Pandaw, a small-ship cruising company, has announced the construction of a new 14-cabin K-class ship for Burma. The ultra-shallow twin decked K-class vessel can go where other ships cannot and is perfect for Pandaw’s style of soft adventure river expeditions.
Despite
the political situation in Burma and a decline in mainstream routings the
demand for small ship expeditions in Burma has actually increased.
“With
the recent departure of three K-class vessels to India it has proved necessary
to order one more to meet this demand, principally on the Upper Irrawaddy,
Chindwin and Delta expeditions into remoter untouristed parts of the country.
Many of these are now fully booked for the coming season and a support vessel
urgently needed,” the company said.
In the tradition of naming all K-class ships after original Irrawaddy Flotilla vessels, the new build is to be named the KANEE PANDAW, and is being built in Pandaw’s own yard in Mandalay.
These
much-loved, safari-style vessels offer outdoor or indoor dining, run-round promenades
and ample indoor and outdoor living space. The cabins are slightly smaller than
on Pandaw’s larger ships but cleverly designed and very comfortable with roomy
bathrooms.
Like
all Pandaw’s expedition ships the KANEE will carry mountain bikes and is being
aimed at a younger demographic and family travel into these remote reaches.
“We began in Burma 25 years ago and remain attached
to the country and its people,” said Pandaw Founder, Paul Strachan.“Since we started the Pandaw Charity in 2008
the company has funded the Pandaw Clinics program providing essential health
care to a whole region of the country; to me it is a personal mission to ensure
that our business in Burma, despite recent political setbacks, continues to
prosper so that we can maintain these funding commitments”
Pandaw enjoys one of
the highest repeat rates in the industry and much of the growth in remote river
cruising is coming from within the Pandaw community. Two years ago, the company
launched its Pandaw Member’s Club and now has over 10,000 members seeking new
adventures on the rivers of Asia.
AdventureSmith Explorations is offering last-minute savings of up to $1,200 (per couple or $600 per person) on select departures of 2019 small-ship cruise vacations in Alaska.
TRUCKEE, CA – The small ship cruise company, AdventureSmith Explorations, is offering last-minute savings of up to $1,200 per couple ($600 per person) on select departures of 2019 cruise vacations in Alaska.
“An expanded inventory of small ships, more itineraries and a longer season all benefit our clients who are interested in Alaska this year,” says Todd Smith, founder/president. “‘It’s very rare to see special offers this great so late in the Alaska booking season.”
To take advantage of specials that apply to specific departures and cabin categories, reservations must be made by April 19, 2019.
Savings up to $1,200 per couple come with select 2019 departures of the following itineraries:
Alaska’s Glacier Country is an eight-day cruise navigating some of Alaska’s most impressive glaciers and wildlife viewing. Savings come with departures aboard the 90-guest S.S. Legacy April 26; May 10, 17, 24 and 31; June 7, 14, 21 and 28; July 5, 12, 19 and 26; Aug. 2 and 9; and aboard the 88-guest Safari Endeavor Sept. 1 and 8; and a special fitness and yoga-themed departure aboard the S.S. Legacy May 3.
Alaska’s Glaciers & Whales is an eight-day cruise from aboard the 88-guest Safari Endeavour. Savings are applied to May 26, June 9 and 23, July 7 and 21, and Aug. 4 and 18 departures. Suites on this ship include balconies; activities options include stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking.
Whales, Wildlife & Glaciers is a diverse eight-day cruise exploring the many inlets and wildlife of Alaska aboard the 88-guest Safari Endeavor with savings on June 2, 16 and 30, July 14 and 28, and August 11 and 25 departures.
Alaska’s Inside Passage & San Juans Cruise spends 15 days along the iconic passage between Seattle and Juneau, visiting two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Glacier Bay National Park and Olympic National Park aboard the 88-guest Safari Endeavor, with applicable savings on May 12 and Sept. 15; and aboard the 90-guest S.S. Legacy on Aug. 16.
These eight-day
itineraries are aboard one of three Wilderness small ships that carry from 60
to 76 guests depending on the vessel. A $600 per-couple savings comes with
specific 2019 departures of:
Northern Passages & Glacier Bay that explores backcountry wilderness between Sitka and Juneau on the Wilderness Discoverer with savings applicable on May 4 and 18 and on Wilderness Explorer Apr. 27 and July 20.
