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Dream Cruises brings Best to Brisbane

Dream Cruises teamed up with Chef Mark Best again last week – this time in Brisbane at ARC Dining and Wine Bar, set on the edge of the Brisbane River; part the city’s newest dining and entertainment precinct, Howard Smith Wharves.

ARC Dining’s Head Chef, Alanna Sapwell, and her team worked with Chef Best to deliver a bespoke four-course menu to forty travel industry and media guests. Each dish was paired with a carefully selected wine, thanks to award-winning Sommelier, Ian Trinkle.

Dream Cruises Vice President, Brigita Devries, used the opportunity to showcase Explorer Dream’s upcoming Australian and New Zealand deployment, including details of departures from Brisbane.

Brisbane passengers can choose from a range of itineraries starting from $286 per person for a two-night Brisbane to Sydney cruise.

For details of Brisbane departures, refer to the flyer attached.

Images attached including Dream Cruises Vice President, Brigita Devries, Chef Mark Best and Dream Cruises Sales Manager QLD & NT, Kjirsten Trundle.

Viking launches 2020-2021 ocean cruises brochure

Viking has launched its 2020-2021 Ocean Cruises brochure, featuring more than 10 brand new itineraries, over 10 new extensions and a new destination when Viking returns to Turkey.

Plus, Viking is giving away three incredible 15-day Far East Discovery ocean cruise prizes to three lucky Australian travel agents who find a Golden Ticket* inside random brochure boxes distributed nationally, when claimed before 19 July 2019.

The brochure features an extensive selection of new itineraries which trace the history and culture of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations along the Adriatic, Aegean and Mediterranean Seas – visiting ports in Greece, Croatia and Italy, and after a five year absence, to three incredible Turkish destinations: Troy (Canakkale), Ephesus (Kusadasi) and Istanbul.

Plus, the 2020-2021 Ocean Cruises brochure will include a selection of over 10 brand new extensions including European destinations such as Istanbul and Cappadocia in Turkey, well as the Galapagos, Peru and Patagonia in South America.

Azamara Club Cruises launches sail into savings: save up to 30 per cent on selected voyages 

Boutique cruise line, Azamara Club Cruises, has launched its incredible “Sail into Savings” offer, where guests can embark on a full-sensory voyage to the world’s most intriguing destinations and save up to 30 per cent per person on selected voyages featuring a wide selection of 2019-2020 sailings across all categories.

Book before 31 July 2019 and receive 30 per cent off the cruise fare of a wide selection of sailings for the first two guests in a stateroom departing between November 5, 2019, and November 14, 2020.

Aurora Expeditions announces NASA scientists as hosts for 2021 solar eclipse voyage in Antarctica

Aurora Expeditions has today announced NASA astronomer Dr Michelle Thaller and NASA Engineer Dr Andrew Booth as special guests for the expedition company’s total solar eclipse voyage in December 2021.

Assistant Director for Science Communication at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre, Dr Michelle Thaller will act as the main lecturer for the voyage. Dr Thaller will conduct a series of talks together with Dr Andrew Booth on the solar eclipse, Antarctica and general astronomy in the staggering surroundings of Antarctica.

Travellers on this voyage will be part of a once-in-a-lifetime event as the full eclipse will only be visible from Antarctica. Taking place in the early hours of December 4, 2021, Aurora Expeditions’ soon-to-be-launched polar-class ship, the Greg Mortimer, will be in prime viewing position to see the moon transition in front of the sun, shrouding the white Antarctic wilderness in a surreal darkness.

Silversea offers guests included business class air on select Asian voyages 

Silversea Cruises is offering guests included business class air, plus private transfers, on a range of incredible Asian voyages when booking before 31 July 2019.

Guests can choose from nine mesmerising voyages ranging between 14 to 18 days, departing between November 2019 and April 2020 on board the stunning Silver Muse or Silver Spirit.

Venture to Antarctica with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic’s new brochure 

Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic has launched its 2020-21 Antarctica brochure inviting adventurers to visit one of the most exhilarating places on Earth.

New for 2020, travellers will have their choice in experiencing the world’s foremost polar vessel, National Geographic Endurance, making her Antarctic debut in October 2020. Slated for delivery in January 2020, the new 126-guest vessel is the first new polar build in the line’s history and uniquely equipped to facilitate unparalleled bases for discovery whilst providing state of the art features for an excellent experience.

