Cruise Passenger 84

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WIN A HURTIGRUTEN CRUISE AND FLIGHTS WORTH $12,000 CRUISEPASSENGER.COM.AU

ISSUE 84 SPRING 2021

AUSSIE CRUISING LATEST NEWS

All

aboard EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BOOK YOUR CRUISE

AUSTRALIA/NZ AU$12.95

REVIEWS: CELEBRITY/PRINCESS CRYSTAL/TRADEWIND

+ BACK PAGE: RIVER CRUISING RETURNS

READER COMPETITION

a trip for two to Norway to experience the northern lights on a 12-day cruise with flights,

worth $12,000.

Hurtigruten Australia is giving you the chance to win a 12-day/11-night return coastal voyage from Bergen, plus flights to Europe. See the northern lights on a departure between November 2022 and February 2023. Be immersed in Norwegian life, sailing the classic postal route and visiting up to 34 ports side-by-side with locals.

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Prize details and inclusions l Return economy airfares for two from winner's nearest capital city. Airline to be chosen by Norwegian Coastal Express. l One night’s additional accommodation in either Oslo or Bergen, dependent on flight schedules. l 12-day voyage for two – Lower Deck Cabin. l Breakfast, lunch and dinner featuring Norway’s Coastal Kitchen while on board. l English-speaking tour leader on board. l Onboard lectures and presentations on history, biology, geography, geology and culture that provide context to your voyage and help you understand the destinations you will experience. l Captain’s dinner and a farewell event.

How to enter Go to cruisepassenger.com.au/competitions and enter your details for your chance to win this experience for two people.

Terms and conditions apply: see cruisepassenger.com.au/competitions

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READER COMPETITION

NORWAY AHOY! Enter the draw for your chance to win an incredible journey cruising Norway’s stunning coastline on Hurtigruten’s famed Norwegian Coastal Express.

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Take a bow, Australian cruisers

W

elcome to the spring edition of Cruise Passenger magazine. Thankfully, we have more to be optimistic about than at any time in the past 20 months.

Whether it’s in Australia or, as seems more likely, in Europe or Asia, Australians will soon be sailing again.

And that’s certainly something to put a spring in our step.

Cruise Passenger readers are a pretty astute lot. And those of you who have been answering our sentiment surveys – and a word of thanks to the many who have taken the trouble to do so – have shown us just how ready you are to resume cruising.

Right now, almost 95 per cent of you are fully vaccinated and 70 per cent are looking for a cruise in 2022. Your resilience has been remarkable and has sustained us during the dark days when ships were riding at anchor and crews sent home.

Now it’s time for your reward. We hope you find the cruise you’re looking for in these pages.

There’s plenty to choose from. Ships have been sailing out of Singapore for a full year, with Royal Caribbean and Dream clocking up tens of thousands of cruises safely and without major incident. Europe has almost two-thirds of its fleet back on the water, and American ships are plying the coasts and Caribbean. Royal Caribbean expects to clock up one million guests by Christmas.

In this edition, we’ve surveyed the trends and brought you a picture of what to expect when you book an itinerary aboard. Our European editor Sue Bryant has been travelling almost non-stop since mid-year, and her lessons for today’s traveller are salutary.

Expect more paperwork than ever before. And no-one can quite agree on what they want. Every country – and every cruise line! – seems to have a different health or safety protocol. Her best advice: stay flexible and try to stay relaxed. It’s worth the frustration.

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Top: Cheers to your next cruise: raising a toast at Indochine Restaurant on Silversea’s Silver Muse.

Cruise operators have been keen to explain why a cruise ship is about the safest and least restrictive place you can be if you want to visit more than one country on your holiday. Not only are testing regimes second to none, but the new hospital facilities are also state-ofthe-art. More than 94 per cent of you said it was vital that crew and passengers are all fully vaccinated. And for the most part, cruise lines have heeded that call.

Meanwhile, the most important trend has been one we have been writing about for some time: the flight to smaller ships with more luxury. Our survey of travel agents points out the switching to smaller ships has been marked as booking returns.

The winners are lines like Regent Seven Seas, Oceania and Viking, with small ships and an emphasis on comfort and security. In the premium sector, where Princess once reigned supreme, Viking, Norwegian and Celebrity, which has a completely new ethos around all-inclusive offerings and a growing fleet of exciting new ships, have been rapidly gaining ground.

Meanwhile, the allure of adventures and expeditions has grown enormously as we reward ourselves with revenge spending for the last 20 months of abstinence.

Lines like Hurtigruten, Ponant and Scenic have found growing demand for new itineraries in northern Europe, like Norway sailings, and bucket-list trips to the ice.

Meanwhile in Australia and New Zealand, the new era of living with the pandemic has at least seen movement in returning foreign-flagged vessels to our waters.

Our survey showed 93 per cent of you believe the government should get on with setting up a pathway to return sailings to Australia.

Get the latest on our newsletter at cruisepassenger. com.au. And sail safely!

Peter Lynch Publisher, Cruise Passenger

CONTENTS

cruıse passenger

Issue 84, Spring 2021 Editor-in-chief and publisher Peter Lynch peter.lynch@bigsplashmedia.com.au Deputy editor Bernadette Chua bernadette@bigsplashmedia.com.au Executive editor Teresa Ooi teresa@bigsplashmedia.com.au Art director Mark Nulty Copy editor Mark Sariban Advertising sales manager Vida Folden vida@bigsplashmedia.com.au Partnerships manager Kate Radcliffe kate@bigsplashmedia.com.au Digital marketing manager George Levett george@bigsplashmedia.com.au Contributors and writers Sue Bryant, Tallis Boerne Marcus, Tony Slinn, Jeannine Williamson Subscriptions Phone 02 8227 6486 – Australia Phone +612 8227 6400 – International cruisepassenger.com.au/magazine Printed by IVE Cover courtesy of Celebrity Cruises.

14 SPRING 2021 6 / The big picture Le Commandant Charcot.

NEWS

10 / Top trends for 2022 We asked Australia’s top experts what’s in store for cruising next year.

14 / Mask up and be prepared

CRUISE MEDIA AUSTRALASIA

cruisepassenger.com.au Cruise Passenger magazine is published

by Cruise Media Australasia 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 Cruise Media Australasia 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.

With Europe opening up for cruising, here’s what you need to know before you go.

CRUISE REVIEWS

32 / Luxury on a grand scale On board Celebrity Apex, the second Edge-class liner in the Celebrity fleet.

36 / Expedition cruising in style We sail on Crystal Cruises’s first expedition ship, the 200-passenger Endeavor.

40 / One of a kind

The five-masted Golden Horizon is the ultimate ship for yachties looking for a cruising experience with a difference.

44 / The royal treatment Sky Princess ups the stakes for an already impressive Royal-class offering from Princess Cruises.

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18 / Royal Caribbean’s massive Aussie season The Quantum-class Ovation of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas are heading here.

25 / Travel like a local

On Hurtigruten’s famed Norwegian Coastal Express.

26 / Line up for Australia’s cruise season Which international lines are coming to our shores?

28 / Adventures close to home Cruise rules in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

Win!

FLIGHTS TO NORWAY AND A 12-DAY NORWEGIAN COASTAL CRUISE WITH HURTIGRUTEN, WORTH $12,000.

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THE BIG PICTURE

THE BIG PICTURE BLUE LAGOON MEETS THE ARCTIC Le Commandant Charcot, Ponant’s hybridelectric polar explorer, features a heated open-air pool, the Blue Lagoon. It’s the perfect spot to soak up the vast expanses of ice you’ll encounter on an Arctic cruise.

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THE BIG PICTURE

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CRUISE PLUS: ???????????

ADVENTURE HAS NEVER BEEN BIGGER

A summer of untamed adventure is just on the horizon when Australia’s three boldest ships sail in summer 2022-2023. Discover Queensland’s most high-tech ship, Quantum of the Seas®, sailing from Brisbane. Embrace action-packed adventure onboard her sister ship, Ovation of the Seas®; or indulge in world-class dining on Radiance of the Seas®, both sailing from Sydney. 2022-2023 is the time to pencil in an unforgettable escape to the destinations you’ve been dreaming of.

The adventure begins October 2022.

1 202 Cr rs uis e O perato

JAMIE’S ITALIAN BY JAMIE OLIVER

BUMPER CARS AT SEAPLEX ®

NORTH STAR ®

HOLIDAYS DEPARTING FROM SYDNEY AND BRISBANE

Health and safety protocols, guest conduct rules, and regional travel restrictions vary by ship and destination, and are subject to change without notice. Due to evolving health protocols, imagery and messaging may not accurately reflect onboard and destination experiences, offerings, features, or itineraries. These may not be available during your voyage, may vary by ship and destination, and may be subject to change without notice Itineraries are subject to change without notice.

Royal Caribbean

Visit your local travel advisor

1800 754 500

Health and safety protocols, guest conduct rules, and regional travel restrictions vary by ship and destination, and are subject to change without notice. Due to evolving health protocols, imagery and messaging may not accurately reflect onboard and destination experiences, offerings, features, or itineraries. These may not be available during your voyage, may vary by ship and destination, and may be subject to change without notice.

y not aries

CruiseNews OCEAN • RIVER • ADVENTURE • PORTS

INSIDE

10 What’s in store for cruising in 2022?

14 Report from Europe: mask up and be prepared.

26 The pick of the upcoming Australian cruise season.

Oceania Vista’s opulent main dining room.

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CRUISE NEWS

Top trends for 2022 What does cruising have in store next year? We asked Australia’s top experts.

Their verdict: the big winners will be lines offering security, luxury and flexibility.

Tallis Boerne Marcus reports.

/ LUXURY TAKES OFF Regent Seven Seas Cruises UK managing director Graham Sadler said earlier this year that “business is ramping up now and it will explode in the coming months”. The ultra-luxury cruise line then celebrated a record-breaking launch day when its 2024 world cruise sold out in under three hours.

“It all demonstrates that the appetite for luxury travel continues to grow… we see little easing of demand for our unrivalled space and luxury,” says Mr Sadler.

RSSC’s sister brand Oceania Cruises also recently set a single-day booking record, beating out its previous record by nearly 60 per cent. This followed the buzz around its new vessel Vista, which is set to start sailing in April 2023.

“The tremendous wave of bookings we saw on the day we opened sales for Vista underscores the extraordinary demand for our acclaimed small-ship, destination-focused vacations,” says Oceania Cruises president and CEO Bob Binder.

Michelle Levins, director of My Cruise Concierge, says cruisers are willing to pay the big prices to get the luxury they’re after.

