Jetsettersblog

Windstar to sail from Venice

Luxury yacht cruise operator Windstar is to run fly-cruises from Venice next summer as part of deployment plans for 2009-2010.

Return sailings from the Italian city will be run by each of the company’s three vessels, 312-passenger Wind Surf and 148-passenger Wind Star and Wind Spirit.

The voyages will take in destinations in Croatia such as Rovinj, Split and Dubrovnik.

New ports to feature in the line’s new Voyage Planner include L’lle Rousse in France and Ischia in Italy.

Mediterranean departures next summer will run from Barcelona, Lisbon, Nice and Rome (Civitavecchia) in addition to Venice. Itineraries of between six and eight nights have been scheduled.

Greek island fly-cruises on Wind Star lead-in at £2,279 per person for seven nights between Athens and Istanbul departing the UK on July 9, 2009.

Wind Surf will operate seven-night Caribbean sailings from Barbados and Wind Spirit from St Thomas this winter. Wind Star winter itineraries cover the Panama Canal, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

The company has also re-established its Signature Collection Series featuring guest lecturers on selected cruises next year covering subjects such as wine, art, food and sports.

Croatia Hosts Summer Fests

Croatia is holding several festivals this summer. The Dubrovnik Summer Festival ( www.dubrovnik-festival.hr)  to Aug. 25, uses open-air stages to host about 80 plays, ballets, operas and musical performances, literary events, exhibitions, poetry recitals and more.

The Kastav Cultural Summer (www.kkl.hr) runs through Aug. 29 in Kastav, a small town close to the city of Rijeka on northern Adriatic coast. During summer months, Kastav becomes a center where many cultural events take place. Concerts, theater and dance performances and much more is happening in this small inland town that’s becoming more popular as a tourist destination in the past few years.

The Split Summer Festival (www.splitsko-ljeto.hr), to Aug. 14, features opera, theater, dance and music. It takes place on locations in and around the city, including the Diocletian’s Palace.

Call the Croatian National Tourist Office at 800-829-4416 or visit www.croatia.hr

Tripwolf Free Guides to Europe

Tripwolf.com, a social travel guide that specializes in Europe but also offers content about other pats of the world, is targeting the U.S. market. It combines professional editorial content with user-generated content from travelers worldwide. Tripwolf is backed by MairDumont, Europe’s largest publisher of travel guides, including Baedeker, Dumont and Marco Polo. Through collaboration with tripwolf, MairDumont has put all of its content - covering more than 200,000 destinations and points of interest - online for free.

For more information, visit www.tripwolf.com

Blue Water Launches The Desktop Cruise

Now everyone can plan their cruise and explore cruise ports from a computer screen using a new online program from Blue Water Holidays.

The online cruise and boating specialist has created a webpage where anyone can go, select the cruise ports they wish to visit, then click to generate a Google Earth virtual cruise travelling between the ports. “Viewers can pause and zoom in to explore each port, then continue their virtual cruise” says Barry Peters, Blue Water Holidays Managing Director. “This allows everyone to see where the cruise port is in relation to nearby towns, and even to see where the nearest airport is in relation to the cruise terminals”.

Technically known as a ‘mash-up’, the Blue Water Desktop Cruise covers ports worldwide, and includes links to port reviews written by visitors and other sources. “We feel this is an extra aid to help people choose where to go for their cruise – destinations are now becoming the main factor in cruise choices” added Barry Peters.

Blue Water has added the Desktop Cruise to its mainstream cruise website at www.cruisesonline.co.uk . A modified version is also available on its Europe river cruise website at www.cruisingholidays.co.uk which shows a Google Earth view of the towns and cities visited on over 60 cruises on rivers such as the Rhine and Danube.

Web Links

Ocean Desktop Cruises:
http://www.cruisesonline.co.uk/desktop-cruise.asp

Europe River Desktop Cruises:
http://www.cruisingholidays.co.uk/river-cruise-search.asp

Avalon Waterways adds Ships in 2009

Avalon Waterways is embarking on its most aggressive growth to date in 2009, offering more than 25 vacations in Europe, China, Egypt and the Galàpagos, as well introducing two new ships.

