We’re cruising on Sea Princess and although we’re in the middle of a wonderful steak dinner, it’s difficult to focus on food when this kind of scenery is slipping past the windows. What stretches before our eyes is the vast wilderness of Alaska, an area twice the size of Texas, encompassing more than 76,000 kilometres of rugged shoreline and 21 million hectares of national parklands, reserves and monuments.
Evergreen Tours, with partner Luftner Cruises, has exclusively chartered the new 147-passenger ms Amadeus Elegant. This boutique ship sails with a maximum of 147 passengers with 85 per cent of all staterooms featuring all weather French balconies.
French-family-owned CroisiEurope is Europe's longest-established river cruise company and offers 68 itineraries cruising on 15 different rivers, with cruises ranging from three to 15 days.
A leader in small-ship cruising for the last 20 years, Windstar Cruises has alternative dining venues, a mix of shore excursions, a complimentary watersports program, spa facilities and luxurious accommodation.
Voyages of Discovery’s flagship, Discovery, is designed to accommodate 650 passengers, and her smaller size also means that she is able to access places that larger cruise ships cannot.
The multi-awarded North Star Cruises Australia cruises around the Australian coastline, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the Solomon Sea. Instead of casinos and swimming pools, True North has exciting itineraries with a variety of daily activities to choose from.
Captain Cook Cruises draws on four decades of cruising knowledge to offer small-ship discovery cruises throughout Australia and the Pacific at great-value prices. The cruise experience is informal and friendly, helped by expert local guides and crew members.
A Swan Hellenic cruise is outstanding value for money, with an inclusive shore excursion and guest speaker program, a dedicated Swan Hellenic team, and all gratuities on board and ashore included. Country-house styled Minerva carries 320 passengers and has a library, card room, cinema, beauty centre and pool. Guest speakers are mainly academics, diplomats and writers.
Our On Board host Rosie Kelly has just returned from sailing the Majestic Princess in the Mediterranean with her daughter. She and publisher Peter Lynch discuss her journey - and the changes to the ship, one of Australia's favourites after her many seasons sailing our own waters.
