Prepare for the long haul

SWISSAIR is offering special fares from Dublin to a range of long-haul destinations (via Zurich). Bookings must be made before October 31, for travel to be completed by January 31.

The airline quotes the following prices:; €670 to Hong Kong, €557 to Bombay, €412 to Tel Aviv, €344 to Cairo, €485 to Dubai, €552 to Muscat, €652 to Nairobi, €772 to Tokyo and €878 to Dar es Salaam. There is no minimum stay requirement, a three-month maximum to Bombay and Hong Kong and one month maximum to all other destinations.

Children pay 67% of the adult fare for Bombay and Hong Kong, full fare for other destinations and infants travel for 10% of the fares.

Log on to www.swiss.com and go to special offers.

STENA Line has a special cabaret break over the October bank holiday weekend (October 27-30) with prices from €249 per person sharing. This includes return Stena Line crossings from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead with an onward coach to the three-star Grand Hotel in Llandudno where guests can choose from three nights of cabaret entertainment.

The break includes three nights with dinner and breakfast at the hotel, which is situated at the foot of the Great Orme in the Victorian town, a day-long shopping trip at Cheshire Oaks, and a day-long coach tour through Snowdonia National Park.

Telephone Stena on [phone], see www.stenaline.ie/cabaret or visit your travel agent, quoting reference A103.

IRISH online ski tour operator Directski.com has expanded its north American programme for 2006-07 to include the resort of Whistler in Canada and Aspen in the US.

Book online at www.directski.com.

GULF AIR reports a constant increase in passengers on its Dublin to Bahrain service.

While Bahrain in itself is not the main draw, the ease of passage to onward destinations through a tidy and uncluttered Bahrain Airport is.

James Harrison, Gulf Air’s general manager for Ireland, says: “Our performance has been helped by the range of onward destinations from Bahrain including the Gulf, Africa, India, Asia and Australia, so we’re not over-reliant on one market.

THERE might just still be time to book Brittany Ferries’ three-hour jazz cruise next Saturday.

The cruise, which sets sail at 12.30pm, from Ringaskiddy in Cork, will be packed with on-board entertainment for the whole family, including live rock’n’roll, jazz and easy listening music, and magicians to entertain the children.

Fares for a family of two adults and up to four children will cost €50, while individual tickets for adults cost €15 and children €10. Tickets are available only from Brittany Ferries’ reservations in Grand Parade, Cork, on [phone].