CRUISE FOCUS
The summer season is mid-May to Sep- tember but it is best to visit between June and August. Adventure cruise lines: American Safari Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd, Innersea Discover- ies, Reef and Rain Forest Tours, Oceania Cruises, Alaskan Dream Cruises, Lindblad Expeditions, Zegrahm, Noble Caledonia, Royal Caribbean, Crystal Cruises.
ANTARCTICA: Penguins and Seals In adventure cruise terms, the Antarctic has expanded to include the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South Shetland, Orkney and Sandwich Islands and the cluster of individual islands south of New Zealand. This region has the highest diversity and abundance of seabirds anywhere in the world, some of which exist nowhere else. South Georgia is an unforgettable experience with its wildlife and incredible scenery whilst the smaller, lesser known islands of the Weddell Sea offer the most southerly songbirds and a chance to see species such as sheathbills The big draw here, of course, are the penguins, from Emperors to Rockhoppers, with rookeries sometime holding tens of thousands of birds. Leopard seals, wander- ing albatross, elephant seals and orcas hunting seals are all experienced in this wilderness. Some companies even take you for a hike or camp overnight on the White Continent. Adventure cruise lines: Antarctic Dream, Exo- dus, Lindblad Expeditions, Reef and Rainforest, Silversea, Zegrahm, Hurtigruten, OceanWide Expeditions, Oneocean Expeditions, Noble Caledonia, Holland America, Seabourn, Aber- crombie & Kent, Aurora Expeditions.
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND: Dolphins and Kangaroos Now opening up as a major destina- tion, this is a region encompassing dense jungle, high mountains and arid deserts. The coastal scenery of New Zealand is simply stunning and the waters around here hold sperm whales, New Zealand fur seals and the world’s smallest and rarest marine dolphin, the Hector’s or New Zealand Dolphin. The Great Barrier Reef is another amaz- ing site that teems with wildlife above and below the waves and it is hard to beat the epic scope given by Australia’s north-west coast, known locally as The Kimberley. River cruising along the Murray River in South Australia gives you a whole range of species from Kookaburras to Kangaroos and, in the north around the Queensland area, salt-water crocodiles are found. Best time to travel to The Kimberley
is April to September while the south is best visited between March and August.
New Zealand is best in the drier months of December to March. Adventure cruise lines: Lindblad Expedi- tions, Voyages of Discovery, Orion Expedi- tions, Captain Cook Cruises, Paul Gauguin Cruises, Aurora Expeditions.
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA: Monkeys and Butterflies New World monkeys are always high on people’s list in the Panama Canal region, as well as macaws and the amazing butterflies. Wildlife is a major part of what’s on offer along the Canal and, prior to its construction, the vast jungle area that is now Gatun Lake teemed with wildlife. As the area was flooded, animals took refuge on the mountain peaks that are now the numerous islands that dot the lake, many of which are offered on guided tours. The Amazon is becoming a must-see
with many wildlife cruisers and, with firms like Aqua Expeditions offering ex- ceptional trips deep into the heartland, it’s becoming a lot easier to visit.
Spring 2011 I WORLD OF CRUISING 37
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92