“Our luxury clients, while everyone loves a great price, are focused more on the value they receive with the onboard and offshore experiences on offer.

“Viking, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas and Ponant, just to name a few, are brands that our clients are seeking out more as they move up from premium cruising and into the luxury, more inclusive market.”

Kathy Pavlidis from Travel Associates is seeing similar patterns, also for brands such as river-cruise line Uniworld, Silversea, Ponant, Regent and Oceania. “There are a lot of ‘revenge cruise bookings’ going on at the moment, with longer and multiple trips being booked,” says Ms Pavlidis.

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/ EXPEDITION BOOMS It appears not only are people looking forward to luxury, but cruisers are looking for more unique destinations. More cruise lines are launching expedition vessels, with companies such as Viking and Seabourn branching into polar-class ships.

“Expedition cruising is on the rise with high-yielding clients seeking luxury experiences in remote destinations. Even typical non-cruisers are venturing on expedition voyages, as cruises can reach many areas that can’t be done via land,” says Ms Levins.

“Bucket-list places are high on the list, especially the Arctic and Antarctica. I think 2020 has taught us not to wait to do that trip in five or 10 years, as we never know what may be around the corner.” Lines are also offering more intrepid destinations.

Aurora Expeditions, for instance, has added Raja Ampat Islands in Indonesia as well as Papua New Guinea to its list of 2023 itineraries.

The ships have also become a base for scientists, with Celebrity Flora, based in the Galapagos, and Hurtigruten and Ponant vessels sailing with fully equipped laboratories on board, taking guests from being observers of exploration to feeling like explorers and researchers themselves. / EUROPE STILL THE CRUISING HOTSPOT Europe has long been one of the most attractive cruising regions, and nothing has changed. But with month after month of border closures, there is more pent-up demand than ever. It’s been a soft

CRUISE NEWS Far left: Taking a cooking class at the Culinary Center on Oceania’s new Vista. Left: Waterslide fun on the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape.

Below: Taking in the northern lights on Hurtigruten’s MS Spitsbergen.

Bookings for Europe are so strong that passengers are being forced to look at 2024.” start for both river and ocean cruising, but many experts anticipate that by next summer lines will be back at full fleet capacity.

Sharon Summerhayes, of Deluxe Travel & Cruise, says bookings for Europe are so strong that passengers are being forced to look at 2024. “Europe is very strong for 2023 for all markets. Cruises are being booked up until mid 2024. I think once firm announcements are made for Aussies to be able to travel, 2022 is going to get very busy, very quickly.”

While it’s always expected that classic Mediterranean itineraries or Norwegian expeditions will sell fast, the demand is so high that even the less traditional destinations are being snapped up. Carnival Cruises America has announced its first cruise in more than 10 years to Greenland.

That September 2023 voyage was sold out in less than 24 hours and, as a result, the family-fun cruise line has added a second Greenland voyage.

/ CRUISERS ARE UPGRADING While there are experts saying that some cruisers are staying loyal to their favoured cruise lines, others are switching brands.

Samantha Patton, product manager for small-ship cruise specialist Cruise Traveller, attributes the rise of luxury cruisers switching temporarily to expedition voyages to the fact that people are focusing specifically on destinations they want to visit. “Some people love their first luxury cruise brand and never leave, while others are more itinerary driven and are looking for deeper discoveries. These people are not about a particular brand, but about a particular experience.”

Ms Levin said those who aren’t switching lines are spending big and opting for upgrades. “Most cruisers are still brand-loyal, but are upgrading their accommodation options. We are selling more suites than ever before. However, with a greater focus on itineraries, clients are upgrading their cruising experience by going on more premium or luxury cruise lines.”

Ms Summerhayes is seeing both upgrades and switches aplenty. “Being unable to travel in 2020 and 2021, travellers feel they deserve more luxury on their holidays, and rightly so.

Cruisers are definitely upgrading lines as they move to a more inclusive and luxury product.”

/ LONGER VOYAGES ATTRACTING CRUISE LOVERS Cruisers are also opting for longer voyages. Earlier this year, Regent Seven Seas’s 132-night 2024 world cruise sold out in less than three hours, a record for the line. Oceania’s 180-day Around the World cruise was snapped up in less than 24 hours, and Silversea’s 140-day 2023 cruise also sold out in less than a day. cruisepassenger.com.au

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CRUISE NEWS

The ultra-luxe Regent Suite on the Seven Seas Grandeur.

Ms Patton said the shift towards longer cruises is the most notable change in post-pandemic bookings. “Longer cruises are the biggest change. We always knew that Australians like to travel for at least three weeks to the northern hemisphere, but that is now growing to four or five weeks. World voyages are in very high demand, with people having to transfer from 2020 and 2021 trips.”

Michael Schischka, general manager of Mary Rossi Travel, is also seeing this. “Unique itineraries are selling out first. Longer voyages to more remote destinations are mainly sold out already for 2022. Regent Seven Seas has already waitlisted Australia and New Zealand cruises for 2022/23, as well as Silversea’s 2024 Grand Voyage.”

/ WHERE ARE WE CRUISING DOMESTICALLY? Since New Zealand announced it won’t host cruises until at least October 2022, many Aussies have been holding their breath to see if we suffer a similar fate.

Our ports are ready and waiting. Brisbane will be the big winner, with a brand-new port facility at Luggage Point, which was ready to open in October 2021.

Royal Caribbean won’t be cruising until the 2022 wave season now, but is basing a Quantum-class ship in Brisbane and preparing to make the Whitsundays a new must-do destination, with fabulous island itineraries.

P&O has the new Pacific Encounter (formerly the Star Princess) due to sail from Brisbane, while Carnival Spirit will sail for Carnival Cruises. Once the pandemic is fully under control, expect more sailings around Tasmania and the Kimberley. / UNCERTAINTY AROUND FAMILY CRUISING While there’s been no shortage of cruise bookings overall, families are still waiting to see what happens.

Ms Summerhayes says bookings have reflected the impact of this uncertainty. “Personally, I’ve seen a drop in big family trips for 2022 and I think that’s mainly due to uncertainty.

“It’s a bit easier for a couple with no kids to be disrupted, so I think many families are going to stay close to home for a while until they have more confidence that we’re back to ‘normal’.”

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Ocea

While some family-friendly cruise lines have outlined vaccination requirements that cover children, P&O Cruises Australia is the only line to have explicitly stated its policy. It’s a big issue for lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean, which rely on families and have built their offerings around entertainment for younger cruisers. It’s anticipated that, as vaccinations for more youngsters are available, the uncertainty will dissipate.

/ WHAT NEW TOYS CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE ON SHIPS? Richard Branson’s Scarlet Lady, the first ship of the Virgin Voyages cruise line, has started sailing as an exclusively no-kids zone. Expect instead tattoo parlours, a karaoke lounge and adult-themed cabaret shows.

If you’re looking for new layers of lavishness, Celebrity Beyond will have you covered, with a two-storey villa featuring a private plunge pool, staterooms with infinite verandahs, a Michelinstarred restaurant and a two-deck Sunset bar.

Set to start sailing on April 27, 2022, Celebrity Beyond will also shine a torch on wellness, with Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow serving as the brand’s wellbeing advisor.

Also debuting in 2022 is Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, which is set to become the world’s largest cruise ship, housing a modest 5,734 passengers. Wonder of the Seas will be home to a nine-deck zipwire, 19 pools, the tallest slide at sea, suites with Lego walls, oysters aplenty and so much more.

Ms Patton also sees entertainment and wellness on the rise.

“Entertainment has increasingly taken the form of enrichment over the last 10 years and that will only grow. And wellness, I believe, will start to be more about not just our wellness, but the wellness of our planet, with less plastics, more natural products and not just body care but also mental wellbeing.”

Ms Summerhayes also notes that the ‘ship inside a ship’ concept is luring customers. “I’m booking more suites than ever right now as people want access to exclusive areas of ships.

“The ‘ship inside a ship’ concept is something that cruisers are really into and it’s fantastic for those who want the best of the best, but also love that big-ship variety of experiences.

People want ‘exclusivity’ now more than ever, but they also want to go to silent discos.”

Sum

Spac

CRUISE NEWS

Prima Speedway

Oceanwalk

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

CRUISIN G N ORTHERN EUROPE FROM AUGUST 2022

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To the first-time seekers and explorers of the extraordinary. This one was made for you. Welcome aboard Norwegian Prima, the first in a new class of ships designed to elevate every expectation.

Explore the greater wide open with the most outdoor deck space of any new cruise ship. Unwind in our most spacious accommodation and enjoy first-in-class service so you won’t wait a second for that second round. Be the First to discover a new experience at sea, setting sail August 2022.

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Ships’ Registry: Bahamas and USA. 195908 09/2021

Norwegian Prima

CRUISE NEWS

Mask up and be prepared Europeans were among the first to enjoy the return of cruising. Sue Bryant joined that initial wave and discovered what Australians need to know before they

T

he rollout of COVID vaccinations in Europe and beyond has brought new freedom to cruise fans, but cruising is far from ‘normal’. Here are some of the lessons we’ve learned while travelling during a global pandemic — and a taste of what fully vaccinated Australians should be ready to encounter.

far from it. Every country has its own rules regarding masks, vaccination, boosters, social distancing and public gatherings.

And in some countries, these rules vary according to region.

It’s your responsibility to understand the rules for wherever you’re going; sometimes cruise lines can barely keep up themselves.

Prepare for paperwork

Italy has the Green Pass and France has the Pass sanitaire, which you download onto your phone. While we didn’t have an actual Green Pass in Italy in October, I had to show my vaccination certificate, with QR code, and ID to get into any public building. In France, you’ll even need the Pass sanitaire to get into a café.

As Europe heads into winter and what’s predicted to be a tough flu season, there’s no reason to assume any of this will have changed by the time Australian travellers arrive in spring.

At times this year, completing the paperwork before a cruise has felt like a full-time job. At the moment, most European countries require sighting of a detailed track-and-trace form, which generates a QR code, before you’re allowed in. Various administrative joys include scanning your vaccination certificate, scanning your fit-to-travel COVID test, and knowing exactly what seat you’re sitting in on the aircraft.

Tip: Travel with a tablet or laptop to complement your phone, as some forms must be filled out in detail while you’re in transit. Do not expect your ship’s crew to be across the nuances of every country’s form.

Every country is different You may have thought the European Union was one homogenous bloc, but it’s

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Green passes in varying forms

Masks everywhere Mainland Europeans are pretty compliant when it comes to masks in public spaces.

In Spain, France, Greece and Italy, you wouldn’t expect to enter a shop or use public transport without a mask. So you’ll need a good supply of masks on hand.

