Tauck expands 2015 ocean cruises, adds BBC Earth content

The new 21-day 'Cruising Down Under' itinerary in Australia and New Zealand combines a 12-night cruise aboard L'Austral with five-star hotel stays and guided sightseeing in Sydney, Cairns, Melbourne and Auckland.

From Sydney, the itinerary begins with a three-night stay at the Four Seasons Hotel before travelers fly to Cairns for two nights at the Shangri-La hotel, the Marina. They then fly to Melbourne for one night at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins before embarking L’Austral. The ship visits Hobart, Tasmania, before crossing the Tasman Sea to New Zealand for Fiordland National Park, Nelson, Picton, Marlborough Sounds, Wellington, Tauranga, Rotorua and Auckland, where the journey ends with a two-night stay at the Hilton Auckland. 

Special Tauck experiences include insiders' tours of the Sydney Opera House and Auckland Museum. Two departures are available, on Jan. 4 and, from Auckland, on Jan. 20; the Jan. 28 date is sold out. Prices start at $13,690.

'Cruising the Land of the Rising Sun' is a 14-day exploration of Japan featuring an eight-night cruise aboard L'Austral with included hotel stays and guided sightseeing in Kyoto and Tokyo. The cruise visits Osaka, Uno Ko, Hiroshima, Uwajima, Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Sakaiminato and Maizuru in Japan, as well as Busan, South Korea. A sumo wresting demonstration, geisha and taiko performances, traditional tea ceremony and calligraphy lesson are included. Departures are April 3, 11 and 19, and prices start at $10,990.

The new eight-day 'Alaska's Inside Passage,' also aboard L'Austral, sails between Vancouver, BC, and Juneau, with calls at Ketchikan, Petersburg, Tracy Arm Fjord, Haines and Skagway. Highlights include a float trip through the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, an exploration of Gold Rush country from Skagway to Fraser, BC (by train, vintage streetcar and motor coach), and cultural performances and tours in Klukwan, Petersburg and Saxman Native Village. Tauck will operate six departures from late May through early July next year. Prices start at $6,790.

Tauck fares include excursions, gratuities, port charges, transfers and generous on-board drinks policies.

As part of their 'Earth Journeys' partnership, Tauck and BBC Earth will add exclusive content to three Galápagos cruises. Passengers will see original films produced for Tauck and get to explore with some of the same cutting-edge technologies employed by BBC Earth filmmakers, including underwater cameras, special hyper-sensitive microphones and other field equipment.

Tauck’s first cruise enhanced by the BBC Earth collaboration will take place later this year, on the sold-out Dec. 7 Antarctica program. The company's 2015 Antarctica sailings will feature the same BBC Earth enhancements.

Itinerary details are at tauck.com and in a new full-color, 84-page brochure currently mailing to travel agents and consumers.