Zegrahm Expeditions offers 25th anniversary journeys

Caledonian Sky

Zegrahm Expeditions, specialists in small-ship cruising, are to celebrate their 25th anniversary with two expeditions that will be hosted by four of the original co-founders to commemorate this milestone in its history.

Departing on 28 April 2015 is their The Azores & Canary Islands expedition. This 17-day journey on-board the 110 passenger capacity Sea Adventurer offers a mix of quaint villages, birdwatching, hiking, wine tasting, and visits to colourful markets. Guests will explore the eastern Atlantic’s volcanic islands including Sao Miguel, Graciosa, Pico, Faial, Terceira, and Santa Maria, as well as the Canary Islands and Madeira. Guests will also spend a full day exploring Seville and can enjoy an optional excursion to Marrakech. This expedition is priced from $9,980 per person.

The second expedition, Tahiti to Easter Island, departs on 29 October and is a 21-day voyage on-board Caledonian Sky. With a passenger capacity of just one hundred guests, this intimate cruise will explore the Marquesas, Tuamotu, and Pitcairn Islands. The itinerary has been designed to offer a mix of natural history and culture with plenty of atolls, lagoons, and beaches to take in. Guests can enjoy snorkelling and diving nearly every day where they can discover healthy reefs teeming with tropical fish. This expedition ends at Easter Island, where guests will see giant volcanic stone statues known locally as moai. This expedition is priced from $18,480 per person.

Each of these voyages will be joined by an expedition team of naturalists, ornithologists, and marine biologists, along with Zegrahm co-founders Mike Messick, Jack Grove, Peter Harrison, and Shirley Metz.

Zegrahm President Edwin Blythe said “These expeditions are the true essence of Zegrahm, and we’re excited to celebrate our 25th year of travel with these signature voyages. Not only will our travellers be visiting remote corners of the world, they’ll also participate in special celebrations, receive exclusive commemorative gifts throughout each trip, and be part of a special donation made to a charity in each of the areas we visit.”

(Photo credit to Zegrahm Expeditions)

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Noble Caledonia's New Guinea Expedition

Regular readers of World of Cruising will not be surprised to know we are always on the lookout for great adventure cruise ideas.  Hence this latest option from Noble Caledonia really caught our attention, and we think it is highly worthy of highlighting. 

A passage from New Zealand to Papua New Guinea aboard the MS Caledonian Sky on January 7 2015.  21 nights from £7985

Mysterious Papua New Guinea is, in the truest sense, the last untouched frontier on earth. With exotic wildlife, turquoise seas, tropical rainforest, volcanoes and more than 1,000 tribal groups. It has all the ingredients for a truly memorable expedition cruise - its secret forests nurture more than 3,000 kinds of orchids, and the world’s largest butterfly and moth species.

More info: call  020 7752 0000 or visit www.noble-caledonia.co.uk.

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Sail The China Seas

Noble Caledonia is offering a fascinating Far East journey from Sabah through the aquamarine waters of the South and East China Sea exploring the Philippine Islands, Taiwan and Japan aboard the Caledonian Sky next April.

Book Before September 30 and Save £500 Per Person; 14 nights from £5495

For the well travelled, this voyage from Sabah to Japan, sailing on April 11, offers a unique opportunity to visit little known and remote regions that are well away from the usual cruise routes in the Far East. The cruise begins in the Malaysian state of Sabah and heads north into the South China Sea for a call into the beautiful Philippine Island of Palawan where guests navigate what is reputed to be the longest underground river. Known as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, it is an extraordinary five-mile-long cave, which starts in the limestone hills and ends in the sea. From the exquisite white sandy beaches of Coron, you can snorkel in calm crystalline waters. The last call in the Philippines will be in the far north for a visit to the central mountains of Northern Luzon. Continuing in a northerly direction, the next landfall will be the island of Taiwan where the ship spends time in the capital of Tapei. Thirty years ago, the city was an unattractive mess, today it is one of the finest and best-run cities in the East and an interesting place to learn more about the Japanese colonial period and the more recent era of Chiang Kai Shek. Approximately 100 miles from Taiwan, the islands of Japan begin, an archipelago that stretches some 500 miles to the mainland bordered by the East China Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. Guests will enjoy three days cruising amongst these delightful outpost islands, probably best described as Japan’s Outer Hebrides. Finally, you reach Japan’s mainland and an altogether different experience as you explore some of her great historic cities before reaching Kobe, the last port of call.  For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury adventure cruise specialists.

