Exquisite pearls and fine opera combine as naturally as champagne and caviar or Orion and the Kimberley, and this year two Orion Kimberley voyages provide exclusive additions for those interested in the finer things in life. Join one of two 10-night Orion voyages in the Kimberley and receive an invitation to the highlight of Broome's cultural events calendar of the year, OPERA UNDER THE STARS®, featuring performers of national and international acclaim including soprano Antoinette Halloran, tenors Aldo Di Toro and Stuart Skelton and baritone, James Clayton.

OPERA UNDER THE STARS® 2010 takes place at an exciting new venue - the Cable Beach Amphitheatre - situated adjacent to the turquoise waters and white sands of one of the world’s most picturesque beaches, Broome’s stunning Cable Beach. It will feature a sublime programme of music including gems such as “Cielo e Mare” from La Gioconda by Ponchielli and “Winterstürme wichen dem wonnemond” from Wagner’s Die Walküre.

There are two voyages to choose from: a ten-night Pearls of the Kimberley cruise round trip from Broome departing 19th August and a 10-night Kimberley Expedition from Broome to Darwin departing 27th August. Prices for the two cruises start from £5,325 per person cruise only based on two sharing. Price includes ten nights onboard accommodation, all meals, entertainment and educational programmes, use of the ship’s sporting equipment and facilities, Zodiac excursions, port and handling charges, tender transfers and government fees and taxes. Also included are tickets to OPERA UNDER THE STARS®.  For more information and to book please contact your local ACE agent.

Orion Expedition Cruises has launched a range of inclusive value-added accommodation packages aimed at enhancing guest experiences on Orion’s seven-night Australian voyages in November and December 2010. This effectively adds another two or three nights to the holiday experience at no additional cost to the regular Orion expedition fare. 

Guests can select from one of the following pre or post voyage accommodation options, staying in some of the finest and most sought after hotel and spa/lodge properties including the Qualia or Pullman Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns, the Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort or Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney, Chateau Yering or Crown Metropol Hotel in Melbourne and the Saffire, Freycinet or Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart. These premium two- and three-night accommodation packages are worth up to AUS$5,000 and include meals, transfers and private tours, representing significant added value for guests.  

The added value promotion applies to new bookings only based on Category A staterooms and above. Only one accommodation package can be chosen for each relevant voyage and it must be chosen at the time of booking. Accommodation packages subject to availability. For guests not wishing to take the inclusive accommodation package, savings of up to 15% are available.  

Some conditions apply. Prices for the seven-night voyages start from £2,780 per person cruise only based on twin share. Price includes seven nights onboard accommodation, all meals, entertainment and educational programmes, use of the ship’s sporting equipment and facilities, Zodiac excursions, port and handling charges, tender transfers and government fees and taxes.

For reservations and enquiries please contact your local ACE Agent.

Late July through to September in the Kimberley is prime time to view pods of migrating whales. And, what better way to see the largest humpback whale population in the world heading north from the Antarctic to rest and calve than from onboard the luxury expedition cruise ship, Orion? With 3,000 kilometres of undeveloped shoreline and over 1,000 rarely visited islands, this land, so ancient it pre-dates the existence of fossils, ranks as one of Australia’s, and the world’s, truly remarkable destinations.

For those who truly seek a path less travelled, Australia’s closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, ranks as one of the worlds most diverse and absorbing geographic and cultural destinations. Impenetrably dense tropical rainforest, scattered islands, rugged terrain and active volcanoes conspire to make PNG difficult to explore. The purpose-built five-star expedition cruise ship Orion provides the perfect base for those seeking adventures in this unspoilt paradise.

 In October 2010 Orion returns to Papua New Guinea with two voyages to exciting points-of-call including spectacular Lambom and Lamassa (visited for the first time in 2009 and regarded as highlights of unspoilt wonder) and, for the first time, evocative Tingwon, Manus, Wuvulu, Sissano, Hansa Bay and Bagabag – newly uncovered by Orion’s Expedition Scouting team and described as offering exceptional cultural experiences.