To meet increased demand, Avalon has created six new river cruises for 2009, ranging from 8 to 23 days. They include “Christmas in the Heart of Germany, eight days between Frankfurt and Prague, priced from $1,709; “Windmills, Vineyards & Paris,” 13 or 14 Days between Paris and Amsterdam priced from $3,529; “Blue Danube to the Black Sea,” 14 Days between Vienna and Bucharest priced from $3,559; “European Splendor, 13 Days between Amsterdam and Vienna from $3,649; “North Sea-Black Sea,” 23 Days between Amsterdam and Bucharest from $6,729; and “Fascinating China & Mongolia with Yangtze River Cruise,” 18 Days between Shanghai and Beijing from $5,709.

On the heels of christening the Avalon Scenery in France this spring, Avalon is launching two ships in Europe in 2009 — the Avalon Affinity and Avalon Creativity — bringing the European fleet total to eight. Avalon ships feature contemporary design, state-of-the art technology and staterooms that boast floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors. Avalon Waterways is offering an early-booking promotion.

Those booking travel by Aug. 31 can receive $300 off the air-inclusive price or $125 off the cruise-only price of a 2009 Globus or Avalon Waterways cruise. Also new for 2009 is the 18-day China and Mongolia package that includes a four-night cruise on the Yangtze River. The vacation includes visits to the Yu Yuan Gardens in Shanghai, the Terracotta Warriors in Xian and Mongolia’s Gobi Desert (including a stay in a traditional ger). This vacation is priced from $5,709 cruise and land-only, including intra-tour flights.

For more information, call 800-221-0090 or visit www.globusfamilypartner.com  or www.avalonwaterways.com

MSC Cruises Credits on 2009 Europe Sailings

MSC Cruises is offering shipboard credits to those who book 2009 Europe sailings by July 31. The amount of the shipboard credit will be determined by the type of stateroom booked. An interior stateroom booking will lead to a $25 shipboard credit per person for a maximum of $50 per stateroom.

Ocean-view staterooms include $50 shipboard credit per person for a maximum $100 per stateroom. Balcony staterooms net a $100 shipboard credit per person for a maximum $200 per stateroom).

Fares for the line’s 2009 Mediterranean and Northern Europe itineraries begin at $799 per person, double occupancy, for a seven-night cruise. Children under the age of 17 sail free on all sailings when sharing a stateroom with two full-fare-paying adults, and guests need only place a deposit of $100 per person.

The company’s new MSC Fantasia will debut in December, followed in June 2009 by sister ship MSC Splendida. They will offer an exclusive VIP area of 99 suites (up to 700 square feet), plus a bar, solarium, two Jacuzzis, a pool with sky dome, and butler service. After its December christening in Naples, MSC Fantasia will sail two eight-night roundtrips from Genoa: the Dec. 20 sailing calls at Rhodes, Alexandria, Messina and Naples, while the Dec. 28 itinerary visits Barcelona, Lisbon, Malaga and Civitavecchia. The ship will then sail 11-night Western Mediterranean and Canary Islands roundtrips from Genoa that call in Barcelona, Funchal, Tenerife, Arrecife, Malaga and Civitavecchia through March 1, when it will begin seven-night “Mediterranean Fantasy” roundtrips from Barcelona to Marseille, Genoa, Naples, Palermo, La Goulette, and Palma.

MSC Splendida will begin its inaugural season June 29, 2009, sailing “The Splendid Mediterranean,” roundtrip seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries from Barcelona through November.

MSC Poesia, which debuted in spring 2008, will spend the winter sailing alternating 11-night “Eastern Mediterranean and Egypt” itineraries with Western Mediterranean and Canary Islands itineraries roundtrip from Genoa. In April, it will begin a series of seven-night “Turkish Treasure and Croatian Coasts” Eastern Mediterranean itineraries from Venice.

The MSC Musica will operate seven-night “Greek Islands in the Sun” cruises from Venice April through October. MSC Sinfonia offers seven-night “Sparking Rivieras” Western Mediterranean itineraries from Livorno, from late April through October. MSC Opera will operate seven-night “Jewels of the Adriatic” roundtrips from Trieste in fall 2009.

MSC Orchestra will offer eight-night “Iberian Discovery” cruises from Barcelona in fall 2009, while MSC Lirica is set for seven-night “Mediterranean Marvels” roundtrip from Civitavecchia (Rome) in fall 2009.

