Wilderness cruising faces change

Two of the world’s most pristine cruising regions have this week been subject to significant changes. AUSTRALIA’S Kimberley and Ecuador’s Galapagos are in the midst of transformations that may have an impact on cruise tourism. Yesterday’s heritage-listing of WA’s West Kimberley region (TD 30 Aug) has been hailed as a breakthrough for domestic tourism, but it is not yet known how it will effect activities of passenger ships.

Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke said the ruling would protect almost 20 million hectares of land including extensive stretches of the coast. But environment groups have questioned why the site of a huge gas development at James Price Point has been largely excluded. Meanwhile, in the Galapagos National Park, new rules are set to ban cruise ships from visiting most islands more than once in a 14-day period. Effective from 01 Feb 2012, the regulations directly involve 50 cruise companies that operate in the Galapagos.

But tour operators hope the restrictions will improve passengers’ experience as they may often be on board the only ship at some ecologically sensitive sites. The new rules will also open up wildlife-rich areas such as Tagus Cove, which was closed several years ago to vessels with more than 40 pax. Snorkelling, kayaking and boat rides will also be regulated, with activities assigned to specific sites and times to avoid overlapping by cruise lines.

www.cruiseweekly.com.au

Heritage listing for Kimberley

Source: traveldaily.com.au

Pic: Kimberley Quest

FEDERAL Environment Minister Tony Burke has today announced the heritage listing of Western Australia’s West Kimberley Region, with the move hailed as a significant breakthrough for domestic tourism in Australia. About 19 million hectares is covered by the decision, including the coastline of the Dampier Peninsula from Cape Leveque to Cambridge Gulf, the Kimberley Plateau and the Fitzroy River.

Burke said the region “belongs on a list of the places which define Australia,” while Tourism Australia md Andrew McEvoy said the “terrific news” would “add to the credentials of the Kimberley as a must-visit destination”. Intrepid Travel has been keen for the listing, with the operator’s Kimberley business mgr, Jelena Mitrovic, telling TD this morning she was thrilled at the decision.

“This puts the Kimberley alongside other Australian icons such as the Great Barrier Reef in terms of marketing to international travellers,” she said. “It’s a major step in protecting and boosting tourism in the region,” she added. The Kimberley is already part of Tourism Australia’s National Landscapes program.

Cruise Diary: True North in the Kimberley

Few places in the world cause Australian eyes to light up brighter than the Kimberley, and the True North, crowned by its own helicopter, is ultimate way to experience it. This is a very abbreviated account of what to expect on a one-week adventure.

Day 1: From Broome we're transferred by light aircraft to the Mitchell Plateau where our helicopter awaits. A 15-minute ride and we land on the True North in the Hunter River below. What a way to start a cruise! A group has already set off on a three-hour hike, while the later arrivals choose between fishing or sightseeing on one of the six tenders. We reunite for dinner and a chance to meet our fellow passengers, while entertained by special guest, guitarist Phil Ceberano, who performs an acoustic set every night.

Day 2: Dressed only in our swimwear, everyone gathers on the bow for an intimate encounter with King Cascade. The captain edges the boat so close to the waterfall that we're all drenched – and loving it. Afterwards, two tenders venture out to the Ampitheatre Waterfall for a heavier aqua-pounding. Others have spent the day fishing, mud-crabbing, walking, or taking a scenic helicopter flight, so there are many stories to share throughout the evening.

Day 3: The highlight of the trip takes place today: a "heli-picnic" at Melaleuca Falls. The chopper shuttles passengers to a beautiful swimming hole where we enjoy a BBQ of fish, crab, prawns, steak and salads. We walk up to the waterfall and sit on a ledge behind the cascading water – an exhilarating experience. The rest of the afternoon is passed with a few drinks under the paperbark trees, before the helicopter whisks us back to the boat for dinner.

Day 4: I join a tender ride out to Montgomery Reef, home to turtles, birds, sharks and dugongs. Back onboard, our local guide Jarrad presents a talk on the Kimberley wilderness as we head down the Sale River for a short walk to another swimming hole. While some passengers fly off for a night of "heli-camping", the remaining 20 have a fancy-dress party to celebrate crewmember Mikey's 21st.

