AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

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SCENIC JASPERCELEBRITY SOLSTICE

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22 I[[ilil]lIHUNDREDS OF (RUISE IDEAs

SUMERYATSEA + SOTOMON ISI.ANDSSECRETS + SOTO CRUISING

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stylish travel acce$ories toa report on getting a qulcknlpardtudatFa,CruisePlus is packed with good

U*ler2015

7-24CruireNewsAustralian passengers excecd one milion;the rhe ofthe shoit mise;step abord twoexcitins new ships e\panding where - andhow ]ou can traveli Shanghai pdts readv

for Chinxt cruising boomi building tneworld! ldgest squm riggeri busines-.lascomes aboardr $4,{-milion Cdnival fit out.

SHIP REVIEWS

28-32 Crystal SymphonyWith a personal buder on hand,Teresa Ooienjols 6ve-std senice sailing from Beijiqto Hong Kong with Crystal Cruises.

34'3TBritanniaLaunched by the QEn with Englishbubbles, P&Ot new ship pronises rhe best

of Britishwhich,Sue Bnant dis.overs,includes some seriouslr good food.

38 43 S<eni(JaspelTheret a revolutn,n rnoat on Eurcpetrircs. Peter L)nch cruises the Danubc toscc how Scenic G using high te.h smar$io a.ld wonder"to trdditional routes.

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IWth everythingfrom frvestar luxury io wildernessadvent!r€5, canadaandA aska are d6win9 morcand more Aunralians. Our

specia Eport starts on

t'ltl44-47 Celebrity SolsticeCan a South Pa.ilic mise kecp fireegeneolions happy for eight drys?DarenDaridson pr.ks up the famil)'to 6nd outf-t

Y SPECIAL REPORT

49 6l Canada &AlaskaWe look ar what this populu destindtionhas to otrer Austnlian cruhe fans: an

inffoduction !o the region; firc wdys touuisei big nrc wildLife spottingi HolmdAmerica Line land and se, joumei mdcin guides to Montrerl and \rrncouv(

CRUISE PLU564'65 Express deliveryTo stret.h outherpost cruisc mood, SaIyMxcMilan shuns thc airport queues andn,wh trom Basel to London bv train.

4 www.uisepa$enqe(com.au

cliilCover Polar bearin Churchill, Manitoba.a.,nFn,.l ain:nlrnT.Ltr\m a.nrm (i.i

(0 T ,tTS

A tO-NIGHT CRUISE WORTHrfiE

TOTHE ISLANDS OF NEWCALEDONIA &VANUATU

Cruisethrough the South PaciicaboardRoyal Catibbean's E ploq af the Spas -

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SEE PAGE43

56 69 Se(rets of the Sollys\\nrld-.las diving, blue hgoons..-:,.corer the unspoilt SoLonon Islands.

7 0- 73 Th€ great Australian bit€)eLi.ious new gouimet dperienccs.

_l 77 sea (hange

:'tr ind cons ofcosmcric surgeryatra.

: 2 -8 3 Tiav€l ityle:.iJscts rnd goodics to t]ack.

ir Cruise back in tim€.b.k thc sccrcts oflour family's pasr.

94AgentlnsightRobvn Sinfcld ofHomc Travcl Compalr

9515 Minutes with...Singles cruise expef Les Fur

Fun isthe name ofthe.rdsing grme fortu,tr/,rAl sodmothu Krthr Lette.

- 8 79 Readers'Choi(e Awards- :r your rote, and I ou could be a winner

:0-81 A bus ride around p.radisel:.Isle ofPines is atrue sli.e ofheaven

a 5 91 CLlAaqent listinqs

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\*;2.93 Australia and NewZEaland Port Report

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..omph& rcftirh of.l1sEtcroorls md public alE !, E,?ldnnaw $o. ofth.innoratiw fcaturE€ found on Quntur- md Oasis-c,lass

the bigest addition is thc FlowRidu $uf sifrul*or$,18rc passeng€n can leam to surfor boogie board on a

cushioned pladorm. Interior sraterooms halr bcen ntt€dwith vinurt brlcories, huge flat scrcen TV screens thatshow rcal-time footagc of the ser,aDd nM PMo'mi.statercoms with waparound fioo! to ceiling windoB haE

Se hE to of,d cour&sy of Ro).I Carit6.a srd d?.i!Pang,. Wc rl! sivins our rladclE drc ahlnc. iD kin .l&right South Prcifc duis€ one]ara E ?lord ofrt. 8.4!lqlued rt i4,098.

