This was published 8 years ago
Cunard's Queen Mary 2 to visit Melbourne and Sydney in 2017
ITALIAN PASSIONS
Uniworld is one of very few river-cruise companies that sails Italy's Po River, and its two itineraries on River Countess, the 10-day Gems of Northern Italy and 15-day Gems of Northern Italy have been extended for 2016. Highlights of the journey might include a Milan city tour, a visit to Verona, wine tasting in Valpolicella and culinary experiences such as a Chioggia market visit with a do-it-yourself mussel-harvesting experience. The cruise also includes a full-day excursion to Bologna, with a pasta-making demonstration and rare after-hours access to St Mark's Basilica in Venice.
Phone 1300 780 231. See uniworldcruises.com.au.
ANTARCTIC SKIING
Here's one for active travellers who think cruising is a sedate affair: ski mountaineering in Antarctica. Oceanwide Expeditions is offering passengers a chance to experience this strenuous and technical activity, which sees mountaineers climb snow-covered peaks while roped in small groups, before skiing back down again. Certified mountain guides supervise the activity. Good physical condition and some mountaineering experience is required; ropes and carabiners, harnesses and ice axes are provided. Ski mountaineering is available on two February 2016 sailings on MV Ortelius from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula.
See oceanwide-expeditions.com.
ROYAL VISIT
Cunard has announced special Queen Mary 2 voyages from Sydney and Melbourne in 2017 that let travellers experience the famous ocean liner on short itineraries. A four-day round-trip cruise from Melbourne in February 2017 makes an inaugural call at Kangaroo Island, while a five-night round-trip cruise from Sydney, also in February 2017, heads to Tasmania and features an inaugural calls to Port Arthur and Hobart. The two cruises are part of a 118-night world voyage that also includes a maiden call to Busselton in Western Australia.
Phone 13 24 41. See cunard.com.
AUSTRALIA TO ARCTIC
Sailing from Australia all the way to the Arctic Circle might sound improbable, but that's just what Princess Cruises is offering on an itinerary that departs Sydney or Fremantle in May 2017. The history-making itinerary on Sea Princess will take passengers to 39 ports in 26 countries as part of an epic 104-night circumnavigation of the globe. Among them are four Nordic ports of call (Gravdal, Tromso, Honningsvag and Akureyri) in the Arctic Circle. The ship then continues to North and South America and crosses the Pacific back to Australia.
Phone 13 24 88. See princess.com
BALTIC-BOUND
Creative Cruising is offering a Baltic Capitals & Norwegian Fjords cruise-tour package, departing on 30 April 2016. The one-of-a-kind round trip from Copenhagen includes airfares, one night pre-cruise and two nights post-cruise accommodation at the Admiral Hotel in Copenhagen, and a 16-night cruise on Norwegian Star. The itinerary visits the grand capitals of Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland and Sweden, as well as St Petersburg and the fjords of Norway. Availability is limited, so hop to it by the end of the month to get the best deal.
Phone 1300 362 599. See creativecruising.com.au
Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter
Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.