Orion's Photo Focus On Vietnam

Orion Expedition Cruises is delighted to announced that award-winning British wildlife photographer, author and filmmaker, Sue Flood, is to join international photographer Nick Rains as a guest presenter onboard Orion II during a nine-night Vietnam Explorer photographic voyage departing March 30.

This voyage is an opportunity for enthusiasts of all levels to improve their photographic skills while on location in one of the world’s most photogenic settings, Vietnam.

 

Starting in Ho Chi Minh City, this voyage includes four photogenic World Heritage sites - Hue, Hoi An, My Son (above) and Ha Long Bay. There will be ample opportunity to experience and capture the cultural, historic and geographic diversity of Vietnam, including the Saigon River busy with sampans, the traditional fishing village of Baie de Cu Mon, which is rarely seen by outsiders, and Nha Trang’s Communist Party headquarters.

 

Nick and Sue will hold regular workshops onboard before taking guests ashore on location along with members of Orion’s specialist expedition team.

 

Photography workshops include professional advice and instruction on understanding and optimising camera settings, selecting the best lens for the occasion, framing your subject and ‘capturing the moment’ along with instruction on the dark art of digital editing-software and printing.

Explore, experience and shoot from dawn to dusk, with internationally recognised and awarded professional photographers; then relax, compare images and enjoy superb cuisine, wines and company by night onboard Orion II.

 

The nine-night Vietnam Explorer photo expedition departs Ho Chi Minh City to Haiphong (for Hanoi), and includes Nha Trang, Baie de Cu Mon/Bai Nam Beach, Da Nang (for My Son and Hoi An), Chan May (for Hue), Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba.  

 

Book before the end of February and save 30%, with prices from £3,850 per person, including eight 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.

 

About Sue Flood

Sue is an award-winning wildlife photographer, author and filmmaker. She joined the BBC Natural History Unit in 1993 and spent 11 years at the BBC, fulfilling a lifelong ambition to work with her childhood (and adult!) hero, Sir David Attenborough. Her experience including working as Associate Producer on the award-winning series The Blue Planet and also Planet Earth and the Disney nature movie Earth. Sue also produced four films for the BBC:  Polar Bears on Thin Ice; A Boy Among Polar Bears; Killer Whale Special; and Life of Mammals. In March 2005 Sue left to pursue her wildlife photography career and she is now a professional photographer, represented by Getty Images. Recognition of Sue’s work includes awards in the following competitions: International Photographer of the Year, Travel Photographer of the Year, the Art Wolfe (Best of Festival) Award in the International Conservation Photography Awards, and Royal Photographic Society Silver Medal.

 

About Nick Rains

Nick Rains, studied Zoology at university in Britain which led him to a career in photography. Over the years, Nick has worked with the Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism NSW, Penguin Books, Readers Digest Books, Shell Petroleum, BBC TV, Sports Illustrated, World Heritage Commission, Australian Geographic plus many more. Nick is involved with teaching and writing and is the editor of Better Digital Camera magazine. 

For booking info, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading adventure-cruise specialists. The Cruise Line Ltd.

The Art of Japan With Orion

Orion Expedition Cruises has released details of an exclusive eight-night Art of Japan voyage featuring visits to some of the most culturally significant high points around the Inland Sea of Japan.

Departing Busan, South Korea, on April 19, the itinerary has been tailored especially for art lovers and those with a curiosity about Japanese art seeking to better understand and experience the breadth of the country's art culture, including some fine collections of Western art.                         

Developed in conjunction with the Art Gallery of New South Wales, this tour embraces ancient Shinto shrines, exquisite formal gardens, art complexes and museums, samurai culture, medieval castles and contemporary architecture. From the floating red shrine of Itsukushima to collections of Claude Monet, the formal gardens of Korakuen and the contemporary art of Tatsuo Miyajima, this Art of Japan voyage onboard Orion II promises to be an artistic revelation.

The voyage visits Sakai Ko, Honshu Island; Hagi, Honshu Island; Hiroshima; Miyajima, Inland Sea; Uno Ko, Honshu Island; Naoshima, Honshu Island; and Takamatsu, Shikoku Island; before arriving at Kobe, Japan. Prices start from £3,825 per person (a saving of £670) including eight nights onboard, 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 booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's luxury adventure cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

One Week To The New Edition!

