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"Astor" to W.A this Dec for season


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Travel Daily announced this morning:

 

 

620-passenger Astor to be based in Fremantle

UK-based cruise company Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) has just released details of its expansion into the Australasian market, including the establishment of a dedicated sales office in Sydney and the down-under deployment of the "premium cruise ship" Astor.

Astor will be based in Fremantle from Dec this year, operating itineraries across summer 2013/14.

"We are extremely pleased to be entering the Australian cruise market and to introduce a new era of luxury ocean cruises on a premium ship from Fremantle Port to the loyal WA cruising market," said CMV UK ceo Christian Verhounig.

The ship will depart Rome on 05 Nov 2013 for its southbound voyage, arriving in WA on Wed 11 December. The season will end with a Fremantle departure on 01 April, with Astor heading to London via Africa.

Astor features seven passenger decks and four restaurants, a golf driving range, two swimming pools and other modern features, and underwent a $19m refurbishment in 2010.

The company said that passengers will be able to book with their travel agent or direct via www.cmvaustralia.com.au from next week.

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The company said that passengers will be able to book with their travel agent or direct via www.cmvaustralia.com.au from next week.

 

That link is not yet working...but this is from the UK website:

 

Astor joins the CMV Fleet!

 

 

Published : 6th February 2013

Cruise & Maritime Voyages introduces ASTOR voyages to Australia & South Africa and enters the Australian cruise market.

 

 

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) is pleased to announce the unveiling of plans to enter the Australian cruise market with the opening of a dedicated sales office in Sydney, the three year seasonal charter of the 600 passenger ASTOR to operate twice yearly ocean voyages between the UK, Australia and South Africa and the launch of a summer season of cruises from Fremantle, Perth commencing 12th December 2013.

 

CMV_Astor.jpgThe 20,606 gross ton ASTOR joins the CMV fleet in November 2013 and will operate alongside the 800 passenger flagship MARCO POLO and 700 passenger DISCOVERY, both operating ex-UK sailings from eight British ports. Discovery also operates an autumn Mediterranean fly cruise programme. Astor’s inaugural 10,000 capacity programme will increase CMV’s overall 2014 global capacity to almost 62,000 passengers.

 

Astor has a fine pedigree and excellent reputation currently operating European summer cruises on the German market. She is managed and marketed by the Munich based Premicon Group that also overlooks a fleet of 22 premium river vessels operating on the Rhine, Main, Moselle and Danube also presenting new marketing opportunities between Premicon and CMV.

 

Astor was originally launched on the British market back in 1987 as a five star luxury ‘soft adventure’ product and since her inception has undergone a number of refits including a recent £14 million upgrade in 2010. She will be positioned as a premium four star product and has 289 cabins including 42 suites with 70% of accommodation comprising an ocean view. There are a wide range of beautifully appointed lounges, seven passenger decks, traditional wooden decks and also an extensive sports deck with a wrap around jogging track and attractive wellness centre with a heated internal pool.

 

In announcing the introduction of Astor to the CMV fleet and the launch of a new voyage service to Australia, Chris Coates, Commercial Director commented, "Astor is indeed a beautiful ocean going vessel with a proud heritage and we are delighted that Astor will be part of our international development plans as we establish a strong presence on the Australasian cruise market.

 

We believe that Astor will become a firm favourite alongside Marco Polo and Discovery and a perfect match for the mid-sized more traditional business model we have developed since CMV’s launch in 2009. Despite the continued growth of mega resort style mass market vessels, the success and growing interest in the CMV product demonstrates that this niche sector has a significant role to play not only in the UK but also in the wider international English speaking markets and global arena. This new initiative also offers the travel industry an exciting new niche premium cruise product that lends itself to packaging opportunities".

 

The opening of a sales office in Sydney follows the establishment in 2011 of a dedicated North American sales office in Fort Lauderdale. Chris Coates added, "Britain’s historic and cultural ties with both Australia and South Africa and the feedback received and research undertaken has inspired us to introduce interesting voyages between the UK via the Cape to the Antipodes recreating the bygone halcyon days of long distance sea travel as a serious alternative to the aviation option".

