Silversea Sub-Antarctic voyages

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Explore fascinating scenery and wildlife on the trip of a lifetime

King penguins at Macquarie Island (R Eime)

Silversea Cruises is offering guests incredible savings on four exclusive new sub-Antarctic voyages, departing from Dunedin between December 2020 and February 2021. Guests can enjoy included roundtrip economy airfares or reduced Business Class airfares; complimentary transfers between airport, hotel and ship; and one night pre cruise accommodation. Bookings made before 30 April 2019 will also receive a 10% saving off the total fare, as part of Silversea’s Early Booking Bonus offer.

PONANT showcases French gastronomy on the seven seas

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PONANT, the leading luxury cruise operator is taking part in the "Goût de France/Good France" event, the fifth edition of which will take place on 21 March 2019. On this occasion, the company will be celebrating French gastronomy, which takes a starring role aboard its ships.

One Ocean Expeditions Active Discovery Program

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One Ocean Expeditions (OOE), a world leader in small-ship expedition cruising, stretches its sails to warmer climates with its inaugural Active Discovery programmes. Sailing to South and Central America; Scotland, Ireland and Iceland, as well as Canada’s East Coast, OOE’s new Active Discovery itineraries, provide the perfect blend of small-group activities, wildlife viewing, relaxation, rich culture and history.

Now on sale: Silversea’s Groundbreaking Expedition World Cruise 2021

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From today, the general sale of Silversea’s groundbreaking Expedition World Cruise 2021 will be open. Unlocking an incredible selection of deep travel experiences in 107 of the world’s most amazing destinations, the Expedition World Cruise 2021—or the Uncharted World Tour—has been curated to take guests closer to the authentic beauty of the world in ultimate comfort like never before.

Seabourn expedition vessel revealed

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Seabourn's new vessel will be named 'Seabourn Venture'

Seabourn has released new details on what guests can expect from its two new luxury expedition ships. The cruise line signed a letter of intent with shipbuilders T. Mariotti and Damen in July, marking the brand’s first entry into the expedition cruise market.

Coral Adventurer completes successful sea trials

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Coral Expeditions, Australia’s pioneering cruise company, has announced the successful and on-time completion of the first sea trials of its new world expedition ship Coral Adventurer. 

A team of 12 senior marine and management staff from Coral Expeditions’ Cairns headquarters joined representatives from the shipyard and various systems manufacturers to put the vessel through her paces amidst rough sea conditions. True to her design intent, she demonstrated impressive stability and sea-keeping characteristics.

Hurtigruten's Finnmarken to become a premium expedition ship

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Hurtigruten reports that it is planning an extensive renovation project that will transform the MS Finnmarken into a premium expedition cruise ship. The refurb is scheduled for the first quarter of 2020, after which the ship will sail itineraries along the Norwegian coastline.

The project will renovate all of the ship’s cabins and suites using natural Scandinavian materials, such as granite, oak, birch and wool. On deck eight aft, in the current gym and sauna area, Hurtigruten will add five large suites with large panoramic windows.

The revamp will also add four new restaurants, including Restaurant Aune, the cruise line’s new, Scandinavian-themed main restaurant concept for expedition cruises. Also new will be Restaurant Lindstrøm, a specialty restaurant named after the favourite chef of the Norwegian polar heroes, and Fredheim, named after a legendary 1920s hunting station in Svalbard. Finally, deck eight will receive a new outdoor grill venue.

The cruise line will add its signature Science Center, an “edutainment” area that will also serve as the onboard headquarters for the ship’s expedition team, on deck four, while a new, larger wellness area – including a lounge, treatment rooms, gym and panoramic sauna – will be added on deck seven.

The outdoor pool area will be fully refurbished, the shop expanded, and the ship's car deck will be replaced by the launching area for Hurtigruten explorer boats (ribs) and other expedition equipment.

The ship’s art collection will be preserved during the renovations, Hurtigruten said.

Read more at Sea Trade

Christmas in July Magic on the Murray Princess

Experience the magic of a winter Christmas and soak up the splendour of the Mighty Murray on Captain Cook Cruises three, four and seven-night Christmas in July cruises on-board paddlewheeler, PS Murray Princess. Book more than thirty days in advance and save up to 15% on Christmas Cruise fares.

New Small-Ship Cruises to Rarely-Visited Russian Arctic

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Two new trips to the Russian Arctic from specialist cruise operator, Swoop-Arctic (tel: 0117 369 0296), are helping to open up this rugged, isolated region to travellers wishing to experience its pristine landscapes and teeming wildlife in comfort.

Both the 22-day Russian High Arctic Island Explorer (22nd July 2020; prices from £12,183pp triple share) and the 26-day Russia’s Northern Shores expedition (22nd August 2020, from £22,860pp based on two sharing an Adventurer Suite) feature Novaya Zemlya, the rarely-visited and largest Eurasian Arctic archipelago, with its massive extinct volcanoes, jagged ice cliffs and imposing glaciers.