Day 5: More fishing and sightseeing down the Glenelg River, followed by a Kimberley-style day spa at Ruby Falls where we smear ourselves with mud. Continuing on to Steep Island, we embark on a 30-minute trek up to see one of the region's most accessible sites of Wandjana rock art. After dinner is the lively quiz night, which my team wins, of course.

Day 6: A tour of the bridge and engine room kicks off the morning, then a helicopter ride over Talbot Bay and the mining islands of Koolan and Cockatoo. Unfortunately the effect of the Horizontal Falls is spoiled by the neap tide, but our disappointment is washed away with a couple of beers and a game of cricket on the snow-white sands of Silica Beach – a good Aussie end to a great Australian adventure.

For details, see www.northstarcruises.com.au.

Where to Stay in Broome: The new Pinctada Cable Beach Spa Resort is the only official five-star accommodation in town. Managed by Marilynne Paspaley AM, the 72-room resort has a pool with spa and lap lane, alfresco dining, poolside café, cocktail lounge, gym, day spa, meditative garden and landscaping by Jamie Durie.

A few minutes walk from Cable Beach, it's a relaxing and friendly spot to stay before and after your Kimberley cruise. The ambience is enhanced with native plants, boab trees, original artworks and breeze-capturing balconies on all spacious studios. Airport pick-up is available.

For bookings, see www.pinctadacablebeach.com.au.



Louise Goldsbury is the editor of Cruise Weekly, available FREE to all cruise lovers in Australia and New Zealand. Sign up at www.cruiseweekly.com.au

Orion III is very likely for 2013

by Louise Goldsbury, Editor, Cruise Weekly

Orion Expedition Cruises is yet to debut Orion II in Asia, but plans are already underway for a third ship.

Australia's Orion Expeditions has had such success with the impending launch of its second ship that a third vessel is set to be added within the next three years.

Speaking exclusively to Cruise Weekly, Sarina Bratton, Orion’s founder and managing director, said: “The way things are going, I absolutely expect we will do.

“I have already had some discussions with ship owners and we normally have to work two to three years in advance,” she said.

A launch of Orion III in 2012 was “maybe a bit early, but maybe 2013”, Bratton revealed.

The proposed destinations for a third ship remain under wraps while the company pushes ahead with next year’s program on the new Orion II.

The brochure for 2011 cruises in the Russian Far East and Asia will be released in late April or early May.

Options include Kimberley expeditions with complimentary flights over the Bungle Bungles; three first-time Orion voyages – ‘West Papua and Maluku’, ‘Exploration of the Antipodes’ and ‘Antarctic Centenary’; Tasmanian food and wine cruises; Lord Howe Island and Aotearoa; Christmas in New Zealand’s fjordland and sub-Antarctic islands; Orion II’s cruises of the Inland Sea of Japan; the Russian Far East; a circumnavigation of Borneo; and eight voyages to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Meanwhile, a “smattering of space” is still available this year on the original five-star, 100-passenger Orion for cruises in Australia.

The most immediate opportunities are for ‘Wild PNG & Bismarck Archipelago’, departing 07 April; ‘Tropical Reefs & Culture’ on 28 April; ‘Art of Arnhem Land’ on 04 May; and several Kimberley cruises between May and September 2010.

“The way things are going, I absolutely expect we will do”

“We have got the most exciting destinations on offer in the Asia Pacific – whether you’re interested in the wilds of Borneo, the cultural aspects of Cambodia, Vietnam or Japan, the remote wilderness of PNG or our brilliant experience in the sub-Antarctic, we’ve got it covered,” Bratton said.

Details of all 2010 and 2011 voyages are available at www.orionexpeditions.com.

Is Expedition Cruising the Purest Ecotourism?

Out in the wide world of commercial travel, cruising is enjoying a revival. Buoyed by the new wave of gigantic, luxurious vessels carrying up to 5000 passengers for as little a two hundred dollars per day, the allure is understandable.

