Sustainable Cruising in the Galapagos

Sustainable Cruising on MV Origin 

Sustainable cruising. It’s something we like to promote because, in addition to trains, it’s a great way to make the journey the destination. Plus, who doesn’t want to see big turtles in style? To that end, Ecoventura, a leader in sustainable cruising through the Galapagos Islands, has just announced inaugural departures for its newest premium class vessel, MV Origin, whose maiden voyage departs from San Cristobal Island on January 17, 2016. 

The newest and only vessel of its kind, MV Origin is positioned to redefine the cruising experience by combining modern sophistication with environmental responsibility, alternating between seven-night A & B itineraries to reduce the impact of visits to the islands’ most popular sites.  On January 17, MV Origin will join Ecoventura’s existing fleet on the B itinerary through the northwestern route. Its maiden voyage on the A itinerary departs on January 24, taking guests around the southern central route through the islands. Both itineraries include daily, personalized excursions with optional snorkel and kayak tours led by two onboard, certified naturalists.

A snapshot of the islands

The 20-passenger mega-yacht (we must admit, we love anything that marries sustainability… with mega-yachtdom) will feature 10 deluxe staterooms distributed throughout one deck, and a variety of onboard amenities designed especially for the discerning traveler. These will include locally inspired gourmet cuisine, and recreational equipment such as a Jacuzzi and fitness center. MV Origin will also feature expansive indoor and outdoor social and observation areas allowing for easy comfortable viewing of the islands’ unique scenery and topography.  

Rates for 2016 start at $6,500 per person, but are all inclusive. Based on double occupancy, that means all meals and snacks, Captain’s welcome and farewell cocktail, all alcoholic beverages, guided shore excursions, snorkel equipment and sea kayaks, as well as transfers in the islands between the airport and dock.

We think that sounds pretty pretty (Dar)winning to us!

www.ecoventura.com

Antarctic Adventures and Beyond with Amazing Experts!

AdventureSmith Alaska Cruise

We love the idea of brain (and heart) inspiring cruise expeditions, so, we think, what better way to get off the beaten path then to really get off the beaten path?

To that end, small ship, expedition cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorations has announced a stellar lineup of academicians, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, travel writers and professional photographers as experts in residence for upcoming cruises as far-flung as Antarctica and Borneo. Yes, Borneo (because your brave and edgy like that).

Founded in 2003, AdventureSmith Explorations is based in Tahoe City, California along the northern shore of Lake Tahoe and, in 2012, it joined the ranks of Conde Nast Traveler’s prestigious 13th Annual Travel Specialists List.

Offering a deeper understanding of a particular topic and global perspective to the regional experience, small ship cruises with onboard experts can help bring a unique take to the most unique destinations.

So, get cruisin’ because Smith suggests booking one of these special departures well in advance as they sell out quickly:

Antarctic Explorer: Jonathan Shackleton (cousin of Sir Ernest Shackleton) and Falcon Scott (grandson of Robert Falcon Scott) will be guest lecturers aboard the 189-passenger Ocean Diamond Feb.9-19, 2013 from Ushuaia, Argentina.

http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/172

Just a few little penguins chillin’ in Antarctica…

Land of the Ice Bears: Arctic Svalbard:  Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor of Geography at the University of California, Los Angeles will travel aboard the 148-passenger National Geographic Explorer June 21-July 1, 2013. He is the author of Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed and the widely acclaimed Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, which won him a Pulitzer Prize as well as Britain’s 1998 Rhone-Poulenc Science Book Prize. He is a founding member of the board of the Society of Conservation Biology and a member of the board of directors of World Wildlife Fund/USA and Conservation International.

http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/69

National Geographic The White Continent: Ed Larson, who won the Pulitzer Prize forEmpire of Ice, travels aboard the National Geographic Explorer to Antarctica Feb. 5, 2013 and Feb. 5, 2014 . A Pepperdine University professor, his latest book was published in May 2011, An Empire of Ice: Scott, Shackleton, and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Science. He places the famed voyages of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, his British rivals Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton, and others in a larger scientific, social, and geopolitical context in this terrific new history, much enlivened by his own Antarctic travels.