CRUISE NEWS

Mask chic Some cruise lines have started a trend in mask fashion. Celebrity offers silky blue ones, while Variety Cruises gave us smart navy cotton versions and Regent offers its own logo-ed fabric mask. Others are stricter; Saga Cruises bans all masks apart from the standard paper ones it issues itself, so no glittery facewear there on formal night.

Protocols on board No two cruise lines have the same rules on board. P&O Cruises didn’t allow dancing when we sailed on the new Iona in August, although Saga and MSC did. Uniworld’s SS La Venezia, a small riverboat, allowed public gatherings in the bar, three opera singers and a band — but no cruise director’s nightly briefing.

The one thing I’m grateful for is that of the seven cruise lines I’ve sailed with this summer, none have had a self-service buffet. The last thing you want is other passengers breathing over your food.

Every line has different testing rules Generally speaking, you can expect to be tested at the cruise terminal before you board, again mid-cruise and possibly before disembarking. These are rapid antigen tests in most cases.

Celebrity Cruises is stricter and, at present, requires PCR tests to be done a couple of days before sailing, as does Seabourn. Depending on where you join your cruise, you may need a separate test to enter some countries. Be prepared for a lot of tests. The antigen tests at the terminal are free, as is any mid-cruise testing. Viking, for example, conducts saliva tests most days on each cruise.

If you need a fit-to-fly test to travel home or to your next destination, you don’t need to go hunting down a chemist on a remote Greek island. Cruise lines will supply these tests, but you usually have to pay.

Bubble tours are a bore Several cruise lines still insist on ‘bubble’ excursions, so you can’t go ashore independently. You’re at the mercy of the cruise line to provide affordable, entertaining excursions.

I’ve done some that were very good (an MSC tour to a superb stately home in Dorset comes to mind), while others were frankly depressing. In November last year, I sat on a beach in the

Caribbean watched over by police so we didn’t mix with the locals.

The rules for going ashore depend on local protocols and the cruise line’s own policy. So far this summer, Greece has been the best bet, with independent exploration allowed everywhere.

Situations change rapidly Snap local lockdowns can happen if COVID rates spike. I was in Mykonos in July the day a week-long lockdown was announced.

None of the bars were allowed to play music and a curfew was in place. This doesn’t tend to affect cruise passengers, as ships usually leave in the evening, but you need to keep an open mind.

COVID does get on board I’ve been on three ships so far where COVID has slipped past the testing. All cruise lines have different protocols for dealing with this, but it’s becoming an inevitability rather than a drama, unless you happen to be the person with COVID. If someone develops symptoms or tests positive, they’ll be isolated in their cabin.

Close contacts, including crew, are tracked and traced, isolated and tested.

Once you’re cleared, you’re allowed out again.

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CRUISE NEWS

SAILING TO VENICE? THERE’S A TAX WITH THAT

Venice is set to impose an entry fee for visitors in order to regulate the huge numbers of tourists descending on the city.

Day-trippers, including cruise passengers, will need to book in advance, pay a fee and enter the city via electronic turnstiles.

The plan is set to be imposed in the northern hemisphere summer of 2022. The entry fee is reportedly set to be between €3 and €10 (between around AUD$4.70 to AUD$15.60), depending on the season. Lawmakers approved the package of restrictions in August.

The measures were originally intended to be launched in 2019, but were postponed due to the impact of COVID-19. Previously, up to 80,000 people a day visited the historic Italian city.

During the height of the pandemic, tourism came to a grinding halt and the locals noticed a visible change to the environment, even spotting dolphins in the newly clear waters.

Earlier this year, a plan to stop large cruise ships from sailing into the centre of Venice was approved and now all large ships must berth at a location outside of the city.

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST – THE NEW HOT SPOT CRUISE REGIONS

REGENT AND OCEANIA SET TO LAUNCH NEW SHIPS Luxury brands Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises are each set to take the luxury market by storm with the addition of new ships in 2023.

Ultra-luxe Regent Seven Seas’s new Seven Seas Grandeur will come with 15 suite categories. This includes the Regent Suite, which carries a price tag of more than $100,000 per person on some voyages.

There are new spaces on board, including The Parlour and fresh designs of favourite restaurants such as Prime 7 and Chartreuse. Seven Seas Grandeur’s inaugural journey will be from Barcelona to Miami in November 2023.

Meanwhile, when Oceania’s Vista launches in April 2023 it will be the line’s first debut in 11 years. Oceania is known for its fantastic culinary offerings, and Vista will have 12 dining venues, four of which are new to the ship. One of the highlights will be the Culinary Center, where guests can partake in hands-on cooking classes. Or you can head to the Culinary Center Dining Room for a private dining experience.

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The Middle East is bidding to become the next major fly-cruise hub, with a number of big-name cruise lines homeporting in the region and a massive new cruise terminal opening in Dubai.

MSC and Scenic have both pledged to sail in the Arabian Gulf and Saudi Arabia, with MSC announcing it would be homeporting its ships in the port of Jeddah for the next five years. MSC World Europa is set to debut at the end of 2022 by sailing in the Middle East, with bookings opening for MSC’s first World-class vessel.

Scenic revealed earlier this year it would be sending the luxurious Scenic Eclipse to the Red Sea, after its Australian Kimberley season was cancelled.

A number of luxury cruise lines, like Regent Seven Seas and Silversea, have also dedicated calls in the region for their 2022 and 2023 world cruises.

And Africa is set to become a new bucket-list cruise region, with lines like Hurtigruten unveiling new itineraries to the African West Coast. Hurtigruten will offer its first-ever 13-day African itinerary on MS Spitsbergen calling at The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Cape Verde. The cruise departs from Dakar, one of Africa’s vibrant cities, on November 27, 2022.

CRUISE NEWS

THE LAND OF FIRE AND ICE

E

cruising Travel and Azamara have launched a new fly-and-sail 15-night itinerary that includes an 11-night cruise between Reykjavik and Dublin on board Azamara Journey.

The Icelandanic Treasures journey begins in the capital of Iceland, where cruisers can soak up Viking history and enjoy some of the best craft beer in the world.

Azamara Journey then sets off to picturesque Seyðisfjörður. This quaint town has striking, colourful architecture. And it’s worth walking along the east bank of the Fjarðará River to take in breathtaking waterfall views.

From there you’ll sail to Akureyi, nicknamed the capital of North Iceland, and spend the night here. It’s one of the best places to base yourself for a tour to one of the longest fjords in the country – and hopefully catch a glimpse of the northern lights.

Next on the itinerary is the country’s whalewatching capital of Húsavík, where locals often spot a number of different species enter the bay.

Azamara Journey continues to the Faroe Islands, which are known for their ruggedly handsome cliff faces and colonies of adorable puffins, before setting off for Ireland. Prior to disembarking in Dublin, Azamara Journey calls at the Northern Ireland city of Belfast, home of the Titanic.

Azamara is known for its fleet of smaller ships and the line is focused on more overnight stays and more time in port. Its itineraries are

Call Ecruising’s cruise specialists on 1300 369 848 or visit www. ecruising.travel for more details.

designed to include overnight stays and late evening departures, giving cruisers more time to experience the local culture, arts, history and to explore the natural beauty further inland.

Azamara offers personalised shore excursions that includes meeting locals and dining in their homes, as well as exploring the markets of cities, towns and villages.

The itinerary includes return economy-class flights, two-night’s accommodation in a five-star hotel in Reykjavik, an 11-night cruise on board Azamara Journey, accommodation in a five-star hotel in Dublin and more.

Prices start from $8,959 per person, with up to $900 onboard credit per cabin.

Exclusive offer: Cruise Passenger readers receive additional $250 on board credit per cabin.

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CRUISE NEWS

Royal Caribbean’s massive Aussie season

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oyal Caribbean has announced New Caledonia, Fiji and Loyalty Islands. a blockbuster Australian wave The new season also features more season for 2022/23, including weekend two- and three-night ‘sampler’ sailings on two of its Quantumcruises than ever before. class vessels, Ovation of the Seas and Quantum is the most technologically Quantum of the Seas. Ovation and Radiance advanced ship ever to homeport in of the Seas will sail out of Sydney. And Queensland. With features like the the line is promising a renewed focus on RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, Queensland, with Quantum of the Seas North Star all-glass viewing capsule and sailing out of Brisbane’s new International FlowRider surf simulator, she offers the Cruise Terminal from October 2022. ultimate family holiday from the Sunshine “Quantum-class ships are State. Along with over 18 dining in a league of their own in options, she’ll also bring a new Australian waters – and we wave of entertainment never have two sailings in the seen before in Australia.

2022/23 season,” Quantum will offer 24 says Gavin Smith, sailings ranging from vice-president and three to 18 nights, managing director including two transpacific of Royal Caribbean journeys, to destinations International, Australia and in the South Pacific, New New Zealand. “This calibre of Zealand and Australia. ship isn’t seen elsewhere in this Families will be spoilt for region, and their technological choice over the summer, with more Clockwise from top: Ovation of innovation and modern hardware South Pacific school holiday the Seas; the open up a new audience to cruising. sailings on offer than ever before. lush solarium “Along with fan-favourite Fares start from AUD$1,049* per on Ovation; bumper cars Radiance, they offer variety and person on an eight-night South on Quantum’s adventure that can’t be matched – it Pacific cruise departing from Seaplex, the largest will be time to turn holiday-making Brisbane on November 1, 2022. indoor active up full throttle in 2022/23.”

Prices include onboard activities space at sea; Rollerskating at Together, the three gamelike the RipCord by iFly and the Seaplex. changing ships will offer 66 twoFlowRider. Fares start from to 19-night cruises throughout AUD$549* per person for an Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu, interior stateroom on a three-night 18

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Weekend Sampler departing from Brisbane on November 24, 2022.

Ovation of the Seas, a Sydney favourite, will sail her seventh Australian season with cutting-edge entertainment venues like the transformational Two70, featuring top shows that weave aerialists and robots into showstopping performances.

Ovation will offer 20 sailings ranging from two to 19 nights to summer stops in New Zealand, Queensland and the South Pacific.

Fares start from AUD$1,099* per person on an eight-night Australian sailing departing from Sydney on March 3, 2023.

Radiance of the Seas is focusing on food, boasting 11 world-class dining options from the exclusive Chef’s Table to guest favourite Izumi. She’ll offer 22 sailings ranging from three to 18 nights to New Zealand, South Pacific, Great Barrier Reef and Tasmania.

Fares start from AUD$1,399* per person on a nine-night Australian sailing departing from Sydney on December 28, 2022. * Pricing is correct as of October 21, 2021 and is subject to change.

