This was published 7 years ago
The Shipping News: Youthful itineraries from Uniworld
Uniworld is creating a new product aimed at younger travellers.Credit: Jesse Morrow
YOUNG LOVE
Uniworld, already notable for multi-generational itineraries, is now set to target 18 to 40-year-olds with its new, more youthful "U by Uniworld" product. In a first on rivers, cruises will be designed to appeal to forward-thinking, cultured but adventurous younger travellers, with more flexible itineraries, overnight docking, more active excursions and on-board cooking and wine classes. River Baroness on the Seine and River Ambassador on the Rhine-Main-Danube will undergo refurbishment to cater to a younger clientele. Uniworld says it expects the new product to attract honeymooners, groups of friends, couples and solo travellers.
Phone 1300 780 231. See uniworldcruises.com.au
Murray Princess on the Murray River.
CRYSTAL GAZING
Crystal Cruises has already unveiled its 2019 cruises on all eight of its ships (a yacht, two ocean ships and five river ships). In all, it will sail 260 voyages to 91 countries and visit 298 ports, including 13 maiden visits in ports such as Kangaroo Island and Port Arthur, Hualien in Taiwan, Vlissingen in the Netherlands, and Porto Novo in Cape Verde. The company is tipping the Mediterranean's Dalmatian coastline, New Zealand, Israel and Jordan as trending destinations, and is seeing increased interest in remote locales such as Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula.
Phone 1800 251 174. See crystalcruises.com
Crystal Symphony sailing into Sydney.
MORE ON THE MURRAY
Paddle-wheeler Murray Princess will operate two seven-night Renmark cruises on the Murray River this year for the first time since 2012. The first cruise departs Mannum on December 1, the second from Renmark on December 22, 2017. Each journeys 420 kilometres of the Murray River, passing through five locks between Mannum and Renmark near the Victorian border. Guests will visit museums, an Aboriginal conservation park, traditional woolshed, native wildlife shelter and the Christmas Loxton Lights Festival, during which Loxton's streets are decorated with more than 350 illuminated Christmas scenes, paintings and light displays.
Phone 1300 729 938. See murrayprincess.com.au
The new-look deluxe cabin on the Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer is inspired by Chinese influences.
ROYAL PROGRESS
Cunard's 2019 international cruise program has just opened for sale, with itineraries covering 49 countries and 109 destinations, including 21 maiden calls for its three queenly ships. Among them is a 107-night world circumnavigation on Queen Victoria, and two round-trip cruises from Japan and a maiden Alaskan cruise for Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth will also spend a record season in Australia when the liner is based in Melbourne and Sydney between February and April 2019, with 27 different Australian cruises, including round-trip visits to Tasmania and a maiden call in Burnie.
Phone 13 24 41. See cunard.com
CHINESE CHANGES
Sanctuary Retreats has launched its new look Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer following an extensive overhaul that has seen the ship restyled in a contemporary design with Chinese influences, and decorated with artwork, vases, cushions and furniture sourced from local markets. Suites have "silver-leaf" wallpaper designs featuring the peony, which is native to the Yangtze region, and soft furnishings have been replaced in deluxe cabins. The 124-passenger river ship's reception area, spa and public rooms have also been enhanced. Sanctuary Yangzi Explorer offers either three-night cruises from Chongqing to Yichang or four-night cruises from Yichang to Chongqing.
Phone 03 9536 1831. See sanctuaryretreats.com
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