PONANT's new expedition ship for 2024 Kimberley Se...

Expedition Cruising | Adventure Cruising | Small Ship Cruises: PONANT's new expedition ship for 2024 Kimberley Se...: #expeditioncruising . PONANT has unveiled their highly anticipated 2024 Kimberley sailing expedition season with its newest PONANT EXPLORER ...

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Podcast: Cruising Australia's Kimberley

ExpeditionCruising.com editor, Roderick Eime, chats with ABC Nightlife's Philip Clark about cruising in Australia's Kimberley. 

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/nightlife/kimberly/101359586

APT Expedition Cruise in Australia’s remote North West

There are few true wilderness destinations left on the planet and one of the most significant is right here on our doorstep.

Australia’s Kimberley in our North West has been voted as the top adventure cruise destination for Australians and is quickly ranking high on the global chart for ‘must do’ expedition cruising.

While even a short exposure to this almost alien environment is enough to shift your perception of life on Earth, a thorough exploration of this remote coastline is even more transformational.

A journey such as APT’s 11-night ‘Kimberley Coast Cruise’ aboard the very comfortable and spacious, 114-passenger Caledonian Sky is one such comprehensive wilderness adventure that encompasses all the key locations that make Australia’s North West such a stunning and bewitching destination.

Smaller cruise ships like APT’s Caledonian Sky, afford guests the opportunity to investigate the spectacular landscapes and natural wonders up close. Take the wild, turbulent ride through the incredible horizontal waterfalls in Talbot Bay fed by the torrential 10-metre tides, cruise among the swirling eddies and whirlpools around Montgomery Reef as it appears to rise from the depths like a returning Atlantis or hike to the awe-inspiring Wandjina rock art gallery at Raft Point for a glimpse of life long before the first Europeans and you might begin to get a feel for this prehistoric wonderland.

APT’s expedition visits the less-frequently visited Prince Regent River in the northern region where you’ll have the rare opportunity to view the mysterious Gwion Gwion (aka Bradshaw) rock art that some experts believe could be the oldest known to man. The debate among anthropologists and ethnographers as the to their age, origin and meaning has been simmering for decades.

The mighty waterfalls of the Kimberley will not fail to leave a lasting impact on even transient visitors. The majesty of King George Falls in full flight ranks up there with Victoria Falls and Niagara in terms of sheer beauty, if not water volume. Cruise operators like APT, bring their tenders so close that your whole body will shudder as the cascade plummets 80 metres into the river, enveloping you in a dense, misty spray.

APT’s itinerary operates in both directions between Broome and Darwin from May until August giving you the chance to spend a few days at either end. In the intriguing frontier township of Broome, the region’s unofficial capital, or Darwin. A mixture of preserved frontier village and modern go-ahead business, Broome never forgets its roots, carved out of the dust and mud by graziers, pearlers, fishers and miners from numerous ethnic backgrounds over more than a century. 

Why not take the opportunity to extend your experience and explore inland with one of APT’s acclaimed 4WD Land Touring trips and see firsthand such wonders as the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu National Park) or the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kakadu.

PONANT's new sailing expeditions in the Kimberley aboard Le Ponant for 2023

 PONANT is set to take luxury expeditions at sea to another level in 2023 announcing the planned arrival to Australian waters of the company’s iconic 32 guest, three-masted sailing yacht Le Ponant for the 2023 Kimberley season. 

Kimberley cruising for all Australians to resume from April 2022

Interstate expedition cruises with a maximum of 350 people on board can resume from 17 April, reports Cruise Weekly.

The West Australian Government has this morning announced the "safe and staged resumption" of cruising, which ensures that the upcoming Kimberley season can go ahead.

The move involves "stringent measures and protocols" which will be released by WA's Chief Health Officer, with a starting point allowing ships with a maximum of 350 guests and crew to operate in the state.

All cruise vessels operating in WA are required to have a COVID-19 management plan, with all crew and passengers double dose vaccinated with a booster if eligible.

From 01 October 2022, Fremantle and other regional WA port destinations will be able to welcome the safe return of larger cruise ships for their upcoming season, with Cunard's Queen Elizabeth anticipated to be the first of the larger vessels to visit Fremantle on 07 November.

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Expedition Cruise Specialists launches The Ghan & Coral Adventurer's Kimberley program

Australia’s Expedition Cruise Specialists have just released their 2020 The Ghan & Coral Adventurer’s Kimberley program, combining two of Australia’s most iconic journeys into one epic 16-day package.

The itinerary, which commences in Adelaide and concludes in Broome, includes two nights Gold Class travel through the Red Centre to Darwin aboard the legendary Ghan. Guests will be able to enjoy fine dining in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant carriage, accompanied by a curated list of Australian wines, beers and spirits. There’s also included off-train excursions in both Alice Springs and Katherine, with a cruise through stunning Nitmiluk Gorge a highlight.

On arrival in the Top End capital Darwin, there’s three nights of included four-star accommodation, allowing ample time to explore the sites and perhaps even experience some of the region’s National Parks.

The second half of the journey takes travellers on a voyage showcasing Western Australia’s outback Kimberley Coast aboard the stylish expedition ship Coral Adventurer. Launch in May 2019, the 120-passenger, 93-metre Coral Adventurer promises travellers the opportunity to experience all the icons of this remote coastline in total comfort and style.

Making use of the Kimberley’s most flexible range of excursion craft, expeditioners aboard Coral Adventurer will be able to get up close and personal with majestic waterfalls including King George and Mitchell Falls, explore the exposed corals of Montgomery Reef at low tide and ride zodiacs through the Horizontal Falls of Talbot Bay, considered by renowned documentary film-maker Sir David Attenborough to be ‘one of the greatest natural wonders of the world’.

Led by an experienced expedition team and knowledgeable guest lecturers, there will also be ample time to seek out the Kimberley’s ancient rock art, including the mysterious Bradshaw (Gwion Gwion) Paintings. A further highlight will be travelling ashore in Careening Bay to witness the famed Mermaid Boab Tree, 2020 marks the 200th anniversary of the tree’s ‘HMS Mermaid 1820’ inscription, originally carved by a Mermaid crew member during Phillip Parker King’s coastal survey in 1820.

There are eight departures of The Ghan & Coral Adventurer’s Kimberley program being offered in 2020, with prices starting at just $11,990 per person, twin share for Gold Class travel aboard The Ghan, three nights 4-star accommodation in Darwin and a ten-night Kimberley cruise in a Coral Deck Stateroom aboard the new Coral Adventurer. Guests also have the option to upgrade their travel to Platinum service aboard the Ghan and Balcony Staterooms while cruising the coast.

The full schedule of 2020 departures from Adelaide is:

12 April 2020
03 May 2020
24 May 2020
14 June 2020
05 July 2020
26 July 2020
16 August 2020
06 September 2020

For bookings and information contact Expedition Cruise Specialists on 1800 90 20 80 or visit https://www.expeditioncruisespecialists.com/destinations/kimberley/ghan-coral-adventurer