Cruising News Magazine Cruising News June 2018 | Page 21

Sights on Asia and Africa
Voyages to Antiquity's northern winter
2018-19 season features a return to
Asia and Africa after a three-year
break. Cruises in the region will begin
in December 2018 and include six
new itineraries and five new po rts of
call including Ain Sokhna in Egypt
(for excursions to the 4th century St
Anthony’s and St Paul’s, the oldest
Christian monasteries in the world
Trincomalee in Sri Lanka; Port Louis
in Mauritius; Reunion Island; and Port
Kelang (for Kuala Lumpur) in Malaysia.
With very few repeated stops
throughout the season, two or more
cruises can be easily combined into
Grand Voyages. Four cruises can even
be combined for the Grand Odyssey
sailing, a 129-day epic trip spanning
half the world, from Athens to Malaga
via Egypt, the Indian Subcontinent,
Southeast Asia, the islands of the Indian
Ocean and Africa.
Experiences on offer range from a
desert island beach barbecue in the
Maldives to cruising the Yangon River
in the heart of Burma, exploring India
by tuk-tuk and discovering the Skeleton
Coast of Namibia.
The winter 2018/19 program features
30 per cent more included shore
excursions and overland adventures
than previous seasons including those
to India’s Golden Triangle and Cape
Town in South Africa, with up to 12
nights in hotels per cruise.
Says Jos Dewing, managing director
of Voyages to Antiquity: “We know
that our travellers are always looking
for something new, and this immersive
season promises to uncover the
culturally rich stories, history and nature
of these fascinating regions.” In addition
to the new destinations and itineraries,
the on-board program for passengers is
being enhanced for the winter season.
This includes guest speakers bringing
to life regional food and wine, cookery
lessons, local cultural entertainment
and a new opera group to entertain
passengers.
Highlight – A dedicated Odyssey
Club Reunion Cruise for members of
Voyages to Antiquity’s past passenger
loyalty club featuring an appropriate
port of call in Reunion Island. Open to
all passengers, the 10 February 2019
Islands of the Indian Ocean & South
Africa sailing will include special events
for Odyssey Club members. This 33-day
cruise-tour features highlights such as
a special ceremony when the ship
crosses the Equator, a Maldives beach
barbecue and classic African safari.
Editor – Please note our August issue
will feature a 4 page report on Aegean
Odyssey
Exclusive Itineraries to Papua New Guinea
P&O Cruises Australia is offering six
dedicated cruises to the colourful,
cultural and tropical paradise of Papua
New Guinea in its latest program
release, calling at Alotau, Kitava Island,
Rabaul, Kiriwina Island and the Conflict
Islands. One of the highlights is a new
11-night round-trip voyage to one of
the most remote locations in the Coral
Sea, the fascinating Conflict Islands. place during the school holidays.
The exclusive itinerary on board
Pacific Aria departs Sydney Harbour
mid-November 2019 and calls at the
picturesque group of 21 islands which
surround a bright blue lagoon and
are home to one of the world’s most
biodiverse reef systems. P&O Cruises President Sture Myrmell
said the new program offered an
exciting selection of unique longer
cruises to Asia and Papua New Guinea
combined with the extremely popular
shorter getaways, themed cruises and
voyages to the South Pacific Islands
enjoyed by guests all year round.
In 2016 P&O became the first cruise line
in the world to offer calls to the Conflict
Islands, bringing the pristine white sand
beaches, World War II history, lush flora
and exotic animals of Papua New
Guinea within reach of more Australian
holidaymakers.
The latest program sees five 10-night
New Guinea Island Encounter cruises
departing Brisbane with an option for
families to take advantage of the two
Papua New Guinea cruises taking
The cruise line’s latest brochure also
features an exotic line-up of six new
one-way cruises to or from Singapore
including an 18-night Australia &
Southeast Asia Discovery cruise
departing Adelaide in March 2019
and calling at Port Kelang, Langkawi
and Penang in Malaysia and Phuket in
Thailand.
“In our latest program we continue
to offer cruises from more Australian
home ports than any other cruise line
in the market with round trip itineraries
from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane,
Adelaide and Auckland,” Mr Myrmell
said. “During this season we have
scheduled dry docks for Pacific Explorer
and Pacific Dawn in Singapore which
has provided an opportunity to offer
a choice of new cruises of 13-nights
or more to the Far East. The Conflict
Islands continue to prove extremely
popular two years on from our first
voyage and we’re pleased to offer
this stunning corner of the world up to
guests with a new itinerary from Sydney.
Each year we aim to provide unique
shore experiences at the destinations
we visit. From traditional cooking
classes in Alotau, the capital of Papua
New Guinea’s Milne Bay Province
to discovering the ancient volcano
in Rabaul on Papua New Guinea’s
north-eastern tip – there is something
for everyone to enjoy in Papua New
Guinea,” he said.
The new 2019-20 program will deliver
136 cruises in total including 64
SeaBreak cruises of 2, 3 and 4-nights in
duration departing Sydney, Brisbane
and Auckland. Other highlights include
seven P&O Main Event cruises themed
around the Australian Open, Christmas
and New Year plus a new 4-night
Australia Day cruise from Brisbane
departing 24 January, 2020. Meanwhile,
P&O will offer 38 cruises to the popular
South Pacific Islands between 7-12
nights from Sydney, Brisbane and
Auckland.
www.worldwidecruisecentres.com.au
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