Innholdsfortegnelse for October/November 2023 i Cruise & Travel

THE COAST IS CLEAR A group of committed environmentalists has been busy cleaning up sites around the Svalbard archipelago – a frequent highlight of Arctic expedition cruises – as part of a united effort by the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) to clear the coastline of marine debris. The AE Expeditions team (pictured) was among those lending a hand in the eco efforts to rid the shores of plastic bottles, caps, bags, ropes and other rubbish, to reduce the amount of plastic debris found along the islands’ otherwise pristine coastline. In the remote bay of Hamiltonbukta, the clean-up even included an almost-full trawling net that filled an entire Zodiac and needed six people to drag it back off the rocks. It comes as the company released its first…

POSTCARDS Finding a reason to visit New York City is never going to be difficult, although its latest attraction is even more of a draw than most. The Louis Armstrong Center opened in July and is the new permanent home for the 60,000-item Louis Armstrong archive, with highlights including 5,000 photographs, 650 recordings and five gold-plated trumpets. You’ll find it in Corona, a leafy neighbourhood in the borough of Queens, just across the street from the Louis Armstrong House, which can be explored on guided tours. The house was purchased in 1943 by Louis’s wife Lucille, though she spent much of her time touring with her husband, who often performed 365 nights a year. Highlights include the mirrored bathroom with its swan-shaped taps, even more poignant when you learn that…

As we pull into the Japanese city of Beppu and I gaze across the skyline, my first panic-stricken thought is that the streets are ablaze with raging fires spewing angry white plumes into the air. But then I remember this is Japan’s spa capital, sprinkled with hot springs and air vents that are constantly pumping out vaporous steam clouds which inexorably curl skywards in an extraordinary spectacle. A short time later we’re walking among them, navigating our way past sizzling streams of gushing water and thermal vents blasting out rising curtains of steam in the streets – some of the 2,000-plus pressure points in the city. This region’s geothermal energy is so potent it powers Beppu’s homes and, much to our surprise, steam kitchens, where we come across restaurant staff…

There was a time when cruises were all about dressing up and breaking out your ball gown or best bib and tucker. All that’s changed, and nowadays dress codes run the full gamut from ultra-casual to high-octane glamour. In the same way you choose a cruise based on the ship and itinerary, you can pick the line that best suits your style. DRESS CODES DEMYSTIFIED Cruise casual, smart casual, resort chic and resort casual – terminology that comes from the US – and formal are among the dress codes you’ll see. Casual is just that: wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. You’ll find this on lines including Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Disney. The next three are really the same and cover smart jeans, polo tops and sleeveless shirts and…

Explora I has finally set sail, and this new entrant to the luxury cruise world is living up to its (admittedly, high) expectations. With design cues taken from the world’s finest boutique hotels, the experience is luxurious without being pretentious, with thoughtful touches including binoculars, heated bathroom floors and Dyson hairstyling appliances in every room. Expect restaurants with menus drawn from local cultures, 461 ocean-front suites with terraces, three outdoor pools – including the aft infinity pool – and a superlative spa to achieve the line’s goal of getting into ‘an ocean state of mind’. ESSENTIALS The ship holds around 900 guests and is all-suite, all-terrace and all-inclusive. The ‘home at sea’ ethos extends as far as multigenerational groups – thanks to 78 connected suites – and solo travellers of…

Autumn is a special time to sail along the Eastern Seaboard of the US, when its sweeping coastal views go from awe-inspiring to out-of-this-world thanks to a kaleidoscope of colour from the region’s fall foliage. You can almost see autumn approaching as you trace the changing of the leaves from one port to the next, but one of the best spots to stop and take it all in has to be Bar Harbor. This playground of the rich and famous – once the holiday-home hotspot for America’s most powerful families like the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts, and inspiration for the mid-19th century Hudson River Valley school of artists – is the largest town on Mount Desert Island and a gateway to the nearby Acadia National Park. Come September and October, the…

By husky. By snowshoe. By snowmobile. Those were just three of the ways I explored the pristine Norwegian countryside on a recent adventure to the Arctic Circle. But here’s the surprising part: I crossed the snowy landscapes in each of these exciting ways while on a cruise. The voyage began in Bergen, continued along the spectacular Norwegian Inside Passage to reach Alta in the far north of the country, before sailing the North Sea to Amsterdam and London. It was an eye-opener to me that ocean cruising (as opposed to expedition cruising) could serve up such a high thrill quotient – I’d assumed it was all canapes and cabarets. But on this trip, I enjoyed a glorious balance of excursions to see raw nature at its most ravishing while luxuriating…

Standing atop the 65ft-tall, historic wooden tower of Key West’s Shipwreck Museum, the wind whips my hair into a haystack. The sun’s shining and the sea stretches out to an ostensibly calm horizon – but I’ve learned enough here to know that these waters, where the Gulf of Mexico meets the Atlantic Ocean, can be treacherous. During the 19th century, Key West was full of towers like this one, allowing wreckers to keep watch for sailing vessels with valuable cargo foundering on the offshore reefs. Our approach to Key West has been far less dramatic, at the wheel of a hire car. Driving in the Florida Keys is a cinch, with just one straight road, the picturesque Overseas Highway, stretching 113 miles from Key Largo in the north, all the…

