Arrivals & Departures Weekly Travel News & Views 9 September 2025

SMOOTH SAILING

Expert WA travel agents inspected the Scenic Eclipse II superyacht when it called at Fremantle on Wednesday. Some of them are pictured at the top of the page on the ship’s helipad with one of its two helicopters, and Fremantle behind.

Scenic general manager Anthony Laver says expedition cruisers like the ease and security of booking with a travel agent. “They want the journey smooth.”

COLOURFUL COMPANION

We love luggage. And we particularly love luggage that is “anything but black”. So we’ve been particularly taken this week with outdoor gear company Kathmandu announcing two new colours in their Feather Flight Carry-on luggage range. Welcome . . . Bright Moss (a vivid green) and Berry (a more subtle mulberry shade). Feather Flight Carry-on is Kathmandu’s lightest carry-on, at 1.6kg and with 40 litres of packing volume. The luggage is made from durable, 93 per cent recycled ripstop nylon. It has a hard base, mesh pockets and a laptop sleeve. It has two wheels but can stand on its own. (Nice.) It meets carry-on size restrictions for many airlines and won the 2024 ISPO award for global product innovation. Feather Flight Carry-on luggage is $349.98 from Kathmandu stores and kathmandu.com.au (Casey, my faithful suitcase, is blue .)

COLLAPSE LAUGHING (?)

On the subject of luggage, I once saw a traveller pass out and fall on a baggage carousel. He slowly came around.

ROAMING ROME

Qantas will almost double its capacity on the direct flights between Perth and Rome in 2026. The airline is adding an extra weekly service and extending the seasonal route by eight weeks. It will fly from May 3 to October 23 in 2026. And it goes from three to four flights a week during peak season. That means more than 40 extra services and close to 10,000 seats.

A Qantas spokesperson says: “This longer season will run across the northern summer, capturing Rome’s transition from late spring and early autumn, and will provide more options and greater choice for customers travelling to Rome and onward throughout Italy and Europe.”

We were on the first Qantas Perth to Rome flight in 2022. It made history as the first non-stop flight between Australia and continental Europe by any airline. The spokesperson adds: “Since then, the national carrier’s Rome service has carried over 70,000 passengers, giving Australians the fastest route to Rome and making it easier than ever for Italians and Europeans to make Perth their first stop when visiting Australia.”

ITALY & SICILY

Tour company Collette’s super Southern Italy and Sicily tour (visiting Taormina, Matera and the Amalfi coast) has up to $400 per person off at the moment, bringing the price down to start from $5149 per person, twin share. And that’s for the 12-day tour, staying in six hand-picked hotels, with 20 meals. Palermo, Agrigento, Monreale, Valley of the Temples — brilliant. gocollette.comor 1300 792 196

OFF TO AUCKLAND

From December 2025, Qantas will also launch new non-stop services to Johannesburg in South Africa and Auckland in New Zealand.

ESSENCE OF NZ

AAT Kings has a range of Inspiring Journeys which includes the 18-day Essence of New Zealand. It’s on sale at the moment from $8810 per person, twin share (it was $10,365). Full guided from Christchurch to Wellington, it combines culture and nature with a side serve of gourmet food and wine across both North and South islands. aatkings.com

SRI LANKA SPARKLES

Expect rain in the “emerald season” in Sri Lanka, from now until November. But travellers can also expect the landscape, wildlife viewing and cultural traditions to be at their peak.

There’s the elephant gathering at Minneriya National Park (July to September) — one of Asia’s biggest elephant congregations, and a pretty rare wildlife moment.

In October, many locals celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights. At Resplendent Ceylon award-winning properties across Sri Lanka, there will be evening oil lamp rituals, colourful rangolis and traditional sweets.

Migratory bird season is until November. The Resplendent Ceylon group offers kayaking on the Castlereagh Reservoir, guided nature walks and safaris in Bundala and Udawalawe.

A spokesperson for Resplendent Ceylon’s five properties says: “Guests can also enjoy seasonal menus, family-friendly activities and enriching cultural programs — ensuring an inspiring close to the ‘Emerald Season’ and the year.” This is a reimagining of what was once considered Sri Lanka’s “off-season”, as monsoons refresh the island.

LUXURY TRAIL

Resplendent Ceylon, celebrating its 20th birthday, was set up by the Fernando family, who also founded Dilmah tea. The idea for Resplendent Ceylon was to create and run a number of small luxury resorts, forming a trail across Sri Lanka. There are the five bungalows of Ceylon Tea Trails (opened in 2005 as the world’s first tea bungalow resort); the clifftop Cape Weligama, with 39 villas and suites; Wild Coast Tented Lodge on a secluded beachfront by Yala National Park; Kayaam House in Tangalle; and Ahu Bay in Ahungalla. resplendentceylon.com

MY NEW UMBRELLA

The rain hasn’t quite finished with us in Perth, either, and I can recommend the EuroSchirm Swing Liteflex Umbrella. It weights 209g, has a big canopy of 114cm, and is durable. It has a Teflon coating, making it very water repellent, and dirt resistant. While the EuroSchirm has earned a reputation as a lightweight trekking umbrella, I just keep mine in Casey (my faithful suitcase) all the time, as it’s good to keep sun off, too. And it’s good in the Perth rain. I snagged mine new for $78.95 at one of my favourite online stores, but the usual price is $82.95. wildearth.com.au

KEEPING WARM

While we’re on gear, Thermos has launched its new flagship range, the Icon Series. Its whole ethos is being durable for travellers. There are food jars, water bottles, mugs and tumblers, in a range of new colours like Glacier Blue and Sunset Pink. They all have Thermos’ signature vacuum insulation technology that keeps contents hot for up to 14 hours or cold for 24 hours. Thermos has, of course, been a trusted household name for over 120 years.

NORTHERN LIGHTS

Iceland’s Northern Lights season returns from September to April. There are tours to see the lights once you get there, but most travellers will start and end in Reykjavik — and one trick there is staying at the Reykjavik Edition. It overlooks the Old Harbour and has unobstructed views of Mt Esja and the North Atlantic, and that waterfront aspect just away from the central glow of the city makes it a good place to see the aurora. Many of the hotel’s 253 rooms and suites have floor-to-ceiling windows facing the harbour. The hotel also has excursions to see the Northern Lights. editionhotels.com/reykjavik/

RINGING CELEBRATION

There’s a big celebration coming up in Perth. The Bell Tower will celebrate its 25-year anniversary with free entry and family activities on December 13 and 14. (We’ll have more on this soon.) The Bell Tower has just been recognised in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice awards for 2025, putting it among the top 10 per cent of listings globally.

BIG HISTORY

The Swan Bells include the 12 bells of St Martin-in-the-Fields, which rang out over London’s Trafalgar Square for nearly 300 years. They are recorded to have been in existence from before the 14th century and were recast in the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth I. In 1988, together with five specially cast bells, they were gifted to Perth to commemorate Australia’s bicentenary. They rang out . . .

+ To celebrate England’s victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588.

+ To mark the coronation of every British monarch since King George II in 1727.

+ For every New Year in Trafalgar Square for more than 275 years.

+ When Captain James Cook returned home after his voyage of discovery in 1771.