If you have ever had a hankering to explore Australia’s outback heartland or navigate some of its most spectacular coastline, then ecruising’s 23-night Rail and Sail itinerary, RAIL & SAIL: The Best of Margaret River & Australian Outback, departing February 2021 is surely calling your name.
On an epic adventure, including a 16-night cruise and a 3-night rail journey, this captivating itinerary combines the very best of Australia’s cool coast and rugged outback with some of its most cosmopolitan cities including Cairns, Darwin, Perth and Adelaide, not to mention the bucolic charm of Bali’s Nusa Dua and WA’s stunning Margaret River region.
Your adventure begins in Sydney on 15 February 2021, when you embark Royal Caribbean’s sleek and sunlit Serenade of the Seas. With a distinctive design employing nearly three acres of exterior glass, including spectacular external glass elevators, the ship incorporates the outdoors, onboard – literally, and to dazzling effect. Cabins and communal areas alike offer remarkable panoramic views, complemented by stylish, elegant interiors, ensuring you’ll never miss a moment of scenery throughout each day onboard. Whether you want to bask in the sun of the adults-only Solarium or keep active on the Rock Climbing Wall, your backdrop is guaranteed to be breath-taking, while at night, you’ll have your pick of entertainment with Broadway-style shows and the non-stop action of Casino Royale. And with 16 bars, clubs and lounges plus 8 gourmet restaurants and cafes to choose from, not to mention a sports deck, spa, pools and fitness centre, it all adds up to an exceptional cruise experience.
But if that isn’t enough tempt you, the cruise itinerary surely will. In a spectacular voyage that circumnavigates Australia’s Tropical Far North Queensland, Top End and Pilbara coastlines, highlights include stopovers at Newcastle, with its stunning surf beaches; the cosmopolitan city of Cairns, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef; and Darwin, the Northern Territory’s eclectic capital, home to lush tropical parks and gardens. From here the ship heads further north to the Balinese port of Benoa where you can explore Nusa Dua’s Hindu and Buddhist temples plus some of the Island’s most pristine beaches, before returning to Australian waters, calling in at Western Australia’s Port Headland and Geraldton with their rich mining heritage.
Disembarking in Perth on 3 March, head south to the magnificent Margaret River wine region where you will spend 3 nights at Cape Lodge. Located on its own vineyard, the luxurious boutique hotel, with its award-winning restaurant, is the perfect base from which to explore some of Australia’s leading wineries including Vasse Felix, Moss Wood, Pierro and Cullen, all located nearby.
Head back to Perth on 6 March where you will spend one night at the sublime COMO The Treasury in the CBD’s newly revitalised downtown precinct, before commencing the final stage of your journey – 3 nights aboard passenger train, The Indian Pacific, staying in your superbly appointed Gold Twin Service cabin, as it follows the path of bush pioneers, gold rush prospectors, and legendary adventurers across Australia’s outback heart.
Pass your days absorbing sweeping vistas and rugged landscapes from the sumptuous comfort of your private cabin or mingle with fellow travellers in the sleekly styled Queen Adelaide Restaurant for delicious regionally inspired meals and fine wines, as you traverse the spectacular expanse of the Nullarbor Plain and some of the outermost reaches of West Australia, South Australia and New South Wales en route to Sydney. Along the way, enjoy stopovers in Kalgoorlie in the West Australian Goldfields; the remote ghost town of Cook on the edge of the Nullarbor; the elegant city of Adelaide in South Australia; Broken Hill, Australia’s silver mining capital, in outback NSW; and the picturesque Blue Mountains; before disembarking in Sydney on 10 March.
Priced from $8,099* per person twin share, ecruising’s 23-night RAIL & SAIL: The Best of Margaret River & Australian Outback journey departs 15 February 2021 and includes all accommodation, all meals, fine wines and beverages aboard The Indian Pacific, transfers, and all off-train excursions. Even better, for a limited time only, book and enjoy a free upgrade from an inside to ocean view cabin onboard Serenade of the Seas.
*Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.
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