Cunard Line Announces 2012 World Voyages

Cunard Line has announced details of its 2012 world voyages on its new Queen Elizabeth and legendary flagship Queen Mary 2, marking a 90-year legacy of annual circumnavigations.
On sale in Australia from Friday July 16, the new program features a 107-day journey around the globe on Queen Elizabeth and a 108-day voyage on Queen Mary 2, which will include the liner’s first circumnavigation of Australia.

Between them, the two liners will visit 60 ports across 33 countries, with their voyages including a host of maiden visits such as Queen Mary 2’s first call to the spectacular sand dunes of Namibia’s Swakopmund.

In Australia, the ports of Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin and Melbourne will welcome the spectacular 2620-passenger Queen Mary 2 for the first time, while her youngest sister, the 2092-passenger Queen Elizabeth will make her inaugural calls to Brisbane and Port Douglas.

Early booking savers are available on the full world voyages with fares starting from $28,509* per person twin share for Queen Mary 2’s sailing which departs Southampton on January 10, 2012.

Meanwhile, Cunard is offering a host of line voyages and sectors on both liners including:

o 19 nights sailing on Queen Mary 2 from Sydney to Hong Kong via Papua New Guinea, Japan and China, priced from $4659* per person twin share

o 24 nights sailing from Sydney to Singapore on Queen Elizabeth visiting Malaysia, China, Vietnam and Thailand with fares starting from $6119* per person.

o 17 nights from Cape Town to Adelaide on Queen Mary 2 with calls to Durban, Port Louis and Fremantle, start from $4089* per person complete twin.

o 56 nights from Brisbane to Southampton on Queen Elizabeth, visiting ports throughout Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Fares start from $13,189* per person.

Onboard credits of up to US$1500 per person are also available to guests booking line or full voyages.

Launching in October this year, Queen Elizabeth’s complete circumnavigation will see her sail from the UK to New York, Fort Lauderdale and through the Panama Canal to Costa Rica and Mexico before visiting San Francisco and sailing south to New Zealand and Australia. She then heads north to Asia and through the Suez Canal to visit the Mediterranean before returning to Southampton.

Meanwhile QM2 will leave Southampton for Madeira and the Canary Islands before visiting Namibia and South Africa enroute to Australia where she will complete a historic circumnavigation of the continent. After sailing north to Asia she will visit ports throughout the Middle East and Europe before returning to the UK.

For more details on the 2012 world voyages call Cunard on 13 24 41 or visit www.cunardline.com.au  
* Subject to availability. Conditions apply.

Truffles & Mushrooms Rule ! by Highlands Foodie Group

Foodies can't get enough of these toothsome fungi and now is the season to experience them
Bookings are being taken for two tours - both held in NSW’s Southern Highlands. The first is a Truffle Hunt at Rosewood Trufferie – an experience like no other !

Together with the amazing truffle hounds and their handlers, guests will be shown how and where the black truffles are found round the oak and hazelnut trees on this 33 acre property. They will then have the opportunity to watch them being weighed and washed before sitting down to a truffle lunch with recipes devised by one of Sydney’s top chefs. The tours will be conducted by truffle pioneer Duncan Garvey from Perigord Truffles of Tasmania. And for those who can’t make it to the hunt, truffles may be purchased from Perigord Truffles, details on their website.

The other experience is a tour of the 650 metre long disused railway tunnel in Mittagong where the exotic Li-Sun Exotic Mushrooms are growing. The range of mushrooms include Enoki, Shiitake, Chestnut, Shinejii, Woodear – ideal in soups, King Brown & Oyster.

Truffle Hunting Tours are held each Sunday until the season finishes about late August. The first Mushroom Tunnel Tours will be held on Sunday 3 October at 10.30am and 2 pm. More tours will be held in early January and into 2011.

Enquiries, bookings:
Truffle Hunts: T: 0409 462 141, email: patdecorsie@bigpond.com
www.perigord.com.au

Mushroom Tunnel Tours: T: 02 4871 2524,
Email: info@highlandsfoodiegroup.com.au www.highlandsfoodiegroup.com.au  

Don’t Just Dream It – Live It with Queensland’s Season of Sailing

Live the dream and become part of the racing crew on a maxi yacht in the Whitsundays this August on a Prosail “Hamilton Island Race Week” package as part of Queensland’s new Season of Sailing.

Experience firsthand the exhilaration of being on the deck of a retired ocean-racer as it builds up speed for the start of a race. Watch the huge spinnakers fill, fight the strength of the wind as you winch in the sails.

A quick scan through the new www.queenslandholidays.com.au/sailing site reveals a selection of sailing-themed Whitsunday holidays catering for all tastes and budgets packages. They can be taken to coincide with Airlie Beach Race Week (12-19 August, 2010) and Hamilton Island Race Week (20-28 August, 2010) or later at a more convenient time as most are valid until March 31, 2011.

Sailing conditions in the Whitsundays are near perfect in winter with daytime temperatures averaging 27 degrees Celsius and the water around 24 degrees.

Prices for the ‘Hamilton Island Race Week’ package are $1990 per person and include nine nights’ accommodation during the regatta, Race Week festivities, daily breakfast and lunch, a crew shirt and hat and a snorkeling trip and visit to beautiful Whitehaven Beach on the racing lay day.

Whitsundays Sailing Adventures’ Season of Sailing packages include the adventure based ‘Sail & Dive’ package, a ‘Tall Ship Adventure’ and a couple’s ‘Sailing in Style’ getaway.

Prices for the ‘Sail & Dive’ package start from $595 per person for two nights on board the 16.7 metre wooden “Summertime”. Guests enjoy sea kayaking, sailing and scuba diving, and costs include all meals, accommodation, professional skipper, host and dive instructor, and marine park fees. The boat’s modern fitout includes an onboard hot tub.

The ‘Tall Ship Adventure’ takes place on the 19 metre “Alexander Stewart”, a magnificent, hand-crafted boat with modern comforts including air-conditioning and private cabins. The three day, two night cruise takes an eco-look at the Whitsundays focusing on the reef, rainforest and wildlife. Prices start from $590 per person and include all meals, accommodation in a private, double cabin, snorkeling equipment including wet suits and marine park fees.
‘Sailing in Style’ features three nights’ accommodation on the luxurious motor cruiser “Pacific Sunrise”. The vessel features three decks and caters for a maximum of 21 guests in eight ensuited cabins. Prices start form $744 per person and include all meals, snorkelling equipment, dive gear and wet suits, professional skipper and host and marine parks fees.

The Kiana ‘Islands Reef & Dive’ package explores the Whitsundays on and under the water. Starting from $649 per person for two nights, it includes accommodation on board the purpose built sailing and dive vessel, all meals, snorkeling equipment and dive gear, professional skipper and host. The first dive is free and there is the chance to dive the outer reef as well as the fringing coral coves on the islands. The cruise includes visits to the Hill Inlet Lookout and Whitehaven Beach.

Pay for six nights and sail for seven on a skipper yourself Whitsunday Boating holiday and also enjoy a free sleep aboard the night before your charter. Prices start from $83 per person per night for the hire of a fully equipped Catalina 320 Yacht. This package is not available in September and October 2010, but is valid until 15 December 2010.

For more information on other Season of Sailing packages including those with island and mainland accommodation components visit www.queenslandholiday.com.au/sailingwinter are near-perfect with day 7-28°C and a water temperature of 23-24°C