To enter, visit cnisepasrcng.r.cm..Ltlcomp€titions andtel us in 25 mrds or le€6 {fiat 1ou would most likc to door.bo,lld E,loftr af fi. sea!.

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#r*Wld coastlines often inaccessible

by land and a plethora ofcombined sea and land tours,

make North Americatfar northidealfor cruising.

CAl{ADA

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From the icy beauty ofthe lnside Passage and toweringmajesty ofthe Rocky Mountains to the history and culture

ofCanada! founding cities, North Ameri(at far northis an increasingly popular destination for Australians -

by land and sea. Po derick Eime reporls.

T llou sril had i chnd\ imasinarion,

I you mighrpicrure the nst NonhI American mntlnentrs mne muscular

catmn superherc who* orersiz.d head andshouldes re the mst regions of Cmada andAluka.Together, they deliver a superhummdose ofadwntE and scenic b€auty that is

perfect for mism who wnt to extend theirerperiene from a rct catalogue ofland

More than 24,000 Australians visitedth€ US stat€ to mis in 2013 md the Iatestfigrcs liom the A.laka Tnrel lndmtyAsociation leal we cdged out the UnitedKingdom in 2011 to become the state's topinternational mdket after Canada. A 6rther200,00u Australians travelled to Cmada,the world's second largtst counL7, rnd thenumber grows mry year, rclnforcing c1o*ties with our Commonrealth chums.

Both Canada md Alaska have weldevelop€d toulism infrastructure wirhpeople who underBtand the business adtreat lisitors accoldingly. In fact, IU go so

far as to sly Aussies gEt special treatmenr,especialy in Canada where those shrcdcolonbl roots are cdebrated in i kind ofimsPacific mateship.

From the perspective ofcruning, Canadaand Alaska can be considered fie same

teritory Wildlife, Inuit cultw and theunique geogaphy ofNorth America palsno heed to poiitica.l boundeies. Many miselines offer itineruies that seurlessly crcsthe bordes, so you cm enjoy the best ofboth countries at sea md *hore.

the restem (Prcific) oast is whercyou'[ nnd th€ most populu detinariotufor Australians, with the legendary InsidePusage and stupendou Rocky Mountahsbeing the big-tickct dnwcads. Fron*duded, pictmsque tms such as Sitka

mdJune in Ala6k to the sophisticatedmerropolis of Vancouver, Re are flockngthere in droves, and lrith good rcason.

Hower, toward the east, the historicmd srately capitals of Monftal and qrcbecCity otrer the chmce to imme$e youselfin rhe sophisticared chaiacter ofcities thatwEre founded a! the beginning ofEuropeans€tdement in the 17th centurra And )es, youcan cruise by big ship right into the heanofModteal, o! $.plorc the counil,side andrenote ten'itories by smal 6hip a6 Ar as

Gree.land and the USA.wher )ou are ashore,

Rocky Mountaineer is a

delighttut and perfecdysuitable side trip for

Vancouve('Ihe traio hdalso recendy qtendcd ltsftach to Seatde in case

,ou aJe cruising tum or nlns in or out ofthat other populu port. In faa, ifyou urrea real tranr buff,)ou could tnrcl a[ rhe slayto the Adantic co6t using the CanadianNational Railmy Compmy.

Likewise in Alak, a summer milroadjourney on the c€lebEted Ataska Raihoad is

l perfed companion adrennft to my InsidePassagr cruise and allow you to get close

to that glorious sceDery alw]s reasing yrunom the deck oflou mi* ship.

'Ihere h so much to see md do. a cruise

alone does not do jutice to the imenseadrtnture emporim that is Canada andAlaska. Sit d()m with ]our CLL{ cruise

specia.list and plan what ould well tum outto be a trip ofa lifetime.

TRUE

NtlRTHaC-

50 ww..rui5epa$enqe.(om,au

INTRODU(TIOI,I

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UNFORGETI

4.4-Cli tEpic Rockies & Alaska with Expedition CruisePure mountain air, crystalcear lakes and soaring molntains dowonders loryour spirits. so too do the sumptlous hotels, epictrainjourneys, luxurious cruise ships, fine dining and flve_star service ofan APT canada and Alaska holid6y.

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DESIINATIONS

FIVE WAYS

TlI CRUISE.&*

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Ultimately, it is the enormous array of choices that isfuelling the cruise boom across the planet. And nowhereis this more in evidence than in Canada and Alaska.

