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Zanzibar to Fremantle Expedition Cruise (March 2023)

Indian Ocean crossing
  • history
    DURATION
    19 nights
  • history
    DURATION DAYS
  • history
    DURATION NIGHTS
    19 nights

In times past, an Indian Ocean crossing was a sailor’s rite of passage and a truly daunting task on a wooden sailing vessel. Create your own journey on the new state of the art expedition ship, Coral Geographer, as she sails east in a southern arc from the ancient island of Zanzibar off the African coast and arrives on Australian shores in Fremantle. This is a classic 19-night ocean passage that allows you to settle into the rhythm of the sea.

This Indian Ocean crossing voyage offers a rare opportunity to navigate oceans in the wake of famed explorers like Dirk Hartog and Willem de Vlamingh. With an extensive program onboard, sit in on fascinating Celestial Navigation lessons and lectures on maritime history. Enjoy the serenity of the seas and star gaze far away from lights and pollution. Guest presenters and storytellers will be the only diversions as you share the blue ocean horizon with migratory seabirds and marine life.

If you are curious about the world and relish the adventure of an extended ocean crossing, join us onboard Coral Geographer for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Expedition Highlights:

  • Depart from Zanzibar with its rich spice route trading heritage
  • Learn the craft of Celestial Navigation, plotting your route across the Indian Ocean in real time with hands on lessons
  • Enjoy true freedom and space on an epic passage across one of the world’s great oceans
  • Spot marine life throughout your voyage, and star-gaze far away from light pollution
  • Be aboard for welcome celebrations as our new ship arrives home to Australian waters in Fremantle

Photos

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Voyage Map

Inclusions/Exclusions

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Your cruise price includes:

  • Accommodation in selected room grade for the number of nights as listed in each itinerary
  • All excursions
  • Presentations, briefings & workshops by our highly experienced Expedition Team
  • All meals, with morning and afternoon tea
  • Selected beers, wines, juices & soft drinks with lunch and dinner service, and 24 hour tea and coffee
  • Open bridge access and engine room tours
  • All fees & gratuities

Your cruise price does not include:

  • Charter flights
  • Pre/Post-cruise accommodation
  • Entry visas/travel permits
  • Travel Insurance
  • Items of a personal nature including but not limited to phone and internet communications and bar charges (outside of the included drinks package as highlighted), laundry charges and souvenir purchases

Tipping not required:

Other cruise lines automatically add gratuities to your account and service charges to your bar invoices. On Coral Adventurer, our crew has no other agenda than your delight.

Itinerary

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Embark: Board at Zanzibar, Tanzania at 5:00pm for 7:00pm departure
Disembark: Arrive at Fremantle, West Australia at 8:00am and disembark at 9:00am

This itinerary is an indication of the destinations we visit and activities on offer. Throughout the expedition we may make changes to the itinerary as necessary to maximise your expeditionary experience. Allowances may be made for seasonal variations, weather, tidal conditions, and any other event that may affect the operation of the vessel. Coral Expeditions suggests that you do not arrive on the day of embarkation or depart on the day of disembarkation due to any changes that may occur in scheduling.

Day 1 Depart Zanzibar (Tanzania)

In the early evening we depart Zanzibar on our epic Indian Ocean crossing bound for Fremantle, West Australia.

Days 2 - 19 At Sea

Spend 18 carefree days at leisure as we cross the Indian Ocean from west to east. As dusk falls each day, join your fellow travellers, the Captain and crew for evening drinks and enjoy the freshly prepared cuisine and warm company of our renowned Australian hospitality team. Take time to socialise with fellow passengers, catch up on book reading or simply relax as the Indian Ocean slips by. You will share the waves with migratory seabirds and marine life along the way. Guest presenters, storytellers and an extensive onboard program with hands-on practical lessons will be on offer throughout the voyage, including an instructed program teaching traditional Celestial Navigation.

