Best cruise deals of the week
CRUISES in the warm waters of the South Pacific and football fever afloat are two of the best cruise deals this week.
WE'VE searched high and low and found five of the best cruise deals this week.
-- Norway Good --
CRUISE the Norwegian fjords next month for 13 days from $3599 a person, twin share, including return airfares.
The package includes 12 nights on Holland America Line's Ryndam in an inside cabin, with all meals and entertainment, plus transfers in London.
The trip starts on May 19 and the cruise from Dover visits Oslo, Stavanger, Leknes, Honningsvag, Alesund, Flaam, Bergen and back to Dover.
Book and pay by April 30.
Ph 1300 813 391 or see destinationinternational.com.au
-- Luxury at home --
EXPERIENCE luxury cruising in local waters next summer with two of Seabourn's newest ships visiting the South Pacific.
Seabourn Quest will make its maiden visit to Australia in February next year, calling at Sydney, Brisbane, Hamilton Island, Townsville, Cairns and Thursday Island as part of a 116-day world cruise.
Seabourn Odyssey will sail in local waters for almost three months as it explores the islands and coastlines of Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia.
Options on the 450-guest ships include a 16-night cruise on Seabourn Odyssey from Bali to Sydney, departing December 21 this year and visiting Komodo Island, Darwin, Thursday Island, Cairns, Townsville, Hamilton Island and Brisbane, from $US8118 ($7884) a person, twin share; and a 40-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Sydney on Seabourn Quest, departing January 6 next year, visiting ports in the Caribbean, Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji and New Caledonia, from $US18,176 a person, twin share.
Fares include ocean-view accommodation, entertainment, gourmet dining, open bars and gratuities.
Ph 13 24 02 or see seabourn.com
-- Putt to Singapore --
ENJOY two nights in Singapore, as well as a four-night Voyager of the Seas cruise to Kuala Lumpur and Phuket, from $2089 a person, twin share.
The huge Voyager of the Seas features an inline skating track, a three-deck restaurant, a nine-hole miniature golf course, two-level nightclub, full-sized sports court, spa, 10 pools and whirlpools, and a 1350-seat theatre.
The offer includes a return economy class airfare from Brisbane to Singapore with Singapore Airlines; two nights' pre-cruise accommodation with half-day Singapore City Tour; four-night cruise on Voyager of the Seas; port taxes and government fees; shipboard gratuities; and air taxes.
Upgrade to an outside cabin category from $2219 a person or to a balcony cabin from $2349 a person.
The offer is valid to April 27 for travel on June 7.
Ph 1300 450 133 or see cruiseabout.com.au
-- Explore Europe --
SCORE big savings on last-minute bookings for two 26-night cruise, coach and stay packages of nine Eastern Europe countries in May and June this year.
Both include three-night pre- and post-touring stays, in Prague and Istanbul, with local touring, 14 nights cruising the Danube between Passau in Germany and Giurgiu in Romania aboard the River Beatrice, chartered by Cruiseco exclusively for 160 Australian guests, nine nights' escorted touring of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey on Insight Vacations coaches, with nightly stays in luxury hotels, and 26 breakfasts, 14 lunches and 25 dinners.
Onshore excursions during the 14-night river cruise are included, along with all transfers, port charges and gratuities.
Valid for new bookings only, the packages are available from $7999 a person, twin share, travelling from Prague to Istanbul for the May 24 departure or in the reverse direction for the June 1 departure.
For those with less time, the 14-night cruise legs on River Beatrice are priced from $3999 a person, twin share.
See cruising.com.au
-- Footy fever afloat --
RUN away to sea to enjoy both the NRL and AFL grand finals, with P&O Cruises now showing games live on giant outdoor screens on its three ships.
Under agreements signed with both codes, AFL games will screen on Friday nights and NRL matches will run over Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
Come finals time, passengers can see both the AFL and NRL grand finals on a seven-night Pacific Islands cruise on Pacific Dawn (pictured), departing Brisbane on September 29, priced from $980 a person, quad share.
There are also two Pacific Islands cruises from Sydney which include both finals - a Pacific Pearl nine-night cruise departing on September 26, priced from $1320 a person, twin share, and a Pacific Jewel 10-night cruise departing on September 24, priced from $1260 a person, twin share.
Ph 13 24 94 or see pocruises.com.au