The Winter edition of World of Cruising magazine goes to the printers this week and should be back with us next Monday (Dec 19) for distribution to all our subscribers - just in time for a good Christmas read!

The latest issue is absolutely packed with the exotic and the desirable; long-distance cruising and closer-to-home varieties; winter ideas and festive touches. It journeys from Japan to Alaska and the Caribbean to the Med. And all in the inimitable style and high-quality design you have come to expect from Europe's leading cruise publication.

Our cover story is a unique close-up look at Alaska, through the twin perspectives of Princess Cruises and the new Alaskan Dream Cruises, with some fabulous photography and brilliant story-telling. Then we take a Viking voyage in the company of Fred. Olsen Cruises and head to the FarEast to look at the growing cruise destination of South Korea.

Need some winter sunshine? Go straight to out feature on Caribbean voyaging with SeaDream Yacht Club, a real tropical tonic. Or how about another look at the Asian Far East, this time with Orion Expedition Cruises and their first ever visit to Japan?


Back on home ground, we have a feature-length look at Swan Hellenic's Minerva from her new home base of Portsmouth (and just prior to her big winter re-fit), and then head north again for a look at the Norwegian Arctic of Hurtigruten in the region of Spitsbergen, truly one of cruising's great adventure frontiers.

For river cruising, we head to Russia and a unique journey from Moscow to St Petersburg with Uniworld, while we add a touch of pure luxury aboard Azamara Club Cruises and their unique President's Cruise. We also fofer two Passenger Perspective pieces, looking at Azamara and Cunard's Queen Victoria.

All our regular features are, of course, firmly front and centre, from the inimitable blogging style of Captain Greybeard and the inimitable Admiral, to our Aft View section, the expert Fashion pages, the essential World of Spas section, Readers Letters and the essential Cruise Planner, our annual review of ALL the ships with ALL the lines, so you can sit and plan your next voyage in perfect style.

It is all here, capped off by the best writers on the subject, from Gary Buchanan and Yvonne Horn to cruise historian Peter Newall and adventuring supremo Steve Newman.

As ever, World of Cruising is subscription-only, so, to be sure of your copy, make sure you visit our subscription page - Here!

See Vietnam The Orion Way

From Ho Chi Minh to My Son, Nha Trang to Ha Long Bay, Vietnam is intoxicating. With energy and charm in equal proportions and a regal history of passion, war and conquests to rival any European history, Orion II’s nine-night Vietnam Explorer voyages include not one, two, but four UNESCO World Heritage sites - Hue, Hoi An, My Son and Ha Long Bay. Extraordinary, even by Orion Expedition's standards.

Whether it is the organised chaos of cruising the Saigon River with its junks, exploring the traditional fishing village of Baie de Cu Mon, rarely seen by outsiders, or exploring Nha Trang with its Communist Party headquarters, beach brewery and $1 lobsters for lunch, a voyage with Orion promises - and delivers - the unexpected.

Even Ha Long Bay is explored with fresh eyes. Seen from onboard a traditional junk, wending peacefully through the islands, the soaring limestone karsts are spectacular; venturing into limestone caves with the expedition team on Orion II’s Zodiacs adds another dimension completely.

In both 2011 and 2012 there are three scheduled nine-night Vietnam Explorer voyages, alternating between Haiphong (for Hanoi) and Ho Chi Minh City and including Nha Trang, Baie de Cu Mon/Bai Nam Beach, Da Nang (for My Son and Hoi An), Chan May (for Hue) and Ha Long Bay & Cat Ba. 2011 departures are November 18 and 27 and December 6, while 2012 departures are March 12, 21 and 30.

Prices start from £4,295 per person including nine nights onboard 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 more info, visit www.orionexpeditions.com or contact the UK's leading adventure and luxury-cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Orion Expeditions - Samurai and Snorkelling

Join the Orion Expedition team onboard the newly re-fitted Orion II for her maiden Ryukyu Islands voyage exploring from Japan through the rarely visited sub-tropical Ryukyu Islands to the Philippines and Sabah.