Roderick Eime reporls.

ast distances across Canada

and Alaska make rcad travel

unomfortable and tedious,

$herimcs wen dangcrous, so Lhe comfoft

md .onrcnien.e of having Pur lNrv hotel

trdvel with ]ou is tueh mot artradiw.Here ue 6ve lqys you.an inftse mise intoyu travcl plans to explore the top oftheNoith Amelican.ontinent.

,1.

This is the big one.Itt the cruising

supelhighwav oFercd b,v rhe bi8 names ina well-rheuscd dril that kecps attracring

people frcm all ovcr the world.It's allordable

,nd comfortable. if somewhat mild. Yet, ifthis is )our onlv chance to see rln wondertul

parr of the world, gnb it. Most of the ship

time is spent oo a leisutLy mcander n!rcugh

the fo.ested 6ords with pdsensels enjolnsthe crisp air out on deck as they sun€y the

perfect scenery liom I dlstance Pon lisirswill be a famiJiar mix of xlf guided saolls

among the shops, folk museums and cafes,

and optional lE-organised dcuEions to

neuby sites su.h .s parks, sancflEies and

Alaska cruises q?icaly dePrt ftomVancouver, often described as one oftheworld! most beautituly situated cities.'Ihese

ships then embark on either a seven or14-day sailing up i}le trunquil east coast ofVancouver Islaod and p6t the 6ords and

nhnds ofBritish Colunbia! (BC) Inside

Passage to the glacieB and outlying Ports of

Guesis can rhen choose to spend noretime exploring the fronries ofAlaska on

one way itin€rdies, which ,Ie exclusi* to

LNry lines o.ly cal at poris laige

enough to accommodate them ud sail at a

distance 6om shore. Besides Vancou6, ships

may cal at ports such as BC capital Victoria,

on the southem tip ofVancouver Island,

or Nanaimo, a fomer coal mining town of87,000 on Vancouver Islandt east cost Pon

Atbemi od Princ Rupert are also on the list

In Alaska, the conmon stops mJuneau,Ketchikan, Haines, Sitka and Sk gwiy,

while on 14 day rcund-trip itineraries you

may see Homer and Kodiak, u wel as

Alaslo's largest city, Anchoragq'Ihe US pon ofSeatde is also feanuing

more olien on Alaska dep,Jtures, but as

these are rcund aip oises, fzctor that when

planning lour Canada and Alaska adventure.

*:Steeped in history add overflowing withgrcar ules ofheoic explontion, rhe

enormous nolthern ieritories ofCanada are

&dwing e4edition mise6like moths >

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DESTII{ATIONS

to x fame. AttEcted, natu.aly enough, by

the lure ofoneoflhe most significant and

tradirion ]ly dilicult mdtime voyages ofthem all, the Northwest Passage, advennmcruise opemtors are respondlng b,v including

this momentous voFg. in then catalogue of

Ifthere is d flip side to the efects ofglobal wrming, itt the opering up ofthionce treacherous seaMy to vessels wilhmore modest ice .apabilities.

When )ou consider that rhe tusr venfiedtransit ofthe Northrest Passagt occuned

over a period ofthree 1tm fmm 1903 to1906, and only then after centuries oftutilityand tragedl advertising a dosing in just

two weeks seems witdly optimisti.. But this

While some itinenries day otrer a tuItransit al1 thc way 6om the Adantic to the

Pacilic Ocean, locally based opeatos will.onquer rhe mosr diflicult sectbos past

Prince Leopold and Prince ofWaler lsl,n&to Cmbrjdge Bay od return.

TDica[],, the spectacular cost ofGrce.lmd is explored en rourc, stopping tomanrl at rhe mighr ofthe UNESCO-listedgleiers and ice fields oflluli$at.

t.Cruising the eastern shores ofCanada is

something ofan unknown quantiry formost Australians, but .omnitred, been

rhcrc-done{hat ctuisers dre discoveringthe contrasting cultural xnd ecoiogical

alternarives to be found on the orher

side ofthis huge country Seleralofrhewell l<nown cruise lines, as well as a fewunknowns, give visitoB the opportuniryro dplore the oldest, most historic parrsof Canrda. I INESCOlisted Montreal. inrhe French*peaking province of Q,ebec,was founded way back io 1642 and is an

inEnitelv visitor-friendly ciw worthy of a

mu]ri-day pre- or post-cruise stay.

