Best cruise deals: The shipping news

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This was published 5 years ago

Best cruise deals: The shipping news

By Brian Johnston
See the famous Mitre Peak in Milford Sound on a cruise around New Zealand.

See the famous Mitre Peak in Milford Sound on a cruise around New Zealand.Credit: Getty

CORAL GROWTH

Coral Expeditions is on track to launch its new expedition ship Coral Adventurer in April 2019 in Singapore, from where it will sail an already sold-out maiden voyage bound for Darwin. The 120-passenger vessel will have all outside-facing cabins, most with French windows or private balconies, as well as multiple indoor and outdoor bars, a guest observation lounge in the bridge, and a special-purpose room for workshops and scientific research projects. In its inaugural season, the ship will sail Papua New Guinea, the Kimberley coast, and Indonesia's Spice Islands (Raja Ampat) and Sulawesi.

Phone 1800 079 545. See coralexpeditions.com

AUSTRALIA FAIR

Luxury cruise company Seabourn is heading to Australasia again this year, with Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Sojourn offering cruises around Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific over the 2018-19 summer season. Among them is a 22-day "Landfalls of Captain Cook" itinerary from Auckland to Sydney departing November 19, 2018, that explores New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Queensland, and a 36-day "Holiday Australia Exploration" between Sydney and Singapore on December 11, 2018, that visits South Australia, Western Australia (including the Kimberley), the Northern Territory and Indonesia.

Phone 13 24 02. See seabourn.com

DOUBLE ACT

National Geographic Expeditions and Ponant have announced a new partnership to create an extensive range of co-branded, luxury expedition cruises. French company Ponant will offer 130 worldwide itineraries in remote places over the next four years, especially in the Arctic and Antarctic. Its luxury ships – including several new launches coming soon – carry between 180 and 240 passengers. National Geographic Expeditions, meanwhile, will provide a range of expedition resources on-board, including leading experts and National Geographic photographers to travel and engage with guests. The new cruise experiences are now open for bookings.

Phone 1300 737 178. See ponant.com and nationalgeographic.com.au

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ROUTE CANAL

European self-drive boating company Le Boat has begun operations in its first North American destination, Canada's historic (and World-Heritage-listed) Rideau Canal, on a route that takes travellers down a chain of lakes, rivers and canals between Ottawa and Kingston in Ontario on state-of-the-art Horizon cruisers. Activities along the way include fishing, paddle boating, canoeing, hiking, biking and bird-watching. Travellers have complete flexibility with their holiday, although the company offers a suggested itinerary from either of its two bases at Smiths Falls and Seeleys Bay. The 2019 cruising season runs from May 17 to October 14.

Phone 1800 118 940. See leboat.com.au

GET WALKING

CroisiEurope has unveiled new hiking-themed river cruises for 2019. A six-night Seine River cruise provides hiking opportunities including the centre of Paris and the striking cliff tops of Étretat in Normandy, plus guided walks along trails in the Seine Valley. And a six-night cruise on the Po River and Venetian Lagoon includes guided walks on the islands of Torcello and Lazzaretto Nuovo, as well as through the Euganean Hills, along the Po Delta to Pomposa Abbey, and through the Cannaregio district of Venice. CroisiEurope is Europe's largest river cruise operator and offers 170 itineraries in 2019.

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