MSC Cruises also will have three ships in Northern Europe in 2009. MSC Lirica will offer 11-night “Treasures of the Russian Czars,” “Fairytale Towns and Towering Fjords” and “Voyage to the Top of the World” itineraries from Dover May through August. MSC Opera will alternate 11-night “Czarist Russia Revealed” and “Land of the Midnight Sun” from Copenhagen May-June; alternating seven-night “Baltic Beauty and Russian Treasures” and “Route of the Vikings” from Copenhagen July-August. MSC Orchestra will alternate seven-night “Baltic Castles and Russian Palaces” and “Fascinating Fjordlands” from Copenhagen May-September.

MSC Cruises offers alternate departure ports, such as Bari, Valencia, Kiel and Amsterdam, on many itineraries. For more information, visit www.msccruisesusa.com.

Peter Deilmann 2009 British Isles Europe Cruises

Peter Deilmann Cruises’ roster of four 12- and 13-night British Isles/Western Europe voyages call at an eclectic group of destinations, including Norway’s Oslo and Bergen; the Scottish Highland’s and Leith, the port for Edinburgh; London and Liverpool, England; Dublin, Cobh and Belfast in Ireland; Amsterdam; and Bruges and Oostende, Belgium.

The May and June 2009 departures, aboard the company’s intimate and luxurious flagship, the 513-guest MS Deutschland, range in price from $5,510 to $17,090, per person, double. As a special incentive Deilmann is offering its $99 air and shore excursion package — providing roundtrip air from 73 North American gateways and free transfers to the ship as well as a package of pre-arranged shore excursions, valued at up to $600. Groups of five couples or more save an additional 10% off the published cruise fares.

The itinerary series kicks off on May 9, 2009 with a 12-night cruise ($5,860 to $17,090) focusing on Scotland and Western Europe. Sailing roundtrip from Hamburg, the ship first visits Norway, spending a full day in Oslo, the country’s capital, and a day at the picturesque and historic port town of Bergen. In Scotland, guests step ashore in Leith for visits to Edinburgh, with its innumerable 15th-century buildings and Edinburgh Castle, an ancient stronghold that dominates the city’s skyline; and Lerwick, the chief town of the Shetland Islands.

Other British Isles highlights include the perennial tourism favorite, London, before the ship sails to Oostende, Belgium, which rose to the status of “city” in 1265. The vessel overnights in Amsterdam with its 7,000 registered historic buildings and 1,200 bridges spanning 160 canals.

On May 21, England, Scotland and Ireland take center stage on a music-themed cruise, sailing roundtrip from Hamburg ($5,840 to $16,690), spending two days in London before heading off to Scotland’s Aberdeen, with its sparkling granite buildings and arresting skyline; and Ullapool, whose spectacular natural setting is ideal for outdoor pursuits. In-depth exploration of Ireland begins with an overnight in Dublin, where guests can walk the handsome Georgian streets and squares and explore cathedrals and museums.

This voyage also visits Cobh, Ireland’s main emigration port between 1844 and 1940 when 2.5 million Irish citizens headed to North America, and Belgium’s Bruges, a World Heritage site with winding cobbled alleys, romantic canals reminiscent of medieval times.

MS Deutschland’s June 27 departure features a 12-night voyage, roundtrip from Hamburg ($5,500 to $15,580), with a focus on Ireland and Great Britain, including an overnight call in London; and a call in Milford Haven, Wales, founded as a whaling center in the 18th century. The English port of Portland Harbour, one of the venues for the 2012 Olympic Games; Dublin; and Belfast are also included with overnight stays in each. In Northern Scotland, travelers take in Portree, the capital and largest settlement on the stunning Isle of Skye in the Hebrides; and the Orkney Island’s Kirkwall, whose most significant attraction is its magnificent cathedral, believed to be one of the finest such buildings in northern Scotland.

The series also features a 12- night voyage commencing September 10, 2009 with calls in Amsterdam, Bruges and London to begin this rich itinerary. A visit to Milford Haven, Wales and an overnight in Liverpool, the center of 1960s youth culture synonymous with the Beatles is on tap before a port call in Ullapool, Scotland with its lovely harbor and pretty mountain views.