In Australia, cruise passenger numbers have tripled in less than ten years. In 2009, around 350,000 travelled on a cruise ship. In 2002, it was 116,308. All sectors and geographic areas are enjoying growth including river cruising, adventure cruising and boutique products.

“It’s a thrill to see Papua New Guinea really hitting its straps as a cruise destination now,” says Tony Briggs of Coral Princess Cruises, “and our projections for New Zealand are also exciting thanks to some new strategic marketing.”

Overseas in the US and Europe, things were certainly gloomier and the big lines, replete with sparkling new vessels and empty cabins, discounted like never before to counter the GFC blues. Our own operators also felt the loss of inbound passengers, but that hasn’t stopped the likes of Orion Expeditions from doubling their fleet and itineraries.

But is all this exciting expansion good for tourism in emerging and fragile destinations? Many of us recall the experience of going ashore from a big ship in Fiji in the 1980s and ‘90s. Merchants, touts and traders out in force, extracting every penny from the tourists. Beads, shells and the dreaded carved wooden knives now decorate mantelpieces from Bondi to Birdsville.

Since the early ‘90s, adventure and expedition cruising has been on a steady upward curve. Small ships, ice class vessels, river steamers and boutique cruisers have carried inquisitive soft adventurers to remote tropical islands and chilly polar regions in search of enrichment and excitement. Small numbers, little or no infrastructure and strict environmental protocols mean an experience in contrast to those aboard their bigger brethren.

Recent attention to climate change and environmental degradation has accelerated a certain urgency among thinking travellers to see our rapidly changing planet. Some scientists predict our children will see a complete disappearance of the polar ice cap in their lifetime.

Expedition and adventure cruising in low impact vessels, carrying small passenger numbers (often 100 or less) to destinations with little or no tourism infrastructure is quite possibly one of the purest forms of ecotourism.

While icebergs and penguin colonies often come to mind when thinking of expedition cruising, destinations much closer to home can yield the same ‘other world’ experience. Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Indonesia and our own remote Kimberley coast and Great Barrier Reef transport travellers to a world much like that encountered by 18th and 19th century explorers.

The increased demand for adventure cruise itineraries can be viewed as a positive indicator among the travelling public. A growing awareness of our fragile planet and its disappearing cultures and wildlife urges more and more conscientious tourists to venture out in search of the “experiential and transformational” promised by adventure marketers.

Cruise Weekly: Make the Kimberley your Quest

Astute cruise watchers have had a bumper season with many new vessels appearing in Sydney Harbour, not the least of them being P&O’s new superliner, Pacific Jewel.

But the really eagle-eyed will have noticed the diminutive Kimberley Quest II touring about the harbour. Mistaken perhaps for some playboy billionaire’s superyacht, the Kimberley Quest II is actually a busy adventure vessel working Australia’s favourite cruise region, the Kimberley. Owner’s Jeff and Lynne Ralston have brought her to Sydney for the Christmas/NY period to do private charters, agent tours and media appearances.

KQII was built by Austal in Fremantle who also built the multi-award-winning True North and the two Bora Bora Cruises’ vessels Tu Moana and Ti’a Moana. KQII accommodates just 18 passengers and six crew offering a truly intimate cruise experience.

When I say busy, KQII will do 26 expeditions is a typical season spanning mid-March to October. Most are 7-night ‘quests’, although three 13-night ‘ultimate quests’ at the beginning of the season between Broome, Mitchell Plateau and Wyndham are offered.

KQ’s media file is relatively slim compared to her competitors, but I called on colleague John Borthwick to describe the experience from when he reported for the SMH in 2008.

The Kimberley coast is a world of red rocks, big crocs and cave art of extraordinary antiquity. To cruise the Kimberley¹s rivers and fjords is to take part in one of Australia¹s greatest remaining adventures. And to do so in the purpose-built vessel Kimberley Quest II is to see this magical realm at is finest.

