Silversea Opens Pre-Sale on Winter 2025-26 Sailings

Posted on 20 October, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Silversea has opened an exclusive pre-sale on its winter 2025-26 winter season, with over 150 new sailings to more than 200 destinations.

Departing between September 2025 and April 2026, also include nine maiden calls and two new grand voyages.

“Broadening the most diverse and immersive destination offering in ultra-luxury cruise travel, we are pleased to open this exclusive pre-sale on over 150 new voyages for winter 2025-26,” said Barbara Muckermann, president of Silversea. “We are continuing to innovate for our guests’ enjoyment. Complementing opportunities for deep travel to iconic destinations with new calls to remote shores, the varied range of experiences offered with our latest voyage collection is simply unmatched. Our well-traveled guests will find inspiration, self-enrichment, and memories that will last a lifetime as they journey to the ends of the earth in Silversea’s trademark level of comfort.”

Highlights of Silversea’s winter 2025-26 voyage collection include:

The 75-day Grand South Pacific Expedition 2025 sailing from August 20-November 2, 2025, from Fremantle (Perth) to Valparaiso;
The 47-day Grand Australia 2025 voyage sailing roundtrip from Melbourne from October 14-November 30, 2025;
17 new voyages in Australia aboard the Silver Nova and Silver Moon:
The brand’s first-ever circumnavigation of Australia onboard the Silver Nova;
Maiden calls in Robe, on Australia’s Limestone Coast, and North Port, Marsden Point, in New Zealand;
38 expeditions to Antarctica onboard three ships;
43 sailings in the Caribbean and Central America
25 voyages aboard the Silver Origin in the Galapagos with two seven-day holiday sailings;
Seven voyages to South America, including three scenic cruises to Antarctica aboard the Silver Whisper;
Six voyages to Africa and the Indian Ocean, including safari opportunities in South Africa.

Explora Announces Winter 2024-25 Program for Explora I

Posted on 28 February, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Explora Journeys today announced its itineraries for the autumn and winter 2024-25 season of Explora I, according to a press release.

Featuring 23 journeys and two grand journeys between September 2024 and April 2025, the itineraries will encompass 73 different destinations in 24 countries, the company said in a statement.

Eight of them will be a first for Explora Journeys, including Macapá, Alter-do-Chaõ and Manaus in the Amazon, and the Devil’s Island in French Guiana.

Sacha Rougier, Head of Itinerary Planning and Destination Experiences, at Explora Journeys, said: “Guests will have the chance to delve into an exhilarating celebration of diversity: From private tours of MoMA in New York City to thrilling boat expeditions up the Amazon; discovering new shades of blue on a hidden Caribbean island or being fully immersed in the biggest show on earth with our exclusive Explora Journeys carnival experience in Rio, where they’ll be granted insider access to join the vibrant performers.”

The voyages start in the far north of North America’s East Coast, then sail to the Caribbean and South America before crossing the Atlantic to Europe.

Highlights include an 8-night Journey to Trailing Whales and Falling Leaves, sailing from New York City on Oct. 8 2024 for Boston, Portland and Halifax, the mystical Whale Corridors and the Gulf of St Lawrence, and finishing in Quebec City.

The ship will offer journeys up the Amazon River and into the Brazilian rainforest, complete with torchlit kayak tours and forest trails to hidden tribal villages. In Manaus, guests will witness the confluence of where the Rio Negro joins the Rio Solimoes and in Santarem where the Amazon meets the waters of the Tapajos.

Journey into Wild and Wonderful Amazonia will depart Bridgetown, Barbados, on November 22 2024, and sail to French Guiana’s Devil’s Island before heading to Macapá, Alter-do-Chaõ and Manaus in Brazil.

A Journey to the Meeting Waters on the Almighty Amazon will set off on November 29 2024 and travel up the Amazon to Macapá and Bequia before returning to Bridgetown.

A Journey of Tantalising Transatlantic Adventures sails on April 3 2025 from Bridgetown on a 14-night transatlantic crossing. Guests can enjoy leisurely days at sea before exploring Cape Verde, the 10-island Creole-Portuguese archipelago. EXPLORA I will stop to take in the natural attractions of the Canary Islands, followed by Madeira, before arriving in Lisbon, Portugal on April 18, 2025.

The ship’s grand journeys, A Grand Journey to Amazonia & Tropical Isles (28 nights) and A Grand Transatlantic Odyssey in the Atlantic (32 nights), give guests the opportunity to visit the Caribbean, the Amazon and the vastness of the ocean beyond.

Holland America Line Returns to Australia

Posted on 6 November, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

After more than a two-year absence, Holland America Line returned to Australia.

The Westerdam is Holland America Line’s first ship back in the region and arrived at Cairns, Australia on Thursday, November 3.

The Westerdam embarked on the voyage on October 2, departing from Seattle, Washington and making calls in Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii, Nawiliwili (Kauai), Hawaii, Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Apia, Western Samoa, Suva, Fiji, Dravuni, Fiji, Lautoka, Fiji, Lifou, New Caledonia, Noumea, New Caledonia, and Alotau, Papua New Guinea before reaching Cairns, Australia.

“After being away from Australia for far too long, we are excited to be back in this beautiful part of the world,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “Despite just opening sales for Westerdam in Australia seven months ago, we’re already seeing some full cruises in the region. Thank you to all of the locals who welcomed our guests at Cairns today and embraced our return with open arms.”

The ship will make a few more stops at Australian destinations including Airlie Beach on November 4, Moreton Island on November 6, and Sydney on November 8 before moving on with its itinerary to New Zealand. The Westerdam will end its journey in Sydney, Australia on November 23.

The Noordam will join the Westerdam in Australia, which will circle the Australian continent on its South Pacific and Australia Circumnavigation Collector journey, arriving at Sydney, Australia on November 5.

This will be the first time that Holland America Line has positioned two of its ships cruising simultaneously around the region since 2016, according to a statement.

On its Australian tour, the Noordam will make calls in Gladstone, Airlie Beach, Cairns, Darwin, Broome, Port Lincoln, Exmouth, Geraldton, Fremantle, Albany, Adelaide, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, and Melbourne.

A special, 14-day Holiday Cruise will depart from Auckland, New Zealand, on December 20, and will arrive in Sydney, Australia on January 3.