Cruises - special interest, music, and expedition cruising worldwide

31/01/2024

INTERNATIONAL TOUR OPERATIONS (MANLY) Is this you, or do you know someone who would love it?
Hybrid home and in office (or only office if preferred),
Mum-friendly,
Part time (or possibly full),
Friendly professional team,
Hugely gratifying niche product.
We are a successful and long established niche tour operator with an enriching global product and a small fun team based in Manly. Main destinations are France and Belgium, but we also cover Turkey, Vietnam, Thailand and some other destinations.
Mum-friendly. Full time or part time. Most staff are home-based, but catch up one day a week in the office. The office is available five days if your prefer to be there instead of at home.
This is a new position. Your primary responsibility will be to manage special groups such as school groups and others, taking responsibility for putting all components together and ensuring a flawless tour. You will work with the existing Ops team and manager who will provide guidance on the model.
ESSENTIAL: You must have had prior experience in tour group operations or retail travel. Please don’t apply unless you have worked in the industry previously.
CV to Gil [email protected]
Looking forward to hearing from you 🙂

28/11/2022

Don't Miss the Final Days
of Our Early Booking Discount!
________________________________________

LAST DAYS FOR EARLYBIRD BOOKINGS! As the year draws to a close, we look ahead to all the adventures and excitement that 2023 holds! We're proud to offer a luxury hotel experience with authentic, culturally engaging itineraries made complete with immersive optional excursions. Book any 2023 AMADEUS River Cruise by 130 NOV 2022 and save $150 per person! There are only a few days left, so be sure to take advantage of our Early Booking Discount and book now! (Ask us why we believe Amadeus to be the best value true luxury class experience on the European waterways). Agent feedback: "The ships are beautiful and the staff so lovely". Our family company is the Australian distributor for Amadeus.
www.amadeus-rivercruises.com.au

10/06/2022

OUR MOST AMAZING TRIP EVER! (ONE SUITE ONLY! Was booked out but we have a cancellation). If you have been hanging out to travel again this might be your chance to catch up. Cairo to Lisbon, 46 nights, 9 countries, 5 stunning Uniworld river ships. Our longest river package yet. 20th May 2023.

Dedicated Travelling Concierge for your entire journey
Internal flights, porterage and transfers included throughout.
Price twin share: $68,359pp fully inclusive – the only thing not included is flight to Cairo and flight home from Lisbon. Deposit is 10% or you can pay in full at time of booking to get an extra 10% saving.

Please email [email protected] and I will attend to your enquiry personally. Best regards, Gil McLachlan. CEO.

Overview below:
PART 1
Ship: S.S. Sphinx
Destination: Egypt
Days: 11
The Nile was home to the world’s first river cruises, so it’s apt that we start our voyage here. Join us as we celebrate our inaugural Rivers of the World Cruise in style at our opening event in Cairo. Then embark on the first part of your epic journey with luxury hotel stays in Cairo and onboard our newest Super Ship–S.S. Sphinx. Along the way, you’ll be joined by an expert Egyptologist and explore such fascinating ancient wonders as the temples at Abu Simbel.
PART 2
Ship: S.S. La Venezia
Destination: Italy, Switzerland
Days: 11
Cross the Mediterranean Sea as you fly into the Swiss Alps to stay at the beautiful Lake Town of Lugano, situated on the border of Switzerland and Italy. Then move onto a land tour in chic Milan before setting sail on the Venice Lagoon and Po River for your cruise through Northern Italy on the newly transformed S.S. La Venezia.
PART 3
Ship: S.S. Maria Theresa
Destination: Hungary, Austria and Germany
Days: 7
Cruise through the heart former Holy Roman Empire onboard a ship inspired by its most famous queen, Maria Theresa. Expect stunning natural landscapes, hidden gem villages and awe-inspiring regal architecture—which you’ll get VIP access to on such experiences as a private tour of the Schönbrunn Palace.
PART 4
Ship: S.S. Joie de Vivre
Destination: France
Days: 7
Head to the Seine for the penultimate leg of our trip. Here, you’ll indulge in the casual elegance of Paris, enjoy sumptuous wine and cuisines, explore a unique array of charming local towns in Northern France and form a profound emotional connection with the historic beaches of Normandy. Culminate your time in France with an iconic show at the Moulin Rouge, sure to be a highlight.
PART 5
Ship: S.S. São Gabriel
Destination: Portugal, Spain
Days: 11
Experiencing the spectacular Douro River Valley onboard the new S.S. São Gabriel is the perfect ending to this once-in-a-lifetime cruise, with no shortage of colorful cities and lush river views. Cap off your incredible journey with a land tour in Lisbon, during which you’ll visit the one-of-a-kind cities of Sintra and Cascais, and a glamorous Farewell Event in Lisbon.
Please email [email protected] and I will attend to your enquiry personally. Best regards, Gil McLachlan. CEO.

