Dear Voyager

Soren in the South Seas

The ship is back in the South Pacific just commencing her fourth voyage Fiji to Vanuatu via the beautiful Yasawa Islands. Its great to see the ship, under Jim Cottier's command, back doing what she does best.

This shot was taken on first arrival in Nukualofa. Refit volunteer Patti's leap into the lagoon from the starboard shrouds sums up our elation at the start of this Pacific season.

Torge joined us for a 5 night trip in NZ this summer and like many before, it confirmed he'd like to do a longer Pacific voyage. His pictures feature in the Tonga picture Gallery, right.

The Kermadecs was a fascinating stopover, and Tonga's classical atolls and beaches really sum up what we think of when we picture the South Seas .. The Voyage Track map here shows that Soren Larsen has arrived in Lautoka, west Fiji this weekend and is next to set out for Vanuatu.

Above, snorkeling from the Avon inflatable, somewhere up in Vava'u Tonga. This is the breeding grounds of the humpback whales and one was spotted from the ship. Next year we'll be here a little later and in their peak season. If anyone were to be in any doubt about the lunacy of commercial whaling, this would be the place to come to make up their minds..

The remaining South Pacific 2010 dates are here - but in brief you could expect to meet the ship in Vanuatu: July /August, Noumea New Cal: September and Sydney & Trans Tasman: October

New Zealand 2011

Soren Larsen will be back in Auckland Harbour in November and December doing daysails and Christmas events.

Then at Christmas we cast off for the first of our summer voyages through the lovely cruising grounds of the Northland coast. January to March is perfect sailing weather here so plan your NZ trip around our dates.

South Pacific 2011

The programme for next year is finalised and we'll be leaving NZ again in early May for another season sailing in the tropics. The feature ocean passage this year will take us back to the Cook Islands. It will have been 3 years since we cruised the stunning islands of Raro, Aitutaki, Palmerston, Suwarrow and revisit these gems of our 'home waters'. Sunny Samoa is another favourite we've missed and from there we cruise to the humpback's holiday retreat of northern Tonga (see above).

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We'll have slightly less time in Vanuatu next year but we still aim to see our favourite places. By popular demand the Noumea -Sydney- Auckland voyages are also back in.

This is the official release of the 2011 NZ schedule - so click for Pacific 2011 voyages page, and be among the first to book.

We make you an Offer...

... you can't refuse .. Don't forget that for this 2010 Pacific season only we are offering previous VC an increased Voyager's Club discount of 10% on bookings. And - if you can bring someone new along, you can earn a further 10% off... which you can pass on to them or apply to your own voyage.

Its been great to see several past VC's return for the last couple of voyages on the strength of this opportunity, so read some of the voyage logs here, and consider where you'd rather be!

We're keeping tabs on some great deals on flights from Australia and NZ so email us about these too .

We hope you can make it. Thanks, we look forward to seeing you on deck again.

Fair winds,

Steve, Rosie, Ian, Jim and the entire Soren Crew.