Jetsettersblog

After branching out from Ireland and Britain into Italy three years ago, CIE Tours International is expanding further into Italy with three new vacations for 2009 including a first-ever Italy/Ireland escorted tour and an Italy/Sicily combination escorted tour, according to Brian W. Stack, managing director of CIE Tours International. The Italy vacations are described in Ireland & Britain with Italy and Eastern Europe 2009, a new 108-page brochure and on the CIE Tours website, www.cietours.com

The 2009 Italy program offers vacations ranging in duration from 8 to 15 days, including three new choices: Italian and Irish Jaunt (15 days/13 nights/21 meals) blends the blends the highlights of both countries.

The itinerary, which spends six nights in Italy and seven in Ireland, starts in Venice, and then heads south to Verona, Florence, Tuscany, Umbria and Rome.

 Activities include half-day walking tours in Venice and Florence with local guides, glass-blowing demonstration in Venice, tour/tasting at a vineyard in Torgiano, a tour of Rome, and a guided tour of the Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Flying from Rome to Ireland, the tour then visits Dublin, Cashel, Blarney, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Connemara and Clonmacnoise. Activities include a Dublin open-top bus tour with Guinness or Jameson visit, ferry ride across the Shannon River, catamaran cruise on Killarney Fjord and all admission charges per itinerary. Departures are on Saturdays and begin April 4 and continue through Nov. 28. Prices begin at $2,742 for land-only.

Italian Classic (eight days/six nights/nine meals) is designed for first-time clients to Italy. It covers all the must-see destinations from Venice to Rome including Verona, Florence, Tuscany, Umbria and Torgiano. Activities include walking tours in Venice and Florence with local guides, glass-blowing demonstration in Venice, tour/tasting at Lungarotti Vineyards, panoramic tour of Rome with photo stop at the Colisseum, guided tour of the Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica, and all admission charges per itinerary. A seven-night version of this tour is also available, with an extra day/night in Rome. Departures are on Saturdays, and run from April 4 through Nov. 28. Prices start at $1,698 for land-only.

Italian and Sicilian Classic (14 days/12 nights/20 meals) is for clients with more time. The vacation combines six nights in mainland Italy with six nights on the island of Sicily. The itinerary begins in Venice and goes to Verona, Florence, Tuscany, Umbria, Torgiano, and Rome. After two days in Rome, the itinerary switches to Sicily to visit Palermo, Agrigento and Taormina. Activities include half-day walking tours in Venice and Florence with local guides, half-day sightseeing tours with local guides to Palermo and Mondello, Valley of the Temples, Roman Villa Del Casale in Piazza Armerina, and Neapolis Archaeological Park, glass-blowing demonstration in Venice, tour/tasting at Lungarotti Vineyards and Marsala Winery, panoramic tour of Rome with photo stop at the Colisseum, guided tour of the Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica, an excursion to the slopes of Mt. Etna and all admission charges per itinerary. Departures are on Saturdays, April 4 through Nov. 28. Prices start at $2,896 for land-only.

In 2009, CIE Tours will also be repeating the Sicilian Spirit (eight days/six nights/11 meals), a one-week vacation that concentrates on Sicily, and the Roman Experience (six days/four nights/four meals), a hosted independent vacation, staying four nights at the same hotel in Rome. CIE Tours’ escorted tours of Italy all use superior first class (four-star) hotels, and are accompanied by a professional English-speaking tour escort who is not only a guide, but also a companion who explains local customs and menus choices, arranges VIP entry into attractions, and smoothes the itinerary path every step of the way. The tour prices also include transportation by deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach; all hotel rooms with private bath; buffet breakfast with a selection of cold dishes; dinners as specified in each itinerary; all admissions, activities and visits as outlined; deluxe flight bag, ticket wallet, luggage tags and strap; and all local taxes, hotel service charges, and porterage for one suitcase per person.