These expeditions appeal to those who are naturally curious, seeking intellectual stimulation through experiences far from the norm – all the while assisted by Orion’s knowledgeable Expedition Team both onboard and ashore, while travelling in luxurious surroundings with the service of 75 crew to manage every need or whim. With departures on 11th and 22nd October, prices start from £5,125 per person based on twin share including return scheduled flights from the UK, charter flight between Cairns and Rabaul, 11 nights onboard accommodation, all meals, entertainment and educational programmes, use of the ship’s sporting equipment and facilities, Zodiac excursions, port and handling charges, tender transfers and government fees and taxes. For reservations and enquiries call 020 7399 7620, email orion@cruiseportfolio.co.uk or visit  www.orionexpeditions.com.

- A Rare Opportunity To Visit One Of Our Planet’s Most Important Biodiversity Regions -

In December 2010 Orion Expedition Cruises will visit the Australian and New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands, regarded by UNESCO as one of the worlds' precious regions of unique biodiversity. Recognised for their volcanic and glacial geological formations and extraordinary diversity of flora and fauna, these islands now enjoy World Heritage status.

This area has the highest diversity and abundance of seabirds found anywhere in the world. Over half of the world's seabirds, some of which exist nowhere else, call this region home. 84 species breed in the area, 34 of which breed no-where else in the world. This wildlife paradise contains 40% of the world's albatross species and half the world's penguin species plus hundreds of thousands of other endemic birds - petrels, prions and cormorants.

Joining Orion’s specialist Expedition Team to assist guests maximise their understanding of the important biodiversity of this region will be a number of guest lecturers including British zoologist and naturalist Dr John Sparks; threatened species ecologist with Birds Australia, Glenn Emke, and Neville Peat who wrote the 1998 World Heritage Area nomination for the New Zealand Sub-Antarctic islands. With embarkation in Hobart on 8th December 2010, Orion will visit Australia’s wildlife sanctuary at Macquarie Island, plus Campbell, Stewart, Snares and Auckland islands as well as spending time exploring New Zealand's beautiful Fjordlands, including Milford Sound with the world’s tallest sea cliffs.

Prices start from £5,680 per person cruise only based on twin share and including 13 nights onboard accommodation, all meals, entertainment and educational programmes, use of the ship’s sporting equipment and facilities, Zodiac excursions, port and handling charges, tender transfers and government fees and taxes. For reservations and enquiries call 020 7399 7620 or visit www.orionexpeditions.com

Featuring Remote & Exotic Destinations Stretching from Antarctica to the Russian Far East

Orion Expedition Cruises has announced details of its new, expanded, 2011 Expeditions programme featuring the company’s current ship, Orion, as well as Orion II which is set to join the fleet in 2011. The exciting programme takes in 49 voyages to 17 countries and more than 170 remote and exotic destinations stretching from Antarctica to the Russian Far East. 2011 voyage highlights include:

• 13 Kimberley Expeditions with inclusive Bungle Bungle flights
• Orion’s inaugural West Papua and Maluku Voyage of Discovery
• Orion II’s Voyage of Discovery to the Russian Far East
• Discover the ancient cultures on Orion II’s Inland Sea of Japan voyage
• Seven Borneo voyages which will circumnavigate the island
• Two Tasmanian Food and Wine focused voyages
• Orion’s inaugural Exploration of the Antipodes
• Three Orion Antarctic Centenary voyages of celebration to Commonwealth Bay (Mawson’s Hut) and the Ross Sea (Scott and Shackelton’s huts)
• Lord Howe Island and Aotearoa, including the active volcano at Mt White island
• Christmas in New Zealand’s spectacular fjordland and sub-Antarctic islands
• Eight voyages to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, including the Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh and Angkor Wat

Orion II’s inaugural voyages in 2011 include the Russian Far East, an in-depth exploration of Borneo, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia (including a visit to Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument), and the Inland Sea of Japan. Prices for Orion II start from £3,050 per person cruise only for a seven-night Gulf of Siam Explorer voyage departing 10th October 2011. The cruise starts in Singapore and visits Tioman Island, Kuala Terrangganu, Ko Samui, Ang Thong Marine Park and Ko Kut before finishing in Bangkok. Price is based on twin share and includes seven nights onboard accommodation, all meals, entertainment and educational programmes, use of the ship’s sporting equipment and facilities, Zodiac excursions, port and handling charges, tender transfers and government fees and taxes.

