Cruise deals for Asia, Europe, Canada and Alaska

BRAD Crouch has found some real beauties this week, with cruise deals to suit all types of voyagers in a variety of settings.

All aboard! Amazing cruise deals

Reposition savings

TAKE advantage of a repositioning cruise on the huge Voyager of the Seas as it makes its way back to Australia for another summer season following its present Asian deployment. A 14-night cruise departing Singapore on October 24 and calling at Kuala Lumpur, Darwin, Brisbane and Sydney is priced from $1499 a person, twin share. Book an ocean-view cabin priced from $1999 a person and get a free upgrade to a balcony cabin.

See www.royalcaribbean.com.au

European sights

SOAK up the sights of Europe on a 17-night fly, cruise and stay package including a 13-night river cruise along the Rhine, Main and Danube waterways from Budapest to Cologne, airfares from Australia and two nights pre and post-cruise luxury hotel accommodation. Highlights include escorted tours of Budapest, Vienna, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Wurzburg and Koblenz. The cruise on the 5-star 140-guest MS Lord Byron departs Budapest for Cologne on November 3. The package is priced from $4879 a person, twin share. Gratuities are additional and are payable on board.

See cruising.com.au

Glaciers and more

A 19-day Canadian Rockies and Alaskan Inside Passage cruise package is priced from $9695 a person, twin share, and includes return economy flights if booked by October 25, for travel between April 23-30 next year. The trip includes land calls in Victoria, Vancouver, Banff, Whistler, an overnight trip on the VIA Rail, then a seven-night cruise on Holland America Line's Westerdam visiting Glacier Bay and calling at the Alaskan towns of Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan.

Phone [phone] or see travel-associates.com.au

Asian highlights

JOIN a 24-day hosted cruise tour in Asia this October with flights, a 17-night cruise, shore tours, 54 meals, transfers and gratuities covered in the $7990 a person, twin share price. The tour begins with a flight to China with a one-night stopover in Singapore, followed by three nights in Beijing and two nights in Xian with tours. Guests then board the Diamond Princess for a 17-night cruise from Beijing to Singapore via Busan, Nagasaki, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok.

Phone [phone] or see cruiseexpress.com.au

Christmas markets

SAIL and shop on an 8-day Christmas Markets cruise along the Danube from $US2550 a person, twin share, savouring the festive spirit of Germany and Austria. Tauck's Christmas Markets river cruise from Nuremberg to Vienna on board MS Swiss Jewel or MS Treasures calls at Berching, Regensburg, Passau, Linz, Salzburg, Melk and finishes in Vienna, or vice versa. Voyages depart November 30, December 1, 7 and 8, depending on ship and itinerary. There is a special offer for solo travellers with no single supplement for category one cabins.

Phone [phone] or see traveltheworld.com.au

Pride in the trip

GAY travellers might like to join a gay group departure next year on river cruise ship The Queens Choice, scheduled for launch early next year. The 15-day cruise departing August 9 next year, from Amsterdam to Budapest on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers has stops including Cologne, Miltenberg, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Melk and Vienna. Prices start from $6195 a person, twin share, with all meals, drinks with dinner, gratuities and daily excursions. Departure coincides with the end of the Gay Pride festival in Amsterdam.

Phone [phone] or see gayglobe.com.au