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

The newly-renovated Hotel Raito, located along the shores of Italy’s Amalfi Coast, is offering a winter break special. With rates starting at 200 euros, based on double occupancy, per room, with a two-night minimum valid Nov. 1 to Dec. 26, 2008, and Jan. 4 to March 31, 2009, Hotel Raito’s Winter Break Package features accommodations; one welcome dinner from the daily menu, excluding beverages; entrance to the spa; and a 10 percent rate reduction on treatments.

For more information, call 011-39-089-763-4111 or visit www.ragostahotels.com.

Costa is featuring two trans-Atlantic sailings aboard the Costa Fortuna at fares starting at $699.

Offered are a 15-night positioning voyage departing Savona, Italy, on Dec. 6, to Fort Lauderdale, and a 17-night sailing departing Fort Lauderdale on March 17 en route to Savona.

The first voyage visits Barcelona; Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands; Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadeloupe; St. Maarten; Catalina Island; Dominican Republic; and Nassau, Bahamas.

The March 15 voyage stops in Nassau, Catalina Island, St. Maarten, Pointe-A-Pitre, Barbados, St. Cruz de Tenerife, Funchal, Barcelona and Savona.

The 105,000-ton Costa Fortuna features 1,359 cabins — 857 ocean view and 458 with large verandas. The ship offers 11 bars, four restaurants, a theater, three swimming pools, a casino, disco, ballroom and a gym.

Viking River Cruises is happy to announce its Early Booking Discounts for the 2009 sailing season has been extended and now expires on the 31st of October. Valid for cruises in Europe, Russia and China and now also including sailings on the newly renovated Viking Surkov in Russia and their ‘Roof of the World’ itinerary, a 16 day adventure exploring the imperial treasures of Beijing, Xian and Shanghai, 6 day Yangtze cruise as well as the Tibetan plateau known as ‘the roof of the world’.

The Grand European Tour, the iconic Amsterdam to Budapest cruise, from Holland’s windmill studded tulip fields to Germany’s fairytale castles, from the engineering marvel of the Main & Danube Canal to the picturesque vineyards of Austria’s Wachau Valley, this epic voyage presents the highlights of Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. Starting from $5,799 per person in a category B deluxe stateroom, now offered with a saving of $1,250! Book and pay in full by 31 October and all you pay is $4,549 per person for an all-inclusive 15 day cruise along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers in a deluxe category B stateroom or higher.

Viking River Cruises award winning 12 day Yangtze cruise, Imperial Jewels of China, exploring cosmopolitan Shanghai and the historic imperial treasures of Beijing such as the Forbidden city, the Great Wall and famed Summer Palace combined with a cruise between Wuhan and Chongqing through the wildly beautiful Three Gorges and Lesser Gorges is also now offered at a discount. Save up to $750 per person in a deluxe category B stateroom or higher, now starting from $2,749 per person including the fantastic discount.

Grand European Tour, 15 days, Amsterdam to Budapest &
Eastern European Odyssey, 16 days, Bucharest to Nuremberg
For stateroom category B or higher - save $1250 per person
For stateroom category C or lower - save $500 per person

Treasure of the Rhine, 15 days, Switzerland to Belgium
Portraits of Southern France, 8 days, Chalon-sur-Saone to Avignon
Rhine Getaway, 8 days, Amsterdam to Basel
Romantic Danube, 8 days, Budapest to Nuremberg
Cities of Light, 12 days, Paris to Prague
Elegant Elbe, 12 days, Berlin to Prague
Paris and the heart of Normandy, 8 days, Paris to Le Havre
Tulips & Windmills, 10 days, Amsterdam to Amsterdam
Danube Holiday Delight, 8 days, Passau to Vienna
Danube Explorer, 8 days, Vienna to Nuremberg
China’s Cultural Delights, 17 days, Beijing to Shanghai
Imperial Jewels of China, 12 days, Shanghai to Beijing
Roof of the World, 16 days, Beijing to Shanghai
For stateroom category B or higher - save $750 per person
For stateroom category C or lower - save $500 per person

Waterways of the Czars, 13 days, St Petersburg to Moscow
Russian Rhapsody, 16 days, St Petersburg to Moscow
Footsteps of the Cossacks, 11 or 12 days, Kiev to Odessa
For all stateroom categories - save $500 per person
EBD discount for Viking Surkov is $350 per person, all categories.