 

A dedicated new CMV Astor Voyages brochure will be released later this month featuring the full programme of southbound & northbound voyages through until 2015 plus a selection of sailings from Fremantle including a splendid 35 night Circumnavigation of Australia and a 24 night Far East sailing.

 

Full details will also be available shortly on

www.cruiseandmaritime.com and cruise only bookings can be made either by contacting Reservations on 0845 430 0274, travel agents or by booking on line. Twin bedded fares start from just £2399 for the inaugural 36 night Southbound Voyage departing on 5 November 2013.

 

 

Looks like a worthy successor to the Athena

Edited by Flipper133
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Travel Daily announced this morning:

 

 

620-passenger Astor to be based in Fremantle

UK-based cruise company Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) has just released details of its expansion into the Australasian market, including the establishment of a dedicated sales office in Sydney and the down-under deployment of the "premium cruise ship" Astor.

Astor will be based in Fremantle from Dec this year, operating itineraries across summer 2013/14.

"We are extremely pleased to be entering the Australian cruise market and to introduce a new era of luxury ocean cruises on a premium ship from Fremantle Port to the loyal WA cruising market," said CMV UK ceo Christian Verhounig.

The ship will depart Rome on 05 Nov 2013 for its southbound voyage, arriving in WA on Wed 11 December. The season will end with a Fremantle departure on 01 April, with Astor heading to London via Africa.

Astor features seven passenger decks and four restaurants, a golf driving range, two swimming pools and other modern features, and underwent a $19m refurbishment in 2010.

The company said that passengers will be able to book with their travel agent or direct via www.cmvaustralia.com.au from next week.

 

Looks like a cute ship Shiona...I think i could get on board a smaller boutique type ship (no pun) Wouldnt mind sailing to South Africa eiither...A little pricey for us though.:(

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Looks like a cute ship Shiona...I think i could get on board a smaller boutique type ship (no pun) Wouldnt mind sailing to South Africa eiither...A little pricey for us though.:(

 

:D:D:D Too old for my liking Jas .....best smaller boutique ships imo are the likes of Ocean Princess and her sisters....last minute they are a steal, pretty sure you and Eric would love the ambiance of a cruising private country club, John and I did ;)

Not long till you cruise.....woohooo.....if you are heading to Edinburgh at all, we should do coffee;).

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:D:D:D Too old for my liking Jas .....best smaller boutique ships imo are the likes of Ocean Princess and her sisters....last minute they are a steal, pretty sure you and Eric would love the ambiance of a cruising private country club, John and I did ;)

Not long till you cruise.....woohooo.....if you are heading to Edinburgh at all, we should do coffee;).

 

I just left a message on your FB page...Are you going to be in Edinburgh in this year? We will be there in May.... i think a coffee and a slice of Haggis should be on the agenda :p

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Don't think you will catch me on the Marco Polo again. There are too many more modern, nicer, newer ships cruising in our backyard. I also don't think Astor is a cheap line. Why would I want to pay top dollar for those tubs?

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Don't think you will catch me on the Marco Polo again. There are too many more modern, nicer, newer ships cruising in our backyard. I also don't think Astor is a cheap line. Why would I want to pay top dollar for those tubs?

 

You would think it would be cheaper to cruises on old ships, but in fact it is usually dearer due to the high maintenance costs and the fact that they are not as efficient as the new ships.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I was so excited to read the Astor was being based at Fremantle for the next 3 summers :) It was going to be a long lonely summer without a single ship calling in for months, glad someone saw a hole in the market and filled it! I had read recently that the cruise market in Oz and particularly WA had grown by more than 30% in last couple years.

We have already booked the 10 nights to Bali and return over Christmas and the follow-on short 3 night NYE sailing. We'll have family (10 already at present) from 20-30 Dec 13 and then a few mates (hopefully) from 30 Dec 13 to 2 Jan 14.

The website is www.cmvaustralia.com no au after it. Their invoicing on-line is not quite up and running, but Lauren (I think) assured me our bookings were safely there, and we would get emails with invoicing details soon.

It's great they have a few 2-5 nighters for weekends, love them :D

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  • 1 year later...
I was so excited to read the Astor was being based at Fremantle for the next 3 summers :) It was going to be a long lonely summer without a single ship calling in for months, glad someone saw a hole in the market and filled it! I had read recently that the cruise market in Oz and particularly WA had grown by more than 30% in last couple years.

