Oh ‘water’ adventure, all aboard
Ihave been lucky enough to complete three very different cruises. When I sailed along the Danube from Hungary to Germany with Uniworld River Cruises, we floated between mediaeval castle ruins, Bavarian villages and 800-year-old restaurants.
On another excursion, with Celebrity Cruises, we bobbed across the Tasman for an unforgettable trip into Ata Whenua/Fiordland, where the 317-metre-long ship was dwarfed by the towering mountains.
Onboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation Of The Seas, I tried skydiving in an indoor simulator and rollerskated around an arena that doubled as a flying trapeze studio.
There was everything you could possibly want and need onboard: ballroom dancing lessons, napkin-folding workshops and a bar staffed by twin robot bartenders.
There is so much variety when it comes to cruising the world’s rivers and oceans that it can be hard to know where to begin. In this week’s issue, we head from the Amazon to Antarctica and nearly everywhere in between.
In a stunning photo essay on pages 42-43, travel writer Brook Sabin details his once-in-a-lifetime voyage onboard the new polar exploration ship, Viking Polaris. The stateof-the-art vessel is equipped with submarines for underwater exploration, a heated infinity pool, and floorto-ceiling windows for spotting wildlife and the behemoth icebergs that glide around the white continent.
In Melbourne, Juliette Sivertsen finds that no experience is required to operate Melbourne’s self-drive picnic boats (page 44), while Brian Johnston finds a lavish sea voyage fit for royalty (page 46).
There are themed river cruises, essential tips for families, and eye-popping buildings to keep an eye out for on your next trip to Europe.
You can also read about my experience and the technological challenges that come with ordering drinks from a cyborg at sea. Happy sailing!