Orion’s itineraries feature 13 voyages exploring Australia’s Kimberley coast, the rarely visited indigenous art centres of Arnhem Land, and a voyage to the Spice Islands. Voyages to New Zealand and the Sub Antarctic islands will include the rarely visited Chatham, Antipodes and Bounty islands, while Orion’s Papua New Guinea itineraries feature an exciting new voyage across northern Papua to West Papua and Maluku. Prices for Orion start from £1,310 per person cruise only for a two-night New Zealand Expedition Sampler departing 4th March 2011. The cruise starts and ends in Auckland and visits Bay of Islands. Price is based on twin share and includes two nights onboard accommodation, all meals, entertainment and educational programmes, use of the ship’s sporting equipment and facilities, Zodiac excursions, port and handling charges, tender transfers and government fees and taxes.

For reservations, brochures and enquiries call 020 7399 7620, email orion@cruiseportfolio.co.uk or visit www.orionexpeditions.com. 
 

Join Orion on her inaugural voyage of food, wine and exploration of South Australia’s Limestone Coast, Kangaroo Island and the Eyre and Fleurieu Peninsulas departing 16th November 2010.

Departing from and returning to Melbourne, this seven-night voyage will provide guests with exclusive opportunities to visit some of Australia’s fine South Australian wineries, taste local artisan cheeses and sample the famous oysters and crayfish that abound in these pristine waters fed from the Antarctic.

There will be plenty of opportunity to balance any excess of gourmet delights by joining Orion’s specialist expedition team ashore to explore Kangaroo Island’s beautiful scenery, secluded beaches and abundant wildlife, much still as it was when British navigator Matthew Flinders named this untamed wilderness in 1802.

Along with stunning coastal walks, beaches and quaint towns, the Fleurieu Peninsula is home to some of the best produce and vineyards in the country, while the Eyre Peninsula offers a range of tours and exceptional food and wine.

The Limestone Coast, responsible for 20% of Australia's premium wine production, is alluring with wild coastlines, unique wetlands and welcoming locals. Cellar doors throughout the region will test one’s willpower.

Combining amazing geological features, stunning natural environments and prolific bird and marine life this truly is a voyage to tune the senses, where organic honeys and fine wines, the freshest of oysters and soft ripe cheeses mix it with yellow tailed black cockatoos, tammar wallabies and fur seals.

Orion is widely recognised as Australia’s foremost expedition cruise ship (able to visit the Antarctic, Kimberley and Papua New Guinea in equal comfort and safety) while providing her guests (106 maximum in 53 suites and staterooms, all with ocean views) with outstanding gourmet food and wine. The Berlitz Guide to Cruising ranks Orion the second best purpose built expedition ship in the world.

Serge Dansereau, from Sydney’s Bathers’ Pavilion, is responsible for the dinner menus onboard, selecting fresh produce that reflects local specialties and suits the changing seasons. The formal dining room (with open seating so you can sit with whom you please, when you please) is complimented by relaxed al fresco meals on the aft deck. The 70 or so wines onboard represent brands from familiar Australian and New Zealand wineries as well as lesser known drops as well. The champagnes are French, supplemented by a fine range of local sparkling wines.

Departing Melbourne on 16^th November, the cruise will visit Limestone Coast, Kangaroo Island, Eyre Peninsula and Flerieu Peninsula before arriving back into Melbourne. Prices from £2,780 per person cruise only based on twin share and including seven nights onboard accommodation, all meals, entertainment and educational programmes, use of the ship’s sporting equipment and facilities, Zodiac excursions, port and handling charges, tender transfers and government fees and taxes.

