Jetsettersblog

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

Gay travelers always find a warm welcome in Denmark. Now they receive the same treatment even before they board their flights on SAS. Scandinavian Airlines recently launched a Web site dedicated to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual/transgender travelers: www.flysas.com/gay . The site, created in partnership with Wonderful Copenhagen and Copenhagen Gay Life, offers GLBT maps, guides and event calendars for the city. It’s a useful resource any time, and it will be especially handy when Copenhagen hosts the World OutGames in 2009.

With options ranging from horse riding and kite-flying to the simple pleasures of sandcastle-building, Denmark?s thousands of kilometres of wide open, sandy beaches are wonderful for an active escape in the last rays of the summer sun.

Even if the capricious autumn weather gets you heading under cover, there?s still plenty to keep the entire family entertained as the country?s selection of exciting, indoor activities and attractions make Denmark the perfect place for a fun-packed autumn break ? whatever the weather.

Denmark is home to a massive range of family-friendly attractions, including Bakken north of Copenhagen (www.bakken.dk) ? the world?s oldest amusement park ? and of course the world-famous Legoland (www.legoland.dk) on mainland Jutland, where families can discover miniature versions of famous landmarks as well as a selection of thrilling rides. On cooler days head indoors to the warmth of the sweet factory at Bolcheriet L?kken (www.bolcheriet.dk), on the north west Jutland coast, where visitors can watch lollipops and boiled sweets being made by hand and then buy them straight from the shop. Nearby, Action House (www.actionhouse.dk) is handily located for burning off that extra energy with indoor go-karting, bowling and arcade games.

Kids of all ages will enjoy Denmark?s unique Viking heritage, which can be discovered at such weather-proof attractions as Lindholm H?je (www.nordjyllandshistoriskemuseum.dk) ?near Aalborg in north Jutland, Scandinavia?s largest Viking burial ground with more than 700 graves. Further Viking encounters can be had in other parts of Denmark including northern Sealand at the Viking Ships Museum in Roskilde (www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk) ?where five authentic wooden ?longships? (dating from the 11th Century) are on display alongside a collection of other Nordic boats aboard which visitors can get a feel for what life was like for these notorious raiders.

In terms of exciting historical attractions Den Gamle By (?The Old Town?) in Denmark?s 2nd largest city Aarhus is a great living museum where you can experience old-style shops, gardens and workshops that have been brought from all over Denmark and captures a snapshot of a time gone by (www.dengamleby.dk)

For more ancient history, there is also Middelaldercentret (the Medieval Centre) at Nykobing Falster in south Sealand, where the clock has been turned back to 1396 to bring medieval Denmark back to life (www.middelaldercentret.dk/Engelsk/welcome.html . Expect to find rope-makers, blacksmiths and other craftsmen going about their daily chores.

Danes have an extremely high regard for the natural world, so it?s no surprise to find many wildlife-themed attractions across the country too. Among the best of these is Randers Rainforest (www.regnskoven.dk) ?in east Jutland, an indoor tropical safari featuring 200 different animals and 450 kinds of plant. Kids can get up close and personal with monkeys, iguanas, bats and parrots, with the collection including animals from each of the world?s rainforest regions.

For wildlife of the aquatic kind, the ?Discover Scuba Diving? programme at the nearby Kattegatcentret (www.kattegatcentret.com) offers an introductory lesson in scuba diving from a PADI-certified trainer, followed by a dip in the attraction?s Oceanarium to discover sharks, rays and various other creatures from the deep. Continuing with the watery theme, the Fisheries and Maritime Museum in Esbjerg in west Jutland (www.fimus.dk/eng_index.html ) has a saltwater aquarium and a family of friendly seals alongside an exhibition on the history of sea-faring;

while seals and porpoises are also the stars of the show at Fjord&Baelt (www.fjord-baelt.dk) in Kerteminde on the island of Funen, an educational facility dedicated to protecting the marine environment. Those preferring their wildlife on the wing, meanwhile, should head further east in Denmark to Gavn? Castle in south Sealand to experience its fascinating butterfly house (visit this link)

Gavn? Castle is also home to a vast collection of artworks ? in fact the largest private collection of paintings in the whole of Scandinavia. Further north in Humleb?k, north of Copenhagen, the impressive Louisiana Museum of Modern Art showcases international art exhibitions throughout the year and offers a wide range of activities for children and adults to explore together in ever so popular The Children?s Wing.

These include free activities for families with children plus drop-ins and special activities at weekends and on school holidays (www.louisiana.dk). ?World-class exhibitions can also be found at Copenhagen?s National Museum (www.nationalmuseet.dk) ?which also has a special Children?s Museum that allows kids to play their way through Danish history.

A great time to visit Denmark?s cultural attractions is during the Night of Culture festivities (10 October, www.kulturnatten.dk/en) ?when many of the museums stay open late and there are special events across a number of cities in including Copenhagen, Aalborg and Aarhus, where the ARoS Art Museum (www.aros.dk) has an excellent art collection housed in a striking cube-shaped building.

