This Week's Cruise Deals from ecruising.travel

Free Double Upgrade from an Inside to Veranda on Celebrity Europe- Book a selected Mediterranean package on Silhouette, Equinox or Solstice from now until 20 May 2012 for various departures between June & November and you'll get a Veranda for the price of an Inside! Amazing value is this 12 night late season package with Celebrity Equinox. Departing Rome 16 November this year, head for Messina on the Island of Sicily before heading to The Aegean. You'll visit Athens, Ephesus (Kusadasi) in Turkey as well as the picture perfect Greek islands of Rhodes, Santorini & Mykonos. Then head back to Italy with a final stop at Naples before returning to Rome. We've included return airfares as well as 2 nights accommodation at the Crowne Plaza St Peters, Rome. Grab yourself a FREE upgrade to a Veranda from an amazingly low $2,629.00!! Or How about a Concierge Class Veranda from only $2,759.00! Click here for details

Click here for more Celebrity Europe FREE upgrades

Why not spend this Christmas on board Diamond Princess with this great Mothers Day Special? This 14 night cruise departs Sydney 14 December 2012 and cruise south to Hobart and then onto Melbourne before crossing the Tasman to New Zealand. Spend a day cruising spectacular Fjordland National Park before stopping at Dunedin, Christchurch & Wellington, followed by a spot of scenic cruising around the Marlborough Sounds. You'll then head up to Tauranga before disembarking in Auckland. We haven't included flights as you may want to extend your stay, visit friends or relatives for the holidays or use frequent flyer points, however we can certainly organise flights for you. Be quick, because this special Mothers Day deal finishes 14 May - Great value Christmas cruising from only $1,749.00! Click here for details

The good people from Rocky Mountaineer are offering you up to CAD$1000 to spend on holiday add-ons this season! You can use this credit to extend your stay, travel to Whistler and back on the Whistler Sea to Sky train, enjoy city tours, go whale watching, hire a car, take a flightseeing tour, purchase a meal plan as well as a number of other enhancements (ask one of our consultants for details).Click here for 2012 Rocky Mountaineer Star Cruises are offering 2 for 1 savings for departures on Virgo & Libra for Aug 2012- Mar 2013. Take advantage of this offer with this 5 night package departing Singapore 19 August. You get a 3 night cruise visiting the resorts of Penang & Phuket, return airfares & 2 nights accommodation at Swissotel the Stamford - The Complete package from only $1,339.00!! Click here for details
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Chase the Sun to the South Pacific and Hawaii

Have you been dreaming of a sunny, relaxing, tropical getaway to one of the most beautiful regions on earth? There's no better time than now - Travelscene American Express is offering an exclusive and unbeatable range of accommodation deals to some breathtaking destinations in the South Pacific and Hawaii starting at just $169* per person!

These inclusive packages to Fiji, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Hawaii feature unbelievable savings with bonus free offers including FREE nights, FREE room upgrades, reduced prices on airport/hotel transfers, breakfast daily plus many more deal-specific inclusions.

Travelscene American Express is also offering incredible specials on return economy airfares to these favourite island destinations in conjunction with Hawaiian Airlines, Qantas, Air Pacific, Virgin Australia and Air Vanuatu. But don't delay - these offers won't last long! Check out some of the many deals now on offer:

• Denarau & Nadi, Fiji – Stay 6 nights at Club Fiji in a Garden Court Bure from just $169* per person, twin share. Price includes 2 FREE nights, continental breakfast daily and exclusive FREE return airport transfers.
• Rarotonga, Cook Islands – Stay 6 nights at Club Raro in a Standard Room from just $329* per person, twin share. Price includes 2 FREE nights, tropical breakfast daily, introductory scuba dive in resort pool and exclusive bottle of wine upon arrival.
• Port Villa, Vanuatu – Stay 7 nights at Coconut Palms Resort (pic above) in a Superior Orchid Room from just $355* per person, twin share. Price includes 3 FREE nights, breakfast daily, AU$100 food and beverage credit per room per stay, exclusive 1 FREE bottle of house wine per room with every evening meal at the resort restaurant throughout your stay.
• Honolulu, Hawaii – Stay 5 nights at Miramar at Waikiki in a City View Room from just $393* per person, twin share. Price includes a guaranteed room upgrade to a partial Ocean View Room, 1 FREE night and stay a 6th night FREE! 

And it doesn't end there! Your nearest Travelscene American Express has a huge range of package deals available, and can individually tailor your next holiday to suit your budget and lifestyle.

Find your local Travelscene American Express Member on 13 TRAVEL (13 8728) or visit www.travelscene.net.au for more information.

Travel Talk Magazine - May 2012

Open publication - Free publishing - More travel

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CLASSIC CRUISES ON CUNARD'S QUEENS

THE dream many avid cruisers have of sailing on one of Cunard's magnificent "Queen" vessels can become reality by cruising on not one but two of the famous ships.