Cataract waterfalls, vast harbours (that dwarf Sydney¹s many times over), boabs and rare birds, plus barramundi for the taking, are all part of the Kimberley Quest experience. Add the luxury of the vessel itself, with a just 18 privileged passengers, plus specialist guides and an expert chef, and this becomes the cruise of a lifetime in a timeless realm.

While the Kimberley may be our favourite cruise region (according to Cruise Passenger Magazine’s reader survey) it will never become our busiest in terms of passenger numbers. The largest vessel currently offering dedicated Kimberley adventures is Orion at 100 passengers and the typical starting price for any vessel is around $1000 per person per day.

For details on Kimberley Quest, see www.kimberleyquest.com.au. To compare all Kimberley cruise products and find occasional specials, visit www.kimberleycruises.com

Cruise Weekly: Romance on the Reef

Wally comes by for a visit. (c) Vanessa Marshall

Location Thetford Reef; 16 deg 48.2S, 146 deg 10.3E

"Where's Wally?" That was the question on everybody's lips. Wally, in case you were wondering, is the 100kg Giant Hump-Headed Maori Wrasse who inhabits Thetford Reef, Coral Princess II's first stop out of Cairns on her southward exploration of the Great Barrier Reef. "He looks nasty," says Vanessa, our ebullient marine biologist guide, "but he's really a big sook. Right now it's mating season and he's almost certainly off chasing lady Wrasses."

Coral Princess Cruises, established in 1984 by Tony and Vicki Briggs, are certainly the longest operating Australian adventure cruise company and, according to Tony, the first. They've come a long way since their first vessel, a Fairmile-class former submarine chaser, first began overnight reef safaris for adventurous guests. It was a bold move, but one that certainly paid off. CPCs now operate three vessels within a territory that includes Papua New Guinea, the Kimberley, Melanesia and New Zealand. Their flagship, the 72-pax 65m Oceanic Discoverer, was launched in 2005, just in time to join True North II and Orion in the exploding local expedition cruise scene.

Our itinerary, 3 nights to Townsville, is a leisurely exploration of the outer reefs with plenty of snorkelling and scuba diving for beginners and certified divers alike. Vanessa, literally overflowing with information, crams as much biological information as we can handle. Our wonderful reef is a mind-boggling organism, 2400 kms long, stretching from Bundaberg to PNG. The variety and complexity of vivid and colourful life is beyond the comprehension of most, including me. While some believe our reef is dying in the warming planet others, like Vanessa, are more optimistic.

The itinerary is broken with a resort stop at Dunk Island and a beach BBQ at Pelorus, CPC's private island just north of Townsville. This cruise is carrying thirty passengers from as far afield as the UK, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, France and the USA indicating there is more interest in a our reef from overseas than locally. Our vessel, Coral Princess II, is a 25-y-o, 48 pax catarmaran now exclusively operating the the two GBR itineraries. She is joined by Coral Princess over summer, when not on Kimberley duty with Oceanic Discoverer. CPCs offer three GBR itineraries; 3 nights to Townsville, 4 nights Cairns to Cairns via Lizard Island and Cooktown and 7 nights with the two butted together. My personal choice is the 4 night, northern sector for variety and a little extra land-based activity.

While lusty Wally remains elusive, there are plenty of other exciting discoveries like the two massive Coral Trout in the throws of passion, a fish feeding frenzy with giant trevally, a spectacular but solitary Lion Fish, serene turtles, elegant rays and chipper little Nemos (anemonefish). If love is an indicator, then our reef is alive and well.

Fares begin at A$1496 (twin share) for the 3-night cruise. Coral Princess Cruises: www.coralprincess.com.au 1800 079 545

Cruise Weekly Comment: Adventure Cruising – Aussie Style

For lots of people, the idea of an adventure cruise means some far off, distant land, icebergs and glaciers. But some dinkum Aussie operators provide world-class products right here from our favourite cities.

Of those operators sailing Australian-flagged vessels with all-Australian crew, North Star Cruises in Broome, Coral Princess Cruises in Cairns and Captain Cook Cruises in Sydney come quickly to mind with itineraries covering the entire coastline of Australia, including the Murray River.