Alaska Fjords & Glaciers that discovers glaciers, fjord cliffs, deep valleys and whales, the Tlingit culture and Tongass National Forest, with savings on the Wilderness Adventurer April 6, on Wilderness Discoverer June 29 and July 6, and Wilderness Explorer July 6 and 13.
Glacier Bay National Park Adventure Cruise that brings guests to tidewater glaciers, whales, puffins and old-growth forest is aboard the Wilderness Adventurer with savings on April 27 and June 8 departures.
Because of the high demand for Alaska cruises, the company is already taking reservations for 2020 programs. To help clients select small ships and/or itineraries that best fits their interests, Smith’s team have prepared 6 Insider Tips to Travel Alaska in the Best Way.
For details on all of AdventureSmith Explorations’ small ship cruises, itineraries, availability and for 2019-2020 reservations, call 866-575-2875 toll-free or visit the company website.
TAHOE CITY, CA–AdventureSmith Explorations has a selection of journeys to warm destinations at a bargain price for those who can act now. Benefits of booking these warm-weather escapes before the deadline include credits of up to $700 off scheduled rates.
Here’s a list of specials with booking deadlines noted:
The Panama Canal springs to life on an eight-day itinerary encompassing Costa Rica and the Panama Canal. Guests who choose a Costa Rica & Panama Canal cruise departing on select 2017 dates and book by December 31, 2016, can select from; free round-trip airfare between Miami and Costa Rica/Panama City, plus a free overnight Panama City tour extension, which includes a private dinner at the Miraflores Locks, a city tour and a visit to the Frank Gehry-designed Bio Museum; or a $500 air credit if they cannot stay the extra day.
This classic route aboard the 62-guest National Geographic Sea Lion transports guests through the Panama Canal to explore Costa Rica and Panama’s famed national parks and wildlife reserves. Highlights are snorkeling at Isla Coiba, exploring shorelines in kayaks and learning from National Geographic guides and experts. The rate is from $6,390 per person, double. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/costa-rica-panama-canal-barro-colorado-cruise-national-geographic-guides
In Chile, a lodge-based adventure embraces the recently renovated Explora Atacama. This luxury lodge is in the oasis of San Pedro de Atacama, 8,202 feet above sea level in Chile’s Atacama Desert. From this 50-room, comfort-driven resort guests may combine thermal bath soaks with hiking, bicycling and horseback riding while engaging in their choices of over 40 explorations that are led by bilingual guides. Year-round, day-time highs are in the mid 70s. The first night is free for bookings made by March 30, 2017 for stays through April 30, 2017 (minimum three-night stay). A four-day stay starts at $2,184 per person double. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/explora-atacama-desert-travel-hiking-biking-horseback-riding-chile
In the Galapagos select January and February departures of sister 16-guest catamarans come with savings of $500 if booked before Dec. 31, 2016. The luxury Petrel dates to 2015 and Cormorant to 2011; each serves as home base for a comprehensive Galapagos Islands cruise. Spectacular year-round, this famed archipelago is especially fun at the start of each year as water temperatures are on the rise making it the ideal time for snorkeling. The regular rate for this four-day program is from $3,090 (Cormorant), or $3245 (Petrel) per person double.
Petrel: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/petrel-galapagos-cruises
Cormorant: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/cormorant-galapagos-cruises
From Iquitos, Peru, guests aboard Amatista Amazon Cruise can experience 20 percent savings if they book this nine-day adventure by Jan. 31, 2017. Enroute is an exploration of one of the last accessible tropical rainforests in the world, the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, during its high water season (typically December through May) when rivers are up to 23 feet higher. This means closer viewing of monkeys and birdlife in the jungle canopy as the ship can go deeper into isolated corners of the reserve. The regular rate is from $2,499 per person double. This riverboat accommodates 30 guests. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/amatista-amazon-cruise
Paradise of Tahiti: Receive a $700 savings on the Tahitian Affair Cruise if booked by Jan. 31, 2017. With departures that begin in late April, this cusp-o-winter tropical escape sails through French Polynesia’s Leeward Islands, including visits to Bora Bora, Tahaa, Huahine, Motu Iriru and Raiatea. A bonus is a scenic helicopter flight for embarkation on the luxurious 24-guest Island Passage. Kayaking, fishing, swimming, snorkeling and stand-up paddle boarding add to the fun. The regular rate for this eight-day cruise is from $4,270- per person double. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/tahitian-affair-tahiti-small-ship-cruise-island-passage-bora-bora-french-polynesia
For information on all of AdventureSmith’s small ship cruises worldwide, itineraries, availability and reservations, Phone: 800-728-2875 toll-free or visit http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/. For more travel features, visit:
The National Geographic Quest will be outfitted with a fleet of 24 sea kayaks, paddle boards, snorkeling equipment and Zodiacs, all geared to get guests out and into the wild, remote places being explored.
