Cruise&Travel 90

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Travel

• Oceania’s new ship surprise • Rwanda goes wild • Mekong made luxe

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BONUS MAGAZINE

Cuisine crazy

Now we’re all demanding epicurean experiences CT06_001_Cover.indd 2

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2023 WINNER QUALITY SERVICE Readers Digest Awards

G E TAWAY FROM IT ALL

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Photo Credit: Vanuatu Tourism Office

It’s time to switch off and getaway from the day-to-day. From immersing yourself in local cultures to exploring stunning natural wonders, you can experience everything under the sun as you traverse destinations across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Take your tastebuds on a tantalising, gourmet getaway - first stop, the dreamy culinary creations at Wonderland restaurant. Unlock a new level of zen with a couples massage at Vitality SM Spa. Finally, wind up the night with a jaw-dropping show at Two70 ®, before retreating to your Balcony Stateroom or luxurious Suite.

With so many holidays to experience, what will you get out of your next Royal Caribbean ® getaway? Holiday in Every Way with Royal Caribbean.

SNORKELLING & SEAFOOD ESCAPE

SOUTH PACIFIC SUNRISERS

MIST Y SOUNDS & LONG WHITE CLOUDS

6 NIGHTS • DEPARTS 4 NOV 2023

7 NIGHTS • DEPARTS 10 NOV 2023

11 NIGHTS • DEPARTS 12 DEC 2023

VA N U AT U

Willis Island

Cairns

Port Vila Mystery Island

AUSTR ALIA

NEW ZEALAND

Sydney

Wellington Napier

Airlie Beach

Picton

Brisbane AUSTR ALIA

Brisbane

QUANTUM OF THE SEAS

QUANTUM OF THE SEAS

Departures from Sydney and Brisbane

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Milford, Doubtful, Dusky Sound

AUSTR ALIA

Dunedin

OVATION OF THE SEAS

South Pacific | Australia | New Zealand

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IT’S YOUR HEART THAT TAKES YOU PLACES We make your travels to the world’s most magical destinations possible.

But it’s your endless passion for discovery that leads you there.

MEDITERRANEAN TAPESTRY

BALTIC SEA BEAUTY

VENICE to BARCELONA 29 Jun, 2024 | 12 days | VISTA

LONDON to COPENHAGEN 16 Jul, 2024 | 10 days | MARINA

OLIFE CHOICE* Free Pre-paid Gratuities

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plus choose one:

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Free Shore Excursions Free Beverage Package Free Shipboard Credit Veranda Stateroom fares from

Veranda Stateroom fares from

AU$9,020 per guest*

AU$7,050 per guest*

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LEARN MORE

E X Q U I S I T E LY C R A F T E D C U I S I N E . C U R AT E D T R AV E L E X P E R I E N C E S . S M A L L S H I P L U X U R Y. V I S I T O C E A N I A C R U I S E S . C O M | C A L L 13 0 0 355 2 0 0 | C O N TA C T YO U R T R AV E L A D V I S O R

TERMS & CONDITIONS *Fares and itineraries are accurate as of 3rd May 2023 and are subject to change or withdrawal. The quoted fares are valid until 30th June 2023, unless sold out prior and include any/all savings/upgrades. Airfares are additional. Cruise fares are per person, twin share in AUD and include all taxes, port fees and onboard gratuities. OLife Choice offers are valid until 30th June 2023. Guests in the same stateroom must choose the same OLife Choice amenity and amenity must be chosen by final payment. Fares are valid only for residents of, and booking through travel advisors located in Australia, or through the Australia contact centre and are valid for new bookings only. For full terms & conditions that apply, please visit OceaniaCruises.com/terms. All rights reserved. Oceania Cruises is not responsible for typographical errors or omissions. Ships’ Registry: Marshall Islands. NCL Australia Pty Ltd ABN 8060 7578 781

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Welcome

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Eurovision

“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable.

Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay.

The journey changes you – it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you… Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” — Anthony Bourdain

W

elcome to the 90th edition of our magazine – and welcome back to Europe! In this issue, we’re celebrating the return of our readers’ favourite farflung holiday destination since the pandemic laid waste dreams of long-distance travel.

Europe consistently tops the list of places Australians want to visit outside our own backyard. After reading the special magazine inserted in this issue, you’ll understand why.

Nowhere beats this extraordinary continent for cultural attractions, history, fashion, food and wine. There are 44 countries from huge blockbusters to the tiny Holy See – and every one of them offers a unique experience.

Natural beauty and history seem to converge in this place.

There can only be one Trevi Fountain. Only one Trafalgar Square. No one does bling and glitz like St Tropez. No one does romance like Paris.

For those who love to cruise, the Mediterranean represents the best in ocean itineraries. You can hop from one jawdropping major port to the next on the big ships; meander through small seaside towns on a small ship; or take a romantic ride down rivers lined with castles and cultural icons.

New ships such as Norwegian Prima and Celebrity’s Edge Class are creating cruise experiences that are on another level for premium and upper-premium guests. Luxury lines like Regent Seven Seas, Scenic, Oceania, Viking and Silversea offer exclusive experiences that bring their guests right into the beating heart of Europe’s cultural capitals.

Small ships like those of Ponant and today’s flotilla of new luxury yachts like the Emerald Azzurra, Scenic Eclipse and RitzCarlton Yacht Collection were made for the laid-back charm of destinations like Croatia and the Greek Islands.

Huge price rises in hotel accommodation, air travel and dining out make cruising one of the best-value European holidays. And it beats the other challenge: avoiding the crowds. A recent Euronews survey shows Amsterdam has 12 visitors for every inhabitant, Dublin 11 and Paris nine. It makes insider knowledge essential – so read our guide – and consult travel experts.

One of my favourite Mediterranean experiences was aboard the mighty Royal Clipper, one of the world’s largest squarerigged sailing ships, offering shoreside experiences like lunching with winemakers. The wonder of seeing this vessel arrive under canvas meant she was welcomed in every port.

You’ll discover much about this great continent in this issue.

Masterpiece

Italy’s $10 million tourism campaign, Open to Meraviglia (or Open to Wonder) has drawn flak for featuring Venus as depicted in Sandro Botticelli’s 15thcentury Renaissance masterpiece The Birth of Venus, but wearing a mini-skirt, holding a mobile phone and eating pizza. She even has an Instagram account with 34,000 followers. The page features photos of Venus posing in front of various Italian landmarks, such as the Colosseum and Pantheon.

Here’s our list of what’s hot in Europe right now

Norway

1

From the vibrant capital city of Oslo to the enchanting landscapes of Bergen and Tromsø, this Scandinavian gem offers a unique blend of nature and culture. Norway is embracing sustainable travel trends, offering eco-friendly accommodation and outdoor adventures. Travellers can explore off-the-beaten-path destinations such as the Lofoten Islands and the Arctic.

Food tourism is on the rise.

Peter Lynch, Editor-in-chief and publisher 8

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France

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From the romantic streets of Paris to the sun-soaked beaches of the French Riviera, France is a treasure trove of experiences.

The country continues to epitomise culinary excellence, enhanced by farm-to-table dining and a growing interest in organic wines. Wellness retreats in idyllic French countryside settings are gaining popularity. Cultural immersion through interactive workshops, such as cheesemaking and perfume crafting, is also in vogue.

Cruise &Travel

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Italy

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A recent government tourism campaign to turn Botticelli’s masterpiece Birth of Venus into an Instagram star caused quite a fuss. Yet history, culture, food and fashion are at the heart of Italy. New trends include agriturismo where travellers stay on working farms. New food and wine tours offer immersive experiences in lesser-known regions like Puglia and Sicily.

Sustainable fashion is trending too, with designers turning to eco-friendly materials and traditional craftsmanship.

Spain

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Some 71 million tourists visited Spain last year.

Slow travel, promoting leisurely exploration of its diverse regions and fostering connections with local communities, is a new trend.

Sustainable tourism initiatives are on the rise, emphasising eco-friendly accommodations, farm-to-table dining and responsible wildlife encounters. From the bustling streets of Barcelona to the flamenco rhythms of Andalusia, Spain offers a kaleidoscope of experiences.

Germany

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The great cities – Berlin, Munich and Hamburg – are a cultural kaleidoscope, from art museums and high-brow opera to naughty cabaret and underground clubs. Beer gardens are reinventing themselves as social spaces with craft-beer offerings and innovative food pairings.

Sustainable fashion and upcycling are gaining momentum, with local designers creating unique and environmentally conscious garments.

Croatia

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From Dubrovnik to the cascading waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes National Park, this Adriatic gem is a paradise for nature lovers and history enthusiasts. The capital of small ship cruising, coastal cities are embracing wellness tourism, with luxury spas, yoga retreats and beachfront meditation sessions.

Adventure tourism is thriving, with sea kayaking, rock climbing and hiking attracting thrill-seekers. Sustainable sailing and yacht charters are a staple along the Dalmatian coastline. CT

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Contents

Cruise

Travel

June 2023

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Editor-in-chief and publisher Peter Lynch peter.lynch@bigsplashmedia.com.au Editor Bernadette Chua bernadette@bigsplashmedia.com.au Executive editor Teresa Ooi teresa@bigsplashmedia.com.au Sub editor Claire Waddell Art director Catherine Martin Commercial director Phil Mahony phil@bigsplashmedia.com.au Advertising sales manager Vida Folden vida@bigsplashmedia.com.au Contributors and writers Tallis Boerne Marcus, Sue Bryant, Bernadette Chua, Emma Featherstone, Louise Goldsbury, Fiona Harper, Gabriella Le Breton, Teresa Ooi, Gabrielle Sander Subscriptions Phone 02 8227 6486 – Australia Phone +612 8227 6400 – International cruisepassenger.com.au/magazine Printed by IVE

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Contents / Winter 2023 14

Upfront

MULTI MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Cruise&Travel magazine is published

by Big Splash Media Pty Ltd Suite 206, Level 2 46a Macleay Street Potts Point, Sydney 2011 bigsplashmedia.com.au Phone: +61 2 9356 8888 Managing director Peter Lynch All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Copyright Big Splash Media Pty Ltd. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and are not necessarily those of the publisher.

All reasonable efforts have been made to contact copyright holders. Information provided believed to be correct at time of publication, however details can change at any time and all information, including prices, in this magazine should be considered general in nature only. No travel decisions should be made solely on the information provided. Always consult your travel agent.

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The latest news in the world of cruising, hotels, travel and tours. Plus, the rise of the cruise-safari and glamorous new hotel experiences.

OCEANS

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Why I love my dance host

The return of the male dance host proves popular.

Reviews

38

A glorious Vista

Come aboard the new big ship, Oceania Vista.

44

54

The Ritz-Carlton’s first superyacht, Evrima, proves worth the wait.

Touring Alaska on board Discovery Princess is a dream come true.

Puttin’ on the Ritz

Tip of the iceberg

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RIVERS

ESCAPES

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80

98

Our round-up of river cruises for sports’ lovers.

New travel tours that indulge the ulta-rich’s desire to be part of the action.

Inside the Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky in Amsterdam.

Sporty spice Reviews

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D for victory Decicated voyages for history buffs that take in key war sites of the 20th century.

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Romancing the river A journey on the Mekong from Ho Chi Minh City to Angkor Wat on Scenic Spirit.

Citizen science

84

My life in travel Actress Rosamund Pike takes us on her family holiday to the Maldives.

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Dutch treat

102

Terminal leave Bypass commercial flying and head off on a small group tour by private jet.

Lotus position?

TV show White Lotus is headed to Thailand next – but which luxury resort will be the star of the show?

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Monkey business How Rwanda has grown into a safe, luxury holiday destination.

Subscribe & Save WIN a $2500 cruise voucher Never miss an issue of Cruise & Travel – subscribe today and get it home-delivered You’ll go into the draw for a $2500 cruise voucher

106

Tourists behaving badly A call for a code of conduct as holidaymakers disrespect the locals and their culture.

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Plus you’ll save an incredible $37 – it costs just $50 for four issues Subscribe today!

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Travel

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Ice Capades Antarctica’s adventure boom

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Upfront | Inspiration for today’s sophisticated traveller |

page

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Day spa with Dior

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Travel trends

“Any time we focus on foodie experiences like cook with a chef or foraging in France, these sell out the most.”

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APPETITE for TRAVEL

Australians are eating their way around the world with travel now led by their stomachs, writes Bernadette Chua.

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ur love for food is now a driving motivator for travel as we connect with local cultures and communities. How ever we travel, from tours to cruising, cuisine and top food experiences are now leading the way in why we choose a destination.

According to Luxury Escapes, food tourism is the most popular trend in 2023, with 63.59 per cent of the online travel agency’s survey respondents saying their holidays revolve around cuisine.

A survey by the World Food Travel Association last year showed 81 per cent of people believe that trying local food helps them appreciate local culture. Expedia Brands’ managing director Daniel Finch says foodthemed holidays are incredibly important for Australian travellers, and one of the largest influencers on where Australians choose to travel.

“Street food and ‘hole in the wall’ experiences are of most appeal to Australian travellers, followed by local markets, tours and hidden gem experiences,” he says.

“When thinking about food tourism and where they’d most like to visit, the vast majority (86 per cent) of Australians want to travel overseas, with Italy top of the list, followed by Japan, France, Greece and Thailand.”

Cruise ships like those of the Oceania and Regent fleets come with kitchens, and a trip to the market followed by a lecture on how to cook local ingredients is one of the most popular experiences. For instance, on board the

Cruise&Travel

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Marina and Riviera ships, Oceania offers culinary discovery tours in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean as well as South America.

Walking tours of Tuscany – which offer fine dining every night and wine visits during the day – and barging with a French chef through the lavish French countryside are topping travel lists.

Michelin guidebooks, which feature chefs with their famous stars, are now an essential packing item as guests to eat their way through Europe, South America, Asia and the Americas.

“We’re noticing that members love to combine fine dining with other activities like cooking classes and wine tours,” says Adam Schwab, CEO and co-founder of Luxury Escapes.

“Even though it’s been running for almost 15 years, the MasterChef effect still has a massive impact on the popularity of culinary classes, while gourmet food and wine tours are also increasingly popular with people who want to get a more in-depth taste of the region.”

Gourmet grub Koper in Slovenia is emerging as a premier culinary destination Clockwise, from and is one of the ports Oceania visits. The chefs on board its ships will main: Irish food take guests to tour the Fonda fish farm in Piran Bay, which is known pub, The Glyde for its beautiful sea bream. Guests will meet the family and learn Inn; fine dining about the aquaculture of the region. They will prepare their special aboard Regent Seven Seas; Fonda branzino accompanied by local wine that highlights the fish. cooking in The next stop is to the rolling hillsides of Slovenia where guests will Perouges, France. visit a local restaurant to learn about the creation of artisanal olive oil and salt from the experts.

Scenic, on its river ships, has dedicated voyages celebrating the local cultures of southern France where guests can explore the vineyards of Sauternes on e-bikes and taste the Grand Cru Classe wines of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey. Discover Lillet, the classic aperitif and delight in a truffle dinner. Fancy a Cognac? Where better to indulge than the legendary Rémy Martin estate.

And Cellar Tours, an American-based luxury travel company, offers a private Fish Lovers Tour of Ireland, where the castles are vast and salmon is king. To kick off the adventure, the tour starts with a dinner in Dublin before a scenic drive into the countryside to fly-fish at Delphi Lodge. Later on the tour, guests can sample the mussels and oysters in Connemara and smoked salmon and gravlax at a local smokehouse in Cork.

The package also includes a two Michelin-starred dinner as well as a visit to Howth, the charming village home to actress Saoirse Ronan, U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr and TV chef Donal Skehan.

A Scenic spokesperson says, “We find any time we focus on foodie experiences like cook with a chef, foraging in France or tasting your wine through the Rhine valley, these sell out the most. With Scenic Eclipse we certainly focus on our dining experiences and the ability to dine in up to 10 restaurants and drink in nine bars but also see the world.” CT 15

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Upfront

/ Gucci meets The Savoy

Green with envy La D de Dior Satine yellow-gold, brilliant-cut diamond and malacite watch, $17,500.

T

he aesthetic of Gucci’s former head designer, Alessandro Michele, is stamped all over the Royal Suite by Gucci at London’s The Savoy. The whimsical furnishings have been specially curated by auctioneers at Christie’s to harmonise the playful aesthetics of the Italian brand with the traditional

flair of the city’s famous five-star hotel. The Savoy is offering a bespoke package that includes a stay in the suite, private return transfers, a signature Gucci x Savoy welcome including a range of gifts and a bottle of champagne on arrival, and Italian cocktails for an evening aperitif, as well as a personalised shopping experience in a Gucci flagship store with a private Rolls-Royce transfer.

LONG NIGHTS Regent Seven Seas

Cruises has unveiled five new Grand Voyages sailing on epic adventures through the depths of the Arctic and to the souks and bazaars of Morocco. Ranging from 61 to 117 days, these voyages are designed for those looking for immersive sailings. The longest voyage is the Grand Cultural Quest, which takes guests through a multitude of destinations in Scandinavia, the Mediterranean, Egypt and Jerusalem, over 117 days. On the Grand Continental Sojourn, guests will board the Seven Seas Navigator before traversing Morocco and the Canary Islands, then taking a deeper dive into Africa. The ship then sails to the Middle East with calls to Oman and Qatar, before reaching India and Sri Lanka.

Listen to our podcast by scanning the QR code.

• Princess Cruises has unveiled a series of new culinary offerings across its ships, including a brand-new seafood concept from award-winning chef Rudi Sodamin. The Catch by Rudi will focus on seafood sourced from local ports of call and new menu items include Asian-fried calamari and lobster with garlic-butter crust. Enchanted Princess is also getting a new Irish-themed venue, O’Malley’s. Complete with Irish hospitality, traditional music and entertainment, the eatery will offer classic pub meals. Also coming to Enchanted Princess is the Salty Dog Cafe, originally a Hilton Head eatery, which can be found on the Lido Deck.

Expect American classics such as the prime burger and

LIFTING the LID

chicken-strip basket, with Salty Dog branded décor.

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E XPLORE E UR OPE’S LE SSER-KNO W N TRE A SURES

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*Conditions apply. Prices are per person, in Australian dollars, based on double occupancy, subject to availability, includes all advertised discounts and correct at time of printing. Guests are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at time of travel. Passage to Eastern Europe based on 17 March 2025 departure. Capitals of Eastern Europe based 08 November 2024 departure. All other offers are valid on new bookings made between 01 June and 28 August 2023 unless sold out prior. For full terms and conditions visit viking.com

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Collaboration

Seeking

REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES

Set sail for a gourmet experience at sea accompanied by top chefs, winemakers and sommeliers on a cruise from Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Epicurean Perfection program, writes Louise Goldsbury.

EPICUREAN PERFECTION

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ne of the world’s greatest sommeliers, unlimited complimentary excursions and escorted tours with famous chefs, winemakers and even a comedian are among the unique highlights of new all-inclusive cruises on luxury ships carrying no more than 746 guests.

Combining culinary and cultural experiences in Europe, Asia and South America, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Epicurean Perfection program brings together talented experts, exquisite cuisine in specialty restaurants, deck-top regional barbecues, tastings, talks and hands-on cooking classes in its professional-grade Culinary Arts Kitchen.

The next ocean cruise to offer the program departs October 8, 2023, sailing from Barcelona (Tarragona) to Venice (Fusina). Held aboard Seven Seas Splendor, ‘Epicurean Spotlight on Wine with Doug Frost’ provides the opportunity to learn from one of only four people in the world to simultaneously hold the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles. Frost will host events including an onboard tasting session and tours on land. Guests will savour the tasting notes of Tuscany, Aix-en-Provence and, for a rare experience of Slovenian wines, Koper.

The ship continues its Mediterranean journey with a round-trip voyage from Athens (Piraeus) on October 30, 2023. ‘Epicurean Spotlight with Chef Fearing’ sails through Greece and Turkey with the “Father of Southwestern Cuisine”, Dean Fearing, whose namesake restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas boasts many accolades. Fearing will accompany

Just perfect!

Dining at Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Chartreuse (above); a meal in Cisternino, Italy (right).

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Gourmet delights

Clockwise from right: Beef tenderloin rossini at Chartreuse; Sicilian market stop; Île Flottante dessert at Chartreuse; 14-layered cake at onboard restaurant Prime 7; gourmet shops of Dubrovnik.

excursions to discover local flavours and traditions, while on board he will showcase his distinctive “taste of Texas” techniques in cooking demonstrations and presentations.

‘Epicurean Spotlight on Wine with Honig Wineries’ departs November 6, 2023, from Athens to Rome (Civitavecchia), visiting the Greek islands of Rhodes, Crete (Chania) and Cephalonia (Argostoli), Messina (Sicily) and Naples in Italy, and Ephesus, Turkey. Stephanie and Michael Honig, from the family-owned Honig Vineyard, will share fascinating insights about their Napa Valley wines through several tastings and cocktail parties.