CRUISE NEWS

VIKING CRUISES THE WORLD

A Celebrity Down Under

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elebrity Cruises has opened bookings for the first Celebrity Edge Australian season. She will sail Down Under for the 2023/24 wave season. The luxurious vessel will sail out from Sydney, starting from December 9, 2023, on a 12-night cruise to New Zealand.

This kicks off a huge season of cruising, with just a few of the highlights being a 10-night cruise through the South Pacific, a 10-night Great Barrier Reef cruise and a nine-night Australian Wine Cruise, all sailing out of Sydney and all on board the muchcelebrated Celebrity Edge.

A six-night Tasmania itinerary starts at $1,679 per person, and a 10-night itinerary in New Zealand starts from $2,810.

Outside of the Australian Celebrity Edge season, you could always choose from three shippings that will be sailing seven-night itineraries to Alaska’s Last Frontier. And there are further Pacific Coast sailings that will take you to destinations such as Mexico’s Ensenada, Catalina Island and San Francisco.

Viking has unveiled its 2023/24 World Cruises on Viking Sky and Viking Neptune, which will offer identical 138-day itineraries sailing to 28 countries and offering 57 guided tours. Viking said that its new world cruises itineraries will see Viking Sky depart Fort Lauderdale in Florida on December 20, 2023, and Viking Neptune depart three days later on December 23, 2023 – both ships will sail identical itineraries to Central America before transiting the Panama Canal and sailing up the west coast of North America. Prices start from $87,995 per person.

A shorter, 121-day itinerary will also be available for guests to join the ships in Los Angeles, cross the Pacific Ocean and visit Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, Asia, the Middle East, Mediterranean and conclude the voyage in London. Prices for the shorter journeys start from $81,995 per person.

The World Cruises offer guests overnight stays in 11 ports, including Sydney, Haifa, Istanbul, Bali, Ho Chi Minh, Yangon and Mumbai, plus two nights in Auckland, allowing guests to delve deeper into these cities.

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CRUISE NEWS

Underwater world

A CHILLY PONANT ADVENTURE Luxury French line Ponant will operate special voyages to Antarctica from New Zealand in 2023. These voyages aboard Le Commandant Charcot will take you to some of the most ecologically unique corners of the Earth and shower you in luxury along the way. Included among the 2022/23 season voyages are two new itineraries that operate to and from New Zealand, making it more accessible for Australians and New Zealanders than we might be used to.

The first itinerary runs from Argentina’s Ushuaia to Dunedin from January 16 to February 13, 2023, with prices starting from $59,880 per person. This voyage will have you spotting orcas, seals, whales and penguins as you navigate around the edges of New Zealand.

The second voyage is also between New Zealand and Argentina, but now starting from Dunedin, before sailing for 26 nights from February 14 to March 12. You’ll visit World Heritagelisted sites as you discover the wonders of Adélie Land, Victoria Land, Marie Byrd Land, Macquarie Island and more, while gaining a true appreciation of the biodiverse nuances of the White Continent.

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When Scenic’s six-star luxury yacht, Scenic Eclipse II, debuts in early 2023, it will feature a world first: a 10-guest Triton submarine. Sitting inside the Triton 660/9 AVA’s transparent pressure hull, you’ll be able to take in the wonders of the underwater world in style. Scenic is planning to launch this innovative way of cruising underwater for itineraries in the polar region and the tropics in the first quarter of 2023, says Rob Voss, chief operations officer at Scenic Group.

“This new partnership means even more of our guests will be able to discover beneath the surface and we’re excited to have this first-ofits-kind Triton on board our latest discovery yacht, Scenic Eclipse II,” he said. One day you may be able to host intimate wedding receptions, have a special spa treatment, sip chilled champagne at cocktail parties or dine like King Neptune, although unfortunately these experiences are “not part of our current plans for Scenic Eclipse II”, according to Scenic. In the meantime, guests on Scenic Eclipse II can always enjoy an underwater world where the panoramic views of marine life cast a hypnotic calm.

WHAT YOU GET ON A $800,000 CRUISE Regent Seven Seas will welcome a couple on what could be the world’s most expensive cruise, with some suggesting the couple are Australian. They spent a cool $800,000 to luxuriate for 61 nights in the top Regent suite on Regent Seven Seas Explorer, sailing from Sydney to Tokyo on a 61-night Grand Asia Exploration from January 26, 2023.

Regent won’t say anything about the couple, out of respect for their clients’ privacy. But we do know they are not newbies who have struck it rich with a Lotto win. They are seasoned cruisers who adore the finer things in life and have been starved of overseas travel for the past 24 months.

So what do you get for an $800,000 cruise? Two spacious bedrooms, and a living and dining room with a Steinway piano. And a private solarium and an in-suite spa. A personal butler and a complimentary cocktail party for eight. Plus a private car and guide at every port, unlimited shore excursions,

CRUISE NEWS

When will Carnival be sailing again?

Carnival Corporation, the owner of some of Australia’s favourite brands, including P&O Cruises Australia, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard and Holland America, has started to make waves across the world.

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y the beginning of November, Carnival will be back to having around 50 per cent of its 91 cruise ships sailing, marking an important milestone on its path back to full-strength sailing.

Here’s a round-up of how each line is going with its return to service and, in particular, a return to our sparkling Aussie shores.

/ CARNIVAL AUSTRALIA Carnival’s long break from Australian cruising will be broken on February 17, 2022, when Carnival Splendor sails out on a threeday jaunt from Sydney.

Following this will be an exciting flurry of itineraries out of Sydney and Brisbane, with the Brisbane voyages on Carnival Spirit. / P&O AUSTRALIA P&O Australia is scheduled to return on a Barrier Reef Discovery cruise out of Brisbane on January 15, 2022 with Pacific Encounter. Other January itineraries include a four-night cruise from Sydney to Tangalooma, an Australian Open tennis cruise and two more Barrier Reef adventures. / PRINCESS Princess has started to thrive across the globe again, with eight MedallionClass ships already sailing or scheduled to be sailing by the end of November, and Island 22

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Princess and Diamond Princess set to join them soon. Locally, Princess is set to rejoin the fun in Australia in style with a 10-night Tasmania round trip from Brisbane on January 27, 2022, aboard Coral Princess.

/ CUNARD Cunard is already back sailing internationally, having returned to sailing in August. The line is also now taking happy customers on international cruises to western Europe and the Atlantic Islands.

However, if you’re hoping to hop on a local Cunard sailing you still have a while to wait, with Cunard slated to return to Australia in November 2022 with Queen Elizabeth. The returning voyage is a 17-night Sydney to Fremantle sailing via Bali, disembarking in Perth.

Clockwise from top: P&O Australia favourites Julie McEwen and Leeron Lungo on the Pacific Adventure; Diamond Princess is set to return to open waters soon; Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, due to return to Australia in November 2022.

/ HOLLAND AMERICA LINE Holland America now has all four of its ships sailing, after Rotterdam kicked off its maiden voyage in October. Meanwhile, Noordam is heading for Australia in November 2022.

Her voyage starts in San Diego and she arrives in Sydney on November 12 after an epic journey. From November 12 to December 17, there’s a 35-day Australia Circumnavigation cruise that goes all around Australia’s famous coastlines on a huge voyage.

Cruisers can join segments of the journey, stepping onboard in Fremantle on December 3 for two weeks of sailing back to Sydney via South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

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CRUISE NEWS

Norwegian Prima gets The Drop on entertainment

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orwegian Cruise Line has revealed its array of entertainment features and acts aboard - Norwegian Prima, which is due to commence sailing in August 2022. The headlining act will be the Tony-nominated musical Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. She will be heading to bucket-list destinations like Norway, Iceland and the Baltics which are proving popular with intrepid Australian cruisers.

However, the nightlife isn’t the only thing being reinvented, with highlights also including free-fall dry slides and the largest racetrack at sea. Harry Sommer, president and CEO of NCL, said: “We’re not just elevating the guest experience, we’re giving it an adrenaline rush and multi-sensory overload.

“When we launched Norwegian Prima, we aimed at going beyond expectations, providing our guests with more wide-open spaces, elevated service, thoughtful design and a variety of unforgettable experiences, and this latest unveiling of our entertainment and onboard activities line-up is going to have the wow factor they’ve yearned for in a much-anticipated cruise vacation.”

Norwegian Prima will debut The Drop, the world’s first free-fall dry slide, where you can take a 10-storey plunge.

Or you can race on duelling dry slides on The Rush.

If the slide racing fires you up, you can turn it up a notch at Prima Speedway. This three-level go-kart racetrack spans 420 metres and 14 dizzying turns, where you can hit speeds of more than 50 km/h.

Clockwise from top: The Prima Speedway go-kart racetrack crowns the ship; Summer: The Donna Summer Musical headlines the onboard entertainment; the winner’s podium at Prima Speedway; The Rush dual slides.

And the Galaxy Pavilion, a virtual gaming complex, is filled with activities like a virtual golf course, race cars and motorcycles, and an escape room. By night, the three-storey Prima Theatre transforms into an LED dancefloor, with music pumping until the early hours of the morning.

The Norwegian Prima will also have a dedicated comedy club called Improv at Sea, and there will be rock bands playing classics at Syd Norman’s Pour House, as well as dart boards at The Bull’s Eye bar. cruisepassenger.com.au

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CRUISE NEWS

TRAVEL LIKE A LOCAL For a truly authentic travel experience, mingle with locals on board Hurtigruten’s famed Norwegian Coastal Express ships as they service the stunning coast of Norway.

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urtigruten’s Norwegian Coastal Express has sailed the coast of Norway since 1893, serving local communities and showing international guests this incredible part of the world. For more than a century, the name Hurtigruten has been synonymous with experiencing the authentic, everyday life of the coast.

Hurtigruten’s signature voyage along the Norwegian coast travels from the southern city of Bergen, across the Arctic Circle, up to the small town of Kirkenes and back. It’s 12 days and 2,500 nautical miles of some of the most stunning scenery you’ll ever see.

You’ll sail alongside local Norwegians who have relied on these ships for transport, postal services and cargo for generations, making this journey the ultimate in authentic travel experiences.

While the voyage is a feast for all the senses, your taste buds in particular are taken on a memorable journey along the coast, with the trio of onboard restaurants serving you delicious, seasonal dishes made from locally sourced ingredients.

One of Hurtigruten’s local suppliers (and an optional shore excursion) is Tove and Knut Åland’s Aalan Farm.

