Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia: Well-travelled Today Show weatherman Steve Jacobs is no stranger to some of the most beautiful destinations on earth but even he admits it’s hard to match a week aboard a palatial Riviera in Australia’s wonderful Whitsundays.

The loveable larrikin and his crew were the guests of Riviera and two generous Riviera owners as he crossed live to a national audience from the turquoise waters surrounding the world-famous famous islands off Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef, openly sharing his new-found love of the Riviera-inspired lifestyle.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” he declared as the sun rose and started to shine into the cockpit of the Riviera flagship 75 Enclosed Flybridge, Seabreeze. “There are 74 islands in the Whitsundays and now there’s one more – this big and beautiful 75-foot Riviera.”

Riviera 70 Enclosed Flybridge owner Peter Teakle provided Steve and his crew with the services of the magnificent Born to Battle as mother ship for the live crosses from a number of well-known destinations, including Whitehaven Beach, Manta Ray Bay, Stonehaven, Anchorage and South Molle Island, where a satellite dish was set up to beam images 42km into space, and back to the Today Show studio in Sydney.

After filming was finished each day, the cast and crew then set about enjoying the experience, swimming, snorkeling and playing with the water toys, as well as being treated to some very fine dining.

Steve, on his final morning cross for the adventure, said: “This is one of the best trips we have ever done!”

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