Hapag-Lloyd to introduce new fashion, art and wellness themed cruises in 2017-18

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Hapag-Lloyd to introduce new fashion, art and wellness themed cruises in 2017-18

By Brian Johnston
Hapag-Lloyd's Europa 2 in Hamburg.

Hapag-Lloyd's Europa 2 in Hamburg.

Variations on a theme

Hapag-Lloyd's luxury Europa 2 will be presenting some new cruise-itinerary formats in the 2017-18 season, including cruises themed on fashion, art, contemporary issues and wellness, which will include Far Eastern relaxation techniques such as yoga and shiatsu. Europa 2 will also be making maiden visits to 22 new ports, including Messina in Italy, Port Canaveral in the US, Puerto Chacabuco in Chile and Stanley in the Falkland Islands. New pre and post-cruise programs will allow guests to extend their holidays on an individual rather than group format, accompanied by a local tour guide.

Phone 02 9977 7100. See www.hl-cruises.com.

Artist Amy Bartlett Wright will be conducting art sessions for Lindblad Expeditions.

Artist Amy Bartlett Wright will be conducting art sessions for Lindblad Expeditions.Credit: Michael W Scott

Yachting endeavour

Crystal Cruises has been busy launching small-ship and river-cruise offshoots. Now it has announced another new vessel, Crystal Endeavor, which it says is the world's first purpose-built, polar-class mega yacht. The vessel will be 25,000 gross tons, 183 metres long and feature 100 guest suites, and is set to launch in August 2018. Endeavor (the name is inspired by Captain Cook's ship, apart from its American spelling) will cruise the Arctic and Antarctic, with voyages along the American and European coastlines in between seasons, and will carry two helicopters and a seven-person submarine.

Phone 1800 251 174. See www.crystalcruises.com.

Art gone wild

Lindblad Expeditions has announced a Galapagos artist-in-residence program on select voyages this August and September, which will provide guests with an in-depth experience of the Galapagos Islands' wildlife in drawing sessions with renowned environmental artists Amy Bartlett Wright and Jonathan Alderfer. Beginners can explore their abilities, while more advanced artists can take their skills to a new level under the guidance of the two experts. Guests will also experience Lindblad Expeditions' newest glass workshop in the Galapagos, where local artisans transform recycled paper into jewellery and waste glass into art items.

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Phone 1300 361 012. See www.expeditions.com.

Siren of the seas

Next week sees Sirena sail off on its maiden voyage from Barcelona to Venice following a multimillion-dollar ship refurbishment. The 684-passenger Oceania Cruises ship sits at the luxury end of the cruise market (owner's suites have undergone a major redesign) but provides an informal atmosphere – no jackets required at any of its several restaurants, for example. The inaugural season of itineraries includes ports such as Lisbon and Seville in the Mediterranean, before the ship heads on to destinations such as Mexico and Costa Rica in the Americas.

Phone 02 9959 1371. See www.oceaniacruises.com.

Rhine debut

River-cruise company Avalon Waterways has launched two new ships this month, Avalon Imagery II and Avalon Passion, bringing the fleet to 16 in Europe. Avalon Imagery II is the latest example of Avalon's "Suite Ships", which offer two decks of all-suite accommodation and 30 per cent more cabin space than the industry average. Suites feature panoramic windows that can be opened to turn the cabin into an open-air balcony. Avalon Imagery II carries 128 passengers and operates primarily on an eight-day "Romantic Rhine" itinerary between Amsterdam and Basel.

Phone 1300 230 234. See www.avalonwaterways.com.au.

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