Scenic Tours is offering two-for-one pricing on select European river cruises for bookings made and deposited by April 30.
With Scenic’s Canadian-dollars-at-par program, travellers can save up to $5,830 per couple.
Applicable cruises include a two-week Amsterdam to Budapest sailing and week-long cruises between Hungary and Romania or Hungary and Germany.
Prices include an array of shore excursions, from guided city tours to private concerts.
The offer is good for new bookings made between March 9 and April 30 on D and E category cabins (while space is available).
Prices range from $1,197 to $2,580 per person (airfare not included).
Sail on over to www.scenictours.com for more.
Run with the bulls, Crystal style!
With a stylish twist, Crystal Cruises is offering guests the opportunity to participate in the annual Fiesta of San Fermin in Pamplona – known familiarly as the Running of the Bulls festival.
From an exclusively reserved balcony directly above the action, Crystal guests will enjoy a prime location to cheer the legions of runners in the fast-paced, centuries-old event, part of a four-day Crystal program including the sights and sounds of Madrid and Barcelona.
The optional land package precedes Crystal Serenity’s July 16 voyage from Barcelona to Monte Carlo, Portofino, Florence, Rome, Sorrento, Dubrovnik and Venice.
The festival, honouring Pamplona’s Patron Saint, San Fermin, runs from July 7-14 annually, with thousands of people awaiting a rocket launch signaling the beginning of the running of the bulls.
In addition to five-star accommodations, program highlights include a flamenco show in Madrid and walking tours of Barcelona, showcasing the works of Gaudí and the Gothic Quarter.
The pre-cruise package starts US$4,959 per person, double occupancy.
Sail on over to www.crystalcruises.com for more.
Celebrity opens 2010 Canada sales
Celebrity Cruises has opened sales on 2010 cruises to Bermuda, Canada and New England.
The new seven-night voyages depart on Sundays from Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey, aboard the 2,038-guest Celebrity Summit. From April to mid-June, Celebrity Summit will sail seven-night Bermuda and Bermuda/New England voyages.
The Bermuda sailings feature three days and two nights in King’s Wharf. Celebrity’s first-ever seven-night Canada/New England sailings will take place throughout July and August. The itinerary includes stops in Saint John, NB and Halifax and Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine.
In September and October, Celebrity will also offer its standard 14-night cruises in the region, offering an overnight stay in Quebec City, as well as visits to Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Go to www.celebritycruises.com for more.
MSC alters Rhapsody itinerary
In light of recent developments concerning possible acts of piracy against ships transiting the Somali coast and the Gulf of Aden, MSC Cruises is altering MSC Rhapsody’s itinerary from Durban (South Africa) to Genoa (Italy).
The cruise line is following the recommendations of the Maritime Security Centre for the Horn of Africa, a co-ordination centre run by the EU Naval Force to safeguard shipping in the region. Rhapsody will no longer call at the Egyptian ports of Safaga and Sokhna, but will instead stop at Sharm El Sheik.
The new route is an estimated 800 km longer than the previous itinerary, taking a wider course past Kenya and sailing east of Sumatra. This way, the ship is able to navigate in waters where the protection of a military escort is available, if necessary.
