Your Cruise Express April 2014 E-Newsletter


 
Making Your Life More Cruisy!
Our goal at Cruise Express is to take the hassle out of travel from the moment you call us and book a holiday to the minute you return home. Researching and booking a cruise can be very confusing and time consuming so the red carpet service our team of friendly experts offer can go a long way to ensuring your much anticipated vacation is stress-free and enjoyable. One of our experts is Carla Di Mento, who handles much of the behind the scenes planning and paperwork for you.  She has been nominated as the best retail travel agent in Australia as part of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents’ National Travel Industry Awards, to be announced in July. We are sure you will join us in congratulating Carla on this recognition of her hard work and wishing her all the best in the upcoming awards.
 
Our team has showcased a liner-load of deals, tours and news in our April newsletter below so happy reading and a very happy Easter to you all as well.

 
Bon Voyage from Meg, Hardy, Clive & the team!
Any Cruise, Anywhere, Anytime – cruiseexpress.com.au
 


Make Life More Cruisy for Mum
Mothers’ Day Gift Cards
 
If you’re looking for a unique gift for Mother’s Day on Sunday 11 May, we have Cruise Express gift cards available so you can share the joys of cruising with someone special. Our gift cards are also ideal for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries or simply a way of saying thank you to a friend or relative. Members of groups, clubs and companies can also band together to give the gift of cruising. You can purchase the cards on our website.

For more information:
 
Special Cruise Express Cruise Tour Packages
for 2014/2015

 
Included below are a selection of cruise tours hosted by Cruise Expressoffering the best, easiest, safest and most affordable way to see the world. Advantages of escorted trips include group savings, multiple inclusions, express attraction entry, personal assistance, expert guidance and the chance to make new friends along the way.


NEW - 2015 Hosted Anzac Centenary Cruise
  • Including Special Offer for Serving or Ex Defence Personnel
 
Cruise Express is offering you the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Gallipoli for the centenary of the Anzac landings next year without the crowds, with a new cruise tour visiting Anzac Cove just a month after the milestone anniversary. Our hosted, 50-day ‘Voyage to Lone Pine’ itinerary will see you sail from Sydney on 17 April 2015, aboard the much loved Rhapsody of the Seas for a 45-night journey to Istanbul. In Turkey, we’ll take you on an overnight trip to Gallipoli for a private and crowd-free commemoration at Anzac Cove on 1 June 2015, little more than a month after the official centenary of the legendary landings.
 
Including a flight back home, this special package is available from $9,990 per person, twin-share, or from $13,990 for solo travellers. We’re also offering serving or former Australian defence personnel, as well as widowers of defence personnel a $250 onboard spending credit per cabin for bookings made before 30 May 2014.
For more information:

or call us on 1300 766 537


Save $600 Per Couple - and the Turkey - for Christmas in Europe
Book before 30 April 2014

 
Forget stuffing the turkey on a hot summer’s day this Christmas and treat yourself to a traditional Christmas in Europe. And if you book our special ‘Christmas on the Danube’ package before 30 April 2014, you can enjoy an early booking discount of up to $600 per couple and buy yourself new outfits for your New Year’s Eve ball in a real Viennese palace! Your deluxe cruise tour begins in Germany aboard Uniworld’s River Empress and culminates in the stunning city of Budapest in Hungary. The tour includes a visit to the world-famous Neuschwanstein Castle, made famous by the classic film, ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’, the huge Christmas market in Nuremberg, the romantic ‘Sound of Music’ city of Salzburg and the baroque, Austrian capital of Vienna. You’ll also enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride through the Bavarian Forest, Christmas Eve midnight mass in a 500-year old Gothic cathedral and a chance to dance the famous Strauss waltzes in an authentic Viennese palace to welcome in 2015.
 
