The Arctic is Not Ready for Large Scale Tourism (OpEd)

#expeditioncruising

Arctic Tourists Are Ready, Even if the Arctic’s Not

A cruise through the Northwest Passage changed the way authors Connie and Peter Roop thought about Arctic tourism. There are benefits, but the risks remain great. Some trips should not go ahead.

read full article
 

Adriatic cruise aboard Ponant Le Lyrial with Italian Back-Roads tour

'Best of Italy and Croatia 2017' is a 19-night cruise-tour featuring a seven-night 'Best of Croatia' round-trip from Venice aboard Ponant's Le Lyrial and an exploration of Italy with a difference.

As an example of French luxury yachting sophistication, Le Lyrial, sailing under the French flag and only a year old, tops the range. This boutique-size ship has just 122 staterooms and suites, to keep life aboard convivial and intimate.

'Best of Italy and Croatia 2017', arranged and delivered by boutique voyage and cruise specialists Cruise Traveller (cruisetraveller.com.au) also includes an 11-night 'Italian Indulgence' small-group tour with Back-Roads Tours from Rome to Venice. The itinerary is distinguished throughout by vivid special experiences: cook up an Italian feast in a Tuscan villa, hunt for truffles in Piedmont, take a boat across Lake Maggiore to the Borromean Islands.

You'll also wander the ancient streets of Split, where people still live in the palace built by Roman Emperor Diocletian. Discover Lake Orta, a hidden Italian gem enlivened by the captivating medieval village of Orta San Giulio.

Also included in 'Best of Italy and Croatia 2017': 11 nights accommodation in Italy. You'll spend one night in Assisi, two nights in Tuscany, two nights in Lucca (often considered the most spectacular walled town in Italy), a night in Santa Margherita, a night in Cherasco, two nights at enchanting Lake Maggiore, a night in Negrar and a night in incomparable Venice.

There are three departure dates in 2017 for 'Best of Italy and Croatia 2017' and the prices vary seasonally. The following prices (per person twin share, land only) all include twin-deluxe balcony accommodation aboard Le Lyrial.

Silversea Expeditions 2017 brochure

#expeditioncruising

EXPEDITIONS

Silver Cloud

Silversea's luxury expedition fleet will expand to four ships in November 2017 when Silver Cloud joins Silver Explorer, Silver Discoverer, and Silver Galapagos. Fresh from an extensive refurbishment and conversion to an ice-class expedition ship, Silver Cloud launches a series of Antarctica voyages in November and December, featuring itineraries from 10 to 19 days, and sailing mostly roundtrip from Ushuaia.

Bangladesh

Silver Discoverer's new 16-day, Colombo-to-Kolkata cruise departs 11 February 2017 to explore the Andaman Islands and make the first-ever cruise ship visit to Bangladesh, with explorations of Chittagong, Maheshkhali Island, and the Sundarbans, one of the world's largest mangrove forests and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Torngat Mountains National Park

A rare visit to Canada's remote Torngat Mountains National Park, renowned for its spectacular natural scenery, highlights a 31 August 2017 Silver Explorer expedition focused on Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, sailing 15 days from Kangerlussuaq to St. John's.

Galápagos Islands

The expert guides of Silver Galapagos will continue to share their passion for these pristine and biologically diverse islands on two alternating seven-day itineraries exploring the north central and western isles.

To view this brochure, visit Silversea.com/brochures or contact your travel professional or Silversea Cruises on +61 2 9255 0600 or 1300 306 872 (Australia) or 0800 701 427 (New Zealand).

Follow Silversea on Twitter, Facebook and the Silversea Blog.

Active Travel asks you to take a survey

#expeditioncruising

Complete Our Survey and Win



We really care about our customers at Active Travel, so we are always looking to improve our services in any way possible. To make sure that we’re offering you the very best of the best, then, we’d like to invite you to take our five-minute survey. This information will help us to streamline our services and understand better what you are looking for when planning your next holiday. After all, travel is about creating memories and we hope to help make sure those wonderful memories will last a lifetime. As a thank you for completing our survey, you will also go in the running to win one of 3 Lonely Planet coffee table books. The prize winners will be selected at random and you have to be in it to win it. So please complete our survey and allow us to make your next journey truly unforgettable.

