Zegrahm's Indian Ocean Odyssey

Small-ship voyages are definitely a major trend for 2014, and it is interesting to see the wide array of cruise ideas rolling in from a great range of operators (be sure to see our Adventure Cruise News section in the new edition of World of Cruising, which is out this month, for a full look ahead).

 

The latest is from Zegrahm Expeditions, who are featuring two exclusive cruises to the Seychelles and Madagascar in 2014.

Titled Ultimate Aldabra and Voyage to Madagascar, the two journeys—which can be taken in combination—take travellers to the lesser-visited islands of the western Indian Ocean aboard the all-suite, 100-guest Island Sky (above).

Departing November 16, the 17-day Ultimate Aldabra, is a voyage to explore the remote islands of the Seychelles, which have remained largely untouched due to their inaccessibility, and offers the unique opportunity to witness a pristine natural environment. A highlight of the expedition is spending four full days at the magnificent Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is priced from $12,970 per person, double occupancy.

Then, departing November 28, the 19-day Voyage to Madagascar includes Zanzibar, Comoros, Réunion and Mauritius, with a fascinating combination of natural history and East African culture. Highlights include discovering the unique flora and fauna of Madagascar—photogenic lemurs, 32 species of reptiles, and over 100 species of birds--and wandering a labyrinth of serpentine alleyways in Zanzibar’s Stone Town, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is priced from $13,980 per person, double occupancy.

More info: call (in the US) 1800 628 8747 or visit www.zegrahm.com.

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Up-Close Voyages Through Madagascar

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises will be offering expedition trips through Madagascar and Southern Africa in December 2012 and December 2013 onboard the purpose-built expedition duo MS Hanseatic and MS Bremen, with maiden calls on both itineraries.

An exotic flora and fauna has developed on Madagascar that does not exist anywhere else on earth. There are more than 12,000 species of plants recorded on the fourth largest island in the world and guests will experience lemurs in pristine nature, animals in the wild, and wonderful beaches on romantic coasts.

Winter 2012: Hanseatic will make stops at six new ports along her tropic adventure, including Maroantsetra, Nosy Hara, Morondava, Nosy Ve and Toliara, as well as a first-time stop in Mozambique, at the picturesque city of Ilha dos Portugueses.

Optional shore excursions include hiking in Masoala National Park to see lemurs in the rainforest; canoeing to Lokobe Nature Reserve; zodiac landings on Nosy Lakandava and Nosy Hara for swimming between coral reefs and rock formations; a safari in Kariega Game Reserve in South Africa; and a visit to the Addo Elephant Park, also in South Africa. This 16-day itinerary is from Dec 3-19, from Port Louis/Mauritius to Cape Town/South Africa. Rates start at $7,750 per person for an outside cabin.

Winter 2013: Guests will join Bremen as she calls on the west coast of Madagascar for the first time. New ports of call in Madagascar include Nosy Hara, Mahajanga, Morondava and Nosy Be.

Optional shore excursions include hiking in Lokobe Nature Reserve to admire gigantic trees and go bird-watching; a boat ride to Nosy Komba, also know as “lemur island;” snorkelling on Nosy Lakandava and Nosy Hara; a visit to the Zulu village of Kwabhekithunga in South Africa; and a safari to view the “Big Five,” also in South Africa. This 17-day itinerary is from Dec 1-18, from Port Louis/Mauritius to Cape Town/South Africa. Rates start at $7,020 per person for an outside cabin.  

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

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Hapag-Lloyd's Expedition Season

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is offering 12 expedition itineraries operated in English/German in the season 2013/2014. Their small and beautifully appointed expedition ships, MS Hanseatic and MS Bremen will be travelling to Alaska, Spitsbergen, Iceland, Greenland, the Northwest Passage, the Amazon, Chilean Fjords, Antarctica, the South Seas, New Zealand, Antarctica, Africa and Madagascar. 

The Hanseatic, a 5-star expedition ship and the Bremen, a 4-star-plus version, were created to provide intensive exploration in elegant surroundings for a maximum of 184 and 164 guests respectively. Here are the highlights.