Next year, Seven Seas Voyager offers a cruise from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro, ‘Epicurean Spotlight on Wine with Caldwell Vineyard’, setting sail on March 9, 2024. Joe Caldwell spent 40 years building his Napa Valley-based winery into one of the world’s greatest estates, with 28 different, clone-specific grape varieties. The New World winemaker will host tours in Uruguay and Brazil, as well as tastings and pairings on board.

Back in Europe, Seven Seas Splendor sails from Barcelona to Rome on the ‘Epicurean Spotlight on Wine with CAST Wines’ cruise, departing April 14, 2024. Sonoma winemakers and proprietors Jack and Ann Seifrick bring their passions for wine and travel on this Spanish, French and Italian exploration. The couple will discuss their innovative sustainable farming practices in presentations and tastings. Exciting ports of call include Alicante, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Marseilles, St Tropez, Monte Carlo, Portofino and Livorno.

‘Epicurean Spotlight on Wine with Sbragia Family Vineyards’ is a Turkish delight starting with an overnight stay in Istanbul, followed by Ephesus, Marmaris and Antalya, before moving on to Santorini and Mykonos. Ed and Adam Sbragia are keen to reveal how they use their family’s Old-World traditions from Tuscany to make wine in Sonoma County, California. Ending in Athens, this seven-night cruise aboard Seven Seas Voyager departs May 8, 2024.

Cruise&Travel

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“REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES’ SHIPS OFFER UNRIVALLED SPACE AT SEA, WITH EXPANSIVE OUTDOOR AREAS AND SUMPTUOUS SUITES.” Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ newest ship, Seven Seas Grandeur, due to launch in November 2023, will offer the 10-night ‘Epicurean Spotlight with Chef Tommaso Barletta and Celebrity John O’Hurley’. From Athens to Barcelona, entertainment and culinary creativity combine on this fun voyage departing August 14, 2024. Chef Tommaso Barletta joins his actor/comedian friend, who will perform a special show, A Man With Standards. Enjoy cooking demos, escorted tours, a stay in Istanbul and full days in Sorrento and Cannes.

‘Epicurean Spotlight with ZAP: Zinfandel Advocates and Producers’ sails round-trip from Tokyo on March 31, 2025.

ZAP, a members-only organisation for lovers of zinfandel, will see Californian winemakers hold tastings and masterclasses about this popular grape, as Seven Seas Explorer travels through Japan, South Korea and China.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ ships offer unrivalled space at sea, with expansive outdoor areas and sumptuous suites, nearly all with private balconies. Fares include gourmet cuisine, drinks, excursions, entertainment, valet laundry, internet, pre-paid gratuities onboard, a transfer between hotel and ship, and a onenight, pre-cruise hotel package for guests in Concierge Suites and higher. CT rssc.com 19

1/6/2023 9:34 am

Upfront

/ Day spa with Dior

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he French Riviera is now home to a new Dior spa.

The celebrated Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc’s collaboration with the luxury French house has resulted in a multi-faceted spa with treatments offered in spa suites, a gazebo in the gardens or a cabana overlooking the Mediterranean. The maison’s holistic vision of beauty and well-being includes hydrotherapy and infra-therapy, with an Iyashi Dôme room for detox and slimming.

The Dioriginels Rituals, created especially for the spa, are four new signature treatments.

There are also exclusive wellness courses, dubbed Dior Bouquets, from three to 14 days, available only at the Dior Spa Eden-Roc.

Winging it in style

• For the ultimate wish-list trip, Abercrombie & Kent’s ultra-luxe Wings Over the World Collection will see you flying like kings and queens by privately chartered aeroplane, in small groups of up to 13 people, and landing in private terminals away from the madding crowd. If you fancy winging over to Europe to savour London, Paris, Rome and Athens for 12 days, prices start from $76,915 per person. Highlights of a European jaunt include sipping champagne atop the Shard in London; touring Paris in a charming, tiny Citroen 2CV; enjoying breakfast on the Eiffel Tower; visiting artisanal craftsmen in Rome’s Trastevere district; and exploring secret passages leading to the Vatican.

Totes amazing Gucci Blondie medium tote bag, $3540.

NCL VISITS ASIA

For the first time, Norwegian Cruise Line is deploying three ships to the Asia-Pacific in 2024 and 2025. Norwegian Spirit will return to Australia and New Zealand for a third consecutive season, while Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Sky will make their first visits to Asia, offering an eight-month season from October 2024.

Both ships fit only 2000 or so passengers, offering a more intimate experience and increased port time. Norwegian Sun will visit the northern Japanese port of Akita as well as make seasonal visits to see the country’s spring cherry blossom and autumn foliage. The ships will also sail to Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

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You’ll love cruising Australia 7 nights from $999 per person twin share*

Contact your travel agent | 1300 385 631 | princess.com * Fares as per person, in AUD, in complete twin accommodation based on the lead interior stateroom category at time of publication, inclusive of all discounts, taxes, fees and port expenses (which are subject to change). Supplements apply for other stateroom categories. Fares based on 7-Day Tasmania round trip from Sydney departing 23/02/24. Higher fares may apply to other departure dates. Princess Cruises has set aside a reasonable number of staterooms which are available at these fares. Once these staterooms are sold, fares may vary. Valid for new bookings and not combinable with any other offer. All offers are subject to availability. Princess Standard fare is the cruise fare only without any inclusions. To be read in conjunction with the Passage Contract available at princess.com/legal/passage_contract which passengers will be bound by. A credit card surcharge of 1.1% for Visa and Mastercard and 2.75% for AMEX, and a 1.0% surcharge for PayPal will apply to direct bookings made through our website or call centre. No surcharges apply to debit cards. Travel agents may charge additional fees – check with your travel agent. Carnival plc trading as Princess Cruises ABN 23 107 998 443.

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31/5/2023 12:33 pm

Upfront

/ Room with a view

Leisure company Belmond has revealed two new Grand Suites on the Royal Scotsman, a Belmond Train.

These expansive suites come complete with en-suite bathrooms, double beds and a spacious private living area. And they have been designed, in a tribute to Scottish culture and architecture, with finely carved brooding, dark panels over the double bed to set the backdrop and a Scottish larch dining table. A subtle colour palette of green, grey, beige and blue tartans will complete the Scottish look, with wood furnishings and marble in the en-suite bathroom. Off the train, activities range from food and beverage experiences such as whiskey tastings in a Scottish castle or active adventures such as white-water rafting. A two-night journey in the Grand Suite starts from an all-inclusive fare of AU$10,780.

Breakfast with Picasso

• To mark the 50th anniversary of Pablo Picasso’s death, the famed Hôtel Le Bristol Paris and Opera Gallery will host Breakfast with Picasso in one of its regal suites. The idea for this scrumptious pairing was born from the hotel’s Dinner with Chagall experience. But this unique new Picasso offering includes the opportunity to view an original artwork in total privacy. Breakfast will be served, while guests admire the Picasso from bed, with a glass of champagne in hand. Chef Éric Fréchon will present his soft-boiled eggs with maple syrup and caviar, smoked salmon blinis, fresh pastries and fruit salad. The work chosen for this exclusive viewing is Pablo Picasso’s 1931 oil painting, Maison à Juan-Les-Pins (La Villa Chêne Roc), which was created during a summer holiday on the French Riviera. The painting depicts the historic 1880s villa where Picasso lived in 1924.

FACE OFF

• The Scenic Group’s luxury yachts have come face-to-face in Monte Carlo, with images being captured of the special moment when Scenic Eclipse II and Emerald Azzurra sailed alongside each other. Scenic Eclipse II has only recently begun sailing, completing her first-ever itinerary in April when she sailed the Mediterranean from Lisbon to Barcelona.

Home to novel spaces such as the Sky

Bar and Deck, which has a vitality pool, and new experiences like the Chef’s Garden epicurean dining, the ship represents Scenic’s latest innovation. The luxury Scenic Eclipse II’s sleek design and expansive size are evident to see when compared to the 100-guest Emerald Azzurra, which has been sailing since March 2022. In her first year of operation, Scenic Eclipse II will also sail the Adriatic, and Red Seas, as well as visit the Caribbean and Central America.

All in the bag Louis Vuitton LV x YK Keepall 45, AU$4570.

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Collaboration

SCENIC

DOWN THE DANUBE On this enchanting river guests of Scenic will find their greatest European journey, writes Tallis Boerne Marcus.

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t’s possibly the most perfect way for first-time river cruisers to see this charming part of Europe, but even for seasoned travellers the new to 2024 10-day Danube in Depth between Budapest and Munich with Scenic is an intimate and culturally immersive experience.

“The Danube River is an incredible location,” says Scenic Europe Journey Designer Janelle Maher, “and we wanted to give our guests the opportunity to explore more destinations and see this region at a slower pace.

“On this itinerary guests will enjoy multiple guided excursions in fantastic locations, and also to make the most of free time with several overnight stops added for extra immersion into local life.”

Starting the journey in the historic city of Budapest, rich with Roman and Celtic architecture, you will stay overnight to enjoy the bustling nightlife and take a walk over Charles Bridge. The ultra-luxury river cruise then takes you to the Slovakian capital of Bratislava and on to Vienna, where you will overnight in port. Also on the itinerary are the quaint towns of Dürnstein and Melk in Austria’s scenic Wachau Valley, which is known for its castles and rolling hills, perfect for exploring by Scenic’s complimentary e-bikes.

The Scenic Space-Ship then travels to the heart of Linz, a city known for its vibrant arts scene and Baroque architecture, before visiting Passau which has been an important trading city since medieval times. The itinerary’s final calls are in Germany, at Regensburg, which has more than 900 Romanesque and Gothic buildings to explore, and then overnight in Nuremberg, home to one of the most significant imperial forts of the Holy Roman Empire.

But what makes Scenic’s Danube in Depth itinerary so special is the unique and truly all-inclusive private excursions the ultra-luxury line offers onshore.

As part of Scenic’s Freechoice and Enrich inclusions, you can look forward to activities such as learning to rustle up an authentic Linzer torte at a cooking class in Linz, sampling Nuremberg’s famous beer in underground cellars, making traditional Regensburg wurst (a type of local sausage) in its namesake city, as well as a private classical concert at Palais Liechtenstein. At every port, Scenic offers Freechoice options where guests can explore the city as per their interests.

The Scenic Space-Ship’s luxurious suites, personalised butler service, multiple dining venues, all-inclusive beverages and spacious surroundings come together to make the onboard experience worry-free, leaving you to spend your time as you please, whether that’s river-gazing or taking a fitness class. CT The 10-day Danube in Depth itinerary, with departures on select dates between May and October 2024, is priced from AU$6995 per person, with the option to add economy flights from AU$500.

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“We wanted to give our guests the opportunity to explore more destinations and see this region at a slower pace.”

Scenic highlights From top: Passau with Scenic Opal; Crystal Dining; a Scenic Enrich concert in Liechtenstein; Scenic e-bikes in Wachau Valley.

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Upfront

/Ultimate African sojourn

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• A mainstay on the River Amstel in Amsterdam, the 125-year-old Hotel De L’Europe has reopened after a significant refurbishment. While the elegant colonial exterior remains intact, the inside of this Leading Hotels of the World property is where guests will see the biggest changes. The grand lobby has been completely revitalised and many rooms have been refitted with generous terraces and balconies. The décor now mixes touches of mid-century furniture with classic antiques. Three dining venues have been added, including the Michelin-starred Flore, where the ethos is seasonal and modern food with clean flavours. You can call in at brasserie Marie for a casual French meal of classic dishes such as côte de boeuf, mussels and tarte tatin. And by evening, moody drinking den Freddy’s is perfect for a nightcap while listening to the in-house jazz pianist.

INSIDE LUXURY REBORN

eabourn, the luxury cruise line synonymously known for its American flair, has launched a new Grand Africa Voyage. Departing November 30, 2024, Seabourn Sojourn will circumnavigate the continent and sail a 90-day, round-trip adventure from Barcelona, Spain. The journey will offer a world of experiences for guests, visiting 44 marquee and off-thebeaten-path ports and cities throughout 26 countries, with six overnight stays on the itinerary. Highlights include Alexandria, Cairo, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem; luscious tropical paradises the Seychelles and Bom Bom Island; lands with breathtaking, diverse landscapes and wildlife such as Kenya, Madagascar and Zanzibar; and culturally rich destinations such as Cape Town, Casablanca and Andoany, Mozambique. In addition, several optional multi-day land-based excursions, known as Seabourn Journeys, will be available mid-journey, including a visit to a gorilla sanctuary and tours to see the mighty Victoria Falls.

Supper is served

• Business-class travellers on Qantas A380 flights between Singapore and Sydney will now be offered a streamlined business-class dinner service. The aim is to help travellers maximise their sleep time on the short overnight leg. “We’re still offering the same quantity and selection of food,” says Phil Capps, Qantas Executive Manager of Product and Service, “but delivered on one tray.” The Room Service Supper reduces the time required for the meal service and cuts down on crew movement during the red-eye flights. Cabin lights will also be dimmed earlier in the flight. The airline is looking to extend the service to more overnight flights from Asia, including Singapore to Brisbane or Melbourne, as well as red-eyes from Hong Kong and Bangkok.

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Cruise &Travel

1/6/2023 10:02 am

AZAMAZING as ALWAYS

/ ALL HAIL THE QUEEN

• Boutique, upmarket ocean line Azamara has broadened its offering of signature AzAmazing Evenings to mark the anniversary of the company’s launch of the immersive events 10 years ago. Azamara has unveiled exclusive new AzAmazing events, ranging from Arabian dancers on the lawns of the Ayla Golf Resort in Jordan to jazz performances by James Morrison at Adelaide Oval.

These complimentary AzAmazing evenings feature performances hosted in historic venues such as Ephesus in Kusadasi, Turkey and St George’s Hall in Liverpool, England. This year, guests will be able to walk, talk and eat alongside locals, discovering the path less travelled by others and revelling in new experiences.

Set to be the largest and most glamorous member of Cunard’s fleet, Queen Anne has now received her red and black funnel at Fincantieri shipyard.

Queen Anne will become the 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag, with the construction milestone marking a significant step towards her first sailing in May 2024. Cunard ships have worn the red and black funnels for over 150 years, and they have become symbolic of the company’s history in travel and seafaring. The 14-deck, 113,000-tonne Queen Anne will carry 3000 guests and the largest curated art collection at sea. You can expect all the signature Cunard experiences such as five-star dining with White Star Service, an opulent spa and new entertainment venues. In Queen Anne’s debut season, she will visit destinations such as the Mediterranean and the Norwegian fjords.

Going Globus • With a focus on off-season travel, Escapes by Globus has curated six journeys for guests looking for adventures in lessvisited countries. The tours include land-based itineraries in Finland, Albania and Malta. Gai Tyrrell, Managing Director Australasia at Globus says, “When the heat is off, and crowds are halved, Escapes by Globus travellers can wind and bend their way through Europe’s

narrow streets and alleys with the locals – only locals. Even better?

Escapes by Globus tours are priced from AU$145 per day and include Globus’s signature excursions, recommendations from local guides and the support of a tour director.” The new tours range from six to 10 days and include an exploration of Finland, a week in Wales from London, a Prague-to-Munich journey, an exploration of Croatia and Albania, and an escape to Sicily and Malta.

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1/6/2023 10:05 am

Collaboration OCEANIA CRUISES

Go local

On Oceania Cruises’ voyages to Alaska you can break the ice with real residents, writes Louise Goldsbury.

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refreshing way to see Alaska has emerged from the ice. Beyond the typical tourist sights, Oceania Cruises has opened up access to locals’ homes and family-run businesses in coastal communities along the way. Passengers can meet the native Tlingit people to learn about generations-old customs, cuisine and culture. These Go Local tours are limited to small groups to experience the traditional Alaskan way of life on a more personal level.

Oceania Cruises’ 2024 Alaskan season, running from April until September, is aboard the 656-guest Regatta. The ship’s small size allows access to spectacular ports where larger ships are nowhere in sight, including Wrangell and Prince Rupert, providing up-close views of the Sawyer and Hubbard Glaciers and the truly magnificent Tracy Arm Fjord.

More than 250 excursions are offered in other ports such as Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Hoonah’s Icy Strait Point, as well as the lesser-known Sitka. Authentic culinary classes, glacier adventures, craft beer tastings and visits to native tribal sites, national parks and old goldrush towns are among the highlights of the program.

In 2024, Oceania Cruises is offering Go Local tours in the Tlingit stronghold of Wrangell, which honours its transformation from a Russian outpost into an American settlement in 1867. Here, guests can learn from a local guide about the indigenous influence and traditional-style fishing, as well as see ancient rock carvings.

To visit Wrangell, choose from the 11-day Midnight Sun Majesty, departing from Vancouver on May 30, 2024, or the 7-day Native Lands of Alaska, departing from Seattle on September 7, 2024.

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On Regatta

From top: Penthouse Suite service with Oceania Cruises; Alaska; Oceania Cruises’ Regatta in Alaska.

One of the most beguiling wilderness sites is Icy Strait Point, where bears, deer and bald eagles can be spotted in the Spasski River Valley. Dare to experience the world’s largest zip line, ZipRider, for an unforgettable view over Hoonah. This stop is scheduled on several Oceania Cruises voyages, including two round-trip from Seattle itineraries, Alaska Dreams and Radiant Alaska, which depart on select dates in July and August 2024.

Every Alaskan cruise includes Ketchikan, where you can join the captain and crew aboard Aleutian Ballad, the legendary crab boat on Discovery Network’s Deadliest Catch. Or head off on a fishing expedition and get your catch prepared by a chef for a gourmet lunch served around a campfire.

Deep-sea sport fishing is also possible during the ship’s stop in Sitka on cruises such as the Glacial Grandeur departing May 20, 2024 and Alaska & Cascadia departing September 14, 2024. Wildlife lovers can visit Sitka’s Alaska Raptor Center where injured eagles, hawks, falcons and owls are rehabilitated, or take a harbour cruise to see sea otters, whales, brown Cruise &Travel

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Onboard experience Culinary adventures at sea

From top: Historic boardwalk of Creek Street in Ketchikan, Alaska; a Vista Suite bedroom; bear sighting in Alaska; dining on board at Toscana.

bears, sea lions, porpoises and puffins. In Sitka you can also join a walking tour with a local guide who will regale you with stories of how the Russians overpowered the indigenous Tlingits in 1804.

Most itineraries include the capital city of Juneau, where thrill-seekers can go trekking on Mendenhall Glacier or sea-kayaking on waterways long travelled by the Aleut Native Americans. Skagway is another popular port to enjoy an active day of rock climbing, helicopter flights or a ride on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad.

Regatta’s longest voyage in the region in 2024 is West Coast Wilderness, a 23-day sailing from Los Angeles to Vancouver that visits Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Juneau and Ketchikan in Alaska, as well as Mexico’s west coast as far as Cabo San Lucas, along with stops in San Francisco and Astoria, Oregon. The voyage departs April 20, 2024. OceaniaCruises.com CT Cruise&Travel

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• Oceania Cruises is renowned as the world’s leading culinary cruise line, with no surcharges for specialty dining. On board the elegant Regatta, guests can dine at four restaurants serving “The Finest Cuisine at Sea” including the Grand Dining Room, the Terrace Café, Polo Grill and Toscana.

• More than 400 crew for the 656 guests ensures the outstanding service extends to the eight bars and lounges, as well as the Aquamar Spa and fitness centre,

library and casino.

• The best venues for witnessing Alaska’s breathtaking landscapes include the sundeck, Regatta’s ship-top observatory, the pool deck and poolside Waves Grill.

• The ship’s 333 luxurious suites and staterooms, some with private verandas and butler service, are also ideal for scenic views.

• Oceania Cruises’ dress code is “elegant casual ambience, no jacket or tie required”, but be sure to pack warm clothing and sturdy footwear for the Alaskan season.

“These Go Local tours experience the traditional Alaskan way of life on a more personal level.”

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Upfront

Mickey Mouse heads to Asia

• Disney has revealed it will homeport its newest ship in the Southeast Asian cruise hub of Singapore year-round. The massive 6000-passenger vessel was formerly known as the Global Dream under the now-defunct Dream Cruises. Singapore was chosen for its excellent port infrastructure and world-class air connectivity, which will appeal to Australian fly-cruise holidaymakers. The floating theme park will no doubt attract many families. Disney will also be sending Disney Wonder to homeport in Australia.

The croc effect Tom Ford wash bag, $1800.