Sarina Bratton, Managing Director of Orion Expedition Cruises, today announced the 2010 itineraries for the Australian-based 5 star expedition cruise ship Orion. “Our 2010 itineraries continue to build on our core promise to take guests on ‘paths less travelled’ and we are very excited to be providing expeditionary voyages to explore more Australian coastal marine parks, nature reserves, National Parks and world Heritage areas than ever before.

Our popular expeditions including the Antarctic, Kimberley, Arnhem Land, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand continue – but we have added a range of 7 night East Coast, South Australian and Tasmanian explorations stretching from Cairns to Hobart. New South East Australian itineraries take us to Melbourne, coastal Victoria and South Australia for the first time, providing plenty of opportunities to explore by sea and land, revelling in fine food and wine, and discovering the hidden treasures of the Limestone Coast, Kangaroo Island and the Eyre and Fleurieu Peninsulas. This now means that Orion has expeditions to every state in Australia in 2010!

Building on guest feedback from successful expeditions to date I am pleased to announce we will be expanding our itineraries in Papua New Guinea to include 6 new destinations. We are also visiting new parts of the exotic Spice and Tanimbar Islands and for the first time will be adding an expedition that includes Irian Jaya, world-famous for its Asmat Art. There is a wide choice of enticing destinations for new and repeat guests alike in 2010, with voyages from the polar regions to the tropics to the exotic, all experienced onboard the world’s youngest purpose-built expedition ship, Orion.

Click here for the full release.

SYDNEY (26 November 2009): Orion Expedition Cruises is to increase the
size of its fleet with the addition of a second specialist expedition cruise
ship to join the existing 106 passenger Orion.

Orion Expedition Cruises today released details regarding the forthcoming long
term charter of Clelia II, a 100 passenger all-suite luxury expedition cruise ship,
to be renamed Orion II. The ship, configured to Orion’s exacting requirements, is
scheduled to commence expedition voyages under the Orion Expedition Cruises
banner in May 2011.

Making the announcement today from onboard Orion in Sydney Harbour, Sarina
Bratton, Orion’s Managing Director, was upbeat about the expansion of the
business she started in 2004, citing a strong existing market – despite tough
current worldwide economic conditions – and growing interest from international
markets in expedition cruising in this part of the globe.

A loyal Orion past-passenger base, resurgent growth by independent travellers
and significant opportunities afforded through charter and incentives markets
have provided the platform for the expansion.

Based on thorough research, and following the success of Orion’s recent voyages,
Orion II will be based in South East Asia offering a wide range of expeditions that
will include Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, the Indonesian archipelago, Japan and
Borneo. Details of destinations and itineraries will be released in 2010 once
voyage details and expedition team scouting are finalised.

Recently subject to a €13 million (A$21 million) refurbishment undertaken by the
present operators, with emphasis on technical enhancements and upgraded
environmental systems, the ship will also undergo additional cosmetic
enhancements to bring her fully into the Orion style.

Commenting on the additional range of destinations and itineraries, Sarina said
that Orion Expedition Cruises will be able to provide exclusive expeditions from
Antarctica to Asia, and the Kimberley to Melanesia and New Zealand, with the two
ships offering a balance of onboard service and luxury combined with unique
personal experiences in environmentally and culturally sensitive parts of the
region. Together, Orion and Orion II will be two of the most modern and capable
expedition cruise ships cruising in Australasia.

The long term charter of a second purpose built ship able to access remote
regions in comfort is a further step to fulfilling the company’s original vision to
have Orion Expedition Cruises regarded as the operator of choice in the Asia
Pacific.
 

Just where and what is the Kimberley, I hear you ask? Located in north-western
Australia, the Kimberley region is bordered by the Indian Ocean, Timor Sea, and
the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts. The eastern edge abuts the Northern
Territory.

