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Part of the team pictured (above left) at the Sydney reunion. Cheryl and guests at the Adelaide reunion (above right)
The Perth reunion (above left), Frances and Cheryl at the Sydney reunion (above right)
Michael and Denise at the Sydney reunion (above left) and Hardy, Warren and Helen in Sydney (above right).
New Hosted Cruise Tour from Spain to Switzerland
‘A dream holiday’ is how one of our happy clients described our 2014 escorted cruise tour from the Mediterranean to Switzerland in September (see our letters section below). In 2015, we will add a pre-cruise tour through beautiful Spain, before cruising the Mediterranean and then heading to the Matterhorn on a spectacular rail journey. This promises to be one of our most stunning holidays ever and hosting this grand adventure will be Cruise Express Director, Hardy Schneider, pictured below at the Matterhorn this year.
For all the details:
 
Join us for the ANZAC Centenary
Our special ‘Legends of the Mediterranean’ voyage from Rome with Celebrity Cruises will see you cruise off the Turkish coast for the Gallipoli centenary on April 25 next year before stepping ashore to explore the historic battlefields the next day. Bookings close soon for this historic journey so contact us today to find out more:
 
'Sea' Europe in 2015 with Cruise Express
Our annual, hosted cruise tours to the Mediterranean and northern Europe are always popular. Make 2015 the year you enjoy the best of Europe with us, cruising in luxury as we explore the ‘Treasures of the Mediterranean’ or Norway and Iceland on our new ‘Voyage of the Vikings’ itinerary. Or combine both for the holiday of a lifetime.
 
A Royal Tour of the British Isles
The stunning Royal Princess is one of Princess Cruises’ latest generation cruise ships. Cruise in style around the British Isles with your Cruise Express host helping you discover all the must-see sights of England, Ireland and Scotland, with a bonus visit to France.
 
'All I Had Hoped For And More' - North America
“All I had hoped for and more” was how our client described our hosted cruise tour to Canada and New England in September, 2014. Join us next year when we return to the sights of New York, the stunning autumn colours of New England and the seafaring charms of Nova Scotia and sailing in style with Celebrity Cruises. And enjoy the neon lights of Las Vegas and the aptly named Grand Canyon before returning home.
 
No Single Supplements
Solo travellers will pay no single supplements on more than 80 voyages from 8 to 18 days in regions across the world aboard the luxurious, French-flavoured ships of Ponant Yacht Cruises and Expeditions.
 
First Look at New Local Ships for P&O Cruises
You would never guess these new artist impressions are for P&O Cruises’ two latest Australia-based ships, Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden. The popular line will take its image upmarket when the two 1500-passenger sister liners, formerly Holland America Line ships, arrive Down Under in November, 2015, to offer the company’s biggest-ever program, with cruises from all state capitals. The ships’ restaurants, lounges, bars, pools and staterooms will boast a stylish and contemporary new décor. There will also be a focus on a variety of new gourmet dining options. Be amongst the first to savour P&O Cruises’ new style of cruising, with itineraries on both new ships now on sale.
 
 
All Aboard a New Love Boat
Entertainer Jack Jones, singer of TV's ‘Love Boat' theme, sang the famous song again at the official christening in Florida this month of Princess Cruises’ latest vessel, Regal Princess. The main cast of The Love Boat – who are now Regal Princess’ godparents - and many of the celebrities who starred in the ‘70s and ‘80s series also joined the spectacular christening, which saw 50 bottles of champagne smash against the side of the 3500- passenger ship in honour of the line’s 50th birthday. The 142,000-ton ship joins twin sister, Royal Princess (launched last year), as the biggest vessel in Princess Cruises’ 18-ship fleet. One of Regal’s star features is a glass-floored skywalk suspended 39m above the ocean. To search for a cruise aboard this brand new ship:
 
In sad news related to the beloved Love Boat show, it appears the second of the former Princess ships that starred in the hit TV series, will soon be scrapped. Formerly known as Island Princess (the original Princess vessel with that name) but now named Discovery (pictured below right), the 43-year-old ship has been sold, reportedly to be broken for scrap. Her famous ‘Love Boat’ sister, Pacific Princess, was scrapped in Turkey last year.
 