Iconic destinations such as the Kimberley and Great Barrier Reef are well covered, but dig deeper and you’ll find semi-secret locations such as the Rowley Shoals in WA and Cape York and Arnhem Land across our Top End. North Star Cruises continue their Southern Safari out of Adelaide that covers Kangaroo Island and Eyre Peninsula with the exciting “Jaws” shark cage dive as highlight.

Coral Princess Cruises, one of the premium operators in the Kimberley, are even offering a free Great Barrier Reef Cruise for every new booking in the Kimberley this year. (this offer was supposed to expire end August, but tell them CW said it was extended by 7 days for subscribers only!) Otherwise a 15% earlybird applies for 2010 dates.

It’s a bit harder to keep track of some of the smaller operators offering niche products, but Pearl Seas Cruises, Cannon Charters, Great Escape (pic r), Matrix, K2O and One Tide all offer intimate vessels of around a dozen passengers and can be booked through the one-stop Kimberley Cruise Centre or direct. These little ships are great for divers, fishers and small corporate or family groups.

The multi-award-winning Orion Expedition Cruises are an Australian Private Company operating the 106-passenger Bahaman-flagged Orion. The “grand dame” of our adventure fleet, Orion offers the nearest thing to a big ship experience, yet still keeps that adventurous touch. Their just-announced 2010 brochure includes a wealth of local cruising options including our east coast, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia – many of which are firsts for Orion. The loyal following will have plenty of reasons for repeat cruises next year and new cruisers may want to try them too.

So if you’re hankering for an adventure cruise and don’t want the jetlag, there are stacks of great opportunities in brilliant vessels right on our doorstep. Print this page now, race into your favourite travel agent and get aboard!

Cruise Weekly Comment: Don’t Cry Me a River

I’m ashamed of myself; I’ve been an adventure cruise snob, thinking that an adventure or expedition voyage had to be at least coastal or even oceanic in nature to qualify. I was wrong, and now I’m admitting it.

I had this idea that river cruising was some cushy lark for timid softies with delicate tummies and an inhibited sense of adventure. Well, several recent river cruises have helped me dispel those prejudices and I’m finding myself developing a liking for the inland variety.

First it was Cruise West on USA’s Columbia River, then Pandaw on the Rajang of Sarawak and now I’m signed up for the Brahmaputra in India with Active Travel. Yes, I had to look it up.

Oceanic Discoverer on the Sepik

I really should not have been so surprised because two years ago, I was with Coral Princess when they made one of their initial explorations of the Sepik. This river is one of the largest in PNG and twists and turns for over 1100 kilometres into the wild backcountry inland from the northern coast. It was here that I had one of my most otherworldly expedition experiences when the women of Tambanum worked themselves into a black magic frenzy, yelping and flailing around like possessed banshees. The men knew their place, meekly banging their drums and chanting back-ups, careful not to get a beat out of place. These girls were way out there!

Although I’ve never been on the Amazon proper, I did venture up one of the lesser known tributaries, the Rio Negro, into eastern Ecuador, on the other side of the Andes. Our jungle hideout, Sacha Lodge, was secreted deep in the tidal floodplain and completely at the mercy of tiny marauding primates like marmosets and squirrel monkeys. Giant prehistoric birds called Hoatzins would lurk about while Toucans kept their distance and called loudly from the canopy. You could even fish for piranha off the veranda.

While aboard RV Orient Pandaw, I did get a run down from Australian rep, John Boyd, about future plans for the SE Asian river specialists. Well known for their signature voyages along the Mekong from Saigon to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, they’ve also been busy on the Chindwin and Irrawaddy in Burma since 1995 and are soon to embark on the Ganges and Hugli rivers in India starting this September. The other stuff is secret, but look out for exciting new itineraries from this go-ahead line.