Also popular is the Skagens Museum (www.skagensmuseum.dk) at the very tip of north Jutland, where families with children are very welcome and entrance is free of charge for all children and young people under 18. On the first floor of the museum there tables with paper and drawing requisites that all youngsters are encouraged to use. The museum houses more than 1,800 works of art by the famous painters of this artists? colony?s, in the very surroundings in which they were created.

Further educational attractions can be found at the GeoCenter at M?ns Klint (www.moensklint.dk) ?on the small island of M?n in south east Denmark, which tells the story of Denmark’s geological development from 70 million years ago to the present today.

?The attraction (which took nine years to complete) opened in May 2007 and has an interactive visitor centre that showcases the spectacular chalk cliffs on M?n?s east coast. Also following the educational theme is the Experimentarium (www.experimentarium.dk) located just north of Copenhagen, this hands-on facility delves into the wonderful world of science.

A new exhibition, ?Energy for the Future?, opens at the Experimentarium in February 2009. Equally insightful is The Danish Railway Museum on Funen which is a four-star attraction showcasing more than 10,000 sqm of carriages and locomotives, buses, model ferries, model railway tracks, mini-trains and with a great play area too.

And moving further west again the science and technology ?fun park? at Danfoss Universe in south Jutland (http://uk.danfossuniverse.com) features a world of information on the forces of nature and the latest technology in a highly interactive environment.
For those of a more active bent, there are many sporting activities that can be enjoyed indoors at the various top-notch holiday centres scattered along the Danish coasts.

SeaWest (www.strandhotellerne.dk) for example, is one of the country?s newest holiday centres; located in an incredibly beautiful setting amidst towering sand dunes in west Jutland, the resort offers a fully-equipped fitness centre, spa facilities and a subtropical water park with pools and slides ? with over 60km of sandy beach to be explored in fair weather.

Similar facilities can be found at Skallerup (www.skallerup.dk) in north Jutland, where a wonderfully themed Roman spa provides a welcome retreat to recuperate from the exertions of the squash courts, swimming pool and tropical water park.

?For the largest water pool of all, visitors should head to the holiday centre at Lalandia Resort on the south coast of Lolland (www.lalandia.dk) south of Copenhagen, where they will also find facilities such as badminton, archery, fitness centre and spa.

Accommodation at these holiday camps is provided in comfortable, fully-equipped cottages with prices starting from ?470 for a family of three for one week. Alternatively, opt for an attractive Danish holiday cottage through Novasol (www.novasol.dk , which offers excellent off-season deals on accommodation;

for example a spacious five-star house at Tisvilde, near Helsinge in north Sealand, costs from approximately ?950 for a week in October, based on 12 people sharing and has an indoor swimming pool, sauna and whirlpool.

Getting to Denmark from the UK has never been easier. DFDS Seaways (www.dfds.co.uk) ?sails from Harwich to Esbjerg, while Sterling (www.sterling.dk) ?SAS (www.flysas.com) , BMI (www.flybmi.com) and Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) fly to various Danish gateways from several UK airports.

For more information on Denmark including the latest offers go to: http://www.visitdenmark.com

Europcar - Prius - final.docWorkers and residents in and around London can now escape the city whilst saving fuel, congestion charge costs and their conscience with the availability of the Toyota Prius from Europcar. The UK?s leading vehicle rental organisation is now offering the Prius, the world?s first and most successful hybrid power vehicle, from all of its London locations.

Driving pleasure, comfort and space haven?t been sacrificed to provide an eco-car. Instead the Prius combines style and superb handling with state of the art technology needed in these environmentally conscious times.

The fleet of vehicles are exempt from the London Congestion Charge and can be driven certain distances using electric power only at the press of a button. This means zero emissions, less noise and better fuel economy ? perfect for city and country driving alike.

?The availability of the Prius provides customers with an opportunity to put the hybrid to the test following news that Toyota aims to sell at least 1 million hybrid vehicles annually in the early part of the next decade.? said Catriona Lougher, Marketing Director for Europcar.

?Renting a car with Europcar is already a green choice as all our vehicles are on average just 3 months old and fitted with the latest technology to cut emissions. The average CO2 emission of our fleet is 157 g/km compared to the UK car parc of 164.9 g/km*. However, by making the Prius available we are bringing our customers a new way to drive greener that will also help them cut costs in terms of fuel and congestion charges. It?s all part of our commitment to exploit new manufacturer developments to bring customers the latest models to hit the road and a great rental experience.?

*Source SMMT 2007 report.

Reservations Phone: 1-800-626-0126Website: www.amawaterways.com

It?s a win, win, win situation. Book your ski holiday before 31st October and save ?100 per person off the brochure price. This offer is valid on all Snowline and VIP chalets in all resorts for the weeks of 4th/11th/18th January 2009 and 8th March 2009, plus Christmas week in Morzine (21st December 2008).