Over the first days of the voyage, guests will receive an introduction on the basic theory of navigation and instruction chart plotting, reading a compass and log, and taking astronomical sights. Using pro-forma tables and with the assistance of the professional navigators aboard, complex mathematical calculations are minimised, so that all participants can fully take part. Additional instruction will be available for anyone that desires a more in-depth course or already has some navigational experience. Guests are encouraged to bring their own instruments if they wish. The programme is intended to be run without any access to modern instruments. Participants will regularly read the magnetic compass and the traditional towed log that will be streamed over the stern and record these readings in the logbook. Using these figures, a dead-reckoning position will be plotted on the plotting ship and corrected, when possible, by sun observations using the sextant and chronometer. A daily noon position will then be transferred to the Indian Ocean chart to track our progress. We will encourage no access to the modern bridge instruments (such as GPS, plotters, or gyrocompasses) – and seek to compare our traditional results upon our arrival in Fremantle. The programme has been developed by Coral Expeditions Senior Master Gary Wilson, who has extensive experience instructing in traditional navigation methods. At the end of the voyage, you will have a unique record of your ocean crossing, recorded on the chart and in the logbook, and a set of instruments to take home.

Day 20 Arrive Fremantle (Australia)

Disembark Coral Geographer at Fremantle at 9:00am.

Dates and Prices

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Please note prices are subject to availability at time of booking or until sold out.

This cruise departs Zanzibar on 08 March 2023 and arriving Fremantle on 27 March 2023.

  • Coral Deck Stateroom - from $9,980 pp twin share
  • Promenade Deck Stateroom - from $11,320 pp twin share
  • Explorer Deck Balcony Stateroom - from $13,330 pp twin share
  • Bridge Deck Balcony Suite - from $18,690 pp twin share

*Limited sole use occupancy available.

Freecall our local travel team on 1300 414 198 to secure your bookings as cabins are selling fast on this amazing journey. We can also assist with booking international flights, accommodation and arrange your travel insurance.

Accommodation

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Your expedition cruise will be on the Coral Geographer

As a sister ship to Coral Adventurer (launched April 2019), the Coral Geographer (arrived in 2021) and remains true to our nature of authentic expeditions. When designing our next generation of ships, we stubbornly resisted the trend to go large and glitzy so we can remain small enough to go to untouched places, focusing on bringing small numbers of like-minded guests closer to nature and cultures with personal attention and professional Australian service. The 120-passenger ship will feature the same state-of-the-art specifications and expedition features, however due to popular demand, she will have an increased number of 6 bridge deck suites with horizon bathtubs.

CORAL DECK STATEROOM:

Coral Deck Staterooms are located below the Promenade Deck and are identically furnished with a junior King size bed which can be separated into two singles.A wardrobe, desk and armchair are included.A compact en-suite has a toilet, shower and ample storage.A porthole window gives you views of the world outside. Coral Deck Staterooms are 17 square metres.

PROMENADE DECK STATEROOM:

Promenade Deck Staterooms are located below the Explorer deck and furnished with a junior King size bed which can be separated into two singles.A wardrobe, desk and armchair are included.A compact en-suite has a toilet, shower and ample storage.A large picture window gives you wide views of the world outside. Promenade Deck Staterooms are 17 square metres

EXPLORER DECK BALCONY STATEROOM:

Our Explorer Deck staterooms are comfortably furnished with a junior King size bed which can be separated into two singles.A wardrobe, desk and armchair are included. A compact en-suite has a toilet, shower and ample storage. Your private balcony has seating for two from which to view the passing coastal vistas. These staterooms are located on the Explorer deck. Explorer Deck Balcony Staterooms are 21.4 square metres

BRIDGE DECK BALCONY SUITE:

There will be 6 spacious and elegant suites featured on the Coral Geographer. They will be equipped with a lounge area, minibar and personal coffee machine. Along with special King sized beds which can be separated into two singles. An 3.5 square metre private balcony has an outdoor daybed and lounge chair for two. The unique outside-facing bathroom with floor to ceiling windows will be the feature of the suites, with an infinity bathtub with sky views. A complimentary minibar is replenished daily. Bridge Deck Balcony Suites are 37.5 square metres

FAQs

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Coral Expeditions require mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all guests and crew. To prepare for your voyage, ensure you have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and provided details to the Coral Expeditions team. Medical exemptions are accepted in line with Australian standards. Vaccination for children will follow Federal Health and AHPRA guidelines.

