CELEBRITY SPOTTING
Two Celebrity ships will be Australian-based this season, with Celebrity Century arriving on October 11 and Celebrity Solstice following on October 23. New for Celebrity Solstice is a nine-night South Pacific sailing, calling at New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands and Vanuatu, departing January 18, and South Australia cruises in October and November and a Tasmanian cruise in December. On January 11, the luxury ship makes a 14-night trip from Sydney to Singapore via the Whitsundays, Cairns, Darwin and Bali.
Phone 1800 754 500. See celebritycruises.com.au.
PACIFIC PLEASURES
Shimmering in the South Pacific like an uncut jewel, Bora Bora is arguably the most stunning of all Pacific islands, with its dramatic volcanic peaks and its necklace of tiny atolls. Now the freighter Aranui 3 has added the ultimate Pacific destination to its 14-day round-trip journeys out of Papeete. In 2015, all the ship's departures will include Bora Bora, as well as its usual stops in the remote Marquesas Islands and Tuamotu atolls, where it offloads food, fuel and other island staples while also providing shore excursions for passengers.
Phone 03 9449 3778. See aranuicruises.com.au.
CZECH MATES
Is there room for another cruise on the crowded upper Danube River? Beyond Travel thinks so. The river-cruise specialist is introducing a new 12-day cruise-tour between Budapest and Prague in 2015, including seven nights on an Amadeus ship from luxe Austrian operator Luftner Cruises. Port visits include Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Durnstein, Melk, Linz, Passau and Regensburg. The journey sets itself apart by including four hotel nights in Prague, with a tour of the city, afternoon on the Vltava River and day at Cesky Krumlov.
Phone 1300 363 554. See beyondtravel.com.au.
PUT ON ICE
If you've ever dreamed of voyaging to the North Pole on a nuclear-powered icebreaker (and frankly, why wouldn't you), then you'll get your last chance on renowned ship 50 Years of Victory next year. Poseidon Expeditions has announced a fourth and final trip for 2015 on August 10, after which the icebreaker will retire from passenger services. The much overused tourism word "unique" actually describes this voyage: no other passenger-carrying ship can pound through Arctic ice three-metres thick.
SUITE DREAMS
River-cruise companies have been eyeing India for some time. Now Uniworld has announced the launch of a luxury all-suite ship on the Ganges in January 2016, open for bookings late this year. The company will offer a 12-night itinerary between Delhi and Kolkata, including seven nights afloat on the Ganges Voyager II and stays at plush Oberoi hotels in Agra and Jaipur. With the ship carrying just 56 passengers, it promises pampering and a calm oasis after exploring the colourful tumult of India's cities, villages and riverbank monuments.
Phone 1300 780 231. See uniworldcruises.com.au.
