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“Wave season” rolls in this week Australia’s 2009/10 cruising season officially opens on Friday, with highlights for cruise lovers across the country – on land and at sea. SYDNEY WILL CELEBRATE THE START OF THE AUSTRALIAN cruise season on Friday when Dawn Princess returns to the city after her first world voyage. At 5am the next day, the first international ship to arrive back in Australia, Rhapsody of the Seas brings home more than 1300 Australians as well as 500 American and 300 European passengers. In total, Sydney will enjoy 52 visits by 12 Carnival Australia cruise ships over the season, including the launch of P&O’s superliner Pacific Jewel, the maiden visit of the world’s most luxurious cruise ship, Seabourn Odyssey (24 February) and QM2’s first overnight call. Also in NSW, Newcastle will feature on the Australian circumnavigations of Sun Princess and Dawn Princess for the first time, with three visits scheduled. Western Australia is the next biggest state for cruising this season, with 47 visits by seven Carnival ships – almost double last year’s 24 visits – and P&O’s first ever season from Fremantle, starting 16 December. Cunard’s Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 and Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas will visit Fremantle, Albany and Exmouth. Rhapsody also visits Broome and Bunbury. In November Regent Seven Seas Mariner will make calls along the west coast as well as Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Classic International Cruises’ Athena is offering ten itineraries to and from WA, and six sailings to and from Adelaide, including the first-ever return cruise to Tasmania.
Rhapsody opens the city’s season with her arrival on 8 November, and two days later commences the season in Melbourne followed by Tasmania’s Burnie on 11 November and Hobart the next day. Carnival ships will visit Tasmania 25 times and Victoria 29 times, including the first visit to Phillip Island on New Year’s Day. In Queensland, the season opens when Rhapsody of the Seas docks into Brisbane
Dawn Princess is on her way to Australia at 7am on 19 October, followed by Airlie Beach and Cairns. Cairns will also welcome Amsterdam on 26 October, followed by other capital cities, marking Holland America Line’s return to Australia. Seven Carnival ships will make 43 calls in the state, with Pacific Dawn moving to her new homeport of Brisbane. In Darwin, Rhapsody of the Seas and Sun Princess both arrive on 27 October, with HAL’s Volendam, Silverseas’ Silver Whisper and Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess all making the city their first port of call in Australia this season. Cruising also comes to Christmas Island this year with the arrival of Pacific Sun, which also returns to Norfolk Island this season – the first time since 1932. Other major ships on the way include The World, Balmoral, Europa, Saga Ruby, Crystal Symphony and Oceania Nautica.
TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER 2009
www.cruiseweekly.com.au Ph: 1300 799 220 Fax: 1300 799 221 Email: info@cruiseweekly.com.au Editors: Louise Goldsbury & Bruce Piper
Last Minute Deals
THIS WEEKLY COLUMN HIGHLIGHTS HOT DEALS ON cruises departing in the next 60 days – ideal for our spontaneous readers! Check out this week’s cruise bargains! 7 nights – Fl y/Cr uise to Singapor e Fly/Cr y/Cruise Singapore on SuperStar Libra • Departs: 11 & 25 Nov • From: $1149pp • Includes: flight from Melbourne to Singapore; 3-night cruise; 4 nights pre-cruise and 2 nights post-cruise at Novotel Clarke Quay • CLICK HERE or call 1300 369 848
10 nights – Syd ney to South P acific Sydney Pacific on Pacific Dawn • Departs: 29 Nov • From: $1562pp • Includes: 10-night cruise to Noumea and Vanuatu • For bookings, call 1300 366 268 or see www.eseacruising.com.au
Visit us at the expo! CRUISE WEEKLY WILL BE EXHIBITING AT THE European Travel Expo this weekend. Come and visit us for a chance to win a great hamper full of goodies. Other cruising exhibitors include Nordic Travel and Hurtigruten Cruises. The free event will be held on Sunday 18 October at the Mercure Hotel (818 George Street, Sydney) – for details, see p.4 p.4.
TODAY’S CRUISE WEEKLY Today’s issue has four pages, including pg. 5 a page of cruise specials (pg. 5).
Yangtze River Cruise Special Only $999 per person, 5-night cruise only on board Viking Century Sun.
Viking River Cruises offers a never-before-seen $999 per person offer for a 5-night ‘cruise only’ river cruise on its award-winning Yangtze River ship the 5-star Viking Century Sun. Offer is available for departures on the 17th, 22nd and 27th of November, 2009, Chongqing – Wuhan or reverse, twin share and includes daily shore excursions, all meals as well as shipboard gratuities and port charges.
Contact your travel agent today or call Viking toll free 1800 829 138 or email australia@vikingrivercruises.com For more information visit www.vikingrivercruises.com.au Conditions apply. Contact Viking River Cruises for details. Fare is per person and in Australian dollars, based on double occupancy and include port charges and shipboard gratuities. Gratuities for Program Directors and local city guides are not included. For pricing notes, offer restrictions and other booking terms and conditions, see page 94 in 2010 River Cruise Journeys brochure.
ABOVE: Egypt’s pyramids; pool deck on Arion.
cruise weekly Tuesday 13 October 2009
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