This was published 6 years ago
Luxury expedition ship Scenic Eclipse II to make its debut
See Baffin Bay, along the Northwest Passage, with Scenic Eclipse II.Credit: Scenic
DOUBLE ECLIPSE
The much-anticipated Scenic Eclipse, first ocean vessel for Scenic, debuts on August 31 this year, and the company has announced that it will be joined by sister ship Scenic Eclipse II in 2020. The second luxury expedition ship will make a maiden voyage from Athens to Lisbon before sailing the European and Russian Arctic. Itineraries will include remote destinations such as the White Sea, the Northwest Passage, Southern Greenland, and Alaska to Russia across the Bering Sea. The ship will have 114 all-verandah suites, nine restaurants, eight lounges and bars, a spa and marina deck.
Phone 13 81 28. See scenic.com.au
Viking has new European river cruises for 2019.Credit: Viking
KIDS' PLAY
Celebrity Cruises has a new fleet-wide kids program, including on Australia-based ship Celebrity Solstice, designed to educate and entertain kids year-round in the style of a summer camp at sea. It features more than 500 activities for children and teens in categories such as art, recreation and science. A culinary focus also sees activities such as courses in pizza-, pasta- and sushi-making. Other programs allow children to use GoPros, create video storyboards and take video-editing lessons; and create their own country, manage its currency and income and create its landscapes.
Phone 1800 754 500. See celebritycruises.com.au
ICE BOUND
Viking has two new European river cruises for 2019. An eight-day Rhone Explorer journey roundtrip from Lyon visits Vienne, walks in the footsteps of van Gogh in Arles, and explores celebrated wine-producing regions on a tour to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, as well as taking in Avignon and Roman aqueduct the Pont du Gard. Meanwhile, a 10-day Holland and Belgium in Bloom itinerary between Amsterdam and Antwerp sees guests cycle through tulip fields, visit Keukenhof Gardens and the windmills of Kinderdijk, and take in the urban pleasures of Rotterdam and (on an overnight stay) Antwerp.
Phone 138 747. See vikingcruises.com.au
ECO ASIA
Following its first season of small-ship cruising, Peregrine Adventures has now expanded its Adventure Cruising range to south-east Asia from the end of this year, with five itineraries designed for environmentally-conscious travellers. They include a northern Vietnam cruise that visits Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and other destinations, a southern Vietnam cruise, and a journey through the Indonesian islands to seldom-visited destinations such as Komodo, Saringi and Karamat. There's also a Thai cruise out of Phuket, and a Penang-to-Phuket itinerary that visits George Town and Ko Tarutao National Marine Park.
Phone 130 854 445. See peregrineadventures.com
WHALE OF A TIME
Majestic Whales Encounters is enabling travellers to swim with dwarf minke whales, snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef and stay in a rainforest treehouse. The 10-night Swim with Dwarf Minke Whales holiday is the first Queensland trip by the Australian company, known for its whale-swim holidays in Tonga. It launches on June 28, 2019. Guests will stay in the Daintree before embarking on Spirit of Freedom for eight days of close whale encounters at remote Ribbon Reefs, also known for other sea creatures such as giant clams and vivid red file shells.
Phone 0405 594 253. See majesticwhaleencounters.com.au
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