New for 2012/13 With Bales Worldwide

Bales Worldwide has launched its new 2012 Escorted Small Groups and Tailor Made Holidays programme for 2012/13. The new brochure covers 40 countries (with an additional 10 included online) throughout Asia, Africa, the Far East, Latin America, Egypt and Arabia, India, Canada, Alaska and Australasia. There are a few countries making a welcome return, as well as an increased offering in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Peru, Morocco and throughout Africa.
River cruises are offered on the Nile (several options), Yangtze, Ganges, Mekong, inland Borneo and the Galapagos Islands.
And, book before 30 September and you can save £100pp

For more information, visit www.balesworldwide.com  or The Cruise Line.

Azamara's 'Extended Voyages'

Azamara Club Cruises has launched 'Extended Voyages' which allow guests to join two, three, four or more consecutive cruises into one experience. By combining select consecutive cruises onboard Azamara Quest or Azamara Journey guests can embark on a holiday of a lifetime, ranging from 11 to 78-nights without repeated ports of call.

In addition, guests booking consecutive cruises will receive £200 per cruise, per stateroom for cruises of eight days or less and £300 per cruise, per stateroom for voyages of nine days or more for greater value. Savings double on sailings between October 1 and December 31 this year, if booked by July 31.

Guests wanting a longer adventure can book Journey's 77-night cruise from Stockholm to Civitavecchia (for Rome). Departing June 27, 2012, the sailing features 25 overnight stays, four being two consecutive nights, where guests can experience the nightlife of Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris and Seville. This Extended Voyage features the Norwegian Fjords itinerary, which highlights the North Seas Jazz Festival, one of the world's premiere musical festivals.

For those keen on exploring the Far East, Journey's Piraeus (Athens) to Hong Kong cruise departs on October 26, 2012. This 72-night cruise, combines six cruises - Holy Land, Egypt & Suez Canal; Luxor, Petra, Sinai & Eilat; Luxor, Petra & Sinai; The Spice Coast & Ceylon; Burma & Andaman Sea Islands; Vietnam & Thailand, Christmas and New Year - for an in-depth exploration of the region, plus an opportunity to spend Christmas and New Year in Hong Kong through a Land Discoveries excursion.

Quest departs Singapore on February 29, 2012, on a 78-night cruise, sailing from Singapore to Piraeus. This combines six cruises - Trade Routes to the Orient; Japan & Taiwan; Manila, Sabah, Borneo, Komodo & Bali; Spice Route; Petra, Sinai & Luxor; Holy Land, Egypt & Suez Canal.

For more info, look up http://www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk/ or contact the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Orion Expedition Cruises Unveil 2012 Programme

Free Flights on Selected Kimberley, Borneo & Vietnam Itineraries plus 15% Early Booking Discounts on Selected Sailings
Orion Expedition Cruises has released an expanded range of path-less-travelled itineraries for 2012, which include free flights from the UK on selected Kimberley, Borneo and Vietnam voyages as well as early booking discounts of up to 15% on most sailings.

Incorporating the first full year of voyages for Orion II, as well as their original boutique cruiser Orion, these expeditions - well off the marine superhighway - include rarely visited destinations from polar ice cap to the tropics.

In addition to existing itineraries, Orion takes a fresh look at New Zealand with new Pure New Zealand and Bay of Islands voyages. Orion II’s new sailings feature the islands of Micronesia and additional voyages to Japan with Art of Japan and Culinary Voyage of Japan itineraries. China is included for the first time, with expeditions that includes the Yangtze Delta (Kobe to Shanghai) and Shanghai to Tawau (Yangtze, Taiwan, Philippines), while an inaugural visit to Java includes Borobudur.

Free flights are available on all Kimberley sailings between April 13 and September 10; on three Vietnam sailings departing March 12, 21, 30 and on one Borneo sailing departing February 17.

In all, 2012 will see the two purpose-built expedition cruise ships undertake 68 voyages to 17 countries and 174 destinations stretching from Antarctica to the Russian Far East, including Borneo, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, the Inland Sea of Japan, Korea, China and Micronesia (onboard Orion II). Australia’s Kimberley coast, Arnhem Land, Great Barrier Reef, the Spice Islands, New Zealand, the Sub Antarctic islands and Papua New Guinea feature in Orion’s range of expeditions.

The complete 2012 Calendar of Sailings is now on sale. Prices start from £1,630 per person, cruise-only, for a five-night Great Barrier Reef voyage on September 27 and from £4,400 per person for a nine-night Vietnam Explorer voyage, including free flights, with departures on March 12, 21 and 30.

For more info, visit http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ or the UK's expedition cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Orion's World First At Orangutan Foundation

Orion Expedition Cruises have announced securing a world-first marketing association with renowned primatologist Dr Biruté Mary Galdikas and her Camp Leakey-based Orangutan Foundation International.