This 14-night voyage on July 28 features diverse elements for adventurous spirits seeking cultural experiences far removed from the predictable tourist hotspots of Asia, including two destinations unique to this voyage, Shimonoseki and Kagoshima, plus a visit to Coron Palawan in the Philippines, the first by a foreign ship.

Guests can try their hand at the fine art of preparing Fugu – poisonous puffer fish - warm their feet in a volcanic-heated foot bath, explore an impressive cave and underground river system and remove their clothes and inhibitions in a very elegant private hot spring onsen (public bath).

Active volcanoes and traditional samurai castles contrast with beautiful bays and islands perfect for snorkelling and diving, while a buffalo cart ride across tidal flats, cultural performances, art galleries and exploring a little township with bars and cafes offer other dimensions to this voyage.

Reminders of World War II abound, including visits to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as a fascinating Kamikaze museum and, in Okinawa, a former Japanese Imperial Navy HQ underground tunnel command centre.

The significant red Shuri Castle has many ancient links to the unique system of paying tribute to both Japanese and Chinese emperors and an archaeological dig site guests may visit contains some of the oldest human remains found in Asia.

Orion II’s visit to Coron Palawan will be celebrated with welcoming cultural displays, performances and interaction. Guests will have time for snorkelling, relaxing in hot springs, a village visit and scenic Zodiac cruising to capture the dramatic sunset.

Lecturers in the expedition team include:

Amy Loewen - Japan expert, many years of experience leading groups in Japan

Grace Winer - expert geologist to provide interpretation on the regions stunning and active geology

Justin Friend - to lecture on Filipino and Ryukyu cultures

Expedition Leader Alastair Newton - with many years experience in the region.

The 14-night cruise also visits San Fernando (for Baguio), Puerto Galera and Coron before finishing in Kota Kinabalu. Prices start from £6,680 per person including 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 more info, visit www.orionexpeditions.com or contact the UK's leading adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Discover The Amazing Art of Arnhem Land

Orion Expedition Cruises has announced details of a fascinating Art of Arnhem Land voyage, tracking the evolution of indigenous art culture along Australia’s Arnhem coastline. Hosted by pre-eminent collectors of Australian art and suitable for experienced and novice collectors alike, this voyage - which has departures on September 13, 2011, and September 20, 2012 - is a “must-do” journey to remote and rarely visited communities.

It will be a truly enriching journey for those interested in the multi-layering of indigenous art. In the Pirlangimpi art community in the Tiwi Islands, view Tiwi ceramics and carved totemic Pukumani funeral poles. Art lovers and collectors will be drawn to the Munupi Art Centre with its contemporary collection of paintings, pottery and carvings celebrating Tiwi cultural heritage and the natural environment.

Maningrida is one of the powerhouse art centres of central Arnhem Land, home of distinctive bark painting, pandanus, weaving and wood carvings. And the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Art Centre in Yirrkala is one of the leading galleries of Northern Australia, along with the adjoining museum that houses the iconic “Church Panels.” Orion’s guests will be introduced to Yolngu art and its guiding presence of the spirit that represents the past, present and future, as well as a visit to Thursday Island, the largest of the 18 islands of Torres Strait.

The September 13 sailing departs from Darwin and visits Pirlangimpi (Tiwi Islands), Maningrida, Elcho Island, Yirrkala, Merauke and Thursday Island before finishing in Cairns, with prices from £3,480 per person. The 2012 sailing (Sept 20) departs from Darwin and visits Pirlangimpi (Tiwi Islands), Maningrida, Elcho Island, Jensen Bay, Yirrkala and Merauke before finishing in Thursday Island, with prices from £2,285 per person. Both cruises include 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 more info, visit www.orionexpeditions.com or the UK's leading adventure 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.

Follow In Captain Scott's Footsteps with Orion

A recent BBC documentary, “The Secret of Scott’s Hut”, saw Ben Fogle join an expedition across Antarctica to find Captain Scott’s Hut, frozen in time for a century. The hut was built to support Scott’s 1911 attempt to be the first to the South Pole and was later abandoned together with 10,000 personal, everyday and scientific items.

