This was published 4 years ago
APT launch extraordinary 79-day odyssey, visiting 18 countries and more than 80 ports
By Brian Johnston
Cruising through the Scottish islands with APT.
EUROPEAN CONQUEST
APT has launched its most extraordinary small-ship cruise, a 79-day odyssey from Reykjavik to Istanbul that visits 18 countries and more than 80 ports – and has no days at sea. Among them are classic cities such as Dublin, Nice, Lisbon, Barcelona and Athens, but also less-known destinations such as St Kilda in Scotland, the ancient Albanian city of Durres, Denmark's remote Faroe Islands, and Tangier and Tunis in North Africa. The cruise departs on 13 June, 2021, aboard Caledonian Sky, which carries 144 passengers, an expedition team and guest speakers.
Phone 1300 196 420. See aptouring.com.au
ACTIVE FRANCE
UTracks has announced two new holidays in France for 2020. An eight-day "Burgundy Bike and Barge" journey will run between June and September and see guests travel by barge along rivers flanked by scenic vineyards, with bicycle rides to explore the surrounding countryside each day. An eight-day "Lyon and Provence Bike and Boat" journey explores the historical and cultural heritage of the Rhône River from culinary capital Lyon to Arles, with bike rides exploring typical Provençal villages, historic relics dating back to the Roman times, and renowned Côtes du Rhône vineyards.
Phone 1300 303 368. See utracks.com
ANTARCTIC ADVENTURE
Aurora Expeditions has announced that legendary mountaineer and adventure expert Sir Chris Bonington is joining its "South Georgia & Antarctic Odyssey" voyage in March 2021 as a guest lecturer. Bonington will travel aboard Aurora's newest ship Greg Mortimer on a 22-day round-trip cruise from Ushuaia to South Georgia, Elephant Island and the Antarctic Peninsula, visiting historic sites, scientific stations and colonies of elephant seals and penguins. The adventurer will share his stories over the course of the voyage, and present a screening of his multi-award-winning auto-biographical film, Bonington – Mountaineer.
Phone 1800 637 688. See auroraexpeditions.com.au
PASTURES NEW
SeaDream Yacht Club has added eight new Black Sea voyages to its 2021 schedule for SeaDream II. Highlights include Istanbul, an overnight in Odessa in the Ukraine and visits to other ports such as Varna and Burgas in Bulgaria and Constanta in Romania. SeaDream also visits Israel for the first time on an 11-day voyage to Israel in both May and October 2021, stopping at Haifa, known for its striking Hanging Gardens, and Ashdod, which provides easy access to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. There will also be a call at Limassol in Cyprus.
Phone 1800 217 902. See seadream.com
PENGUIN PARADE
Cruise Express is offering a special, two-week expedition to the Subantarctic Islands of Australia and New Zealand in 2021 aboard Ponant's latest luxury expedition yacht, Le Bellot. The remote outposts of Macquarie Islands, Campbell Island and The Snares, Bounty, Antipodes and Auckland island groups are among the world's best preserved and protected environments, home to 1.5 million penguins, 3.5 million seabirds and some 80,000 elephant seals. The 14-night voyage departs Auckland on 8 February, 2021, and finishes in Christchurch, with guests taken ashore on Zodiac outings led by expert naturalists and guides.
Phone 1300 766 537. See cruiseexpress.com.au
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