For Terms & conditions please visit www.vikingrivercruises.com . All prices are listed in Australian dollars. Book and pay in full by 31 October 2008 and valid on 2009 sailings only.

For bookings and enquiries please contact your local travel agent or Viking at:
Australia:  Australia@vikingrivercruises.com or toll free number: 1800 829 138
New Zealand:  Newzealand@vikingrivercruises.com or toll free number: 0800 447 913

About Viking River Cruises is the leading river cruise line in the world, operating the world’s largest fleet of 22 deluxe vessels built specifically for river travel providing unique, deluxe vacations. All 22 vessels are fully owned by Viking River Cruises and operated by Viking River Cruises own Swiss hotel management and staff. Viking River Cruises is a member of International Cruise Council Australasia.

For more information and all details on Viking River Cruises product, service, please go to www.vikingrivercruises.com or contact Teresia Fors, Managing Director Australia & New Zealand, +61 405 644 550 or teresiafors@vikingrivercruises.com

New non-stop service from London to commence summer 2009

Commencing summer 2009, Lufthansa will offer UK passengers flying from London a new, non-stop service to Milan Malpensa. At the same time, new non-stop flights will be introduced from Lisbon to Milan, with both new services following on from the earlier introduction in February 2009 of the first non-stop flights to operate from Barcelona, Brussels, Budapest, Bucharest and Paris to Milan.

The introduction of the new flights is part of Lufthansa’s strategy to further expand its network to and from the northern Italian airport as well as its overall offer of point-to-point connections within Europe.

 “With the introduction of our new flights to Milan, we will be able to offer our UK customers a convenient, non-stop service with the usual high Lufthansa quality,” said Marianne Sammann, Lufthansa’s General Manager UK & Ireland.

Milan Malpensa’s catchment area extends as far as the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland and is one of the key economic regions in Europe.

Next year, Lufthansa will base six Airbus A319s in Italy rather than the Embraer 195s originally planned. The A319s will be operated by Lufthansa’s Italian subsidiary, Air Dolomiti.

“Lufthansa is very well positioned in Italy with a strong customer base. Our new services to Italy not only offer familiar Lufthansa values such as reliability and top quality, but also combine these with Italian flair on board,” said Karl Ulrich Garnadt, Executive Vice President, Lufthansa Passenger Airlines.

The new flights to Milan can be booked from mid-October this year via lufthansa.com.

Together with our lovely palazzo, located on the fabulous hillside of North East Umbria near the Tuscan border, an idyllic retreat, offering peace and tranquillity in an environment far removed from everyday cares…we have put together a truffle and porcini hunt for you to take advantage of:

° 2 nights in a spacious double room
° Buffet breakfast every morning, including home made pastries
° One morning of truffle hunting for 2 people
° Lunch for 2 people with a truffle or porcini theme after the hunt
° Gourmet dinner for 2 people with an Umbrian wine tasting
° One surprise gift on departure
This offer until 15 November, 2008 so book while it lasts!
Cost: £ 817.00 for 2 persons

Some extra tempting information – to stay another night (or two!) is £237.00 per room
To upgrade to a Deluxe room add £ 85.50 per room per night.

For further details and pictures
http://www.italian-connection.co.uk/italiancollection/details2.asp?propid=338

Revel In The Celebrations Of Piedmont

Head to the Relais San Maurizio in Piedmont, Northern Italy from October to December for the white truffle season and the Fiera del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba; a celebration of the rarest truffle in the world - the Alba white truffle.