Departing Australia on 17 December 2014, the 20-day tour includes return flights from Australia, 4 days of touring in Bavaria, the 12-day river cruise,  onboard beverages and shore excursions and is available from $9,690 per person, twin share, or from $12,690 for solo travellers if booked before 30 April 2014.
For more information:

or call us on 1300 766 537


From the Mediterranean to the Matterhorn
Hosted Tour -
September 2014

 
How would you like to live it up in luxury in the Mediterranean for 18 days this September? Hosted by Cruise Express, you’ll enjoy 3 nights in Rome and 11 nights aboard the plush Celebrity Silhouette as you sail to the Amalfi Coast, Crete, Malta, Turkey, ancient Athens and the magical Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini. Including return flights, our exclusive cruise tour package is available from just $5,990 per person, twin-share, or from $8,390 for solo travellers. Extend your holiday by 6 days and we’ll also take you on a coach tour to the glamorous Italian Lakes and by train to the mighty Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps.
For more information:

or call us on 1300 766 537

 
Sail Aboard the World’s Highest-Rated Cruise Ship
August 2014

 
Cruise in five-star-plus luxury aboard the world’s highest-rated cruise ship, the new Europa 2, as part of our new fly, cruise and stay package in the Mediterranean this August. The 2014 Berlitz Guide to Cruising, considered the ‘Bible’ of cruising, ranks Europa 2 as the best of the 285 liners reviewed.  Accommodating just 500 passengers, who are pampered by 370 crew, Europa 2 is noted for her spaciousness, relaxed atmosphere, white-glove service and gourmet cuisine.  Every cabin is a suite with its own private balcony and a complimentary mini bar with welcome aboard champagne. We have an 11-night package departing 7 August 2014 that includes return flights to Europe, 2 nights in Rome, a 7-night cruise on Europa 2 from Rome to Valletta in Malta an 2 nights there – all from $9,299 per person, twin-share.
For more information:

or call us on 1300 766 537


Farewell Celebrity Century on the Spice Route to Rome
March 2015

 
Australians can farewell the luxury liner, Celebrity Century, from the Celebrity Cruises fleet as part of a new, exotic fly, cruise and stay package to Rome offered in March, 2015. Our 34-night ‘Spice Route to Rome’ package offers a flight to Singapore and then a voyage on Celebrity Century to Italy via nine ports in India, Arabia, Israel and Greece. There’s also 3 luxurious days in Rome including a tour of the Vatican and a flight home, all from $6,990 per person, twin-share, or from $9,990 for solo travellers.
For more information:

or call us on 1300 766 537


Taj Mahal to the Far East– November 2014
Complimentary Verandah Upgrade
 
A visit to mystical India, with its spices, colours, temples and bustling cities will change your view of life. When you set eyes on the world’s most beautiful building, the dazzling Taj Mahal, which a grief-stricken emperor built for his dead Empress 400 years ago, you’ll fall in love with this captivating and unforgettable destination.
 
Our luxury, 23-day cruise tour package will see you explore wondrous Rajasthan for 10 days, staying in five-star palace hotels fit for royalty, before you enjoy more pampering for 13 nights aboard the stylish Azamara Quest as you sail from India to Singapore, with beverages and an unforgettable evening of song and dance in Burma all included. If you like to explore the world in style, this red-carpet holiday is for you. Book by 31 May and you will receive a bonus upgrade from an Club Oceanview to a Club Verandah stateroom, with fares from $12,990 per person, twin-share, or from $16,990 for solo guests, subject to availability. Flights are included.
For more information:

or call us on 1300 766 537
 


 
Biggest Ship Ever Based in Australia
 
Royal Caribbean International’s megaliner, Explorer of the Seas, will offer cruises from Australia in the summer of 2015-2016 as the biggest cruise ship to ever be based here. The 3,114-passenger, 137,308-gross tonne Explorer of the Seas will replace the 2,400-passenger Rhapsody of the Seas, which will leave Sydney in April, 2015, after 8 consecutive seasons here. Explorer of the Seas is slightly larger than sister ship, Voyager of the Seas, which is currently based in Sydney every summer and will join Explorer in Australia in the summer of 2015-16. In fact both ships will rendezvous in Sydney Harbour on 28 November 2015, with the spectacle marking the largest cruise ship capacity on Sydney Harbour in one day, with over 10,000 passengers and crew onboard.
 
