Pampering in progress

WHEN Cook sailed through the Whitsundays in 1770, the sign "pampering in progress" was never seen on a cabin door. Rectifying this has taken 237 years.

Sea ease ... the 32-cabin catamaran Fantasea Ammari cruises the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef in style.

WHEN James Cook sailed through the Whitsunday Islands in 1770, rations aboard the Endeavour fell far short of oven-roasted barramundi on a leek fondue capped with a scallop mousseline. Sailors were unable to get a decent massage, and the sign "pampering in progress" was never seen on a cabin door.

Rectifying those deficiencies has taken 237 years.

Fantasea Ammari, a 60m, 32-cabin catamaran cruising the Whitsundays, supplies the luxurious touches Cook missed out on, and quite a bit more.

Newly refurbished in Brisbane after a period cruising around Sicily, Ammari (built in Western Australia) has begun a series of three-night cruises from Hamilton Island and Daydream Island Resort. You can sit on deck with the wind in your hair, keep a lookout for dolphins and sip a gin and tonic as the sun sets. Or relax and revive in the day spa, salon, fitness area, sundeck bar, boutique, at the pool or on the dance floor.

My Ammari experience begins at Hamilton Island airport, full of arriving and departing holidaymakers in shorts and T-shirts clambering in and out of golf carts. Minutes after arrival I'm sitting in a powerful Naiad boat – said to be the fastest vessel in the Whitsundays and capable of 40 knots – on my way to the Ammari, sleek and white, anchored a couple of hundred metres offshore. Another 30 minutes, glass of champagne in hand, and the cruise is under way: my fastest embarkation ever.

I'll see plenty more of the Naiad (about the size of a large fishing launch) during the cruise. It accompanies Ammari throughout, too big to be brought aboard but an ideal companion craft for running passengers to secluded beaches or out for island excursions.

Remoteness from day-to-day routine is part of the appeal of a cruise. Only six or so of the 74 Whitsunday islands are inhabited, so prepare to enjoy quiet coastlines fringed with rainforest, and waves lapping at shores frequented only by birds.

Relish the scrunch of white sand between your toes on Whitehaven Beach, spot coral trout at Blue Pearl Bay on Hayman Island, and snorkel among round-faced batfish and redbellied fusiliers off the Reefworld adventure platform at Hardy Reef.

Throughout all this, Ammari remains closer to civilisation than it seems. If passengers need to head ashore – for an urgent board meeting, perhaps, or to return home in a hurry – rest assured the vessel never strays beyond 65km off Hamilton Island. A quick trip in the Naiad back to shore and you can jet off within an hour or so to Brisbane, Sydney or wherever. "Remote yet accessible" is the catchphrase. You're more likely, however, to finish your cruise wishing you could stay aboard for another few days. Ammari's versatile crew delivers service with a Queensland touch that is efficient yet informal and friendly. On the top deck, lie back on red, white and blue towels and relax during a massage or treatment with moisturising body scrub. The hair salon, featuring three giant oval mirrors, gives panoramic views of aquamarine sea and islands.

Cabins are named after birds, islands or fish: mine is Curlew, with a queen bed, ensuite bathroom, vacuum toilet system and Italian-made Etro toiletries. My cabin, like all others, is fully carpeted, with wardrobe, flat-screen TV, air-conditioning and fridge. Ammari is non-smoking throughout and offers three cabin decks, the highest being the Lighthouse Deck, which has no public areas so offers maximum privacy. The Coral Sea Deck (next one down) gives easy access to the lounge bar area, while the James Cook Deck (main deck) contains the reception, boutique, restaurant and pool, as well as cabins.

Ammari carries up to 66 passengers and a crew of 22, who are highly skilled at multitasking. One of the cruise attendants, David O'Brien, for instance, entertains on the guitar, as well as serving as porter, barman and lifeguard. Other crew members turn up smiling in various roles. Cruise itineraries are similarly versatile and can be tailored to suit particular requests or the needs of groups. Highlights include the Reefworld adventure platforms and the silica sands of Whitehaven Beach. Diversions can include impromptu beach cricket or visits to island resorts.

Recreation and sea breezes build hearty appetites, which is where Barry Potter (B.J. to the crew) comes in. He's Ammari's executive chef and culinary expert. Formerly a chef at Brisbane's well-known Pier Nine Oyster Bar and Seafood Grill, Potter has travelled across 33 countries, sampling local cuisine.

His creations include duck rillette and steamed asparagus spears with traditional Spanish risotto and parmesan. Not to mention all kinds of fresh seafood which are imaginatively prepared.

Ammari is particularly magical early in the day. Whitsunday mornings are rhapsodies in blue and green, punctuated occasionally by the calls of passing seabirds. Vessels, in the pale light, range from cruising yachts and tall ships to classic three-masted schooners. Be diverted from a dawn reverie by aerobics or yoga, or move straight to Ripples Restaurant. I dare to tackle the Full Ammari Breakfast: bacon, sausages, roasted roma tomatoes, hash browns, mushrooms, spinach and poached eggs. An unexpected visitor arrives on deck to watch: a magnificent, glossy black rhinoceros beetle, with a single horn protruding from its head. After waiting quietly until I finish my mushrooms, it flies off again into the surrounding rainforest.

Peter Needham was a guest of Tourism Queensland.