Head to the Relais San Maurizio in Piedmont, Northern Italy from October to December for the white truffle season and the Fiera del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba; a celebration of the rarest truffle in the world - the Alba white truffle.

For a truly unique break, head to the Langhe and the Relais San Maurizio during the white truffle season. Nestled in the heart of the Piedmont, this stunning former 17th century monastery is a perfect base from which to immerse yourself in the excitement surrounding what is locally named ‘white gold’. This season is a foodies delight - follow your nose and explore the hustle and bustle of this fascinating festival, where hushed deals take place between buyers and sellers and where you can buy anything from truffle oil to the truffles themselves if your budget stretches that far!

To make your Piedmontese break even more memorable, the San Maurizio can arrange for you to take part in an authentic truffle hunt, where an early start sees you heading out with Guido and his truffle snuffling champion Keno. Head out into the primeval forests with your nose firmly turned towards the earth and your fingers crossed, and you may just find the fragrant fungi.

Round off your ‘trufflicious’ sojourn by letting the chefs at the Michelin-starred Da Guido restaurant prepare you a meal using the very same truffles that you discovered earlier!

Some information on the Relais San Maurizio:

- A member of Relais & Châteaux
- A stunning 5 star boutique hotel, formerly a 17th century monastery with only 31 unique rooms and suites
- Home to the Michelin starred restaurant, Da Guido
- A Vinothérapie® Caudalie Spa - the only one in Italy and housed in the old wine cellars
- An extensive wine cellar famed throughout the region and stocked with more than 2,000 different labels
- A wealth of activities such as truffle hunting, visits to local wine cellars, cookery classes, vintage plane rides, vintage car rallies, horse riding, hot air balloon flights, taking part in the grape harvest and designer shopping in Milan

Please see www.relaissanmaurizio.it for more information on this stunning property.

Half-Term Breaks too

Beat the credit crunch with great free offers

Free Disney trips, free horse-riding and free food are some of the Autumn offers from family friendly travel company Tots to Travel (www.totstotravel.co.uk). Plus, families looking for a half term break can still snap up a property if they move fast.

FREE Horseriding Taster Sessions and Adventure treks for tots

Les Gites de Lavalette offer families with children of any age entertainment on horseback! Apart from the FREE taster sessions for tots, the British owner (who is a British Horse Society trained instructor) provides horseriding lessons and a special Adventure Trek for little people which takes them on a tour across the local vineyards, through the walnut trees and down to the river for a snack. Adults can book sessions according to their level and experience.

Where?: Charente/Dordogne border

Accommodation: Albizia (three bedrooms) and Acaia (two bedrooms) provide simple, clean and comfortable accommodation with plenty of toys and play equipment for the children.

Cost: prices start from £475.00 in September 08 with Albizia still available for half term.

Disneyland: Parents Go FREE! And free limited edition champagne and champagne house tour

Le Manoir Champagnois, which includes Le Gite Meunier (two bedrooms) and La Maison Verger (one bedroom gite), is just 90 minutes from the thrill and excitement of Disneyland Paris and just three hours from Calais ferry port. Any guests staying during September through to the end of January 2009 will have tickets waiting for them on their arrival at Le Manoir, which lets parents go free to both Disney Park and Disney Studios. This means no waiting in queues – and as under 3s are always free, it’s a great way to see the park for next to nothing.

Autumn and winter are the very best times to enjoy the park as the crowds have vanished and the cooler weather makes for an altogether more comfortable trip. The Tots to Travel team will provide Disney novices with loads of tips like where to park, where to eat and which rides are a ‘must.’

In addition, first time visitors to Le Manoir Champagnois will also receive a limited edition bottle of Compte Audoin de Dampierre Grand Vintage 2002 Champagne in a Dampierre ice bucket PLUS entry for 2 people to one of the major Champagne houses in either Epernay or Reims.

