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Silversea Rewards Solo Travellers. Solo cruisers can now experience the luxury of Silversea without paying a hefty single supplement.  Their single rates on select sailings are among the most generous at sea at only 5% – 25% over the double occupancy fare.  An exclusive champagne reception allows passengers to mingle with fellow travellers and there are even gentlemen hosts escort some departures.  OK, that looks after single ladies, what about the single men?

Lets face it, there are usually more single ladies onboard most sailings, so guys, one will never be short of a dance partner. My wonderful wife Sandra has always said, if anything happens to her, I should get a job as a dancing hosts onboard a luxury liner.

I believe 2012 will see some great single supplement offers across the board, due to recent events.  So start thinking about where you want to take your next cruise.

In this writers opinion, 5 star ships offer incredible value.  Many include tips, beverages and onboard credits. Many offer no cost shore excursions.  Add to this superior dining options, usually at no additional cost and you have really great value packages.  John Pond.

When ultra-luxury Silver Shadow berths at the Overseas Passenger Terminal Circular Quay on Friday morning she will be gearing up for a major lunchtime fashion launch onboard of the Kiargo Swimwear Collection.

The launch is aimed at fashion media (not cruise media) and the ship’s guests onboard. The 2012 Kiargo Swimwear catalogue was shot aboard Silversea’s flagship Silver Spirit.

The swimwear collection is designed by Australian Jessica Holmes for “real women” who enjoy cruising and travelling. The swimsuits will reflect a strong nautical influence, with everything from itsy bitsy bikinis, to the Kiargo Retro look.

Silversea sails for Auckland on this Friday evening with an almost totally full ship and returns on 12 February, as part of a 19 day Auckland to Fremantle cruise to end her annual summer South Pacific sojourn.

Silver Shadow will be positioned again in Australian waters from December this year to February next year.

JP: Now I am not sure what “real women” means, perhaps there will be no men in the parade? Or does it mean “larger women”, not quite sure? Anyhow the model and swimsuit look very good.  John Pond.

Silversea Cruises is recognised as an innovator in the luxury cruise line industry, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate vessels, Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and the new Silver Spirit.

“I didn’t even have a life jacket because I had given it to one of the passengers,” he is said to have explained to investigators.

“I was trying to get people to get into the boats in an orderly fashion.

“Suddenly, since the ship was at a 60 to 70 degree angle, I tripped and I ended up in one of the boats. That’s how I found myself there.

“Suspended there, I was unable to lower the boat into the sea, because the space was blocked by other boats in the water.”

This statement is due to go down in history, along with “the cheque is in the mail”   John Pond.

It appears human error is the culprit with some reports indicating that the Captain was “showing off” to friends on shore.

With several officers on the bridge and the latest state of the art equipment, how could this happen? Some reports indicate the Captain was “showing off”.

Some of the frightening aspects of this disaster are that it appears no lifeboat drills were carried out before leaving port.  Apparently no, or little, direction from crew relating to evacuation proceedings was given.  To me, one of the most glaring errors in shipboard design, was that electronic keycards did not work in the doors leading to individual cabins when the power went off.  Passengers were locked out of and locked in cabins.

The only positive is that there will surely be a complete rethink on ships’ safety procedures.  Fortunately the ship was less than 300 metres away from the shore, otherwise, I believe, the death toll would have been much higher.

One troubling report suggests that there was no distress call made from the ship.  It has also been reported that the $600 million ship will be a complete write off, although it has been reported that the shipping company are investigating ways to refloat.

Lifeboat and evacuation drills must be carried out before ships leave port in all cases.  Currently the death toll stands at 11 with up to 24 still missing. 

HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN?

I sail often and safety has never been a concern to me, up to now.  I have observed on some ships that some of their crew have a cavalier attitude to safety drill.  Many ships do not carry out lifeboat drill until ships are well at sea.  This must change.  In all cases this drill must be performed before leaving port.  Panic is the cause of many fatalities.  The demeanor of the crew is paramount.

Now, after these two recent events,  people may treat drills seriously, crew and passengers alike.  Cruising is possibly the safest mode of transport, but there is always room for improvement.  On longer cruises, I feel there should be at least two safety drills for passengers to reinforce what to do in case of emergencies.

Have all the new ships which have been launched recently, meant a drop in crew and officer quality?  I hope not.

The Langham, Melbourne Offers Hotel Smart Technology for Tech-Savvy Travellers.  

