17 Night Great Barrier Reef & Bali Voyage – February 2016

13 Feb – 1 Mar 2016

Join Wine Diva Deb on the Azamara Quest and experience the land down under. From Fitzalan Island, don’t miss an optional excursion that pairs snorkeling from a pontoon at Hardy Reef with an afternoon at Whitehaven Beach (a perennial favorite on “world’s best” lists). Alternatively, you can spend a day on the gold sands of Hamilton Island. From Cairns enjoy another swim-and-snorkel day on the reef, or ride the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway through stunning rainforests and past waterfalls. Stroll to restaurants and shops at popular Port Douglas, or visit Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. Your next two stops are truly special: learn about Captain Cook and Australia’s first white settlers in historic Cooktown, and meet Melanesian Torres Strait islanders on Thursday Island. Darwin has an outback feeling and chance to see vertically-jumping crocodiles. On Komodo be on the lookout for supersized monitor lizards or dream away a day on a pink coral beach. Beautiful Bali is the perfect finale.

Voyage Details

Port Details

Cairns, Australia

 Founded in 1876, the city of Cairns in the far north of Queensland, Australia, is a popular destination due to its relaxed ambiance, year-round tropical climate and proximity to a variety of natural wonders. There’s the nearby World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest, the planet’s oldest surviving tropical rainforest, as well as the tranquil village of Kuranda, which is home to colorful parrots, butterflies, platypus and fresh water crocodiles, and accessible by a scenic railway journey from Cairns. Located less than an hour’s drive from Cairns, the cool yet tropical Atherton Tablelands are set in rolling plateaus at an average of 700 meters above sea level, and are a true mountain retreat. And of course there’s also one of the greatest wonders on Earth: the World Heritage site of the Great Barrier Reef, filled with incredible beaches, coral reefs, and turquoise blue waters where you can swim, snorkel, dive and enjoy a living masterpiece that is so big it can be seen from outer space

Port Douglas, Australia

The picturesque seaside village of Port Douglas is located in the northern region of Queensland, Australia, and is set alongside the spectacular Four Mile Beach. It’s also one of the closest gateways to the Great Barrier Reef, where you can snorkel, dive, fish, sail and swim in some of the most beautiful and ecologically rich waters in the world. Also within easy reach of Port Douglas is the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation—home to “some of the oldest forests in the world and is a treasure trove of rare plant and animal species.” The region is also home to the Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people, and there are many opportunities to experience their culture, from aboriginal art galleries and lessons to indigenous tours in the rainforest. Within Port Douglas’ center, Macrossan Street is the place to visit for local shops, galleries and historic buildings, while at the end of the peninsula, there’s the lively Port Douglas Marina.

Cooktown, Australia

The northernmost town on the east coast of Australia, Cooktown is named after the famed explorer James Cook, who beached his ship The Endeavour here in 1770—thereby making it the site of Australia’s first non-indigenous settlement. Be sure to visit the James Cook Museum for further insights into this intrepid explorer and the Cooktown History Centre to learn a little more about the town itself. Grassy Hill offers spectacular views of the surrounding area, the crystal clear ocean and white sandy beaches like the one at Cherry Tree Bay, which you can walk to from the summit of the hill. Cooktown is also Australia’s closest town to the Great Barrier Reef, and the perfect place from which to explore the world’s largest coral reef as well as the rugged beauty of the Lower Cape, noted for its Aboriginal culture. No wonder the area is known for offering some of the best Aboriginal tours in the country.

Thursday Island, Australia

Situated in the waterway that separates Australia from Papua New Guinea, the Torres Strait Islands were first discovered in 1606 by Spanish Captain Torres. They are comprised of 274 small islands—17 of which are inhabited, including Thursday Island. Due to its geography and intriguing history, Thursday Island’s population is a diverse mix of cultures, and the indigenous people are not Aborigines but Melanesians, who came from Melanesia and Polynesia over 2,000 years ago with their own unique culture and language. Often referred to as “T.I.” by the locals, Thursday Island is just three square kilometers in size and is a friendly, easy-going place that enjoys a relaxed tropical environment. Activities remain based around the Melanesians’ love of the sea with diving, fishing and pearling all popular pastimes as well as major sources of income. Sites include Green Hill Fort for spectacular views, the Japanese Pearl Diver’s Cemetery, or simply visit one of T.I.’s cafes, restaurants, bars and retail stores and enjoy the laid-back island lifestyle.

Darwin, Australia

As the capital of Australia’s vast and sparsely populated Northern Territory, Darwin has grown from a gateway to South East Asia to one of the country’s most modern and tropical cities. It features miles of pristine beaches like Casuarina Beach and Mindil Beach, fantastic fishing for barramundi (the iconic fish of the region), and a multitude of parks and gardens like the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, Knuckey Lagoons Conservation Reserve, Charles Darwin National Park, Bicentennial Park and Jingili Water Gardens. Darwin is also home to the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park—an incredible combination of lush rainforests, wetlands, wildlife and a treasure trove of Aboriginal rock art. Visit chic Cullen Bay Marina, cruise along beside crocodiles on the Adelaide River and get a taste of the city’s delicious multicultural mix at the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets.

Komodo, Indonesia

“Here be dragons”, the motto emblazoned on maps of old to designate lands and seas unknown, is in this case correct. The Komodo dragon is the world’s largest living lizard, and can be found only within Komodo National Park, of which this island is a part. A monitor lizard, it can reach a length of ten feet, weigh more than150 pounds, and live for over 50 years. Komodo also has a particularly rich marine life, with some 200 of species of reef building corals, hundreds of varieties of tropical fish, and whales, dolphins, and sea turtles too.

Benoa, Bali, Indonesia

Bali is enchanting – a lush, verdant isle where rice terraces color every available acre with the brilliant green of young shoots, and volcanic peaks said to house the gods tower above. It is a deeply spiritual place, where artful offerings of flowers and incense are ever present, and on any given day at least one of the thousands of temples scattered around the island will be hosting a colorful festival. Culturally rich, each village has its own artistic specialty – music, dance, painting, and sculpture. The beaches are tempting, but if you want the real Bali, head for the hills – the Balinese occupy that middle ground, and demons reside in the sea.

On Board Inclusions

• An AzAmazing Evening^SM event
• Select standard spirits, and international selection of beers in addition to boutique red and white wines throughout the voyage
• Gratuities (dining, bar and housekeeping)
• Shuttles to/from port communities, where available
• Bottled Water, Sodas and specialty Coffee & Teas
• Concierge Service
• Self-Service Laundry
• Spa and Wellness Center
• All gourmet meals
• Casino
• Aqua Spa and Fitness center
• Piano and Wine bar, and Live Entertainment

Pricing Details* (per person US$)

*Airfare not included in prices listed

		Pricing
	Balcony Cabin	$6,472
	Oceanview Cabin	$5,672
	Inside Cabin	$4,972
	Suite	$8,772

To Reserve your space

Send email to: winedivadeb@yahoo.com or call Wine Diva Deb on 206-617-6160.

A deposit of $1,100/cabin is required. Final payment due September 20, 2015.

All reservations based on double occupancy. Non refundable $25 booking fee will apply to all booking. Travel Insurance highly recommended as well as Personal & Medical Insurance.

Azamara Club Cruises reserves the right to impose a fuel supplement on all guests if the price of West Texas Intermediate fuel exceeds US$65 per barrel.