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z-Tasmania Food & Wine

You'll anchor beneath Strzelecki Rangers at Flinders Island, embark our Zodiacs and go exploring the remote and pristine Wildernes, take an overland hike for a view of Wineglass Bay or simply sample some famous Coles Bay oysters. Created with convict labor Port Arthur presents impressive architecture, delightful gardens and chilling prison facilities - this is a must to explore. * This voyage also operates in reverse.

Day 1 - Launceston, Tasmania – Embark

Orion will dock at Beauty Point, near where the Tamar River meets the sea. A 50 minute coach transfer through the lush countryside of the Tamar valley, Tasmania's premier wine-producing region, will find you in Launceston - a city of elegant architectures and award-winning restaurants. You can easily explore on foot. The historic Waverley Woollen Mills produce fabrics from Tasmanian merino wool, or take a walk through Cataract Gorge. In just 15 minutes you can walk from the city center along the banks of the Tamar River into this dramatic gorge. Take the chairlift across for a wonderful view of what may be Australia's most alluring urban reserve. For aerial views of a different nature a flight over World Heritage listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, affords views of one of the most beautiful places on earth. Orion Expedition Cruises will provide complimentary transfers between Launceston Town and the port and vice versa on embarkation day.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: dinner

Day 2 - Launceston, Tasmania

This culinary journey takes you through some quaint towns and picturesque farm lands rich in agriculture and producing some of Tasmania’s freshest and finest foods. Arriving at Anvers you can relax in the beautiful garden setting as you taste the award winning confectionery and see how it is produced. Anvers confectionery was established as a cottage industry in 1989, by Igor Van Gerwen, who came to Australia from Belgium. To guarantee the quality of his products, Igor uses fresh Tasmanian cream, pure butter, exquisite liquors and natural flavors, but also the world's finest chocolate. Tasmanian cream and butter is one of the richest in flavor of any in the world, ideally suited for truffles and fudge. After, visit Ashgrove Cheese Farm, which takes pride in the making and packing of cheeses of distinction with great flavor. Viewing of the cheese making and tastings of the Ashgrove Cheese range is one of Tasmania’s must see tourist attractions. The quiet town of Chudleigh lies at the edge of the great Tasmanian Wilderness, and is where you will find the Honey farm. Not only will you sample delicious honey-based treats, you will also find a large range of honey based products.

Lunch will be served at the renowned Josef Chromy winery. Here you will be invited to sample wines that best exemplify cool climate wines of Tasmania and discuss the process of winemaking at Josef Chromy Wines and how Tasmania fits into the context of the Australian Wine Industry. A gourmet lunch will be served in the restaurant, or if weather permits, outdoors overlooking the stunning estate. The last stop of the day will be to Cataract Gorge, home to many walking and hiking trails and spectacular views. This is a beautiful place to unwind before heading back to the ship.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Day 3 - Flinders Island

This remote, windswept and starkly beautiful island off the north-eastern coast of Tasmania boasts rugged landscapes, granite peaks, pristine beaches and headlands of granite boulders encrusted with orange lichen. The best way to experience the isolation of Flinders Island is to take a hike. There's an easy walk available from our landing spot at Trouser's Point or for the fit take a hike in Strzelecki National Park. Wildlife is plentiful and includes wallabies, pademelons (sometimes referred to as the rufous wallaby), wombats, echidnas, and bird life that is rich and varied. Wybalenna on Flinders Island is infamous for being the site of the last colony of Tasmanian Aborigines and we'll learn more of this sad chapter in Australia's history.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - Wineglass Bay & Coles Bay

In the morning Orion will drop anchor in iconic Wineglass Bay in the center of Freycinet National Park. Awake to find a spectacular view, with dramatic red granite peaks reflecting in clear blue waters and a near-perfect circle of white sand forming the beach of the bay. Vegetation in the park varies from marshy heathlands to grass trees, banksias, stands of wattle, Oyster Bay pine and bull oak. The park is rich in wildlife including black cockatoos, green rosellas, wedgetailed eagles and a wide variety of seabirds including white-breasted sea eagles. Subject to weather, enjoy a 2.5 hour Ranger-led hike from the beach at Wineglass Bay up a short and fairly steep climb to the saddle between Mt. Amos and Mt. Mason (known as the Hazzards) to the Wineglass Lookout where you will be afforded a wonderful view of Orion riding gently at anchor in this iconic location. The walk continues on towards the small coastal township of Coles Bay where you’ll re-join Orion later in the day.

