Fewer ships, cooler mornings

As the days grow cooler and shorter, fewer ships will enter our harbours. Despite what my mobile said this morning, daylight saving has not finished and I am now taking my early morning walk round the harbour foreshores just after sunrise. (Daylight saving will end on Sunday 5th April).
Here is the Celebrity Millenium when she was moored in Sydney Harbour earlier this year. Today you will find the her docked at the International Terminal. She is due in Melbourne on 31st March, from there she will sail to Hobart, arriving on 3rd April.
Rhapsody of the Seas will arrive in Sydney on 31st March and stay until 2nd April and the Sun Princess will sail into Darling Harbour on 2nd April, leaving the same day.
Sun Princess is in Hobart overnight - and that will be the last cruise ship in our southern most port until the Spring. Melbourne will also not see any more cruise ships until the warm weather returns.
Next summer we will see more ships in our harbours than ever. And new ships are being built just for our waters. Carnival Australia announced last week that the Pacific Pearl will arrive in Australian waters and be based in Sydney from the end of 2010 and Pacific Sun will be based in Newcastle around about the same time.

11 new cruise ships in 2009 and 2010

Aimed at the growing cruise market, these vessels are mostly sailing from ports in the northern hemisphere and each has a special focus.

• Carnival’s Splendor
  With 1,503 this ship, which caters for families and those who a love an endless program of Vegas-style entertainment, also has a water slide in the second pool and a retractable glass dome over the midship pool
  

• Celebrity, Solstice and Equinox
  Perfect for the “ style-conscious thirtysomethings drawn by edgy design” this ship is a mini art gallery of modern art valued at over $6million US. Features include a real grass croquet lawn. The Solstice is already plying routes from Florida to Italy, and sailing the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. The Equinox will launch in August.
  

• Costa Luminosa
  This ship has an 800 seat 4-D cinema, a gold simulator and a Formula One Grand Oriz driving similator. It also has more cabins with balconies than any other Costa ship.
  

• Costa Pacifica.
  This ship has a musical theme and includes a sound studio where guests can cut their own CDs with a sound engineer.
  

• Holland America Eurodam
  Cruise loving food fanatics are the market for this ship which includes a Culinary Arts Centre where guests can watch cooking demos and take classes.
  

• MSC Fantasia and Splendida
  For those who like to be waited on, these ships are old-school according to T+L. 99 suites have their own butler. The Fantasia is sailing already, Splendida is due to be launched in July.
  

• Princess Cruises, Ruby Princess
  Aimed at those who are looking for value, the outstanding features of this ship include the Sanctuary at bow where adults can lounge and listen to iPod playlists while they are spritzed with Evian water!
  

• Seabourn Odyssey and Pride
  With only 225 cabins Odyssey will undertake her first world cruise in January 2010. The marina on the aft side enables passengers to snorkel or kayak off the side of the ship. The Odyssey will visit Sydney February 2010. Pride is due to be launched in 2010.
  

• Silversea Prince Albert
  For those who love adventure, this 66 cabin ship has a fleet of Zodiacs, all cabins have ocean views and it sails to Antarctica, the Arctic and South America.
  

For tips on the best cabins – and more info check out the Travel+Leisure website.

A few more ships in port

This week you will spot the following ships in your port...

Wednesday 18 March
Millenium is in Sydney Harbour for the day - she's pictured here when she visited at the end of February
Rhapsody of the Seas visits Adelaide for the day
C Colombus is in Devonport, Tasmania just for the day
Diamond Princess in Hobart Tasmania, leaving same day

Thursday 19 March
Volendam will visit Sydney and stay overnight
Rhapsody of the Seas is in Melbourne for the day

Friday 20th March
Pacific Dawn arrives in Sydney and leaves same day
Sun Princess visits Fremantle and leaves the next day
Rhapsody of the Seas is in Adelaide for the day

Saturday 21st March
Pacific Sun visits Brisbane for the day
Volendam arrives in Melbourne and leaves the same day

Monday 22nd March
Melbourne will welcome Rhapsody of the Seas for the day

Tuesday 23rd March
Royal Princess arrives in Burnie, Tasmania and leaving same day
Volendam is in Adelaide, leaving the same day

More and more Aussies are taking cruises and the most popular cruises are those in our home waters - Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific - then Asia. The big attraction of cruising is the inclusion of accommodation, meals, transport, entertainment and, in many cruises some great extras, all in the one price. And for many getting on and/or off in the home port is another plus - as is only unpacking once. If you fancy cruising - or think you might - we can suggest a cruise that will suit your budget and your time-frame - there are so many to choose from. There are also many different types of cruise ships - so if you would rather travel with people of your own age, on a big ship, or a small exploration vessel, we can find the right one for you.
Drop me an email anytime - martin@travelchoice.com.au

