Jetsettersblog

Auto Europe is offering several ways to save money on European car rentals this spring.

They include a free guaranteed one-car class upgrade, free GPS rentals and savings up to 15 percent off prestige car services.

Book early and receive a free one-car class upgrade in Italy, Germany, Ireland and Israel.

For example, reserve a compact class and receive a complimentary upgrade to an intermediate class. Additional upgrade categories are available.

In addition, for reservations through March 31, travelers will receive a free GPS rental with a minimum five-day rental of compact class or larger in select European countries.

The portable GPS units are the latest Garmin Nuvi 270s. The GPS units come with a dash mount but can be removed and taken into a villa or hotel room to plan the next day’s trip or to find a particular restaurant or museum. They also come loaded with mapping for all of Western Europe and most of Eastern Europe.

For the upscale traveler, Auto Europe is offering 15 percent off any weekly Mercedes Benz or Luxury car rental.

Upgrade offer varies based upon rental country.

GPS rental is available only for U.S. citizens residing in the United States and is valid for reservations paid for by March 31, for travel through May 31, 2010, and excludes delivery charges of $40 per rental..

Windstar Cruises is offering new Mediterranean shore excursions for 2010.

From April through November, Windstar ships sail seven-day Mediterranean voyages departing Lisbon, Portugal; Barcelona, Spain; Rome, Italy; Athens, Greece; Nice, France; Venice, Italy; and Istanbul, Turkey.

The shore excursion program features 180 air, land and sea adventures, cultural and historical experiences, food and wine tours, and walking and hiking journeys.

New shore excursions for 2010 include wine tasting in Patrimonio from Bastia, Corsica;

a visit to Carthaginian and Roman ruins, baths and their mosaics from Cagliari, Sardinia;

a speed-boat cruise to Vis and Bisevo Islands from Hvar, Croatia;

an orientation tour in Istanbul (post-cruise for guests staying overnight);

and a walking tour of a medieval Provençal village.

Windstar also offers 33 Concierge Collection excursions in Croatia, France, Monaco, Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey.

Due to the intimate style of these excursions, they are limited to small parties. New Concierge Collection excursions include a chance to drive a Ferrari F430 Spider F1 along the legendary Mille Miglia from Rome; a painting lesson with a well-known Croatian watercolorist, Antonia Ruskovic; a bike ride on Lucca’s city walls; and sailing to the volcanic crater islands of Caldera Lake from Santorini, Greece.

In Istanbul, Windstar offers pre- and post-cruise packages that include hotel accommodations, tours, select meals and transfers.

Windstar also offers Cappadocia five-night pre- and post-cruise packages that include hotel accommodations, tours in Istanbul and Cappadocia, select meals, flight to Cappadocia, yacht cruise along the Bosphorus Strait and transfers.

Windstar’s shore excursions and Concierge Collection excursions can be booked in advance at the banner above.

Pre- and post-cruise packages in Istanbul and Cappadocia can be booked through Windstar Cruises reservations at 800-258-7245.

Blaze a trail through Slovenia’s glorious alpine countryside on a world-famous Lipizzaner horse, which originated in this central-European country.

Situated on a picturesque plateau overlooking the valley of the Soca River in the north west of Slovenia with the Julian Alps acting as a magnificent backdrop, Pristava Lepena, a holiday village built in the traditional style of the region, offers an idyllic natural setting in which to ride Lipizzaner horses.

Novices who have no riding experience are given the chance to get acquainted with the horses and learn about their character and habits, as well as grooming and saddling practices, and are taught basic riding skills in a calm and reassuring manner. When they are ready they may join a guided trek through surrounding forests and pastures. Friendly ponies are also available for children.

Accommodation is in a group of wooden cottages where the charm of traditional architecture is combined with the comfort of contemporary living.

Features include a fireplace in addition to conventional heating, a kitchenette for preparation of warm drinks, a refrigerator/mini-bar, a bathroom with shower and hair dryer, a direct telephone line and, if desired, a TV.

Guests may choose to dine in the restaurant where daily specialities and local delicacies include home-made spirits, lamb on a spit, grilled trout, home-made bread and delicious local desserts.

Prices based on two sharing, including return flights, car hire, seven nights’ b&b accommodation and 10 hours of riding lessons or trails, start from £914 per adult and from £718 per child (age six to 12 years) in May. August prices start from £970 and £759 respectively.

For further information, telephone 01373 814230 or visit www.justslovenia.co.uk

The Yachts of Seabourn is offering two-for-one, cruise-only fares on more than 80 voyages in Europe and Asia, plus reduced roundtrip airfare from $499 for economy class and $1,999 for business class from 40 North American gateways.

