Classic cruises, unique experiences

There are some spectacular cruise specials on offer but you will have to be quick to snap up some bargains. The cruises cover some of the favourites for ‘cruiseophiles’ and a couple that are quite different.

Antarctica and South Pacific

One unique cruise combines Antarctica and the South Pacific into a 30-day cruise for just $8,655 on the Discovery. The ship sails from Ushuaia, Argentina, on February 16 2007 and crosses the Drake Passage, arriving at Deception Island and King George Island 24 hours later.

The ship spends four days in and around the Lemaire Channel before sailing to the Beagle Channel and onto Punta Arenas in Chile. Discovery spends two days cruising the Chilean fjords before berthing at Puerto Montt. Next port of call is Valparaiso (Santiago).

From Santiago the ship spends five days at sea, calling briefly at Robinson Crusoe Island before arriving for two days at Easter Island. Another two days at sea and a call is made at Pitcairn Island before arrival two days later at Rangiroa Lagoon and then Raiatea in the Society Islands. Final port of call is Papeete.

The cost also includes a two-night stay in Buenos Aires and a charter flight to Ushuaia.

New Year’s Eve

Luxury cruise line Crystal Cruises has a fly/cruise package that incorporates a Mexico cruise for New Year’s Eve celebrations.

The package is inclusive of: airfare to Los Angeles with Air Tahiti Nui; one-night pre-cruise accommodation in Los Angeles at the Park Hyatt with breakfast; 14-day cruise aboard Crystal Symphony from Los Angeles and back visiting San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and La Paz; one-night post-cruise accommodation in Los Angeles at the Park Hyatt with breakfast; private car transfers throughout; port charges; air taxes and complimentary pre-paid standard gratuities. Package price is from $11,999 per person and departure date from Perth is December 19 2006.

Mediterranean

From March 2007, the new Carnival Freedom will sail from Rome on a selection of new 11-night grand Mediterranean and Greek isles itineraries. Among a host of features the ship has a 3.6 metre high by 6.7m wide LED screen located poolside on Carnival Freedom’s Lido deck showing movies, sporting events, concerts and various other programm-ing. Itineraries vary and fly/cruise prices start from $3,860pp twin share based on March 14 2007 departure with Qantas.

Australia and South Pacific

Celebrity Cruise Line’s magnificent Mercury is heading down to Australian waters late in 2007 and there are a series of cruise options available.

The first is a 16-night cruise from Honolulu to Auckland departing on November 23 2007. There are then several 14-night cruises between Auckland and Sydney in both directions before the ship heads back to US waters with a 16-night cruise from Auckland on March 2 2008.

Repositioning to Asia

On November 20 2006, the Costa Marina will reposition from her home port in Savona, Italy, on a 32-night sailing to Singapore – where she will cruise the highlights of Far East Asia through to the end of February before heading back to Savona. The 32-night sailing from Savona to Singapore has a fascinating itinerary – with ports including Port Said (Egypt), Suez (Egypt), Jordan, Yemen, Oman, an overnight in Mumbai (India), Cochin, Sri Lanka, Andaman Islands, Phuket, Penang, Belawan (Indonesia) and Port Klang. Fly/cruise prices with Qantas start at $7,050pp twin share. Likewise, Costa Marina will sail a 33-night repositioning cruise from Singapore back to Savona on February 25 2007 – with a similar itinerary – with fly/cruise pricing with Qantas starting at  $7,770pp twin share. Between December and February, Costa Marina will cruise a variety of sailings ex Singapore ranging from 11 to 15 nights, incorporating ports such as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Halong Bay, Hong Kong, Sabah, Brunei, Penang, Phuket, Bali, Jakarta and Komodo – to name a few.

Circumnavigate Australia

The superliner Sun Princess will be in Australian waters later this year and will do two round-Australia sailings. Departing Sydney on November 7 2007 and March 9 2008, the Sun Princess will cruise for 28 nights around Australia, with ports including Brisbane, Whitsundays, Cairns, Darwin, Broome, Exmouth, Fremantle, Bunbury, Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne, Burnie and Hobart. There is 25 per cent off early booking saver fares starting at $7,203pp twin share (inside), $8,508pp twin share (outside) and $10,158pp twin share (balcony).

Middle East

The Costa Classica will also do a repositioning cruise from Savona on December 5 2006 and make her way to Alexandria and Port Said, crossing through the Suez Canal before heading to Sharm el Sheikh, Aqaba, Mukalla,  Salalah and Muscat before arriving in her new home port Dubai, where she will remain for the summer of 2007. Fly/cruise prices with Emirates for this 18-night sailing start at $5,183pp from Perth. On her return back up to Savona on April 14 2007, Costa Classica will sail a similar itinerary for 16 nights ex Dubai – with fly/cruise pricing starting at $4,891pp twin share flying Emirates. Between December 2006 and April 2007, Costa Classica will cruise a series of seven-night itineraries to the Middle East ex Dubai – calling at Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. Flying with Singapore Airlines, fly/cruise pricing starts at $3,390pp.

Contact your cruise specialist or 9339 0277.