• Ponant has rolled out its Japanese luxury expedition program for 2024, which includes three brandnew itineraries. The French line will be the first cruise operator to visit many of these remote destinations, which were selected by Ryo Ijichi, Ponant’s expedition leader for Japan. Highlights include Yakushima island and its striking cedar forests, the cliffs of the Koshikijima islands, and the small towns of the Goto Islands with their curious Christian heritage. On the ‘Japan, Natural Archipelago and Secular Heritage’ sailing, guests will travel between Kagoshima and Kobe, taking in remarkable sights such as the temples of Onomichi and Moji in Kyushu.

FRENCH TAKE ON JAPAN

/ Meet A the Marker

nantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas has launched its first property in Ireland. Located in one of Dublin’s most vibrant and modern parts, close to tech companies and cultural landmarks, the Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel boasts a contemporary and stylish design across its 187 guest rooms. The hotel’s new destination restaurant, Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins, serves contemporary cuisine with an Irish twist.

Culinary activities include the hotel’s signature Spice Spoons journey where guests accompany the Executive Chef to the fishing village of Howth. The Marker also offers bespoke sporting, cultural and historical experiences, such as horse racing with a leading trainer or a night of storytelling with a traditional ‘seanachai’.

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Cruise &Travel

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Bring out the silver

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ilversea has added another two Grand Voyages to its 2024 line-up, one at 66 days long and another at 43 days, which cover a range of countries and new ports.

Expedition lovers can step aboard the new Silver Cloud for the Grand Indian Ocean voyage. Starting in South Africa on April 4, the cruise will make its way across the Indian Ocean to Darwin. Special

experiences include a stay in a private game reserve in South Africa, visits to the Madagascan jungles, snorkelling in the Maldives, and sailing the Seychelles and the Kimberley. Alternatively, Silver Spirit will depart October 4 for the Grand Mediterranean voyage which leaves Lisbon headed for Athens, and visits the Iberian Peninsula, Monaco, Croatia, Israel, Barcelona and Monte Carlo. There are stays in Cadiz, Alexandria and Jerusalem.

Maghrebi flavours The North African Cookbook

by Jeff Koehler (Phaidon), $74.95.

Oceania moves in

• Oceania Cruises is bolstering its position in the upper-premium cruise market, with a new offer for guests and an intention to homeport Oceania Riviera in Australia from 2025. Line president Frank A Del Rio told Cruise & Travel that Oceania is considering the move for Riviera which is currently due a major refit. Another vessel is also likely to join the Asia-Pacific deployment. The line christened its seventh ship, Oceania Vista, in Malta recently. Meanwhile, a new offer, Simply More, will replace the OLife Choice bundle that allowed passengers to add on drink and shore-excursion packages. Simply More will mean drinks are included at meals and offer up to $2600 in value towards shore excursions.

Summer of fun

Royal Caribbean has revealed a summer of fun with more weekend sailings on Quantum and Ovation of the Seas. Homeporting in Brisbane, Quantum of the Seas will sail 11 week-long cruises to the warm turquoise waters of Mystery Island and Port Vila in Vanuatu and Noumea in New Caledonia. Meanwhile, Ovation of the Seas will be sailing six cruises of 10-11 nights to New Zealand to destinations such as the Bay of Islands, Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Dunedin, Wellington and Picton.

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2/6/2023 7:26 am

Upfront

The rise of the

CRUISE-SAFARI There’s a growing number of options for those who want to couple big cats and jeep dashes with floating from port to port, writes Sara Macefield.

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e had spent the morning trying to track down an elusive herd of elephants in the scalding African heat, and I was now savouring an al fresco lunch under the shade of a leafy tree. All was calm, soporific even, as each of our gathered group recounted their most recent wildlife encounters – when suddenly I felt a furry mass brush unexpectedly along my arm.

Leaping out of my seat, I watched as a vervet monkey bounded past and onto our table, where he deftly grabbed a solitary sausage roll from a side plate before leaping back over my head and into the tree behind, just as a waiter rushed out brandishing a catapult.

But it was much too late for that: the furry thief was now smugly situated in the upper branches clutching his prize, watching us intently as he tucked in with what I could have sworn was a triumphant glint in his eyes.

Such are the unexpected delights of life in the African bush – delights I was fast warming to on my sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line.

That’s right: sailing. “Cruise” and “safari” might not seem like natural bedfellows, but it turns out they’re a match made in heaven – coupling all the excitement of big cats (or mischievous monkeys) and jeep dashes with the inescapably calming effect of floating from port to port. See the big five, unpack your case once. Perfect.

Nevertheless, few companies offer cruise-cumsafari options. Days before, I’d stepped out of the airport and into the warm embrace of a sapphireskied Cape Town, speeding along the freeway by taxi towards the waterfront as a blanket of cloud curled across the summit of flat-topped Table Mountain.

Much like safari, the city pairs magnificently with a cruise – not least because the port is less than five minutes’ drive from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. At this buzzing tourist hub of hotels, shops and waterside restaurants, I paused for a stroll, spotting sea lions sunning themselves close to

yachts and harbour boats offering coastal cruises. But I had bigger fish to fry, so to speak. Aboard Norwegian Jade, I watched as we sailed away from Cape Town, the buildings stark against their dramatic backdrop, rising to that deep, deep blue sky.

Smaller than many modern ships – with 2402 passengers, mainly North Americans and Brits on my sailing – Norwegian Jade made for a cosy base with a more intimate feel than many ships can muster, while remaining large enough to offer a decent variety of restaurants and entertainment venues.

Our first stop was Mossel Bay – the start of South Africa’s famous Garden Route, which stretches more than 190 kilometres to the Eastern Cape – where we visited a family-run farm for a specialty cheese tasting paired with wines, gins and chocolate.

But the best was yet to come. This cruise was about the thrill of viewing wild game in its natural habitat, and we had safari-ing to do.

With animal excursions offered at every port – from penguin and ostrich-spotting at the Cape peninsula to spying Namibia’s wild horses at Luderitz – for me, the wildlife reserves were the main attraction.

At Addo Elephant National Park just outside Port Elizabeth (renamed Gqeberha in 2021, though its former name is still used), it wasn’t long before I was gazing enthusiastically at roaming herds of zebra, grazing buffalo, skittish antelope and a pair of warthogs with a gaggle of tiny two-week-old piglets.

But it’s the 650 or so elephants that roam the park that are the big draw here, and we held our collective breath as a lone male passed within metres of our bus. He was the first of many that day, culminating in about

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“ALL THE EXCITEMENT OF BIG CATS AND JEEP DASHES WITH THE CALMING EFFECT OF FLOATING FROM PORT TO PORT.”

Straight out of Africa

Clockwise, from main: Norwegian Jade in Capetown; wild horses of Namibia; on board an NCL ship; Etosha National Park, Namibia; cheese and wine tastings in South Africa.

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100 gathered at a waterhole, where we watched, spellbound, as some immersed themselves in the muddy waters.

While moored in Richards Bay, south of Durban, a more authentic safari experience awaited at the Thula Thula reserve, where we charged along rutted, dusty tracks in safari jeeps. Though we encountered a tower of giraffes delicately nibbling at tree leaves, and several charming baby nyala antelope sheltering beside a bush, our attempts to track down the resident elephants drew a blank.

But no matter: we were soon rewarded with a fractious rhino instead, who turned sharply and headed determinedly towards our vehicle, preparing to charge. Our driver tensed, ready for a quick getaway, when – just like that – the two-tonne hulk changed his mind, turned and plodded back into the shade. A wave of relief washed over us, adrenaline pumping, eyes bright – a fitting climax to a day of heart-stopping excitement, discussed at length over cocktails onboard that evening as the sun set over the sea.

Truly, when it comes to serving up relaxation and adventure in equal measure, the cruise-safari hybrid takes some beating. If you’re lucky, you’ll encounter a touch of monkey business, too. CT 31

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Collaboration

EMERALD CRUISES

Hello sunshine!

Head to the warm waters of the Caribbean or Mediterranean on a luxury yacht with Emerald Cruises.

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merald Azzurra, recently awarded 2022 Best New Luxury Ship by Cruise Critic, has just celebrated her first year sailing the Mediterranean and Red Sea. A second head-turning luxury yacht, the identical sister ship Emerald Sakara, has just floated out and will welcome her first guests in August 2023, before both yachts head over to the Caribbean for the November to March season.

The sleek yachts resemble superyachts – with only 100 guests on board – and you’ll have the freedom to cruise your way, whether your focus is on relaxation and indulgence, or taking advantage of the included excursions and experiences like the ever-popular marina platform.

The marina, located at the rear of the yachts, is your gateway to a watersports paradise. Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, a water trampoline and SeaBobs – like underwater jet skis – are yours to enjoy when the yachts are at anchor.

When you’ve finished playing in the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean, a number of excursions are included on each cruise, inviting you to discover the hidden gems on the shore.

The luxury of free time – to explore at your leisure, take advantage of the yacht’s amenities, or tailor the cruise to your interests with a DiscoverMORE excursion – offers you the opportunity to cruise your way.

To complement the daily program, the included EmeraldACTIVE experiences offer stretch and yoga classes on deck, and included excursions that get the heart pumping, so you can discover the region from a different angle. Depending on your cruise, you’ll have experiences like a guided hike on Kotor’s City Walls, a hike to Forte Filippo at Porto Ercole for commanding views of the Tuscan coast, or a hike from the Monastery of St John to the cave of the Apocalypse, on Patmos, Greece.

In the Caribbean, don’t forget to stop and take in the views as you

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Things to do

Clockwise from top: Walking in the hills of Montenegro or Tuscany; e-bike rides; and watersports off the luxury yacht.

climb the stairways to the Pitons on St Lucia. In St John on the US Virgin Islands, you’ll take a National Park hike and snorkel at Honeymoon Beach, which could only be topped by a BBQ lunch on a beach on Mayreau Island, St Vincent and the Grenadines, accompanied by a live band.

If a leisurely approach is more your style, the yachts are equipped with Gocycle e-bikes which makes exploring the towns or escaping to nearby beaches a breeze. Simply book a time at Reception, put on your helmet and discover at your own pace.

Enjoy the Emerald Cruises small-ship experience in the Mediterranean and Caribbean in 2023 or 2024. The 8-day Eastern Caribbean & Grenadines, round-trip from St John’s (Antigua & Barbuda) starts from $5795 per person (December 16, 2023 departure, including savings of up to $1180 per couple) while the 8-Day French & Italian Rivieras with Corsica cruise starts from just $6595 per person (based on May 25, 2024 departure, including savings of up to $1370 per couple).

For more information visit emeraldcruises.com.au, contact your travel agent or call 1300 286 110. CT Cruise &Travel

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EVMA1

CRUISE WITH ONLY

100

GUESTS

EXTRAO R D I N ARY SM AL L- SHIP CRUISING

Infinity-style pool

Amici Lounge

Marina Platform and Toys

M E D I T E R R A N E A N · A D R I AT I C C O A S T · C A R I B B E A N Emerald Cruises luxury yachts with only 100 guests, offer an intimate cruising experience with access to ports only smaller yachts can reach. Enjoy world-class services, including excursions and all meals with complimentary wine and beer with lunch and dinner on every cruise.

8 Day Luxury Mediterranean Yacht Cruise starts from only $6,925 per person* For more information visit emeraldcruises.com.au or call 1300 211 387 *Conditions apply. For FULL conditions refer to website. All prices based on per person twin share, cruise only. Valid on new bookings only. Cruise from $6,925 per person twin share based on E08G 10/08/24 departure in D Category Stateroom. Prices, Dates, Availability subject to change and correct as of 12/04/23. Emerald Cruises (a division of Scenic Tours Pty Ltd) ABN 85 002 715 602. Booking code: EVMA186

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Upfront

The state of the Kimberley

It hasn’t been the easiest time for Kimberley tourism operators, with adverse weather events nearly wiping out the season. However, operators such as APT, which is known for its immersive land and sea tours in the Kimberley, have worked hard on the ground to ensure a spectacular season ahead. The recent heavy rainfalls mean the landscape is full of thriving flora and fauna and spectacular waterfalls. Aboard an APT ultra-luxury vessel, you’ll have a front-row seat to the rugged landscapes and mesmerising marine life; plus, there’s zodiac excursions with the expert expedition team. To see the action from the ground, APT also offers 4WD adventures to visit the Kimberley’s attractions.

Sound bite Sonos Roam portable smart speaker, AU$299.

British luxury car brand Bentley Continental •Motors is moving into the travel space with a specially crafted holiday series of holidays. Imagine a

three-to-five-day road trip in a Bentley Continental, with opulent overnight stays in Scandinavia, New Mexico or the United Kingdom.

Known as Extraordinary Journeys, the experiences include a scenic road trip throught the Scandinavian wilderness from Stockholm to Copenhagen. In the UK, the road trip will take you on a breathtakingly scenic route from the home of Bentley Motors in Crewe to the Macallan Estate in Speyside, Scotland. Caren Jochen from Bentley Motors says: “We want to share with our customers and fans an extraordinary journey of discovery, offering access to usually private and exclusive experiences that only Bentley can provide.”

/ Plus size

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irlines are looking to capitalise on a wave of luxury travellers by offering more with Lufthansa expanding its premium First Class to the new Suite Plus. More like a private double room, the suite’s seats transform into an opulent double bed. There’s also a large table and the two one-metrewide seats can be warmed or

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cooled for comfort. Passengers can connect their mobile devices to the in-flight entertainment system. Ample storage space is provided in the suite wardrobe so that travellers can comfortably change and have all their personal belongings close at hand. The suites will be introduced for long-haul flights in 2024 on the airline’s new Airbus A350s.

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Oceans 36 Solo cruising | 38 Meet Oceania Vista | 54 Discovery Princess in Alaska

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Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

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Ocean

Why I love my male

dance host Solo cruisers and dance lovers rejoice, dance hosts are back, reveals Teresa Ooi.

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hey sound like an anachronism from another age. But the male “companion” or dance host is about to make a reappearance as part of the battle for upper-premium cruise lines.

I, for one, welcome them back! I have danced with Crystal Cruises’ dance ambassadors. Not just one but several of them – all tall, well groomed and handsome.

Most are well-spoken and with that steely grey hair that has suddenly become so popular among male models.

There’s one trait they share in common – they are all good dancers and trained to competently guide their women partners to glide gracefully on the dance floor.

Ah, the joys of dancing with a partner who actually enjoys dancing with you.

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In their finery

Clockwise, from main: Ballroom dancing on board Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth; a meet-and-greet on Silversea; elegant evenings out on Cunard.

The recent boom in solo women cruisers has prompted many luxury lines to consider the re-introduction of male dance hosts on board. Other initiatives include meet-andgreet sessions and special activities to make life on board more attractive for single cruisers.

Crystal Cruises, which is now owned by Abercrombie & Kent, and Silversea are returning male dance companions to their ships – particularly for longer journeys and world cruises. Even the recently launched Oceania Vista, which has six single concierge cabins, is considering the move.

Oceania Vista’s solo cabins have proved to be so popular that there is now a waitlist for the rest of the year.

Cunard is the only luxury line to maintain the tradition of providing dance ambassadors on board its ships.

The growing popularity of solo cruisers has led Celebrity Cruises to waive the single supplement on 275 sailings.

Virgin Voyages has also just removed the solo supplement and many more cruise lines are constantly rolling out different promotions to entice more solo cruisers.

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“CRUISING IS SEEN AS AN EASY ENTRY INTO THE WORLD OF SOLO TRAVEL.”

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Lauren Brown, team leader at Flight Centre Forster, recently told Cruise & Travel that many solo travellers, particularly women, are opting for cruise holidays.

“We are seeing a lot of women asking about solo travel, in particular cruising,” she says. “Cruising is seen as an easy entry into the world of solo travel for a number of reasons.

“Cruising is considered a social holiday where you can choose to spend time alone or join others when you want to meet people and have fun – such as dining, shows or having a drink at the bar. Plus, shore excursions are another great way to experience new places and meet like-minded people.

“Another important aspect is security. Knowing that you can be safe, then relax and enjoy your holiday at ease. Not only for the traveller but also for their friends and family at home.”

Back to the topic of dance hosts. A common complaint among silver-haired women cruisers is that many husbands or partners do not like to dance. While the women are gagging to have a twirl on the dance floor, their partners are unwilling to let themselves go for a spin.

The last time I was on board a Crystal Cruise from Fiji to the Cook Islands, Crystal called male dance partners, Ambassador Hosts. And what a job they performed.

They are always discreetly around when the band hits the right note and guests take a spin on the floor.

They watch and if they spot a damsel dying to dance but has no partner, they will walk across the room and politely ask you for a dance – the old-fashioned way.

I also recall on sea days, many of the cruise line’s entertainment performers double up as dance teachers, giving salsa and rumba lessons to willing guests keen to know how to cha-cha-cha or learn to do the foxtrot.

If the rise of solo women cruisers leads to the return of male dance hosts, I will be the first to welcome them back. Long may they dance away the night at sea. CT 37

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Voyage

Oceania has launched its first new ship in a decade and is busily winning new fans of big ships seeking space and more inclusions.

Peter Lynch reviews its latest offering.

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ot many outside the cruise industry have heard of Frank Del Rio. But tens of thousands have experienced his cruise ship creations. The CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which runs 30 vessels and employs 37,000 crew, is an avid art collector, a gourmand with a fastidious eye for design. He’s the Michelangelo of cruise ships, whose stunning chandeliers and extravagant artworks have made his vessels legendary.

Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas and now Oceania Cruises have launched ships during his two decades at the helm of the world’s third-largest cruise brand. They have had a huge impact on guest experiences.

So perhaps the company can be forgiven for turning the launch of Oceania Vista in Valletta, Malta into a bit of a Frank-fest. He is retiring this year – and everyone came to pay homage to his remarkable career.

Frank would have enjoyed the fact that his latest creation caused something of a stir. Oceania was formed by Frank and his friend Bob Binder after the French police impounded a couple of ships and didn’t know how to get rid of them. They called in Bob to help.

They were small ships. Frank and Bob had long nurtured a dream of creating an accessible small-ship line for fellow food and art lovers. The rest is cruise-industry history.

Oceania is what’s called “upper premium” – better facilities than premium lines such as Princess and Holland America, but not so swanky and all-inclusive as luxury lines such as Silversea, Scenic, Seabourn and another of Frank’s creations: Regent Seven Seas.

In the Med

Right: View from Mount Solaro, Island of Capri. Left: Oceania Vista in port

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A glorious VISTA

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Voyage OCEANIA VISTA

But Vista is certainly a step change for Oceania. So much so that many found it difficult to explain. Global sales head Nikki Upshaw did the best job: “It’s upper upper premium!

Regent is at the upper end of luxury. Now we’re at the upper end of upper premium.”

Vista is a new class of ship. We suspect there will be more of them. She carries 1200 passengers with a crew of more than 700 – giving guests a 1:2 staff-guest ratio. It represents what Jason Worth, Vice President of Sales and General Manager APAC, described as the “sweet spot” for the line.

The size is perfect for the Med, where larger vessels are finding resistance to the impact that thousands of guests have on local communities. And her extravagance will certainly have competitors from premium to ultra-luxe lines raising their eyebrows.

We loved the library – three rooms with beautiful warm woodwork, large-format books and great relaxing chairs conveniently next to the Baristas coffee bar and bakery.

We adored the Aquamar Spa’s new deck which includes a pool, two jacuzzis and warmed loungers so you can really enjoy a tranquil setting after a workout in the large gym or a massage in one of 12 treatment rooms.

around the area that gives it a Nordic feel. But make no mistake: on this ship, the food is the star. So unbuckle your belt and be assured that the fitness centre doesn’t have a set of weighing scales (it really doesn’t!).

Oceania already boasts the “finest cuisine at sea”.

Vista expands that legacy. She has a chef for every 10 guests, 11 culinary venues, three of which are brand new – Ember, featuring American cuisine; Aquamar Kitchen, which concentrates on fitness food; and The Bakery at Barista, definitely not fitness food with comforting freshly baked French and Italian pastries.

The Culinary Centre is expanded to 24 cooking stations with a separate studio that Chef Kathryn Kelly, the line’s executive director of culinary enrichment, describes as like something out of the hit streaming series Succession.

Vista claims the most spacious standard staterooms at sea, which have a residential feel – a theme that runs the length and breadth of this ship. Ralph Lauren would be right at home here. In fact, he is at home here. His Ralph Lauren Home brand furniture fills the biggest suites.

The Penthouse, Oceania, Vista and Owner’s Suites are massive – with bathrooms, walk-in wardrobes and enormous terraces, as well as butlers, in-suite dining, modern artworks and flowers. There is definitely an air of Succession about the three owner’s suites – at 222 square metres with double balconies, walk-in wardrobes, private dining and 24-hour butler service, they would be perfect for Logan Roy and his family.