In January of this year, Orion Expedition Cruises, the leading operator of five-star expedition cruising in the Australasian region, voyaged to Captain Scott’s hut from which he left for the South Pole, never to return. The 106 guests onboard were all lucky enough to enter the hut, which is a perfectly preserved time capsule of Edwardian England with all the tins of provisions in place and the men’s personal items where they left them.

In January 2012, Orion will again offer guests the opportunity to join a Scott & Shackleton’s Centenary voyage, which will cover some of the polar regions famously charted during the first race to the South Pole by pioneering explorers Scott and Shackleton. The Ross Sea coast extends from the ice shelf northwards until it reaches the very tip of Victoria Land and Cape Adare. While in the Ross Sea Region, a variety of opportunistic landings will be attempted, subject to weather conditions.

Joining guests and the specialist Expedition Team onboard Orion will be renowned scientist and media presenter Dr Karl Kruszelnicki. While onboard, Dr Karl will share his wealth of knowledge with guests through a series of fabulously entertaining and witty talks presented in his inimitable style.

Orion Expedition Cruises’ 20-night Scott & Shackleton’s Antarctica departs January 21, 2012, from Bluff, New Zealand, and visits Auckland Islands, Macquarie Island, the Ross Sea Region, Campbell Island and Snares Islands before arriving back into Bluff. Prices are from £14,625 per person, including 20 nights onboard Orion, 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 and reservations, visit www.orionexpeditions.com or talk to the UK's leading adventure-cruise travel agents, The Cruise Line Ltd, on 0800 008 6677.

Orion Offers Samurai, Sake and Soba

Orion II (above) the new ship from Orion Expedition Cruises will be making her inaugural voyages to Japan in June and July. The ten-night Inland Sea of Japan voyages live up the promise of a path less travelled, with the specialist expedition team introducing guests to insider experiences, many of which are exclusive to Orion.

Guests will cruise the moat surrounding imposing Matsue Castle; learn to make Soba noodles; stroll the main street of Sakaiminato with hundreds of bronze statues depicting animated cartoon monsters and enjoy a visit to Sakai's Sake brewery to sample their fine rice wine.

Other experiences include traditional drumming with Japan's best Taiko drum troupe, Kodo, and a trip in a Taraibune - round barrel boats traditionally used to collect abalone and other molluscs from narrow coves.

Orion’s three 10-night Inland Sea of Japan voyages depart July 8, 18 and 28. The voyages start in Aomori and visit Sado Island; Kanazawa, Honshu Island; Sakai Ko, Honshu Island; Busan, South Korea; Nagasaki, Kyushu Island; Uwajima, Shikoku Island; Hiroshima, Honshu Island; Miyajima; and Uno Ko, Honshu Island before finish in Kobe.

The July 18 voyage is in reverse. Prices are 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 http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ or contact the UK's leading adventure cruise experts of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Expeditions to Papua New Guinea and West Papua

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Travellers seeking a path less travelled to neighbouring Papua New Guinea and West Papua during 2011 will need to move quickly as Orion Expedition Cruises will visit this tropical paradise for only one season of cruises on their chic little Orion during March and April.

Two voyages will feature the popular Papua New Guinea Cultural Highlights itinerary while the third is an exciting all-new West Papua & Maluku expedition, taking in many rarely-visited places across the north of Papua New Guinea and West Papua, where even Google struggles to provide in-depth information!

Under the watchful eye of the specialist expedition team, Orion’s guests on the signature Voyage of Discovery expedition, departing April 14, will redefine the word ‘remote’, visiting rarely seen areas across the top of West Papua, including Mapia Atoll (just north of the equator) and the marine wonderland of Rajah Ampat, the Bird’s Head Peninsula, Kei and Yamdena Islands in the Tanimbars, concluding in Darwin.

11-night Papua New Guinea Cultural Highlights (March 23 and April 3)

Starting with an overnight in Rabaul, this voyage visits Sepik River & Watam Village, Madang, Tami Islands, Tufi, Fergusson Island, Samarai and Kwato Islands and Alotau (Milne Bay) before finishing in Cairns (April 3 voyage in reverse). Prices from £5,265 per person including 11 nights onboard Orion, 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. Two-for-one air is also available on these voyages.