http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/68

Orangutans in Borneo

Ancient Sites, Rain Forests & Coral Reefs: Sandra Noble, executive director of the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. joins guests on the 138-passenger Yorktown Jan. 26-Feb. 2, 2013 for a tour of the natural and archaeological wonders of Belize and Guatemala. On a Feb. 2-9 departure she will be joined by Sandra Brooke, director of Coral Conservation at the Marine Conservation Institute. For the Feb. 16-23 departure the guest speakers are Stephen Whittington, director of the Museum of Anthropology and adjunct associate professor at wake Foerst University, and Susan Perkins, an associate curator in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology and the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics at the American Museum of Natural History.

http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/464

Baja’s Bounty: Ellen Barone joins a March 16, 2013 departure aboard the 86-passenger Safari Endeavour. She is nationally recognized travel writer and photographer. http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/39. Giovanni Malagrino shares insights on a March 30, 2013 departure. He is a full professor in the Marine Biology Department at University of Baja California Sur, La Paz and devotes his time to Coastal Zone Management. http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/39

Another Stunning Hawaiian Sunset

Hawaiian Seascapes: Peter West Carey, a Seattle-based professional photographer, is aboard the 36-passenger Safari Explorer for a cruise beginning April 6, 2013. Patient and resourceful with a wide range of brands, equipment and techniques, he loves to help others learn first-hand how to bring back stunning images that tell the true story of the exciting journey they have experienced. http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/200

Alaska Unleashed: Amy Gulick is aboard the 60-passenger Wilderness Adventurer for a June 8, 2013 departure. She is an award-winning nature photographer and writer, and a founding Fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers.

http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/22. Joe Upton is aboard for an Aug. 10, 2013 sailing and will share his experience as an author. His many books and illustrated maps, including Journey’s Through the Inside Passage andThe Coastal Companion, have shared the wonder of The North with Alaska visitors since 1993. In 2009 Upton teamed up with Alaska commercial fisherman and filmmaker Dan Kowalski to produce The Alaska Story Project, a collection of videos about places up and down the Alaska and BC coasts. http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/22

Camp Leakey Borneo will feature Dr. Birute Galdikas on board the 100-passenger Orion II for the October 25, 2013 departure. Scientist, conservationist, educator: for almost four decades Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas has studied and worked closely with the orangutans of Indonesian Borneo in their natural habitat, and is today the world’s foremost authority on the orangutan. http://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com/itinerarydetails.php/advid/289

A Ship within a Ship

MSC Yacht Club

We thought we knew almost every chic cruise line out there, but when we recently caught wind (hehehe) of the MSC Yacht Club, we were ready to scream, “Ahoy, Matey!”

The MSC Yacht Club is this: a ship within a ship aboard the prestigious foredecks of MSC’s designer flagships, MSC Fantasia (the largest cruise ship ever built for a European owner; greater in length than the height of the Eiffel Tower!) and MSC Splendida. The Yacht Club, in their words, “Provides a truly unique experience to its guests that is unparalleled in the cruising industry.  From the moment VIP Yacht Club members arrive to embark, they will be greeted with a staff that is there to attend to every possible desire they may have.” Ummm… so who’s going to fan me with banana leaves and tell me I’m gawgeous? Please say his name is Fernando or Alberto. Either one will do.

