This was published 7 years ago
Repositioning cruise: The best type of cruise to relax
MS Noordam is departing Sydney on April 8, 2017.
If you love lots of sea days and can spend anything from 14 to 49 days away from home, a repositioning cruise could be your ideal holiday. Sometimes marketed as Discovery Voyages, Transition Cruises, Transpacific or Transoceanic voyages, a repositioning cruise is simply one that sails from one region to another when the season changes.
Because you're not visiting ports every day it's a very relaxing way to cruise – you'll have plenty of time to make the most of the ship, so look for one that offers the sort of facilities and entertainment that you enjoy. If you're the sort of person who needs lots of distractions, a repositioning cruise is not for you.
To find an itinerary that appeals, check out regions that have annual cruise seasons, and the routes ships take as they move around the world chasing an endless summer. At the end of the season in Alaska (September/October), ships reposition to the Caribbean along the west coast of America and through the Panama Canal; or they head to Hawaii and then on to Asia and Australia, for the October-March wave season.
Ray Solaire plans the entertainment, lectures, activities and cocktail parties on the Seven Seas Explorer.
Another popular route is from the east coast of America to Europe, across the Atlantic, for the northern spring and summer season (April to October); then the ships return to America to spend a season in the Caribbean. Ships also move seasonally from South America to the Caribbean, and from Europe to Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Repositioning cruises are usually cheaper per day than round-trip cruises, because they're harder to fill – passengers have to find transport to and from ports at both end of the cruise – but cruise lines obviously prefer ships to sail as full as possible.
Several lines offer repositioning cruises that begin or end in Australia, which makes the cost of flights less daunting. Look at Princess Cruises' Golden Princess' 49-night Sydney to Los Angeles cruise, departing in May 2017; Royal Caribbean's five ships' outward journeys in 2017 (Explorer, Legend, Ovation, Radiance and Voyager of the Seas); or Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) between the UK and Australia.
Ray Solaire.
ITINERARIES AND FARES
Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Legend: 19-night Sydney to Honolulu, departing April 1, 2017, and visiting Mare, Suva, Papeete, Moorea, Bora Bora and Maui, with 10 sea days. From $2699.
Holland America Line's MS Noordam: 22-night Sydney to Vancouver, departing April 8, 2017, and visiting Noumea, the Loyalty Islands, Lautoka, Dravuni Island, Pago Pago, Hilo, Honolulu and Victoria, with 14 sea days. From $4449.
Spend three days at Le Meridien Bora Bora on a South Seas sojourn.
MEET THE CREW
NAME Ray Solaire, from the Lake District, UK
POSITION Cruise Director, Regent Seven Seas' new Explorer
Oceania terrace Dining.
MY JOB I plan the cruises' entertainment, lectures, activities and cocktail parties; and on longer cruises that have formal nights I am the ship's host.
A TYPICAL DAY I'm up at 4.30am every day to record my daily TV show (wearing my pyjama bottoms out of shot) then I go back to bed until 6.30am. After that I'm in my office, see all the excursions off, have meetings and then I walk around the ship, chatting to people. In the afternoon I plan future cruises, host the trivia game, and after cocktails with guests I host a table at dinner every night. I introduce the shows and also perform my own show and then I'm in bed at 11.30pm.
FAVOURITE CRUISE MOMENT When I met Nelson Mandela on a cruise in South Africa in 2001. He was a guest speaker and before I escorted him to the theatre he asked for a cup of coffee, and I had five minutes with him. I danced with Ginger Rogers on a Cunard ship – that was also very special.
FAVOURITE CRUISE PORTS I love sailing into Sydney Harbour, Rio de Janeiro and New York – they're the big ones.
INSIDER TIPS First-timers should look at a short cruise, somewhere with calm seas and lots of port visits so they can get their sea legs, and at least one sea day to get to know the ship.
TIP
Pack a travel-size eco-friendly air freshener when you're sharing a bathroom; the aptly named Poo Pourri comes in a 59ml pack in five scents and costs $16.95 from latestbuy.com.au.
NEWS
South Seas sojourn
Latitude 33's 21-night island-hopping adventure in October 2017 combines the magic of Tahiti and the mystique of Easter Island. The fly/stay/cruise holiday starts with two nights at the InterContinental Tahiti Resort and Spa followed by a 10-night cruise through French Polynesia's Leeward Islands on board the exclusively chartered 24-passenger Island Passage. Then there are three days at the Le Meridien Bora Bora staying in an overwater bungalow and a flight to Papeete for dinner before the flight to Rapa Nui, better known as Easter Island. Former prime minister Bob Hawke, who has visited the island with Latitude 33's director Brett Dudley, reckons it's "better than the Galapagos". You can see for yourself during a five-day stay at the all-inclusive five-star eco lodge, Explora Rapa Nui. See latitude33.travel
Award-winning Oceania
For the sixth consecutive year Oceania Cruises has been recognised by international luxury travel network Virtuoso as the Best Premium Cruise Line. Renowned for its immersive destination and culinary experiences, Oceania Cruises' fleet of six mid-size vessels – Regatta, Insignia, Nautica, Marina, Riviera and the recently acquired Sirena, which joined the fleet in April 2016 – visit more than 330 destinations in some 150 itineraries worldwide. With all restaurants on board included in the fare, Oceania Cruises offers some outstanding fine-dining experiences, ranging from Italian, French and contemporary steakhouses to Asian fusion. Cooking classes are led by top chefs at The Culinary Centre on Marina and Riviera. Special bonuses apply to bookings made by September 30; see oceaniacruises.com
FILM FESTIVAL AT SEA
Sydney Film Festival and Princess Cruises are presenting the second Travelling Film Festival at Sea on board Dawn Princess, on a five-day round-trip cruise from Sydney to Tasmania that departs on November 1, 2016. The floating festival is unique to Princess and a key part of the cruise line's partnership with the festival. Movie buffs can enjoy a selection of special screenings selected by Sydney Film Festival director Nashen Moodley; films include Mr Holmes, Phoenix and Iris. The cruise, which spends two days in Hobart and a day at Port Arthur, will feature a full program of film-related events, including Q&A sessions and cocktail parties where you can meet fellow film fans. See princess.com
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Royal Caribbean is offering up to 30 per cent off all its cruises (except China sailings) departing after September 4, 2016, when booked by October 1. Radiance, Voyager, Explorer and Legend join first-time visitor Ovation of the Seas in Australia for the 2016/17 season. For example, fares for Voyager of the Seas' 12-night South Pacific & Fiji cruise, departing Sydney, January 31, 2017 start from $1329. Phone 1800 754 500, see royalcaribbean.com.au
MORE DEALS
CRUISECO Book by December 31 to save up to 40 per cent on a 17-night QM2 fly/cruise/stay package from Sydney to Hong Kong. The newly refurbished liner departs March 2, 2017, and the 16-night cruise visits Brisbane, Airlie Beach, Cairns, Bandar Seri Begawan, Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang (Vietnam) en route. From $4140; phone 02 9492 8520, see cruising.com.au
OUTDOOR TRAVEL has some last-minute offers on its bike and barge cruises in September and October. You can save up to $1500 per person on cycling cruises on the canals and rivers of Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Italy, Austria and Croatia. Tours are equally suitable for leisure cyclists and more serious enthusiasts; call 1800 331582, see outdoortravel.com.au
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