Adelaide, Australia

DAY 1 – (includes dinner. Overnight Adelaide)
In the afternoon, check-in to a central hotel in Adelaide and enjoy dinner at the Penfolds Magill Estate.

DAY 2 – (includes breakfast, luncheon and dinner. Overnight Alice Springs)
After a 1-hour flight to Alice Springs you will check-in at the hotel and enjoy luncheon. Visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the Old Telegraph Station and the School of Air before ascending Anzac Hill for panoramic views of the town. Return to the hotel to freshen up before visiting a local restaurant to sample a typical Aussie menu during a three-course dinner.

DAY 3 - (includes breakfast, snack, aircraft luncheon and dinner. Overnight Ayers Rock)
Head to Alice Springs Desert Park where your Desert Park Guide will take you on an interactive walk from the Desert Rivers to the Sand Country. Enjoy some freshly-baked cookies and refreshment before a short visit to Simpson’s Gap. A 50-minute flight, including luncheon, will transfer you to Ayers Rock, and there will be time to relax and enjoy the facilities before travelling out into the desert. Atop a high sand dune, sip champagne, sample outback canapés, and listen to the haunting sounds of the didgeridoo. As the sun sets, watch the ever changing colors of Uluru as you enjoy a barbeque buffet dinner.

DAY 4 – (includes breakfast, snack box, aircraft luncheon and dinner. Overnight Perth)
Take part in a morning tour of Ayers Rock, including a walk around part of base discovering the Aboriginal myths. You may choose to join an artist for an introduction to Aboriginal art (at own expense) and take your own painting home as a memento. Gourmet snack boxes are provided to be consumed at leisure. Take an afternoon 2½ -hour flight to Perth with luncheon served on board. On arrival, travel past soaring skyscrapers along the Swan River with the Darling Ranges rising from the coastal plains to provide a natural backdrop for the city. Pass the fabulous mansions on ‘Millionaire's Row’ and travel through leafy suburbs to visit Kings Park. Enjoy a brief panoramic tour of Fremantle, where streets are lined with quaint terraced houses and restored historic buildings before arriving at the hotel. Dinner will be served in a local restaurant.

DAY 5 – (includes breakfast)
After breakfast, transfer to rejoin your ship in Fremantle.

Note: Bookings for this tour will close on 14th December 2009. There is a strict minimum and maximum participation. Please ensure you book the correct tour letter for the accommodation you require (TWIN=ADLAA. SINGLE=ADLAB). Accommodation is on a twin-share basis. If a twin-share is not available then a single supplement will be charged. Once your booking is confirmed, any cancellation made after bookings close will incur a 100% cancellation fee.

This excursion is physically demanding. Be prepared for early morning starts, lengthy days, climatic changes and delays at airports. This is an inclusive excursion programme. No refunds will be given for any unused portion. The fare includes: Transport by coach and aircraft as described, economy class air tickets, sightseeing and entrances as described, meals as stated and hotel accommodation as booked.

The fare does not include: Items of a personal nature such as refreshments, telephone calls, laundry, gratuities, room service, fees for doctor’s visits and prescriptions/medication and travel insurance.
What to pack: Please remember your passport and any medication you require. Luggage limit is 1 case per person with a maximum weight of 23kg.

DAY 1 – (includes dinner. Overnight Adelaide)
In the afternoon, check-in to a central hotel in Adelaide and enjoy dinner at the Penfolds Magill Estate.

DAY 2 – (includes breakfast, luncheon and dinner. Overnight Alice Springs)
After a 1-hour flight to Alice Springs you will check-in at the hotel and enjoy luncheon. Visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the Old Telegraph Station and the School of Air before ascending Anzac Hill for panoramic views of the town. Return to the hotel to freshen up before visiting a local restaurant to sample a typical Aussie menu during a three-course dinner.

