Best cruise holiday deals of the week

ENJOY a royal stay on the Rhine, explore Canada and Alaska or set sail to see sights of New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Cruisliner - Diamond Princess

Royal blessing

HER Royal Highness, Princess Heide von Hohenzollern of Germany, will christen APT's new river ship as godmother of the MS AmaReina. The 164-passenger vessel will be blessed by the princess at a traditional ceremony in Vilshofen, Germany, on Friday, April 4 next year. Princess Heide granted APT guests exclusive access to her home, Burg Namedy castle, located in Andernach on one of the most picturesque areas of the Rhine. APT is inviting guests to set sail on the special AmaReina christening voyage. Highlights of the Danube Adventure comprises three nights in Munich, during which guests will be escorted to the official christening ceremony in Vilshofen, followed by a seven-night luxury river cruise from Regansburg in Germany to Budapest in Hungary aboard the AmaReina. The trip concludes with two nights in Budapest and three nights in Prague. It's priced from $7895 a person, twin share, and APT is offering a companion fly free deal on this cruise, representing a saving of up to $3000 a couple, on bookings that are made by October 31.

Ph 1300 278 278 or see aptouring.com.au

Taste of Asia

THE huge Mariner of the Seas will offer two eight-night sailings between Singapore and Shanghai in March and November next year. Both sailings offer calls at Ho Chi Minh (Phu My), Vietnam; Hong Kong, China; and Xiamen, China, with fares starting from $939 a person for an interior stateroom. Facilities on board include a rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, a nine-hole mini-golf course, full-size basketball and sports court, and the Royal Promenade - a boulevard that stretches nearly the length of the ship and is flanked by restaurants, lounges and boutiques.

Ph 1800 754 500 or see royalcaribbean.com.au

Best of British

CRUISE from Southampton to Sydney next January on the very British 800-guest Black Watch. The two-month voyage departs on January 14 and heads to South America via Madeira and the Cape Verde Islands. Calls at ports in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile as well as Isla Robinson Crusoe and Easter Island follow, then Tahiti, the Cook Islands, Auckland, Bay of Islands, and finally Sydney. A package of the 62-night trip with airfare to London and two nights at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel London including breakfasts is priced from $9995 a person, twin share.

See cruising.com.au

Diamond delight

PRINCESS Cruises' 2700-guest Diamond Princess will have its first 14-night round-trip cruise to New Zealand next year, leaving Sydney on December 19, 2014 for a Christmas Day and New Year celebration and visiting ports from Bay of Islands in the north to Dunedin in the south. Fares on the cruise start from $2779 a person, twin share. The new cruises follow Princess Cruises' recent announcement that Diamond Princess will make two 28-night circumnavigations of Australia, in November next year2014 and February 2015, priced from $4679 a person, twin share.

Ph 13 24 88 or see princess.com

Canada and Alaska

EMBARK on a 22-day exploration of Canada and Alaska with a seven-night cruise through Alaska's Inside Passage then a two-day Rocky Mountaineer rail journey. The package includes lake view rooms at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise; two-day Rocky Mountaineer journey; seven-night Alaskan cruise in a veranda stateroom; all tipping, transfers and sightseeing. Prices start from $11,295 a person, twin share, valid for sale until October 25, 2013, for travel in April next year2014.

Ph 1300 538 738 or see jetset.com.au

Pacific paradise

SET sail from San Francisco to Sydney, taking in the Hawaiian Islands, Samoa and Fiji. Fly to the US and enjoy three nights in San Francisco before boarding P&O's Arcadia for a 20-night cruise calling at Lahaina, Pago Pago, Apia and Suva before ending inruising into Sydney. PricesThe package is priced are from $6089 a person, twin share, valid for sale until December 31, 2013, for a cruise departure from San Francisco on January 31, 2015.

Ph 13 27 57 or see harveyworld.com.au