Viking Ocean Cruises is christening its first ship Viking Star in May in Bergen, Norway. The 47,800-tonne mid-sized ship has 465 cabins and a light-filled, modern Scandinavian decor that passengers who have sailed on Viking River Cruises will recognise from the company's Longships. Viking Star will sail the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and the Baltic. Itineraries will include complimentary shore excursions and an on-board cultural enrichment program that includes academic lecturers, local speakers and interactive demonstrations. Two more ocean-going ships, Viking Sea and Viking Sky, are under construction.
Phone 1800 131 744. See vikingcruises.com.au.
APT is offering three new extended land tours for river cruisers who want to explore Europe for longer this year. A 27-day France with Rhine & Rhone tour features a cruise from Arles to Amsterdam and a 12-night journey through Normandy, the Loire Valley and Amsterdam. A 25-day Balkan Discovery with Magnificent Europe tour cruises from Budapest to Amsterdam and also takes in a land tour of Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary. Finally, a 27-day tour leads guests from Italy to the south of France before embarking on a 14-night cruise between Amsterdam and Budapest.
Phone 1300 196 420. See aptouring.com.au.
Avalon Waterways has announced new ships and new destinations for its 2016 season, including two new cruises on the rivers and canals of Belgium. Avalon will cruise into Belgium on the Meuse River, travelling as far as the picturesque city of Namur and visiting cities such as Ghent and Antwerp. The cruises take advantage of Avalon's smaller Suite Ships to visit towns and waterways not accessible by larger vessels. Avalon has also announced a further two new Suite Ships to be launched in 2016, Avalon Passion and Avalon Imagery II.
Phone 1300 230 234. See avalonwaterways.com.au.
The Aurora Borealis is one of the great sights of travel, but the vivid displays of green and purple lights dancing across Arctic skies often prove elusive and unpredictable. Now Hurtigruten is offering passengers a free cruise should the Northern Lights not be sighted during its 12-day Classic Round Voyages between October 2015 and February 2016. If the lights fail, Hurtigruten will offer guests a free seven-day Classic Voyage North or six-day Classic Voyage South cruise in an inside twin cabin, departing between October 2016 and March 2017.
Phone 1800 623 267. See discovertheworld.com.au.
