canada and alaska feature
DESCRIPTION
Eight page contribution to extensive Canada-Alaska feature in Cruise Passenger Magazine (#60) Winter 2015TRANSCRIPT
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
tssuE 60 wtNTER 2ot5
CRUISEPASSENGER.COM.AU
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passenger
UPCLOSEANDPERSONAL
luLa,CRYSTAL SYMPHONY
VIKING STAR
Yif BRTTANNTA
SCENIC JASPERCELEBRITY SOLSTICE
LOIRE PRINCESSEISS t!.,l llN
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.
wrlter bing you reviews
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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 -
SEE PACES'I5 & 76
SIGN UPTODAYTO SAVEUPTO20 PERCENI,AND BE
ENTERED IN OUR CONTESTTOWIN A BLUESMART SUITCASESO CTEVER ITWEIGHS ITSELF.
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.
GUARANTEEDI- Luxlry rnd.nd seatourn€y. trave ng wrth
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apT ExcLUslvEl- r2. oht sma 5h p A aska eiped t o. cru s.
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Vlsit aptouring.com,au agentor caLl 13OO 5lO O38 or see your loca travel
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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