This family-run farm delivers award-winning goat’s cheese, spices and teas to Hurtigruten’s ships as part of its Norway’s Coastal Kitchen concept. Serving food based on fresh ingredients is another way Hurtigruten cements its ties to local businesses and supports the families who rely on them.

Knut Åland says: “Tove and I love the idea that guests from all over the world, they’re seeing the amazing landscapes of the Norwegian coast and at the same time enjoying cheese from our farm and drinking our tea. We feel really honoured to be part of that.”

Clockwise from top: The Norwegian Coastal Express ventures into dramatic fjords along the way up the coast, including Geirangerfjord; the majestic Hjørundfjorden is also on the route; Knut Åland tends to his Aalan Farm goat’s cheese, which is served on Hurtigruten ships; sailing into Honningsvåg, the northernmost town on Norway’s mainland.

All along the Norwegian coast, people have a lifelong connection with Hurtigruten and its fleet of ships. One of those people is Hurtigruten’s very own Ronald Aas, one of the line’s shore excursion coordinators.

“The Coastal Express and I, we go way back,” Mr Aas says proudly. “My first trip on board was the journey home from the hospital in Tromsø after my mother gave birth to me.”

On that point, Mr Aas also remembers the Coastal Express ships as being key in bringing people together. “They were our connection to the wider world, bringing friends from afar or family from a few ports away,” he says.

“Without the Coastal Express, my life wouldn’t have been what it has. It’s provided so many opportunities for me and others like me who live on the coast,” Mr Aas says. “The people along the coast and the Coastal Express are in a partnership, a mutual existence. One cannot exist without the other. I love the fact that my work involves showing visitors the real heart and soul of the Norwegian coast.” cruisepassenger.com.au

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CRUISE NEWS

Line up for Australia’s next cruise season

P&O Cruises plans to start cruising from Australian ports in January 2022. Below: Ponant’s Le Lapérouse will be visiting Hobart in late 2022. Bottom: Sapphire Princess will drop by Kangaroo Island on its Southern Australia Explorer cruise.

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ike Rip Van Winkle awakening from his 20-year slumber, or in this case a two-year pandemic hiatus, local cruisers are desperate to hit the high seas again. Local cruise lines APT and Coral Expeditions have been blessed to be able to sail Down Under over the past 12 months, with voyages around Western Australia’s Kimberley and Broome regions and Tropical North Queensland.

But with the international border restrictions set to relax, cruisers can expect to see luxury and contemporary vessels grace our waters again.

French luxury line Ponant will restart its Kimberley cruises aboard the 92-cabin Le Lapérouse and 92-cabin Le Soléal, offering a number of departures from Broome to Darwin in 2022. There’s a popular 11-day, all-inclusive itinerary that offers shore excursions to King George River, the spectacular Twin Falls and ancient Indigenous rock art.

For the sailors, the line has put together a food, wine and yacht-race cruise in Tasmania with an 11-day Hobart to Hobart Christmas cruise aboard Le Lapérouse from December 23, 2022.

During the cruise, food and wine will be at the centre of shore excursions to awardwinning wineries, meet-and-greet events with producers, and wildlife tours to see penguins and dolphins.

Australian-flagged Coral Expeditions, which carries a maximum of 100 passengers per ship across its fleet, will kick off 2022 with sailings to Tasmania on board the 72-passenger Coral Discoverer from January 27.

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The three-month season will visit the Apple Isle’s pristine World Heritage wilderness and discover native wildlife, rugged mountains and crescent-shaped beaches carved by the elements.

A highlight of the expedition will be exploring the wilderness areas of Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour. Coral Expeditions also offers adventure cruises to the outer Great Barrier Reef, the Kimberley, South Australia, Cape York, Arnhem Land and Torres Strait, the west coast of Australia and circumnavigation series.

By the end of 2022, big-ship lovers can expect to see some of their favourite vessels return. Celebrity Cruises, for instance, will start its sailings in Australia with an 11-night cruise in November 2022 on board the Celebrity Eclipse.

Departing from Sydney, the voyage visits some of Queensland’s most picturesque places to encounter the Great Barrier Reef, including Port Douglas, Cairns and Airlie Beach.

Eclipse then has a solid season sailing on voyages between Australia and New Zealand, cruising the Milford, Doubtful and Dusky sounds as well as visiting Napier, Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland.

Royal Caribbean’s massive season is due to start in October 2022, with short sampler cruises sailing from Sydney to places such as Newcastle and Eden.

There are voyages on Quantum of the Seas departing from Brisbane and sailing down the east coast to the former whaling town of Eden and back.

P&O Cruises is hopeful to start cruising in January 2022, with voyages planned to Tangalooma, the Whitsundays and even to the Sapphire Coast Food Festival.

This will be the first time Australians get the chance to sail on the new Pacific Adventure, which is packed with new dining venues and public spaces.

In December 2022, P&O is set to host a very special Pride Cruise departing from Melbourne, celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. There will be special events, seminars and parties on the sailing.

Princess’s bumper season starts in November with Grand Princess, Sapphire Princess, Majestic Princess and Royal Princess heading Down Under.

Princess ships will cruise around the country and to New Zealand, with a Southern Australia Explorer cruise departing from Melbourne.

On this lovely cruise, Sapphire Princess will visit Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln in South Australia before stopping in on Phillip Island in Victoria on the way back to Melbourne.

CRUISE NEWS

Cruise must be booked 02/11/21 – 13/12/21. Offer applies to select 4-night and longer cruises that depart 01/12/21 – 31/03/23. Offer excludes Alaska cruise tours, and Galapagos cruises. No promo code required. Eligible sailings listed at celebrity.com/au. Up to 50% off cruise fare for the second guest in the same stateroom as the first full fare guest at standard rates, combinable with always included. All other charges are additional and apply to all guests. “Always included” pricing packages apply to inside, ocean view, veranda, concierge class or Aquaclass® stateroom (“eligible bookings”). All guests in an eligible booking who choose the “always included” pricing package will receive a classic beverage package, service charges included, and an unlimited surf internet package. Save up to 50% off 2nd guest fares. Full deposit must be paid by deposit required due date. Standard full deposit penalty is applied if the booking is cancelled within final payment period; see Celebrity’s cancellation policy for details. Refer to celebritycruises.com/au and the cruise ticket contract for additional terms and conditions. Changes to booking may result in removal of offer. Offers and prices are subject to availability, cancellation and change without notice at any time. ©2021 Celebrity Cruises. Ships’ registry: Malta and Ecuador.

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CRUISE NEWS

ADVENTURES CLOSE TO HOME

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he South Pacific and Asia are two regions Australians love to cruise. It’s been a year since cruising in Asia resumed, with Royal Caribbean and Dream Cruises sailing some of their flagship vessels from Singapore. The region is set to see a wave of new ships, with Royal Caribbean’s Spectrum of the Seas now based in Singapore.

“We’ve seen international bookings from the US, UK, Italy, Mexico, Germany, Canada, Australia, India and China for the sailings, and look forward to welcoming these fly-cruisers,” said Angie Stephen, vice-president and managing director of Royal Caribbean Asia Pacific.

From October 2022 to April 2023, Spectrum of the Seas will homeport in Singapore. The first Quantum Ultra ship will sail three- to nine-night round-trip voyages visiting Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. But other parts of Asia are also opening up for cruising. Taiwan, South Korean and Japan are ready to welcome cruise lines after the two-year hiatus.

Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth will sail from Hong Kong to Tokyo, while luxury line Silversea will also offer round-trip voyages from Yokohama to ports like Shimizu and Kobe.

Celebrity Cruises will also be adding more sailings to Japan, visiting Kochi and Okinawa as well as Korea’s Jeju Island. And part of its 12-night Far Eastern itinerary features an overnight in either Kyoto, Kobe or Bangkok. Taiwan is also becoming a popular cruise destination, and Dream Cruises hopes to restart sailings to the region soon. It will have a series of two- to four-night cruises visiting Kaohsiung, Anping, Hualien, the Matsu Islands, Penghu and Kinmen.

And in Indonesia, Aqua Expedition’s five-deck, 15-suite vessel Aqua Blu sails from Bali and Flores to the coastal destinations of Komodo National Park, East Indonesia’s Moyo Island, Ambon and Spice Islands, Raja Ampat and the Banda Sea. 28

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THE SOUTH PACIFIC IS CALLING The warm waters, sunshine and friendly faces of the South Pacific have drawn Aussies back to cruise the region. The next year will be big for our favourite brands as they return to sail on new itineraries and favourite voyages.

Carnival Spirit is offering a variety of seven-day cruises from Brisbane to the South Pacific visiting Lifou Isle, Maré and Noumea for travel from May, June, July, August and September 2022.

P&O cruises to the Pacific Islands depart from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to match every budget. From Brisbane, there are Pacific Island Hopper cruises offering seven-day itineraries from May to December next year, calling at three tropical paradises on board Pacific Encounter.

Royal Caribbean has an eight-night South Pacific cruise onboard Quantum of the Seas. It’ll depart Brisbane on November 1 next year.

Oceania Cruises’s French Polynesian voyage begins and ends in Tahiti’s Papeete, calling in at Noumea, Maré, Mystery Island, Suva, Lautoka, Apia, Pago Pago and Bora Bora along the way.

Exploration Antarctica’s Ross Sea

EXCLUSIVE 24 NIGHT CRUISE PACKAGE Embark on a fully escorted extraordinary adventure to the seldom visited Ross Sea from New Zealand, and walk in the footsteps of legendary polar explorers on this exciting expedition.

