Christmas tradition

SUNWAY River Cruise has just launched a number of winter specials, including a Christmas Wonderland Cruise.

The Christmas (actually pre-Christmas) seven-night deluxe cruise with three optional pre-nights in Paris departs from Trier, Germany’s oldest town, and proceeds through the meandering Mosel River Valley to Bernkastel and Cochem.

In Koblenz, it enters the Rhine and sails upriver to experience the Christmas traditions in medieval Heidelberg and modern Frankfurt. It continues to Cologne and then to Düsseldorf, Germany’s fashion centre, before concluding in Amsterdam. Prices start at 806 and more elaborate options, including flights and three nights in Paris, come on the market at €1,544.

For full details visit www.Sunway.ie/RiverCruise or call Sunway River Cruising on 01-2366800.

FOR anyone planning on getting married abroad, Caribbean Collection might have a package to suit, but watch out for extra charges.

The company has cut a deal with Sandals Royal Hicacos in Cuba for guests staying from July 1 to December 14. Prices range from between €1,160 (per person sharing base rate) to €1,483. That includes return flights from Shannon and Dublin and seven nights all-inclusive accommodation and airport transfers.

Unfortunately, add €295 per person for taxes. The wedding package is a bonus that includes a number of extras but set aside about €150 for local legal charges associated with all weddings.

For more information, visit www.caribbeancollection.ie or call 021-4635556.

TOPFLIGHT has special offers from Cork to Italy this summer, with particularly good value in the Lake Garda region.

Amongst the properties offering good value is the three-star Eden Hotel in Torbole, for €379 plus taxes of €48 per person sharing. The four-star Mirage Hotel in Riva del Garda is €539 plus taxes.

Topflight will operate direct daytime charters from Cork to Verona until the end of September. It also has flights through the summer from Cork to Portugal, Lanzarote and Rome — serving Sorrento, Amalfi and Puglia as well — for the summer and offers holidays to Austria, using the Aer Lingus Cork to Munich flight.

Details on 01-2401700, www.topflight.ie for latest special offers, or local travel agents.

WITH the dollar at a record low and direct flights from Dublin, there has hardly been a better time to visit America. Tour America has a wine-tasting tour to the Napa Valley in California.

A San Francisco and winelands tour is €1,199 per person including all taxes and charges for nine nights (three nights San Francisco and six nights in the wine region), with flights and convertible car to discover Napa, travelling in October.

More details from Tour America on 01-8173500 or visit www.touramerica.ie.