11-night West Papua & Malaku Voyage of Discovery (April 14)

Starting in Rabaul, this 11-night voyage visits Wewak, Jayapura, Urbanasi, Mapia Atoll, Raja Ampat, McClure Gulf, Kei Islands and Tanimbars before finishing in Darwin. Prices from £4,785 per person, including 11 nights onboard Orion, 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. Two-for-one air is also available on this voyage.

For reservations and enquiries, visit http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ or call the UK's adventure cruises specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Rare Papua New Guinea Opportunity

Travellers seeking a path less travelled should seek out Orion Expedition Cruises, who will be operating a short season of cruises to Papua New Guinea and West Papua during 2011.

Two voyages will feature the popular Papua New Guinea Cultural Highlights itinerary while the third is an exciting all-new West Papua & Maluku expedition visiting many rarely-visited places across the north of Papua New Guinea and West Papua, where even Google struggles to provide in-depth information!

The two Cultural Highlights voyages (March 23 and April 3, 2011) provide guests with a taste of primitive tribal cultures, unique flora and fauna, the opportunity to purchase superb indigenous artwork, visit isolated villages, enjoy world-class snorkelling and reflect on our recent past at historic World War II sites.

For keen photographers, the April 3 voyage is also a great opportunity to join the photographic workshop of a lifetime, capturing all the action in one of the world’s most photo-opportunistic locations, Papua New Guinea.

In association with Better Photography magazine and the Australian Geographic Society, and under the knowledgeable guidance of internationally recognised photographer Nick Rains and Grand Master of Photography Peter Eastwood, this voyage is designed to appeal to photographers of all levels. Hone photographic skills with the guidance of experts in one of the most photogenic places on earth.

Under the watchful eye of the specialist expedition team, Orion’s guests on the all-new West Papua & Maluku signature Voyage of Discovery expedition, departing April 14, will re-define the word ‘remote’, visiting rarely visited areas across the top of West Papua including Mapia Atoll (just north of the equator) and the marine wonderland of Rajah Ampat, the Bird’s Head Peninsula, Kei and Yamdena Islands in the Tanimbars, concluding in Darwin. Parts of this voyage are to places so remote most of the well-travelled crew onboard Orion have not yet been there!

11-night Papua New Guinea Cultural Highlights

Starting with an overnight in Rabaul, this 11-night voyage visits Sepik River & Watam Village, Madang, Tami Islands, Tufi, Fergusson Island, Samarai and Kwato Islands and Alotau (Milne Bay) before finishing in Cairns (April 3 voyage in reverse). Prices from £5,265 per person, including 11 nights onboard Orion, 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. Two-for-one air is also available on these voyages.

11-night West Papua & Malaku Voyage of Discovery

Starting in Rabaul, this 11-night voyage visits Wewak, Jayapura, Urbanasi, Mapia Atoll, Raja Ampat, McClure Gulf, Kei Islands and Tanimbars before finishing in Darwin. Prices from £4,785 per person including 11 nights onboard Orion, 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. Two-for-one air is also available on this voyage.

For reservations and enquiries, call 020 7399 7620 or visit http://www.orionexpeditions.com/. Orion also feature in the Adventure Cruise Collection brochure of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Farewell, 2010!

We're bidding a fond farewell to 2010 today after a year that had many highs (and a few lows) for the cruise industry - and a LOT to remember fondly.

For us at World of Cruising magazine, it was a year of Adventure - or adventure cruising, to be more precise.

We chose this year to highlight a growing and inspiring trend in expedition-style voyaging, with trips to awe-inspiring Chilean Patagonia (above) with Nomads of the Seas, the Norwegian Arctic with Hurtigruten, the islands of the Pacific North-West with Cruise West, the Brahmaputra River in India, offbeat Alaska with American Safari Cruises and the Canadian Arctic with Inuit Indian company Cruise North Expeditions.

Along we way, we have also highlighted the brilliant opportunities for adventure-cruise excursions with Lindblad Expeditions, Zegrahm Expeditions, Orion Expedition Cruises, Aqua Expeditions and Noble Caledonia.

