Cruise W E E K L Y
Tuesday 2 July 2013
End of Kimberley discounting war Kimberley cruise fares are tipped to stabilise, with some brochure prices already reduced. Australian companies are optimistic that fairer pricing by the region’s only foreignowned line will ease the strain on local businesses as well as provide a better deal for cruise travellers. Tony Briggs, ceo of Coral Princess Cruises, told Cruise Weekly that the past seven years have been “a major challenge” competing against Orion Expedition Cruises. “Coral Princess is an Australian company, our three ships are Australian-flagged and built in Australia, we have Australian crew, we operate under Australian rules, we pay Australian taxes and we pay our crew high wages. “A foreign-owned company has all foreign workers, paid at a much lower rate, they don’t pay Australian taxes and they don’t have to follow our rules.” These lower operating costs has allowed Orion, whose ships are flagged in the tax-free Bahamas, to offer large discounts, which Briggs said local companies struggled to match. The new management of Orion, now owned by Lindblad Expeditions, recently acknowledged the “crazy” situation. Company founder Sven Lindblad said: “Kimberley pricing is all over the place – 50% off, two for one, it’s crazy.
Extend in Prague for free PASSENGERS aboard select departures of Avalon Waterways’ 15-day Magnificent Europe sailing between Amsterdam & Budapest can stay longer in the Czech Republic with a threeday Prague extension being offered for free. Accom, breakfasts, sightseeing and transport to/from Budapest is included in the extension. The offer is on sale for a limited time for new bookings for departures in Sep or Oct 2013, on sale until 31 Aug - for info, call 1300 230 234.
“When people get onboard, everyone’s paid different prices, which is not a good idea and not sustainable.” Lindblad said “tactical discounting” would only be offered to past guests, while brochure prices for 2014 have been reduced by 15% to provide “more credible pricing”. Briggs applauded the “end of false pricing”, which enabled the inflated discounts, and said local lines would now be able to compete on a “level playing field”. “I hope Australian cruisers continue to support our ships, Coral Princess, Coral Princess II and Oceanic Discoverer, as well as other Australian ships, such as True North, Kimberley Quest and The Great Escape. “As these are Australian-flagged ships, they don’t have to sail to an international port, whereas a foreign ship has to go somewhere like Timor, so that means you’re spending two or three days at sea and you have to bring your passport and clear Customs, which leaves only seven days of a 10-day itinerary to see the Kimberley. “On our 10-day cruise between Darwin and Broome, we spend all 10 days in the Kimberley and do two or three landings a day.”
Streaming media on Silversea SILVERSEA Cruises will offer streaming live TV news broadcasts and movies to guests own devices such as iPads on its Silver Cloud ship, with the service to be rolled out to the remainder of the fleet by the end of the year. Any wi-fi enabled device will be able to connect to Silversea’s extensive onboard media library, with 80% of movies also available in five different languages. Passengers without tablet devices will be able to borrow one from the vessel’s limited onboard supply.
Kimberley Cruising 2014
Tall Ship savings available ALL-INCLUSIVE holidays aboard the Lord Nelson tall ship, sailing on segments between Fremantle/Perth/Adelaide/Melbourne/ Hobart/Sydney and across the Tasman to Auckland, Wellington and Nelson have been released for sale. Passengers are encouraged to take part in actively sailing the ship as members of the voyage crew, supported by professionals. The Lord Nelson is on a voyage around the world and will be arriving in Australian waters in Aug, operating the segments before heading across the Pacific Ocean in Dec. Discounted berths up to 20% off are on sale for guests sailing on two or more segments, with more information through Outdoor Travel by phoning 1800 331 582.
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Tuesday 2 July 2013
Pandaw to build ships in Myanmar Pioneers of cruising in Burma, Pandaw River Expeditions is planning the construction of two “ultra shallow draft� ships. The new river vessels, the Kindat and the Kalaw, will have a special design that enables passage in the region’s low waters. With a draft of less than one metre, the 20-cabin ships are intended to navigate channels impossible for other vessels. Pandaw founder Paul Strachan said: “It is wonderful to be building again in Burma where we started nearly 20 years ago. “There is a lot of ship building know-how there, and we can achieve the ultra shallow drafts so essential for the extreme low water conditions now prevailing.� Last year, for three months at the peak of high season, ships of more than one metre
Danish ferry crashes into dock INVESTIGATIONS by Marine Accident authorities are underway in the English town of Harwich, in Essex county after a ferry set to carry 498 passengers to Esbjerg in Denmark crashed into the dock as it arrived. Further departures of the vessel have been suspended for the time being while officials assess the port for damage and look into the cause of the accident, with ship management saying the vessel would be “out of service� for at least the next five days. Water started to seep into the ship after the accident, causing one side of the ship to partially sink, forcing the crew to plug the hole from the inside and build a watertight compartment to prevent any further leaks. The vessel has left Harwich and headed to Bremerhaven in Germany for dry dock repairs.
draft could not pass from Pagan to Mandalay. “At Pandaw, we cannot let this happen,� Strachan said. Sinmalike shipyard, in Yangoon, has been awarded the contract to build the K-plus class vessels of 56 meters length with 20 deluxe staterooms. As exact replicas of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company ships of the 1920s, the Kindat and the Kalaw will be finished in teak and brass, with spacious promenade decks. Both ships are scheduled to operate on the new Mandalay Pagan Packet service, starting July 2014, alongside Pandaw’s Indochina & Orient. Offered weekly, the Mandalay Pagan Packet is a standalone river cruise in and out of Mandalay International Airport, requiring no domestic flights. These newbuilds will bring the Irrawaddy Flotilla up to seven vessels and the total Pandaw fleet up to 12 ships. For details, see www.pandaw.com.
