Travel Briefs

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ 16-day “From Travemuende to Tromsoe” cruise, aboard the 164-passenger MS Bremen, June 29-July 15, 2009, sails up the Norwegian coast and circumnavigates Spitsbergen, home to polar bears.

Shore excursions (for an extra charge) include a water-plane ride in Bergen over fjords and a glacier, a cog railway train trip into the mountains to Flöyfjellet and a kayak trip in Geirangerfjord.

Prices run $6,930-$14,700 per person, double occupancy. Contact Hapag-Lloyd...

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Adventures by Disney’s (phone 877/728-7282 in U.S. or 714/520-5100 outside U.S. or visit www.abd.disney.go.com) 10-day/9-night “Australia Family Vacation” includes Mossman Gorge and rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef, Ayers Rock, Taronga Zoo and Sydney.

Optional activities include the rainforest canopy sky-rail, a sheep station visit, an Outback camel ride and jet-boating in Sydney Harbour. 

Land-only rates run US$4,299-$4,499 adult and $3,869-$4,049 child under 12, with...

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Until March 31, 2009, Blue Lagoon Cruises (2222 Foothill Blvd., Ste. E–175, La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011; 877/252 3454, www.bluelagooncruises.com) is offering family rates on Fiji cruises.

Excluding airfare and beverages but including meals and activities, two adults and up to three children under 15 can book two cabins for F$2,170-$3,470 (US$1,450-$2,320) for a 3-day/2-night cruise or for F$6,635-$7,935 (US$4,434-$5,304) for a 7-day/6-night cruise.

These cruises of the...

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Norwegian Cruise Line (866/234-7350, www.ncl.com) now has a hotline for their guests to call if they are aware of a flight delay before arriving at the airport en route to their cruise.

If the guests are already at the airport, they should rebook through the airline, specifying they are meeting a cruise ship, then call the hotline to alert NCL of the changed itinerary. 

The hotline is 800/456-7179 (toll-free) within the U.S. and Canada or 305/468-2029 internationally. The...

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Visit www.cruiselinehistory.com or www.cruisingthepast.com to examine the history of cruise lines, cruise ships and steamships.

Articles, pictures and video clips provide anecdotes of some of the great liners and include “Celebrities at Sea” and “Ships in the Movies.” There also are reviews of current cruise lines and new ships, with candid recommendations by the website editors.

Crown Blue Line, Connoisseur and Emerald Star, after years of working as sister companies, have come together as Le Boat (980 Awald Rd., Ste. 101, Annapolis, MD 21403; 800/734-5491, www.leboat.com).

The newly combined line offers self-drive canal boating in France and other European countries, with budget to luxury boats available. Examples — for boats out of Burgundy or Alsace, prices run $900-$2,405 per week in off-season, depending on the type of boat chosen, and $1,710-$4,555 in...

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Augsburg is the second-oldest city in Germany and was the home of the Fugger family (a German mercantile and banking dynasty), Leopold Mozart and Bertolt Brecht.

Through Dec. 31, 2008, the 5-star Steigenberger Drei Mohren Hotel (Maximilianstraße 40, 86150 Augsburg, Germany; phone +49 821 5036 0, fax 821 157864, http://en.steigenberger.com/Augsburg/Steigenberger-Drei-Mohren is offering a 2-night package that includes a guided city walk, tickets to the city theater, buffet breakfasts...

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In Monte Carlo through Jan. 4, 2009 (excluding Dec. 15-22), Hôtel de Paris (Place du Casino, 98000 Monaco; phone +377 98 06 30 00, fax 98 06 59 13, http://en.hoteldeparismontecarlo.com) is offering a 2-night package for two people that starts at €1,540 (near $2,429).

It includes a sea-view room; a private tour and tasting in Les Caves (the hotel’s famous wine cellar, with over 600,000 bottles); buffet breakfasts, and dinner for two one evening with free drinks selected by the...

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