Cruise & Maritime Voyages will be the first line to visit the South Australian port of Wallaroo, while it will also be making inaugural stops at Kuri Bay in Western Australia, Philip Island in Victoria as well as Sandakan in Borneo.
Their new ship, the Vasco da Gama will be sailing to these epic destinations during its 2019/20 season.
Homeporting in Adelaide and Fremantle – and also cruising from Sydney and Singapore – Vasco da Gama is expected to carry an extra 5,900 guests throughout the 2019/20 season compared with CMV’s previous Australasian season.
Cruises will range from a two-night Western-Australian weekend escape, to 10-night voyages around Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia, and exotic escapes to Southeast Asia. The introduction of Broome to CMV’s itineraries in 2019/20 is expected to be a drawcard for guests while favourites such as Geraldton (WA), Melbourne and Semarang (Indonesia) will return. A grand 45-night voyage from Singapore to London will conclude the season.
Highlights of CMV’s 2019/20 Australasian season:
- three visits to Wallaroo, the gateway to the Copper Coast and Yorke Peninsula, and in close proximity to the renowned food and wine region of the Clare Valley.
- the first cruise ship to visit four South Australian ports in one voyage (Adelaide, Wallaroo, Penneshaw-Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln).
- ‘Broome & Treasures of the North West’ 10-night cruise, featuring Kuri Bay and natural attractions such as rugged ranges, thundering waterfalls, pristine beaches and unique wildlife.
- a 14-night round trip from Singapore touring Southeast Asia, which is also a first for CMV.
- a round-trip cruise to Indonesia from Fremantle.
- cruises around Australia’s Coral Coast and Australia’s South West including iconic Esperance.
“Cruise & Maritime Voyages has a high level of repeat patronage so we wanted to offer a range of new options on board Vasco da Gama, and accommodate the increased demand for our cruises,” said CMV Australia’s Managing Director, Dean Brazier.
“Our 2019/20 itineraries will make compelling tourist regions such as Tasmania, Australia’s North West and Southeast Asia more accessible and more affordable for guests to experience.”
The ship will accommodate up to 1,200 guests per cruise as compared with 550 on CMV’s Astor, which will cruise in Australia over the 2018/19 summer season. CMV will remain focussed on providing the intimate service and atmosphere that has become its signature across its fleet.
“Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ renowned personalised service and relaxed country-club style of cruising will continue on board Vasco da Gama, where guests can enjoy a greater choice of facilities and dining experiences in a stylish setting,” Mr Brazier said.
CEO of Australian Cruise Association, Jill Abel, said, “Australia remains a vibrant hub for cruising with recent figures showing that the industry contributes around $5m to the Australian economy.
“As the global cruise industry continues to grow, we are excited to see independent cruise lines such as Cruise & Maritime Voyages expand into new destinations and extend their itineraries. This benefits passengers who get to enjoy a range of inspiring on-shore experiences throughout Australia.
“It also benefits our country’s major gateway cities, as well as fast-growing regional ports which in turn enjoy resulting infrastructure and destination development,” Ms Abel said.
Compared with the 2018/19 season, Vasco da Gama is expected to carry double the number of guests on cruises departing Adelaide.
Key season dates
- Vasco da Gama’s first Australian voyage will depart from Sydney on 1 December 2019;
- her last Australian cruise for the season will depart Fremantle on 12 February 2020;
- the ‘Treasures of the Tropics’ Southeast Asia cruise will depart 24 February 2020; and
- her Northbound Voyage to Britain will depart Singapore on 9 March 2020, featuring a maiden call for CMV to Limassol (Cyprus).
Cruise & Maritime Voyages accommodates couples, groups and solo travellers – Vasco da Gama offers 40 cabins for guests travelling solo.
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