At 24 square metres, our Concierge Level suite on Level 9 may be a minnow in comparison – but it still managed to comfortably accommodate our oversized bags and enough clothes for the glittering ship christening. It also offered complimentary laundry service, a private Concierge Lounge, unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace, and a shoe-shine service. Another great Vista innovation: she carries six Concierge Level verandah staterooms dedicated to solo travellers. They are already booked for the season and the line is now considering more facilities for singles.

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ut back to food: a new partnership with Basque butcher Imanol Jaca supplies “more flavourful” mature beef, Oceania’s VP Food & Beverage Bernhard Klotz tells us. And there are 80 new wines to try. Wine pairing dinners or tastings at venues range from $68 (plus 20 per cent gratuities) for a Moët and Chandon tasting to $443 (plus 20 per cent gratuities) for a Dom Perignon experience in the fabulous private dining room.

There are new craft cocktails at Founders Bar, a fresh concept beside the small Casino, and shows in a new theatre, The Vista Lounge, from high-energy song-anddance to Australian guitarist Vincenzo.

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el Rio’s signature chandeliers, lavish marble and rich woods are everywhere on Vista. The art is modern and influenced by artist-in-residence Willard Andre Allen, who runs Artist Loft where you can learn to paint or decorate plates. Of course, Vista sports a stunning atrium with a chandelier, extending over two floors. It has become a Del Rio signature. Retail has been extended and now features leading brands in jewellery and watches.

The ship feels airy and spacious. Even the main swimming pool is a masterpiece: a large paddle pool surrounds the main swimming area. And there is a brilliant wood effect

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31/5/2023 2:52 pm

Scrumptious!

We road test the Best Cuisine at Sea

• Ember This new addition to Oceania Cruises promises “quick dining”. We tried the steak (delicious and enormous) and the signature cheeseburger (amazingly meaty). It also serves braised short ribs on polenta, grilled swordfish with asparagus, crab cakes with spicy aioli, and a cobb salad with smoked chicken.

• Aquamar Kitchen Australia, you are going to love this fresh take on dining and the pursuit of wellness. Breakfast on hearty homemade granolas, smoothies and the most amazing avocado toast (yes, our famous millennial dish!). Lunch includes organic power bowls, slow-roasted organic salmon with quinoa tabouleh and lemon tahini and yellowfin tacos with white cabbage slaw.

• The Grand Dining Room It is the grand dame of Oceania Cruises’ culinary world. Old fashion service and Jacques Pépin classics. We had beef Wellington (very regal), lobster tail (excellent!) and the best Key lime pie we’ve tasted in a long time.

• Polo Grill Nicely executed steak house – white linen tablecloths and black-jacketed servers set the tone. We had tuna tartare (lovely and fresh) and steak tartare (also good) – but the star was the French onion soup. We loved that the wait staff made Caesar salad at the table.

• Toscana Vista’s star attraction. Brilliant Tuscan food served on Versace china, and flawless service.

There was an olive oil sommelier, our Dover sole was perfectly deboned at the table and the great silver-salver reveal accompanied the lobster. A truly Italian setting with hand-blown Venetian glass and Carrara marble. Many recipes originated with the mothers and grandmothers of the line’s Italian culinary staff.

“It’s upper upper premium! Regent is at the upper end of luxury.

Now we’re at the upper end of upper premium.”

• Red Ginger A beautiful, pan-Asian space serving dishes from Thailand, Korea, Japan and Malaysia.

Lovely miso-glazed fish was followed by Oceania’s only culinary misstep – the food had been dumbed down. The beef rendang was more stir-fry than stew, and the tom kha gai soup was flat. The problem, we were told, is Americans are not too keen on spice. We raised it with the Indonesian chef, and he assured us that, after our discussion, guests would be offered a choice of spicy options.

We’ve eaten in other Oceania Red Ginger restaurants, and they are generally excellent.

• Terrace Café Informal dining area with a lovely outside terrace at the back of the ship. We had made-to-order eggs and waffles at breakfast, but the revelation was the chicken congee – a sensation! Lunch gives way to roasts and rotisserie meats, a pizzeria and delicious cheeses.

• Waves Grill A casual venue with all-American favourites such as gourmet burgers, seafood and sandwiches to order in the open galley.

• Privee A marquee venue for intimate culinary celebrations for a maximum of 10 guests.

• Baristas Serves up delicious Illy espressos and lattes prepared by master baristas, as well as croissants and sandwiches. The new Bakery serves fresh-baked pastries and lovely fluffy French quiche.

Food is the star

This page: The great culinary attractions on board. Opposite page, from top: Quirky decor on board Oceania Vista; Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, at the ship’s christening; Oceania Vista’s pool deck.

After all that eating, you’ll be glad that Vista features a large fitness centre!

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Voyage

Understated elegance

From top: The Library, exclusively styled in Ralph Lauren Home; the glam modern design; entertainment on board.

OCEANIA VISTA

Verdict There is a putting green, pickleball and driving range to work up an appetite.

And for those keen to share, social-media classes feature at the new Link Centre. You can learn how to post on Instagram and take great videos with your phone in classes or in your cabin with an iPad. There are plenty of shore excursions. Our favourite: a “Meet the locals” tour in Malta that included the last shipwright building traditional craft, and a band club (yes, bands are a thing: they hold competitions and offer youngsters free music lessons) where one local gave us a Maltese view of American politics (now we know why Maltese are cross).

And if you love big-brand shopping (at some big-brand prices) the visit to Capri was also a big hit.

S

“On this ship, the food is the star. So unbuckle your belt and be assured that the fitness centre doesn’t have a set of weighing scales.”

Launched 2023 Who’s it for: Sophisticated foodies and couples looking to move on from premium cruise lines and big ships, for a smaller, more luxurious experience.

What we liked: Food glorious food! Beautiful design and amazing public areas which feature elegant lighting and chandeliers. The crew on this first voyage were sensational – friendly, helpful and utterly glad to see us.

What we didn’t: Some shows felt dated. And there is so much new on this ship, an introduction would be helpful. We only learned that you need to “wave” open toilet doors in public areas on the third day.

o how much does all this cost? Oceania includes some shore excursions and many luxuries at $400 per night. But beverages are at mealtimes only. A cruise from Barcelona to London in August, for instance, costs $9600 or $685 a night, with OLife Choice giving guests $800 onboard spending, a drinks package and eight shore excursions. OLife Choice is soon to be replaced with another high-value package. For comparison, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is truly all-inclusive, but a cruise from Athens to Barcelona aboard Splendor would cost $1287 per night or $18,030 in total.

New Oceania president Frank A Del Rio, Frank’s son, told Cruise & Travel that he believes upper premium will be a big post-Covid winner as guests trade up from big-ship premium lines for smaller ships with more luxury. He is backing his hunches. Vista already has a sister – Oceania Allura will debut in 2025.

All in all, The Allura class will undoubtedly heat up the competition in the battle for this important segment of the cruising market. And, as Worth wryly concluded in a gentle dig at rivals Viking, Oceania has a casino and welcomes kids.

After her summer season in the Mediterranean, Vista will sail to Canada and New England before heading south for a series of winter itineraries exploring the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. CT 42

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Le Labo Hinoki travel set, AU$94.

Brunello Cucinelli sweater, AU$1510.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay headphones, AU$880.

Homme Plissé Issey Miyake blazer, AU$1054.

The Med

Bottega Veneta loafers, AU$1750.

Trunk Show RRL beach towel, AU$345.

Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Orlinksi, AU$20,400.

Alessandra Rich silk dress, AU$3279.

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Zimmermann shirt and trousers, each AU$624.

Brunello Cucinelli leather suitcase, AU$7369.

Gucci tote bag, AU$2770.

Brunello Cucinelli backpack, AU$7490.

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Voyage

What happens when you create a luxury superyacht, not for cruisers? Sue Bryant finds out why the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s first ship is worth the wait.

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The suite smell of success

The world’s most stylish yacht, the Ritz-Carlton’s Evrima; personalised suite service.

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Voyage portfolio, which include St. Regis, Edition and W. Collectors of Marriott’s Bonvoy Points can even earn and redeem their loyalty rewards on board.

The first impression of Evrima is one of sleek lines; with a dark hull, raked bow and white superstructure, the ship really does look like a megayacht. hatever you do, don’t call Evrima a cruise ship.

Inside, there’s a luxurious sense of space as you step into the very discreet The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s first reception, which leads to the airy Living Room lounge and the main restaurant, seagoing venture is most definitely a yacht. A the Evrima Room, all exuding quiet elegance, tasteful objets d’art and soothing superyacht, at that. neutrals. You’ll find no flashy atrium here.

The 298-passenger Evrima was launched in November 2022 The accommodation is laid out between Deck 5 and Deck 8, with six after what seemed like endless pandemic and supply chaincategories from entry-level Terrace Suites to the two Owner’s Suites. The 90 related delays. But it’s been worth the wait. The company’s Terrace Suites have a real hotel-room feel, with oodles of space and big bottles mission is “to blend the lifestyle of the Ritz-Carlton resorts of Diptyque goodies in the bathrooms. Colour schemes are soothing and with the casual freedom of a yachting vacation” and although muted, in taupe, cream, emerald and teal, with abundant use of texture. it’s still early days, the formula seems to be working.

The 12 Loft Suites are gorgeous, like covetable duplex apartments, with the Evrima is aimed at the kind of guest who might stay in a Ritzsleeping area downstairs and the relaxing, dining and balcony space upstairs.

Carlton resort – well-heeled, well-travelled Gen-Xers and Continuing upwards, the spa and exercise space occupy Deck 9, with some millennials, possibly with kids, or travelling with older parents thoughtful inclusions. If you’re the kind of person who enjoys a couples’ as part of a multigenerational group. Except that this tiny slice massage, there’s an outdoor space with two beds, shaded from the sun by gauzy of Ritz-Carlton at sea moves, exploring the yachtie ports of the curtains. The exercise studio can be booked privately, with more than 1500 Caribbean in winter and the most desirable classes on demand, playing in front of you on a big screen, corners of the Mediterranean in summer. which is a lot of fun if you’re travelling with friends, or “Evrima is very much an Don’t expect to find converts from want to make new ones. outdoor ship and the focal Silversea and Seabourn on board, either; Evrima is very much an outdoor ship and the focal this is very much not the target market. point of sunny days is the Observation Lounge on Deck point of sunny days is the Instead, Evrima’s guests are yachting10, which spills out onto a gorgeous deck area dotted with Observation Lounge on curious regulars from Ritz-Carlton and the loungers and giant clamshell beds. There are some Deck 10.” other upscale brands of the Marriott stylish touches; director’s chairs in cream leather and RITZ-CARLTON YACHT COLLECTION

W

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Sailing tips

There are a few aspects of Evrima that are different from conventional luxury cruising.

• This is very much a ship for those in search of peace, quiet and space. There’s little nightlife, for example, just jazz in the Living Room and dancing on deck when there’s a lively enough crowd. There’s no casino or theatre and, mercifully, no cruise director.

• You will be travelling with families, which may seem out of place on a luxury yacht.

There’s a small kids’ club but the assumption is that Evrima will attract well-travelled families with kids who will spend time with their parents rather than simply be parked for the day.

• Plan your time around the days at anchor if you want to try the water toys, which is all part of the experience.

Favourite meals

Luxury afloat

Clockwise, from above: A cocktail toast to the beautiful Evrima; fine dining; island stops; the pool; snorkelling trips; S.E.A. restaurant; Terrace Suite; Evrima entering port; Italy.

chrome, and a wide, semicircular sunbathing space that curves around a shaded whirlpool, dotted with cushions in silver and sapphire tones. Dispensers of factors 30 and 50 sunblock, and aloe vera for anybody who’s overdone it, are dotted around. On balmy evenings, a DJ is stationed on a raised circular area. This, provided the crowd is in the mood, is as much of a party scene as you’ll find here.

When it comes to dining, Evrima’s restaurants really do reflect the ship’s luxury-hotel roots. Don’t expect anything so prosaic as a buffet. Instead, the five restaurants offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, or just breakfast and lunch, or just dinner, depending on the schedule for the day.

The Pool House is casual, arranged around the infinity pool on Deck 5, with a happy buzz, offering breakfast and then lunch all afternoon long. Guacamole and ceviche, lobster rolls and California wraps, poke bowls and fudge brownies tempt passengers into long, lazy lunches in the sunshine, happily fuelled by copious amounts of Whispering Angel, a classy choice for the house rosé. The minimalist Talaat Nam, which has just 80 covers, does Asian fusion that’s easily as good as anything you’d find ashore. Al fresco Mistral, beside a second pool on Deck 8, offers Mediterranean cuisine.

For those who want more formal indoor dining at night, the Evrima Room has an elegant vibe, although there’s no formal dress code here. And for big spenders, S.E.A. carries a certain cachet. The acronym stands for Sven Elverfeld Aboard and is the first seagoing venture of the chef at the three Michelin-starred

Asian fusion-loving Australians will love the somewhat minimalist Talaat Nam, which focuses on Asian cuisine with a contemporary twist and beautiful presentation. You can eat indoors or outside, or at the sushi bar. A series of delicious sharing plates just keeps coming; when I ate here, the sushi, the tender chicken satay, the Thai mango salad, beef rendang and noodles were all perfection. As with all the other restaurants, wines are included.

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Voyage

Elegent Evrima

Oia, Santorini; the superyacht’s bar; exquisite food; a Grand Suite; The Marina.

RITZ-CARLTON YACHT COLLECTION

restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg, in Germany. A delicate seven-course tasting menu, with beautifully presented but tiny portions, costs a whopping US$285 per person, including paired wines, making this hugely expensive compared to other cruiseship fine-dining restaurants.

I loved the Marina Terrace, which occupies the whole aft end of Deck 3. When the ship is at anchor somewhere suitably yachtie, the back opens up to create a stylish sunbathing area at water level, with a platform from which to launch the water toys. A covered space, protected from the sun but open to sea breezes, serves as a bar with snacks.

While Evrima looks like a luxury ship and feels like one, too, the vibe is slightly different. Apparently, some 50,000 employees across the Marriott group applied for 250 positions on board, so the company was able to pick the very best. Around half come from hotels and half from luxury cruise lines. Even in the very early days, when I was on board, there was an air of excitement and confidence in the service.

The company has not gone down the butler route, but instead assigns to each guest a personal assistant who acts like a concierge, making restaurant reservations and arranging shore excursions.

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Verdict

A refreshing and exciting new choice for anybody with money to spend and reservations about traditional cruising.

Highs Elegant, spacious ship with great dining choices and a superyacht vibe.

Lows Not one for night owls – and unexpected features cost extra, like the kids’ club, at US$45 for three hours, and fast WiFi, an extra US$38 per day. The entry-level pricing is more than that of Silversea or Seabourn.

auctions here. Instead, much of the onboard art collection is for sale. The shop, too, is different, embracing the current trend on cruise ships for vintage and pre-loved. And we’re not talking fleamarket tat; when I boarded, a Hermès Birkin bag had just gone for a jaw-dropping US$34,000.

Itineraries are designed to appeal to a younger market: guests who are still working and can’t take weeks off for a long cruise. Most are just seven to 10 nights, designed around the chic spots favoured by the superyacht set. Each itinerary aims to have two days at anchor so guests can use the marina platform.

Will Evrima revolutionise luxury cruising? It’s certainly helping to dispel some of the stuffy myths around the market. But there’s hot competition.

Scenic Eclipse II is new on the scene, while Emerald Sakara, along with the very well-received Emerald Azzurra, caters for the next price point down. Four Seasons will be entering the fray in 2025 and Orient Express’ Silenseas takes to the oceans in 2026. One thing’s for sure: all these ships will open the eyes of cruising sceptics to luxury life afloat. CT Cruise &Travel

31/5/2023 11:58 am

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Cruise&Travel

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1/6/2023 10:17 am

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Whilst onboard your river cruise, expect personalised service, gourmet regional dining served with hand selected wines and beers, daily shore excursions, and uninterrupted views at every turn – there simply is no better way to explore the beauty of Europe.

To make your holiday truly unforgettable, we’ve also added return flights, scenic rail journeys, and exclusive hotel stays in Barcelona, Madrid, and Lisbon. If you’ve ever dreamed of taking the cruise of a lifetime, you can rest easy knowing you’re enjoying the best of the best; My Cruises is the No.1 Cruise Agency, voted CLIA’s Large Cruise Agency of the Year in 2022 – Australasia. Secure your place on this bucket list adventure with a low deposit – simply call our River Cruise experts on 1300 764 966.

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Double Page Spread to appear in Travel Cruise & Travel Mag on Monday 02 June 2023

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30/5/2023 3:56 pm

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For full terms and conditions visit MyCruises.com.au. Itineraries are subject to change. My Cruises provides holiday packages offered by Ignite Holidays Pty Ltd and is a subsidiary of Ignite Travel Group. IATA Accreditation No. 02363546. ATAS Accreditation No. A10345.

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30/5/2023 3:57 pm

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We’ve relaunched our website with more news, reviews, tips and advice than ever before. The site’s Cruise Planner is packed with help on which ship, choosing itineraries and booking the best deal.

Sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter today – and don’t book a cruise without checking with us!

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WIN

To celebrate our relaunch, we’re offering readers the chance to win a stunning seven-day cruise in Alaska aboard Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the world’s most luxurious fleet, PLUS airfares.

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Voyage

Alaskan adventure

Exploring the wilderness of Glacier Bay in southeastern Alaska with Princess Cruises; sighting of a whale (right).

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TIP OF THE ICEBERG Rosie Jacobs meets her dream destination with a trip to Alaska on the new Discovery Princess.

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Voyage

DISCOVERY PRINCESS IN ALASKA

I

t begins on Day One. We choose the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show followed by an all-you-can-eat Crab Feast. I almost lose my voice cheering as the handsome lumberjacks hack, slice and saw their way across the stage in an athletic feat to rival gladiators. Thankfully, the hot buttered Alaskan crab lunch that follows soothes my throat and sends me into a deep food coma for the remainder of the sun-filled afternoon.

As first days go, this has been a cracker.

I’ve always dreamed of visiting Alaska. So, the chance to explore this enticing destination on the new Discovery Princess literally had me skipping for joy. Princess Cruises has been sailing in Alaska for more than 50 years and has lodges on shore and seven of its ships are currently based in these waters.

The 3660-passenger Discovery Princess has been sailing since 2022 and is the third vessel designed from the ground up as a MedallionClass ship – the line’s unique coin-sized wearable device that enables everything from touch-free boarding to enhanced service.

I wasn’t expecting the level of luxury this new ship boasts. But what really hit home was the way Princess embraces Alaska at all the ports of call and on board the vessel itself.

As I chat with my fellow passengers, I realise the number one reason why we are all here is because Alaska really is a top bucket list part of the world to explore. It represents one of the last frontiers: rugged,

pristine and bursting with local culture and wildlife.

With cruising now back in full swing, Australians are among the many nationalities from across the globe who are pouncing on their dream holidays like never before. And Alaska is riding this boom in big holidays, with more ships than ever in its fjords and sailing its ice packs.

Princess has provided a series of itineraries that allows guests to explore, climb, sail, dine and fish their way throughout the region with a total of 150 different tour excursions catering for every possible whim.

You’re guaranteed to experience an abundance of true Alaskan life whichever way you turn. Princess’s shore tour manager in Alaska, Lucy, chaperones guests into Endicott Arm and Dawe’s Glacier.

“Alaska is definitely the last frontier for the United States,” says Lucy, “and we want to make the most of our guest’s time here. For the Alaskan itineraries, the tours are the biggest thing. In Juneau, it’s all about the glacier and the whale watching. In Skagway, it’s the train. Ketchikan is about the fishing and the seafood. I feel very lucky to be witnessing how excited the guests are when they come back from their tours.”

That’s the tip of the iceberg. There’s dog sledding, heli-tours, totem pole tours, salmon fishing and nature hiking – the list is impressive.

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O

n day two, we disembark directly onto a warm catamaran bound for Dawes Glacier within Endicott Arm, an area teaming with orca whales, sea lions, bears, mountain goats, seals, dolphins and anything else you might want to point your camera at.

Mother Nature got the memo we were coming. Right on cue an enormous chunk of the glacier (the size of a shopping centre) cracks and collapses into the water right before our eyes. Our onboard naturalist, Thomas, captivates us with his local knowledge of the wildlife and icebergs, and we enjoy complimentary hot chocolates and canapes for the journey back to the ship.

Next on the list is the historic Yukon Expedition and White Pass Rail Journey in Skagway to explore the stunning cliff-hanging views of waterfalls and glaciers from our vintage carriages before enjoying a hearty salmon bake on the Gold Rush Trail past the Klondike Highway.

While it all sounds incredibly active, the majority of Princess guests in Alaska are aged 55 and over and seeking soft adventure, and so are given ample time to relax while the tour operators do all the hard work.