EXCLUSIVE CRUISECO PACKAGE INCLUSIONS:

• SAVE up to 15% Earlybird Discount • Return flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide^ to Dunedin and returning from Hobart

• €150# Onboard Credit per person (approximately $235AUD per person) • Airport Transfers – On arrival from Dunedin airport to hotel & on departure from cruise terminal in Hobart to airport

• 2 nights pre cruise accommodation at Distinction Hotel Dunedin including breakfast • Hosted 2 hour welcome cocktail function at hotel to meet and mingle with other group guests

• Hotel to cruise terminal transfer in Dunedin • Private Cocktail Party with Captain & Expedition Manager and Group Host • Welcome Aboard bottle of Veuve Clicquot in stateroom • Friendly host from Cruiseco to escort you on your expedition CRUISE INCLUSIONS:

• 22 night cruise on Le Soléal from Dunedin to Hobart including: – – – – – – –

All meals while on board the ship Unlimited Wi-Fi Port charges Open Bar including wines, French champagne, alcohol excluding premium brands Evening entertainment and events 24-hour room service Excursions with Expedition Guides

DEPARTS DUNEDIN 20 JANUARY 2023 RETURNS HOBART 13 FEBRUARY 2023

from

27,999*

$

per person twin share

Please contact your Cruise Specialist for further details or call: 1800 550 320 or visit: www.cruising.com.au *Conditions apply. From price based on a Superior Stateroom, a deposit of 20% of the holiday price is due within 7 days of booking, a second deposit of 55% must be made no later than 11 Mar 2022. Final payment is due by 10 Oct 2022. Cancellation fees apply from 15 Jan 2022 and bookings are 100% non-refundable from 10 Oct 2022 onwards. The fares are shown in Australian dollars and are based on a twin share basis and include the 15% Early Bird discount. #OBC max €300 per stateroom and based on current exchange rate and may fluctuate. All rates are subject to change with or without notice. 15% early bird discount fare is valid for sale until 07 December 2021 unless sold out prior, reduced discounts will apply after this date. ^Flights are economy fares and departures from Adelaide on 19 Jan 23 require an overnight stop in Auckland at an additional cost. The Cruiseco General Booking Conditions are available at https://www.cruising.com.au/terms-and-conditions. Other conditions apply - ask for details. Cruiseco Pty Ltd ABN 12 629 158 005

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BestCruises IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO PLAN YOUR NEXT CRUISE INSIDE

36 Crystal’s first expedition ship, the Endeavor.

40 Golden Horizon evokes the golden age of sailing.

44 The regal Sky Princess takes to the high seas.

On board the luxe Edge-class Celebrity Apex.

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SHIP REVIEW: CELEBRITY APEX

LUXURY ON A GRAND SCALE Celebrity Apex is the second Edge-class liner in the Celebrity fleet, following the award-winning, Sydney-bound Celebrity Edge. Tony Slinn tried her out.

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eally, it’s as if you have your own private yacht,” Billy, a Celebrity Apex barman, tells me, noting there are only about 400 passengers aboard as COVID continues to take its toll on travel and bookings.

We’ve sailed with Celebrity since 2008, mostly aboard Solstice-class ships that can carry 2,850 passengers served by 1,271 crew. Celebrity Solstice has been a staple in the Australian market and, with her neatly manicured lawn offering a picnic area on the upper deck, has become something of a legend.

Edge and Apex are game-changers.

With Celebrity claiming to offer allincluded luxury – a big call for a big-ship line – and with Edge heading for Sydney in 2023, we were excited to try her out.

Our immediate impression was that Apex felt more spacious. Maybe that was because 2,500 passengers were missing.

She’s also more fuel-efficient, according to chief engineer Argyrios Poulakis, and more eco-friendly.

Celebrity describes Apex as “pushing modern travel to bold new heights”. And while echoes of the Solstice-class ships remain, a whole lot is brand-new.

This includes The Retreat, which is said to offer unparalleled luxury for the exclusive use of Suite Class passengers.

It has its own pool, sundeck, lounge and 32

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restaurant, the Luminae, so you don’t have to mix with the hoi polloi.

Celebrity’s Solstice-class ships have a private lounge called Michael’s Club, and other lines, such as Princess and Holland America, have something similar. But Edge-class ships join MSC (the Yacht Club) and Norwegian (the Haven) in having a true ‘ship-withina-ship’ offering.

It comes, of course, at a price. To give Celebrity credit, even if you’re in the cheapest Sky Suite, which is not that much more spacious than a standard balcony cabin, you still have access to The Retreat. The other five suites go all the way up to the Iconic. You’ll need deep pockets for that.

We were given a tour of The Retreat and the Sky and Celebrity suites. The latter is a ‘proper’ suite with a separate bedroom, ensuite bathroom and a lounge.

The Retreat certainly is luxurious. The first thing we noticed was padded, fulllength cushions on the sun loungers, not something you get elsewhere aboard Apex.

We were booked in AquaClass, one under Suite Class. AquaClass gives you free run of most things in the ship’s well-appointed spa; a rather nice three-position shower array in the cabin bathroom; the new Infinity balcony that completely opens from the room; and an

exclusive breakfast and dinner restaurant, Blu, which encourages healthy eating.

Celebrity cruises now include tips (normally 20 per cent), basic WiFi and a basic drinks package (the Classic).

We always upgrade the drinks package (AUD$225 for two for seven days) to Premium, which allows for better wines, among other advantages. Celebrity hangs its hat on its food and wine offerings – for good reason.

The Edge-class vessels have one design feature that certainly marks them out.

SHIP REVIEW: CELEBRITY APEX

It’s called the Magic Carpet, a brightorange al fresco hydraulic balcony on the ship’s starboard side.

Here’s how Celebrity puts it: “As the Magic Carpet makes its way up the side of the ship, it reaches the very top level, where it becomes an extraordinary sky-high spot where we host an exhilarating and mouth-watering experience we call ‘Dinner on the Edge’, an airy, casual seafood restaurant.”

We thought from that description that the Magic Carpet would go up and down while we munched on that special dinner.

Top: The striking Celebrity Apex, with its bright-orange Magic Carpet amidships.

Left: Family fun on the pool deck.

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CRUISE NEWSCELEBRITY APEX SHIP REVIEW:

After all, it comes in at AUD$350 for two for a tasting menu.

Sadly, we didn’t move up and down.

Also, sadly, it was very windy on our night under the stars, so our beautifully prepared hot dishes became cold faster than we could gobble them up.

But we didn’t have to worry too much about food getting cold elsewhere on the ship. Edge and Apex have four main complimentary restaurants – the Tuscan, Cosmopolitan, Cyprus and Normandie – that not only serve the very good standard menu but have their own signature dishes.

And there are also several casual bars and grills, plus the Ocean View buffet, which, with its open-air seating as well as inside tables, was our lunchtime favourite.

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A really fun place is the Martini Bar in the Grand Plaza, which not only has dancing to live music until late, but amazing acrobatic bartenders” They’re complemented by surcharge restaurants: Eden, Fine Cut Steakhouse, Le Grande Bistro, Raw on 5, Le Petit Chef and the Rooftop Garden Grill. Prices vary from venue to venue.

Apex is a grand ship, from the spacious swimming pool with hot tubs to the indoor solarium with pool for adults only.

There’s a massive array of hour-by-hour things to do aboard, which is outlined in the daily ‘Today’ newsletter.

The entertainment offering ranges from the theatre’s once-nightly shows – Tree of Life, Rockumentary and

Crystallize on our cruise – to short-ish shows, each with a different theme, in the spectacular Eden bar/restaurant complex. And there’s late night jazz in The Club and more.

A really fun place, though, is the big Martini Bar in the Grand Plaza, which not only has dancing to live music until late, but amazing acrobatic bartenders. It was great to see people having fun after the dark days of the pandemic. And yes, we woke up with hangovers.

Edge and Apex are fine additions to Celebrity’s fleet. And the cruise line has

SHIP REVIEW: CELEBRITY APEX

+ FACT FILE CRUISE LINE: Celebrity Cruises SHIP: Celebrity Apex LAUNCHED: 2020 STAR RATING: Not yet rated TONNAGE: 129,500 PASSENGER DECKS: 15 PASSENGER CAPACITY: 2,910 CREW: 1,377 FACILITIES: The Magic Carpet, an orange protruding platform, is suspended along the starboard side of the ship, and does just about everything from tender embarkation to transforming into a dining and lounge space. Celebrity Edge also has balcony staterooms with ‘infinite verandahs’.

Left: The Magic Carpet platform set up as a lounge space on the open water. Clockwise from top right: Celebrity’s Edge-class ships are known for their fine-dining options; one of the many dishes you can enjoy on board; in-room service in a penthouse suite; putting on a show in the theatre; sunset drinks on the Magic Carpet.

upped its game with The Retreat for Suite Class passengers.

And if you can wait until April 2022, Celebrity’s third Edge-class vessel, Celebrity Beyond, will, according to the cruise line, “redefine the art of luxury travel again”.

+ THE VERDICT HIGHS: Five-star staff; food choices and quality; welldesigned AquaClass cabin with its Infinity balcony; excellent COVID precautions plus free tests for arriving and departing passengers; well-organised embarkation and disembarkation.

LOWS: High-priced excursions – the cheapest was a bus to a beach for AUD$65 per head, although you got a sunbed and a cool drink.

BEST FOR: Couples and solo travellers looking for a taste of the good life coupled with big-ship shows and facilities. www.celebritycruises.com

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SHIP REVIEW: CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR

EXPEDITION CRUISING IN STYLE Crystal Cruises’s first expedition ship, Endeavor, sailed up the Thames to London to provide a taste of life on board, writes Emma Featherstone.

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t was an unusual vessel to be anchored on the Thames in the middle of London. A 200-passenger adventure ship, a gleaming hunk of white that vied for attention with the nearby restored clipper ship Cutty Sark. It was yacht-like but substantial, at 164 metres long and 23.4 metres wide.

Equipped with 18 Zodiacs, 14 sea kayaks and its own submarine, Endeavor is built to sail between icebergs and over choppy waters.

Those who book in for a voyage to the Antarctic will enjoy all-inclusive excursions led by a dedicated team of 20 experts, including a marine biologist, ornithologist and geologist. Hikes, wildlife spotting and yoga on remote beaches are some of the activities on offer.

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SHIP REVIEW: CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR

Left: Crystal Endeavor sails into Vopnafjörður Bay in northeast Iceland. Below: Palm Court, the ship’s entertainment hub.

I boarded Endeavor on the Thames to get a taste of what it’s like to stay on Crystal Cruises’s first expedition ship, which made its maiden voyage, a circumnavigation of Iceland, in July. It was stopping in London for the night before departing for an 11-night cruise to Lisbon. Cruise itineraries often claim to include a London port, when the ship in fact stops in Tilbury or even Southampton. The maritime grandeur of Greenwich, with the spike of the Shard, the slab of the Walkie Talkie and other City skyscrapers framing the horizon, firmly places you in the capital.

The layer of grey that had coated the sky that morning finally turned to light blue, the sun casting shards of light onto the water. Greenwich is home to the Prime Meridian line, representing the exact division of the eastern and western

hemispheres. It’s a fitting place in which to immerse oneself in the concept of expedition cruising.

/ THE PENTHOUSE SUITE Stepping on board, it was quickly clear that the adventures available directly from the ship (passengers are kitted up in ‘mud rooms’ before getting aboard Zodiacs and kayaks), did not mean skimping on luxury.

A palette of jewel tones – amber, emerald and jade – is carried throughout the public areas and cabins. And space is plentiful. Endeavor was carrying around 65 guests when I joined. However, even when at full capacity, it has the largest space per guest ratio of any such ship. (Mask wearing is a cruisepassenger.com.au

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SHIP REVIEW: CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR

The Endeavor’s invitingly cosy solarium.

