In the City of Sails, why not stay where the city meets the sails? With windows to the Waitematā, unwind in the haven of the InterContinental Auckland’s guest rooms and explore the city centre at your doorstep. From your waterfront sanctuary of luxury in an unparalleled location overlooking the Harbour, immerse yourself in the cuisine, history, culture, art and retail therapy of Commercial Bay’s lifestyle precinct featuring over 100 fashion, beauty and dining locations.

Well-appointed with premium bedding, modular sofa, smart TV and Bluetooth soundbar, the InterContinental Auckland’s 139 guestrooms and suites each feature a Whariki (woven panel) which welcomes guests to the locale’s unique Māori culture from the instant they walk in. With floor-ceiling windows, the majority of rooms have either scenic cityscape or harbour views, or both.

Presenting a contemporary ‘twist’ on Middle Eastern cuisines and featuring fine New Zealand produce, Advieh Restaurant & Bar is the hotel’s all-day dining destination. Gareth’s culinary vision offers a relaxed dining experience, The emphasis is on sharing plates and a relaxed dining experience, enriched by the aroma and flavour of spices.

The InterContinental Auckland opened its doors on 30 January. Scheduled to open a little later this year in June 2024, the hotel’s Club InterContinental lounge will be influenced by Advieh’s menu, as will the in-room dining menu which will ensure that guests can experience similar culinary delights in the comfort of their room.

ATPI Cruise & Travel welcomes the recent announcement by South African Airways (SAA) of the return of flights from Perth to Johannesburg. Marking a significant development for the airline, the reinstated route will be operated by an Airbus A340-300 thrice weekly and the inaugural Johannesburg – Perth flight will launch on 28 April.

Indicating a strategic focus on expanding intercontinental routes within a relatively short timeframe, the Perth – Johannesburg route follows the successful return of SAA to Brazil late last year, with the Cape Town – São Paulo route being launched on 31 October 2023 and Johannesburg to São Paulo the following week. The return of the Perth route aligns with SAA’s strategic plans to scale operations to a profitable level and represents a significant step in the airline’s efforts to regain its position in the global aviation sector.

The route will mean that Cape Town, Durban, Accra, Lusaka, Windhoek, Kinshasa, Harare and Lagos will only require two-flights for passengers departing from Perth. With Victoria Falls, Port Elizabeth, Mauritius and São Paulo also becoming a two-sector proposition from Perth, ATPI’s Cruise & Travel customers will benefit from the service.

We were invited aboard Virgin Voyages. Here’s our honest opinion. 

Recently, our Head of Leisure & Events Sarah Bush, was invited to the inaugural Australian launch of Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages. This was her experience.

Stepping aboard ‘Resilient Lady’, I was greeted by enthusiastic and competent staff, all happy to be aboard. Generally, the staff were a highlight of my stay – professional, attentive, involved in the fun. 

I found my way to my ‘VIP Suite’ on Deck 13 and was immediately pleased to find the creature comforts of home and excellent water pressure in the shower. The bathroom was a little cozy, and you might struggle with space for suitcases and shoes on a long trip, but perfectly fine for me on this minibreak. The rooms are laid out cleverly, and the double bed can be converted into an L shaped lounge by day. Room enough for a laptop on a desk, and space to get ready. 

On the balcony, there’s a hammock that’s actually comfortable. The balcony is not the kind of size where you’d want to lounge all day – but the perfect, functional size to recharge before exploring the excitement that awaits in all of Resilient Lady’s dining, leisure, shopping and entertainment spaces. 

The main round pool is complemented by plunge pools and lounging areas on Deck 16, private cabanas with daybeds, fridges and uninterrupted ocean views. There’s also a well-equipped gym, mini basketball court and complimentary fitness classes on board.

Already impressed by the rooms and facilities, the main event really was the food. Lady Resilient is a buffet-free zone, so a real rejection of typical cruise fare. Instead, in the 20+ eateries, each has its own kitchen and all meals are freshly prepared to order. No crowded buffets or big dining halls also means better hygiene as well as producing less wastage. Tick, tick. 

When it comes to entertainment, Virgin Voyages have lots planned (like Scarlett Nights that encourage everyone to wear a touch of red). A drag queen here, a mod of acrobats there. So much fun! On the last night, everyone awaited eagerly for Sir Richard Branson to welcome Australia’s Travel Industry to the maiden Australian voyage of his line. He didn’t disappoint.

Before disembarking, sitting on the deck catching warm rays as I waited for my (perfectly cooked) skewers and a glass of wine, something struck me. This wasn’t the usual setting of energetic children buzzing around. This was adults only, and it works. I’ll be back, Virgin Voyages. Thank you so much for having me.

You can sail aboard Virgin Voyages ‘Resilient Lady’ from as little as $149.00 per person per night twin share. Click here to find out more. 

The first of Emirates’ brand new fleet of A380s has arrived.

The new aircraft features a refreshed, modern interior, upgraded seats and a Premium Economy cabin. Here are the other new luxury experiences you’ll find on board. Spoiler alert: there’s a Shower Spa in First Class!

The luxury seats are latest generation and the calming cabin’s cream and bronze tones of the interior are punctuated by motifs of the beautiful Ghaf Tree, the national tree of the United Arab Emirates due to its traditional and cultural significance as well as being an evergreen tree in the desert.

Emirates’ Onboard Lounge located at the rear of the Upper Deck offers champagne and a selection of beers, wines, ‘top-shelf’ spirits and (of course!) cocktails to First Class and Business Class passengers.

The Private Suites in First Class offer a pop-up mini-bar, exclusive fragrances and skincare products, climate control, mood lighting control and the ‘zero gravity mode’ to find the best natural position for your body.

Business Class passengers also enjoy a personal mini-bar and a lie-flat seat, as well as 20-inch HD TV.

The new Premium Economy cabin offers 13.3-inch HD TV, seats that are 19.5-inches wide with an eight-inch recline and a 38-inch pitch. Premium Economy passengers can choose from a larger range of beverages than Economy Class passengers, including Chandon sparkline wine, selected wines from the Business Class wine list and some liqueurs.

In Economy Class, the new A380 boasts wider, more comfortable seats with adjustable leather headrests and upgraded, woodgrain-finish dining tables. A 13.3-inch HD TV featuring wireless Bluetooth* connectivity enables you to pair with your own headphones if you prefer.

Onboard Wi-Fi is available in all four cabin classes at a charge. Free Wi-Fi throughout your flight can be enjoyed by Emirates Skywards Blue members travelling in First Class, Emirates Skywards Gold or Silver members travelling in Business Class or First Class and Emirates Skywards Platinum members in any cabin class.

To support the strong demand for international travel, Qantas has partnered with trusted international airline Finnair to operate some of their flights between Sydney and Singapore and Bangkok.

Qantas has been working to get their aircraft back into service as quickly as possible following the disruption to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qantas is working with their trusted oneworld® partner Finnair to operate some flights between Sydney and Singapore and Bangkok.

Finnair provides their customers with an exceptional inflight experience and holds a strong safety record, just as Qantas does.

From 29 October 2023, select services between Sydney and Singapore will be operated by Finnair for Qantas and from 31 March 2024 all services between Sydney and Bangkok will be operated by Finnair for Qantas.

Learn which Qantas flight numbers will be operated by Finnair here:

QF291 Sydney to Singapore and QF292 Singapore to Sydney
QF295 Sydney to Bangkok and QF296 Bangkok to Sydney

Qantas Points Status Credits will be earned at the same rate as a Qantas-operated flight.