Even the coach rides are informative with our charming and bubbly drivers Sharyn and DJ providing commentary from a local’s perspective and pointing out facts like the population of Ketchikan comprising 14,000 people and 20,000 bears.

Princess works hard to bring the essence of Alaska on board its ships, making a cruise in this region feel very immersive from start to finish. Discovery Princess is just one year old and has nestled herself beautifully into the waters from Seattle up to the Alaskan ports of Ketchikan, Juneau, Endicott Arm, Skagway and into Victoria, British Columbia. She still has all the familiar Princess charm, but with new additions that feel like game changers in the world of cruising; many of them nod to the cultures and traditions of native Alaska.

My stateroom has a very sleek and understated design, with a large private balcony, great wardrobe

From land to sea

Clockwise, from above: Exploring on land; an Alaskan sternwheeler cruise; the MedallionClass app; a Discovery Princess Mini-Suite; fresh from the Copper River.

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Voyage

DISCOVERY PRINCESS IN ALASKA

Verdict

Discovery channel

Clockwise, from top left: Wildlife in Glacier Bay; Discovery Princess cruising the narrow fjord Endicott Arm; Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria on board Discovery Princess.

space, pale muted colours and abstract art. This calm, modern aesthetic is carried right throughout the ship with less brass and dark wood and more white and soft blues.

There also seems to be more natural light (brightened further by the glaciers and snowcapped mountains outside the windows) within the ship than Princess has done previously, with new alfresco dining spaces and floor-to-ceiling windows in the main piazza areas. The Main Dining Rooms on board are named Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, and feature menus designed around the local produce of Alaska, including lobster, crab and salmon.

There’s a resident lumberjack on the ship for talks and interacting with guests and husky puppies are even brought on board, giving you a rare chance to give them a cuddle and a pat.

The ship is at 80 per cent capacity for our sailing and she still feels spacious. There’s a reason for this… if she were to be compared to the length of the Eiffel Tower, they’d be neck and neck.

This is the direction Princess has chosen for the future: larger ships but without the feeling you are sailing with a crowd. There are no long lines thanks to the introduction of the MedallionClass app. If you’ve never experienced it before, it will really surprise you. There’s zero need to ever put your hand in your pocket for your credit card, your cabin key or even your map of the ship – the Medallion does everything for you.

Your cabin’s door sensor knows when you’re approaching and automatically unlocks; you can track your kids and in-laws around the ship; and your Princess crew know you by name and personal preferences without you having to say a word.

B

ut for me, the real additions on board Discovery Princess that make the cruise line my number one choice are the luxurious Enclave, found within the Lotus Spa, and 360, the line’s new dining experience.

When you enter the Enclave, you may as well be walking into any exclusive five-star hammam or bathhouse in the world. A giant whirlpool with several fancy bubble massage areas and a rain shower take centre stage, surrounded by heated ceramic daybeds. There are three different shower zones, each themed from tropical rainforest to Arctic Siberian jets. Then there are the steam rooms ranging from hot to steam and dry.

Even the Enclave isn’t a patch on what you’re about to experience when you dine at 360. An exclusive culinary immersion (with seating for limited numbers of up to 20 guests) and so far, only available free of charge for Suite passengers, 360 is a very different dining experience.

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Highs There was a vast array of shore excursions to choose from – about 150 in fact. For first-time Alaska visitors, pick the dog sledding in Yukon, the Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan or a deluxe catamaran sailing into Glacier Bay. Lows The crew were pushy with the upsell in shops – everything from alcohol to the art auctions. But perhaps the most disappointing moment was the stage production of Rock Opera which lacked anything original or memorable.

Favourite meal Hands down, this is a game-changer.

The new and exclusive private dining experience, 360, is a mind-blowing 10-course degustation delivered with an impressive show of sight and sound projections and interactive illuminations across the walls, tables and plates. It’s a step above any dining experience I’ve ever had on board a cruise ship… ever.

We are serenaded to our seats by a brass band and cared for by individual waiters per guest throughout the 10-course degustation that embodies the best of Greece, France, Italy and Spain. It’s not just the dishes that change, it’s the walls with projected imagery, the interactive place settings, and the guided commentary about each dish and its origin.

This journey has turned out to be the perfect combination of pampering and luxury, combined with relaxed adventure and expedition. I can see exactly why Alaska entices so many visitors from across the globe… once you arrive you can’t help but want to leave no iceberg unturned. CT

Cruise &Travel

31/5/2023 11:13 am

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1/6/2023 8:01 am

2024 ULTRA-LUXURY EUROPE RIVER CRUISING

Every day is a new chapter—yours to write. Be immersed in the history and culture of Europe as you experience unforgettable moments. It’s more than ultra-luxury travel, it’s that first butler-poured champagne toast on your Scenic Space-Ship, and Nth Degree service from an expert crew who will identify your needs before you even know what they are.

Now is the time to book your truly all-inclusive Europe river cruise.

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To book visit scenic.com.au, call 1300 164 605 or contact your local Scenic Travel Advisor

*Conditions apply. Prices and offers are based on per person, twin share in AUD, strictly limited, not combinable with other offers, and subject to availability. Prices, availability and offers are correct as of 12 April 2023. Please note a fuel surcharge may be applicable at the time of full payment. Flight Offers - All Flight offers are based on departures from Australia and are subject to availability. Offers are with an airline and in a particular class of Our choice. If that airline and/or class is not available a surcharge may apply. Flights must be booked by Scenic. Super Earlybird offers are for new bookings only. In addition to the non- refundable deposit of $1,000 per person, due within 7 days of booking. Full payment is due 10 months prior to departure, If booking is made within 10 months of departure, full payment is due within 7 days of booking. Offer available until sold out or withdrawn. Strictly limited suites available on set departures and subject to availability. Once sold out or if full payment is not received the standard Earlybird offer or best available offer will apply. All airfare deals are subject to availability and scheduled for travel to meet the brochured Journey departure dates. Any requests outside of the Journey dates may incur seasonal surcharges as enforced by the airline. Fly Economy Class from $495 per person – Fly Economy Class for $495 per person offer is based on wholesale airfares in Economy class with an airline of Scenic’s choosing and are available on selected Rhine, Main & Danube cruises of 10 days and is subject to availability and not combinable with other offers, excluding Earlybird. Saving is included in the advertised from price. From price is based on GHPB081024.1 in a Cat E suite. For full terms and conditions visit scenic.com.au/terms

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Rivers 62 Cruises for sport fans | 66 New on the river | 68 Voyages for history buffs

page

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Scenic Spirit

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River Trends

SPORTY SPICE Add an athletic flavour to your river cruise with tennis, golf or pickleball, writes Louise Goldsbury.

R

ugby World Cup itineraries, archery and the latest craze of pickleball are among the newest active options on river cruises, adding to the prevalence of hiking, cycling and kayaking in European ports. With increasingly younger passengers, solo travellers and families discovering the joys of river cruising, companies are fulfilling their demands for sports and exercise beyond the traditionally slower-paced walking tours. / Rugby Union The 2023 Rugby World Cup in France (September 8 to October 28) coincides with this year’s river-cruise season, allowing passengers to attend matches with other passionate fans. A sold-out rugby cruise, from Provence to Burgundy on Uniworld’s SS Catherine, departs on the day the Wallabies play Fiji in Saint-Étienne and ends on the day they play Wales in Lyon.

Zeppelin Travel has organised a special cruise with A-ROSA, hosted by rugby legend David Campese, which includes tickets to two semi-finals, the bronze final and the grand final. Another 62

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/ Golf Golf cruises, always among the most popular sport-themed options, are offered by several lines. Scenic offers golf excursions through its Scenic Freechoice program, while Uniworld guests can play golf in France as part of its Paris & Normandy itineraries. Viking and Emerald ships have putting greens on the sundeck for you to practise your skills.

To a tee

Clockwise, from main: Catch Novak Djokovic playing in Paris; ride through Bamberg; see the Springbok’s title defence at the 2023 World Cup; take a yoga class on board; take a barge like La Belle Epoque.

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Australian company, Events Travel, is escorting a group tour that combines river cruising, land touring, hotel accommodation and World Cup tickets.

For a more intimate experience on a luxury barge, European Waterways’ eight-passenger Rosa will be cruising along French canals near matches held at the Stade de Bordeaux and the Stadium de Toulouse. Cabins and whole-boat charters are available for the September 3 departure in Bordeaux and the October 22 Gascony departure.

Following the tournament, fans can join a barge from Paris, such as the October 29 cruise departing the day after the final. / Tennis Tennis fans can charter European Waterways’ Magna Carta on the River Thames, while the company makes arrangements for guests to play at the Windsor Lawn Tennis Club, the Royal Berkshire or the Lensbury. You can try your luck booking a barge for the week of Wimbledon or the French Open. In Burgundy, L’Art de Vivre allows the opportunity to play tennis on a ‘red dirt’ surface in Auxerre.

/ Pickleball A combination of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, pickleball is played with paddles and a plastic ball with holes.

AmaWaterways’ AmaMagna has installed a pickleball court, while Amadeus River Cruises’ Amadeus Silver III has two courts on the top deck.

Amadeus has also launched pickleballthemed itineraries on the Danube River, hosted by Hungarian champion Zoltan Bohm, where guests can play at pickleball clubs in Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava. / Cycling APT, Travelmarvel, Scenic, Emerald, Avalon Waterways, Tauck and Uniworld carry bicycles aboard their vessels, and they are free of charge to borrow for cycling along the riverside paths in ports in Europe. Other cruise lines partner with local bike hire companies to offer guided cycling excursions, with some providing e-bikes that are particularly handy for the occasional uphill climb. / Archery Avalon’s Active & Discovery themed itineraries have the most varied activities for sporty people. One of the more unusual options is an archery

lesson, suitable for beginners. In addition, guests can explore an ice cave, help a farmer in his apricot orchard, or descend into an underground salt mine. / Various sports Avalon also offers hiking, cycling, kayaking and running excursions, accompanied by a dedicated activity host. Highlights include kayaking on the quieter tributaries of French rivers, mountain hikes to wineries and castles in Germany, and bike tours to historic sights and city attractions.

Emerald Cruises is another great choice for these physically active tours, and the ships also boast onboard activities such as Pilates, yoga and aqua aerobics. Passengers can hike Budapest’s Buda Hill district, canoe along Portugal’s Douro River, or take a four-hour bike ride between Austria’s Melk and Durnstein ports on the Danube River, stopping at a pub and a Benedictine abbey. CT

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cruıse

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30/5/2023 3:39 pm

Innovative, transformative, original. Avalon Waterways has redefined river cruising by going against the current and away from the ordinary.

Onboard our suite fleet of ships, you’ll enjoy the perfect blend of elegance and ease – where little touches are bold, gestures are grand and the views even grander. Our boutique-hotel-inspired Panorama Suites SM feature the industry’s only Open-Air Balconies SM with the widest-opening windows in cruising and decadent Comfort Collection beds SM that face the ever-changing scenery.

Award-winning accommodations, exceptional shore excursions, flexible dining options and a unique relaxed luxury atmosphere. It’s the Avalon difference and doesn’t get much better than that!

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Visit AvalonWaterways.com.au, call 1300 230 234 or see your travel agent

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River News Scenic has revealed its 2024 ENRICH •Europe River Cruising brochure,

yourself

featuring two new itineraries on the Danube and more than 50 new excursions. Brand-new Scenic Enrich experiences, which are exclusive for Scenic guests, include a gala evening at La Redoute recital hall in Bonn, as part of the Jewels of Europe river cruises. Enjoy a lavish dinner amid live music from Beethoven and Mozart in the historic hall, which has played host to dignitaries from the Queen to George W Bush. Another new Scenic Enrich experience is an after-hours visit to Amsterdam art centre Fabrique des Lumierès for guests on the Windmills, Tulips & Belgian Delights itinerary.

Alternatively, there’s a special treat with a private classical concert in the UNESCO-listed Liebfrauenkirche in the heart of the Roman city of Trier on Scenic Cruises’ Romantic Rhine & Moselle itinerary.

/ Egypt soars

V

iking’s brand-new Viking Aton, which was purpose built for the Nile, has launched and will begin voyages later this year. The ship will sail the Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary with 82 guests on board across 41 staterooms.

Viking Aton is identical in appearance to her

twin, Viking Osiris. By 2025, Viking expects to have six ships sailing the Nile, with Viking Ra and Viking Osiris to be joined by Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek, which are both under construction. The 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary kicks off with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo.

You’ll have plenty of time to see the city’s sights before flying to Luxor for the eight-day cruise to Qena, Esna, Edfu, Aswan and Kom Ombo. You’ll have front-row access to sites such as the tombs of Nefatari and Tutankhamun, the High Damn is Aswan and the Dendera Temple Complex.

A luxury paddle

• Construction has begun in Mildura on what will become Australia’s first five-star river-cruise experience. Murray River Paddlesteamers is pouring $6.75 million into the PS Australian Star which will offer cruises on the Murray River from the Port of Echuca in Victoria. The 38-guest ship is being put together with Australian materials and labour. It will be the largest paddlesteamer in the Southern Hemisphere, and the only wood-fired, five-star-accommodation paddlesteamer in the world. The three-deck ship will begin operating from April 2025 with three- and four-night cruises along the Murray, with the option to combine the two cruises for a week-long getaway on the river.

Australian Star will have a panoramic lounge, plenty of outdoor common areas, an elevator and a fine-dining restaurant.

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31/5/2023 1:29 pm

UNIWORLD’S AFTER-PARTY • Uniworld is looking to grow

its river offerings in Europe, with two new post-cruise extensions in Greece. Guests can choose either a three-night Athens or five-night Athens and Santorini extension. The options are available for Italian itineraries such as Milan, Venice & The Jewels of Veneto and Cruise & Rail: Venice & The Swiss Alps.

The three-night Athens extension is centred around history and culture. Travellers will be based at the five-star Divani Caravel Hotel and enjoy activities such as a dinner with a local in their home, an adventure up to the Pantheon and a foodie tour of local cuisine. The Athens and Santorini option also packs in a Santorini village tour, wine tastings and a cruise around the islands sampling the local fare. Uniworld will offer flights, transfers, hotels, activities and guides as part of the post-cruise extension.

/ FICTION AND FAIRYTALES

A

valon Waterways has added the latest instalment to its Storyteller Series, which are hosted by celebrity authors, actors, artists and musicians. The latest offering will feature the actor Graham McTavish. The “‘Kiltn’ It: Facts, Fiction & Fairytale Settings on the Rhine” cruise is an eight-day sailing on the Rhine hosted by McTavish who has starred in Outlander, The Hobbit and The Witcher, as well as written the best-selling book Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other.

The voyage departs Basel on October 12, 2024, headed for Amsterdam. Cruise highlights include a guided culinary walk in Düsseldorf and a cable-car ride to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress for magnificent views of Koblenz.

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An American trio

• American Cruise Line has announced a 61-day river cruise that starts in Portland Oregon and finishes in New York. Guests will get to try three of the line’s ships – American Jazz, American

Symphony and American Independence. Starting on American Jazz, you will sail to Clarkston in Washington along the Columbia and Snake rivers where you can explore places like Hells Canyon, known for its beautiful hiking trails and abundant wildlife. After travelling to New Orleans, sail along the Mississippi River on American Symphony, featuring iconic American wildlife such as bald eagles and a visit to Mark Twain’s childhood home. The rest of the journey will take passengers to Portland, Maine; Boston; Newport, Rhode Island; and Mystic, Connecticut on American Independence.

Here, guests can take in views of fall foliage in the Hudson River Valley, Gilded Age mansions and the Statue of Liberty as they sail into New York.

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Rivers

D for Victory

Next year marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and river cruise lines are commemorating the event with dedicated voyages for history lovers, writes Tallis Boerne Marcus.

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hat was once a scene of death and destruction is now a place where thousands of visitors come to pay their respects and commemorate the Normandy Invasion which signalled the end of the Second World War. River lines across Europe in 2024 will host dedicated voyages visiting key sites that played a part in the end of the Nazi stranglehold. Scenic, Viking Cruises, APT and Avalon Waterways have created special itineraries to combine war history with their cruise offerings.

Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking, said: “Many of our guests, particularly those with family members who served in the armed forces, have a keen interest in World War II history.

“In keeping with our commitment to offering experiences for ‘the thinking person’, we are pleased to unveil this special voyage that commemorates the 80th Anniversary of D-Day – one of the most significant milestones in modern history.”

Viking’s cruise will visit key D-Day sites where guests will

On the war trail

Clockwise, from above: A visit to Arromanches-lesBains, Normandy; the Killing Tree, Cambodia; VillersBretonneux, the Somme; Scenic Gem passing Les Andelys.

Europe River Cruising 2024 All taken care of. Even your f lights.

hear stories of the battles fought 80 years ago on the ground beneath their feet. As well as admiring sites across England and France, guests will have an exclusive insight into Second World War history such as visits to Bletchley Park, the home of codebreakers, the Churchill War Rooms, the Portsmouth D-Day Museum and much more.

Other lines also run cruises focused on military history.

Scenic has an 11-day Normandy & Gems of the Seine itinerary, with multiple departure dates and visits planned to a range of meaningful sites. Guests can expect to see the Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy, Juno Beach Centre, Benysur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery and the Utah Beach American Memorial, amongst others.

Avalon Waterways has an extensive list of history-centric European river cruises, with a highlight being the Grand France sailing over 15 days, specifically themed around Second World War history.

Riviera Travel is also known for its historical cruises around Normandy and the Seine, with plenty of departure options and a strong historical focus with visits to the beaches around Arromanches-les-Bains.

APT runs a 15-day Western Front Explorer, which includes a visit to the Passchendaele Memorial Gardens, where you’ll be treated to some of the stories, music and poetry of the First World War. European Waterways runs barge cruises with a focus on First World War history, with the 12-passenger floating hotel taking you to sites of conflict such as Vimy Ridge, VillersBretonneux and more.

Of course, war history extends well beyond Europe. A Mekong River cruise, such as the Cambodia and Vietnam cruise with Aqua Expeditions, will take you to key sites of the Vietnam War as well as cover the Cambodian genocide. Emerald Cruises’ 13-day Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong itinerary covers similar territory. CT

Experience 15 days of all-inclusive luxury with APT in 2024.

There has never been a better time to book your river cruise.

EARLYBIRD SAVINGS END 30 JUNE 2023 Magnificent Europe

15 Days – Budapest to Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM 

14 Concerto River Ship

DEPARTS MAY-DECEMBER 2023 and MARCH-DECEMBER 2024 • Go beyond the gates to explore Namedy Castle before enjoying an exclusive morning tea and piano recital.

• Visit the imposing 18th-century Würzburg Residence or the picturesque medieval town of Rothenburg.

• EXCLUSIVE – Enjoy a special visit to Vienna’s City Palace for a cocktail party and private recital.

From

$6,995*

FLIGHTS INCLUDED*

per person, twin share

GERMANY

NETHERLANDS

Andernach

Würzburg Bamberg CZECH REPUBLIC Rüdesheim Miltenberg Nuremberg Český Krumlov Rothenburg Dürnstein Regensburg Vienna Passau Melk Linz Bratislava Salzburg AUSTRIA

SLOVAKIA

BUDAPEST  HUNGARY

Search trip code EUMCR15

LAST-MINUTE 2023 DEALS AVAILABLE, CALL US NOW

BEFORE YOU DISCOVER THE WORLD, DISCOVER APT

CONTACT OU R TRAVEL EXPERTS NOW

1300 290 769

A PTO U R I N G .CO M . AU O R S PEAK TO YOU R TRAVEL AG ENT

Scan the QR code to find out more.

*Conditions apply. SEE: aptouring.com.au/SpecialDeals for full conditions. Book by 30 June 2023, unless sold out prior. Prices are per person (pp), AUD, twin share and include port charges, savings and Early Payment Discount. Prices correct as at 24 May 2023. Early Payment Discount of $500 pp is valid when you pay in full 10 months prior to departure. Price based on EUMCR15: 8 November 2024 (Cat. E). OFFERS: Limited suites and offers on set departures are available and subject to availability. Offers valid for new bookings only. FLIGHTS INCLUDED: Offer includes airfare and taxes up to the value of $2,300 pp. Offer is based on wholesale airfares in economy class and is subject to availability of airline and booking class. Once class is sold out, surcharges apply. Should you choose to depart earlier than your scheduled tour/cruise departure, or make variations to airline routings, surcharges may apply. DEPOSITS: A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 pp is due within 7 days of booking. A second non-refundable deposit of $2,000 pp is due on 31 October 2023. Australian Pacific Touring Pty Ltd. ABN 44 004 684 619. ATAS accreditation #A10825. APT-3867-TAC

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Cruise &Travel

Europe River Cruising 2024 All taken care of. Even your f lights.

Experience 15 days of all-inclusive luxury with APT in 2024.

There has never been a better time to book your river cruise.