TAHOE CITY, CA– Alaska continues to be one of the world’s hottest destinations for small ship cruising. Small ship cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorations has seen the growth firsthand and now recommends that plans need to be secured by early December 2016 to get the best choice of ships, cabins and itineraries for summer 2017.
“Last year the most popular high-season trips were sold out earlier than we had ever experienced. By January more than half of the summer departures were fully booked or had very limited availability,” said Todd Smith, founder and director of AdventureSmith Explorations (http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/).
This booking strategy should give early birds certain advantages while securing a cabin on a brand-new, 100-passenger expedition ship being introduced to Alaska next summer. This is Lindblad Expeditions’ National Geographic Quest, set to launch June 26, 2017, on a Seattle-to-Sitka itinerary exploring the coast of British Columbia and into Alaska’s Inside Passage. The nature-intensive 15-day cruise starts at $9,390 per person double.
National Geographic Quest will then spend the summer exploring the coves and fjords between Sitka, Glacier Bay National Park, Juneau and Petersburg on Lindblad’s classic Exploring Alaska’s Coastal Wilderness route, an eight-day adventure also sailed by the 62-guest National Geographic Sea Lion, with rates starting at $5,890 per person double.
National Geographic Quest will be the most modern and spacious expedition vessel cruising Alaskan waters. The ship features roomy (135 to 185-square feet), outside-facing cabins, 22 with small balconies with floor-to-ceiling sliding doors. Eight cabins can be configured into four adjoining cabins for families. Some cabins can accommodate a third guest. The ship will be outfitted with a fleet of 24 sea kayaks, paddle boards, snorkeling equipment and Zodiacs, all of which are geared to get guests out and into the wild, remote places being explored. Also aboard is state-of-the-art expedition technology, including a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), video microscope, and a hydrophone and bow-cam designed for immediate deployment to hear and film, for instance, humpback whale vocalizations and to view bow-riding dolphins.
Following the Alaska season, the ship will remain in the Pacific Northwest for a series of new voyages between Seattle and Vancouver, with stops in the San Juan Islands, Victoria, Alert Bay and more far-reaching stops in British Columbia’s channels and fjords. Beginning in December 2017, National Geographic Quest will reposition and operate voyages in Costa Rica and Panama before kicking off a series of new voyages in Belize and Guatemala starting in February 2018.
With the introduction of National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Sea Bird will fly away to two new itineraries. Wild Alaska Escape is a six-day cruise designed to pair with a land trip that includes river rafting and biking options unique to a cruise program. The action takes place in wild, pristine Alaska for those with limited time but with an unlimited sense of adventure. Included are iconic wildlife, epic landscapes and the ancient Chilkat Tlingit village of Klukwan. In Haines, “Adventure Capital of Alaska,” guests have a three-hour bicycling trip around a stunning glacial lake, half-day hikes up a few of the region’s most dramatic mountains or, for the most fit, a trek up Mt. Riley. Others may choose to float down the Chilkat River through an area rich with native tradition and sporting the largest congregation of bald eagles in the world. In more remote stretches of the voyage come guided, point-to-point kayak trips with the ship as moving basecamp. Or, in expedition landing craft, guests may zip around sculpted icebergs or land on remote beaches for hikes in dense and dramatic Tongass National Forest. Rates begin at $4,290 per person, double. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/wild-alaska-escape-cruise-national-geographic-sea-bird.
Big Picture Alaska, an 11-day program crafted by National Geographic photographers, targets camera buffs. The trip spans the full north-south expanse of Alaska’s Inside Passage. The immersive, wide-ranging photo expedition takes Lindblad’s wildly popular week-long expedition and expands it, adding in the striking Misty Fiords at the lowest reaches of Alaska’s Inside Passage and Haines, in the northernmost corner. It’s the perfect mix of small-town life and the grand expanse of the wild landscape that surrounds it. Guests raft though the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, explore Glacier Bay National Park, search for humpback whales with time in a popular feeding area called Clarence Strait, kayak amid glacial ice, hike the Tongass National Forest and learn about the region’s rich Tlingit heritage while shooting with the expertise of an industry-leading expedition photography team of Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructors and National Geographic photographers. Rates begin at $8,990 per person, double. See: http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/big-picture-alaska-cruise-photography-national-geographic.
