BLACKBOOK Expedition ships have long been, well, basic. These new vessels are anything but SHIP ROUTE TOP EXCURSIONS BONUS ROUND SILVER CLOUD EXPEDITION Silversea has retrofitted one of its older ships into an icestrengthened 200-passenger liner that will sail 23 global routes this year, from Antarctica to the Arctic. A polar sea-kayaking programme on the South Georgia island and Antarctica routes promises close encounters with penguins and seals. The Cloud has some of the most luxurious cabins out there, including the two-bedroom Grand Suite with a separate living room and dining area. silversea.com LE LAPÉROUSE AND LE CHAMPLAIN French company Ponant will add four 184-passenger vessels starting in June that will travel from the polar regions to the Seychelles. Le Lapérouse makes its inaugural sailing around Iceland, where passengers can take in highlights like Thingvellir National Park and the Geysir Hot Spring. An underwater lounge will have projected video of the surrounding marine life. Instead of smooth jazz, listen to sounds piped in from the deep. ponant.com NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC VENTURE Lindblad Expeditions, a pioneer in adventure cruising, will launch the 100-guest ship in June, with sailings to Alaska, British Columbia and Washington’s San Juan Islands. Many itineraries focus on First Nations culture: from meeting the Kwakwaka’wakw community in Alert Bay to visiting the Huna Tlingit tribe in Glacier Bay National Park. Multigenerational groups can reserve one of the six sets of connecting cabins. expeditions.com KUDANIL EXPLORER Expeditions needn’t be limited to the polar regions – witness this former safety vessel, which has been transformed into a luxe, 16-passenger, 21-crew yacht offering awe-inspiring voyages showcasing the rare beauty of the Indonesian archipelago’s remotest corners. Highlights include deserted beaches, picturesque villages and a glimpse of the fabled Komodo dragon in Nusa Tenggara Timur, and a chance to explore the historic plantations and colonial architecture on the Banda Islands. Guests stay in spacious, 30sq m cabins with private terraces; there’s also an on-board spa, Jacuzzi and cosy library lounge on the main deck. kudanil.com Bland cruise ship food is a thing of the past – seriously Aboard Windstar’s Icons of Southeast Asia voyage, guests can dine in a tree pod on Thailand’s Ko Kut island Windstar is the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation, which hosted eight voyages last year that featured award-winning chefs. The 14-day Icons of Southeast Asia voyage on the Star Legend is a true standout with the Ko Kut Treepod dining option. Guests are seated in a bamboo pod, then whisked up almost ten metres into the jungle canopy of Thailand’s Ko Kut island. Waiters zip-line in with locally sourced dishes like young coconut prawn and scallop escabeche with pomegranate. windstarcruises.com In addition to rolling out new vegan menus fleetwide, Oceania Cruises has added a fine-dining experience, La Cuisine Bourgeoise by Jacques Pépin, to Marina and Riviera itineraries. Over seven courses, you can enjoy midcentury French classics like velouté reine Margot and filet de boeuf rôti Richelieu, recipes that Pépin perfected when he worked at the famed Plaza Athénée in Paris. oceaniacruises.com On Holland America ships, aspiring chefs can sign up for 90-minute workshops, created in partnership with the popular TV series America’s Test Kitchen, to learn everything from cake decorating to how to make the perfect homemade pasta. Try one out on the 2,666-passenger Nieuw Statendam, launching in December. hollandamerica.com » PAUL RAESIDE 42 DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM
SEABOURN’S EXTRAORDINARY WORLDS Intimate ships | Award-winning cuisine Open bars & fine wines | All suite ULTIMATE ALASKA & INSIDE PASSAGE Roundtrip Vancouver 12 Days, 25 Sep 2018 Icy Strait Point Juneau Tracy Arm/ Inian Islands Endicott Arm Wrangell Sitka Behm Narrows Gulf of Rudyerd Bay Alaska Ketchikan Misty Fjords Prince Rupert Grenville Channel Klemtu Princess Royal Bella Bella Channel Alert Bay Pacific Johnstone Ocean Strait VANCOUVER From AU,999 * twin share pp ULTIMATE GLACIER & FJORD ADVENTURE 14 days, 17 Aug, 11 Sep^ 2018 SEWARD Icy Strait Point Haines Inian Islands Seduction Point Juneau Resurrection Bay Tracy Arm/ Aialik Glacier Endicott Arm Sitka Holgate Glacier Wrangell Chiswell Rudyerd Bay Islands Behm Narrows Misty Fjords Kenai Fjords Ketchikan Prince Rupert Grenville Channel Gulf of Princess Royal Klemtu Alaska Channel Alert Bay Bella Bella Pacific Johnstone Strait Ocean VANCOUVER From AU,999 * twin share 2018 Print 14-day Ultimate Glacier & Fjord Adventure Seabourn Sojourn: Seward to Vancouver SBN_EU18_SO_14d_SEW_VAN_A8S14S_flat.ai pp For more information or to make a booking, please call Platinum Travel Service on 1800 673 760 (Australia) or 0800 377 421 (New Zealand). Book today to take advantage of your Platinum Card Cruise Benefit including US0 onboard credit for double occupancy, bottle of premium wine, and special turndown service. *Benefi t valid for bookings made from now until 31 December 2018 and for travel completed by 31 December 2018. All bookings must be made in advance through Platinum Travel Service and are subject to availability. Payment must be made using American Express ® Platinum Card in Platinum Card Member’s name. Benefi ts are non-transferable, non-combinable for back to back voyages, and valid for new bookings only. Benefi t valid for basic and supplementary Platinum Card Members. Maximum of 3 bookings on the same voyage per eligible card. Platinum Card Member must travel on itinerary booked to be eligible for the off er described. All benefi ts are per booking, based on two adults sharing accommodation on voyages of 5 nights or more. Single occupancy prices available on request, and benefi ts will be pro-rated for single travellers. Benefi t expires at checkout. Onboard Credits are noted in US dollars and are not transferable or redeemable for cash. Benefi ts are available to all categories of staterooms and suites. Cruise Benefi t is based on Cruise Line’s published rates. Off er is not applicable for ‘net rate arrangements’. Onboard Credits can be used in the ships’ boutiques, beauty salon and optional shore excursions. This promotion may be combined with all Early Booking Savings and Seabourn Club Members (Repeaters) Savings. Platinum Card Member Cruise Benefi t above is off ered based on per booking, and NOT per voyage. A Platinum Card Member with back-to-back bookings shall receive a maximum of one set (01) of the above Benefi t regardless of the number of segments booked. The Onboard Credit cannot be used in the casino. Unused portion of Onboard Credit is non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash or credit. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information, details may change due to circumstances beyond our control. Cruise partners and benefi ts are subject to change without notice. Fares are correct as at 23 January 2018. ^Quoted fare is based on cruise departing 11 Sept 2018. SE32.4