EARLYBIRD SAVINGS END 30 JUNE 2023 Magnificent Europe

15 Days – Budapest to Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM 

14 Concerto River Ship

DEPARTS MAY-DECEMBER 2023 and MARCH-DECEMBER 2024 • Go beyond the gates to explore Namedy Castle before enjoying an exclusive morning tea and piano recital.

• Visit the imposing 18th-century Würzburg Residence or the picturesque medieval town of Rothenburg.

• EXCLUSIVE – Enjoy a special visit to Vienna’s City Palace for a cocktail party and private recital.

From

$6,995*

FLIGHTS INCLUDED*

per person, twin share

GERMANY

NETHERLANDS

Andernach

Würzburg Bamberg CZECH REPUBLIC Rüdesheim Miltenberg Nuremberg Český Krumlov Rothenburg Dürnstein Regensburg Vienna Passau Melk Linz Bratislava Salzburg AUSTRIA

SLOVAKIA

BUDAPEST  HUNGARY

Search trip code EUMCR15

LAST-MINUTE 2023 DEALS AVAILABLE, CALL US NOW

BEFORE YOU DISCOVER THE WORLD, DISCOVER APT

CONTACT OU R TRAVEL EXPERTS NOW

1300 290 769

A PTO U R I N G .CO M . AU O R S PEAK TO YOU R TRAVEL AG ENT

Scan the QR code to find out more.

*Conditions apply. SEE: aptouring.com.au/SpecialDeals for full conditions. Book by 30 June 2023, unless sold out prior. Prices are per person (pp), AUD, twin share and include port charges, savings and Early Payment Discount. Prices correct as at 24 May 2023. Early Payment Discount of $500 pp is valid when you pay in full 10 months prior to departure. Price based on EUMCR15: 8 November 2024 (Cat. E). OFFERS: Limited suites and offers on set departures are available and subject to availability. Offers valid for new bookings only. FLIGHTS INCLUDED: Offer includes airfare and taxes up to the value of $2,300 pp. Offer is based on wholesale airfares in economy class and is subject to availability of airline and booking class. Once class is sold out, surcharges apply. Should you choose to depart earlier than your scheduled tour/cruise departure, or make variations to airline routings, surcharges may apply. DEPOSITS: A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 pp is due within 7 days of booking. A second non-refundable deposit of $2,000 pp is due on 31 October 2023. Australian Pacific Touring Pty Ltd. ABN 44 004 684 619. ATAS accreditation #A10825. APT-3867-TAC

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31/5/2023 11:00 am

Collaboration

APT

After years of sailing the seas, cruisers are looking for a more intimate experience, and the rivers of Europe are the perfect place to start.

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hen it comes to selecting a holiday that offers ease and authenticity, river cruising might have the edge over ocean cruising. Travelling along Europe’s charming rivers, guests are constantly close to shore and have assured daily stops – and on an APT cruise, guests will share their luxurious river ship with no more than 162 like-minded passengers. Leading the way in luxury river cruising in Europe, APT has some enticing offers to convert the most committed ocean cruiser… / No sea days Not a day is lost when travelling through Europe on an APT river cruise. As there are charming towns and impressive cities every few kilometres along the route, guests are never far from

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TURNING THE TIDE their next excursion. While on an ocean cruise, you can spend days at sea with no possibility of setting your feet on dry land, with river cruising you have plenty of time on shore doing exactly what you planned when you booked your trip, experiencing a new place.

Even when you are on board, thanks to the wonderfully close proximity of the shore, there is a constantly changing display of scenery to enjoy, and with APT, making sure you enjoy every second of your surroundings is a priority. APT’s specially customised river ships have been intentionally designed to maximise guests’ opportunities to enjoy the views, including a beautifully situated Sun Deck, as well as a heated swimming pool and panoramic windows in the restaurant – so no picturesque moment is missed. It’s an infinitely more enticing option than an endless blue sea.

Down the Danube

Clockwise, from above: Vienna, Austria; Bamberg, Germany; House of Parliament in Budapest, Hungary; concert at City Palace Liechtenstein in Vienna, Austria.

/ Small ship size The average capacity on an ocean cruise ship is 3000 people, which is a stark comparison with the APT river ships, which have just 81 cabins. The boutique size feels more like a floating hotel than a means of transportation, with multiple advantages not available to larger vessels, such as being able to find your way around easily, getting to know everyone on board, and having easy access at each destination.

Another huge benefit of small-group river cruising is the assured window view. There is no such thing as a bad cabin on an APT river ship, most suites have an opening window, and with no loud engine noise, guests need not avoid the back of the ship. Premium suites even include an exclusive Twin Balcony concept which means you can enjoy the fresh European air in privacy as you have your morning coffee. With so much more space and natural light than your typical ocean cruise ship, after a few nights aboard an APT river ship, you can expect to feel like you are on a floating home away from home.

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31/5/2023 10:58 am

Take me to the river

/ Local dining APT prides itself on creating fresh, locally inspired cuisine in a sophisticated restaurant setting on board its river ships. Every night guests sit down to an elegant four-course meal curated by the chef to showcase the regional specialties of the area they are currently travelling through.

River cruising also allows for memorable and unexpected moments while on shore. On the ‘APT Magnificent Europe, Amsterdam to Budapest’ itinerary, guests are treated to a morning tea at Namedy Castle in the Rhine Valley, Germany – it is these intimate experiences which set small-group touring apart. / Dedicated guide Guests want stress-free luxury when cruising, and APT’s Cruise Directors are committed to ensuring every need is met. Aboard a large ocean cruise, one-on-one service is hard to achieve, but with only a small group to attend to, Cruise Directors on a river cruise are able to get to know every guest personally and understand their needs and interests.

Also, with a maximum of 162 guests on board, you will enjoy an enviable guest-to-staff ratio, ensuring exceptional service in all areas. So, if you need a fresh towel or would like to sample a local wine, there’s someone available to make it happen.

The individualised attention does not end after you leave the ship either, in addition to your Cruise Director leading excursions, local guides are enlisted to take small groups to the lesser-known places rarely seen on the tourist trail. And for those who prefer to do a bit of solo exploring, the extended time on land when river cruising means your APT guide will be happy to hand you a map

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and provide some handy hints, so you create your own afternoon adventure.

• APT’s Magnificent Europe river cruises are available from March to December.

All cruises are aboard a luxury Concerto River Ship.

• On the 14-night itinerary from Amsterdam to Budapest, guests will visit 14 stunning destinations, including Vienna, the Schwarzach Valley and Regensburg’s old town.

• Prices start at $6995 per person, twin share, including all shore excursions, meals, local wine, beer and soft drinks.

Book by June 30, 2023. aptouring.com.au/eumc15

/ Enjoyable exercise On board a luxurious European river ship, exercise isn’t just limited to a few laps around a walking track – there are multiple more exciting ways to keep active while on holiday. All APT river ships carry a suite of bikes readily available to guests, so you can explore the local wineries or cycle along the river’s edge and meet the river ship at the destination. Even when in transit, wellness is a priority, guests can access a gym and fitness classes suitable for all levels on board, plus the heated pool and beauty salon are a great way to unwind after a more strenuous excursion. / Like-minded people Travelling with like-minded individuals is a gift and, on an APT cruise, you will be with guests who share your values and interests. Ocean cruising caters for everyone, including families and children, and tends to offer experiences that appeal to the masses, rather than bespoke tours to immerse guests in local culture.

APT cruises are designed to cater for small groups of friends, solo travellers and couples looking to explore Europe in style. All entertainment, onboard facilities and excursions cater to a mature audience, be it a private orchestral performance in Vienna or a cocktail party at Namedy Castle, itineraries are carefully curated to give guests a unique insight into the culture and history of every destination. / Combined travel styles While ocean cruising limits guests to the coastline of a country, with APT, you can see it all. Europe is a destination that boasts a rich history, diverse cultures and stunning scenery, so it makes sense to go beyond the river’s edge and explore further with an additional land tour.

For travellers looking to experience the best of Europe, APT’s 21-day Magnificent Europe from Paris to Prague offers a comprehensive itinerary sure to captivate any guest. With all the wonders of APT’s hallmark 15-day river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest, add in three luxurious nights in Paris to begin your tour and end your journey with three nights in stunning Prague, where you will enjoy a guided tour of the beautiful Jemniště Chateau. It will make for an unforgettable travel experience. CT For more information on the 21-day tour, see aptouring.com.au/eumcpp21 71

1/6/2023 10:26 am

Voyage

ROMANCING THE RIVER

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A first encounter with smallscale cruising on the Mekong can teach you that the road less travelled is best found on water, writes Anna Johnson.

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Colours of the Mekong

Homes on Tonle Sap, Cambodia (below); market trader selling Mekong fruit (right).

M

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odern travel is designed for the apprehensive. With the aid of apps, curated experiences and v-logs, preplanning has gone granular: You can watch a video of a four-kilometre walk through an airport in agonising real time and never get lost. Allergies. Weather.

Prices. Language. Sorted. The best cruises add to this sense of security with seductive and elaborately thoughtful itineraries you can pore over for weeks before you join your ship.

I have to admit that before cruising the Mekong with Scenic, I crammed: obsessively freeze-framing on buffets and boardwalks from the promo video.

Despite extensive childhood adventures through the Golden Triangle with my hippie parents, I had softened. Terribly. So, I was nervous about mosquitoes, deep-fried tarantula, Apocalypse Now flashbacks and temple etiquette, in that order.

Happily, all that fuss fell away when I walked across the gangplank of Scenic Spirit in My Tho, stepping into an adventure I could never have predicted.

The Luxury Mekong & Temple Discovery tour is seven nights on the river, flanked by ground touring and five-star stays on either side. You can commence from Cambodia or Vietnam and the embarkation point changes the experience considerably. Mine began in Ho Chi Minh City with a slow sizzle build up to the quiet glory of Siem Reap. Hopping on a Vespa tour of the city by night first up puts you in the swim of an urban river with very few traffic lights to set the tone. I rolled with it. Scenic keeps the pace brisk and the briefings minimal, so inside a curated experience was treasured wriggle room.

In the quiet of morning I wanted to see Saigon waking up, so I snuck in a shaved iced coffee on the street outside the Caravelle Hotel, then crossed a big boulevard (alone!) to scoop up five pairs of handembroidered pyjamas at the legendary threadmasters Kim Phuong. Trawling for Onitsuka Tigers at the baby-scaled Saigon Centre mall was a guilty pleasure, as this was supposed to be a spiritual odyssey. It’s okay – I used them to climb Angkor Wat. So how about the Mekong? On first impression, it looked like a vast cup of milky Earl Grey tea. Depicted in way too many war movies as a lake of fire, the river 73

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Voyage is in fact more like a poetic superhighway that starts at the mouth of the Tibetan Plateau and releases in southern Vietnam parallel to the capital. The patina of history is best revealed in the waterfront shacks and old-school villages hard to reach by road.

Being ensconced in the Scenic Spirit is immersive opulence.

With just 34 suites on board, each cabin is assigned a personal (and treasured) butler, a vast picture window and a private balcony that can either open to the silky air of the river or not.

Modelled on the compact lines of a super yacht, the interior design of the Scenic Spirit is functional and well proportioned, with a walk-in wardrobe, spa-worthy rain shower and a bed that rises to meet the sun rising through a picture window that opens all the way down. Over the next week, this window becomes my point of communion after jam-packed days.

The attentive and affectionate staff on board, including my personal butler, defer with stealthy discretion. By day one, they know I like raw chilli, coriander and lime at every meal and follow the Veuve-soaked nights with extra ginger-infused health juices served in tiny bottles on a crest of ice.

A tour of tastes

Clockwise from above: Vespa food tour; Hoi An; Scenic’s Crystal Dining chefs; Golden Buddha, Phnom Srey and Phnom Pros; Mekong food; Angkor Wat; dining on Scenic.

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“Crossing the border at night from Vietnam into Cambodia, we party while watching a dragon-dance performance.”

e slice through the water in a black lacquered sampan to a rice field in Cai Lay; take tea in a mint-green French colonial mansion; nibble petit-fours and enjoy veteran performers play Delta blues on one-string guitars. All the excursions are elective and small, so you make friends fast. My lot are mainly British and hungry for the authentic intimacy of a day of punting low through floating markets and haggling on foot. Although Scenic does not suggest a dress code I notice that my favourites, Sally and Tony, are Indiana Jones by day and Bridget Jones by night, swapping out combat pants and cameras for heels and sequins at sunset. The mixture of tramping respectfully through small schools and nunneries by day and dancing madly under the moon by the pool was just right. In a strange way, “looking” at Vietnam from the water and eye-level vessel-tovessel makes me feel less intrusive and more bonded to everyone we met. Peering into what looked like rusted iron dollhouses perched on stilts, and raffia-roofed barge-homes, we are met by waves of genuine smiles that washed through us all in waves. When we step back onto Scenic Spirit to

SCENIC SPIRIT ON THE MEKONG

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Voyage

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SCENIC SPIRIT ON THE MEKONG

cool towels, mocktails and butlers ready to clean our sneakers, a street market buffet is laid out like a luxe parallel universe.

Food on Scenic Spirit is both an event and an unfolding cultural map. The young Burmese chef, Oka Wibawa, and his incredible team have a theatrical storytelling approach to cuisine. The first-night gala dinner is French infused, with sabayon, jus, baked duck, pate amuse-bouche and sophisticated citrus-based dessert.

Breakfasts are split between the steak-and-eggs crew and the spa-driven, with an array of astonishing fruit and baked treats that change each day. Mindful of the dreaded “cruise gain”, portions are elegant and the menu gradually lightens after several big night feasts.

Local produce, local food and constructive local initiatives for education and ecology are all carefully selected by Scenic, so by proxy each passenger is giving back. Crossing the border at night from Vietnam into Cambodia, we party while watching a dragon-dance performance. When I notice the troupe return to their village on the river in a small boat as we sail on, I feel touched by their dedication.

In Cambodia, the Khmer people have rebuilt an astonishing and vibrant culture from the ashes of tyranny in the mid 1970s. In Phnom Penh, the bright young chef who conducted my private cooking lesson was one of the children of the infamous city dump.

Plucked from poverty by a French NGO, she is now one of the city’s best and makes a mean green mango salad.

In the National Museum of Cambodia, my guide is a quiet intellectual with a passion for architecture and antiquities. In front of an epic 13th-century Buddha, we share a rivetted silence and a gratitude for the art that survived a senseless purge.

Coming back on deck loaded down with shopping and petals became ritual. My butler laughs when I gradually feminise all the slate grey décor with sarongs, ginger flowers and street-market ceramics. As my suite is on the same level as the plunge pool, a morning swim shapes the day. Wellness on Scenic Spirit is taken seriously and many clever cruisers go for restorative coconut facials to glow up for dinner. The spa offering on board is stocked with Bodia products, an all-botanical range made in Cambodia (with a flagship store in Siem Reap) and the best hack is to book your entire week with treatments.

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ne of the worries of a first-time cruiser is a fear of slow time. Yet the momentum of this journey is like a novel I don’t want to finish, I found myself jumping up at dawn waving both hands in the silky air hungry for the next port. Finally landing in Siem Reap is bittersweet. But here was the sacred temple that some of the crew have tattooed on their arms. As dramatic arcs go, seeing Angkor Wat at dawn the next day is a peak. Such is its majesty that Scenic has us see the 162-hectare compound from a hot-air balloon, then an afternoon tour, then a dawn viewing – and each time is intense.

Staying at the exquisitely restored Raffles Hotel, I am told that Jackie Onassis approached Angkor astride an elephant during her famous visit in 1967. With a World-Heritage order in place for no high-rises in Siem Reap, our epiphany would look much the same as hers. Angkor is vast but, better still, it is in use. On the days we visit, young families are all clad in traditional silks, fresh flowers and golden bracelets, and children run through corridors studded by seated buddhas and carved with trees and Amsaras. Climbing the central tower on a steep ladder leads me to a heart-stopping view and a surge of energy no guide can prepare you for. For just a few minutes, the world is made of spun gold. A bespoke breakfast on the river and a laser light show in a 10th-century Hindu temple follow, but actually nothing could top this.

Taking the slow lane to Cambodia reshaped my ideas about travel. The best pilgrimage is the one you don’t know you are taking until you arrive. CT

Spun-gold moments

Clockwise from left: Angkor Wat dinner and light show; dining on board; Scenic Spirit cruising the river.

Cruise &Travel

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Alémais Seeker linen shorts, AU$449.

Grenson Quincy loafers, AU$350.

Valentino Garavani silk shirt, AU$2620.

Saint Laurent Rive Gauche tote, AU$3450.

Johanna Ortiz Navegando swimsuit, AU$807.

Mekong

Trunk Show Hublot Big Bang Integrated Time, AU$68,800.

Jacquemus tote bag, AU$2252.

Floyd suitcase, AU$580.

Kathmandu Miro pants, AU$119.98.

Le Monde Beryl pumps, AU$624.

Fjallraven backpack, AU$169.

Parakito Mosquito Repellent, AU$34.95.

Johanna Ortiz dress, AU$1617.

Sasquatchfabrix Jah shirt, AU$462.

Salomon XT-6 trainers, AU$300.

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Harago tote bag, AU$429.

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PIONEERS OF LUXURY AFRICAN SAFARIS Africa was where it all began for A&K, pioneering the world’s very first luxury safari in 1962. Sixty years on, we are the world experts in tailor-made experiential travel — journeys that inspire real human connection and life-long stories. Witness the famous wildebeest migration across the great plains of the Serengeti and Masai Mara, come face to face with a gorilla family in the forested havens of Uganda, or be mesmerised by elephants wading their young through the floodplains of Botswana.

With privileged access, unrivalled expertise, luxury accommodations, and a long-standing presence on the ground, A&K sets the benchmark for unforgettable, life-changing safaris.

No matter your dream, A&K can curate the perfect tailor-made African adventure just for you.

Great East Africa Migration

African Waterways

Gorillas of Bwindi

Uncover the world’s most acclaimed wildlife reserves on this bespoke journey through Kenya and Tanzania. Witness the Great Migrations of the Serengeti, immerse yourself in a Maasai community, and seek out the majestic elephants of Tarangire, while staying in exclusive luxury and style.

This inspiring tailor-made journey takes a rare glimpse at two pristine parts of Africa — the Okavango Delta and the Chobe National Park.

The wildlife is staggering and the landscapes diverse and dramatic. Watch giants of the savannah saunter by from the exclusive decks of your Sanctuary Retreat.

This is a unique and remarkable opportunity for encounters with the rare and endangered gorillas of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Enjoy three luxurious nights in Bwindi’s premier luxury safari camp, with two days of expertly guided tracking through the forest to locate one of the four habituated gorilla families.

12 days from $17,845 pp

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Call 1300 589 717, visit www.abercrombiekent.com.au or contact your travel advisor to find out more.

*Terms & Conditions apply. Prices shown are per person based on twin share and are subject to availability.

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Escapes 88 Luxury in Thailand | 98 Amsterdam calling | 102 Fly like a VIP

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a Voyeur

dusty shoulder bone looms out of the chalky Wyoming earth, seemingly just discovered. A scalpel lies next to it to indicate size: this is clearly an impressive, intact fossil. It’s part of a Diplodocus skeleton, which is currently being excavated at a secret spot in the Cowboy State. Amazingly, however, it’s not just palaeontologists that are uncovering it.

Holidaymakers are getting in on the action, too.

These are guests of The Luminaire, a London-based “travel company for the deeply curious”. Indeed, inquisitiveness helps on this sort of trip. As does deep pockets – joining the dig costs AU$53,000 per person. But then again, the guests are not exactly slumming it. Nights are spent in a “luxury tented camp”, and there’s champagne waiting for the budding palaeontologists.

Free time can be personalised, with stargazing sessions, luxury dining and helicopter rides all potential add-ons.

It’s part of a new wave of experiential travel for the one per cent. No longer satisfied with spa breaks and beach views, the ultra-rich are demanding travel opportunities that they can be competitive about at the golf club. And so the ability to step into the shoes and “cosplay” as something (or someone) impactful opens up a whole new way of travelling.

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For instance, if you do deign to visit the Maldives again, you can pretend it’s for reef regeneration rather than the massage menu, as many resorts now have an on-site marine biologist offering day trips into the Indian Ocean. Luxury travel company Black Tomato runs personalised “field trips”, based on the punter’s preference for history, sustainability, earth sciences or the arts. Meanwhile, those booking with tailor-made tours operator Scott Dunn, can take a guided trip through the streets of Tokyo taking photographs under the expert guidance of a local professional photographer, capturing the teenage fashions of Harajuku or the atmospheric backstreets of Shibuya.

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Science play

From left to right: Citizen science tours can help monitor water quality; National Geographic visits Monument Valley, Utah; the Wyoming dig.

hat isn’t to say that these trips are there purely for the bragging rights.