AdventureSmith Explorations also notes new offerings in Prince William Sound thanks to the 12-guest Dream Catcher. The seven-day Prince William Sound Dream Catcher cruise is from $5,775 per person double. Getting up close and personal with icebergs and sea otters is just the beginning of the fun. There are set departures in addition to possibilities to charter this small ship. See: https://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/prince-william-sound-dream-catcher.
For information on all of AdventureSmith’s small ship cruises worldwide, itineraries, availability and reservations, Phone: 800-728-2875 toll-free or visit http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/.
Poseidon Expeditions is offering booking incentives on two December sailings to Antarctica.
PROVIDENCE, RI– Antarctica’s ice-bound landscape is rife with activity in the ample sunlight of long austral summer days. Penguins, for example, are in a flurry of courting, nest building and egg incubation.
To witness this fascinating activity, Poseidon Expeditions, a leading provider of polar adventures in the expedition cruise industry, offers complimentaryovernight camping to guests who book Deluxe, Premium and Owners suites on either of two late Fall departures. This means guests may literally awaken with the birds and watch their antics close at hand. This complimentary camping offer is a $250 per person value on top of the specially priced suites.
The balcony suites with bird’s eye view privileges also offer on new bookings only a 15 percent per person reduction off of regular rates on November 24-December 5, 2016 and December 4-16, 2016 departures of Classic Antarctic Peninsula voyages. After the discount, per person double rates start at $10,196 (Deluxe), $11,301 (Premium), and $13,936 (Owners). The suites feature private balconies and large, sliding glass doors out to the balcony. Sea Spirit’s suites are large by expedition ship standards and can easily accommodate a third person for $5,995 (on November 24) and $6,295 (on December 4). The rate includes:
One pre-voyage hotel night at the Arakur Hotel & Spa in Ushuaia;
Pre-cruise group transfers from the airport to the hotel in Ushuaia
Group transfer to the ship on day of embarkation;
Group transfer to airport or central location upon disembarkation in Ushuaia;
Shipboard accommodations;
All scheduled landings/excursions;
Complimentary camping
Leadership throughout by experienced Expedition Leader & Expedition Team;
All meals on board throughout the voyage;
Tea and coffee station 24 hours daily;
Welcome and Farewell cocktails;
Rubber boots for shore landings for the time of the cruise;
Branded Poseidon Expeditions parka;
All port fees;
Pre-departure materials;
Digital Voyage Log.
Poseidon Expeditions’ 114-passenger, deluxe expedition M/V Sea Spirit, while small and nimble enough to visit a multitude of landing sites, embraces guests with space (all-suite accommodations range from 215 to 463 square feet), two multi-purpose lounges, a well-stocked library and a restaurant serving gourmet-quality meals. Ample deck space facilitates viewing passing icescapes and wildlife. The vessel has an ice-strengthened hull, a fleet of Zodiacs and a set of retractable fin stabilizers for smoother sailing. Activities include Zodiac excursions, hiking, optional kayaking and camping, and informative presentations aboard. The ship’s expedition staff-to-passenger ratio of 1:9 is one of the best in the industry.
Typical cruises from Ushuaia, Argentina, to the Antarctic Peninsula are from 10 to 12 nights. This allows for a reasonable amount of time for daily landings, which are always subject to ice and weather conditions. Travelers often opt for extensions before or after the Antarctic cruise, or they choose a departure that includes other destinations. For example, many travelers want to include a few days in Buenos Aires where they connect with the local flights to Ushuaia, the country’s southernmost town and point of embarkation. In Ushuaia guests can visit Tierra del Fuego either pre- or post-cruise. Some itineraries include the Falkland Islands and South Georgia where they can visit the terrain made famous by explorer Ernest Shackleton, whose gravesite is in Grytviken. Guests on these itineraries can witness King Penguins, the second-largest penguin species, and nesting Wandering Albatross.
The complete 2017-18 Arctic and Antarctic schedules, rates and special offers can be found at https://poseidonexpeditions.com/. A new 80-page catalog detailing the company’s ships and activities is also available and can be requested online or through any of the Poseidon Expeditions offices.
For inquires and reservations in North America, or to request a catalog, contact the company’s Providence, RI, sales and reservation office at [email protected] or by telephone at 347-801-2610.
