The Land Down Under -

Day	Destination
1-2	Sydney
3	At Sea
4	Brisbane
5	Fraser Island
6	Lady Elliot Island, Australia
7	At Sea
8	Hamilton Island
9	Hinchinbrook Island
10	Willis Island, Australia
11-12	Cairns
13	Lizard Island
14	Stanley Island
15	Thursday Island
16-17	At Sea
18	Port Essington
19	Darwin
Number of Nights: 19

More Information
	Detailed Itinerary The Voyages of the Great Explorers Chapter 5: James Cook Early Booking Savings Voyages of the Great Explorers Video

The Land Down Under
19 Nights/20 Days

You'll cruise up the Brisbane River, visit a koala sanctuary, take a cable car to the Kuranda rainforest, and watch for saltwater crocodiles. You'll also have a chance to explore Aboriginal culture through art, music, dance and a historic overview provided by local guides. Add to that snorkeling, swimming and beachcombing, and you have a voyage of discovery and pleasure.

Voyage Highlights:

Sydney Opera House (UNESCO)
Fraser Island (UNESCO), hike through forest and massive sand dunes
Floating platform over the Great Barrier Reef (UNESCO)
Tjapukai Aborignal Dance Theater
Rainforest & butterfly sanctuary of Kuranda
Aboriginal cave paintings, Stanley Island

Spirit of Oceanus

The Spirit of Oceanus, our premier ocean-going vessel, is also our most spacious and comfortable. This intimate, beautifully appointed ship hosts just 120 guests in comfortable outside suites. Each suite features a picture window or portholes, a walk-in closet or wardrobe, a large marble vanity and sink, a lounge area, satellite telephone, and other welcomed amenities.

The public spaces on the Spirit of Oceanus are every bit as inviting. There are two expansive lounges, a game room, a library, and a gracious dining room where tempting culinary pleasures await. Cruise West's new Palate wine & food program features distinctive food and wine pairings that highlight the cuisine of the region. Our impressive new wine list features many bottles hand-picked by Chairman Dick West, including selections from Wine Spectator's "Top 100 Wines of the World" and Seattle Wine Awards 2008 "Gold Medal Winners."

One of the most delightful aspects of life on the Spirit of Oceanus is our devoted professional crew. From the captain to our Exploration Leaders to your steward, our crew is dedicated to providing you with an outstanding experience. Over the course of your voyage, you'll be amazed by their enthusiasm, graciousness and genuine warmth.

Not only is the Spirit of Oceanus a destination in its own right, it's also designed with your comfort and safety in mind. The ship is fin-stabilized for a smoother ride in rough seas and there's an onboard clinic with a doctor in attendance.

SPECIFICATIONS

120 guests
297 feet in length
Elevator access to all passenger decks
Two Spacious Lounges
Game room & library
Satellite phone, email and Internet capability
All suites welcome you with a fresh fruit bowl, bathrobes, and spa bath amenities
Doctor and clinic
Cruising speed of 14.5 knots
Inflatable excursion craft launches
English-speaking multinational crew
Open dining featuring continental and regional cuisine
All suites except the Owner's Suite can be configured as either 2 single beds or a king-size bed, and feature private facilities (sink, shower and toilet)

Deck Plans

Sun Deck

Cabin Categories
Category	Type	Price
STE	STE	$24,695.00 (USD)
GTS	GTS	$16,995.00 (USD)
EXP	EXP	$14,595.00 (USD)
CLA	CLA	$12,795.00 (USD)
PRE	PRE	$11,895.00 (USD)
MAJ	MAJ	$11,195.00 (USD)
SUP	SUP	$10,695.00 (USD)

Cruise West

The Cruise West Experience

If you've traveled with big ship cruise lines in the past, it's time to forget everything you thought you knew about cruising. And if you've avoided cruising because you thought it would be like traveling in a floating mall, it's time to think again. This is something else altogether.

Are You a Cruise West Cruiser?

Cruise West guests would rather watch for whales than spend the afternoon in a casino. They linger outside on deck as the Captain noses under a waterfall, rather than watch a video. On a small ship, the focus is outside where Nature provides the entertainment, rather than on artificial amusements conjured up to occupy your attention during long hours of open water.

With Cruise West, you're not just a visitor, you're a participant. Whether you're kayaking off a wilderness island in Mexico, hiking in a rainforest in Alaska, or enjoying a spectacular spring garden in British Columbia, each of our small-ship cruises is an engaging experience for all your senses.

Up-Close, Casual and Personal

When Chuck West first offered unique and personal travel experiences more than 60 years ago, he built his business on the philosophy that drives Cruise West to this day: to provide up-close travel that focuses on the destination - its scenery, wildlife, natural history and culture - all in the company of limited numbers of like-minded travelers.

While magnificent sweeping views are certainly abundant in every one of our destinations, it's the glory of the details, viewed close up, that bring you the most rewarding memories - cruising so close to a waterfall you can feel the mist, or seeing the barnacles on a humpback's fin.

The casual style onboard all of our vessels encourages relaxation and congenial interaction between guests and crew alike. And the experience is personally enriching, through onboard narratives and lectures, special local guests from a wide variety of backgrounds, and the library provided on each vessel.

The Small-Ship Advantage

In many of the remote waterways we visit, small ships are the only way to explore the area. We forsake the wider shipping lanes for channels just a few hundred feet wide, tie up to inner piers in tiny villages, and share waterways with local fishermen and perhaps a few private yachts. And our ships carry inflatable excursion craft to take you to where the action is.

Your cruise on our small ship is not filled with elaborate distractions, sleek resorts, and packaged tours. Rather, our small ships are perfect for intimate exploration of off-the-beaten track waterways, narrow channels and tiny ports that passengers on large ships will never see.

When Cruise West guests visit a small port in Alaska's Inside Passage or along Baja Mexico's Sea of Cortés, we don't overwhelm the local communities or crowd nature trails. In fact, our largest vessel hosts just 138 guests. And in the small ports we visit, we've nourished excellent relationships with the local innkeepers, port directors, and storytellers. That means everywhere you travel, you have entrée to the very best experiences that each community can offer. And in every Cruise West destination, at least one shore excursion or highlight is included in each port of call, to further encourage your active involvement.

Your time is spent wisely, too. Rather than making a beeline from port to port, our Captains have the flexibility - and the inclination - to linger when nature is putting on a show, whether it's a spectacular rainbow or a rare view of wildlife.