The cost of Wi-Fi is on ongoing bugbear for many cruise travellers. Now Silversea has announced that, on voyages departing from January 2016, it will provide complimentary Wi-Fi to all guests throughout the ship, including in suites and public spaces – and on all cruises, including expedition voyages. That's already one of the best offers in the industry at the luxe level, though the company only promises one free hour of Wi-Fi per day, and unlimited Wi-Fi only to those travelling in Owner's, Grand, Royal, Silver or Medallion suites.
Phone 1300 306 872. See www.silversea.com.
Tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippers will be operating a winter season in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore from December 2016 to April 2017 for the first time in quite a few years. The 170-passenger Star Clipper will end its summer season in the Mediterranean and sail via the Suez Canal and Sri Lanka to winter in Phuket, where it will operate seven-night round trip cruises on two different routes, as well as some voyages to Singapore. Ports of call include Ko Surin National Marine Park, the Similan Islands, Phang Nga Bay and Langkawi.
Phone 1300 295 161. See www.starclippers.com.
It's the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, and what better way of learning about the history behind the document than on a six-night European Waterways cruise along the Thames River in luxury hotel barge Magna Carta? The luxe barge takes a slow cruise between Hampton Court palace and Henley, past the historic site of the charter's sealing at Runnymede. The itinerary also includes a guided tour of Windsor Castle and visits to Tudor manor house Dorney Court, Cliveden and the Stanley Spencer Gallery.
Phone 1800 828 050. See www.gobarging.com.
Ecruising has a new 23-night package holiday in the United States and Caribbean that departs Australian on October 23, 2016, and includes pre- and post-cruise accommodation for two nights in New Orleans and Miami, and a three-night stopover in New York with a City Sightseeing Pass and New Yorker Helicopter Tour. The cruise component is a 16-night sailing between New Orleans and Miami on the luxe mid-sized ship Azamara Quest that takes in the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, the Netherland Antilles and the British Virgin Islands.
Phone 1300 369 848. See ecruising.travel.
Seabourn has an impressive new line-up of lecturers in its on-board Seabourn Conversations enrichment program. The ultra-luxury line's program has always featured outstanding adventurers, artists, historians and the business elite. Now prominent speakers sailing in late 2015 and early 2016 on Seabourn Odyssey include Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Forbes Media chairman and editor-in-chief Steve Forbes and legendary American journalist Dan Rather. Seabourn's speakers don't just provide lectures and other presentations, but may share meals, shore excursions and casual chats with guests during their voyages.
Phone 13 24 02. See seabourn.com.
