New cruise goes Los Angeles to South Pacific and back

Silversea Cruises has announced plans for an epic voyage from Los Angeles to the South Pacific and back -- a first for the line.

The 64-day "Southern Cross" sailing on the 540-passenger Silver Spirit will kick off on Jan. 22, 2015 and include calls in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, the Fiji Islands, Samoa and Kiribati.

Also on the itinerary are several stops in Australia and New Zealand as well as Hawaii.

The trip will include 32 calls in all, plus a visit to New Zealand's scenic Dusky and Milford sounds.

Highlights of the sailing will include overnight stays Papeete, Tahiti; Melbourne, Australia and Sydney.

Fares for the voyage start at $25,695 per person, based on double occupancy, including a gala Bon Voyage dinner and pre-cruise overnight stay at a luxury hotel, a $2,000 on-board spending credit (per suite), and commemorative gifts.

Also recently announcing an epic cruise across the Pacific from the West Coast was Holland America, which plans a 78-day sailing to Asia and back from Seattle in late 2014.