A third Royal Caribbean superliner, the 2,500-passenger Radiance of the Seas, will also be offering cruises in our region at the same time, reflecting the growing popularity of the cruise line in Australia. Be amongst the first Australian's to sail aboard Explorer of the Seas to and from Australia. Bookings open 29 April 2014 and demand is expected to be high so be quick. You can visit the 24/7 ‘look and book’ page on our website or call us on 1300 766 537.


Golden & Diamond Princess Set to Shine in Australia
 
Princess Cruises is also growing rapidly in Australia with news that the 2600-passenger superliner, Golden Princess, will be based here for the first time in the summer of 2015-16, while twin sister, Diamond Princess, will offer her first-ever series of round-trip cruises from Sydney this coming summer. Golden Princess will be based in Melbourne as part of a record five-ship program in 2015-16, with Princess also doubling its offerings from Perth and increasing its program from Brisbane to nine months of the year. Sun Princess, Diamond Princess, Dawn Princess and Sea Princess will also be based in Australia in 2015-16, with all the Princess liners offering onboard pricing in Australian dollars for the first time.
 
Meanwhile from November this year, Diamond Princess - which previously operated one-way journeys between Australia and New Zealand - will offer new round-trip cruises from Sydney including a circumnavigation of Australia, a cruise to Tasmania, a 5-day short break to Melbourne and her first return cruise to NZ. This will follow a major $30 million makeover for the ship which will see a host of new features onboard, including a new sushi restaurant, a revitalised Horizon Court, new furnishings and the biggest Japanese bath area at sea. To book a Princess cruise, visit our 24/7 ‘look and book’ page on our website.
to visit our website

or call us on 1300 766 537


Carnival Creates a Legend
The world’s biggest cruise line, Carnival Cruises, is joining the local cruise boom with a new-look Carnival Legend set to join twin sister, the 2,100-passenger Carnival Spirit, in Australia this summer. The fun-themed Carnival Legend has just emerged from a multi-million dollar upgrade ready for her first season Down Under and now sports an adrenalin ‘Green Thunder’ waterslide, new coffee machines, a pub and new stage shows – all designed with the Aussie cruiser in mind. While Carnival Legend will be based here until April, 2015, Carnival Spirit calls Sydney home year-round. To look up Carnival itineraries, visit the 24/7 search and book page on our website.
to visit our website

or call us on 1300 766 537


Celebrity Appeals to Your ‘Suite Tooth’

A luxury cruise line very popular with Cruise Express clients -  Celebrity Cruises – has launched a new, indulgent Suite Class experience for its premium stateroom passengers. Suite Class offers an intimate restaurant exclusive to Suite Class guests, a VIP lounge, unlimited premium beverages, priority embarkation, a butler, complimentary internet access and reserved theatre seating. If you deserve to live it up at sea – and who doesn’t? - call us on 1300 766 537.


Captain Marks QM2’s 10th Birthday
Cunard has marked the tenth birthday of the world’s grandest and most famous passenger liner, Queen Mary 2, by taking an extraordinary image of the ship’s captain, Kevin Oprey, standing on the liner’s bulbous bow beneath the soaring hull near Bali last month.  Since her launch in 2004, QM2 has visited 182 ports in 60 countries.  Meanwhile, Cunard has announced that it will celebrate the lines 175th anniversary in 2015 by organising two spectacular meetings of its entire fleet – QM2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria – at the end of their world voyages in Southampton on 3 May next year and also in Liverpool – Cunard’s birthplace – on 25 May 2015.


New Cruise Brew
P&O Cruises has added flavoursome Vanuatu coffee to the café menu on its Australian ships to help passengers enjoy a taste of the South Pacific destination. P&O Cruises also employs ni-Vanuatu crew on its ships and helps fund schools and aid agencies in Vanuatu to help spread the benefits of cruising in the region.

 
Puss in Boats
The hit Broadway stage production, Cats, will be performed on an ongoing basis aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas – the world’s second largest cruise ship.