It all adds up to an unequalled array of choice in this niche area of cruising, but one that is likely to grow still further in 2011.

We have also welcomed a superb line-up of new vessels, notably P&O's Azura, the grand Queen Elizabeth of Cunard, Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam, the amazing Allure of the Seas of Royal Caribbean, the chic Le Boreal of Ponant Lines, NCL's immense Norwegian Epic and the Celebrity Eclipse, the latest of Celebrity's Solstice-class vessels which are quickly establishing themselves as the gold standard in the large premium category.

From the personal point of view, it was hard to beat our trip to Chile with Nomads, where we discovered not only a peerless cruise experience, but a stunning part of the world and unfailingly friendly people.

And then, going from one extreme to the other (arguably the smallest ship in the world to the largest), our time aboard the new Allure of the Seas was also eye-opening, with the entertainment on this colossus of the seas raising the bar in this field yet again.

On the negative side, we were dismayed by the example of the Carnival Splendor, which suffered a fire and major power failure on the Mexican Riviera in November, requiring it to be towed back to port with some seriously disgruntled passengers. One subsequent report suggests Carnival have a problem with their safety procedures for dealing with fires at sea, and we sincerely hope that the right lessons are learned from this incident.

Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas then hit seriously rough weather in the Med earlier this month, with the ship suffering minor internal damage and a number of passengers being hurt, several with broken limbs. It was a salutary reminder that the sea still has power to make cruise ships distinctly wary about where, and when, they cruise.

Sadly, we also saw the demise of a long-time specialist operator, as Cruise West went bankrupt as they became a belated victim of the big recession that has affected large parts of the travel industry.

Happily, these remain exceedingly rare examples of the negative side of a business that continues to boom and attract new devotees on a daily basis. For the millions now cruising, it is still a source of almost endless fun and fascination; great value for money; and superb travelling style, with the vast array of ports of call now available.

Or, as we like to say at World of Cruising, it is just one more great adventure!

Sub Antarctic Wildlife Adventure

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Here's a great option to voyage south - WAY south! - on the world’s youngest purpose-built expedition cruise ship, Orion, to the World Heritage listed Sub-Antarctic Islands and mainland Antarctica.

These expeditions particularly suit modern-day adventurers, those with an interest in polar exploration, nature lovers and keen wildlife and seascape photographers, as well as anyone with an adventurous spirit interested in visiting remote places of outstanding historic and ecologic importance.

Surrounded by the Southern Ocean, secluded and seldom visited, these Sub-Antarctic Islands have UNESCO World Heritage status, recognising one of our planet’s most important bio-diverse regions with their volcanic and glacial geological formations and extraordinary diversity of flora and fauna.

The remnants of the old whaling station on Macquarie Island, the high cliffs and numerous caves and arches formed by marine erosion on Campbell Island and the enormous sea stacks on the southern peninsulas of The Snares present dramatic contrast to the prolific bird life, penguins, fur and elephant seals, sea lions, killer whales and unique flora seen in this remote region.

This 13-night cruise departs Jan 15 and Dec 20, 2011, from Dunedin and visits Fiordland, Stewart Island, Snares Island, Auckland Island, Campbell Island and Macquarie Island before arriving in Hobart. Prices from £5,745 per person, including 13 nights onboard Orion, 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 more information on this and other sub-Antarctic expeditions, visit http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ or see the Adventure Cruise Collection of UK adventure crusie 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

Qantas Holidays has introduced a new programme of luxury expedition cruises to explore remote areas of Australasia with Orion Expedition Cruises. The cruise options are:

• 2010 Expedition Cruises in Australasia with 7 nights Wild Tasmania from £2,699
• 2011 Expedition Cruises in Australasia with 2 nights New Zealand Expedition Sampler from £959
• 2011 Expedition Cruises in Asia with 7 nights Gulf of Siam Explorer from £3,349

Orion Expedition Cruises is a fantastic way to explore Australasia and Asia, combining luxury cruising with the chance to get up close and personal with the people, wildlife and culture. 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 luxury of the cruise ship.