Oceanic to head on global sail NEARLY 90 ports in 33 countries will be visited in a new global circumnavigation cruise by Oceania Cruises, aboard its Insignia vessel. The six-month voyage on the 698-passenger ship is being developed for a departure from Miami on 10 Jan 2015, with staterooms on sale priced from US$39,999 per person twin share.
Capacity boost to Victoria Isl. SEASONAl summer demand for ferry transport between Seattle and Victoria Island has seen a third daily departure added by Clipper Vacations, with the 300-capacity vessel taking 2 hours and 45 minutes to make the journey each way and fares priced from $99pp.
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SHOWING its support for Red Nose Day late last week, Carnival Spirit sailed into its Sydney homeport sporting a giant red nose the largest ever to appear on a cruise liner. The nose-piece (pictured below) measured seven metres in diameter and was brightly lit up from within to celebrate the liner’s partnership with the SIDS national charity to raise awareness for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Red Nose Day is the organisation’s long-running fundraising day, which has contributed $16m to fund research since the event was born. Passengers aboard Carnival Spirit also put their contributions in, participating in a number of activities, such as colouring-in competitions and games with kids during the ship’s turnaround in Sydney, with face painters & clowns also entertaining.
Ship fire off Venice Pullmantur Cruises’ Zenith was stranded for several hours outside Venice on Tuesday after a fire in its engine room. Owned by the Spanish company, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, the ship was about 20 kilometres off Chioggia, on the southern tip of the Venice Lagoon, and had to be towed to the city’s port. The cruise was cancelled and 1,500 passengers were flown home, with nobody injured, according to Italian & Spanish media. The incident follows protests about the safety of big cruise ships sailing in and out of the famous Giudecca Canal.
Book tee times on SeaDream II
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PASSENGERS aboard the SeaDream II luxury vessel can have tee times & transfers arranged at seven top-class courses in Malaysia and Thailand during the ship’s coming Asian season. Green fees can be paid by guests onboard, with a 30-course golf simulator also available for passengers to use while on any of the ship’s 16 voyages from Oct 2013 to Apr next year.
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Tuesday 2 July 2013
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Port Profile: Wat a lot of Bangkok by: Roderick Eime CRUISING in SE Asia is following the same kind of growth patterns experienced elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region and Thailand is one of Asia’s busiest tourist destinations with annual arrivals approaching 20 million. Cruise ships sailing in the Gulf of Thailand and visiting Bangkok will arrive at one of two ports. Laem Chabang caters to the biggest ships and is around two hours south toward Pattaya, while Klong Toey is the older port and nearest Bangkok CBD catering to vessels to the size of Seabourn & Azamara. Your cruise line will most likely have transfers arranged for Laem Chabang, while Klong Toey (KT) is better set up for DIY travellers. Public transport is not really viable at KT and most lines visiting the port will offer shuttles for the short journey into the city. While most city visitors will want to immerse themselves in Bangkok’s famous retail attractions centered on the Siam Exchange BTS station, there are numerous cultural attractions that should also be on your list. These include the famous Grand Palace, Wat Pho and the King Prajadhipok Museum. Also tucked away near the Siam station is the Jim Thompson House [www.jimthompsonhouse.com] museum and shop. A great stop for really stylish Thai souvenirs, especially quality silk. These locations are best experienced on a basic city tour, while retail is best conducted at your own pace. Smart cruisers starting or finishing their journey in Bangkok will allow a couple days sightseeing and shopping in this frenetic city and Bangkok has a selection of magnificent hotels ranging from historic and opulent to chic and funky. Most can be had for under AUD200 per night. Shoppers should try the new Mercure/Ibis right on Siam
Grand Palace in Bangkok
while hipsters must check out the wild Sofitel So Bangkok near Lumphini station. Thai Tips Be polite and keep your manners mild. Things will go quickly pearshaped if you lose your cool and yes, there are plenty of things to test your nerve in Bangkok. The Thais are a patient, friendly people, but don’t push it. Don’t be afraid to bargain when shopping, you might surprise yourself. It’s quite possible to halve the ‘first price’. Look out for tailored suits, fashion and textiles, handbags, jewellery and gadgets - my tip: MBK [www.mbk-center.co.th/en] Getting Around You’ve heard the stories about Bangkok’s nightmare traffic but in truth it’s not really any worse than most major cities in the world and the Thais almost never use their horns. Taxis and tuktuks are inexpensive and the BTS, subway and Skytrain are a dream. Just do a little swotting up beforehand. Private cars and drivers are not as expensive as you might think and certainly a relaxed way of doing your own thing - Contact: AF Holidays [www. absolutelyfantasticholidays.com] Who Goes There? Princess, Star, RCCL, Hapag-Lloyd, Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea, Oceania, Cunard and Crystal are just some of the major, big ship lines that include stops at Bangkok. Because of its excellent airlinks, the city is also used as a hub for many river cruises (eg Avalon, Pandaw, Heritage Line) that turn around in Siem Reap, Cambodia or Myanmar. Boutique ships are common too with SeaDream and HLK’s Hanseatic sailing up river to Klong Toey. More info: www.thailand.net.au.
Floating Market near Bangkok
Cruise Weekly is Australia’s favourite online cruising publication. In production since 2007, Cruise Weekly is published each Tuesday, with a further travel industry update each Thursday. Cruise Weekly is free and is sent to subscribers via email as an Adobe Acrobat PDF document. Sign up for a free subscription at www.cruiseweekly.com.au. PO Box 1010, Epping, NSW 1710 Phone: 1300 799 220 Fax: 1300 799 221
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Downtown port of Khlong Toey
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