Here in Australia, Captain Cook’s Murray River itineraries are a popular, evergreen product, while some of the more locally-focused Kimberley operators like North Star or Pearl Sea Coastal Cruises spend time upriver on the Roe, Prince Regent or Hunter chasing Barramundi and ancient Gwion Gwion rock art. Then there’s the Volga in Russia, the Danube Delta in Romania, the Dnieper in Ukraine and the Nile and Congo in Africa. Yes, they all have cruises.

So don’t think that expedition cruising has to mean icebergs, penguins or polar bears. Nor does it have to involve crossing seas in search of remote islands, some of the world’s great inland waterways hold great adventure possibilities.

Cruise Weekly Comment: Helicopter Crash

Cruise Weekly – Comment by Roderick Eime

I must admit that news of a second helicopter crash in the Kimberley inside two weeks has given me some goose bumps. I flew with Slingair, the first to lose their machine in a quadruple fatality over the Bungle Bungles, on a fixed wing charter after a week aboard True North where I made numerous flights in their now sunken Bell 407.

True North's machine was like brand new to me and flew faultlessly throughout the cruise. All passengers wore automatically-inflating life jackets and the great big doors were easy to get in and out of. Thankfully, no one lost their lives in what must have been a hair-raising event. There is some mystery however, as to why the flotation devices attached to the landing gear did not activate and an investigation is now under way.

So what does this mean for the many expedition vessels that employ helicopters either onboard or as optional flight-seeing tours? Helicopters add an extra dimension to any cruise experience and are invaluable on many polar itineraries.

There is a degree of risk assessment in any form of travel and helicopters are nowhere near the top of any 'most dangerous transport' list. Statistics are traditionally dominated by the rattly minibus and motorcycle, even crossing the road rates way up there, especially in SE Asia, Africa and the sub-continent. I, for one, will continue to fly in helicopters and light aircraft knowing that the taxi ride to the airport will constitute the single highest risk factor on any given trip.

No matter where you are or what you're doing, assess the risk, enjoy yourself and travel safely.

Cruise Weekly Comment: PNG

Cruise Weekly – Comment by Roderick Eime

If ever there was a destination perfect for adventure and expedition cruising, it would have to be Papua New Guinea.

I'm about to set sail for PNG again next week and this will be my fourth visit. I can't imagine getting tired of visiting this wild and colourful country so close at hand.

Australians still need to overcome reservations generated by decades of bad PR. True, some places you just want to stay clear of, Port Moresby for one. But in the Solomon and Bismark Seas to the north and northwest, up the mighty Sepik River and over to the Louisiades, there is a Papua New Guinea seldom seen by mass tourists.

Compact, low-impact expedition vessels like Orion, Oceanic Discoverer and True North are now regularly plying the friendly waters, stopping at tiny islands with villages of just a few hundred inhabitants and absolutely no tourism infrastructure at all. No touts, trashy nick-nacks or wharf urchins to upset your experience, just a pure and unadulterated cultural encounter.

Just as expedition cruising is not for everyone, neither is PNG. Passengers need to be open-minded, intellectually self-sufficient and prepared to embrace the experience as it is presented. The modern vessels offer plenty of comfort and even luxury for softies like me, so it's not all hard going.

There's great diving and snorkeling, fishing, brilliant tribal art, raw dance and rituals to make your eyes pop and anthropological and wartime history in abundance.

Most itineraries take place after the Kimberley season closes in September and each operator usually only conducts two or three voyages each season of between seven and 14 days. Website: www.png-tourism.com

Cruise Weekly Comment: Kimberley

Cruise Weekly – Comment by Roderick Eime

I'm almost embarrassed to say it has taken me this long to get to the Kimberley.

Such is the demand for Australia's premier adventure cruise destination that passengers are having to book many months, sometimes years ahead.

I've just spent six days aboard the multi-award-winning, True North, an acknowledged Kimberley expert. We're all aware of the other acclaimed itineraries by Orion, Coral Princess and Kimberley Quest, but with twenty-plus years of intimate experience, knowledge of the uncharted river systems, off-the-radar rock art sites and an onboard helicopter, the North Star Cruises product is hard to beat.