Deilmann’s MS Deutschland features a variety of accommodations, all with fine moldings and artwork, classic furnishings, picture windows marble-tiled bathrooms with full-size showers; suites are also equipped with bathtubs.

The nine-deck ship offers passengers a choice of three gourmet restaurants, an outdoor dining terrace plus seven bars and cafes. Other amenities include a spacious library lounge; outdoor and indoor pools; three sun decks; open-air promenade deck; grand ballroom for nightly entertainment and dancing; and fitness and spa facilities.

Peter Deilmann Cruises offers Business Class airfares for an additional supplement on selected itineraries. Port charges are $125 per person, additional. Travelers arranging their own air receive an allowance of $750 per person, deductible from the cruise fare.

Details on the cruises, $99 air/excursion package and other amenities, are available from travel agents or Peter Deilmann Ocean Cruises at 1-800-348-8287 or by E-mail at pdcmail@deilmann-cruises.com  Cruises itineraries, deck plans and ship photos are online at www.deilmann-cruises.com

Family Holiday With The Adventure Company

From Kung Fu and pandas in China to the archaeological mysteries of Peru, The Adventure Company’s family trips are offering all the drama and excitement of Hollywood’s new releases this summer.

Below, The Adventure Company recommends the best trips and destinations for families looking to re-create the adventures of the silver screen.

An epic voyage around China - As seen in Kung Fu Panda; The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor; and The Forbidden Kingdom

China is the setting for three of this summer’s big family films and the Adventure Company’s Land of the Dragon tour encapsulates the thrills and enchanting scenery of each. Beginning in Beijing, families will visit the magnificent Forbidden City and the Great Wall before taking an overnight train to Luoyang. Here, you will see true Kung Fu masters in action at Song Shan, home to the legendary Shaolin Monks. And although they may not be of the high-kicking variety, the Giant Pandas at the Chengdu Breeding and Research Centre are still an incredible sight. Another major highlight of the tour is the Terracotta Army in Xian, which comes to life in a formidable fashion in the third film in the Mummy series. Families had better hope the army stays sleeping during their visit…

The 15-day Land of the Dragon tour departs on 17th August 2008 and costs from £2,219 per child (minimum age five) and £2,349 per adult. October half-term departures are also available from £1,569 per person. Prices include flights, transportation, activities and excursions as listed in the itinerary, plus the services of a knowledgeable local guide. No further local payments are necessary.

For further details on Land of the Dragon, see this link:

Fantasy lands – As seen in Journey to the Center of the Earth; Prince Caspian

Confession time – there are some places even The Adventure Company can’t take you, the centre of the Earth and Narnia being just two. But that doesn’t mean its trips can’t offer a taste of the same action.

The Journey to the Center of the Earth begins on a mountainous landscape before travellers are thrust deep beneath the surface of the earth on a voyage of the unknown. Learn the essential skills to prepare yourself for the journey – and visit the cave which legend says took Orpheus to the underworld - on the Bulgaria Activity Week. The first two days will be spent on challenges including orienteering, kayaking, walking and a rope course - all of which need to be successfully completed in order to win the key to the hotel for the next night. Families will then have their own underground adventure at the Devil’s Throat Cave, where it is said Orpheus started his journey into the depths of the earth.

Bulgaria Activity Week costs from £579 per child and £729 per adult for departures in August 2008. For full details, see this link:

Just like Narnia, the plains of Africa are home to strange and wonderful creatures – this is your chance to see Aslan in his natural habitat, ruling over the kingdom. The Adventure Company’s Rift Valley Adventure includes camping on the rim of the Ngorongoro crater and game drives in the Serengeti where you can spot giraffe, wildebeest, elephant and cheetah as well as mighty lions. The 10-day trip costs from £1,529 per child and £1,659 per adult in summer 2008.

For full details on the Rift Valley Family Adventure, see this link:

An Indianadventure in Peru – As seen in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Get your hat and whip at the ready for an Indiana Jones adventure in Peru on the Land of the Incas tour. Explore the archaeological wonders of the ‘lost city’ of Machu Picchu and Sillustani – a pre-Incan burial ground where you can hear about the traditions of mummifying bodies. But are the ancient mummies hiding any crystal skulls? Families will also visit the Incan capital of Cusco and the floating reed islands of Lake Titicaca. If this isn’t enough adventure, an Amazon Jungle Extension can be added on to the trip. Families will travel by plane and then by motorised canoe to a lodge on the Tambopata River where they will have two nights to explore the mighty Amazon rainforest.