DAY 3 - (includes breakfast, snack, aircraft luncheon and dinner. Overnight Ayers Rock)
Head to Alice Springs Desert Park where your Desert Park Guide will take you on an interactive walk from the Desert Rivers to the Sand Country. Enjoy some freshly-baked cookies and refreshment before a short visit to Simpson’s Gap. A 50-minute flight, including luncheon, will transfer you to Ayers Rock, and there will be time to relax and enjoy the facilities before travelling out into the desert. Atop a high sand dune, sip champagne, sample outback canapés, and listen to the haunting sounds of the didgeridoo. As the sun sets, watch the ever changing colors of Uluru as you enjoy a barbeque buffet dinner.

DAY 4 – (includes breakfast, snack box, aircraft luncheon and dinner. Overnight Perth)
Take part in a morning tour of Ayers Rock, including a walk around part of base discovering the Aboriginal myths. You may choose to join an artist for an introduction to Aboriginal art (at own expense) and take your own painting home as a memento. Gourmet snack boxes are provided to be consumed at leisure. Take an afternoon 2½ -hour flight to Perth with luncheon served on board. On arrival, travel past soaring skyscrapers along the Swan River with the Darling Ranges rising from the coastal plains to provide a natural backdrop for the city. Pass the fabulous mansions on ‘Millionaire's Row’ and travel through leafy suburbs to visit Kings Park. Enjoy a brief panoramic tour of Fremantle, where streets are lined with quaint terraced houses and restored historic buildings before arriving at the hotel. Dinner will be served in a local restaurant.

DAY 5 – (includes breakfast)
After breakfast, transfer to rejoin your ship in Fremantle.

Note: Bookings for this tour will close on 14th December 2009. There is a strict minimum and maximum participation. Please ensure you book the correct tour letter for the accommodation you require (TWIN=ADLAA. SINGLE=ADLAB). Accommodation is on a twin-share basis. If a twin-share is not available then a single supplement will be charged. Once your booking is confirmed, any cancellation made after bookings close will incur a 100% cancellation fee.

This excursion is physically demanding. Be prepared for early morning starts, lengthy days, climatic changes and delays at airports. This is an inclusive excursion programme. No refunds will be given for any unused portion. The fare includes: Transport by coach and aircraft as described, economy class air tickets, sightseeing and entrances as described, meals as stated and hotel accommodation as booked.

The fare does not include: Items of a personal nature such as refreshments, telephone calls, laundry, gratuities, room service, fees for doctor’s visits and prescriptions/medication and travel insurance.
What to pack: Please remember your passport and any medication you require. Luggage limit is 1 case per person with a maximum weight of 23kg.

During an orientation drive of the city you will see Holy Trinity Church, the handsomely restored former Railway Building, many colonial buildings and the Botanical Gardens. There are delightful views of the city’s parks before your drive continues past the grand Old Parliament Buildings and nearby Government House.

Close to Adelaide city centre, Cleland Wildlife Park conserves a vital area of natural bushland on the Adelaide Hills. The area has a rich history of Aboriginal occupation and European settlements. See cuddly koalas before hand-feeding the kangaroos. Numerous wombats, dingoes, emus and colourful bird life also abound in this natural bush setting. There will also be a stop for photographys at the viewing platform of Mount Lofty.

Note: This tour involves approximately 1½ hours of walking over flat, level terrain, although this is at your own discretion.

With around 50 wineries in the region, you will pass a wide range of wineries on the tour. The architecture of the area is displayed in the multitude of historic buildings. Touring the Barossa Valley, take in the warm and intimate feeling of the charming old towns, the vineyards spreading across undulating hills in well-tended rows and the history of this area whose culture and atmosphere is derived from the German influx of the mid-19th century.

A visit will be made to two of the area’s well-known wineries for an opportunity to sample and perhaps purchase a bottle of Australian red or white wine. The actual wineries visited may include such famous names as Chateau Yaldara, St Hallets, Penfolds and Richmond Grove. At one of the wineries enjoy a special exclusive tour of the winery followed by a tutored tasting and morning tea. Tasting is accompanied by commentary from winery staff.

Note: Actual wineries visited may vary. Walking time is approximately 20 minutes on flat gravel surfaces, however there are some steps at the wineries.