It’s not often bathrooms are the talk of a ship, especially not among guests sailing with Oceania Cruises. The line claims the finest cuisine at sea, so conversation is usually focused on dinner delights or the delicious treats to come. But on Vista, which launched in May, it was the large bathroom and rain shower that elicited my first yelp of delight – and I wasn’t even in a suite. In a bold move, Oceania has scrapped inside cabins on this ship, using the extra space to give everyone a sea view from either French or step-out balconies, as well as fabulous bathrooms with room to swing several cats. ESSENTIALS The suites offer even more of everything, and its three Owner’s Suites are the biggest and best. They span the…

We’ve always been wary of booking a cruise with more than one sea day in case we get bored – but our next cruise has four of them! Any tips on what to do? Sarah Wikevand, managing director, ROL Cruise Make the most of your cruise’s multiple sea days! Cruising offers many onboard activities, from cooking classes and fitness programmes to art workshops. There’s often the option to learn new skills through workshops such as photography or dancing. Take advantage of the pools, spas, entertainment venues and deck lounges; participate in group activities and themed parties; or plan ahead by bringing books, podcasts or movies to enjoy. A digital detox can also be rejuvenating – disconnect from screens to take in the ocean’s beauty and meditate. Sea days provide a…

If you’re looking for a spot of winter sun to brighten up the bleak British winter, it would be hard to beat the paradise islands of Fiji, where white-sugar sand shores, turquoise seas and guaranteed good weather await. Yet the folk from Fiji specialist Captain Cook Cruises have gone one better: not content with skimming the South Pacific waves in new all-suite ship Caledonian Sky, a small boutique vessel holding just 114 passengers that launches in November, they’ve upped the game with a private experience on the tiny island of Tivua. Set in the volcanic Mamanuca archipelago, Tivua Island is surrounded by more than 200 hectares of pristine reef: perfect for snorkelling, scuba diving, kayaking and glass-bottom boat tours led by marine biologists to explore the rich marine life in…

I’m swimming through a real-life kaleidoscope. Iridescent angelfish in electric blue and gold, elegant ‘rock beauties’ in jet black and lemon yellow, and vibrant parrotfish in fuchsia and lime are my companions as I snorkel above bright pink corals. To my left, the coral drops away to reveal a deep blue abyss – a huge, gaping cavity that we’ve been told plunges 125m deep. My stomach lurches with vertigo. “Welcome to the Great Blue Hole,” says our guide Stephen, as I my pop my head out of the water. “You’re in one of the most pristine places on the planet.” And pristine it is. I’d seen this Unesco-listed wonder on a map – a giant splodge of indigo framed by a ring of aquamarine – but exploring it from the…

Iceland is the land of fire and ice, home to fiery lava-filled volcanoes and bubbling geysers, thundering waterfalls and fairy-tale-like landscapes – and now, one lucky reader will get the chance to explore this magical island in depth on an incredible circumnavigation sailing with Swan Hellenic. The high-end expedition line offers guests the chance to ‘see what others don’t’, not only by going to some of the most remote places on Earth on board sophisticated, design-led ships, but also by immersing you deeper in the destination through activities that focus on understanding local culture, engaging with the community and protecting the natural environment. Those enriching travel experiences continue both on board and ashore with adventurous, enriching excursions on land, and once back on its boutique ships, the chance to further…

HAVILA VOYAGES has four ships sailing the Norwegian coast between Bergen and Kirkenes. Each is fitted with massive batteries that can power the vessels in port and for up to four hours’ sailing, allowing them to cruise silently and emission-free. They’re recharged using hydropower, while excess energy from the engines is captured and reused for hot water and to heat the ships. SANDRA NESS, HEAD OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT, HAVILA VOYAGES “My first job, with the shipping company TMC Compressors, made me realise what a challenge the whole industry faces in developing green technologies and alternative fuels. It lit a spark in me and I realised that this was my passion. That’s what drew me to Havila. Its ships are truly revolutionary and the company culture revolves around sustainability. “My…

No MSC Cruises ship is complete without plenty of glitz, glamour and sparkling staircases awash with Swarovski jewels, so I’m delighted to report that its new flagship, MSC Euribia, ticks all the boxes. Launched in June, it’s something of a behemoth, with room for 6,334 passengers. But don’t let the size put you off, as the vessel is a perfect all-rounder, offering something for all ages and interests – as long as they have a fun holiday in mind. ESSENTIALS Children will love the kids’ and teens clubs, where Lego, video games and treasure hunts are on the agenda, and a Sportplex entertainment zone where they can take on mum and dad in racing-car simulators or shoot aliens in an XR cinema. Outside they can get wet, wet, wet in…