A scientist, conservationist and educator for four decades, Dr Galdikas has studied and worked closely with the orangutans of Indonesian Borneo in their natural habitat and is today the world’s foremost authority on the orangutan. Like Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, Dr Galdikas was mentored and inspired by Professor Louis Leakey the famed paleoanthropologist.

Highlights of the agreement and the exclusive experiences afforded Orion guests visiting Borneo on Camp Leakey itineraries include:

Orion II’s first Borneo season, featuring eight voyages, three that include a visit to Camp Leakey, September 30 and December 29, 2011, and January 8, 2012.

Dr Galdikas travelling onboard for all or part of the Camp Leakey voyages as a guest lecturer.

On these visits, Dr Galdikas will personally escort Orion’s guests in small groups while at Camp Leakey to visit the Orion Feeding Station, the Infant Care Centre and Rehabilitation area.

December 29, 2011, marks Dr Galdikas’ 40th anniversary celebration of Camp Leakey and she will sail the full cruise, presenting two onboard lectures with opportunities throughout the cruise to meet her.

Orion Expedition Cruises has donated funds for an orangutan feeding station at Camp Leakey that will be accessed exclusively by Orion II guests. Orion will also purchase an Orangutan Adoption Kit for each guest on any 2011 or 2012 Borneo sailing.

Dr Galdikas has been hesitant to allow third party operators to link with her Camp Leakey rehabilitation project until now. However, a meeting between Dr Galdikas and Orion's environmentally-conscious CEO Sarina Bratton opened the way for a co-operative agreement that will benefit Orangutan Foundation International through support from Orion.

The new Borneo voyages cost from £4,770 per person, including 10 nights on Orion II, all meals, entertainment and educational programmes, use of the ship’s sporting equipment and facilities, Zodiac excursions, port and handling charges, tender transfers and government fees and taxes.

For further information, visit www.orionexpeditions.com or the UK's leading adventure cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Orion Expeditions - Responsible Award Winners

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Orion Expedition Cruises, the leading operator of five-star expedition cruising in the Australasian region, has been named “Best Responsible Cruise Operator” at the 2010 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards which took place at World Travel Market in London this week (World Responsible Tourism Day).

Thousands of tourism organisations and travel experiences were nominated by the public in just 13 categories, with the central tenet being that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. The awards recognise individuals, companies and organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and are providing a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation.

Orion Expedition Cruises operates the 106-passenger expedition vessel Orion (above) in the Kimberley region of Australia, the Australian Islands, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and the Sub Antarctic, Melanesia, the Spice and Forgotten Islands and Antarctica. In May 2011, Orion Expedition Cruises will increase the size of its fleet with the addition of a second specialist expedition vessel, Orion II.

Based on thorough research, and following the success of Orion’s recent voyages, Orion II will be based in south-east Asia, offering a wide range of expeditions that will include Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Borneo, the Inland Sea of Japan and the Russian Far East.

For further information, visit http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ or the UK's specialist adventure cruise experts, The Cruise Line

Luxury Expedition Cruises to Australasia

By guest blogger Steve Newman

If you’ve been following us here on the blog since January, you’ll know we’ve concentrated quite a lot on expedition and adventure cruising. Qantas Holidays now has introduced a new programme of luxury expedition cruises to explore remote areas of Australasia with one of our favourite operators, Orion Expedition Cruises.

The cruise options include Wild Tasmania, with this cruise starting and ending in Hobart and departing on 1 December 2010, taking in the starkly beautiful Flinders Island along with the dramatic, red granite peaks of stunning Wineglass Bay and apple blossom and vineyards of Port Huon.

Other Orion cruises will take in New Zealand, Borneo, The Mekong Delta and the Gulf of Siam.

Their flagship Orion is a purpose-built vessel designed to access the inaccessible, all in 5-star luxury. The ship combines the best and the latest in design with maritime and environmental technology, comfort and casual elegance. From the ice-strengthened hull to the chilled champagne and superb cuisine, this is expedition cruising at its finest.

Orion II (above), which is due to join in May 2011, is another private yacht-like expedition cruiser and again offers the finest standards in small-ship travel. She, too, has an ice-strengthened hull for voyages in the Arctic and Antarctic and is fitted with stabilisers.

The expedition equipment includes Zodiacs and fast tender to deliver the full Orion expedition experience. Combining luxury and service, she will be staffed by 68 officers and crew to serve her capacity of 100 guests.

As we never tire of pointing out, Orion Expedition Cruises is a fantastic way to explore Australasia and Asia, combining high-quality cruising with the chance to get up close and personal with the people, wildlife and cultures. Many parts of the Asia-Pacific region remain largely inaccessible to conventional touring options but, with Orion, travellers can get to remote areas with experienced expedition leaders, hopping onboard Zodiac boats to get into small inlets and islands, returning each night to the comfort of the mother ship.

All prices include: Taxes, fees and port related charges, cruise transportation, all meals onboard, 24-hour room service, entertainment and educational programmes, use of ship’s sporting equipment and facilities and Zodiac excursions and tender transfers.