Quality Advice, Variety of Channels



At Active Travel, we're constantly striving to ensure that we offer the finest content and advice to make your holiday experience the best it can possibly be. With that in mind, we focus on communicating with our loyal customers through a variety of different channels. Our website, for example, paints a vivid picture of 12 different holiday experiences. Covering a wide range of destinations, this allows you to search based on whether it's a relaxing holiday you're looking for, an active adventure, or a family friendly journey. Our newsletter also lets us share the latest deals and special offers, while our social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allow us to update you in real time. Additionally, it is through these social channels that we can share our personal experiences and advice with you, providing inspiration for your next trip and beyond. Above all, we value our customers' point of view and invite you to connect with us via each of our different dynamic platforms.

Affordable Antarctica - Chimu Launches 10-day Antarctic Adventure for Just $5590

​
There's a reason Antarctica is on every serious traveller's bucket list – it's spectacular, dramatic, remote, beautiful, photogenic and teeming with extraordinary wildlife. The adventure of a lifetime.

But there's no getting around the fact that, due to its extreme isolation, a holiday to Antarctica can be relatively expensive, especially when compared with the el-cheapo flop and drop getaways so popular with many Australians.

Until now.

Chimu Adventures is disrupting the Antarctica pricing paradigm with the launch of its 10-day 'Images of Antarctica' cruise package which tours the Beagle Channel, the Drake Passage, the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, rates start at $5590 per person available until July 30 for the voyage aboard the MV Ushuaia (pictured right).

Navigating these glacier-strewn waterways, guests will see an incredible array of wildlife including penguins, seabirds, Weddell, Crabeater and Leopard seals as well as Minke, Killer and Humpback Whales – all in close proximity.

All meals are included as are up to two ship-to-land two zodiac tours a day led by expert guides in the South Shetland Islands and Antarctica, plus a complete program of lectures by noted naturalists.

Chimu believes this to be the best value trip to Antarctica – and is one past passengers have raved about.

"The MV Ushuaia is a fantastic trip. Food was excellent and the wildlife out of this world. Not to be missed. We will be back!" George H.

Package details: http://www.chimuadventures.com/tour/images-of-antarctica#Details

Silversea Arctic Expedition Cruise

#expeditioncruising

Silver Explorer opens the 2017 summer Arctic cruise season with untamed adventure, style and unmatched luxury on a 12 day voyage, departing 30 June 2017. Commencing in Iceland’s idyllic capital, Reykjavik, guests set sail to the seaside municipality of Isafjordur, an area a part of the West Fjords, the least populated region of Iceland.

Silver Explorer continues her voyage, with stops at Vigur Island, Siglufjordur and Grimsey where guests can experience the stark contrasts of Iceland’s geography, from sheer cliffs to sprawling marshlands that are home to dense populations of bird species. The voyage then visits the untouched Svalbard region, affording guests the opportunity to explore land and sea teeming with wildlife. The voyage concludes in Longyearbyen, Norway with guests disembarking on 12 July 2017.

Silver Explorer

Prices are per person, starting from AU$14,550 in an Adventurer Suite, based on double occupancy. 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 voyage are subject to availability. Terms and 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  

Passengers Witness Unique Ceremony in Papua New Guinea

#expeditioncruising

 
 Photo credit: A.Tockston (Left), H.Ahern (Right)                                                   

Being invited to witness a time-honoured ritual on a remote island in Papua New Guinea is something many travellers dream about and even fewer people ever get to experience.

That is exactly the invitation that greeted passengers aboard Heritage Expeditions’ recent ‘Papua New Guinea Explorer’. An area visited by the early-nineteenth century ethnographer Bronislaw Malinowksi, it is likely there have been few outsiders that have been fortunate to witness the ceremony where a newborn and parents are presented to the village for the first time following the birth.