Poseidon Expeditions, 2ith offices in the US, UK, Germany, Russia and China, is a leading provider of polar expeditions in the cruise industry. In addition to the Sea Spirit, the company provides guests with the opportunity to travel to the geographic North Pole aboard the 50 Years of Victory, the largest and most modern nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world. Fourteen-day, top-of-the-world programs are scheduled for both the 2017 and 2018 summer seasons. The company is committed to safe and environmentally responsible polar travel. It is a member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO).
Follow Poseidon Expeditions on Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poseidonexpeditions
Twitter: https://twitter.com/poseidonexp
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/pxpeditions
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poseidonexpeditions/
Website http://poseidonexpeditions.com/
Marjorie Adams plans to join ExploringCircle’s cruise to Antarctica so she can follow in the footsteps of her grandfather, Walter Kerr Queen, who served as Chief Engineer on one of Admiral Byrd’s two ships that explored the frozen continent.
SEATTLE, WA – The lure of the Poles is legendary. Especially the South Pole. Consider Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton’s third expedition between 1914 and 1916 that left his ship, Endurance, crushed by ice and his men reduced to tossing about in lifeboats on a stormy sea. Consider Rear Admiral Richard Byrd, Jr., who visited the Arctic and Antarctica. Most recently Henry Worsley, a well-connected Brit on a solo land crossing of Antarctica died in this pursuit in January.
But in stark contrast to the arduous challenges and dangers of those early explorations, today’s expedition ships that probe the allure of Antarctica are appointed for cruise travelers and offer organized on-and off-ship activities. And on one Antarctica cruise in 2016, a granddaughter of the Chief Engineer of the SS Jacob Ruppert, one of Byrd’s two ships from the 1933-1934 expedition, will visit the frozen continent. She will be traveling with Seattle-based environmental crusader ExploringCircle, a new company that combines a long adventure travel legacy with a strong sense of purpose.
“I feel that by doing this it can give my grandfather, Walter Kerr Queen, a voice,” says Marjorie Adams. “He was in the company of much better-known names. But he is the person who made sure this steamship’s engine didn’t break down.”
Queen had made his mark and money by designing improved expansion joints for industrial steam systems, a venture begun in his garage in Needham, MA. Eventually his work was known to Byrd who personally called upon Queen to accompany his second expedition to Antarctica. Queen, who was a Lieutenant Commander in the US Naval Reserve in World War I, was assigned to SS Jacob Ruppert, a steel vessel. The other, USS Bear, a wooden vessel, would over-winter. The premise was that if disaster struck, the wooden ship might not sink but most certainly the steel vessel would. Now available in paperback through Amazon is Discovery: The story of the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition (Admiral Byrd Classics).
“The family story is that my grandfather wanted to travel as far north as he did south, after returning in 1934,” adds Adams. In 1937 her grandfather traveled on a Hudson Bay Company supply ship, SS Nascopie, into the eastern Arctic. She took a similar trip in 2009, traveling with a niece north to Elsmere Island.
“My niece and I were chatting about where we might like to go on vacation. My niece turned Grandpa’s words around: ‘I’d like to go as far south as I’ve been north.’”
So Adams and her niece are booked on Antarctica Peninsula: Last Discovered Continent, a 12-day adventure that begins and ends in Ushuaia, Argentina after coming and going through Drake Passage to reach the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula and the Antarctic Continent.
Guests tour the region through the icebergs by Zodiak and kayak and have the option also to camp. They are on M/V Sea Spirit, a classic luxury expedition ship that boasts spacious suites, two restaurants, an open-bridge policy and an elevator. The Sea Spirit’s stabilizer fins will help to make the crossing comfortable. This journey is available from November through February at a per person double rate starting at $5,995. For more information on this trip please see http://www.exploringcircle.com/antarctica-peninsula-1
With decades of experience leading Antarctica travel and helping adventurers realize their polar dreams, ExploringCircle specializes in helping clients arrange the Antarctica cruise that is the right fit for each client. Details on other cruises of this region are available at http://www.exploringcircle.com/antarctica-travel. Some of these cruises offer savings of up to $4,000 on select cabin bookings on specified itineraries.
Before they travel, Adams and her niece, as with all of ExploringCircle guests, will be invited to examine ExploringCircle’s six related environmental causes, choosing one to which to pledge their support. This conversation is vital to the company’s mission. By talking about, for example, plastic detritus in oceans, young and old alike while on a cruise can wrap their minds around threats to ocean waters and to marine and wildlife. ExploringCircle in turn Pays-it-Forward by donating up to five percent of client fee to the environmental cause chosen.
