Month: March 2011

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P&O Cruises launch 2012-13 program including depatures from Melbourne

Departures from Melbourne and more short breaks are features of P&O Cruises massive new 2012-13 program.

On sale from March 31, the new program is P&O Cruises’ biggest ever and features a record 126 voyages between June 2012 and April 2013, with great value fares from $749* per person for a seven-night cruise from Brisbane and $1199* per person for a 10-night cruise from Sydney.

The program offers 24 cruises of less than a week, including more of the themed cruises that have proven such a hit with passengers, such as food and wine getaways and comedy cruises.

Highlights include a three-night Australia Day long weekend cruise from Sydney in January 2013 onboard Pacific Pearl, plus a new four-night Christmas shopping cruise from Sydney to Melbourne in early December on Pacific Sun, with fares on the shopping cruise priced from $649* per person.

The new program also features two new Australian ports of call, with Pacific Sun visiting Port Lincoln and pristine Kangaroo Island in South Australia on a coastal cruise. Fares start from $899 per person quad share for a nine-night cruise from Fremantle to Sydney departing on October 23, 2012.
Meanwhile, P&O Cruises has added Melbourne to its line-up of homeports, with the cruise line returning to the Victorian capital to offer seven summer cruises from late 2012, in addition to regular voyages from Sydney, Brisbane, Fremantle and Auckland.

Jenny Lourey, Senior Vice President of Carnival Australia, which operates P&O Cruises, said the new program offered more cruise itineraries than ever before, with destinations ranging from Asia to Tasmania, as well as the Pacific islands.
“Not only do we offer great places to visit, our ships are a destination in themselves. No matter where you’re cruising, the fun begins the moment you step onboard a P&O Cruises’ ship,” Ms Lourey said.

“Whatever your age, our ships offer a great range of features to make your holiday memorable – from spectacular aerial circus acts and great kids’ clubs through to delicious meals at Luke Mangan’s Salt Grill Restaurant and relaxing treatments in the spa.”

The new program also offers travellers front-row seats for the total solar eclipse in November 2012, with Pacific Jewel and Pacific Dawn sailing to the Pacific islands and northern Queensland to ensure the ships offer the best vantage points for the eclipse. Fares start from $799 per person quad share for a seven-night cruise onboard Pacific Dawn departing November 10, 2012.

Meanwhile, Brisbane will see 36 cruise holidays on offer onboard Pacific Dawn and Pacific Sun, including 25 of the popular seven-night cruises to the Pacific Islands or exploring the Queensland coastline. Cruises start from $749 per person quad share for a seven-night Queensland cruise onboard Pacific Sun departing July 8, 2012.
Fremantle will welcome home Pacific Sun for a third season of cruising in 2012, offering a mix of short breaks, Western Australian cruises and longer voyages to Asia between August and October 2012.

Twelve-night cruises to Indonesia calling at Bali and Komodo Island are priced from $1099 per person quad share.

Pacific Pearl will return to Auckland for another season of cruising from New Zealand, sailing five cruises of between three and 15 nights between April and May 2013. Fares start from $1299 per person quad share for a 10-night cruise to the Pacific Islands departing May 8, 2013.

Australian travellers will also have the chance to celebrate the birth of cruise holidays, with two special voyages planned in August 2012 to mark 175 years since the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company signed its first contract to deliver mail by sea and 80 years since P&O Cruises’ first Australian cruise.

Pacific Pearl and Pacific Jewel will meet in Sydney Harbour on August 22 and set sail in tandem on special heritage cruises, featuring tailored entertainment including a 175th Anniversary Gala dinner, a heritage art display and fascinating guest speakers. Fares on the nine-night Pacific Jewel cruise start from $1199 per person quad share.

For more information, Cruiseoffers on 1800 616 434 or visit www.cruiseoffers.com.au

* Fares are quad share. Subject to availability, conditions apply.

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Art Festival Cruise to New Zealand

Fifty two painters, led by artists Greg Allen, Amanda Hyatt and John Lovett have now returned to Australia after a wonderful two weeks aboard the “Sun Princess” as it cruised to New Zealand.

The tour commenced in Sydney and in the two day trans Tasman crossing the painters settled down to work under the expert tuition and guidance of their selected artist.

Each day at sea began with a painting demo in the Shooting Stars Nightclub which the group had reserved especially for them on their days at sea. After their respective workshops, individual painters were free to continue their painting or, as many did, explore the ship or participate in many of the activities on board.

Day three and the “Sun Princess” had arrived at the Bay of Islands in the north island of New Zealand This was our first land based painting day. A quick trip by ferry to Russell and the three workshops then commenced with each artist selecting a location along the beautiful seashore of this historic town. After lunch the group then enjoyed a brief visit to Waitangi Treaty House before rejoining the ship once again. After all this painting and sightseeing, everyone had worked up quite an appetite for dinner which was admirably attended to in the Regency or Marquis dining rooms.