After being welcomed via a traditional ‘Sing-Sing’ to Eiaus, an island village that sits snugly in the Louisiade Archipelago, passengers and locals alike gathered at a modest family house to witness the proceedings. Set amongst the garden where the family go about their daily lives, passengers and locals blended together as the mother and father were cleansed with hot water before being adorned in papapus palm leaves and having their faces painted by family members. The ceremony occurs after an extended time of isolation from the rest of the village, so the excitement of meeting the newborn was palpable. Cheers broke out from locals and passengers as the newborn was brought out and placed in the father’s arms. Following the ceremony, those in attendance were offered a feast of tender pork stew, rice, yam, and tropical fruits as well as enjoying the buoyant atmosphere. It was a huge honour bestowed upon the expedition to share in this special moment with the village and one that will live on in the memories of the passengers aboard.

Heritage Expeditions explores the islands and villages of Papua New Guinea to provide authentic and unique experiences. With a capacity of just 50 passengers on each expedition the ship ‘Spirit of Enderby’ can access islands, villages and waterways that larger ships often cannot reach. The small passenger numbers aboard also are conducive to a flexible daily programme allowing for the unique opportunities that present themselves as the expedition unfolds.

Papua New Guinea Explorer departs Rabaul/Kokopo, Papua New Guinea on 17 April 2017. 13-days starting from $6,500 USD.

For further information on voyages in the South Pacific, visit the website

Monaco Grand Prix with 5 day SeaDream sailing

IF you're into motor-racing and a taste of the good life also appeals, combine both on the French Riviera in May of next year when SeaDream Yacht Club sails a 5-day return voyage from Nice that includes the chance to visit the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix.

SeaDream I sails from Nice on the evening of May 25, has a day and an overnight in St Tropez, Saturday of the race weekend at Cannes and then Sunday at Monte Carlo for either an optional-cost visit to the race final or to go sightseeing, and a final last day in San Remo before returning to Nice.

Sailing price on SeaDream I begins from US$3604pp twin-share including wines with onboard gourmet lunches and dinners, premium drinks from the open bars, power and sail water sports where locally permitted, mountain bikes for shore expeditions, a no-charge onboard golf simulator and fitness centre, and port charges and taxes.

Cost of entry to the Grand Prix is additional and will be announced six months prior to SeaDream's sailing.

SeaDream I has just 56-staterooms for a maximum 112-guests served by 95-crew.

                                                     
 For more details, call Cruise Express on 1300 764 509 or visit www.cruiseexpress.com.au.

For bookings and further details, see SeaDream specialist Cruise Express

Discover the Galápagos with Aurora Expeditions

#expeditioncruising

Described as “nature's greatest experiment” by Sir David Attenborough, the Galápagos Islands offer a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience. To celebrate the launch of their brand new Galápagos Odyssey, adventure cruising specialists Aurora Expeditions share their favourite things to do and see in one of the world's wildest archipelagos.

Take a geology lesson – hike up Española Island's four-million-year-old volcano, hop on 100-year-old cactus-dotted lava fields on Bartolomé Island or take the 600-metre walkway up to the hills for a stunning view of the sea-cooled hot lava formation Pinnacle Rock.

Grab your snorkel – jump into the warm, crystal clear waters and let marine creatures guide you through the islands' spectacular underwater world. Sea lions playfully nibble at your fins, sea turtles peacefully swim alongside you, and if you don't fancy a dip, there's always our glass-bottom boat!

Pick up the post – visit Floreana Island's first Post Office: a wooden barrel left by English whalers in the late 1700s in which men heading out to sea would deposit their letters for sailors returning home to collect and deliver. The system still works on the same premise today; see if you can find a letter to hand deliver!

Meet an icon – the world's oldest yet endangered animal, the Galápagos giant tortoise is a conservation icon. Learn all about the local giant tortoise breeding programs and pay tribute to late 'Lonesome George', the last of the Pinta Island giant tortoises, and icon of the conservationist movement.

