Departures India Spring 2020

DEPARTURE TRAVEL THE

DEPARTURE TRAVEL THE NEXT WAVE continues Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ ascent to cruising’s firmament of luxe (rssc.com). After a short season in the Caribbean, there’s an extensive series of cruises in Europe before this cruising nonesuch heads back to US ports. Equally assured of critical acclaim is Silversea’s Silver Moon, which is slated to appear on the horizon in August (silversea.com). With contrived intimacy that goes beyond what habitués of opulent cruise ships have come to expect, the commodious suites – with one of the highest space-toguest ratios on the seas – and an arsenal of culinary options are in a different orbit. The inaugural series of cruises call at a cornucopia of European ports, followed by a roster of sailings from Fort Lauderdale commencing in November. Black Sea and Beyond Three new routes explore this historically rich region and surrounding waterways. Despite the disorienting winds and treacherous waters that inspired its ominous name, the Black Sea has long been prized for its strategic location in the centre of the southern Eurasian landmass – and strategically minded travellers are now following in their wake. As the Mediterranean and Aegean get more crowded with cruise Quark Expeditions’ Ultramarine And Silversea is not limiting itself to a single summer launch: the meticulously designed Silver Origin will debut this summer as the most environmentally conscious vessel the celebrated company has ever built. Destined for the Galápagos, it will have the highest crew-to-guest ratio in this sequestered archipelago and luxury all-suite accommodation tended to by a squad of butlers – as well as a team of expert Ecuadorian guides who will showcase the beauty of the islands through immersive experiences. This summer, Crystal Cruises will also welcome the uber-extravagant Crystal ships, this destination is ripe for rediscovery. Viking River Cruises offers a “Kiev, Black Sea & Bucharest” cruise, which carries fewer than 200 passengers from Ukraine’s capital city along the Dnieper River to rural Romania and Bucharest (viking​river​cruises.com). Along the way, it stops in Odessa, on the Black Sea’s northwestern shore, where Ukraine’s tumultuous history is embodied by a medieval fortress, the Potemkin Stairs and more than 2,000 kilometres of catacombs that served as a front line of resistance to the Axis powers in the Second World War. The 11-night cruise can be taken in either direction. Ponant’s nine-​night “Treasures of the Black Sea” cruise aboard the sleek, 92-stateroom Le Bougain ville begins A stateroom with a private patio on Ponant’s Le Bougainville Endeavor, which is on course to become the nonpareil of adventure cruising (crystalcruises.com). At the confluence of cutting-edge design and ingenious technology, this mega-yacht will boast some of the largest, most spacious suites in expedition cruising, featuring private verandas and butler service for every one. The Remote Expedition sailings in Istanbul, at the sea’s southwestern edge, and works its way north to Odessa (ponant. com). From there, the ship swoops southeast to the Turkish shore, stopping at Samsun and Trabzon, gateways to Anatolia, and the city of Safranbolu, a Unesco World Heritage site that appears as if the 13th-century caravans that made the town a crossroads of East and West may soon return. The cruise ends back in Istanbul. For those preferring a slightly bigger vessel, Regent’s 12-night Istanbul-to-Athens voyage on the all-inclusive, 700-guest Seven Seas Mariner is a tantalising choice (rssc.com). After a robust experience on the Black Sea, taking in Nesebûr, Bulgaria; Constanta, Romania; and Odessa, the ship sails back through the Bosphorus. Then the Aegean will be your splash pool, with stops at Rhodes, Santorini and Mykonos. FROM TOP: © QUARK EXPEDITIONS, NICOLAS MATHEUS

© RITZ CARLTON YACHT COLLECTION A rendering of Ritz-Carlton’s forthcoming Evrima are already piquing the interest of those with adventure in their blood. Yet another feisty new ship to offer unheard-of levels of luxe to the furthest corners of the Earth is Scenic’s Scenic Eclipse, which entered the buoyant exploration cruising scene at the end of 2019 (scenic. co.uk), while environmentally aware Hurtigruten is expert at offering discursive rambles of discovery, nowhere more so than in the polar regions (hurtigruten.com). The brand’s second revolutionary battery hybridpowered expedition vessel Fridtjof Nansen will join her pioneering twin Roald Amundsen in April. Like the Roald Amundsen, National Geographic’s Endurance also pays homage to exploration’s heyday – it is named in honour of explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ship – and will navigate polar passages year-round (nationalgeographic.com). This futureforward, eco-sensitive vessel with an energy-efficient X-bow design will set the compass for unchartered waters and beguiling new latitudes, including northeast Greenland, the far-flung Jan Mayen island as well as the Northeast Passage. With three decades of polar exploration experience, Quark Expeditions is heading into a new epoch when Ultramarine debuts later this year (quarkexpeditions.com). With an unprecedented cruising range of 70 days, which enables the vessel to focus on the remotest of isolated polar islands, the robust portfolio of adventure activities is peerless – and very much indicative of the fresh generation of ships that are ushering in another golden age of cruising for the 2020s. The Shipping News The latest developments on the seas include a private jet, a seagoing spa and a fêted hotel marque’s long-awaited cruise debut. WINDSTAR’S WIND SURF The biggest commercial sailing ship in the world is getting an overhaul in time for the largest regatta in the world, which happens once every five years. Windstar’s flagship will compete in Sail Amsterdam during an eight-day voyage in August 2020. The new, nautical-themed “Officer’s Suite” is claimed to be the only cruise accommodation of its kind on an officer’s deck. More visible are the design upgrades, which include an expanded spa and fresh furnishings in public spaces. windstar​cruises.com RITZ-CARLTON’S EVRIMA With equally audacious claims of being ahead of the curve, the first vessel from the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection arrives in June. The 298-guest Evrima will be a trailblazer. Every weapon in cruising’s arsenal of luxury – refinement, elegance and style – are hardwired into this all-suite sophisticate, which will boast one of the highest crewto-guest ratios at sea – as well as ten dining experiences. ritzcarltonyachtcollection.com SEABOURN’S PRIVATE AIR For those desiring a more exclusive way to get to and from ports of call or are looking to do some midvoyage sightseeing, Seabourn has launched a private-jet service with complimentary transfers between airport and ship. Guests don’t just book a seat – they reserve the entire jet, which can carry from five to 16 passengers. seabourn.com SEA CLOUD SPIRIT On course to rekindle nostalgia and romance in equal measure, the majestic three-masted Sea Cloud Spirit will appear on the horizon this August. With interiors in the style of a classic yacht, 136 guests will be accommodated in a range of Deluxe cabins, plus Junior and Owner’s suites. There’s a formal restaurant and lido buffet, a pair of bars, library, spa, two whirlpools and a swimming platform. With nearly 1,300 square metres of sails, this tall ship is full to the gunwales with character rather than cliché. seacloud.com ENCHANTED PRINCESS Boasting the largest balconies at sea as well as two splurge-worthy Sky suites, Princess Cruises will unveil its 3,660-guest leviathan in Southampton this June. There will be a French bistro (conceived by Michelin-starred chef Emmanuel Renaut) along with a gastropub. The cruise line’s most spacious thermal suite offers a caldarium, a laconium, a hydrotherapy pool and a hammam. princess.com 17 DEPARTURES