Guests of these fine vessels can also enjoy private access to an array of exclusive amenities like…

·         71 luxury suites – allocated to the MSC Yacht Club guests

·         Upper foredeck views from panoramic window or private balcony

·         Myform memory foam beds, Mascioni Egyptian cotton sheets, Dorelan pillows

·         Marble whirlpool bathroom with a full bath and shower

·         Spacious wardrobe, widescreen TV with Nintendo Wii consoles, in-suite laptop with payable Internet access, telephone, personal safe, air conditioning, in-suite mini-bar with complimentary soft drinks, cocktails, beers, wines and spirits, complimentary laundry and dry cleaning

·         24-hour butler service includes assistance during priority check-in and embarkation/disembarkation at each port, unpack/pack luggage, valet services, priority theater bookings, private shopping aboard

·         Exclusive complimentary dining at L’Etoile on La Fantasia and at L’Olivo on MSC Splendida, with exclusive menus and open sittings

·         The picturesque Top Sail Lounge dishes out a selection of complimentary drinks, gourmet snacks and desserts throughout the day – all served on fine porcelain tableware

·         The One Bar offers complimentary drinks and gourmet snacks throughout the day

Itineraries are to some of the most intriguing locales in the Mediterranean, with rates starting at a reasonable $2,799

Oh, Fernandoooooooo…

www.mscyachtclub.com

A Moveable Feast: Silversea’s Luxurious Food & Wine Cruise

Here at Jaunt we think one of two ways. ‘Only the best’ or ‘Only the most authentic.’ When we find something that marries the two together (and involves five-star culinary fare), we get hungry to share with the masses. Yes, Silversea is the best cruise line in the world and we say, “If it’s good enough for Isabella Rossellini, it’s good enough for the jauntiest of the jaunty.” Voted “World’s Best” by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure, Silversea is offering a foodie lover’s wetdream (get it?), a collection of the world’s most flavorful destinations expertly paired with the culinary world’s hottest talents.
These moveable feasts are perfect for sophisticated travelers who enjoy high-end dining as much as the adventure of luxury travel. In case you’ve never hit the high seas aboard their ultra-luxury liners, Silversea Cruises is recognized as an innovator in the luxury segment, offering guests large-ship amenities in an intimate setting. The best part? All-suite vessels! The Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, and recently launched in December, the Silver Spirit. With the addition of the regal expedition ship Prince Albert II, the company’s itineraries encompass all seven continents.
Silver Shadow Room

The enlightening café lifestyle of Paris in the 1920s (immortalized in A Moveable Feast) stayed with American writer Ernest Hemingway throughout his life … wherever he traveled … and for Silversea guests, this year’s 11 Culinary Arts voyages promise similar opportunities for personally enriching experiences that will linger after the journey ends. These unique culinary theme cruises showcase the artistry of award-winning chefs of top dining establishments from around the world, including the internationally acclaimed chefs of Relais & Châteaux, the exclusive collection of 480of the finest hotels and gourmet restaurants in 56 countries.
Dining on the Silver Whisper

Established in France in 1954, the family of hoteliers and Grands Chefs from all over the world share a passion for exceptional quality. From the vineyards in Napa valley to the beaches in Bali, from the olive trees in Provence to the lodges in South Africa, Relais & Châteaux offers a chance to explore the Route du Bonheur and discover a special place in a variety of destinations.
On the culinary sailings, celebrity chefs will display their talents during dynamic and informative cooking demonstrations where guests can taste and learn firsthand the secrets of enticing signature dishes. Chefs include the likes of Rick Tramonto, partner and executive chef of Chicago’s Tru, a Mobil Four Star and AAA Five Diamond restaurant; Eyvind Hellstrøm, owner and chef of Michelin Two Star Bagatelle in Oslo; and Anne Desjardins, the chef/co-owner of CAA Four Diamond L’Eau à La Bouche in Ste-Adèle, Québec. The Culinary Arts enrichment voyages also feature escorted provisioning trips to international markets, food and wine pairings, creative regional dishes, and a five-course grand gourmet dinner. Throughout these special voyages, the featured guest chef and Silversea’s executive chef are on hand to share their culinary expertise and answer any questions.

Below, with the handy help of Silversea’s excellent staff, we’ve put together a list of the Culinary Arts voyages around the world.