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Noble Caledonia's New Zealand Sky

Those of you who have travelled on Noble Caledonia’s Island Sky will already know what a superb vessel she is. Now the company have announced that her sister ship Caledonian Sky will be luxury small-ship cruising in New Zealand and Australia in January and February 2013.

If you are going to travel half way around the world, you need a good reason, and what better reason could you have than the desire to visit one of the most beautiful places on earth? New Zealand is a land of stunning landscapes and warm people, which is why it is always high on travellers’ wish lists. With vast open spaces filled with stunning rugged landscapes, gorgeous beaches, spectacular geothermal and volcanic activity, a temperate climate and fascinating animal and plant life, it is a land of rare beauty.

A circumnavigation of the North Island offers the unusual opportunity to visit the lesser known west coast. Call into the quaint city of New Plymouth, explore the Waipoua Kauri Forest, one of the largest remaining tracts of native forest in Northland, and discover the awe-inspiring scenery of the Bay of Islands. Visit the iconic cities of Auckland, Napier and Wellington and journey to the thermal springs at Rotorua, a myriad of gurgling mudpools, steaming ground and expansive vistas. 

Now: Book by October 31 and save £1,000 per person.

Special note: Although this cruise is not classified as expeditionary, on some days it will be necessary to use the Zodiac landing craft to access remote ports and land ashore. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury adventure-cruise specialists.

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Zegrahm Add Caledonian Sky To Fleet

We're big fans of adventure-cruising here at World of Cruising, and Zegrahm Expeditions are always a company we're keen to hear about, so they definitely got our attention this week when they announced a new addition to their line-up. As a quick aside, the Caledonia Sky (above) has also sailed for upmarket British adventuring company Noble Caledonia and was also the Hebridean Spirit of Hebridean Island Cruises. Here's what they say:

Zegrahm Expeditions, the leader in small-ship cruising and overland adventures, has announced a new addition to its fleet, the Caledonian Sky.

Zegrahm will introduce the 100-passenger deluxe expedition vessel on its July 2013 Wild Alaska and  Bering Sea Expedition. During the winter of 2011-12, the ship underwent an extensive renovation, which included upgrading the cabins and public areas with contemporary furnishings and décor, as well as overhauling the engine and air-conditioning systems.

“Zegrahm is very excited to have this luxurious all-suite vessel for our 2013 season,” stated Jon Nicholson, President of Zegrahm Expeditions. “The Caledonian Sky and her fleet of Zodiacs will provide our guests easy access to remote shorelines and islands, and provide them with the ultimate Alaska expedition experience.”

Caledonian Sky is equipped with the latest safety, navigation and communications equipment along with roll stabilisers to minimize the ship's motion. The yacht-like suites are arranged over five decks. Each suite has outside views and affords considerable comfort with a sitting room and en-suite bathroom, while suites on the Bridge Deck offer private balconies.

Guests can take advantage of the spacious lounge and dining room, an elegant bar with piano, and a library stocked with fiction and reference books along with a selection of games. In addition, there is an outdoor restaurant and bar and a sun deck with comfortable furniture for sun-bathing or relaxing with a book.

Other itineraries on the Caledonian Sky include:

Best of the Russian Far East: Jul 24-Aug 13, 2013
Australia’s Kimberley, Voyage to the Outback: Sep 12-26, 2013
Tasmania, New Zealand & Sub-Antarctic Islands: Nov 25-Dec 15, 2013

For bookings, see this link for The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's leading adventure-cruise experts.

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