The cruises depart from May to November and are seven to 15 days long.

To get the deal, cruises must be booked by April 30.

Among the eligible departures are the Seabourn Spirit’s Adriatic and Dalmatian voyages, the Seabourn Legend’s French and Italian Riviera cruises, and the Seabourn Odyssey’s sailings in the Greek Isles, Turkey and the Black Sea.

In June, the new Seabourn Sojourn will begin its maiden season in Northern Europe, cruising Scandinavia, Russia, Scotland and Norway.

In Asia, Seabourn Pride offers voyages visiting Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and China, including pre- and post-cruise extensions to Beijing on some departures.

All-inclusive cruise-only fares start at $3,550 per person, based on double occupancy of an ocean-view suite.

Regent Holidays (0845 277 3317 www.regent-holidays.co.uk ) is delighted to introduce its Alternative Europe brochure, an all-new and unique brochure that combines the best of Regent’s innovative yet value-for-money tours, fly-drives and individual tailor-made tour suggestions across the Baltics, Balkans and Eastern Europe.

Train, bicycle and hydrofoil are among the many travel options offered in the new brochure, which also offers better value than ever – on the whole, 2010 prices are cheaper than or the same as 2009.

This is true for Regent’s popular tours including its 10 day Baltic Capital Cities Tour (from £635pp), its 8 day Tallinn & St Petersburg Tour (from £725 pp), the 10 day Highlights of Poland Tour (from £765pp) and the 8 day Classic Croatia Group Tour (from £795pp).

Kosovo remains in the brochure for the second year running following the success last year of Regent’s group tour, the first to arrive in the newly-found country since the Kosovan war.

A 6 day small group tour to the country costs from £765pp. Due to popular demand, the June tour is already sold out but Regent have added a second departure on 10th September.

2010 marks Regent’s 40th anniversary and 40 years since becoming the first operator to send UK tourists to Albania back in 1970.

The country remains a popular choice for Regent’s clients who can choose from a range of tours including the 12 day Classic Group Tour (from £1,395 pp), the seven day Tirana and Beach Stay (from £540pp) and the eight day Highlights of Albania Tour (from £1,455pp).

New additions to the 2010 brochure reflect Regent’s commitment to responsible travel. See Lithuania the green way on Regent’s 10 day Cycling Around The Curonian Lagoon (from £830pp). This is a self-guided, summertime tour taking in part of the 220km track alongside three bodies of water – the Curonian Bay, Nemunas River and the Baltic Sea. Expect staggering views, colossal sand dunes, Blue Flag beaches and historic towns preserved in time.

Regent continues to make excellent use of each destination’s infrastructure in its new 15 day tour of Latvia, Lithuania and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad (from £945pp). Similarly, its 11 day Capital Cities Tour (from £895pp) combines visits to Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, travelling between each city by train and hydrofoil.

Train is also the mode of transport for Regent’s new 11 day tour of Bucharest, Sofia and Istanbul (from £755pp), a tour that combines the flavour of West with East.

Regent’s new 10 day Classic Turkey Group Tour (from £1,595 pp) guarantees warmth as well as a charming taste of Turkey’s diverse geography from lively Istanbul to Cappadocia, the Mediterranean and the Island of Gallipoli.

Also new for 2010 is the Slovenia & Istria Fly-Drive, an 8 day tour from £695pp covering highlights such as Lake Bled, Bohinj and Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana.

The well thought out route takes you through stunning landscapes from the lakes to the Julian Alps, the coast to the southern hill region and along the Istrian Peninsula.

The flexibility of a fly-drive tour allows you to linger in each of the picturesque Venetian style coastal towns on your way.

These are just a few of the tour suggestions that Regent can organise for you, for even better value in 2010.

As a fully bonded tour operator with 40 years of expertise, the 2010 brochure perfectly reflects Regent’s deep-rooted understanding of each destination and its commitment to providing clients with innovative European tour suggestions. Rest assured that you are in the best possible hands with Regent’s team of well-travelled experts who will bring your holiday dreams to life.

All prices are based on two sharing on B&B basis, including return flights and airport taxes.

ATOL 6094 / ABTA Y1152

A new Valentine’s break from specialist tour operator, Just Slovenia, includes the opportunity to make a gingerbread heart for your loved one, take a romantic ride in a horse-drawn carriage around picturesque Lake Bled, and stay in a historic family-run hotel in a building dating back more than 500 years.

Accommodation is just five minutes’ drive from Lake Bled and half an hour from the capital, Ljubljana, at Pension Lectar in the medieval town of Radovlijica.