My butler had more of the command you might expect from Downton Abbey’s illustrious staff than the more laidback stewards I’d met on other small ships” matter of personal choice, and a number of social distancing measures are still in effect.)

The cabins are also generous on space. Deluxe Suites are the entry-level option, yet come with a living area, complete with a two-seater sofa, TV and desk. There’s also a balcony, a king-sized bed, a mini walk-in wardrobe, a neatly compact bar, a sizeable bathroom (with sit-down shower) and a separate toilet.

Those with eyes on something roomier can pick from a Penthouse Suite, an Expedition Penthouse (with a separate living area) or, for full luxury, an Owner’s Suite or Expedition Suite. The latter pair come with Jacuzzi baths, separate dining areas and details such as glass-enclosed taps.

/ DINING OPTIONS Round-the-clock butler service comes as standard. A dedicated cabin steward is typical among some cruise lines, particularly the upper end of the market that operates small vessels.

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My butler’s demeanour had a touch more of the command you might expect from Downton Abbey’s most illustrious staff than the more laidback stewards I’d met on other small ships and river ships. The luxury continues in the onboard restaurants, which include Waterside, the main dining area, and Marketplace, which is around the solarium at the aft.

There are also three specialty venues, Umi Uma & Sushi Bar; Prego, a 36-seat area serving Italian food; and The Vintage Room, a private dining spot where wine-pairing dinners are held. Breakfast and lunch are also available in Bistro Endeavor.

In Marketplace, you can expect dishes such as gin-cured salmon gravlax, pan-fried Atlantic halibut and orange crème brûlée. Come breakfast, the menu switches to treats such as Belgian waffle and cinnamon-raisin brioche French toast.

“Have both!” the waiter insisted as my dining companion deliberated between a main of beef tenderloin and braised beef cheek or broiled king crab legs.

While we polished off pitchers of chocolate martinis, I enjoyed a sample of the repertoire of Salvatore, an Italian singer and musician whose range covered Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, Tom Jones, Bruce Springsteen and Diana Ross.

His instrumental skill set included the harmonica, piano, saxophone and drums (again, they likely stretched beyond what he revealed during his stint on stage).

The pinnacle was his take on We Are the World, the American charity song. His voice fluctuated between the tone of the 21 soloists featured on the record. It would be easy to forget,

SHIP REVIEW: CRYSTAL ENDEAVOR

+ FACT FILE

Above: The ship is “yacht-like but substantial”, allowing it to enter smaller harbours and navigate ice flows. Clockwise from far left: an entry-level Deluxe Suite; the living room in a Penthouse Suite; an open deck at night; balcony views in a luxe Penthouse Suite.

while drinking in the atmosphere of the evening, that you were sailing to the planet’s farthest ends. Of course, once you stepped out onto deck and spotted a hunk of ice in the distance, you’d feel a fresh jolt of wonder.

The ship’s high-tech equipment comes into play when navigating around the Drake Passage on a wildlife expedition or to the glaciers and fjords of Greenland. This includes the submersible, or submarine, a drone and remote-operated cameras that feed images back to the ship to be watched on TV from the comfort of the suites.

And then there’s the Zodiacs, sea kayaks and snorkelling gear. At the opposite end of the high-tech spectrum is the humble library, but a well-stocked, adventurers’ reading paradise at that.

Expedition voyages tend to come at a hefty price. Cruises on Crystal Endeavor are no different. Book in for the 14-night round trip from Ushuaia next February and you’re looking at a cost of at least AUD$34,515.

With the all-inclusive food (and most drinks), excursions and butler service, not to mention the marine biologists and submarines at close hand throughout your voyage, expedition cruising is an experience that can’t be replicated as an independent traveller.

That’s one reason why expedition cruises tend to sell out months in advance. Over the next year or so, Endeavor will also venture on voyages from Tokyo to Taipei, Bali to Cairns, and Tema (Ghana) to Dakar (Senegal).

CRUISE LINE: Crystal Cruises SHIP: Crystal Endeavor LAUNCHED: 2021 STAR RATING: 5 TONNAGE: 20,4490 PASSENGER DECKS: 8 PASSENGER CAPACITY: 200 CREW: 209 FACILITIES: Four dining options; 24-hour room service; various bars, coffee bars and lounges; one pool; whirlpool; casino; spa and salon; fitness centre; sauna; water sports platform; Zodiacs and submersibles.

+ THE VERDICT HIGHS: The ship offers the highest space per passenger ratio among similarly sized vessels, and oceans of luxurious fittings. There’s also a great variety of food.

LOWS: My butler’s commanding demeanour was a bit more imperious than the more laidback stewards you’d usually encounter elsewhere.

BEST FOR: Well-heeled adventurer couples and those ticking off the expedition cruise on their bucket list. www.crystalcruises.com.au

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ON THE HORIZON The Golden Horizon is the ultimate ship for yachties looking for a cruising experience.

Jeannine Williamson takes a deep dive with the five-masted vessel.

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SHIP REVIEW: GOLDEN HORIZON

A bird’s eye view of the Golden Horizon, the world’s largest square-rigged sailing vessel.

Left: the Golden Horizon with the wind in her sails.

A

s I start to slowly submerge beneath the water, I try to remember my diving instructor’s instructions, most notably that I should imagine I am a baby orangutan kissing its mother. With my best primatestyle pursed lips locked around the mouthpiece, I sink down alongside Craig, the diving instructor, and slowly start to feel relaxed enough to look around.

Although I am kitted out in full diving gear, I can only make out a few murky shapes in the background, as opposed to a shoal of brightly coloured fish. In fact, in something of a marine role reversal, I am probably the one who is being observed through the glass walls of the cylindrical human aquarium that drops down through two decks of the Golden Horizon and is visible in the lecture room and shop.

However, any lack of underwater sea life and the fact I am probably entertaining other passengers with my rather wobbly

descent is of little consequence as I break the surface once again and my orangutan pout turns into a wide grin. “You have dived and survived,” declares Craig, who is full of fun one-liners that put rookie divers like me at ease. As well as the trial diving sessions, passengers can go on to complete a PADI course in the pool and sea.

The 4.35-metre dive pool on Golden Horizon is one of the innovative features on a ship that’s already a one-of-a-kind vessel in its own right. The world’s largest tall ship is based on the France II, a five-masted vessel built in 1913 to both transport cargo and carry passengers in style.

Golden Horizon doesn’t carry cargo, and the 21st-century recreation also eschews the usual conventions of a cruise ship.

It’s the antithesis of vessels constructed to carry thousands of guests. Indeed, many of my fellow passengers are keen yachtsmen or romantics who say they would not go on a cruisepassenger.com.au

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SHIP REVIEW: GOLDEN HORIZON conventional cruise. Going back to the start of our journey this summer, which was Golden Horizon’s inaugural sailing, it was a thrilling moment when the 35 milky sails started to unfurl against the backdrop of stirring music specially commissioned by Tradewind Voyages, the UK-based cruise line operating the ship.

I noticed some rather seasoned-looking sea dogs wipe away ‘sea spray’ from their eyes and knew I wasn’t the only one to feel a goosebumps moment as the rigging creaked, the warm breeze filled the sails and we slipped out of harbour for the first time.

Carrying fewer than 300 passengers, Golden Horizon was built at Croatia’s Brodosplit shipyard in a feat of 21st-century engineering that marries the golden age of sailing with the demands of contemporary seafarers.

Golden Horizon’s masts measure up to 63 metres in length, and the sails have a total surface area of just under 6,400 square metres. That’s roughly the size of a football pitch. Where possible, the ship sails under wind power, with a goal of 70 per cent of the time over a sailing season. And itineraries have been curated to follow the sun and make the optimum use of prevailing winds and ocean currents.

At the helm of this magnificent vessel is Polish-born master Mariusz Szalek, who caught the nautical bug when he first sailed a dinghy with a three-metre sail.

“This has been my dream since I was a boy,” he says as I talk to him in the wheelhouse. Unlike most cruise

Left: A Deluxe Balcony Cabin hints at the long-lost days of clippership voyages.

Below: The dramatic dining room. Bottom: The main pool on deck.

Right, from top: The meticulously maintained main deck; taking the plunge in the 4.35-metre dive pool; unfurling the sails.

+ FACT FILE CRUISE LINE: Tradewind Voyages VESSEL: Golden Horizon LAUNCHED: 2021 LENGTH: 162 m PASSENGER DECKS: 4 PASSENGER CAPACITY: 272 CREW: 159 FACILITIES: 40 cabins and suites with ensuite facilities; restaurant; bars; library; spa; sun deck; and three pools, including a dive pool.

BOOKINGS: Golden Horizon sails the Caribbean for the northern hemisphere winter 2021/22 and the Mediterranean for the northern hemisphere summer 2022. Cruise-only Caribbean fares start from AUD$3,335 per person.

+ THE VERDICT HIGHS: A unique vessel that fires the imagination with a thrilling seafaring experience from bygone days combined with facilities to suit the modern-day traveller.

LOWS: The lack of lifts means the ship is not suitable for passengers with mobility issues.

BEST FOR: Well-travelled types who aren’t looking for a mainstream cruise experience and want to sail on a vessel that is equally the centrepiece of the holiday as the destinations. tradewindvoyages.com

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SHIP REVIEW: GOLDEN HORIZON

I wasn’t the only one to feel a goosebumps moment as the rigging creaked and the warm breeze filled the sails” ships, where officers and guests barely mix outside of the occasional cocktail soiree, Golden Horizon has an open bridge policy. Guests are welcome to drop by and chat, unless the ship is sailing in or out of port or crew members are engaged in navigational manoeuvres.

“Golden Horizon can reach a speed of 17 knots under sail and around 14 knots through engine power,” he tells me. “The definition of a sailing ship is one that can do more under sail than engines.”

Although the crew members do all the hard work, which includes swabbing the expansive wooden deck, you cannot help but feel involved as the sailors busy themselves around the neatly coiled ropes and winches that are intermixed with sun-loungers and swimming pools.

In fact, the whole Golden Horizon experience revolves around the ship itself, so don’t expect the type of glitzy entertainment you get on bigger cruise vessels, as here it’s all pretty low-key. There is a pianist who plays a white grand piano in the main lounge bar, a pop-music duo, quizzes and gentle pursuits including deck quoits and knot tying classes.

Inside the lecture room, there are films and talks on the destinations being visited and all manner of things to do with the sea and sailing.

