Charter Chatter

Passions of Paradise, a 25 meter custom designed sailing catamaran, won two awards for Major Tour &/or Transport Operators and Adventure Tourism in the 2009 Queensland Tourism Awards. The vessel departs Cairns daily to Michaelmas Cay and Paradise Reef, giving passengers the choice of two destinations where they can soak up the sun, snorkel with the fish, scuba dive, glass bottom boat ride or simply enjoy the sailing.

Captain Cook Cruises offers Christmas Day lunch cruises on Sydney Harbour on the three level MV Sydney 2000, with the deluxe Sky Deck menu and the Club Deck and Show Deck Christmas buffet, while sailing catamaran Aussie Legend hosts a Premium Christmas buffet lunch.

Queensland Yacht Charters in the Whitsundays is offering all December bookings a free night sleep aboard the night before for all charters of seven nights or longer.

Sea World Islands in the Sun cruise is a two hour calm water cruise amongst the Gold Coast's newest and most expensive waterfront homes with grandstand views from the three viewing decks of a luxury $3.5M cruiser. Discover the wildlife rich islands of the marine park. As evening falls over the Gold Coast, the Sea World Sunset City Lights cruise departs for a slow cruise of the Broadwater.

Sunsail Sailing Holidays is offering 25 per cent off the yacht price of new charter bookings of ten nights in the Whitsundays if you depart on or before 18 December 2009 (seven nights - 20 per cent off, five nights - 15 per cent off). Sunsail guests also have a free marina berth on Hamilton Island for the duration of their charter. Discount applies to direct bookings only and no other discounts apply. 

Sydney’s Lord Mayor announces the city’s New Year’s Eve theme as ‘Awaken the Spirit’ – igniting Sydney’s spirit and all our spirits for the year ahead. Everyone is asked to celebrate Sydney’s spirit by wearing a touch of blue on the night, representing the stunning blue harbour and blue summer sky. City of Sydney.nsw.gov.au.

Fifteen Eastsail yachts have been selected to be part of the 2010 Australia Day evening celebrations on 26 January. The yachts will perform Dancing with Sails within the exclusion zone at Cockle Bay just before the fireworks. The sails will be lit up with a rainbow of changing colours with crews and skippers keeping the boats in formation. Four crew places are available on each yacht.

A second specialist expedition cruise ship is scheduled to commence voyages in May 2011 for Orion Expedition Cruises. Clelia II, a 50 suite, 100 passenger expedition cruise ship, is to be renamed Orion II and will be based in South East Asia.

December is an ideal time to entertain business associates or get together with friends on a charter boat on Sydney Harbour. The following events are on the harbour in December.

- Dec 26 - Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race start – People line the shores of Sydney Harbour, others watch it on TV, but you can be on the harbour watching the start of this iconic event. Rolex Sydney Hobart.

- Dec 31 - New Year’s Eve - Spectacular fireworks are fired off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, barges, and city skyscrapers at 9pm and midnight. Over 50 charter vessels will participate in a themed parade following the 9pm fireworks. A special area is set aside for charter vessels in the Harbour. City of Sydney.nsw.gov.au.

Photograph: Courtesy of Passions of Paradise