New cruises launching in 2027-28 worth booking years in advance
What are you doing three years from now? Can you imagine yourself sipping a cocktail on the private deck of the best suite on a brand-new cruise ship taking in some of the world's most celebrated ports?
In the cruising holiday world, the early bird gets the worm, that worm being your preferred suite on the newest vessel available, and often in a good deal as well. Right now, major cruise lines are releasing their 2027 and 2028 itineraries for booking and there are some enticing sailings.
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more more between South America and Antartica.
The infamous body of water if located...... ... more
Viking's 2027-28 season of ocean and expedition voyages offers 100 itineraries across all seven continents including new frontiers. A new expedition will be the 15-day Into the Antarctic Circle voyage offering the chance to cross the 66°33'S line of latitude, which marks the Antarctic Circle. On board will be resident experts from partner organisations such as the University of Cambridge's Scott Polar Research Institute.
Another highlight voyage, this one in much warmer climes, is the 10-day Empires of the Mediterranean sailing, taking in nine destinations. On this exploration bookended by Venice and Athens, there are ancient ruins to discover in Olympia and the Acropolis. Add to this, Croatian ports and the chance to delight in the beauty of Corfu and explore Koper, the gateway to Slovenia. And closer to home will be the 15-day Australia and New Zealand voyage from Sydney to Auckland (or vice versa) aboard Viking Venus.
A new Viking expedition will be the 15-day Into the Antarctic Circle voyage. Picture: Supplied.
Also sailing the seven continents will be National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. Highlights of the 2027-28 deployment are the 11-day Pearls of the Pacific: The Society and Tuamotu Islands, and the 18-day Easter Island to Tahiti: Tales of the Pacific.
Meanwhile, Regent Seven Seas Cruises 2027-28 season will include three new 'Immersive Overnight' itineraries where every port of call offers an overnight stay. These itineraries allow for more time to truly savour a destination. There's a Portugal, Spain and France itinerary, for example, with overnight visits to Lisbon, Santander, Bordeaux and Bilbao.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises 2027-28 season will include three new itineraries where every port of call offers an overnight stay. Picture: Supplied.
The 2027-28 season will also be the first full season of Regent Seven Seas Cruises' new vessel, Seven Seas Prestige, which will offer a new Mediterranean specialty restaurant, Azure. The ship will sail on 44 journeys through Northern Europe, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Speaking of the Med, Regent Seven Seas Cruises will introduce six new ports of call in this region, including Rovinj, Croatia; Reggio Calabria and Piombino, Italy; Milos, Greece; Çanakkale (Dardanelles), Turkey; and Savona, Italy.
Lingering longer in port is proving a welcome trend. Celebrity Cruises has an exciting 2027-28 season ahead, with more than 60 overnight stays and more than 115 port days of 12 hours or more. For example, in Japan there will be overnight stays in Tokyo, Kyoto (Osaka), Kobe and Aomori. And great news, Celebrity Edge and the refreshed Celebrity Solstice will return to Australian and New Zealand shores for another summer season.
Originally published as New cruises launching in 2027-28 worth booking years in advance
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Courier-Mail
14 hours ago
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Matt Preston finds the best tortellini in Italy's Emilia Romagna region
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. The countryside between Parma and Bologna is the culinary heart of Italy. Sure, Naples, Rome, Milan and Florence all have claims but with world-famous produce like Parmesan Reggiano, Balsamic vinegar, Mortadella and Prosciutto di Parma, and world-famous dishes like lasagne – and the best chocolate ice cream in the world – the region of Emilia Romagna punches well above its weight. A certain world-famous spaghetti dish also bears the capital's name. Embark on an Italian odyssey: Discover the 10 most thrilling destinations to explore Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 00:26 SUBSCRIBER ONLY Embark on an Italian odyssey: Discover the 10 most thrilling destinations to explore more more odyssey as we unveil the top 10 destinations that promise an exhilarating journey through this enchanting country. Prepare to embark on a thrilling Italian...... ... more It is also home to globally recognised chefs Massimo Bottura – the man behind former world No.1 restaurant Osteria Francescana – and locavore champion Massimo Spigaroli from the Michelin-starred Antica Corte Pallavicina. This all makes the medieval cities of Parma, Modena and Bologna a brilliant destination for anyone who likes food and wine, loves history and wants to embrace the area's vibrant way of life. I've been coming here since the 1980s and it still never fails to impress and charm. The landscapes of the Emilia Romagno region are as delightful as its cuisine. One locally revered dish is seldom on visitors' bucket lists. It's a dish of impeccable delicacy and depth that gets lost overseas under the ruckus created by noisier pastas like carbonara and 'matriciana, bolognese and lasagne. 