 
A Cabin at Home
Pampered passengers aboard Oceania Cruises’ vessels are enjoying their plush stateroom beds so much they are buying them to take home. The premium cruise line sells passengers its stock of chamomile-infused pillows and ultra-comfy, seven-zone mattresses with their 400 encapsulated springs and memory foam, with Oceania reporting record sales. If you want to try out the line’s alluring beds, cruise by the round-the-clock booking page on our website
to visit our website

or call us on 1300 766 537
 
 
Virgin Cruisers
 
Celebrity entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson, is reportedly planning to expand his travel empire to the seven seas, by establishing a new cruise line, Virgin Cruises, in Miami from 2019. Stay tuned!


What’s the Best Cruising Song Ever?
 
 “We are sailing, we are sailing, home again, 'cross the sea.”……. Yes, when we asked our 28,000 Cruise Express Facebook fans to name their favourite cruising song,  Rod Stewart’s classic tune, ‘Sailing’ topped the list, followed by the theme song for the hit TV show, ‘The Love Boat’. But there were still strong votes for the always popular deck party songs, Macarena and Nutbush City Limits, which every cruise ship seems to play no matter where in the world you cruise!
 
Our Facebook followers also responded strongly to our invitation to name their favourite port in the world, with our parochial fans listing Sydney as the clear winner, followed by Vila and the Isle of Pines as well as Venice – although some ranked tawny port as their favourite port!  Join us on Facebook today for more fun and engaging discussions and the latest news about the wonderful world of cruising.
to visit our Facebook page



Cruise Express in Brisbane

We were delighted to host some of our Queensland clients at a get-together in Brisbane last month.  Cruise Express Director, Hardy Schneider, pictured right with locals Kathy and Steven at the city’s Loft West End Café. Hardy also hosted clients for lunch aboard Rhapsody of the Seas in Brisbane and is pictured left in front of the group in the ship’s Edelweiss Dining Room.


Duck and Hardy Ruined in Peru
 
‘Duck’, our fearless, faintly feathered friend and Cruise Express ambassador, ventured to the famous Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru recently as part of a South American cruise tour hosted by Cruise Express Director, Hardy Schneider, who is also pictured above the ancient, mountain-topped city. You can win a Cruise Express ‘goodie pack’ by suggesting where Duck should travel to next.
to enter on our website


 

 
So what is life really like aboard a ship you may be keen to sail aboard soon? Members of our Cruise Express team have been sailing on and visiting various liners recently and they have shared their first-hand findings with you on our website. Links to reviews of five ships can be found below...
 
Queen Mary 2 is the last liner ever built and is filled with history and tradition,” writes Richard Boyce.
for more

 
“At 33,000 tons, Azamara Journey and her sister ship Quest can access ports that the bigger ships cannot,” Clive Heath reports.
for more


“More windows, more glass and more open space than most cruise ships,” says Aaron Eilers, describing Radiance of the Seas.
for more


“This ship is the last word in traditional luxury,” says Richard Boyce of the highly rated Europa.
for more

Voyager of the Seas is a veritable floating resort. There’s a big ‘wow’ factor when you step onboard.” That’s the word from Andrew Mevissen.
for more

__________________________________________________________________________

Remember when?
The year is 1973 and here we are aboard Shaw Savill's Ocean Monarch which is on a 21 night "Love Liner" cruise from Sydney to New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Tahiti.  Our Events Co-ordinator Warren Young is mid apple race in the pool.  Warren says the weather was good for the entire cruise.  "The food and entertainment was good, and I really liked the indoor pool.  In those days the majority of the staff onboard were British.  We certainly had a load of fun!"


Cruising tip of the month

Want a Better Marriage? Take a Holiday!
 
Couples who travel together enjoy happier and more romantic relationships, even long after the holiday ends, according to a survey conducted by the US Travel Association. Cruises offer couples the chance to talk, dance, share new experiences and have fun together in a stress-free environment so do your marriage a favour and book a holiday at sea soon!