05/11/2021

SOMETHING SPECIAL! Here is a 39 second preview of what is coming up on Remembrance Day with the restart of Mat's battlefield tours. On 11 November 5.30pm AEST, Mat and Synergy Events will introduce some of Australia's most prominent historians to discuss the Western Front, Vietnam, Kokoda and more.
https://vimeo.com/642522444
I promise this is something special, and you can register at
https://synergyevents.eventsair.com/battlefield-tours/registration/Site/Register

This is "2021-11-03 Battlefields PROMO MASTER" by MCR on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

01/11/2021

After 590 days, Australia's international border has reopened, and here they come! The one going into Perth might be lost but on the east coast it's a traffic jam. Qantas has taken new 500,000 new bookings already. We are taking bookings all the way into 2025, but the majority are for 2022. Viking Cruises restarted it's European river cruises in May with full vaccination and daily fast covid tests for all crew and passengers, and 93% of passengers said they felt safer on board than they did at home. Amadeus River Cruises in Europe has been sailing successfully since June and is launching new ships. And Mat reports that with our battlefield tour bookings, the vast majority are new travellers. It has been worth the wait!

31/10/2021

You are invited! Here is one of the most exciting media events with which we've ever been involved, as Synergy Effect create an extraordinary presentation where on Remembrance Day, 11 Nov 2021, Mat will be announcing the new Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tour program for 2022. Just go to this link to register: https://synergyevents.eventsair.com/battlefield-tours/registration/Site/Register?fbclid=IwAR33P-P8Zm37Mwbf0ELEQgeHi7nMY2NBjFq1zXFvu88hdI21KKbRIW2ArnE

22/10/2021

Game on! And gosh we are busy, Now would be a very good time to take up burglary while everyone else in Australia is overseas. :)

14/09/2021

If your answer is "Not enough of them!" the time to correct that is getting close. And demand for travel in 2023 is huge.

We are advising people now on whether or not their travel plans are realistic in the current situation, especially when it comes to which operators have the best no-risk early booking policies.

Noting we are swamped, we request that you send a detailed email on your needs, with your phone number, and we will get back to you as soon as possible (meaning fairly quickly!).

Looking forward to hearing from you and assisting with that long-overdue trip. [email protected]

14/09/2021

VIEW THE SOLAR ECLIPSE FROM ABOVE ANTARCTICA, with no cloud obstruction.
A one day flight from Melbourne on 4th December 2023. Fares from $1999 to $12,955 depending on package and seating.

Please email your interest urgently to [email protected] with your phone number.

OVERVIEW
This exclusive scenic flight from Australia will fly into the path of totality of the solar eclipse, providing lucky passengers with unparalleled viewing of this incredible phenomenon, far above cloud cover, from the comfort of a Dreamliner 787.
The 2021 total solar eclipse will occur in one of the world’s most inaccessible yet beautiful locations – Antarctica. A total solar eclipse in Antarctica is a rare event (happens approximately every 18 years) and may prove to be the most magnificent total solar eclipse ever seen. Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience something few people will ever witness in their lifetime.
As we fly into totality, cruising at 40,000 feet above the pure white of Antarctica, the earth will be thrown into darkness, the solar corona will glow around the edges of our moon's shadow, and a garland of silky light from the sun will decorate the lunar edges as the shift of sun and moon in the universe occurs.
During the event we'll have the privilege of being entertained and wowed by the science behind the phenomenon outside our window, as eclipse and Antarctica experts share their specialist knowledge, all presented by our entertaining emcee, Adam Spencer.
Travellers who book dedicated eclipse seats will have unobstructed views of the eclipse, whilst the other side of the aircraft will view the shadow crossing the pure white below and the sky dramatically changing colour.
A dual purpose flight, the first leg of this flight will spend time at low altitudes sight seeing over Antarctica for travellers who have purchased an Antarctica sightseeing seat, before a seat swap when the Eclipse travellers take the window seats and the plane will climb to position for the best light and shadow show on earth!
For travellers who want to enjoy the entire sightseeing experience over Antarctica and witness the eclipse or the shadow, the option to purchase a row of seats is possible, thus avoiding the seat swap

14/09/2021

REGISTER NOW BEFORE BOOKINGS OPEN! Regent Seven Seas is a leader in luxury accommodations at sea, and their newest vessel, Seven Seas Grandeur, is no exception.

