Two small ship cruise operators unveil new itineraries for 2012

Silversea Silver Explorer, formerly Prince Albert II

By Gene Sloan, USA TODAY

This item was written by Johanna Jainchill of industry publication Travel Weekly. Jainchill is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is away.

Silversea Cruises is offering three new West Africa itineraries in later summer and fall 2012 on the 132-passenger Silver Explorer, the luxury line’s expedition ship, formerly called the Prince Albert II.

On Sep. 16, 2012, the ship is scheduled to depart on a 17-day cruise from the Canary Islands to Accra, Ghana, calling in Senegal, Gambia, Sierra Leone, before arriving in Ghana

From there the ship offers a 10-day round-trip cruise from Accra that visits Sao Tome, Sao Tome & Principe, Benin and Togo. The ship then departs on an 18-day trip to Cape Town, South Africa, calling in Angola, and Namibia before arriving in Cape Town.

Paul Gauguin Cruises’ 332-passenger, Tahiti-based ship, the Paul Gauguin, will operate three new itineraries in 2012.

A 20-day South Pacific Discovery trip to Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga and the Cook & Society Islands departs in January 2012 and combines a cruise with hotel stays.

Later that year, an 11-day Island of Whales trip departs Sept. 1 and will visit Rurutu, the “Island of Whales,” at the height of whale-watching season, while the ship’s 12- and 13-day Fiji, Tonga, Cook & Society Islands cruises depart in October and November.