Venice is one of the destinations on Virgin Vacations' new cruise vacation packages featuring Holland America Line © 2012 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com.
Virgin Vacations has introduced a collection of 32 cruise vacation packages featuring Holland America Line. Travelers can choose from cruise or air-inclusive packages offering savings of up to 30% on air fare alone.
Available year round, the cruise packages give travelers a head start by providing a stay of one- to three days at the port city of embarkation, prior to cruise departure. Travelers can choose from itineraries to the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, Northern Europe, Panama Canal, Hawaii, Alaska, and the Mexican Riviera.
Europe spring and summer cruise packages range from 9- to 17 days. With spring-summer air fares to Europe alone costing $1,400-$1,700, Virgin Vacations’ new packages are priced from $929, or $2,119 with air fare from New York for a one night Amsterdam hotel and 7 Day Southern Norwegian Fjords Cruise package in May. Mediterranean cruise vacation packages, such as a one-night Rome hotel and 10-day Eastern Mediterranean cruise in mid-May begin at $1,099, $2,169 air inclusive from New York.
Prices are per person, double occupancy, and include first class hotel accommodations with breakfast, hotel to port transfer, and cruise with all meals. Air prices include all taxes and fuel charges. Optional sightseeing tours are additional, as are cabin and hotel upgrades.
For more information contact http://www.virginvacations.com
Sample Mediterranean cruise packages
Travelers who haven’t yet made summer plans can still find space on any of 7 different Mediterranean cruise vacation itineraries through early fall, with a choice of starting in Rome or Barcelona. Below are sample packages available with or without air fare.
Western Mediterranean
From Rome: 13 days: 1 night Rome, 10 night cruise
Beginning in Rome with an overnight at the first class Hotel Genova, and a free morning, Virgin Vacations passengers transfer to Civitavecchia, where they board the MS Noordam for ten nights cruising the Mediterranean. The itinerary calls at 7 different ports, with a full day at each, plus an overnight and extra half day anchored in Barcelona. First port of call is Livorno, where travelers can visit Florence for the day. Rounding out the itinerary are visits to Monte Carlo, Monaco; Palma de Majorca, Spain; Tunis, Tunisia; Trapani, Sicily and Naples before returning to Rome.
Regular departures are available through September 23, with prices beginning at $1,199 cruise vacation for May 26 departure, and ranging to a high of $1,699 for the June 15 package. Air-inclusive packages from New York begin at $2199, May 26 departure, and range to $2979 for the June 16 departure. Add on air fares begin at $347 from Los Angeles; $483 from San Francisco. Cruise line taxes and fees, plus 2 Euro per person Italian city tax per hotel night in Rome are additional, as are optional tours, shore excursions, and gratuities.
Eastern Mediterranean
Barcelona to Venice: 15 days: 1 night Barcelona, 12 night Mediterranean cruise, from $1,449 hotel-cruise, $2,679 with air fare
This package begins in Barcelona and ends in Venice, beginning with an overnight and morning in Barcelona before a transfer to port for 12 nights aboard the MS Nieuw Amsterdam. Following a full day at sea, the first port of call is Livorno, in Italy’s Tuscany region, before calling at Rome, Naples, and Messina, Italy. Another full day at sea leads to stops in Nafplion, Katakolon, and Corfu, Greece; and Dubrovnik, Croatia. Venice is port of call for a final afternoon and night.
Included are hotel and breakfast in Barcelona, hotel-port transfer, all meals while on cruise, and full day stops at all ports of call except Venice (1/2 day and overnight). Travelers can choose from two hotels in Barcelona and three different departure dates:
- July 4 : hotel-cruise from $1449, $2689 with air fare, New York
- August 9: hotel-cruise from $1449, $2679 with air fare
- September 21: hotel-cruise from $2069, $2969 with air fare
Add-on air fares from Los Angeles start at $241 per person, $193 per person from San Francisco. Airport transfers, shore excursions, gratuities, Holland America taxes and fees are additional.
For more information, visit Virgin Vacations’ Holland America Line Cruise Vacations, or contact your travel agent. Virgin Vacations is also on facebook.
To learn about Virgin Vacations’ destinations, visit www.virginvacations.com.
For more travel features, visit:
www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate
www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin
Tags: cruise vacations, Holland America Line, Virgin Vacations
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