Bookings for her inaugural voyage from Barcelona to Miami in November 2023 open 21 September 2021, but, noting that Regent’s 2023 world cruise sold out in 48 hours, and her 2024 version sold out in two and a half hours, if you don’t want to miss any of Grandeur’s first year of voyages (including the Med and Caribbean) we can arrange pre-registration for you now. But you will need to be quick.

Click here for more information including fares, then contact us to discuss options, connecting travel, and covid protocols. We are here to make your life easier, and your journey richer.

https://www.rssc.com/Seven-Seas-Grandeur-Inaugural-Collection

Email [email protected] and provide your phone number so we can have a quick chat about your needs.

26/03/2021

To many people, the travel industry looks to be shut down, so what has it been doing? In truth, it is immensely busy and has contributed strongly to the below:
* 480,000 safely people returned to Australia, including direct and government charters
(40,000 still trying to get back)
* $10 billion in refunds being chased ($6 billion successfully, $4 billion to go)
* Constant booking, cancelling and rebooking domestic travel as state borders opened, closed, opened, closed ...
* Lots of international bookings for late 2021, but especially for 2022 and later. (Many popular ships and destinations are already heavily booked)
So the travel industry has contributed hugely to the wellbeing of people during covid and, despite the challenges of the last year, we are still here and going nowhere! We are looking forward to helping plan your next fabulous holiday.
(Pictured: Gil with Amadeus Brilliant at Miltenberg, Germany. We are Australian representatives for Amadeus River Cruises www.amadeus-rivercruises.com.au)

20/02/2021

08/12/2020

Cruise and travel ban extended until mid-March:
Australia's ongoing bans on outbound international travel and the movement of cruise vessels will remain in place until mid-March, according to an update from Health Minister Greg Hunt this afternoon.
The human biosecurity emergency period under the Biosecurity Act 2015 will now be extended for three more months, Hunt said, giving the Government continued powers to take "any necessary measures to prevent and control COVID-19 and protect the health of all Australians".
The emergency period, which has been in place since 18 March 2020, is now set to extend until 17 March 2021, with the recommendation informed by specialist medical and epidemiological advice, the Minister said.
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee has advised that the international COVID-19 situation continues to pose an unacceptable public health risk, with the three month extension of the emergency period "an appropriate response to that risk," Hunt said.
Cruise and travel ban extended until The restrictions on the movement of cruise vessels and outbound international travel are "reviewed regularly and take into account the latest medical advice".
"They can be amended or removed at any time based on the expert medical advice," Hunt added, with the proposed extension to be considered and formalised by the Governor General this week. ****TO KEEP UP TO DATE you might like to subscribe to our newsletter. Also, Some deals cannot be advertised and go only to people on our private "Word of Mouth" list (WOM). We will try to get these and other red hot offers to you within 30 minutes of release. Sign up at http://eepurl.com/gmnNTr
** You can use AMEX POINTS for full or part payment of all cruises (most cards)

30/03/2020

CRUSE SHIP BAN EXTENDED:
The Australian Government is believed to have extended the cruise ship ban until 15 Jun 2020. Princess Cruises Senior Vice President Asia Pacific Stuart Allison provided an update on Saturday to travel agents, saying the line was evaluating all of its planned departures, which had been previously suspended from 12 Mar through to 11 May. Carnival Australia & P&O Cruises Australia President Sture Myrmell also said, “We are naturally disappointed on your behalf that we must now cancel more cruises to adhere to the extended pause in operations but P&O must continue to support the authorities in their efforts to protect the community’s health and well-being.” P&O Cruises Australia, as well as sister brand Carnival Cruise Line, last week extended their voluntary suspensions until 15 May 2020. The Government had previously suspended cruises for 30 days from 15 Mar 2020.
Pictured: Britannia's tribute to UK heath workers.

****TO KEEP UP TO DATE you might like to subscribe to our newsletter. Also, Some deals cannot be advertised and go only to people on our private "Word of Mouth" list (WOM). We will try to get these and other red hot offers to you within 30 minutes of release. Sign up at http://eepurl.com/gmnNTr

** You can use AMEX POINTS for full or part payment of all cruises (most cards)