There are four departure dates in August 2008 on the 15-day Land of the Incas tour, including two particularly for families with teenage children. Prices start from £1,979 per child and £2,229 per adult. The Amazon Jungle Extension is available at an extra cost.

For further details on Land of the Incas, see this link:

About The Adventure Company’s Family Adventures

The Adventure Company is a pioneer of family holidays, with almost a hundred inspiring journeys worldwide incorporating adventure activities, cultural discovery and wildlife encounters. The company’s dedicated family brochure includes Infant Adventures for children as young as two and Teenage Adventures, aimed at older kids looking for a bit more of a challenge.

Families travel together in small groups, meaning that both parents and kids can mix with like-minded people of their own age. With almost a third of family bookings containing only one adult, The Adventure Company has also established single parent departure dates on many of its trips.

All of The Adventure Company’s trips can be booked on a land-only basis for customers preferring to book their own international flights.

For further information on The Adventure Company, or to book any of the trips outlined above, see www.adventurecompany.co.uk  or telephone 0845 609 0890.

CIE Tours Small Group Tours

CIE Tours International launched Circle of Families & Friends, a program of customized escorted tours for small groups of 10 or more people to Ireland, Britain, Italy, Eastern Europe and European River cruising.

The small group concept was inspired by the title of the book and movie Circle of Friends by Irish author, Maeve Binchy. The program uses mini-coaches, so that each group remains independent and free to pursue a special tailor-made itinerary. To talk to a Group Travel Specialist call 800-223-6508.

For more information, call 800-CIE-TOUR or visit www.cietours.com

Hilton HHonors Announces New Alliances

Hilton HHonors launched a new alliance with AirBerlin, allowing HHonors members to Double Dip and earn HHonors points plus AirBerlin topbonus award miles during the same stay at all Hilton Family hotels worldwide.

As Germany’s second largest airline, AirBerlin operates flights to cities across Europe, Africa, America and Asia. HHonors members and AirBerlin topbonus members can now earn 500 topbonus award miles per stay when they Double Dip at Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations Club and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection hotels.

The relationship also gives HHonors members the opportunity to exchange HHonors points for topbonus miles. HHonors and AirBerlin topbonus are also supplying a special launch offer, which rewards topbonus members with double award miles when they book online and stay at select Hilton Family hotels in Europe until Sept. 1, 2008.

Participating hotels include: Hilton Barcelona, Hilton Berlin, Hilton Bonn, Hilton Bremen, Hilton Cologne, Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona, Hilton Dortmund, Hilton Dresden, Hilton Dusseldorf, Hilton Frankfurt, Hilton Mainz, Hilton Mainz City, Hilton Madrid Airport, Hilton Munich City, Hilton Munich Park, Hilton Nuremberg, Hilton Sa Torre Mallorca, Hilton Valencia, Hilton Garden Inn Struttgart NeckarPark, and Hilton Buenavista Toledo.

For more information on this marketing alliance, visit www.HiltonHHonors.com/airberlin.

Additionally, Hilton HHonors also announced a new marketing alliance with the Nordic region’s largest airline, SAS Scandinavian Airlines. The collaboration allows HHonors members to Double Dip and earn HHonors points and SAS EuroBonus points during the same stay at Hilton Family hotels worldwide.HHonors and SAS Scandinavian Airlines are also supplying a special launch offer, which rewards SAS EuroBonus members with double SAS EuroBonus points when they book online and stay at participating Hilton Family hotels across Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden until Aug. 15, 2008.

Participating hotels include: Helsinki Vantaa Airport, Helsinki Strand, Helsinki Kalastajatorppa, Stockholm Slussen, Reykjavik Nordica, Copenhagen Airport, Malmo City.

For more information about this marketing alliance, visit www.hiltonhhonors.com/sas

As an ongoing part of this relationship, SAS EuroBonus members can earn 500 EuroBonus points per stay when they Double Dip at Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations Club and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection.

For more information, call 800-HHONORS or visit

www.HiltonHHonors.com