Qantas Holidays expands cruise range

An expanded range of 2009-10 cruises across Australasia, Asia and the South Pacific has been introduced by Qantas Holidays. The operator is offering fly-cruise packages featuring departures from Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland and Singapore for the fisrt time with prices starting at £999 per person. Cruises by Costa, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Seabourn are available with departure dates until the middle of next year. Qantas Holidays general manager Nick Crabb said: “Strong demand since we started selling fly-cruises in the Far East means that we’re expanding our programme for this and next year to offer 75 featuring Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific islands as well as Asia.” A 14-night Far East tour on Costa Allegra leads in at £999pp departing Singapore in November and visiting Indonesia, Malaysia, Phuket and Kuala Lumpur, with other cruise options offering departures from Sydney, Beijing and Bangkok. A 12-night HAL cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore on MS Volendam taking in ports in China, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia is available from £1,799pp. December departures include 12-nights from £1,799pp on Diamond Princess departing Sydney for Auckland and visiting Melbourne, Hobart, then New Zealand’s Fjordland, Dunedin, Christchurch and Tauranga. Prices include return economy class flights with Qantas, air taxes and fuel surcharges, transfers (in Singapore and Hong Kong only), cruise accommodation, all onboard meals and taxes based on two adults sharing a two bed inside cabin. by Phil Davies