By John Rozentals.
Greenery aplenty … Gumtree Restaurant & Bar in Sydney’s Metro Aspire Hotel.
Metro Hotels is offering an ‘Autumn Fun Package’ at the Metro Aspire Hotel, its property in Sydney’s inner-western suburb of Ultimo.
Priced from $274 per night, the package includes: complimentary upgrade to a Premium Deluxe Room; overnight car parking, a complimentary breakfast for one child per paid adult breakfast); 10 per cent discount on dinner at Gumtree Restaurant & Bar; a kid’s activity pack for each child under 12 years old; a family pass (for two adults and two children under 12) to any of two attractions chosen from Sydney Tower Eye, Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, Madame Tussauds, Wild Life Sydney Zoo and Manly Sea Life Sanctuary; and a free drink voucher at Gumtree Restaurant & Bar.
The offer is valid for stays until July 31 and for a minimum two-night stay.
Visit www.metrohotels.com.au.
Captain Cook Cruises … Sydney whale-watching for $45 per person.
Captain Cook Cruises is offering a discount of more than 45 per cent on Sydney whale-watching cruises operating between May 19 and June 30, with guests paying $45 per person instead of the normal $85 when cruises are booked before May 17.
The open-water adventure takes passengers past the Sydney Opera House, Fort Denison and the city’s beautiful eastern suburbs, before passing through the Heads.
Humpbacks will usually be spotted visiting Sydney’s coastline as part of their annual migration, and, on occasion, southern rights, orcas and minke whales can also be seen, as well as seals, albatross and fairy penguins. Dolphins nearly always accompany the cruise, with some pods numbering up to 100.
Captain Cook Cruises will operate whale-watching cruises from May 19 to October 31.
Captain Cook Cruises offers every passenger a whale guarantee. If a whale is not spotted, passengers can cruise again for free.
Phone 02 9206 1111 or visit www.captaincook.com.au.
Amazing nature … Remarkable Rocks, Kangaroo Island.
Discover Kangaroo Island’s intriguing history, fascinating wildlife, spectacular coastal scenery, pristine beaches and unique local wines and produce on SeaLink’s fully inclusive and escorted three-night ‘Kangaroo Island Experience’ tour.
All tours are inclusive, with accommodation at Kangaroo Island Seaside Inn, Kingscote, and all tours are escorted by well-known South Australian tour host, Shirley Tamm, who has over 36 years of experience in the travel industry.
The package visits all the main island attractions, including the Maritime & Folk Museum, Cape du Couedic Lighthouse, Clifford’s Honey Farm, Cygnet River and Raptor Domain ‘Birds of Prey’ show.
Prices start at $1219 per person twin-share, including pick-up and drop-off at selected Adelaide hotels.
Visit www.sealink.com.au.
Novotel Surfers Paradise … three nights from $248 per person twin-share.
Book with TravelOnline and spend three nights amid the bright lights and beautiful beaches of the Gold Coast from $248 per person twin-share.
The package includes three nights in a Hinterland-View Superior Room at the Novotel Surfers Paradise and breakfast daily for two adults and two children, valid for sale and various travel dates until September 20.
Novotel Surfers Paradise is located in the heart of Surfers Paradise with direct access to one of Australia’s most famous beaches.
It is surrounded by entertainment venues, restaurants and the multi-level Paradise Centre shopping complex, and features an outdoor swimming pool and spa, fitness centre and tennis court.
Phone 1300 883 887 or visit www.travelonline.com.
Tigerair’s new slimline leather seats … built-in tablet/phone holders.
Tigerair Australia has introduced new slimline leather seats to its fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, providing adjustable headrests, additional storage pockets and built-in tablet/phone holders.
The airline says installation of the new seats allows it to add six additional seats in the cabin without compromising crew and customer comfort.
The new seats will be complemented with additional inflight entertainment courtesy of a new partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and Fox Networks Group, which will provide customers with access to recently released movies and TV programs.
The new inflight entertainment product will be available soon across Tigerair’s entire fleet.