The Luminaire has twinned with Naturalis Biodiversity Center, a research institute in the Netherlands that specialises in life sciences. Geologists and palaeontologists from the institute have already begun the process of excavating the Jurassic remains in Wyoming – guests simply join them part-way through the dig, for three mornings of “active contribution”.

Adam Sebba, the CEO of The Luminaire, insists that the company’s Wyoming trip does involve real research. In fact, he teases that a “preliminary discovery” has revealed something scientifically notable. “I don’t like using hyperbole, but I really think that the guests could be taking part in a scientific discovery that furthers mankind’s understanding of the dinosaurs.” That feels like a huge claim – recent advances in palaeontology have Cruise &Travel

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Citizen science?

Would you pay $53,000 to camp in Wyoming and dig for bones? It’s the latest ultra-rich fad. But is it science or just plain silly? By Sophie Dickinson.

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Voyeur

CITIZEN SCIENCE helped detail extinction events and evolutionary theory. Could a group of tourists make an equivalent discovery?

Sebba believes so. Professor Dr Anne Schulp, the palaeontologist running the dig, was part of a team that uncovered the world’s most intact T-rex skeleton in 2014. It certainly adds legitimacy to the endeavour. It’s a selling point, too.

“I believe that by partnering with Naturalis, we’ve created a travel brand that will rival National Geographic,” says Sebba.

This is a bold statement; the latter has been running educational trips since 1999. They are not, exactly, a snip themselves, although it’s not quite the distinct-chunk-of-your-salary that The Luminaire is asking for. Take National Geographic Expeditions’ private trip to Monument Valley in the US: from a breezy US$5,495 (about AU$8,200) for a week away.

What Sebba doesn’t say, however, is that these trips are a somewhat drier affair. On The Luminaire’s trips, luxury is king.

“Obviously there’s lots of leisure time: afternoons will be devoted to really personalised activities, whether that’s fly fishing, rappelling, hiking, wolf tracking or a range of other 82

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Novel tours

From left to right: Photography tours of Tokyo with Scott Dunn tours; as well as explore the city’s backstreets; The Luminaire’s trip can include fly-fishing.

activities.” Not exactly lectures with a PhD student in an echoing backroom, then.

He will admit, however, that The Luminaire is pitched at a slightly different audience. “I would say we’re more like Masterclass in real life than a university lecture,” he says, referencing the popular online education platform.

Scrabbling around in the undergrowth for a long-lost beetle this is not. “We don’t see ourselves as a citizen science project.”

Regardless of how unsexy “citizen science” might sound, it is essentially what the dinosaur dig is. The practice takes a serious research project and adds Cruise &Travel

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members of the public, often to help with recording a large number of rather mundane results – monitoring water quality in a certain area, for instance, or the timing of plant life cycles. Sometimes, this is done at scale for the largest possible number of results. In other cases – such as with The Luminaire – a small number of participants essentially pay to be involved.

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“Luxury science trips ... make research and projects that wouldn’t have been possible a reality.”

rofessor Abby Kinchy is an academic at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the US who studies the impact of citizen-science trips. She believes that they aren’t necessarily a negative force. “It creates opportunities for new kinds of scientific knowledge among the public,” she says. “But I do think we also have to be sure that people aren’t just using the idea of citizen science in a superficial or even gimmicky way.”

The impact of some trips, like cruises to Antarctica, strike an uneasy balance between scientific aims and environmental burden.

“Could the trip itself be causing harm to the ecosystem or a society?

Who stands to benefit from it?” she asks.

The answer isn’t always nefarious. Thirty per cent of The Luminaire’s takings from this trip go to Naturalis, at a time when funding for academic research is hard to find. Professor Kinchy says that the higher-priced trips, which appeal to “affluent, collegeeducated, privileged people”, can be extremely beneficial to public institutions that would otherwise struggle to raise the cash. “It makes science photogenic, too, which can lead to a more positive public perception of scientific enterprise.” A campsite in the remote

wilderness of Wyoming is undoubtedly an impressive place to holiday, too.

Naturally, there’s a sense of rivalry between the educational tour operators.

Biosphere Expeditions, which operates in Australia, sees itself as offering “genuine” citizen science.

Executive Director Dr Matthias Hammer isn’t specific, but describes luxury companies as a “fig leaf”. “People come, look and go back to their champagne and luxury accommodation,” he says.

Sebba disagrees. “Guests will be doing everything from the most delicate brushing of the bones to putting them in the plaster jackets so they can be taken back. I gather they’re even going to be allowed to use the jackhammer for the rock clearing.

You couldn’t get more hands-on than that.”

Perhaps, then, it’s inevitable that luxury science trips are suddenly popular. It allows the super-rich to feel “like miniature scientists”, and, with the notion of responsible tourism gaining traction, the holidays hold a zeitgeisty appeal. Sebba is keen to stress that the trip isn’t solely for the participants, either. “It makes research and projects that wouldn’t have been possible a reality,” he says. “And that benefits everyone.

“If a skeleton is uncovered, and it gets dug up by a commercial organisation, it could be lost for humanity. This way, the fossils are preserved and placed in a public institution for posterity and learning,” he says. There’s that, of course, and the cash injection can’t hurt either. But is it the holidaymakers making that discovery or are they merely there for the ride? CT

Book it

The Luminaire’s palaeontology trip is priced at £28,485 (about AU$53,000) per person, based on a party of four guests.

Biosphere Expeditions has trips available from about AU$3078.

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My Life In Travel

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Rosamund Pike: “I’ve vowed to travel mindfully” On a break from filming, the actress escaped to a remote island in the Maldives with her family.

Barefoot luxury

Opposite, from top: Rosamund Pike; the actress stayed in an over-water villa. This page, from top: Fari Beach Club breakfast and poolside drinks; the villa’s bathtub.

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I’ve always wanted to be someone who travels mindfully and respectfully but have never been very good at it. While I aspire to leave on time and in a state of calm, I rarely achieve either goal.

Then Covid added a whole new dimension to travel. The decisions we make about where to go and how to get there began resonating with new frequencies – not least, awareness of environmental impact, fear of contagion and wariness of the very mingling that used to make travel exciting.

When a rare window appeared in my schedule on the back of a week of night shoots on The Wheel of Time, I seized the opportunity to travel to the Maldives with my partner and our two sons, aged nine and six at the time, vowing to myself that finally, I would travel mindfully.

We were bound for Patina Resort on the Fari Islands, an hour’s speedboat trip from the capital of Malé. An unpretentiously luxurious, family-friendly hotel geared towards laid-back, designsavvy travellers, Patina inhabits one of the archipelago’s four islands.

Being a road-trip kind of family, a destination like this is a departure for us. As the plane took off, I worried that how ever much they have lured me with the promise of paradisiacal pristine water and white sand, when I get there the Maldives might engender a sense of placelessness; a beautiful hotel room that could be anywhere. This fear is swiftly allayed by Patina.

We were staying in one of the resort’s 38 stilted over-water villas, enormous, elegant, rattan-filled wood-and-stone spaces, each with its own pool, where inside spaces flow into outdoor ones. Walking around it, I felt like the villa honours the sea and that, like me, it is a temporary visitor to this place which will, one day, return to nature.

The beds are the comfiest any of us has ever slept in and on the deck is the most heavenly outdoor tub.

But what no photograph will ever be able to capture is the villa’s relationship with the sea and the way the water laps at its stilts.

I had never imagined marine life could be so close at hand. Sitting on the edge of our outdoor pool on our first afternoon, I watched a stingray glide gracefully under the house and back out again.

It’s these moments and other, often tiny, details that delighted me at Patina.

The bicycles, perfectly proportioned for each of us, that were waiting for us on arrival (“But how did they know our sizes, Mum?”) have solar-powered 85

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My Life In Travel flashlights on their elegant handlebars; the bath water is heated by the energy used in the air conditioning.

Then there are the skincare products in the bathrooms and in the spa, from the seaweed soap wrapped in brown paper to the algae-based antioxidant serums and a rich marine cream in a glass pot, all produced by sustainable, cruelty-free British company Haeckels and made locally at a production plant set up in Sri Lanka. Water, in glass bottles, comes from the resort’s own filtration plant. The resort plans to be 50 per cent solar-powered by 2030. All these touches are just there, without fanfare.

One of the highlights for my eldest was the kids’ club, where PlayStation 5 takes a refreshing back seat. The club has been designed to awaken young minds to marine life, the planet, the ocean, sustainability and slow thinking, through activities in and out of the water. So there are talks with marine biologists and snorkelling and diving sessions, but also climbing walls, Connect 4 tournaments and island-wide scavenger hunts. There’s even a 3D printer which he used to design and produce a Yoda-shaped toothpaste cap and a turtle, made from plastic waste washed up on the beach and recycled.

My youngest prefers lessstructured play, so was happy hanging out by the pool with other children from all over the world.

At one point, I heard him chatting about religion with a group of girls of a similar age from Saudi Arabia.

It is here that I finally acquired my open-water diving certificate under the calm and expert tuition

of the Fari Dive Butlers. My previous diving experience has been limited to escaping from a sinking car in a water tank in Pinewood Studios while filming I Care A Lot – a large part of which involved not using the mask or regulator.

A memorable moment for me was when I took my eldest into the sea for a snorkel. We were not more than 15 metres away from the villa when colours beyond our wildest imaginings started to appear as flashes before our eyes. Yellows, blues, stripes, shimmers, black fish with unicorn horns, parrot fish… the variety was abundant and mesmerising.

Emboldened, we went further, over the coral, to the edge of the reef – where the sea drops away to the magnificent deep – and saw larger and more mysterious fish.

If you are a parent, the wonder of doing this with your child cannot be beaten – seeing their eyes open to a whole new underwater world, and widen further as colourful clams squeeze shut to the wave of a passing hand.

Water therapy continued in the spa, where I tried an unusual treatment called ‘watsu’. In a specially designed pool, a therapist, Mo, guided my body in a kind of underwater dance, then stretched me under the water, allowing my body to behave in a way it never could on land. Other

guests I spoke to who had tried it whispered of feelings of rebirth and total abandon.

There are several boats for trips. The beautiful trimaran, Adastra, took us out to a sandbank for a picnic, where we experienced the strange sensation of feeling like we were standing in the middle of the ocean. We took the children fishing on a traditional Maldivian dhoni, catching our dinner on hooks baited with little chunks of tuna.

Food is a huge part of the experience, from the chocolate truffles I made with my children – under the supervision of the resort’s wondrous pastry chef, who makes the best croissants I have tasted outside France – to the Wagyu beef tacos served by a young Mexican chef at the Veli Bar. The red snapper we caught on our fishing trip was cooked by the chef of Wok Society, the island’s Japanese/ Chinese fusion restaurant.

Island dreams

Clockwise from above: Fari Beach Club’s mixologist; the two-bedroom Sunset Water Pool Villa; island bike rides; fresh fish at Helios restaurant; walkway to villas.

The greatest luxury for us has been the independence and freedom the island has given our children, which has allowed us to properly relax and switch off. The number of times they tore off out of sight on their bikes when we went for a meal or an excursion turned the week into a spectacularly relaxed and successful confidencebuilding exercise.

A discreet notice requested that we use a bag they gave us to take any single-use plastic waste away from the island with us. When we left, I found myself clutching the bag with an empty bottle of sunscreen, several empty blister packs from contact lenses, and those environmentally unfriendly dental sticks. I contemplated the absurd trappings of a plastic-filled life, and vowed to buy better back home. CT

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“What no photograph will ever be able to capture is the villa’s relationship with the sea and the way the water laps at its stilts.”

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Hotels & Resorts

Thailand is the setting for the next filming location of hit series The White Lotus, but which resort will be the star of the show? Lee Cobaj reveals her pick of luxury Thai hotels.

t has swept awards season, generated millions of hilarious memes and inspired some of the most serious travel envy we’ve ever experienced. Now, it’s been reported that season three of The White Lotus will be shot in Thailand.

While the first season was set in Hawaii and focused on money, and the second season, set in Sicily, centred around sex, the writer and producer of The White Lotus, Mike White, has said: “The third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality.”

Since making that comment, White has been spotted in Thailand, posting on Instagram from the Four Seasons Koh Samui, while my hotel sources tell me that the Emmy-awardwinning creator has also visited the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai. Famed for its rich Buddhist culture, remarkable temples, palm-lined landscapes, high-end resorts and deep-reaching wellness retreats, the Land of Smiles is the perfect backdrop for a satirical swan dive into the caprices and cruelties of the one per cent. So far, the White Lotus production team has stayed loyal to the Four Seasons, filming season one at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea and season two at the San Domenico Palace, Taormina, also a Four Seasons hotel. But, Thailand has no shortage of potential candidates and if I was scouting for a location, here are a few hotels I might suggest.

LOTUS position?

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Hot contenders

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (this page) or Four Seasons Tented Camp with its Explorers’ Lodge (left) and Superior Tent?

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Hotels & Resorts / FOUR SEASONS TENTED CAMP GOLDEN TRIANGLE Chiang Rai

This luxury tented camp is in the jungly north of Thailand on a confluence of the Mekong River, where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. There are just 15 airconditioned tents and the setting couldn’t be more photogenic: mist intertwined with the rainforest canopy in the morning, long-tail boats silhouetted against molten sunsets, crystalline night skies – and then there are the elephants, the real stars of the show.

The Four Seasons shares a sanctuary housing more than 20 elephants rescued from the logging and tourism industries with its neighbour, the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort. The gentle giants are regular fixtures around both resorts. Guests are allowed to interact with the animals in an ethical manner, bathing them in the river, feeding them watermelons and taking long walks through the grasslands with them.

Doubles from about $4400 per night (all-inclusive)

/ FOUR SEASONS Koh Samui Mike White’s Instagram post clearly shows him lounging on the pearly white beach at the Four Seasons Koh Samui, an all-villa resort tumbling down a jungle-covered hillside to an ostensibly private beach in the serene far northwest of the island. Here, guests arrive at an outdoor viewing platform with scene-stealing views of the shimmering Gulf of Thailand while being presented with jasmine bracelets and frangipani-scented cold towels.

Spaciously laid out around the hillside and beach are 60 teak and thatched-roof villas, in creams and aquamarines

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THAILAND HOTELS

“Madonna, Kate Moss and Oprah Winfrey are among the many A-listers rumoured to have visited this back-to-nature wellness retreat.”

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with canopied beds, private pools and showstopping sea views.

Aside from the secluded location, private yacht charters, superb food and drink, and meticulous attention to detail, the rainforest-shrouded spa is another major A-list draw, offering holistic therapies such as astrology and palm reading alongside coconut body scrubs, traditional Thai massages and oxygenating facials.

Doubles from about $1300 per night

In the lap of luxury Will it be the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (above)?

/ MANDARIN ORIENTAL Bangkok The Four Seasons opened a sleek new Bangkok hotel designed

by Jean-Michel Gathy on the banks of the Chao Phraya in 2021 but if the White Lotus team want to tap into the capital’s rich history they should turn their attention upriver towards the Mandarin Oriental. Thailand’s undisputed grande dame has been around for nearly 150 years and has hosted literary luminaries such as Nöel Coward, Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene, as well as some of the most famous faces of the last century, from Elizabeth Taylor to David Bowie and Michelle Yeoh.

The original Author’s Wing is a film set on its own, all gleaming white marble, snowflake-like fretwork, imperial staircases, Juliet balconies and potted palms. Elsewhere, there are Michelin-starred restaurants, buzzing bars, outdoor swimming pools and a romantic teak-clad spa that is reached using the hotel’s liveried boat.

Doubles from about $800 per night / PHULAY BAY, A RITZ-CARLTON RESERVE Krabi The Ritz-Carlton’s swanky Phulay Bay resort is a top contender, especially considering that numerous TV shows

and movies have already been shot here – including the wedding party scene in The Hangover Part II. Its star appeal is partly down to its perfect positioning on Krabi’s Andaman Sea coast, overlooking the luminous green waters and ancient limestone sea stacks of Phang Nga Bay, and partly down to its magical Moorish-Thai design, a veritable palace complex hidden behind high purple stone walls with vast villas, rambling terraces and candlelit water gardens reflecting the area’s rich Muslim history. Suitably dramatic attractions in the area include rock climbing, waterfall treks and kayaking around shadowy mangroves.

Doubles from about $630 per night / KAMALAYA Koh Samui Madonna, Kate Moss and Oprah Winfrey are among the many A-listers rumoured to have visited this back-to-nature wellness retreat in a bid to find themselves. Wrapped in verdant greenery in a uniquely peaceful location, at the heart of this resort is a Bhuddhist meditation cave, where monks would come to reflect and philosophise for centuries before Kamalaya arrived.

Whether you’re a celebrity or a wellness seeker, every visit begins with a consultation with a Life Enhancement Mentor, who creates a bespoke itinerary that might include physiotherapy, acupuncture, energy healing, yoga or life coaching, as well as daily massages and nutritious meals taken at communal tables in the treetop restaurant. Embracing Change sessions that delve into past traumas, negative habits and relationships can be life-changing – or could tip the next cast of self-indulgent White Lotus characters over the edge.

Doubles from about $530 per night CT

Scene setting

Clockwise, from left: Kamalaya pool and steam cavern; The Ritz-Carlton Phulay Bay Reserve Resort’s ceremony, pool and dawn yoga.

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Voyeur

Animal encounters A visit to see Rwanda’s gorillas is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

MONKEY How battle-scarred Rwanda became one of Africa’s most luxurious (and safest) holiday destinations, writes Ben Ross.

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Voyeur

RWANDA

“Watching the sun rise over the forest … is the sort of life-affirming experience that Rwanda excels at.”

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herever you stop in this country,” said my guide, Alex Kagaba, “the ground will always produce people.” We’d parked on a dusty escarpment along the shore of Lake Kivu to take in the view.

This time, I thought he might be wrong. A couple of breeze-block homesteads, tin roofs gleaming, stood out on a hillside swathed in deep green, but for once we weren’t passing through the settlements that lined our route, weren’t being waved at by neatly clad schoolchildren shouting “Mzungu!” (their go-to greeting for white visitors). Then, sure enough, an unheard signal: first one, then another, then half a dozen boys appeared, jogging down the asphalt.

Grinning, the first tried his luck: “Hello mzungu! Give me money!” before the second tried a different tack: “Give me a pen!”

It seemed a reasonable request, and I turned to dig one out of my bag, before Alex intervened. “No! This is not the way children are taught to behave in Rwanda.” A rapid lecture ensued, carried out in the local Bantu language, Kinyarwanda. “I’m asking them why you should give them anything when they haven’t worked for it,” said Alex, as the boys listened respectfully, while looking increasingly sombre.

“Now, Ben. You have some pens?” I handed over a couple of Biros. Another rapidfire exchange: who was top in their class at school? What was the name of the governor of the western province? The pens were distributed to the brightest and best, and a joke or two from Alex sent the boys on their way, smiles restored.

You don’t get something for nothing in Rwanda, where the 1994 genocide led to the death of up to a million Tutsi at the hands of the ruling Hutu majority. The awful culmination of the Rwandan Civil War, the roots of the massacre lay in the residue of a colonial-era divide-and-rule policy that emphasised previously non-existent ethnic divisions. A hundred days of violence, murder and rape lasted from April 7 to mid-July, with national ID cards that listed ethnic classifications making it easy for Tutsi to be rounded up and killed.

In the aftermath, following the takeover of the capital Kigali by the Tutsi-backed Rwandan Patriotic Front, led by the current president Paul Kagame, two million Hutus were displaced and became refugees.

Jungle luxury

Scenes from the One&Only Nyungwe House, Rwanda (clockwise, from left): local performers; waterfall trek; the hotel spa; colobus monkey trek; a coffee tasting.

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By any standard, that’s a lot for a country to recover from. Yet almost a quarter of a century later, everything has changed. Rwanda – one of the smallest but most densely populated countries in Africa – seems full almost to bursting point, with more than 50 per cent of the population under the age of 20, born after the genocide.

President Kagame, criticised internationally when a change in the constitution allowed him to accept a third term in office in 2017, has nevertheless brought stability since he was first elected in 2003 and has pushed to rejuvenate his country.

Rwanda is safe, it is clean (indeed it is almost entirely litter-free, thanks to a ban on plastic bags and the monthly Umuganda Day, whereby everyone does their bit to clean up) and international investment is encouraged. The road Alex and I were driving along was paid for via a US$116 million Chinese loan.

Alex is among the vast majority of Rwandans who see Kagame as a force for good. His stories, like those of everyone I meet, are punctuated with two phrases – “before the genocide” and “after the genocide” – that to a visitor might sound almost blithe, were they not so obviously loaded with meaning. Unsurprisingly, he lauds the new Rwanda, one that’s all about reconciliation, education, entrepreneurship, hard work… and now tourism.

