Encore’s down under return

SEABOURN has confirmed the Australasian deployment of its new Seabourn Encore, which will operate a series of voyages out of Sydney and Auckland during the 2018‐19 season.

The local opera on was hinted at earlier this year when Cruise Weekly a4ended the inaugura on of Encore in Singapore ( CW 09 Jan 2017).

At the me Seabourn president Rick Meadows confirmed plans were afoot for a Seabourn circumnaviga on of Australia, but the Encore program will instead feature four 16‐day sailings between Sydney and Auckland as well as two 16‐day South Pacific voyages ex AKL that will explore New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu.

The company remains coy about its 2018/19 plans for Seabourn Sojourn, with specula on it may undertake the circumnaviga on.

Sydney Ports currently has slots allocated for Sojourn in Dec 2018 and Jan, Feb and Mar 2019.

Chris Aus n, Seabourn senior vice president of global marke ng and sales confirmed there was strong interest in Australia from the line’s clients.

“Overseas travellers from around the world love to visit the ci es and towns along the coast during the summer season.

“For Seabourn, Australia is our third largest market for sourcing guests and we appreciate the work by so many travel professionals who trust their clients to us when it comes to choosing a holiday,” he told CW.