Sunbake on green sand – Experience a new kind of beach on the green-sand beaches of Punta Pitt (San Cristobal) and Cormorant Point (Floreana). They get the green tint from the olivine crystals found in the sand, and offer splendid photograph opportunities.

In the footsteps of Darwin – join Aurora Expeditions' team of naturalists and learn all about the unique history of the Galápagos Islands through lectures, talks and shore excursions that will shed light on Darwin's theories and observations that redefined the modern-day understanding of how today's species came to be.

Serious bird watching – did you know that San Cristobal Island is the only place on Earth where you can see three species of boobies – the red-footed, blue-footed and the Nazca booby – nest and cohabit together? Swallow-tailed gulled, flamingo, finch, pintail duck, flycatchers, Galápagos hawk, frigatebirds, stilts, egrets and more also await avid twitchers. Don't forget your binoculars!

Newly added to Aurora Expeditions' Ecuador program, the Galápagos Odyssey offers a rare chance to discover the best of the Galápagos Islands on a small ship. Sailing aboard 38-passenger Isabela II, travellers will be joined by a team of naturalists and wildlife specialists and explore the archipelago over nine days, jam-packed with Zodiac and shore excursions, incredible wildlife encounters, interpretive talks and lectures and complimentary kayaking and snorkelling.

Starting from US$6,635 per person, the Galápagos Odyssey departs Baltra in the Galápagos on 3 October 2016 and includes 8-night accommodation with meals, return flights from Quito, Ecuador, airport transfer (Galápagos only), all shore excursions and land tours, onboard lectures and kayaking and snorkelling activities and equipment.

For more information call Aurora Expeditions on 1300 061 490, emailinfo@auroraexpeditions.com.au or visit www.auroraexpeditions.com.au.

A Write to Life: meet Ian and Fiona McIntosh aboard SeaDream in the Mediterranean

IF you've ever dreamed of aspiring to what seems the dream life of a travel writer, a sailing aboard the luxury mega motor-cruiser SeaDream I in the Mediterranean this October will have one of Australia's most prolific travel writers aboard – and he'll be more than happy to chat with you about how you may realise your dream.

PONANT new Latin America & Caribbean 2016 2017 Collection

#expeditioncruising

PONANT presents its Latin America and Caribbean destinations for the October 2017-April 2018 season.

LATIN AMERICA

The mysterious Nazca lines, visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites and meetinglocals while fully respecting their customs, in the company of experts who are passionate about what they do: seven exceptional cruises from PONANT provide the ideal opportunity to discover the culture and treasures of Latin America, aboard elegant yachts offering an outstanding level of refinement and comfort. To give passengers more choice in line with their desires and expectations, some excursions are included in the itinerary, while others are offered "à la carte". Passengers can also prolong their journey with a high-end pre and post cruise programme focused around visits to iconic sites such as Machu Picchu, Iguazú Falls and the Galapagos Islands.

CARIBBEAN

Scheduled to coincide with the end of year festivities, two cruises aboard the sailing yacht Le Ponant offer a unique opportunity to discover an idyllic island every day on a majestic three -masted ship that has only 32 staterooms... Like being on a private yacht, relaxing while under sail, scuba diving in turquoise blue waters and New Year's Eve in the tropics are just some of the magical moments awaiting passengers.

Link to the downloadable Latin America & Caribbean e-brochure:  http://fr.calameo.com/read/00013242386a074f78838


ITINERARY FOCUS

ON THE TRAIL OF PRE-COLUMBIAN CITIES IN LATIN AMERICA

• Crossing the legendary Panama Canal that links the Atlantic to the Pacific is one of the highlights aboard Le Soléal leaving from Colon. In Salverry in Peru, temples of the moon and sun will reveal all their secrets.