Media Hub -Notebooks and laptops can be easily connected to the Media Hub – an aesthetically-slick solution for guests wanting to view documents, photos and movies on The Langham, Melbourne’s wide-screen LCD TVs. Through the Media Hub, guests can also play music on their iPods or mobile phones through Bluetooth connectivity, filling their guest room (bathroom included) with their own personal music collection.  Available in the hotel’s Grand Classic, Grand River, Club Terrace and Club Spa Suite

Internet over TV -Redefining guests’ internet experiences while travelling, The Langham, Melbourne takes internet access and places it on their in-room wide-screen LCD TVs. Here, guests can stay in touch via Facebook and twitter, browse their favourite internet sites and more.  Available in all rooms as a paid service.

 Club Spa Suite - fitted with a 46″ LCD TV, Blu-Ray player and sound system.  Available in Club Spa Suites.  WiFi and Wired Internet can be accessed via guests anywhere in the hotel at just one charge, and the elegant rooms also contain a digital IPTV System that grants access to a range of channels (including Pay TV & HD movie channels). The Langham, Melbourne’s iHome Dual Alarm Clock Radio is the finishing touch, combining a modern alarm clock with an iPod dock.  www.melbourne.langhamhotels.com.au      J.P. I believe internet should be free to all guests as it is in many overseas hotels. If Macdonalds can do it ?

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises named as Condé Nast Traveler’s  2012 Gold List Superstar and Platinum Circle Member

Award-winning boutique river cruise brand, Uniworld, have been included in the internationally renowned premium travel publication,Condé Nast Traveler’s, prestigious 2012 Gold List winners for the world’s finest hotels, resorts, and cruise lines.  Uniworld Boutique River Cruises said it was thrilled that it was once again included in the “World’s Top 12 Cruise Lines” category. 

Published in America alongside the prestigious brands of Vogue, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, Condé Nast Traveler is synonymous with luxury travel and is recognised as one of the leading publications in its field, thus making this accolade a true standout achievement for Uniworld.

This year, as a way to mark 25 years of Condé Nast Traveler, the magazine celebrated the “superstars” of the Gold List in their Platinum Circle honour, which includes Uniworld, who has made the Gold List every year for the past five year’s running. Earlier this year, Uniworld was also rated as the world’s number one “Best River Cruise Line” in Condé Nast Traveler’sprestigious 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Commenting on yet another accolade for the brand, Uniworld’s General Manager Australia, John Molinaro (pictured)  said: “We are extremely honoured that Uniworld has again been recognisedin Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious Gold List.”

The significance of being included as a Platinum Circle member reaffirms Uniworld’s commitment to consistently delivering the best river cruise experience possible to our guests. We are also very proud to be included in a roll-call of well-respected cruise lines such as Crystal, Silversea and Seabourn,” added Molinaro.

Having cruised on Uniworld in Europe, I wholeheartedly agree with the award, J.P. 

A sure way to upset fellow passengers on a cruise is to tell them how much you paid for your cruise ticket.  Last minute offers are occasionally available for around $100 a day.  Your fellow passengers may have paid more than double that.

I know how hard it is to keep your bargain a secret… BUT TRY.

On boarding we were given two drink vouchers (I thought a bit chintzy) and asked to remove our footwear.  

Some of  the cabins I inspected spacious and comfortable but there was not a lot of outside deck area and I feel this would be taken over by smokers on board.

This boat sails around Australia but concentrates mainly on the Kimbetrley region.  Its size enables it to cruise up the many rivers in the area.  It has a helipad and several motorised runabouts for even closer inspections.

Interesting guests includedf Joost Heymeijer, General Manager of Wolgan Valley Resport & Spa, possibly Australia’s most upmarket resort.

The crew were young and attentive but did not know the difference between sparkling wine and champagne.  This boat  falls short of what I would call luxury, but it would not take much to bring it up to a better standard.

PHOTO: Sandra Tiltman

(Travel Writer) with

Joost Heymeijer GM Wolgan Valley Resort

Helen Wong Celebrations: Helen Wong this week had cause for celebration on several fronts with the opening of her new lounge at her Bathurst Street Sydney office headquarters, where Sandra and I enjoyed drinks and canapes with industry partners and media.

Helen also launched her new China and Vietnam brochures which include many new tours throughout the region.

Special family friendly tours have now been included plus optional independent tours that include private guide and driver, their premium China Program is designed for guests wanting luxury and a bit of pampering.

2012 will see Helen Wong’s Tours celebrate 25 years.  Helen said “We look forward to our Silvery Anniversary as a precious milestone as we journey through 2012 and 2013″.