By the end of my week I got to know the distinctions between a jib and a square sail, and how nautical speed was originally measured from a piece of rope with knots tied along

its length at equal distances (hence the term knots). I also picked up some essential maritime knowledge, such as when the sun is over the yardarm to traditionally mark the time to have the first drink of the day – happily much earlier than I had originally thought!

Other facilities include a gym and a spa, with heat rooms and a fun snow grotto to cool off afterwards. There’s also a marina platform, which is extended from the back of the ship when conditions allow, with all manner of toys including snorkels, paddleboards, kayaks and, for an extra buzz, sea scooters that pull you through the water.

Back on the ship, the interior decor consists of swathes of gleaming wood, shiny brass and swashbuckling paintings.

The centrepiece is a grand two-storey dining room reached by sweeping spiral staircases.

The transparent overhead swimming pool is cleverly used to bathe the area in natural light, although you might want to think twice about taking a dip or sitting in the pool when there are diners below. The retro feel is continued in the cabins, where many of them have atmospheric portholes. Before leaving I chat once more to Captain Szalek and ask him if he has fulfilled all his ambitions, now that he’s at the helm of the Golden Horizon.

“It is my dream to sail her around Cape Horn,” he confides.

If that comes to be, I’m sure there will be many passengers who will want to join him on a ship that is so much more than a means of transport between destinations. cruisepassenger.com.au

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SHIP REVIEW: SKY PRINCESS

THE ROYAL TREATMENT Sky Princess ups the stakes for an already impressive Royal-class offering from Princess Cruises.

Jeannine Williamson reports.

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SHIP REVIEW: SKY PRINCESS

W

alking towards Alfredo’s Pizzeria on the second day of my Sky Princess cruise, I am surprised when the front-of-house manager greets me by name. It’s my first time in the restaurant and I probably continue to look even more bemused as she shows me to a table and starts to point out vegetarian options on the menu. Then I remember the OceanMedallion that’s tucked away in my bag.

It doesn’t take long for my bewilderment to fade: during the ensuing week I quickly get used to bartender Fabian (I know his name because it’s on a badge) asking if I would like my favourite cocktail in Vines Wine Bar. This cosy bar, where one wall is lined with wine bottles, has become one of my preferred drinking spots on Sky Princess after I discover the wine flights that give you the chance to try an assortment of three different wines, such as the sparkling trio of Beautiful Bubbles or The Colours of France with a Gallic threesome of red, white and rosé.

The size of a coin, the OceanMedallion is Princess Cruises’s high-tech showpiece. You can wear it on a lanyard or a pendant or fixed to a bracelet around your wrist. Or you can carry it around in your pocket. Whichever way you carry it, the clever little gadget personalises, in every sense, your cruise experience.

As well as staff being able to greet you by name and be notified of your food and drink preferences, by using it with the app you can order food and drink wherever you are on the ship and it will be delivered to where you’re sitting.

You can also keep in touch with friends and family who are onboard, create a bespoke itinerary, find out how busy restaurants are and much more. And here’s another clever thing or two: it can guide you to your cabin, and as you walk towards the door the medallion will automatically unlock it. No more fiddling around to find key cards. If you’re worried that Big Brother is watching you, rest assured the medallion doesn’t store any personal data.

Sky Princess is the fourth of the line’s Left: Enjoying Royal-class vessels. These ships are the largest an open-air in the fleet and have some lovely design movie from the comfort of a Sky details. Anyone who has sailed on sister ships Suite balcony – Royal Princess, Regal Princess or Majestic guests in these supersized suites Princess will recognise the centrepiece get to choose one piazza-style Atrium. of the films that plays on the big It’s lined by speciality restaurants and screen. Above: bars, along with a choice of multiple main The Sky Princess off the coast of dining rooms included in the fare. But the Montenegro. latest arrival boasts some all-new features, too. Many of my nights ended up in Take cruisepassenger.com.au

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SHIP REVIEW: SKY PRINCESS

I loved taking a dip in the Wakeview infinity pool at the back of the ship, which has a namesake bar that’s a great spot for sundowners” Five, a super-cool live jazz lounge with a sophisticated Art Deco fit-out.

And by day I loved taking a dip in the Wakeview infinity pool at the back of the ship, which has a namesake bar that’s a great spot for sundowners.

The Sanctuary, an adult-only retreat found on other Princess ships, sports a new contemporary design and has twice as many private cabanas as its sibling vessels. There’s also a new cafe in the Princess Live venue serving barista-made coffee and light bites.

Another novelty, if you’re brave enough to look down, is the Seawalk, where you can step out onto a glass floor that extends over the edge of Sky Princess and gives a thrilling view of the ocean below.

On the accommodation front, the 1,830 cabins span eight categories and include 38 wheelchair-accessible staterooms. There are also two all-new soaring Sky Suites high up on deck 18 that have 270-degree views.

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The wraparound balconies alone measure 93 square metres and are billed as the largest at sea.

A quirky perk for guests in these supersized suites is that they get to choose the film on one of the ‘movies under the stars’ nights. As the suites overlook the screen on the pool deck, the occupants get an uninterrupted grandstand view.

That said, there’s an opportunity for everyone to push the boat out if you book one of the ship’s 1,000 plus balcony cabins.

For the perfect daybreak treat there’s the Ultimate Balcony Breakfast, where staff lay the verandah table with crisp white table linen and set out an expansive feast. At AUD$60 for two it’s good value, as it includes half a bottle of champagne, freshly squeezed orange juice, fruit, smoked salmon, pastries and assorted hot and cold dishes.

As I was travelling solo (you can’t order a single-size serving), it lasted me through the day for morning snacks, lunch and teatime, when the last mini muffins came into their own!

Another dining highlight is to book a place at the Chef’s Table, which is the centrepiece in the Cielo dining room. It can be reserved for an entire group, or you can share the table with other passengers. Due to the COVID restrictions in place on our sailing, we had to opt for a slightly pared-down version.

Enjoying tranquil moments on the Sky Princess’s adult-only Sanctuary pool deck.

SHIP REVIEW: SKY PRINCESS

+ FACT FILE

Above, from left: Sabatini’s Italian restaurant; the high-tech OceanMedallion.

Far left: Colourful cocktails at Good Spirits at Sea. Left: Enjoying a wine flight at Vines Wine Bar. Below: Slick knifework at the sushi bar. Bottom: A shimmering curtain surrounds the Chef’s Table.

Normally the ship’s executive chef meets diners for champagne and canapes and then personally hosts a multi-course tasting menu with wine pairings. This wasn’t permitted on my sailing. However, what we did get to experience was the theatrical moment when a shimmering curtain surrounds the circular table and turns it into an intimate private dining area.

If, after all that, you’re looking to work off any seagoing kilojoules, Sky Princess has a large gym and outdoor jogging track. But if it all sounds like too much hard work and you just want to relax during your time onboard, there are plenty of lounging areas.

These include the tranquil adult-only Sanctuary pool deck, where there is a cover charge for full- or half-day passes. On the last evening, I head to the Good Spirits at Sea bar, where there are daily cocktail making demonstrations set against the backdrop of a video screen. After perusing the menu, I can’t resist ordering a Butterfly, which is set apart from the other drinks in the intriguing category of ‘Cocktail Magic’.

Mixologist Mark gets busy with gin, Cointreau, lemon juice and other ingredients to create a purple drink.

Next up is the alcoholic alchemy when he stirs in butterfly pea flower tea and it turns pink. “Abracadabra,” he says as he sets it down in front of me.

Maybe I might need to call on my Ocean Medallion to help steer me a steady course back to my cabin!

CRUISE LINE: Princess Cruises VESSEL: Sky Princess LAUNCHED: 2019 STAR RATING: Not yet rated TONNAGE: 141,000 PASSENGER DECKS: 19 PASSENGER CAPACITY: 3,660 CREW: 1,346 FACILITIES: 1,830 cabins and suites with ensuite facilities; 15 restaurants; 10 bars; spa; gym; sun deck; and five pools.

BOOKINGS: Sky Princess is sailing in Europe in 2022/23.

Mediterranean fares start from AUD$3,238 per person, and Princess Plus fares including WiFi and premier drinks package start from AUD$3,799 per person.

+ THE VERDICT HIGHS: Great entertainment; wide choice of dining venues; fun and innovative technology.

LOWS: At 14.6 square metres, the smallest inside cabins are a bit of a squeeze.

BEST FOR: Cruisers with a modern outlook looking for a cool cruise experience, and techies and younger passengers who will love making full use of OceanMedallion and the MedallionClass app. princess.com

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DEFINING CRUISING’S FUTURE CLIA cruise lines have committed to some of the most extensive new health measures of any industry in the world.

Developed with the help of leading medical experts internationally, they cover almost every aspect of cruise ship operations to maintain health and safety as the highest priority.

From vaccination and testing requirements to extensive onboard health protocols, your CLIA travel agent can help you understand the new health measures at sea.

Visit www.cruising.org.au for more information and to find your nearest CLIA cruise specialist travel agent.

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CLIA COLUMN

AUSTRALIA IS READY TO SAIL

By Joel Katz, Managing director, Australasia and Asia, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

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n dozens of countries around the world, cruise ships have made a careful but successful return to sea, operating under some of the most stringent health protocols in the global tourism industry.

Well over two million passengers have sailed on these cruises, each covered by health measures ranging from pre-boarding COVID tests through to comprehensive onboard protocols.

Importantly, the extensive new health protocols that cruise lines have adopted globally are working successfully. They’re doing the job for which they were intended, mitigating the risks of COVID while still allowing cruise guests to enjoy all the best experiences of a holiday at sea.

As vaccination rates rise and Australia embarks on its own path towards reopening, cruise lines are ready with detailed plans to operate in our region.

The experience they’ve gained overseas means they are well equipped to deploy stringent measures locally. These will cover virtually every aspect of the cruise, starting

from the time of booking, continuing throughout the journey, and onward until guests return home. There will be the changes we see, like social distancing and changes to food and beverage service.

And there will be changes behind the scenes, like the detailed response procedures set in partnership with health authorities.

This is not only about protecting guests and crew on board, but also the communities we visit.

The result will be a responsible resumption of operations that starts small and puts health and safety first. This will not

S U B S C R I B E

only allow thousands of Australian cruise fans to return to sea, but will also help revive an industry worth more than $5 billion a year to local economies around the country.

There is still work to be done. We still need to have more detailed discussions with Australian governments to establish exactly how new measures will be applied in this region.

But the message from cruise lines is clear – we’re ready. We have the plans, the insight and the experience to begin a careful return to service in Australia, as we’ve done elsewhere around the world.

AUSTRALIA’S BEST SOURCE OF CRUISE NEWS Find your next cruise and win an Olympus camera

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