I wish they wouldn't use the term ?finest of fine dining?, because bare feet and t-shirts sort of precludes that experience. The food, however, is beyond reproach. Ex-Cable Beach Club chef, Ian ?Irish? Prendergast received a standing ovation on the last day as a fitting tribute to his efforts. The wine list, with many beautiful Margaret River vintages, will please finicky tipplers too.

Days were jam-packed with activities including fishing, light trekking, freshwater swimming in gorgeous hidden spring-fed water holes, usually with a sublime waterfall under which to rinse off and, of course, the breathtaking helicopter flight-seeing.

Premium cabins are equivalent to better 4-star hotel rooms and everything is meticulously maintained by an all-Australian crew. Just three years old, it still feels brand new.

I just had time to chat to luxury doyenne, Claudia Rossi-Hudson, as she embarked for the next six night instalment. We may be seeing much more of North Star Cruises.

Web site: www.northstarcruises.com.au Ph: 08 9192 1829

Cruise Weekly Comment: Top End

Cruise Weekly – Comment by Roderick Eime

Historically, modern expedition cruising goes back to Lindblad’s Antarctic cruises of the 1960s, while in our region, Coral Princess Cruises founder, Tony Briggs was one of the first to offer extended cruises on the Great Barrier Reef with a converted, Fairmile class, WWII-era submarine chaser in the early 1980s.

Today, small ship, adventure-themed cruises abound and many new operators are capitalising on the abundant scenic and natural wealth of our coastline from the Kimberley to Tasmania. But while WA’s Kimberley enjoys solid capacities, some of our other regions do not.

Initially the repositioning sector from Cairns to Kimberley was developed to incorporate Arnhem Land and Cape York expeditions, but these cruises have sometimes struggled to attract viable numbers.

Kimberley region stalwarts, North Star Cruises, have deleted their “Over the Top” itinerary in favour of an ambitious West Papuan itinerary for 2009. Their first exploration is fully booked with loyal past passengers, leaving just Orion and Coral Princess to operate this region.

“This (11-night voyage) is one of the most underrated itineraries we have,” says Briggs, “Arnhem Land presents some of the best indigenous experiences anywhere and along with World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef and Cape York, it’s a spectacular voyage.”

Orion offers similar expeditions, instead split into two products; the 7-night “Art of Arnhem Land” and the 5-night “Tropical Reefs and Culture” from Thursday Island to Cairns.

Orions’ fares begin at about $700pp per night, while Coral Princess are slightly cheaper.

Cruise Weekly Comment: Top End Expedition Cruising

Historically, modern expedition cruising goes back to Lindblad’s Antarctic cruises of the 1960s, while in our region, Coral Princess Cruises founder, Tony Briggs was one of the first to offer extended cruises on the Great Barrier Reef with a converted, Fairmile class, WWII-era submarine chaser in the early 1980s.

Today, small ship, adventure-themed cruises abound and many new operators are capitalising on the abundant scenic and natural wealth of our coastline from the Kimberley to Tasmania. But while WA’s Kimberley enjoys solid capacities, some of our other regions do not.

Initially the repositioning sector from Cairns to Kimberley was developed to incorporate Arnhem Land and Cape York expeditions, but these cruises have sometimes struggled to attract viable numbers.

Kimberley region stalwarts, North Star Cruises, have deleted their “Over the Top” itinerary in favour of an ambitious West Papuan itinerary for 2009. Their first exploration is fully booked with loyal past passengers, leaving just Orion and Coral Princess to operate this region.

“This (11-night voyage) is one of the most underrated itineraries we have,” says Briggs, “Arnhem Land presents some of the best indigenous experiences anywhere and along with World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef and Cape York, it’s a spectacular voyage.”

Orion offers similar expeditions, instead split into two products; the 7-night “Art of Arnhem Land” and the 5-night “Tropical Reefs and Culture” from Thursday Island to Cairns.

Orions’ fares begin at about $700pp per night, while Coral Princess are slightly cheaper.