Due to extreme weather conditions, the window for travel is restricted to July, August and September, so very few people get the chance to experience the rocky coastlines, epic bird cliffs, remote islands and flourishing wildlife in the region, and booking in advance is essential.

Ships travelling to the Russian Arctic and Russian Far East are built to withstand the thick ice floes they will encounter. While previously this has been at the expense of comfort on board, now a new breed of vessel combining strength with luxury is helping to expand the cruise options available and opening up the area to a different sector of the travel market.

Alex Mudd, Commercial Director at Swoop-Arctic, comments: “Previously, the Russian Arctic as a destination has been overshadowed by Svalbard and the Canadian Arctic. However, the current growth in expedition options, with new ships combining comfort and small numbers, is resulting in it becoming more accessible. We anticipate that these astounding expeditions will be of particular interest to pioneering travellers looking for something new and unique to explore.”

Russia’s Northern Shores (Nome to Tromso) - On board the all-suite Silver Explorer, passengers travel in the footsteps of historic explorers, Nansen and Amundsen, on board the most luxurious vessel to navigate Russian Arctic waters, complete with butler service, free-flowing champagne and outstanding cuisine, courtesy of Relais & Chateaux.

Wildlife viewing opportunities abound during this expedition, with the chance to see a plethora of birdlife on Kolyuchin Island – pelagic cormorants, thick-billed murres, kittiwakes, horned and tufted puffins to name a few; walrus, musk ox and polar bears may be sighted on Wrangel Island, while grey, bowhead and beluga whales swim in the surrounding waters.

With 25 planned landings – weather and conditions permitting – passengers can expect to visit former Soviet military ports, meteorological stations, welcoming indigenous Chukchi and Inuit communities, pristine tundra landscapes, stunning fjords and glacial archipelagos, conservation areas and wildlife hotspots. https://www.swoop-arctic.com/cruises/russia/northern-shores.

Russian High Arctic Island Explorer (Helsinki to Helsinki) – The four-star Sea Adventurer is a spacious high ice class (1A) ship offering comfortable accommodation for up to 134 passengers. Its superior stability and vast outside decks for wildlife viewing make it ideal for travel in to the Russian High Arctic.

A highlight of this expedition cruise, which begins and ends in Helsinki and includes return private charter flights to Murmansk, is Novaya Zemlya or New Land, the third largest wilderness area in Europe.

Comprising two main islands separated by the Matochkin Strait, it offers pure, Arctic beauty at its very best. The archipelago is set between the Kara Sea and the Barents Sea and was once an important military site during the Cold War years, as well as a historic hunting ground, dating back to the 11th century.

Today, fascinating flora and fauna, including rich bird life, lemmings, ptarmigan, Arctic foxes, seals, walrus, and polar bears may all be spotted here.

https://www.swoop-arctic.com/cruises/russia/high-arctic-explorer

Swoop Arctic’s cruises include full-board accommodation during the voyage, all on shore and zodiac excursions, educational lectures by expert polar guides and a complimentary parka.

For further information on expedition cruising in the Russian Arctic visit: https://www.swoop-arctic.com/cruises/russia

For enquiries please call: 0117 369 0696.

New boutique vessel for Alaska

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Small ship operator, Alaskan Dream Cruises, has added a new vessel, Kruzof Explorer, to its fleet.

Named after the 18th Century Russian Admiral Kruse, the former Bering Sea crab boat is one of the toughest constructed vessels in this class and provides the niche operator with a useful addition to its fleet of five other vessels ranging from 10 to 74 passengers.

Alaskan Dream Cruises, was established in 1970 when Bob and Betty Allen, and their five children, restored a ruined boat that became the St. Michael- the first in a long line of Allen Marine tour vessels named after saints of the family’s Russian Orthodox faith.

The 39m, 12-passenger vessel carries a high-speed Zodiac, kayaks, and paddleboards and will operate such itineraries as the 9-night Remote Wilderness Expedition.

More: www.alaskandreamcruises.com

Peregrine Adventures new expeditions to Antarctica

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• Peregrine will double carbon offsets on all of it Antarctica expeditions
• Lowest lead in prices starting at $7090, making Antarctica accessible for all
• Wellness comes to the fore with frozen yoga that turns Bikram on its head

Peregrine Adventures today launched new expeditions to Antarctica that will benefit both travellers and the environment.

Peregrine Adventures’ Antarctica Expeditions aboard the Ocean Endeavour will continue the company’s focus on sustainable and experiential style of cruising.

Lindblad signs off on second newbuild polar expedition ship

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Lindblad Expeditions Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LIND; “Lindblad,” the “Company”), a global leader of expedition cruises and adventure travel experiences, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Norwegian shipbuilder and ship designer Ulstein to build a new polar vessel, expanding the line’s National Geographic polar fleet to four ships.

This state-of-the-art vessel will be the next phase of Lindblad’s fleet expansion following the launches of new builds National Geographic Questin July 2017, National Geographic Venture in December 2018 and the scheduled delivery of National Geographic Endurance in Q1 2020.