Travellers may choose from several itineraries: the 12-day Journey to Antarctica: The White Continent, 17-day South Georgia and the Falklands and 22-day Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands. Guests visit the penguin rookeries, seeing Adelies, chinstraps and gentoos in Antarctica; king penguins in South Georgia, and macaroni penguins in the Falklands, plus whales, leopard seals, albatross and more.

National Geographic Endurance will also depart on Epic Antarctica, a new and unique itinerary that explores the seventh continent with two departures only. The 34-day expedition, departing on 27 December 2020 and 26 January 2021, and will explore from the Antarctic Peninsula, to West Antarctica and the Ross Sea.

Luxury Cruise Company Launch Pride of Croatia Tour in Celebration of LGBT Pride Month, and Raise Money for Zagreb Pride

Luxury cruise specialists Cruise Croatia have launched a brand new Pride of Croatia Tour, in honour of LGBT Pride Month. The specialist Croatia cruise operators are also celebrating the launch of their new Pride of Croatia Tour with a £2,500 donation to Zagreb Pride, the biggest Pride event in Croatia.

The newly-launched Pride of Croatia Tour is a luxury cruise and land exploration of Croatia, exclusively designed for LGBTIQ+ vacationers. The deluxe 9-night tour begins in Zagreb before taking in the stunning beauty of the Plitvice National Park and island-hopping from Split to Dubrovnik via the idyllic paradise of Vis, Hvar and Korcula.

It’s No Joke! P&O Cruises’ The Big Laugh Comedy Festival at Sea is Back in 2020

One of the country’s biggest comedy festivals, P&O Cruises’ The Big Laugh, will be back by popular demand in June 2020 delivering more comedians, performances and jokes than ever before.

The three-night comedy festival is returning to the high seas for a third consecutive year signalling P&O’s biggest season of comedy with 76 dedicated themed cruises in 2019 and 2020.

The news follows the success of this year’s cruise which sailed over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend and featured a stellar line-up of world-class entertainers including Tom Gleeson, Dave Hughes and Mel Buttle.

Thirteen big-name comedians performed 32 shows and a combined 1500 minutes of jokes to 2000 comedy lovers onboard P&O’s flagship Pacific Explorer.

The Big Laugh on Pacific Explorer departs Sydney on June 5, 2020. Fares start from $499* per person twin share. Bookings are now open. Join the fun and you’ll be in stitches.

Put Melbourne on the map with Celebrity Cruises and win your own eight-night cruise getaway

The time is almost here for Celebrity Eclipse to make its mark in Melbourne and Celebrity Cruises wants the help of Australian and New Zealand travel agents to build the excitement. Celebrity Cruises has made Melbourne it’s a perfect match for the 2020/21 summer season and we’re counting on our travel agents to tell the rest of the country why.

Celebrity Cruises is looking for the most creative insider tip when it comes to having the ultimate Melbourne experience, in 25 words or less.

Australian and New Zealand travel agents are invited to enter by 28 June 2019 at http://bit.ly/CelebrityCruisesLovesMelb.

The winner with the best and most creative answer wins a trip for themselves and a travel companion on Celebrity Eclipse departing from Melbourne for 8 nights in a luxury balcony stateroom. Plus, an additional three runner ups will receive a Celebrity Cruises gift pack.

The 2850-guest, 120,000 tonne Celebrity Eclipse will arrive in Melbourne fresh from a multi-million dollar modernisation on 23 December 2020 for her inaugural season, which runs until April 2021.

Eclipse will be the first ship in Australia to undergo the AUD$700 million “Celebrity Revolution”, a modernisation of Celebrity’s nine-strong, mid-sized fleet which is already underway. The revamp will see her accommodations, culinary programme and public spaces completely modernised by a formidable line-up of world-renowned experts, including famous UK interior designer Kelly Hoppen.

Following a 14-night Singapore to Sydney repositioning via Australia’s east coast and the Great Barrier Reef, Eclipse will  arrive in Sydney on 8 December 2020 to sail a two-night Sampler voyage from Sydney, before departing on a 13-night cruise via New Zealand to her new Melbourne homeport. From her arrival to Victoria on 23 December, guests can choose from seven round-trip sailings from Melbourne, between eight and 14 nights to destinations in the South Pacific, New Zealand, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia.

Two one-way, 11-night sailings New Zealand sailings between Melbourne and Auckland will also be offered. Eclipse will finish her inaugural Australian season on 4 April 2021 with a 19-night Melbourne to Honolulu voyage.