MY CRUISES, a specialist agency that’s part of the Flight Centre Travel Group, has taken on charter a small cruise ship for back-to-back round-the-world voyages expected to last a cumulative two years.
Oceania Cruises’ 648-pax Regatta, which was originally one of the famous R series of French-built liners from the late 1990s, has operated seasonally in Australian waters for the owners (a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Lines) for several years and is familiar to local travellers.
The five-star Regatta will embark on its first My Cruises r-t-w voyage in September this year, departing Sydney on a voyage expected to last at least 360 days, under the moniker ‘Expeditions by Norwegian’.
My Cruises says Explorations by Norwegian “invites you to see the world in a way few ever will. This is a new era of cruising that blends the best of river, ocean and expedition travel into one seamless experience — from eight-day escapes to 371-day world voyages”.
The company says the response to the first cruise, targeted at Australian and New Zealand passengers, has proven the demand for longer, more immersive journeys with premium inclusions.
Accordingly, Regatta has been chartered for a second Explorations by Norwegians voyage, sailing to over 230 destinations around the world and including a circumnavigation of Australia.
Based on feedback new destinations and itineraries have been added, with highlights of the new cruise including visits to Kenya, the Philippines, Borneo and Taiwan, as well as departures from Dubai, Istanbul and Bali and an increased number of overnight stays.
The company says many categories and segments of the 2026-27 voyage sold out quickly and a similar response is expected for the subsequent cruise.