Well developed polr facilities withmxny tourism features make Monnerlthe natural cruhe capital in the eastern

secto( Most iiinetuies will include NryEnghnd (US) higHights, such as Bar

Harbor and Boston, and also visit theoften{verlooked delghts of Nova Scotia

and P.ince Edwdd Island. Sailinss along

the St Lawrenc€ River f,rqueDdy stop atthe other histori. city and polirical capitalof its namesake piovin.e, qrebec Ciry

As well as the l2rge ship itineraries,limited by suitable ports,smaltcr ships

plv rhcse waten o$ering a nuch closer

inspection ofthc coastine and all it has

to o$er. Such an itinerary may include thelesser, more inriguing, ports of Qrcbecand Nova Scotia,such as Baie Comeau,Casp€ and Saguenay with its conpanioonarional park and scenic river sute.

Tiny Gdpe, for exaftple, wirh a

popularion ofjust 15,000,]ies at the tipof qLebec's sourhern peninsulqin ihe

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DESIINATIOI,IS

heart ofthe GdfofSt Lawrence. Dubbed

\he Cradle ofFrench Anerica", GasP€ is

likened to a remnant of Brittany marooned

on the Nofth American cootinent.The romartica y tided region of

Gasp€sie-iles-de-1a-Madeleine comPrises

rhrming fishing villages, lighthouses and

begdling marine vistas.

aAmong the most innovative Canada and

At$ka travel combioations on the market

ee the itineraries otrered by HolendAmeii.a (}LA.L) md the famed Ro.lvMountaineer rallway AlreaE a proven hitwith Austrilian rnvelle$, the luury nilwayhas teamed with ILAL and its four Alaska-

based vessels to dellver an exceptional on-

and offshor erperierce that is sreat !due.'Itre Roclo, Mountaineert superbly

comilnable Goldleaf crriages have

massive domed puoranic windomthrough whi.h passengets can digest the

Speaking ofdigestion, this top tier

senicc (ofthree leve1s) scrcs sumpruous

a /a ra,/d rteals in a priEte dining room

benearh the passenger compaltmenr, withconpJimcntary beverages throughout.Regular but unobtrusive commentary is

accompanied by chmpagne top-ups, in case

you need to be reminded that you are on a

Ther de no sleepe. caJs, instead the

Eain srops overnight, ensuring not a

minure ofthe slectaculai scenery is missed

a.d bringing valuable tourist dolds tothe remote toms such ds Kanrloops and

Qiesnel along the wy.Cdnadat wcst is ugu lyoneofthe

worldls most breathtaking pl,ces. EreryRoclTX{ounraineer route show.ases

different landscapes, traleling through the

temperute rainforest, the seni_rid desert

and the majesti. Canadian Rockies. Fomverdant foresrs ro golden auhrmn leavcs,

each joudey deliver a ditrercnt exPerience

in spriD6 summer o! autumn-

Scenery love6 will g€t lost in rhe sights

ofcascading waterfalls, sprkling lakes and

glacicrtopled mounrains,while wildlifesponen should stay rlert for big hon sheep,

The masiv€ panonmic wind@s make

i[ viewiDg c]Iordess. If itir bears you emt,they can be spotted gnzing on berry bushes

in lne summer, while sockeye salmon can

be seen simming up the Adams Rirer,given awy by then teltale red flashes.

5'

The manv oook , .rannies and tinywatetrays ofthe Inside PasagE de dle

ideal vcnue to tale one of tie numerous

adventure cruises on ollerThese eEeditionsryle voyagEs are 9?icaly abodd ftuchsmiler ve$els, olien wirh just a few dozen

People attracted to this g?e oftdptend to be wel-uarcled. often with a fewwlages Jready under their belts. As withq?edition mises in other parrs ofthewodd, guests .an er?ect comprchersire aod

enriching interpretation of their dPenence,

photography clases, energetic wildernes

hikes, k yaking and the g?e ofwildlifeviewing )bu would only othetuise ke inNation,l Geogiaphic do@enrdies.

Iffierc m any budeE to this q?e of

ctuising, iti the higher pdce tag and la.k ofbig-ship conforts such s ove$ift cabins,

ust dining options and n.I like shoPPing

faciliies. But lheir growing populaity shosthat rhose who cherish the more intimate,

low-impact er?erience are not detered.

A typical itinerary is a week xboard

one ofthese .ompad ships staning orfinishing at one ofthe established poits

such as Juneau or Sitka where there m air

Jinls. Petersburg, Wrangell, Glacier Bay

National Parlq Icy Stait and tioy EmnCove are common stops. On any given day,

you mighr head orro *plore a glacier by

Zodia. or go for a long hike in a coastal

foresr with an qpen guide.lfyou'.e not

feeling enegetic, a shorr slower ralk may

be otrered, stopping more frequently tosmdy the special wondes ofthe native flon.