'In Modena if you don't believe in God, you can always believe in tortellini,' Massimo Bottura tells me with a laugh down the line from Italy. When I speak to Massimo Spigaroli, he says: 'The supreme quality of the (local) products used, such as the parmesan cheese, and the ancient knowledge of our land is what makes for the perfect tortellini al brodo.' Tortellini al brodo is a traditional dish claimed by both Bologna and Modena. Tortellini al brodo is claimed as 'theirs' by both Modena and Bologna and sits proudly on most menus of the area. Eating the pasta in no more than the broth is apparently the best way to see the skill of the cook and the required fine-finger technique of the pasta maker's skill. Such is the obsession with doing tortellini al brodo the 'right way' I reckon it's hard to find a bad one – even at a dodgy place behind Bologna's central railway station. This is also held out by local foodies' guides all listing different places to get the best tortellini. I found the tortellini good and al dente but the broth a little salty at the century-old Emilian icon Ristorante Diana, but I loved the version at Drogheria della Rosa. This quirky spot on a quiet side street in Bologna is the perfect place to while away a long lunch. The simplicity of the dish leaves nowhere to hide but the tortellini here are deliciously plump with the umami hit of meat boosted by the aged parmesan also in the filling. (Never sprinkle extra parmesan over the tortellini because it should have enough in it and you'll throw the hard-strived-for balance of the dish.) Drogheria della Rosa is Matt Preston's choice for tortellini in Bologna. Luck has a hand in me finding a fine tortellini al brodo in Modena. We're dragging our cases from the train station to our accommodation when a yellow sign in a nondescript suburban street hoves into view. Trattoria Ermes opened in 1963, and the late chef and owner Ermes Rinaldi became a giant of Modenese cuisine. The restaurant he left still is. Amazingly they have one table left for lunch. The dining room is tiny; communal tables with red-checked tablecloths are packed and the vibe is boisterous. The set menu changes each lunch but thankfully today is a tortellini al brodo day and there's a €12 bottle of local lambrusco on the table – it's the most expensive on the list – suggested by winemakers having a long, fraternal and raucous lunch at a nearby table. The €10 bowl of pasta has a broth that is clean but rich, and the tortellini are suitably half and half meat and pasta. This is the sort of honest cookery that I travel for and while their stewed tripe might be a little too rustic for some, escalopes of pork finished with balsamic vinegar are such a hit that it's a recipe I now make at home. Cavallino restaurant at the Ferrari Factory at Maranello. Another fine choice for tortellini in Modena is Cavallino, the restaurant overseen by Massimo Bottura at the Ferrari Factory at Maranello. The tortellini here is handmade by children and adults on the autism spectrum in a social workshop project called Il Tortellante that's been running for almost a decade – the project says this traditional, precise but repetitive process helps instil traditional skills, confidence and a sense of inclusion. The students' mentors are local nonnas who in Modena are revered with the title rezdora… 'she who rolls'. They are highly valued as the custodians and teachers of the ancient local culinary ways of which tortellini is paramount. I ask Massimo Spigaroli for his favourite tortellini outside home and he points to Osteria di Fornio, a simple rustic restaurant 10 minutes outside Fidenza. It immediately goes on my bucket list. Originally published as Matt Preston finds the best tortellini in Italy's Emilia Romagna region
Courier-Mail
a day ago
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I cruised Scandinavia with Viking, here's all your questions answered
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. As the sound of birch leaves slapping bare skin fills the sauna we exchange alarmed glances. Our nordic bathing ritual started gently enough, with dry skin brushing before alternating between getting steamed in the sauna and rubbing snow over our hot skin in the snow grotto. But now that our spa therapist has started thwacking us with birch twigs, things have taken a turn. When it's my turn to stand with my hands high on the sauna glass in my swimmers, bare legs and back to the group, I soon discover a birch twig's bark is worse than its bite. It feels almost like a leafy caress and as the birch scent fills the sauna it adds to the sensory experience. Why Norway should be the next place you travel Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 00:18 SUBSCRIBER ONLY Why Norway should be the next place you travel natural...... more more beauty and cultural richness, beckons travellers from around the world to explore its captivating landscapes and unique heritage. Norway, a land of awe-inspiring ... more Passengers cruising on Viking's ocean ships around the world can use the sauna, snow grotto, hot tubs and cold water plunge pools in LivNordic spas for the guided group experience I opted for, or enjoy their own independent hot and cold routine. It seems particularly apt that we're doing it where it all began – on a Viking Homelands cruise in Norway, where by the end of the voyage I'm tipping a bucket of cold water over myself after getting out of a hot tub in a not to be repeated 'when in Scandinavia' moment. 