If you saw “Australia” the movie you would have an idea of the topography;
immense ancient, weathered ranges and plateau areas, bordered by a rich ochre
coastline and azure seas, much still uncharted. The colours of nature vibrant and
intense - green eucalypts, brilliant white sandy beaches, the sky invariably cobalt.
Yet even the largest movie screen cannot adequately represent the immense
vastness of this land. 261,000 square miles vast, yet with a population of just
41,000 - about the same as the number of workers in Canary Wharf - just imagine
them spread across a landscape over three times the size of the UK!
Amazingly there is just one fully sealed road through the western Kimberley area,
the rest being dirt roads, often corrugated, often impassable, especially in the
wet season. So, accessing this remote yet beautiful region from the sea makes a
sensible option, especially if one selects the luxurious purpose-built expedition
ship Orion.
During 2010 Orion explores the highlights of the Kimberley coastline with a series
of 10 night expeditions departing May, June, July and September between Darwin
and Broome. With Darwin offering the shortest travelling time from the UK to any
Australian hub (courtesy of direct flights from Singapore), an Orion voyage is
closer than you think.
View pre-history aboriginal rock art, land on remote islands and beaches and
explore gorges, inlets and serpentine waterways or climb to the plateau where
the highest waterfall in the Kimberley, King George Falls, plunges 300 feet into
dark green waters below.
See iconic Boab trees, used by aboriginals for shelter, food and medicine, with
some individual trees 1500 years old, making them some of the oldest living flora
on earth. This is the land of dreamtime stories and lasting memories.
…………………………………………………………………………
Orion’s 10-night voyages combine the contrasts of exploring the ancient and
magnificent Kimberley wilderness, incredible at-sea experiences and the historic
pearling town of Broome with its cafes and art galleries.
Orion’s guests will see art galleries of another sort at Vansittart Bay - Gwion
Gwion (Bradshaw) Aboriginal rock art depicting highly adorned and decorated
figures. Believed to be as much as 50,000 years old, these paintings, possibly the
oldest known to man, record times when humans first explored this ancient
continent.
At Raft Point and Bigge Island, Orion’s specialist Expedition Team will take guests
to see aboriginal art including the mythical Wandjina tribe on a ‘Great Fish Chase’
featuring images of the Wandjina spirits with their distinctive haloes and dugong,
crocodiles, fish and snakes.
Crocodiles love the Hunter River and it is no wonder, flanked with lush green
mangroves, monsoon rainforests and soaring ochre cliffs - arguably one of the
most scenic parts of the Kimberley coast - Orion’s guests too will wonder at this
extraordinary environment as they venture into the labyrinth of waterways in
search of saltwater crocodiles to photograph.
An amazing event unfolds at Montgomery Reef. Arriving at high tide, in waters
rich in marine life (including humpback whales, dolphins, dugong, turtles, manta
rays and black-tipped reef sharks), there is very little to distinguish Montgomery
Reef. However, as the 30 foot tidal change drops faster than the waters trapped
inside the reef can escape, a raging torrent of water cascades over the top as
over 140 square miles of coral reef emerges from the ocean.
Prepare to get wet as Orion’s Zodiacs take intrepid guests into a channel in the
reef as water cascades down either side.
At Talbot Bay, Orion’s guests will experience another mighty Kimberley feature -
the Horizontal Falls, a by-product of the incredible 30 foot plus high tidal
movements the region experiences. The falls are created when water, trapped on
the inland side of gaps in the coastline cannot escape fast enough on a falling
tide, rushes out through the narrow gap to the ocean side.
The 7 mile journey up the King George River, either by helicopter or Zodiac,
reveals some of the world’s most spectacular scenery including vertical canyon
walls and the highest single-drop waterfalls in the whole of the Kimberley. Who
can resist the optional flight-seeing excursion offering a wonderful view of the
falls, as well as the rugged, complex system of gorges behind?
Choose a voyage early in the season, following the annual ‘Big Wet’, to see the
waterfalls at their most powerful; while late July and August is the prime time to
see migrating whales in the Kimberley. And what better way to see the largest
Humpback whale population in the world as they head north from the Antarctic to
rest and calve than from onboard Orion?
With fishing, scuba diving, hot air ballooning and camel safari’s there is always
plenty to do when Orion visits Broome. Inherited from its early pearling days, its
colourful history and cosmopolitan feel is still evident. Guests can relax, enjoy the
pristine white sand and swim in the clear waters of Cable Beach, (which is 15
miles long so you are bound to find a quiet spot), wander Chinatown or visit
Gantheaume Point, home of 130 million year old dinosaur footprints.
These voyages exemplify expedition cruising with Orion. Adventure, excitement
and dramatic sea and landscapes combine with outstanding levels of service and
comfort on-board to stimulate the mind and capture the spirits.
…………………………………………………………………………
2010 itinerary information:
Orion’s Kimberley season runs from May to September, offering guests a range of
twelve 10 night cruise itineraries between the tropical city of Darwin and historic
pearling town of Broome (and vice versa).
Kimberley Expedition –10 nights. Darwin/Broome and v.v. typically including
King George River and Falls, Vansittart Bay, Bigge Island, Hunter River (for
Mitchell Falls), Montgomery Reef and Raft Point, Talbot Bay/Horizontal Waterfalls,
Cape Leveque, the Lacepedes – refer to specific itineraries for details.
Fares Guide:
2010 Kimberley Expedition fares begin from £5,011 per person for an ocean view
Category B Stateroom. Junior Suites begin from £6,971 per person for a Junior
Suite and Owners Suites with French Balcony are £10,493 per person
Expedition fares per person twin occupancy include accommodation, all
meals, landings and selected activities ashore. Early booking savings of
up to 15% are currently available on certain departures!
Ranked #2 expedition cruise ship in the world in the current Berlitz
Cruise Guide, Orion is the world's latest purpose-built luxury expedition
cruise ship, featuring an unmatched range of onboard facilities.
With 75 crew and a maximum of just 106 passengers Orion offers the
highest staff to guest ratio and guest to public space ratio of any ship
based in Australian waters.
Further information on all Orion Expedition Cruises to Antarctica, Papua New
Guinea, Melanesia, Asia, New Zealand, the Kimberley and Arnhem Land can be
obtained by visiting the website www.orionexpeditions.com, or by contacting
Orion Expedition Cruises:
Gill Webb
European Representative
Tel: 020 8545 2616
Mob: 07825 065002
gill@sandraleach.co.uk