FREE food!

The autumn months in northern Italy offer a bounty of free food, from blackberries and chestnuts to truffles and mushrooms. Tots to Travel has teamed up with Sapori e-Saperi who can arrange for families to explore the gastronomic joys of this fabulous region of Italy. Tours include chestnut roasting, chocolate making, olive harvesting, mushroom collecting and of course eating. It’s a great way to introduce children to real food and guests staying at the Tots to Travel Casa Barile, can even have a cookery demonstration in their holiday home. All Tots to Travel families receive a 5 – 10% discount from Sapori-e-Saperi.

Where?: Northern Italy

Accommodation: Casa Barile offers excellent accommodation, awesome views for up to 10 people. Casa Barile comes complete with a chestnut roasting machine!

Cost: prices start from £1250.00 in  October 08 and the property is still available for the October half term

For more information on any Tots to Travel properties and to find other properties still available in the October half term, go to www.totstotravel.co.uk

Orient Lines has revamped its rate structure in response to the current financial crisis. The line’s owner, entrepreneur Wayne Heller, has launched a new Leadership Pricing initiative, with 11-day Europe cruises priced from $1,799 per person, based on double occupancy. “The economy is still in a very, very precarious place,” Heller said.

“This is the time for Orient Lines to take a leadership position in the industry and truly do something that helps consumers. Our new Leadership Pricing translates to savings of up to $5,000 per cabin off brochure rates.” Heller purchased the assets of Orient Lines and is resurrecting the destination specialty line. Under the new rate structure, two 11-day Mediterranean cruises are priced from $1,799 per person, double, reduced from $2,999. Two 16-day Baltic cruise-tours, which include an overnight hotel stay and sightseeing in Berlin, are priced from $2,999 per person, double, reduced from $4,649.

The 11-day Aegean Odyssey departs Port Said, Egypt, on April 29, and visits Cyprus, Rhodes, Antalya, Didim and Kusadasi and Istanbul.

Overnights are scheduled for Cairo and Istanbul. Black Sea Explorer is an 11-day roundtrip from Istanbul departing May 9. Ports of call include Trabzon, Turkey; Batumi, Georgia; Sochi, Russia; Yalta, Sevastopol and Odessa, Ukraine; and Nessebar, Bulgaria.

The round-trip Istanbul voyage includes an overnight aboard ship before departure. The line’s 16-day Great Baltics I and II cruise-tours operate between Dover (London) and Szcezin, Poland, and include a one-night hotel stay and city tour in Berlin. The highlight of the cruise is three full days in St. Petersburg, Russia. Ports of call include Amsterdam; Travemunde (Lubeck), Germany; Copenhagen; Stockholm; Helsinki; Tallinn, Estonia; and Riga, Latvia.

Savings are also offered on fall voyages. The Passage to Rio, departing Nov. 8, 2009, is a 20-day cruise from Barcelona to Rio de Janeiro, priced from $1,799 per person, double. Ports include Malaga and Cadiz (Seville) in Spain; Casablanca and Agadir, Morocco; Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Sao Vicente, Cape Verde Islands; and Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. An overnight is scheduled aboard ship in Rio de Janeiro.

As part of Orient’s Leadership Pricing initiative, the number of air gateways has doubled to 40 in North America. Round-trip economy class air add-on fares to Europe are priced from $695 from the East Coast, $795 from the Midwest and $895 from the West Coast. The maiden voyage of the Marco Polo II is set for April 15. The classic 650-guest Marco Polo II features four open-seating dining venues, six bars, a show lounge, cinema, casino, library and Internet center, card room, fitness center, spa with indoor pool and outdoor swimming pool. Experts from the fields of academia, politics, science and the diplomatic corps will be featured on every voyage.

On longer voyages, gentleman hosts will be along to dance and dine with unescorted female travelers. For more information, call 800-333-7300 or visit www.orientlines.com