“We listen to our guests and use decades of experience to help them realize their travel dreams. In doing so, we fund hope,” says Kristy Royce, founder. “Leave No Trace Behind is no longer enough.”
Founded in August 2015 but with a legacy that spans over two decades, ExploringCircle (http://www.exploringcircle.com/) is a new company with a diverse adventure travel history and a strong sense of purpose. ExploringCircle sends travelers on journeys of discovery and adventure and then donates up to 5 percent of the trip’s cost to organizations working to make Earth a better place. ExploringCircle combines the joy of travel with a social consciousness built upon three primary principles: To send people on amazing trips / To engage people around important environmental and social issues / To direct funds to groups actively working on those causes.
Water, the Elixir of Life, is ExploringCircle’s first Pay it Forward theme. Issues include clean water and sanitation, plastics in water, vanishing ice and sea level rise. These causes will lead ExploringCircle guests to Alaska, Amazon, Antarctica, Arctic, Baja, Galapagos Islands, Pacific Northwest, Pacific Islands, Peru and Central America.
Lindblad Expeditions H.oldings, Inc. is purchasing the Via Australis to be operated in the Galapagos Islands, affording guests such experiences as swimming with sea turtle
Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc., a global leader of expedition cruises and adventure travel experiences, is purchasing the Via Australis to be operated in the Galapagos Islands. Lindblad expects to take possession of the ship in spring 2016 and following a signification renovation will deploy the ship during the third quarter of 2016. Lindblad, which is spending $18 million to acquire the ship, plans to spend up to $10 million to refurbish and outfit it. The Via Australis will replace the National Geographic Endeavour.
“The Via Australis will be the ideal platform for our Galapagos expeditions far into the future. Opportunities to acquire high quality expedition ships on attractive terms are infrequent so we seized this one,” said Sven Lindblad, President and CEO of Lindblad. “The Via Australis will provide us with increased profitability on the same route through more operating days, revenue enhancement opportunities, operating efficiencies and cost savings compared to the National Geographic Endeavour. Additionally, it will require significantly lower capital expenditures for the foreseeable future.”
“The most important elements of a Galapagos experience are the islands, the animals and the sea that surrounds them, so the ship that provides access to these things matters greatly,” Lindblad added. “The Via Australis is ultra-efficient to operate and was built with the same sensibility that matters so much to us, with a focus on the world outside. To that end, she has great viewing from all public spaces. Her ability to launch and deploy landing craft is fast and seamless. She is exceptionally quiet and maneuverable, a great asset when approaching marine life. And I’m particularly pleased that this ship will be well received by our crew who work very hard and are critical to expedition success.”
The Via Australis will be renamed bearing the National Geographic name. After refurbishment, some key features of the Via Australis:
50 cabins: 46 double cabins and 4 single cabins. Maximum capacity of 96 guests.
As the primary focus is the world outside, all public spaces are designed for maximum viewing with quick, easy access to decks to respond to bridge announcements of phenomenal sightings of nature and wildlife.
An open and ample top deck provides an unparalleled location for gathering, dining, relaxing and stargazing.
A spacious main lounge and a forward-viewing additional lounge with large windows and immediate access to the outer decks provide guests many comfortable options to relax, read or view the wildlife and scenery.
A fleet of Zodiacs and sea kayaks outfitted to transport guests easily into the wild, remote places being explored. The efficient Zodiac loading platform can deploy two landing crafts at the same time in order to safely and swiftly put guests ashore, in the water, or on a cruise through the surrounding landscapes
A fully equipped fitness room and a wellness spa.
State-of-the-art A/V system for the highest quality presentations, including National Geographic photography instruction.
Well-appointed and improved crew quarters.
Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. is an expedition travel company that works in partnership with National Geographic to inspire people to explore and care about the planet. The organizations work in tandem to produce innovative marine expedition programs and to promote conservation and sustainable tourism around the world. The partnership’s educationally oriented voyages allow guests to interact with and learn from leading scientists, naturalists and researchers while discovering stunning natural environments, above and below the sea, through state-of-the-art exploration tools.
AdventureSmith Explorations’ new cruise, Tahitian Affair, sails eight days round-trip from Bora Bora, also visiting the islands of Tahaá, Raiatea and Huahine.
Small ship cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorations plans to go where few have cruised before. Itineraries unveiled for 2016 include regions only recently opened for cruising, along with new routes and the introduction of state-of-the-art, newly built vessels.