Now hit the high seas and relish the good (foodie) life!

ALASKA & PACIFIC COAST

Voyage 3912: Silver Shadow, May 28 – June 7, Seward to Vancouver, 10 days. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $7,050. Jonathan Lindenauer — Bon Appétit magazine’s chef de cuisine will be in residence to bring the Bon Appétit Supper Club to life and offer guests a taste of his signature recipes. This avant-garde concept of a stylish, limited-time dining experience will transform La Terrazza into a New York-inspired restaurant.

Voyage 3917: Silver Shadow, July 20 – August 1, San Francisco (roundtrip), 12 days. Silver Sailing fares start at $4,747. Gregory Short — Executive chef of Masas, San Francisco.

CARIBBEAN

Voyage 1926: Silver Cloud, October 19 – 29, New York to Barbados, 10 days. Silver Sailing fares start at $3,397. Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef Anne Desjardins — Co-owner of L’Eau à La Bouche Ste-Adèle, Québec, Canada.

Voyage 3929: Silver Shadow, November 13 – 22, Barbados to Fort Lauderdale, 9 days. Silver Sailing fares start at $3,047. Relais & Châteaux Chef Stéphane Mazières — Executive chef of Le Gaïac restaurant at Hôtel Le Toiny, St. Bart’s.

FAR EAST & SOUTH PACIFIC

Voyage 3909: Silver Shadow, April 11 – 29, Sydney to Singapore, 18 days. Silver Sailing fares start at $10,496. Relais & Châteaux Chef Mathew Macartney — Executive chef of Chateau Yering, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

MEDITERRANEAN

Voyage 2915: Silver Wind, May 14 – 21, Barcelona to Nice, 7 days. Silver Sailing fares start at $3,197. Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef Rick Tramonto — Executive chef/partner of Tru, Chicago.

Voyage 2922: Silver Wind, July 18 – 28, Monte Carlo (roundtrip), 10 days. Silver Sailing fares start at $6,177. Relais & Châteaux Chef Vincent Nattress — Executive chef of Meadowood Resort, St. Helena, California.

Voyage 4931: Silver Whisper, October 3 – 10, Venice to Rome, 7 days. Silver Sailing fares start at $4,616. Lidia Bastianich — Author, TV chef and co-owner of Felidia and Becco restaurants, New York City.

Voyage 4933: Silver Whisper, October 17 – 24, Monte Carlo to Athens, 7 days. Silver Sailing fares start at $3,297. “World of Relais & Châteaux” — Over seven days, these five Relais & Châteaux chefs are set to take part in what is sure to be the ultimate culinary festival at sea:

Jacques Thorel, Auberge Bretonne (La Roche-Bernard, Britanny, France)
Eyvind Hellstrøm, Bagatelle (Oslo, Norway)
Julien Lahire, Auberge du Moulin Hideux (Noirefontaine, Belgium)
Christian Gölles, Gasthof Post (Lech am Arlberg, Vorarlberg, Austria)
Erwan Louaisil, El Castell de Ciutat (La Seu d’Urgell, Lleida, Spain)

Voyage 2933: Silver Wind, October 18 – 30, Istanbul to Rome, 12 days. Silver Sailing fares start at $5,847. Anton Mosimann — Chef/owner of Mosimann’s, London.

NORTHERN EUROPE

Voyage 1916: Silver Cloud, July 11 – 26, Copenhagen (roundtrip), 15 days. Early Booking Incentive fares start at $11,396. Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef Eyvind Hellstrøm — Chef/owner of Bagatelle, Oslo.

Fares listed are per person based on double occupancy for a Vista Suite and do not include port charges and handling fees that range from $100 to $500 per person, depending on the itinerary.

http://www.silversea.com

For information on Relais & Châteaux:
Tel: (800) 735-2478 (U.S./Canada)
TeL 00 800 2000 00 02 (U.K.)
http://www.relaischateaux.com