Helen, a legend in the Asian travel industry, mingled with guests and even managed a few words, though suffering a severe case of laryngitis, a true professional.

www.johnpond.com  VISIT:

Celebrity Solstice will arrive in Australia in exactly 12 months to rival the beauty of her new home port – Sydney. From a real half acre lawn on board the ship to the region’s first glass blowing studio at sea, the glamorous newcomer will offer the most sophisticated facilities this region’s waters has ever seen.  To celebrate the countdown to her arrival, Celebrity Cruises Australia has a very special onboard credit offer of up to US$350 per cabin.

Launched three years ago in late 2008, the 2,850-passenger Celebrity Solstice will be the newest and most stylish superliner ever to be based in Australia and New Zealand.  Guests will be able to walk on real grass in the elegant Lawn Club on top deck of the ship.  AquaClass suites feature spa-related extras and complimentary access to the health-focused specialty restaurant “Blu”. Celebrity Solstice has a Glass Blowing Studio which has live glass-blowing shows by the renowned Corning Museum of Glass. With 85 per cent of the cabins with their own private balcony, Celebrity Solstice has the highest balcony ratio of any superliner in the world.     JP: Can’t wait to sail on her.

It’s been an amazing 12 months for both Hawaiian Airlines and Hawaii as a destination, with visitor numbers to the Hawaiian islands booming thanks to a combination of the strong Australian dollar and sensational value-for-money deals on packages.

Now, with awareness of and demand for Hawaii at an all time high, Hawaiian Airlines is taking the exciting step of introducing daily flights from Australia, year round!  PLUS they are introducing new services from a range of destinations, and acquiring new aircraft to meet the demand.

“We couldn’t be happier with the way our business has gone this year – but we couldn’t have succeeded without Australian passenger  support”. said  Sherilyn Robinson Hawaiian Airlines General Manager, Sales and Marketing Australia.

JP: I have flown on this airline to Hawaii and find them great with sensible pricing. They also continue on to US mainland destinations.

I always have my eyes open for deals relating to single supplements.  Here is a great one  from Avalon Waterways.   They have waived the single supplements on select cruises and launched a new range of fly-cruise specials for some of its most popular European river cruises.

On sale until March 31, 2011, or until sold out, the deals include:

Singles save up to $3520* per person – single supplements have been waived on select departures between March and June 2012, offering a choice of 10 different itineraries. Single prices start from $1259* per person for the 4/5-day Taste of the Danube cruise between Vienna and Budapest.

Fly-Cruise savings of up to $2000* per couple – book select departures between March and June 2012 with an airfare package and save between $800 and $2000 per couple.  Ten itineraries are available, priced from $859* per person twin share for the 4/5-day Taste of the Danube cruise (plus airfare from $2060* per person from Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane, $2100* from Adelaide or $2020* from Perth).

Cruises on offer include some of Avalon’s most popular itineraries on the Rhine, Danube, Rhône and Seine rivers, ranging from four to 15 days.

Flights are available on Avalon’s partner airlines Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Etihad Airways.  *Offers are subject to availability and conditions.

I wish all my readers the most HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON.

May 2012 bring Health, Wealth and Happiness.

Sandra and John.

Went to a function last week organised by Robert Woodgate’s Familclub, an excellent organisation that introduces meeting and event planners to different venues.  The  Sydney Marriott Hotel suffers from an identity problem, firstly on their website it is called the Sydney Marriott then a little further down the page it is called the Marriott Sydney.  There is also The Sydney Harbour Marriott which really confuses taxi drivers and just about everyone else.

The function was hosted by two of the hotel’s sales team.  Things certainly have changed  since I was a Sales Manager of  a major hotel many years ago.  They didn’t work the group, mainly talking amongst themselves and when approached, had to be asked for business cards, which one of them had run out of.  No sales kits were available.  OH WELL

After a hotel inspection, which showed us the recently renovated rooms which were impressive, I left with a feeling that this hotel offered excellent accommodation, good value with most rooms offering Park & East Sydney views.  Rates were from about $245.  My rating 4 out of 5.

MSC were hosts to trade press this week for festive season drinks and to celebrate the “Float Out” of thir latest cruise ship “DIVINA”.

“We are truly looking forward to the much-anticipated launch and naming of the MSC Divina, the 12^th valued member of our fleet,” said Lynne Clarke, managing director of MSC Cruises Australia and New Zealand.

The latest addition to the MSC Cruises ever-expanding fleet – MSC Divina – will boast a mythological Greek influence when it is launched in France in May, 2012.