“Where there’s curiosity and desire to experience some place new and where we’re seeing our established destinations explored in a new way are two of the major themes in our 2016 new trip line-up,” said Todd Smith, AdventureSmith Explorations’ founder and director.
The Top New Cruises for 2016 Include:
Tahiti
The 24-guest Island Passage sails May through October in Tahiti before returning to New Zealand for the austral summer. The new cruise, Tahitian Affair, sails over eight days round-trip from Bora Bora, also visiting the islands of Tahaá, Raiatea and Huahine. This is an active cruise with kayaking, fishing, swimming, snorkeling and stand-up paddleboarding spliced in with visits to a vanilla plantation, local markets and the Maeva Marae archaeological site. Time will also be spent listening to a local choir and learning how to crack coconuts.
Cuba
The US embargo against Cuba, in place since 1960, once prevented ordinary Americans from traveling to Cuba, but now with a special visa under the provision of a “people-to-people exchange,” US citizens can visit on properly licensed tours. The new Cuba People to People Cruise aboard the 49-guest Panorama sail cruiser focuses on bringing travelers into contact with Cuban people, culture and their communities. Departures start in late December and run through April 2016 for the cruise’s inaugural season. Panorama and Panorama II, with their white sails and masts, provide a romantic yet modern home base.
Peru
According to AdventureSmith, the Amazon River and its tributaries represent a hot destination with travelers right now, with high- and low-water seasons providing a varied travel experience year-round. One new itinerary and vessel recently introduced is the newly built 44-guest Amazon Discovery, an all-suite riverboat that sails round-trip from Iquitos and includes a visit to a private reserve on Monkey Island, home to seven different species. The Amazon Discovery Cruise offers seven-day departures year-round, with the inaugural voyage sailing in December 2015.
Croatia
The Dalmatian Coast Cruise utilizes, among other sister ships, a 2015-built vessel, the 38-guest Infinity, on explorations of the Adriatic Sea coastline between Split and Dubrovnik over eight days. These port towns are featured in the popular Game of Thrones HBO series. The show’s fictional city of King’s Landing is filmed in Dubrovnik, with Split also appearing in scenes. Sailings start at $1,425 per person and start in May 2016.
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
The 90-guest Santa Cruz II made its maiden voyage last October and is the star in AdventureSmith’s Santa Cruz Galapagos Cruise, the top pick for what’s new and exciting in the Galapagos for 2016. The completely refurbished vessel has been refitted for the Galapagos Islands’ style of cruising, and it represents a 58 percent increase in passenger space and a 31 percent reduction in fuel consumption over its predecessor. See: 6 New Ways to Cruise the Galapagos
New Zealand
Voted by Lonely Planet as its fifth top region to travel to in 2016, New Zealand’s Waiheke Island is making many travelers’ lists for 2016. The Bay of Islands Explorer cruise aboard the 24-guest Island Passage visits this 36-square-mile island just north of Auckland before sailing farther north to the Bay of Islands region. Highlights of the eight-day itinerary include wine tasting on Waiheke, dolphin watching, dining on the region’s famed green-lipped mussels, a scenic helicopter ride in the Bay of Islands and visiting the wild and enchanting Great Barrier Island, home to the beautiful Fitzroy Harbour.
Costa Rica
A new ship and itinerary to Costa Rica, Uncharted Isthmus: Sloths, Monkeys & Mangroves aboard the 64-guest Safari Voyager, is an eight-day cruise offering guests twice-daily options by skiff, hike, stand-up paddleboard, snorkel and kayak. Itinerary highlights include transiting the 48-mile-long Panama Canal connecting the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, visiting Costa Rica’s largest park, Corcovado National Park, and snorkeling the crystalline waters at Panama’s Granito de Oro.
Alaska
New to the company’s wilderness cruise program is the Alaska’s Islands, Whales & Glaciers itinerary, featuring eight days between Sitka and Juneau aboard the intimate 10-guest yacht Misty Fjord. Native culture and off-the-beaten path explorations along with sea kayaking, hiking and zodiac adventures engage guests in the pleasures of exploring Southeast Alaska. A hover flight at Taku Glacier offers a ride on an amphibious vehicle designed to travel over ice, water, sandbars and grasslands.
For information on all of AdventureSmith’s small ship cruises, itineraries, availability and 2016 reservations, call 800-728-2875 toll-free or visit www.adventuresmithexplorations.com.