For those who wish to remain onboard, you’ll be rewarded with vistas of the dramatic coastlines as Orion departs Wineglass Bay and makes her way to Coles Bay via Schouten Island. The oyster farm near Coles Bay is famed for the freshness of its produce so perhaps take this chance to indulge in some of the local seafood and oysters with a chilled glass of Tasmanian wine. Water sports available from the town include diving and sea-kayaking, canoeing and fishing charters can be arranged. Late in the day, be sure to find yourself a spot on deck as the sun slips towards the western horizon. It is now that the orange lichens on the granite peaks glow red with the setting sun.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - Port Arthur

The penal settlement of Port Arthur originally began as a timber station and in 1857 became a convict penitentiary. Just 20 years later the last convict left Port Arthur. Today the ruins capture a fascinating, if dark, part of Australia's colonial history. The well-preserved ruins built with convict labour, impressive architecture, delightful gardens and chilling prison facilities will afford you a glimpse into what is probably one of the gloomier aspects of this country's history.

Accommodations: Orion
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 6 - Hobart, Tasmania – Disembark

Set on the River Derwent, Hobart is very much a city of the sea with views of the Derwent estuary appearing around every corner. Historic 19th century waterfront warehouses remain, still bordering the commercial harbor, though today they house restaurants and hotels. Hobart is easy to explore on foot, with the fishing harbor, Parliament, convictbuilt sandstone buildings and the colorful Salamanca Markets (open on a Saturday morning) all within strolling distance of each other. Extend your stay and explore this city or head to the airport and depart back home.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast


Notes on Itinerary: We may occasionally alter itineraries slightly for safety, or to take advantage of weather, wildlife, and unplanned discoveries. Our ability to be flexible makes our style of cruising unique.

Single, Triple and Quad Travelers: Single travelers may reserve sole occupancy of a twin occupancy stateroom for 25% less than the regular stateroom (twin occupancy) fare in categories JS, A and B. Subject to availability. Some staterooms accommodate a third or fourth person. Adults age 16 years and over pay 50% (children ages 2-15 years pay 25%) of the applicable stateroom category fare when sharing the room with two full-fare guests

Cost Includes: Included in your cruise fare are accommodations as booked, cruise transportation, all meals onboard, 24-hour room service, entertainment and educational programmes, use of ship's sporting equipment and facilities, port & handling charges, Zodiac excursions and tender transfers, access to the ship's library, Govt. Fees & Taxes. Fares also include the services of 75 experienced crew.

Not Included: Fares do not include items of a personal nature, including but not limited to: travel and medical insurance, laundry charges, shopping onboard, bar expenses, hair dressing and massage treatments, optional shore experiences, medical treatment, telephone and internet charges.

Deposit and Final Payment: To secure your reservation a deposit of 25% of the fare is required. The deposit must be accompanied by a completed and signed Guest Booking Form and is due within 7 days of booking. Final payment must be received no later than 90 days before sailing. Separate conditions apply to the Cancellation Protection Plan.

Cancellation Policy: The following cancellation fees will apply to all reservations. The day on which written notice is received will determine the applicable penalties.
Day on Which Notice is received Penalty
121 days and over - 50% of deposit
120 - 91 days prior 100% of deposit
90 days or less 100% of fare
No show - no written notice 100% of fare

Travel Insurance: We highly recommend our travelers protect their investment with Travel Insurance. Please note that you must purchase your Travel Insurance policy within 14 days of booking your trip for it to cover pre-existing medical conditions.


Shoreside Expeditions: We include a number of complimentary shore experiences utilising our Zodiacs. In addition we offer an exciting and diverse selection of optional shore experiences which can be either booked for in advance or reserved onboard and charged to your onboard account. Due to limited numbers on some experiences we recommend you pre-register to avoid disappointment. Details will be provided with your ticket.

Arrival/Departure Information: The Tasmania Food & Wine cruise begins in Launceston, Tasmania and ends in Hobart, Tasmania or reverse. Embarkation time is between 3:00 – 4:00pm on day of departure. Disembarkation is after breakfast on final day between 9:00 – 10:30am. Please schedule flights based on these time frames.

Qualifications: This trip will be enjoyed by anyone who is in good health and leads an active life. Any medical condition, advanced pregnancy or disability must be advised to AdventureSmith Explorations when a request for accommodation is made. On every Orion voyage extensive use of the ship’s Zodiacs will be made transporting guests between ship and shore. It is anticipated this travel may be physically demanding from time to time. In order for the crew to determine if safe passage can be offered, guests may be asked to provide additional information, such as a medical assessment of their fitness for expeditionary travel. All guests must sign a disclaimer onboard to participate in offship activities. Guests should be sure to bring onboard sufficient supplies of any prescription medication they may require.

General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations Terms & Conditions:. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance through AdventureSmith Explorations. If purchased within 14 days of sign-up, the pre-existing condition exclusion is waived.

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today.

For additional information and reservations, please contact us:

800-728-2875 | 530-583-1775 | fax 530-583-1711 | travel@AdventureSmithExplorations.com