Holland America Line Returns to Australia

Holland America Line Returns to Australia

After more than a two-year absence, Holland America Line returned to Australia. 

The Westerdam is Holland America Line's first ship back in the region and arrived at Cairns, Australia on Thursday, November 3.

The Westerdam embarked on the voyage on October 2, departing from Seattle, Washington and making calls in Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii, Nawiliwili (Kauai), Hawaii, Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Apia, Western Samoa, Suva, Fiji, Dravuni, Fiji, Lautoka, Fiji, Lifou, New Caledonia, Noumea, New Caledonia, and Alotau, Papua New Guinea before reaching Cairns, Australia. 

“After being away from Australia for far too long, we are excited to be back in this beautiful part of the world,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “Despite just opening sales for Westerdam in Australia seven months ago, we’re already seeing some full cruises in the region. Thank you to all of the locals who welcomed our guests at Cairns today and embraced our return with open arms.”

The ship will make a few more stops at Australian destinations including Airlie Beach on November 4, Moreton Island on November 6, and Sydney on November 8 before moving on with its itinerary to New Zealand. The Westerdam will end its journey in Sydney, Australia on November 23. 

The Noordam will join the Westerdam in Australia, which will circle the Australian continent on its South Pacific and Australia Circumnavigation Collector journey, arriving at Sydney, Australia on November 5. 

This will be the first time that Holland America Line has positioned two of its ships cruising simultaneously around the region since 2016, according to a statement. 

On its Australian tour, the Noordam will make calls in Gladstone, Airlie Beach, Cairns, Darwin, Broome, Port Lincoln, Exmouth, Geraldton, Fremantle, Albany, Adelaide, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, and Melbourne.

A special, 14-day Holiday Cruise will depart from Auckland, New Zealand, on December 20, and will arrive in Sydney, Australia on January 3. 

Cunard Promises The World in 2019

Cunard Promises The World in 2019

PHOTO: Queen Victoria will see the world in 2019

Cunard is throwing one amazing opportunity at your feet: The chance to tour the world at a leisurely pace.

Cunard recently announced (h/t USA Today) its Oceans of Discovery program, which is an apt title for a set of voyages that will take myriad travelers to grand destinations.The downside is that you will have to be a bit patient, as the party doesn’t kick off until 2019.

That’s when The World Voyage aboard Queen Victoria launches.

This particular ship is no stranger to wading past some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world. This past January, it became the largest passenger ship to have traversed the Amazon. 2019 will see it help Cunard once again offer a circumnavigation journey that will take several months and see 24 countries over the course of 107 nights.

Voyagers have a wealth of options when it comes to the 2019 program. Boarding the Queen Victoria alone will have you selecting from 37 voyage possibilities.

As the website states, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth will also embark on some truly remarkable adventures.

Josh Leibowitz, Senior Vice President, Cunard North America, states, via Cunard: “Across the fleet, Cunard’s Winter 2019 program covers the globe, including places that we have not visited for years. Our itineraries have been designed to offer enriching days in port as well as plenty of time on board for our guests to relax and enjoy all that our ships have to offer.”

While Queen Victoria sets sail to conquer the world, its sister ships will concentrate on “exotic voyages that offer richer, deeper and more regionally-focused itineraries than ever before.”

In the case of Queen Mary 2, this means a few fabulous firsts as it calls at Doha, Qatar; Mormugao, India; Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea and Chennai, India.

Queen Victoria’s world journey starts at $17,579 per person. So at just under $20,000, you are getting the absolute trip of a lifetime.

But if you want to save some bucks and are on this side of the pond, you can skip the trip to Southampton and start the journey on this side of the Atlantic. USA Today puts the price of a voyage from Fort Lauderdale at $15,799.

P&O Cruises unveils itineraries to mark 180th anniversary

P&O Cruises unveils itineraries to mark 180th anniversary

By Phil Davies, Travel Weekly

P&O Cruises is to run two full world cruises in 2017 to mark its 180th anniversary.

Aurora’s 104-night eastern circumnavigation from Southampton echoes the trade routes of the British Empire, calling at 35 destinations in 21 countries and sailing almost 30,000 nautical miles.

Departing on January 9, 2017, the cruise features 23 new ports of call, overnight stays in Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and San Francisco, seven evening calls and transits of both the Panama and Suez canals.

Arcadia’s 114-night western circumnavigation from Southampton calls at 37 destinations in 21 countries, sailing more than 36,000 nautical miles. 

The voyage, departing on January 2, 2017, includes 22 new ports, overnight stays in San Francisco, Auckland, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore and nine evening calls.

Prices lead in at £10,299 per person on a Select Price rate for Aurora’s world cruise, including onboard spending money of between £350 and £1,000, depending on cabin grade.

The sailings feature in a 2017 World Cruise Collection brochure which goes on general sale on September 9.

The programme also includes a 50-night Oriana cruise to the Caribbean and Amazon departing from the UK on January 3, 2017 and a 12-night Northern Lights itinerary including an overnight stay Alta and a late evening in Tromso. Prices start at £3,999pp and £899pp respectively.

The line’s marketing director, Christopher Edgington, said: “P&O Cruises has a reputation for offering original and appealing world cruise itineraries which we spend a lot of time planning, based on extensive research and trends.

“Our round the world cruises are not a once-in-a-lifetime dream but a truly affordable and realistic holiday for empty nesters looking for long haul adventure and ‘this is the life’ memories.”