Before you sail, you will also receive detailed pre-departure documents providing a range of information on your packing, your destination, and your ship.

What level of fitness is required?

A cruise on the Coral Geographer is suitable for guests of all fitness levels, however a reasonable level of mobility is required to travel and enjoy all your cruise itinerary has to offer. All guests should be in good general health, able to walk reasonable distances over sometimes uneven terrain, and stand during excursions. Hikes and walks do vary in intensity and where possible groups will be split to suit easy and moderate walkers. For most activities a relatively low level of exertion is required.

You will need to climb into and out of zodiacs and other excursion tenders for excursions ashore: there will be staff and crew members on hand to assist. Ashore, you must be able to walk moderate distances over sometimes rough terrain. Although the Coral Geographer features a lift, it is still essential that all guests have reasonable agility to use the steep stairways between decks. Participants will most enjoy the remarkable opportunities these expeditions offer if they travel with a spirit of adventure.

Getting on and off the ship for shore excursions?

Your small ship is equipped with a fleet of excursion tenders to make travelling ashore as simple and comfortable as possible. The unique excursion tender ‘Xplorer’ ensure that even the least intrepid adventurer can explore ashore with ease. Our excursion boats board directly from the ship’s main deck, before the hydraulic platform gently lowers into the water, avoiding the need to clamber aboard or get your feet wet.

The unique Xplorer tenders, comfortably appointed with shading and on board toilet facilities, enable penetration inland, with explorations up shallow rivers and streams, to waterfalls and other amazing landscapes. Our inflatable Zodiacs and kayaks enable guests an up-close-and-personal view of reefs, islands and atolls and allow peaceful explorations to out of the way places.

Tipping not required:

Other cruise lines automatically add gratuities to your account and service charges to your bar invoices. On this vessel, your crew has no other agenda than your delight.

Is there a Doctor or Nurse onboard?

While senior crew are trained in remote area first aid, it is important to note that we do not employ doctors or nurses on board our cruises. As our itineraries cover remote regions, they are not suitable for those with serious medical conditions.

What should I pack?

We recommend that you pack simply and lightly. Clothing that you can layer will prepare you for all kinds of weather. More specific information regarding clothing and the weather conditions in your destination are included in your Cruise Documentation which you will receive prior to your cruise.

If I want to Scuba Diver onboard, do I need to prepare anything?

For persons who wish to participate in either Certified diving or Introductory diving (also referred as Resort diving) you must be in good health for diving. A medical history of heart or lung disorders, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or narcolepsy shall prevent you from diving unless a medical certificate that addresses the condition is produced. To avoid disappointment on your cruise Coral Expeditions highly recommends you complete a dive medical prior to your journey and encourages certified divers who may not have dived in recent years to complete refresher courses.

Do I need a passport?

Please ensure your passport has 6 months’ validity from the time the expedition commences plus two free pages. It is the responsibility of all guests to ensure they meet visa requirements prior to travel. At least 4-6 weeks prior to departure, guests should contact the relevant country’s local Embassy / High Commission / Consulate with entry/exit details to confirm visa requirements based on their nationality. Entry and exit dates/points will be noted on your cruise itinerary.

T&Cs

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Travel at 60 and supplier booking conditions apply.

To make a reservation a deposit of 20% of the fare is required. The balance of the fare is due ninety (90) days prior to departure.

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY: NON-GREAT BARRIER REEF BOOKINGS:

Notification of cancellation must be received in writing. At the time we receive your cancellation the following penalties will apply:

  • Up to 90 days prior to departure – forfeit your deposit of 20% of the fare.
  • 60 to 89 days prior to departure – forfeit 50% of the fare.
  • No-show to 59 days prior to departure – forfeit 100% of the fare.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

For most activities a relatively low level of exertion is required. You will need to climb into and out of zodiacs and other excursion tenders for excursions ashore: there will be staff and crew members on hand to assist. Ashore, you must be able to walk moderate distances over sometimes rough terrain. It is still essential that all guests have reasonable agility to use the steep stairways between decks. Participants will most enjoy the remarkable opportunities these expeditions offer if they travel with a spirit of adventure.

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