True North Cruises Facilities & Activities

Welcome Aboard

The TRUE NORTH allows discerning adventurers to experience wilderness in surroundings more akin to one of the world’s most exclusive hotels! Guests are able to take advantage of a number of lavish vantage points including a sundeck, a forward observation lounge, a ship’s lounge and an alfresco bar. The ship’s naturalist presents interpretative information on plasma screens and, an internet café enables convenient communication with the outside world.

A popular venue on any North Star cruise, the lower deck dining room offers the ultimate in comfort and uninterrupted vista – large panoramic windows ensure that guests never miss any of the action, even when they are enjoying the ‘finest in fine dining’. All cabins feature stylish décor, en-suite facilities, in-house entertainment and satellite telephones. The Explorer Class staterooms and the River Class cabins offer king size beds that can be converted to singles and the Ocean Class twins feature roomy single beds.

Multiple expedition boats provide guests with greater opportunity to do “what they want, when they want” and, to add yet another dimension to adventure, most cruise options feature an onboard helicopter! The purpose-built TRUE NORTH is able to explore the upper reaches of shallow river systems – guests need only step out of their cabins to experience wilderness and, the latest in computer-controlled motion stabilizers ensure a comfortable ride.

Cuisine

The platform for dining on board the TRUE NORTH is sustainable, organic and very Australian cuisine. The ship’s menus are also destination-inspired and feature the very best of locally sourced ingredients. Modern technology is used to showcase alongside the more traditional methods.

The galley delivers continuously evolving dishes drawing from an array of different cuisines to ensure that each dining experience is unique to every cruise.

A ‘Farm to Table’ event with a difference – intriguing rock-art points to a nearby harvest of plenty. See the story panels and ponder how life once was. Then join gatherers of more recent times and indulge in succulent oysters collected in the gallery’s early morning light. Sample straight from the sea washed down with champagne or savour for a Kimberley sunset and, oysters on the bow.

A crowd-pleaser TRUE NORTH style. Kilpatrick with corn-fed black pig pancetta. Roasted with organic maple syrup until candied and crisp and dressed with home-brewed tamarind tomato ragout – then slowly grilled in the shell. Naturals – lightly seasoned with Murray River sea salt, black pepper and citrus juice. Kimberley Sunsets drizzled with salmon roe, sour cream, lemon juice and vodka.

It’s not very often that you find an opportunity to accompany your chef as he or she hand-picks the evening’s fare. It’s even more unique to stand side by side as you negotiate with an un-negotiable mud crab, an aerial barramundi or a marauding mackerel. Hear their stories, witness skill beyond the galley and, make your own contribution to the menu. Land the catch of the day and then stay alongside as the chef demonstrates the processes involved – from the sea to your plate, a dining experience that practices what TRUE NORTH preaches – sustainable, organic and very Australian.

And the food style is to “let the fish do the talking” – only highlighting ingredients that accentuate the natural sweetness and flavours of the fillet. Perhaps for lunch – seared barramundi, Broome mango & mud crab millet, roasted macadamias and mint salad.

Sunset drinks on the beach are always a feature of a TRUE NORTH cruise. And here waits yet another opportunity to spend time with their masters of Australian cuisine. As the chef prepares fish in the smoker and sizzles mud crabs in the coals – share the flavours of the day and drink in the stunning colour of days-end.

Delicate finger-mark bream smoked with Raft Point lemongrass mixed with melaleuca paper-bark and red wine oak chips. Freshly caught mud crab baked-on red gum coals and served ceviche on the beach.

Then spend some time again when the chefs introduce the five component cheese board served mild through to most robust and complimented with fine Australian wine. Benefit from personal tasting notes and learn history and technique.

The galley door is always open and guests on the TRUE NORTH are always encouraged to spend time with the chefs. You might encounter freshly prepared breakfast items like jams, marmalade, artisan honeys, or oil infused bread rolls made daily for the lunch and dinner settings. See butchery or fish mongering, jus and stock creation, curing, smoking, gently pressing and marinating with a Cryovac machine or cooking with a thermo regulated water bath. Watch them roll pasta, discuss how they prepare sashimi or simply take a photo to remind just how much you indulged whilst on-board the mighty TRUE NORTH.

Cultural Experiences

Rock Art

Learn the history and culture of the First Australians. View this art in hidden rocky outcrops across the Northern and Southern Kimberley coastline. The Northern Kimberley is home to the controversial Bradshaw art (or Gwion Gwion) and the Southern Kimberley coastline, as far as the northern reaches of the Mitchell Plateau, is home to a vast array of Wandjina rock art sites.

PNG Culture

The TRUE NORTH first visited untamed Papua New Guinea in 2005. Since then we have added undiscovered West Papua to our sailing schedule and continually refined our itineraries to ensure that they are filled with only the highest quality experiences – the highlight being countless encounters with the overwhelming hospitality of those who are fortunate to call these untouched paradises home. Explore the untouched culture of the Sepik river communities and be intrigued by their ancient traditions and way of life.

Fishing

If you’re looking for experienced and knowledgeable fishing instructors look no further than the guides aboard the True North. Regardless of whether you are a beginner or an ‘expert’, you will benefit from our ‘local’ knowledge ensuring unequalled opportunity from the remote Kimberley to untouched West Papua and the rarely fished islands of the Eyre Peninsula.

Our Seven Seas in Seven Seasons calendar presents an array of species to challenge fisherpersons of every calibre. You will be presented with a convenient opportunity to do battle with some of the world’s most revered sports fish. The iconic barramundi, the elusive mangrove jack, finger mark bream, golden snapper, jewfish, pink snapper, delectable whiting and even the mighty sailfish are all on the agenda!

With six expedition vessels (not zodiacs) accompanying the True North, guests have greater opportunity to do “what they want, when they want.” The luxury of so many dedicated expedition boats means that we can always allocate craft to different fishing styles and to varying degrees of experience. Fish in comfort and receive the individual attention that the True North is famous for.

The ship’s helicopter also adds unique dimension to fishing on the True North. Heli-fishing is one of our most popular activities – fly over stunning wilderness in air-conditioned comfort to an otherwise inaccessible location! Who could pass up the opportunity to fish where perhaps no one has fished before?

The True North carries a full complement of high quality fishing equipment on all cruises. Rods, reels and hand lines are provided for your complimentary convenience however keen anglers are welcome to bring their own gear (6-8kg bait casting outfits are recommended). Lures are available on a replace if you lose basis.

Our chef’s love to be a part of the fishing action – when the ‘hunters and gathers’ return to their home away from home, the chefs will delight in preparing a lunch or dinner that truly reaps the rewards of your efforts! Our chefs particularly enjoy mud crabbing – not only will they show you how to prepare unforgettable fare; they will also be right by your side when you battle these cantankerous adversaries!

Who can, you can! From the “never fished” to the “I’ve caught ‘em all”, our guides encourage all onboard to join in the action and multiple expedition boats always allow opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of fishing styles in small groups of equal ability!

Ladies, fishing isn’t just for the men, in fact, on the True North it may just be the other way around! Things might start a little slowly but in our experience, once that first fish is in the esky – there’s no stopping the fairer sex! You may just surprise yourself – one of our most common guest comments is “I’ve never given fishing a thought – now I can’t get enough!”