'Panama and pre-Columbian Treasures' - Colon (Panama) - Callao (Peru) on Le Soléal
14 to 23 October 2017 - 10 days / 9 nights
From $4,170 per person, in Superior Stateroom, port and security taxes included

• On this Expedition cruise, the passengers will appreciate the magnificence of the Chilean fjords on Zodiac® outings, supervised by naturalist-guides . Untouched nature and a wide variety of wildlife are among the many marvels waiting to be discovered.

'Patagonia and Chilean Fjords' - Valparaiso (Chile) – Ushuaia (Argentina) on Le Soléal
1st to 14 November 2017 - 14 days / 13 nights
From $6,835 per person, includes return flight Ushuaia-Buenos Aires and transfer, and port and security taxes.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR IN THE CARIBBEAN

• In the heart of the Caribbean, Le Ponant will under sail calling into St Lucia, the Grenadines and other idyllic islands for magical moments of relaxation and cultural discoveries. Supervised by a qualified instructor, passengers can go scuba diving amidst tropical fish as they explore coral reefs in turquoise blue waters.

'Christmas in the Caribbean' - Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) - Fort-de-France (Martinique)
on Le Ponant
18 to 27 December 2017 - 10 days / 9 nights
From $5,290 per person, port and security taxes included
New Year in the Grenadines' - Fort-de-France (Martinique) - Fort-de-France (Martinique) on Le Ponant
27 December 2017 to 3 January 2018 - 9 days / 8 nights
From $4,880 per person, port and security taxes included


INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS

Details of all PONANT 2016 and 2017 voyages, including itineraries, pricing and shore excursion highlights are available through your travel agent or directly by contacting PONANT on Australia:1300 737 178 or + 61 2 8459 5000 / New Zealand: 0800 44 32 62, or emailing reservations.aus@ponant.com                                    

Further information available on the website:  www.ponant.com

Special Guests join One Ocean Expeditions’ Arctic Cruise along Wild East Coast of Baffin Island

#expeditioncruising

Award-winning wildlife filmmakers, Neil Nightingale and Karen Bass, will be special guests on One Ocean Expeditions’ (OOE) 12-night Baffin Island – Jewel of the High Arctic cruise, departing on 1 August 2016.

While Head of The BBC’s Natural History Unit Neil oversaw an immense number of successful TV series including Life, Planet Earth, Big Cat Live, Frozen Planet, Deadly 60 and Springwatch. He also directed the recent theatrical films, Walking With Dinosaurs and Wild Africa.
Karen is a television director and producer with a passion for travel and natural history who, during 30 years with the BBC’s Natural History Unit and National Geographic, has made wildlife films in almost every corner of the Earth.

Together they, and other on-board experts, will regale passengers with fascinating tales of their many interesting travel experiences, answer questions and educate with a series of presentations about the environment, wildlife and history of Baffin Island and the Canadian Arctic.

“This voyage is a privileged opportunity to explore wild places that are so remote few people are ever fortunate to visit. It’s a fascinating area of the Arctic that is scenically spectacular and a major crossroads for wildlife,” says Neil Nightingale.

Other highlights of this trip on board the comfortable expedition ship, the Akademik Ioffe, include visits to remote Inuit communities for a genuine insight into an ancient lifestyle, as well as a stop at an old Royal Canadian Mounted Pole outpost and the final resting place of some of the explorers who lost their lives on the ill-fated Franklin Expedition of 1845 to 46.

Crossing the Arctic Circle by zodiac boat or on foot will also be a focal point of the voyage, while spotting wildlife will be a daily pastime, with snow geese, walrus and endangered bowhead whales, polar bears, ringed seals and narwhal all among those who make their home in the region.

Staggeringly beautiful scenery abounds along the route, with deep fjords that offer sheltered waters ideal for sea kayaking, soaring mountains to tempt the keenest of hikers and immense glacial systems that simply take the breath away.

Prices start from US $7995 per person, based on triple share and include travel on a special charter flight from Ottawa to Iqaluit, all meals on board the ship and excursions as outlined, plus a charter flight from Resolute to Edmonton at the end of the voyage.

(One Ocean Expeditions)