The Earth’s Most Southern Continent – Antarctica

Antarctica Circle: This 18-day itinerary on Hanseatic is from February 13-March 3, 2013. Rates start at $12,760 per person. The 18-day itinerary on Bremen is from January 9-27, 2014, with rates from $10,890.

Secrets of the Exotic Pacific – New Zealand and The South Seas

New Zealand: This 15-day itinerary on Bremen is from March 4-19, 2013, from Bluff to Auckland, with rates from $7,240.

South Seas Spring

This 17-day itinerary on Bremen, with stops in Australia, New Caledonia and Fiji, is from March 19-April 5, 2013, from Auckland to Fiji, with rates from $8,100.

South Seas Fall

Hanseatic's 22-day cruise in 2013 makes stops in Palau, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Island, from October 15-November 6, sailing from Manila in the Philippines to Fiji, with rates from $11,390 per person.  

Three Adventures in One – Spitsbergen, Iceland, Greenland

This 18-day itinerary is from July 14-August 1, 2013, from Longyearbyen/Spitsbergen to Kangerlussuaq/Greenland, with rates from $11,740.

The World’s Most Mysterious Route – The Northwest Passage

Sailing a 24-day itinerary is this offering from August 16-September 9, 2013, from Kangerlussuaq in Greenland to Nome, Alaska. Rates for this itinerary start at $20,320 per person.

Paradise on Earth – Expedition Madagascar and Africa

This 17-day itinerary is from December 1-18, 2013, from Port Louis in Mauritius to Cape Town, South Africa, with ratyes from $7,020.

For more info on Hapag-Lloyd's adventuring cruises and bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK’s leading adventure-cruise specialists.

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Hapag-Lloyd's 2012/13 Expedition Season

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises announces the arrival of their March 2012-May 2013 expedition brochure. Their small and beautifully appointed expedition ships, MS Hanseatic and MS Bremen, will be offering 12 international (English/German) itineraries next season.

They include travel in Antarctica, the Northwest Passage, Greenland, Spitsbergen, Norway, the Amazon, the South Seas and New Zealand. In addition, the expedition itineraries feature new ports of call in Madagascar and Mozambique and a maiden voyage through theSea of Okhotsk in Russia’s Far East.

The two ships were created to provide intensive exploration in the most elegant surroundings for a maximum of 184 guests on Hanseatic and 164 on Bremen.

Expedition Highlights:

Sea of Okhotz

For the first time, Hanseatic sets out to circumnavigate the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia’s Far East, taking guests to volcanoes, geysers and glaciers. Zodiac stops will include Iony, a tiny island populated by sea lions, and Shantar Islands and Malminskie Islands, natural sanctuaries for songbirds, birds of prey, seals and sea otters.

Indian Ocean

Guests will experience lemurs in pristine nature, animals in the wild, and wonderful beaches on romantic coasts through Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa. This tropical 16-day adventure will include ports in Madagascar and a first time stop in Mozambique.

The Northwest Passage

In 2012, the popular exploration route will be offered on board Hanseatic. It starts in Nome/Alaska amidst impressive testimonies of the Inuit culture before sailing through the Canadian Arctic, the heart of the Northwest Passage and ending in Reykjavik/Iceland.

Antarctica

Glaciers, icebergs, deep fjords and bays offer the setting for an unforgettable Antarctic expedition. In addition to observing bird colonies, guests will also have the opportunity to explore the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, bath in the hot springs on Deception Island and observe whales in the Antarctic Sound.

For more info, visit www.hl-cruises.com or contact the UK's expedition cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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New Cruises from Spirt of Adventure

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Discovery cruise ship Spirit of Adventure (above) has launched a new programme of exotic and intrepid itineraries for 2011, bringing passengers closer than ever before to the local cultures and traditions of many remote and unexplored destinations.

