APT adds Gallipoli for 9th Europe river cruising season………

New Earlybird savings, the addition of Gallipoli and the launch of APT Amadeus Waterways herald the release of APT World Discoveries stylish new brochure for luxury river cruising in Europe next year, APT’s ninth season in this market.

APT Amadeus Waterways was formalised recently as the river ship operation partnership of APT and one of the world’s European river cruise specialists Amadeus Waterways.

Two custom-built ships created by the partnership are already in service, another two will be added next year and a fifth vessel will follow in 2009.

APT World Discoveries remains the brand for packaging, marketing and booking the cruises. The brochure is titled APT World Discoveries Europe & Russia 2008.

Thirty cruises are listed in a new-look perfect-bound 112-page brochure which gives lifestyle magazine pictorial and editorial prominence to the features and benefits of APT’s ships and their room-suites design, public areas, levels of service, food and wine, onboard entertainment, cruising experiences and Freedom of Choice excursion options.

Fifteen cruises are Fully Escorted Exclusive Sailings which means passengers are from mainly Australia and New Zealand, there is an APT Cruise and Tour Director onboard, arrival and departure transfers are included, gratuities for cruise staff are included and room service is features on Violin Deck.

Other dedicated sections of the brochure are for Cruising Europe, Christmas in Europe, France-Spain-Egypt and Russia-Scandinavia-Kelsinkiu-Baltics.

Land touring extensions in Prague, Italy, Paris, Bruges, Slovenia, Istanbul and Gallipoli Peninsula can be combined with sailing.

General Manager Sales and Marketing, Chris Hall said the brochure was the most sophisticated produced by APT and reflected the growing demand for this experience, launched on the Australian market by APT eight years ago.

“While the brochure is emotive in its style, it clearly defines our competitive features, advantages and benefits and will be easier to use for agents and their customers,” he said.

“We have elevated the brochure, just as we have elevated the standards of European river cruising available on the Australian market over the last two years with our own ships which are designed to access central ports and easily manoeuvre bends and into locks.”

While April’s Earlybird June 30 offers have sold out, the brochure carries a second Earlybird offer on five sailings with savings up to $1160 per couple for bookings made by September 30.

Asian stopovers, gratuities included on most Exclusive Sailings, Signature Experiences (e.g. cycle tour along the Danube, private concert at Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest) are new for 2008.

Gallipoli is a feature of one of 12 new itineraries. The 26 days Amsterdam-Istanbul & Gallipoli (or reverse) cruise on aboard the newly-launched boutique ship ms Sound of Music is priced $9995 per person twin share.

Mr Hall anticipates the most popular products will be the 15 days escorted Magnificent Europe (ms Sound of Music & ms Amadagio/ms Amalegro/ms Amadante/ ms Amacello) ships priced from $4635 per person, the 22 days Italy & Blue Danube Discovery (coach and ms Amadagio/ms Amacello) priced from $10,965, the 13 days Waterways of the Czars (ms Tolstoy) priced from $3595 and the 24 days Scandinavian Fjords and Russia Cruise (rail, coach, air, ms Tolstoy) priced from $9795.

Report by The Mole