Travel through downtown Adelaide and take in the history and highlights as you pass the handsomely restored former Railway Building, numerous stately colonial buildings, the Botanical Gardens and the Holy Trinity Church. There are delightful views of the city’s renowned flower-fringed parks before your drive continues past the grand Old Parliament Buildings and nearby Government House.

Leave the city limits behind as you travel to the outlying ranges and Mount Lofty Lookout for spectacular views over the city. Returning down the tree-lined North Terrace, you will pass some of the expansive coastal beaches and drive through the small town of Port Adelaide before arriving at the quayside.

Note: This leisurely tour involves a minimal amount of walking.

Your tour starts by heading out along the scenic Gorge Road towards the Barossa Valley. Here you see the Whispering Wall, a unique phenomenon where a whispered conversation carries some 150 yards. Enjoy a photo opportunity at Menglers Hill Lookout, where you can appreciate spectacular views across the valley.

Visit two of the area’s notable wineries, where you will have an opportunity to sample and perhaps purchase a bottle of Australian red or white wine. The actual wineries visited may include such famous names as Yaldara, Richmond Grove, Orlando, Penfolds and the delightful Seppeltsfield Winery with its impressive entrance drive bordered by large majestic palms.

A two-course luncheon will be served at one of the wineries, where fine Barossa wines will complement your meal. As a memento of your day in the famous Barossa Valley, you will receive a bottle of wine as a token of your visit.

Note: This tour involves some walking on paved paths and there are some steps at the wineries.

Hahndorf, the oldest surviving German settlement in Australia, is steeped in history and has a romantic feel. You are free to explore the town, which is probably the best known and most interesting town in the area. A unique German-style village, it has shady, century-old chestnut and elm trees lining the main street. Take time to stroll around this historic town with its many carefully restored buildings with timber frames filled in with wattle and daub, originally dating back to the mid 1800’s. Delight in the leisurely, old-world feel of this town as you take in the many craft shops, bakeries, restaurants and boutiques.

A photograph stop will be made at Mount Lofty for a spectacular view over Adelaide (weather permitting), which at 2,100 feet offers a wonderful panoramic outlook. This excursion is a great way to see the countryside outside of Adelaide.

Note: Comfortable, non-slip shoes are recommended.

Here’s your chance to find out about wine blending and become a wine-maker for a day. Head into the Barossa Valley to Penfolds where you will begin your unique experience with a tour of the winery and a private tasting session. Learn from the masters as you begin your lesson on how to blend and create your own wine. Under expert tutelage you will be shown how to mix and blend three different base reds to create a wine specifically to your own palate.

You will have the opportunity to try out several different ratios before you decide which is the perfect blend for you. Then, using the ratios that you have been carefully making a note of, you will blend your own wine. This is then poured into a half bottle, specially labelled up with your own details and – hey presto - you’re a wine-maker. Head back to the ship with your own personalised bottle of wine as a souvenir of your wine experience.

Note: Please note that there are 20 stairs to access the blending room.

The McLaren Vale, to the south of Adelaide, boasts a superb Mediterranean climate and has been producing internationally acclaimed wines since the 1850’s.

After enjoying the scenic transfer from Port Adelaide to the Vale, you will begin with a visit to the Parri Estate. Established in 1998 this family winery produces award-winning wines from two vineyards including a 60-year old vineyard in McLaren Vale. While touring the winery you will be able to sample some of their wines, including Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Shiraz.

Next you will transfer to Coriole Vineyards, an estate renowned both for its wines and for its olive oils. Coriole’s oldest vineyards date from 1919 and the winery specialises in the production of Shiraz, the grape that first brought McLaren Vale to international attention, as well as Sangiovese and Chenin Blanc. Sample a selection of wines at the stone Cellar Door before enjoying a luncheon of seasonal platters.

After luncheon you will continue with your gourmet tour as you visit The Almond Train, where you will taste a selection of extra virgin olive oils, local almonds and try some oil and wine-based products.

Your final stop of the day is at Leconfield McLaren Vale, home to Richard Hamilton Wines which possess one of the oldest viticultural pedigrees in Australia.

Note: Guests must be over the age of 18 years old to participate in the wine tasting. There is approximately two hours’ of walking on the tour.