2010 Expedition Cruises in Australasia– 7 nights Wild Tasmania from £2,699

Highlights include unrivalled glimpses of the amazing scenery, culture and bio-diversity of Australia and New Zealand. The ‘Wild Tasmania’ cruise starts and ends in Hobart and departs on December 1, taking in the starkly beautiful Flinders Island along with the dramatic, red granite peaks of Wineglass Bay and apple blossom and vineyards of Port Huon.

2011 Expedition Cruises in Australasia – including 2 nights New Zealand Expedition Sampler from £959

From the two night ‘New Zealand Expedition Sampler’ (departing February 24) up to the 20 night ‘Scott and Shackleton’s Antarctica’ (departing January 27, from £12,635), the 2011 programme has something for adventurers of all tastes and budget. The ‘New Zealand Expedition Sampler’ offers a taste of the coastline of bays and white sand beaches of the beautiful Bay of Islands, where the Maoris first arrived.

2011 Expedition Cruises in Asia – including 7 nights Gulf of Siam Explorer from £3,349

Explore Japan’s inland sea, the rainforests of Borneo, the temples of Thailand and the Mekong Delta from the comfort of the Orion II, fresh from an £11million refit. The ‘Gulf of Siam Explorer’ operates from Singapore to Bangkok or in reverse, departing on October 10 and December 22, 2011. Highlights include visiting sublime islands and beaches as well as some of Asia’s major centres, seeing both traditional and modern Asia from a different perspective, often far away from the crowds.

All prices include all 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; Zodiac excursions and tender transfers.

Fares do not include: travel and medical insurance, laundry charges, shopping onboard, bar expenses, optional shore experiences, medical treatment, telephone and internet charges, international and domestic flights. All prices are ‘from’ prices, per person, based on two adults sharing. Qantas Holidays general booking conditions apply.

For more information, visit http://www.qantasholidays.co.uk/. For more info on a wide range of expedition voyages, including Orion Expedition Cruises, see the Adventure Cruise Collection of specialist agent The Cruise Line Ltd on this link: http://www.cruiseline.co.uk/Adventure-Cruises.

Adopt an Orang-utan with Orion Expeditions

By guest blogger Steve Newman

To celebrate “Orange For Orang-utan Day” tomorrow (November 10), Orion Expedition Cruises, the leading operator of five-star expedition cruising in the Australasian region, will be adopting orang-utans on behalf of its guests.

Throughout November, anyone booking a 2011 Orion Expedition Cruises voyage will be helping in the conservation of orang-utans and their habitats as Orion will adopt one of these wonderful creatures in their name. As well as receiving a personalised certificate with a colour photo of their adopted orang, they will also get an orang-utan factsheet, a cuddly toy orang-utan and an update after six months of adoption.

Commenting, Andy Harmer, Orion’s UK Director of Sales & Marketing, said: “The destinations visited by Orion have some of the most pristine and sensitive wilderness areas on our planet and we have a social responsibility to develop a marine tourism blueprint that is sustainable and at the forefront of eco-sensitivity.

"By adopting orang-utans on behalf of our guests, we are not only supporting Orion’s commitment to sustainability but also raising awareness of the plight of some of our planet’s most beautiful creatures.”

For further information, visit http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ or call adventure cruise specialists the Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Free return filghts to OZ

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Orion Expedition Cruises, the leading operator of five-star expedition cruising in the Australasian region, is offering free helicopter flight-seeing trips on all 2011 Kimberley voyages booked before the end of the November 2010.

In 2011, Orion Expedition Cruises will operate 13 Kimberley expeditions between the tropical city of Darwin and the historic pearling town of Broome (and vice versa). During these voyages guests will experience the dramatic contrasts of Australia’s north-west, rich in Aboriginal culture and galleries of ancient artwork. Towards the west, in the historic pearling town of Broome, the colours of nature are vibrant and intense: rich red earth, azure blue seas and brilliant white sand beaches. North of Broome lies the ragged Kimberley coast, a place you can only comprehend from the sea. Rugged gorges, inlets, waterfalls plunging 100 metres ( above) all combine for an awe-inspiring experience you simply can't have by travelling overland.

Anyone booking a Kimberley voyage before 30th November 2010 will have the choice of a free helicopter flight-seeing trip to either King George Falls or Mitchell Falls. This is in addition to the free flight over the Bungle Bungle ranges which guests already receive along with free return flights from the UK.

