the way back to the ship divers occasionally get the chance to join the snorkelers exploring the shallow coral reefs closer to shore, or you can opt to be dropped off at the beach to play around with a stand-up paddle boards and kayaks. Then it's back to the comforts of a floating resort, a quick shower and change and lunch around the pool.

The afternoon might be filled with a trip to the local historic town, a school, even a church service to hear the Fijians sing. Longer excursions are also on offer to check out rainforest walks, caves or plunging waterfall.

Wherever you go the activities are laid on and your Fijian hosts are as friendly as ever. At a school visit to Makogai, we are entertained by little kids performing the warrior dance mimicking the full performance will see at the Lovo and Meke evening later that day.

Reef Endeavour

Dinner on board is also a bit of a ceremony: something to dress for. Cocktails and canapés are served prior, the perfect opportunity to relax on the deck and watched the sun set, followed by a three course dinner on white linen with starched napkins. There's usually entertainment too though often the other guests are entertainment enough.

The practicalities of diving and cruising are straightforward. You don't need to worry about your gear: it appears on the tender when you're ready to go diving; you leave it on the tender when you get back to the ship and miraculously it reappears, refilled and re-set up, ready for the next dive.

There is also a qualified marine biologist on board - one that grew up in these waters and gives insightful presentations on the health of the reefs, the potential threats and what can be done about them. You can also learn to dive on board, learning all the basics skills in the pool and experiencing your first open water dive in the warm clear waters.

So really, combining a diving holiday with a cruise is a bit of a crowd pleaser. Easy diving with a fantastic crew that take great care of your every needs. They’ll even remember what drink you’ll have at beer o’clock.

You can read more about the diving on Captain Cook Cruises on the Diveplanit site, or you can check out the various itineraries and dates on the Captain Cook Cruises site directly.

G Adventures announces new expedition cruise itineraries for Norway

And launches early booking bonus for Norway and Arctic itineraries

G Adventures is introducing three new itineraries in Norway on board its expedition ship, G Expedition, in May 2017, following consumer demand for cruises in the area.

The adventure operator is also offering a 15 per cent early booking bonus for these trips, as well as all other 2017 Longyearbyen and Svalbard itineraries, to encourage travellers to book early and secure their preferred itinerary, date and cabin category.

Adrian Piotto, Managing Director G Adventures Australia and New Zealand, says travelling Norway by ship is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to see the country.

"Norway has long been popular with travellers from New Zealand and Australia because of the stunning natural wonders the country has to offer. On board the G Expedition travellers have the benefit of seeing the fjords in comfort, with G Adventures' team of expert expedition guides there to provide a greater understanding of the nature and wildlife in the area."

"It is a stunning part of the world, and perfectly fitted for expedition cruising. With these new itineraries travellers have even more ways to explore Norway."

The early booking discount is valid for all bookings made before June 30, 2016 and applies to all Norwegian and Artic itineraries departing between May 11, 2017 and August 11, 2017.

The three new Norwegian itineraries are as follows:

-              Cruise the Norwegian Fjords – Tromsø to Bergen -  Venture into the magical and mysterious lands along the coast of the Norwegian Sea for close encounters with glaciers and fjordscapes. Perfect for explorers long on ambition but short on time, this eight-day expedition brings travellers to important sites of Norway's ancient history, UNESCO-protected historic sites, and incredible nature. Was priced from $2,999pp now priced from $2,549 for an eight-day trip from Tromsø to Bergen.

-              Scottish Highlands and Norwegian Fjords - Go deeper into the otherworldly fjords of Norway on this unique journey through the Norwegian Sea. Discover UNESCO-protected wonders like the Standing Stones of Stennes, the mystical Ring of Brodgar, witness the curious clash of cultures in the Shetland Islands, and marvel at the stunning forests and waterfalls that line the fjords. Was priced from $5,199pp, now priced from $4,419pp for a 14-day trip from Edinburgh to Tromsø.

-              Norwegian Fjords and Polar Bears of Spitsbergen - Set sail from Bergen – the gateway to Norway's fjords – to the remote shores of Svalbard on this odyssey across the Norwegian Sea. Walk across the glaciers that carved the stunning landscapes, explore subarctic islands by Zodiac in search of polar bears, and walk through history at UNESCO-protected historical sites. Was priced from $6,299pp, now priced from $5,354pp for a 15-day trip from Bergen to Longyearbyen.

For more information or to book a trip to any of the above destinations, call 1300 796 618 or visit www.gadventures.com.au

New Ships and New Adventures – Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Releases Explorations Brochure 2016/2017

#expeditioncruising

Get this brochure now - click here

Today, Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic has released its 2016/2017 Explorations brochure that offers adventure seekers extraordinary small-ship expeditions, showcasing over 50 itineraries including new highlights such as Wild Alaska Escape and Big Picture Alaska. The brochure also delves into the features of Lindblad's latest fleet additions, National Geographic Endeavour II and the specially built, National Geographic Quest.

With 50-years of expedition travel experience, Lindblad's new brochure highlights diverse exploration voyages, cruising to some of the most beautiful and fascinating places on Earth such as Antarctica, Alaska, Galapagos, Cuba, Europe and Amazon.

Sven-Olof Lindblad, president and founder of Lindblad Expeditions says, “On 140 pages there is a myriad of opportunities to see, know, learn and experience our world in latitudes ranging from the extreme north to the extreme south. It is our intent to celebrate this year as the 50th anniversary of my father's historic expedition to Antarctica when he brought the first travellers to that magical continent. New ideas, new ships, and new geographies are all part of our celebrations.”

National Geographic Endeavour II

National Geographic Endeavour II

The Explorations brochure features Lindblad's new 96-passenger vessel, National Geographic Endeavour II. Earlier this year, the leader in small-ship expedition travel purchased the ship, which will replace National Geographic Endeavour in January 2017 after extensive renovations.

National Geographic Endeavour II is exceptionally quiet and maneuverable, and will continue to maximise Lindblad's Galápagos experience with great viewing from the 53 outside cabins, state-of-the-art exploration tools, and a fast, seamless Zodiac loading platform. Spacious lounges, modern cabins, and first-rate dining will add to the luxury of comfort.

The following are two examples of Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic's brand new itinerary highlights for 2017, which will join the 55 further voyages highlighted in the Explorations brochure.

Big Picture Alaska

Aboard National Geographic Sea Bird, guests will immerse themselves in an 11-day photo expedition through Alaska's famed Inside Passage and experience the perfect mix of small-town life and the grand expanse of wild landscapes. This voyage for up to 62 guests at a time is available from June to August. Prices for this adventure start at AU$11,240 per person in double occupancy in a category one cabin. More information here: au.expeditions.com/destinations/alaska/ketchikan-sitka/

Wild Alaska Escape

An active and exciting 6-day journey aboard National Geographic Sea Birdthat showcases Alaska's iconic wildlife and epic landscapes in the compact timeframe of one week. Guests can take hikes on world-class trails through forests, kayak long routes deep into glacially carved fjords, and raft to an ancient Alaska village. This expedition is available from May to August. Prices start at AU$5,370 per person in double occupancy in a category one cabin. More information here: expeditions.com/destinations/alaska/sitka-juneau

For reservations or additional information on Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic voyages, visit expeditions.com, or call 1300 361 012 (AU), 0800 444 462 (NZ) or +2 9033 8700 (Asia).