Inaugural World Voyage Commences

Cruise West’s Spirit of Oceanus Inaugural World Voyage Commences
 
Seattle, WA (March 8, 2010) – Cruise West’s (www.cruisewest.com) maiden world voyage aboard the 60-suite Spirit of Oceanus set sail from Singapore on March 6, 2010, with 71 delighted guests (including two solo travelers who are participating on the entire 335-day circumnavigation) and 72 crew.
 
Guests were welcomed to a special gala at the legendary Raffles Hotel on March 5 that included the hotel’s signature Singapore Sling cocktail, entertainment by a traditional Chinese orchestra, a mystical fortuneteller accompanied by a parrot with ‘divination’ capabilities, a warm welcome by Captains Reidulf Maalen, Malcolm Scanlan and Boris Tsvetkov and a sumptuous dinner featuring Singaporean and Malaysian cuisine. In addition, each guest received a monogrammed fan with hand painted Chinese calligraphy of his or her name, ending the evening with a city tour by night via Trishaws.  Concluding the festivities on embarkation day, March 6, was a champagne toast and a colorful, raucous Lions Dance, said to be an auspicious way to begin such an extraordinary series of voyages.
 
Captain Maalen remarked, “This is truly a grand moment for the Spirit of Oceanus, her guests and her crew.  No other line, big or small, has endeavored to circumnavigate the world in 335 days.  I am thrilled to be at the helm of five of the 24 voyages and be a part of making history.”
 
The first of 24 distinct voyages, a Southeast Asian journey, will travel for 15 nights from Singapore to Chennai, India, making stops at Malacca, Malaysia; Georgetown, Penang; Langkawi; Phuket and Kho Yao, Thailand; Similan Islands; Rangoon, Myanmar; and the Andaman Islands en route to Chennai.  This is not an ordinary voyage – guests will enjoy exclusive and fascinating included excursions, further exploration of remote islands via Zodiac and presentations by expert guest lecturers.
 
There’s still time to book one or multiple segments of the 2010 or 2011 world voyages that range from 9 – 18 nights.  Each meticulously crafted itinerary from Asia to the Mediterranean, Europe to the Americas and throughout the South Pacific offer the most discerning and well-traveled guests an array of distinctive choices and authentic experiences.  Savings are still available.  For further details, visit www.CruiseWest.com, call 800-296-8307 or contact a travel professional.
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~Up-Close, Casual and Personal Explorations~
 
Cruise West, the world’s leading provider of small-ship explorations to the most fascinating destinations on earth, believes that small is beautiful.  Small-ship explorations allow up-close and personal experiences unmatched by the traditional larger cruise lines. For more than 63 years Cruise West has provided authentic travel experiences where the destination is the focus. The fleet of small ships with guest capacities ranging from 78-148 explores remote and distinctive destinations throughout the globe.   A robust onboard enrichment program further enhances the guest experience through topical guest lecturers, additional exploration by Zodiac and included excursions at every port.