Book Rocky Mountaineer by March 31, Get Free Hotel Night & Off-Train Activity
Book a qualifying Rocky Mountaineer rail tour of 6 nights or more by March 31, 2011, and get a free additional hotel night in Vancouver, plus a free excursion.
Choose from one of seven excursion options:
1. Whale-watching in Victoria with round-trip floatplane flight;
2. Round-trip day trip on the Whistler Mountaineer 'Sea to Sky' Climb;
3. Victoria day trip including Butchart Gardens;
4. 'Flightgseeing' by floatplane;
5. Vancouver City Tour by limousine;
6. Tour of Vancouver's North Shore including visits to Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain;
7. Vancouver City Highlights Tour by motorcoach.
The offer also is available for tours of four or five nights with a supplement of $99 per person. Restrictions apply. For more information, call (800) 478-4881 or click here. For information on the Rocky Mountaineer train, click here. To book, click here.
Royal Scotsman, Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, E & O Bargains
The Orient Express company has announced the following bargains for its trains in Scotland, Continental Europe and Southeast Asia. They are as follows:
The Royal Scotsman
Book a journey on board the Royal Scotsman departing in May and June 2010 and be our guest at the Balmoral Hotel, a value of about $580.
Terms and Conditions:
All offers are subject to availability, not combinable with other offers. Does not include the Garden Tour. Valid for new bookings only. Booking of 2 people minimum. Valid for double room/cabin sharing. Book by the end of March 2010. For Royal Scotsman train/tour info, click here.
Get free nights at some of Europe's finest hotels.
• Book the Venice-Krakow-Dresden-London/Paris journey and receive 2 complimentary nights at Dresden's Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Hotel, a value of $760. Departing 8th July 2010
• Book Venice - Budapest – London/Paris and receive 2 complimentary nights at Le Meridien in Budapest, a $1,240 value. Departing 19th May 2010 or 23rd June 2010
• Book Venice-Prague-London/Paris and receive 2 complimentary nights at the Mandarin Oriental in Prague, a $1,280 value. Departing 6th October 2010
Terms & Conditions
All offers are subject to availability, not combinable with other offers. Valid for new bookings only. Booking of 2 people minimum. Valid for double room/cabin sharing. Book by March 24, 2010. For Orient-Express train/tour info, click here.
The Oriental Magic Package:
Book a journey for two between Singapore and Bangkok departing between March and August and receive 2 nights at the Ritz Carlton in Singapore and 2 nights at the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok, breakfast included, and with our compliments. Available for all cabin types with the exception of the Presidential. Transfers from airport, station and hotels are included. Dates: all trips; subject to availability from March to end of August.
Thai Explorer
Book the 3-night journey from Bangkok departing on the 20th April 2010 and receive 2 complimentary nights at the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok including breakfast and the airport-hotel-station transfers.
Terms & Conditions
All offers are subject to availability, not combinable with other offers. Valid for new bookings only. Booking of 2 people minimum. Valid for double room/cabin sharing. Book by the end of March, 2010. For Eastern & Oriental Express train/tour info, click here.
For more information, call (800) 478-4881 or click here. To book, click here.
El Transcantábrico Running New San Sebastian-Santiago Itinerary
Aug. 27, 2009—Spain's narrow-gauge luxury train, El Transcantábrico, is running a new 8-day itinerary: San Sebastian-Santiago de Compostella.
The fare is 2,600 Euros per person, double (900 Euros extra for single supplement).
Fare includes seven nights accommodation in a suite aboard the train; seven lunches and seven dinners off-train in restaurants selected for culinary excellence and diversity (includes wine and liqueurs); seven on-board breakfasts with open buffet; music and parties every night in the pub car, off-train excursions, with entry to museums, cathedrals, cloisters, etc.
The train is accompanied by a luxury coach for day trips. A multilingual guide also is on board for the entire trip.
Owen & Eleanor Hardy will be hosting the Society of International Railway Travelers' 'Owners' Choice' tour on the Transcantábrico's Sept. 18 departure from Santiago to Sebastian.
For more information about the new itinerary, or to join the Society's special 'Owners' Choice' tour, call (800) 478-4881 or click here. To book, click here.
Cheaper Trans-Siberian Car Available on Select Trips This Summer
April 23, 2009—If you've always wanted to do the "Big Red Train Ride" — Moscow-Vladivostok on the private Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express — but have held off because of the hefty price tag of the Silver & Gold class cabins, here's some great news announced this week:
The train has added a "New Heritage" car on each of four departures this year which are a fraction of the price of the usual cabins.
New Heritage cabins have bunk-style berths (bottom is a double bed; the upper is a twin) with a wardrobe and sink. One shower is shared by travelers in the 8 compartments; there are two toilets in the carriage. Price: $7,495 per person, double. $9,395 single occupancy. The 15-day escorted tour runs between Moscow and Vladivostok and includes all tours, meals, wine and beer with lunch and dinner and accommodation on the train and in hotels as indicated in itinerary.