Name Revealed for Largest-Ever Holland America ship
The name of Holland America Line’s largest-ever liner, to debut in February, 2016, will be ms Koningsdam, it has been revealed. The majestic, 99,500-ton ship will be named after the Dutch word for ‘king’ – koning - in honour of King Willem-Alexander (pictured below right with his family), the first king of the Netherlands in over a century. The cruise line says the name also pays homage to its rich Dutch heritage. The 2650-passenger ship will debut the line’s innovative new Pinnacle Class of liners. Let us know if you’d like us to register your interest in ms Koningsdam’s first voyages in 2016.
  Artists representations of Koningsdam:
Below left - main dining room; below right Queens Room; bottom left - balcony cabin; bottom right - Pinnacle Grill
Fishing for a Palate-Pleasing Cruise?
Many a passenger (mostly men) have fantasised about casting a fishing line off a cruise liner to catch the big one. Well now they can do just that with Norway’s Hurtigruten line announcing that from April next year, passengers aboard the 400-passenger ms Lofoten can drop a fishing line and set crab pots over the side of the 2600-ton ship at set times and places along the Norwegian coast. Catches are then cooked by chefs and served onboard to the proud fisherman!
 
Viking Goes from River to Ocean
Book any 2015 European river cruise with Viking River Cruises – one of the world’s leading river cruise lines – and you can fly return to Europe for just $995 per person. Or if you book one of Viking’s 2016 river cruises with us you can save $500 per person.
To find out more:
Renowned for its beautiful, luxurious and award-winning river cruising longships, Viking River Cruises will next year launch its first ocean ship, Viking Star. The new 930-passenger vessel will offer its guests an all-inclusive fare, with shore tours, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, coffee and tea, specialty dining, room service, wi-fi, laundry and gratuities all included in the fare. And every stateroom is a balcony cabin. Bookings for Viking Star (artists impressions below), which boasts an amazing, glass-backed infinity pool on her stern, have been phenomenal, with two sister ocean-going ships, Viking Sea and Viking Sky, scheduled for launch in 2016.
 
 
Interestingly, the founder of Viking River and Ocean Cruises, Torstein Hagen (pictured below right), was CEO of the former Royal Viking Line from 1972 to 1998 and has named his new ocean vessels after some of the former Royal Viking Line ships.
  (Above left) Royal Viking Sky departs Southampton in 1984. She is now Boudicca for Fred Olsen Line.
 Tips for no Tips
Tipping on cruise ships can be a controversial topic amongst Australians but on several luxury lines, tipping is not required or already included in your original cruise fare so you don’t have to worry about it. Of course you can always make your own gratuities to deserving crew but it is not expected. Gratuity-free lines include Azamara Club Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, and SeaDream Yacht Club.
Above left: Seabourn Odyssey - Seabourn Cruise Line, Above right: Europa 2 - Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
From the cruising experts at Cruise Express
Cruising to a Cup Win
Cruise Express partnered with the Campbelltown Catholic Club in Sydney to give away a $3000 South Pacific cruise aboard Rhapsody of the Seas at the entertainment club’s Melbourne Cup Day lunch. Janelle Pocock was the lucky winner pictured second from left (below left) receiving her prize from Cruise Express’ Warren Young and Lindy Heath. It was a fun filled event compered by TV celebrity Andrew O’Keefe, far right. Visit the club before November 30 for your chance to win a luxury, 12-night Celebrity Solstice (below right) cruise valued at $10,000. Visit www.kingofclubs.com.au for more details. Thank you to Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International for their involvement in these promotions.
  Many first-time cruisers are surprised swimming pools on cruise ships are not as big as they expected. Ships, of course, pitch at sea and the bigger the pool, the bigger the waves in the pool that can swamp decks so pools are kept to a size that minimises this. The longest pool at sea is on the German-based Mein Schiff (25m long), pictured.
 
Our lucky Duck mascot has enjoyed his most exciting year ever, spreading his hard-to-see wings to all corners of the world, including the Grand Canyon on our North America hosted tour last month (pictured left) and the Greek Islands on our Mediterranean to the Matterhorn tour in September when out sticky-beak Duck met a much bigger, billed buddy (right).
 
For more photos of Duck on tour this year, visit his web page or to join him on tour, choose from our selection of escorted cruise tours in 2015:
Jokes Afloat!
True or False?
A ship is called ‘she’ because when heading into port, she always heads for the buoys!
DISCLAIMER: *All fares quoted herewith are subject to change without notice and availability at the time of booking.
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