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I also loved the pop-up cooking stations, including Norwegian hot dogs on the Aquavit Terrace. And if you can somehow fit it in, afternoon tea is served with live classical music in the Wintergarden. Gjetost (brown cheese) on waffles from Mamsen's, the ship's Norwegian deli. Picture: Amanda Woods Did you get pampered in the spa? You bet. Along with my nordic bathing ritual I signed up for a signature Northern Stillness treatment where I was blissed out during a full body massage, body scrub, blueberry body mask and scalp treatment. While I did add a tip, no gratuities are automatically charged in this floating spa. Did you see the Northern Lights? No, but I have seen them every other time I've been on a ship in Scandinavia so you never know your luck with the aurora gods. The writer travelled as a guest of Viking Cruises. The 15-day Viking Homelands journey from Bergen to Stockholm (or vice versa) is priced from $12,095pp twin share. Originally published as I cruised Scandinavia with Viking, here's all your questions answered
Herald Sun
2 days ago
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Dimboola is the tiny town that's become Australia's capital of quirk
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. Riding to the Never Never is a song from the soundtrack of the 1979 film Dimboola and also an accurate description of my four-hour drive from Melbourne to its namesake town. A place I've never never been despite almost a lifetime living in Victoria. The reason I'm finally visiting Dimboola is because I keep hearing that this wheatbelt town, population 1600, is defying the rural decline and having something of a revival. I also keep hearing about The Imaginarium. Housed in the former National Bank of Australasia (built – appropriately given our theme – in the Renaissance style), The Imaginarium is an extraordinary curiosity shop filled with unique gifts and a giant giraffe whose head almost brushes the 4.5m pressed-tin ceilings. 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I could write an entire article about the Imaginarium and the energy and ideas of this dynamic duo – Chan is also the founder of the Wimmera Steampunk Festival, the region's biennial 'carnival of peculiarities', – but there's so much else happening in Dimboola. I want to give credit where it's due. Owners Chan and Jamie Uoy at the Dimboola Imaginarium. Picture: Alex Coppel. New arrivals to the main street of Dimboola include The Forbidden Forest, a showroom of fairytale-inspired spaces conceived by Melbourne transplants Shane and Kylie Harman. Wander through Hansel & Gretel's Candy Haus, Jack & His Beanstalk Farm, The Witches' Lair and more. Each an elaborate stage set where everything, from games and toys, lollies and giftware, is for sale. 'The one big thing we find here is all the businesses work together,' says Shane. 'And because we own our shops, we're the people you see and talk to,' says Kylie. Across the road, Deb Howlett and Mark Gebhardt have opened That Little Vintage Shop with curated sections for men's and women's wear, haberdashery, millinery and kitchenware. Think of it as 'David Jones but with old stuff', says Deb. 'My shop is pretty quirky and not everyone accepts that, but here quirky is the norm.' She assures me that if the rain wasn't tipping down this late-July weekend, 'the street would be chockers'. Potter George Khut in his studio with works by his students. Picture: Kendall Hill Sydney expat George Khut opened Dimboola Pottery this winter in the old CFA shed and now operates a busy roster of four classes a week for the 'clay-curious' and plans to open a gallery showcasing his ceramic creations. He says he knew straight away Dimboola was the right place for him. 'It's affordable here and the community of shopkeepers have been really inviting.' Pop in also to Dimboola Vintage, a trove of gadgets and mechanical wonders, and grab a coffee at Dimboola Store, but try to avoid the Sunday brunch queues. Elsewhere in town, chef Cat Clarke has pimped out the kitchen at the Dimboola Golf Club to run a Thursday-to-Sunday restaurant on the banks of the Wimmera River. I loved the time-warped interiors of burnt orange and brown and her roasted duck with karkalla and muntries jus. 'I just cook with fresh produce ... and bush foods, the oldest ingredients around,' she says. Chef Cat Clarke at Dimboola Golf Club. Picture: Kendall Hill Meanwhile, at the Victoria Hotel, I have a juicy Angus scotch fillet with garlic mash and gravy in The Elbow Room, the one-time ladies lounge now a low-lit den strewn with Chesterfields, upright pianos and artworks. Owners Stoph and Meran Pilmore took over the century-old institution 10 years ago when the pub was mint green with laminate tables. Stoph says Dimboola has 'bucked the trend' of dying country towns and points to initiatives such as Wimmera's Silo Art Trail, said to be Australia's largest outdoor gallery, as driving the tourism boom. Opening soon, a main-street microbrewery called Frank Fox, and the Wimmera River Discovery Trail linking Little Desert and Wyperfeld national parks. Stage one, a walking and cycling path between Dimboola and Jeparit, will launch next month. Just one of many reasons to ride to the Never Never. The Wimmera River, Dimboola. Picture: Visit Victoria The writer travelled courtesy of Visit Victoria. Don't miss this Down the road from Dimboola I spent a wonderful wet morning with volunteers at the Wimmera Mallee Pioneer Museum, a collection of historic buildings crammed with displays of everything bygone, from agricultural machinery to domestic paraphernalia. A must-see. Originally published as Dimboola is the tiny town that's become Australia's capital of quirk
