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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Two Favourites Return To Quark's Arctic Fleet

By Editor Simon Veness

It's not often I beat our resident adventure cruise expert, Steve Newman, to the punch with a story on his favourite subject, but I did pick up this latest news from Polar expedition specialist Quark Expeditions, and thought it had some great ideas for 2015.

As we know full well at World of Cruising, adventure cruising now has a large and rapidly increasing following, hence it is a regular part of our feature line-up, and we also think it is worth highlighting on a regular basis as it truly offers that off-the-beaten-track experience.

Cruising to the Antarctic and Arctic Oceans is a sensitive issue, as there remain serious environmental concerns about large numbers of people visiting these parts of the world, especially by ship. But Quark have established a peerless reputation for handling these issues and still providing an amazing voyage into these unique regions.

And their big news for the Arctic season the year after next seas two popular vessels return to the fleet for the June-October period:

M/V Sea Adventurer

Currently part of Quark’s Antarctic fleet, Sea Adventurer (above) will undergo a refurbishment of cabin interiors before sailing during the Arctic 2015 season. This ship is a customer favourite because of its intimate size and ample public space. With a 1A ice-class rating and its operational range, this ship is well-equipped to navigate some of the more ice-laden regions visited by some of Quark’s Arctic itineraries. Formerly known as Clipper Adventurer, Sea Adventurer has an active stability system which helps steady the ship when sailing through rough waters. With a maximum occupancy of 117 and plenty of outdoor deck space, she offers a comfortable journey with plenty of opportunities for up close and personal viewings of the wildlife and scenery.

Sea Adventurer will operate eight itineraries in Iceland, Greenland, Svalbard, the Canadian Arctic and the Northwest Passage during the 2015 summer season.

M/V Ocean Nova

Originally designed to take on challenging ice conditions as a year-round Greenlandic ferry, the Ocean Nova is a 1B ice-class vessel with a small draft that allows her to navigate in shallow waters and reach places larger ships are unable to access. Last used by Quark during the Antarctic 2011/12 season, there are few expedition vessels available these days with fewer than 100 passengers, hence Ocean Nova offers a unique and intimate experience while offering full private facilities and public spaces. The top deck observation lounge affords fabulous views of the incredible ice, fjords and wildlife. With a maximum of 84 passengers, this will be Quark’s most intimate ship.

Ocean Nova will operate 11 itineraries through Iceland, Greenland, Spitsbergen, the UK and Norway during the 2015 season.

Quark president Hans Lagerweij said: “We’re thrilled to have both of these nimble and capable vessels in the Arctic season. The high ice class of both will allow for easier navigation through Arctic ice, enhance our passengers’ expedition experience and provide unprecedented access on our northern itineraries.”

Arctic 2015 Season Details

Quark’s 2015 Arctic season is scheduled to be announced in February. For more information, visit www.quarkexpeditions.com or call 0808 120 2333.

 

NB: Be sure to see our March edition (and don't forget we will have SIX issues each year starting in 2014, instead of 4) when Steve Newman will be previewing the 2014 Arctic cruise season.

 

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link! 

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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