7 night Alaskan Cruise for $1,325

Have you promised yourself you would take yourself to the Arctic one day? Have you always wanted to see a polar bear in the wild? The latest offer from Carnival Cruises may be just what you have been waiting for. The northbound 7-day cruise onboard Carnival Spirit departs Vancouver, British Columbia and cruises the inside passage to Ketchikan, Juneau and Skegway. Then she visits Sitka, cruises Prince William Sound and the College Fjord before arriving at Anchorage.
There are 6 departure dates between 10 June and 19 August.
The southbound cruise, taking in the same itinerary as above in reverse departs from Anchorage on 6 dates from 3 June to 26 August.
There is also an 8-day Glacier Bay Cruise departing 2 and 9 September starting at $1,742.
These cruises includes all meals and entertainment and taxes and gratuities. Carnival offers Total Choice Dining allowing you to choose the times and meals that suit you.
This offer won't last for long - call us - Martin or Biba on 02 9968 1600 - or email us at travel@travelchoice.com.au.

A taste of Cunard

I have just spent a very entertaining 20 minutes reading Alastair Greener's blog. Alastair Greener is the entertainment director for Cunard and every Thursday he updates his blog which follows his journeys. At the moment he is on the Queen Victoria and has just visited Rabaul in Papua New Guinea for the first time, and Saipan. His comments are very interesting and he peppers them with photos of the places he visits. If you are a Sydneysider reading this - check out what he has to say about Sydney it is always interesting to read about one's home port from another's point of view. The latest posting also includes a very interesting piece by his guest blogger, Oliver Pengelly, one of the members of RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) who are currently part of the ship's entertainment. Clearly a dedicated actor, Oliver's posting gives a different slant to travelling on one of the world's most amazing cruise ships.
So, take 20 minutes or so and read this blog if you are planning, or hoping, to travel with Cunard one day. It is listed in my blog list, so you can check out the latest postings as Alastair travels onward.

Cruise schedule - and 2 great deals - for week beginning March 3

This week you will find the following cruise ships in harbours around Australia

March 3
Sun Princess will be in Melbourne for the day
Diamond Princess will stopover in Fremantle for the day

March 4
Volendam will visit Melbourne and leave again
Millenium will also visit Melbourne for the day then depart for New Zealand
Black Watch visits Fremantle and departs on the 5th

March 5
Sun Princess sails into Sydney for the day
Crystal Serenity arrives in Adelaide and departs same day
Volendam visits Burnie in Tasmania for the day

March 6
Millenium visits Hobart for the day

March 7
Dawn Princess visits Sydney for the day
Sun Princess and Pacific Sun visit Brisbane for the day
Athena visits Fremancle for the day before departing for Asia

March 8
Crystal Serenity calls into Fremantle for the day

If you want to find out more about any of these cruise ships - or their itineraries - contact me at any time - martin@travelchoice.com.au

Cruise deals you might like to think about...
Volendam will be circumnavigating Australia in 2010. Starting in Sydney on March 14 she will sail first to Melbourne, then Hobart and Adelaide, Fremantle, north to the Top End and then Cairns and Brisbane. Contact me for the best fares...

Queen Mary 2 will sail to Asia departing 13 February 2010.
Departing from Hong Kong she will visit Shanghai, Nagasaki, Tokyo, Guam and Rabaul before sailing through the Whitsundays to Auckland and the Bay of Islands in New Zealand and Sydney on 7th March.
Fares include one-way economy flight with Qantas from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide; 2 nights accommodation in the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, a return Peak Tram Sky Pass - and all the benefits of a Cunard cruise. These include personalised Cunard White Star service, all meals, port charges and government taxes, group transfers in Hong Kong, 24 complimentary room service - and wait, there's more. The fares start at $6,999 - this is a new deal. Past Cunard guests also receive an additional 5% off!
Contact me - martin@travelchoice.com.au - for more information. I took this photo from the stern of the QM2 last week.

Time to check out the Crystal Serenity

No cruise ships in Sydney Harbour for a couple of days ... so I've got time to tell you about my visit to the Crystal Serenity on Saturday. Crystal Cruises are known by those who are well-travelled, enjoy all life's luxuries, want space, choice and a varied and interesting program and are prepared for the price. We were very lucky to have time to explore the ship during her recent overnight stopover in Sydney. And to have sunny days - earlier in the week Sydney had treated some of our cruise visitors to rain or drizzle.
Crystal Serenity features include all cabins as outside and the majority with a private balcony; two outdoor swimming pools - one of which can be covered with a magrodome in inclement weather; a wide teak promenade deck and excellent fitness facilities; a Palm Court lounge; the Stardust Club where cabaret is the entertainment; a computer learning centre and the popular Avenue Saloon, described in the Berlitz guide as a "throwback to gentlemen's clubs of yesteryear" - and much more.
Crystal Serenity has departed Sydney for this year but if you would like to know more about her itineraries - or that of her sister ship Crystal Symphony - you can contact me - martin@travelchoice.com.au anytime - or by phone 02 9968 1600.