Popular expeditions including the Antarctic, Kimberley, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand with continue in 2010, alongside a host of new destinations including a range of 7-night East Coast Australia, South Australia and Tasmania explorations stretching from Cairns to Hobart. Managing Director, Sarina Bratton, commented, “Our 2010 itineraries continue to build on our core promise to take guests on ‘paths less travelled’ and we are very excited to be providing expeditionary voyages to explore more Australian coastal marine parks, nature reserves, National Parks and world Heritage areas than ever before.”

2010 voyages feature:

6 new rarely-visited island destinations in Papua New Guinea
3 new ports in the exotic Spice and Tanimbar Islands
Orion’s inaugural visit to Irian Jaya, famous worldwide for its vibrant Asmat Art woodcarvings
New Australian coastal voyages from Cairns to Hobart including World Heritage listed marine parks, nature reserves, national parks and wilderness areas
Inaugural voyages to Melbourne, the Limestone Coast, Kangaroo Island, Eyre Peninsula and Fleurieu Peninsula
Christmas in New Zealand’s spectacular fjordland
 

The full schedule and pricing can be found on www.orionexpeditions.com .

Agents wanting to learn more about Orion can log-in to their first UK webinar session on July 2nd at 10:00am, where a 30 minute presentation on the product will be given over the internet and via a freephone conference call. To reserve your place, or for more information and brochures, please contact Gill Webb on gill@sandraleach.co.uk .