The town offers classic architecture, pavement cafes, a healthy sub-alpine climate, several interesting museums, plus numerous footpaths and views of the majestic Julian Alps and the River Sava running through the valley below.

The family-run hotel, which has been offering Slovene hospitality for 180 years, is also home to the Lectar Gingerbread Museum, where guests may join in the traditional baking process and decorate a ‘honey dough’ heart for their partner, and the Restaurant Lectar, serving wholesome, rustic cuisine.

The price of £394 per person is based on two sharing and includes flights from Stansted on 11 February, three nights at Pension Lectar with breakfast and car hire, a romantic Valentine’s meal, making a heart at the Lectar Gingerbread Museum and a horse-drawn carriage ride around Lake Bled.

For further information, telephone 01373 814230

or visit www.justslovenia.co.uk

Toronto-based Tour d’Afrique is offering a new six-week/nine-country tour dubbed The Amber Route, beginning July 11.

The tour that begins in St. Petersburg follows the Ancient Amber Trade Route used by the Romans. The 1,864-mile route winds its way through the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, then through Poland and Slovakia, continuing on to Hungary, cutting through Slovenia and ending in Venice.

Riders may also opt to do one or more of the four shorter sections ranging from 330 to 600 miles each. The complete tour is priced at 5,800 euros per person.

Prior to this tour, the company is offering a newly revised Silk Route Tour that travels from Istanbul, Turkey, to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, via the Caucasus republics of Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as Turkmenistan.

The tour will run 44 days, departing Istanbul on May 22 and arriving in Samarkand on July 4.

If booked on its own the tour is priced at 4,000 euros per person.

Tour d’Afrique is also offering a special package combining both tours with a rest week in between for a price of 8,500 euros per person, for a savings of 1,300 euros.

This also includes airfare from Samarkand at the end of the Silk Route to either Moscow or St. Petersburg, where riders may spend a few days sightseeing prior to the July 11 start of the Amber Route.

Tour d’Afrique founder Henry Gold has been staging international cycling tours and races since 2003 and now engages cyclists from over 15 different countries.

Tour d’Afrique Ltd. is named for its 2003 flagship cycling tour that annually traverses the African continent from Cairo to Cape Town (7,500 miles in four months).

Tour d’Afrique’s mission is to create cycling events that appeal to amateurs and professionals alike.

Participants range from ages 18 to 80 and the common thread is a spirit of high adventure and a desire for truly transformational travel experiences.

For more information, see www.tourdafrique.com

Auto Europe has launched a full-service car rental reservation mobile website.

Travelers can reserve car rental services, look up their current reservations or jump over to their main website for additional services on a web-enabled phone or PC.

With one click, car rental services can be arranged at over 4,000 locations worldwide including airport, hotel and downtown locations.

Simply select your rental country, pick up city, dates of travel, transmission and car category and from there, choose the car rental that best suits your needs.

If you already have a reservation but need to change or review your services, visit Reservation Look Up on the mobile site and enter your voucher number, and driver’s first and last name.

There is also a full FAQ section and information to contact Auto Europe if you have any questions about your reservation or using the site.

For additional services, select Full Site.

For more information,

visit www.autoeurope.com/mobile

Snoangel is the site for anyone interested in what the mountains have to offer, whether you’re a fair weather skier, preferring apres ski to a day on the slopes, or a seasoned pro.

Previously www.girlpowder.co.uk , we have relaunched this season with a slicker, more user friendly site.

We aim to provide a user friendly, regularly updated, site that you’ll come back to again and again for ideas, information and expert, unrivaled editorial on all aspects of winter sports.

The idea of this site is to celebrate fun and a passion for skiing and snowboarding, which will inspire people of all capabilities to be the best they can be.

We hope readers will feel engaged and empowered to achieve anything you want in the sport at any level.

Whether it is perfecting your parallel turn or just finding the right resort for you and your friends this season.

Aside from access to information on women only training camps and holidays worldwide, each month we will aim to deliver the inside track on the subjects that matter most to women, alongside reader resort reviews, tried and tested reports of the latest gear, health and fitness tips, slope fashion and the best of après ski.

“Live in harmony with nature” is the theme of the 2010 Romantik Hotel & Restaurant Guide, which features 205 hotels and restaurants in 10 European countries. Of the hotels showcased, 16 are new for 2010. In Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland, there are new Romantik hoteliers, who enjoy advantages like improved marketing using various channels at home and abroad, an increased occupancy and the experience exchange with other hoteliers. For more information, call 800-650-8018 or visit www.romantikhotels.com