Fly, coach, cruise rail and stay South America and Galapagos

Cruise to the Galapagos Islands on the yacht La Pinta.

A truly rare 19-night fly, coach, cruise, rail and stay package to South America and the Galapagos Islands in April of next year has an almost regal touch to it – the just-40 Australians who’ll participate in this tour will have the personal services during a private five-star yacht visit to Galapagos of the guide chosen to escort a British royal there several years ago.

Created by founder and chairman of ecruising.travel, Brett Dudley and his wife Philippa who will jointly lead the tour, it features 12-nights fully-escorted private-coach touring in Chile, Peru and Ecuador with an English-speaking guide, seven-nights private-charter on the yacht La Pinta to Galapagos with all onboard meals, drinks with dinner, daily lectures and briefings, plus sea kayaking, Zodiacs, glass bottom boats, snorkelling, a stargazing program – and  that British royal’s one-time personal guide, Francisco 'Pancho' Dousdebes.

And the visit to Galapagos will coincide with the annual frenetic breeding season of one of the world’s greatest single gatherings of bird- and sea-life.

The package also includes a full-day’s wine-tasting tour on Chile’s Cachapoal Wine Route, and a two-day visit to Machu Picchu aboard the luxury Hiram Bingham Deluxe Train with private English-speaking guides; there is also a day trip to Valparaiso and luxury hotels are used throughout.

The whole 19-nights is priced from $13,399pp twin-share from Sydney on March 31 next year; for a fully-detailed 11-page itinerary and inclusions phone 1300 369 848 or visit www.ecruising.travel

An optional 4-nights to Easter Island is available at extra cost on the way home.

-David Ellis

Med cruise makes a perfect early Christmas gift!

Holidaymakers already booked to Europe or the Mediterranean later this year, can give themselves a bonus early Christmas present with a seven-night Mediterranean cruise offer aboard the four-star Costa Concordia (pictured above) that costs from just $699pp twin-share - including a choice of onboard dining options, nightly entertainment in a theatre extending through three decks, and onboard tips.

And children up to 18 years who share a cabin with adults will cruise for free - paying just their port charges.

This enticing offer from ecruising.travel is available on Costa Concordia’s seven-night sailing from Rome’s Port Civitavecchia on November 9 this year and can be booked online on www.ecruising.travel

Costa Concordia visits Savona, Barcelona, Palma De Mallor, Tunis, La Valletta, Palermo and returns to Civitavecchia… an itinerary she’ll sail every Sunday from May 4 to November 23, with prices varying from $899pp twin-share through to peak-season $1999.

The four-star ship has five restaurants, 13 bars, four pools including two with retractable all-weather roofs, five Jacuzzis, a water chute, sports court, jogging track, and Wellness Centre with gym, Thalasso pool, sauna and steam room.

There’s also a casino, disco, internet café, library, giant on-deck movie screen, shopping centre, video arcade, and children’s club and splash pool.

Full details of each week’s cruise prices on 1300 369 848 or www.ecruising.travel