Silversea's newest flagship vessel, Silver Muse, arrives in Australia

NEW DAWN

Silversea's newest flagship vessel, Silver Muse, arrived in Darwin this week and will remain in our region until March 2020, its longest Australian deployment to date. We may well be seeing more of Silversea's luxury vessels in Australian waters over the next few years, with the company expanding rapidly. Silver Moon is due to launch next year, as is dedicated Galapagos Islands expedition ship Silver Origin. Other Silversea ships on the horizon include Silver Dawn, expected to sail out in September 2021 for a Mediterranean inaugural season, and two Evolution-class vessels.

Phone 1300 306 872. See silversea.com

FLOWER POWER

Botanica World Discoveries is offering a cruise from Osaka to Tokyo on Caledonian Sky that visits some of Japan's best gardens and shrines. The 12-day Cherry Blossoms, Culture & Sights itinerary departs on March 28, 2020, and can be extended to a 25-day Cherry Blossoms in Japan & Chinese Culture tour. Ports of call include Kobe, Nagasaki and Hiroshima, with excursions to famous Zen gardens in Kyoto and classical gardens in other destinations. The extended tour also visits notable Chinese gardens and includes a four-day cruise on the Yangtze River.

Phone 1300 305 202. See botanica.travel

ISLAND DEBUT

Coral Expeditions continues to expand its Australian-flagged fleet with the announcement of a fifth ship, the 120-passenger Coral Geographer. During its maiden season from January 6, 2021, the new ship will embark on a Small Islands of the Indian Ocean expedition series. The 25-night inaugural voyage from Singapore to the Seychelles will visit Sumatra, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, while a 15-night second sailing from the Seychelles to Mauritius explores the remote coastline of northern Madagascar, Reunion Island and Aldabra Atoll. The ship arrives in Australian waters in late March 2021.