New to the schedule for next year are the United Arab Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah and the exotic islands of Madagascar, Réunion and Indonesia, as well as the fascinating coasts of east, west and southern Africa. MV Spirit of Adventure will also be spending Christmas and New Year in the warm waters of Australasia, visiting Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific islands.

As one of the leading cruise companies, the small, intimate size of the ship means she can reach unusual and lesser known cities, islands and ports, including ports where no other cruise ships have ventured before. To get the most out of the destinations en route, Spirit of Adventure creates insightful tailor-made excursions, included in the price of the cruise, and carefully selects a range of expert guest speakers to inspire and educate passengers.

Here is a sample of next year's fascinating offerings:

The Undiscovered Coast
Visiting the lesser-known ports along Africa’s west coast, passengers will get an insight into authentic village life, including a unique opportunity to meet with a chief priest in the small village of Sanguera in Togo and a ceremonial Voodoo dance.
(17 nights from £3524 per person, based on two sharing; departs February 1, 2011)

Into Indonesia
Spirit of Adventure ventures to virgin territory as she leaves the ports visited by larger cruise ships to explore Indonesia’s picturesque islands. Passengers will be welcomed to remote villages by local tribes where they can visit the beautiful natural sites and track down the world’s largest lizard, the Komodo dragon.
(16 nights from £3,229 per person, based on two sharing; departs November 16, 2011)

To the Land of the Long White Cloud
For an unforgettable Christmas and New Year, customers can join this exciting voyage around the south coast of Australia and New Zealand, for the opportunity to visit incredible National Parks or join kayaking and jet boat excursions to see the most beautiful scenery.
(22 nights from £3924 per person, based on two sharing; departs December 15, 2011)

Red Sea Explorer
On an adventure off the well-trodden cruise path, passengers will visit the undiscovered ports of the Middle East as they sail from Dubai through to the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, stopping to explore the picturesque villages of Salalah before calling at the rarely visited ports of Massawa, Eritrea, and Suakin, Sudan.
(16 nights from £2274 per person, based on two sharing; departs April 15, 2012)

All Spirit of Adventure cruises include a choice of tailor-made excursions, return scheduled or chartered economy flights, car parking at the departure port or airport, return transport, porterage, all visas, port taxes, all meals and on-board gratuities, a programme of lectures and presentations, welcome and farewell cocktail parties, entertainment and activities, plus table wines with lunch and dinner on selected cruises. What’s more, new passengers can take advantage of an introductory discount of up to £300 per person.

For further details, please visit http://www.spiritofadventure.co.uk/

You can also learn more about Spirit of Adventure offerings at The Cruise Show at Birmingham NEC on October 16-17 and at London's Olympia next March (26-27).

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East Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands

By guest blogger Steve Newman

If you’re new to cruising or are simply looking for one of the best cruise-holiday package deals around, then why not have a look at MSC Cruises?

During their South Africa cruise for example, their classic ship MSC Melody (above) will stop off at Port Louis, the capital and main port on the island of Mauritius. Offering an interesting and relaxing day trip on shore, Port Louis is just one of the exciting and varied destinations that you’ll find along the company’s South African cruise itinerary.

Glimpsed from the ship, this island in the Indian Ocean rises out of a shimmering sea, displaying its famous ring of mountains that shelter the bustling harbour and port, a centre of commerce and trade for the island. Historically in Dutch and French ownership, the two cultures have left their mark on this charming city.

Port Louis has conserved many historic and colonial buildings through the years and elegant, well-preserved French buildings from the 17th century are a treat for architecture buffs. Those in the mood for a spot of shopping will find plenty of enticing items, either in the covered markets, the amazing Port Louis Bazaar or along the well-appointed main streets lined with palm trees.

The cruise starts and ends at Durban in South Africa and includes ports of call at Point Des Galets on the fabulous French speaking, wildly tropical island of Reunion with its spectacular scenery and volcano, and Fort Dauphin on Madagascar, one of the world’s most incredible islands with its forests and Lemurs.

MSC also offer mini-cruises in South Africa on MSC Sinfonia. If you need to find out more, have a look at http://www.msccruises.co.uk/

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