OUT OF THIS WORLD

AROUND THE WORLD

in eight great ways

THINKING ABOUT EMBARKING ON THE VOYAGE OF A LIFETIME? SUE BRYANT REVEALS EIGHT ULTIMATE ITINERARIES THAT COMBINE STYLISH, COMFORTABLE CRUISING WITH UNFORGETTABLE EXCURSIONS ASHORE

1 THE SHIP Princess Cruises’Royal Princess THE ROUTE 107 days from Fort Lauderdale to Rome, via South America, the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, East and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Departs January 2009.

VITAL STATISTICS: 710 passengers, 300 crew, 30,200 tonnes, entered service 2007. EXPECT Formerly Swan Hellenic’s Minerva II, Royal Princess is comfortable and spacious with a library, plenty of balcony cabins and evening dining on deck. THE UNMISSABLE PORT Easter Island, a rare treat and a chance to see the moai, the ancient statues carved by seafarers more than 1,200 years ago.

2 THE SHIP Holland America’s Prinsendam THE ROUTE 68-day Grand South America and Antarctica voyage, Fort Lauderdale to Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Antarctica, Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. Departs January 2009. VITAL STATISTICS 793 passengers, 428 crew, 37,848 tonnes, entered service 1998. EXPECT Holland America Line’s ships are elegant with famously good food, tasteful decor, lavish art collections and a sprinkling of Dutch tradition.

THE UNMISSABLE PORT Scenic cruising around the tip of the Antarctic peninsula; and Manaus, Brazil, where you can take a side trip deep into the Amazon.


Wake up to a perfect view of
Shanghai’s Pudong skyline3 THE SHIP Regent Seven Seas Voyager THE ROUTE Sails 12 January from Los Angeles to the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, Asia, the Red Sea, Mediterranean and transatlantic to Fort Lauderdale, 116 nights in seven sectors. VITAL STATISTICS 700 passengers, 447 crew, 46,000 tonnes, entered service 2003. EXPECT Ultra-luxury, all-suites, all-balcony ship with excellent food, all-inclusive drinks, a spa, big library and onboard lecture programme. Bring a good selection of formal wear.

THE UNMISSABLE PORT Shanghai, where the ship spends two nights. Book the Xian and Beijing shore excursion (three nights’ side trip) for a personal tour of the Terracotta Warriors and in Beijing, an exclusive visit to the inner sanctum of the Forbidden City.

4 THE SHIP Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity THE ROUTE North Pacific Frontiers, Yokahoma to Los Angeles via Alaska, 22 days departing April 2009.

This is one sector of the ship’s world cruise. VITAL STATISTICS 1,080 passengers, 655 crew, 68,000 tonnes, entered service 2003. EXPECT A level of luxury more often associated with a small ship, with wonderful penthouse suites that have butler service, and world-class dining, including two Asian restaurants, one Italian and the Vintage Room for fabulous private dinner parties.


Live volcanoes are a
highlight of a port
call to Rabaul, Papua
New Guinea THE UNMISSABLE PORT Petropavlovsk, once an outermost frontier of the Soviet Union. The scenery here along the Kamchatsky Peninsula is incredible, with 68 active volcanoes. Soak in the hot springs or take a helicopter flight over the edge of the ‘ring of fire’.

5 THE SHIP Cunard’s Queen Victoria THE ROUTE 107 nights from Southampton west via New York through the Panama Canal to Los Angeles, Hawaii, South Pacific, Australia, Philippines, East and Southeast Asia, and back through the Suez Canal to the Med. Departs January 2009. VITAL STATISTICS 2,014 passengers, 900 crew, 90,000 tonnes, entered service 2007. EXPECT Oodles of tradition on a ship built for long-distance cruising: black tie nights, impeccable food and service, plenty of onboard lectures, a stunning library and a theatre with real boxes. Book a Grill-class cabin and you’ll have the option to dine on deck in warmer climes.

THE UNMISSABLE PORT Rabaul, Papua New Guinea – a dramatic contrast to the serene life onboard Queen Victoria. Live volcanoes, exotic markets selling lotions and potions, red-sailed sampans in the harbour and weird wildlife ranging from miniature kangaroos to huge butterflies.

6 - THE SHIP Silversea’s Silver Wind THE ROUTE 44 nights from Rome to Mahe, a wonderfully in-depth potter south through the Middle East and the east coast of Africa, ending in the luscious Seychelles. Departs October 2009. VITAL STATISTICS 296 passengers, 212 crew, 16,800 tonnes, entered service 1995. EXPECT A small ship offering total luxury, all-inclusive service and all-suites accommodation. Five-star cuisine and several formal nights. Fellow passengers will be Americans and Europeans, all adventurous types. This is quite a port-intensive itinerary, with lots of in-depth excursions.


The unmistakable profile
of Sydney Opera House THE UNMISSABLE PORT Tartous in Syria, rich in medieval history, and in total contrast, Nosy Be, Madagascar, for the vanilla-scented air and the lemur reserve on neighbouring Nosy Komba.

7 - THE SHIP Fred Olsen’s Balmoral THE ROUTE Sailing 14 February, 2009 from Dover, through the Med, via the Far East to Alaska, along the US west coast, through the Panama Canal and back across the Atlantic, 104 nights.

VITAL STATISTICS 1,400 passengers, 471 crew, 43,537 tonnes, entered service 2008 after a refit. EXPECT A comfortable, friendly ship that is orientated to British tastes and isn’t overly glitzy. Go for one of the new cabins in the centre section, which was added in the refit – they’re huge. THE UNMISSABLE PORT Aqaba, Jordan, where there’s an opportunity to visit beautiful Petra. The climate is perfect in February. Remember to bring good walking shoes.

8 - THE SHIP P&O Arcadia’s Grand Voyage THE ROUTE 101 nights from Southampton east through the Suez Canal to India, Southeast Asia, round Australia, back through east and southeast Asia, Oman, Egypt and the Med, with a day in Tripoli. Departs January 2009. VITAL STATISTICS 1,996 passengers, 886 crew, 82,972 tonnes, entered service 2005. EXPECT On the first world cruise of P&O Cruises’ larger adults-only ship, expect reasonably priced spa treatments, good entertainment such as Cirque Arcadia, and Gary Rhodes’ excellent Arcadian Rhodes restaurant.

THE UNMISSABLE PORT Half-way point Sydney: visit sydneyoperahouse.com to book tickets for the famous opera house. Sue Bryant is a freelance journalist specialising in cruising

Sue Bryant is a freelance journalist specialising in cruising

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