Snowline and VIP offer an extensive range of chalets in some of the most desirable ski resorts in the Alps. From chic contemporary apartments to substantial, detached properties, each chalet has its own individual charm and unique style. Many are ski in or out, most have hot tubs and all come with DVD libraries and board games for cosy evenings around the fire. Whether it?s for larger families or couples, there is a chalet to suit everyone.

The early bird definitely gets the worm and with Val d?Is?re, Zermatt and La Plagne all located at high altitudes, you are guaranteed snow throughout the season. It?s also guaranteed you?ll enjoy a warm stay and superb service; post piste spa treatments and massages, fine dining and all-day care for children by fully qualified and vetted nannies. So what are you waiting for?get ahead of the crowds and book now

Sample Saver Week Prices:

VIP (0844 557 3119; www.vip-chalets.com) offer 7 nights at Chalet Madrisah (sleeps Saver Week on 8 January 2009 at ?779 per person including return flights from London, transfers and accommodation on a catered basis.

Snowline (0844 557 3118; www.snowline.co.uk) ?offer 7 nights at Chalet Atilla (sleeps 14) Saver Week on 11 January 2009 at ?509 per person including return flights from London, transfers and accommodation on a catered basis.

Pierre Graff, chairman and CEO of A?roports de Paris, and Jean-Cyril Spinetta, chairman and CEO of Air France-KLM, inaugurated the new terminal 2G at Paris-Charles de Gaulle on Sept. 9, in the presence of Christine Lagarde, Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment of France. The decision to build Terminal 2G corresponded to two fundamental desires ― AirFrance and its regional subsidiaries, Brit Air, City Jet and R?gional, wanted to consolidate their traffic in a single location, and A?roports de Paris wanted to increase its handling capacity to support the growth in traffic within the Schengen area.

The new terminal has more gate parking stands, improved connections for passengers and a new lane for aircraft to minimized taxiing time and save on fuel. It also has gate-parked aircraft, easier international connections, rapid baggage check-in system and simplified access, all designed to reduce operating costs. The new terminal is designed to handle the needs of disabled and reduced-mobility passengers, and has new services for business travelers.

Once terminal 2G enters into service, flights will be operated to the following 20 destinations: France: Clermont-Ferrand (Brit Air & R?gional), Limoges (Airlinair for Brit Air), Mulhouse-Basle (R?gional), Pau (R?gional), Rennes (Airlinair for Brit Air), Strasbourg (Brit Air);? Germany: Bremen (R?gional), Hanover (R?gional), Leipzig (R?gional), Munster (R?gional), Nuremberg (R?gional); Spain: Bilbao (Brit Air), Vigo (R?gional); Italy: Florence (City Jet), Genova (Brit Air), Pisa (Brit Air), Trieste (Brit Air), Verona (R?gional); Slovenia: Ljubljana (R?gional); and Sweden:

?Gothenburg (City Jet, R?gional). There is a 750-space parking lot adjacent to the terminal, 18 self-service check-in kiosks, 10 self-service transfer kiosks, 12 baggage drop-off points including one specially designed for reduced-mobility passengers, 8 customer information points including one specially designed for reduced-mobility passengers, 20 boarding gates and 12 disembarkation gates. The new terminal can handle about 70 flights per day.

For more information, visit www.aeroportsdeparis.fr

M?venpick this year is celebrating its 60th anniversary. From mid-September to mid-December, M?venpick Hotels & Resorts is marking the occasion by serving classics from 60 years of M?venpick?s culinary history.

During the festival weeks the existing culinary choice will be complemented by a specially created menu. On the menu will be favorites such as tartar and smoked salmon alongside ?Z?rcher Geschnetzeltes? and ?Riz Casimir?.

This culinary experience will be rounded off with M?venpick ice cream and apple cake, not forgetting of course a cup of delicious M?venpick coffee. Ueli Prager opened the first M?venpick Restaurant in Zurich in 1948.

?For more information, visit www.moevenpick-hotels.com

Crystal Cruises is offering optional Premium Economy air service with 2009 summer cruises to the Baltic, North Cape and British Isles. The service is available with seven Crystal Symphony cruises from June through August from select U.S. and Canadian gateways. Air add-on fares to London, Copenhagen and Stockholm via British Airways or Scandinavian Airlines are $400 to $650 more, one way, than Crystal?s coach air-sea fares. Crystal?s 2009 Northern European season includes five Baltic Sea/Russia cruises, one North Cape cruise and one British Isles itinerary, ranging from seven to 14 days. Cruise fares start at $3,615 per person, double occupancy.

The line is also offering low business-class air supplements from select U.S. gateways for all summer Baltic, British Isles and Mediterranean cruises. Upgraded service starts at $799 one-way and $1,598 round-trip, to the Baltic and British Isles, and $899 one-way, $1,798 round-trip, to the Mediterranean ― up to 75 percent lower than unrestricted published business-class fares. Business-class air upgrades are in addition to Crystal?s published air/sea fares, and are available from 17 U.S. gateways with cruises beginning June 18 through the end of August 2009. Restrictions apply for air arrangements.