The small vessels that AdventureSmith Explorations uses access many of the coves and landings around hundreds of miles of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.
In the spirit of 2016’s National Park Centennial Celebration, small ship cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorations is offering a different way to experience our National Parks: cruise a park.
While Alaska has the whale’s share of cruises in National Parks, and therefore many choices of ship size and amenities, the San Juan Islands and Oregon’s Columbia River are key players as well.
ALASKA Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve covers over three million acres with open ocean and fjord coastlines spanning most of its perimeter. This means that the small vessels that AdventureSmith Explorations employs access many of the coves and landings around hundreds of miles. Examples of itineraries here are three eight-day programs: Exploring Muir’s Wilderness on the 84-guest Safari Endeavor; Northern Passages & Glacier Bay on the 60-guest Wilderness Adventurer, 74-guest Wilderness Explorer or 76-guest Wilderness Discoverer; and Discoverers Glacier Country on the 22-guest Safari Quest, the 36-guest Safari Explorer, the 60-guest Wilderness Adventurer or the 84-guest Safari Endeavour. Itineraries have themed departures the week of Aug. 25, 2016 celebrating the Centennial, with commemoration gifts, guest speakers, evening onboard presentations focused on the history of the National Parks, surprise birthday celebrations and special presentations by Park Rangers on board while in Glacier Bay.
For those that want to see as much of Glacier Bay National Park as possible on a cruise, the six-day Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise is the only Inside Passage small ship cruise that spends most of its itinerary inside the park. The itinerary travels from waterfall-laden Geike Inlet to the barren mountain faces of the East and West arms of Glacier Bay National Park, then routes outside the park to Point Adolphus for whale watching. Hundreds of miles of glacial fjords are here for kayaking, hiking and small ship cruising. The base of exploration is the historic 12-passenger small ship M/V Sea Wolf, owned and operated by Alaskans.
Kenai Fjords National Park, on the edge of the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage, covers an area of nearly 670,000 acres, 51 percent of which is ice. A number of lodge-based itineraries allow guests to spend ample time on the water boating through Kenai Fjords. To access most of these remote lodges, guests embark by boat from Seward on a five-hour wildlife and tidewater glacier journey. Kenai Fjords Backcountry Explorer over seven days reveals by raft and boat and on shore the many of the activities and animals on the Native-owned, 1,700-acre Pedersen Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary. The eight-day Ultimate Alaska Adventure pairs backcountry adventure and wild Alaska by sea kayaking in Kenai Fjords National Park, a helicopter landing onto a glacial snowpack, a floatplane journey to a remote mountain lake and more.
LOWER 48 Olympic National Park, at nearly 1 million acres along Washington’s coast, is famed for its diversity of ecosystems and rich cultural history. Olympic Wilderness & San Juan Islands is an eight-day-expedition along this coastline from the comfort of the 60-guest Wilderness Adventurer or the 76-guest Wilderness Discoverer. Kayaks and paddleboards sail aboard, allowing guests to actively explore the park’s coves and canals.
Lewis & Clark National Historical Park at Fort Clatsop in Astoria, Oregon, is a hub focusing on the lore of early explorers. Two small ship itineraries visiting here herald the legacy of two great western rivers: the Columbia and the Snake. Columbia & Snake Rivers Journey over seven days embraces culture and history with food and wine bounties of the Pacific Northwest. This trip recently acquired Food Alliance affiliation ensuring that local and sustainable are prominent in in every culinary presentation. Guests will be on board either 62-passenger National Geographic Sea Bird or 62-passenger National Geographic Sea Lion. Over eight days on Legacy of Discovery guests aboard the 88-guest S.S. Legacy that emulates a turn-of-century steamer traverse the nearly 1,000 miles of history on the Columbia River Gorge.
ARRIVE BY TRAIN OR PLANE
Some of AdventureSmith Explorations’ itineraries define remote to its core, with guests going beyond the boat, being transported to a National Park by small plane or train. There are fly-to itineraries accessing Katmai National Park including Brown Bears of Katmai, a five-day program recommended as a cruise extension. On Denali Backcountry Explorer guests explore the wilderness from a lodge deep in Denali National Park and Preserve with access that may include a bus or train from Anchorage.
Alaska Coast to Denali is a cruise-a-park highlight, visiting two national parks over seven days via boat and train. The itinerary starts with a small boat cruise into a Kenai Fjords National Park lodge, travels overland to Denali National Park and Preserve and then concludes with a scenic train ride on the Alaska Railroad to Anchorage.