For the next seven days, the painting group visited towns and cities along the eastern seaboard, including Auckland – a wonderful painting location was selected by the artists at Devonport across the harbour affording magnificent views of the City of Sails, as Auckland is known – Tauranga and a visit to Wai O Tapu thermal wonderland at Rotorua and the art deco town of Napier. The capital of New Zealand, Wellington, completed our last city on the north island before we crossed the strait, which separates the north and south islands.

Our first port of call in the south island was idyllic Christchurch, where the groups set up their painting easels alongside the beautiful Avon River and its historic bridges. In the afternoon a couple of the groups continued their painting in Cathedral Square, the scene of much devastation with the terrible earthquake only a short few days after our visit. Our last port of call in the south island was Dunedin with its Scottish heritage. The day culminated in a visit to historic Olverston House which was widely acclaimed by all

After all of the excitement of painting and visiting in such wonderful surroundings many of the group certainly would have liked more painting time on land. However, these thoughts soon disappeared as the ship sailed through Fiordland in the south west corner of New Zealand. This magnificent scenery was made all the more brilliant under a bright blue sky.

During the next couple of days the group settled once more into their final on board painting workshops, buoyed by the critiques of their paintings by the artists and the wonderful displays of their favourite works of art, for all to see.

A highlight of this time was the group painting by Greg, Amanda and John as they painted a large three sheet painting of the “Sun Princess” as it toured Milford Sound. One of our group kindly donated this to the ship and this was gratefully accepted by the Captain – we hope that this work of art will be on display for all future travellers on the “Sun Princess” to see.

This was first painting workshop / cruise conducted in this part of the world by The International Artist Magazine and Travelrite International and was judged by all as being a great success – a great way to combine their love of painting under the watchful eye of internationally acclaimed artists whilst enjoying the sightseeing of our wonderful neighbouring country.

Look out for this, or a similar, cruise themed painting workshop being repeated again very soon. Please visit www.paintingworkshops.net for further information

G R Whitelock
March 2011

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Cultural Tour to Turkey and Egypt

I have just returned from a wonderful re-union of our cultural group that recently toured Abu Dhabi, Egypt and Turkey. We enjoyed a feast of authentic middle-eastern food with an extensive range of local sweets including Peach Melba and Apricot Nectar Cheesecake complete with ample supplies of merlot, chardonnay, beer and soft drinks. It was wonderful to re-live our experiences through seeing our photos displayed on a large screen at the home of Rob & Julie.

Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the tour was that it ran like a smoothly oiled machine. The transfers were always on time, in fact usually early and our guides had a great sense of humour and were a constant source of fascinating cultural and general information. They always advised us that they were at our disposal 24 hours a day and true to their word they were. No request was too much trouble – their service was outstanding.

It is always interesting to discuss the tour after you have had time to reflect. Whilst we had numerous truly remarkable experiences, one of the most unique was visiting an “average middle class” Egyptian extended family in their home and discussing their life in Cairo. Looking back, this proved to be a unique and poignant experience given the recent upheaval in the Middle-East. For a group of 26 tourists to be so warmly welcomed into a private home and generously given a lovely afternoon tea was a most humbling experience.

Our trip on the Nile Premium down the Nile River from Luxor to Aswan enabled us to experience true luxury and style. It was the most exquisite combination of educationally fascinating site visits coupled with relaxation and fun. Our evening pre- dinner drinks under the brilliant sunsets were, to say the least, utterly memorable. Visits to the Great Sphinx, Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum where we saw the Tutankhamun Galleries provided a fascinating and informative Egyptian experience.

To a man and woman we were stunned by the Museum Hotel in Cappadocia. It is indeed unusual to be so impressed by a hotel, but this one proved to be so surprising that the group arranged room visits to experience the diversity of luxury, style and unique opulence. Valley views from alabaster spas, wine dispensers in walls, rooms containing three cascading tiers culminating in a large studio with a central fish pond and a series of massive windows enabling viewing of the valley and its “fairy chimneys”, glass sections in floors revealing classical art objects – it was really difficult to leave!

A regularly heard comment was “I just didn’t think that the tour could improve on yesterday but this is amazing – it just keeps getting better and better”. The hot air balloon ride over the Cappadocian valley ensured that our cameras received a thorough work-out.

The tour provided some unexpected cultural gems. In Abu Dhabi we visited the Falcon Hospital and were educated into the importance of the falcon in UAE culture. It was fascinating to realize that falcons require a passport, the same as ours, to travel overseas.

In Istanbul, visits to the Spice Bazaar and Grand Bazaar, where we were plied with a never ending supply of food samples were a sensual feast. The extraordinary underground Yerebatan Cistern was impressive and visually powerful. We received the most wonderful and informative education on Turkish history with visits to the Haiga Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Topkapi Palace. The leisurely ferry ride up the Bosphorous provided a most informative and relaxing day. Our time in Istanbul concluded with a spectacular New Years Eve Ball where we consumed never-ending Turkish dishes and viewed an array of entertainment including belly dancers and singers.

Our guide brought history into sharp focus when we visited Anzac Cove, the Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair – Gallipoli is a very emotional and moving experience.

Our re-union finished with the group wanting information on the “next one”.

For more details on the next Cultural tour to Croatia and Italy please select http://www.travelrite.com.au/cultural_pr.shtml

Peter Rowe