We have already booked the 10 nights to Bali and return over Christmas and the follow-on short 3 night NYE sailing. We'll have family (10 already at present) from 20-30 Dec 13 and then a few mates (hopefully) from 30 Dec 13 to 2 Jan 14.

The website is www.cmvaustralia.com no au after it. Their invoicing on-line is not quite up and running, but Lauren (I think) assured me our bookings were safely there, and we would get emails with invoicing details soon.

It's great they have a few 2-5 nighters for weekends, love them :D

 

Hello Sandra - we are thinking of booking the Astor cruise that you did last December to Bali and wondered what the cabins were like - any info you have on the ship, cabins what the cruise was like etc really appreciated - thank you Diane

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Hi Diane, the inside cabins and most of the outside ones have twin beds as per the photos on the website. Other than no option to convert to queen, they were not really any different to any other ship we've sailed on. I liked the 2 separate wardrobes, and the shower set up in the ensuite.

Hubby and I loved it, as did our daughter (27yo), her hubby was a bit bored at times, even taking part in all the quizzes and games on offer every day, (but that's normal for him).

The crew are mostly eastern European, and wonderful people, full of stories :D The staff really know how to throw a party and do so very well, especially Xmas and NYE (we did back to back).

The only down side I found was with the food, being an aussie summer, more was needed in the salad department, and no ice cream! Both things I wrote on the feed back forms at disembarkation. The shows are all done by the crew (no fifo acts) brilliantly, so talented. Only other minus was some of the old people, lining up 1/2 hr before dining buffet opened and acting like it was their last meal, but I've seen that on other ships too.

It's def the smallest ship we've been on, but we enjoyed that side of it. Plenty of bars and lounges and outdoor areas, and the indoor pool down on L3 was awesome. No laundry, but good ironing room right next to lifts.

In Bali, we just self toured, got taxis to and from, was very surprised no duty free at any dock or on board. Security was a bit lax in Bali compared to the scrutiny we expected from other ships.

In a nutshell, would we do it again? Absolutely! Round up a few friends or family and bon voyage! If you have any questions, just ask away :D

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Hi Sandra

 

Thank you so much for your feedback on the Astor Christmas trip - really useful - couple of questions if you don't mind - what was the dress code like in the restaurant - my hubby doesn't like wearing suits and jackets etc - did you have to wear a jacket/tie in the main restaurant?

Also what was the charge for the sauna/solarium etc.

 

We have booked the cruise - an outside cabin on the Atlantic deck so hopefully the cabin will be nice - really looking forward to a relaxing 10 days - all the best Diane

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Hi Diane, so glad you've booked, hope you have a great time :) Don't forget your xmas decorations, the outside rooms have a large deep window sill perfect for a little tree and some battery operated fairy lights :) Our room was on the wharf side, and as I had turned on the lights before we left at lunchtime on xmas eve, when we came back that night, we could see them from the dock :)

Re the suit situation, like most ships, this one has 3 "formal nights", but also like most ships, it's not a strict hard and fast rule. We had people in tuxedos and ballgowns, whilst some just wore trousers and a collared shirt or a nice frock or blouse and slacks. Hubby wore a jacket and tie to the first formal "meet the captain" night, but not again. Friends and family we were with did not even bring a suit. We also didn't go there each night, preferring the buffet outside by the pool, more relaxing. You must check out the buffet each day for the food sculptures, with the xmas theme, the artistry is fabulous! If only I knew how to post pics on here!

And the Bingo, never played before, but we both got addicted to that each afternoon at 4pm I think it was. We had a little habit of going to High Tea at 3pm in the buffet and getting a little plate of something with a cuppa (watch out for the old people stampede), then off to the theatre to enjoy waiting for the bingo to start. It starts slowly the first few days, but word spreads and by the end the jackpots were huge and the room was packed :)

Edited by sandrab60
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Hi Sandra - What a great idea re the Christmas decorations - I would not have thought about it - will take a tree and some lights as suggested, so thanks again for all your input - really appreciated - all the best Diane

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