Wake View – Your Say

We love hearing from you when you return home so keep the letters coming…

“The trip we took with Hardy and Richard from Cruise Express to Africa was undoubtedly the best holiday we have ever done. From our first call to Cruise Express we have been so impressed by everyone we have talked to at the office – even the call from Hardy the night before our departure to ensure everything was OK. Flying Business Class was wonderful - we didn't want to get off the plane! To see the Big 5 animals was out of this world. Seeing those magnificent animals in their world sent shivers down my spine. Our train trip on the 5-star Rovos Rail was top notch and a must-do for the great food, staff, accommodation and scenery. Cruise Express organised a full day coach tour to the Cape of Good Hope for us and made everything so easy. Our cruise back home on the Queen Mary 2 was also a great experience with Richard and Hardy organising special events onboard. We have booked with Cruise Express before but not on an escorted trip like this but what a difference it makes to your peace of mind to know there is always an experienced person there to sort out any problems. We hope to join you again on another trip and will definitely recommend Cruise Express.”

Carol and Trevor, Morwell, VIC                                        
 
“Our cruise on Celebrity Solstice from Perth to Sydney via Darwin was GREAT. We loved the ship and to sail around Australia was very exciting. Our cabin which you suggested was wonderful - close to everything but away from any noise. We thank you Cheryl and Cruise Express - once again you did a great job. Cruise Express is just the best in the business – we always get great service. Our next holiday is not a cruise but we have also asked Cruise Express to book a trip to Bali for us soon – it’s so easy when someone else organises everything! And the Christmas river cruise in Europe also looks sensational.”  

Elaine and Geoff, Chain Valley Bay, NSW                         
 
“My trip to South America and Antarctica aboard  L’Austral earlier this year was truly a trip of a lifetime. Antarctica, Machu Picchu and Iguazu Falls were all places on my bucket list and they have now been well and truly ticked! Hardy (Cruise Express) was with us and helped with arrangements with his usual efficiency and effectiveness. A BIG thank you to Carla and Hardy at Cruise Express for the effort, time and organisation they both put into organising my trip and the unforgettable memories it has created.”

Yvonne, Winston Hills, NSW
 
“Thanks to Cheryl at Cruise Express for our great cruise on the P&O British ship, Adonia, around Asia last month.  Adonia was a lovely little ship, with about 700 passengers. The seas were smooth and the weather was sunny. We have booked around six holidays through Cruise Express over the years because they get things done and find us good deals.”

Jackie and Bill, Pyrmont, NSW                                        
 
“We are back home and missing the ship! We enjoyed every minute of our circumnavigation of Australia aboard the beautiful Queen Mary 2 – our third voyage on the ship. Thank you to Cheryl at Cruise Express for all the thoughtful gestures along the way and for helping to arrange for all our friends to be seated together at dinner. We had lovely waiters which also helped to create a happy dining experience. We love Queen Mary 2 because she is a real liner – well appointed and sailing so smoothly. We will sail again with Cunard next January on Queen Elizabeth from Southampton to Sydney on 3 March. We always appreciate the service from Cruise Express as their staff is attentive and offer personalised service.”

Jennifer and Andrew, North Turramurra, NSW                                        
 
 
“A big thank you with all my heart to Hardy and Cruise Express for our trip to South America which was without doubt the most enjoyable holiday we ever been on. A wonderful holiday full of wonderful people, well organised with fabulous food and sights and of course Hardy as a perfect companion. Thank you very much for the time of our life and your fantastic company.”

Celina and Geraldo, Sans Souci, NSW                         
 

Did you Know?

Almost 22 million people around the world are forecast to take a cruise this year and 3% of those are Australians – including a record 50,000 Australians who will take a river cruise in 2014.  
 


JOKES AFLOAT!

You Can Count on Us!

This month’s joke is actually a true story and one which we are certain would never happen on a tour hosted by Cruise Express...
 
A woman in a tour group in Iceland who was listed as missing ended up joining a search party
looking for herself! When the tour coach made a brief stop, the woman went to the bathroom to freshen up and change her clothes. When she returned, her fellow passengers reportedly did not recognise her and raised the alarm about a missing passenger. The coast guard was alerted and the tour group joined emergency services in a search. At about 3am someone finally realised the missing woman was actually in the search party but wearing different clothes, and the search was called off. The woman apparently did not know the name of the passenger they were searching for and was unaware she was looking for herself!
Story courtesy of Travel Daily
 
T : 1300 766 537

                         
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