SAVE BIG ON WORLD'S LARGEST LUXURY SAILING SHIPS
Star Clippers, operators of three of the world's largest luxury sailing ships, is offering up to 35 % savings for early bookings on many itineraries in its new 2011 program.
The three ships, Royal Clipper, Star Flyer and Star Clipper, generally operate seven to 12-night night cruises throughout the east and west Mediterranean including the French and Italian Rivieras, the Greek Isles and Turkey, and along the Pacific coasts of Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama, plus Atlantic Ocean crossings of up to 35 nights.
The clippers, which blend the romance and pampered ambience of a private yacht and the adventure of traditional tall ship sailing, often visit many small, exotic ports unable to be reached by larger cruise ships.
The highest (35%) early booking discounts for selected cruises in 2011 with a booking deadline of October 31 this year, include Lisbon/Barcelona, Barcelona/Rome, Rome/Lisbon, Lisbon/Malta, Malta/Athens vv, Malta/Malaga, Malaga/LasPalmas, Lisbon/Monaco and eight Atlantic crossings or segments.
Other early booking discounts across the range of Star Clippers itineraries (more than 70 in the Mediterranean alone this season) vary between 10 and 25%.
Prices for the seven-night itineraries including taxes, all meals and entertainment on board start from $2170 per person.
Next season, Star Clippers is offering ten new ports of call on cruises from Istanbul to Athens and six new Mediterranean itineraries.
For reservations contact your travel agent, phone 1300 362 599, or email starclippers@creativecruising.com.au ; for more information about the clippers, go to www.creativecruising.com.au or www.starclippers.com
CRUISE ITALY TO PERTH ABOARD CLASSIC LINER ATHENA
Classic International Cruises will begin its seventh annual season Down Under next summer with it's first-ever voyage from Italy to Australia.
Sailing from Rome on November 14, 2010, Athena's 35-night cruise includes 12 days visiting ports in the Mediterranean, including Naples for trips to Pompeii, an overnight stay in Venice, calls at Dubrovnik, Corfu in the Greek Islands and Athens and an extended visit to Port Said in Egypt to allow passengers to see the Pyramids.
Athena will then sail on to Sri Lanka, Thailand and Singapore before docking in Perth on December 19, 2010, to begin Classic International Cruises' seventh annual program of summer cruises from Western Australia.
The 35-night voyage from Rome to Perth is available from $5995 per person, twin-share (or $171 a day). Single supplements are available at just 25 per cent more in selected cabins.
Athena's onboard currency will be in Australian dollars, meaning there's no loss on currency exchange.
The 600-passenger Athena is a traditional, mid-sized liner boasting an intimate, yacht-like atmosphere, personal, old-fashioned service and fine cuisine as well as traditional wooden deck chairs, marbled reception foyer, pool, fitness centre and sauna, five bars and lounges, nightclub, show lounge, casino, library, boutiques, cinema and two restaurants. And all cabins have a full-sized bath – a luxury only found in suites on the latest superliners.
Once in Perth, Athena will sail a dozen cruises out of the city this coming summer.
Bookings are available via travel agents. For general shipboard information, visit www.classicintcruises.com
DISCOUNTS UP TO $4000 ON RIVER CRUISES
BEYOND Travel has just released discounts of between $3000 and $4000 per couple on the entire range of Viking River cruises for 2011.
They apply to a range of cruises operating in Eastern and Western Europe, Russia and China for 2011, involving 20 itineraries and over 400 departures, including Russia's three best ships for 2011 the Viking Surkov and Kirov and new for 2011 the renovated Viking Pakhomov.
Included in the discounts is the brand new 11-day "Passage to Eastern Europe" from Budapest to Bucharest, cruising the Danube River through Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania, including two nights in Budapest, which is now priced from $2799 per person twin share.
Another is the popular 13-day Waterways of the Czars from St Petersburg to Moscow or vice verse, now on sale from $4599 per person twin share including complimentary return private car transfers. Aboard the fully renovated Viking Surkov, Kirov or Pakhamov, there are 58 departures between May and October 2011.
All cruise prices include all meals, comprehensive shore excursions, complimentary wine with dinner, gratuities and port taxes.
More details from 1300-363 554 or email info@beyondtravel.com.au
BALI GARDEN TEES UP COMB GOLF-'N-STAY PACKAGES
THE Bali Garden Beach Resort is now offering clients the opportunity to play a round of golf at Bali's newest championship golfing facility as part of the launch of its new 'Bali Garden Golf Club' concept.
Partnering with the New Kuta Golf Club at nearby Pecatu, the South Kuta-based hotel's new release four-night accommodation packages come inclusive of a round of 18 holes complete with cart and caddy, an après-game aromatherapy session per room and daily breakfast.
Prices for the four-night Bali Garden Golf package lead in at AUD320.00* per person which includes a round of golf for one person per room, a three-hour aromatherapy session per room and daily breakfast for two.
A seven-day night option is priced from AUD574.00* per person which includes two rounds of golf per room and a six hour aromatherapy session per room and daily breakfast for two.
Extra rounds of golf, priced from RPH500, 000 (around AUD60.00), can be easily booked via the hotel.
Opened in 2007 the Ronald Freeman-designed eighty-five hectare eighteen hole New Kuta Golf Club is now one of Indonesia's most prestigious links and regularly hosts some of Asia's most important tournaments including the 2010 Ladies Open Golf Tournament.
*Conditions apply. The offer is valid for sale until 31 March 2011.
For more information, please contact the Bali Garden Beach Hotel via email at info@baligardenbeachresort.com or visit www.baligardenbeachresort.com.
For more information on the New Kuta Golf Club, visit www.newkutagolf.com.