You can spend 15 days sailing around the Baltic on the spectacular Queen Elizabeth and then join sister ship Queen Victoria for a 16-day voyage through the Mediterranean.

Australia's leading on-line cruise operator ecruising.travel has put together a unique 36-night package on the two ships, including return air fares from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, two nights' accommodation at the Ritz hotel in London, and a three night stopover in Dubai at the Raffles hotel for just $7369. The first cruise departs on May 1.

Queen Elizabeth does a 14-night roundtrip from Southampton which visits Norway, Denmark, Berlin, Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden whilst the Queen Victoria 17-night voyage also departing from Southampton, sails to the ports of Venice, Palermo and Messina in Italy and Sicily, Valencia in Spain, plus the islands of Croatia and Greece and Spain, with plenty of time at sea to experience the quality Cunard service and the ships' renowned facilities.

The price also includes on-board credit up to US$220 per stateroom, airport transfers, all taxes and port charges, plus all meals and entertainment on both ships.

More details from ecruising.travel on 1300 369 848 or check-out www.ecruising.travel

April 2012 Issue of TravelTalk Magazine

Open publication - Free publishing - More asia

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Take a Trakkadu from the suburbs to Uluru

Trakkadu in action (top) and Trakkadu setting up camp (bottom)

It is rare to find a dual purpose vehicle in the automotive industry, but Trakka's new range of Trakkadu's are ideally suited for everyday driving as well as holiday touring.

Australia's award winning motorhome and campervan manufacturer, Trakka, has released the Trakkadu in 103kW and 132kW models with optional All Terrain (AT) or Off Road Pak (ORP) packages available for additional off road performance.

Martin Poate, General Manager of Trakka, says that the Trakkadu is ideal for short trips away or for the iconic big trip around Australia.

"The Trakkadu is compact to use as a day-to-day car as it fits easily into parking spaces at the shops," Mr Poate explained.

"But the beauty of the Trakkadu is that it is always ready for a trip away. There is ample storage space and a multi-position sliding bed/seat at the rear with ADR approved seating for two additional passengers if you decide to travel with friends."

"The Trakkadu features a low profile elevating roof which provides an open living area within and great ventilation."

"We have designed a gas strut assisted lift roof, which is easy and light to raise and provides a roomy interior."

"By swivelling the two front seats and erecting the indoor/outdoor table, you can enjoy an open living and dining area," Mr Poate explained.

The Trakkadu is self contained with the kitchen boasting the latest diesel-powered cooktop with an elegant ceramic surface and a stainless steel sink, so you can stop and stay or pick up and move anytime.

"The weekly grocery shop is easy and convenient in a Trakkadu, with the handy inclusion of a fridge/freezer for quick refrigeration of cold items."

"It is also reassuring to have fresh water on board the Trakkadu. It gives you the peace of mind that you can travel to even remote locations with living essentials still at hand," Mr Poate explained.

A deep cycle AGM house battery keeps the accessories on line and a solar charging system can be added as an option to boost the power supply.

A Trakka designed Electronics control system monitors two batteries, water tank levels, temperature and control circuits so travellers are aware of the campervan efficiencies at the touch of a button.

Based on the Volkswagen T5, the Trakkadu's 4Motion all-wheel-drive model allows the campervan to be more sure-footed over slippery or rough terrain.

"The 4Motion system provides extra reserves of traction and gives a reassuring sense of safety, even in adverse weather conditions or on treacherous road surfaces," Mr Poate explained.

The Trakkadu comes in a 103kW turbocharged diesel engine or 132kW twin turbocharged diesel engine. Both options deliver high torque output to provide a smooth and responsive drive.

6-speed manual or 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) automatic transmissions are available for both models with the ORP offering a low ratio gearbox and larger All Terrain tyres for improved all wheel drive.

Like all Trakka models, the Trakkadu is engineered and constructed in Trakka's production facility at Mt Kuring-gai which utilises precise 3D CAD design, the highest quality materials and world-class build technologies.

The Trakkadu is priced from $75,500 drive away in NSW. For more information, visit www.trakka.com.

APT river cruising sails into Paris

Australian travel company APT next year will have one of its riverships visiting Paris on the Seine for the first time since the company pioneered European river cruising in the Australian market in 2000.

APT is adding the Seine (Rouen-Paris) and the Douro (Oporto-Bega de Terron) in Portugal to boost to 14 the number of waterways it cruises in Europe.

Two new riverships, boutique Concerto ship MS AmaVida (for the Douro) and the MS AmaPrima (for cruises Amsterdam-Rousse) will create a fleet of 12 ships APT co-owns with river cruise specialist AmaWaterways.

APT has also announced it is adding a panoramic ship-front second restaurant to its six Aria ships for dining indoors and out.