Prices for Orion Expedition Cruises’ Kimberley voyages start from £5,325 per person based on twin share including onboard accommodation, 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. Also included is the free helicopter flight-seeing trip to either King George Falls or Mitchell Falls, a free flight over the Bungle Bungle ranges and free return flights from the UK.

For reservations and enquiries visit www.orionexpeditions.com

The Photo-Splendour of Papua New Guinea

Orion Expedition Cruises, the leading operator of five-star expedition cruising in the Australasian region, is offering guests the opportunity to join the photographic workshop of a lifetime where they will be able to hone their photographic skills and capture all the action in one of the world’s most photo-opportunistic locations - Papua New Guinea.

This 11-night voyage, departing Cairns on April 3, 2011, provides an extraordinary array of opportunities to test and develop photographic skills – historic World War II sites, tropical islands, exotic bird and marine life, primitive artworks, active volcanoes, the colonial atmosphere of Madang and a rare visit to a remote village near the Sepik River where the friendly welcome and cultural displays will overwhelm.

In association with Better Photography magazine and the Australian Geographic Society, and under the knowledgeable guidance of internationally recognised photographer Nick Rains and Grand Master of Photography Peter Eastwood, this voyage is designed to appeal to photographers of all levels – while not forgetting their partners (whose interest in the finer points of photography is often less enthusiastic).

Nick and Peter will be holding pre-shoot workshops onboard before taking guests on location accompanied by members of Orion’s specialist expedition team. Workshops include professional advice and instruction on photographing seascapes, portrait skills, lighting, detailed macro flora and fauna and instruction on editing-software to optimise the final images.

Explore, experience and shoot from dawn to dusk, then relax and enjoy superb cuisine and company by night.

Orion’s 11-night “Papua New Guinea Cultural Highlights” cruise starts in Cairns and visits Alotau, Samarai & Kwato Islands, Fergusson Island, Tufi Harbour, Tami Islands, Madang and Sepik River before arriving in Rabaul.

Prices start from £5,615 per person, including 11 nights onboard, 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 UK bookings, be sure to check with adventure cruise expert The Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.

Experience the Heroic side of Polar Exploration

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Have you ever imagined spending New Year's Eve or early 2011 as part of an Antarctic expedition? If so, you can join the purpose-built expedition cruise ship Orion for a modern-day exploration of Antarctica with departures leaving from Dunedin (New Zealand) in December 2010, and Hobart in January 2011.

Cross the Antarctic Circle before heading for Cape Denison and a rare visit to Douglas Mawson's historic huts, built for the 1911-1914 'Australian Antarctic Expedition'; or explore the Ross Sea region, including Scott and Shackleton's bases still surviving from the 'Heroic Era' of Antarctic exploration. These timber buildings are rare in a world context and are literally frozen in time.

The purpose built expedition ship Orion (with the benefits of oversized stabilisers, retractable sonar and ice-strengthened hull) provides her 100 guests with all the needs of today's adventurers: technology, safety and creature comforts that include fine food and wines, a gym, boutique, hairdressing, sauna and massage facilities - as well as 80 staff, specialist lecturers and polar expedition crew to look after their every need.

These are true expeditions, crossing the Antarctic Circle and voyaging further south than the position of the South Magnetic Pole. Magnetic compasses are useless in these waters, an area that remains largely unsurveyed. Orion's ten Zodiacs, purpose designed expedition transport for intrepid modern day adventurers, will be put to good use for landings ashore in Antarctica and World Heritage listed sub-Antarctic Snares, Auckland and Macquarie Islands, pristine breeding grounds for a huge array of wildlife.

On Macquarie Island, the King penguin colony alone is estimated to have in excess of 170,000 breeding pairs. So rare are visitors here that they are usually ignored by birds, seals and penguins alike as they go about their daily business. See Elephant seals, some weighing as much as three tonnes - more than a car - and the massed gathering of Royal penguins coming and going from the sea.

These are never-to-be-forgotten expeditions to some of the most exciting and wondrous places on earth.

For more information, go to http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ or see the Adventure Cruise Collection brochure.