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yungwe House dazzles from the moment you arrive, but not before. In fact, from a distance you’d hardly know it was there. The lodge is bent in the middle in order to maximise the rainforest views rising to the south and east. Its red roof keeps a low profile, hemmed by a working tea plantation, with 22 rooms and suites set out in five clusters near the forest edge.

Luxury hotel brand One&Only has upgraded an existing property, once known as Nyungwe Forest Lodge, to bring it in line with the standards delivered elsewhere in its portfolio.

A spa has been added, the pool has a new bar area, and various stretches of decking give a more safari lodge-like sense of outdoor space.

The rooms are cosy and tranquil, each with a balcony, a spectacular four-poster bed and tasteful flashes of modern African art. The main property is as decorous and low-lit as you’d expect, with fireplaces adding a homely touch and the odd surprise – a chandelier made of tea strainers, for example – catching the eye.

It’s a glorious expression of luxury on the cusp of the wilderness, and watching the sun rise over the forest while you devour lightly poached eggs is the sort of life-affirming experience that Rwanda excels at. Which is very lucky, because rising early is also a necessary part of tracking the local chimpanzees.

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Voyeur RWANDA

“Here, finally, I see just how inhabited Rwanda is: the volcanoes are isolated pockets of forested sanctuary amid the spread of humanity below.”

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Nyungwe National Park contains some of the best preserved montane rainforest in Central Africa, its 970 square kilometres of dark canopy occupying an extraordinary position as “the water tank of Rwanda”, with rain that falls here draining to the Nile in the east and to the Congo in the west.

Lurking amid the foliage are 13 primate species, among them Pan troglodytes, the common chimpanzee. A guide takes me to find them: a half-hour trot along narrow paths lined with tall strangler figs and tiny orchids, with the dense forest stretched like florets of broccoli over the distant hills and the croak of a black-billed touraco occasionally rising over a buzz of insects. We spot a chameleon by the path, pass the spikes of blood lily, and then… a tracker appears from nowhere, beckoning us over.

The chimps are in the trees: lolling, jumping, grooming, yawning, baring their bottoms. One thuds to the forest floor, knuckling along the leaf litter. We’re as close as can be, me gawping and wondering whether to take a picture; him scratching his ear, bored. It’s impossible not to anthropomorphise: we share 99 per cent of our DNA, after all. A few minutes later, a sudden alarm sees the whole troop of 20 or so animals suddenly descend: within a minute, they’ve vanished.

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Time for me to leave, too. Alex and I head north, tracking the course of Lake Kivu from the chaotic border outpost with the Democratic Republic of Congo at Cyangugu, via the scruffy but charming lakeside villas of Cormoran Lodge at Kibuye and onwards towards Volcanoes National Park.

Rwanda has been dubbed “the land of a thousand hills” and for once it’s a slogan guilty of understatement rather than hyperbole. The volcanic landscape undulates in green-clad waves, the road twisting around them. Tea plantations are marked out in terraces like contour lines drawn by a giant cartographer; and the tea pickers are always busy, busy, busy.

We stop for lunch at Virunga Lodge, perched high on a ridge, with the brooding Virunga Volcanoes and the Musanze valley to the west and Lakes Ruhondo and Bulera to the east. Here, finally, I see just how inhabited Rwanda is: the volcanoes are isolated pockets of forested sanctuary amid the spread of humanity below.

Exceptional moments

Clockwise, from left: See the majestic mountain gorillas; have a cuppa in a tea plantation; dine at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge; relax around the fire pit; watch the sun rise over Virunga volcano range.

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very experience of meeting the gorillas will be different, of course, but they are also – I suspect – each alike in some ways. I rise before daylight at the Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge. Then, as part of a group of six, it’s off to meet the guide at the park entrance. Today’s guide is very tall, and very good at gorilla impressions. He tells us that we’ve been assigned the Sabyinyo group, one of a dozen gorilla families that have been habituated to humans, and that we will have to walk for about 90 minutes to see them.

It costs US$1500 to spend an hour with the gorillas, and only a set number of permits is issued each day, which makes this a form of luxury travel in its own right, one that gives back directly to local communities while safeguarding the conservation efforts. The Sabyinyo group is 19 strong, ranging in age from the oldest silverback, at 47, to one of the youngest gorillas, who is around two weeks old and clinging to its mother when we meet, in a tangled grove of nettles.

Our strictly enforced hour is everything I imagined it would be: enchanting, dramatic, occasionally comic – with an added frisson when, out in a clearing, we are mock-charged by a silverback as we turn to leave. Maybe he wants us to hang around; if so, it’s a feeling I share.

All that effort made to preserve our animal cousins makes the events of 1994 seem still more dreadful. Each year 100 days of mourning start on April 7, when Rwandans pay their respects at genocide memorials scattered throughout the country.

At a former technical college at Murambi, 50,000 Tutsi were slaughtered over a three-day period. It’s a stark, awful place. After an unblinking historical overview, I am taken by Liliane Musabyemariya, the memorial manager, to a series of outhouses behind the college that were originally intended as dormitories. Now the dead rest here.

The rooms contain hundreds of human skulls, arranged neatly on wooden shelves, bones are stacked in piles, and – just as harrowing – there are piles of the clothes worn by victims when they were thrown into communal graves. Most visitors are prepared to witness the contents of one of the buildings, Liliane tells me, but many, she says, cannot visit a second or third. Torn between a horrific sense that to continue would be morbid and to give up would be disrespectful, I confess that I can manage no more.

Best to look to the future. We get to the end of our tour, and I probably shouldn’t ask, but I do; it seems to matter, suddenly. “Are you Tutsi or Hutu?”

Liliane pauses, looks me straight in the eye: “It’s not written on our identity cards any longer; there is no distinction. I am Rwandan.” CT For more information. see visitrwanda.com.

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Hotels & Resorts

Beating heart

Clockwise, from below: Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky; quintessential Amsterdam; all-day dining at Grand Café Krasnapolsky; Dam Square; cocktail-making at the Anantara.

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DUTCH treat

Amsterdam is a hive of activity.

Teresa Ooi finds a hotel that is literally at the centre of it all.

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hey say location is everything. Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky in Amsterdam is a case in point. Stand at its entrance, and the ceremonial home of the King and Queen of the Netherlands, the Dutch Royal Palace, is directly opposite. The upmarket de Bijenkorf department store is to the right, and De Wallen, the city’s famed red light district, is just around the corner.

There are trams running a few steps from the door that will take you anywhere in this great city of art and entertainment.

Not that you will need them much. You are in the beating heart of Dam Square, where all the action is.

You can walk to almost all of Amsterdam’s landmark attractions from the Museum Quarter, including Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, as well as to the shopping precinct and then on to the city’s canals for that romantic dinner at sunset on board a glass-topped boat as it glides past Amsterdam’s fabled canal houses.

The majestic Krasnapolsky building, which now houses 402

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luxury rooms and suites, belies its humble beginnings. It started life in 1855 as a café opened

by Polish tailor Adolph Wilhelm Krasnapolsky. As the venue grew in popularity, Krasnapolsky added a few rooms for rent and later built it into a modern hotel.

The city grew around it into a mighty trading metropolis. Today, it is one of Europe’s quirkiest capitals – where else could you board a “smoke boat” for a canal ride and cannabis cruise without attracting the local police?

When global operator Minor Hotels decided to rebrand the hotel to Anantara Krasnapolsky in 2021, it undertook a major refurbishment to restore the building.

The standout centrepiece is the elegant Wintergarden, with its 19th-century glass roof and black-and-white chequerboard floor where breakfast is served daily. Restorers had to be careful – this iconic room is renowned as a place for milestone celebrations: it’s where many young couples shared a first kiss; where brides held wedding dinners; and where families celebrated their children’s graduation.

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Hotels & Resorts KRASNAPOLSKY HOTEL AMSTERDAM

Then there’s the fine-dining restaurant, the ornate White Room swathed in white and gold and helmed by the former threeMichelin-starred chef Jacob Jan Boerma, who is renowned for contemporary cuisine. Anantara added the award-winning Bar The Tailor, in tribute to the hotel’s founder and the craft he was well known for. It has a marble bar edged with a tailor’s measuring tape, the bar’s carpets have been imprinted with tailor’s chalk marks and all waiters are dressed in well-cut waistcoats.

The Krasnapolsky was officially opened in late May. General manager Arne Heuwekemeijer, who hails from the city, supervised the refurbishment. Anantara started as an Asian brand in Thailand more than two decades ago and has quickly expanded its luxury footprint to Southeast Asia, Maldives, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

Interestingly, Anantara is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning “without end”. Minor Hotels now owns and manages a diverse portfolio of more than 530 hotels and resorts in 54 countries across six continents.

Krasnapolsky is made for tourists and business executives who want to be at the centre of the action. What sets Krasnapolsky apart from other luxury rivals is its ability to give guests a taste of local life and an authentic Dutch experience.

The hotel offers exclusive off-site excursions from March to May when Amsterdam’s fields come alive with millions of colourful tulips.

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Here you can learn about more than 500 species that have been specially cultivated while enjoying whitetablecloth dining in the middle of a tulip field, surrounded by thousands of colourful flowers cultivated on a fourth-generation family farm.

There are scenic walks, including a signature picnic at Amsterdamse Bos where guests can take a boat out on the lake or feed sheep at a farm, all specially curated by the hotel’s team.

For shopaholic Australian guests, the hotel offers an exclusive experience at the high-end boutiques and ateliers of new Dutch designers. As Amsterdam is the City of Diamonds, Krasnapolsky can arrange for a behind-the-scenes tour at a four-generation diamond atelier to see how these fine stones are cut and polished and learn about the four Cs – cut, colour, clarity and carat. You will enjoy a glass of champagne while your precious heirlooms are complimentarily cleaned and return to the hotel by canal boat or a chauffeured Bentley.

No visit to Amsterdam is complete without a bike experience. Hop on an Anantara bicycle to discover the city’s labyrinthine alleys with a connoisseur guide and ride past historical landmarks, stopping at Albert Cuyp Market to taste the warm and tasty stroopwafels made in front of you. End your bike adventure with a swig of Jenever (aka Dutch gin), a strong alcoholic spirit distilled from grain and flavoured with juniper.

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Voyeur

Terminal leave

Tours by private jet leave busy terminals behind, and the whole plane is the pointy end. Michael Turtle reports.

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irports can be such depressing places, can’t they? Sure, there’s the excitement of the exotic destination at the end of the flight, but the waiting in the terminal can be interminable. It’s easy to see why celebrities and billionaires opt for private jets.

For those of us who don’t have our own plane (yet!), the next best thing is a group tour by private jet. With the ability to bypass the usual airport logistics, gliding straight through the VIP terminal, you’ll save hours before each flight. And when you don’t fly commercial, you’re not restricted by any airline’s schedule – which is how Captain’s Choice, for example, is able to fit so much into its trips, according to senior brand manager Carla Oscuro: “On our South America itinerary, we drop into Iguazu Falls just for lunch! So on a travelling day, you stop there, have lunch, do the sightseeing, and then we can leave again.”

Captain’s Choice, founded in Australia almost 30 years ago, is one of the most popular tour companies offering private jet holidays. Using a Boeing 737-700 or 757-200 with a maximum of 58 seats – all business class, of course – it usually offers about six international trips a year. The South America tour (AU$84,600 per person) includes more than just lunch at the world’s greatest waterfall. As guests sink back in their reclining seats, glasses of champagne in hand and meals prepared by two onboard chefs, they’ll be flown to destinations including Peru, Ecuador and Cuba, over 20 days. With a constantly evolving range of onground activities, they’ll see the Incan city of Machu Picchu, the unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands and the colourful streetscapes of Havana.

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“What guests want to do in the destination has changed, so the experiences are now much more immersive, focusing on local experiences and customs,” Oscuro explains. “There might be three or four options in a day, and people can choose what interests them.”

Luxury in the sky extends to luxury on the ground, which is why some of the world’s top hotels have jumped on board the private-jet holiday trend. Four Seasons has several journeys each year, with its flagship International Intrigue tour (AU$300,000 per person) visiting nine destinations on four continents in just over three weeks.

Nights spent in the Four Seasons properties would be enough of an experience for many guests, but other exclusive activities are also part of the tour. A hot-air balloon ride over the Serengeti, an after-hours private viewing of Michelangelo’s David in Cruise &Travel

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Florence, and lessons from a samurai expert in Kyoto are just some of the special moments on the trip that also visits Vietnam, the Maldives, Marrakech, Budapest and Paris.

Less than 10 years after starting the tours, Four Seasons has recently begun using a new customfitted Airbus A321neo-LR, complete with the hotel chain’s name emblazoned across the exterior. As well as 48 handcrafted Italian-leather seats that extend fully flat, there’s an onboard lounge where you can socialise with other passengers or even take part in small workshops with the food and beverage staff.

At Aman Resorts, known for its beautifully crafted properties harmoniously set in their natural environments, the same philosophy has been taken Cruise&Travel

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Select few

Four Seasons’ custom-fitted plane; private jet tour with Abercrombie & Kent; hot-air balloon ride over the Serengeti on a Four Seasons experience.

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Voyeur

Fly Australia

PRIVATE JETS

for its private jet holidays. Created in conjunction with boutique-tour operator Remote Lands, the focus is on Asia, where most of the Aman resorts are found.

The Mindful and Cultural Journey tour ($150,000 per person) is one of the most interesting options, led by a spiritual guru with expertise in Asian religions. Over 15 days, guests will be flown from Nepal to Bhutan and then on to India and Sri Lanka.

While the tour is full of luxurious moments – private villas, exquisite meals and wine, and a personal car and driver for every couple – there is also a focus on wellness with other experiences. Along with a helicopter ride to Mount Everest’s Base Camp, a hike up to Bhutan’s Tiger’s Nest and dinner with a former UN ambassador, there are yoga classes, massages and a fire meditation.

Aman’s tours feel even more exclusive. A maximum of 18 guests travel on an Airbus ACJ 319 fitted with couches, social spaces and large seats facing each other, creating the atmosphere of an intimate plane that fans of Succession are used to seeing.

In recent years, bookings of private jet holidays have increased, with more travellers wanting to maximise their time on the ground while visiting multiple destinations.

But there has been a particularly marked rise in interest since the pandemic, with guests also appreciating the safety that comes with the “bubble” of travelling with the same guests and crew the whole way.

As the interest in private jet trips has grown, so has the number of tours and the number of operators offering them. Abercrombie & Kent is now running tours in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa, and an indulgent wildlife-focused around-the-world itinerary (AU$260,000 per person). Lakani World Tours has an opulent jet holiday for a maximum of 15 travellers, which covers Athens and the Maldives alongside emerging destinations such as Saudi Arabia, and Khajuraho in India (AU$290,000 per person). Crooked Compass has a 17-day cultural tour through Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands (AU$43,000 per person), while for another option closer to home, APT has regular 12-day trips around both islands of New Zealand (AU$14,000 per person).

With growth comes innovation, and there’s now more variety than ever. Four Seasons has started offering a 13-day family-friendly African trip that children are welcome to join (for a slightly reduced rate). And Captain’s Choice has just launched ‘VIP’ private jet tours that accommodate a maximum of 11 travellers for tours to smaller Pacific islands.

“We’ve constantly been evolving what our private jet travel looks like over 30 years, and the range on these planes and the places they can access is different than our bigger trips,” says Oscuro.

Ultimately, all these tours are about luxury, with champagne in the air and on the ground; but for many travellers, they are also about one simple thing – avoiding all the horrors of a normal airport terminal. How will we ever fly commercial again? CT 104

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On a high

Bird’s-eye view of the Bungle Bungles; hike up to Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan; visit Machu Picchu with Captain’s Choice; Four Seasons in the sky.

Round-the-world private jet trips come with hefty price tags, but those focusing just on Australia can be much more attainable and offer a perfect taste of the experience.

• Australian-travel expert APT has a range of private jet tours across the country, with a focus on harder-to-reach destinations in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. As well as special experiences on the ground, including winery lunches and seafood cruises, the private plane can do figure-eight flyovers above scenic landscapes such as the Bungle Bungles and Uluru.

• Imagine Holidays offers a nine-day trip from Sydney to Perth, which stops at the Whitsundays, Uluru and Broome. The charter plane carries just 48 passengers, who each get a leather businessclass seat with 37-inch (94cm) pitch. With luxury accommodation and day trips included, it costs AU$10,499 per person.

• And Captain’s Choice, which found its Australian trips were extremely popular during the pandemic lockdowns, has developed new domestic tours to give travellers the private jet experience at an affordable rate.

A four-day Tasmanian trip departing Melbourne includes a cruise through the wilderness of the Gordon River, a rail journey through the rainforest, luxury accommodation and gourmet food and wine, for AU$5950 per person. Or for a weekend getaway, there’s the two-day Outback trip from Melbourne to Broken Hill, Coober Pedy and Birdsville that includes flying over Lake Eyre and tours on the ground, for just AU$4250 per person.

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“Along with a ... a hike up to Bhutan’s Tiger’s Nest ... there are yoga classes, massages and a fire meditation.”

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Last Word

Tourists behaving badly From Rome to Rio, from Bali to Budapest, locals are taking on visitors who trash their culture. Peter Lynch calls for a code of conduct.

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n Asia, they are planning to ban influencers and ruble-rich Russians fleeing the war in Ukraine. Europe is on the march against boorish Brits. In the air and on the ground, operators are erecting signs saying: “Zero tolerance for abusive behaviour.

Please be respectful to our staff.”

There’s something about being on the move that seems to bring out the worst in people. Maybe it’s post-Covid frustration at delays or a hankering for the peace and quiet of life under lockdown. But across the world, visitor villainy is endangering cultural exchange.

Adventure in foreign climes should make us more openminded, tolerant and respectful. But there are those who embark on their journeys with an inflated sense of entitlement, a disregard for local customs and an unparalleled ability to annoy everyone within a 50-kilometre radius. Tourists behaving badly are the bane of any true traveller’s existence.

Picture this: you’re in a quaint European village, surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. The air is filled with the sweet scent of olive oil and the clinking of wine glasses. It’s a picture-perfect setting, one that demands reverence and appreciation.

Instead, a horde of loud, obnoxious tourists, wielding selfie sticks like weapons of mass destruction pour out of a bus. They have no interest in history or culture. Their sole purpose is to capture the perfect Instagram shot.

Backpackers, with their dreadlocks and harem pants, descend on pristine beaches like a swarm of locusts. They treat the coastline like their personal trash can, leaving behind a trail of empty beer bottles and discarded cigarette butts.

Italy has become a centre for tourists behaving badly, from topless sunbathing on war memorials to skinny dipping in Venice’s canals. A Saudi tourist even drove a Maserati down Rome’s historic Spanish Steps, while an Australian rode a scooter in Pompeii.

In Spain, you can be fined for “talking too loudly” and in some parts, inclusive drinks packages are confined to six a day by law.

In Holland, bad behaviour has driven the government to take out ads in neighbouring Britain as part of an initiative to “actively discourage international visitors with plans to go wild”. Warning signs on the streets will inform about the prohibition of urinating in public, causing noise, being excessively drunk and purchasing drugs from street dealers.

Asia is also taking action. A 23-year-old Australian surfer faces corporal punishment and jail after an alleged naked rampage in the streets of Sumatra’s Aceh province.

A survey by insurance operator Compare the Market found many nationalities were quite happy to own up to bad behaviour.

The poll of 2500 adults across Australia, America and Canada found a surprisingly high number had disrespected local rule or even broke the law. Americans were the worst, with more than 10 per cent admitting to stealing or knowingly breaking local laws.

Canadians were second – and Australians were the best-behaved.

So what’s to be done? What we need is a code of conduct. CT 106

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Rules of the road

Anyone booking destinations should be sent a list of local do’s and don’ts.

Here’s my suggested list:

1. Show respect: Familiarise yourself with the local customs and cultural norms.

2. Dress modestly and appropriately, especially when visiting religious or sacred sites.

3. Be mindful of local sensitivities: Avoid behaviour or actions that may be disrespectful or offensive.

4. Follow the laws and regulations: Be aware of any rules or restrictions related to photography, smoking, littering or any other activities.

5. Be considerate of the local community: Treat local residents and your fellow tourists with respect and courtesy.

6. Preserve the environment: Dispose of waste properly and use designated recycling facilities when available. Avoid damaging or removing plants, corals or rocks.

7. Support local businesses, artisans and craftsmen, and avoid any illegal or exploitative activities.

8. Protect cultural heritage and historical sites: Do not deface or vandalise cultural heritage sites, monuments, or historical landmarks.

9. Seek permission before taking photographs or videos of individuals, particularly if they are from indigenous communities.

10. Travel responsibly: Plan your trip in a way that promotes sustainable tourism and minimises negative impacts on the environment and local communities.

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