APT General Manager, Chris Hall said the new ships allowed APT and AmaWaterways to add cruises on the Seine in France and the Douro in Portugal next year.

"This new investment in more ships, enhancements of the Aria ships and the infrastructure required for the new rivers is part of a continuing business development process we started when we launched the Europe river cruising holiday concept here in 2000," Mr Hall said.

"APT's policy is to nurture our relationships with our co-owner expert operators and continue to invest in new product opportunities for our customers – both return customers and new travellers -- while enhancing our hallmark standards of luxury, elegance and style in the process," he said.

See www.aptouring.com.au
 

Diamonds of Australia and Asia cruise.

CRUISE specialists ecruising.travel have released their 26-night package from Sydney to Beijing on board the stunning Diamond Princess departing on March 8, 2013.

Enjoy Sydney for two days before sailing north to Port Douglas and Darwin, with time at sea to enjoy the many activities and entertainment on the ship such as nine-hole putting course, the Calypso and Neptune's reef and pool plus hot tubs, the swim-against- the-current lap pool, the casino, the Princess theatre, wine and caviar bar plus so much more.

There are port visits also to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and three on mainland China.

The Diamond Princess has many dining options including traditional dining, anytime dining, speciality dining, casual dining and of course 24-hour complimentary room service.

Priced from $3889 per person for a quad share cabin or $4629 per person for a twin cabin, it includes one-way airfares back from China to Sydney, 32-nights cruise accommodation with all meals on board, two nights luxury accommodation at Raffles Hotel in Beijing, a full day touring in Beijing including the Great Wall and the Olympic Village, transfers in Beijing and port charges and government taxes.

There are more than 30 cabin grades to choose from on the Diamond Princess, for more details contact ecruising.travel on 1300 369 848 or check-out www.ecruising.travel

 

Never forget a toothbrush again with ZUJI's Packman app

ZUJI Asia Pacific has launched a brand new iPhone app, aimed at taking the stress out of packing your next big trip.

Known as Packman, ZUJI's innovative app helps travellers organise their itinerary, coordinate their holiday packing and connect with fellow travel partners.   Available for free from the iTunes store, the app enables travellers to create multiple packing lists, share travel schedules, set personal reminders to complete holiday errands, assign trip mates packing lists and see what others are packing.

ZUJI managing director Asia Pacific James Gaskell says Packman's simplicity and ease of use has already made it a winner with travellers.

"Packman turns your mobile device into a complete holiday management tool and effectively removes much of the headaches people commonly have when packing.  It's fast, simple and easy to put together a list, share it with your friends and get out the door, safe with the knowledge that nothing has been left to chance," says Gaskell.

"Holiday packing is an integral step of the journey and the ZUJI Packman is designed to help organise this process whilst making travel planning fun and more efficient. It really encapsulates our company's vision of empowering individuals on their travels."

Since launching last month, the app has been downloaded more than 3,600 times.

ZUJI Packman is available in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong, with an Android version to launch soon.

In a recent Facebook survey, ZUJI customers admitting to regularly leaving toothbrushes, cameras, sunscreen, socks and – in rare occasions – passports sitting at home as they set out on holiday.



Images – Packman in action:

ecruising.travel Cruisin' Competition

CRUISE specialists ecruising.travel are celebrating their 2011 success with Delta Air Lines and Norwegian Cruise Lines by giving you the chance to be a travel reporter for 15 days on a cruise from Los Angeles to Miami on board the luxurious Norwegian Pearl. The prize includes the cruise for you and a friend, a Sony HD video camera, return economy airfares for two people on Delta Airlines, a 15-night cruise on the Norwegian Pearl from LA to Miami, one night in LA and one night in Miami!

Simply go to ecruising.travel’s Facebook page and upload your best "cruisin' image" to go in the draw to win this prize for two people. The images can be interpreted any way you like, cruisin’ can be hanging out on the beach, chilling with your dog or hitting some backyard cricket with your mates.

Your job is to be the exclusive travel reporter on the cruise. Tasks can include interviewing staff such as the Captain, Executive Chef, Cruise Director and Ecruising.travel clients, plus, general highlights of the cruise experience like the Rock Climbing Wall and all the fun things to do on board – you’ll upload the video’s daily to Facebook and YouTube for ecruising.travel’s Facebook fans to see your progress and what they missed out on!

Entering is easy just head to the ecruising Facebook page and click on the "Enter Now" tab before June 7. Tell your friends to vote for you or better still, tell them to enter and if they win, take you!

The winner will be chosen by guest judges - radio broadcaster Kate Waterhouse, cruise journalist Joanna Hall, former newsreader Ian Ross and cruise veteran Brett Dudley- with the winner being announced on June 11, 2012.

For all details log onto https://www.facebook.com/ecruising.travel


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