Eastbound dates: June 30-July 14 and July 26-Aug. 9. Westbound dates: July 12-26 and Aug. 7-21. The car also is available on the Naadam Festival Trans-Siberian Express (Moscow - Ulaan Baatar, June 30-July 13, $7,495 per person, double occupancy and on the Golden Eagle's tour, Mongolia and the Russian Far East (Ulaan Baatar-Vladivostok, July 8-14, $2,995 per person, double occupancy). Space is very limited on all trips.
For more information, call (800) 478-4881 or click here. To book, click here.
Rocky Mountaineer's Escorted Tours add luxury element
January 30, 2009—Talk about special treatment: how would you like your own tour guide for your Western Canada vacation, plus two rail cars exclusively for you and your fellow VIP guests?
And imagine being able to choose just the theme you’d like to explore: wine appreciation, photography, natural history or regional storytelling.
The Rocky Mountaineer’s five new Escorted Rail Tours do just that, and much more besides.
Escorted Rail Tour guests have exclusive access to two cars, a Dome Coach and the Escorted Tours Lounge. Travelers can relax in the designated dome coach and take in the stunning scenery. Or they can head to the Escorted Tours Lounge, where they can mingle, browse the library or enjoy onboard presentations.
Dome Coach
The dome is a modified bi-level GoldLeaf dome, the Rocky Mountaineer’s Andrew Flynn told IRT. Guests are seated on the upper level. In the back portion of the upper level, separated by a glass partition, is a “Social Lounge” with curved love seats and captain’s chairs.
“The lower level is a ‘Coffee Lounge’ which has a self-serve cappuccino machine and a library containing a great selection of books and games,” Mr. Flynn said. “Guests can relax, read and play games in the booths.” The dome has an outdoor vestibule––a highlight for many Society of IRT travelers–– just like on a regular GoldLeaf dome. The restrooms are on the lower level.
Escorted Tours Lounge
The Escorted Tours Lounge is an upgraded parlor car with a bar area, loveseats and tables where premium drinks are served, said Mr. Flynn. The lounge is equipped with a boardroom table with seating for the themed presentations as well as four flat-screen T'Vs.
The ten-nights/eleven-days Escorted Rockies Circle tour is the “Granddaddy” of the five new tour packages. On this tour, the Rocky Mountaineer snakes through the Coast Mountains, Cascade Range and the Canadian Rockies on the Kicking Horse and Yellowhead routes as guests marvel at vast forests, winding river canyons and surrounding peaks. They overnight in Fairmont Hotels & Resorts throughout their journey. Prices for this tour begin at C$5,249 (about $4,275 U.S.).
No Single Supplement for Select Eastern & Oriental Express Berths
January 23, 2009—Pullman Superior Cabins on the Eastern & Oriental Express are now offered to single travelers with no single supplement, the Orient Express company announced today. For example, the retail rate from Bangkok to Singapore is now $2,210 per person, regardless of whether it is for a twin or a single. This is a savings of $1,100 from the original 2009 single supplement rates. Supplements will continue to apply for single occupancy of the luxury train's State Cabins and Presidential Suites. Running between Bangkok and Singapore, the E & O offers 36 Pullman Superior Cabins (62 square feet), two Presidential Suites (125 square feet) and 28 State compartments (84 square feet).
Australia’s Great Southern Railway Unveils “Platinum Class”
December 15, 2008—Cabins double the size of currently available luxury cabins, double beds, ensuite facilities and 24-hour room service are among the amenities being introduced with Platinum Class, Australia’s Great Southern Rail announced recently.
Constructed by a luxury boat builder to a completely new floor plan inspired by the world’s most luxurious trains, Platinum cabins “will have all the modern comforts, in a classic style, with a distinctly Australian character,” according to Tony Braxton-Smith, GSR Chief Executive Officer.
“It’s a very exciting time at Great Southern Rail, we are really looking forward to unveiling this exciting new level of service. This is without a doubt the most important development for rail tourism in Australia since the launch of The Ghan to Darwin”.
“The Ghan will now also offer accommodation options that rival the best world-class trains. This new service level is in addition to our existing Red and Gold Services, which will continue to operate on The Ghan. This means The Ghan will now cater to all budgets from Red Service, the most economical way to travel, through to Gold Service, for those holidaymakers who want to travel in comfort, and now the deluxe offering of the new Platinum Service.”
The details of Platinum Service are still under wraps as final preparations are being made. The first journey on The Ghan offering Platinum Service is expected to take place late this year.
January 30, 2009—Talk about special treatment: how would you like your own tour guide for your Western Canada vacation, plus two rail cars exclusively for you and your fellow VIP guests?