The Temora Aviation Museum … includes Australia’s only two flying Spitfires.
Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours has launched a ‘World War II in Australia Tour’, comprising a four-day itinerary providing the opportunity to discover and explore the country’s war-time history without leaving home soil.
The itinerary features a round-trip ex Sydney, including the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, a flying day at the Temora Aviation Museum, the site of the Cowra Breakout, the Japanese Cemetery and gardens in Cowra, and the Lithgow Small Arms Museum.
At Cowra, for instance, a historian will provide details of one of the largest prison breakouts in history, when more than 1000 Japanese prisoners of war escaped the Cowra Prisoner of War camp in 1944, resulting in the deaths of 231 Japanese prisoners and four local prison guards.
The Temora Aviation Museum includes Australia’s only two flying Spitfires.
Visit www.battlefields.com.au.
Artist’s impression of the new MV Queen Eleganza … hand-picked excursions.
APT has released its 2019 ‘Small Ship Croatia Cruising’ itineraries, setting sail in 2019 along the Adriatic Coast aboard the brand-new small ship MV Queen Eleganza.
In partnership with Noble Caledonia, APT will be chartering the brand-new purpose built, yacht-style, small ship, which can accommodate just 34 guests in 18 cabins and can explore hidden gems that other, larger ships cannot access.
All itineraries offered are exclusive to APT and the hand-picked excursions have been tailor made to get the most out of the magnificent coastline.
The nine-day ‘Croatian Island Discovery’, for instance, is priced from $6495 per person twin-share, including a SuperDeal saving of up to $1000 per couple.
Highlights include visits to the spectacular waterfalls of Krka National Park, Vis island which was closed off to tourism until 1989 and has retained its charm, and the traditional village of Radosici with its fully restored stone houses.
Daytime sailing ensures guest capture the beauty of the coastline, while the ship docks in port every evening to experience Croatian hospitality and nightlife first-hand once the crowds on larger vessels have departed.
Phone 1300 196 420 or visit www.aptouring.com.au.
Huvafen Fushi … luxury in the Maldives.
Book though Luxury Escapes and save 40 per cent on a five-night stay at the newly renovated and adults-only Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives.
Pay $5999 for two adults, instead of the usual $10,065, for accommodation in a beach bungalow with private pool, butler service, return speedboat transfers from the capital of Malé, daily à la carte breakfasts and nightly three-course dinners featuring freshly caught seafood.
The deal is available for booking until April 18.
Phone 1300 889 900 or visit www.luxuryescapes.com.
SeaDream I and SeaDream II … together in Nice.
Seadream Yacht Club has two seven-night sailings this August starting from Rome’s port of Civitavecchia bound for Nice on the French Riviera with full-day calls at Monte Carlo, Cannes and Saint-Tropez and two-day diversions to Bonifacio and Calvi on the Mediterranean island of Corsica.
The sailings are aboard the twin mega motor-cruisers SeaDream I and SeaDream II, which each carry 112 guests indulged by 95 crew. The former will depart Civitavecchia on August 18 and also call at San Remo in Italy, the latter will depart on August 25 and also call at Porto Cervo in Sardinia.
Prices start at $6400 per person twin-share, including five-star cuisine, premium drinks both with meals and at the no-charge bars, power and sail watersports, use of the golf simulator and fitness centre, port charges and taxes, and staff and crew gratuities.
Visit www.seadream.com.
The Warwick Fiji … indulgent luxury.
Save 40 per cent on a five-night stay at the five-star Warwick Fiji — and have the kids stay free on this Fijian escape — by booking through TravelOnline.
Pay from $685 per person twin-share in a garden-view room, including meet-and-greet with shell lei garland at Nadi airport, return airport transfers, free wi-fi, buffet breakfast daily, bonus FJ$200 resort credit, plus free accommodation, meals and kids’ club program for children 12 and under.
The offer is valid for sale until April 30 for various travel periods until March 31 next year.
The Warwick Fiji is located on the white-sand beach of Fiji’s Coral Coast.
Phone 1300 883 887 or visit www.travelonline.com.
