Rainforest lodges and campervan adventures – the best local deals

The falls at Tambourine Mountain

From boutique hotels, rainforest lodges to campervan adventures. The holidays of Australia are beckoning with special offers. Stay in a redeveloped heritage wool store in Hobart, explore South Australia in a campervan, or hideout in Tambourine Mountain’s rainforest in a quiet luxury lodge. There are also beachside boutique hotels in the Broome and the North … Read more

10 best Indigenous experiences in Australia

Garma Festival

Australia’s rich Aboriginal culture is spread out across the country. Craig Tansley explores 10 of the best cultural attractions, from the far reaches of Queensland to the depths of New South Wales’ Blue Mountains. NT Dine under the stars Take a ride with local Arrernte man Bob Taylor from RT Tours in Alice Springs, travelling … Read more

Big cruise lines “unlikely” – but small ships could restart our cruise season

My Kimberley coast cruise secrets, by Australia's best known expedition leader

Tourism Restart Taskforce member John Hart maintains it is “totally unlikely that big international cruise ships with thousands of passengers” will be allowed to sail in Australian waters soon. But the Taskforce is hopeful small ship lines like Ponant, which carry some 260 passengers each, might be able to operate in the much-talked-about “bubble” of  … Read more

We’re not selling our Queens, says Carnival

Cunard's three Queens

Carnival Corporation has denied rumours it would be selling Cunard, the line with three queens in its fleet, as well as luxe line Seabourn. According to Tradewinds, a travel trade site, sources told the publication that Carnival was looking to offload two of their brands currently under their vast umbrella. Other brands include Carnival Cruise … Read more

Travel agent refuses to sell cruises that may not sail

Cost Luminosa Cruise Ship

It’s been a surreal five months since the cruise pause in March. The world’s fleet of more than 300 ships are riding at anchor all over the planet.  There is no sign yet of a unified protocol that might satisfy health authorities that operators can make their vessels safe, though much work has been started. … Read more

The first sailing since lockdown – what life is like in the new world of cruise

Pam the German cruise blogger

Cruise lines are getting back to business in some parts of the world – much to the envy of many die-hard Australian cruisers. Asia-based Dream Cruises has started short Taiwan sailings from Keelung on island-hopping getaways including Peng Hu, Masu Island, Kinmen as well as Hualien. Meanwhile in Germany, TUI’s Mein Schiff 2, recently returned … Read more