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W;xr#x}'H*Hlhunring rifle, you know rhis is no ordinarvwalk in the pek. Of cou6e, nor everv oneof Canada ad Alask* "Big Five'is our toeat you, but your wilderness guide is serious

when he wdns you nor to go out on touroM, or unarmed.Just asA&i.a has iis BigFire wildlife lisr. so does Nonh Americardd you can see every one oftheft on yourCamda and Alaska holiday ifvou keep youreyes open and pi.k lour sedons.

In fact, each yar fom Much to Mal a

staggering 20,000 Pa.i6c g1ey whales travel

approxim*ely 10,000 kilometres fromNlexico's Baja Peninsula to sumfterfeedinggrouods ollAlaske md eastern Russia, the

longest migration of any mahnJlThere are 22 species ofwhile in Crnada

and Alaska. Humpbacks are anotherfavourite and their antics ofbreaching clerour ofthe wter makes a tlue gold medal

sighting.Just be careful not to get too close

in rour k }!kl For the lruly intr€pid, it'spossible to 6nd the delighttul and higHyinteligent beluga whales.

2. Wolves (bat vaiofl : A?nLAbbn)these much-maligned creatures hare

sulleed badlv at the hands of huans,being shor our compLelelr in several

reglons, but now lhe signature howlingcan be heard echoing acros thc vallevs

at night. Reserches believe that therecould be as many as 10,000 grey wolves inBritish Columbia alone and sishtins these

l.Whales (b61 intun: Mdj-O.tabil)]lle tuost popular and eaily seen whalesar the gieys, humpba.k ,nd orcas, allofwhich frequent the western shores.

SPIIT THE

BIG FIVE#

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m)sterious animals is a hish possibilitlifyou take one ofdre manywildemes

4, Eagles (ba t ft ds on : A?ril - Ott ober)

You'll see o many ofthe* fabulous

birds, lou'[ sta]t not to notice, althoughyou will never fail to be inprcscd withthe magnincent raptos. Bald cagles, inpdicula!, can be found a[ over Al6ka and

Canada during the summer, particultlyin forested deas clo6e to lakes, rire6 asd

t}Ie sea for fishing and nesting, especially

mund salmon time. You ll feel reallysmug if)ou nan€e to see a mdsive wildgolden eagle, whose wings can span re.[@er two metrcs.

.Ihe6e rcgal creanres arc

.elebnted in mlthology a[ ac.oss NortiAmerica md m p{ticu.larly conmon inBritish Colmbia.

5. llooie, ellq caribou and bison(be't' en:l"ne-o.tob)Gese nas6ive, hoored herbivores prcttymuch roam wh@ver they like, so ycu realydont know vhen )ou're going to see one. It'snot an e{aggention to expect to see an elkor moose *alking dom the main stieet ofa

remote tom,which is why Canadim drirtrsare almys on the a.lert.'Ihe much lzm bison

cm be harder to fifld, but HishMy 97, theAlask Highway, for *ample, will take you

tkough Stone Moutrtaifl Provincial Pdkwher herds ofbirn,with a6 many 6 30 to

50 individuels, m a common sight in the

3.8@ts (kn sdof,: A?il-Oetabfu baa/btaet beo4; C).tabd-Naonbafq ?akr bd)Sighting one ofdE* porerftl mammals is

a high point of a northem adrentur€. You re

most likely to 6ee eiiher bl1rm or bl.ck,but the two are tuely found together, and

liw rery seP3Jate lires ln the den6e coastal

forests. You can get quire dos. to wildbem at places such N rhe Anm Bqr and

Wildlife Obsenatory ned Wmsel, A]ask.Polar beus are more el$ire and 1ou 1l need

to get up into Canada's high Ardic to see

dem. The most poputar ($cessible) polarbed viewing is in Chutchill, Manitobawhere migrating bears }l"it for the winter i@

to fom so they cm go out :nd hunt. You'[need to take a special tundra buggy and you

nay be ludq enough to see beluga whales at

And the ren...It seems I shane to declare these 6ve

the only animals worth looking out for,

because there are so many more )€u I see

md enjoy such as otte6, smaler bi.ds end

even 6sh such as the Peif,c salmon thatmigrate in hug€ numben from September

The most rewarding wy to w any ofthese matures, big fi1e or ot}leMise, is tohappen upon them in the wild as tley go

about their business, but failing that there

ue smral pds, aquariums and sanctudies

where captire mimals - often mdetakingrchabilitation - cm be seen up dos.

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