Australia and Indonesia work together to open up new expedition cruise ports

#expeditioncruising .

A dispatch has just been received from Justin Friend, a long-time supporter of this website and a major player in the provision of excursions through his company, Austronesian Expedition Services.

Justin has been instrumental in opening numerous destinations to cruise ships, including Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Indonesia.

[Pic above: L-R Justin Friend, Director of Austronesian Expedition Services, Australian Consulate-General, Glen Askew, Captain Thomas McCandless of Le Laperouse, Acting Governor of East Java, Adhy Karyono, Mick Fogg, Australian Director of Expeditions at Ponant.]

New Discoveries on the Mekong

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Captain Dinh Hoe Holds The Line
Major February discounts on CFM Mekong River TT2 cruises

Captain Tran Dinh Hoe looks at me and smiles. He remembers. It was a year ago when he let me take the helm of the Toum Tiou 2 on the New Discovery Tour. We were cruising the Mekong River from Tonle Sap Lake, S.E. Asia’s largest freshwater lake between Cambodia and Vietnam. Everything would have been okay had the boat not taken a bearing off course prompting the Captain to nudge me aside to restore control.

Lindblad rebrands - new ships for 2025

#expeditioncruising .

The new agreement with Disney's majority-owned National Geographic brand grants Lindblad Expeditions exclusive global rights for expedition cruises.

From On Board: Celestyal Journey in Oman

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For a long time, travelling colleagues have been telling me about the wonders of Oman. They extol the lovely people, the fabulous scenery, the history and the generally 'chill' nature of the destination compared to elsewhere in the Middle East.

Laying the keel of the RV Kochi Pandaw

#expeditioncruising .

On the auspicious day of 10th December the Kochi Pandaw keel was laid at a shipyard in Kerala with the blessings of a Roman Catholic priest in this predominantly Christian community.

Technically a houseboat, the Kochi Pandaw will be designed in true Pandaw style with 10 state rooms. Launch date is October 2025 and the ship will make a one week circular expedition around the Kerala backwaters and lakes. This is a very beautiful area with a rich and diverse culture with so much to see and do.

Source: Pandaw Media Release

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From On Board: with CF Mekong aboard Toum Tiou II

#expeditioncruising .

Ask anyone what they know about the Mekong Delta in Vietnam's south, and you'll most likely hear descriptions of a vast waterlogged plain interspersed with villages and rice paddies, crisscrossed with canals and green with a wide variety of crops.

[updated] Statement from Swan Hellenic re: Technical issue aboard SH Diana

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SH Diana departs Ushuaia for first dedicated Antarctic cruise of season after prompt propulsion motor repair

 

 

UPDATE 5 December 2024

Swan Hellenic is pleased to confirm that the technical team organized by Wärtsilä, the maker of SH Diana’s propulsion system, together with the other technical specialists called out to assist in Ushuaia, have diligently completed the repair to one of the ship’s electric propulsion motors and all the related tests.

Passing of former Orion executive chef, Lothar Greiner

#expeditioncruising .

News has reached our desk of the sudden passing of executive chef, Lothar Greiner, well known to guests aboard the former Orion Expeditions as head chef.

"We lost one of our wonderful Orion family members. Lothar was with us from the beginning and Tracy his wife was our Hotel Manager," former chairman of Orion, Sarina Bratton, told ExpeditionCruising, "We won numerous, back-to-back Gourmet Traveller Food awards."

A Celebration of Life will be held later this week in his home town of Noosa in Queensland.

Greiner moved to Lindblad as Manager of Culinary Operations when Orion came under the control of stalwart US-based expedition cruise company, Lindblad Expeditions, in 2013.

Our condolences to wife, Tracey, and his many friends in the industry.

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Windstar Cruises’ New Star Seeker Floats Out in Portugal

The new Star Seeker yacht, the first Star Class new build for small ship line Windstar Cruises, has floated out of the building dock, touching water for the first time at the WestSEA Shipyard in Viana do Castelo, Portugal.

Statement regarding HX vessel Fridtof Nansen - now returned to service

UPDATE: MS Fridtof Nansen returned to service. Remainder of season unaffected.

On November 16th, a contained technical issue occurred on our vessel, MS Fridtjof Nansen. The ship is continuing its planned journey to the disembarkation port, Ushuaia, and will arrive on November 18th. We can confirm that all passengers and crew are safe and accounted for.

Silversea Kicks Off Its 2024/2025 Antarctica Season

#expeditioncruising .

Silver Endeavour, one of the world’s most luxurious expedition ships, embarks on Silversea’s first Antarctica voyage of the 2024/2025 season

Three Ships, 34 Voyages, Up To 80 Landing Sites

Silversea, a leading experiential luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, has kicked off its 2024/2025 Antarctica season with Silver Endeavour hosting guests on an 18-day voyage to South Georgia, the South Shetland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula. Between October 29, 2024, and March 10, 2025, Silversea will deploy three ships to the continent, undertaking 34 voyages in the austral summer as part of one of the broadest and most diverse Antarctica offerings in luxury expedition travel.

Expedition ship damaged in South Georgia [updated]

#expeditioncruising .

Albatros Expeditions Ocean Victory (file image)

Information is slowly coming in and it seems Albatros Expeditions' vessel, Ocean Victory, sustained some damage while in South Georgia, possibly to a stabiliser. Previously reported as Antarctica.

As can be seen on Cruise Mapper, the ship is heading to Ushuaia under its own power and at a respectable 12-13kts. It should arrive on the morning of November 14th to carry out inspections and possible repairs. There are no reported injuries to passengers or crew.

The ship was about halfway through a 19-day Antarctica, South Georgia and Falklands Islands itinerary and was due to head to the Antarctic Peninsula.

A statement from Albatros Expeditions CEO Jakob Lunøe has been received"

During the early hours of November 9th, 2024, MV Ocean Victory sustained damage from an unknown source, affecting the stabilizer system of the vessel and causing slight water ingress into void spaces on the vessel. This damage was sustained off the coast of the island of South Georgia in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Thankfully, nobody onboard has sustained any injuries from this incident, nor is there any immediate risk to the vessel or those onboard after our crew worked hard to minimize the impact of the damage. However, after a thorough initial assessment of the damage, the Captain and owners of MV Ocean Victory have taken the difficult decision to return immediately to port to make necessary repairs to the vessel. The safety of our guests, crew and vessels is our utmost priority. We are grateful to the guests onboard MV Ocean Victory for their understanding and patience during this difficult period and thank them for their continued support as we worked to return them and the vessel safely to South America.

How this will affect the remainder of the ship's season is unclear. 

We will continue to update this report as new details come to hand.

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